NME Awards Tour Review

On the eighth show of the tour; just over half-way through, it’s safe to say the NME Awards Tour 2012 is a pretty damn triumphant one. With a collection of 2011’s finest, most successful and exciting, the atmosphere in the crowd couldn’t be measured.

   Kicking off the evening, Birmingham was graced by the presence of New York female rapper Azealia Banks. Stepping onto the stage with a smile spread across her face and sporting a new hairdo - (‘I’ve come straight from the salon, Birmingham! What do you think?!) bubblegum-pink, and flowing past her waist, those who hadn’t heard her before were in for a shock. Performing songs such as ‘Liquorice’ and ‘212’, it was soon clear to the crowd of half confused half enthralled fans that she wasn’t just another female rapper. With a sharp tongue, colourful language that rivalled her hair, she was definitely noticed, and caused a storm.

Aezalia Banks - courtesy of Google

   Next up were Tribes, fresh from supporting The Kooks on their come-back tour last year. The Camden foursome entered the way they exited; calm and collected, and leather-clad. Pleasing the masses by assuring us we were the ‘biggest crowd yet’, they played a fairly short but strong set, mixing the old favourites such as ‘Sappho’ and ‘When We Were Children’ with the new – exclusives from their latest album; already dubbed as this year’s album of the year.

   Following Tribes were Metronomy, who not only illuminated the stage with their unique and immeasurable electro sound, but also their shirts complete with LED lights, blinking in rhythm. The party atmosphere was infectious as they delved into last year’s ‘The English Riviera’, and there must have only been a handful of people not singing along with ‘The Look’ and ‘Heartbreaker’. Thanking the crowd multiple times, they led the way perfectly for the evening’s headliners.

   Two Door Cinema Club were the icing on top of an amazing (and slightly sweaty) cake. Opening with favourites; ‘Cigarettes in the Theatre’ and ‘Undercover Martyn’, the boys from Bangor were officially back, and with an almighty bang. Bringing the festival ambience to an otherwise-freezing Birmingham evening, it’s hard to imagine them ever being away, as they heightened all anticipation for their upcoming album. A handful of their new songs pleased their energetic and eager fans. The band also reminisced playing numerous times at the Birmingham o2 Academy, and were now so clearly grateful that they had not only made the main stage in the venue’s largest room, but also headlining such a prestigious tour.

New Year, New Lists

That awful time of year has hastily creeped upon on us; christmas is over and so here follows the pre-new year guilt.

Everyone seems busy deciding on new conquests for the year ahead, so I feel like I almost have to jump on the resolution bandwagon.

I guess they'd read something a little like this...

1. Stop putting off learning a form of self defence. Those pesky robbers won't stand a chance if they dare come back.
2. Stop 'winging-it' at uni and actually read the books we're studying. And get rid of whoever taught me the phrase 'winging-it' from my life.
3. Learn to cook something...anything. Different varities of eggs no longer count.
4. Stop spending money like its mine and SAVE. I WILL defeat my overdraft.
5. Take more photos - buy a camera and do not break it this time. Return to the 'dickhead-with-a-camera' status.
6. Lose weight. Put down the pringles.
7. Do more things to benefit my career in the long term. I know what I mean.
8. Learn to walk in heels. Platforms are cheating.
9. Go out more this semester. Doesn't quite coincide with a few other resolutions, but I miss alcohol.
10. Make things happen.


...I give myself approx. two weeks.

The Human Race

The human race is the most stupid and unfair kind of race. A lot of the runners don't even get decent sneakers or clean drinking water.


Some runners are born with a massive head start, every possible help along the way and still the referees seem to be on their side.


It's not surprising a lot of people have given up competing altogether and gone to sit in the grandstand, eat junk and shout abuse.


What the human race needs is a lot more streakers.


- Robert 'Banksy' Banks.

Banksy Artwork - courtesy of Google

Panic on the Streets of Birmingham

I wonder to myself; could life ever be sane again?

As England's main cities battle to get back to normality, the shocking images of the week of riots don't seem to fade as fast.

As a born and raised, proud Brummie, I sat back with the rest of the country and watched in horror as the city was taken over by rebels certainly without cause. Hearing some of the mob declare they were merely 'showing the rich they can do what they want', I can't help but think of 'Hat Man'. Now urban fashion is not exactly to my taste but I'll always admire an underdog, as the face behind the hat is a man who has worked his way up from a market stall to now owning two stores in Birmingham's city centre. His ethos is to make a 'hat that fits all'. Angry tweets fill his twitter about how could 'brothers go against brothers' and 'black people fighting against those who are there to help' but this cannot be even contemplated as a race issue. A greed issue, would be more precise.

Walking past his store today I found myself smiling at his brand new windows; replacing the boards that had occupied the front for a week. And the smile only grew when I walked past 'Cyber Candy' - an out-of-this-world sweet shop, now infamous for being on 'that video' on youtube; being smashed to bits and looted (because ya' know, stealing sweets is hardcore). The store had been previously boarded up and in giant letters the phrase 'Keep Calm and Candy On' had been scrawled defiantly on it, above a peace emblem. Now even that was gone. 

The one loss that can't be patched up with a new sheet of glass is the lives of the three young men, defending their livelihoods and hometown in Winson Green. 20,000 people from all over the world showed to pay their respects at the funeral of Haroon Jahan, Shazad Ali and Abdul Musavir. Thousands gathered for a peace rally in Birmingham in their honour, proving community spirit and hope for our country did not die with them.

The atmosphere in the town centre is not one of vibrance and opportunity anymore, but as I have watched ordinary, every-day people in the community come together, with brooms and mugs of tea in a clean-up mission, it's safe to say we're getting there. Destructive subcultures cannot and will not destroy a city. Especially one with such an attractive accent.

 Cyber Candy, Birmingham - Courtesy of Google

Wasted Talent

So, Amy Winehouse has been found dead in her Camden flat at the infamous age of 27. Everyone is shocked, no one is surprised, some care and others don't give a shit.

I didn't realise how much I cared until 'Rehab' came up on my Ipod shuffle on the bus earlier. Hearing the trumpets its forgivable to dismiss it as another blues-y, soulful pop song. But listening to what she has to say, you learn that she wasn't 'just another crackhead'. She knew she had a problem but she was terrified, and by then it was too late. She clearly wasn't the greatest role model to date, but she was an ill addict.

She may have made her choice, but wrong decisions are easy to make. Everyone knows. Unfortunately some life style choices are more destructive than others, and as she said herself, 'drugs is a losing game'. She lost, and I hope at least it can be a lesson to her fans out there that she did deserve to have. She was talented, emotional and raw and I hope it's these things that she does get remembered for. But I guess that's not reality. Maybe at least the eyeliner then.

My personal favourite. Soundtrack to many - a - dark moment.

'There is nothing scarier than the blank page'

The start of anything is intimidating but its time I jumped back on the ink-stained horse. I can't promise that these posts will be interesting or entertaining, but I'm hoping they'll be at least insightful.

I've been talking to a friend about starting one of these for a while now as peer pressure is finally getting to me - 'everyone has one'. She showed me loads of blogs that are doing really well in the world of...well, blogs...and I thought if some of them can do it, why not me? Granted most of them are rich, beautiful and of celebrity status but hey - a short, generously - sized ten brummie has got to start somewhere.

I'll mostly focus on music and being a student, because these days the two topics tend to be all I know. I'll also aim to leave you with my favourite song of the moment. Like this...

So yeah...enjoy!