Pub Closures

I wrote this article some time ago, when I had returned from Mexico in the summer of 2010, to find the pub I used to work in closed-for-good. The pub was the beating heart of a very localised community, and I was very sad to see it go. Unfortunately decent drinking holes continue to disappear. 

Public Ouste

Following my leave of university last year, I decided to put my pretty successful history degree temporarily to one side and begin looking for bar work. The kind of work that you never have to take home with you, where you can forget about the pressure of writing dissertations and the only interviews occur across the bar when you’re serving white wine spritzers. Of course, having jostled for endless hours in university libraries to find the last copy of an essential journal, and having wrestled with two dissertations to see me through to my final exams to finish a campaign of blood and gore (I’m referring to my study on the Mexican Revolution) bar work was not a job I intended to do forever. But after gathering the cash (in hand) and enjoying a fantastic time in southern Mexico, I returned not to the lively joking and banter of the Deptford Arms and its artistically decorated exterior, but to the plastic green and yellow of another tacky bookmaker’s dominating the high street, and so my temporary bubble had burst.  

This was a big loss for me, but undoubtedly a bigger loss for many of the locals. And not just the locals of the Deptford Arms but other locals in other regions across the country, because it symbolises an epidemic of failing profits and closing pubs which have stood to serve as public houses for the people of Britain. The statistics of the BBPA claim that in July 2009 52 pubs were closing per week, reducing jobs by 24000 per year, at a huge cost to the treasury in the form of unemployment benefits. Apparently this was the steepest rate of decline in the business since records began in 1990.

So who or what can be blamed for my post-travelling blues? Perhaps the higher taxes on alcohol our New-Labour led government introduced. With the help of the media the ‘Binge-Britain’ campaign was launched attempting to turn the quieter members of our community against ‘lager louts’ and ‘alcoholic’ adolescents. We became familiar with images of Newcastle city centre on the razz and tanked-up scouser birds. Of course this wouldn’t be the first time alcohol has been publicly attacked. The great gin scare of 1720 linked the popularity of gin and its popular taverns where it was drunk to increased violent crime and death rates. A government licence scheme costing retailers twenty pounds was introduced, to be repealed later by Lord Walpole following the pressure of vested interest groups. This is the kind of history you can read on the walls of good pubs, such as the Walpole pub in New Cross. All good pubs have a history intertwined with the experiences of local people, and a story to tell, which is why it feels like a large part of popular British history has been lost with every converted bookie’s.

Of course many pubs are lost to money hungry bars, eager to turnover customers quicker than an angry landlord in Bermondsey, but in the sense of getting punters in and out without having them hang around too long if they’re not paying. When a pub is bought out to become a new trendy looking bar, have a large restaurant section dropped in or to introduce a café-style slant, often the old punters and local customers aren’t happy and reject the business. The places make a profit, as the BBPA states Café style, gastro and trendy-bar style pubs are much more resilient. But when the old locality is lost, so is the easy going atmosphere that was based on friendship and familiarity rather than wallets. Again, this has a parallel with the historical work of Peter Clark, who mentions the rise of commercialism in 1750 threatening taverns and inns leading to many attempted changes to coffee shops. Innkeepers were said to exploit French fashions to try and stay in business. These days commercial chain pubs are ever more present, which have tied-trade business models.

All classic, good local pubs have a history and a story to tell which probably doesn’t compare to the countless stories which would have been told inside. One day two aging rockers told me over the bar about the time Squeeze played overlooking the garden of the Deptford Arms, and how one poor punk lay on the floor following a riot. The vibe in the pub could often be tense, but it was always real. It suited a cash-in-hand economy, in a place where you’d serve customers catching you off guard, taking orders in proper cockney one minute and yar-man patois the next. I really miss some of these characters that wonder around living their day to day lives and relied on our place as the centre of a community. So the next time I’m out, I reckon I’ll be drinking one for the D’Arms, and dreaming that one day she’ll be back. Even if it’s in the rambling tales of old Mickey the Fish.

Tattoo Safety Standards

I made this package earlier this year. I think the issue is still relevant however as it's ongoing, and raises some important questions regarding the tattoo world. It's especially important as more and more people are getting painted.

 

We expect high standards when buying food from a takeaway or restaurant. Health experts now want to see similar hygiene regulations in Tattoo parlours. I found out more!

 

 

 

Radio Package- Bats and bacteria

'The Art of Squatting' Documentary. Part One

This documentary takes a contemporary look at squatting in England. Mostly filmed in South London, it is set against the backdrop of the approaching olympics and the new law (passed today) which makes the practice of living in unused properties illegal. It explores the kinds of people who live in squats and why, and addresses how these places contribute to society. The film takes the view that squatting in itself is an artform.

Part 1 explores an underground punk gig at a squat, and we meet some of the people who help the night happen. We also learn a bit about squatting in the 1970's.

(Apologies for the lighting, which is bad in parts, as is the sound. This was because I was struggling alone without a crew.)

'The Art of Squatting' Documentary. Part Two

My documentary takes a contemporary look at squatting in England. Mostly filmed in South London, it is set against the backdrop of the approaching olympics and the new law (passed today) which makes the practice of living in unused properties illegal. It explores the kinds of people who live in squats and why, and addresses how these places contribute to society. It takes the view that squatting in itself is an artform.

Here in Part 2 we talk to a band big on the southern squat scene. We visit the oldest squat in England and see how they open their arms to the public. We are introduced to a campaign group opposed to the law criminalising squatting, and we hear from the council and a housing association. We also visit an art exhibition with work from people who have been living homeless.

