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Mercury Music Prize
by thedevilinme The Mercury Music Prize is pitched as the quest to find the best music album of the year but ends up as yet another pretentious exercise by the music industry to be too cool for school. The records picked are the usual mix of aloof indie, and then perm one each from jazz, folk, weird and pop, adding one or two commercial hits to make ... sure corporate involvement. The fact Barclaycard sponsor it is the first contradiction of its coolness, other previous sponsors being Mercury Communications (of course), Nationwide, Cable & Wireless and Panasonic suggesting it's not so independent and commercially liberated as it thinks. You then stick it on the same night as the football (as did the equally snobby Booker nominations) to distance yourself more from the 'proles' and the scene is set for the most pretentious night of the year, clear lens colored framed glasses and skinny jeans wearing posers at every table. It's a requisite that most of the artistes up for the award are rarely known by the general public, the suggestion being the music press who pick them out for the ward list know best and so your opinion irrelevant, the records people actually want to buy and love rarely considered, even though the most of judges no doubt sobbed away to Adele with a glass of wine the night before or tapped their toes to Bruno Mars on their Ipods as they drive into discuss the obscure records and so complete hypocrites. The long list is of the best 300 British and Irish artists records and is chainsawed and then delicately chiseled down to just 12 by some anonymous judges in a small room (no doubt another bunch of middle-class tossers) . A swanky award night then reveals the winner, but really dragging it out, this year the twenty grand prize yet again going to the oddball PJ Harvey, the first artist to win the Mercury twice. Her music is just what the Mercury people love, only to be enjoyed with a glass of wine and trendy friends, coffee table pop. The elephant in the room this year was Adele, her record '21' the winner of every music prize going in this country but too commercial to win because everyone likes it, somewhat ironic, the Mercury winner always niche and trendy, PJ fitting that profile to a tee. PJs self-indulgent record took six years to make and another warble about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, a red rag to the lefty's music press and so no surprise it won. Her previous win was in 2001 on September 11th. In that time Adele has shifted 50 times her volume with a far superior record, musically and talent wise. Being nominated for a BRIT is a huge boost to record sales and the organizers of that event will freely admit that it is back slapping night out purely to boost their own commercial bands in a flat period of the year for music sales. But the Mercury people are aloof and want the exact opposite, one of this years entries, Gwilym Simcock, selling just 11 copies of his album the month before he was nominated, and if you bear in mind there are 12 judges then that is all you need to know how much normal punters and the regular music media think of that particular artist. But once he was nominated the following weeks sales shot up to, err 57! -The Nominees- Adele - 21 Anna Calvi - Anna Calvi Elbow - Build a Rocket Boys! Everything Everything - Man Alive Ghostpoet - Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam Gwilym Simcock - Good Days at Schloss Elmau James Blake - James Blake Katy B - On a Mission King Creosote and Jon Hopkins - Diamond Mine Metronomy - The English Riviera PJ Harvey - Let England Shake Tinie Tempah - Disc-Overy If you look at that list then most of you will have heard of some of these acts. Tinie Tempah heads the urban cool alongside Katy B and then angst indie kings and previous winners Elbow top the student music roll-call. The rest I couldn't tell you about and still no sign of a rock record, my favorite genre. Classical music has also failed to appear in the list since 2002. The most obscure winner I can find from the twenty years of the prize is Talvin Singh, who beat Pulp and the Prodigy in the year of 1999. Heard of him? Na, didn't think so. He can't have been that good then guys. The biggest Mercury upsets over the years have to be obscure UK Garage artist Ronnie Size beating OK Computer (Radiohead) back in the day and the student rockers The Klaxons whipping Amy Winehouse and Back to Black. The judges are clearly trying to create trends rather than pick winners and I doubt whether we will have heard of recent winners Anthony and the Johnsons, XX and Speech DeBelle three years from now. Few people like or have sort out these bands and that's why we have never heard of them. The may be able to sing and play instruments but so can a troop of Baboons if given long enough to practice. Adel not winning is no big surprise but it is great that an artiste like her is being celebrated and her huge talent not being penalized because she looks normal, slightly overweight and not that gorgeous, probably why so many young women buy her stuff. She could be them and she shares their rejections by cute guys, eating too much chocolate and not getting vacuous boys who are interested in slim waists and nice tits. Her voice is great and although Amy Winehouse was a slip of a thing she too was celebrated for being normal and one of the girls but gifted with a talent to be able to talk to people like her through her songs. Sadly, the pressure got to both girls and their self-esteem slumped when they see themselves on TV, losing weight through whatever means all they think about now. Solo women singers rarely dominate the charts here and Adel is the first British female singer to have a simultaneous number one album both sides of the Atlantic and yet the Mercury people tell her to eff off. I think its great that a sexy girl with an