Tents and Tunes: Stereoboard's Ultimate Guide To Festival Season 2023
If you’re young (curse you, your time will come) then festival season might present itself as a wonderful unknown, full of days that might become the best days of your life. If you’re old (be honest, how are the knees today?) then it might awaken the grizzled warrior inside you, steeling you for one more warm beer under the summer sun (or summer rain) as human waste simmers (or dilutes) in an adjoining field.
Written by: Maddy Howell and Emma Wilkes | Date: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
'It's the Rawest I've Ever Been': Inside Brandy Clark's Personal New Record
Photo: Victoria Stevens The creation of great art might seem like the mystical result of sorcery, yet the truth is much more human and grounded. Hard graft and natural talent are crucial elements in such an equation but, for any artist trying to wrestle their muse into life, finding exactly the right collaborators, at exactly the right time, is equally pivotal.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
Beyoncé's Most Iconic Live Moments
Photo: Beyoncé opens the Renaissance World Tour at Friends Arena in Stockholm, Sweden / Andrew White After half a decade away, Beyoncé is back in the UK, bringing her Renaissance World Tour to stadiums and arenas up and down the country, beginning with a night at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on May 17.
Written by: Jack Terry | Date: Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Sounds of Melancholic Wonder: The Lemon Twigs on Their Path to 'Everything Harmony'
Photo: Eva Chambers Anyone who’s experienced The Lemon Twigs’ flamboyant retro-theatrical-pop stylings will already know that Brian and Michael D’Addario love to reinvent themselves on every record. But even fans who’ve become accustomed to the New York siblings’ convention-defying music might be taken aback by how sweet and vulnerable they sound on the sophisticated folk-rock of ‘Everything Harmony’.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 09 May 2023
OK, Time For Plan B: Enter Shikari on Starting Again With 'A Kiss For The Whole World'
Photo: Lukasz Palka "It was like we witnessed the death of the band," Enter Shikari frontman Rou Reynolds says, looking away as he reflects on Covid’s impact on a band with a prolific workrate and fearsome live reputation. "We had a year and half of not playing any shows and not writing. That hadn’t happened throughout our whole adult life, it was a scary time being disconnected from the fanbase. For the first time it didn’t feel like a pause, it felt like the end of something. We didn’t know if we would play again."
Written by: Jack Terry | Date: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Moment In Time: The Lottery Winners On Strength, Unity, Defiance and 'Anxiety Replacement Therapy'
In recent years, The Lottery Winners have become something of an underdog success story. Releasing their self-titled debut album into a country freshly headed into lockdown, in 2020 indie fans across the UK were captivated by the distinctly positive sound of the presumed newcomers. But by then the band were already a decade into a career of hard-fought optimism.
Written by: Maddy Howell | Date: Monday, 24 April 2023
Ain't It Fun: Paramore Throw Arena-Sized Party In Cardiff
Photo: Zachary Gray I wasn’t a fan of Paramore back when they broke through in 2005. I’d see them emblazoned on the covers of my favourite rock-leaning magazines during my teen years and dismiss them out of hand. I was too cool to like a group that appeared to be so mainstream. I was more concerned with “edgy” bands like Queen Adreena and Babes In Toyland. But what a fool I was. Better late than never, though, right?
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Monday, 17 April 2023
Quality Lasts: How Kenny Wayne Shepherd Reinvented 'Trouble Is...'
What makes for a classic album? Why does some music age like the finest of wines? And how can anyone craft a defining body of work when they aren’t even old enough to get legally drunk in their country of birth? Having created the enduring ‘Trouble Is…’ at the age of 18, and then re-recorded it with equal fire and flair more than two decades later, blues-rock icon Kenny Wayne Shepherd is definitely the man to answer such pressing questions.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 17 April 2023
The 10 Songs We NEED to Hear on Limp Bizkit's UK Tour
Nu-metal royalty is on its way back to the UK, with Limp Bizkit about to embark on a short tour culminating in massive shows at the OVO Arena Wembley. A band that led the field when it came to brute force riffs and scatalogical rhymes at the turn of the millennium, they've sold more than 40 million albums worldwide off the back of songs that ramp up the energy at every turn. So, in anticipation, we compiled the 10 songs from their back catalogue that we are dying to hear live in the coming days.
