LIVE: A.A. Williams – Lafayette, London 04.03.22

After two years of re-scheduling show dates and a tentative return to live music across the UK, London-based songwriter A.A. Williams delivered a stunning performance that showcased her heavy sound in all its glory at Lafayette last night.

A classically trained multi-instrumentalist, Williams’ blending of post-rock and post-classical elements has a hypnotising quality, one that was clearly appreciated by her silent crowd. It’s rare to hear a venue so quiet between songs, but Williams congregation remained devotedly still throughout her set.

Performing songs from her debut album Forever Blue, which she released in 2020, Williams opened the show with an exquisite rendition of ‘All I Asked For (Was To End It All)’. Her soft vocals floated above beguiling keys before heavy riffs and percussion broke the spell and dominated the track’s closing minute. What’s obvious throughout the set is Williams’ and her bandmate’s impressive instinct for volume fluctuation. Her balancing between loud and quiet is the lifeblood of Forever Blue, and it’s something that translates beautifully into a live setting.

Suited in black and playing her guitar in the spotlight, Williams cut a calm and captivating figure, enhanced by her ability to switch from a fragile-sounding exhale of words to a powerful extended vocal. Her voice was occasionally lost in the flood of heavy, feverish sound, but in the moments where it did cut through, it made for intense and cathartic listening, effortlessly elevating the rapturous mood.

It’s hard to pick standout tracks from the set, as Williams’ performance had a whole, defined, cinematic quality to it. Her poignant renditions of ‘Dirt’, ‘Fearless’ and the emotionally raw ‘I’m Fine’ made listeners hold their collective breath, but closing her set with ‘Melt’ was undoubtedly a highlight. The smouldering, brooding track was stripped of its more melancholic feel once the blitz-like volume change kicked in, once again displaying Williams’ and her bandmate’s instincts for intricately cauterizing the ear drums.

Taking time to thank her fans between songs and genuinely appreciative of their applause at the end of the show, A.A. Williams provided an aural tonic of intense, beautifully executed sound at Lafayette, proving that the two year wait to hear her poetic ruminations on Forever Blue was well and truly worth it.

Follow A.A. Williams on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Get In Her Ears Live @ The Victoria w/ Fräulein, 21.01.2021

On Friday we were back for our first gig of 2022, at The Victoria in Dalston, and what a fantastic night it was! Huge thanks to the three totally amazing bands who played, and to all the lovely folk who came out to support them and fill the venue… We’re still feeling all the feels, and are extremely grateful to everyone who made it such a dream night.

First up, duo Naz & Ella kick things off beautifully. Exuding a captivating grace, they deliver their exquisite, brooding offerings with a subtle gritty edge, reflecting on poignant themes ranging from sexual harassment to animal cruelty. A truly stirring start to the evening.


Next up, First Timers alumni Breakup Haircut treat us to their joyous, scuzzy pop-punk. Exuding a vibrant energy, they deliver their uplifting, danceable offerings with an infectious wit and colourful charisma as the crowd bounce along in glee.


Closing the night are one of the most exciting bands around at the moment. Having been on my radar for over a year now, it’s a real honour to host one of duo Fräulein‘s first headline shows. Blasting out an immersive wall of grunge-fuelled splendour, each track oozes a swirling energy and raw, impassioned drive. As the stark power of front person Joni’s vocals ripple alongside gritty hooks and drummer Karsten’s immense driving beats, the huge crowd show their appreciation with whoops and cheers, and even a bit of a mosh. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – here is a band headed for big things, continuing to develop their epic musical prowess by the minute, and I cannot wait for their imminent world domination!


Massive thanks to the three incredible bands who played for us on Friday and everyone who came along! Join us for our next gig, on 24th February at Shacklewell Arms with Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business, Potpourri and BAXTR!

