Music – Page 3 – that lemon life

Indie goodness with The Jungle Giants

Hola everyone.

I’m so sorry for posting this late today. I haven’t really been feeling well all day, so I spent most of my time tucked into bed after uni, where I still currently am, cuddling with Maisy (our cat here in London, obvs) and writing this post. I hope your Monday and your weekend have been great and that you’re doing well.

I spent most of the weekend working on my uni projects, but there was also this other really exciting event on Saturday, which I would like to tell you all about today. And who would’ve guessed it, it was a gig. Surprise surprise. A The Jungle Giants gig, to be exact. But, in all honesty, it was a fantastic show and I enjoyed every second of it. Naturally, the day afterward, I had to sit down and write a little review on it, which I would like to share with you. I hope you enjoy it. Also, if any of you ever get the chance to see this band live, please don’t let it slip. It was my second time seeing these Australian indie rockers live and I would go and see them again any day if I could. Because the show was just so much fun, so exhilarating and, yeah, just really really really fun. But I’ll let the review do the rest of the talking. Please enjoy. Also, as always, please don’t hesitate to leave your comments and thoughts down below – I’d love to hear what you think. And, of course, I wish you all a nice week and thanks for reading. x

Live Review: The Jungle Giants @ Electric Brixton

They say time flies when you’re having fun, and The Jungle Giants’ Brixton gig seemed to be no exception from that, as it was over just a second after it had started. Or at least it felt like that.

As band members Sam Hales, Andrew Dooris, Keelan Bijker, and Cesira Aitken took to the stage, the already hyped up crowd exploded in screams and cheers in anticipation of what they knew was going to be an incredible live set. Limbs were loose and smiles were big, with everyone seemingly being ready to dance through the following one and a half hours of pure Australian indie goodness.

Throughout the whole night, there was no denying that whether you’re a casual listener or die-hard fan, The Jungle Giants have something to offer for everyone. Handpicked from their magnificent discography, the setlist was packed with timeless hits and fan-favourites such as ‘Feel The Way I Do’, ‘Anywhere Else’ and ‘She’s A Riot’ – which instantly caught on fire and left the dance floor in flames. But of course the band also didn’t want to miss out on the chance of showcasing their amazing transformation of the past eight years, moving seamlessly between their classic indie pop-rock moments and their newer, more electronic-based tracks, peaking with the eclectic and infectious ‘Heavy Hearted’.

And while the band kept banging out hits throughout the night, it was Sam Hales as their frontman, who particularly stood out on the black, colour-struck stage. From square dancing, to the constant crowd engagement and even letting an ecstatic girl in the crowd play his guitar, he sure knew how to hold the audience in the palm of his hands.

It was that enthusiasm and love from the Australian four-piece which radiated through the room and shone in the eyes of the dancing, singing and cheering crowd, that confirmed that The Jungle Giants really are the new indie sweethearts. With their fully sold-out second ever show in London and their ability to flawlessly transition from their old rock times to indie electronic excellence, The Jungle Giants have proved that they are not only here for a good time, but a long one as well.

New Music Friday

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and another Friday. A very special one, to be exact, because, after a way too long time, the New Music Friday is back again. FINALLY. So, you know the drill – I’m gonna tell you all about my favourite new songs that have recently come out or that I’ve recently discovered and your job is to sit back, relax and enjoy the music. Here we go.

Simmer / Leave It Alone – Hayley Williams

Well, if it isn’t my female singer? I know, this sounds every undramatic, but the excitement I feel surrounding just the fact that Hayley is back with new music can’t really be put into words. I know, it’s still not like Paramore is back – although they haven’t broken up, everyone calm down again – but I’m so happy to hear her voice again. Also, I mean, the two new songs are freaking amazing. And it’s not even just the music, but the whole story surrounding it as well and the videos. Absolutely magical.

Heavy Hearted – The Jungle Giants

It’s been quite some time since these Australian lads and girl (their badass guitarist) have blessed my and our all ears with new music, but a few days ago I finally stumbled across their new tracks and since then I haven’t been able to stop listening to this absolutely addictive dance hit. It’s literally SO good, holy moly. You definitely need to give this band a listen, if you haven’t so far. You won’t regret it, I swear.