Band Interview: Ben from 'Black Stone Cherry'

Fresh from storming a grey and dank Hard Rock Calling 2012, we caught up with Black Stone Cherry’s amiable axeman Ben Wells for a quick chat about the weather, playing to British crowds and covering Amy Winehouse.

Hello Ben, In England we love to talk about the weather all the time…
Ben: “I don’t know why! I don’t know why you wanna brag about this weather!”

Well it must be quite different to how it is in Kentucky?
Ben: “Right now, from what people are saying back home it’s over a hundred degrees. So when we’re returning home a lot of heat... but it’s all good! It seems like every time we do festivals over in the summertime it’s always cold and rainy. We’re like come on! It’s summertime!”

A lot of your songs seem to capture that warmth of the place where you’re from, where do you find the inspiration to play that on a day like today at Hard Rock Calling when it’s pissing it down?
Ben: “At the end of the day a song is a song, no matter what the atmosphere, and the thing about us is we’re writing personal music which everyone can relate to in some way. So for us to play those songs in places like this or in smaller clubs no matter what the weather people seem to enjoy that. And it might take their mind off the crazy weather, or whatever’s going on in their life at the time, you know? That’s the beauty of music.”

Definitely, I think your show warmed everyone up a bit…
Ben: “Awesome.”

When you’re picking your set list, how do you choose between your earlier, heavier stuff and your newer, kind of lighter material?
Ben: “It can be difficult, especially when we’re doing shorter sets. Now that we have three albums out we try and fit in a good mixture of all three records. When we do headline sets we can do whatever we wanna do. At festivals we always play all the singles, or most of them anyway, but we always put in the crowd pleasers, the ones that carry over big atmosphere. Today we played a 40 minute set and there were some songs I wish we still could have played… but you know its part of the deal.”

And there was a brief cover of Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’ in the set today…
Ben: “Yeah, we started doing that on the last tour over here, just because it adds something fun, you know, mix it up a little bit.”

You were really going for it on stage it was great to see, you said you love what you do and it’s easy to see…
Ben: “Thank you. I like to have a good time you know, and entertain… we’re in the entertainment business, there’s no sense in just standing still. People come to see a show, and I couldn’t stand still if I tried anyway. I just get up there… and you get a lot of adrenaline from the music and the audience, so that’s why I have to jump around! It’s our second time doing this festival, we did it back in ’07 when it was called Hyde Park Calling and we played the tent so it was cool to be on the big stage this time.”

And your album last year, ‘Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea’, had a different sound to your previous work.
Ben: “Yeah, that’s the goal, for us, to continue to evolve with each album. To mature, and keep our roots but also expand our audience and that’s what we try to do with each album.”

It was fantastic to meet you Ben and great to see you play.
Ben: “Thank you, it’s a pleasure.”
     
Interview: George Allonby

(Published on websites like ForthOne)

Band Interview with 'Hawk Eyes'

Emerging from the Leeds punk/hardcore scene way back in 2004, Hawk Eyes have been serving up blistering, life-affirmingly brilliant and genre-straddling music for the best part of a decade now. We caught up with frontman Paul Astick and guitarist Rob Stephens backstage at the woodchip haven of Hard Rock Calling to chat about Japan, Leeds and HRC. Here’s what they had to say:
 
So, guys, you’ve recently come back from a global tour?
Rob: “Ha, Yeah, the shortest global tour ever!”
Paul: “Yeah, it was pretty insane actually, we went to Japan for what, 3 shows, and then we went straight to Germany and did a couple of festivals, then we went to Sweden. Have we played anywhere else in between?”
Rob: “No but we drove through Netherlands, France, Belgium…”
Paul: “We went on the Euro tunnel twice! That was a highlight!”

So Japan… it’s not Leeds…
Rob: “Yeah, that’s an advert for it!”
Paul: “Come to Japan, it’s not Leeds!”

But how was it?
Rob: “It’s crazy, it was unbelievable to be invited out there, to play those shows, by Ginger (Wildheart) of course and by Vinyl Junkie our record label who were really looking after us over there. The weirdest thing was walking down the street on the day of the first gig and it was about a block from the venue so we’re just walking down there with our mates and this guy’s handing out flyers and I was like ‘no thanks I don’t want one’ then I realised that’s our record! And he was actually asking me for my autograph. Which was really weird! Then I just ran back and apologised profusely for 10 minutes and signed everything, even his clothes! But we just didn’t expect it. It was like a dream really, really weird.”

So Paul, how does it compare playing abroad to playing home crowds like at Hard Rock Calling today?
Paul: “What we experienced in Japan was a different level of respect and politeness. If they’ve come to watch your band no one will play on their mobile phone, no one’s having a chat with their mate… Someone in England is always doing that…”
Rob: “Well they do that in the House of Commons now! They’re gonna do it at gigs!”
Paul: “In Japan as well after they’ve packed away the last bit of your gear off the stage- they clap again! Which was a bit strange.”
Rob: “But generally people are great, they always come out to see us whether it’s at Download or here today…”
Paul: “We ate some strange things, some chicken elbows, some squid tentacles… Brian had sausage and chips- keeping it real!”
Rob: “Keeping it Leeds.”

But you guys started in the Leeds hardcore squat scene, how important was that for forming your sound?
Rob: “No one else would give us a gig! It was important for forming our sound organically. We didn’t go out to be a hardcore band or to play with this particular style but we were schooled in the very early days by playing in those types of venues with those types of bands and to those crowds. We’re really grateful actually to all those guys because no one else cared at all… no one else got it. It was this sort of sludge-doomer-thrash-prog that doesn’t make any sense, but all the crusties liked it, they would always put us on all the time. We’d go and we’d play squats and holes of venues… I remember we played in Bradford Cathedral once didn’t we?”
Paul: “Oh yeah…”
Rob: “Forget about that one! So we’ve done some pretty crazy stuff. Yeah with that scene comes a sort of identity.”
Paul: “I think it gives you a great level of appreciation as well. We played in those sorts of venues for 5, 6 years and I think if we’d just been a band then 2 months later been doing gigs like this we would’ve appreciated it as much. But doing gigs to one man in Stoke with a butterfly painted on his face gives you a certain level of appreciation!”

