Amelia’s Magazine | Easter 2013: Illustrated

Easter by Daniel Alexander
Easter by Daniel Alexander.

I don’t know about you but this feels like the least Eastery Easter for many years: normally the weather is becoming properly spring-like and the daffodils are blooming in abundance. In 2013 though, it still feels like the depths of a ridiculously long, cold, wet winter: and many animals are suffering due to the prolonged cold weather: sheep and lambs have been buried in snow drifts across the country, hedgehogs and other hibernating animals are unable to wake up because the weather is not warm enough yet, many birds and insects are unable to find food because the plants on which they feed are not yet in bloom and seabirds such as puffins are dying of starvation because they can’t eat enough to keep up their energy and keep themselves warm. And on that sobre note I present to you these Easter illustrations: all of them focused on pagan symbols that have been part of spring equinox celebrations the world over for thousands of years. Let’s hope new beginnings arrive soon.

Easter Bunnies by Katie Eberts
Easter Bunnies by Katie Eberts.

Easter Bunny by Ruth Joyce 2013
Easter Bunny by Ruth Joyce.

Easter Drawing by Holly Maguire
Easter Drawing by Holly Maguire.

garden of eden by Lucy Bishop
Garden of Eden by Lucy Bishop.

Easter Illustration by Constance Posey
Easter Illustration by Constance Posey.

Easter-by-Sylwia-Szyszka
Easter by Sylwia Szyszka.

Easter Bunny by Jo Chambers
Easter Bunny by Jo Chambers.

Easter by Madi Illustration
Easter by Madi Illustration.

Easter by Jo Rose (Dear Little Forest)
Easter by Jo Rose (Deer Little Forest).

easter by Benjamin Phillips
easter by Benjamin Phillips.

Categories ,2013, ,Benjamin Phillips, ,Bunnies, ,Chicks, ,Constance Posey, ,Daniel Alexander, ,Deer Little Forest, ,Easter, ,Eggs, ,Holly Maguire, ,illustration, ,Jo Chambers, ,Jo Rose, ,Katie Eberts, ,Lucy Bishop, ,Madi Illustration, ,Pagan, ,Rabits, ,Ruth Joyce, ,Studio Legohead, ,Sylwia Szyszka

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | TOY at the Lexington: Live Review

Toy by Christina Pavlou

TOY by Christina Pavlou

Taking refuge from unusually arctic conditions outside, the main bar of the estimable establishment that is the Lexington was already beginning to swell as people patiently waited for the signal to head to the venue. There was a distinct mix in the clientele (not least age), reflecting the vintages of both of the bands who were due to play tonight.

Toy by Thom Lambert

TOY by Thom Lambert

Part of the five day DRLL:LONDON festival curated by influential art punk band Wire and music website The Quietus, tonight saw rising new band TOY supported by ‘secret special guests‘ (though it didn’t take much working out who those special guests would be).

Toy by Sylwia Szyszka

TOY by Sylwia Szyszka

Playing the understudy tonight, Wire hit the stage with bass player Graham Lewis mischievously announcing that ‘We are Horsemeat Searchlight.’ They then powered through a short, loud set, mainly composed of their choicer nuggets, before hot-footing it across town for another DRILL:LONDON show at Cafe OTO, where they were due to be play alongside another new band, Teeth Of The Sea.

Toy by Katie Eberts

TOY by Katie Eberts

Formed from the ashes of one-time indie hopefuls Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong, TOY have been making waves over the last couple of years, earning praise from the likes of Rhys Webb of The Horrors along the way with their psychedelic, krautrock referencing sound. Their self titled debut album was a keenly anticipated release last year, and they’ve been playing to steadily larger audiences – indeed, tonight’s show had almost sold out even before it became apparent that Wire were also playing.

YouTube Preview Image

TOY snuck on stage about ten minutes earlier than billed, so I’d luckily timed my bar run right, and immediately launched into an epic Dead & Gone, with its hypnotic rhythm building into a wall of noise mid-way through. The set was largely a run through of tracks from the album, with vocalist Tom Dougall (who, incidentally, is the brother of former Pipette Rose Elinor Dougall) doing a quick introduction to each song. A pacy Colours Running Out led into a new number, Fall Out Of Love.

Toy by Sylwia Szyszka

TOY by Sylwia Szyszka

As a band, TOY visually seem to reflect their music, looking almost as though they’ve just stepped out of a rehearsal studio in Düsseldorf in 1974. Dougall is, as ever, clad in black, delivering clipped vocals between bursts of guitar, whilst there is some serious head bobbing from rhythm guitarist Dominic O’Dair and especially bassist Maxim Barron. Drummer Charlie Salvidge chips in with backing vocals, whilst a near motionless Alejandra Diez conjures some synthesizer washes.

YouTube Preview Image

After early singles Left Myself Behind and Motoring, TOY finished with a distinctly cosmic Kopter, before leaving the stage to cheers from the heaving crowd. With a short break before festival season begins, with appearances including Field Day, Glastonbury and the Hop Farm Music Festival lined up, it looks like TOY are going to be taking their far-out sound far and wide.

