Author Archives: Jason Miller

TVD Live Shots: Skunk Anansie at the O2 Brixton Academy, 3/25

Another anniversary tour finally gets underway after a massive delay due to the pandemic, and it’s an absolute banger. Skunk Anansie, one of the UK’s most important bands celebrating 25 years (actually 27 at this point) showed up in fine form at the legendary Brixton Academy.

They were Brit-rock’s answer to Brit-pop back in the ’90s, and while they were influenced by a slew of American bands such as Rage and Nirvana, the States just weren’t ready for them. And they were undoubtedly ahead of their time with their messages and songs about race, gender, and sexuality. The fact that they are still a force to be reckoned with is a testament to the timelessness of the music and how the band has evolved. Add the incredibly forward-thinking clash of art and fashion, and you have the makings for one of the best live shows in Europe.

There truly is something for everyone here, and lead singer Skin has an unrivaled voice in the space. From the massive riffs, the heavy electronic-infused grooves, to the over-the-top arena-sized ballads, Skin’s voice soars and slices through the music with the rare element of inducing chills upon hearing her.

Skunk Anansie wasted no time getting the party started by opening the set with two classics, “Yes It’s Fucking Political” and “Here I Stand,” proving that the early songs hold up incredibly well, especially in a live setting. Highlights for me were both “Love Someone Else” and “Without You” from 2016’s Anarchytecture.

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TVD Live Shots:
Neck Deep, Wargasm, Higher Power, and Happydaze at the O2 Brixton Academy, 2/23

Pop punk is alive and well here in the UK, and the clear front-runner and driving force is undoubtedly Neck Deep. The Welsh five-piece has been going strong for nearly a decade, having constantly been on the verge of breaking wide open with the release of each album, becoming fast friends with Blink 182, and being one of those few bands that share almost equal success across the UK and the US. Then the pandemic hit. While most bands took a break during Covid putting nearly all their plans on hold, these guys went the opposite direction and dove in headfirst.

Neck Deep seemed to take advantage of the downtime and turn up the heat. 2020 saw the release of their highly anticipated new album, All Distortions are Intentional, a concept album that critics have praised as the band’s best work. The album produced an unprecedented five singles (That’s entering Def Leppard Hysteria territory!) and took the lockdown world by storm. With tours and face-to-face interviews out the door, they would have to rewrite the playbook by creating music videos from their homes and streaming live on Twitch to talk to and meet fans and promote the album. This is an excellent example of a hungry band that found a creative way to stay connected during “unprecedented times.”

So what would it be like once the world opened back up and live music returned to the UK? What I saw at Brixton was a band at the top of their game. Maybe it was the pent-up energy and frustration of several postponements, perhaps it was the lifting of the pandemic restrictions, or maybe it was the fans finally connecting with something they truly missed for two years.

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TVD Live Shots:
The Kooks with The Snuts at the O2 Brixton Academy, 2/19

The mid-2000s was easily the best and most exciting time to be a fan of Britpop. You had veterans like Oasis and Starsailor delivering their best work (just before self-destructing) and new artists like Kasabian, Franz Ferdinand, and The Editors being passed the torch to push the genre forward.

The Kooks found themselves smack dab in the middle of a movement while progressing toward a more hard-edged approach with much slicker production values. They flipped the formula on its head, going against the grain and bringing back the ’60s vibe, and it worked brilliantly.

The Kooks were the new kids on the block, but that ’60s influence brought with it an element of old school troubadour coolness that the new crop was missing. A throwback to The Kinks’ finest moments combined with the hipster factor of The Libertines and a focus on songwriting and storytelling would be the differentiator.

The band was apparently signed to a record deal by Virgin after only three months of being formed. Inside In/ Inside Out would become their awe-inspiring debut album in 2005 and would go on to sell over two million copies. It just goes to show that sometimes the major label engine works flawlessly, but it’s also a testament to the talent and attitude that define The Kooks. They’re interesting, relatable, and really fun to watch live.

