Slam Dunk in 30 seconds

Last night I returned back to the Diff after a London weekend of frolics and one hell of a day at Slam Dunk South in the Uni of Herts, Hatfield.

In a nutshell, here's what went down:
1980's mane inducing rain, lots and lots of rock and punk and pop and rock and reggae-metal and acoustic, Rolo Tomassi pretty barking. Save Your Breath on Young Guns being 'dishy', June and Jude (and Debs), cake houses and jelly drums. Moneen big rock, baby pics and Max Blaze.  L'Amour La Morgue, rocked the shit out of Babycakes Bar. Fortune cookies from Sam Little - You are awesome and that's a fact! Mini-albums from Lost On Campus. Straight Lines predict knarly Jager vomit waves courtesy of all festie lovers simultaneous up-chucking will carry us all to Leeds. Security riots and disgruntled festival goers. Cider showers. Skindred hating on Florence and the Machine. NEW FOUND GLORY hold my hand Sonny sing alongs. Getting lost round Shoreditch, Cargo rip offs with Quicks and Toplis - HOW MUCH? - and Jamie T window ledge karaoke at 8am.

And that kids, is how to kick start any festival season.

More Free Trent

Trent Reznor and his brand new band, formed with his wife Mariqueen Maandig. How To Destroy Angels are set to release their forthcoming EP as a free download on June 1st 2010.

The six-track EP will be available from the band's official website, HowToDestroyAngels.com from June 1st. A physical, in-your-hand CD of the band's debut album will be available from June 6th, and the vinyl will be released at a later.

The EP's tracklisting is as follows:
'The Space In Between'

'Parasite'
'Fur-Lined'
'BBB'
'The Believers'
'A Drowning'

Thank you Mr Reznor!

Alton Earl Williams' Mixtape Monday

This week's corker of a Mixtape comes straight from Battle Royale With Cheese head honcho, Alton Earl Williams. The film buff sure has not disappointed in what can only be described as magical.

Virtual Insanity: Live!

The wait is over.

Michael Eavis has unveilled U2's replacements in the shape of the animated and slightly psychotic, Gorillaz. Damon Albarn will take to the Pyramid Stage as a headliner for the second year in a row - last Summer he was with his Kings of Britpop, Blur. Although earlier today, rumours of Led Zeppelin taking over the top slot did the rounds, I for one am excited to see what Damon Albarn and James Hewlett, aka 2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russell, have stowed up their sleeves, poised and ready to attack the possible 90,000 strong crowd on the first big night of Glastonbury's 40th Anniversary.

RIP Paul Gray

According to Des Moines' local authority sources, Slipknot's bassist Paul Gray was found dead in his hotel room. Causes of death are unknown but no foul play has been suspected.
Full story on RockSound.tv

Our thoughts go out to his family at this difficult time.

Mixtape Monday: Louise Toplis

Mixtape Monday is back again, and this week we have a corker from the one and only, Miss Louise Toplis.

In a nutshell: a Derby hailing, Cardiff loving, 25 year old, BGT music running, UV painting, indie Festival dancing queen. She has the X Factor. Does her mixtape?

Dizzee for Headline Status

Ok, now I am a bit of a closet Dizzee Rascal fan - how can one man, one MC and one mic  whip so many into such a frenzy? Well with Bono's dodgy back, Dizzee's dreams of headlining Glastonbury could be coming true in a matter of weeks. The full story is on The Press Association website.

Would Dizzee be big enough to headline the Pyramid stage and its 40th Anniversary? What do you think?

Bay Side Cover Ups

The Sea Society, A couple of surfers from New South Wales have put their own stamp on Mumford & Sons' Little Lion Man. Acoustic, delicate and aurally sweet; we'll keep an eye on other cover-ups from The Sea Society.

http://www.reverbnation.com/theseasociety

Secret Glastonbury Superhouse

Glastonbury just got brighter!

There is an as yet unannounced superhouse of a band performing at this year's Glastonbury Festival. Oh my gosh, we are in for an absolute stonker of a treat!

The at-the-moment secret act should be revealed within the next week....

Who do you think it could be?

