Amelia’s Magazine | Tilly and The Wall

MenomenaFandFArt.jpg
Aided in no uncertain terms by a show stopping performance at Texas’ recent South By Southwest festival, order case Portland three-piece Menomena present their debut UK release. This is in fact the bands third release – with their two previous albums available in the US exclusively. School friends Danny Seim, mind Justin Harris and Brent Knopf have derived a creative process of much interest that has resulted in a work that is both experimental and forward thinking without being inaccessible.

The bands sound is essentially a combination of looped sounds which are selected from a computer programme called Deeler. The Deeler Sessions culminate in the layering of these looped sounds and vocal addition. The good news is that for the most part this results in songs of sonic density that are out of left field but rich in melody. It is a combination that makes ‘Friend and Foe’ a compelling listen.

Often the fragmented nature of the songs will result in a messy, disjointed sound to begin with. But cohesion arises from moments of inspiration that morph abstract noises into quasi – pop melodies. It maybe a gorgeous piano line, delicate vocal harmony or obscure drum loop. Whatever, these songs keep you guessing, and aside from the odd ill judged inclusion (notably at the tail end of the album) they are nothing less than enthralling.

There are echoes of Mercury Rev on the defiant ‘Rotten Hell’, whilst howling guitars and brooding Saxophone characterise ‘Weird’. Elsewhere Menomena take ‘Up’ era REM as a reference point on ‘My My’- A brilliantly structured song defined by its paradoxical use of warm keyboards and choppy, industrial beats. It is one of many gems.

It’s a shame that the record falls away so badly in its last quarter. The final three songs appear to be an afterthought – lumped on at the end to pad things out when there really is no need for their presence. It leaves a slightly bitter taste in the mouth, but spin straight back to the start and all is forgotten. Friend and Foe deserves attention.

It’s always a danger to be overly vocal about your influences, ambulance it invariably leads people to compare you to those you have cited as inspiration, more about and with a band name taken from a Wilco song, dosage Cherry Ghost have set the bar a little too high. Thirst for Romance is positioned firmly in the folk/country influenced indie rock category and despite not being a spectacular record it has some nice moments, even if they are a little bit uninspired.

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Amelia’s Magazine | Album Review: Peasant – Shady Retreat

003_1Rick the punk poet does his thing

Being a wee bit literary, approved sale I have a penchant for poetry, visit this site so it was with some expectation and enthusiasm I went along to the Poetry Night at Coffee And Corks coffee shop in Canterbury last night.

This poetry night is a weekly affair, held every Tuesday evening, but last night’s was different, in that it was being held in conjunction with the Airplot initiative. What’s Airplot, I hear you all clamour? Well, it’s a project that’s been dreamt up by Greenpeace to help stop the building of the third runway at Heathrow Airport – put simply, the NGO and a group of celebrities have bought a plot of land that is slap-bang in the middle of the proposed runway site. Members of the public can buy a share in the plot and therefore become a ‘beneficiary owner’ of the land.

002_1Coffee And Corks: it doesn’t just do coffee, there’s alcohol too – now that’s the stuff

As such, the evening was kicked off with an introduction from Greenpeace’s John Hallyday. “Climate change is having – and will continue to have – a massive effect on our species and every other species on the planet,” he said. “If we allow the third runway to be built at Heathrow, the UK won’t meet its greenhouse gas targets set last year. Plus, 500 people’s homes will be demolished in the village of Sipson, which stands in the way of the proposed site.”

After giving a plug to Canterbury’s upcoming Climate Fair, John’s final words were borrowed from the beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, as he read a poem written by the latter while aboard a Greenpeace ship chasing whalers on the high seas. It’s fair to say it set a good vibe for the night to come. And it was immediately followed by the handing out of cards that those in attendance (poet participants, listeners or those just enjoying a coffee; all were welcome) could fill in for a prize – three hours’ free recording time at Canterbury’s West Track Studios. Not missing a trick (and why should they?), the organisers also ensured that by filling in a card and entering the raffle you also signed up to the Airplot campaign.

And so to the evening’s poetry itself. To say that there was great variety in what the poets – many regulars, some new – performed would be an understatement; to say that some of it was risqué and rather personal would be a vast understatement. However, I must admit, the vast majority of the poems impressed me, as did the pluck many of their authors had to stand up in front of people (some of whom, like I said, had only come in to sip a late latte) and deliver their thoughts, feelings, wit and wisdom through verse. I must give special mention to the middle-aged Adrian, whose ‘The Web Of Life’ was a lyrical, eco-friendly missive, and Rick, a self-proclaimed coffee-shop-culture-punk resplendent in a Mr Happy t-shirt, whose delivery owed much to the beat poets of old and whose entertainment value was only equalled by the title of his final poem, ‘Don’t Eat Dodgy Food In Foreign Countries’.

004_1

What a fine sentiment – especially in a coffee shop

All in all then, this was a great evening that hopefully drew attention to and created new converts to Airplot, as well as highlighting the good work of the Skillnet Group Community Interest Company in the Canterbury community, in conjunction with West Track Studios. I tip my hat – or rather my beat poet’s cap – then to the organisers, in particular Helen Long who it was that brought Greenpeace, West Track Studios and Skillnet all together on this chilly evening in a caffeine-fuelled fun-filled event.
003_1Rick the punk poet does his thing

Being a wee bit literary, drug I have a penchant for poetry, so it was with some expectation and enthusiasm I went along to the Poetry Night at Coffee And Corks coffee shop in Canterbury last night.

This poetry night is a weekly affair, held every Tuesday evening, but last night’s was different, in that it was being held in conjunction with the Airplot initiative. What’s Airplot, I hear you all clamour? Well, it’s a project that’s been dreamt up by Greenpeace to help stop the building of the third runway at Heathrow Airport – put simply, the NGO and a group of celebrities have bought a plot of land that is slap-bang in the middle of the proposed runway site. Members of the public can buy a share in the plot and therefore become a ‘beneficiary owner’ of the land.

002_1Coffee And Corks: it doesn’t just do coffee, there’s alcohol too – now that’s the stuff

As such, the evening was kicked off with an introduction from Greenpeace’s John Hallyday. “Climate change is having – and will continue to have – a massive effect on our species and every other species on the planet,” he said. “If we allow the third runway to be built at Heathrow, the UK won’t meet its greenhouse gas targets set last year. Plus, 500 people’s homes will be demolished in the village of Sipson, which stands in the way of the proposed site.”

After giving a plug to Canterbury’s upcoming Climate Fair, John’s final words were borrowed from the beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, as he read a poem written by the latter while aboard a Greenpeace ship chasing whalers on the high seas. It’s fair to say it set a good vibe for the night to come. And it was immediately followed by the handing out of cards that those in attendance (poet participants, listeners or those just enjoying a coffee; all were welcome) could fill in for a prize – three hours’ free recording time at Canterbury’s West Track Studios. Not missing a trick (and why should they?), the organisers also ensured that by filling in a card and entering the raffle you also signed up to the Airplot campaign.

And so to the evening’s poetry itself. To say that there was great variety in what the poets – many regulars, some new – performed would be an understatement; to say that some of it was risqué and rather personal would be a vast understatement. However, I must admit, the vast majority of the poems impressed me, as did the pluck many of their authors had to stand up in front of people (some of whom, like I said, had only come in to sip a late latte) and deliver their thoughts, feelings, wit and wisdom through verse. I must give special mention to the middle-aged Adrian, whose ‘The Web Of Life’ was a lyrical, eco-friendly missive, and Rick, a self-proclaimed coffee-shop-culture-punk resplendent in a Mr Happy t-shirt, whose delivery owed much to the beat poets of old and whose entertainment value was only equalled by the title of his final poem, ‘Don’t Eat Dodgy Food In Foreign Countries’.

004_1

What a fine sentiment – especially in a coffee shop

All in all then, this was a great evening that hopefully drew attention to and created new converts to Airplot, as well as highlighting the good work of the Skillnet Group Community Interest Company in the Canterbury community, in conjunction with West Track Studios. I tip my hat – or rather my beat poet’s cap – then to the organisers, in particular Helen Long who it was that brought Greenpeace, West Track Studios and Skillnet all together on this chilly evening in a caffeine-fuelled fun-filled event.
003_1Rick the punk poet does his thing

Being a wee bit literary, about it I have a penchant for poetry, buy so it was with some expectation and enthusiasm I went along to the Poetry Night at Coffee And Corks coffee shop in Canterbury last night.

