LISTEN: Rhys Lewis - 'Hold On To Happiness'

I'm loving this gorgeous new offering from Rhys Lewis, which also comes alongside news of a tour! I'm a big fan of Rhys' music - often stripped back and emotionally charged, he's released eight songs and an EP to date, and demand for his debut album is fairly high! Originally from Oxford, Rhys has gained live experience through support tours with the likes of Sigrid, Freya Ridings and JP Cooper over the past couple of years, as well as having heavy support from BBC Introducing.

Writing of the ideas behind the new track, Rhys explains that "I don't believe we need a lot to be happy, but we live in a complicated world now that seems to make us focus more on the things we don't have than the things we do. Social media makes people fall into that trap, and I've realised how damaging it is. Life just happens, and it'll pass you by if you let it. So, I'm trying to stay more in the present, to be truly there when the moment's golden, to make memories I'll reminisce not regret."

Rhys plays a European tour in May, which kicks off with a show at London's Omeara on May 1st. Check out the rest of the dates and grab tickets here.

Follow Rhys Lewis - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LISTEN: Matthew And The Atlas - 'Pyres'

I often ramble about my love for the independent label Communion... they're brilliant and they always deserve the praise, constantly delivering music and shows from some of the most exciting new bands out there. Their first ever signing was the total legend Matthew And The Atlas, very quickly hailed by Q Magazine as a "British Bon Iver" and deservedly so. Last year, I caught Matt and the band performing in the beautiful surroundings of a Church in Shepherd's Bush for the label's Bushstock Festival, I was volunteering in the venue and it was a little overwhelming to be standing around in the 'backstage' area while members of the band came and went. The set was glorious.

I am delighted to hear that Matt is releasing his brand new album Morning Dancer on 10th May and absolutely can not get enough of the first single Pyres. Musically it's a far cry from his early acoustic offerings of 2010, and even the Cali and Palace EPs of 2017, but this is in no way a bad thing. Matt's unmistakable vocals shine through the track, with gorgeous harmonies and as Communion themselves describe it, "illustrious brass interjections" which need to be heard to believe. I've essentially had this track on repeat on my 2019: cool music and things playlist all weekend.

Matthew And The Atlas are heading out on a UK tour in May to celebrate the release of Morning Dancer, full dates are as follows: Patterns, Brighton (12th May); The Fleece, Bristol (13th); The Globe, Cardiff (14th); Omeara, London (16th); Bodega, Nottingham (17th); The Castle & Falcon, Birmingham (18th); Arts Centre, Norwich (20th); Deaf Institute, Manchester (21st); Leaf, Liverpool (22nd); The Wardrobe, Leeds (24th); Stereo, Glasgow (27th); Mash House, Edinburgh (28th); Voodoo, Belfast (29th); Grand Social, Dublin (30th). Grab tickets for all those shows here!

Follow Matthew And The Atlas - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify.

LISTEN: Fil Bo Riva - 'Go Rilla'

A couple of weeks ago, I went along to Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen to catch the only UK show on Fil Bo Riva's current tour. The show was a complete triumph, the venue was packed out with adoring fans, and songs new and old went down a treat. It was a really wonderful evening and great to hear a few unreleased tracks... Fast forward a couple of weeks, and FBR has (finally!!) announced his debut album Beautiful Sadness which is set for release on 22nd March next year. Still a little while to go, but from what he's released so far, I am certain it will be worth the wait! That includes brand new single Go Rilla, a tune which I simply can't get enough of at the moment.

FBR details that the track is "about unbridled passion and the rapturous idea of escaping the real world" which came about "in Manchester in 2016 while supporting Joan as Police Woman through Europe that winter. It was raining outside and I was in the bathroom just before soundcheck... somehow I started staring at this poster of the club we were playing called Gorilla Club. I don't know why but I just got a flash inspiration, took my phone out and immediately started singing the chorus melody and words. Everything else developed some time after when I found other lyrics I had written down after a dream." 

The new track and album announcement come alongside a tour announcement too - he'll be taking Beautiful Sadness on tour across April and May next year, taking in a show at London's Oslo Hackney on the 1st of May. Full dates and tickets are available here.

