Live review, 14/05 - 16/05, The Great Escape Festival

(We were there in 2009, but thought we'd let you know already when next years is!)

And so armed with Press and Photo Passes, the smallest camera in the world, tasked with attending 18 gigs and meeting 18 bands, Alex was sent to Brighton to review the industry showcase which is The Great Escape Festival.

This is the result!!

Enjoy!!

Series 3, episode 3 out today!

.....aaaaand here it is at last! Early baths all round for the ADN team this week, as episode 3 arrives, well, 3 days late. A devilish combo of failing technology, real work (fail) and a debauched stag weekend (win) has taken its toll. We're confident that it's been worth the wait though...why not judge for yourselves by hitting that cheeky little play button:

On the show this week...

The ADN team confront their collective hangover, look it in the eye, administer a textbook spinning piledriver to its ass and heroically guide you through another 18 track ADN odyssey. As ever, fresh new tracks abound; try Filthy Dukes, Death Cab For Cutie, Hockey and Major Lazer for starters. Strumathons from Johnny Flynn and Grammatics, tasty beats from Mos Def and The Pharcyde and an infuriatingly catchy offering from (small eared) Esser are but a few of the other treats on offer. Elsewhere, Dan guides you through this week's album of the week from Ben Harper & Relentless7, whilst Alex bashes out yet another gig guide with unparalleled panache.

Are UB40 actually evil? Is there anyone who Mischa Barton isn't shagging? And what is in that f*cking tea cup that Lady Gaga knocks about with? The man with (most of) the answers is, of course, The London Paper's Luke Blackall. Don't even consider missing out on this one. Big!

To the usual ADN listening massive; thanks as ever. To the newbies; hello to you. And to those who still haven't listened....do yourself a favour! Until next time pop pickers...

Tracklist

1. Mos Def, Diverse & Prefuse 73: Wylin Out (RJD2 Remix)
2. Death Cab For Cutie: My Mirror Speaks
3. Filthy Dukes: Elevator
4. Taj Mahal: Dust Me Down (feat. Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals)
5. Handsome Furs: All We Want, Baby, Is Everything
6. Esser: Headlock

Album Of The Week - Ben Harper & Relentless7: White Lies For Dark Times

7. Ben Harper & Relentless7: Why Must You Always Dress In Black
8. Ben Harper & Relentless7: Fly One Time

9. Major Lazer: Hold The Line
10. The Rapture: House Of Jealous Lovers
11. School Of Seven Bells: Half Asleep
12. Johnny Flynn: Leftovers
13. Hockey: Too Fake
14. Jack Penate: Be The One
15. Grammatics: Cruel Tricks Of The Light
16. The Pharcyde: Runnin' (Phillipaines Remix)
17. Blue Roses: Doubtful Comforts

ADN Take on Great Escape Festival!!

That's right kids, ADN (well SuperHans if he can stay alive) will be in Brighton this weekend (14th-16th May) to review the best in new music and live acts on the alternative music scene. 

The plan is for SuperHans to get himself down to Brighton on the train. Stay for 3 days. Review 18 gigs. Take 18 photos. Interview anyone that will speak to him / understand him. A special ADN Project Great Escape Festival Special will be the result in a couple of weeks time, gig reviews and snappy snaps here... all the best music on a special 18 track show. Wish us luck and if you want to join, buy a ticket (still tickets left!!) / turn up /check out www.escapegreat.com and get yaself down to Camden on Sea!

