Dork, March 2019 by Dork

Sigrid. Top of the pops.

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DONâ€™T FEED THE POP MONSTER THE NEW ALBUM OUT NOW

March 2019 Issue 30

Ed’s letter. There’s nothing better than a proper pop star, Dear Reader, and that’s exactly what Sigrid is. Long before winning 2018’s BBC Sound of poll, it was obvious to anyone with even the slightest imagination that she’d eventually take over the planet. Now, on the eve of the release of her debut album, it looks like that destiny is about to be fulfilled. That’s why we’re so delighted to bring her to the cover of Dork for the first time. As a magazine more enamoured with the banger than most, it’s where she belongs. She’s not the only long term fave you’ll find in this month’s issue. In fact, we’re packed with them. From Drenge to Indoor Pets to Sundara Karma, the next few weeks are a who’s who parade for our corner of the musical universe. There are old friends and new mates, from Rebecca Taylor of Slow Club’s new project Self Esteem and her brilliant debut album, to the Aussie relativenewcomer Stella Donnelly, who’s making equally fascinating moves. 2019 is already hotting up nicely.

Index. UPDATE 6. THE 1975 10. JULIA JACKLIN 12. ‘FYI’ 14. FEVER 333 15. ZUZU 16. SELF ESTEEM 18. BANGERS 20. FESTIVALS HYPE 22. THE MURDER CAPITAL 23. MIXTAPE 24. FIRST ON 24. SISTERTALK 25. ON THE GRAPEVINE 25. IN THE KNOW 26. RECOMMENDED: THE GREAT ESCAPE 26. SO YOU WANNA BE A POP STAR? 27. LADY BIRD

FEATURES 28. SIGRID 36. STELLA DONNELLY 38. DRENGE 42. INDOOR PETS 46. SUNDARA KARMA INCOMING 50. SWMRS 52. DRENGE 54. THE JAPANESE HOUSE GET OUT 56. THE WOMBATS 60. THE GUIDE BACK PAGE 62. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS: SPORTS TEAM 62. DORKSVILLE

S tephen

Editor / @stephenackroyd

DORK

Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden Associate Editor Ali Shutler Contributing Editors Jamie Muir, Martyn Young Events Liam James Ward Scribblers Abigail Firth, Chris Taylor, Ciarán Steward, Dillon Eastoe, Dominic Allum, Jake Hawkes, Jamie MacMillan, Liam Konemann, Samantha Daly, Steven Loftin Snappers Corinne Cumming, Frances Beach, Jamie MacMillan, Jennifer McCord, Patrick Gunning, Sarah Louise Bennett Doodlers Russell Taysom PUBLISHED FROM

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All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally. Message sent with concern that will never be addressed.

On The Stereo Foals Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 Oh boy, this one’s a bit special. Oxford’s other favourite sons are back with a new album - the first of a two-

parter across 2019 - that sees them manning the banger barricades like never before. Strapping on those dancing shoes, it’s a thrilling turn from their recent festival headlining form that still plays to the masses, but does it with a swagger in its hips, and a glow stick between its teeth.

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Ten Tonnes Ten Tonnes

Our Ethan’s debut full-length is due this April, and it’s the indie powerhouse we’d hoped. He might still be looking up to the worldwide megastardom of big bro George, but if he keeps on doing it his own way, he might catch up before long.

Sigrid Sucker Punch

She’s on the cover, so you can draw your own conclusions of what we think about our Sig’s debut. You’ve already heard the title track - a banger if ever we heard one - and it’s not without company. Already a star, now Sigrid’s going supernova.

If it’s not in here, it’s not happening. Or we forgot. One or the other.

GREATEST 6

Words: Stephen Ackroyd. Photos: Sarah Louise Bennett.

They’ve dropped one of the standout albums of the past twelve months, and are preparing to deliver a second, but with their new live show, The 1975 may be more impressive than ever before.

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The 19 ade a playlis 75’s se t of tlis the co de in S t. Scan potify!

FROM BEFORE THE DOORS OPEN, THE O2 IS BUZZING as security tries to get 20,000 wide-eyed devotees into the capital’s premier enormodome all at once. Half empty plastic bottles and discarded blankets lie piled at the barriers - that determination to make it in, usually reserved for the front few rows, is transmitted to the whole audience before even getting inside the venue. That’s The 1975’s base level - borderline euphoria. It’s still two hours before they’ll even hit the stage, and the anticipation is palpable. It’s an atmosphere that doesn’t only envelop the headline act. Collaborator and current muse No Rome might well be giving one of his first major live performances on one of the biggest stages in the country, but he’s far from an unknown. Dirty Hit increasingly feels more like a family than a record label, and it’s that kind of loving embrace that greets a short but sweet set that marks out a definite Future Pop Star. Pale Waves, on the other hand, remain a phenomenon all of their own. Turns out, big, dark sheds suit them perfectly. Pulsing with red and white lights and an over-order of dry ice, they cut effortless shapes so sharp they should require help from a grown-up. Like the house band at the biggest school prom on the planet, the highlights of last year’s debut ‘My Mind Makes Noises’ grow ever more strident and confident with every outing, their intrinsic wide-eyed naivety more a superpower than a barrier to overcome. By the time their breakout ‘There’s A Honey’

