Formed in Liverpool, The Mysterines – frontwoman Lia Metcalfe, drummer Paul Crilly, bassist George Favager and guitarist Callum Thompson – have undergone a radical transformation over the past few years. Fresh with new purpose and reinvigorated from songwriting sessions while secluded away in the countryside (in between playing to 60,000-strong crowds while on tour with the Arctic Monkeys), the band have now just released the best music of their career with their new album Afraid of Tomorrows, the highly-anticipated follow up to their critically-acclaimed Top 10 debut album Reeling.
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NEWS/TOUR: MILLIE MANDERS AND THE SHUTUP to release new album on 2 August - Festival & Tour dates announced
The sophomore album Wake Up, Shut Up, Work from Millie Manders and The Shutup which will be self-released on 2 August and follows their debut Telling Truths, Breaking Ties from 2020.
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RADIO: MUSOMUSOFM 14 June 2024 features some incredible acts including IDLE TONGUES, KING HANNAH, JOSEPH SIMON and more....
The latest instalment of the musomusofm new music radio show landed on 14 June 2024.
We were sent many new tracks to check out ahead of the show and what you see listed below are the lucky bands and artists that made the grade, the competition was fierce but we managed to whittle the list down to a manageable but somewhat 90 minutes which left less time for the usual 'bantz' between Dickie and I.
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WATCH/TOUR: DELILAH BON announces release of her new album and headline Euro/UK tour
EVIL, HATE FILLED FEMALE // TITLE TRACK VIDEO
EVIL, HATE FILLED FEMALE LP // 13 SEPTEMBER
HEADLINE UK TOUR // OCTOBER & NOVEMBER
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REVIEW: SLEEPER treat Exeter to an evening of stripped back, re-worked tracks, chat and plenty of laughter...
Having seen them play a few times in the past, once back in the heyday of Britpop where they supported an even bigger band from the Britpop camp, in Bristol on their 2022 tour where they celebrated 25 years of ‘The IT Girl’ and last year at the ‘SHIIINE ON’ festival in Minehead (Butlins has never looked so alive in mid November!) The thought of watching them play a paired back set containing many of their classics that had been pushed through the re-work sonic sausage machine was enticing, so much so, I trudged up to The Phoenix in the heart of Exeter city to have a gander.
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PHOTO CREDIT: GABE LONG
NEWS/LISTEN/TOUR: BEEN STELLAR new long player 'SCREAM FROM NEW YORK, NY' is out now - UK Headline tour in Nov/Dec
“A raw and magnetic sound that strikes mercilessly” PASTE MAGAZINE
“Angsty, gritty, sultry indie rock territory that recalls Gentleman-era Afghan Whigs” BROOKLYN VEGAN
“A glowing, crackling set of songs that balances frenzied melancholy with moments of chaos and urgency” ALT PRESS
“Develops perfectly on the post-punk ethos from which the band hails, but infuses it with a spaciness and shoegaze vibe” CONSEQUENCE
“Post-punk has lately been inundated to the point of oversaturation but Been Stellar prove that this subgenre hasn’t lost its lustre quite yet” UPROXX
“White-hot and ferocious, an impassioned, emotionally charged indie fever dream” ALTWOOD MAGAZINE
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REVIEW: Nocturne at Blenheim Palace featuring Sheryl Crow, Crowded House and Turin Brakes
The historic grounds of Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, provided a majestic backdrop for Nocturne 2024, an event featuring the stellar lineup of Crowded House, Sheryl Crow, and Turin Brakes.
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LIVE: Catch SLEEPER performing an acoustic evening at Exeter's Phoenix on Friday 21 June....
SLEEPER to perform an evening of acoustic hits at Exeter’s Phoenix on Friday 21 June.
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REVIEW: The Mysterines showcase a stripped back offering of their forthcoming long player at Rough Trade Bristol on 12 June 2024
It’s not often you get to go to a gig and hear new songs for the first time before an album has been released. Today, The Mysterines performed a sold-out show at Bristol’s Rough Trade, to give a glimpse of new material from their forthcoming sophomore album Afraid of Tomorrows, set for release on the 21st June.
