Caitlin Festivals, Music News

TECHFEST RELEASE FIRST LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 2019

TechFest have released the first wave of bands playing the festival next summer, with some pretty big names gracing the bill.

Top of the bill sees death metal band Dying Fetus return to the UK for the first time since 2017, alongsie UK prog metal band Monuments, metal quartet Psycroptic and Boston hailing Revocation.

The 6th event held in Newark Showground, Nottinghamsire is set to take place from Thursday 4th July- Monday 8th with more announcements due in the next year.

Weekend tickets can be bought HERE and the current list of bands announced can be seen below! Let us know who you’re most excited to see.

Dying Fetus, MONUMENTS, PSYCROPTIC, John Gomm, Revocation, Archspire, BLACK TONGUE, Polaris, Black Crown Initiate, A Night In Texas, Sarah Longfield, Adimiron, Palm Reader, The Omnific, Voices From The Fuselage, Cold Night For Alligators, The Intersphere, 22, Time, The Valulator, Project MishraM, Jonestown, The Paralell, Hypophoria.

Caitlin Music News, Track Of The Week

TRACK OF THE WEEK 28/10/18- IMMINENCE – PARALYZED

This weeks track of the week goes to Swedish post-hardcore four piece Imminence.

After a slight lineup change and a distinctive switch in musical styles, Paralyzed embodies the bands new direction, a path they aim to head down. Mixing elements of debut ‘Return To Helios’ and fan-favourite single ‘The Sickness’. A far step from ‘This Is Goodbye’ but still containing their signature styles and Architects-style influences. A track (and video) to hear now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HKRfKeVS78&feature=share

https://open.spotify.com/track/3vCHQhRlQTflUbMzQn6HZe?si=gJaAO4zgQ4u6J4Qm_FbAcw

Caitlin Music News

STARSET REIMAGINE VESSELS FOR DELUXE RELEASE

Starset have announced a delicious release of their second album “Vessels 2.0′!

The new release will include all the previous tracks, plus an additional 9 tracks including acoustics and remixes. The full track list can be found below:

1: The Order

2. Satellite

3: Frequency

4. Die For You

5. Ricochet

6. Starlight

7. Into The Unknown

8. Gravity Of You

9. Back To The Earth

10. Last To Fall

11. Bringing It Down

12. Unbecoming

13. Last To Fall

14. Telepathic

15. Everglow

16. Bringing It Down (Version 2.0)

17. Die For You (Acoustic)

18. Telepathic (Acoustic)

19. Starlight (Acoustic)

20. Ricochet (Acoustic)

21. Satellite (Acoustic)

22. Love You To Death

23. Telepathic (Not Your Dope remix)

24. Satellite (TRAILS remix)

The deluxe release is set to come out on September 28th through Fearless Records

Caitlin Interviews, Music News

INTERVIEW – TORONTO BLESSINGS

A Song Which Made You Want To Make Music:

Welcome To The Jungle by Guns n Roses. My mum bought me the cassette when I was eight years old! She had heard the singles and thought it might be something I might like. Little did she know that the rest of the album was full of swearing with songs of drugs and fuckin! When I heard Welcome to the jungle the first track, it blew my head clean off! I was hooked on loud rock music. I’ve never looked back.

Best Experience While On Tour:

Just being on tour is mostly great. This band is yet to tour, but all three of us have been in several bands together. We’ve been lucky enough to play some of the largest and prestigious stages in the UK. The best experience is just getting out there and playing your music to new people, it’s the most enjoyable way.

Cover you would really like to do?

We’re not in any rush to do a cover. But we always seem to mention them every now and again. The bands that have been mentioned are The Smiths, siouxsie and the banshees and depeche mode. Also Erasure has been mentioned! Hopefully one day we might decide on one.

Deepest Lyrics One Of Your Songs Features:

All my lyrics are pretty deep to me. I am very much a heart on my sleeve, real life observer. Out of the songs we have released I’d say Sorrow Can Swim. It’s about addiction and not realising that you’re trying to fix a problem with another one.

Easiest Song You Wrote:

The easiest song we have written is definitely our latest single Give Nothing. Murray our drummer brought in a couple of cool riffs one rainy Thursday evening at practice. We pretty much pulled it into a song in about 10 minutes. It just felt right from the off. On the back of this song we scrapped a full album of songs and wrote another 6 or 7 in next to no time. It gave us a creative kick up the rear.