This poetry night is a weekly affair, held every Tuesday evening, but last night’s was different, in that it was being held in conjunction with the Airplot initiative. What’s Airplot, I hear you all clamour? Well, it’s a project that’s been dreamt up by Greenpeace to help stop the building of the third runway at Heathrow Airport – put simply, the NGO and a group of celebrities have bought a plot of land that is slap-bang in the middle of the proposed runway site. Members of the public can buy a share in the plot and therefore become a ‘beneficiary owner’ of the land.

002_1Coffee And Corks: it doesn’t just do coffee, there’s alcohol too – now that’s the stuff

As such, the evening was kicked off with an introduction from Greenpeace’s John Hallyday. “Climate change is having – and will continue to have – a massive effect on our species and every other species on the planet,” he said. “If we allow the third runway to be built at Heathrow, the UK won’t meet its greenhouse gas targets set last year. Plus, 500 people’s homes will be demolished in the village of Sipson, which stands in the way of the proposed site.”

After giving a plug to Canterbury’s upcoming Climate Fair, John’s final words were borrowed from the beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, as he read a poem written by the latter while aboard a Greenpeace ship chasing whalers on the high seas. It’s fair to say it set a good vibe for the night to come. And it was immediately followed by the handing out of cards that those in attendance (poet participants, listeners or those just enjoying a coffee; all were welcome) could fill in for a prize – three hours’ free recording time at Canterbury’s West Track Studios. Not missing a trick (and why should they?), the organisers also ensured that by filling in a card and entering the raffle you also signed up to the Airplot campaign.

And so to the evening’s poetry itself. To say that there was great variety in what the poets – many regulars, some new – performed would be an understatement; to say that some of it was risqué and rather personal would be a vast understatement. However, I must admit, the vast majority of the poems impressed me, as did the pluck many of their authors had to stand up in front of people (some of whom, like I said, had only come in to sip a late latte) and deliver their thoughts, feelings, wit and wisdom through verse. I must give special mention to the middle-aged Adrian, whose ‘The Web Of Life’ was a lyrical, eco-friendly missive, and Rick, a self-proclaimed coffee-shop-culture-punk resplendent in a Mr Happy t-shirt, whose delivery owed much to the beat poets of old and whose entertainment value was only equalled by the title of his final poem, ‘Don’t Eat Dodgy Food In Foreign Countries’.

004_1

What a fine sentiment – especially in a coffee shop

All in all then, this was a great evening that hopefully drew attention to and created new converts to Airplot, as well as highlighting the good work of the Skillnet Group Community Interest Company in the Canterbury community, in conjunction with West Track Studios. I tip my hat – or rather my beat poet’s cap – then to the organisers, in particular Helen Long who it was that brought Greenpeace, West Track Studios and Skillnet all together on this chilly evening in a caffeine-fuelled fun-filled event.
Shady-Cover-Done

The second album by Damien DeRose, website like this aka acoustic act Peasant, there is one for the summer. It’s overwhelmingly (or should that be underwhelmingly?) gentle, a collection of stripped-down folk Americana that bears resemblance to the recordings of groups like Fleet Foxes and Megafaun, albeit on a much more intimate scale. Recorded in attics and in bedrooms, ‘Shady Retreat’ would be unremarkable if not for Peasant’s tin whisper of a voice bringing to mind the dust of cabins and the homeliness of a romanticised rural America – it doesn’t take long for postcard images of kids on tire swings down by the ol’ swimming hole to flash through the mind. There’s Ma, frying up some catfish for the young ‘uns. Pa’s whittlin’ a new spoon on the porch, etc. etc. The liner notes credit, “an old stone house from the 18th century,” that survives in downtown Doylestown, Pennsylvania as a major inspiration – like an old stone building these songs already sound almost timeless in style, a mix of jaunty piano and folk acoustic guitar that contains echo and disrepair in equal measure.

Within seconds of pressing play, you’ll get “Thinking”’s refrain fluttering out of the speakers, at odds to the piano that accompanies it. It’s a somewhat lacklustre declaration that, “we just can’t go on without thinking/maybe we’re wrong/I’ve been thinking” – this is as close to a statement of intent for the album as there is. This isn’t anything like the angst of someone like Bon Iver, or even a Ryan Adams, as it’s just far too restrained. It’s the kind of regret that comes with, roughly, six months of introspection about and dissection of (maybe more, maybe less) a failed relationship – emotionally muted, and now only slightly bitter. Example lyrics: “Keep up your looks/Got you as far as they could,” on “Pry”, or “Tell me that I look like I’m gone/when I’m around … Why you got to treat me this way?,” on perhaps the most upbeat song here, “Well Alright”. Peasant’s entire philosophy seems to be a shrug.

peasant grass

His delivery, though, is always, always kind. The lack of specifics, the reduction of the target of these songs to vague descriptives, keeps everything in the inoffensive realm of the folk ditty. His vocal style is laid back, withdrawn, intimate, willowy – the effect is as if he’s in the room down the hallway, just knocking out some tunes casually and carefully, but nothing ever stands out or intrudes upon the rest of life.

Therein lies the problem – whilst there are a few standout songs (“Well Alright”, “Tough”) on ‘Shady Retreat’, taken as a whole it’s more of an extended mood. It is the perfect soundtrack for, say, drifting downstream on a sweet, hazy summer afternoon (you can’t help but think that DeRose does exactly that whenever he gets the chance). These are the kinds of songs that pass the time around campfires, the kind that are a gentle strum in the background of a day spent relaxing in the shade of some oak. They are, to put it succinctly, lovely. However, that is part of their weakness, as ‘inoffensive’ can often be a synonym for ‘forgettable’, and there’s little here to justify heavy rotation. Whatever stream Peasant likes to float down, it’s not a particularly deep one – and that’s fine, for a while. He’s got to return to land sometime, and when he does I’ll be waiting to see what changes it brings.

Categories ,album, ,americana, ,folk, ,ian steadman, ,peasant, ,shady retreat

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Amelia’s Magazine | Weyes Blood arrives on European shores: an interview with Natalie Mering

Natalie Mering Weyes Blood full length
Having released her second album under the title Weyes Blood at the end of last year on Mexican Summer, collaborated with the likes of Ariel Pink and been a one time member of the experimental troupe Jackie-O Motherf**ker, Natalie Mering is no newbie to the music scene. As she joins Kevin Morby on tour and takes Europe by storm, we catch up with the formidable songstress and get a sneak peak into the genius music world she has created for herself.

Natalie Mering profile
Welcome to Europe Natalie! Have you toured this side of the pond before?
Yes I have, this is my fourth time across the pond for musical purposes. First tours were very noise/drone/experimental scene-centric. These last two have been my first foray into more indie shows.

Is there a particular country you’re excited about visiting?
Yes! Switzerland is especially dreamy, because I am a mountain woman and feel most at home at high elevations. I also love free human souls and dairy (Interesting people and grass fed milk cheese). Portugal is also a highlight because of the climate and general vibe-lots of great artistic minds there. I always have the best, most idealistic conversations about art and music with promoters from Portugal. The country seems a good 30 years lost in time. There’s a strange noticeable spark in how people respond to new music. I also feel close to their traditional music, Fado. It resonates with my soul and I think I’ve channeled its particularities unknowingly.


Weyes Blood – Be free – Urban Outfitters Performance

You released your second album ‘The Innocents’ last October on New York label, Mexican Summer. What’s your favourite track to perform?
I love performing ‘Bad Magic’ because it’s very demanding, emotionally and vocally. It tends to draw everybody in.

Weyes Blood Urban Outfitters
How would YOU describe your sound and style?
I’d say my sound is reminiscent of cathedrals-church with a bit of soul and R&B, soul church. Sweet Metal? There is a bit of darkness there, some doom, but its sweet and I try to play into the tradition of folk ballads. I have been very influenced by drone composers like Lamonte Young and Terry Riley, but also love a good psyche pop anthem. That said, there’s usually one note you can play through the entirety of any of my songs, a drone note that carries everything through. My favorite musical example of this is John Cale‘s infamous piano note played through the entirety of The StoogesWanna be Your Dog’. If I could sum up all my musical infatuations in one composition it may just be that. I have dreams about John Cale a lot, and the records he produced with Nico. He’s a wonderful drone man that built that bridge into popular music, and secretly I hope my style draws from that with a medieval twinge.