Photos: Jon Mo / @jonmophoto
Words: Mari Lane / @marimindles

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INTERVIEW: The Music Federation launch their ‘Safe Space Policy’ for all live shows

London based music promoters The Music Federation have launched their new Safe Spaces Policy in response to the recent surge in cases of spiking that women across the UK have experienced within the live sector. In partnership with Strut Safe and Girls Against, TMF’s policy has a three-part structure providing guidance for post, during and after show an event, as well as guidance on what to do if attendees feel uncomfortable at a TMF show or if they witness harassment of any kind.

We caught up with Jasmine Hodge, Head of Promotions at TMF, to talk about implementing their new policy, how important it is to be proactive when it comes to harassment at gigs, and their anticipations for their charity gig with Lily Moore, Gracey & Sody, hosted by Abbie McCarthy on 31st Jan at Colours in Hoxton…

 

Let’s get a bit of background on you…how did you start working with The Music Federation and can you explain briefly what you do?

Jasmine: Myself, Sam Hong and Rebecca Sangs (who all co-created the safe space policy!) all work for The Music Federation. I am Head of Promotions and work across all our signed artists, festivals and partner labels helping promote them across all media platforms. Sam is our Head of Live and Rebecca is his live assistant, they are responsible for all our live shows and festivals. The Music Federation itself is a community of festivals, artists, labels and partners that launched about 6 months ago. We are building a group of likeminded people who want to be the change that the music industry needs. (You can read about us in Music Week here!)”

Our website is here.

You’ve just launched your new Safe Space Policy for TMF today. Can you explain what a Safe Space looks and feels like to you? And can you talk us through some of the key points of your policy?

Jasmine: I (and most women in the industry) have experienced some form of harassment at live shows/festivals, whether that be from industry professionals or just gig attendees. In the past, I have been too apprehensive to report this or take further action due to this being seen as the “industry standard”. Since working at TMF, I have never felt more confident in our senior management, partners, and wonderful live department to take any accusations seriously. This has filled me with hope that the industry is changing for the better. We want to make sure other people feel as confident as I do in reporting incidents and being listened to.

The music industry has swept sexual harassment under the carpet for too long. It’s not on anymore. For women in the industry, it’s harassment in the workplace. If this was an office space and a guy came up behind me and unclipped my bra, groped me, or asked me to get changed in front of them, there would be procedures in place to get him fired – all of those things mentioned have happened to me. Why does the music industry not have this? We need to have people ready to call this behaviour out, to actually ban these predators from future shows and to actively support the person who had this happen to them. We are building our new community and those people are not invited.

Some of our points in the policy include having a rep on site (of which we will advertise on social media prior to the event) who will be there to help with any accusation, requesting male and female security guards, partnering with Girls Against and Strut Safe etc. We are also looking into online reporting structures post-event for anyone who didn’t feel comfortable to say something at the time. We are aware that this policy will be forever evolving as times change, so we welcome all suggestions to improve. We are also having regular in-house meetings to discuss any suggestions made to us.

As you mentioned, you’ve launched this new policy in partnership with Strut Safe, Girls Against and The F-List – all great organisations we support here at GIHE. Talk us through how you connected with these platforms and what input they had into the policy…

Jasmine: We reached out to them in the first instance to get their opinions on our policy and wording. We wanted as many eyes on this as possible and are happy for this to develop in the public eye. These organisations do such amazing things, and their expertise is something we really wanted to use. We are also in talks with other amazing organisations such as The Music Assistant to be partners for our larger events, which we are really excited about!

There is the saying that “too many cooks spoil the broth”, but in this case, we want as many “cooks” as possible. This is a joint effort, and we want to work with those who are wanting change as much as we are.

TMF have also organised a charity gig with Lily Moore, Gracey & Sody, hosted by Abbie McCarthy in aid of Strut Safe on 31st Jan at Colours in Hoxton. Talk me through your anticipations for this event…

Sam: We are really hoping to promote our Safe Spaces Policy alongside raising awareness, raising money & supporting the important work that Strut Safe have done and continue to do. For anyone who doesn’t know, Strut Safe is a free, non-judgemental volunteer service dedicated to walking anyone who needs us home safely. To be able to add a charity aspect to this and help aid the safety of women in live music spaces is so vital to what we believe at TMF as well, so being involved in this show with such amazing musicians as well as our curator Abbie McCarthy is a great sign of positive change, and we hope to keep up that energy.

