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Florence And The Machine. 22nd May. Birmingham Academy 2.

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The time is finally here. I have finally seen her live. Enjoy the review šŸ™‚

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Thereā€™s a good chance this review may turn into some kind of ramble, I apologise. Iā€™ve just returned home and my head is all over the place. I feel my words may make no sense, but when do they!

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Golden Silvers are an amazing live band with some beautiful lyrics. I urge you to go see them live and to purchase their album from a record shop (Iā€™m not a fan of downloading!).

You may know Golden Silversā€™ track, True Romance. Itā€™s a top tune. Anyway, Iā€™m standing in the crowd watching them in awe and possibly in my own little world when suddenly about 3 or 4 screaming ladies come running in. One grabs my shoulder and I move to the side to let them in. They then start dancing like nutcases, and of course I look at them and smile. However, my smile quickly turns into an ā€œOH MY GOODNESS LOOK WHO IT ISā€ kind of gormless expression. So I tug at my friendā€™s sleeve and nudge her, telling her to look to her side. She replies with, ā€œNo itā€™s not.ā€ I of course, say ā€œIT IS!ā€ We then realise that I have been grabbed by Florence and she is now dancing like mad in front of us to Golden Silvers. This dear reader has made me again declare, that this is the best gig that I have ever been to!

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After just under two years of waiting to see her, the time has finally arrived. The stage is decorated in a vintage fashion and she takes to the stage with her band. I must say now, the harp that is on the stage is just astounding. I wish I could play it. Anyway, she stands in front of the mic and blesses us all with her fantastic voice. She claims that she is losing her voice, but itā€™s on perfect form. There is no faulting it. Tracks from her debut album, Lungs are also played and they give the indication that this WILL be the album of the year.

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Fan favourites such as Girl With 1 Eye, Hurricane and Dog Days Are Over (cue stage dive!) are played. The track that just made this evening a rarity was Florence inviting a group of kids on stage to sing Kiss With A Fist with her. How many bands do that now? Hardly any. In fact, how many bands rush into the crowd whilst the support act is on and dance to them? Hardly any.

Florence is, as clichĆ©d as it sounds, a star. She has the best voice in the UK and we should be ridiculously proud of her because she is so talented. Just watching her perform tonight, you can easily see that she loves what she is doing. She may not play massive venues, and you know what- thatā€™s fine because you can truly appreciate her talent (and the bandsā€™) in a smaller venue. Oh, and because she stage dives too!

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The set is ended with a cover of Candi Statonā€™s You Got The Love. I was hoping that she would end the set with this, and she did. There are no words.

I may be totally biased here, but crowds in the Midlands are the best. Everyone left with a massive smile on their faces tonight, and they also experience something truly remarkable.

Metric. Coventry Kasbah. Wednesday 13th May 2009.

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Emily Haines.

Emily Haines.

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About a week before the Metric gig, I saw Morrissey live. I claimed that no gig could ever top Moz- that it was the greatest gig ever.

Oh how I take that back.

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Coventry Kasbah is one of my favourite venues, thereā€™s something special about it. Metric played the side room which is tiny. My favourite band in a small room, can it get any better? Yes, yes it can and Iā€™m going to tell you exactly how and why!

The support act was a DJ, no idea what his name was. I have a hard time accepting that he is a DJ due to him playing off CD decks. He has no vinyl, in my mind this doesnā€™t make anyone a DJ- but thatā€™s just me. Music on vinyl just sounds so much better. Anyway, back to Metric.

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The band take to the stage and everyone goes rather mental, which is expected. How long has it been since they did a tour of the UK?

They open with Twilight Galaxy, with a nice little jam at the end of it. Perfect opener. Then it is straight into Help Iā€™m Alive which is greeted by mass cheering. I never ever sing at gigs. This was the first…maybe second time Iā€™ve sung at a gig. There are no highlights of the gig; the whole thing was pure perfection. Emily Haines is the greatest front woman around right now. The way Jimmy, Joshua, Joules and Emily come alive on stage just leaves you in awe. Jimmy Shaw is an amazing guitarist, when he plays itā€™s almost as if he is in some kind of trance having a fit- it is beautiful. This guy needs to be up in the list of greatest guitarists of all time.

Being right at the front, I am pretty much crushed but I donā€™t care and neither does anyone else in the same position as me. Tonight felt like a bunch of people who did not know each other coming alive for an hour and a half.