Full Confirmed Line Up So Far:

Abe Vigoda / An Experiment On A Bird In The Air Pump / Artefacts For Space Travel / Banjo or Freakout / Bell X1 / Ben Kweller / Beth Jeans Houghton  / Brakes / British India / British Sea Power / Broken Records / Brute Chorus / Cable / Casiokids / Cassie and the Cassettes / Chairlift / Chew Lips / Citizen Cope / Cloud Control  / Colourmusic / Come On Gang! / Connan Mockasin / Dan Black / Dananananykroayd / The Deer Tracks / Die! Die! Die! / Dag For Dag / DM Stith / Esser / Everything Everything / Ex Lovers / Fan Death / Fanzine / Fight Like Apes / Future Of The Left / Futurecop!  / Ghost Of A Thousand / Giantess / Gold Teeth  / Golden Silvers / Gran Ronde / Harrys Gym / Hatcham Social / Heartbreak / Holy Fuck / Hoodlums / Hot Silk Pockets / Hunting The Minotaur / Ipso Facto / It Hugs Back  / James Yuill / Joe Gideon and the Shark / Johnny Foreigner / Juliette and the New Romantiques / Kasabian/ KASMS / Kids Love Lies / Kissy Sellout  / Lawrenca Arabia / Lay Low / Let's Wrestle / Liam Finn / Lightspeed Champion / Little Boots / Little Lost David / Lonely Ghosts / Magic Magic / Marnie Stern / Meme Love / Marina and the Diamonds / Metric / Metronomy / Micachu and the Shapes  / Middle Class Rut / Mika Miko / Miranda  Lee Richards / Mongrel / Moriarty / My Tiger My Timing  / Noah and the Whale /Nullifier / Official Secrets Act / Ou Est Le Swimming Pool / Ox. Eagle. Lion. Man. / Panama Kings / Patrick Wolf / Peggy Sue / Pulled Apart By Horses / Rainbow Arabia / Rodney Fisher / Rogues / Rosie and the Goldbug / S.C.U.M / Sad Day For Puppets / Screaming Tea Party / Sharks / Skint & Demoralized / Sky Larkin / Slow Club / Soap&Skin / Solid Gold / Swanton Bombs / Televised Crimewave /The Arkells / The Balky Mule / A Black Box Revelation / The Black Lips / The Boxer Rebellion / The Boy that Trapped the Sun / The Chapman Family  / A Grave With No Name / The Handsome Family / The Invisible / The John Steel Singers / The Joy Formidable  /The Macabees / The Mae Shi / The Males / The Miserable Rich / The New Wine / The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart / The Pipettes / The School of Seven Bells / The Shiny Brights / The Soft Pack / The Temper Trap / The Veils / The Week That Was / The XX / Threatmantics / Three Trapped Tigers / Throats / Times New Viking / Tin Can Telephone / To The Bones / Trailer Trash Tracys / Trigger Finger / Turbowolf / Ulterior / V V Brown / Video Nasties / Vivian Girls / Voluntary Butler Scheme / We Have Band / We Were Promised Jet Packs / White Denim / Wintersleep / Woodpigeon / Your Twenties / Youves / Yves Klein Blue

Series 3, episode 2 out today!

Oi oi, it's ADN Monday! That means one thing and one thing only... a brand new installment of your favourite fortnightly show. Check out episode 2 here:



On this week's show...

We're all over the place...in a good way! As ever, we bring the finest new music to the table - Dizzee Rascal, Golden Silvers, Harlem Shakes and the quite wonderful Monkey Swallows Universe are all on hand with shiny new offerings. Need more? We've got experimental New York nut jobs Gang Gang Dance teaming up with East London's very own 'prince of grime' Tinchy Stryder, Chiddy Bang kicking off your summer with some top drawer party jam action and Frightened Rabbit unfurling a tartan wrapped bundle of irresistable melancholy off their new live LP.

Need your fix of ludicrous non-news from the world of musical celebrity? Fear not good listeners, we've got our best man on the case - The London Paper's Luke Blackall is back! Quite how a chat about Oasis' ex axeman Bonehead ended up with Ronnie Corbett facing off against Yevgeny Kafelnikov in a celebrity pig based tug-athon is anyone's guess, but we're kind of glad it happened. Not to be missed!