Favourite album/single/EP you have released:

Well, we’re a pretty new band so we only have 2 singles out at the moment. Out of the 2 I’d definitely say Give Nothing, as mentioned before it was a game changer for us. We have a new single called Bad Decision coming out soon, so look out for that.

Greatest Show/Festival You Have Played:

This band is yet to reach that peak. We are ready though! Our first gig meant a lot though. As this band is the first band I’ve done lead vocals in. I kind of reluctantly took on the mantle, mainly due to self doubt. But after the first gig I proved to myself that I could indeed hold my own. It gave me the confidence to crack on!!

Happiest moment in the band:

Toronto Blessings overall makes me happy! I find this band an amazing release. When you’re having a shitty week, I look forward so much to practice. I get to hang out with my best mates and make a beautiful racket.

Interesting Fact About One Of Your Members:

Dale our guitarist is an amazing chef! He does alot of the cooking at the festivals for Jaegermeister en all.

Jokes You Have In The Band:

Hmm. Maybe when our drummer was on tour and had drunk maybe a little too much. Whilst said drink was being puked back up, he kept screaming TWARB and we were like what? Then he was shouting TWARB COFFEE whilst gut wrenching. We were non the wiser! Turns out he was quoting some obscure late night sketch show he’d seen! We’d never heard of it, but Twarb Coffee has remained in our dialect forever!

Kicking Off Your Set Is Best With Which Song:

Well this set of songs are so fresh we haven’t played any live yet! So at our next gig which is real soon we’re going into the unknown. We’re starting the set with a song called Hopes & Dreams. It starts with a pulsating Synth which drives the whole song. You can’t help but move with it. It’s very hypnotic on a purpose. Not many riffs or lyrics, it’s like a noise rock dance song. Maybe!

Longest Distance You’ve Travelled To Play A Show:

For this band our it would have been for our first gig which was in London. So nearly 200 miles. But in previous bands we have toured the all the UK and several spots in Europe.

Movie That Best Represents The Band:

Bad News.

New Band You’d Recommend:

They’re not really that new, but we love the band Meat Wave. A very powerful 3 piece. They make a powerful sound but its all very dynamic too. I’d definitely recommend you check em out.

Opening For This Band Would Be Ideal:

At the moment we’re all buzzing about the band Idles. They seem to be an unstoppable force at the moment. A ferocious live band, but they still know their way around a song. Perfect.

Place You’d Most Like To Tour:

I reckon we’d love to do a US tour or Canada. That would be a good laugh! Also a bit closer to home would be Europe. I am sure we can sort that out in the not too distant future!

Quote That You’d Like To Pass On To Readers:

Be kind to each other. Consider other peoples feelings. Patronise the arts. Smash the right wing.

Reason For The Title Of Your Recent/Forthcoming Release:

Give Nothing. The title and the meaning of the song go hand in hand really. The thought behind the song is no matter who we are or where we are placed on societies ladder we’re all living in a pretty bad place. It’s getting to a point where everyone are getting self centered without even realising.

See Us Live At:

Coalfields Festival – July 14th

Packhorse Leeds – July 21st

Lots more dates to be added.

The First Song You Ever Played Together As A Band:

It would have been one of our earlier songs that is now scrapped. The one where we first got something we all liked would be Sorrow Can Swim.

Unusual Merchandise:

At the moment we have no merchandise, so that’s pretty unusual huh? Maybe we’ll get a stick of rock with our name on. Tasty and rocking. Oh dear.

Variations You’d Like To Do On Any Of Your Songs:

It would be cool to do an electro version of any of our songs. We’re trying to incorporate more Synth into our writing, so I think it would hand itself over to that style really well. A big dirty electro version of Give Nothing would be Amazing. Probably.

Worst Experience On Tour:

Always the worst part of touring is the waiting around. You live for the gig itself, but alot of the other stuff can be a real pain. It’s worth it though.

X-rays Or Any Other Treatments For Band Related Injuries:.

Over the years, we’ve all had a guitar head stock in the face. I actually had one to the back of my neck recently at the end of a set of the other band I play in (The Lock & Keys) Luckily I think we’ve escaped injuries so far. But I have seen people’s noses explode and ears nearly being ripped off from friends in bands, from onstage carnage.