average voice and a passion for dance routines and voice enhances isn't representing us for once and Adele is the way forward. ---Previous Mercury Winners--- 1992 - Screamadelica by Primal Scream 1993 - Suede by Suede 1994 - Elegant Slumming by M People 1995 - Dummy by Portishead 1996 Different Class by Pulp 1997 New Forms by Roni Size 1998 Bring It on by Gomez 1999 Ok by Talvin Singh 2000 The Hour of Bewilderbeast by Badly Drawn Boy 2001 Stories From the City Stories From the Sea by PJ Harvey 2002 A Little Deeper by Ms. Dynamite 2003 Boy in Da Corner by Dizzee Rascal 2004 Franz Ferdinand by Franz Ferdinand 2005 I am a Bird Now by Antony & The Johnsons 2006 Whatever People Say I Am That's What I Am Not by Arctic Monkeys 2007 Myths of the Near Future by Klaxons 2008 Seldom Seen Kid by Elbow 2009 Speech Therapy by Speech Debelle 2010 XX by The XX http://www.everyhit.com/awardmer.html Read the complete review |
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Sonisphere Festival
by siberian-queen Knebworth House in Hertfordshire is a gothic mansion of the Lytton family once lived in by Edward Bulwar Lytton who wrote "the pen is mightier than the sword". The house along with it's gardens is open to the general public for most of the year and frequently holds events such as wood carving exhibitions, car shows and fairs. ... Courtesy of www.knebworthhouse.comThis all may seem very usual of some larger stately homes now but may surprise you is that once a year is that it lets down it's guard and plays host to the Sonisphere Festival. ****WHAT IS THE SONISPHERE FESTIVAL?**** The Sonisphere festival is a heavy metal/rock music festival which has actually been only going for the last few years. It is held over three days (2011 July 8-11th) and capacity has increased in 2011 to 60,000 people. Now this is pertaining to the English version; Sonisphere festival tours various countries across Europe with slight variations on capacity, line up and length depending on the country and is continuing to evolve. Interestingly this year Sonisphere moved outside the European boarders and took the show to India, perhaps they will develop this further next year to include more world wide countries? ****THE SONISPHERE FESTIVAL ITSELF**** I will come onto travel and accommodation later. As you approach the entrance there are the usual long queues for ticket / bag checks and wrist band applications. As you get closer the security split you into various sections; camping, non-camping, 3 day ticket holders and day ticket holders etc. Why you may ask? One to get the queues down by secondly to attach you different coloured wrist bands, this says you showing your ticket when you want to go to sectioned areas like the camp site and must be a darn sight easier for staff. In this area are also toilets - the dreaded portaloo - and trolleys to hire. I wondered why everyone was zipping past so quick with them then noticed the price £10 an hour! (does get cheaper per hour after). There is a heavy police presence it has to be noted but I didn't see or here of any trouble at the festival; they are outside the arena and security take over inside but there are undercover police in arena and camp sites apparently. Once through tickets it's a 10-20min walk past campsites to the actual arena - more band checks - then your in! The site is quite spread out which is good as there are always people going in different directions and not all piling to the one place. This is especially the case for the stages. Please see www.sonisphere.co.uk if you want to see full listings of the bands that played as far to many to mention! APOLLO - the main stage - this year featuring Metallica, Megadeath, Anthrax, Slayer, Slipknot, Limp Bizit, Motorhead and Biffy Clyro Admittedly there is a big rush for everyone to see these bands as they are the headliners but the site is adequate for that and provided barriers in a kind of zig zag fashion to prevent the sudden surge forward of fans that has previously led to injuries elsewhere. For this stage there are also big screen either side and two more further back so the shorter of us (myself included) can still see. Generally speaking the views are good unless your stuck behind a screen post. Fully lighted and flashing with band effects or down when the fireworks and piro-techniques come on. Well or castrated by the staff and no malfunctions that I saw. For the disabled there is a raised platform which enables people to see safely and wristband checked. The headliners did not disappoint Metallica, Megadeath, Anthrax and Slayer are all legends of metal in there own right and to see them individually was superb but when they all played together... fantastic. Slipknot, still on tour and dealing with the death of band member Paul Gray a touching tribute at the end of there show and a two minute silence from the fans. Motorhead - still rocking on Lemmy put on a good show and dedicated a song to stroke suffers as "Wurzel" from the band recently died of a stroke. SATURN - situated down a slope directly opposite the Apollo stage is the second stage which had bands like Sum 41 (pity they cut your sound off for over running slightly) and Bill Bailey!! The comedian playing to the largest audience he ever has and was fantastic - not everyone could get metal fans dancing to "I've got a brand new combine harvester"! This stage has two raised screens either side. Being on a slope means that you do get a better view even from the back and the view is from a much wider area to this stage. BOHEMIA - a stage inside a tent, with bands like Sisters of Mercy (there first uk show in 20years). It is quite dark which means you have to slightly more careful where you are stepping as some people sit on the floor waiting for bands, but does allow for better light effects throughout the day rather than just when it gets dark. Another great advantage is that it is dry - there is not much protection from