Written by: Jack Terry | Date: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Connecting With The World: Joshua Radin Talks Songwriting, Intimacy and Searching for Honesty
If the last few years have taught us anything of value, it’s that life without connection is really no life at all. Combine our desire for kinship with a passion to explore everything this world has to offer and you have a recipe for a happy and satisfied life, as well as the formula that helped Joshua Radin become one of the most honest and relatable singer-songwriters of the modern era.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Top 10 Moments Of BBC 6 Music Festival 2023
Photo: BBC 6 Music Ah, it’s that time of year again. After spending their gap yaaah(s) travelling to cities across the UK, the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival has recently made a return to its spiritual home of Manchester.
Written by: Sophie Pengelly | Date: Thursday, 06 April 2023
'Nothing is off limits': Trinity 'The Tuck' Taylor Talks UK Haters Roast - The Shady Tour
Trinity 'The Tuck' Taylor is an Alabama-born, Florida-based drag queen, well known for jointly winning the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars with Monet X Change in 2018, having placed in the final four of season nine just the year before. During the confessional accompanying her intro look for the latter, Trinity promised us she, “can do anything from beautiful to way outside the box”, and she’s stayed true to that ever since.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Underneath the Mask: Inside Black Honey's 'A Fistful of Peaches'
Photo: Jamie Noise Off the back of their triumphant third album ‘A Fistful Of Peaches’, which unleashes a widescreen barrage of cinematic indie sleaze anthems, it’s tempting to reclassify Brighton’s Black Honey as more movement than band. Hell bent on giving a sense of belonging to every outlier in search of connection, it’s a communal and unflinchingly truthful record that looks set to further strengthen the bond between the group and their devout followers.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
The 10 Songs We NEED to Hear on Lamb Of God's State Of Unrest Tour
It's been a long time coming, but Lamb Of God are back in the UK for their State Of Unrest tour, which was originally booked for 2021. Of course we all know what's happened over the past three years, and while the Richmond, VA five-piece kept things ticking over with global live streamed shows, nothing quite compares to being in the room with their brand of ferocious and politically-charged metal.
Written by: Jack Terry | Date: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Why Couldn't It Be Us?: Meet Me @ the Altar On 'Past // Present // Future' and World Domination
Photo: Jonathan Weiner Téa Campbell can’t help but smile when recalling Meet Me @ the Altar’s stratospheric 2022. “There were so many moments where it was like, ‘Are we awake or are we dreaming?’ When we were kids idolising all these people and listening to this music, we didn’t know that one day it would become such a huge part of our lives,” the multi-instrumentalist says. “It’s insane to think about. We opened for Green Day—who the hell gets to do that?”
Written by: Maddy Howell | Date: Monday, 06 March 2023
'We Are The Voice For Everyone Who Can't Shout So Loud': Introducing Death Pill
Death Pill vocalist and guitarist Mariana Navrotskaya is feeling subdued. She’s based in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, and on the day of our interview, there’s just been another deadly Russian missile strike. Attacks like these, she says, cast a shadow over her entire day. Midway through the conversation, her shaky internet connection falters, but she returns when she’s been able to get a signal and find a light source.
Written by: Emma Wilkes | Date: Tuesday, 28 February 2023
Building Back Brighter: The Slow Readers Club Rebound With 'Knowledge Freedom Power'
Photo: Trust A Fox Photography Contrary to fantastical teenage dreams about forming a band and achieving life-changing fame and fortune, for most musicians the reality of their profession is a constant, unglamorous struggle. But even by past tribulations, the last few years have been especially hard on artists operating at a certain level without a financial safety net. Yet, if you had to put your money on one act to battle through such a tumultuous period, The Slow Readers Club would represent a pretty safe wager.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 23 February 2023
Reaching the Highest Level: John Petrucci on Dream Theater's Crowning Glory
Photo: Rayon Richards It doesn’t matter what you’re striving to achieve in this life, or which particular brand of music floats your boat, everyone can learn something from Dream Theater’s remarkable story. Whether it’s matching undoubted talent with a phenomenal work ethic, fighting outside perceptions or navigating crushing setbacks, the prog-metal legends have embodied everything that’s required to triumph with integrity over seemingly unbeatable odds.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 17 February 2023
Darker Shades: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Talk New Album 'Land Of Sleeper'
What do you do to make an impact when the majority of your output is already renowned for melting faces? That’s the question Newcastle noise-smiths Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs were forced to ponder while writing their fourth album, ‘Land Of Sleeper’. The answer they summoned from the void delivers the usual strain of unabashed Sabbath-esque heaviness, but here it’s juxtaposed against more atmospheric, experimental and contemplative moments.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Billy Lunn on Myth-Busting With The Subways' 'Uncertain Joys'
Photo: Laura Lewis Rock ‘n’ roll’s outrageous lifestyle has always been something of a dream destination for disenfranchised loners and wannabe rebels. Often seen as the ultimate emancipation from society, idealised perceptions of ‘live fast, die young’ and bullshit notions of eternal youth are seductive for eager souls who, without even knowing it, are often seeking an escape from a troubled existence. As such, when reality crashes into fantasy, the results can be disastrous.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 14 February 2023
The 10 Songs We NEED to Hear on Enter Shikari's Upcoming Tour
Photo: Jamie Waters Enter Shikari are back! The St Albans quartet recently announced their seventh studio album A Kiss For The Whole World (out April 21 via So Recordings / Ambush Reality) as well as a set of monthly residencies across the UK. So, ahead of their dates in London, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Bristol and Glasgow between February and April, we sifted through their six studio albums, three compilations, two remix albums and stack of singles to choose the 10 songs we NEED to hear them play.