Weyes Blood – Bad Magic – Official Video

You studied herbs in the New Mexico desert before moving to New York and settling into the music scene there. Was music something you always did?
Yes music was always first, even as a child. But back then I was more interested in theatrical arts. It wasn’t until I was 12 years old that I realized being an actress wasn’t nearly as interesting as diving into the sonic realms of music exploration. From that point onward it was my main purpose for being alive, no hyperbole.

Weyes Blood Natalie Mering
Your parents are both musicians. Have they had an influence on your own style?
A bit. My Father’s favorite band was XTC, so he was always open to “the next wave” and innovative music. Being a new waver himself, he stayed interested in recent music and always wanted to know how rock n roll was evolving. But like any classic baby boomer he couldn’t really follow me into the 21st century, pretty much drawing the line at Radiohead. My Father and I went to a Radiohead concert together and we really bonded, but it took him a while to come around to my music. My mother is obsessed with Joni Mitchell so she was always playing in the house. ‘Court and Spark’ is permanently branded into my subconscious.

Your voice has a unique and haunting quality to it. Has it always been that way or something you grew into?
It’s always been low and raspy. I’ve grown into singing with more strength over time. There was definitely a time it was a source of embarrassment, but its something I’ve come to appreciate over time. It’s good for impersonations. I do love high voices, though, and my register as singer is definitely alto and below. Sometimes hearing my voice on recordings really freaks me out, I hear it so differently in my head I can’t imagine what it sounds like to other people.

What inspires you?
To keep it extremely concise: chaos, synchronicity, duality and empathy.

Weyes-Blood-The-Innocents cover
I love your attitude. You seem very focused and clear on what you want. Does that make working with other people more challenging when they’re not as serious as you?
Haha, well thank you. I can also be extremely unfocused and confused about what I want just like the rest of us. I guess I just force myself to take things across the finish line even if I’m having those feelings. And as far as dealing with challenges working with other people-it’s always been an issue, but something I’ve learned to get over. I don’t expect anybody to take what I do as seriously as I do, so I like to take most of the load myself and collaborate with people who are looking to go on a journey with me into my chasm of unattainably high standards. That’s one of the reasons I’m a solo musician-I honestly just wanted to be a girl in a band, a la Kim Gordon, for most of my life. I just could never find anybody as serious as I was about pursuing it-almost like a fanatical religion, I heightened music to a philosophy of life.

I love this one documentary about Sun Ra. The interviewer asks a member of the Arkestra if he minds not having a social life anymore because he has to practice with the ensemble all the time… he says so candidly, “music is everything, why would I want anything else?” I’ve always felt that way. As I get older I’ve stopped being so serious, I enjoy lighthearted half assed efforts into the music realm as a means of therapy after years of carrying the burden of taking something so seriously. It’s important to lighten up, but I always have a “spirit of excellence”. Whatever you’re doing, even if you’re trying to make some crappy music to make your friends laugh, is an important process to be enjoyed to its fullest extent.

Weyes Blood Natalie Mering 2
I read that you starting recording with a 4 track in your early teens. Do you still record onto tape?
Yes! I love the natural compression of tape. It’s a magnetic universe I’ll never leave. Tape is infinite in its possibilities, and its natural compression is my favorite.

What’s your favourite part of the production process? The inspiration, the writing, the recording, the mixing?
The inspiration comes the most naturally-its like a lightning bolt, a spark, and I usually have to jump around the room a bit to deal with the excess in body electricity after I feel like I’ve had a good idea. Writing is more gruesome, choosing things-creating shape from the formless void. Recording is like purgatory, where you’re not quite sure if you’ll be able to capture the lightning bolt – sometimes I like to record first and improvise, keeping the “lightning” in the recordings. Mixing is basically downhill, but also a nitty gritty process. At that point if you’re not satisfied there’s not much you can do, so if you’ve made something good, mixing is an enhancer. If you’re still not satisfied, mixing is a never ending void. Production in a nutshell.

If you want to catch Weyes Blood in action she is currently supporting Kevin Morby on a European tour including these UK dates – 17 June at The Lexington, London 
and 18 June at The Hope, Brighton.

Categories ,Ariel Pink, ,Bad Magic, ,brighton, ,Jackie-O Motherf**ker, ,John Cale, ,Joni Mitchell, ,Kevin Morby, ,Lamonte Young, ,london, ,Mexican Summer, ,Natalie Mering, ,radiohead, ,Sun Ra, ,Sweet Metal, ,Terry Riley, ,The Hope, ,The innocents, ,The Lexington, ,The Stooges, ,Weyes Blood, ,Weyes Blood arrives on European shores

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Amelia’s Magazine | Andrew Bird, Noble Beast

Chicagoan Andrew Bird delivers his latest studio album with the confidence we are now accustomed to after four previous albums. True to form, Noble Beast is soaked in classic folk ballads and showered with simple guitar riffs with the occasional spit of flamenco and modern rock. However, as can often become the case after a few records for singer-songwriters with a certain indie-folk bent, this is a bit of a wet album. Nothing particularly original or groundbreaking here (in Bird terms or generally); nothing that makes you down tools and check your mouth isn’t wide open; nothing that slams you against the wall and changes your view of the world.

andrew_bird-noble_beast.jpg

Listeners and Bird fans hoping for this kind of sensation will be disappointed, but I think that misses the point slightly. Lower your expectations of this prodigiously talented musician only slightly and you realise that Bird is a natural storyteller and has a unique honesty in his voice, to back up the simple soothing melodies of this most recent work. Add some violin crescendos and the occasional bang to the mix and he ends up with enough variance between the tracks to keep us interested.

But boy is this guy bitter – there aint no track to make you jump at a party. Recurrent themes of death, ghosts, disasters and the like don’t instil happiness. Even Masterswarm, with it’s semi-energetic, happy-go-lucky latin clap contains self depricating lyrics. Oh, and please don’t be fooled by Track 11′s devil-may-care guitar intro – the track is, surprisingly, Natural Disaster. Say no more.

andrewbird.jpg

There’s refreshment to be had on standout track Not A Robot, But A Ghost, which ups the tempo and is slightly edgier than the rest of the album. Noble Beast is far from depressing, but after fourteen tracks, you can’t help thinking ‘Oh, come on Bird. It can’t be that bad’. Behind the morose lyrics and angst ridden vocals there’s a good singer, an instinctive versifier and a damn good classical musician. He’s obviously got quite a lot to be cheerful about; maybe he could let some rays of sunshine through for the next album.

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Amelia’s Magazine | Music Listings

Now I know the term fashionable late was termed in fashion circles, more about here but I really didn’t think fashion could be this late. Fifty minutes late to be exact. Even best friends would not be excused an unapologetic wait like that. So while waiting, I played spot the style editor, Alexandra Schulman sat a few rows in front of me and opposite her on the other side of the catwalk sat Hilary Alexandra who was joined by Alexa Chung (I know not a style editor). Popping of flashes alerted me to Louise Roe of Vogue TV. It all felt so fashion, darhling!

green.jpg

Then the moment had arrived, the lights went out and the music started up. I felt a swirl of excitement as the models marched down the catwalk. This was designer Avsh Alom Gur’s first proper catwalk season as creative director for Ossie Clark and he gave us a taste of what we are all hoping for next summer, louche poolside cocktail drinking in a tropical paradise.

Silk flowed to form sleeveless jumpsuits and swirling floor length dresses. High waisted knee length shorts were paired with draped translucent blouses. Boldly printed dresses evocked exotic summer holidays which added a more youthful element to the grown up stylings. Colour-wise, every shade from nude to coral was shown, with flashes of fuchsia, emerald green and indigo to add a vibrant summer look. But, my favourite use of colour was coral teamed with lavender, such a fresh use of colour is always welcome.

exotic%20prints.jpg

coral%20and%20violet.jpg

But fashion lovers of the iconic Ossie Clark, would have been disappointed in the lack of Celia Birtwell style prints (only two looks borrowed from that strong heritage) and seventies glam, Clark was originally famed for. Sure the collection was glam, but it lack a real distinctive look, the draped flowing forms were not instantly recognisable as Ossie Clark or anything else for that matter. Re-inventing a former great brand is always a difficult task and this was only Gur’s second season at Ossie Clark. Whilst channelling sexy subtle feminine styling, the collection lacked an all important cohesive look.

celia%20birtwell.jpg

Nikki Shaill is the brains and baker behind the Great Cake Escape; a guerilla
art project ‘on a mission to liberate cakes from the confines of the
kitchen.’ She and Lorraine Williams have been baking cakes and leaving them
to be found on the streets of Shoreditch since November last year. Their aim is
to sweeten the days of those lucky enough to find the sugary treats, case which often
bear naughty messages provoking response from the public.