fades, you’d be forgiven for asking if there was any chance of a bit more. Even an exceptional support showing doesn’t prepare for what follows. The 1975 have never been slouches when it comes to big moments. On their last album, 2016’s ‘I like it when you sleep...’, the staging was far from an afterthought. Compared to tonight’s fireworks, it feels positively minimalistic. From the moment the repeating, piano-led ‘Love Theme’ that first echoed the arrival of their Music For Cars era cuts, this is showmanship on the grandest scale. The latest instalment of pseudo-title-track ‘The 1975’ blasts large onto a gigantic, several story high set of screens, every lyric delivered in massive, bold white type. They’re not even on stage yet, and every hair in The O2 is stood to attention. What follows is nothing short of a masterclass. The scrappy guitar of ‘Give Yourself A Try’ and the pop bop of ‘TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME’ become a gloriously messy release - a screaming, shouted back cacophony of noise transformed into an all-out dance party with one gloopy synth-led power up and more than a splash of brightly coloured light. Each track sees the stage around them reconfigure - their iconic box twisting and shifting while three multi-sided cube-like super screens dip up and down. A changing set is nothing new in the pop arena, but this is beyond even the greatest bubblegum

SPOT Y O URSE Me ss a ge us kind of on Twitter @re LF?

proof it addork ’s actu with so a s end y ou som lly you, and w me e’ll ething nice.

** FANZONE ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE ** ** FANZONE **

ive music, eh? It’s brilliant, but sometimes not as brilliant as it could be. Often visceral, there’s always the occasional work-a-day band of box tickers, happy to just play the songs and get out of Dodge before the lights come up. It’s especially true when the lesser-spotted ‘bunch of indie boys’ manage to drag themselves up to major arena status. A bit more smoke, a louder sound system, an oversized banner for a backdrop - that’ll do, right? The 1975 are not that band. Not even close. There are probably hard facts and figures that would disprove the notion that they’re de facto the biggest band on the planet right now, but there are few that could discount the assertion they might be the most important to the greatest number of engaged, enthusiastic fans. From before the doors open, The O2 is buzzing. Queues surge

After the first night of the 1975’s big tour in Belfast, we asked a bunch of fans to let us know what they thought of the show... The entire show was a spectacle of surprises and a lot of energy from Matty. It was really amazing to see him back on stage, because he truly is, by far, one of the greatest showmen there is in current music. The 1975 are literal geniuses. I was blown away by the entire performance. @Tomm1975 They took their set from a light show to an entirely immersive, 3D, almost simulation-like experience. The 1975 are hands down the most creative, influential, caring band that exists today. Their talent and passion for their artistry and their love for the fans is unmatched, and it’s what keeps me coming back time and time again to see them live. @sugarcoatedpiIl The first The 1975 show of the tour was a truly cinematic experience. ‘I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)’ was a personal highlight of mine; it was a moment which induced many fans into tears. This show was faultless it can only be described as a spectacle definitely one for the books! @MaryxSSS We knew the visuals for the new songs were going to be off the charts, seeing them close up however completely took my breath away. Huge fans of the opening acts as well, a beautiful night to remember and a must-see for every music lover and human being out there. @parisaIina

Hype. ESSENTIAL NEW MUSIC.

MURDER CAPITAL

THE

There’s a buzz building across the Irish Channel. The Murder Capital are about to arrive. Words: Jake Hawkes

I 22

t’s official – 2019 is the year we all finally embrace the bubbling Irish music scene, and judging by the first couple of bands to turn heads, a lot of that music sounds a bit like getting your head kicked in. Enter The Murder Capital, although you could be forgiven for not knowing what they sound like at all as they sold out their first run of shows without having any songs officially released, Now they’re back in the UK for round two, this time with a solitary track on Spotify to whet your appetite. “It wasn’t really intentional for it to happen this way,” explains frontman James McGovern, his voice crackling over the phone thanks to rural Ireland’s spotty phone signal. “I guess that was just the way the path led us, but it’s freeing for us to finally get something out there. The reception has been pretty humbling too, so we’re just trying to keep going and get back to writing rather than letting it overwhelm us. The accidental ‘more is less’ approach seems to have done us wonders anyway, maybe that air of mystery helped it all spread… or maybe it was just pure luck?” There’s a real note of confusion in James’ voice when he talks about the incredible hype that’s built up around the band. His solution? Just keep pushing forward. “We just try not to think about it too much, to be honest, just take it as it comes and laugh at those mad moments. We do feel comfortable in where we are though because we’ve worked really hard to get here. Obviously, we haven’t been slogging it out for eight years, so we can’t come from that corner, but we take what we do seriously, and we work really fucking hard at it.” He pauses, before adding: “That makes it sound really extraneous, which it isn’t at all. We’re all really enjoying

touring and playing; I think we’re all kind of made for it. We’ve all travelled all over Ireland all our lives, I’ve spent my life on trains and buses and all of that shit, so to do that and then get to play a show at the end of every day? It’s a pure pleasure. “At the moment we aren’t playing for all that long each night but getting up there and getting a taste of meeting people and building a sense of community around the music is incredible. It’s like the feeling of community we had playing at The Workman’s Club in Dublin, but on a global scale.” As the conversation goes on, the links back to Dublin are never far away, and the city is a big part of what makes The Murder Capital tick. “The social climate in Ireland and Dublin has a direct effect on us, as a band and as people,” he says. “The rate of gentrification is almost overwhelming at the moment in the city, I think pretty much everyone in the band is just scraping by the rent and the constant balance of having enough money for food, rehearsing, a social life, all of it. “We’re lucky to be in the position we’re in though; there are people all over the place that have it worse than us, it’s just the nature of any capital city. I feel like they’ve all got this warped nature to them that runs alongside all the bright lights and shit.” “Having said that, Dublin and Ireland influence us incredibly positively as well,” James adds. “I think everyone in the band has read some James Joyce for sure; those Irish literary influences definitely run deep in our DNA and in the blood of the band as well. We read extremely broadly though; I draw influence from writers like Murakami, John Keats, Ishiguro… “Our music taste is massively

