Get In Her Ears Live @ The Shacklewell Arms w/ ARXX, 22.07.22

For our second gig of the month, following our emotional farewell to DIY pioneers Charmpit a few weeks ago, we returned to The Shacklewell Arms to host long-term faves ARXX! Support came from incredible up-and-coming duo Fräulein and fierce new band Lusa Morena. It was truly an honour to host three such exciting bands – it was such a beautiful night filled with not only immense music blasting from the stage, but all the nicest vibes and loveliest people. And to sell out the night was a dream come true – we’ve raised another £300 for vital organisation Abortion Support Network, so huge thanks to all who came along!

I’m struggling to put into words just how wonderful the night was, but I’ve written a few sentences to accompany some fab photos, courtesy of Harry Levin…

Opening the night is Portuguese, London-based band Lusa Morena. Blasting out an immense, swirling energy as impressive relentless riffs roll out alongside front woman Bárbara’s immersive charisma, they cement themselves as definite ones to watch.

Next up, one of the most exciting bands around – duo Joni and Karsten, aka Fräulein – deliver an utterly impressive set. Having headlined for us at The Victoria back in January, it’s wonderful to have them play for us again delivering their gritty grunge-fuelled anthems. I’ve seen Fräulein live a few times now, and each time is even more incredible than the last – as Karsten’s frenzied pummelling beats accompany Joni’s raw, impassioned vocals and swirling hooks, they really are a truly unique, captivating force to be reckoned with. It’s also particularly lovely to have them on the same bill as ARXX, as I first fell in love with them a couple of years back at an online festival that Hanni curated.

To top off the dreamiest of line-ups, total long-term faves ARXX take to the stage to Shania Twain’s ‘Man, I Feel Like A Woman’. And then Hanni and Clara blast into our eyes and ears with that perfect balance of raucous energy and joyous charm that we’ve come to know and love over the years. As they treat us to an eclectic set, offering some of their more poppy recent releases alongside the grungey edge of some of their older songs, they fill The Shacklewell Arms with a euphoric sea of admiring fans – smiling and singing along in blissful unity. New or old, each track is delivered with the duo’s trademark colossal anthemic musicality as the sassy allure of Hanni’s vocals soar over immense catchy hooks and Clara’s buoyant beats and witty between-song chat. With all the colourful, empowering vivacity that you could ever hope for, ARXX once again prove themselves to be a band consistently honing and developing their sound to create the freshest, most addictive of tunes. Impossible to pigeonhole into one genre, they continue to impress with everything they do (including the surprise ‘Sk8r Boi’ cover with special guest vocalist Beth White!), and remain truly one of the most exciting – and completely lovely – bands I’ve ever come across. It’s such an honour to host them at one of our nights again that I notice silly little tears (of joy and pride) trickling down my cheeks as the set draws to a close.

Massive thanks again to the three AMAZING bands who played for us on Friday, to all at The Shacklewell Arms and to everyone who came along and sold out the night, raising £300 for Abortion Support Network. A really special night!
Next month we have another two gigs in store for you: 12th August at The Victoria with Manchester band Nikki & The Waves, First Frontier and Panic Pocket – tickets here, and 20th August at The Cavendish Arms with Australian duo Mannequin Death Squad, Maya Lakhani and Dogviolet – tickets here!

Words: Mari Lane / @marimindles
Photos: Harry Levin / @harrywlevin

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Track Of The Day: Alien Chicks – ’27 Stitches’

Written on the same day as their single ‘While My Landlord Sleeps’, ‘27 Stitches‘ solidifies South London band Alien Chicks’ distinct creative style. The new song follows similar structural beats in a way that pairs with the first song to establish the band’s unique musical and narrative sound.

’27 Stitches’ starts off light and playful – bright, twinkling strings dance over an upbeat rhythm, as soft vocals tell a slice-of-life tale about buying a second-hand television at an ideal rate. The track soon launches into a louder, more rambunctious chorus as the story takes a turn for the worse.

