Beth Orton And Nadine Shah To Play ‘In The Round’ 2018

Now in its third year, the Roundhouse presents In the Round 2018, a series of shows devoted to intimate performances set in the venue’s iconic main space, staged in a rarely seen fully-seated concert set up. Fast becoming a fixture of the music-lovers’ calendar, the series runs from 31st January to 10th February with a programme of ten very special shows, including premieres and special sets from an eclectic mix of artists.  

Confirmed to appear is Geordie songstress Nadine Shah, known for her hauntingly majestic voice and dark, impassioned lyrics. Live, she is known for her captivating presence as an effortlessly commanding performer. 

Also playing will be the incredible Beth Orton, one of the most unique and beguiling voices in British music. For In the Round she will be performing songs spanning her celebrated career, from classics such as Trailer Park and Central Reservation, to her latest album Kidsticks. 

Full list of dates for In The Round 2018 (more info and ticket links here):

Wednesday 31st January –  Oumou Sangaré
Thursday 1st February – Jimmy Webb
Friday 2nd February – Nadine Shah
Saturday 3rd February – Portico Quartet
Sunday 4th February – Levellers Acoustic
Thursday 8th February – GoGo Penguin
Friday 9th February – Chip
Saturday 10th February – Beth Orton

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Introducing Interview: NÝNA

Having already received support from Huw Stephens and Amazing Radio, NÝNA recently released her latest single ‘Silence’, which pulses with an electronic rhythm coupled with husky, velveteen vocals.

Nyna took some time out between producing, running a music studio and of course writing her own material to tell us more…

Hi Nyna! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about your sound?
I call it dark pop, cinematic. The main thing about my sound is a fusion of different things and it’s mainly my influences. I’m a classically trained pianist, so I put a lot of piano in there. I love heavy drums, so a bit of that as well. It’s a different sound, I like to add drama to it.

When did you initially start creating music?
I started playing piano when I was about six, but I wouldn’t say I started creating music until I was about twelve or thirteen, so about ten years ago. I started writing classical music first, then that grew into pop music and then I started producing. It all kind of grew! I would say that it was when I was at university that I really got into it and started learning how to produce.

We’re loving your new single ‘Silence’ – can you tell us what it is about?
‘Silence’ is an empowering song. For example, in the ending of the song, there’s a phrase – “who do you think you are? Believe you will go far, giving me the hardest time.” That’s pretty much the gist of the song. It’s about letting go of the people and things in your life that you can’t change. The negativity can’t touch me, I’m just going to do my thing. If you can’t change, then fine. There’s so many people in the world, sometimes you don’t agree with them and they’re putting the negative energy on you – you don’t have to take it. When you go through every negative thing, I think there’s always a positive energy because you learn for the future.

 

Who would you say are your main musical influences?
It really changes, two of my main influences are Sia and Lana Del Rey. I love Lana Del Rey – her music and style. The fact that they don’t change for no one, they don’t listen to people around them who are no good for them. They just do what they felt is right. They stand their ground, and I love the fact that their music reflects this. A lot of their music is empowering, especially Lana’s music. I love that about her. I love London Grammar too. I also love classical music – I listen to a lot of Debussy. I also like listening to rock music as well, probably where my love of drums comes from!

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
I really like the Troubadour (in London), I go there a lot. I like playing there too, Bob Dylan and Adele used to play there. It’s a really nice venue and it has tradition. I also love going to Notting Hill Art’s Club. I love going out in Shoreditch as well: The Queen of Hoxton, Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen. I also really love The Bedford in Balham, people really listen attentively there and care about music.

How do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment? Would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
That’s a good question! You can look at it in two ways, I would say it’s what you make of it. In this day and age, you have more opportunities which you can take advantage of – like social media. It really depends on how you chose to use that. It’s hard work, but everything worth doing is hard work. It doesn’t have to be hard if you know how to work it. For example, keep doing your social media, doing gigs and meeting people. Eventually certain things will start happening. The industry has changed over the last few years, it’s about going with the times. In my opinion I don’t think the industry is hard as long as you work hard. Use the tools which are available. I truly believe there is space for everyone.

Finally, what does 2018 have in store for you?
I’m not going to lie, I’m really excited! 2018 has already started so well, I woke up and was like “this is happening!” I’ve got the release of ‘Silence’, and after that I have a few more tracks which I will be releasing. ‘Animals’ will be out hopefully at end of February. I also have the release of my debut EP. I’ve got some plans after that as well, so let’s just say that 2018 will be a really good year. I’m super excited, I really am!

Huge thanks to NÝNA for answering our questions! 