DORK

The Facts + From Dublin, Ireland + For fans of IDLES, Shame, Fontaines D.C., Slaves + Check out ‘Feeling Fades’ + Social @MurderCapital + See them live: They’ll support IDLES at the Electric Ballroom in London on 6th April.

“THE RATE OF GENTRIFICATION IS ALMOST OVERWHELMING” broad too. Obviously, we love Joy Division and The Fall, but we also listen to people like Phillip Glass and Bjork. We’ve been listening to a lot of electronic music recently too, and I think it’s affected how we write, arrangement and instrumentationwise. We really do take influences from fucking everything.” As a band so tightly bound up with their home city, we wondered what the perfect day in Dublin looks like for The Murder Capital. “Oh we can do that, easy!” James laughs. “Get up at 11am, go and get a creepy breakfast somewhere really shitty. There’s a place called Roma 2, we’d go there and get a bag of chips at midday, then an afternoon pint of Guinness at Grogans – best pint of Guinness in the world. Spend the evening walking around St. Patrick’s Cathedral, steer clear of the Guinness storehouse, obviously, then end up in a bar on Essex street and dance your heart out to The Fall and LCD. That’s the absolute best day you can have in Dublin, 100%.” P The Murder Capital’s debut single ‘Feeling Fades’ is out now.

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March2019

Mixtape There are so many new bands dropping so much new music, we’ve gathered the best of the last month together for you in one easy playlist.

FEET

ENGLISH WEATHER

WANT MORE?

Check out our Hype playlist on Spotify. Just scan the code below to listen.

Following up on the brilliant ‘Petty Thieving’ and ‘Backseat Driver’, buzzy five-piece FEET prove they’re more than just empty hype with their latest offering ‘English Weather’. Warning: this one will be stuck in your head for weeks.

no different. With a debut album due Really Quite Soon, they’re on the rise.

LUCIA

THE NIGHT CAFÉ

Echoing off the walls, Glaswegian up-and-comers LUCIA have the ability to subtly shift their vampish charms at will. ‘Blueheart’ is all smoke-filled rooms and shadowy drama. It’s bloody good, too.

Fresh off supporting The Wombats (more of that on p.56 - Ed), The Night Café have that indie throne in their sights. Their latest track walks that line between emotional and exciting perfectly.

NILIFUR YANYA

JOAN

You’d imagine few people are going to point out to Nilifur Yanya that the opening stabs of her latest single sound a bit like a Hard-Fi mid-00s lad-banger, but that’s where any such misplaced comparisons end. The first taster of a debut album that’s set to arrive soon, it’s another stamp of approval for one of our greatest talents.

Joan are becoming a perfect pop powerhouse. As if their previous offering ‘All The Way’ wasn’t enough, follow up ‘Drive All Night’ is pure 80s dry ice brilliance.

BLUEHEART

IN YOUR HEAD

IDER

BROWN SUGAR IDER are developing quite the talent for the infectious slow jams, and their latest single ‘Brown Sugar’ is

ENDLESS LOVERS

DRIVE ALL NIGHT

404

FEARFUL If you’ve paid any attention to the Twitterings of the Dirty Hit family, you’ll have seen the hype job start for 404. With Theo from Wolf Alice waxing lyrical, we’ve finally got a first recorded track, and it’s not pulling any punches. Raw and pulsing with energy, it demands attention.

COVER STORY

Last year, Sigrid could legitimately have laid claim to being the most hyped act on the planet, winning the BBC’s annual Sound of poll. Now, with her debut album ‘Sucker Punch’ about to drop, it’s time to deliver. Words: Abigail Firth. Photos: Sarah Louise Bennett.

or someone so busy, Sigrid is inexplicably chill. Actually, it’s probably what she’s used to. Since the release of ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ two years ago, she’s barely stopped.

Whether it be making her Glastonbury debut, or charming viewers at home on the telly, any audience she gets in front of, she impresses. Her straight-up talent for writing an honest pop banger is what led Sigrid to become the first nonBritish, non-American artist to win the BBC Sound Of prize in 2018, but the reaction video of her finding out she’s the winner is what best represents her. “I had no idea! It was a huge surprise, and my team knew, but they couldn’t tell me because they wanted it to be a surprise,” she recalls. Gobsmacked and immediately bursting into tears, there’s no clip that better demonstrates how humble the Norwegian 22-year-old is. She’s instantly likeable – as easy to interview as she would be to

DRENGE

Drenge’s new album has been a long time coming. “We missed so many deadlines…” they tell Jake Hawkes. Thankfully, ‘Strange Creatures’ is worth the wait.