Your new album ‘Ideas’ it’s got a hell of a lot of different moods packed into it, a hell of a lot of different emotions, a lot of them quite dark. Tell me about the process of creating it.
Rob: “When we did the first album Modern Bodies a lot of it felt quite samey, at least that’s how we feel. Our aim was to do a more varied album, get across different feels and different moods and different emotions. We did take a different approach. The way we write songs is never formulaic… It’s never ‘this person brings the song’. Paul might bring a riff, I might bring a riff. The old drummer Matt might have had a drum part… So I think having different approaches helped to get a more varied album. It was never this is the songwriter everyone does what he says. Which lends itself to the way we write.”
Paul: “About those negative moods you’re talking about, well the bands a bit of a catharsis for us we’re all really happy well adjusted young people who just put all of our negative energy into this positive thing which is this band. And I moan a lot so I tend to do it through my lyrics. It’s an outlet for us. That’s what it’s all about but you know a lot of it was sort of reflective on how we were feeling and how difficult the process of creating that record was. A lot of that came out in the lyrical content and in the sorts of sounds that you’re hearing as well. It’s never easy. Like Rob’s saying, it’s a four-way tug-of-war between these different ideas and then there’s one which is reached by everyone giving up rather than everybody agreeing!”
Rob: “It’s everyone who argues the most over one particular decision gets their way…”

The album’s like a melting pot of Ideas…
Rob: “That’s why the name stuck because that’s exactly what it is. Ideas kept popping up and popping up. Then everyone said yeah we’ll just call it that. Hopefully it sounds cohesive.”

So what tunes are you going to play today?
Paul: “A few old ones… ‘Scorpio’ and ‘I Hate This’, and one off the E.P. We just pick the ones which we like the best and make the best set. We love to come straight out with a fast opener then just play all the songs we like off the last 2 records.”

And is the set again, whoever argues the loudest gets their picks in the set list?
Paul: “Haha yeah! It’s like that for everything- ‘shall we drive there? Let’s argue about it first and see who wins!’”

Interview: George Allonby

(Published on websites like Key103)

Festival Review: Hard Rock Calling

Friday 13th July 2012 – Day One @ Hard Rock Calling, Hyde Park, London.
When we entered a beleaguered festival site in the early afternoon it had a strangely ominous ghost town feel. A few old rockers were meandering about on the wood-chipped mud, and an eerie silence filled the air- no signs of crashing guitars and no screaming crowds… Eventually a huge siren sounded and with some heavy blasts of amplified distorted chords it finally felt like we were at Hard Rock Calling.

Our first port of call was the brilliant Hawk Eyes who gathered the slowly assembling crowds together and immediately impressed with their hardcore and emotive Yorkshire art-rock sound. Performances by Red White and Blues, a band born from the ashes of Skin and Jagged Edge, managed to deliver simple and effective, driven rock, which was cool to listen to - but the crowd seemed like it needed a much-needed lift.

Arriving on stage to a Star Wars style intro, Skindred finally shook the Pepsi tent to life with their hybrid rock and Jamaican dancehall style. Their hyped up vocalist Benji Webbe seemed as confused as me by the indifferent atmosphere of the crowd- so he called everyone rubbish and challenged everyone to grab someone they didn’t know and shake them awake! He demanded to see tampons in the air, and although no one responded, this achieved the required result as everyone had a smile on their face and finally feet bounced up and down, rocking out to hits like ‘Rat Race’. The day had truly begun.

The Amex Bandstand hosted smaller names, as did the rather distant Hard Rock Rising Stage located at the back near a large Jagermeister bar. But, to be honest, there was too little time to spend in front of these as a glance at my watch told me Kentucky’s Black Stone Cherry were assembling on the big one. Their country inspired rock hits were belted out with a passion, bringing a feeling of Southern sunshine to a rainy, depressingly gray Hyde Park. They said they loved what they do, and it showed, as they performed singles like ‘White Trash Millionaire’ from their newest album.

Iggy & The Stooges were hands down the highlight of the day. Seasoned professionals, who have perhaps been to one party too many, the aging rockers blasted us back in time to seventies America with razor like riffs and groovy rhythms. Iggy Pop nihilistically strutted about the stage swinging his microphone and grimacing at the assembling masses. Getting on a bit now, he seemed tired and breathless at times, but he didn’t miss a beat nor did his ageing band. Highlights included ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’ (including a bizarre mutt-like intro) where he came right up into the crowd and the emotional ‘Bleed’ finishing a satisfying set. Although arguably a sell out, Iggy’s rock n roll soul is still relatively intact. Legendary stuff.

It seemed as though most people had come to see The Stooges more than any other acts, as headliners Soundgarden performed their grunge to the dregs of the day. Hardly anyone remained after the hit ‘Black Hole Sun’. They played this very early on in the set. It was unfortunate as they played with meaning, but the weather ended the spirit of the night prematurely. Hopefully Soundgarden will be back in better conditions, and with a louder sound system. At least I’ve got Iggy and a number of other acts to look back on with a satisfied smile.

(Published on numerous other sites like this one.)

