Ok this isn't exactly my sort of thing usually but i did this review for Baby Cakes magazine and decided to post it for further examples of my writing.
Baby Cakes! Camden Underworld, London. 25/01/09.
Every generation gone by has had their label, a certain ‘make’ which defines what that era was about, whether it Doc Marten in the 70’s or Adidas in the 90’s. Baby Cakes is very much the brand of 2009, leading a generation of brightly coloured teens into a neon revolution where each and every member feels a part of something exciting.
This is the second Baby Cakes party hosting bands such as Henry Homesweet (who is actually signed to Baby Cakes records! Aren’t they lucky!), FrankMusik, A1 Bassline, UnicornKid, MyToyBox and a surprise performance from Partyshank at the end of the night! This was enough to make hundreds of Northern teens storm Camden Underworld last night wearing their brightest eye shadow and candyfloss hair. However, it wasn’t just you northerners who made the trip down to London town for the event, there were loads of Locals too, straight off the underground. Plus, get this… three girls all the way from Sweden! The lovely girls said they had heard about Baby Cakes online and said they were having, “a really good time”, and it was worth coming all the way for! If all this isn’t making you wish you had attended the grand goings on last night then keep reading…
After floor trembling sets from UnicornKid and MyToyBox the lush Henry Homesweet gave a truly memorable performance, donning a headlamp, a pipe and, lucky us, only his boxers! The excitable crowd were going MENTAL, and who could blame ‘em? The incredibly high – haired mass (I’m telling you if someone lit a match in there the whole place would go up with all that hairspray) were being teased with the lure of free CD’s, each time surging forward for a chance to grab one. Bathed in a green LCD wash, the dance floor was a body moving as one to the pounding bass line instructing their feet. This is seriously the most fun I’ve EVER seen without alcohol.
FrankMusik, with his beautifully sculpted cheekbones might I add, set the tone next with a nod to the 80’s. His 80’s electronika beats went down a treat, once again sending the floor into a frenzy. A1 Bassline saw the crowd liking it when the bass went in, geddit? Their remixes filled the airwaves with ear candy which the crowd soaked up with delight. The adorning fans knew that when they grow up they want to be something quite like their energetically electronic heroes standing before them. The surprise set from Partyshank left the party to end on a high note so the next BC party can pick up where this one left off.
In between the bands awesome sets, the photo booth was mobbed with girls and boys dressed up to the nines in their Baby Cakes, desperately trying to gain a spot on the website hall of fame. The merch stand was also busy alllllll night selling Baby Cakes attire plus apparel from some of the bands too. The Baby Cakes team and the bands were busy as bees in a heat wave putting together such a memorable night and it paid off a treat. If you were lucky enough to attend I think you’ll agree this night will not be easily forgotten, if you were not one of the privileged few then I’m sure the best is yet to come…if that is actually possible.
Wednesday 28 January 2009
Thursday 22 January 2009
ox.eagle.lion.man
ox.eagle.lion.man, Hoxton bar and kitchen, 21/01/09
I was a very busy bee on Wednesday night attending two gigs in different locations!
I was late for this gig so can only fill you in briefly....
Frederick Blood - Royale (if that is his real name) appeared to be wearing glasses with a moustache attached to them like something from a Christmas cracker. However on further inspection, that was actually his face. Good job he was an incredibly amusing guy, it's not all bad i guess.
The music definitely wasn't bad either. In fact the music was very good. Frederick's singing voice was definitely something to talk about as it filled the room and was extremely tuneful. Contrary with most of these type bands who on stage just don't pull it out of the bag.
The band had some strange anti war projections moving at a fast pace on the backdrop of the stage and the constant raising of Fred's arm suggests there might have been some sort of motive to this music ?! Perhaps some sort of political statement.
The sat was fast paced, loud, in your face and certainly un-ashamed. Fred's dulcet tones, comparible to Nick Cave or even Serge Tankin's also had a strange Metallica type feel about them, especially in 'Thy will be done'. The guitar riffs also reflected a kind of metal type feel which is a strange contrast to some of the more 'indie' elements to their songs.