If that's still not enough (you greedy, greedy b*stards), we've got Alex taking centre stage on the feature front this week. As well as dishing out ADN's album of the week (The Virgins...big!) we also get another rocket fuelled gig guide, delivered this time around with unparalleled velocity. If you can actually decipher any of it, do give us a shout. Still want more??! Jesus. But since you asked...Christian unearths some shocking musical theivery, Alex declares his love for one woman and three men AND we hear what the good people of London had to say about Ben Harper's massive Kentish Town show. And, er, that's your lot. Enjoy!

Tracklist

1. Dizzee Rascal: Bonkers
2. Gang Gang Dance: Princes (feat. Tinchy Stryder)
3. Empire Of The Sun: We Are The People (Burns remix)
4. Harlem Shakes: Strictly Game
5. The Answering Machine: Cliffer
6. Golden Silvers: True Romance

Album Of The Week - The Virgins: The Virgins

7. The Virgins: Teen Lovers
8. The Virgins: Love Is Colder Than Death

9. David Byrne & Brian Eno - Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
10. Feist: Sea Lion Woman (Chromeo remix)
11. Peter, Bjorn & John: Nothing To Worry About
12. The Cheeks: Slow Kids
13. Chiddy Bang: On Our Way
14. Frightened Rabbit: My Backwards Walk (live)
15. Monkey Swallows Universe: Sheffield Shanty
16. Kasabian: Fire

Live review: Ben Harper & Relentless7 @ Kentish Town Forum 19/04/09

Ben Harper brings his new band to town. London goes mental.

For this self confessed Harper nerd, the prospect of a Ben show without trusty sidekicks The Innocent Criminals was quite the sizeable headf*ck. Harper's shows with the IC's have deservedly achieved legendary status over the years, inducing mass hysteria amongst crowds across the globe (seriously, if I hear another 'Ben I love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!' drunkenly delivered during an acoustic number I may just have a 'Falling Down' moment) and drawing plaudits from a hugely diverse range of observers. That said, I'm convinced that now was the right time for a change; whilst his last two records with the Innocent Criminals satisfied to an extent, the listener couldn't shake the suspicion that the Ben and the band were edging somewhat dangerously towards 'going through the motions' territory. In the live arena, having played with the IC's for the majority of his 15 year career, you can forgive both Ben and the band for wanting to move on to pastures new.

So what to make of Ben's latest venture, Relentless7? As they shuffle somewhat uncermeoniously onto the stage in front of a packed HMV Forum, it quickly becomes apparent that this is a band stripped down the bare essentials; drums, bass, guitar and a shed load of soul. Relentless7 is a rock band in the truest sense and, rest assured, these boys rock hard. As they tear through a monster two hour set, the first thing you notice is just how invigorated Harper seems. Ben's shows have always been intense, but there's a freshness and a new found exuberance here that eminates from the great man throughout. The band follow Harper's lead; limbs flail, broken drumsticks fly across the stage with joyous regularity and a eye popping number of six stringers are shredded.

Put simply, these new cuts sound sensational. An incendiary 8 minute rendition of 'Keep It Together' is the night's highlight for this particular reviewer, Harper's electrifying lap slide sending clenched fists skyward and jaws floorbound. Current single 'Shimmer and Shine' fuzzed out brilliance feels instantly familiar, whilst the bluesy swagger of 'Number With No Name' rocks the joint to it's innermost core. Despite the guitar pyrotechnics on show, inevitably it's the more introspective pieces that threaten to steal the show; 'Faithfully Remain' and 'Skin Thin' are classic Harper, both perfectly showcasing his soul drenched vocal stylings. At one stage Harper moves away from the mic, serenading the near 2000 capacity venue with some bare bones acapella. Spine tingling stuff indeed.

But what about the old stuff I hear you cry? Well, a revamped 'Better Way' and a gorgeous full band version of 'Another Lonely Day' go some way to placating those craving a Harper nostalgia fix, but the band leave it at that. A wise move in my book; after all, this show is about Relentless7 and on this performance it's clear that their material is more than strong enough to carry a headline slot on it's own merit.