Festival Review: BeatHerder

Friday 29th June to Sunday 1st July – Beat-Herder Festival, The Ribble Valley, Lancashire

Hidden away in the rolling hills of Lancashire is a delectable avant-garde alternative to major festivals. The party planners at Beat-Herder are clearly passionate about what they do and this comes across in the way they place the festival-goers experience as a priority, rather than putting making money and milking profits first, as other events might. Advertisements are kept to a minimum, prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is unbeatable. Beat-Herder feels more like a movement than an event, and could well be the best kept secret of the festival world.

FRIDAY
Arriving at the festival site, situated in the gloriously green Ribble Valley, I realise that this is what Lancashire’s all about - good humoured, good natured and fun-loving music fans all coming together to celebrate quality tunes.

A look down at the weekends programme (which I didn’t have to pay £5 plus for) tells me there’ll be no short supply of legends or styles at all. From big-beat to ska, and dub to disco, it was all up for grabs.

The rain was kind enough to hold off for most part of the first day and our first stop was at the Trailer Trash Lounge to loosen up with the dynamic samba group Drum Machine. Later, upon entering the main site its artistic and functional design immediately wowed me. Metallic structures, like a random huge round steel ball with little windows, could be entered, where you could rest on plush purple cushioning. There was also a kid’s area with climbing poles and a big slide made of wood.

As evening fell the crowds rallied for Death in Vegas on the main stage. The two figureheads didn’t disappoint either. The other six band members fulfilled their roles well, laying down deep and brooding tracks like ‘Dirge’ and the Iggy Pop sampling ‘Aisha’. The group’s psychedelic and wavy, electronic harmonies were well suited to an audience of veteran ravers, hippies and alternative music fans. They were successful in bridging the gap between live rock and electronica, and overall an absorbing spectacle.

Still getting to grips with the locations of the eleven stages I found myself at the Smoky Tentacles tent and watched the mighty United Vibrations. The rhythm section was awe inspiring, switching sections from one style to the next. Call and response vocals painted out trippy and sweeping lyrics. Emphatic brass blasts pumped everyone up, blasting the tight and sweaty crowd into outer space.

Dashing back to the main stage I made sure not to miss Parov Stellar, who was getting everyone going with his swinging house tunes. The turnout was not huge however simply because throughout the entire festival there was something good going on at another stage nearly all the time.

Later on at night Fake Blood took to the most exciting stage, the Toil Trees, situated in the woods at the middle of the site. It had a really exciting feel raving it up there under the moonlight to bangers like ‘Deep Red’. Walking around the wondrous woods you’d find an incredible village of old times, designed to trip you out. Notably, Angie’s Den is a bar located at about knee height serving drinks, which made you feel as if you’ve grown fifteen feet taller.

Beat-Herder does not draw in huge numbers compared to the UK’s biggest festivals. In fact, compared to most, it’s tiny. But this is not its weakness; this is actually its strength. Compact crowds of enthusiastic and loyal music lovers travel from around Manchester, Scotland, and the rest of the North (perhaps the UK) to soak up the sounds in the Valley for this exciting weekend.

SATURDAY
The weather took a turn for the worse on Saturday, which wasn’t all bad as we dashed to a nearest tent- the Stumblefunk stage- where some Jungle and Ragga tunes helped warm us up.

It was clear how much thought had gone into creating the most interactive and expressive environment for us to enjoy. Multi-coloured urinals and other incredible structures brightened up the greyer hours. A huge metal plane was placed on the ground which you could sit in and climb on. Bike seats were stuck around huge pillars for you to rest your legs, doubling up as a great meeting place to find your mates.

With the mud now picking up we glided across to the Perfumed Garden stage. A really accommodating tent with a very green theme, plants surrounded the stage and deckchairs lined the outside. There was an African drum music group called the Kajamor Family playing their unique rhythms and chanting to the relaxed afternoon audience made up of mostly hippies and dreadlocked vegans of all ages. Like Glastonbury Festival, Beat-Herder has a positively cross-generation feel.

Back in the Trailer Trash tent a number of the 59ers fans had donned their psycho-billy attire to boogie to their throwback 1950’s rock n’ roll. The powerful driven rhythms made a nice change to listen to; pumped full of rhythmic adrenalin the Italian foursome packed a decent dose of edginess and power for fans and passers-by alike.

When Orbital performed on the main stage that night everyone around seemed to be bursting with excitement. The light show added to the palpable euphoria, with coloured beams of light shooting through the smoke. A number of people had donned their space suits and macs with masks in honour of the 90s free-party scene. Building up huge drops and oscillating waves of sounds, the Hartnoll Brothers with their trademark laser glasses impressed immensely.

There was no shortage of dance music icons on the Saturday with Goldie later firing out some drum n’ bass to a far-reaching crowd on the Stumblefunk stage, getting everyone moving to bangers like Loadstars remix of Chase & Status’ ‘Blind Faith’.

Later that night it was clear the troublesome mud was not dampening anyone’s spirits. Back in the Toil Trees I gawped at the classic film ‘Metropolis’ playing at an open air cinema, sat in some old cars and raved it up in the tightly spaced, darkly lit, Hotel California. It’s no surprise the festival’s art team work throughout the year creating the designs. This makes it feel really special. There’s so much to look at, from giant robots with big booty’s, to colourful kites and the legendary sword in the stone. Attempting to take the teleporter on my way out, which is a pretty exhilarating tunnel network, I couldn’t get halfway before a collision made me turn back.

SUNDAY
There was no better way to ease ourselves back into the party mood than watching fun-loving locals the Lancashire Hot-Pots on the main stage. Of course families really took to it, and could be seen enjoying all other kinds of music as well. The Hot-Pots’ ‘C.H.A.V’ number received enthusiastic participation, and later on a conga line even formed. Their banter between songs was uplifting, as were songs about love sung with that laddish northern humour.