Not really a band to sit back and watch with a drink, Frederick commanded the rooms attention and the crowd were really loving it.
The band ended their set with a plee for people to request more gigs for a fee of £800 plus travel and equipment so if your interested get onto their myspace....
Laura Collinson
I was a very busy bee on Wednesday night attending two gigs in different locations!
I was late for this gig so can only fill you in briefly....
Frederick Blood - Royale (if that is his real name) appeared to be wearing glasses with a moustache attached to them like something from a Christmas cracker. However on further inspection, that was actually his face. Good job he was an incredibly amusing guy, it's not all bad i guess.
The music definitely wasn't bad either. In fact the music was very good. Frederick's singing voice was definitely something to talk about as it filled the room and was extremely tuneful. Contrary with most of these type bands who on stage just don't pull it out of the bag.
The band had some strange anti war projections moving at a fast pace on the backdrop of the stage and the constant raising of Fred's arm suggests there might have been some sort of motive to this music ?! Perhaps some sort of political statement.
The sat was fast paced, loud, in your face and certainly un-ashamed. Fred's dulcet tones, comparible to Nick Cave or even Serge Tankin's also had a strange Metallica type feel about them, especially in 'Thy will be done'. The guitar riffs also reflected a kind of metal type feel which is a strange contrast to some of the more 'indie' elements to their songs.
Not really a band to sit back and watch with a drink, Frederick commanded the rooms attention and the crowd were really loving it.
The band ended their set with a plee for people to request more gigs for a fee of £800 plus travel and equipment so if your interested get onto their myspace....
Laura Collinson
SoundArt & The Pan I Am
Right finalllllllllly got the first review for you!
SoundArt & The Pan I Am, Hoxton Hall, 21/01/09
'Black flakes fall in the old hall'
The crowd was a real eclectic mix of old and young, a lot of the usual vintage types you'd expect. The venue itself was a creepy disused theatre which has been transformed into a venue, although by transform i mean they haven't actually done anything to it except fitted it with some fancy audio equipment. There's a massive chandelier in the centre which dominates the space and adds to the all round eerie effect, this also looked good when casting a shadow on the backdrop of the stage complete with projections for both bands.
SoundArt were first on stage...a strange looking 3 piece (at a time on stage anyway) band: an electric cellist, a guitarist and a high pitched female singer. They used projections and dry ice to 'compliment' their performance however for me it was just a bit too experimental. This was especially apparent when for the song, 'Always fit your own mask first', a rather sweaty looking guy came out of the audience and took his place centre stage, dressed in some rather odd attire making him look like he'd just finished his day job at Barclays. Perhaps the final attempt at being totally 'out there' came when the guitarist played a solo using his teeth... Kind of uncomfortable to watch a guy clad in arm and knee pads playing his guitar with his teeth, it really didn't fit the 'artsy' genre of the band either.
So, for me i was sure the best was very much yet to come. The rest of the crowd seemed to enjoy Soundart, albeit without flinching during the entire set. Not a dance move in sight. Yet.
After a small break for cider and cigarettes, The Pan I Am were next up. Before the band took to the stage some creepy notes were played on an old Cassio and a recording of a woman describing the old hall in the nineteenth century with a Dick Van Dyke Cokaney accent was played. After a short description of ye olde London Town the women confessed that she was a ghost and was there to introduce the act The Pan I Am. It was kind of gimicky but also set the scene pretty nicely.
Ed Larrikin came on in his usual splendor, wearing an all in one boiler suite with talc in his floppy hair. His face also somewhat resembled the joker as he wore red lipstick and white face powder, his mouth agape as though he wore a Chelsea smile from ear to ear. The rest of the band looked pretty non discript except the guitarist who had a youthful Patrick Wolf look about him. Dry ice and projections again were used throughout the set making it hard to breath but pretty much worth it for the atmosphere created (although my atmosphere was sort of ruined by two American wankers in front of me saying that the british 'suck' for not dancing. If he hadn't had a bottle in his hand i would have gladly explained to him that no one was as pissed as him and his dull girlfriend and would they kindly shut the fuck up). Anyway aside from the disturbance, the painfully beatiful lyrics penned by Master Larrikin made for very easy listening. Although for 'The young bad thing' the use of a voice altering device made Ed's voice a bit too high pitched making it more comical than innocently child like. After a relatively short but energetic set black confetti floated down from the celing like elegant fallout in a lovely end to the show. A half hearted thumbs up from Ed Larrikin called for lights up without an encore, the crowd milled around for a little while longer before curfew at 11.