Fine Line – Harry Styles

I know what you’re thinking right now. What is a Harry Styles song doing on this list and on this blog? And I totally understand your confusion, because I usually really don’t listen to Harry at all and Ed is as far as I get in listening to pop in general, usually. But here we are. And I’m not going to lie, Fine Line is a fantastic track and I’m more than happy to share it with you. Actually, I think his whole album is very share-worthy (and a definite improvement from the first one) and if you haven’t given it a try yet, you really should.

Beautiful Faces – Declan McKenna

It can’t get any newer than this. It’s definitely no surprise or news that I like to include any of Declan’s new stuff in my lists and that I am head over heels in love with it, so, here he is, again. And wow wow, what a great song. It’s the first single of his upcoming album “Zeros”, that will be released on the 15th of May, and, not to be dramatic or anything, but I really can’t wait for this album. And his tour. It’s going to be unbelievable.

Used To Love – Martin Garrix featuring Dean Lewis

Don’t even act surprised – of course I had to include Marty in this list. And it totally deserves the spot, because the song is freaking amazing. From Dean Lewis’ beautiful voice to the magical strings in the background and the addictive drop – dance music royalty, I tell you. But it’s Marty, so who was expecting anything else?

Ps: If any of you get the chance, I highly recommend watching Marty’s diary series on YT, which also includes the making of this song (clip down below). The work behind the track is freaking incredible.

Big Pot Of Hummus / It’s Been A Year – Tom Rosenthal

And last but not least, here’s the guy that always closes New Music Friday – Tom. And for a reason, because Tom is Tom and that means heavenly music is on its way. While the one song puts the biggest smile on my face, the other one made me instantly tear up. And that’s the magic behind Tom’s music. It never lacks emotions and it never fails to make me emotional, in whichever way. And that’s why I will never stop being addicted to his music and loving it to pieces.

And with that, we’ve already reached the end of today’s New Music Friday. I hope you all enjoyed or enjoy all the clips and songs I shared with you today, but as always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below. And, of course, I wish you all a nice weekend and thanks for reading. x

An evening with Tom

Hola everyone.

How are you all doing on this – at least here in London – grey and rainy Monday? I hope so far your Monday has been less grey and less rainy than mine. And if it hasn’t, oh well, at least there’s your reason to cuddle up in a blanket and watch a nice movie. Besides that, I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that you’re looking forward to the upcoming days.

Today, I thought, would be a nice time to talk a bit about the last Tom Rosenthal gig that I went to at the beginning of December last year – as promised – and share the review with you that I wrote about it for the LDN magazine (click here to check out our website). You all can probably guess that I absolutely loved every single second of the gig – and yes, I did. It was so beautiful and just straight-up lovely, I never wanted the evening to end. Tom never fails to excel even my biggest expectations, while still staying himself and just so down to earth. The crowds have become bigger, but he’s still the same Tom, with his dad jokes, strange concert outfits (this time, specially for the Christmas gig, it was a fluffy jacket that lit up like a colourful Christmas tree) and way too stunning voice. He’s definitely one of those artists that I will never ever stop being in love with and that I could see live over and over again without it ever losing its thrill and excitement. That’s just who Tom is. The perfect talent.

Because of this, it was an absolute honour for me to write a review of the gig for our magazine. He deserves all the attention he’s receiving and so much more. And I already can’t wait to write more about him. But until then, I hope you guys enjoy this review (see down below) – according to Tom himself it’s a good one, so there you go. And speaking of him, he’s currently doing another small EU + UK tour and you should all definitely go and see him. I’m not even kidding. You’ll miss out on one of the best, loveliest and nicest gigs of your life if you let the chance of seeing him live slip. Really. So, go and see Tom. You won’t regret it, I swear. And on my part, I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, please don’t hesitate to leave your thoughts and comments down below and I wish you all a nice week. And, of course, thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy the review. x

Live Review: Tom Rosenthal @ Islington Assembly Hall (10.12.2019)

Tom Rosenthal has always gone a bit against the current. His special style of indie folk-pop has always been very self-contained to mainly acoustic songs that make you dream of long car rides under a starry night sky, but still, they have stayed on the right side of indie cheese. For the past ten years, Tom has continued to make songs that are ridiculously catchy but feel homegrown and more like a tight, warm hug than anything else. And until a series of small-scale 100 capacity gigs at the St Pancras Old Church at the beginning of 2019, most of them used to be cherished secrets, buried deep in the depths of Spotify & Co.

