Showing posts with label Catfish and The Bottlemen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Catfish and The Bottlemen. Show all posts

Friday, 20 April 2018

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles - Single Launch


Image may contain: one or more peopleWe've followed the ascendancy of Billy Bibby since he started to plough his own furrow on departing Catfish and The Bottlemen and the formation and transformation of Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles.

So we're delighted to be featuring news of the new single War Of One here on Ralph's Life and Brian will be playing the single on the Radio KC Indie Show on Sunday April 29th between 5 and 7pm.

Billy had this to say of the new release:

"War Of One is another upbeat rock song that I personally loved writing because I just know that live it's gonna be a blast to play for mine and the band's sake, and I'm sure from the audience perspective too," 


Image may contain: 4 people, people standing and shoesBilly mused further:

"Any fans of rock music are going to want to be hit with a wave of sound that fills their hearts with joy and tears them down with its sheer power and driving force behind the amps, and that's what I am hoping this single will bring to the fans. I always want to keep an element of secrecy behind my lyrics so that you can all create your own thoughts as to what they mean to you."

"For me, it is simply about the war between you and you alone and how you deal with certain normal issues in life. Hence why it's called War Of One. As depressing as that may sound I always try to make light of it and write positively so it's far from being a negative song!"



Image may contain: 1 person, on stage and playing a musical instrument Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles will be celebrating the single release tonight and most appropriately, at Record Junkee in Sheffield.  This marks the penultimate date of busy 16-date spring tour that began near home in Chester and zig-zagged across the UK, from Cardiff to Birmingham, from Liverpool to Glasgow and many more places in between. 

The tour ends on a high note in London with a Camden Rocks appearance at Nambucca April 28th. 



Apr20

Today 19:30Record Junkee · Sheffield

Apr28

Sat 19:00Camden Rocks Presents · London, United Kingdom

Aug4

Sat 12:00The Greenside Venue · Leslie, Fife, United Kingdom


As we wait to spin the new single...why not have a listen to the last one which was a big favourite on Radio KC here...



Monday, 9 January 2017

LAFleur

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The focus of this week's feature articles on Ralph's Life is firmly on the burgeoning supply of quality Indie music in Scotland currently. With Sunday's Indie Show on Radio KC containing over a third of the tracks played from Scottish based bands and artists, it seems there's a bit of a tidal wave about to swamp the rest of the UK.

One case in point is young (they're so young they cite Catfish & The Bottlemen as an influence) Wishaw band LAFleur. They're only a couple of years into their musical journey together but are rapidly managing to attract the right kind of attention. 







Image may contain: one or more people, people on stage and people playing musical instruments

LAFleur formed following a self-proclaimed 'drunken babble' and are now 'ready to compose catchy and heartfelt, personal Indie/Alternative hits' whilst happily taking to the stage in the likes of Glasgow's Stereo and the iconic King Tuts, which is probably why Ralph chose LAFleur for a debut play on Sunday's Radio KC Indie Show.


Thursday, 23 June 2016

Billy Bibby and The Wry Smiles


Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles came together in the autumn of 2015 at the initiative of the former and founding lead guitarist of Catfish and the Bottlemen, Billy Bibby. In their first six months they've played over 30 shows - including the 2016 editions of Focus Wales and Manchester Dot to Dot Festival – and recorded a four-song EP, Bide Your Time. 


File:BBTWS comp.png Songs have received radio play on BBC Wales, BBC Jersey, Radio X, Virgin Radio UK, Amazing Radio, Voice FM, and numerous indie stations in the UK and abroad including of course Ralph's Radio KC Indie Show a week ago on which we gave Are You Ready a spin. Additionally the singles Waitin' for You and Don't Fall were highlighted in Clint Boon's podcasts and BMI's Music Monday playlist.

Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles are doing a fair job of writing the perfect pop songs, melodious, catchy but not too poppy due to some classy guitarwork overlaid with Billy's smooth vocal.






Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles look forward to playing many gigs and festivals this summer with a tour for autumn 2016.

"This song was the last one to be practiced and finished as a band before our first tour together, but it seemed to stand out as a major contender for the next single," notes Bibby. "Towards the back end of the tour I started to tell the crowd that this was possibly the next single and to tell me if they thought it should be or not after we played it. I think they all agreed, so that was all the evidence needed for me and the lads to go get back in the studio and record this catchy little number!"



CURRENT UK GIG & FESTIVAL DATES

JUNE
25 Manchester | Black Dog Ballroom NQ | Mrs Boon's Cake & Tea Party


JULY
14 Rawtenstall | The Artisan
15 Perth | The Green Room
16 Dundee | Buskers
17 Glasgow | Broadcast
23 Stockport | Blackthorn Festival
29 Banbury | Also Known As
31 Lake District | Kendal Calling | House Party


AUGUST
06 Whitby | Coastline Festival
20 Doncaster | Blackfest
26 Manchester | Night & Day Café


SEPTEMBER
02 Lode, Cambridgeshire | Lodestar Festival
03 Merthyr Tydfil | Bowstrong Festival
17 Tickhill | TFest


Dates are constantly being added. Check HERE for the latest gig info.