renge have been gone a while, releasing their last album in 2015 before disappearing into the wilderness to record some songs and find a new member. Having accomplished both of those tasks, the boys are back and ready to remind the world just how much fun they are. Did you miss them? Catching up with the two core faces of the band, Eoin and Rory Loveless, is a bit like trying to interview two hyperactive kids who’ve had a whole packet of flying saucers each. They stay on topic for a minute or two at a time before grabbing at something new, with the first five minutes consisting of musings on beer brand Singha (“They should do an ad campaign with famous singers and claim it’s good for your throat,” Eoin jokes), how photoshoots make you feel excitable and how Dork should start a band (“You’d be guaranteed coverage from at least one magazine...”). Once they’ve actually been steered towards the topic of music, they’re more reflective than you might expect. “There’s an extra one of us now, so there’s four on stage when we play,” starts Rory. “It’s good, and I think it ties into the idea that we’re always going to push ourselves...” “No, no, no,” Eoin chimes in. “We don’t always want to be pushing ourselves, that’d be exhausting. We wanna push a bit, then relax a bit, then maybe push a bit more, a nice steady pace.” “Ok, fine,” Rory continues. “Maybe we’ve just grown sideways a bit, especially thinking back to when we used to be a two-piece, which was just so different on stage compared to now. For me, it’s a completely different way of playing, and musically there’s a lot more subtlety to what you do, rather than just

Photos: Sarah Louise Bennett.

INDOOR PETS

P C S N O

Long time Dork faves Indoor Pets have always had an ear for a solid gold pop banger. Now inked with Wichita Records and about to drop a debut album, that potential is about to be realised.

ROM RA T I AT RS

Words: Jamie MacMillan.

ay 2017. Everybody’s favourite indie-pop punksters Get Inuit have been doing what every fledgeling act does - gigging hard, building up a loyal fanbase show-by-show, revealing an unerring ability to craft a perfect banger with every new release. But then, following a tweet from Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq pointing out that their chosen moniker was problematic, the band realised they couldn’t continue as they were, and Get Inuit were no more. Now, less than two years later, Jamie Glass, Ollie Nunn and brothers Rob and James Simpson can finally celebrate as the renamed Indoor Pets reveal their triumphant debut album to the world. It looked for a while that

they might not get here. “There was a point with the name change when the band was at its lowest,” frontman Jamie explains, “and we realised we had just undone a lot of work from the previous years.” It came within a whisker of being curtains for the group. “We thought, ‘Let’s just put an album out by ourselves, retire and then we could always say we did what we set out to do’.” The name issue had rumbled on for six months before they announced their change of moniker in late 2017. It’s nothing new for bands to change their name of course, but doing it this late in the day was a particular blow for them. Overnight, it was almost like starting over. But in many ways, it proved to be the making of them - patience is a virtue, after all. “We can’t take credit for that, we

“We’ve been the same as everyone else, asking when we can get our album out”

SUNDARA KARMA

CHANG

Sundara Karma made one of our fave albums of 2017. Finishing up at the legendary Brixton Academy at the end of that same year, they were a band going places fast. Rather that rest on their laurels for their second record, and rely on the template of what worked last time around, they’ve radically changed things up, returning an even more vital and exciting band. Jamie Muir finds out more.

scar Pollock is feverishly working away in the corner of a South London pub. Headphones on, laptop out, he’s firmly locked in on the next Sundara Karma music video. It’s just another element of their next chapter, answering that question facing every band following a debut album full of immediacy - after the years working up to it, what comes next? For Sundara Karma, it’s ‘Ulfilas’ Alphabet’, the sort of album that doesn’t so much follow up on the glorious steps made before but throws it all into a blender with a stick of dynamite and flourishes in the scenes it creates. For a band that have always hinted at something more, that have always been a step ahead, this is the album that proves their standing in glorious technicolour splendour. A conversation with co-producer Stuart Price sums it up for Oscar. “He told me that the record always ends up sounding - and he was telling me this while he was quoting someone else - the record always sounds like the time we had making it, and I think that’s pretty true.” A bold combination of different genres, eras and sounds, it’s the sound of a band having the time of their lives creating vibrant music that is primed to open up a whole new universe for Sundara Karma. What’s even better, is that it comes from a place of simply wanting to discover and create free of any restrictions. “I’m going to be asked so much about why you think it sounds this way or that way and I can’t give a good enough

EOVER

Incoming. Your New Music Fridays, sorted.

15th February - 1st March 2019

SWMRS

Berkley’s On Fire

eeeee LABEL: FUELED BY RAMEN RELEASED: 15TH FEBRUARY LISTEN TO: BERKLEY’S ON FIRE, LOSE LOSE LOSE, HELLBOY

t’s hard to escape it, a lot of rock music feels like it’s stuck in a time warp. Not just stylistically - though there’s a more than persuading argument to suggest it is - but in its attitudes too. While traditional rock star tales and backstage behaviour may finally be seen as unacceptable, it’s a genre where many of the biggest names are still an overhang from an era that, to put it politely, didn’t have the values young people today may wish to hold their idols to. To claim a group consisting of four men is a breath of fresh air might be a stretch - rock is a genre still way too obsessed with masculinity - but SWMRS feel like something different. From a ‘zine given away at shows promoting safe spaces (“Pro tip: Abusers of all kinds - you should leave now, or you will be subject to severe punishment”) to tweets asking fans to stop them and say hi (“getting to shake your hand and know about you is a highlight”), they’re not a band