Today, a few months, a handful of new songs and a whole UK/EU tour later, Tom has come back to London, with an added zero to his sold-out gig at the Islington Assembly Hall. But this where the changes begin and end again. The banner below Tom’s keyboard is still the one made by his wife. His accompaniment still consists of only a single cellist and a guitarist, which again reflects his musical style perfectly: intimate, emotive, and wonderfully personal. And he is still the same Tom Rosenthal, moving seamlessly from existential sorrow to jolly comedy. The haunting harmonies of the oh so popular ‘It’s OK’ make way for the uplifting brightness of fan favorites‘ P.A.S.T.A’, ‘Watermelon’ and ‘Red Red Red’, also known as the ‘fun sing-a-long bit’, where the audience does actually sing along.

Through the usual dressing of overwhelming emotions, endless smiles and even the odd dance number to the sunny ‘Love Loosens Limbs’, it becomes clear that the true power of Tom’s talent flourishes in his live performances. He jokes that it may have taken him a bit long to finally play his own gigs and thanks the crowd for sharing the evening with him countless times. And as he leaves the stage to rapturous applause, everyone in the small venue silently agrees – Tom Rosenthal has finally arrived and he has come to stay.

Nothing But Them

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and another Friday. I hope you’ve all had a great week and that you’re looking forward to the weekend. Usually, at this point, I’d be starting to tell you all about my favourite songs of 2019, but I have to interrupt the usual program for an important announcement – Bombay Bicycle Club are back and have just released their album and I need to talk about it.

First of all, I have to explain why this album and this band’s comeback means so much to me. At the end of 2016, Spotify recommended a song called “Shuffle” by the band Bombay Bicycle Club to me and I, unsurprisingly, fell absolutely in love with it. And the band in general. That was the good part. But then I found out that I had been too late, too late for this amazing band that had broken up a few months before I stumbled over and into them. To put it short, I was devastated. For years I had been on the safe side, but now even I had found the one band that I had been too late for. The one band I was sure I’d never get to hear new music from, never get to see live.

Fast forward to this week’s Wednesday: I’m leaning against the barrier in the tiny Concorde 2 in Brighton, excitedly chatting to my friend Lauren with the prospect of seeing Bombay Bicycle Club live for the very first time. Even now, two days later, it feels like an absolute dream, like it never really happened. But it did. I was really there, dancing around in the front row of this small venue to the fantastic Bombay Bicycle Club. Needless to say that I teared up to all their old songs, the ones that have been accompanying me for several years, and cheered to all the new ones that I’ve been longing for for so long.

And now, after all this time, their new album “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong” is finally out and it’s both everything I’ve always wished for and a total surprise. A lot has changed, but Bombay still sounds like Bombay, with addictive guitar strokes, energetic beats, and enchanting lyrics. Somehow, their music has become more intense, the lyrics more direct, perfectly transporting the overall theme of finding comfort in music in troubled times. And with the beautiful “Racing Stripes” as the closing track of the album, the LP really does feel like a big, tight hug. One you definitely want to come back to again and again.

If I had to choose my favorites, it would definitely be “Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You)”, the first song to see the light of day after their hiatus, the amazing “I Can Hardly Speak”, the lovely “Do You Feel Loved”, which is pure heaven live, and the intense “Let You Go”, a track that feels more like an adventurous journey than a song. Obviously, this doesn’t mean that the remaining songs are any less amazing than my favourites, to be honest, I actually feel like this list of preferred tracks is bound to change about every day. And that just underlines how great this album truly is.

