Music to our Ears #2 - Hannah Faulkner

So it's that time again. Whilst out and about gigging we come across great artists and this is the place for us to show you just what is out there. Hannah Faulkner came across us at a gig at the Musician in Leicester a year ago (see the gig review here). Her voice struck us immediately as being not only distinguishable but just bloomin strong. She can belt it out. After chatting it turned out we were to play together again just a week or so later. The second time was just as great. She also runs her own night so we've played with her nearly a dozen times or so since. With her new album out just around the corner (Tomorrow!) we threw some questions her way and she agreed to play a live tune just for us here! See the video below with her song and interview.

You can get loads more info on her own site www.hannahfaulkner.com

She also gigs like no tomorrow so go and catch her when you can!

Two gigs, One day - 22/10/11 Review

Let me start this blog by asking you - what makes a gig a successful one?

Basically we had two gigs on one day. The first was a Saturday afternoon slot at the Lichfield Roots & Folk festival and the second a slot at the Ale & Wagon in Leicester in aid of Oxjam.

We turned up at a very posh medieval style building in Lichfield around midday ready for our 1pm slot. Although the event had not started yet, we were very worried about the lack of people in the venue. We grabbed a table and chatted away for around 40 mins until the first act of the day took to the stage. It was a full band playing old dancing tunes and they were very easy on the ear. We gathered our gear and took to the stage. The room had filled up a considerable amount and we kicked straight in to The Preacher. No problems at this point. By the second song I had snapped my ‘A’ string but managed to get through to the end of the song. By the third song my ‘D’ String snapped which rendered my guitar useless and at this point we panicked as we had no spare guitar and another 5 or 6 songs left to play. We made a call out for a guitar, but no guitar came. The crowd were not the most talkative and our usual banter didn’t seem to get them loosened up either. With Michael playing chords and myself just singing we played another song and then, as if by magic, a spare guitar appeared. Michael played a solo version of ‘Great White North’ as I tuned and then we blasted through the last couple of songs at full throttle. The string breakages coupled with the unresponsive crowd and no stage sound (despite 5 stage monitors pointing at us) made us leave the stage feeling like failures.

Then, someone came to buy an album, then another, then another and so on. The unresponsive crowd turned into a chatty bunch and full of complements and lapped up our albums. We also nearly filled a sheet with email address and suddenly it felt like this losing battle had been swung around. We said our goodbyes and left the venue to get home for three o'clock. This gave us enough time to recharge the batteries, change some strings and get ready for gig number two.

We arrived at a very full Ale & Wagon pub around 6pm and couldn’t even get to the front to meet the promoter because of the crowds. We sat near the back and listened to the two artists that were on before us and watched the crazy drunk students as they enjoyed a pint or 10. We finally pushed our way to the front and set up our gear . We hit the crowd with the usual set of high energy BR clobber and this time all was grand. There were a few mic issues with myself but we seemed to nail the performance. Maybe we wanted to make amends for the afternoon gig so we rocked just that little harder and enjoy it we did. I did break another two strings though on the last song :)

So, back to my original question of what makes a gig a successful one? Well we played well below par at gig number one yet gained many emails and album sales. I deem that as successful. Now gig number two we played a blinder yet only sold a couple of albums and got less emails however, because of the performance I deem that successful. So to answer my own question, I would suggest that any gig where even a single album or email address is gathered should be classed as successful, regardless of how good we thought we played.

Jonathan

The Rowell Charter, Rothwell, 19/10/11 - Review

It was a good job that I wasn’t driving to this gig as I would have took us to a pub 40 miles away in Coalville, therefore turning up at the Rowell Charter in Rothwell was a pleasant and welcomed surprise despite it being clearly listed on our gig list for a couple of months.

We arrived at the pub and was greeted by the usual Barricades Rise fans queuing to get in – see below



OK, so the above picture may have been a stock photo of the pub from Google. Anyway, we did turn up to the pub and it pretty packed and decorated out like a haunted crypt in aid of All Hallows Eve (Halloween for the layman). Now I am not talking of a few rubber bats hanging from the ceiling, this pub had gone hardcore and no wall was left un-hallowed.