Incoming 15th February 2019 WOMAN’S HOUR Ephyra

RELEASED: 15TH FEBRUARY

eeeee It’s not often that a band’s comeback album is also their break up album, but it seems, for London trio Woman’s Hour, that transition was a wholly necessary thing. Then a foursome, Woman’s Hour arrived with a luminous cool in 2014 with their debut ‘Conversations’. Their clean, monochromatic aesthetic brought a real charm to their dream pop ways. This wasn’t the light-in-the-dark movements of Beach House; it was more the minimal cool of The xx as seen through the eyes of Bat For Lashes, something where emotion made up for the sparsity of sound. However, the period between then and now saw relationships in the band become strained, unofficially splitting during the recording of their second album. The weight of it all became too much but, rather than just let it fade away, Woman’s Hour reconvened a year later to finish it. ‘Ephyra’, then, becomes transformed into a record of that time. Written so openly as to have titles like ‘From Eden To Exile Then Into Dust’, it’s clear what Woman’s Hour want to say. But, where ‘Conversations’ felt intimate, ‘Ephyra’ puts up a wall. It’s hard to emotionally attach to it; such is the focus on each member trying to reckon with their emotions. It becomes a cathartic therapy session for the band that keeps the listener on the other side of the door. Luckily, Woman’s Hour are still able to compose some gorgeously sparse spaces for their sounds to sit. ‘It’s A Blast’ captures that feeling of trying to make sense of everything perfectly, the expected twisted ever so slightly, while opener ‘Don’t Speak’ twirls around Fiona Burgess’ ghostly vocals, before the synths give way to a beautifully serene and meditative state. ‘Ephyra’ very much feels like the product of a band on the verge of collapse, but also something they needed to put together, flaws and all, to move on. And when that beauty does shine through, it brings into focuswhat a pleasure it was to have Woman’s Hour, however brief it might have been. P Chris Taylor

ALBUM OF TH

WEEK

chained to the old ways either. What does this have to do with the music? Beyond the fact that separating art from the people behind it really doesn’t work, this is a band with far more than just words. Rarely found ploughing out earnest platitudes, ‘Berkley’s On Fire’ possesses an energetic freshness that swings open the doors to their big tent mentality. Inclusive, fresh and never not exiting, above and beyond anything else it’s almost impossible not to love SWMRS. And when we say love, we mean fall. Hard. While previous album ‘Drive North’ was a pouch of fizzing candy dropped into a sugary soda, ‘Lose Lose Lose’ is Mentos in Diet Coke levels of explosive. “2019 is a fucking disaster,” it proclaims, rattling along the tracks at a breakneck pace. Every picture is painted in bright, rainbow colours, stuck

together with scrappy paper and glue. ‘Too Much Coffee’ is defiant but melodic, while ‘Hellboy’ audibly rumbles. SWMRS’ brand of hedonism may have some of the pointiest corners rounded off, but only the ones that didn’t care for what harm they’d do to others. While they may not be able to answer all of rock’s most difficult questions by themselves, that doesn’t mean SWMRS don’t have some of the solutions. Open, caring and considerate, sure, but also more than aware that doesn’t stop us having a great time too; by the time rock finally fully embraces the present, it’ll be grateful for bands like SWMRS - and the future creations of the creative, progressive fanbases that spring up around them - to point it towards a better future. P Stephen Ackroyd

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RY X Unfurl

RELEASED: 15TH FEBRUARY

eeeee The quiet storm that’s hiding all across Ry X’s second outing evokes an intense passion. As each pulsating beat drums forward, building a level of sure-fire intensity, its tribal patterns can lead down an endless road, but Ry always makes sure to point the listener in the right emotional direction. It’s when he kicks things into a more natural gear - stripping back to just himself and a guitar - that his emotional outpouring kicks to another level entirely. P Steven Loftin

METHYL ETHEL Triage

RELEASED: 15TH FEBRUARY

eeeee The brainchild of writer/ producer/ performer Jake Webb, Methyl Ethel has, in recent years, been met with a wave of success that has not only seen the band heralded back home in Australia, but also catapulted them to deserved recognition across the globe. With third album ‘Triage’ following a similar formula to its predecessor (2017’s ‘Everything is Forgotten’), the record is once again driven by its synth-heavy approach, and confirms Methyl Ethel as a band consistent not only in the style of their output but in the quality also. P Dominic Allum

** PLUS ** Avril Lavigne Head Above Water Dear Seattle Don’t Let Go Homeshake Helium Jon Fratelli Bright Night Flowers Ladytron Ladytron One OK Rock Eye Of The Storm

THE WOMBATS + BLAENAVON, THE NIGHT CAFÉ THE SSE ARENA, WEMBLEY

HELLO , WEMBLEY More than a decade on from the release of their debut album, an indie band is supposed to be struggling to fill ever smaller venues. Not The Wombats. Wembley Arena? No problem. Words: Liam Konemann. Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett.

omehow, the Wombats just keep getting bigger. Over a decade since they had broken-hearted indie kids everywhere dancing to Joy Division and contemplating a move to New York, in the last eighteen months they’ve played some of the biggest gigs of their career. Take, for example, this week; a massive show at Leeds Arena, and Wembley. Or, as frontman Murph has taken to calling it today, ‘Wombley’. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet… I need to walk on the stage and have a little internal wobbler,” he says. He is, unsurprisingly, hovering at the edge of total exhaustion. Gearing up to play Wembley Arena is hardly a low-energy situation, and Murph, drummer Dan Haggis, and bass player Tord Overland Knudsen have already had their diaries full to bursting for the last year and a half. There’s the impression that this entire album cycle has been one surreal moment after another. The Wombats have gained popularity with every album they’ve released, drawing ever-increasing crowds since ‘A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation’ with ‘This Modern Glitch’ and ‘Glitterbug’, but

DORK

D OWN WI T H BO RI N G

ON TOUR

IF IT’S ON STAGE, IT’S IN HERE.