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TVD Live Shots: Glasvegas at the
Garage, 2/9

Seeing Glasvegas live is like a religious experience. It’s mesmerizing, it’s haunting, it’s a surreal wall of sound that proves there is a god of noise pop.

They are one of the few bands to emerge over the past decade who have a sound that is all their own. The best way to describe them is that they fall somewhere between The Clash, Elvis, and The Ronettes with an over-the-top, modernized Phil Spector-type production. It’s a new level of sonic achievement, and it gave birth to one of the best debut albums of all time, in my opinion. 2008’s self-titled debut Glasvegas catapulted the Scottish indie rock band into the limelight where they dominated the UK scene, going platinum and winning the coveted Mercury Prize.

They have it all, the look, the name, the critics’ praise, and most importantly, the songs to back it all up. The media called them “too good to be true,” “the quintessential noise-pop set of the modern age,” and my favorite quote, “a gut-punch of a debut, and one that makes you believe Glasvegas is one of those rare, rare bands who might just have that perfect record in them.” Another critic his called it “their Definitely Maybe.”

While global domination didn’t happen as planned, it wasn’t due to a lack of trying. Columbia Records put their muscle behind the band in the US. Still, it quickly became apparent that the US audience wasn’t quite ready to embrace Glasvegas at a sustainable level. Another casualty of the “why the fuck doesn’t the rest of the world get it?” scenario. 

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TVD Live Shots: Turnstile at the
O2 Kentish Town
Forum, 2/3

Every decade or so, a specific genre of music gets a glimpse of its future and is tested against the greats who came before. This time around, the genre is hardcore and the front runner is a distinctive hybrid punch in the face called Turnstile.

I had somehow missed the build-up for these guys over the past ten years, but am I glad that I arrived in time for their magnum opus third album, 2021’s Glow On. This Baltimore four peace is on an absolute tear and the moment. While most American bands are struggling to keep their tour dates in the UK due to the variant, these guys managed to do two shows in London at two separate venues. I thought it was a misprint, but holy shit, each of the venues was jammed to the gills.

Double jabbed, boosted, and with a facemask, I show up ready to see firsthand what all the hype is about. The first show was two nights before at London’s legendary Roundhouse;—this night would be at the slightly larger Kentish Town Forum. Both are fantastic venues in their own right.

I’ve shot my fair share of punk and hardcore shows over the years, many of them without any sort of barrier or photo pit, which is both a blessing and a curse. If there’s no photo pit, then you have to bring your precious camera directly into the belly of the beast. (I’ve had lenses destroyed in these situations before.) Not the easiest shoot, but you do get some incredibly unique shots. This night there was a photo pit, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference.

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TVD Live Shots: Saxon, Uriah Heep, Girlschool, and Diamond Head at the Eventim Apollo, 1/29

Four legends on stage in a single night. Four of the most important bands from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Forty years of castles and eagles. Delayed nearly two years with the pandemic, it was finally time, and London was ready for it.

A sold-out Eventim Apollo (better known to this capacity crowd as the legendary Hammersmith Ballroom), Saxon and friends not only brought out all the stops but delivered a magnum opus. Who would have thought that four bands born four decades ago would still deliver the goods and arguably sound better than ever? I had high hopes, and they were vastly exceeded.

First up on the bill were thrash legends Diamond Head who rose to fame after Metallica borrowed their sound and covered a couple of their songs. Most notably, “Am I Evil” from Kill ‘Em All. I remember being a 14-year-old kid hearing this for the first time and thinking, that’s it! I fucking love metal. The fact that it pissed off my parents to no end made it all the better.

Living in the states, Diamond Head was this sort of mysterious band that we only knew through Metallica because there wasn’t a ton of info on them to be found. Fast forward thirty-plus years later, and I’m now watching them play these songs and more live; it was surreal for me. I used to think that the Metallica versions of the songs were superior, but now it’s the other way around. Diamond Head may have missed their calling in the US, but holy shit, they continue to answer it across Europe.

