May Catch-Up Post

May has been a busy month with gigs and record purchasing and I finally now have some time catch up and blog about some of the great things that I have acquired.

First up is the “Goodtime Boys”. A UK hardcore band currently signed to Bridge 9 that came to my attention via a strategically placed poster (right by my head) at a recent Boy Jumps Ship! gig. I cannot tell you how glad I am to have found this epic band, not just because they are quite frankly amazing, but because they are Bridge 9 – it means their vinyl releases look amazing and are always made up of numerous variants. So I bought the lot (nearly) and got it all signed at their ‘Rain’ release party at Brighton’s Bermuda Triangle.

Complete collection (post signing):

New album ‘Rain’ on white and pink vinyl:

Split EP with Self Defence Family on blue 7″:

Things I Still Don’t Understand EP on white 7″:

Every Landscape EP on clear green 7″:

What’s Left To Let Go EP on Purple/ Pink/ Green merged 12″:

Goodtime Boys live at the Bermuda Triangle (photo):

At the aforementioned Goodtime Boys show, I also picked up the 12″ releases by both the support acts, “We Never Learned to Live” and “Grappler” – also now both fully signed.

We Never Learned to Live – We Never Learned to Live EP on single sided clear 12″ with black etching on the reverse:

Grappler – Everything I Ever Feared on white/black split 12″:

Also this month I popped down to see “The Wonder Years” play Brighton’s The Haunt and again purchased the support acts releases, this time “State Champs” and “A Loss For Words”.

State Champs – The Finer Things on multicoloured rainbow split/splatter 12″:

A Loss For Words – The Kids Can’t Lose on cream/ blue/ red merged 12″:

When not attending live shows, I have still been shopping hard online – picking a few other little gems, most of which have also come on coloured vinyl, including:

Cosmo – Cosmo EP on picture disc 10″:

Cosmo is a band, led by Felix White (The Maccabees), that features guest vocals from Jack Penate, Florence Welch, Jessie Ware, Jamie N Commons, Johnny Bramwell and Adam Day. It also features Sam Doyle, Hugo White, Jack Birchwood and Chris Woolison.

Haim – If I Could Change Your Mind (all 3 sleeve variants) on Turquoise 10″:

Next up is couple of “Tall Ships” releases that I was missing:

Tall Ships – T=0 single on white 7″:

Tall Ships – Hit The Floor 7″:

Following from their amazing set at this year’s Great Escape festival, I also picked the latest EP and Single by a four piece from Belgium called BRNS who weave together tunes that are mystical, moody and insatiably catchy.

BRNS – Wounded EP on 12″and Void Single on 7″:

And finally, a handful of US only releases. First up is two RecordStoreDay 2014 releases by “Foals” and “Death Cab For Cutie” followed by the Adeline Records reissue of “Green Day” Minority single.

Foals – Live from the Royal Albert Hall EP on 12″:

Death Cab for Cutie featuring the Magik*Magik Orchestra – Live 2012 LP on 2×12″:

Green Day – Minority single on translucent red 7″

And that concludes May’s vinyl acquisitions…. and already June is shaping up to be even better 😀

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Great Escape 2014 – The Provisional List

So, another year means another Great Escape festival in Brighton. As each year passes, the number of bands increase, the number of venues with new names increase and most importantly, my militaristically performed analysis project becomes harder to fit in.

At the last count, I have managed to listen to more than 250 of the artists playing the Great Escape, and Alternative Escape events – and most importantly found a few real gems.

Special mentions to my top ten must sees:
BRNS // Etches // A Plastic Rose // Amber Run // The Darlingtons // JAWS // Lonely the Brave // Andy Shauf // Blaenavon // Dry The River (okay, not that new a band ;p)

..and also to two of my favourite bands that have just been added to the Alternative Escape:
Esben and the Witch // Escapists

So, with just one day until the festival kicks off, here is my provisional list of targets/ times and places so that if any of my buddies get misplaced – they will know where to go.

Wednesday 7th May:
01. Black Foxxes; 8.45pm @ Prince Albert
02. The Sleepwalks; 9.30pm @ Prince Albert
03. Patrons; 10.15pm @ Prince Albert

Thursday 8th May:
04. Ballet School; 12.30pm @ Green Door Store
05. VIMES; 1.30pm @ Green Door Store
06. Eyes and No Eyes; 2.30pm @ Bermuda Triangle
07. Still Parade; 3.30pm @ Green Door Store
08. Sam Fender; 4.30pm @ Festival Hub
09. RM Hubbert; 6.15pm @ Concorde2
10. Amber Run; 7pm @ Concorde2
11. Rae Morris; 7.45pm @ Concorde2
12. Circa Waves; 8.30pm @ Concorde2
13. Augustines; 9.30pm @ Concorde2
14. A Plastic Rose; 11pm @ Blind Tiger
15. The Hold Steady; 0.15am @ Dome Studio
(Back Up Band: East India Youth; 0.00am @ Green Door Store)

Friday 9th May:
16. The Darlingtons; 12.30pm @ Queen’s Hotel
17. JAWS; 1.15pm @ Komedia
18. Glory, Glory; 1.45pm @ Blind Tiger
19. Amber Run (Again); 2.30pm @ Above Audio
20. Ezra Vine; 3.15pm @ Spiegeltent
21. Esben & the Witch, 4.30pm @ Shipwright’s Yard
22. A Plastic Rose (again); 5.30pm @ Festival Hub
23. Gallery Circus; 7pm @ Green Door Store
24. Prides; 7.45pm @ Green Door Store
25. Blaenavon; 8.30pm @ The Brighton Centre: East Wing
26. Famy; 9.15pm @ The Brighton Centre: East Wing
27. Dry The River; 10.15pm @ The Brighton Centre: East Wing
28. Royal Blood; 11pm @ Corn Exchange
29. Afterpartees; 11.45pm @ Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar
30. The Clameens; 0.45am @ Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar
31. Gnarwolves; 1.30am @ Bermuda Triangle

Saturday 10th May:
32. Andy Shauf; 12.15pm @ Blind Tiger
33. Carnival Youth; 1.15pm @ The Hope
34. Audience Killers; 2.15pm @ The Hope
35. Billy Lockett; 2.45pm @ Spiegeltent
36. Boy Jumps Ship; 3.15pm @ Bermuda Triangle
37. Etches; 3.45pm @ Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar (VALIDATE)
38. BRNS; 4.30pm @ Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar
39. Etches (again); 5.30pm @ The Tube
40. Ric (from Tall Ships); 6.15pm @ Pav Tav
41. Black City Lights; 7.45pm @ Blind Tiger
42. Champs; 8.15pm @ Unitarian Church
43. Escapists; 9.10pm @ The Albion Hotel: Bar Rogue
44. Future Islands; 9.45pm @ Digital
45. Twin Atlantic; 11.15pm @ The Warren