Combining her passions for cake and art, here Nikki Shaill curated and hosted the Great Cake Escape at Kemistry Gallery for The Shoreditch Shuffle. The festival wristband gained you entry to the exhibition as well as access to as much cake as you could fit in your face. Between mouthfuls, check I had a chance to look at some of the
contributors’ artwork.

Staying in tune with the teatime theme was work by Reiko Kaneko and Tina
Tsang
. Reiko’s tableware winks its eye at elegance with a cheeky grin,
decorating plates with gold cracks and teacup rims with gilded lipstick stains.
Tina’s ‘Undergrowth Design’ project features the Blau Blume range
where tea cups have legs for handles and cake stands are adorned with dolls’
heads.

reiko%20kaneko.jpg

Ruby Assatourian examines femininity and all thats associated with it.
Materials she uses range from icing sugar to the less appetizing pages of porn
magazines. She steers clear of revealing any explicit imagery though, choosing
instead to create subtle pieces that provoke thought and conversation about
women in the sex-industry.

ruby%20Assatourian%20.jpg

On a lighter note, Tinsel Edwards‘s series,the ‘Graffiti Paintings’
consists of paintings Tinsel has found at fleamarkets and endorsed with her
trademark slogans, cheekily poking fun at the conventional art world. With
both Saatchi and Banksy amongst those buying her art, Tinsel is my bet for the next big thing; have a look at her work on website stelladore.com.

tinsel%20edwards.jpg

tinsel%20edwards%202.jpg

Illustrator Zarina Liew shows ‘The Hunter Series’ in its entirety for the
first time. Inspired by vintage fashion, Japanese printmaking and conceptual
psychology, Zarina’s work follows a fairytale- like narrative, combined with
a deeper look at lust and self-ruin.

zarinaliew_huntersketch.jpg

I was only at the gallery on Saturday, but on the Sunday shuffle, the gallery-turned-tea-room was scheduled to host burlesque bombshell Cherri Shakewell, who I’m sure shook her stuff for an audience, happy to put down their fondant fancies for a show from ‘The lady of the Cake‘!

cakes.jpg
look at all those yummy cakes!

kemistry%20gallery.jpg
oh what a pretty dress!

music-listings.gif

Monday 15th September

Gig of the week

Born Ruffians – Dingwalls, viagra London

Born Ruffians return to the UK for a run of shows – and a very lucky few would have actually seen them twice in one day.

Bon Iver – Exeter University
Metallica – O2 Arena, healing London
O Children and Snax – Durr at The End, London
The Wave Pictures – Manchester Academy, Manchester
The Cocknbullkid and Dels – Elgar Room at The Royal Albert Hall, London
The Streets – HMV, Oxford Circus, London

Tuesday 16th September

Black Lips, King Khan and BBQ Show, London
Born Ruffians – Night and Day Cafe, Manchester
Echo And The Bunnymen – Royal Albert Hall, London
The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Orange Box, Yeovil
Herman Dune and Lawrence Arabia – Old Blue Last, London
Peter Bjorn and John – Koko, London

Wednesday 17th September

Finley Quaye – Jazz Café, London
The Rascals – The Picket, Liverpool
Shearwater and The Constantines – Bush Hall, London
Shane Gilliver, Beans On Toast, Paul Mosley and James Edge – Edinburgh
Glasvegas – Academy, Manchester

Thursday 18th September

A Human and Flykkiller – Red Banana Club at Under The Westway, London
Black Affair and Proxy – Fabric, London
Slow Club – Barfly, Glasgow
Crystal Castles and Metronomy – Electric Ballroom, London
Morton Valence and Barth – The Enterprise, London
Naive New Beaters, No Picasso, Silhouette and Great Eskimo Hoax – Proud Galleries, London
Collapsing Cities – Orange Rooms, Southampton
Dead Kids and Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man – London Airwaves at Macbeth
Jeffrey Lewis and The Wave Pictures – The Scala, London

Friday 19th October

Digitalism, David E Sugar and Cazals – Astoria, London
London Airwaves Festival – Young Knives, The Whip, Florence and The Machine, These New Puritans, Wild Beasts and more – Several Shoreditch Venues, London
Pete and The Pirates and Alvarez Kings, London
Ipso Facto – Cockpit, Leeds
Unkle, Late Of The Pier and Iglu and Hartley – Matter, London
Little Man Tate – Roadmenders, Northampton
Man Like Me, Swanton Bombs, Nat Jenkins and Alice Grant and The Cool Dudes – Macbeth, London
Andrew WK – Madame Jo Jo’s, London
No Bra and My Tiger Timing – 333, London

Saturday 20th September

Afrikan Boy – Cargo, London
Crystal Fighters, Granville Sessions and Stoltz – Rhythm Factory, London
Graffiti Island, Miss Something and Marmaduke Dando
Andrew WK – Astoria 2, London
Heartsrevolution, The Ruling Class and ddd – The Monarch, London
Ipso Facto and Bearsuit – Proud Galleries, London
Ponytail, Gentle Friendly and Hands On Heads – Amersham Arms, London

Sunday 21st September

The Ghost Frequency, Ocelot, Kids Love Lies and Chew Lips – Proud Galleries, London
Thomas Tantrum – Bar Academy, Oxford
White Lies – Club Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Johnny Foreigner – Lamp, Hull

music-listings.gif

Monday 15th September

Gig of the week

Born Ruffians – Dingwalls, store London

Born Ruffians return to the UK for a run of shows – and a very lucky few would have actually seen them twice in one day.

Bon Iver – Exeter University
Metallica – O2 Arena, page London
O Children and Snax – Durr at The End, and London
The Wave Pictures – Manchester Academy, Manchester
The Cocknbullkid and Dels – Elgar Room at The Royal Albert Hall, London
The Streets – HMV, Oxford Circus, London

Tuesday 16th September

Black Lips, King Khan and BBQ Show, London
Born Ruffians – Night and Day Cafe, Manchester

Echo And The Bunnymen – Royal Albert Hall, London

I dont know whether they have reached legendary status yet, my guess is that they have. They’re certainly well worth seeing live.

The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Orange Box, Yeovil
Herman Dune and Lawrence Arabia – Old Blue Last, London
Peter Bjorn and John – Koko, London

Wednesday 17th September

Finley Quaye – Jazz Café, London
The Rascals – The Picket, Liverpool
Shearwater and The Constantines – Bush Hall, London
Shane Gilliver, Beans On Toast, Paul Mosley and James Edge – Edinburgh
Glasvegas – Academy, Manchester

Thursday 18th September

A Human and Flykkiller – Red Banana Club at Under The Westway, London
Black Affair and Proxy – Fabric, London
Slow Club – Barfly, Glasgow
Crystal Castles and Metronomy – Electric Ballroom, London
Morton Valence and Barth – The Enterprise, London
Naive New Beaters, No Picasso, Silhouette and Great Eskimo Hoax – Proud Galleries, London
Collapsing Cities – Orange Rooms, Southampton
Dead Kids and Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man – London Airwaves at Macbeth
Jeffrey Lewis and The Wave Pictures – The Scala, London

Friday 19th October

Digitalism, David E Sugar and Cazals – Astoria, London

London Airwaves Festival – Young Knives, The Whip, Florence and The Machine, These New Puritans, Wild Beasts and more – Several Shoreditch Venues, London

It’s the smaller version of Iceland’s Airwaves Festival, based in London. All with the bar crawl mentality of the Camden Crawl, which is set to fill the fanciest of venues around Shoreditch. In other words, it is going to be loads of fun.

Pete and The Pirates and Alvarez Kings, London
Ipso Facto – Cockpit, Leeds
Unkle, Late Of The Pier and Iglu and Hartley – Matter, London
Little Man Tate – Roadmenders, Northampton
Man Like Me, Swanton Bombs, Nat Jenkins and Alice Grant and The Cool Dudes – Macbeth, London
Andrew WK – Madame Jo Jo’s, London
No Bra and My Tiger Timing – 333, London

Saturday 20th September

Afrikan Boy – Cargo, London
Crystal Fighters, Granville Sessions and Stoltz – Rhythm Factory, London

Crystal Fighters are interesting and should not be viewed with the opinion that they will be like a mixture between Crystal Castles and Foo Fighter, because they’re not.