Follow Fil Bo Riva - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

TOUR NEWS: Nick Mulvey (Sep/Oct 2018)

His sold out show at the Royal Albert Hall was a total joy to behold earlier this year, so I'm really glad to hear of the news that Nick Mulvey is heading out on tour again across the UK this September and October. Giving the fans what they want, Nick is heading out with his gutiar to play a run of eighteen solo shows, taking in the likes of Cambridge, Oxford, Brighton, Bristol and Nottingham, with a show at London's Hackney Arts Centre on 26th September. The venues are intimate - and speaking from personal experience, I can highly recommend catching Nick playing solo, it's truly something special. 

Full dates for the In Your Hands solo tour are below, for which tickets go on sale this Friday!

The Empire Music Hall, Belfast (19th Sep); Whelan’s, Dublin (20th); Live At St. Luke’s, Cork (22nd); Corn Exchange, Cambridge (24th); Town Hall, Oxford (25th); Hackney Arts Centre, London (26th); Phoenix, Exeter (29th); Tram Shed, Cardiff (30th); Guildhall, Gloucester (2nd Oct); St George’s Church, Brighton (3rd); St George’s, Bristol (5th); Opera House, Buxton (6th); Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal (7th); Pocklington Arts Club, Pocklington (9th); Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow (10th); Arts Club, Liverpool (12th); Trades Club, Hebden Bridge (13th); Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (14th).

Follow Nick Mulvey online - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

TOUR NEWS: Blaenavon announce UK tour (Nov 2017)

The ever charming Blaenavon chaps have announced a UK tour for November including their biggest headline show yet at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire! They're busy supporting Circa Waves in America at the moment, all to promote their debut record That's Your Lot which they put out through Transgressive back in April - one of the best records I've heard this year, featuring the track Orthodox Man which they performed stripped back for NME.  

Blaenavon tour the UK in November with The Night Café in support, check out the dates below -

Mon 20th: Sheffield, Leadmill
Tues 21st: Leeds, Wardrobe
Weds 22nd: Manchester, Gorilla
Fri 24th: London, O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
Sun 26th: Newcastle, Academy 2
Mon 27th: Glasgow, St Luke's
Tues 28th: Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Weds 29th: Liverpool, Arts Club
Thurs 30th: Birmingham, Mama Roux
Fri 1st Dec: Bristol, Thekla

Tickets for all the dates available here on Wednesday and you can stream the record over on Spotify here.

LISTEN: Charlie Fink releases 'I Was Born To Be A Cowboy'

Improve your Monday instantly by giving a listen to I Was Born To Be A Cowboy, the third track to be release from Charlie Fink's upcoming solo record, Cover My Tracks. If you like what you're hearing, catch up with Anywhere You're Going Is On My Way and Firecracker. The album is set for release on 2nd June and I can't wait!

The album release in June is being supported by a stage show featuring Charlie himself alongside Jade Anouka (who I saw being great in Doctor Faustus alongside Kit Harington last year) at The Old Vic Theatre. Cover My Tracks runs there from the 5th - 17th June (tickets) and a UK tour has just been announced including performances at Latitude and Galway Arts Festival in July before taking in Salford, Bristol, Bury St Edmunds, Milton Keynes and Horsham in September - tickets and info all here!

WATCH: Sivu releases new track 'Childhood House'

Ahhhhhhhh!!!! Sivu is back!! It's been just over two years since I last caught him performing a beautiful headline show at a Bethnal Green church, and he's spent that time working on the follow up to his stunning debut record Something On High. The video for Childhood House, the first track from the upcoming record was debuted yesterday, it's a beautifully nostalgic video for an understated piano and vocals track - how I've missed James' voice!

Talking about the track in an interview with The Line of Best Fit, he explained that "the song came from this idea of when you're a child you feel untouchable and you're deluded about life, and just the journey you take from leaving your childhood house and growing up and just how so much happens in that period, good and bad, that will change you forever." Check out the video below....

Sivu plays a tour of intimate venues in May - he's a stunning live performer and will be debuting lots of new music so I'd definitely recommend getting along to a show! Ticket info through the Sivu Facebook page.

