Who is coming to Glasgow?

Glasgow has always been a popular city for music artists to visit when they are touring the UK which means for the few days before and after they have visited your facebook and twitter page are just full of posts and pictures about the concert and after party.

The first event that I'd love to go to is Steve Aoki who is performing in The Arches on Sunday 1st April. He is an electric-house DJ who has worked with Bloody Beatroots and Will.I.Am.

The first 'major' concert coming up is the Drake Club Paradise Tour in the SECC on Monday 2nd April. Tickets are still on sale for £35 which you can buy on the Ticket Master website. He is also having an official after party in the club SugarCube.

Another 'old school' band who are coming to Glasgow in the next few weeks is Steps. This would be a guilty pleasure of mine to go to their reunion tour in the SECC on Friday 6th April, especially after them being my first concert when I was about 5 or 6. You can buy your tickets here. 

On Monday 9th April the speakers in The Arches will be blown as Flux Pavillion will be in town. He is a Dubstep producer and DJ that has been nominated as one of the BBC Ones To Watch in 2012. You are able to buy tickets here for a mere £8.50.

Boyband McFly will be back in town on Friday 13th April at the SECC. There tickets can be bought from here although they seem to be selling out quickly!

Other artists who are coming to Glasgow in the coming months are Example, Estelle, Tyga, Young Jeezy and Jill Jackson. They are playing all around Glasgow at different venues. Make sure to keep a look out on different websites to find out if there will be an after party so (if you're of age) you can party with your favourite band!

Gig Review: All The Young + The Minutes

This was my first ever, of many to come, gigs at the local venue King Tut's Wah Wah Hut (you can read more about venues here in an earlier post). 

So, last night I dragged one of my flatmates out with me to the gig to see All the Young and The Minutes. Two other bands, Sonic Thrill and Blindfold, were playing too but due to travel problems we unfortunately missed them. Next time I will ensure to leave in plenty of time to get there!

Walking down the stairs into the small venue I already felt a sense of excitement to experience the one and only King Tut's. Once inside with our tickets bought and drink in hand, we headed up into the room where the gig was being held. 

The picture below is one I took on my Iphone 4  (sorry about the quality) whislt walking up the stairs where the loud music was coming from. I loved reading the stairs and thought that it added a unique touch to the venue.

The Minutes had just started when we arrived and immediately we were enjoying there rock music. The three-man band from Dublin, Ireland had us completely engrossed in there music, dancing and looks that before we knew it there part of the gig was done! I managed to ask a few sneaky questions to the band whislt they were selling there merchandize.

Me: How long have you been a band for?

The Minutes: Since 2006... so 6 years.

Me: How did you enjoy your gig tonight?

The Minutes: It was amazing, we had a good crowd who all seemed to enjoy our music whcih is a positive sign.

Me: What are your gig plans for the next few months?

The Minutes: We are touring parts of Europe next month; Germany, Holland, Belgium and Switzerland. We can't wait to tour and continue to promote our music.

After the my small 'interview' with The Minutes and buying another drink, we seen the lights darken again meaning All The Young were about to start. There music was calmer rock than The Minutes and some of the songs reminded me of the band Kings of Leon.

I was really impressed by All The Young's clothing style as the lead singer kept on his dark sunglasses and a heavy coat throughout the full gig whilst the other band members also wore dark clothing. Being a member of the crowd, I really felt that the band engaged with us and kept us pumped up by there music and energy.

I can't wait to go see another gig at King Tut's after enjoying myself so much last night!

Frightened Rabbit

I'm always looking out for new bands and singers to listen to that are different from the mainstream music that is often played on the radio. As I was researching amongst friends, festival line-ups and gigs at local venues, I came across this band called Frightened Rabbit. And the truth is, I could listen to them all day!

This indie-rock boy band have been together since 2003 and formed in Selkirk but moved to Glasgow in 2004 and have been based there ever since. They have played many gigs around the country ever since. Unfortunately the lads aren't playing any gigs in Glasgow in the coming month, and the closest venue they will be playing at is in Gourock. Anyone fancy a day trip? 
You can buy tickets here. 


The first song that I listened to was called 'My Backward Walk' from their second album 'The Midnight Organ Fight'. I really enjoyed listening to this song and felt like it was a song that Biffy Clyro would potentially sing. The lead singer, Scott Hutchison, has a thick Scottish accent which I thinks adds something different to their music. 