Growling guitars, rapid drums and aggressive vocals grab you and throw into the sudden tension in the scene; it’s impossible not to get caught up in the abrupt sense of danger. And then the song ramps up into an intoxicating cacophony of strings and horns that captures the chaos of the climactic moments of the story with a funk-fuelled musicality.

Alien Chicks are evidently hugely talented on multiple levels. ’27 Stitches’ is a brilliantly constructed song; as well as being so much fun to listen to, the instruments tell the story as much as the lyrics do. The track as a whole leaves you with a complete sense that you were there in the excitement of it.

It is no surprise that Alien Chicks are rapidly generating a dedicated following in London’s live gig spaces. ’27 Stitches’ exemplifies their creativity and skill, and shows exactly why so many people are excited to see what they do next.

Kirstie Summers
@ActuallyKurt

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Track Of The Day: Gemma Cullingford – ‘New Day’

Having received praise from the likes of BBC 6Music’s Steve LaMacq and Amy Lame, as well as Radio X’s John Kennedy for previous singles ‘Tongue Tied’ and ‘Wide Boys’, Gemma Cullingford (of GIHE faves Sink Ya Teeth) has now shared a brand new offering ahead of her upcoming album release in September.

Reflecting on night terrors that we can all experience even as adults, and the optimism that the morning can bring, ‘New Day‘ delivers a blissfully shimmering soundscape evoking a nostalgic energy, with shades of the danceable hits of the ’80s. Flowing with glitchy, synth-driven hooks as the subtle stirring power of Cullingford’s vocals oozes alongside a whirring, twinkling drive, a truly euphoric summer anthem is created.

Watch the beautiful new lyric video for ‘New Day’ here:

A special remix of ‘New Day’ by Rodney Cromwell is due out on 8th August. And Tongue Tied, the upcoming second album from Gemma Cullingford, is set for release this Autumn. To celebrate its release she’ll be playing a joint headline show for us with Alice Hubble and support from Yay Maria at The Shacklewell Arms on 10th September. Get your tickets on DICE now!

Mari Lane
@marimindles

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Preview & Playlist: Truck Festival

Like the first day of summer, the proper start of festival season is an intangible moment, a shift in the weather, an unspoken collective agreement that the time has come. In the melting heat of mid-July, turning my mind to Truck Festival, it is clear that, whenever exactly it started, the high festival season has arrived. With reserves of sun cream packed and liquor decanted into plastic bottles (no glass on site remember!), there now remains only the trains and buses via Didcot Parkway between me and my entry into the high festival season.

Truck festival is one of our original big-little festivals, started in 1998, a veritable elder in a market where more and more new festivals are born like generations of flying ants each year. In its age and wisdom, the festival has cemented a reputation as the go-to for noisy indie rock with a little more cred and fewer legless GCSE graduates than Reading and Leeds. The headliners tend to come from artists previously featured in NME, but further down the bill you are reliably able to find some gems.

This year is true to this form, with the likes of Bombay Bicycle Club, Sam Fender, Kasabian, The Kooks and Blossoms leading the bill. The main acts I’m looking forward to seeing, however, are in somewhat smaller print. I’m hoping to catch Loose Articles, whose new single ‘Kick Like a Girl’ should go off especially well in the wake of England’s dramatic Euros quarter-final win last night. Sorry are always a great live experience, with shows that never fail to remind me why I love them, capturing the slick pop greatness of their Domino output and the uncanny interludes collaging found audio taken from their Home Demo/ns series. 

The So Young-curated Market Stage looks to be another treasure trove, with a solid run on Saturday including Lime Garden and Deep Tan. And while I’m there, primarily looking to catch some interesting up-and-comers, I’m sure that the heart of my 14-year-old self will enjoy singing along to Bombay Bicycle Club on the Friday night.

Other bands that, although sadly not featuring as main headliners, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing include: Sigrid, The Big Moon, The Subways, Jade Bird, Just Mustard, and GIHE faves Peaness… (and will definitely try to catch the legend that is Kelis!)

Have a listen to our playlist of Ones To Watch at Truck Festival, and keep your eyes peeled for our review of the festival over the next couple of weeks! 

Lloyd Bolton
@lloyd_bolton

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