Beyoncé To Play Shepherd’s Bush Empire Tonight 27/06/11

Beyoncé’s latest album 4 is released TODAY (June 27th), and to celebrate its releases she’s performing a surprise (and not really so secret) show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire this evening. I failed to win tickets so may instead spend the evening crying as I recreate the ‘Girls’ dance and pretend I’m there. I don’t think it’ll be very convincing.

The show is in conjunction with Belvedere vodka, who are streaming the show live onto the side of Battersea Power Station. The validity of this claim somewhat evades me, are they really going to do it? Perhaps I’ll take my dancing down there and be with all the other B-lovers who failed to gain entry. Battersea here I come *fist pumps and steals a police mans badge*

[EDIT - I GOT IN! Review to follow (although it can be summed up with one word - unbelievable.]

Beyoncé – Run The World (Girls) [Live at the Billboard Awards]

Some popstars get by on their name alone. They build up a fanbase who, as the years progress, support them no matter what they do. They sell out arenas, millions of albums fly off shelves, and the money continues to roll in regardless of whether or not their talent warrants such success. No names being mentioned but I’m sure a few ‘artists’ spring to mind….

And then there are the rare stars. The ones who are truly talented, and show passion and skill that only grows stronger and deeper over time. Enter Beyoncé Knowles.

Even though everyone was aware of the fact that Beyoncé was set to receive Billboard’s Millennium Award last night, most of the excitement still surrounded other performers. Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Britney Spears set to duet with them both. And yet when it came down to the actual performances, Beyoncé blew them out of the water. This is honestly one of the best performances I’ve ever seen.

There’s so much less fanfare and pretentiousness when it comes to Beyoncé. Everyone was counting down the days, minutes, seconds until Lady Gaga’s video for ‘Judas’ dropped. When the video for ‘Run The World (Girls)’ made it’s way onto the web very shortly after, did it come with such an intense and highly publicised build-up? No. Was it a hundred times better? Yes.

Beyoncé simply does what she does, and holy shit does she do it fantastically.

Independent Label Market – 21/05/11

I’m off to the Independent Label Market on Berwick St, London today. If you’re in the area I suggest you do the same. GOING TO BE AMAZING. Below is a selection of tracks from the labels appearing at the market, put together by the official market tumblr.

Carah Faye Charnow rejoins Shiny Toy Guns(!!)

Shiny Toy Guns have released this video, entitled ‘Together Again’. Whilst the title may have implied what was to come, it was still a joy to see that YES she is back! Things were never quite the same for Shiny Toy Guns after Carah’s departure, with Season of Poison not even coming close to the incredibleness of We Are Pilots. I was lucky enough to see the band in 2007 and loved everything about them, so I’m expecting big things now that Carah has returned. The album is entitled III, there’s no release date yet but a new song is due at some point this month…

The video itself is lovely, the beautiful instrumentation of ‘If I Lost You (Orchestral Mix)’ playing as white-clad figures trek their way across snowy plains. It builds up to 3:40 for the big reveal, and 3:50 is the cutest thing ever. Welcome back Carah <3

Jessie J talks to Zane Lowe

She may have an incredible voice and a killer personality, but Jessie J has something else too…awareness. This girl knows exactly what the music industry is all about, and she isn’t about to let it swallow her up. It seems that a lot of people took ‘Do It Like A Dude’ at face value, and whilst I’m not sure how that much irony can be mistaken, Jessie is more than happy to explain that the song was a direct attack on the glaring errors that have become so standard in today’s music industry. In this interview with Zane Lowe she talks about the years since she was first signed, how she developed direct connections with her fans, and why she doesn’t plan to be dictated to any time soon. She’s wonderful.

Robyn – ‘Indestructible’ (Behind The Scenes)

All of my posts have been Robyn related recently. I could apologise, but I wouldn’t mean it in the slightest.

