Got people coming from all over this month, with a Spanish band, a Korean band and a whole load of Canadians. Just too much to choose from this month, but make sure to check out Muncie Girls, The Vryll Society, Stu Larsen & Natsuki Kurai and Wild Front as well as this talented lot. This is all without mentioning the sold-out gigs at the O2 on the 15th (Tom Grennan), 26th (Tom Odell) and 31st (Mac DeMarco) of October. Also, happy birthday bro!
Who? Editors
Where? O2 Guildhall, Southampton
When? October 7th
Why? Editors have been around for over a decade, starting back during that post-punk revival of the early 2000s. Made up of Tom Smith (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Russell Leech (bass, backing vocals, synthesisers) Ed Lay (drums, percussion), Justin Lockey (lead guitar), and Elliot Williams (keys, synths, guitars, vocals), Tom, Russell and Ed were all music technology students from Stafford University. The band have had six LPs out, five of which were top 10 albums, with the latest out just this year. Violence marks yet another transformation for the band, who have been the dark horse of the music scene since their emergence. You can definitely hear it in new single ‘Magazine’ from the album, with its forward thinking synth pop. Thanks to when the band came about, they could evolve naturally through the years and through their touring experiences, as opposed to most bands today who come ready to consume like a ready meal. Tickets here!
Who? Hardy Caprio
Where? Engine Rooms, Southampton
When? October 15th
Why? Hardy Caprio is set to be the next up and coming grime, rap and garage artist after fellow Croydon local Stormzy hit the music industry a few years back. When Hardy burst onto the scene his music was dubbed groundbreaking and his abilities were instantly recognised in the industry. He first got noticed when he riffed over Tinie Tempa’s Wifey Riddim as part of some live sessions. His most successful single, ‘Unsigned’, came out last year and was streamed over 10 million times and watched on youtube for half that, making its way into the UK official charts. His latest single, ‘Best Life’, can be seen below. And props to the guy, he got a first-class degree in Finance and Accounting this summer. He even mentions the torture of writing essays in ‘Mad About Bars’. Get tickets here!
Who? The Parrots
Where? Heartbreakers, Southampton
When? October 16th
Why? These three guys met back in their university days in their native Espagne and soon became the next big thing on the garage scene in Madrid. Their rough and ready rock found its way onto an EP two years after their formation in 2012, entitled Aden Arabie, that has since been followed up with debut LP Los Niños Sin Miedo. Before that, they actually split a 7” vinyl with fellow Spaniards HINDS (playing at Engine Rooms 21st November). While HINDS play a cleaner garage pop, The Parrots err towards a slightly heavier and dirtier garage rock, and I’m not complaining. There’s more of the sixties sound in some of their songs, as well as a definite Spanish flavour (not counting the bilingual lyrics). Definitely check out ‘No me gustas, te quiero’ from the album, and new singles ‘Girl’ and ‘My Love is Real’ (below), plus the first-class music videos that go along with them. Nab a ticket here!
Who? Say Sue Me
Where? The Joiners, Southampton
When? October 23rd
Why? Just like Southampton, the hometown of k-indie rockers Say Sue Me is a major port, and is the second biggest city in South Korea, after Seoul. Busan is bursting with culture and beautiful beaches, it’s no wonder the four of them take inspiration from surfer music, specifically from the US in the sixties (think The Ventures) and then 90s US indie-rock. They’ve already released albums, and their latest, Where We Were Together, released just last year, has been highly praised by critics. Then there’s also gorgeous new single ‘Just Joking Around’, with singer Sumi Choi’s slowly ascending and calming vocals. Two of the four, Jae Young (bass) and Kim Byungkyu (guitar) had been friends since the end of primary school, and having met drummer Kang Semin, they heard Choi speaking and decided that she should be in their band. Thank goodness she turned out to be good, serving as the band’s singer, songwriter and a second guitarist. Get your tickets here!
Who? Shred Kelly
Where? The 1865, Southampton
When? October 31st
Why? If you aren’t going Mac DeMarco for Halloween night, why not go Shred Kelly? Hailing from the British Columbia in Canada, the gang are known for their epic live performances that get everyone up and dancing, which they’ve cultivated over the years with countless tour dates. Their mix of traditional folk and modern rock influences is inspired equally by the mountains of their native land and the people who inhabit them. They’ve got four albums, spanning from 2010 to their latest effort in 2018, Archipelago, with some great anthems like their title track ‘Archipelago’ and ‘Nova’. It’s all great sing-along stuff, so if scaring isn’t your thing on Halloween, foot stomping goodness can be. Buy your tickets here!
