Musical Brit Abroad

The tiara that Princess Reempooch has within her rights to wear. But, however, what do we see at the top of the triangle? A heart with a stone in the middle. In concealing her true purpose, Reempooch has had to live an ‘upside down’ hipster life, so what happens when we flip the heart upside down? (or in this case, downside up?) We see the true purpose of Reempooch’s existence:

When I first came to Madrid I have Flamenco on my to do list as a secondary objective. So when the time arose to see a live performance(for a discounted student rate) at Las Carboneras venue in Madrid, I jumped at the opportunity and was not disappointed.

Having a father who is very fond of gypsy jazz and flamenco meant that I had some familiarity with the music, but to see it live was a very different was a very different experience. For this particular performance the ensemble divided into three clear sections, the guitarist, the vocalist and the dancers.

The visual emphasis was on the dancing which to my surprise was very focused around the footwork sharing similarities to tap dance. Clapping was combined with the foot tapping (though also stamping) to create intricate dynamic percussive texture over the beautiful harmony provided by the guitars. the melodies were divided between the both vocalist and guitars often taking a couple of minutes each to take the musical spotlight. All the vocalist were male tenors who all at different points of the performance took opportunity to demonstrate their virtuosic prowess , showing a level of power and control I often associated with opera, from all parts of the ensemble their was a real sense of passion and power which gave a lot of energy to the show making it truly engaging from start to finish.

For me personally the the best aspect was the way the music and dance came together so effortlessly. I would like to explore this further in the future

He is an chart topper, a celebrity and a skilled singer/songwriter. I had the great pleasure of being able to enjoys Ed’s musis on his Multiply tour (also known as X) in Madrid on November 24.

Having a wide collection of musical friends from various musical background, some academic and other not so much, I have found a large critical decide in opinion of his music. Often finding whilst some praising him for his vocal ability well constructed lyrical phrasing, others actively criticise him for his sometimes uncoventional lyrical metaphors and clichéd subject matter. I headed to this performance with all these contradicting opinions playing in my head, however I tried to keep an open mind.

After having to stand outside the venue in thunderous rain for over two hour we entered, soaked to the bone, grateful for warmth but not in the best of moods. However this all changed once the music began.

I will not make any secret of the fact that the majority of Ed Sheerans material is acoustic love songs verging on the cliches (Tenerife Sea, One and Give me love) but he delivers them in what I would argue in a unique and thoughtful way. For his live set he plays solo with the assistance of a loops pedal, he uses the pedal to build up textures, Laying bass and percussion (through the guitar) and adds vocal harmony on the courses. Whilst it is in its nature, simplistic, it is that simplicity that adds to the beauty. Watching one musician with a guitar and loop pedal easily engage a room of around 4000 people is an amazing thing.

In regards to the popular music industry the material is gold. He writes well constructed catchy songs which are very memorable, varied enough between themselves to escape the feeling of the staying on one level but also keeping enough of his own personality in the music so it feels very genuine in the messages, emotions and stories he tries to express. It is more than clear that a lot of the subject matter is focused around relationships with different women, but it only makes sense as the majority of his market are female and whilst creative diversity is vital, it is also important to consider who you are writing the music for.

Consider this more a note of appreciation to a gig well played. And whilst I feel I may get judged by individuals of more pretentious tastes, I would like add that in spite of everything wrong with the music industry, popular music can be popular because of its musical quality. We are very quick to slam pop music more than others and whilst there is a lot of legitimate critic, disliking something on the sole basis of its popularity is two steps away from bigotry, but that is another rant for another time…

Speaking from my own personal experiences, Livewire provides great support for young people, giving the a space where they can discover themselves, make friends and develop themselves for face an ever changing and often confusing world.

I would often take advantage of the Musical resources playing at the venue regularly, trying out original material, jamming with other musicians as well as building my confidence. Due to the experiences I gained from Liveiwre I have continued to pursue music academically and professionally. I perform over the country with different ensembles and have recently directed two Musicals for a Theatre Company based in Coventry.

Livewire helped me when I needed it most, just as they help so many other young people across Plymouth and Saltash.

Now with the term kicking off I find myself starting the Instrument workshop module, which essentially is keyboard skills. As I could not afford bringing my own electric piano and the university music resources are somewhat limited I could feel some separation anxiety to say the least. Having the chance to simply play again is a fantastic feeling and has given me motivation to push my abilities further by trying to focus on technique. I am hoping that this module will enable me to improve my sight-reading as it is a singular aspect of my practice that is lacking behind the rest.

I feel rejuvenated and ready. Time to get to work...

Source Radio & TV host the first Source Live Lounge of 2014 featuring The Soaps. Filmed by: YiChen Shi; O'phia Rigabie & Reynold Maunze Edited by: Anita Kaur.

Callum Maciver: Ukulele and Vocals

Daniel Leather: Guitar

Kiel Church: Vocals