Concluding, I can only recommend giving this album a listen, you won’t regret it, I swear. A year ago, I never thought I’d ever be able to say that I’ve just listened to the new Bombay Bicycle Club album and that I was able to see them live. But now all of these things have come true and I really can’t believe it. And to make things perfect, I’m also going to see them again on the 7th of February. Life is beautiful, truly. And to Bombay, I can only say – welcome back, guys. Please stay this time, we missed you.

As always, I’d be super happy to hear from you guys, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch and share your opinion. I’d love to hear what you think about the album. Also, I hope you enjoyed this post and wish you all a great weekend. And, of course, thanks for reading. x

The ultimate update

Hola everyone.

I know, I know. Where the hell have I been? To be honest, I can’t even really defend myself here. The only thing I can say is that I’ve been so incredibly busy the past two weeks that running from uni to work and then back again has been basically the only thing I’ve been doing (besides sleep, which is the most important part, let’s be real). And I’m not complaining, but it has definitely led to me having nearly no time at all to concentrate on this blog, which is a shame. Buuuuut I’m finally back again and as it’s been quite some time – actually, just a bit over a week, but it feels like ages – I thought a little update post would be nice. Also, so much has happened, I just have to share it with you. Please enjoy.

Okay, let’s start with the most recent and also most exciting thing – basically the best thing that has happened to me this week. This month. Eternity. Whatever. Guess who today, literally just a few hours ago, bought tickets to see her favourite boys in Dublin next year? MEEEEEEEE. It’s me (duh). I can’t freaking believe it. I’m really going to see Ty and Josh again, at their (maybe) only solo show of the whole year. How is this real life? For those of you who are a bit confused right now, I’m obviously talking about Twenty One Pilots. Only my favourite band, in like, ever. And now, after the incredible year that was 2019, I’m also going to see them next year. This is just too crazy. Even more so considering that Jenna is pregnant and Josh and Debby are planning on getting married and the whole fandom thought they’d go on another hiatus after their shows finished this year. But no. There is this one solo show (besides a few festival appearances) in Dublin, with Nothing But Thieves (!!! my other boys) and Blackbear as supports. And I’m going. Holy freaking moly. At this point, I really have to thank my friend Lauren, who luckily was awake and could buy the tickets for us, as Ticketmaster decided to be a dick and not let me verify any of the credit cards I used (thanks guys). She was my savior. And I’m just so happy right now, oh wow. The 25th of June 2020 can’t come quickly enough – just to add, I’m going with my mum (because she’s the coolest, obviously) and the gig is literally on her birthday. Do you see now how crazy this all is? I’m literally the luckiest girl on earth.

So far, so exciting. Now let’s roll on to something I haven’t really talked about since I moved to London – my job. Or let’s call it the story of how literally the soberest person on earth ended up being a bartender. I know, what a weird concept. But it works, trust me. Because even as stressful and exhausting the job might be, I absolutely love it. I’m not going to explicitly name the venue I’m working at (you know, for safety reasons and all that), but it’s definitely the best place I could’ve found. The team is absolutely fantastic and feels like a little family, the customers are always incredibly nice and I basically get paid to attend concerts. In short, it’s literally the best job ever. And although I might not be able to tell the customers which gin or which rum tastes the nicest, I feel like I’m doing my job pretty well and I really do look forward to every single shift. I can only repeat myself – what a lucky girl I am.

And last but not least – Christmas is coming closer and closer and I can’t even begin to wrap my head around it. It’s literally lurking around the corner. Can you see it? Because I can and I’m immensely shocked how fast time has flown by. It feels like I only moved here a few weeks ago. And now I’ll be home again for the Christmas break in less than two weeks. How crazy is that? And although I’m unbelievably in love with London, I really can’t wait to finally be home. It will be nearly three months since having seen my parents, and, in all honesty, that’s simply way too long. I miss waking up with Peaches in my bed and cuddling with her late at night. I miss going for daily walks with my mum and Molly. I miss playing cards with my parents. I even miss having to wake them up every few minutes when they fall asleep on the couch while we’re watching a movie. I just miss being home.

