Sounds of an Eccentric

Photo by Hayley Rawlings Last Friday Manchester based psyche-folk artist Solis christened her debut E.P, with an intimate and profoundly charming gig at Leaf on Portland Street. From the hand-painted tapestry to the feather scattered floor, the evening radiated a quintessentially bohemian vibe. The interluding chatter was minimal due to the hypnotically captivating energy of her performance. She was able to orchestrate the room, simultaneously summoning a gentle sway and raising the hairs on the back of your neck. Supporting the enigmatic artist was fellow Mancunian groups  Plume ,  Hark  and  Different Oceans , all of which amicably played stripped back versions of their set, heightening the tranquil aura of the evening. The eponymous E.P. features four of her most celebrated tracks: 'Spirits', 'Home', 'Osmosis' and her stand out track 'Be Together'. Fuelled by lilting vocals and an ethereal chorus, 'Be Together' is a dreamy ...

Photo by Alethea Shephard March is nearly upon us and with so many exciting independent gigs on the horizon, it's the perfect time to discover your new favourite band. 1st March - Contagious Courageous and In The Tune Presents: Scribble Victory, Rascalton, Emaze and Cameron Sinclair-Harris at the Sitwell Tavern 2nd March - Solis Debut E.P. Launch at Leaf on Portland Street 3rd March - The Harriets at Belgrave Canteen and Music Hall 4th March - Farfisa Single Release at Aatma 5th March - Here Lies Man at the Brudenell Social Club 6th March - THE WORLD IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE & I AM NO LONGER AFRAID TO DIE at Brudenell Social Club 7th March - Deep.Sleep at the Lending Room 8th March - Spotlight Music Presents: International Women's Day Showcase At Independent 9th March -  Sauvage, Mosaic Sun & Noah Noah at Tynemouth Surfcafe 10th March - Double Denim Live Presents: Avenoir Single Launch at Key Club 11th March...

'Never Mind' is the debut single by Newcastle born artist Amy Marrianne. The twenty year old singer-songwriter has combined her background in musical theatre with her love of pop and folk music to create a bewitchingly mellow track. It's clear that she has been heavily influenced by French artist Bon Iver - as the single sounds like a middleman between 'Holocene' and '715 - CRΣΣKS'. The songs opens in an acapella style, delicately layering ethereal harmonies with vulnerable vocals, to create an hauntingly beautiful ambiance. Occasionally there's a glimmer of a Geordie accent tickling the vocals, which gives the track an endearing warmth and sense of character. As the song progresses, minimalist piano and flute accompanies the vocals, adding a sweet depth to the tranquil melody without compromising its gorgeous simplicity. Overall, it's a very promising debut single that highlights Amy Marrianne's ability to craft engaging and compos...

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

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...

 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