coldplay EMIRATES STADIUM, london
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concert I will never forget; Coldplay played an incredible set to a 60,000 strong crowd at the Emirates Stadium, leaving little to dispute as to why they have had such success over the past 12 years. Entering the stadium, the colourful stage alongside the graffiti art backdrop of their lyrics gave the distinct impression of being invited into their playground. This feeling was only further compounded during the set, with simple yet effective staging of fireworks, huge confetti guns and the whole
THE MILK 02/06/12
audience being equipped with radio controlled wristbands which lit up at “appropriate moments”, providing an electric atmosphere. The band gave an energetic performance from the very start and proved to be a tight knit group who clearly loved to perform, and even several downpours of rain didn’t dampen any spirits. Opening with ‘Hurts Like Heaven’, they followed with a cleverly thought out programme combining a variety of their past and present hits, barely leaving a moment when the whole stadium wasn’t singing along. Particular highlights included ‘Charlie Brown’, ‘Fix You’ and ‘Clocks’. Although we came to see Coldplay as a group, it was hard to deny that Chris Martin stole the show. Proving to be a true and versatile musician, whether playing on his iconic brightly painted piano or running around the stage, he was a real front man and on several occasions left his fellow bandmates in the shadows. On reflection it seemed apt that on leaving the stadium our ears were left ringing with the sounds of "para, para, paradise". BECKY MURSELL
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he Cockpit in Leeds boasts an air of intimacy and a dark and atmospheric underground vibe. The simplicity of the stage and its lack of ostentatious props allowed The Milk to shine and demonstrate their raw talent without having to hide behind an extravagant stage set. Lead Vocalist and guitarist Ricky Nunn kicked the gig off with an introduction to the band, followed by an epic performance of ‘Broke up the Family’, the pulsation of which seemed to run through the walls of the venue. Guitarists, Lee Gresley and Luke Ayling complemented the vocals with their insync tender production of a constant melody and bass, further heightened by Mitch Ayling’s construction of an impressive array of percussion. The band went on to perform some more recent favourites such as ‘Everyday is a Reminder’ and ‘Mr. Motivator’ to some of their bigger hits such as ‘All I Needed Was Danger’ and ‘B Roads’. ‘B Roads’ in particular saw the diverse audience go into some form of hypnotic trance, engaged in what appeared to be the most favoured song performance of the night. Despite the diversity of the audience which consisted of teenagers, intimate
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heir comeback tour was set in motion with an intimate lastminute show at Warrington’s Parr Hall in May. Ian Brown and the boys got things underway in earnest on Saturday, delivering their unique brand of indie psychedelia to Barcelona’s Razzmatazz club. Judging by the audience demographic, there must have been quite a convoy of planes taxiing to the runway at Manchester Airport. It must have all been very bemusing for the locals, used as they are to leaving it rather later before heading out for their Saturday night fiesta, as the doors were thronged by short-haired fellow Brits entering at 8pm. The culture clash rather continued within the venue. Anticipation mounted as fans who had hoped twenty years for this moment and soon the predictable football chants began to rent the air. The Stone Roses walked out on stage to a wall of noise. As soon as the crowd heard the first riff of 'I Wanna Be Adored' issue from Mani’s bass amplifier, they went into a frenzy, many yelling the bass line at the top of their voices. Brown wielded a tambourine in each hand, shaking them venomously at the
music@yorkvision.co.uk
09/06/12
audience whilst singing with characteristic swagger; Squire seemed happy for him to take the limelight, more intent on ensuring his guitar sounded as clean now as it did it 1989. Late in the gig, having brought out classics such as ‘Waterfall’, ‘Fool’s Gold’ and ‘She Bangs the Drums’, the guitar introduction of the classic 'Love Spreads' received the biggest cheer of the night and the crowd began to dance away without a care in the world. Fittingly for this comeback tour, the band chose to encore with the timeless 'I am the Resurrection'. Mani, John Squire and drummer Remy playing the entire five minute instrumental from the eponymous first album rounded off an absolutely fantastic evening. With the band leaving the stage after an emotional group hug, they bowed to their baying loyal fans, delighted to be back. WILL BARNES
couples and middle aged groups of men and women. There were copious amounts of humour incorporated into the music. At the beginning of ‘Picking up the Pieces’ everyone was made to ‘get low’, and made to stay on the ground until the beat picked up, which then saw the crowd leaping into the air almost incessantly for the remaining songs. The Milk ended their set with an encore of their cover of ‘Galvanize’ by The Chemical Brothers, leaving the audience simultaneously satisfied and reluctant to leave after a short, yet constant sixty minutes of extraordinary talent. HENNA ISHAQ
craig charles & young knives
the stone roses razzmatazz, barcelona
09/06/12
the cockpit, leeds
y01 insideout festival, york
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nsideOut festival presented York with a diverse selection of bands and DJs against a family friendly backdrop of real ales and fairground rides. Although all of the acts were excellent, it was predictably the two headliners who had the biggest impact, with BBC 6 Music presenter Craig Charles dominating with his DJ set, while noughties indie trio Young Knives attracted a younger crowd with their energy and enthusiasm. The Young Knives played a selection of new and old, although the best crowd reaction always came from the songs released during the indie-rock heyday of last decade. ‘Weekends and Bleakdays’ proved to be immensely popular, a promising sign that good old-fashioned guitar rock still has a place in today’s dubstep-oriented musical landscape. As a long-time listener of his 6 Music funk and soul show, it was a pleasure to see Craig Charles bring every ounce of energy and joy his shows are known for to this small field in Askham Bryan. With a set heavily featuring remixes of funk and soul classics (find 'The Reflex' on SoundCloud for a taster), Craig teased the audience with his chopped and changed edits of the tracks we
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know and love. When the chorus to ‘Play That Funky Music White Boy’ finally arrived after ten minutes of tantalising hints, the crowd of hipster parents, excitable children and drunk students hit the roof. His set was a panoramic view of all things funk and soul from the last forty years, with true classics and unknown gems cropping up throughout. InsideOut managed to provide entertainment for a large cross-section of York’s residents without compromising on quality or diversity, a feat made more impressive by the fact that this was its first year. It is easy to see InsideOut becoming an annual highlight of York’s ever-growing musical calendar. JACOB HARRISON