We grabbed a drink and listened to the open mic before setting up and taking to the stage as the nights featured artist. Kicking off with ‘I Gave Up The World’ I could hear my guitar was not sounding to great. After a battery change things moved on up and we played a solid set. I think we both felt that we didn’t quite hit our peak on the night but a good performance nonetheless was given. The crowd seemed to think so as a small number called for an encore. We left the stage and filled a sheet of email address' and sold a few albums. I seem to rememeber we also got asked to come on a trip to Marrakesh next year!!!!!

As usual the people of the Charter were extremely complementary and a pleasure to play too and all in all it was another great night. We hope to book back in again next year.

Jonathan

A quick blog about our music

Last night we hooked up for the first time, pretty much since finishing the album, to record some new things. We made a start, a very healthy start, to our Christmas CD. The songs of which will feature are being kept under our hats but if you would like to hear them, give us your postal address and a free Christmas CD will fly over to you just in time for the festivities.
As well as the Christmas song, Jonathan has recorded a glorious version of one of our songs. Spine tingling.
Apart from the Christmas CD, what made me go home with a smile on my face was we showed each other what new stuff we had been working on. The new tune by Coates is so completely different to what we have done before, yet just what you would expect from us. My tune, bizzarely, had the same kind of feel to it that Jonathans did. In no way are they the same, but put them back to back and they slot together like a jigsaw. On the same wavelength.

So with the band rising higher (in our heads at least) we'll be on a roll finishing the Christmas CD and demoing new tunes.

You can catch us tomorrow (Wednesday) at the Rowell Charter (a fantastic little pub) in Rothwell, then just 3 gigs remain.

M x

Jonathan Vs NME - round 3

For the long time readers of our blog you may remember that for two years running I have had a gripe with the NME and their “best albums of whatever” lists they seem to produce at the end of every year. You can read the two blogs here and here. I must warn you my language was a little harsh but I will put that down to being at least a year younger. Anyway, due to the NME website being 15 years old, they have produced a list of the top 150 songs that have “meant the most” to them over the sites life. It's actually quite an interesting read and you can view it here