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TVD Live Shots: IDLES at Brixton Academy, 1/19

If for some reason you’ve been holding out on embracing the idea that IDLES are the best thing to happen to the punk since The Clash, it’s time you let your guard down and believe the hype.

There are no “hits” to be found, just consistently pulverizing live shows, unapologetic, direct hits to pop culture, and blatant political statements wrapped in a tornado of fury. These unlikely heroes for a post-Brexit, Covid-exhausted, lampooned government are everything the world needs right now—five dudes from Bristol taking over the world doing what seemingly comes very naturally to them. It’s a magnificent journey to watch.

You know a band will continue their tear through the current over-sanitized music scene when they keep delivering and avoiding any hype going to their heads. In November, IDLES released their brand new album Crawler, their fourth in as many years and the follow-up to their first number one, 2019’s Ultra Mono. Theirs is no overnight success as the band formed in Bristol back in 2009, so they’ve paid their dues.

While the new album takes a bit of getting used to once you see the songs live, with many of them seeing their debut this night at Brixton, you get it immediately. Interestingly enough, their most successful album was the least represented in the set. Does this mean the band is testing the audience? Either way, with every show for the foreseeable future completely sold out across the globe, it doesn’t matter.

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TVD Live Shots: Pigs
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs at the Electric Ballroom, 12/17

It’s the last show of the year for me, and it was a fucking banger. Newcastle’s Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs finally got to play their sold-out gigs at the Electric Ballroom after Covid rescheduled several dates, and it was worth the wait. These guys popped on my radar during the lockdown, and I’ve been hooked ever since hearing their stellar 2020 album Viscerals. They remind me of early Clutch crossed with Tomahawk and Jesus Lizard. It’s dark, moody, psychedelic, and heavy as hell.

The UK music scene is absolutely on fire at the moment. While there are tons of new bands alongside old favorites doing reunion tours and celebrating monumental albums of the past, there’s a notable new crop that keeps chugging along. Building an audience is arguably the hardest thing for a band to do, especially during a pandemic, but the ones who can deliver both on vinyl and on stage are going to win. Pigsx7 is one of those bands. Three albums in, and they can do no wrong.

Critics love them, fans are coming in droves, and everything is seemingly falling into place, minus the uncertainty of Covid, of course. This was night two of two sold-out gigs for the band at the legendary venue in Camden. I’ve been to plenty of sold-out shows at the Electric Ballroom, and it’s usually packed to the gills, but this time it was surreal. The Covid variant is keeping people at home as the venue was at less than half capacity. Let that sink in for a moment, sold out show, less than half the people turn up.

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TVD Live Shots: The Charlatans at Brixton Academy, 12/10

Yet another reason I love living in the UK: Brit-pop icons The Charlatans playing a sold-out gig at the legendary Brixton Academy. Wrapping up a rollercoaster of a year, and on the brink of yet another lockdown, I was thrilled that the show would go on despite a raging variant.

Having lived in the States, I first discovered The Charlatans during the ’90s Brit-pop invasion when major labels were frantically signing promising bands with a buzz from the UK to export to the States. While some became household names, others created amazing albums and topped the charts across Europe. Up to Our Hips, the self-titled release, and Tellin’ Stories were staples in my collection at the time, and while The Charlatans did have a taste of success in the US, it was nothing like what they had in the UK.

Most recently, frontman Tim Burgess has been all the rage in the UK with his incredibly creative approach to connecting with fans during lockdown through #Tim’sTwitterListeningParty—another example of creativity thriving within constraints (not ideal, of course, but a silver lining). What started last year with The Charlatans’ 1990 album Some Friendly, live-tweeting the record to help fans through “Lockdown Day” caught fire.

Over 1,000 listening parties later, Liam Gallagher and Paul McCartney made headlines by participating, which seemed to be unbeatable engagement. That was until Bruce (almighty) Dickinson and Co. came along for the appropriately numbered 666th party to celebrate the Iron Maiden classic Powerslave. All this excitement and fun has culminated in the recently released Tim’s Twitter Listening Party Book which is highly recommended. 