Mixtape Monday

Music Monday? Nope, not anymore. On BBPD every Monday is Mixtape Monday and to kick off proceedings I'm slapping on the current double-side fillers that are gripping my ears on a daily basis.

Remember, Mixtapes are to be loved not judged. Enjoy!

MIXTAPES!

Mixtapes. Mixtapes. Mixtapes.

Everyone loves a good mixtape. And I want yours!
Send in your home made 20 track playlists in classic cassette format, ie with an A side and a B side, 10 songs per side. Oh, and a photo of your beautiful face to brighten up my page would be super. I'll pop one of your musical snacks up every Music Monday for all to enjoy.

Thanks!

Pop goes Rock

The Sun have exclusively revealed the brand new pop video from Kids In Glass Houses featuring The Saturdays' pop-princess Frankie Sandford. Undercover Lover is a sing-along track with more key changes than a locksmith and plenty of pop beats to boot, although for me the vibe is way too much S Club not enough Kids In Glass Houses. Bitch.
Watch the pop tart of a video at http://www.thesun.co.uk/.

Musically Drifting

Tomorrow night sees Cardiff-based MC/vocalist, Skunkadelic, present his debut full length album at Cardiff Arts Institute. An artist with a distinct and unique sound, the South Wales native has collaborated with some of Britain's finest MCs and producers including Mudmowth, Abstract Soundz and Metabeats amongst others. Expect a night packed to the lego-wall with dynamic funk fusions, technical cuts and massive good vibes as Skunkadelic showcases tracks from his debut, Musically Drifting.

For a sneak peak head to www.myspace.com/skunkadelicmc and www.starving-artists.co.uk.

40 Days

A quickie Glasto countdown.....
The Enemy won't be there but we sure will be as it is a mere 40 Days and 40 nights until we are under the stars and alco-rocking around Stone Circle and as many Silent Discos as we can manage!

Here's a countdown clock to keep watch and get ready for the 40th anniversary of the year. Shame about Shakira though.
http://www.glastowatch.co.uk/countdown/

Buzzfest

Buzzfest, Houston.

30 Seconds To Mars, complete with Jared Leto's fetching hot pink mohawk, are performing hit single The Kill. Bouncing onto the stage, fresh from his band's Diamond of a new album and looking in tip top form, is none other than Deftones' Chino Moreno.

Save Your Pennies

I've just been abusing my iTunes account - amongst other things, I acquired Diamond Eyes by Deftones, obvs natch - and then stumbled upon Save Your Breath. After seeing them as support to Young Guns this week, I investigated the Newport rocker's back catalogue and found an absolute gem. Hold your breath.....as Nothing Worth Having Comes Easy but it sure is great value at £1.29 for 10 pop-punk-rock wonder tracks. What a bobby bargain. Save Your Breath save you money. Get involved. Diolch!

BBPD.

A Different View

I've been keeping myself busy and of late been doing bits and bobs for the lovely people at Alternative Vision. Head over to the latest E-magazine for interviews with The Computers, Sorry and the Sinatras and GU Medicine. As well as reviews of Moneen, Boys Like Girls, The Paddingtons (on the website only) and tons of other bands.

Coming up in next month's E-magazine will be interviews with Slaves To Gravity and Young Guns.

BBPD.

Fading Fader Fades Out...

Tonight I've swapped neon bright, tattoos and mohawks for washed out pastels, 80's throwback hair dos a la Flock Of Seaguls and a hell of a lot of acid wash jeggings. Tonight in Cardiff's Students' Union, I am standing in a sea of Jack Wills clad indie and awaiting The Temper Trap to take to the stage. As the crowd buzzes with excitement for the impending indie-pop-electro fest about to befall us, a gaggle of girls to my left are mocking the Welsh accent. 'Hmmmm,' I think to myself, 'What would Stacey do?' Well she would probably either stare them all down while her plus 1 watches on in a mixture of bewilderment and fear or giggle and carry on drinking her cider. A tiny part of me wanted to smite her with my oh-so-trendy military boot but I obviously resist and continue to enjoy the build up to one of NME's favourite indie crooners.

Now, to me, an hour between doors and the first act seems a little excessive; hopefully Sarah Blasko is peppy enough to whip up the chatty student types who are filling the Great Hall to its capacity.

