Well, I got back from Whitby yesterday afternoon, and it was an awesome few days! I would have posted a blog entry sooner, but I felt too knackered to do it. Anyways, onwards to my tale...
Whitby Gothic Weekend, April 2009
Wednesday was pretty normal, I had the day off work, so I got ready, packed and headed out to my mate D's. We chilled and I slept over.
The next day was the journey, which was a painful 9 hours. We caught the coach from Birmingham at 8.40, and stopped at Leeds early afternoon. I have to say, Leeds seemed like a good place, the market is fairly interesting too, it seems to sell loads of random stuff. One stall even had a cheap Wii rip-off for sale, which I found hilarious.
We then had to catch a bus at 2.15. There appeared to be a number of Goths waiting for the bus at the same time. We sat at the back of the bus with them, and by the end of a long journey (that ended in Whitby at 5.37), we were all laughing and joking around like old friends. We passed through the never ending moors, through the village where the show Hearbeat was filmed (incidentally, whilst filming was going on) and, for reasons I'm not going into, I rather hilariously got dubbed "Sheep Boy" by the lot of them.
Whitby is such a nice village, it's quaint and feels very peaceful, just like most seaside villages though to be honest. Still, it's a nice change to be somewhere by the sea, being as I live pretty much in the centre of the country. After getting lost, D and I made it to the cottage we were staying at. Again, that was a nice place, and for around £80 each it felt like a bargain to have an entire cottage for 6 people. We were staying with some members of the band RazorBladeKisses, and a few of thier friends and they're such an awesome bunch of people (if you're reading this, you rock!)
After getting a quick bit of food with D, we all headed out pubbing, ran ito a few of the others from the bus and chilled. The pub, The Little Angel Inn, seemed nice but was unfortunately rather packed, so we had to retreat to the outside area. We met more peeps, including other RBK members and, once the pub stopped serving booze, we went somewhere else. Resolution was where we ended up, which also hand a dancing area (bonus!) After much partying, we called it a day.
Friday was the first day of the Gothic Weekend proper. Naturally, I was up late , around 12.30 in the afternoon, oops. We all had cooked breakfast, got ready and dashed out. The gothic market was pretty good, but it was bloody expensive! If I had tons of cash, I would have deffinitely bought a lot more stuff. Instead, I just bought black nail varnish.
We headed to another market, which sold more elaborate, second hand stuff. I thought it was a lot more interesting, plus it was cheaper! I also saw an amazing punk-esque/biker jacket for sale, which I was desperate for.
at around 9, the bands started. We were a tad late, so only saw the end of Zeitgeist Zero's set. From what we saw, they were rather good, with a rock style, and almost metal-eqsue heavyness with electronica thrown into the mix. So, next up were The Last Dance. Again, another excellent performance. They had a more 80's darkwave feel to them, so it was deffinitely my kind of thing! The last band on was Abney Park, a very Steampunk themed band. The Steampunk style being quite noticeable throughout the weekend, to the point where it became a running joke. They were superb though, and went down quite well. Though at times, I found their musical style not very Steampunk (but then, what the hell is Steampunk supposed to sound like?! Afterwards, there was more partying and then sleep at a stupidly late time.
Saturday, we were up at 11.30, and it was more market browsing again. I managed to get that jacket too, for £20, bargain! After more chilling, RazorBladeKisses had thier soundcheck, the stall was set up and they were up at 9. RazorBladekisses were absolutely incredible. They put on an actual full blown out performance, and had a variety of styles within their music. Seeing them live was a highlight of the weekend for me. Afterwards, The House of Usher were on, and they seemed okay, but a bit dull after RBK's performance. I was too busy hanging out with the band and at the stall though. I saw some of Diary of Dreams set too, and they were great, with a very dark style to thier music. After that, it was a final night of partying mayhem, before heading back to the cottage pretty late. D and I stayed up, and after some goodbyes we had to catch the coach at the ungodly hour of 6.55 in the morning.
Overall, Whitby was an amazing experience, if you're into the Gothic culture, I'd highly recommend going. It made a nice change to see Goths being the majority for a change. Oh, and for anyone who sees Goths as depressing and boring, those thoughts can stop right now. There were so many laughs, I spent most the weekend laughing. I'd also like to thank everyone I met and stayed with during Whitby, you all truly made my weekend! I'm really looknig forward to doing all this again in October for Halloween!
Monday, 27 April 2009
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Time to go (Bananaz)
Well, I'm off to Whitby Gothic Weekend this weekend, which is a gothic music festival for those of you that don't know. However, I'm heading out today, so I won't be updating this blog for the next few days. I'll have a lowdown on how it was when I return, though I don't know when, as I have to catch the coach back at some stupidly early time on the Sunday morning, so I'l probably be in a zombiefied state.