Graffiti Island, Miss Something and Marmaduke Dando
Andrew WK – Astoria 2, London
Heartsrevolution, The Ruling Class and ddd – The Monarch, London
Ipso Facto and Bearsuit – Proud Galleries, London
Ponytail, Gentle Friendly and Hands On Heads – Amersham Arms, London

Sunday 21st September

The Ghost Frequency, Ocelot, Kids Love Lies and Chew Lips – Proud Galleries, London
Thomas Tantrum – Bar Academy, Oxford
White Lies – Club Ifor Bach, Cardiff
Johnny Foreigner – Lamp, Hull

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Jamie McDermott of The Irrepressibles.

The_Irrepressibles_by_Helmetgirl
The Irrepressibles by Helmetgirl.

If Amelia’s Magazine had a wish list of character traits that would perfectly encapsulate its personality then you would struggle to surpass those of Jamie McDermott, one of the magazines favourite performers. The founding member, and centre piece of The Irrepressibles, could have tailored his CV to fit the remit of Amelia’s Magazine. The Irrepressibles’ creator, composer, arranger and avant garde curator wears his heart firmly on his sleeve and is intensely protective and proud of his conception, and rightly so. Their mix of love and lust, longing and tragedy is often borne out as cathartic confessionals. Jamie’s vision and passion, which he so effectively channels through his ‘performance orchestra’, were captured brilliantly, earlier this year on his bands debut album Mirror Mirror.
 
The Irrepressibles, Jamie’s very personal labour of love, have been a regular source of fascination for the Amelia’s Magazine, having been previously featured both in print and on-line. Their very original and ground breaking approach continues to push the boundaries of live popular music, as their choice of venue can also testify to. Having performed in places as diverse as Latitude Festival and the V&A, and from the Hackney Empire to a recent guest appearance at London Fashion Week you are unlikely to experience the norm.
 
It was shortly after their recent LFW performance that I managed to hook up with Jamie. With a little trepidation, a youthful excitement and a great deal of pleasure I tracked him down and interrupted his very busy schedule. I was not only hoping to get a little insight into the world of The Irrepressibles but also an idea of who Jamie really is. I wasn’t to be disappointed. Jamie talked vividly and most candidly about how it all began, where his influences have come from and above all what an incredible journey it has all been. (Just don’t mention the Pope, you’ll only be greeted with silence!) Here is Jamie McDermott from The Irrepressibles.

The_Irrepressibles_Cello_Bass_by_Helmetgirl
Cello and Bass by Helmetgirl.

Way back before the formation of The Irrepressibles was there a pivotal moment in your life where you decided that you would be a performer, a musician, a composer? What lead to your epiphany?
I had fallen in love with my best friend – another boy – and we were inseparable. He had a band and I wanted to be around him so I began to sing in it. But one night I explained how I felt. We fell apart as friends. I felt alone, I knew that I was gay and that people didn’t feel it was right… I wanted to throw myself of the cliffs of the seaside town where I lived. But when stood there in the air I heard music. My own. Instead of jumping I decided to explain to the world through music the beauty of being in love with another man in a way that everyone would understand. 

How did you go about creating The Irrepressibles, did you have a defined vision of how you were going to express yourself? Has it changed at all? Do you see it as an evolutionary process and if so what are the triggers to change? How did you all meet?
I had been writing music focused on what I wanted to say and the emotions I needed to express. I wanted to surround this emotion with a world, a soundscape that could explain the depth of feeling, so I began to work with orchestral instrumentation as they could offer the abrasive and the sublime the surreal and the polyphonic. Initially it was me and four others on a course in popular music studies. I had discovered the library and as a working class boy from North Yorkshire I was starving for the words and pictures. I read about Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McClaren, Andy Warhol and the KLF’s work with pop music subculture, about the political force of music in the words of Atalli and Eisler and fell in love with the iconic imagery of film makers Fasbinder and Kenneth Anger. I also read about the work with spectacle by Dali, Meredith Monk with The House and Laurie Anderson amongst others. I had been seeing visions since I was a child that accompanied the music in my head, I wanted to create something and these people gave me the confidence to make my visions real. I was irritated by the manufactured pop music and it’s lack of real emotion but also the boring visual aesthetics of indie music at the time and I wanted to create something fresh and reactionary. 

 The_Irrepressibles_Fluteplayer_by_Helmetgi
Fluteplayer by Helmetgirl.

What do you see as your main influences and inspirations, both musically and personally?
The sounds of the world around me. I am most influenced by non musical elements. The world itself is musical everything from the sounds of laughter to the hum of the bus I’m sitting on now are singing. The movement of people and machines all have a complexity of nature a kind of polyphony in their interaction. My music has this interaction. As do my spectacles where movement meets light installation meets interactive set meets music meets movement to create one being of emotion – one machine of emotion. 
 
Of your contemporaries, are there any that you are listening to, any that you are finding particularly creative or challenging?
Yes Simon Bookish is incredible, I adore Peaches, Broadcast are consistently inspirational, The Knife are wonderful…

Many people have tried to capture the essence of your performance and creation without necessarily being able to convey the whole experience adequately on paper. How would you describe your music and performance?
It is an organic machine of emotion. 

The drama and theatre within your music and shows is clearly crucial and only serves to heighten the experience for the audience. At what point in the creative process does this become a consideration? Do you have a structured way of writing a song? How does it all work for you as the writer/composer?
I write automatically i.e. from my subconscious. I let my decisions be as spontanious and uncontrived as possible in order to explain fully the depths of my subconsious. I then see visions of how I can present the music in a space working with the parameters of lighting and set installation, movement and feeling. 

The_Irrepressibles_Violin_by_Helmetgirl
Violin player by Helmetgirl.

There have been comparisons drawn with your style of music to Antony Hegarty and David Bowie among others. For me there is are also the theatrics of early Marc Almond solo work such as Vermin In Ermine as well as a sympathy and empathy with a lot of New Romantic sensibilities. Where do you see your musical style?
I am very much influenced by what I would call the leneage of gay artists. I also believe that gay artists create a slightly different aesthetic of sound and visual generally – a very varied one when you consider Grizzly Bear, Owen Pallet, Patrick Wolf and Me at this time – but there is an aesthetic. I am also massively influenced by female artists like Meredith Monk and Kate Bush of course. I believe like Kate I see music and performance as innately another world a fantasy world were emotions can be better expressed – a dream. 

Many of your songs, such as In This Shirt, are very personal and clearly connect with your audience. Do you find that laying yourself bare, so to speak, gives a song more truth, depth and sincerity and as such it is more credible and infinitely more appreciated? Is that what you strive for?   
I only ever write honestly and cathartically – I am completely open but I was bullied throughout all of my schooling you get to the point were you feel pretty much naked to everyone anyway. Sometimes you wont believe it as the songs sound melodramatic but when you consider that My Friend Jo was in fact about looking in the face suicide at a time of hysterical emotions it does make sense. Why does everything have to be simple in music? Life of course is complex and polyphonic and so I believe music should be too. Sometimes my music is more simplistic because the emotion is, other times it’s like a mad person you can’t understand. We are all mentally ill in some way. 
 
Both the 2009 release, From The Circus To The Sea, and this years album, Mirror Mirror, have been very well received garnering much critical acclaim. Do you now feel the swell of expectation and public consciousness rising as your audience grows ever bigger?
It’s been nothing short of incredible. I spend most of my time talking to fans all over the world. I always feel awful when people complement my work and I don’t get back to them. I have become a whore to Facebook and Myspace… ha ha! 

You have played some decidedly different venues this year from The Roundhouse and The V&A to three shows at Latitude. How were they for you and what can everyone expect from the forthcoming shows that are due to start at the end of this month? 
At the Roundhouse the orchestra performed 10 meters in the air on moving seats, at Latitude we opened the festival with ‘Gathering Songs’ which consisted of several pieces for different parts of the orchestra that were performed desperately all over the forest over 2 and a half hours which accumulated in a spectacle on the water, the year after I created the Light and Shadow spectacle with lighting installation. The V&A commissioned me in 2009 to create a spectacle for their Baroque Exhibition then came the chance to create my Human Music Box installation which was then taken to Latitude the same year. This year I created the Mirror Mirror Spectacle which began with a commission for the Queen Elizabeth Hall. We are touring this internationally now and present it again in London at the Scala tomorrow.  