Finally, the work you’re doing with TMF and implementing your Safe Space Policy is vital, but it’s also a difficult thing to process and speak about. How have you found the process overall?

Jasmine: I understand that these are difficult conversations to have but honestly, I have not felt uncomfortable speaking to anyone at TMF about this. By changing the stigma that surrounds it and having open and honest discussions, it has been very rewarding and comforting to discuss this.

The most important element of this to me is having men who actually listen. I am very lucky to work with a company that not only has men who listen, but ones who are actively trying to support women (without being reminded). For example, I have curated a compilation album that is coming out in February which is entirely female, non-binary and LGBTQ+ artists to raise money for Reclaim These Streets. A company that allows you to spend your working hours curating that is pretty rad!

Thanks to Jasmine and The Music Federation for their time!

Read their full Safe Space Policy here.

Follow The Music Federation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

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GIHE: Ones To Watch 2022

It’s safe to say 2021 has been a tough one… But if there’s one positive to take away from this year, it’s the immense amount of incredible new music that’s been released, and the hope of even more sublime offerings from some wonderful new bands in 2022.

For our final annual end of year round-up, we’re sharing our ‘Ones To Watch’ for 2022… Just a few of the amazing bands and artists who have impressed us throughout 2021, and that we predict will be reaching ears far and wide next year… Have a read of our choices, and make sure you give them all a follow to keep track of their unmissable achievements over the next 12 months.

Cherym
Derry trio Cherym are one of my favourite discoveries of the year. Having had their EP Hey Tori pretty much on repeat over the last few months, seeing their gig at Paper Dress Vintage in October left me buzzing with a joyous sense of nostalgic euphoria – not only because it was my first gig since Covid, but because of the band’s unmatched exuberant energy and fiery spirit. Each of their songs is a perfect ​​master class in pure, perfect punk-pop – instant singalong anthems. I just can’t get enough of their empowering energy and bubbling, sugar-coated scuzz. And, having now been featured in Kerrang!, and with plans to play at SXSW this Spring, it seems they’re definitely ones to keep your eyes and ears out for in 2022! 
(Mari Lane – Co-Founder)


Pretty Happy 
I still crack up when I think of Pretty Happy guitarist Abbey Blake commenting “you’re the first person to say we have genuine talent” when I told them how great I thought their music was back in September. Together, Pretty Happy – aka art-punk trio Abbey, Arann Blake and Andy Killian – create riotous, tongue-in-cheek offerings often centred around their observations and experiences of living in their home county of Cork, Ireland. I had their EP Sluggers Bridge on heavy rotation during 2021, chanting along to ‘Sea Sea Sea’ and ‘Sudocrem’ as loudly and obnoxious-ly as possible. The band should hopefully be supporting Gilla Band on NYE if restrictions in Ireland allow, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll make it over to the UK in 2022 so I can see them live for the first time.
(Kate Crudgington – Co-Founder)


BAXTR
Blasting out the pink, fuzzy energy we’ve so needed this year, and having received acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing, London trio Floss, Bash and Keiko – aka BAXTR – have fast become one of my favourite bands of 2021. With sunny, uplifting singles such as ‘In Pop We Trust’ and ‘Grace On Fire’, the band showcase their knack for combining a kitsch, honey-sweet pop allure with a fierce, frenzied rock spirit, consistently delivering an effervescent, euphoric power with each frenzied, fun-filled floor-filler. A band on the rise for sure, I can’t wait to host BAXTR playing live for us at The Shacklewell Arms on 24th February, along with headliners Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business and Sheffield band Potpourri. Get your tickets on DICE now. 
(ML)