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Needle Drop: Travis,
The Invisible Band 20th Anniversary Deluxe
Box Set

Even though it’s technically their third album, we really should consider The Invisible Band from Travis as their sophomore release. They defined their signature sound on The Man Who, which is far superior to their debut, in my opinion, and with the pressure to replicate that success, Travis found themselves facing the much-dreaded sophomore jinx.

Not wanting to fix something that’s not broken, The Invisible Band finds the band doubling down on that magical formula from the previous album—that dreamy, haunting, sunny at times, cloudy at others, but all around hopeful sound that defined the band and set them apart from the sea of others at the time. To be honest, I had forgotten how much I loved this record, and the fact that it took me 20 years to remember it is frightening.

The much-deserved 2oth anniversary deluxe edition could be considered overkill for the casual fan, but for those of us who “got it” the first time around, it’s a brilliant glimpse into the mindset and memories of a band that was at its creative peak. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the last record (2020’s 10 Songs), but I’m also waiting for the band to do the inevitable, back to our roots thing (minus the first album).

Yeah, I’m pretty particular, but the world needs more of that Travis sound from those two records. I welcome the experimentation, for example the banjo hitting in the opening cut “Sing” threw me off for a second, but it works well in context. That’s what I was hoping for in the latter years; pushing the boundaries, but keeping that original luster.

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TVD Live: Amyl and the Sniffers at the Electric Ballroom 11/24

While the rest of the world is just discovering UK punk sensations and critic’s darlings, IDLES, Amyl and the Sniffers are primed to be the next unexpected force to be reckoned with.

The words Aussie and punk aren’t mentioned very often in the same sentence, so one would wonder how in the hell a punk band from Australia gets it so right. They’ve got the look, the attitude, and now the anthems to boot. With the buzz they have across Europe, and especially how they have been embraced in London, you might even think they were locals.

On the second night of two sold-out gigs at the north London institution The Electric Ballroom, Amyl and the Sniffers brought out both old and new punks. Singer Amy Taylor with her signature look, along with the rest of the band—including the resurgence of the mullet—have certainly impacted the minds of the fans and their fashion sense.

From the DIY outfits to several tributes to Amy’s fringe, to the pissed mates’ in the smoking lounge with their glorified mullets, this isn’t just another gig; it’s a movement. A resurgence of the classic punk look and feel marries perfectly to the aggressive sounds and potent lyrics. It’s as much of a statement as it is a reflection of the public’s appetite for a band that stands for something in a world where people need something to align with. It felt like a trip back in time to the late ’70s when punk ruled London.

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TVD Live Shots: Sam Fender at Alexandra Palace, 11/21

The most prominent breakout artist in recent memory is at a pinnacle here in the UK, and his sights are now set on the rest of the world. Sam Fender is the real fucking deal and one of the most talented singer-songwriters of the past decade.

I like to think of him as the Bruce Springsteen for people who hate Bruce Springsteen (or don’t get Born to Run). His songs bring the voice of the working class together with the challenges and struggles of a new generation. His maturity and insight to write songs of this magnitude at such a young age are a sign of an extraordinary musician. It’s like watching an early Bono preparing for his Joshua Tree moment. And that’s precisely where we find the 27-year-old Sam Fender.

He’s clearly beaten the music industry’s much-feared “sophomore jinx” with his latest record Seventeen Going Under. It’s the perfect continuation and evolution from his celebrated and critically acclaimed debut Hypersonic Missiles. But the question remains, will the rest of the world get it?

The US is the most significant opportunity here set against a backdrop of incredible bands from the UK historically finding it difficult to replicate their European success in the States’ over-saturated, disposable pop-fueled scene. This isn’t a case where “you need to see the live show to get it.” It’s more about just hearing the songs for the first time and THEN having the live show seal the deal. That’s precisely what happened in my case.

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TVD Live Shots:
OMD at Usher Hall, Edinburgh, 11/2

With concerts coming back full swing, choices must be made as they begin to pile on top of one another. Nearly two years of concert dates being rescheduled in a short amount of time is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have more choices than ever before from some big names across the UK; on the other, when you have a day job in tech, moonlight as a photographer, and have a family on top of that, you can’t possibly see all the ones that you want to. Trust me; I’ve tried.