the rain but the tent is manned by security and we only allow so many in at a time. There is also a bar and disabled platform in here too. JAGERMIESTER - the stage named after a drink and bright orange too. A small stage for new and up coming bands some of which have not yet released an album. Small and compact but I liked the idea you could see new bands and being on a bill with such large bands as metallica must be a thrill for them. RED BULL - another drink enthused stage with smaller bands, again providing variety and unique opportunities for bands. So that is the stages there were no clashes (occasional slight over runs) between the Apollo and Saturn, which was good as these provided the bigger bands/acts but with the smaller tents it meant people had options of who to see when. To know who was playing when you could look before you go and try and remember (never going to happen), buy a lanyard with each days details at the show, download the app! With each band that I saw I thoroughly enjoyed it, the visibility and sound where very good from each stage and the acts performs were individual and engaged with the crowd brilliantly. Some bands also did live feeds to the web, great for those who couldn't go. I appreciate everyone has there different favourites mine - Metallica (rock royalty), Slipknot (had us crouching and jumping in the rain) and Arch Enemy (that woman can out rock many men). So to other bits and pieces - ****TOILETS**** What can I say they are portaloos - a few more would have been good as after 3 days they are not pleasant - take you own supply of loo roll and hand sanitizer. There is the option of "Pootopia" £2 a go in a cleaned each time toilets block. For men there are the urinal blocks allowing men to pee in the fresh are and frees up some of the cubicles for us girls. ****FOOD AND DRINK**** Very impressive - a extensive range of choice from vegan to steaks and Mexican to Chinese. Another nice option was the tea and toast bar. The main bar the bohemia bar (I think that was what it was called) - not to long a wait and had a reasonable selection of larger, beer, cider and shots; they also did a few activities in here too. Soft drinks widely available at stands. RECYCLING- 10p a turboug larger cardboard cup if you take then back in good condition - some kid made £100! According to the website charities where coming in after to collect recyables before the litter pickers. ****MERCHANDISE**** Four I think official t-shirt stands with the sonisphere t-shirts and ones for each band. This was the only thing I was slightly disappointed at as they ran out of ladies ones with the band list on. Reasonable prices though and good selection for bands. Lots of stalls with clothes and apparel. ****TICKETS**** Ok so down to business! There are a multitude of ticket option so see website for more details and prices are going to be different each year. My ticket cost £145 for the 3 days not camping. This is a lot but when you break it down against the nig bands you see normally charging £40-£50 a show each it is very reasonable. Children under 12 go free with adults. Deposit scheme starts earlier in the year for people to secure there ticket and pay later. Option to buy next years tickets now at same price (limited time) but you won't know who the bands are? Ticket costs depend on whether you are day, three day non-camping, 3 day camping and where you are camping as some upgrades are available (rock royalty). ****TRAVEL AND CAMPING**** Car quite easy virtually straight off the A1M. Coach trips and trains available and shuttle buses from train stations. Parking - I chose to pay £11 pre booked £20 on day for a car park permit. Parking is on grass, you are shown where to park but there are some very big dips so be warned for low spoilers etc. Camping - I didn't camp. Looked like fun and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Portaloos provided, food vendors and free drinking water - next to each other!!!! Mini shop and security controlled. Also separate section for family campers. ****OVERALL**** A fantastic 3 day festival with great bands, food, drink and merriment had by all. Would I recommend it - hell yeah! But perhaps not if you don't like heavy metal. Review maybe posted on dooyoo and Ciao under the same username Read the complete review |
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Leeds Music Festival
by punkrockpenguin I was a festival newbie, last year (2010). It was my first Leeds Festival and my parents were anxious about letting me go. My brother had been going for a few years and I think him being there reassured them that I'd be ok. I took the train there with a friend on the thursday and I'm glad I packed relatively lightly. people were ... struggling with suitcases and tents and we just had hiking bags and we managed to get to the gate fairly quickly. The staff were really friendly and we weren't as searched as we thought we'd be. We were camped in yellow, my brother and his friends had early birds so he took our tents (again; a really wise decision) and quickly got settled into our campsite. The range of stalls available when the arena was closed were really good. There was a wide selection of really good quality food and supplies incase you needed something in the night. There were a fair amount of facilities available including a medical tent, lockers, showers and more. The food in the arena was just as good followed by more interesting stalls and a fair ground. The bands and acts (including comedians and DJs) were all wonderful and the running order was very well run. The atmosphere was incredible all day and all night. All the festival goers seemed to want to help each other out. There was a real sense of community. Advice: dont take your own food, take at least £60 spending money, pack light and take an old phone and simm card. Read the complete review |
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