Your Favourite Show You’ve Ever Played:

This band is all relatively new, we’ve been locked up writing and writing. But we’re all seasoned vets of the gigging malarkey. My personal favourite would have to have been with our old band Cavorts. It was at Manchester Academy 1 supporting Dragonforce! It was a Friday night, everyone was up for it. We were first on and we just ripped it up and played a stormer. Good Times.

Zoo Animal That Best Describes The Band:

Snake. As we have a joke side project that has never practiced or written a single riff, but it lives in our hearts and minds called Battle Snake! It’s full on thrash with all the songs to be about various Battle Snake’s throughout the history of war. Ssssssssssss

Caitlin Festivals, Music News

SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL ’18 SURVIVAL GUIDE

The bank holiday weekend festival is set to launch once again in less than three days, hitting the North (LEEDS) on Saturday, South (HATFIELD) on Sunday and Midlands (BIRMINGHAM) on Monday. With the festival running from 1pm-11pm (With afterparties till 3am), these are the things you should keep in mind before and during the festival

Set up a schedule and check out new bands.

50+ bands across 7 stages, there WILL be clashes. Be sure to set a schedule of the times and bands you wish to see. This can easily be done via the Slam Dunk Festival App. Also, don’t be afraid to check out bands you’ve never seen before. If you have free time, why not go to the Breakout Stage to check out some of the latest upcoming bands? Festivals are an easy way to discover new music quickly and easily, so make use of it if you can!

TIP: For bigger bands, give plenty of time to get to the stage before the act starts. Often, if a stage reaches full capacity there will be queues to get in, meaning you may not be let in when the band starts.

Only bring the essentials.

Security on all three venues this year is tight, meaning only one strap bags no bigger than an A4 sheet of paper are permitted into the venue. As this rule excludes backpacks, ensure to bring only the essential items for the day: Suncream, portable charger, money, ID and other essentials you may need for the day.

TIP: If you’re going to buy merch (honestly, who doesn’t) fold up a small cloth tote bag into your regular bag for later in the day

Bring enough money.

While some bars do take card payments, many merch stands and food stalls may only take cash. There are cash machines, however these often have long queues to save time, try and bring cash with you beforehand. Be sure to take enough money to suffice for the day and for travel to and from the festival grounds.

TIP: Bring coins along for quick drinks at the vending machines (venue dependant)

Keep hydrated.

Yes, water or drinks may be a bit more expensive at the festival itself, but it’s important to keep hydrated through the festival to avoid dehydration and other illness. Festivals aren’t as much fun in the medical tents. Also, food is expensive, eat before entering the festival to cut down on hunger in the grounds. Food does accommodate for vegans and non-vegans and while you can leave the festival, food areas outside the grounds (Specifically referring to MIDLANDS) may be just as expensive as inside.

TIP: If you’re desperate for water, some of the inside bars may give you glasses of tap water for free. However, this will vary from venue to venue.

Know your travel arrangements.

Over the bank holiday weekend, there are a few travel disruptions across the three dates which you can find below.

NORTH: Industrial action planned with a strike by Northern Rail train drivers. This will affect some lines in the Yorkshire Region

SOUTH: There will be limited trains leaving Hatfield station after the main festival ends (11pm) so ensure to leave promptly to fill the earlier trains. A queueing system will also be in place to avoid any overcrowding.

MIDLANDS: There will be no train service between Birmingham International and Birmingham New Street. Services between the two will be replaced by a bus service.

TIP: Plan your travel arrangements beforehand and make sure you have a backup in case you miss trains.

Maps for all three dates can also be found below:

Have fun and be safe!

Most importantly have fun and be safe. Crowdsurfing/stage diving and moshing are permitted but at the participants risk. “Slam Dunk as an organisation does not condone any of these activities and will not be held accountable for injury/loss of possessions as a direct result of such activities’. If you take part in these activities and are deemed to be causing potential harm to yourself or others, you may face eviction from the festival site.

Be aware that you are banned form bringing these items into the festival and they will be confiscated upon entry.

  • Glass bottles
  • Cans
  • Flasks
  • Cool boxes and hampers
  • Flags and banners
  • Helium balloons
  • Studded belts
  • Spiked bracelets/belts/neck collars/boots or jackets
  • Trouser chains
  • Sharp/large rings
  • Flares and fireworks
  • Smoke grenades
  • Airhorns
  • Large bags
  • Laser pointers/Pens and glow Sticks
  • Sharp objects, any items that could potentially be used as weapon
  • Audio or Video recording devices such as iPads and tablets
  • Selfie sticks
  • Large umbrellas
  • Parasols
  • Tents
  • Gazebos
  • Any chairs including collapsible or any other item of furniture
  • Skate board, roller skates, bicycles, hover boards
  • Balls
  • Frisbees
  • Kites
  • Barbecues
  • Lanterns or anything that can be lit with a naked flame
  • Drones

If you see anything suspicious or need help during the festival, talk to a steward, security or official found around the site.