It turned out to be way more than just a glimpse of the new material you usually get at these mini gigs as we were treated to the new album in its entirety! In the lead up to the show, I had been busy listening to The Mysterines and my excitement levels rose at the thought of seeing them in such an intimate venue (200 capacity).
The Mysterines are a band that I've only seen in passing at festivals, so I was keen to get to know their songs in more depth. I managed to get the best view possible (stage left), I was so close, I spotted one of the band members bank cards on the floor and duly let them know. The band took to the stage slightly later than billed, rumours of a meal that had gone on past their curfew were confirmed in my head by seeing the singer and writer Lia Metcalfe, nipping to the washrooms with a toothbrush and toothpaste in hand, best to be fresh for such an intimate gig!
After taking a photo of the setlist for some eager fans behind me, they appeared and kicked off the show. They opened with ‘Stray’ a single that’s familiar to most due to radio play, and a song that picqued my interest in this show. Tonight’s show is stripped back and running at an altogether slower tempo, the band are sat on stools and the stripped back nature of the show sees Lia’s voice take centre stage. It hits me straight away, what a stunning voice she has! Her performance grabs me from the get go. The song has a real groove to it, a bass line that hooks you in. The first new track to drop is The Last Dance, I look to my left and see a fan with their eyes closed, singing along, word for word. The song has a ‘waltz’ feel to it, and I imagine doing a little slow dance to it as my mind starts to wonder.
Lyrically the new album seems to go deep, with Goodbye Sunshine and Junk Yard Angel hitting the hardest, there is clear heartbreak as the lyrics appear to address loss and desperation of being in a place of unease and uncertainty. It feels like we are seeing the songs at their rawest, seeing how they originally came together before being embellished, to create the final offerings. This makes me wish that the gig had been recorded so that it could be released as a stripped back version of the album in the future.
Hearing the lyrics to So Long, they were so pronounced and clear, it left me wanting to sit down with Lia and discuss them to get to the essence and the root of the subject matter, she’s the type of performer that stops you in your tracks. I was reminded of the Nirvana ‘Unplugged’ album that they did for MTV, high praise indeed and it had NOTHING to do with bass player George Favager’s Nirvana t-shirt at all.
These are stripped back rock songs, which are fierce, powerful and guitar heavy. They are lyrically personal, succinct and sublime. I'm now also left eager to find out more about the background of the incredible, intense lyrics and what the songs will sound like performed loud at a full show. This happens so much, but The Mysterines have changed on my list from a ‘maybe’ to a ‘definite’ to catch in the future.
Current Single Sink Ya Teeth sounds so gloriously polished, like a hit single should. The set closer Afraid of Tomorrows (also the album closer) is an up-tempo, tambourine fuelled toe-tapper of a tune which makes you feel a wide range of contradicting emotions all in one go.
I left the gig intrigued, excited and looking forward to the album’s release next week, and for Y Not Festival where I will now choose them ahead of Snow Patrol for sure! Another show, another new band to look forward to seeing in the future. Thanks also to the band for signing my Take That ticket as if they were Take That, I’ve always wanted to meet Gary, Howard and Mark!
Review by Matthew Barnes
Photos by Lydia Cashmore Photography ©
REVIEW: MADNESS performed a career spanning set on Plymouth's Hoe supported by Hardwicke Circus, The Zutons and The Lightning Seeds
With blue skies and very little cloud, one couldn’t have wished for a better start to day three of the Summer Sessions on June 15th at Plymouth Hoe. With a stellar lineup of acts that included Hardwicke Circus, The Lightning Seeds, The Zutons, and Madness, the evening was set for a showcase of musical talent and an unforgettable experience for all who attended.
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REVIEW: Take a trip down 'Arnold Layne' with Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets at Bristol's Beacon....