Thursday, 17 March 2016

The Phantoms



Formed in Edinburgh in 2012 by four school friends, ThePhantoms released their debut EP This Is How It Should Be in December 2013 and followed this up with a short UK tour.

They are influenced by the likes of Kasabian and Simple Minds and are Colin Simpson on guitar and vocals, Colin Mckillop on lead guitar, Zach Tarimo Goodhur on bass and Blair Cullen on drums. 

The Phantoms then released the single Revolution in March 2014 whose anthemic  chorus has become a huge favourite with fans.



Image may contain: 4 people, people standing, people walking and outdoorThe follow up single Wasting Time followed, along with support slots with Catfish and The Bottlemen, Amber Run and Vant. The band started 2016 with a sold out headline show at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut and now release the new single Lost on 4th April 2016. It's available to pre-order now on this link: The Phantoms - Lost on i-tunes 

They've filmed a video out in the wilds of Scotland to match the anthemic, atmospheric nature of the track. The Phantoms trademark driving guitar riffs are now finely honed and come to the fore in this latest offering. They've come a long way in the last three years since they played the Ralph's Life CD gig in Edinburgh's Electric Circus and 2016 is looking to be the start of something big for this ambitious young band.











Monday, 30 March 2015

The Slow Readers Club



Well feted after the release of their debut album The Slow Readers Club now bring us their second offering Cavalcade with it's 12 tracks of indie pop infused electro goodness. 

Strong  song writing and vocals overlaid on consumate musicality will see this album push them even further to the fore.

The Slow Readers Club seem to be on the cusp of being the next big musical Manchester thing as this album flows from potential single to potential single with Ralph already having played Start Again many a time on his Radio KC Indie Show.






But it's not just Ralph that's featured The Slow Readers Club regularly as the band's previous four singles have enjoyed extensive airplay on BBC 6 Music and Don't Mind was selected for a coveted slot on Steve Lamacq's Round Table which saw the single awarded a very respectable 7/10 from each guest on the panel.





Playlisted twice on Xfm, featured three times as the station's Shock of the New and with their single Forever In Your Debt selected as one of the top 5 singles of the week in December 2014, it seems that journalist and musician John Robb was absolutely right to predict that 2015 will see The Slow Readers Club breaking through to become one of the most important bands to emerge from Manchester's music scene in recent years.





The Slow Readers Club regularly receive rave reviews for their live shows and 2014's highlights include a sold out show at Manchester’s Night and Day and appearances at Tramlines Festival, Party in the Pines and Blackthorn Festival together with support slots for Catfish & The Bottlemen, The Struts, Reverend and the Makers and The Sunshine Underground.  

The band will be  touring Cavalcade throughout April 2015 and I'd advise you to catch a show near you!









TUESDAY 31ST MARCH
THE MACBETH - LONDON
The Macbeth, 70 Hoxton Street, London N1 6LP
Tickets £5 Click here to buy
FRIDAY 3RD APRIL
THE ABACUS - SCUNTHORPE
The Abacus, 177-195 High Street, Scunthorpe,
North Lincolnshire DN15 6LN

FREE ENTRY
FRIDAY 17TH APRIL
VERVE - LEEDS
Verve, 16 Merrion Street, City Centre, Leeds LS1 6PQ
FREE ENTRY
SATURDAY 18TH APRIL
ACADEMY 3 - MANCHESTER
Manchester Academy 3, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PR
Tickets £8 Click here to buy
THURSDAY 23RD APRIL
THE ROCKING CHAIR - SHEFFIELD
The Rocking Chair, 23 Furnival Gate, Sheffield S1 4QR
Tickets £5 Click here to buy

Thursday, 3 April 2014

The Darlingtons - Rotations


THE DARLINGTONS - Rotations

Now it's no secret that Ralph's a fan of Sheffield band The Darlingtons so it's with no small amount of glee that I heard they've just released their second single as an autonomous unit and it's another gem. 'Rotations' bursts into guitar driven loveliness as they bring us more of their well conceived, lyrically strong, Indie music.

The Darlingtons describe the track as - “a high energy, punchy, dynamic song full of fuzzy guitars and captivating vocals”








The Darlingtons have gigged relentlessly around the UK supporting the likes of Catfish and the Bottlemen and King Charles, this summer the band will be making their debut appearances at both The Great Escape and Dot to Dot festivals as well as returning to Tramlines Festival...don't miss a chance to catch them live!






Courtesy of trust a fox photography
The Darlingtons have also been long-listed on Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent competition for 2014. For me, they're a headline band in waiting, and with strong material like 'Rotations' and of course Ralph's personal favourite 'Bats' in their armoury it wont be long before they're mounting an assault on the main stages of the major festivals.











UPCOMING GIGS