After the novelty had worn off I witnessed The Ratz bash out their funky Ska. Their lyrics were emceed with venom and enriched with positive social thought. I spent most of their set skanking between two massive metal robot legs.

Heading back to the Toil Trees (nothing could keep me away for long!) Beat-Herder fan Mr Scruff was busy spinning out a six hour set. Having enjoyed last year so much, he brought his family along for the ride this time. His MC breathed life into the set, and as six o’clock approached he dropped an exclusive single due to be released in August. This track has slightly more of a kick to it compared to some of his other numbers.

Sunday was all about the main stage though as The Beat bounced around full of beans and drove any remaining festival energy skywards. Throughout their set more and more revellers accumulated, with a big swell during ‘Hands off She’s Mine’. The Ska veterans have not lost any enthusiasm through their years of experience as vocalist Ranking, and his son, Ranking Junior, skanked across and around the stage together. They dedicated ‘Stand down Margaret’ to the current prime minister, and later on paid their dues to Lee Scratch Perry. The highlight of their set was a dedication to Joe Strummer, where they sung the chorus to ‘Rock the Casbah’, but replaced verses with lyrics paying tribute to the great man.

As the end of the festival approached, the legend that is Lee Scratch Perry took to the stage. Scores of fans who had been following the dub soundsystems around (like the Bush Rocker HiFi’s Lee Scratch Perry Livification set which pumped it out throughout the day) emerged outside to see Lee perform. The ageing reggae and dub pioneer sung well, riding on top of the rhythms of his quality backing band. He paid respect to Manchester a number of times and in true Perry crackpot style invited the huge audience to all come and jam in his studio sometime. He also humorously paid his respect to his favourite parts of the female anatomy, which got a few gasps. His performance ended a truly incredible experience in the Ribble Valley.

Why the annual event has not exploded with nationwide popularity is beyond me. Maybe the fear of a little Lancashire drizzle puts most Southerners off camping, or maybe its passionate supporters want to maintain the underground vibe want to protect it from mainstreamers. But one thing is for sure, a lot of people are missing out on a rare experience to be at an event which is genuinely all about the people, the music and the fun. Long may it continue.

Published on other sites like 'Kerrang'

Festival Review: 02 Wireless, Saturday.

Saturday 7th July 2012: Day Two @ Wireless Festival 2012, Hyde Park, London.
After the eclectic array of dance beats, spine-tingling soul and phenomenal visuals on the opening day, Saturday saw some of the biggest pop acts on the planet descent upon (an increasingly boggy) Hyde Park. Although the sun shone down hotly at some points, performances by Drake, Professor Green and Nicki Minaj kept the atmosphere as cool as a cucumber.
 
Heaving through the entrance gates we made our way to the Main Stage to catch Tulisa of N-Dubz/X Factor fame who was not short of energy and looked determined to make an impression. To an excitable crowd of predominately teenage girls, she belted out a brief set which inspired mass sing-alongs, including a triumphant version of her chart smash ‘Young’. Backed by a tight-as-hell band, it was a polished performance that left Tulisa positively beaming.

Local boy Professor Green owned the main stage a little later on, bringing out the sun with his glowing charisma. A consummate live performer, The Prof dulydished out complements to the tens of thousands gathered and peaked with a brilliant ‘Oh My God’ and a caustic ‘Don’t Piss Me Off’ which had the welly-clad masses bouncing along in unison.
 
Aside from the main stage there were two tents pushing the party vibes forwards, and one stage dedicated to live bands too. Surrounding the festival were food and drink stalls, as well as an eye catching Jagermeister bar with exclusive roof area. The Unwind stage wasn’t as big as the Pepsi Max stage, but it went off for Brixton rapper Sneakbo. He delivered his tunes with real feeling and brought a fantastic edge to the day. Although at some points it sounded like his microphone could have been turned up, everyone had their hands waving in the air from start to finish. He ended on the emotional ‘Sing for Tomorrow’, and was joined by L.Marshall onstage accompanied by guitar.
On the same stage and on after Sneakbo, Sway swaggered straight on and practically ordered us all to join in with his set. The crowd participation he got was impressive, and made you feel a part of his set as he demanded a great deal of call and response. He was joined by a female singer onstage to sing ‘Level Up’, and he played tunes from his older albums pleasing his more fervent fans.

The number of people inside the festival area began to really swell, and it became clear that it was a good idea of the organisers to book quality acts across the different stages so the numbers spread out nicely. When 5foot 2inches diva Nicki Minaj performed the site was totally rammed and the excitement was tangible. Thousands flocked to hear her perform feel good party hits like ‘Starship’, and her sassy outfit looked totally glamorous making it a satisfying set to enjoy as darkness fell.
The final act of Saturday, Drake, rocked up to a screaming pheromone-fuelled hysteria. Like the Wireless line-up the day before, the headliner hailed from Canada, and there was no shortage of Maple Leaf flags broadcasting their support. Swaying crowds sung along to anthemic hits like ‘Take Care’, and the screams and wails of his fans cut through the air throughout his flawless set that brought Wireless to a smooth-as-hell close on Saturday. His easy-going beats were a good way to bring in the night. It was a day of fantastic performances, but, like many major festivals, some of the livelier and more engaging ones took place away from the Main Stage. Roll on Sunday!

Read one of the many published versions here.

Festival Review: Friday, 02 Wireless Festival

Friday 6th July 2012: Day One @ Wireless Festival 2012, Hyde Park, London.
Back for an eighth triumphant year, Wireless Festival 2012 offered arguably its most pop-tastic line-up yet with megastars Drake, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj amongst its glittering attractions. On the Friday though it was all about the exciting array of big beats, bass lines and giant rodent helmets, where an animated audience was bubbling with eager anticipation for the day ahead. The weather was serotonin-sappingly dismal but it didn’t dampen the colourful crowd’s determination to kick it out to some of the biggest artists about.