On a completely different topic, Ceri Levy has released a documentary called 'Bananaz' on the world-famous animated band, the Gorillaz. However, unlike past Gorillaz projects, this is a real-life behind the scenes look at the band in action, so it unleashes them in a whole new perspective. I've been fascinated by the entire Gorillaz concept for years, so I find it interesting to finally see how it all came together, and the (often hilarious) relationship between Jamie Hewlett met Damon Albarn. Oh, and the music is awesome too! It's not a short-lived documentary either, covering the bands' progress from 2000 till 2006, with a 91 minuite run-time. It's a must-watch for any hardcore Gorillaz fan. It's certainly more than enough to tide anyone over till the next Gorillaz album.
The official website can be found at http://www.bananazfilm.com/, and a link to the free streaming version can be found there too.
Enojy your weekends people!
On a completely different topic, Ceri Levy has released a documentary called 'Bananaz' on the world-famous animated band, the Gorillaz. However, unlike past Gorillaz projects, this is a real-life behind the scenes look at the band in action, so it unleashes them in a whole new perspective. I've been fascinated by the entire Gorillaz concept for years, so I find it interesting to finally see how it all came together, and the (often hilarious) relationship between Jamie Hewlett met Damon Albarn. Oh, and the music is awesome too! It's not a short-lived documentary either, covering the bands' progress from 2000 till 2006, with a 91 minuite run-time. It's a must-watch for any hardcore Gorillaz fan. It's certainly more than enough to tide anyone over till the next Gorillaz album.
The official website can be found at http://www.bananazfilm.com/, and a link to the free streaming version can be found there too.
Enojy your weekends people!
Sunday, 19 April 2009
So, who wants to get drunk off air?
I was browsing through the pages of Nerd Love, when I came across this article they linked from the Metro. For those of you too lazy to read up on it, here's the lowdown;
Apparently, it's a bar (aptly called 'Alcoholic Architecture Bar') that doesn't serve drinks, but instead uses a system that shoots out vapourised Gin and Tonic into the air. It's said that 40 mins in the bar will get you tipsy. The bar is open 17th-25th April, on Ganton Street, in the Newburgh Quarter of Central London. Tickets for entry are £5. Oh, and you have to wear a special suit (which is provided), so that you don't leave smelling like a brewry.
I'm sure this concept would go down a storm at nightclubs. Maybe there could be different flavoured rooms, or something? Maybe clubs could even have thier own special branded suits, that could be bought as merchandise. Although I'd expect the time limits within them to be quite short. Oh, and let's hope no one tries to sneakily smoke a cigarette whilst in there. :p
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Two for the price of one!
Bloody hell, I'm actually keeping my word and updating something for a change. The end is surely nigh. :P *Ahem* Yes, moving on...
Being as I've been to two gigs within the past week, I figured I'd review them both in one blog post. What a great way to celebrate the start of my blogging, eh? The first gig I present to you is The Prodigy...
The Prodigy - Birmingham NIA 09.04.2009
My mate and I only had seating tickets for this gig, being as it sold out phenominally fast, but I have to admit, it was still a fantastic view! A DJ, who's name unfortunately wasn't mentioned, did a pretty good job of mashing up tracks between acts, and certianly kept everyone entertained. Drum and bass mixes, 80's music and even a (quite bizzare) remix of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the name" were just part of the mix. I also notcied the mixture of different cultures (if that's the right word) hanging around. Rockers, Trendys, Goths, etc were all there, getting along and not fighting for a change. The experience was quite surreal, but great.
First up, for support, was Dizzee Rascal. Now, I don't usually like the majority of rap/hip hop music because most of it involves the "bling bling", "hoes", "gonna shoot ya down" gangster rubbish. However, I was pleasantly suprised. There was none of that to be found in this set, it was actually quite vibarant, fun and, dare I say, enjoyable. Mr Rascal opened with his version of the Ting Ting's "That's Not My Name", which deffinitely improved a bland song, as well as being far greater than anything the talentless Ting Tings could ever do. He also pumped out hit tracks such as "Fix up Look Sharpe", "Flex", "Dance Wiv me", all with a thundering catchy bassline, as well as previewing new material from his upcoming album. The new tracks "Road Rage" and "Dirty Cash"sound fantastic, and certaunly flow well alongside Rascal's other songs. He got the crowd going with a shouting match (see which side could shout the loudest), and even freestyled, proving his talent to the masses. His set ended with his new single "Bonkers", which I'm sure will take the charts by storm once it's released. The bar was deffinitely raised quite high.