The Irrepressibles are touring into 2011, are there plans after that to record any new material or are you working on other projects, if so what are they?
I am working on my new AIR spectacle which will be premiered in Modena Italy next week. I am then going to begin work on music for a Manga Opera with Hotel Pro Forma who famously created the opera with The Knife. The next album is now half written and we should begin recording this soon. 

Thank you so much for this, I really appreciate you taking the time. Best of luck for your forthcoming shows.

Categories ,Andy Warhol, ,Antony Hegarty, ,Atalli and Eisler, ,Broadcast, ,David Bowie, ,Fasbinder, ,grizzly bear, ,Hotel Pro Forma, ,Jamie McDermott, ,Kate Bush, ,Kenneth Anger, ,KLF, ,latitude, ,Malcolm McClaren, ,Manga Opera, ,Meredith Monk, ,Mirror Mirror, ,Owen Pallet, ,Patrick Wolf, ,Peaches, ,Roundhouse, ,Simon Bookish, ,the irrepressibles, ,The Knife, ,va, ,Vivienne Westwood

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Amelia’s Magazine | Gig Review: Sia at the Roundhouse


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

In my honest opinion, buy the V&A is the single most wonderful museum in the world. Where else can you pass by Medieval sculpture, breeze by centuries-old Japanese textiles and pass under Renaissance frescos to marvel at Dame Edna’s full-english-breakfast frock? At the V&A, I tell ya!

I was here today for the latest Fashion in Motion catwalk show – events that bring the runway to the public and make watching fashion, in this sense, accessible.

This time it was the turn of Osman Yousefzada, Afghan-born and British-based fashion designer.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Taking my seat on the front row, it’s always incredible to look around and see what type of people attend these events. Today’s crowd was made up mostly of the usual breed of fashionista-slash-scenester, but it’s always great to see how diverse this crowd is – particularly the two little old dears who were sitting by my side. They were in the mid-to-late seventies I’d say, but they looked absolutely gorgeous and told me ‘they love a catwalk show!’

The show began with a burst of loud music and a very muscular man appeared wearing one of Osman’s body-concious floor-length creations (womenswear, I hasten to add). As he moved down the catwalk robotically, whoops and cheers were heard, and his lean frame began to dance in that fascinating interpretative style that I defy anybody to fully explain or understand. He was joined by a girl who came hurtling and spinning down the catwalk, her aesthetic a-line pleated Osman creation getting maximum exposure from her delicate moves.

When the ‘fashion’ part of the show kicked in, it was easy to see why Osman is celebrated internationally for his forward-thinking fashion. In this semi-retrospective of his work, the key themes were glamour, sophistication and body-concious ensembles. These four strutted their stuff first.

Quickly the show gathered pace and we were treated to a whistle-stop tour of Osman’s previous and present collections. Body-con was again high on the list of things to see, along with a range of delicate and very, very feminine short dresses.


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

Osman’s style is hard to pin down. It’s glamorous, at times futuristic but never, ever boring. At first glance many of the pieces are wonderfully simple, but always with a twist: like an oversized tafetta corsage in post-box red, or metallic gold bodice.

Osman relies on a natural colour palette; futuristic grays are a strong theme along with fashionable nudes, and it is the craftsmanship and engineering of these Japanese-inspired pieces that work the hardest.

Hot pink blouses and gold lamé macs brought a welcomed splash of colour, however.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

In my honest opinion, prostate the V&A is the single most wonderful museum in the world. Where else can you pass by Medieval sculpture, ampoule breeze by centuries-old Japanese textiles and pass under Renaissance frescos to marvel at Dame Edna’s full-english-breakfast frock? At the V&A, order I tell ya!

I was here today for the latest Fashion in Motion catwalk show – events that bring the runway to the public and make watching fashion, in this sense, accessible.

This time it was the turn of Osman Yousefzada, Afghan-born and British-based fashion designer.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Taking my seat on the front row, it’s always incredible to look around and see what type of people attend these events. Today’s crowd was made up mostly of the usual breed of fashionista-slash-scenester, but it’s always great to see how diverse this crowd is – particularly the two little old dears who were sitting by my side. They were in the mid-to-late seventies I’d say, but they looked absolutely gorgeous and told me ‘they love a catwalk show!’

The show began with a burst of loud music and a very muscular man appeared wearing one of Osman’s body-concious floor-length creations (womenswear, I hasten to add). As he moved down the catwalk robotically, whoops and cheers were heard, and his lean frame began to dance in that fascinating interpretative style that I defy anybody to fully explain or understand. He was joined by a girl who came hurtling and spinning down the catwalk, her aesthetic a-line pleated Osman creation getting maximum exposure from her delicate moves.

When the ‘fashion’ part of the show kicked in, it was easy to see why Osman is celebrated internationally for his forward-thinking fashion. In this semi-retrospective of his work, the key themes were glamour, sophistication and body-concious ensembles. These four strutted their stuff first.

Quickly the show gathered pace and we were treated to a whistle-stop tour of Osman’s previous and present collections. Body-con was again high on the list of things to see, along with a range of delicate and very, very feminine short dresses.


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

Osman’s style is hard to pin down. It’s glamorous, at times futuristic but never, ever boring. At first glance many of the pieces are wonderfully simple, but always with a twist: like an oversized tafetta corsage in post-box red, or metallic gold bodice.

Osman relies on a natural colour palette; futuristic grays are a strong theme along with fashionable nudes, and it is the craftsmanship and engineering of these Japanese-inspired pieces that work the hardest.

…Whilst some pieces, like this beautiful bell-like creation, seemed to float over the model as she effortlessly walked the catwalk.

Hot pink blouses and gold lamé macs brought a welcomed splash of colour, however.


Illustration by Leah Wilson


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

In my honest opinion, shop the V&A is the single most wonderful museum in the world. Where else can you pass by Medieval sculpture, breeze by centuries-old Japanese textiles and pass under Renaissance frescos to marvel at Dame Edna’s full-english-breakfast frock? At the V&A, I tell ya!

I was here today for the latest Fashion in Motion catwalk show – events that bring the runway to the public and make watching fashion, in this sense, accessible.

This time it was the turn of Osman Yousefzada, Afghan-born and British-based fashion designer.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Taking my seat on the front row, it’s always incredible to look around and see what type of people attend these events. Today’s crowd was made up mostly of the usual breed of fashionista-slash-scenester, but it’s always great to see how diverse this crowd is – particularly the two little old dears who were sitting by my side. They were in the mid-to-late seventies I’d say, but they looked absolutely gorgeous and told me ‘they love a catwalk show!’

The show began with a burst of loud music and a very muscular man appeared wearing one of Osman’s body-concious floor-length creations (womenswear, I hasten to add). As he moved down the catwalk robotically, whoops and cheers were heard, and his lean frame began to dance in that fascinating interpretative style that I defy anybody to fully explain or understand. He was joined by a girl who came hurtling and spinning down the catwalk, her aesthetic a-line pleated Osman creation getting maximum exposure from her delicate moves.

When the ‘fashion’ part of the show kicked in, it was easy to see why Osman is celebrated internationally for his forward-thinking fashion. In this semi-retrospective of his work, the key themes were glamour, sophistication and body-concious ensembles. These four strutted their stuff first.

Quickly the show gathered pace and we were treated to a whistle-stop tour of Osman’s previous and present collections. Body-con was again high on the list of things to see, along with a range of delicate and very, very feminine short dresses.


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

Osman’s style is hard to pin down. It’s glamorous, at times futuristic but never, ever boring. At first glance many of the pieces are wonderfully simple, but always with a twist: like an oversized tafetta corsage in post-box red, or a metallic gold bodice.

Osman relies on a natural colour palette; futuristic grays are a strong theme along with fashionable nudes, and it is the craftsmanship and engineering of these Japanese-inspired pieces that work the hardest.

…Whilst some pieces, like this beautiful bell-like creation, seemed to float over the model as she effortlessly walked the catwalk.

Hot pink blouses and gold lamé macs brought a welcomed splash of colour, however.


