Adam French ‘Back Where I Belong’ EP Review

From the moment I set eyes on this EP I am intrigued; with a bright orange sleeve and a purple paisley print on the CD, I immediately want to hear it and it does not disappoint.

From the gentle guitar to the gritty yet polished vocals, the EP is very well put together. With a variety of influences running through the tracks and a mixture of tempos, this EP really showcases the skill and musicianship that Adam French possesses.

‘Just Another Day’ has quite a blues-y feel to it with a heavy bassline and easy laid back vocals, yet the title track, ‘Back Where I Belong’ is a lot more upbeat and has a harmonious and perky sound. The contrast between the tracks is impressive and I look forward to hearing even more new material from this talented singer songwriter.

Molly Gould

WET NUNS @ THE SUGARMILL

Bong Idle opened the night with a short but well rehearsed set. Their individual style shone through as a band and they brought a friendly atmosphere into the venue, to make the start of what was to be a great night. With a psychedelic sort of sound, Bong Idle are quite a unique band, despite that the vocals were hard to hear and understand at times.

A strong drumbeat and a killer guitar riff is always a great way to start a set in order to grab the crowd’s attention, which is something Moscow did wonderfully. From the very first song, the singer; Nic Andrews, was dancing through the crowd as he sung, a quirky and interesting touch to the set. The band members are all clearly very emotionally invested in their music judging from their lively performance and their strong, solid sound. Despite having three broken microphones and a snapped guitar string, the band continued to play on like true professionals. After a cheeky glance at the set list and a swig of beer, the show goes on; all dressed in black, the band have a good image, without looking awkward or like clones of each other. The use of cowbells in a couple of their songs added a slightly mechanical twang to their indie-rock sound.

Another powerhouse of an intro from Troops of Mafeking with astonishing bass playing and killer drum beats, the band seem to have nailed their gritty indie sound.  As a unit, they create great music, with a mix of tempos and variety; each instrument has a purpose in the songs and that is very clear, as their music has a lot of depth and dimensions which can sometimes be hard to achieve at a live gig.

Who would have thought that a two man band could fill a room with ear-bursting sound? Certainly not me, but Wet Nuns took The Sugarmill by storm, with their heavy, grungy sound. With predominantly instrumental music and shared vocals between Rob on guitar and Alexis on the drums, the duo managed to pack so many genres into their music such as Blues, Rock n Roll, Folk and Garage to name a few. The concentration on both of their faces was so intense much like the way that their instrumentals built up slowly, peaking with thrash metal and rock riffs. The transitions between songs were seamless and it was almost like one continuous stream of music. It got slightly repetitive in places but that made the band feel more familiar and catchy. The feedback from the amp added to their slightly warped and twisted sound, which is so unique to the band.

 Molly Gould

Bison and Wolf - Bases EP Review

Their debut EP is packed with new and interesting material from the Staffordshire based quartet. Their sound has not altered much from their previous tracks but it does have a more polished and revamped tone to it; it is clear that they have matured and progressed as a band.

The EP has five full length tracks and each song has a different feel to it; five very different and well written songs which all possess intricate guitar riffs and smooth, melodic vocals with a mixture of gritty bass and striking, punchy drums.

My personal favourite track off the EP is, ‘Take’ with its heavier intro that builds up with the layers of the different instruments and the vocals sitting on top of all that. The smooth vocals are a good contrast to the somewhat dirty sounding bass riffs that underlay throughout the track. The harmonies work well within the song and add even more depth to the already full and rounded sound of the band. 

Molly Gould

Bison and Wolf @ Fatcats Hanley 22/03/2013

The music coming from the basement of Fatcats is powerful and definite. It comes from relatively new three piece, Tempest. They have quite a unique sound with a number of layers running through their songs; each instrument seems to be playing something totally different to the rest of the music but it somehow sounds right and it is clear that the band are comfortable on stage. As their music is so varied, it keeps you listening and wanting to hear more and more from them.