Grandmas House
Since I heard the opening riff of ‘Always Happy’ by Bristol trio Grandmas House, I have been hooked on their sardonic, thumping post-punk sounds. Formed of Yasmin Berndt, Poppy Dodgson and Zoë Zinsmeister, the band combine gritty guitars, powerhouse percussion and visceral vocals to create intensely relatable anthems. Watching them live at The WIndmill in Brixton was a real joy this year and I look forward to insisting Mari buy their last tote bag at the merch stand at more of their gigs in the future.
(KC)


Queen Cult
Following acclaim from the likes of BBC Introducing for their debut single ‘Shindigger‘, and support for explosive recent offerings ‘Show & Tell’ and ‘A Song About Consent’ from big names such as Bang Bang Romeo, Cheshire band Queen Cult have been fast making a name for themselves this year. Consisting of front person Maisie Johnson and bassist Leila Jacklin, as well as Brodie Carson on drums and Piers Jarvis on guitar, the band pride themselves on their LGBTQ+ identity and sharing their queer, politically-charged messages with the masses, and I cannot get enough of their seething, gritty energy and riotous, angst-driven power. And, with a tour with GIHE faves LibraLibra set for January, it seems as though many more people will be being lured to the band’s fierce colossal spirit and instantly catchy musicality very soon. 
(ML)


Brimheim
I have Mari to thank for bringing Danish artist Brimheim to my attention this year, after she played her shadowy, sublime single ‘poison fizzing on a tongue’ on our radio show. Brimheim’s buoyant second single ‘hey amanda’ is a gentler, but equally as emotive track that showcases her talent for capturing a moment in its purest form. I’m so excited to hear her new album, the magnificently titled can’t hate myself into a different shape, when it’s released in January 2022.
(KC)


45ACIDBABIES
Dutch garage-pop punks 45ACIDBABIES have been providing a welcome quirky, fizzing soundtrack throughout 2021. Having previously shared stages with the likes of Sleigh Bells and Blood Red Shoes, with singles such as ‘Mommy’s Favourite 1’ and ‘Only Class6 From Now On’, they have showcased their ability to create perfectly catchy, danceable anthems. With each single offering a wonderfully obscure cacophony propelled by a swirling energy and vibrant honey-sweet allure, the band have already gathered a huge fan-base in their native Holland (with over 685k streams of their music on Spotify this year), but I predict that 2022 sees them headed for world domination… Watch this space! 
(ML)

Lilith Ai
Self-described as “a singer-songwriter who performs poignant tales of modern city life,” Lilith Ai writes relatable guitar tunes exploring turbulent emotions in a humble and engaging way. She was modest, self-deprecating but incredibly warm and open to talking about all aspects of her life and art when I spoke to her about her album, Folk You Hard, earlier in the year. Loud Women also awarded her their prestigious Hercury Prize Award for the record, which is further proof she’s definitely one to watch in 2022.
(KC)


The Menstrual Cramps
Having been massive fans of raging queer punks The Menstrual Cramps since 2017’s debut album We’re Not Ovaryacting, and had the honour of hosting an epic night of them playing live for us at The Finsbury back in 2018 as well as having them as guests on our radio show, we have been wallowing in a Menstrual Cramps-less void for the last couple of years as the band were on a little hiatus. But, at the beginning of this week, just when we thought all was lost and we’d given up any hope of 2022 being better than the last two years… The Menstrual Cramps announced their return! Joining front person Emilia and drummer AJ, the band introduced two new members, Abi and Zam, and have promised new music for us. I cannot wait for more of their politically-charged, immensely empowering anthems! 
(ML)

Check out our Tracks Of 2021, Albums & EPs of 2021 and Personal Highlights now. Massive thanks to all who’ve supported GIHE this year, it really means the world. And huge thanks too to all the amazing bands and artists who’ve soundtracked it, and who will continue to soundtrack 2022!

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