

Ben Standring
- Jun 19, 2019
- 5 min
EP Review: Exchecker – Exchecker
Cheshire-based hip-hop collective deliver an impenetrable statement of intent on their blossoming sophomore EP. Hip-hop has invariably been an illusive genre to conquer since the illustrious first golden age of the genre transformed music worldwide in the late 1980s. With its diversity, incalculable temperament and sweeping lyrical mindset, the brand has undergone more changes in its history than the presenters of Top Gear, yet at its core lies a primal set of foundations, a

Ben Standring
- Jun 13, 2019
- 4 min
Album Review: Charlie Cunningham – 'Permanent Way'
The classically trained London singer-songwriter delivers a documentation of life’s uncertainties on his glowing sophomore record. The burgeoning mass of British singer-songwriters that have emerged in recent years has slowly moulded into a quagmire of similarity and simplicity, taking away some of the joy from acoustic guitar-based music due to its increasing predictability. However, when London-based Charlie Cunningham released his hugely successful debut album Lines in 201

Ben Standring
- Jun 12, 2019
- 2 min
Single Review: Honey Gentry – 'Daydream Baby'
Honey Gentry’s storm of ethereal, DIY enchantment provided poetic justice to those desiring artistic integrity when her debut EP Moonlight was released last year. Her passion for life’s non-tangible aspects alongside the adoption of the Honey Gentry alter ego have made the singer-songwriter an enticing prospect in a world dominated by predictable pop music. Despite a slight six-month gap in releasing music, Gentry’s latest euphoric and soul-stirring single is by far her most

Sean Hubbard
- Jun 9, 2019
- 6 min
Interview: Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari frontman Rou Reynolds played a short acoustic set at Rough Trade on Sunday in support of his new book ‘Dear Future Historians,’ which is a collection of all the Shikari lyrics, including essays explaining them. This is the second edition of the book, and this time round includes the lyrics from the most recent Shikari album ‘The Spark.’ Rou performed several songs off ‘The Spark,’ including lead single ‘Live Outside,’ and also played ‘Constellations’ from 2012’s

Sean Hubbard
- Jun 3, 2019
- 3 min
Review: All Points East, 31st May 2019
The second weekend of All Points East kicked off on Friday 31st May with a day that can only be described as an absolute triumph for British heavy music. Everything from Lotus Eater opening the North stage, all the way up to Bring Me the Horizon’s two-hour headline set was an exhibition of the best that British metal has to offer. Indeed it was clear that despite moving away from heavier music with their latest releases, BMTH still have a keen interest in promoting smaller ba

Ben Standring
- May 25, 2019
- 8 min
Interview: Lady Bird
The all-smiling, all-snarling, all-dancing punk trio caught up with The Mic backstage in Leeds to talk about their headline tour, a debut album and social evolution. Over the course of the past eighteen months, Tunbridge Wells trio Lady Bird have attempted to cause a perpetual shift within our social consciousness through the medium of brash, witty punk rock. Having worn the label of one of the UK’s brightest new sparks, the band are now putting plans into motion for what loo

Ben Standring
- May 24, 2019
- 4 min
EP Review: Interpol – 'A Fine Mess'
Stoic alternative icons attempt to rejuvenate the spark of yesteryear on wavering new EP Despite being arguably one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, New York trio Interpol have forever felt destined to be heroes of the underground scene. Their first record Turn on the Bright Lights has been hailed as one of the greatest debuts to have ever graced the alternative world, and follow-up albums Antics and Our Love to Admire were met with critical acclaim and rapturous supp

The Mic Magazine
- May 22, 2019
- 3 min
Album Review: whenyoung - 'Reasons to Dream'
The young Irish band’s debut album ‘Reasons to Dream’ is set to be released this Friday (24th May) and it is definitely something to get excited about. If you can’t wait that long, the first single ‘The Others’ is out now. whenyoung have created an interesting sound with their new album, with an array of messages and themes being found through the tracklist. From typical pop to politically charged tunes, whenyoung are able to create a good balance between feel good and think

The Mic Magazine
- May 14, 2019
- 3 min
Peter Doherty & The Puta Madres @ Rock City
Last month, former Libertines and Babyshambles frontman Peter Doherty introduced us to his third musical project, ‘Peter Doherty and The Puta Madres.’ Doherty’s latest work is a lot folksier than his previous repertoire, demonstrating inspiration from his new Margate abode, and includes fantastic Doherty-esque instrumental interludes illustrating the individual musical talents of each Puta Madre. Arriving at 7:30, I managed to catch the majority of Riding the Low’s set, a con

Ben Standring
- May 12, 2019
- 3 min
Ten Tonnes @ Rescue Rooms
Enigmatic troubadour Ethan Barnett delivers a statesmanlike performance at his sold-out Nottingham show. Such is the nature of the fickle fiend that is the music industry nowadays that we find ourselves in dire need of musicians that naturally exude some taste for artistic integrity and flair. The market price for British born singer-songwriters who manage to portray an element of domesticity and serenity has risen exponentially in recent years as the likes of Ed Sheeran, Jam

Ben Standring
- May 9, 2019
- 7 min
Review: Live at Leeds Festival 2019
At one time, Britain’s rising stars could only look to the likes of The Great Escape Festival and SXSW in America as showcases for new talent, but on Saturday 4th May, a new behemoth on the festival calendar announced itself with a stellar line-up across a multitude of stages and venues. Taking place across the first band holiday weekend of May, Live at Leeds 2019 proved to be an event fit for all music fans, highlighting the very best of new British talent alongside some sta

Sean Hubbard
- May 7, 2019
- 2 min
Festival Preview: Download 2019
The UK’s biggest rock and metal festival kicks off on Friday 14th June this year and will see over 90,000 people converge on Castle Donington for three days of non-stop riffs. This year’s festival is
headlined by three legends of the genre: Def Leppard on the Friday playing their legendary Hysteria album in full, Slipknot on the Saturday, and prog legends Tool closing the festival on the Sunday night of what is sure to be a fiery weekend. Much speculation has accompanied the

The Mic Magazine
- May 2, 2019
- 3 min
Papa Roach @ Rock City
‘You know what? Best night of the motherfucking tour.’ This is what Jacoby Shaddix, vocalist for the Californian quartet, proclaimed during the encore of their sold out show at Rock City on Sunday night, and with good reason. Never having seen Papa Roach, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had, however, seen the support, Nothing More, back in 2015, and I was extremely excited to see them again. I interviewed Mark Vollelunga, Nothing More’s guitarist, earlier in the day, and he

Ben Standring
- Apr 28, 2019
- 4 min
Festival Preview: Lowlands 2019
The Dutch giant looks ready to compete with the very best with a stellar line up for 2019’s edition. With British festival prices soaring to new heights, it’s becoming increasingly popular amongst Brits to take the plunge and enjoy one of the many European festivals dotted across our great continent. With often perfect weather, cheaper tickets and expansive line-ups, it’s no surprise that European festivals have become the go-to place for both a holiday and a tailored festiva
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