Written by: Jack Terry | Date: Monday, 13 February 2023
Step Into The Light: Narrow Head On Finding Hope Within 'Moments Of Clarity'
Photo: Nate Kahn Time is a funny thing. Sometimes it can pass us by unknowingly, but there are other times when its effects are much more discernible: situations that once felt unsettled can regain clarity, and wounds that once felt raw can begin to heal. This is something that Narrow Head frontman Jacob Duarte came to realise over the past few years.
Written by: Maddy Howell | Date: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Fearless Again: You Me At Six Redefine Their Future By Looking To The Past On 'Truth Decay'
There’s a lot to be said for a reset, just ask You Me At Six. When the five-piece hopped on a plane to Thailand in late 2019 to work on their seventh album ‘SUCKAPUNCH’, frontman Josh Franceschi believed it could be their last. However, over the course of just a few weeks, a lot changed.
Written by: Maddy Howell | Date: Monday, 06 February 2023
Very Us: White Reaper on Sticking to Their Guns with 'Asking For a Ride'
Photo: Jimmy Fontaine We all know cherished cult bands who, after experiencing a little success, immediately abandon their roots. Such acts strive to capitalise on their newfound recognition by heading further down a commercial path that feels all kinds of wrong. Thankfully, White Reaper won’t be joining those misguided souls anytime soon.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 31 January 2023
Nice Things: Stereoboard's 2023 Gig Guide
It’s all been a bit up and down the last few years (translated: an absolute bloody nightmare), but if all of these exciting shows aren’t evidence that live music is well and truly back, we don’t know what is. Now that things are seemingly a little more stable, it’s been a bit of a mad scramble for everyone and their dog to announce events that have hung in Covid-controlled limbo for some time, so you’d be forgiven for finding it all a bit overwhelming. But take a deep breath and count to three, as we’re here to help with the live events side of your diaries, with a full round-up of the biggest shows for the rest of the year. Can’t help with the excuse for getting out of your mate’s baby shower/cousin’s wedding/nan’s bingo night though, you’re on your own there.
Written by: Sophie Pengelly | Date: Monday, 30 January 2023
Adding to the Rock Lexicon: Looking Back and to the Future With The Darkness
Ever since they illuminated the beige, post-millennium guitar scene with a fashion-be-damned explosion of vintage glam metal, Carry On-esque humour and Liberace-styled attire, premature obituaries have circled The Darkness. They appeared to be primed for a trip to the printers after the four piece came, saw, conquered and spectacularly imploded, but since reforming over a decade ago they have steadily amassed a catalogue of fine albums that have kept the doom-mongers at bay.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Now And Next: Stereoboard's Ones To Watch For 2023
A new year always brings with it the chance to find something fresh that says something about where you are in your life right now, or where you'd like to be a little way down the line. Here are Stereoboard's picks for the most exciting artists to keep an eye on as 2023 rolls on.
Written by: Maddy Howell and Emma Wilkes | Date: Wednesday, 11 January 2023
'It Has To Feel Like An Adventure': Ville Valo On Life After HIM And His Solo Debut 'Neon Noir'
Photo: Juha Mustonen All good things must come to an end. At Helsinki’s storied rock club Tavastia in 2017, Finnish love-metal pioneers HIM took their final bow at their traditional New Year’s Eve hometown show, sealing their fate with a bloody kiss as their fans celebrated a quarter of a century filled with peculiar shadows and majestic darkness.
