WHY CANCELLING SONISPHERE IS A CRAP NEWS FOR EVERYONE VIA ROCKSOUND

Well, the news broke yesterday that Sonisphere 2012 has been cancelled.

The official word can be read on the Sonisphere website

I read this on Rock Sound this morning and just had to re-post…

It’s official: Sonisphere 2012 won’t happen. The news filtered out around the industry on Wednesday and has just been confirmed publicly. We understand all ticket-holders will be refunded but at time of writing Rock Sound isn’t sure whether replacement events will take place, or if the festival will return in 2013.

Sonisphere’s cancellation is a total disaster for everyone involved with rock music, as well as anyone who identifies as a rock fan. Since its inception in 2009 its very existence provided real drama to festival season in the UK, challenging the established rock weekender Download for supremacy and indulging in what amounted to an escalating arms race for headliners. Last year was its peak, and anyone who went to Knebworth that weekend will attest to it being one of the most fun festivals in a very long time; I have hugely fond memories of bellowing along to Metallica while skullfucked on warm beer. It was what the BBC would call a ‘festival moment’, but what the rest of us call a ‘really good time’.

Anyone who went over the past three years will have their own memories of it, though, so feel free to substitute me talking about almost exploding when ‘Creeping Death’ happened for any number of instances. Booking a bunch of bands and putting them on in a field is one thing, creating a festival– with an atmosphere, a crowd, a vibe – is something else entirely. And Sonisphere is a great, great festival.

AVERT FRANCIS – IS HE SLEEPWALKER

Album Review

Avert Francis – Is He Sleepwalker

Avert Francis is one man with a voice and a guitar. Not the most original set up, I grant you, but it’s what he does with that set up that sets this man apart from other chancers down at your local open mic night. Instead of hammed up covers and overblown love songs, Avert Francis offers simplicity, purity, honesty and some beautifully crafted songs. Is He Sleepwalker is a collection of songs on lost love (Cherry Blossom), the fear of a young soldier off to war (So Many Sons), missing a deceased parent (Mother) and the endless afternoons spent with young friends (After School). Disparate themes perhaps but all connected by the gentle, heartfelt style of this young troubadour who has either lead a traumatic life or is the master of empathy.

The entire album was recorded on analogue reel-to-reel and, even though I’m no techno-expert, this has given the album both warmth and space in equal measure. There are the occasional cracks in the voice and the odd extra buzz from the guitar strings but this all adds to the feeling that Avert Francis has played these songs just for you. Comparisons will be made to Bob Dylan and Elliot Smith, some may even say that this is Frank Turner without the anger but don’t try and pigeon hole this boy too quickly. Francis can switch from a quirky, light-hearted lyric about Spider Man to the desolate realisation that you can’t ask those big questions after a loved one has already passed on. There is depth here and a depth that you would do well to explore. My advice to you? Buy this album, take it in a portable format to the nearest green space you can find, then press play and listen. Just listen and absorb. You won’t be sorry.

Roland Monger

Avert Francis Album Launch @ The Wilmington Arms, Friday 23^rd March.

MAD DOG McREA @ THE BORDERLINE

Mad Dog McRea + Tree Pit

Borderline, London – 14/03/2012

Being the only support to a well known good-time band is never easy but Tree Pit didn’t care about any of that. These three guys from Israel-via-London strode on to the stage and started bashing out tunes that were an intriguing, ear-grabbing mix of Muse, Pearl Jam, Editors and Zappa. Frontman Lior Seker has a voice that most bands would kill to have leading the way and Tree Pit have some pretty decent songs to back it up. Give them a more partisan crowd and some more energy and they definitely have it in them to play at a much higher level.