After an agonising wait, it was time for The Prodigy's set to start. Now, we all know The Prodigy have been going for a long while, so some might worry that they've simply lost thier edge. Those of you who think that can safely put those thoughts to rest, because The Prodigy absolutely dominated! Starting with "World's on fire" from thier latest album, Invaders Must die, The Prodigy rolled out hit after hit effortlessly inlcuding, "Breathe", "Firestarter" "Poison" and "Voodoo People", to name a few! These fit in prefectly with tracks from the new album, such as "Omen" and "Run With the Wolves", proving that bands can still keep thier old sound, whilst still pushing themselves forward to new heights. Keith Flint and MC Maxim Reality's vocals complimented the set prefectly, and sent the crowd on a mental raving rampage, urging thier "warriors to dance" throughout the set. The Encore was prefect, starting with "Invaders Must Die" and ending on "Out of Space". By the end of the gig, there wasn't a single person seating or not singing along. The atmosphere was simply astounding, and the raving intense. The Prodigy then left the stage for a final time, leaving nothing but the ruins of where the NIA once stood. There could have been a few more tracks played, and the set could have been a little longer (it only lasted around 1 hour 20mins), but that feels like nitpicking in what was a legendary night.
Setlist
Worlds on Fire
Their law
Breathe
Breathe (dub step)
No Good (Start the Dance)
Omen
Poison
Warriors Dance
Firestarter
Run with the Wolves
Voodoo People
Comanche
- - -
Omen Reprise
Invaders Must Die
Diesel Power
Smack My Bitch Up
Take Me to the Hospital
Out of Space
Deathstars - Birmingham Academy 2 14.04.2009
This'll be a much shorter review (promise!) I must say, I had high expectations for this gig. Even though I don't know Deathstars that well, I'm still a big fan of Industrial music. However, it was slightly dissapointing.
To start with, they couldn't have picked a worse type of support act if they tried. The two supporting bands, The Defiled and Marionette, simply did nothing for me. Appart from causing the scene/emo kids, who were blatnantly there just to see those two bands, creating a mosh pit. Big mistake. Especially at a more goth gig. My friends and I ended up having to evacuate to a safer place, further from the stage. We didn't hang around too long for these emo metal-wannabe bands, and just decided to stay outside in the enterance hall till Deathstars came on. We managed to run into some old friends though, which was cool.
Two shit support acts later, and Deathstars finally came on to the title track off thier new album "Night Electric Night". And, yes, they did certianly make up for the tripe that was on earlier. They got the crowd headbanging and throwing thier fists into the air, it was deffinitely a lot of fun, and the atmosphere changed dramatically for the better. They blasted out newer songs like "Death Dies Hard" and "Mark of the Gun" alongside classics such as "Trinity Fields", "Tounges" and "Cyanide". Lead singer Andreas "Whiplasher Bernadotte" Bergh kept the crowd going with chatter on thier time in the country, or as they called it "small island", which led to song intros. The band also pumped up the crowd with the usual hand clapping, getting the crowd to sing along, etc. They performed well, and set a dark, yet fantastic tone, but it felt like there was something missing. Again, (and this'll probably come up a lot, as my opinion on gig lengths quite is baised) the set was a tad short. They deffintely should have played more tracks off thier first album Synthetic Generation too. However, thier performance was still great, and I'd still recommend them live. They just need to add a few more classics to get to the stage of excellence.
Being as I've been to two gigs within the past week, I figured I'd review them both in one blog post. What a great way to celebrate the start of my blogging, eh? The first gig I present to you is The Prodigy...
The Prodigy - Birmingham NIA 09.04.2009
My mate and I only had seating tickets for this gig, being as it sold out phenominally fast, but I have to admit, it was still a fantastic view! A DJ, who's name unfortunately wasn't mentioned, did a pretty good job of mashing up tracks between acts, and certianly kept everyone entertained. Drum and bass mixes, 80's music and even a (quite bizzare) remix of Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the name" were just part of the mix. I also notcied the mixture of different cultures (if that's the right word) hanging around. Rockers, Trendys, Goths, etc were all there, getting along and not fighting for a change. The experience was quite surreal, but great.
First up, for support, was Dizzee Rascal. Now, I don't usually like the majority of rap/hip hop music because most of it involves the "bling bling", "hoes", "gonna shoot ya down" gangster rubbish. However, I was pleasantly suprised. There was none of that to be found in this set, it was actually quite vibarant, fun and, dare I say, enjoyable. Mr Rascal opened with his version of the Ting Ting's "That's Not My Name", which deffinitely improved a bland song, as well as being far greater than anything the talentless Ting Tings could ever do. He also pumped out hit tracks such as "Fix up Look Sharpe", "Flex", "Dance Wiv me", all with a thundering catchy bassline, as well as previewing new material from his upcoming album. The new tracks "Road Rage" and "Dirty Cash"sound fantastic, and certaunly flow well alongside Rascal's other songs. He got the crowd going with a shouting match (see which side could shout the loudest), and even freestyled, proving his talent to the masses. His set ended with his new single "Bonkers", which I'm sure will take the charts by storm once it's released. The bar was deffinitely raised quite high.
