Sounds of an Eccentric

Last Saturday Kazoopa Festival hit Leeds city center, showcasing the finest up-and-coming musicians from across the country. I spent the day running from venue to venue, seeing and chatting to as many bands as I could. INTRO SONG - STILLIA '4AM' FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Kazoopa Festival hits Leeds city center this Saturday, showcasing the best up-and-coming bands and artists from across the country. Here are my top picks for the day. The Wholls - The Lending Room 21:30 Avalanche Party - The Lending Room 8:30 Naked Six - The Packhorse 14:30 Berries - Verve Pabst Blue Ribbon Stage 18:30 The Jackobins - The Lending Room 15:30 Carnation - Milo 21:00 Glass Peaks The Lending Room 16:30 Atlanta House- The Lending Room 14:30   Liberty Ship - Verve Pabst Blue Ribbon Stage 22:30 Mint - Oporto 16:30 Kiziah and the Kings - Milo 18:00   Breed - The Packhorse 17:00 Sheafs - The Lending Room 19:30 Spinn - Verve Pabst Blue Ribbon 16:30 Sons - The Packhorse 18:00 Louie James - Bad Apples 18:45 FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Newcastle post-indie group Static Blue return with not one, but two new singles: 'Rabbit Hole' and 'Tarra'. The two singles are due to be released on 5th December, and will be launched at their headline show at Little Buildings on December 9th. The first track 'Rabbit Hole' opens with a charmingly nostalgic guitar riff, before introducing a disco drum beat and hazy, daydream vocals, creating a post-indie and disco hybrid. It's a lot more reserved then their previous singles, which have grittier (and occasionally camp) undertones. The ambient harmonies and lilting vocals work well together to produce a really pretty tonality and the group have the solid foundations for adding an ethereal, tranquil side to their music. The track could have been elevated if the bass line was more pronounced - there's some really delicious riffs but we only get a little nibble of its flavour. Also the screaming in the final chorus is a bit distracting and spoi...

Double Denim Live returned to Verve Bar last Saturday, hosting an electric night of music from Bonsai , The Black Roses and The Brookes . Kicking the night off was Stoke-on-Trent  based group Bonsai . Their music itself was good, and they're definitely all decent musicians. There were glimmers of optimism with the guitar solos and heavier bass lines, but their sound isn't quite fluid yet. They need to ditch the cheesy pop lyrics and go down the heavier route. Their  biggest sin however, was their overly animated front man, who just cheapened their act. His stage presence was so over the top that it was cringe-worthy and distracted from the music. He needs to reel it in and let their music do the talking. They need to give their songs more character, rather than relying on a zany stage presence. Up next was North-London indie group The Black Roses . The quartet incorporate blues and punk undertones into their music, which when combined with their gritty, dist...

Local musicians and artists paired up with the mental health charity Mind , to raise money and promote awareness of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The event took place at the Corn Exchange and showcased work from local artists and live sets from eight acts. Mind describes SAD as: "a form of depression that people experience at a particular time of year or during a particular season. It is a recognised mental health disorder... If you experience SAF, the change in seasons will have a much greater effect on your mood and energy levels, and lead to symptoms of depression that may have a significant impact on your day-to-day life." Click here for more information.   The iconic building was decorated with an array of fairy lights, vines, flowers, tapestries and grass blocks, bringing spring back into the colder months. Inside the arches of the building there was virtual reality games and a mindfulness workshop. The event was organised by Ben Schrodel and Daniel Parke...

Last night Brighton rock duo; Royal Blood ; played an enthralling show at Leeds First Direct Arena. Kicking the night off was indie-rock group Black Honey . Their sound is driven by punky riffs, beefy bass, ebullient percussion and stentorian vocals. Their instrumentals often adopt a blues or surf rock undertone, giving their songs a sating depth and a distinct sense of character. The highlight of their set was their track 'Spinning Wheel'. Their enigmatic front woman Izzy B Phillips opened the track with her bewitching vocals, before the track exploded into an energetic frenzy of bold bass lines, aggressive percussion and surf rock inspired guitar riffs. Up next was American punk-rock veterans At The Drive In . Their brand of heavy, raucous noise subdued the crowd, engulfing them in a electric atmosphere. Their singer, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, emitted a radioactive stage presence. From jumping on top of the drum kit to throwing the mic stand around, the man...

 Kazoopa Festival returns Leeds city center next Saturday. I caught up with NAKED SIX , SONS, Louie James and  GLASS PEAKS to talk about how they were feeling about their upcoming performances and why inner-city festivals are invaluable to up-and-coming-artists. Music by GLASS PEAKS READ HOW THE JACKOBINS ARE FEELING ABOUT KAZOOPA FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM CHECK OUT MY KAZOOPA PLAYLIST