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Month: February 2018

Live Review: Alvvays at Academy 2

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

Since forming in 2011, Alvvays (pronounced always) have crafted a jangly, dream-pop aesthetic
brimming with Greta Gerwig-esque charm which last year garnered critical acclaim on their sophomore
LP ‘Antisocialites’. Antisocialites marked a clear improvement from their self-titled debut in terms of
song writing and production value, with front woman Molly Rankin delivering a stunning performance
throughout.

As I arrived the support band ‘Spinning Coin’ were already underway. Spinning Coin offered a stark
contrast in voices between the 2 main vocalists on stage, with the abrasive vocals of Jack Mellin cutting
across the more delicate tones of Sean Armstrong. This partnership offered an interesting dynamic to
the Glaswegian outfit’s sound and I enjoyed the energy they brought to their set.

The headliners approached the stage to a swarm of pastel coloured patterns and static projected upon
them before playing the opening track of their latest album ‘In Undertow’. The crowd responded with
warm cheers as Kerri MacLellan’s arpeggiated synth draws the song to a close and Rankin remarked with
a smile, “Do you know what I like about Manchester? It doesn’t matter if it’s a Monday night”. Alvvays
continue to pull out hits, with “Plimsol Punks” and “Archie, Marry Me” following shortly after. One
striking difference between watching the band live and listening to their records is how much more
prominent Rankin’s vocals are. Almost as a trope of the genre her angelic voice merges with the
shimmering instrumentation on their records, but live she truly was the focal point of the music. This
was never more the case than half way through their set when the lights dimmed, and a spot light shone
upon her for ‘Forget About Life’. The crowd sang every lyric back to Rankin as the thudding toms from
Sheridan Riley started to deliver a pulsating rhythm building in a small crescendo. After a brief exodus
from the stage for one of the most predictable and redundant encores I have ever witnessed, the band
re-emerged to play ‘Party Police’. Throughout the show it was endearing how enamoured the band
were with the sincere response they received from the crowd.

After watching Alvvays live, I must admit I am now a bigger fan. They have a charm and brilliance which
you can’t fully appreciate from their exploits on record. If you are a fan, make sure you make effort to
catch them live as it does breathe new life into their music.

 

9/10.

 

Jack Walker for Fuse FM.

News Around Fuse #4

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in News.

It’s been a big few weeks for Fuse! Semester Two broadcasting has finally hurtled into existence, with some excellent shows hitting the airwaves. Big shout-outs go to Retro Revival, The Gig Guide, Ben and T Shouldn’t Have A Radio Show, and Eat The Beat.

That’s just four of our favourite shows on Fuse, but we could list another 40 – the quality this semester has been outstanding, so huge thanks must go to our volunteers for making consistently great radio.

In other news, Fuse announced two massive events in March. On March 13th, the Fuse FM FUNdraiser will be grooving out Cubo, all in aid of the Rock Of Joy foundation based in Masaka, Uganda. Get down from 10pm to catch Nat Fanuel, Long Schlong Silva, and Salt Beef Woman play some funky tunes and support a great cause. Tickets for the event can be found here > https://www.facebook.com/events/2334723773219954/.

Our next event comes on the 20th March, with the much-anticipated return of Fuse Live. Back at it again in Fallow Cafe, Fuse in partnership with Jagermeister are serving up a delicious three course musical meal: Fresco, Joe Keegan, and Puppy Fat will be down. All the details can be found here > https://www.facebook.com/events/147168619292911/.

Finally, Fuse is proud to be supporting the 2018 Women In Media Conference. It’s a fantastic weekend, and with anyone welcome, it’s a great way to learn more about the industry and meet new people. Find out about it here > https://www.facebook.com/events/1526808740770412/.

 

We’ll see you soon!

Live Review: Franz Ferdinand at Albert Hall

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

Five studio albums down and Franz Ferdinand still retain so much of their zany and rambunctious
aura that enticed legions of fans in more than a decade ago. And whilst carrying out a performance
that would’ve considerably pleased the oldest and ardent of fans, the concert also featured a
plethora of tracks from their newest album Always Ascending that featured a slight transition in
music than to what fans may be used to.

The night began with a short but sweet hour performance from Albert Hammond Jr, well known as
the lead guitarist of The Strokes. Known for his eclectic style and killer speedball riffs during past
performances with the band, Hammond Jr certainly did not disappoint. Including hits such as ‘In
Transit’, Hammond Jr and his band riled up the crowd appropriately for the main act, so much so
that if they were ever to tour independently in the UK I wouldn’t hesitate in buying a ticket.
Announcing this new album as the introduction to Franz Ferdinand’s new period of music in a
previous interview with NME, it was an interesting experience seeing jovial and old-school hits such
as ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Do You Want To’ and ‘Michael’ alongside some of their newest songs.

Whilst some from Always Ascending, such as ‘Lazy Boy’, contain the quintessential foot-stomping vibe Franz
Ferdinand are known for, tracks like ‘Feel the Love Go’ and ‘Glimpse of Love’ felt like a return to a
groovy 70s age of Franz Ferdinand fans didn’t even know they needed! ‘Huck and Jim’ was a
personal favourite of mine from the album and exceeded my expectations when performed live:
there’s something magical about shouting your love and admiration for the NHS at the top of your
voice in Albert Hall. Nonetheless, all tracks still contained just the right amount of bop that make
Franz Ferdinand an absolute pleasure – and a whole lotta fun – to witness live in concert.

8/10.

Manni Gill for Fuse FM.

Live Review: Peter Perret at Gorilla

Written by Hannah O'Gorman on . Posted in Reviews.

Peter was supported by Bad Parents, who had a slow start in front of a still thin crowd. However, their closing track ‘You Can’t Date a Model’ – previously a Steve Lamacq 6 music recommends – drew a warm response as the Peter Perrett Posse started to arrive and get into the spirit of things.

Peter came out to a raucous welcome. The goodwill for Peter – who has battled addiction problems for many years – was palpable, with frequent back and forth between the former Only Ones frontman and his audience. Perrett was witty (‘Any United fans in? Good of you to come all the way up from London’), charming, and seemed genuinely grateful for the support. His set consisted of a mix of tracks from his new album ‘How the West Was Won’ – the title track of which was a strong point – and classic Only Ones tracks.

He was joined on stage by his two sons, playing bass and lead guitar respectively. Both were impressive and evidently delighted to be able to share in their Dad’s comeback. But, for all the brilliance of his youngest son’s guitar solos and the absurdity of his vampiric, criminally underused keyboardist, it was clear that the crowd were waiting for the highlight track.

At last, to close his first encore, Peter obliged. ‘Another Girl, Another Planet’ had the
crowd bouncing like back in ’78. When he left the stage for the final time, the overwhelming sense was of not only satisfaction with a good gig, but a broader compassion for Perret – perhaps summed up by one punter’s particularly memorable interjection: ‘its good to see back on your feet, Peter.’

 

8/10.

 

Dan McDonagh and Richard Pitts for Fuse FM.