BOOKING NOW!

FOALS

Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse (11th, 12th June), Tunbridge Wells Bedgebury Pinetum (14th), Birmingham Digbeth Arena (15th, 16th), Glasgow Swg3 Galvanizers Yard (18th), Brandon Thetford Forest (20th), London Alexandra Palace (21st, 22nd), Bournemouth Bic (26th), Dublin Trinity College (2nd July)

TEN TONNES

Birmingham O2 Institute3 (7th May), Nottingham Rescue Rooms (9th), Leeds Brudenell Social Club (10th), Glasgow St Lukes (11th), Manchester Gorilla (13th), Norwich Waterfront (14th), Oxford Bullingdon (16th), London Heaven (17th)

ALMA

Dublin Academy (31st March), Manchester Academy (1st April), Brighton Haunt (2nd), London Electric Ballroom (3rd)

FONTAINES D.C.

Manchester O2 Ritz (19th November), Liverpool O2 Academy2 (20th), Glasgow Swg 3 (21st), Leeds Stylus (22nd), Sheffield Leadmill (23rd), Birmingham O2 Institute2 (25th), Oxford O2 Academy (26th), London O2 Forum Kentish Town (27th), Brighton Concorde 2 (28th), Bristol Swx (30th), Southampton 1865 (1st December)

VANT

Bristol Louisiana (12th April), Newcastle Upon Tyne Think Tank (13th), Glasgow Attic (14th), Manchester Night People (16th), Birmingham Hare And Hounds (17th), London Camden Assembly (18th)

DORK

RE AD D O RK. CO M

THE GUIDE ALL THE SHOWS YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MONTH, AND SOME YOU PROBABLY DON’T. Coral, Empire SATURDAY 9TH MARCH Aberdeen, As It Is, The Tunnels Birmingham, Feet, The Bristol Pear Bristol, Wooze, Rough Trade Cambridge, Our Girl, Unitarian Church Hall Glasgow, Yungblud, Saint Luke’s Leicester, Kagoule, The Cookie Liverpool, George Ezra, Echo Arena London, Twenty One Pilots, The SSE Arena Stoke-on-Trent, The Coral, The Sugarmill .TWENTY ONE PILOTS. S.

FRIDAY 1ST MARCH Bedford, The Orielles, Esquires Belfast, SPINN, The Outlet Building Brighton, Saint Raymond, Patterns Dublin, Twenty One Pilots, 3Arena Glasgow, Brix & The Extricated, Broadcast Leeds, Sea Girls, Key Club Leicester, Willie J Healey, Cookie Liverpool, Fatherson, Phase One London, Demob Happy, The Garage London, While She Sleeps, Roundhouse Manchester, Ider, YES Manchester, Villagers, Cathedral Norwich, The Coral, Waterfront Nottingham, Gus Dapperton, Rescue Rooms Sheffield, Feet, Leadmill Sunderland, Field Music, Steels Club SATURDAY 2ND MARCH Belfast, Twenty One Pilots, SSE Arena Birmingham, Billie Eilish, O2 Institute Birmingham, Gus Dapperton, O2 Institute Bridgend, As It Is, Hobos Brighton, Demob Happy, Concorde 2 Bristol, Ider, The

Crofters Rights Cardiff, Fatherson, Clwb Ifor Bach Dundee, Brix & The Extricated, Beat Generator Live! Guildford, Willie J Healey, The Boileroom London, Saint Raymond, The Garage Manchester, Feet, Gullivers Newcastle, Villagers, Wylam Brewery Oxford, The Coral, O2 Academy Southampton, Art brut, The Joiners SUNDAY 3RD MARCH Guildford, Art Brut, The Boileroom Oxford, The Orielles, The Bullingdon MONDAY 4TH MARCH Belfast, As It Is, The Outlet Building Glasgow, Twenty One Pilots, The SSE Hydro Liverpool, Our Girl, Phase One London, Billie Eilish, Shepherd’s Bush Empire TUESDAY 5TH MARCH Dublin, As It Is, The Academy London, Billie Eilish, Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, Wyldest, Sebright Arms Manchester, Sea Girls, Gorilla

Manchester, Twenty One Pilots, Arena WEDNESDAY 6TH MARCH Bristol, Feet, The Louisiana Bristol, Saint Raymond, Thekla Cardiff, Sea Girls, Clwb Ifor Bach Dublin, Yungblud, Whelan’s London, Billie Eilish, Shepherd’s Bush Empire London, Gently Tender, Oslo London, Our Girl, Purcell Room Nottingham, LANY, Rock City

Brighton, Our Girl, Rialto Theatre Cardiff, Wooze, Clwb Ifor Bach Carlisle, As It Is, The Old Fire Station Coventry, Feet, The Tin At The Coal Vaults Glasgow, Kyle Falconer, QMU Leeds, George Ezra, First Direct Arena Leeds, Kero Kero Bonito, Belgrave Music Hall London, Sasami, The Lexington London, Sea Girls, Heaven London, The Hold Steady, Electric Ballroom London, Twenty One Pilots, The SSE Arena Manchester, Gus Dapperton, Academy Middlesbrough, The