After an agonising wait, it was time for The Prodigy's set to start. Now, we all know The Prodigy have been going for a long while, so some might worry that they've simply lost thier edge. Those of you who think that can safely put those thoughts to rest, because The Prodigy absolutely dominated! Starting with "World's on fire" from thier latest album, Invaders Must die, The Prodigy rolled out hit after hit effortlessly inlcuding, "Breathe", "Firestarter" "Poison" and "Voodoo People", to name a few! These fit in prefectly with tracks from the new album, such as "Omen" and "Run With the Wolves", proving that bands can still keep thier old sound, whilst still pushing themselves forward to new heights. Keith Flint and MC Maxim Reality's vocals complimented the set prefectly, and sent the crowd on a mental raving rampage, urging thier "warriors to dance" throughout the set. The Encore was prefect, starting with "Invaders Must Die" and ending on "Out of Space". By the end of the gig, there wasn't a single person seating or not singing along. The atmosphere was simply astounding, and the raving intense. The Prodigy then left the stage for a final time, leaving nothing but the ruins of where the NIA once stood. There could have been a few more tracks played, and the set could have been a little longer (it only lasted around 1 hour 20mins), but that feels like nitpicking in what was a legendary night.
Setlist
Worlds on Fire
Their law
Breathe
Breathe (dub step)
No Good (Start the Dance)
Omen
Poison
Warriors Dance
Firestarter
Run with the Wolves
Voodoo People
Comanche
- - -
Omen Reprise
Invaders Must Die
Diesel Power
Smack My Bitch Up
Take Me to the Hospital
Out of Space
Deathstars - Birmingham Academy 2 14.04.2009
This'll be a much shorter review (promise!) I must say, I had high expectations for this gig. Even though I don't know Deathstars that well, I'm still a big fan of Industrial music. However, it was slightly dissapointing.
To start with, they couldn't have picked a worse type of support act if they tried. The two supporting bands, The Defiled and Marionette, simply did nothing for me. Appart from causing the scene/emo kids, who were blatnantly there just to see those two bands, creating a mosh pit. Big mistake. Especially at a more goth gig. My friends and I ended up having to evacuate to a safer place, further from the stage. We didn't hang around too long for these emo metal-wannabe bands, and just decided to stay outside in the enterance hall till Deathstars came on. We managed to run into some old friends though, which was cool.
Two shit support acts later, and Deathstars finally came on to the title track off thier new album "Night Electric Night". And, yes, they did certianly make up for the tripe that was on earlier. They got the crowd headbanging and throwing thier fists into the air, it was deffinitely a lot of fun, and the atmosphere changed dramatically for the better. They blasted out newer songs like "Death Dies Hard" and "Mark of the Gun" alongside classics such as "Trinity Fields", "Tounges" and "Cyanide". Lead singer Andreas "Whiplasher Bernadotte" Bergh kept the crowd going with chatter on thier time in the country, or as they called it "small island", which led to song intros. The band also pumped up the crowd with the usual hand clapping, getting the crowd to sing along, etc. They performed well, and set a dark, yet fantastic tone, but it felt like there was something missing. Again, (and this'll probably come up a lot, as my opinion on gig lengths quite is baised) the set was a tad short. They deffintely should have played more tracks off thier first album Synthetic Generation too. However, thier performance was still great, and I'd still recommend them live. They just need to add a few more classics to get to the stage of excellence.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Let's get this party started!
So yeah, this is my first attempt in the world of blogging. I did have a Live Journal account once, but I'm not counting that attempt, plus I lost my password to it a while back somehow, so it's currently stuck somewhere in limbo.
Anyhow, moving on, it's introduction time methinks. I'm Iain, pleased to meet you, I decided upon calling this blog "The Epitome of Epic", being as epic is a word I tend to use a lot during conversation, plus the phrase makes me sound slightly intelligent (even though I sort of stole the phrase from a game.) :P You can expect features such as gig reviews, opinions on random crap no one cares about and ramblings on my everyday life to appear in this blog. Well, whenever I get round to updating it anyway.
Well, I guess that's all for now, I'll be sure to update this somtime soon.
Until next time folks! ^^
Anyhow, moving on, it's introduction time methinks. I'm Iain, pleased to meet you, I decided upon calling this blog "The Epitome of Epic", being as epic is a word I tend to use a lot during conversation, plus the phrase makes me sound slightly intelligent (even though I sort of stole the phrase from a game.) :P You can expect features such as gig reviews, opinions on random crap no one cares about and ramblings on my everyday life to appear in this blog. Well, whenever I get round to updating it anyway.
Well, I guess that's all for now, I'll be sure to update this somtime soon.
Until next time folks! ^^
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)