Categories ,cafe oto, ,Christina Pavlou, ,DRLL:LONDON, ,Field Day, ,glastonbury, ,Hop Farm Music Festival, ,Horsemeat Searchlight, ,Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong, ,Katie Eberts, ,krautrock, ,Lexington, ,Pipettes, ,Rose Elinor Dougall, ,Sylwia Szyszka, ,Teeth of the Sea, ,the horrors, ,The Quietus, ,Thom Lambert, ,toy, ,wire

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | Introducing Tiny Dancer: Who Am I?

Tiny Dancer by Jo Ley
Tiny Dancer by Jo Ley.

It’s not often that I get over-excited about a music artist on the basis of one video, but that is exactly what happened after hearing the soon to be released single Who Am I? from singer Tiny Dancer, a pop star in the making if ever I saw one. This exotic whirlwind hails from a small village just outside Sheffield, where a passion for music secured her a place at the local theatre school. With a look that channels the leotards, swaying moves and swinging locks of Kate Bush, and a dance floor friendly sound that is all her own, I caught up to find out what makes Tiny tick.

YouTube Preview Image
Tiny Dancer by Laura Hickman
Tiny Dancer by Laura Hickman.

You describe yourself as an ‘artist having a love affair with music’ – which came first and how do the two entwine in your life?
I made a commitment to my music, music is the love of my life. It’s a relationship without the problems and it will never stop making me happy. There wasn’t really a question as to whether or not I’d be doing this, I’ve been doing it all my life so why would that change? I was making music since i was around 8 when I first sat by my dad at the guitar, I wrote my first song when I was 13 with a few basic chords on the piano. 

Tiny Dancer who am i
Tiny Dancer by Sharon Farrow
Tiny Dancer by Sharon Farrow.

You’ve already been compared with some greats: Kate Bush, Gwen Stefani, Marina & the Diamonds. Who were you listening to when you were a little girl?
I grew up listening to a lot of songs my dad would play – by The Beatles, Phil Collins, The Monkees and Genesis. Then I discovered Lene Lovich, by that time I’d lost my mind… she’s still living somewhere inside of me I’m sure. I knew at the early stages of my life I was different. I sometimes felt and still feel like I’m channelling another person or someone else lives inside me… I’m definitely being guided and watched. 

Tiny Dancer by Carley Chiu
Tiny Dancer by Carley Chiu.

Tiny Dancer by Gemma Cotterell
Tiny Dancer by Gemma Cotterell.

It’s been said that you are not another ‘winsome girl perched on a stool with an acoustic guitar‘ – how do you write?
I experience things, I write about them, and then I move on. Writing about experiences enables me to move on from them. It’s a cathartic process, and has, in many ways, changed my outlook on life as a result. My lyrics are often dark, but I’m not exactly the Tim Burton of lyrics. Darkness is supposed to be the absence of light but for me it’s a place where creativity thrives, this is the kind of darkness that inspires me to write in the way that I do. I write stories really, that’s what my songs are, short stories but I hope they enable people to create their own personal story.

Tiny Dancer by Katie Eberts
Tiny Dancer by Katie Eberts.

Tiny Dancer by Simon McLaren
Tiny Dancer by Simon McLaren.

I love your outfit in Who Am I? – how did you decide what to wear and how important is the way you dress?
You know how a child wears exactly what they want? Well that’s me. Maybe it’s difficult to understand, but I’m not fashionable. My image will forever be evolving, change is what keeps everything on it’s feet… each outfit I wear has it’s own personality, in fact you could say that my clothes control me. My favourite piece to wear is self expression, I have always wanted to wear a black fin. Face paint is also a vital part of me, paint is art and art is a form of exorcism… it adds another dimension to my performance.

Tiny Dancer by Daniel Alexander
Tiny Dancer by Daniel Alexander.

Tiny Dancer by Lea Rimoux
Tiny Dancer by Lea Rimoux.

You’ve been working with Wayne Wilkins – how does the relationship work?
Wayne is one of the most talented and genuine people you will ever meet. I’m deadly serious when I say this… When we work together, we are always in a very focused space. It’s also very much a wonderland when musical magic is born.

Tiny Dancer in orange
Who Am I? by Tiny Dancer is released by Croydon Boy on 6th May.

Categories ,Carley Chiu, ,Croydon Boy, ,Daniel Alexander, ,Gemma Cotterell, ,Genesis, ,Jo Ley, ,Kate Bush, ,Katie Eberts, ,Laura Hickman, ,Lea Rimoux, ,Lene Lovich, ,Phil Collins, ,Sharon Farrow, ,sheffield, ,Simon Mclaren, ,the beatles, ,The Monkees, ,Tiny Dancer, ,video, ,Wayne Wilkins, ,Who Am I?

Similar Posts: