Exeter
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John Cooper Clarke
Photo credit: Sonic PR. In a characteristically taciturn interview with The Guardian, veteran performance poet John Cooper Clarke recently referred to himself as ‘A walking example of self-denial’. Having thought about it for a few long minutes, that’s probably far better a descriptor than anything I could have come up with – and I never…
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Campus Bands Presents
The Allergens are in their third year as a group, and yet their growth still seems exponential. Having released five E.P.s this year, the iconoclastic band show no signs of slowing down, pumping out their Charly Bliss and Magnetic Fields indebted music at a ridiculous rate – and somehow keeping matching the quantity with quality….
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Michael Kiwanuka
Photo credit: Fanart.tv. Michael Kiwanuka is a name that was introduced to me through Pearshaped, and after reading Sarah Turnnidge’s review of his sophomore album, I knew I was missing out. After also missing out at Michael’s debut performance at Exeter’s Phoenix, his performance this October at our very own Great Hall is one I simply…
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Everything Goes Right For Anathema At The Phoenix
Photo credit: Antonio Sediles. Anathema’s recent gig at the Phoenix was probably the first time I was determined to cry that week. Anyone who listens to opening act Alcest will understand. Anyone who doesn’t listen to opening act Alcest should listen to opening act Alcest. I’ve briefly written about the French blackgaze pioneers before, during my…
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Anathema
Photo credit: Scarlet Page, The Independent. Anathema formed more than 25 years ago as a death-doom band, and have slowly morphed into the alt/post/prog rock outfit they are today. Perhaps they thought their creative energies were better suited to a more endearing, melodic approach. Perhaps they acquiesced and fell into the age-old path of heavy…
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Amber Run
Photo credit: The Independent. 2016 was a rough year for Amber Run. Not only were the band dropped by their label, their drummer Felix Archer left the group. Adding to that was the pressure of releasing an album that could live up to the expectations of fans and critics alike after their breakthrough album 5…
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My Baby
Photo credit: Mousique on WordPress. With their swampish sound and video visuals reminiscent of an American Horror Story opening credits sequence, a live performance from the Amsterdam-based trio My Baby is sure to be one to remember. The band combines a heavy blues style with riffing funk beats, creating a psychedelic accompaniment to vocalist Cato…
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ExeFest 2017
Just over a year ago, you may have been charging up Forum Hill, desperately trying to find your headphones to avoid the many Sabb campaigners in their various primary colours. Over in the yellow camp, our current VP Activities Tristan Gatward was promising Exeter its own Campus Music Festival. At that point it wasn’t clear…
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Exeter Queer Punk Fest
“I’ll never be, as strong as my mother,” sing members of the Spook School on the opener to their 2015 LP, Try to Be Hopeful. The song is called Burn Masculinity; the guitars are dialled up to eleven; the record cover shows a staggering sketch of a skeleton, whose incongruously textured spine bears a beyond…
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