Caitlin Interviews

REALMS TRACK-BY-TRACK GUIDE TO ‘ECHO CHAMBER’

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Realms, the 5-piece post-hardcore band hailing from Yorkshire, are on the verge of releasing their debut EP ‘Echo Chamber’ on Saturday 9th December 2017! In the run-up to their new EP, we had the chance to take to Realms about each of the tracks from ‘Echo Camber’ and the true meanings behind each of the four tracks! Continue reading “REALMS TRACK-BY-TRACK GUIDE TO ‘ECHO CHAMBER’” →

Caitlin Music News

PAPER CRANES DROP NEW SINGLE ‘LIGHTS’

Paper Cranes are an Indie Folk duo hailing from the South of the Lake District. Made up of of Jon Dawes providing vocals, guitar as well as percussion alongside Beckah Lloyd lending her melodies and harmonies alongside the acoustic bass.

On the verge of releasing their next EP I’m 2018, Paper Cranes have released their second single ‘Lights’ to the world. Why not check it out below!

Caitlin Interviews

INTERVIEW – SAGES

With a new single out and much more ahead of them, we had the chance to chat with Dino from Sages about the future of Sages and their new music!

Heya! Could you please introduce yourself, what you do in the band and one instrument you would like to learn?

Dino : Hey, how’s it going, I’m Dino. I sing and play guitar in the band. Unfortunately, I’ll be the only one here today, but I’m more than happy to share as much as I can with you. One instrument I’ve always wanted to learn is the sitar, and it would be a dream come true to learn from Anoushka Shankar… Even though I’m pretty sure if I don’t faint, I’d freeze up like a deer in headlights if I ever met her in person, but hey, I’m willing to give it a shot, haha!

You’re influenced quite heavily by the likes of Deftones, Metallica and Periphery. What is it about these bands that influences you?

Dino : Well, they’re all just really great at what they do. Like, Deftones puts out the vibe better than most. You can mosh to their music or you can have sex to their music. It’s great. And I’ve always appreciated Metallica’s ability to arrange long songs without the songs getting boring. That takes some pretty serious artistry and I’ve always loved the challenge of integrating similar complex arrangements and vibes into some of our songs. But speaking of influential, just a couple nights ago I revisited the “Title of Record” album by Filter, and man, that has to be one of my all time favorite rock albums ever! Filter, in general, is a major influence.

‘Matter Of Time’, your new single, was released recently. How has the response been so far?

Dino : It’s been awesome. We’re all really happy about it. We actually just got word this morning that the music video is going to be featured in up to 4,000 gyms/clubs around the U.S. this November through December, which includes Planet Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and L.A. Fitness. Pretty cool! So keep your eyes and ears open for us while you’re out there making them gains, haha.

I hear you’re also planning a new album, can you give us a little information about it?

Dino : Yeah, we’re actually working on it right now. I don’t have a release date or anything like that just yet, but I think it’s safe to say that at the very least an EP will be released in the first quarter of 2018, and a full album later on in the year.

Do you feel the style and direction will be the same as ‘Matter Of Time’

Dino : So far, a lot of it is in the same ballpark. There is some heavier stuff and there is some softer ambient stuff, but it’s all generally of the same vibe so far.

You play a lot of shows locally, is there anywhere internationally in particular you would like to play?

Dino : I’d love to tour through Japan. I have friends that have toured through there with their bands and they all say it’s amazing. I also just really love Japanese culture and it would be really cool to experience a little bit of that and play shows all in the same trip. To be completely honest though, it would be a blast to tour pretty much anywhere outside of the U.S. I love to travel, and at this point, I’m not too picky about where to go because I can appreciate all of it. Well.. most of it.

What’s next for Sages? What direction do you hope to go in?

Dino : There is so much happening right now that I honestly don’t even know where to start, haha. I’ll say this though, 2018 is going to be a busy year for us. A new album, new tours, maybe even international tours. There’s a lot being discussed right now regarding all of those things so we’ll see what happens.