In what seems like no time at all, the hordes of satisfied gig-goers are shuffling back off into the London night time, although not before a crowd pleasing cover of 'Under Pressure' (for a few panic striken seconds I feared for an ill chosen Vanilla Ice cover...bullet dodged there methinks) is unleashed upon the sweaty masses. If they didn't know who Relentless7 were before tonight, they most certainly do now. Whilst Harper was always going to be the star attraction, the rest of the lads deserve huge praise; the tightness of tonight's show and the obvious chemistry within the band belies the fact that this is a relatively new venture for all concerned. To nick a choice phrase off one punter outside the venue, shows this good are - and I quote - 'rarer than a pregnant nun'. 'Nuff said.

Ben Harper & Relentless7 release their debut album 'White Lies For Dark Times' (Virgin) on April 27th. Look out ADN's review on episode 3, coming soon.

Don't want to take our word for how good the show was? Here's what the good people of London town had to tell the roving ADN reporters...

Series 3, episode 1 out today!

It's on! The ADN Project is back for a third series, with episode 1 now available. Check out the show below...



On the show this week...

Quite simply the finest selection of tracks available online.... box fresh offerings from the Rakes, The Juan Maclean and Phoenix, tasty cuts from big hitters Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arctic Monkeys and PJ Harvey and red hot tracks from London based upstarts The Invisible and The Draytones.

Elsewhere... banana based drug abuse, royal sex music and edgy Mancunian c***s - find out who's been doing what in the warped world of celebrity music from The London Paper's very own Luke Blackall . Luke begins his ADN residency this week and, rest assured, it's not to be missed.

Never ones to disappoint the old skool, we also bring you old favourites in the form of Alex's gig guide (faster and more furious than ever before) and Christian's album of the week, courtesy of Manchester based indie stalwarts Doves. Throw in more music, more ropey banter and 'some old Doris' (all will become clear) and you've got quite the show on your hands.

Enjoy!

Tracklist

1. Phoenix: 1901
2. The Draytones: Keep Loving Me
3. The Rakes: That's The Reason
4. The Invisible: OK
5. PJ Harvey & John Parish: Black Hearted Love
6. Arctic Monkeys: Baby I'm Yours

Album Of The Week - Doves: Kingdom Of Rust

7. Doves: Jetstream
8. Doves: Winter Hill

9. The Juan Maclean: No Time
10. Zarif: Let Me Back
11. The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart: Everything With You
12. The Whitest Boy Alive: Golden Cage (Fred Fauke remix)
13. First Aid Kit: Tiger Mountain Peasant Song
14. Mumford & Sons: Roll Away The Stone
15. Maccabees: No Kind Words
16. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Zero
17. The King Blues: What If Punk Never Happened? (Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip remix)

The London Paper's Luke Blackall joins ADN!

We're more than a bit chuffed to announce that Luke Blackall, king of London celebrity news, has joined the ADN Project!

Luke will be joining the ADN team for the WHOLE of series 3, bringing you good people up to speed with the weird and (rarely) wonderful antics of music celebrities in our fine capital. Trawling all of London's hottets nightspots, Luke will be bringing us news of the tears, tantrums, drug hells, sordid liasons and iffy clotheslines that make us, er, love our tabloid hugging pals.

Furthermore, it would be doing your ears a somewhat significant disservice if we didn't allow a man of such impeccable taste to unleash the odd record onto the listening public - look out for Luke's tune of the week on EVERY episode in the shiny new series of The ADN Project.

When he's not creating radio gold with the ADN team, Luke can be found writing for The London Paper, the capital's most popular daily. No celebrity stone is left unturned in his daily column, so be sure to check it out. For those unfortunate enough to live outside of the LDN, you can keep up to speed on the London's Buzz's Twitter feed. Marvellous.