An early highlight, Modestep rocked out in the early afternoon drizzle serving up their deliciously abrasive blend of crunching instruments and dubby beats. Seeing them perform onstage with their live guitars and drums whilst absorbing the impact of dirty dubstep was a lot more engaging than simply watching a solo DJ. A storming rendition of ‘The Sunshine Hurts My eyes’ was a notable zenith that worked up their hardcore fans packed in at the front into oblivion.

Duly pumped up, we meandered over to the Main Stage to imbibe the delectable, soulful tones of the unassuming-looking Maverick Sabre. Clearly grateful that we’d all braved the bad weather, the sun even poked its head out during ‘I Need’ uplifting everyone’s spirits. Maverick’s smooth and melancholic vocals suited the climate, and made his songs even more powerful.

Across from the main stage the Unwind tent hosted exciting DJ’s like Gemini, who had uncountable gunfingers waving in the air as muddy applause splattered about the dancefloor. It was a bit like playing hopscotch at times as I tried to save my socks from a soaking. Gemini mixed four-to-the-floor house underneath wobbling bass lines, which were as filthy as the bottom of my jeans.
Sticking around for Ms. Dynamite and unsure of what to expect, it was soon clear her throbbing bass sounds wasn’t going to disappoint the audience, with the ladies in particular going crazy. Garage beats with the occasional drum and bass number went down a treat. No one seemed to care about the mud as we all skanked the afternoon away to classics like ‘Wile Out’.

Later on Philadelphia’s hip-hop collective The Roots performed on the main stage, to a surprisingly small audience. Poignantly dedicating a tune to the recently deceased MCA of the Beastie Boys, their commanding MC Black Thought spat out old school rhymes over funky grooves that practically dragged you to your feet and forced you to dance. The Roots’ sousaphone player swaggered around the stage beating out his brass blasts and coming right up amongst the audience. The highlight was a guitar solo sung by the Brooklyn maestro as he plucked it from his strings. Covering Apache’s ‘Jump on it’ and even ‘Sweet Child of Mine’, The Roots were one unique act determined to put on a memorable show. And they succeeded emphatically.

As night fell it was over to the Main Stage where mouse-headed superstar DJ Deadmau5 entered to an almost heroic reception. Joel Zimmerman’s squelchy, trademark beats on tunes like ‘Get In The Cart, Pig’ and a pounding ‘Raise Your Weapon’ got his faithful excited but he never satisfyingly climaxed or took us into truly transcendental realms. His undeniable strength, however, was his awe-inspiring visuals: electronic Tetris blocks were fixed around the stage and lighting up with psychedelic and retro-game inspired displays. His helmet lit up to show a cats face, and the infamous ‘V for Vendetta’ mask at one point, before he removed it to swagger about the stage. A triumph of aesthetics over music, then but a beguiling experience nonetheless.

Also published here, among other websites.

Festival Review: Lovebox 2012

Friday 15th – Sunday 17th June 2012 – Lovebox @ Victoria Park, London
A coming together of totally different niche styles and sounds, Lovebox returned to London’s Victoria Park for a tenth triumphant year. Packed with innovative artists, a carnival-esque atmosphere and plenty of good-time vibes, Lovebox 2012 was always going to be a weekend to remember.

FRIDAYAs crowds assembled by the gates for the first day of Lovebox fun, we were wondering how much longer it’d be until we were finally let in. The crowds of hipsters who had descended on East London were eager for the fun to start, with a few England chants piping up ahead of the international football game against Sweden. The mood was bubbling.

Dubstep and grime seemed to be the order of the day, but it was by no means the only music on offer. Headliners like Crystal Castles brought a fantastic edge to the day led by their charismatic singer Alice Glass who sauntered about on stage like a woman possessed.

A variety of smaller stages meant something was going on all the time. Scottish referee John Anderson of Gladiators fame adjudicated an exciting battle of different musical acts of varying abilities, and the carnival spirited Gato Preto got feet moving with their percussive dance sound.
In the afternoon sun the aptly named Heatwave brought basement beats to the open-topped second stage. They worked the compact but committed crowd well. Digital Soundboy kept the fun vibes flowing with his bass heavy electro, before bringing it down with a little dubstep- dropping Skream’s classic ‘Midnight Request Line’ which everyone went duly mad for.

N-Type with SP:MC spun out a seasoned set which set the Big Top Tent ablaze. Tribal beats broke out into darker dubstep, with the Joker featuring Newham Generals track ‘You Should Know’ getting a well deserved rewind before mosh pits erupted.

Dagenham’s Devlin brought his anthemic mainstream grime to the main stage playing tunes from his free E.P like ‘London City 2’ before being joined by his band. His performance shows how far he’s evolved as an artist. Some criticise him for this, but he’s not lost his east-end charm, declaring “It wouldn’t be a set if something didn’t go wrong!” But nothing actually did. Before he left the stage he delivered a massive 64 bars acapella in the cuttingly raw style that got him to where he is today. He looks like he’s got a lot of life in him too.

The Boy Better Know collective crowded onto the Big Top stage that evening, with the likes of Skepta, Shorty, Jme, Jammer and a number of others bringing their bars to the table. They kicked it out hard, opening with ‘Doin It Again’, but perhaps repeating the ‘Too Many Man’ rhythm a few too many times. It seemed to lose focus during the second half of the set.