It’s a balmy evening in Bristol, and after a rather splendid trip up from Totnes on the train, I alight at Temple Meads and take a leisurely stroll into the city to meet my photographer for which promises to be, an incredible evening of superb live music courtesy of Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets.
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REVIEW: Despite the rain, BRYAN ADAMS dazzled the audience with an awesome live show on Plymouth's Hoe....
Despite the drizzly weather that is all too familiar to British concert-goers, the 'Summer Sessions' on June 14th that were held on The Hoe in Plymouth proved to be an electrifying night filled with outstanding performances from a diverse lineup of artists. The misty backdrop of Plymouth Sound only added to the magic of the event, making it a memorable experience for everyone who had turned out to brave the somewhat suspect weather conditions.
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© Julian Baird Photography
REVIEW: Tom Jones opens the Summer Sessions in Plymouth supported by Stone Foundation, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Gabrielle....
The Summer Sessions event at the Hoe in Plymouth kicked off on June 13th, and what a way to launch a series of four live music events! Tonight saw TOM JONES on stage doing what he does best, entertaining massive audiences and this was true tonight as thousands of people attended the Hoe for a great evening of entertainment.
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NEWS: WARGASM (UK) named as Friday night headliners at BURN IT DOWN FESTIVAL....
WARGASM (UK) comes from a huge Download Festival slot to join CREEPER to headline the biggest alternative indoor festival in the South West
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INTERVIEW: We catch up with Aussie trio GERMEIN ahead of their gig with BLONDIE and STING in Plymouth....
as part of the Summer Sessions, we catch up with Clara Germein from Adelaide based trio GERMEIN to chat about the show and dig a little deeper into the band….
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Photo Credit - Euan Robertson
INTERVIEW: We caught up with DEAD PONY to chat about their 7 date December headline UK tour...
Glasgow based alt-rock quartet DEAD PONY recently announced details of a 7 date December tour as well as a bunch of Summer shows to help promote their stunning debut album ‘Ignore This’.
Whilst they were tripping around Germany, we caught up with Anna from the band and asked her a bunch of questions, here’s how we got on!
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LIVE: We lift the lid on PLACEBO ahead of their performance at Canons Marsh Ampitheatre in Bristol on June 28th....
Placebo will be performing at the Canons Marsh Ampitheatre in the heart of Bristol on June 28. We have delved deep to unearth some interesting facts about the band, some of their achievements to date and what we think you can look forward to when they take to the stage.
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LIVE: PLACEBO announce summer UK dates including Canons Marsh Amphitheatre in Bristol on 28th June
In 2022 Placebo released their universally-acclaimed eighth studio album Never Let Me Go. Considering themes of personal accountability, tech-saturation, mortality, and humanity’s true place in the world, Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal conjured a world that stares harsh realities in the face. Never Let Me Go saw Placebo continue to view their subject matter through as wide a lens as possible, and the album became a place to hold onto the hope of something brighter to come.
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NEWS/TOUR/RELEASE: BEABADOOBEE announces 2024 UK headline tour - New album set to drop on August 16th
Beabadoobee today announces her 2024 UK headline tour, taking place this November and taking in nine dates and culminating with a huge night at London’s Alexandra Palace. Tickets are available via presale from 10am BST on Tuesday 18th June, and general sale begins at 10am on Friday 21st June via https://www.beabadoobee.com/tour/. Support comes from LA indie rock group Momma.
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REVIEW: We were invited to preview the new live long player from JACK GARRATT....
I was excited when I received news of new music from Jack Garratt, who, you may recall burst onto the scene when he topped the BBC Sound Of Poll and won the BRIT’s Critics Choice Award in 2016. He is widely regarded as a master multi-instrumentalist whose inimitable live shows regularly receive rave reviews;
“An incredible performer to witness live” Daily Telegraph
“The sound he creates up there puts him several leagues beyond Sheeran” The Guardian
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