3rd - Brighton, Latest Music Bar
4th - Norwich, Birdcage
5th - Cambridge, Unitarian Church
8th - London, Rosemary Branch
9th - Bristol, The Gallimaufry
10th - Manchester, Eagle Inn
11th - Birmingham, The Ort Cafe

TOUR NEWS: Johnny Lloyd tours in April to support 'Eden' EP

Johnny Lloyd has just released the incredibly catchy tune Running Wild, the first track from his upcoming Eden EP, set to be released  through Xtra Mile Recordings on April 14th. It's the result of six months of work between Johnny, Huge White of The Maccabees and Mike Crossey (The 1975), and Johnny describes the tracks as about "being free and trying to find a place in the world". Alongside Jamie-T, White co-produced Johnny's debut EP Dreamland which received lots of success with over half a million streams!

Having toured with the likes of Black Honey and Jamie T, Johnny heads out on his own headline tour to support the release of the EP in April, including a show at London's Scala on 20th April - his biggest London show to date.

Wed 19 Birmingham, Sunflower Lounge Glasgow, Oran Mor

Thu 20 London, Scala

Fri 21 Brighton, Sticky Mike's

Sat 22 Southampton, Joiners

Mon 24 Bristol, Louisiana  

Tue 25 Manchester, Soup Kitchen

Fri 28 Sheffield, Leadmill

Tickets are available here for all of the shows!

ALBUM & TOUR NEWS: Luke Sital-Singh - 'Time Is A Riddle'

After catching Luke Sital-Singh play a secret set at Bushstock last year and being pretty impressed, I went out and bought his 2014 record The Fire Inside, which features the total tunes Bottled Up Tight and Nothing Stays The Same - it was one of those special moments where the first time hearing an artist is in a live performance and I was pretty taken aback by his performance and that I hadn't took a listen sooner...

Luke has announced the details of his new record, Time Is A Riddle, which is set to be released on 12th May, and the first track to be taken from it is Killing Me, a raw and emotional track written in tribute to his grandmother. The music video features clips that his wife's grandfather shot in the 70s, so there is a real nostalgic feel running through the track and the video, and they combine to make something really beautiful!

Luke is going on tour with Ciaran Lavery in support of the record in May, including a show at London's Union Chapel, all the dates below -

Tue 9 Tobermory, Isle Of Mull, An Tobar
Wed 10 Inverness, Eden Court
Thur 11 Ullapool, The Ceilidh Place
Fri 12 Aberdeen, The Lemon Tree
Mon 15 Edinburgh, Teviot Debating Hall
Tue 16 Glasgow, Oran Mor
Thu 18 Leeds, Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen
Fri 19 Bristol, The Lantern
Sun 21 Nottingham, The Bodega
Mon 22 Manchester, The Deaf Institute 
Tue 23 London, Union Chapel
Wed 24 Brighton, The Hope and Ruin
Fri 26 Exeter, Exeter Phoenix

Tickets are available from 10am today here, and you can pre-order the record here!

LISTEN: Banfi - 'Rosedale House'

Writing this, I'm sat in my (surprisingly quiet) university halls, in a pretty bare room (although I am proud of the big collage on my wall, with photos of friends, family, gigs and theatre from the last few years), but there's two posters on the wardrobe door. Firstly, a beautiful Banfi print by their art director Jake Dypka, which I got at their Old Blue Last show last November. Below it there's a poster for the Bear's Den Christmas show in December, and as coincidence would have it, the news broke yesterday that the latter had invited the former on their European tour with them... which is really rather exciting as both are brilliant!

As if that little token of Banfi news wasn't enough, they released their latest track Rosedale House yesterday too and it's a bit of a tune. At the show last November they'd mentioned it was going to be their next single and I'm glad to finally hear the studio version, which has been on repeat for much of today! Really impressed with all the tracks they've put out so far (check out Where We Part and Happy When You Go) and can't wait to see where 2017 takes them!