This video has just surfaced, it’s from Lucy McRae who developed the now legendary ‘water jacket’ in the video for ‘Indestructible’. She is an incredible artist from Australia who works mainly on body architecture (she also provided the art direction for all three of the Body Talk covers). This clip shows behind the scene footage of the music video; Lucy’s voiceover providing information on a project which took 2 years to develop. It’s incredibly interesting, and in some ways more entertaining than the actual music video itself!

And of course Robyn is as perfect as always.

Dutch Uncles – Fragrant

This is truly a wonderful song.

Fragrant by Dutch Uncles

Dutch Uncles are providing support for equally fantastic Sky Larkin tomorrow night in Manchester, I stupidly have arranged to go and visit friends for a couple of days. Not that that won’t be pleasant…but if you have yet to make plans….DO THIS. They play the Night & Day, tickets are a measly £7, get yours here.

Four Tet – FACT Mix

Kieran Hebden, a.k.a. Four Tet, put something of a beast together for FACT to celebrate the return of his residency at London’s ‘no-longer-under-threat of closure’ Plastic People. The mix is available until the 27th, grab it now. The tracklisting can be found below. If, like me, you will be Manchester based this  November, get yourself down to the Kieran Hebden curated Warehouse Project, featuring the man himself as well as Caribou, Jamie xx, James Blake & Mount Kimbie. Such a good line-up I might be sick. Get your ticket here.

Four Tet – FACT Mix

Tracklist:
1. Rocketnumbernine – Matthew and Toby (Four Tet remix) [Text Records]
2. Pheeroan Ak Laff – 3 in 1 [Passin' Thru]
3. Soul Capsule – Seekers (Ricardo Villalobos remix) [Trelik]
4. Mount Kimbie – Blind Night Errand [Hot Flush]
5. Grevious Angel – Move Down Low VIP [Soul Jazz]
6. Ro 70 meets Move D – Untitled [Source Records]
7. Floating Points – J+W beat [Planet Mu]
8. Ramadanman – Glut [Hemlock]
9. JD Robb – Canon in Percussive Sound [Folkways]
10. Index – Starlight (break) [Record Shack Records]
11. Four Tet – Nothing to see [Soul Jazz]
12. Falty DL – St Marks (Cosmin TRG remix) [Rush Hour]
13. Luke Abbott – Holkham Drones [Border Community]
14. Oni Ayhun – OAR004A [Oni Ayhun Records]
15. Bob Holroyd – African drug (Four Tet remix) [Phonica]
16. Lata Mangeshkar – Too Mere Saath Rahega Munne [EMI]

Ears Full #1 [Marnie Stern/Miniature Tigers/The Naked & Famous/Still Corners]

Here are the tracks I’ve been filling my ears with today:

 Marnie Stern – For Ash bysouterraintransmissions

Miniature Tigers-Bullfighter Jacket (Aislyn Remix) by LPmusicobsessed

The Naked & Famous “Young Blood” by OnTheRecord

Still Corners – Endless Summer by Music Fan’s Mic

Angus and Julia Stone – Hold On (Music Video) + UK Tour

I just came across the new video for Angus and Julia Stone’s ‘Hold On’. Directed by Kiku Ohe, it’s quite a beautiful clip that captures the stark emotional levels of the song.

Although I’ve never been particularly obsessed with Angus and Julia Stone, I really do enjoy their music. I went to see them play at Manchester’s Ruby Lounge back in April, and I was suitably impressed. Julia especially blew me away. She exuded an effortless talent that ranged from her perfect, haunting vocals to her mastery of several instruments. Whilst Angus also has a lovely voice, the tracks where Julia takes the lead have always struck a deeper chord for me. I love the way ‘Hold On’ creeps and grows, whilst managing to keep you enthralled.

The band are coming back to the UK at the end of the year, catch them at the following dates:

Dec 4th – St. George’s Church, Brighton

Dec 5th – The Wardrobe, Leeds

Dec 6th – Tripod, Dublin

Dec 7th – Oran Mor, Glasgow

Dec 9th – Royal Festival Hall, London

Dec 10th – Princess Pavillion, Falmouth

Dec 11th – Trinity Centre, Bristol

Go to Angus and Julia’s offical site here for ticket info.