Music Styles 2013

Willy Moon

Music Styles 2013

There is so much fun retro style these days!

From the crisply suited smooth operators (Willy Moon, Hurts) to the rough edged wanderers (Tom Waits, Jake Bugg), the soul divas (Adele, Emeli Sande), the pop icons (Rhianna, Elton, Kylie), the club music players (Calvin Harris) the casual indie kids (Radiohead, The National), the guitar singer songwriters (Paul Simon, Jake Bugg), to the fantasy icons (Madonna, Lady Gaga), the glorious emo kids, the glum rockers, the earthy folk blues singers…... more!

I was flicking through music reviews and I notice today in music (as in fashion) so many individual styles. This is a good thing! Back in the 50s,70s and 80s there was often one main look – the mop top mods, the rock n rollers, the spiky haired punks. 

‘Style’ today is more all encompassing, freer, diverse and more expressive.

Hurts

Hurts cool 80s style

New Music 2013

New Albums – Biffy Clyro (Opposites), NOAH & THE Whale (Heart of Nowhere),

Laura Marling (Once I Was an Eagle), James Blake (Overgrown), Bonny Rait (Slipstream), Foals (Holy Fire),

HURTS - Illuminated live in Belgrade Arena

GLASTONBURY Festival 2011 CLIPS

Well maybe one day I might make this muddy festival field where some the best performances by artists have occurred. 

First check out this 'soul' voice of Aloe Blacc -  Main Stage and Acoustic Stage CLIPS.

How cool is this soul guy!  AND here's to Beyonce - the first woman to headline! Plus at 69 Paul Simon played the legendary slot... I saw Simon here last week, I will post a review asp.  Plus a top set from Coldplay who I saw perform at the SECC a few years back.

AND the classic  'American Pie' from Don MacLean - wishing I was there too... Maybe next year..

HURTS
I've been following HURTS and saw them here in Glasgow last year. Their sound is eighties-influenced Syth Pop with some cool songs. Theo is such a good front man, and I love the way they build up their songs.

Hurts Oran Mor 4th October 2010

Hurts gave a operatic performance to an appreciative Oran Mor, as part of their first sold out UK tour. They played tracks from their new chart-topping album 'Happiness' - including 'Wonderful Life' and 'Better Than Love'. Hurts play 80s style synth pop with big melodies. They are a British duo from Manchester with singer Theo Hutchcraft and keyboard player Adam Anderson, and there was an expectant air to see this hot new duo.
They were supported by Clare Macguire in a dramatic scarlet red feathered outfit, performing with her rock band one of her very first live shows. She certainly wooed the crowd with her theatrical performance and power vocal- and there are big things expected from Clare. The gig was started with the lovely local Glasgow girl Kelsey Hunter on guitar.

NME Radar tour King Tuts Glasgow 26th April 2010

Three very different bands! - from dancing upbeat, to charged rock and lastly stylised 80s rock.
First on stage was the very likable Darwin Deez from New York, and he and his dancers were a lot of fun. They literally bounced on stage and then performed the first of several slick dance routines, and very fit they are too! Darwin seemed to smile his way through his set, and he made eye contact often - and at the end of the set he said,'oh you like us!' They were also set up to focus on the edges and middle of the audience and in so doing kept us with them. I got some energetic fun shots of them. After I noticed them mixing and chatting with the audience which I thought lent a good touch and only adding to their popularity - rather than any 'aloofness'. Darwin's music was in the Conor Obrest style. I also spotted Darwin dancing at the front with his very long arms waving loosely during Everything Everything's set!
Next up were 'Everything Everything' - a rock band in red lights. There was a positive energy from this fresh rock band, while their lead singer has a strong voice with the elastic range and punch of a younger Tom Yorke. They had a good crowd of supporters there who seemed to enjoy their set. I was handed their set list so here it is - Intro, Suffragette, Schoolin, Qwerty, Engine Room, Tin, Photoshop, MY KZ, Weights.
We then waited patiently as the stage was set up for the last act another Manchester band called Hurts. Their set had a white backdrop with lights facing the audience - and this was in stark contrast to the reds of Everything Everything with their charged rock music. Hurts were named in a BBC poll of one to watch in 2010. I met Adam earlier when he came out to the bar area, and I said how much I liked their songs that I'd heard on YouTube - and he looked very smart in a red waistcoat. He said he had played at King Tuts before - with their previous band Daggers maybe?

Hurts are a duo with Theo the lead singer and Adam their keyboard player.