I'm really looking forward to catching Banfi live again this Wednesday at Old Blue Last again with Bad Parents and Mummy - that show is sold out but you can catch them with Tempesst in Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester (tickets), and with Bear's Den on their European tour, though lots of those shows are sold out already so be quick, dates and tickets here! The Oxford date of the BD tour is the day before my dissertation is due, so while it falls in a pretty scare time I'm hoping by then it will be submitted and the show will be be the perfect celebration!

TOUR NEWS: Harry Pane (March-May 2017)

I first heard of Harry Pane through Tigmus last Summer, when he played a couple of hugely successful shows for us - I caught him play a set on his Coffee House Tour and was suitably impressed, so I'm excited that he's heading out on tour in a couple of months to support the release of his new EP. To get a taster of his last EP, here's a video from Sofar Sounds London of Cold Light Of Day - the whole Changing EP is pretty sublime though so do take a listen if you've got a little time to spare!

Harry plays the likes of London, Oxford, Winchester, Coventry, Cardiff, Birmingham and Brighton on his upcoming Wild Winds EP Tour - check out all the dates and grab tickets here!

LISTEN: Johnny Flynn 'Raising The Dead'

The title of this post doesn't quite do justice to the excitement behind it... not only were we treated to a new Johnny Flynn track on Friday, but also details of his upcoming record Sillion which is going to be released on 24th March, and he's touring the UK with his band in March to support the release! I haven't caught Johnny live yet and the London show falls just after my dissertation deadline so it's certainly quite a temptation - I did see him in a play back in September 2015, Hangmen at Royal Court where he put in a stunning performance! Check out the track and then the tour dates at the bottom of the post...

Johnny Flynn plays Brighton, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Bristol and London in March to support the release of Sillion - dates and tickets here. 

WATCH: Laura Marling releases 'Soothing' and March UK tour dates

It appears there's still a little hope for 2016, as everyone's favourite female folk musician (tell me I'm wrong?!), Laura Marling, is back with new track Soothing. It's taken from her upcoming album Semper Femina which is released next year on 10th March. 

Laura tours to support the release of the record in March, including a date at Oxford's O2 Academy on 13th March and London's Roundhouse on 17th. It's dissertation deadline month so I'm not sure I'll be able to make the Oxford date, but the prospect of seeing Laura play live is quite an exciting one! She's also taking in Leeds, Bristol, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton and Salisbury - tickets for all the shows are on sale on Friday through the official website here.

WATCH: Bear's Den 'Dew On The Vine' plus tour announcement!

Exciting double whammy of news today for Bear's Den fans... they've just released this hugely entertaining new video for Dew On The Vine, which I think probably just about captures their true rivalry at table tennis. Featuring the touring members of the band, their crew and some special guests such as Whispering Bob Harris and Communion's Maz Tuppini, the video is hilarious and well worth a watch!

It's a great track, taken from their latest record which has been out for a few months now and is gaining them lots of deserved success, not least with an upcoming run of sold out UK dates across November. I'm gutted to have missed out on London tickets now that I'm getting more and more into the music, and having seen them play two acoustic sets and headline Bushstock this year I'm keen to see a proper headline show (so if anyone's got a way in to the London gig in November... shout.) But fear not! They've just announced a run of dates to go alongside the already announced London Eventim Apollo gig in April, including (very excitingly for me) an Oxford show on 23rd March! All the dates below...

Tickets for these new shows are available from their website tomorrow morning from 10am, and they're certainly worth seeing live - check out this recent performance on Radio 1's Live Lounge.

TOUR NEWS: Dawes (!!!!!) November 2016

Some of the best news to wake up to is usually a tour announcement and today that came in the form of Dawes... I've been raring to see them live again since I caught them in the intimate Oslo Hackney last August, and they've just announced a tiny run of UK shows to celebrate the launch of their new record, We're All Gonna Die.  

I finally grabbed a copy of the new record at the weekend when I took my first trip to Oxford's new Fopp (simultaneously the best and worst thing that could've opened in town...) and after a few listens I'm totally adoring it. Yes, it's different to the previous record which I totally love and without a shadow of a doubt place in my top 3 albums of all time, but difference isn't always a bad thing and the record is great! I'm really excited to grab a ticket and hear the new tracks performed live. 

Dawes play Glasgow's King Tuts on 2nd November, Manchester's RNCM Concert Hall on the 3rd and finish up in London's Islington Assembly Hall on the 4th. Tickets are available at 9am on Friday here.

TOUR NEWS: Jack Savoretti (November 2016)

Great news to wake up to on a Monday... Jack Savoretti has announced a string of live dates in November, including the already announced huge show at London's Eventim Apollo (which it happens to be 100 days until, not like I'm counting!) If you haven't listened to Jack before I hugely recommend doing so, he's one of my favourite artists and he and his band are superb live performers. Start off with his latest record, the hugely successful Written In Scars.

Sign up to Jack's mailing list here to get access to the pre-sale on Wednesday, I assume general sale will be on Friday!

TOUR NEWS: Martin Harley (Autumn 2016)

Exciting news as blues guitarist Martin Harley has announced a solo UK tour across November and December, taking in much of the country including a London show at Kings Place. I saw him back in March when I ran the door for the Oxford leg of his tour with Daniel Kimbro (a wonderful pairing!) and was really taken aback, very skilled guys. The quotes on the tour poster should be enough to tempt you along... if not, check out his latest record, a live effort from Martin and Daniel, Live At Southern Ground (live performance of my favourite track from that record here.)

Tickets for the tour are available now through Martin's website here.

TOUR NEWS: The Posies (Autumn 2016)

America's The Posies, formed around 30 years ago, have announced an Autumn European tour including dates in Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds and Bristol in October. This follows a run of 27 secret shows in the US, in unusual venues, with the information released to attendants on the day of the show (not far from the Sofar Sounds idea.) The tour is to promote the record Solid States which was released earlier in the year (you can listen to a couple of the tracks from it on Soundcloud here, including the below track Unlikely Places).  Following the death of former members Darius and Joe, the record is fairly contemplative, exploring the themes of death, divorce and loss, but the songs retain their harmonies and represent a collaborative effort from Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. For shows, the duo are being joined by album collaborator Frankie Siragusa on drums (and no bassist). 

Tickets for the tour are available from 3rd June, and the album is out now through Lojinx here. 

TOUR NEWS: Communion New Faces (April 2016)

Announced today, The Beach, Adam French, Rukhsana Merrise and Matt Woods play venues in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, London, Oxford, Brighton and Bristol in April for the latest Communion New Faces tour. 

Source: https://www.facebook.com/CommunionMusic

It feels like barely any time has passed since the last tour - but it was actually announced at the beginning of September, with Flyte, Seafret, Dan Owen and Jack Watts touring in November. Other previous line-ups have featured acts such as Frances, Pixel Fix, Amber Run and Eliza & The Bear, just a small indication of the caliber of the acts. I haven't listened to any of the four new artists before, but aside from listening to a track or two from each to embed something of theirs below, I will probably leave it until I see the show in Oxford - it's sometimes nice, especially for this kind of gig, to go along without any preconceptions, hearing the music for the first time live, letting the artists sell their music to you.

I say it a lot but I have an awful lot of trust in Communion, and often discover fantastic new artists through them. Therefore, evenings such as these, particularly with tickets a mere £8 (£2 per band!) for all the shows apart from London, are a superb showcase of four artists who are likely to have a brilliant 2016, and you'll be glad to have seen in venues of this size! Here are tracks from each of the artists...

Tickets for the shows are available now through the Communion website, through which you'll receive an EP with tracks from the artists with every purchase.

TOUR NEWS: Frances (May 2016)

Source: https://www.facebook.com/officialfrances

Having recently supported James Bay on tour over in America, been nominated for the Brits Critics' Choice Award, and various other great achievements - 2016 is looking pretty great for Frances. She's currently working on her debut record, and has just announced some UK dates for May, with a show at London's KOKO on 18th May. I first saw Frances on the Communion New Faces tour and since caught a bit of her set at Bushstock, as well as an instore at Truck Store in Oxford, she's a mesmerising performer so get along to a show if you can!

Tickets are on sale on Friday at 9am, with some presale tickets available through DICE here.