A thoroughly enjoyable and beautifully crafted gig with which there are few and they a far between. The atmosphere was particularly relaxed due to the capicity only being around 50, so everyone present had their own space to soak up the lyrical genious without getting a hair out of place. As for the venue, the Hoxton Hall is a definite haunting experience. All in all very worth £8.
Laura Collinson
SoundArt & The Pan I Am, Hoxton Hall, 21/01/09
'Black flakes fall in the old hall'
The crowd was a real eclectic mix of old and young, a lot of the usual vintage types you'd expect. The venue itself was a creepy disused theatre which has been transformed into a venue, although by transform i mean they haven't actually done anything to it except fitted it with some fancy audio equipment. There's a massive chandelier in the centre which dominates the space and adds to the all round eerie effect, this also looked good when casting a shadow on the backdrop of the stage complete with projections for both bands.
SoundArt were first on stage...a strange looking 3 piece (at a time on stage anyway) band: an electric cellist, a guitarist and a high pitched female singer. They used projections and dry ice to 'compliment' their performance however for me it was just a bit too experimental. This was especially apparent when for the song, 'Always fit your own mask first', a rather sweaty looking guy came out of the audience and took his place centre stage, dressed in some rather odd attire making him look like he'd just finished his day job at Barclays. Perhaps the final attempt at being totally 'out there' came when the guitarist played a solo using his teeth... Kind of uncomfortable to watch a guy clad in arm and knee pads playing his guitar with his teeth, it really didn't fit the 'artsy' genre of the band either.
So, for me i was sure the best was very much yet to come. The rest of the crowd seemed to enjoy Soundart, albeit without flinching during the entire set. Not a dance move in sight. Yet.
After a small break for cider and cigarettes, The Pan I Am were next up. Before the band took to the stage some creepy notes were played on an old Cassio and a recording of a woman describing the old hall in the nineteenth century with a Dick Van Dyke Cokaney accent was played. After a short description of ye olde London Town the women confessed that she was a ghost and was there to introduce the act The Pan I Am. It was kind of gimicky but also set the scene pretty nicely.
Ed Larrikin came on in his usual splendor, wearing an all in one boiler suite with talc in his floppy hair. His face also somewhat resembled the joker as he wore red lipstick and white face powder, his mouth agape as though he wore a Chelsea smile from ear to ear. The rest of the band looked pretty non discript except the guitarist who had a youthful Patrick Wolf look about him. Dry ice and projections again were used throughout the set making it hard to breath but pretty much worth it for the atmosphere created (although my atmosphere was sort of ruined by two American wankers in front of me saying that the british 'suck' for not dancing. If he hadn't had a bottle in his hand i would have gladly explained to him that no one was as pissed as him and his dull girlfriend and would they kindly shut the fuck up). Anyway aside from the disturbance, the painfully beatiful lyrics penned by Master Larrikin made for very easy listening. Although for 'The young bad thing' the use of a voice altering device made Ed's voice a bit too high pitched making it more comical than innocently child like. After a relatively short but energetic set black confetti floated down from the celing like elegant fallout in a lovely end to the show. A half hearted thumbs up from Ed Larrikin called for lights up without an encore, the crowd milled around for a little while longer before curfew at 11.
A thoroughly enjoyable and beautifully crafted gig with which there are few and they a far between. The atmosphere was particularly relaxed due to the capicity only being around 50, so everyone present had their own space to soak up the lyrical genious without getting a hair out of place. As for the venue, the Hoxton Hall is a definite haunting experience. All in all very worth £8.
Laura Collinson
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