Big Summer Sounds

So I thought that I would display some of my pictures and comments from the million gigs I have been to over the past few months. Hopefully in the near future I will be posting more on my blog as it allows me to voice stuff into the open world. The reason for not posting anything recently is because of my university course coming to an end, thank god! Also sorting out the paper work to move with my beauty over in USA, here is to the final year in the UK, enjoy...

Kasabian – 24-05-16

Although the band did not wait around before or after diving in the venue at Bridlington Spa for fear of seagulls, they did put on a great stadium filling show into a ballroom! After waiting in line only one hour (short for me) I made it to front and centre of the barrier, great support came from new blood Blossoms, who were on form. As for the headliners, well they were awesome playing hit after hit, setting the place on fireeeeeeeeeeeee.

Gold Panda – 26-05-16

Cool electronic producer in a cool venue, gotta love the Brudnell Social Club.

Lonely The Brave – 27-05-16

Great band who are not just a flash in the pan success, oozing songs with depth and breath, taking you to a distant land, also support act Swedish Death Candy are the UK version of Queens Of The Stoneage, love it!

Slam Dunk Festival – 28-05-16

Not content with the amount of gigs I had been going to I managed to get press pass for Slam Dunk Festival. Great line up as ever and never enough time! I managed to chat with Issues and Northlane for my podcast. Both bands are hot right now but it was Northlane I was excited to see and talk to after being a fan for about two years! After chatting to these bands I only managed to meet Moose Blood outside chilling, day made. Little did i know it would get better as me and my beaut finished the night off by sing along to Panic At The Disco! Do his version of Queen. Great day make sure you get your tickets for next year early as this year they sold out!

Adam Green – 30-05-16

Different kind of show from a damaged New York musician who certainly knows how to work a crowd and deliver a great set!

Fatherson – 01-06-16

One of the best live shows, one of my new favourite bands!

Adele – 09-06-16

We managed to get to see Adele in Paris with good seats! I do not need to tell you how good it was, I feel your evil eyes burning me from here.

Muncie Girls – 16-06-16

Great band to chat to, find them on the podcast also just wish we didn’t have to catch the last train home! Missed their show but the support act Jake and the jelly fish made it all worthwhile, got some free cds off them!

Avec Sans – 19-06-16

Speaking of free stuff, Not only did me and my other half get invited down to an exceptionally professional and beautiful show, we got free shirts off the band for chatting to them (again on the summer podcast). A must see live as they do things a bit differently.

Twin Atlantic – 09-07-16

And finally, not only did me and my beauty (yes her again, she is amazing), get to see our favourite band together for the first time do a headline show, it comes right before she leaves, cementing our last time together in the UK as different nationalities. More on that story another time, as for the show new and old old songs were brilliant as ever, with the Scottish giants do what they do best and fall, into the party.

Until next time, thanks for listening...

https://www.mixcloud.com/thisishybrid/

Music for Drifters

Fresh after seeing Federal Charm the night before at, The New Adelphi Club I was ready to do it again for another North West band! The band was, The Drifting Classroom and they have some famous fans such as Elbow and Blur so it was worth a shot.

Another two local support acts fill the void between doors and main act, although the first did little for me the second (The Waviers) was captivating and defiantly ones to watch in the future, my gut feeling usually serves me well... Mumford and Sons, Allusondrugs, Twin Atlantic being three I thought would make it. Back to the night itself, I am glad to say The Drifting Classroom were worth it, more than a bunch of musicians, they are a group of talented musicians that grab your attention and help you drift inside their world and instruments. Although the overall show lacked a connection with the audience, it was acceptable as the musicians were playing there instruments with such precision and passion to make you stand back and relish this golden opportunity, spinning another dimension onto the recorded tracks.

Speaking of which, after getting sent their album to review I have yet to turn it off my iTunes as each track tells a unique and brilliant story. The tracks are not just built on a lyrical substance but musical substance as well, drawing influences from jazz and rock to create their unique sound. Madness and Hey You are two of the tracks that stand out for me, the only constructive criticism would be to flesh out more of the instruments, like joint solos working the instruments even closer to the edge. What do you think join in the conversation now on social media and check out their debut album, Oubliette, out now.

https://www.mixcloud.com/thisishybrid/

https://www.facebook.com/driftingclassroom

Charming yet still rocking!

Hybrid chatted to new Rock 'n' Rollers, Federal Charm ahead of their new tour, dates on sale now! A brilliant band defiantly worth seeing.

Questions by Hybrid //Answers by Paul Bowe (Federal Charm, guitarist)

1/ Q: Federal Charm, welcome to Hull. Is this your first time playing in Hull?

A: Hey Thank you! We've played Hull once before this April just gone. We played at The Fruit with Tracer.

2/ Q: This tour is called ‘Crossing The Divide’ to tie in with the new album, ‘Across The Divide’. What has been the biggest thing you have overcome in your lives?

A: I think that is a very big question. I don’t know what the other guys have done personally but I think for me, apart from health and relationships, it was crossing over to this way of living – working and taking the leap of faith.

3/ Q: Was ‘Across The Divide’ a ‘difficult second album’ following on from your debut?

A: The writing came natural, but I’d say the recording process was very difficult. The environment and atmosphere in the studio wasn’t the greatest. We were in the depths of Old Mill Manchester. There was slight pressure on the album as we'd really hit it home with the first one. We'd developed a real sense of identity on the second one but we really wanted to progress and keep to our roots.

4/ Q: The sound of the ‘Across The Divide’ still maintains the classic rock and blues vibe of your first. Did you do anything different in the production or experiment?

A: We didn’t intentionally do anything too different recording wise, but we pushed our limits with songs like 'Walk Away' and 'Give Me Something'. Those songs had been in the pipeline for over a year on previous demos but we weren't ready to finish them.

5/ Q: Speaking of experimenting and rock ’n' roll, what has been the wildest thing you have done as a band?

A: Hmmm, not out of malice or to be rock ’n’ roll, bit we’ve driven our tour bus into hotel buildings. Which had its funny side. I also remember being in Germany playing a festival in a small town and our tour manager at the time drove the bus in the water mains for the whole town. They had to get an engineer out and close it off. Embarrassing!

6/ Q: What would you like to achieve as a band in the near future?

A: In this moment we are enjoying the building process and road work. In the near future we'd really just like to see the fruits of our labour pay off by having more exposure and performing to more people in bigger venues.

7/ Q: Has any famous last words ever come back to haunt you?

A: Not off the top of my head but I’m sure there has been a number of ‘told you so' scenarios!

https://www.mixcloud.com/thisishybrid/

http://www.federalcharm.com/