To save time here is the list

150 Manic Street Preachers – “Australia”
149 Crystal Castles – “Crimewave”
148 Coldplay – “Clocks”
147 Morrissey – “First Of The Gang To Die”
146 Laura Marling – “My Manic And I”
145 Fever Ray – “If I Had A Heart”
144 The Killers – “Human”
143 Oasis – “The Hindu Times”
142 Foals – “Hummer”
141 Gorillaz – “Clint Eastwood”
140 Arctic Monkeys – “A Certain Romance”
139 Coldplay – “Yellow”
138 Bat For Lashes – “What’s A Girl To Do?”
137 Doves – “There Goes The Fear”
136 Kelis – “Milkshake”
135 Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone”
134 Antony & The Johnsons – “Hope There’s Someone”
133 The Strokes – “Under Cover Of Darkness”
132 Daft Punk – “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”
131 Radiohead – “Pyramid Song”
130 Belle And Sebastian – “The Boy With The Arab Strap”
129 The Strokes – “Reptilia”
128 Hercules And Love Affair – “Blind”
127 En Vogue – “Don’t Let Go (Love)”
126 Hole – “Celebrity Skin”
125 Klaxons – “Atlantis To Interzone”
124 Supergrass – “Pumping On Your Stereo”
123 Glasvegas – “Daddy’s Gone”
122 Mercury Rev – “Goddess On A Highway”
121 Santogold -“LES Artistes”
120 Pulp – “This Is Hardcore”
119 Aaliyah & Timbaland – “We Need A Resolution”
118 LCD Soundsystem – “All My Friends”
117 Blink-182 – “What’s My Age Again?”
116 Wu-Tang Clan – “Gravel Pit”
115 Kings Of Leon – “Charmer”
114 Primal Scream – “Accelerator”
113 At The Drive-In – “One Armed Scissor”
112 Cee Lo Green – “Fuck You”
111 The Spice Girls – “Wannabe”
110 Sebastien Tellier – “La Ritournelle”
109 Ultrasound – “Stay Young”
108 Kasabian – “Club Foot”
107 Radiohead – “No Surprises”
106 Radiohead – “Let Down”
105 Cornershop – “Brimful Of Asha (Fatboy Slim Remix)”
104 Lily Allen – “Smile”
103 Lady Gaga – “Poker Face”
102 Art Brut – “Formed A Band”
101 The Horrors – “Sea Within A Sea”
100 Mystery Jets – “Two Doors Down”
99 MGMT – “Kids”
98 The Cribs – “Men’s Needs”
97 Klaxons – “Golden Skans”
96 The Horrors – “Sheena Is A Parasite”
95 The Knife – “Heartbeats”
94 CSS – “Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above”
93 Radiohead – “Reckoner”
92 Peter Bjorn & John – “Young Folks”
91 Animal Collective – “My Girls”
90 Yeasayer – “O.N.E.”
89 The Futureheads – “Hounds Of Love”
88 Jeff Buckley – “Everybody Here Wants You”
87 The Streets – “Dry Your Eyes”
86 The Rapture – “House Of Jealous Lovers”
85 The Coral – “Dreaming Of You”
84 The Hives – “Hate To Say I Told You So”
83 Kylie Minogue – “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head”
82 Queens Of The Stone Age – “Feel Good Hit Of The Summer”
81 Outkast – “Ms. Jackson”
80 Eminem – “The Real Slim Shady”
79 Blur – “Song 2”
78 The Verve – “The Drugs Don’t Work”
77 Oasis – “D’You Know What I Mean?”
76 Beck – “Where It’s At”
75 Manic Street Preachers – “A Design For Life”
74 Muse – “Supermassive Black Hole”
73 Blur – “Out Of Time”
72 The Big Pink – “Dominos”
71 The Libertines – “Don’t Look Back Into The Sun”
70 M.I.A. – “XXXO”
69 Kanye West – “Jesus Walks”
68 Liars – “Scarecrows On A Killer Slant”
67 Ian Brown – “F.E.A.R.”
66 Super Furry Animals – “The Man Don’t Give A Fuck”
65 Kasabian – “Fire”
64 La Roux – “In For The Kill”
63 Rihanna – “Umbrella”
62 Vampire Weekend – “A-Punk”
61 Arcade Fire – “Keep The Car Running”
60 The Drums – “Let’s Go Surfing”
59 Dizzee Rascal – “Bonkers”
58 Destiny’s Child – “Say My Name”
57 Eminem – “Lose Yourself”
56 The Killers – “All These Things That I’ve Done”
55 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Maps”
54 Battles – “Atlas”
53 Kanye West – “Monster”
52 The Prodigy – “Firestarter”
51 Sugababes – “Overload”
50 The Chemical Brothers – “Hey Boy Hey Girl”
49 Best Coast – “Boyfriend”
48 Foo Fighters – “Everlong”
47 Friendly Fires – “Paris”
46 TV On The Radio – “Wolf Like Me”
45 Primal Scream – “Swastika Eyes”
44 Muse – “Nights Of Cydonia”
43 Mumford And Sons – “Little Lion Man”
42 Aphex Twin – “Come To Daddy”
41 Elbow – “One Day Like This”
40 LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge”
39 Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Zero”
38 Kings Of Leon – “The Bucket”
37 Coldplay – “The Scientist”
36 The Strokes – “Hard To Explain”
35 Johnny Cash – “Hurt”
34 Gossip – “Standing In The Way Of Control”
33 Florence & The Machine – “Dog Days Are Over”
32 Gnarls Barkley – “Crazy”
31 The Walkmen – “The Rat”
30 Robyn – “With Every Heartbeat”
29 Crystal Castles – “Alice Practice”
28 the xx – “Islands”
27 Franz Ferdinand – “Take Me Out”
26 The Libertines – “Can’t Stand Me Now”
25 Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp”
24 Jay-Z – “99 Problems”
23 The White Stripes – “Seven Nation Army”
22 Arcade Fire – “Wake Up”
21 Daft Punk – “Around The World”
20 Bloc Party – “Banquet”
19 Justice Vs. Simian – “We Are Your Friends”
18 Queens Of The Stone Age – “No One Knows”
17 Missy Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On”
16 Beyoncé – “Crazy In Love”
15 M.I.A. – “Paper Planes”
14 Foals – “Spanish Sahara”
13 Jay-Z & Alica Keys – “Empire State Of Mind”
12 MGMT – “Time To Pretend”
11 Arctic Monkeys – “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor”
10 The Libertines – “Time For Heroes”
09 The Verve – “Bitter Sweet Symphony”
08 Amy Winehouse – “Rehab”
07 Hot Chip – “Over And Over”
06 The White Stripes – “Fell In Love With A Girl”
05 The Killers – “Mr. Brightside”
04 The Strokes – “Last Nite”
03 OutKast – “Hey Ya!”
02 Arcade Fire – “Rebellion (Lies)”
01 Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”