Now I have recently decided to move back to the Westcountry and one of the few things I was worried about missing in London was the music scene. Then, over the past few months I have seen two bands from that part of the world that have completely allayed those fears; the first was Brother and Bones, the second was Mad Dog McRea. Based in Devon but fronted by the most charming and friendly Irishman you’re ever likely to meet (and that really IS saying something), Mad Dog McRea do folk music the way it was supposed to be done. This isn’t whistful, airy music made by chisled, accurately coiffured 20 somethings from West London. This is roudy, heartfelt, room shaking and spirit-stirring music that only the dead can’t enjoy. From Irish folk classics and Devonian songs about pirates and wizards to original songs penned by the multi-talented band, there was not one moment of let-up in this 90 minute set. For that 90 minutes spent in the basement of a venue in central London, the problems of the world disappeared, the young danced with the old, those suits stood arm in arm with tattooed beasts of men and the music flowed. I genuinely worried about the structure of the building when they tore in to their rendition of the Bear Necessities and felt genuinely sorry for anyone not there to witness this great show. Mad Dog McRea will never win a Brit Award, they’ll never be on the cover of NME and they’ll never, ever play a bar in Hoxton that only serves obscure Tunisian lager from a shoe. They will, however, make the world a better place and they will put a smile on the face of anyone with half a soul. The only downside? They hardly ever play in London so you’ll just have to keep an eye out or make the trip down to Devon to catch them live. Hey, you can kip on my couch if you need a place to stay….

Roland Monger

REDBULL ROAST IT – QUEENSTOWN, NZ

This is the official video from the recent Redbull Roast It jam from Gorge Road Bike Park in Queenstown, New Zealand. We had the pleasure of visiting these trails a couple of years ago, they were impressive then and look even better now.

Red Bull Roast It BMX Dirt Jumping, Queenstown, New Zealand, 2012 from Jagged Melon Productions on Vimeo.

BARCELONA 2O12

We’ve just got back from a pretty amazing trip to Barcelona…

Click the image below to take a peek at a few pics we took while we were over there…

Adios x

KYE FORTE: INTERVIEW

With RedBull Empire of Dirt back and a Bike shop/Cycle centre set to open soon Kye Forte certainly has a busy year ahead. We’re stoked that he took some out his busy schedule to chat to us about life in The Shire, exciting new projects and living the dream!

So Kye...

How’s Winter been in Devonshire?
Wet and cold. But not to bad really, been riding a lot of MTB motor trials which you can do in any weather and going to the gym a lot. Managed to get away snowboarding in January. I’m currently in NZ for 2 weeks riding a couple RedBull contests so I have managed to keep active. Winter is a good time for me to plan and work on new projects as well…

Is that the Red Bull Roast it trip in Queenstown?
Yeah been here a couple days now. The Gorge Road jumps are really good fun. Really smooth with loads of lines! Only had one day riding so far although the jet lag is wearing off so hopefully do some stunts today. It’s my first time to NZ and Queenstown is amazing!
Toby is coming over from Australia next we are going to shred the jumps and hopefully get up the mountain on some full suss bikes as well…

RED BULL EMPIRE OF DIRT…..ITS BACK

EMPIRE OF DIRT - 19TH - 20TH MAY 2012

INSTAGRAM!

If your not on it, get on it and follow us on Instagram! Search @ltdstate!

JACK WHITE ANNOUNCES SOLO ALBUM

The album, ‘Blunderbuss’, will be released on 23rd April on Thirdman/XL recordings.

In a press release, White said Blunderbuss is “an album I couldn’t have released until now. I’ve put off making records under my own name for a long time but these songs feel like they could only be presented under my name. These songs were written from scratch, had nothing to do with anyone or anything else but my own expression, my own colors on my own canvas.”

Listen to it now the first single ‘Love Interruption’ NOW

LTD STATE LOVES…ALDEN SEATS

Take a look at these beauties…

They really are the seat for the refined gent.

We fully expect to see these darting all over Dalston in the very near future!!

Currently Alden Seats makes custom brogue style hand made seats to order for small shops and individuals. Our saddles are made from top quality leather for incredible durability and longevity.

Check out their Kick Start project here

BICYCLE UNION: CIRCLING SPAIN

Bicycle Union traveling through Spain.

Bicycle Union: Circling Spain from Channel 4Down on Vimeo.

VANS LET IT RIDE 2

This is the second part of the Vans Let It Ride Series filmed in the Canary Islands.

VANS Let it Ride 2011 – Team Two edit from Vans Europe on Vimeo.