Katherine Priddy Archives -

Words by Eleanor Sutcliffe

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) comes to the NEC in Birmingham on 28^th May. For a direct event information, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/slam-dunk-festival

As one of the most anticipated dates in the UK pop punk calendar, it’s safe to say Slam Dunk Festival are taking no prisoners with this year’s line up. With a bevy of bands and artists descending upon the NEC in just under a week’s time, I took it upon myself to comb through the roster and select a number that I personally love.

Holding Absence / Rock Sound Breakout Stage

Birmingham favourites, Holding Absence, are set to make their Slam Dunk debut this year on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. Having recently announced the departure of guitarist Feisal El-Khazragi, it will be one of their first performances without him in their line up. But with Holding Absence recently nominated for Best British Breakthrough Band at the 2018 Heavy Metal Awards, plus playing a string of dates supporting Being as an Ocean across Europe in June, they’re certainly not letting El-Khazragi’s departure slow them down.

Represented by Sharptone Records – who bought us the likes of Don Broco, Miss May I and We Came As Romans – the Cardiff based band also recently toured and released a co-EP with Loathe titled This Is As One, which earned them numerous positive reviews from critics for tracks such as ‘Saint Cecilia’.

Holding Absence perform at 3:30pm on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. For more on Holding Absence, visit www.holdingabsence.com

‘Saint Cecilia’ – Holding Absence

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PVRIS / Jägermeister Main Stage

Having recently performed at Coachella, PVRIS will be returning to Birmingham hot off the heels of the American leg of their All We Know of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell tour – promoting their latest album of the same name.

Lynn Gunn’s dreamy vocals, combined with the band’s heavy rock influences, have earned them a dedicated fanbase and won them Rock Sound’s Artist of the Year Award back in 2017. Here’s hoping PVRIS also perform some tracks from their debut album, White Noise, with songs such as ‘St. Patrick’ and ‘My House’ being on my personal wish list.

PVRIS perform at 8:15 pm on the Jägermeister Main Stage. For more on PVRIS, visit www.pvris.com

‘Anyone Else’ – PVRIS

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Taking Back Sunday / Monster Energy Main Stage

Returning to Slam Dunk for the 3^rd time, Taking Back Sunday were in the first wave of bands to be confirmed to at perform this year’s festival.

Having released their 7^th album, Tidal Waves, in September 2016, and parting ways with their original guitarist Eddie Rayes last month, it will be interesting to see if we get to hear any new material from the group. Although I’m hoping to hear classic tracks such as ‘You’re So Last Summer’ and ‘MakeDamnSure’ as well as songs such as ‘You Can’t Look Back’ from their latest album live.

Taking Back Sunday perform at 8:05pm on the Monster Energy Main Stage. For more on Taking Back Sunday, visit www.takingbacksunday.com

‘You’re So Last Summer’ – Taking Back Sunday

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Astroid Boys / Impericon Stage

The Impericon stage will be hosting hardcore grime band Astroid Boys, who have always delivered impressive shows in Birmingham. Growing steadily since their formation back in 2012, they were bought to my attention after being featured in BBC Radio 4’s documentary Operation Grime, which tailed them on a tour across the UK.

Astroid Boys‘ music is not for the faint hearted – expect brutal lyrics addressing issues such as racism, mashed with hardcore and grime influences to create a sound you probably have never heard before… but will just as probably want to listen to again.

Astroid Boys perform at 2:20 pm on the Impericon Stage. For more on Astroid Boys, visit www.astroid-boys.com

‘Foreigners’ – Astroid Boys

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As It Is / Signature Brew Stage

Announcing the August release of their latest album, The Great Depression, only a few days ago, Brighton based As It Is will be headlining the Signature Brew stage this year.

A band who’ve amassed a dedicated fan base with tracks such as ‘Dial Tones’ and ‘Hey Rachel’, their material is catchy, easy to listen to and fun – however it’s unfair to assume they lack a more serious side. Their latest release, ‘The Wounded World’, delves into a much darker side of their ever-expanding noise, having been cited by the band as a ‘new era’ of their music which expands on ‘the societal romanticisation of depression’ and ‘the disrepair of present-day human connection’.

As ever with this band, though, As It Is approach their subject with the respect and sensitivity it warrants – referencing their new material as a means for them to work to create a positive change for mental health.

As It Is perform at 8:30pm on the Signature Brew Stage. For more from As It Is, visit www.asitisofficial.bandcamp.com

‘The Wounded World’ – As It Is

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Luke Rainsford / The Key Club Acoustic Stage

The Key Club Acoustic Stage is hosting a stellar line up of bands and artists, including Birmingham’s Luke Rainsford – combining upbeat guitar with gut wrenching vocals, making music that is hard hitting but a real treat to listen to.

Having toured the UK extensively since the release of I Feel At Home With You in February 2017, and having recently released his latest EP, I Just Don’t Deserve To Be Loved, in April 2018, Rainsford’s music deals with difficult issues such as loss, bereavement, low self esteem and mental health. Good, honest stuff.