Now it is at this point where I would usually pull out my best swear words and slam the NME for their stupidity and for picking absolute rubbish however, I cant really. There is obviously going to be tunes on the list that I don't rate and I may not put some of the songs in the order they have. There is also going to be a load of songs I think deserve to be on the list that the NME have never and will never give a single column inch to, but there is no doubt about it, the list contains some absolute blinders.

So for once, well done (ish) NME,

Jonathan

Royal Oak, Kenilworth, 9/10/11 - Review

The Royal Oak in Kenilworth is one of our favourite places to gig. Regardless of whether there is only a handful of people or it is rammed, the audience actually sit and listen, a rarity at a lot of gigs. The smaller more intimate gigs make it an easy way to interact with the audience, and thank God for that last night.

Hitting the stage last there seemed to be something amiss to our playing, literally before a word was spoken, I started 'I Gave Up The World', waited for Jonathan to start, then waited more, then some more, and to continue the overlong introduction, waited some more. When we finally got started (with vocals and everything!) we rocked on as normal. I Gave Up The World is a staple in the set and has been for a good 18 months, practically in every gig we play. The second verse approached and with confidence I hit the notes. It was then that I found out some bugger had moved my notes around, as no matter what I played, I did it wrong. Simply no excuse for a song we know inside out. What is a bit bizzare though is that in our last gig I did pretty much the same with the solo, but I'm putting that down to being full of cold and not thinking straight. Last night, my cold had siminished somewhat so had no real excuse. We muddled through though, giving that big BR charm that gets us through some tough gigs.

Song 2 - We broke a string and ended up singing the last chorus acapella.
song 3 - Tuning up took an age so I played my own song, Great White North
song 4 - I completely forgot which fret the chorus was on
song 5 - Cover of 'Cum on feel the noize' which we had never really practiced so had no idea how to end, and thus made a bit of a mess 'jamming' to finish
song 6 and 7 - Nailed it

From a professional point of view playing, it was a disaster and there was no real reason why. I was slightly still feeling my cold and Jonathan had a late night previous (he won £100 playing poker, I'm sure he would have wanted me to mention it somewhere in the blog) but this is no excuse for playing so foolishly. Not badly though, although the mistakes were frequent, we kept with it and I come back to the 'smaller gigs are better' thing. We chatted constantly with the audience getting them on our side and ended up with several album sales, having actually enjoyed the gig. Lets hope for the last few gigs we tighten up a bit.

M x

Coming to the end of the road

Not the band, but the tour. We're winding down the tour of All I Have Is Here and overall it's been a resounding success. I'll not go into the tour as a whole just yet as we still have 5 gigs left but a nice little analysis will be in order in a month.

