LIVE: Nick Mulvey & Sivu at O2 Academy Oxford (12/10/14)

Last week I saw Nick Mulvey play to a sold out O2 Academy Oxford, with support from Sivu. It was a mixed crowd to say the least - screaming young girls to the left of me and a family with some young (8/9 year old) boys to the right. The appeal of Nick's music is clearly wide, which is never a bad thing. Furthermore, appeal is clearly quite big considering the show, and many of the others on the tour, was sold out.

Having only really taken a few listens to tracks from his debut album First Mind I wasn't exactly sure what to expect of his live show, but I knew that the Mercury Prize 2014 nomination the record received could only be a good sign. And with Sivu supporting I knew I was in for a treat regardless. His set, played solo and acoustically, was stunning and the crowd (though slightly restless from waiting over an hour after doors were opened) were respectful. Sivu, aka James Page, admitted being nervous as he usually played with a band, though these nerves didn't show in his performance.

Mulvey came out to screams, and set the tone of the evening straightaway with the atmospheric April. I found his set incredibly captivating, and was blown away by the way that he made his style of playing guitar look so effortless.

The set contained tracks mostly from the debut record, to the pleasure of the crowd, and even included a couple of solo performances. Much to the crowd's excitement the band even played their Radio 1 Live Lounge cover of Drake's Hold On, We're Going Home cover (video) igniting a loud sing along and livening up the crowd leading up to the encore and title track, First Mind. 

All in all, meeting both Sivu and Nick after the show and purchasing two fantastic CDs (that I have since been playing on repeat) and making it back to my halls easily after my first solo outing to a gig whilst at uni, I had a wonderful night.

Live dates for Nick Mulvey can be found on his website here, his UK tour continues until 31st October, with Sivu supporting throughout. Later this year, Sivu supports Bombay Bicycle Club on their UK tour.

Sivu released his debut album on the 13th, more info here.

LISTEN: Sivu - 'Something On High'

This week James Page, aka Sivu, released his debut album Something On High. Describing his music as 'alternative pop' and citing influences from Wild Beasts to Frank Sinatra, he's likely to appeal to fans of artists such as Bombay Bicycle Club, who he tours with later this year alongside Peace. 

You can stream the whole album above, and get it on iTunes, Amazon, in record stores etc, and I wholeheartedly recommend that you do - it's already one of my favourite records of the year. Particular favourites of mine from the album include Sleep and the hidden track Family Tree.

Currently touring as support act for Nick Mulvey, Sivu took a day out from this tour to play a stunning headline London show (video) at Oslo Hackney on Tuesday night. In the past he's also played alongside the likes of Rae Morris, London Grammar, Marika Hackman and The Staves.

He's certainly one to watch and has already received critical acclaim from The Guardian, Sunday Times and NME. Furthermore he played in session for Huw Stephens on Radio 1 earlier this week.

WATCH: Dry The River - 'Gethsemane'

Dry The River perform Gethsemane acoustically for Reading & Leeds festival.

The band's second studio album, Alarms In The Heart, was released this week, and they tour the UK in October! 

WATCH: Peace - 'Lost On Me'

Decided to check Peace out as they're supporting Bombay Bicycle Club in December when I see them, loving this song, Lost on Me, and the video is pretty cool too. Look forward to their set!

TOUR NEWS: Bombay Bicycle Club (December 2014)

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

A little late to the party but Bombay Bicycle Club are going on a UK tour in December - tickets here - starting in Leicester and finishing up with the band's first arena show at London's Earls Court.

Support on the tour comes from the brilliant Sivu and Peace, but I expect that appearances by the likes of Rae Morris and Lucy Rose might occur at some points on the tour as well!

WATCH: Dry The River - 'Everlasting Light'

New Dry The River video for Everlasting Light - a track taken from the band's upcoming album Alarms In The Heart which is released on 25th August!

WATCH: Rae Morris (feat. Fryars) - 'Cold'

I recently bought tickets to see Bombay Bicycle Club at Earls Court in December, and on their latest record So Long, See You Tomorrow Rae Morris features on the track Luna. I decided to take a listen to some of her music and I really like this track which is getting some airplay at the minute and features Fryars!

ALBUM NEWS: Dry The River announce new record 'Alarms in the Heart'

I haven't posted in what seems like an age, because I've been spending my time revising (or sitting and thinking that I should be revising) for my A2 exams. I finished school for good nearly 2 weeks ago and now seems like a good time to try and get back into posting here more regularly.

What better way to return but with the excellent news that Dry The River last week finally announced news of their new record, Alarms In The Heart which is to be released on 25th August.

The album is available to pre-order in a number of packages, more details of which can be found here. Furthermore, the release of the album will be supported by a tour in October, dates here.

I saw the band on a fairly small tour in June 2013, at the Portland Arms in Cambridge, when they were trying out new material - both the gig and the new tunes were excellent. Not only technically brilliant, the band are highly energetic in their performances - which  came across well even in such an intimate venue. I wholeheartedly recommend that you go and see them - I shall hopefully be at the Oxford show if I end up going to Oxford Brookes uni in September as I hope to!

The news of the record release date was also supported by a new video for the track Gethsemane, taken from the record, one of the tracks which they played at the show last year (video). Have a listen and be sure to pre-order/book tickets etc, hope you like the track!

WATCH: We Were Evergreen - 'False Start'

New We Were Evergreen video for their upcoming single False Start, taken from their debut album Towards (produced by Charlie Andrew who produced Alt-J’s An Awesome Wave) which is released on 5th May.

This band are VERY good and I wholeheartedly recommend that you go and see them on their UK tour in May. They’re such a great live band (and just finished a support tour with Goldfrapp) making the most of a huge variety of instruments and looping sounds to create a truly fantastic sound. I saw them just over two years ago and since then their music has progressed a lot, and their sound has become a lot more techno - which is never a bad thing.

For more info on the album and the band’s UK tour in May visit their website here.

TOUR NEWS: The Hoosiers (May 2014)

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

The Hoosiers release their third studio album The News From Nowhere officially on 14th April, and you can catch them live on 'The Tour From Nowhere' during May.

Ticket info: http://www.thehoosiers.com/live/