The next song which I particularly enjoyed from them was a cover of N-Trance's 1995 hit 'Set You Free'.  I could listen to this song on repeat for weeks on end! It is definitely my favourite 'rock' cover of this song. In some parts of this song, I think that Hutchison's voice and the lead singer from the English band Mumford and Sons sound very similar. If the band ever has the chance to go on BBC Radio 1 Fearne Cotton's Live Lounge show then they should play this song!


If you love the Frightened Rabbit just as much as me then you can follow them on twitter by clicking here and you can also keep up to date on all the band's latest news on their website. 


Enjoy your listening!

Leprechauns, Guinness and Potatoes...

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S WEEK!

It is that time of the year again when Ireland takes over with their national holiday, St Patrick's Day. Not only is it celebrated in Ireland but people all over the world take the chance to wear green, drink Guinness and appreciate the wonderful holiday given to them by the Irish. So here in Glasgow we have St Patrick's Day Festival 2012. This isn't just a regular day festival, no, this lasts a whole seven days! Celebrating St Patrick's Day in Glasgow starts on the 10th March and the excitement and events last all week ending on the 17th March when it's actually St Patrick's Day.

''The Glasgow St. Patrick's festival esteems to promote and celebrate the rich Irish cultural heritage of Glasgow and Scotland'' according to the St Patrick's Day Festival 2012 website. The festival has a mix of events on that anyone who is interested can attend. 

The week started of with a welcome dinner dance where there was a variety of bands playing live Irish music. On Saturday, there was more live music from one of Bob Dylan's supporting acts Michael McGoldrick and also from Emma Sweeney an up and coming fiddler from Glaswegian band Yuptae. And on Monday, you could go along to Merchants Square and try learning and speaking Irish for free!

Today, Wednesday, there is live dancing on in Merchants Square where you will be able to see the Glasgow Set Dancers doing what they do best at 7:30pm. Another free event which is on in the evening is Irish Movie Night in Sloans. Three different Irish films will be shown tonight and  Thursday night where you can learn more about the history of Ireland.

The week continues with more live music and on Friday there will be a competition, Battle of the Bands. The winner will then get the chance to play on Saturday at the Main Stage in Merchant City for all of Glasgow to hear.

And of course on the day itself there will be events and live bands in Merchant city so you can celebrate St Paddy's Day in style with your family and friends. If your old enough (18+) and think that you can drink more Guinness then why not continue the celebrations at the after party and club in Admiral Bar where entry is free!

Have fun celebrating! 

Doctor Come Musical Genius

''Immense vocals, beautifully honest songwritting and rich musicianship'' is the way Emeli Sandé is described on her official website. And to be honest, I couldn't agree more.

Born and raised in the north of Scotland, Aberdeen, Sandé moved to the largest city of sunny Scotland (Glasgow) for university. She has always said that having an education was not only important to her parents, but for herself as well. So after studying medicine for four years in Glasgow, she decided to call it quits taking the biggest risk of her career life. She told the BBC, 

"On the medical school course I had seen people who'd dreamed of being doctors since they were four as I had dreamt of doing music since that age - that was my inspiration."  

So, in 2008 when her sister filmed a video of her singing her favourite song 'Nasty Little Man' and entered it in Trevor Nelson's BBC Urban Music competition and won, Emeli had to decline an offer for a record deal. Through hard work and dedication Emeli managed to write and co-write songs for famous music artists such as Cheryl Cole, Tinie Tempah and Chipmunk. Fact: Emeli actually wrote the song 'Diamond Rings' which Chipmunk released with her featured on it!


So despite only releasing her first solo single in August 2011 called Heaven, Sandé managed to take home her first Award only a few short months later. Yes, that's right, she won the Critic's Choice Award at the Brit Awards in February this year(you can read more about the 2012 Brit Awards on one of my previous posts). Not only that, she has been nominated for other awards too! 


Is this the year that Emeli Sandé takes the world by storm?


Here is her hit single Next to Me. Enjoy!

P.S. Emeli is playing a gig in Glasgow on Tuesday 10th April but tickets are already sold out! So jealous for those of you who managed to get your hands on one.