A sudden start and Adam French’s set is already in full motion. The tone in his voice is warm and full; despite being a singer songwriter and being the only one onstage, he dominated the audience to the point where they were singing the lyrics back to him. It is clear that he is a very talented musician and having previously gigged at venues such as Camden Barfly, he is a force not to be reckoned with.

With friendly faces and extremely well written songs, Bison and Wolf take to the stage at their EP launch. Their sound remains the same but the new songs seem to have a fresher and more polished sound to them. The harmonies and the tone of the vocals are exceptional, that combined with their obvious ease on stage and all of the bands musicianship made for a very good gig. They are definitely as good live as they are on their recorded tracks and the instrumentals are so intricate and well rehearsed.

Three great sets from some of the finest artists in the area; it will most certainly be a gig to remember. 

Molly Gould

Heatwave Radio is now on air! The student radio Station from Stoke on Trent College is now streaming and you can listen live at www.heatwave-radio.co.uk or via the Tune In app. 

The station will give the best mix of music and shows from students and lecturers at the college, with shows ranging from beauty advice to a Live DJ hour and everything you could possibly imagine in between, so tune in!

ACCESS TO MUSIC AUDITIONS BIRMINGHAM

Last Friday saw two of Stoke-on-Trent College’s own bands enter the ATOM LIVE auditions for a chance to win a weeklong tour up and down the UK along with a host of other prizes. The Whiskey Dolls and Band of Gypsies were the two lucky bands who went down to Birmingham for this fantastic opportunity.

The day was filled with very varied acts that all performed in front of a panel of experts who would later decide their fate. Not only that, but there was also an audience and a live radio broadcast from the event.

The Whiskey Dolls were the first of the two bands to perform. They describe themselves as a ‘hard-rock quartet with southern rock influences’ which I think describes them perfectly with their gritty and edgy sound. They were very different to the other acts that performed that day and made use of heavy instrumentals and their songs really showcased each of the member’s abilities. They all had good musicianship and gave a powerful performance.

The judges complimented their song structure and their solid, strong sound but told them to work on their stage presence.

Despite having a very quick line up change before the day, Band of Gypsies performed well as a band and there was a really good connection between all of the members. Their songs were well rehearsed and well put together in terms of structure and lyrics; each member seemed to play their own role within the band and you would never have guessed that they had only been playing together with that line-up for a matter of days.

The judges commented on the fact that they are a radio friendly band and Rosie Radford, the vocalist, obviously meant the words that she was singing. They may sound slightly old fashioned but have an overall evocative sound.

Both bands gave really did the college proud, and after an antagonising wait; we found out that Band of Gypsies will go through to the next round. Well done to both bands for such great performances!  

Dead Radio Society @ The Full Moon

Despite the doors opening at eight for this gig, it was good hour and a half before the sound-check was complete and the gig began. The John Macleod Band were first on the bill and filled the room with their chilled out, retro sound. The band really seemed to grow as the set went on, seeming more at ease with every song that they played. A lively performance from all of their members and a melodic, rounded and well rehearsed sound.

Up next were The Nanateas who have such a unique sound, almost as if they have Hawaiian influences imbedded into their clean sound and bluesy vocals. Every song seemed to be totally different with some really clever backing vocals and harmonies. There was a good sense of musicianship throughout the band and they put a lot of energy into their set.

They definitely returned with style at their comeback gig; Dead Radio Society took the stage by storm with their sudden start to their set. It is very obvious that the band know their sound and where they want to be from their definitive style and the energy that they all performed with. From the polished songs to the variation in tempo, Dead Radio Society have really nailed their sound. Every member of the band and every instrument served a purpose and added to the depth of the music and it really worked well together live.

Molly Gould

The John Macleod Band @ Bad Edit 22/01/2013

For such a small and hidden away venue, the room is packed full of chatty and lively people all waiting eagerly for a much anticipated gig. Frank Cerioni kicked off the night with his softer sounding music which filled the venue with no problem. There was a lot of depth to his sound for one man with a guitar and there was a good variation of tempos throughout his set.