Following up was the pioneer DJ Skream blending the crossover in acts nicely. The crowd justifiably went mad for him, especially when he saluted on top of a speaker. Every Skream show’s an event, but this one was carnage. One MC called for a stage invasion, as ‘Teenage Kicks’ by The Undertones played out, before security stepped in. I think this was Skream’s response to the set being cut short, as most of the sets were that day. But the rock star end to a wholly electronic evening whetted my appetite for the next couple of days.

SATURDAYSaturday seemed to take the tempo down slightly, while keeping the good vibes going strong.
The whole site was awash with different characters doing different styles and wearing different colours, from East-London vintage-rockers to new ravers and macced-out indie kids. As the festival featured so much innovative and different music, unsurprisingly the fashion followed suit, which made it a great place to just sit down and observe as well as getting up and grooving.

Delilah characterised Saturday with a soulful and passionate vocal style that touched on a number of genres. A lot of the crowd were chilling out on the grass, drinking wine and like us, enjoying her play out her latest singles like ‘Breathe’ with a minimal but tight live band.

Choosing a bite to eat between stages was not easy with such a worldly selection of (typically overpriced) offerings. We even pondered splashing out a fiver to get thrown around on an intimidating looking fairground ride, but thought we’d save the money (and our stomachs) by sidestepping past it while dodging the falling sunglasses and jewellery.

Maverick Sabre got the main stage moving with his dose of Irish soul over his accomplished live band. Although he didn’t exactly get the crowd going mental, as most of us were just happy to stand and sway absorbing the sounds, at a couple of points he had decent crowd participation with hands in the air. Notably for ‘I Used to Have It All’ and the song that got him his first radio playout ‘Sometimes’.

But Saturday was not without its required dose of frantic drum and bass as Danny Byrd tore into classics towards the end of his set satisfying the large amount of ravers stretching out to the back of the Big Top tent. When he played the jungle classic ‘Wolf’ by Shy FX it got hundreds dropping their drinks and skanking out.

There was a little bit for everyone at the festival, wherever you walked you’d find yourself at a stage with banging beats or a great live band. There was also a number of photo stops where you could get snapped for free in a black cab by festival sponsors Time Out.

After perusing a surreal section of expertly painted old cars awash with icons of animals, shapes and even tabloid newspapers we went to witness the almighty Groove Armada. Their set alternated vocalists from one singer to the next, with a cover of ‘You Got the Love’ lifting everyone up. They alternated singers regularly for classics like ‘Paper Romance’ before ending on ‘Superstylin’ with their MC whipping the crowd up nicely.

Friendly Fires got a fantastic reception on Saturday too with beaming red lights covering the vocalist as swaying crowds sung along to disco-bangers like ‘Paris’. They opened with ‘Lovesick’, and had the whole crowd clapping along with hands in the air to ‘Skeleton Boy’, which went down a storm. When they left the stage we all wanted more, and the boys delivered with an encore hammering out ‘Hawaiian Air’ which saw a second drummer take to the stage against the stunning visual backdrop.

SUNDAYSunday was definitely a spectacle, drawing in outrageously glamorous crowds dressed to impress. It was a totally mixed crowd on the final day, with families camping out on the grass sipping wine and couples camping it out together in front of one of the many stages on offer.

Grace Jones was without a doubt the highlight of the day, as would always be expected from the 64 year old veteran performer. She glammed it up for her die-hard fans, changing outfits in between nearly every song. She wore a feathered coat for ‘Jamaican Guy’ changing to a sexy top hat number which she wore as she sipped wine singing ‘La Vie En Rose’. Grace ended Lovebox in incredible fashion performing ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ while hula-hooping from beginning to end, which only dropped to the floor as she left the stage, signalling the end of the weekend.

During the day however there was a hell of a lot of fun to be had at the Downlow stage in the Horsemeat Disco. Set up to look like a red light district in New York, glammed-up transgender and transvestite performers swanned around the queue of people curiously waiting to get in, posing for pictures and dancing provocatively.

After paying the £2 entrance fee (which goes to charity) you can forget the sunshine outside and groove it up in the dark and seductively smoky fantastic atmosphere to disco and techno tunes. The atmosphere was brilliant and entirely good-natured inside, with everyone sporting their free stick-on moustaches (perhaps as a disguise) you got upon entry. It was an outrageous laugh.

The variety of acts at Lovebox made it really memorable as a festival. Even if you’re unsure of which acts to see, it’s impossible you won’t run into something right up your street. For example at the Floripa stage the time flew by as we skanked it out to the local Hackney Colliery Band’s brass tributes to Amy Winehouse songs and classic soul numbers. When they covered The Prodigy’s ‘Out of Space’ the compact crowd was bouncing with real feeling.

Classic acts from the past came back to move East London on the Sunday. Chic’s ‘Good Times’ had everyone beaming and singing along, watching the stage which was filled with her many band members. The song summed up the mood at Lovebox.

Chaka Khan really delivered, especially to the older members of the audience during the early evening. She dedicated songs to all the women of the world, before wishing a happy father’s day to all the dads and ending on a climatic ‘I’m Every Woman’- at which point couples could be seen spinning each other around by the hands.

Lovebox has got a little bit of everything, with a line-up packed full of smaller but incredibly impressive acts and fun times to be found around every corner. It’s a deceptively big festival too with three main stages and six smaller ones. There’s a lot of smaller local acts which go a long way in keeping the atmosphere charged and different crowds entertained. I’ve come away from the festival as a fan of much more music than when I entered. Everyone was in great spirits and it was nice to see such a mix of ages across the three days too. It’s a festival I would definitely recommend if you’d enjoy a weekend where anything goes with lashings of style, and most importantly, banging sounds.

Read the published review here, among other websites.

Lovebox 2012: Review | Key 103 | Manchester's No 1 Hit Music Station

Sale Sharks Rugby Club Announce Groundshare.

