15 February 2007
The Music is Back
Amongst my New Year’s resolutions this year, I was planning on playing my guitar more often and going to watch more live bands. As a knock-on effect of that, I’ve been trying to fill my iPod with some more recent music so that I’m not restricted to playing Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana tunes like I used to when I was 15 years old. Current favourites include The Feeling, The Kooks, Razorlight, The Fratellis, The Killers, Snow Patrol, Arctic Monkeys, Feeder, Kaiser Chiefs and Kasabian (to name just a few).
All this has made me realise just how many really good guitar-based bands and talented musicians are still out there and emerging all the time. It’s so much better than some of the crap that was in the charts around the turn of the millennium – it’s like real music has actually made a comeback! And that’s just the chart-topping signed bands...
I’ve also been trying to search MySpace for some unsigned bands to support. I’d not spent too much time looking before I came across Sheffield band The Gentlemen (www.the-gentlemen.co.uk) whose funky riffs, tight rhythm and pure professionalism has convinced me to go and see them live at Sheffield’s Plug when they play there on Saturday, 2nd March, 2007.
For the past couple of days, I’ve also been listening to Out of the Gray (www.outofthegray.com). Maybe I’m slightly biased – because they’re from my hometown of Bolton and I went to Sixth Form with the lead singer’s sister – but I’m really drawn to their acoustic tones, passionate lyrics and Heather’s angelic-yet-husky vocals. So, I’ll be going to watch them too when they come to Under The Boardwalk in Sheffield on Friday, 20th April, 2007.
There must be literally hundreds more talented but unsigned or lesser-known local bands out there that need support and encouragement. Can anyone recommend any decent ones that I could catch playing in Sheffield?
2 Comments
Unfortunatly you have to remember that these things come and go like the seasons. The guitar based bands are a result of people getting sick of the crap music around the turn of the century, but I am sure that soon enough some kid with a computer will bring out something that starts the 'crap music' off again. We will then be listening to sound-a likes for 10 years.
Who knows, we might get another round of boybands. Wouldn't that be nice!!!! :-(