Delamere were to follow on this bill; with an energetic and lively set which seems to be a guarantee at their gigs .All of the band members seem to really get into the music and it is obvious how much emotion has gone into writing their songs. The way all of the instruments work together creates a really unique sound along with James’ powerful vocals. As usual, the harmonies coming from the guitarist and backing vocalist, Ashley were great; the band clearly work hard as a team to create and shape their sound as a band through a balance of instrumentals and lyrics.

The John Macleod Band is fronted by none other than John Macleod himself, a friendly and confident front-man with a clear passion for what he does. The band had a quite old-school/retro sound which was really interesting to listen to and the drummer, Angela Lazenby, was really impressive. The synth really added an extra level to the music and rounded off their sound as a band; the audience seemed to be really engaged with the band. There was a nice mix of instrumentals within the music but I would have liked to have heard a little more variation in the tempo of the songs that they played, having said that I really enjoyed the slightly heavier song that they played towards the end of their set. There is some really good talent within the band and it was clear that they were well rehearsed and got on well together as the dynamics between them created a great atmosphere for the audience. 

Molly Gould

WET NUNS, TROOPS OF MAFEKING, MOSCOW + BONG IDLE

WET NUNS, TROOPS OF MAFEKING, MOSCOW + BONG IDLE @ THE SUGARMILL 01/03/13

Bong Idle opened the night with a short but well rehearsed set. Their individual style shone through as a band and they brought a friendly atmosphere into the venue, to make the start of what was to be a great night. With a psychedelic sort of sound, Bong Idle are quite a unique band, despite that the vocals were hard to hear and understand at times. 

A strong drumbeat and a killer guitar riff is always a great way to start a set in order to grab the crowd’s attention, which is something Moscow did wonderfully. From the very first song, the singer; Nick Andrews, was dancing through the crowd as he sung, a quirky and interesting touch to the set. The band members are all clearly very emotionally invested in their music judging from their lively performance and their strong, solid sound. Despite having three broken microphones and a snapped guitar string, the band continued to play on like true professionals. After a cheeky glance at the set list and a swig of beer, the show goes on; all dressed in black, the band have a good image, without looking awkward or like clones of each other. The use of cowbells in a couple of their songs added a slightly mechanical twang to their indie-rock sound.

Another powerhouse of an intro from Troops of Mafeking with astonishing bass playing and killer drum beats, the band seem to have nailed their gritty indie sound.  As a unit, they create great music, with a mix of tempos and variety; each instrument has a purpose in the songs and that is very clear, as their music has a lot of depth and dimensions which can sometimes be hard to achieve at a live gig. 

Who would have thought that a two man band could fill a room with ear-bursting sound? Certainly not me, but Wet Nuns took The Sugarmill by storm, with their heavy, grungy sound. With predominantly instrumental music and shared vocals between Rob on guitar and Alexis on the drums, the duo managed to pack so many genres into their music such as Blues, Rock n Roll, Folk and Garage to name a few. The concentration on both of their faces was so intense much like the way that their instrumentals built up slowly, peaking with thrash metal and rock riffs. The transitions between songs were seamless and it was almost like one continuous stream of music. It got slightly repetitive in places but that made the band feel more familiar and catchy. The feedback from the amp added to their slightly warped and twisted sound, which is so unique to the band.

Molly Gould

Heatwave Radio Launch

After weeks of relentless planning the day had finally come, Launch Day. The day was kick-started with a cake sale in aid of 'Help a Signal Child', Signal One's very own charity. I will post a picture of me eating said cake further down in the post!

After running around like a headless chicken for the rest of the morning, everything was set; the goodie bags made up, balloons put up, sandwiches and nibbles put out, sound and lighting sorted... The list goes on! But we were ready to begin, and who better to introduce the event and the station than Lee Beddow, our course team leader. 

Untitled Project and James Peake both had sets on the day, and provided us with lovely musical entertainment throughout the launch, and we even had someone  from The Sentinel newspaper there to take a few snaps! 

Search for Heatwave Radio online, or on the Tune in app. 
With a wide range of new and exciting shows from the students of Signal Radio Media Academy, and all of the greatest music, there is something for everyone! 

Enjoying the food!

Chris and Jonty from Signal Radio

Two of our guests

This is me, eating cake!