A small woman, followed by a quartet of instrument wielding men, assemble on the stage and smoulder in with bluesy rhythms laced around pretty vocals.Tinged with warm summer vibes Sarah Blasko, and her overflowing music box of tricks, is the perfect accompaniment to your beach barbeque and ideal Glastonbury fodder; to quote the gig goer behind me 'She is something to chillax to'. He's not far wrong as she intertwines fragile and echoing vocals with tenderly soft drums and her Mum-dance shapes. Nigh on mouse like in her mannerisms, Sarah Blasko seems so timid, as though she lacks in confidence in some way, which is completely unfounded as despite her drummer appearing to yawn about 3 songs in, she really is a talent. Although she would appeal to all levels of indie fans with her Kate Nash/Laura Marling/Vampire Weekend vibes, she failed to raise the temperature inside the venue. Thus, we were all as cold as before she stepped up to the mic.

The Temper Trap are proving to be worth the long wait and gave us all exactly what we needed in the shape of tension builder Drum Song for starter and Fader for their second course. Cue massive chorus sing alongs, hands in the air and dance parties breaking out, as the crowd went as nuts as is 'cool' to. Choosing tracks from their album Conditions, we are being treated to everything from Down River to ever popular Sweet Disposition whose extended intro has been punctuated so neatly with tamborines in time with firefly lighting patterns.

A delightful mix of haunting vocals and loop-the-looping us up-and-over from dance beats to the downright chilled out as Love Lost induces clusters of dance troops throughout the capacity audience. The Temper Trap's live set has a distinct prog-rock element to it as the emotion on each note speaks more than any lyric could.

The inevitable two-song encore lent to us a brand new song, Battle, which is laden in swaying riffs and rhythms tinged with melancholy. Not a whole world away from the offerings on Conditions but still a wonderful track to hear live.

For me, a super chilled out set with fabulously dynamic lighting throughout that kept me guessing more than the music did; the water drumming is a seemingly apt climax for the Cardiff first timers finale. Even the first row got wet. A decent evening but nothing adventurous. No improvs. No risks. Just plenty of dance-indie-electro-pop fun.

BBPD.

Lilli Rose Eat Your Heart Out

They may not have showcased one of my personal favourite tunes from their new album, but with a support-set-sampler from Dirt and debut album Smart Casual, how could Kids In Glass Houses go wrong?

Starting us off with Matters At All and showering their supporters in a climax of Sunshine, took us all on a rollercoaster of infectious pop rock complete with anthemic singalongs that dare you not to join in. Tasty treats in the shape of Saturday and common-cold-catchy Give Me What I Want saw dance parties break out throughout Cardiff International Arena; clusters of manical arm throwers and shape shifters dotted themselves sporadically like a chicken pox rash. Less gross of course.

Set over. Kids In Glass Houses' depart. We wait. Then it happens. If It Wasn't For Hate kicks in and all the kids go wild. Lostprophets are home and mustering every joule of their energy to give us an epic show.

Throwing out every club banger from lovelorn Darkest Blue to kicking in Can't Catch Tomorrow with the intro from The Fratellis' Chelsea Dagger thrown in for good measure. Then there's nostaligic anthem Last Summer commanding you to move and gleefully scream with it's major chorus and unmistakable intro riff. Sadly there was no Fake Sound Of Progress nor was there any Shinobi Vs Dragon Ninja battles but when Ian and the boys covered The Prodigy's Omen that things really went off. The arena went beserk. As beserk as Lostprophets were back in the day. And that, my friends, is beserk!

You know you are in Wales, you know you are home when deafening Canon Lan singalongs and chants of WALES WALES break out between a nigh on capacity family.

Taking inspiration from Guns N Roses, alongside other peers in the modern music industry, 'Prophets borrowed Sweet Child Of Mine's intro to lead them sweetly into another tale of belonging and home sweet home sensibility of Where We Belong. A 'club banger' if ever I heard one.

 

Extending the intro to Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast) was a purely genius idea as the anticipation and tension built and built in the crowd for the climax of what has been a killer show.

Climatical. Epic. Lush.

Lostprophets are back.

BBPD.