HELLO
How are you all? Good? Fab, that's great news. Bad? Oh, that's unfortunate, I'm sure everything will get better soon :)
Anyway, I'm here to talk about my 'Gig Wish List'. 10 artists/bands that I'm relatively desperate to see live, plus some honourable mentions afterwards (who I'm also kind of desperate to see live). Let's get straight into it:
1. Years & Years
One of my new favourite bands, Years & Years have become huge this past year. Mainly hitting with their number 1 single King, they're set to release their debut album Communion in the next two weeks. I love the 'vibe' of Years & Years' music, as I would perhaps explain, they're very 'tumblr'. I love their new single Shine, and I think seeing them live would be a fantastic experience, with everyone singing and dancing along, as well as Olly's notable sassy dance moves. The stripped down version of Eyes Shut is fantastic, I simply cannot get enough of this group.
2. Florence + The Machine
Florence's new album is out and it's better than ever, a more 'rock' feel to it than Lungs and Ceremonials, I'd love to see songs from How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful performed live, especially Delilah and Ship To Wreck. I'm a huge fan of Florence, and her headlining Glastonbury set replacing The Foo Fighters was one of the best I've seen, the same can't be said for Kanye's headline set (greatest living rock star I think not, although I'd love to have that confidence in myself). Florence really gets into the music, and creates a fantastic show where she really becomes one with the 'sound' and interacts with the audience in such a way that makes them feel as if they themselves are part of the show.
3. Galantis
Desperate to see Galantis live, so desperate. They create songs that are simply entertaining and make you want to get up and dance, now imagine that with a few other peoplle (hundreds/thousands) and you have a Galantis concert. Imagine the atmosphere when the drop hits, everyone jumping around and just having a good time. Besides, judging from that clip, they look like they're having the time of their lives as well.
4. Tove Styrke
I'm relatively new to Tove Styrke's music, but I've instantly fallen in love. I discovered Borderline first, and just went further into her music and started to watch some live footage. Tove comes from Sweden, a country with some really fantastic artists emerging into the mainstream, and I predict big things for Tove Styrke, with her debut album reaching no. 10 in the charts, and her second, and most recent, hitting no. 14. Live footage show an intimate concert experience, one that I'd very much love to be a part of.
5. Jessie Ware
Jessie Ware's voice is soulful and personal, and her performance style is unique. I imagine her concerts are a really fulfilling experience, because you really get what you ask for. I'm astonished by Jessie's fantastic songs, and her success is so well-deserved, at the time of writing this, I'm watching Jessie Ware's Glastonbury 2015 set, and it's simply brilliant. A real credit to the music industry right now, in what seems to be a rather generic time of artistry.
6. Clean Bandit
Clean Bandit are one of my favourite groups, I love Extraordinary, and I also have a love for Stronger. Watching their set at Coachella was brilliant, and then bamn. Marina came on and performed their collaboration Disconnect, which I'm SUPER pumped for. Clean Bandit bring something unique to the pop scene, combining classical and mainstream to create a really fresh sound. I find myself watching clips of their live shows in awe of their stage presence and supreme talent.
7. James Bay
James Bay is a fantastic artist, ridiculously talented and it's admirable just how well he's taken all this sudden success. His live performances are perfectly intimate and entertaining, and his songs are so wonderfully flowing that you feel like you've known them all of your life, and you feel like you can just sing along because of this. His album is one of, perhaps is, one of my favourite albums of 2015 so far. I feel like James Bay is going to be one of my favourite artists of all time, and in the future I will most definitely remember him and his music, because it's had such a positive, and reflective, impact on my life so far. James is the type of artist that sounds amazing in studio versions of songs, but just as good, perhaps even better, live. James creates emotional music, which is something we really need in our society where music can be seen as just an emotionless sound.
8. The Wombats
I love The Wombats, ever since their first album I've been a huge fan. I have a few friends that have seen The Wombats live, and they've absolutely loved it. Myself, watching clips of The Wombats live, like the one above, the whole 'gig' experience really comes to life with The Wombats. The lighting, set, and general feel-good music across all of The Wombat's music with songs such as Techno Fan, Give Me A Try and more, all lend to a fun and energetic experience, one that I would love to experience. The Wombats have long been part of my music taste, and I predict they will be for many years to come, especially with the release of their brilliant new album Glitterbug.
9. Lorde
If you've come across my blog before, you may have read an appreciation post I did for Lorde. Lorde's debut album is fantastic, and I could really connect with it. Myself and Lorde are about the same age, and probably would have been in the same class together at school if, you know, my life were that exciting. Lorde's stage presence is one that I truly admire, and her live performances really emulate her passion for music, and the 'show' itself appears to be highly entertaining and perhaps intense, in a good way. Thus, Lorde simply HAS to appear on my gig wish list.
10. HAIM
HAIM are my faves. They are cool. Just cool. Not swag cool, ultimate cool. V. cool. Their live sets are filled with energy and atmosphere, and I'm particularly fond of their performances of Let Me Go, because of that ending (see above). Such drums, much intense, many fun. Anyway, as you can probably tell, I'm a huge fan of HAIM, Danielle, Este, and Alana are my heroes. Their music is fun and energetic, but they can also tell a story in a soulful and delicate way. HAIM's debut album is my favourite from 2013, and I really am looking forward to what Danielle, Este, Alana and Dash create in the future.
Honorable mentions
Marina & the Diamonds
Foxes
Fall Out Boy
Panic at the Disco
Hozier
Amber Run
Bastille
KYKO
Circa Waves
Anyway...
That's all for now.
See you soon!
TotallyCulture
Curtis