Illustration by Leah Wilson


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

In my honest opinion, online the V&A is the single most wonderful museum in the world. Where else can you pass by Medieval sculpture, pilule breeze by centuries-old Japanese textiles and pass under Renaissance frescos to marvel at Dame Edna’s full-english-breakfast frock? At the V&A, remedy I tell ya!

I was here today for the latest Fashion in Motion catwalk show – events that bring the runway to the public and make watching fashion, in this sense, accessible.

This time it was the turn of Osman Yousefzada, Afghan-born and British-based fashion designer.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Taking my seat on the front row, it’s always incredible to look around and see what type of people attend these events. Today’s crowd was made up mostly of the usual breed of fashionista-slash-scenester, but it’s always great to see how diverse this crowd is – particularly the two little old dears who were sitting by my side. They were in the mid-to-late seventies I’d say, but they looked absolutely gorgeous and told me ‘they love a catwalk show!’

The show began with a burst of loud music and a very muscular man appeared wearing one of Osman’s body-concious floor-length creations (womenswear, I hasten to add). As he moved down the catwalk robotically, whoops and cheers were heard, and his lean frame began to dance in that fascinating interpretative style that I defy anybody to fully explain or understand. He was joined by a girl who came hurtling and spinning down the catwalk, her aesthetic a-line pleated Osman creation getting maximum exposure from her delicate moves.

When the ‘fashion’ part of the show kicked in, it was easy to see why Osman is celebrated internationally for his forward-thinking fashion. In this semi-retrospective of his work, the key themes were glamour, sophistication and body-concious ensembles. These four strutted their stuff first.

Quickly the show gathered pace and we were treated to a whistle-stop tour of Osman’s previous and present collections. Body-con was again high on the list of things to see, along with a range of delicate and very, very feminine short dresses.


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

Osman’s style is hard to pin down. It’s glamorous, at times futuristic but never, ever boring. At first glance many of the pieces are wonderfully simple, but always with a twist: like an oversized tafetta corsage in post-box red, or a metallic gold bodice.

Osman relies on a natural colour palette; futuristic grays are a strong theme along with fashionable nudes, and it is the craftsmanship and engineering of these Japanese-inspired pieces that work the hardest.

…Whilst some pieces, like this beautiful bell-like creation, seemed to float over the model as she effortlessly walked the catwalk.

Hot pink blouses and gold lamé macs brought a welcomed splash of colour, however.


Illustration by Leah Wilson


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

In my honest opinion, viagra buy the V&A is the single most wonderful museum in the world. Where else can you pass by Medieval sculpture, pills breeze by centuries-old Japanese textiles and pass under Renaissance frescos to marvel at Dame Edna’s full-english-breakfast frock? At the V&A, I tell ya!

I was here today for the latest Fashion in Motion catwalk show – events that bring the runway to the public and make watching fashion, in this sense, accessible.

This time it was the turn of Osman Yousefzada, Afghan-born and British-based fashion designer.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Taking my seat on the front row, it’s always incredible to look around and see what type of people attend these events. Today’s crowd was made up mostly of the usual breed of fashionista-slash-scenester, but it’s always great to see how diverse this crowd is – particularly the two little old dears who were sitting by my side. They were in the mid-to-late seventies I’d say, but they looked absolutely gorgeous and told me ‘they love a catwalk show!’

The show began with a burst of loud music and a very muscular man appeared wearing one of Osman’s body-concious floor-length creations (womenswear, I hasten to add). As he moved down the catwalk robotically, whoops and cheers were heard, and his lean frame began to dance in that fascinating interpretative style that I defy anybody to fully explain or understand. He was joined by a girl who came hurtling and spinning down the catwalk, her aesthetic a-line pleated Osman creation getting maximum exposure from her delicate moves.

When the ‘fashion’ part of the show kicked in, it was easy to see why Osman is celebrated internationally for his forward-thinking fashion. In this semi-retrospective of his work, the key themes were glamour, sophistication and body-concious ensembles. These four strutted their stuff first.

Quickly the show gathered pace and we were treated to a whistle-stop tour of Osman’s previous and present collections. Body-con was again high on the list of things to see, along with a range of delicate and very, very feminine short dresses.


Illustration by Eugenia Tsimiklis

Osman’s style is hard to pin down. It’s glamorous, at times futuristic but never, ever boring. At first glance many of the pieces are wonderfully simple, but always with a twist: like an oversized tafetta corsage in post-box red, or a metallic gold bodice.

Osman relies on a natural colour palette; futuristic grays are a strong theme along with fashionable nudes, and it is the craftsmanship and engineering of these Japanese-inspired pieces that work the hardest.

…Whilst some pieces, like this beautiful bell-like creation, seemed to float over the model as she effortlessly walked the catwalk.

Hot pink blouses and gold lamé macs brought a welcomed splash of colour, however.


Illustration by Leah Wilson

Oh, and the shoes were pretty amazing, too – and looked surprisingly comfortable (although I’m not sure I’ll be wearing any anytime soon)

We’ll look forward, then, to Osman’s future collections now we’ve revelled into this little delve into his past. If you want to find out more about Fashion in Motion and future events, check out the listings section or the V&A website.

You can also see the previous Fashion in Motion event, Erdem, here.

Would it be wrong of me to say that London has become oversaturated with sombre bands that focus on their image rather than entertain their audience? It would be a lie for me to deny that many of the gigs I’ve attended recently have done little to evoke much excitement. Perhaps this is something I’ve come to recognise because Sia’s gig at Camden’s Roundhouse last Thursday was far from the stale acts I’ve been subjecting myself to lately. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is because the performance was constructed with one very significant word in mind – fun!

Fun began the moment I stepped into the venue and was confronted with a stage design that had made extensive effort to use every possible colour the eye can conceive – a far cry from the dark mellow colour tones I’ve come to encounter in other performances.

Sia took to the stage in a kooky Craig Lawrence outfit fashioned with what I’d assumed was red and white construction tape giving her the appearance of a Christmas candy cane. Whilst this may have constituted a fashion atrocity to some, tadalafil the outfit couldn’t have been more suited to the foolery played out that evening.

Sia was eager to bring out the silliness in everyone with moments between songs reserved to the audience – moments in which we were invited to heckle our performer. Random items were thrown towards the stage in these instances not out of spite but because this musician has a reputation of wearing whatever is hailed her way; like a mouse shower cap for example! (Which she put on with good grace and an infectious laugh). A brief exit from stage later on in the show had her re-emerge with some sort of bubble contraption strapped to her back that flooded the Roundhouse with literally hundreds of bubbles.

Gig goers were treated to a few new tracks from the upcoming album ‘We Are Born’ which has a presence of more upbeat pop melodies as compared to previous albums which contrasted such tunes with slower tracks. I can’t decide if I find this a bit upsetting because it’s these somewhat softer tunes that seem to bring out that commanding voice Sia possesses that I’m so fond of. That’s not to say that these new tracks are in any way bad; ‘Never Gonna Leave me’ was definitely a crowd pleaser. Then there was the poignant ‘Breathe Me’ that the band only had to play the first couple of cords to before the crowd howled back their appreciation. Whilst we weren’t given a taste of any of the tracks Sia had collaborated on with Zero 7 she did put on an impressive performance of ‘Soon We’ll Be Found’ where she simultaneously translated her lyrics into the language of sign. In fact the whole show was played out with a sign language interpreter just to the right of the stage.

What struck me overall about the evening was the prominence Sia placed on audience involvement and how such an energetic mass was shaped by simply acknowledging the crowd. It got to the point where it seemed everyone was craving the musicians attention with some folks clambering on top of a mates shoulders hoping to be called upon to ask a question whilst others decided a deafening shout was all that was needed to be noticed. Sia misunderstood most of these cries and would try to echo what she thought she’d heard which more times than not seemed to be a swear word of some kind.

These moments of miscommunication were hilarious and were a unique feature of the evening. I would have loved to have voiced something of my own however I was forced to make protecting my ear drums a priority as a result of the squeals emerging from the eager gentleman beside me. This musician definitely has an effective formula for igniting excitement; Transforming a room of rather rigid bodies into a space where those very bodies are bouncing off each other as they fight for a space to dance.

Charisma and vocal talent is something Sia undoubtedly possesses and uses to make sure she isn’t performing to a crowd of zombies. This energy remained even after the show had finished with gig goers more than happy to chat with absolute strangers as they exited the venue. I saw that we were all showing off our smiles; in fact I’m still trying to wipe that smile from my face.