Ironically, I had tickets to see Scotland’s finest rock band Biffy Clyro in London at an “intimate venue” but found myself at a tech conference in Edinburgh that evening after that show moving dates more than once. But what was first disappointment turned into an opportunity as I discovered synth-pop icons OMD would be playing that same night at the legendary Usher Hall just next door to said tech conference.

Being a massive Biffy fan and having seen them a few times since moving to London, I slowly shifted my mindset from one genre to another. OMD has always been on my list of shows to see, but sadly the stars never aligned in terms of being in the right place at the right time. What turned out to be a scheduling conflict turned out to be an epic once-in-a-lifetime evening with a legendary band.

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark returned to Edinburgh for the first time in nearly three decades to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark album Architecture & Morality. Co-founders Andy McCluskey (vocals, bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals) have always enjoyed success. Still, you could argue that they are riding a second wave as they celebrate the early days that solidified their place in music history.

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TVD Live Shots: Rufus Wainwright at the London Palladium, 10/19

He’s one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters in the world, and although Covid wrecked his original tour plans two years ago, three rescheduled year later the stars aligned, and it was worth the wait. Rufus Wainwright continues to be a creative force, pushing boundaries while injecting his passion for the arts into everything he does. He’s got the charisma, the charm, and the songbook backed by rave reviews. He consistently walks the line between ego and confidence—yet this was going to be a different kind of show, one that separates the casual fans from the devoted.

If you were expecting a greatest hits tour, he’s not there yet. This show would be a celebration of his stunning 9th studio album Unfollow the Rules. The entire record was played, along with a few cherry-picked selections from his catalog which fit the mood.

What was that mood? Elegance, art, storytelling, and a stripped-down band that laid a foundation and propped up on a pedestal the very reason everyone was there—that voice. Rufus has one of the most unique voices in the world, and it continues to evolve as he reinvents himself again and again through his love of opera and the fantastic Judy Garland songbook. But he always comes back to where he began, and that’s what Unfollow the Rules is all about.

Conceived initially for a full band, Covid had other plans, so we were treated with an almost full band. All the essentials were there however; guitar, standup bass, keys, and of course Rufus on guitar and his grand piano. He opened the show with a string of his newest material, including my favorite song from the latest record, “Damsel in Distress” (which is the closest thing to classic Rufus we’ve heard in years, by the way). It was starting to look like the album would be played from start to finish, only to be interrupted by a few cover songs.

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TVD Live Shots:
Sea Girls at Brixton Academy, 10/15

Imagine this. A new band sign a deal with a major record company, records a brilliant debut album, releases it, is praised by critics, then a pandemic hits. The tour is canceled, the record release party is postponed, and the world shuts down. That’s precisely what happened to UK indie-rock darlings Sea Girls. Now, as live music gets back on track across the country, fans who have waited patiently for the tour dates to get rescheduled for a second and third time are ready, and with the pressure on, Sea Girls delivered big time.

The band is playing tour dates initially scheduled for 2020 while their sophomore record waits in the wings with a January 2022 release. These are the types of scenarios that bands have to deal with as the world opens back up—fulfilling previous tour obligations while setting up the release of their new album. One would think that maybe the fans could have lost interest, but it’s had the exact opposite effect. The shows are bigger, and the excitement is peaking, and a sold-out Brixton Academy welcomed Sea Girls back with open arms while singing every song at the top of their lungs.

Due to the unique situation of one tour celebrating two albums, the setlist was a mix of pre-pandemic favorites and a handful of brand new songs. Sea Girls have a bit of an ’80s new wave sound to them while also reminiscent of the early 2000s Britpop movement; songs dripping with emotionally intelligent lyrics. These guys are smart songwriters, and frontman Henry Camamile writes some of the best lyrics of the past decade.

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  • SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL INDIE SHOPS SINCE 2007


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