Friday 28 February 2014

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 28.2.14

                                                
                                                 OK bands you know the score.....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans..... 

the higher you go.....

So Tweet it, Facebook it.....

and generally expose yourself.....






Now Mr Snuggles and me have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each bands blog to see who's got which place.  

So here it is.....

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart .....












No 1.....Graham Marshall


Freedom Call cover artGraham Marshall has been a singer/songwriter for over 15 years; success always eluding him. Three and a half years ago, he took matters into his own hands when he self-financed his first EP, a collection of five acoustic guitar driven songs he appropriately titled, 'Ten Years Stuck in Traffic'. Without much fanfare, Graham took to the road, something he knew a little about, to celebrate his self-released collection of music performing his way from John O'Groats to Land's End, busking his way through 18 cities in just 7 days.





No 2.....Silver Coast 





Ralph's attention's been draw 'Up North' with Inverness band Silver Coast releasing a new single 'Believe' on March 3rd. Formed at the end of 2012 and gigging relentlessly ever since (including supports with Fatherson and King Charles) they've amassed a large and faithful following locally. 







No 3.....Sisteray


SISTERAY - She Likes The Drama (out 17/02/2014)


Ralph checked out London band Sisteray back in August last year when they released the single 'Take It Away. Since then they've been gigging relentlessly and have also got a new EP 'She Likes The Drama' coming out on 17th February 2014.












No 4..... Scott Lloyd


20140205-184117.jpg

The latest sounds gracing Ralph's kennel are some lo-fi tunes courtesy of Middlesborough born Scott Lloyd whose new EP The Northern Gate is due for release on March 10th. Now living in Manchester, Scott's laid back alternative country/folk feel is expressed in five well composed, mainly reflective tunes, delivered with a Jackson Browne or James Taylor vibe but with a modern twist and a northern accent. 






No 5.....Watchtower




No Ralph's not joined the Jehovah's Witnesses and distributing their magazine Watchtower...but he is spreading the gospel of Liverpool band Watchtower who are planning on 2014 being their year following on from a successful 2013 gig-wise and the recent release of their single 'Under Your Thumb'.





No 6.....Dub Sex



Ralph's pleased to announce that legendary Manchester band Dub Sex are have announced their first full set headline show for over 25 years, on Thursday 10th April at Sound ControlIn 2013 the band reformed for a special fund-raising event at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge in aid of the Manchester Special Care Baby Unit which helped raise over £1600 and brought together almost 300 fans old and new.






Puppet Rebellion

After catching a set by PUPPET REBELLION back in July last year Ralph's been sitting waiting patiently for some new material.  Their last EP saw much critical acclaim and the lead track 'Chemical Friends' garnered a good many plays on Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC









No 8..... Brynovsky


Time is Now cover art
The new album from Brynovsky is the aptly titled 'Time Is Now' as it's bringing a classic yet fresh Reggae sound into 2014 melding the smooth tones of Jah (Leroy Jones) Dave with those of Scottish songstress Idana (the name picked for the Edinburgh singer by the seminal Reggae producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry). 











No 9.....The Ninth Watch



It's just over a year since Ralph first took a look and had a listen to Manchester four piece The Ninth Watch. At that time they'd fairly recently formed and I caught their storming set for The Online Festival in Manchester's Dry Bar back in October of 2012. That was followed up by another top set at the Mancunia Promotions All Dayer in Barca July of 2013. It was obvious then that they were becoming a tight unit with well crafted tracks based on the Manchester music scene's rich background.







No 10..... Feral Five 



Feral Five - Skin EP

Ralph played London duo Kat and Drew Five aka Feral Five the other week on his Radio KC Sunday Show to positive feedback. Describing themselves as - "raised by wolves on a diet of punk rock, disco and roots" - they've had no small amount of critical acclaim for their debut EP 'Skin' including a 9/10 review from LouderThan War who said they “might just have released the best single of 2013”. They’ve also had the nod from Alan McGee.










Monday 24 February 2014

The Hope Fest 2014




The first ever HOPE Fest is set to be a blinder. A two-day music festival, in aid of TheHOPE Project (a young, volunteer-led organisation founded by Colin Dobie to help the homeless) will be held over the weekend of 8th - 9th March at The Brink and Lomax respectively.


The brainchild of HOPE Project associate singer/songwriter Anna Grace Henney, some thirty bands and solo acts from as near as Liverpool and as far as Australia, have given their time to play over the weekend - bands such as Osaka Punch, Joe Symes & The LovingKind, Field Trip to the Moon, Low Winter Sun, The Soul Rays, and Freq.




HOPE Fest takes a unique approach to entry fees: rather than be charged a flat fee, festival-goers are instead encouraged to bring essential commodities which the charity can put to direct use. All they ask is that you bring a donation or an item from their list of needed supplies. In exchange for this gift, you will have access to live gigs performed by the best new talent -local and from further afield. And you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have improved the life of somebody, who is down on their luck.




The HOPE Project volunteers go out onto the streets six nights a week offering a hot drink, food and lots of love and smiles to our city's homeless. They have also helped set up projects in Warrington, St Helens and as far as Barcelona, with plans to expand further.










Hailing from Australia, Osaka Punch have some 300+ shows under their belts, over their four years of performing. Promoters of Australia’s biggest festivals such as Big Day Out, and Sounds of Spring have issued 100% unsolicited requests for appearances based solely on word of mouth surrounding live performances of this five piece.  Formerly the Kidney Thieves,   the group’s distinctive fusion of achingly catchy grooves with jazz chops and a metal ethos has already inspired a spat of copycat bands along Australia's Eastern seaboard and has seen them reluctantly credited with the emergence of Djent-Funk as a genre.








Joe Symes and the Loving Kind are an original five piece acoustic rock outfit from Liverpool UK. The group has spent the last year launching their explosive assault on UK clubs and festivals. Not every band gets the privilege to play at Noël Gallagher  and The High Flying Birds Official After Show Party but Joe Symes & TLK did. and when you hear them you'll know why!  JS&TLK have also been invited to be the support act for Steve Cradock (Paul Weller / Ocean Colour Scene) at the 02 Academy, Liverpool and also The Blockheads at the iconic Eric’s in Liverpool. 











They are an alternative band formed in 2012 in London by Daniel G Jones (Two Way Analog/Danny Dodge) and Angela Christofilou, who's eclectic background somehow has translated a swampy-theatrical sci-fi alternative rock sound into the songs. 






Other artists confirmed to play...


Anna Grace Henney
Anna Grace Henney













Alexandra Jayne

Hope and Grace










The approved items HOPE will accept as a donation on the door are as follows:


Hat
Scarf 
Socks
Sleeping bag
Block of cheese
Jar of coffee
Packet of tea bags
Biscuits/chocolate
Multipack of crisps
Self heating hand warmers
Fabric shopping trolleys
Thermal flasks