Also, I don’t know about you, but I seriously can’t wait for Christmas. But not the presents or anything like that, I’m way over that age now (yep, I’m getting old). I mean the get-togethers with the family, the waking up to a snow-covered garden, the setting up the Christmas tree. And the fairy lights. I’m definitely ready for the fairy lights. Give me all the fairy lights. Might have to add now that London does an incredible job of basically covering the whole city in cute lights. I really appreciate it. So, yeah, Christmas can come. The chocolate-filled calendar is already propped up on my table.

And with that, we’ve already come to the end of this post… Oh, no, I forgot one thing. My interview with the one and only band half•alive has finally been published and I’m so so so happy to share with all of you (click here). I’m insanely proud of it and I really hope you enjoy it. Please don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts and comments – this also includes the ones for this post right here. And yeah, to come to a close: in a nutshell, I am currently doing incredibly well and I hope you are too. Also, I wish you all an amazing weekend and, as always, thanks so much for reading. x

The most aesthetic concert EVER

Hola everyone.

And welcome back to my blog and also another week. First of all, I’m so sorry for not posting anything last week. At the beginning of it, I was super busy with uni and interviews and going to concerts (which today’s post may or may not be about) and then, what a surprise, I got ill and have been carrying this damn ass cold around with me ever since. Can you feel my frustration through the screen? I’m so annoyed, honestly. But let’s not go there, let’s just focus on the good instead. I hope you’re feeling better than me, but if you’re ill as well, I wish you a quick recovery.

So, there’s that. Now, here comes to the fun bit – the story of the concert I went to on Tuesday, which may or may not have been the most aesthetic gig I’ve ever been to. I’ve never experienced anything like it, so I’ve got no other choice than tell you everything about it. First, the band – half•alive. If you’ve been following my blog for the past few months, you’ll probably know this indie trio from California. But if you don’t know them, please go and check them out immediately. They are so good. And their show was absolutely stunning as well, as you can probably tell by me not being able to even fully describe how much it blew me away.

I might have to add that Leni and I actually managed to get to the very front of the stage, which, I think, made it all even better because we could see everything. It’s probably also a good time now to mention that I actually got to interview these incredibly talented guys the day before for my uni magazine, which made the whole gig even more special. It kind of made me appreciate it all even more because they had directly told me how much effort they put into the shows and how much they mean to them. I’ve never met a band at the level they are right now that puts this much thought into the shows. According to them, they try to put as much of their music videos into their live shows as they can. Makes sense, thinking that their gig felt more like watching a theatre or art performance. It was that special.

They had everything. Colours, expressive dancers (also known as JA Collective), a very impressive light show, a live string duo and the most interesting stage set-up. They definitely used all the available space the stage could offer. And don’t even get me started on the music. If any of you have got the chance to check out some of their live performances on YouTube, don’t be misled – they are actually A LOT better live at their shows than you’d ever think from just watching those clips. Josh’s voice (the lead singer) is absolutely breath-taking live and Brett and J just turn the three of them into the perfect trio. I adored how passionate and happy they looked on stage and it made me so happy to see them enjoy the show.

If I had to choose my favourite parts, it would probably seeing the dance performance for the first time, which surprised the hell out of me, as I definitely wasn’t expecting that, and the moment when Josh literally threw his guitar over one of the dancers into the arms of their tech guy. It was way more thrilling than I thought because the guitar looked close to either hitting someone one the head or plain crashing onto the floor. Also, did I mention that they changed their outfits three times? In the span of one hour? How crazy is that? First I thought the clothes were meant to fit the background and the lights, but nope. They’re just that extra. But in the best way.

So, overall, it was one of the craziest experiences ever. The interview the day before was absolutely fantastic and they were super nice as well, and then the gig but the biggest cherry on top. Absolutely incredible. If any of you ever get the chance to see half•alive live, please go and check them out. They’re truly phenomenal. And until then, please give them a listen on YouTube or Spotify. You won’t regret it. Also, I hope you enjoyed this post. I would really love to hear your opinions and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to leave them down below. And until then I wish you all a nice week and thanks for reading. x