 

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Introducing Interview: Megan Henwood

Since winning the BBC Young Folk Award back in 2009, singer-songwriter Megan Henwood has received acclaim from the likes of The Guardian and Uncut, and played played numerous festivals including Glastonbury, Cambridge Folk Festival and Secret Garden Party.

Now, following the success of last year’s album The River, Henwood has released a spellbinding new single. We caught up with her to find out more…

Hi Megan! Welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a little bit the band?
Hey, thanks for having me! The full band live set up is a four piece; myself, Pete Thomas, Jacob Stoney and Fred Claridge. We have double bass, drums, synths, pianos, electric and acoustic guitars and lots of vocals! It’s been great fun bringing the studio albums to life with these fantastic musicians.

What initially inspired you to start creating music?
I’ve loved words and writing from an early age and as I became more confident in playing instruments and singing, the two sort of melded together and became a powerful outlet for me. Lyrics will always be the starting point of inspiration, but I get really excited about experimenting with production and instrumentation to keep the sound evolving.

We’re loving the new single ‘Join The Dots’ – what’s it all about?
It’s  about how retrospectively we can recall the same story but interpret it completely differently – sometimes in an unrealistically positive light, as if to save ourselves from the honest truth.

 

You’ve been compared to the likes of Daughter, but who would you say are your main musical influences?
I am flattered by this comparison! I think my most prominent influences tend to be more lyrically based music – Elliott Smith has always been a huge inspiration to me, as well as Joni Mitchell, Sixto Rodriguez and Anais Mitchell. Musically, I listen to a huge range of genres which I think has filtered into the production of my own material.

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?
Oxford is pretty great for live music. There are some good venues and an eclectic mix of events and gigs going on. The standard of local bands/musicians is really high and audiences and communities are supportive, so it’s been an inspiring place for me to settle over the last few years.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?
I always try and play as honestly and sincerely as I can. Also, because a lot of my songs are pretty dark I try and lighten the mood a little in-between tunes! The band show is so much fun, and we draw out some of the arrangements which is something I’m not able to do on solo shows.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any other new/upcoming bands or artists you’d suggest we check out?
You must go and listen to Be Good right away. Stop reading this and go listen. You’ll thank me later! Also – check Jack Harris out – beautiful songwriter.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new artists at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?
Well, there are pros and cons to the internet and how it opens up the world and audiences – it makes for many more opportunities for independent artists to get their music heard, but it also can be overwhelming. I fully recognise that it’s a powerful tool, but it also terrifies me.

Finally, what does 2018 have in store for Megan Henwood?
More gigs and touring with the band and the new album – more writing and also a few mad projects!

Huge thanks to Megan for answering our questions! 

‘Join The Dots (Ash Howes Mix)’ is out now via Dharma Records.

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Interview: Slowcoaches

Like us Get In Her Ears girls – and most women in music – Slowcoaches bassist & vocalist Heather Perkins is pretty fucking sick of the pervasive misogyny inherent in the music industry today. Fortunately, her band and her voice provide a much-needed antidote to all the patriarchal nonsense we’re forced to stomach. We caught up with Heather to talk about Slowcoaches’ 2018 recording and touring plans, shouting back against sexism on Twitter, being appreciative of your band mates, and taking time to recognise and deal with your own mental health issues effectively…

Hello Heather! It’s the start of a brand new yearand we’re keen to know what’s in store for Slowcoaches. Can you tell us what’s coming up for the band in 2018?

I’ve been mainly writing our second album, which will come out this year. I’ve moved out of London and I’m writing back in the town I grew up in which is weird but also really refreshing. Its given me a new place mentally and physically to write from, which is always interesting. We have a new track coming out in a couple of months which I’m really excited about. We’re also planning a huge tour in a huge country for later in the year, and I’m so damn excited but I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say about that right now.

That sounds exciting! We saw your tweets about Bono’s Rolling Stone interview at the end of 2017, in which he brands new music “girly” and says hip-hop is the only place in music where men can express “rage”. Where were you when you first read his comments?

I don’t know where I was when I read it, but that’s because I read so much shit like this all the time now that it kind of becomes an everyday occurrence. I genuinely couldn’t give a shit what Bono thinks, but the things he says have such reach and they shape the opinions of his already small-minded but huge audience. He reflects an opinion that poses a huge problem to women in the music industry and the world in general, that’s what’s so frustrating about it.

We also saw that you’d been tweeting about the first release on Slaves’ new label ‘Girl Fight Records’ too?