THURSDAY 7TH MARCH Belfast, Yungblud, The Empire Bar Glasgow, Gus Dapperton, The Garage Glasgow, The Coral, Oran More Liverpool, As It Is, Arts Club London, Twenty One Pilots, The SSE Arena Manchester, Saint Raymond, Gorilla Newcastle, George Ezra, Utilita Arena Portsmouth, Sea Girls, The Wedgewood Rooms Salford, Our Girl, Sacred Trinity Church FRIDAY 8TH MARCH .SWMRS. S . Belfast, LANY, The Limelight

DORK

D OWN WI T H BO RI N G

SUNDAY 10TH MARCH London, Mike Shinoda, The Roundhouse Newcastle, LANY, University Students Union Newcastle, Yungblud, O2 Academy Nottingham, Self Esteem, Bodega MONDAY 11TH MARCH Birmingham, SWMRS, O2 Institute Brighton, George Ezra, Centre Leeds, LANY, LMUSU London, Feels, MOTH Club Manchester, Yungblud, Academy Stoke-on-Trent, As It Is, The Sugarmill TUESDAY 12TH MARCH Birmingham, Self Esteem, Hare & Hounds Birmingham, Yunglbud, O2 Institute Glasgow, SWMRS,

Saint Luke’s London, LANY, O2 Academy Birmingham Margate, Feels, Elsewhere Record Store Newcastle, Feet, Think Tank? Underground Nottingham, George Ezra, Motorpoint Arena WEDNESDAY 13TH MARCH Cardiff, George Ezra, Motorpoint Arena Glasgow, Feet, Broadcast Manchester, SWMRS, Academy Newcastle, Self Esteem, Think Tank? Preston, Marsicans, Roper Hall THURSDAY 14TH MARCH Belfast, Feet, Voodoo Brighton, Yungblud, The Haunt Bristol, SWMRS, The Fleece Leicester, As It Is, O2 Academy Manchester, LANY, Albert Hall Manchester, Self Esteem, YES Manchester, Woman’s Hour, Gullivers Manchester, Wooze, Soup Kitchen Nottingham, Emily Burns, Bodega FRIDAY 15TH MARCH Brighton, As It Is, Concorde 2 Glasgow, Emily Burns, Broadcast Glasgow, George Ezra, The SSE Hydro Glasgow, LANY, SWG3 Glasgow, Self Esteem,

Stereo Leamington Spa, The Coral, The Assembly London, Wooze, Off The Cuff London, Yungblud, Electric Ballroom SATURDAY 16TH MARCH Bristol, Yungblud, SWX London, SWMRS, Electric Ballroom Manchester, Emily Burns, YES Manchester, George Ezra, Arena Sheffield, Self Esteem, The Plug Warrington, The Coral, Pyramid & Parr Hall SUNDAY 17TH MARCH Birmingham, George Ezra, Resorts World Arena Bristol, Deaf Havana, O2 Academy MONDAY 18TH MARCH Glasgow, Sports Team, The Garage Southampton, Self Esteem, The Joiners TUESDAY 19TH MARCH Bristol, Woahnows, Exchange Bristol, Woman’s Hour, The Crofters Rights Leicester, The Wave Pictures, The Cookie London, George Ezra, The O2 Nottingham, Deaf Havana, Rock City Nottingham, Sports Team, Bodega

THURSDAY 21ST MARCH Belfast, Touts, Voodoo Birmingham, Sharon Van Etten, The Mill Brighton, Sports Team, Patterns Bristol, Self Esteem, Thekla Glasgow, Deaf Havana, SWG3 Leeds, Emily Burns, Hyde Park Book Club Leeds, NAO, LMUSU Leicester, Olafur Arnalds, Haymarket Theatre Manchester, Easy Life, Gorilla Norwich, The Wave Pictures, Waterfront FRIDAY 22ND MARCH Aberdeen, Deaf Havana, Unit 51 Birmingham, NAO, O2 Institute Glasgow, Olafur Arnalds, SECC Leeds, Self Esteem, Belgrave Music Hall Lincoln, Marsicans, The Engine Shed London, Sports Team, Electric Ballroom London, Woman’s Hour, The Dome Manchester, Sharon Van Etten, Albert Hall Newcastle, Sophie and the Giants, Think Tank? Underground Sheffield, Emily Burns, Cafe Totem Sheffield, George Ezra, FlyDSA Arena SATURDAY 23RD MARCH Bristol, Emily Burns, The Louisiana Dublin, Sharon Van Etten, Vicar Street Falmouth, Ider, The Performance Centre Glasgow, Busted, The SSE Hydro Glasgow, Sophie and the Giants, The Garage Manchester, George Ezra, Arena

WEDNESDAY 20TH MARCH Brighton, Woman’s Hour, The Albert Bristol, Sports Team, Rough Trade Dublin, Touts, The Academy Glasgow, Easy Life, King Tut’s Hull, Deaf Havana, The Welly Club London, George Ezra, The O2 London, Self Esteem, .SPORTS TEAM. S . Village Underground London, Woahnows, The Lexington Manchester, Sophie and the Giants, Jimmy’s St Albans, The Wave Pictures, The Horn