Our last gig will be on November the 12th (90% sure) then we'll be taking a little time off as life takes over. We're not stopping completely however, as we have the Christmas present to give to all our fans (just send us your postal address, anywhere in the world, to band@barricadesrise.co.uk) plus we'll be hitting the studio hard, but not to record new tunes, to record a radio show, or podcast as the kids call them these days. I'm looking forward to this as we get to expose a few of our favourite unsigned musicians, alongside great tracks by our favourite bands today, plus a few BR tunes in for good measure. The first show will be online in a few weeks.

We both have an eye on next year but with no plans set in stone. A few weeks ago we discussed the possibility of recording a new song a month, then releasing a huge project in December next year with demos, an album, a live CD and DVD plus a book. That idea, as much as it excited us both, is a bit too much at this time in both our lives, but it might be something we return to in the future. We have two releases in mind for spring next year, but they are not the usual BR material.

Since we released All I Have Is Here we have spent much of the time honing the songs, so little time has been spent on writing new tunes. A few bits and pieces have been written by both of us, and I actually have a fully fledged song, but no plans are in motion for any 'new' material.

We'll be working hammer and tongues on the 'workings' of Barricades Rise. There is so much we do behind the curtain that many bands and people won't realise the work it takes to run a successful working, gigging band.

Anyway, back to now, and we have 5 gigs left, 4 of them being some of our favourite places to play. The Royal Oak in Kenilworth, The Rowell Charter in Rothwell, The Crumblin' Cookie in Leicester, and Lichfield (in general!). The fifth gig is at a new venue for us but being in Leicester (where we tend to go down a storm) I'm looking forward to ending on a high.

More news regarding podcast and releases will be revealed as and when.

M x

The Phoenix, Coventry, 03/10/11 - Review

First off . . . . October!!!!! "Tis the season to be Jolly" . . . Too Early? Trust me, it will be in the shops in the next few days :)

Anyway,

The Phoenix is always a mixed bag for us BR boys. The promoter, Emma McGann, is a lovely lady and puts on a very well attended night. The problem is that the majority of the crowd are students. Now we have no problem with students, in fact we were once students ourselves. The problem lies within the fact that students don't seem to dig our stuff as much as the 25+ age group and we tend to leave these types of nights with very little CD sales and only a couple of names on the mailing list.

Turning up to the venue around 8pm we got a drink, discussed our weekends, what we were currently watching and Google chrome and it's speedy benefits (maybe that's why Students don't like us, we are just too hip!). With Michael feeling a little under the weather, we asked to go on early and took to the stage as the first featured artist. It was a little hard to hear my guitar which threw us a little and Michael decided that he would forget a couple of Solo's and jam on the notes nearest to him. Apart from that we played a decent energetic gig, all be it a little sloppy.

With the stage lights beating us down, we left the stage in a pool of sweat and various audience members offered us kind words and signed the mailing list.

Only a couple of gigs left on the All I Have is Here tour now so make sure you catch us before our extended gigging break (more on that soon).

Jonathan

BR Remixed

About two months ago a chap called Paul emailed us expressing an interest in remixing one of our tunes. There were no charges involved, he simply liked what he had heard and wanted a crack at putting his own spin on a BR tune. He picked 'Roundabouts', we sent him the master files and left him to it. To be honest, I had forgotten all about it until the end of last week when an emailed popped into our inbox labelled “Propulsion Mix of Roundabouts....” I suddenly got very excited.

Paul, or 'Soundtrack' as his remixing name is, has completely made the song his own and made a very creepy and dark dance mix and I for one love the road he has taken. I hope you guys enjoy it too and please send us your comments

Barricades Rise - Roundabouts - Propulsion Mix - by Soundtrack by Barricades Rise

A couple of emails have been passed back and forth and there are even talks of doing a few more of our tracks and releasing an EP of Barricades Rise remixed by 'Soundtrack'. I really hope this comes off.

Jonathan