Written by: Maddy Howell | Date: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Release and Resilience: Circa Waves Pull Together With 'Never Going Under'
Photo: Lewis Vorne A new year might mean a fresh start, but let’s not kid ourselves. Without wanting to break your optimistic spell faster than most of us abandon those overly ambitious annual resolutions, all the world’s ills won’t be solved by a simple change of date.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 09 January 2023
The List: Stereoboard's Top Tickets Of 2022
td#right {display:none !important;} The impact of COVID-19 is still being felt throughout the music industry, but this year's numbers make it clear that the appetite for live events is as voracious as ever, with a gobsmacking 39, 128, 765 searches for tour dates over the past 12 months via Stereoboard, up from 16, 790, 678 in 2021.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
It's All Connected: Volbeat's Rob Caggiano on Doing Something That Feels Important
The American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once claimed, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” If we take that aphorism as gospel, then New York native Rob Caggiano is a very fluent linguist indeed. Supremely accomplished in the fine art of rock ‘n’ roll guitar, and able to switch between genres with dexterous ease, his six-string work with Anthrax, The Damned Things and Volbeat has connected with audiences all over the globe.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
The List: Stereoboard's Best Albums of 2022
td#right {display:none !important;} Welcome back, folks. It’s been another whirlwind year of tunes, tunes and more tunes, with the return to shows also looming large in our minds. Here you’ll find our favourite albums of the past 12 months, arranged in no particular order because ranking art is pointless and self-defeating. We hope you’ll find something new to love here, and we'll see you at the front soon.
Written by: Stereoboard | Date: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
'You're going to be wowed!': Danny Beard Talks Winning RuPaul's Drag Race UK And Series Four Tour
“I’m literally sat here in a fur coat, no knickers and a crown. What a better way to sum it up,” Danny Beard says, perched on a chaise longue in a candle-lit room on the other end of a Zoom call. The Liverpool-born, Manchester-based drag queen, also known as Daniel Curtis, was recently crowned the winner of season four of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and Stereoboard caught up with them following the finale to discuss their time on the show.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Friday, 02 December 2022
The Journey of Our Lives: How Larkin Poe Paved The Way to 'Blood Harmony'
Photo: Jason Stoltzfus To listen to American roots duo Larkin Poe is to hear passion, authenticity, commitment and unity. All those qualities flow through the collective veins of siblings Rebecca and Megan Lovell, resulting in forward-thinking anthems built on a deep reverence for both their cultural lineage and the musical pioneers who’ve inspired their life’s work.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 15 November 2022
Here to Entertain: Within Temptation Talk Worlds Collide Tour With Evanescence
Photo: Tim Tronckoe After three long years, having been rescheduled four times due to the pandemic, the highly anticipated co-headline tour between Dutch symphonic metal titans Within Temptation and superstar American rockers Evanescence is finally about to land on UK shores. If good things come to those who wait, both bands should deliver enough of a spectacle to reward fans who’ve been patiently anticipating such a mouth-watering bill.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 11 November 2022
Fast, Loud, Live: Clutch On Returning to the Road With 'Sunrise On Slaughter Beach'
Photo: Dan Winters If Maryland rockers Clutch had a dollar for every time their latest release was hailed as the best of their career, their bank account would resemble the GDP of a small country and they could easily retire. But for a group who live to create immense studio records and unrivalled live shows, any notion of walking away would be, at best, unthinkable and, at worst, musical blasphemy.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 10 November 2022
The Shape of Post-Rock to Come: Brutus on the Crushing Beauty of 'Unison Life'
Photo: Eva Vlonk Ghent is a gorgeous place. A small Flemish city a 45 minute drive north-west of Brussels, its biggest draw is its wide open squares surrounded by 12th century architecture and cathedrals. It’s also a low-key hotbed for forward-thinking music.
Written by: Matt Mills | Date: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
'We're Not As Scary As We Look, Unless You Piss Us Off': Meet Witch Fever
Witch Fever aren’t always angry, they promise. “We’re actually all pretty fucking weird,” clarifies guitarist Alisha Yarwood. “We’re all weird in our own ways. Even when the music’s serious and the lyrics are serious, we do want to bring good vibes.”
Written by: Emma Wilkes | Date: Thursday, 27 October 2022
Life, Love and Loss: Taylor Momsen on the Rebirth of The Pretty Reckless
If it’s true that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, The Pretty Reckless vocalist Taylor Momsen could probably bench press a herd of elephants. Much like the band she’s fronted for the past 13 years, the former child actor turned rock ‘n’ roll force of nature has repeatedly shown how the resilience of the human spirit can triumph over all forms of adversity.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 25 October 2022
Parkway Drive's UK Tour Underlines Their Readiness as Festival Headliners
Many metalheads may think Iron Maiden and Metallica are what make our world go round, but the anthems and stage shows from the revered OGs have become aged, tired and bloated in recent times. In a scene where most of the commercial success is still being hoarded by older icons, is it time for festivals to listen to the clamour for a fresh new headliner to be elevated to the major leagues?
Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Friday, 14 October 2022
'The New Move Was Less is More': Myles Kennedy on Alter Bridge's 'Pawns & Kings'
Photo: Chuck Brueckmann Many of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll groups were founded on a scintillating partnership between an iconic vocalist and the guitar god blazing away by their side. In recent times, that unwaveringly cool axis has been reimagined by Alter Bridge’s Myles Kennedy and Mark Tremonti, a refreshingly grounded duo whose combined magic is as spellbinding as ever on the band’s epic new record ‘Pawns & Kings’.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
New Chapter: The Coronas Discuss Their Sonic Reinvention on 'Time Stopped'
It’s often said that a change is as good as a rest. In recent years Irish indie-rockers The Coronas more than proved the validity of the proverb, having come through an eventful period that saw them split with a key band member and temporarily lose the ability to tour. Using those situations to their advantage, both 2021’s ‘True Love Waits’ and this year’s ‘Time Stopped’ have seen the now three-piece outfit boldly leap into fresh pastures with excellent results.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 07 October 2022
The Next World: Krystal Versace Talks New Solo Show, RuPaul's Drag Race UK And Tour Life
Imagine reaching one of the biggest milestones of your career at 19. While many that age were navigating their first year of university, Krystal Versace, the drag queen created by Luke Fenn, was busy being crowned the winner of the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, making them the youngest competitor to snatch the crown in the show’s history.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Permanent and Infinite: Counting Crows' Adam Duritz on Making Music That Lasts
Photo: Mark Seliger The best songwriters refuse to compromise themselves for anyone or anything. Such a strong, unwavering commitment to artistic integrity, though, renders them immune to outside pressures—they are unmoved by those who don’t understand their process and unapologetic about the time it takes to craft their music. If ever a songsmith embodied those ideals, it’s Counting Crows’ Adam Duritz.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Feel Something: A.A. Williams On Writing As Therapy and 'As The Moon Rests'
A.A Williams’ music is heavy. Not in a crushing, noisy sense, but in terms of the emotional currents that run through it. It’s heavy. Speaking a few days after her headline show at the Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, though, she’s decidedly warm and upbeat, and with good reason.
Written by: Will Marshall | Date: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Good Grief: Titus Andronicus Frontman Patrick Stickles on Love, Loss and 'The Will To Live'
It doesn't take long sitting with Patrick Stickles, the black-clad, heavily bearded and wildly literate frontman of New Jersey's finest punk band, Titus Andronicus, to notice that a new found contentment and happiness appears to be radiating from him. And the reasons are made almost immediately clear. “I’m married and I take my medication,” he beams, flashing his wedding ring at the screen.
Written by: Craig Howieson | Date: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
'We've Still Got Something To Say': The Return of Hard-Fi
Everything’s gone to shit. Politicians can’t be trusted. Society’s increasingly polarised. We’re on the cusp of an unprecedented financial crisis. Youngs people are more disenfranchised than ever. The state of play in 2005, when socio-political indie-rockers Hard-Fi erupted onto the scene with their chart topping debut ‘Stars Of CCTV’, remains painfully on point today. Which is why, after an eight year hiatus, it feels like the perfect time for the Staines quartet to re-emerge from hibernation.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 27 September 2022
Finding Your Tribe: Lady Camden Talks Touring, Ballet And The Road To RuPaul's Drag Race
Lady Camden is a London-born drag queen who named herself after the borough she grew up in. Born Rex Wheeler, her formative years were spent running around the venue her father managed, the renowned Electric Ballroom, which can be found between a food stall and souvenir shop on the bustling Camden High Street.
Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Tuesday, 20 September 2022
Big Loops vs Feeling Naked: Newton Faulkner On Stripping Things Back
If he’d been alive when it first entered the popular lexicon, it’s highly likely the phrase ‘One Man Band’ would have been coined to describe Newton Faulkner. A sonic wizard who combines rootsy, eclectic songwriting with a mastery of technical equipment, whenever this multi-instrumentalist hits the stage on his lonesome, you’re guaranteed a thrilling experience that, depending on the night, could either be bombastic and boisterous or intimate and tender.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 15 September 2022
Making Hitsville: Charlotte Hatherley on the Alchemy of Ash's 'Free All Angels'
Music often plays a pivotal role in our formative experiences. Just one listen to certain songs can instantly stir up a whirlwind of memories and emotions, transporting us back to a time when anything and everything seemed possible. For former Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley, that perfectly sums up the making and subsequent success of the band’s chart-topping masterpiece ‘Free All Angels'.
Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 13 September 2022