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The big question, did Metric play any old songs? Hell yes! They blessed us with Empty (you have no idea how big of a deal that was!), Handshakes, and an extended version of Dead Disco. It was the encore that quite possibly made this gig something everyone will remember in years to come, even if they have a bout of amnesia. They came back and ripped the place up with Monster Hospital. Joshua and Joules left the stage for a few minutes, and Jimmy and Emily played a stunning version of Live It Out. Totally unexpected. I thought it was going to end after Monster Hospital. This stripped, slower version of Live It Out was beautiful. Every word was sung by the crowd. Emily made everyone use their mobile phones and lighters to light up the place; the atmosphere at this gig was the best I have ever seen. Coventry crowds are the best.

The only songs that were not played off Fantasises were Collect Call and Blindness (my favourite). However, although they did not play Blindness, I am about to tell you what made this gig better than the Moz gig.

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During one of the songs, I have no idea which as itā€™s a bit of a blur. I think it was Stadium Love; Emily was grabbing the hands of those in the first two rows. She touched my friends hand (for the second time!), then the girl next to me, so on and so forth. But, Emily noticed she didnā€™t grab my hand so she stepped back grabbed my hand and smiled at me. Emily Haines grabbed MY hand and smiled AT ME. I think I died and went to Heaven.

There is no denying how much Metric love their fans and how much their fans love them. Metric have the best fans in the world.

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Frequently Emily was complimenting the crowd, saying we were the coolest and how nice it was to see everyone looking different from each other.

Iā€™m sure I wasnā€™t the only one there wanting Metric to stay on stage and play every single song they have ever done.

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The gig ended and we all pilled out. Covered in sweat and filled with extreme joy (yes that does sound wrong, I know). Walking to the bus station I shouted at my friend, as I couldnā€™t hear that I was never washing my hand again after Emily had touched it. A girl walking in front of us shouted back ā€œME NEITHER! SHE TOUCHED ME TOO!ā€

You can call us crazy if you want, but I have washed my hands numerous of times since the gig.

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The morning after my body hurt, my hearing was worse than usual and my voice was rather delicate- this my friends is what makes the perfect gig. Oh, and Emily Haines touched my hand and smiled at me!

Oh, I took quite a few photos but I’ll only put one up. The photo above, just captures everything this gig was. If you were there, you’ll know what I mean.

Florence And The Machine (how many times have I written about her?!)

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Have you heard her new single? Well, if you haven’t- let me tell you now that it is the song of the summer and probably the song of the year. The chorus is just so captivating, you will sing a long. You will sing a long LOUDLY. You HAVE to! It is a magnificent song. There’s a few tracks floating around on YouTube from her album, Lungs which is out in July I think? Or is it June? I cannot remember. But this single is amazing. I hope you love it. By rights, it should be Number 1 in the charts when it comes out. It’s beautiful!

Florence And The Machine- Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up).

Deftones.

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Firstly, sorry I haven’t updated this. Uni work took over my life recently, but it’s all over now! I handed in my last piece of uni work ever this morning.

Secondly, expect a review of Morrissey’s gig in Stirling from Monday 4th May either the Tuesday or Wednesday- depends how long it takes me for me to get over the excitement!

Thirdly (and the point of this post), Deftones are playing a one off at The Forum in London on 27th August. Tickets go on sale TOMORROW. Now, if this wasn’t in London I’d go. I want to go, but I really don’t like London.

That’s all for now šŸ™‚

Camera Obscura

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Yesterday I took a trip to a local record shop. It’s quite small, but I don’t really like buying my music from certain chain record shops (too expensive etc). So, I was looking through the CDs, I was so tempted to buy some vinyl, but as I don’t have my decks with me right now..I’d have nothing to play them on.

Lookin at me was the brand new Camera Obscura album. I adore this band, simply adore them. I cannot find fault in them. I think everything about them is beautiful. From the music to the lyrics..just beautiful. Seeing the new album right in front of me made me feel quite happy (I’ve got a really bad cold/flu and I’m not sleeping!) I had no idea it was out on Monday! I thought it was next week!

Right now, I think I am listening to one of the best albums of this year. I know it’s only April..but dare I say it, this album is quite summery. Tracyanne Campbell has the most underrated voice in music.

I’m not Scottish, but ya know..I reckon Scottish people make the best music! (This is based on my love for Shirley Manson from Garbage!)

The lead single is French Navy, which is damn good song. I love You Told A Lie and Away With Murder. Just a fantastic album that you need to go out and buy šŸ™‚