Categories ,Craig Lawrence, ,Live Review, ,Roundhouse, ,Sia, ,Zero 7

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Slits – Album Review

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I’ll put up my hands and admit that as a girl, health medications not yet a quarter of a century old, remedy talking about music is utterly intimidating. Yet I try. At some point in my life I’ll make a concerted effort to dance about architecture too. There is an endless wealth of information on bands that have already been, that I am never, ever going to be able to catch up on. Yet I try. As a music fan (enough to write about it), I’m embarrassed to admit that I only really discovered my, now, all time favourite band, Talking Heads within the last five years. I know, shoot me down. My convoluted point is that, as much as I try and piece it together, I can only imagine what The Slits releasing ‘Cut’ meant to the females and general youth and music fans of 1979. Yes there was a sex bomb fronted Blondie, intriguingly androgynous Patti Smith and unconventional Kate Bush, but an all female, punk rock band that posed naked on their album sleeve and generally didn’t give a f***. No one saw that coming and their influence has reverberated ever since.

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Fast forward then 30 years and their new album, Trapped Animal, has been unleashed to a society that is certainly far from sorted. But can the music still have the same punch? The garage approach of Cut has inevitably given way to a slicker product all round. That same mixture of reggae rhythms, scratchy guitars, anger and mischief abounds. Rather than sounding like a band thirty years past their prime, as could be said of many a reunion album, there is a freshness that means you could be mistaken for thinking you’re hearing the latest South London council estate collective. This could be explained by the new multi-generational line-up that features Sex Pistol Paul Cook’s daughter, Hollie. You also get the impression that frontwoman Ari Up has as much energy as her fourteen year old self that met original member, Palmolive, at a Patti Smith gig.

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Lyrically, the album doesn’t stretch the boundaries of the concept of rhyming but you wouldn’t hear Girls Aloud bemoaning of “Men who want us to be their mother/Men who hate us because of their mother.” Where the Pop Idol-ers are concerned with their “cappuccinos to go-o”, Up and her girls are hollering about ‘Peer Pressure’, “issues with child abuse” and eschewing the shackles of a nine to five: “We don’t pay rent with a passion, and we don’t wanna follow fashion.”

The fact that foul-mouthed Lily Allen launched her career on the wave of reggae-tinged pop is no accident. The Slits invented the model for anti-establishment, men-bashing, unselfconscious pop and even though this new offering will never live up to Cut standards, it’s a welcome return of punk’s finest.

Categories ,blondie, ,girls aloud, ,kate bush, ,lily allen, ,patti smith, ,pop, ,punk, ,reggae, ,rock, ,sex pistols, ,talking heads, ,the slits

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Amelia’s Magazine | The Ruby Suns – Fight Softly – Album Review

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A-W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

Before his A/W 2010 fashion show I knew nothing about Richard Sorger, medications but I quite liked the graphic design of his invitation featuring a glossy printed bee – and sometimes this is enough to get me to a show.

Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show
Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show.

The main area at Victoria House had been curtained off and the space in front had been turned into a small curved catwalk that the models walked around before stopping in a line up against the far wall. Due to a dearth of photographers I was able to take my place in what constituted the pit, shop as the girls tracked towards us. The lighting was a confusing patchwork so there was a lot of grumbling from photographers around me but I think I managed to take some moody shots with no flash.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory

The small collection had none of the graphic simplicity seen in the invite, doctor with the very basic dress shapes somehow grating against the excessive embellishment creeping across them – 3D embroidered bees and flowers alluding to the Swarm of the title, netting spilling willy-nilly off the front of one dress. The colour palette didn’t help – sludgy greys, beiges and menstruation red not being my favoured tones – and making the clothes somehow came across as leaden rather than glamourous.

Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

All in all I left finding it a bit hard to believe that Richard Sorger dresses some of the celebs listed on his website – including Courtney Love, Cindy Crawford and Heidi Klum – unless this collection was a big departure from his usual style. But a further search of the blogosphere reveals that he has produced some much more interesting clothes; some of it available for a knock-down price over at ASOS.

I love his oversized flamingo and skeleton arm jersey tees – maybe a lighter, brighter coloured feel is what Richard Sorger does best – ditch the sludgy bulk for next season I say!
Richard Sorger A-W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

Before his A/W 2010 fashion show I knew nothing about Richard Sorger, view but I quite liked the graphic design of his invitation featuring a glossy printed bee – and sometimes this is enough to get me to a show.

Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show
Bee on the invite for the Richard Sorger show.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory

The main area at Victoria House had been curtained off and the space in front had been turned into a small curved catwalk that the models walked around before stopping in a line up against the far wall. Due to a dearth of photographers I was able to take my place in what constituted the pit, capsule as the girls tracked towards us. The lighting was a confusing patchwork so there was a lot of grumbling from photographers around me but I think I managed to take some moody shots with no flash.

Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory
Richard Sorger A/W 2010. Photography by Amelia Gregory

The small collection had none of the graphic simplicity seen in the invite, more about with the very basic dress shapes somehow grating against the excessive embellishment creeping across them – 3D embroidered bees and flowers alluding to the Swarm of the title, netting spilling willy-nilly off the front of one dress. The colour palette didn’t help – sludgy greys, beiges and menstruation red not being my favoured tones – and making the clothes somehow came across as leaden rather than glamourous.

Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger A W 2010 Abigail Daker
Richard Sorger by Abigail Daker.

All in all I left finding it a bit hard to believe that Richard Sorger dresses some of the celebs listed on his website – including Courtney Love, Cindy Crawford and Heidi Klum – unless this collection was a big departure from his usual style. But a further search of the blogosphere reveals that he has produced some much more interesting clothes; some of it available for a knock-down price over at ASOS.

I love his oversized flamingo and skeleton arm jersey tees – maybe a lighter, brighter coloured feel is what Richard Sorger does best – ditch the sludgy bulk for next season I say!
Ruby Suns - Fight Softly

Poor Ruby Suns. You work for months and months, order day and night, price in a windowless studio writing, recording and producing your third album, tweaking knobs, perfecting your art and getting all excited about it, only to get to release date to find that numerous other bands with a similar musical style and influence have released their latest critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums before you. Gutted. While Yeasayer, Animal Collective and Fleet Foxes bask in the glory of recent albums that made the public and critics alike sit up and applaud, new album ‘Fight Softly’ from kiwi band The Ruby Suns just sounds like more of the same. And perhaps, dare I say it, not even as good? It’s even more disheartening when you think that The Ruby Suns released their first self titled electro indie pop album in 2005, when ‘Fleet Foxes’ and ‘Odd Blood’ were nothing more than a twinkle in their creators’ eyes.

Ryan McPhun – Californian-born, New Zealand resident, and axis on which The Ruby Suns spin – is clearly an expert in the technical workings of electronica and the ins-and-outs of world music. Every possible synth sound is used to the point of overload on this record, with 80s new-wave chord sequences, afro and tropicalia beats, spiralling sustain, echoing electro vocals and close harmonies coming thick and fast to produce an eclectic, experimental and sometimes challenging sound. Like a kid with a new keyboard for Christmas, every button has been pushed and every effect has been used.

It is an undeniably uplifting and, at times, euphoric record with some genuine feel-good moments, such as stand out track and lead single ‘Cranberry’, which makes you feel like grabbing a Pina Colada, donning a Lei and limboing under the nearest low fence. ‘Closet Astrologer’ is an epic, spacious affair, replete with McPhun’s wavering, delicate vocals, echoing beats, wistful basslines and twinkling keys. What seems to be lacking, however, is a bit of raw emotion. This is a very introverted affair – it is strangely detached, and therefore left me cold.

The influence of such records as Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Tango In The Night’ and Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds Of Love’ are constantly hovering over this album in such a commanding way that I found myself hankering for “Little Lies” and “Running Up That Hill” rather than “Closet Astrologer” and “Two Humans”. While these two tracks are good, they’re simply not as good as their original influences.

Whether it is because I heard this album after the likes of ‘Odd Blood’ and ‘Merriweather Post Pavillion’, or whether it ‘s just not as impressive an album, I was left feeling that ‘Fight Softly’, although interesting, stirring and genuinely enjoyable in places, lacked the innovation, the soul and the jolting originality of it’s contemporaries. Had this record come out a year ago, it might have been a very different story altogether.

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