#darksidemusic

Into their 10th year of being a band, Little Comets were again touring. This time, in support of their two new singles, “M62” and “The Punk Is In The Detail”. 

With this being the 8th time I have seen Little Comets play live, I am used to them producing an incredible atmosphere, however when I walked into a half empty Concorde 2, I was very sceptical on whether such an atmosphere could be recreated. With only 2 new singles released, a tour comprising of 11 dates across the UK seemed very bizarrely timed and it was no wonder why this was no where near sold out. 

With such a phenominal and extensive back catalogue comprising of 4 albums and a number of EP’s, it always makes for interesting changes in setlist from tour to tour. Starting with Semaphores on the Lawn, a song that, although was released on their 2012 album ‘Life is Elsewhere’, was added to the setlist for the first time this tour. With the setlist being made up of songs taken from all 4 albums, as well as their two singles it was undoubtedly a very enjoyable show for old fans and new. Their 2 new singles were played back to back in the middle of their set and it was clear that Little Comets are still managing to produce music with both lyrical depth and their very familiar style, and they still sound incredible. ‘The Punk Is In The Detail’ joins a long list of Little Comets songs that pick apart very current issues and aim to get people thinking. With lyrics focusing on the Grenfell disaster and the problem that is modern-day racism, it shows that providing thought-provoking performances is still a key part of the band’s identity. 

After playing both electric guitar and bass, lead singer Rob, moved onto the keyboard and it was at this point the crowd knew what was coming next, “The Blur, The Line and The Thickest of Onions”. Their track, famous for being aimed at Robin Thicke after he released Blurred Lines, was a moment that showed, even in a half full Concorde 2, Little Comets could still produce an incredible atmosphere. 

Little Comets are also a band known for not giving into the painful tradition of an encore. Instead of leaving the stage for a couple of minutes, before returning to play the last few songs, lead singer Rob remained onstage and performed a truly encapsulating acoustic performance of ‘Coalition of One’. This provided one of the only moments of the evening where the audience was in complete silence. ‘Bridge Burn’ then followed, with the whole band back onstage, and at this point, the whole audience was singing and dancing with such passion. It made it seem like the venue was full! The set finally came to an end with their traditional set ender, ‘Dancing Song’ which as usual, was sung back to them like it was an indie anthem of the 2000s.

I am lucky enough to be going to Indie Tracks Festival this summer. The indie/DIY music festival taking place in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside between the 27th and 29th July. I got to ask Nat, one of the festival organisers, some questions about the festival. 

Q:How long have you been going as a festival? A:This year is our 12th year!

Q:What factors help decide which bands you have playing? A:We run an open application process, but also look at bands recommended on the Anorak forum and through social media.We attend a lot of gigs ourselves, and keep an eye on up and coming exciting new bands throughout the year. We like to book a range of bands from more well known to new artists, with the aim of showcasing a diverse range of music and talent at the festival    

Q:Why should people consider coming to Indietracks festival over other festivals? A:We don't really compare ourselves to other festivals, but we would say were a friendly, inclusive festival showcasing the best of the DIY indiepop scene at the moment. Plus, in addition to the music we have unlimited steam train rides, kids activities, discos, workshops, real ale and even owls. There's lots on offer for everyone!

Q:Over the years, what is the weather usually like? A:We've been fairly lucky with the weather, but sometimes we do get rainy weekends. It's not a huge deal though - we just bring our headliner indoors and the festival continues as usual!

Q:If you could describe Indietracks in three word what would they be? A:Music, steam trains and owls! :)

Q:It is a no camping festival, where can I stay for the weekend? A:There is a campsite next to the main festival site - the Golden Valley Railway - which also hosts discos after the main site music has finished. Otherwise there are lots of hotels in the area including the Travelodge and Premier Inn.

Q:How much are tickets? A:All prices are online at indietracks.co.uk/tickets

Supporting their brand new album ‘Kindness is the New Rock and Roll’, Peace were back on tour. I caught their show in Southampton at the Engine Rooms. I have listened to peace for years, but tonight was the first time I have ever seen them live. I have even bumped into Harrison Koisser in a bar but never seen Peace play live. Speaking to one of my friends recently who has seen Peace a ridiculous number of times described them as “one of the best indie bands live” and he was not wrong. Peace delivered a truly incredible performance made up of 19 songs taken from their various albums. 

After the release of their new album, I was a little disappointed. It was something slightly different from Peace and personally, the album didn’t live up to the same quality as their previous two. However, their live performance brought their album to life and you could see every detail that went into the songs. They included seven songs from their latest album in the set including incredible performances of ‘Magnificent’ and ‘Silverlined’.

The presence that Harrison Koisser has on the stage is incredible. Unlike a lot of frontmen, he does not come across as cocky or arrogant, he just managed to fill the stage. The whole band creates an atmosphere which makes their live performances even better.

Rather than an encore, Peace decided to do something that a lot of bands decide to do, leave their lead singer on stage. Harrison performed truly incredible versions of ‘Float Forever’ and a request earlier in the evening from a fan, ‘World Pleasure’. This just showed the extreme levels of talent he has. The band came back on stage to finish their set with ‘Lovesick’, ‘Kindness is the New Rock ‘n’ Roll’ and ‘Bloodshake’.