The Sale Sharks Club announced the worst kept secret in rugby union- that next season they will move to their new stadium.

The move will see them share with rugby league club the Salford City Reds. The sharks are used to lodging with strangers though, as they currently share their territory with Stockport County Football Club.

While Sale have helped Stockport FC out financially, the football team won't be too sad to see them go as hosting the rough rugby there doesn't make for ideal kicking conditions come soccer matchdays.

I was at the press conference today where many of those involved in the club were present. It was the first time the players had seen where they will play next year. Please view my slideshow:





Created with flickr slideshow. 
Of course most knew what was coming, as the pitch is rather obvious from the bridge. But that's part of the point. It's a beautiful stadium which will serve as its own advertisement from the millions of cars and lorries which pass by each day.

Our thoughts should also be with Stockport County- another financially struggling sporting institution. But according to Sale's co-owner, Ian Blackhurst, who has done his bit to help the football club:

"They support what we're doing here. We're in negotiation with them. We're friends."

It's nice to hear of cross-sport companionship- and certainly it's better to build bridges rather than burn them.

Brave 2nd Battalion on Arctic Mission for Charity

Lancashire's 2nd Battalion- known as 'The Lions'- will trek across Greenland and discover new mountains.
It's to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis trust, and they will name mountains which have not yet been given official titles. The area in Greenland is called Liverpool land. Some of the mountains are 4,600 feet high!

One mountain will be named after Chorley lad Brandon Beech, 9, who has the Cystic Fibrosis.

I spoke to his dad, an ex Blackpool player, and some of the soldiers at their barracks in Weeton about the expedition. Please explore at the interactive collage to hear more about their exciting adventure...

Breakthrough in Football Tourism

Athletico Bilbao fans descended on Manchester marking the busiest day ever at an English airport.

As Manchester City fans travelled out from Manchester Airport to watch the blues play in the Europa league, Athletico Bilbao fans arrived to watch their team face Manchester United.

It goes to show how much of a force football is in bringing a collective together. In football you get fans from all over the world travelling together and seeing things together, and just like on the football pitch you get different types of people brought face to face. Football is a mighty unifying force.

Of course, it also goes to show how much profit there is involved in the sport now, and many would argue this affects the game negatively. Let's just hope that the Olympics bring with it a return to the proper spirit of games, as well as the much needed money our country needs.

Here's a video of Athletico Bilbao fans descending on Manchester City Centre. They were a great set of fans- passionate and good fun. They drunk and sang all day and throughout the match:



(More on this post coming soon... including interviews with some of the Spanish fans)

Basketball Conference Team GB vs USA

Manchester has welcomed a number of basketball stars, both present players and past legends, to talk about an exciting upcoming game.

Team GB will host the fearsome USA team in July.

Hear what past legends and players think about the upcoming fixture:
Basketball Package GB 6 by cityzengeorge

Preston 999 Call Centre is Moving to Serve Wider Remit.

Preston fire service's emergency-call centre is uprooting to Cheshire.

Whereas currently it serves Lancashire from its base in Fulwood in Preston, soon the new call centre in Warrington will serve Cumbria and Cheshire as well.

This move has been criticised by the Fire Brigade's Union on a number of points. One of their members, Kevin Deacon, told me over the phone the move is being done to cut savings with less staff. He also told me that the new GPS technology the new hub will have is currently already being used in the centre in Preston.

The Labour government, in power before the coalition, initiated the plans for this new hub. The idea was scrapped however because of the costs.

I was able to visit the fire service's emergency call centre in Fulwood, and talk to a spokeman there about the plans. He provides the 'official' point of view:

Preston North End FC vs Hartlepool FC

PNE's game against Hartlepool on Valentine's day was not exactly a lovely game to be at.
(That's the 16th of February for any of you unromantic types.)
I took the opportunity to ask some of the public how they felt about the game:

Pnevox mixdown by cityzengeorge

My personal opinion was that a rather flat game of football was won by one fantastic shot. Danny Mayor in the 76th minute pulled something really special out of the bag. Preston should take more shots around the edge of the box, as their attacks look rather bland and unthreatening. PNE had only 4 shots compared to Hartlepool's 15.

The home fans are crying out for more action under the new manager. You can feel it in the atmosphere. A couple of fans summed up the whole game, singing sarcastically- 'One shot One Goal, One shot One goal.'

(Some audio clips of the atmosphere in the home end to come.)

Guild Headliners press conference

A global star was announced to headline Preston's Guild Festival yesterday. I attended the press conference yesterday at Avenham park. Please listen to my radio package to find out more about this exciting upcoming event:
GuildPackage mixdown by cityzengeorge

Fast Food and Business in the High Street.

Today the chief executive of Sainsbury's, Justin King, announced that he hopes the UK is "brave enough" to shrink its suffering high streets. There fore it seems like a good time to look at some local business developments. Please see the clip on fast food in Preston. I filmed this with Kenny Lomas, and Jess Morris did the narration.

Blackpool's Newest Wedding Reception

A new registry office in Blackpool has divided public opinion. It's very modern looking addition to the town, and has apparently applied for it's own 24 hour wedding licence. It was mentioned in 'The Guardian' too. 

George Allonby and Yvette Spedding.

Lancs News Bulletin 23/01/12

News Bulletin 23/01/12 by cityzengeorge

A two minute news bulletin from Preston, covering news in Lancashire.
The football bit at the end on PNE includes my own personal opinion.

Homelessness Radio Feature

Crisis reported last Christmas that homeless people die on average 30 years younger than those with homes. With the large number of unused properties in the UK, I decided to report on this important issue this winter.

Homelessness Radio Package Xmas 2011 by cityzengeorge