Margate, Sports Team, Elsewhere Record Store Southampton, Easy Life, The Joiners York, The Wave Pictures, The Crescent SUNDAY 24TH MARCH Exeter, Dream State, The Cavern Glasgow, Panic! At The Disco, The SSE Hydro Glasgow, Sharon Van Etten, Saint Luke’s Huddersfield, Bodega, Library Lewes, The Waves Pictures, Constitutional Club London, Childish Gambino, The O2 Manchester, Health, YES Middlesbrough, Deaf Havana, Empire Southampton, Sports Team, The Joiners MONDAY 25TH MARCH Huddersfield, The Wytches, The Parish Leeds, Health, Brudenell Social Club London, Anna of the North, Village Underground Manchester, Deaf Havana, Albert Hall Sheffield, Sophie and the Giants, Record Junkee TUESDAY 26TH MARCH Birmingham, Panic! At The Disco, Arena Bristol, NAO, O2 Academy Glasgow, Health, CCA Glasgow, Touts, The Garage Leicester, Sophie and the Giants, The Cookie London, Empress Of, Scala London, Sharon Van Etten, The Roundhouse London, Xiu Xiu, Islington Assembly Hall Nottingham, Orchards, Bodega Oxford, Sports Team,

.PANIC! AT THE DISCO. S .

The Bullingdon Plymouth, DreamState, The Junction Sheffield, Idles, Leadmill WEDNESDAY 27TH MARCH Birmingham, Sophie and the Giants, The Castle & Falcon Bristol, Health, Exchange Bristol, Julia Jacklin, The Fleece Bristol, Sharon Van Etten, SWX Cambridge, Bodega, The Portland Arms Cardiff, Idles, Tramshed Glasgow, Drenge, The Garage Hull, Clean Cut Kid, Adelphi Leeds, Touts, The Key Club Leicester, Sports Team, The Cookie London, Sam Fender, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club Manchester, Empress Of, YES Manchester, Orchards, Jimmy’s Nottingham, Easy Life, The Rescue Rooms Sheffield, Deaf Havana, Leadmill Southampton, Dream State, The Joiners Tunbridge Wells, Lady

Bird, The Forum THURSDAY 28TH MARCH Birmingham, Deaf Havana, O2 Academy Birmingham, Drake, Resorts World Arena Birmingham, Julia Jacklin, The Castle & Falcon Bristol, Lady Bird, The Mothers’ Ruin Cardiff, Bodega, Clwb Ifor Bach Dundee, Estrons, Beat Generator Live! Glasgow, Orchards, The Garage Liverpool, Sports Team, Sound Food and Drink Liverpool, Touts, Parr Street Studios London, Easy Life, Scala London, Health, Oval Space London, NAO, O2 Academy Brixton London, Panic! At The Disco, The O2 London, Sophie and the Giants, Camden Assembly London, Sorry, Dingwalls Manchester, Busted, Arena Manchester, Clean Cut Kid, Gorilla Newcastle, Drenge, Northumbria Institute Norwich, Idles, UEA Reading, Dream State, The Facebar FRIDAY 29TH MARCH Aberdeen, Estrons, The Tunnels Birmingham, Yak, The Castle & Falcon Brighton, Idles, Dome Cardiff, Health, Clwb Ifor Bach

Dundee, The Xcerts, Beat Generator Live! London, Amyl and the Sniffers, Shacklewell Arms London, Panic! At The Disco, The O2 Manchester, Drenge, O2 Ritz Manchester, Employed To Serve, Rebellion Manchester, Julia Jacklin, YES Manchester, Touts, Night & Day Cafe Nottingham, Lady Bird, Bodega Sheffield, Orchards, Record Junkee Sheffield, Sports Team, Leadmill Tunbridge Wells, Dream State, The Forum SATURDAY 30TH MARCH Belfast, Deaf Havana, The Limelight Belfast, White Lies, Elmwood Hall Birmingham, Touts, Actress and Bishop Cardiff, Orchards, Clwb Ifor Bach Edinburgh, Clean Cut Kid, The Mash House Edinburgh, Estrons, The Bongo Club Leeds, Lady Bird, The Key Club Leicester, Easy Life, O2 Academy Manchester, Sports Team, Soup Kitchen SUNDAY 31ST MARCH Birmingham, Orchards, Sunflower Lounge Bristol, Are, The Louisiana Dublin, Deaf Havana, The Academy Dublin, Ryan Adams, Olympia Theatre Glasgow, ALMA, SWG3 Glasgow, Lady Bird, The Garage Leeds, The Xcerts, The Key Club London, Touts, The Borderline Newcastle, Clean Cut Kid, The Cluny

UK / IRELAND HEADLINE TOUR 2019 plus guests

march 2019 15th CARDIFF / Great Hall 16th PORTSMOUTH / Pyramids 17th BRISTOL / O2 Academy 19th NOTTINGHAM / Rock City 20th HULL / The Welly 21st GLASGOW / SWG3 22nd ABERDEEN / Unit 51 24th MIDDLESBROUGH / Empire 25th MANCHESTER / Albert Hall 27th SHEFFIELD / Leadmill 28th BIRMINGHAM / O2 Academy 30th BELFAST / Limelight 2 31st DUBLIN / Green Room myticket.co.uk / deafhavana.com top 10 album ‘Rituals’ out now via So Recordings A Kilimanjaro & Friends presentation by arrangement with X-ray and Riverman