Yeah. This is the first time in a while that I’ve let something like this really piss me off actually. It took me a whole day to totally get my head around why I was so angry about it, and I realised there were so many layers to the whole thing that I found offensive – both as a woman and as a woman musician. I think this is why:

Slaves are a band with a lot of influence. Their opinions and endorsements affect the way their audience perceives music and more widely, the way they perceive the world. So, they’ve chosen to start releasing music under the label name ‘Girl Fight’. That’s the first kicker. The phrase ‘Girl Fight’ denotes pettiness, weakness and bitchiness. It has sexual and comical connotations. And more often that not a ‘girl fight’ involves two women fighting over a man. Those two words have layers of negative connotations that reach beyond simply pitching women as enemies of each other.

This is a problem then, when coupled with the fact that their first release is by an all-white, all-male band called ‘Lady Bird’ (check! Two more references to the female gender) – a song about a ‘traditional geezer’ who’s having a bad time in Wetherspoons which is something that we can apparently ‘all identify with’ (except for anyone who isn’t a traditional geezer – hell, I don’t even know what a ‘traditional geezer’ is.) So that alienates all us un-traditional, un-geezer types.

Congratulations Slaves! You’ve created the epitome of a ‘lads club’ right there. Everything about this label and this release screams ‘punk rock is a boys gang and you’re not invited.’

Denoting women as enemies of each other whilst promoting and supporting maleness in punk music is the ultimate ‘fuck you’ to all women, female-identifying and LGBTQ individuals who are making music of this genre. They are reinforcing the idea that rock music is a boys game. And their audience will believe them.

But notice how both label and band use words referencing the female gender: girl, lady, bird. Its like, adding insult to injury. Not only are women banned from engaging or identifying with the content, they are referenced with the intent to both sneer at them, belittle them and use them as a decoration, a name, an aesthetic reference.

It’s really disappointing to see a band with such a big fanbase belittle women’s efforts in punk.

What inspires you when you’re writing new songs?

It’s taken me a while to get in to the routine of writing. It’s fun and frustrating in equal measure. I get really angry at myself really quickly, especially if I don’t feel like I’ve got a great idea within the first 3 minutes. I’ve spent a lot of time training myself to persevere through those initial few minutes of total shit. It’s like doing warm up before you go for a run.

I’ve also been forcing myself to sit down and just write for an hour or something every day. It’s easier the more you do it. It also teaches you about the best way to write. Like, for you. A few weeks in, I realised I was writing songs that I thought other people would like. And it just wasn’t working. So now I’m writing songs for myself and its all flowing more easily.

In terms of what inspires me, it can be anything at all. I often think about the live show and how songs translate to be experienced on a stage. I guess that’s the place I often start from.

You toured the UK in 2017 and you’ll be back on the road in 2018 too. Can you talk to us about the positive and negatives aspects of being on tour?

Our last tour was amazing. It was a pretty long trip and I learned a huge amount about myself and what I’m capable of and what I’m not.

I suffer from severe anxiety and panic disorder as well as a few other weird things including DPD (Depersonalisation Derealisation Disorder) that can make touring quite tricky for me. I basically got back and finally admitted to myself that I just can’t do some things in the same way as some other people can. Admitting that was a bit of a relief and now I know that I need to be stricter with myself and look after myself a lot better when we go away. Otherwise I’m making my life a hundred times harder than it needs to be.

I definitely couldn’t get through touring without Sean and Oliver and our awesome little team. Doing something so challenging can be a real confidence boost, but next time I want to be able to really enjoy myself.

Here at Get In Her Ears, we’ve noticed that bands and artists have been much more open about their struggles with poor mental health this year. Have you noticed this too? Do you think this open attitude will continue to prevail in 2018?

I hope so. I think music is so inextricably linked to emotion that it’s a great place for people to start to explore and identify and swap experiences.

Do you have any advice for new bands or artists who are concerned about their mental health?

A few things I learned whilst on tour:

Try to be open and honest with your band mates and crew. Don’t bottle things up. It only increases tension and anxiety.

Being around someone with a mental health issue can be as challenging as having one. You’re not expected to provide solutions, but it can help you and others if you’re explicit about what you need at any time. If you want to be alone, say so. If you want someone to sit and just hold your hand, say so. If there’s nothing anyone can do at that moment, say so.

Challenging yourself is good, but be realistic about what you can and can’t do. It’s ok to say “I don’t want to”. Having a few ground rules when you’re on tour is important. It doesn’t make you any less punk.

Good advice. As a new music blog, we’re always keen to hear about other people’s favourite new bands & artists. Who are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve just been listening to a great record that came out this year called LA Women, by a New Orleans band called Patsy. Nice gritty upbeat, catchy garage punk.

Finally, if you had to describe Slowcoaches’ music in three words: what would they be?

Infectious, vital noise.

Huge thanks to Heather for taking the time to answer our questions. Make sure you’re following Slowcoaches on Facebook to keep up to date with all their new releases.

Photo Credit: Priti Shikotra

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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