Luke Rainsford performs at 4:15 pm on The Key Club Acoustic Stage. For more on Luke Rainsford, visit www.lukerainsford.bandcamp.com

‘Home Safe’ – Luke Rainsford

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltnvyxgWovs

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Stand Atlantic / Rock Sound Breakout Stage

Australian trio, Stand Atlantic, will also be making their Slam Dunk debut this year, having recently toured with other performers such as ROAM and Knuckle Puck. With their latest EP, Sidewinder, reaching an impressive #10 on Rock Sound’s Top 50 Albums of 2017, and having been cited by Kerrang! as one of the hottest bands of 2018, Stand Atlantic are proving they’re a force to be reckoned with.

Claiming influences from Blink-182 to The 1975, they’re certainly considered a mixed bag musically too – but in the best possible way. Trust me. Go and listen to ‘Coffee at Midnight’. You can thank me later.

Stand Atlantic perform at 6:00 pm on the Rock Sound Breakout Stage. For more on Stand Atlantic, visit www.facebook.com/StandAtlantic

‘Coffee at Midnight’ – Stand Atlantic

Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) comes to the NEC in Birmingham on 28^th May. For direct information on Slam Dunk Festival 2018, including details on all the events happening across the UK, visit www.slamdunkmusic.com

For a direct info and online ticket sales for Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands), visit www.gentingarena.co.uk/whats-on/slam-dunk-festival

For more from the Genting Arena, including full events listing and venue details, visit www.gentingarena.co.uk

Words by Katherine Priddy / Lead pic by Morgan Maassen

Have you ever found yourself stretched out and sun-warmed on the white sands of a Hawaiian paradise, with nothing but a large zoot and a battered old guitar to keep you company? Me neither. But after listening to Jack Johnson’s 7^th studio album, All The Light Above It Too, I’m not sure I need to in order to know how it feels.

If you’ve listened to Jack Johnson before you’ll be familiar with the trademark intimate, husky vocals, soft acoustic guitar and blissed-out tempos that come together to paint the picture of a relentlessly cool dude. All The Light Above It Too does not exactly buck this trend, but there’s a lot more to the album than just sun, sea and sand.

Indeed, the opening track ‘Subplots’ introduces an interesting duality between sound and subject that runs throughout Johnson’s latest album. Its melody is chilled out and cheerful, based mainly around Johnson’s gentle acoustic guitar playing, with only subtle additions of bass, some slide guitar and light percussion to create a pleasingly organic, clean sound.

But beneath the laid back, beach bum vibe, Jack Johnson introduces a contemplative conversation about wider societal issues. ‘Subplots’ suggests that people have become so caught up in the meaningless dramas of their lives that they have forgotten about the bigger universal narrative unfolding around them. And this combination of carefree, positive melody underpinned by an insightful message is the common denominator of All The Light Above It Too’s ten tracks.

‘Sunsets for Somebody Else’ is so stripped back and dreamy that you can almost smell the sun cream and hear the surf, and yet when you focus in on the lyrics Johnson is touching eloquently on the ever oppressive presence of the media with lines such as “can’t this world afford to sleep anymore?”.

‘My Mind is For Sale’ mourns the “careless, me-first-gimme-gimme appetite” of modern politics and the precariously unreal reality that is presented to us via social media, all whilst disguised as a gentle, no-fucks given tropical tune.

I thought that ‘Gather’ was one of the stand-out tracks on the album, as it provides a surge of energy after the more nonchalant songs that preface it, with an injection of tribal drums and strange electronic glitches that bring to mind Alt-J. The only track not to draw some sort of social commentary is ‘Love Song #16’, which consists, unsurprisingly, of a beautifully romantic ditty to Jack Johnson’s wife; the amalgamation of stripped back acoustics and incredibly personal lyrics creates a refreshing, and rather adorable, pause in Johnson’s meditation on the modern world.

Overall, All The Light Above it Too creates an organic, coastal sound that could quite easily give the illusion that Jack Johnson has never had to worry about a thing in his life, except perhaps what time the tide comes in. Therefore, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this ambiance would detract from the potentially conflicting lyrical messages that worry over a high paced, frightening modern world. But this dichotomy only serves to emphasise an alternative to the unpleasant reality; Johnson muses over the simultaneous pain and pleasure of surrendering to a collective experience and the importance of just letting go.

Indeed, the utterly relaxed and care-free sound to Jack Johnson’s songs merely highlight that you can either panic about the earthly issues that he describes, or you can chose to focus on “all the light above it” – the bigger picture of the universe, and what silly, insignificant beings we really are in the grand scheme of things.

It’s clear to see which option Jack Johnson has picked. All The Light Above It cleverly maintains a balance between beautifully subtle, positive songs, whilst offering opportunities for bigger ideas and reflection.

‘My Mind is For Sale’ – Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson releases All the Light Above It Too on 8^th September, out Brushfire Records. For more on Jack Johnson, visit www.jackjohnsonmusic.com

For more from Brushfire Records, visit www.brushfirerecords.com

Tag: Katherine Priddy

ELEANOR’S PICK: Slam Dunk Festival 2018 (Midlands) @ NEC 28.05.18

ALBUM: All the Light Above It Too – Jack Johnson