Tag Archives: Rangers

Glasvegas + Es Muss Sein – Relentless Garage, London | Music Review

Posted on by

Es Muss Sein

Tonight’s show was opened by Es Muss Sein, a 16 year old singer-songwriter from Kent. EMS was personally invited to open the show by Rab from Glasvegas who found her via her facebook page. Her debut EP has been earning her rave reviews, including here at Frost, and so we took the opportunity to catch her at her biggest live performance to date.

At four songs short it was a quick set. “Wave Goodbye”, “Sail”, “Seeping” and “Those Eyes” give off little more than the EP did. Hauntingly soulful, achingly beautiful. Nerves showed at the start but she grew in confidence with every  strum of her guitar. She told me afterwards that she”doubted she was good enough” and that she was “very scared”. On this performance the only thing you doubt is that she’ll be bottom of the bill for much longer.

Glasvegas

It’s been a few years since I last saw Glasvegas, atop a mountain near Bern, and it’s fair to say a lot’s happened. In those two years the band have released a new album, Europric Heartbreak, lost their original drummer, Caroline McKay, gained a new drummer, Jonna Löfgren (more on her later), but the most striking change in them is they’re no longer fresh faced new kids on the block. They’ve less teeth and more tattoos yet still, after battling the drugs, perils and heartbreak of fame appear to wear the “happy to be here” look.

Frontman James Allen, as usual dressed all in black, looks exactly like Joe Strummer but despite his attire and the fact that he has the look of a man who may bite your neck at any moment, his autobiographical lyrics about his absent father, his social worker and the struggles of growing up in working class Britain gave him an air of vulnerability that had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand.

They began with songs from Mercury Award nominated debut album Glasvegas. Opening song “Flowers & Football Tops”, or in Scottish “Flowers & Fitba Tops”, was written about the reaction to the racially motivated murder in Glasgow of Kriss Donald, a Celtic fan – the same team the band support. It works equally as well as a eulogy for their arch rivals Rangers Football Club, a club staring into the abyss. “Geraldine” comes next, followed by “It’s my own cheating heart . . . ” and the band are on a roll. Hit after hit with the audience. Anthem after working class anthem. It’s a brilliant talent of Allen’s, much like that of Alex Turner and Jarvis Cocker, to turn the mundane aspects of life into anthemic greatness.

Sounds from “Euphoric Heartbreak” didn’t quite stir the same excitement as songs from their previous record but it was an interesting sound and certainly a bit of a departure. Less straightforward rock n roll and a bit more experimental.

It must be said though that new drummer, Jonna Löfgren, is the star of the show. She’s taken over from James Allen as the band’s sunglasses-wearer and oozes rock ‘n’ roll swagger. No sitting down for her though. She stands. All the way through. What you get is pure energy. Imagine Rage Against the Machine’s Brad Wilk dosed to the max on cocaine and pro plus and you’re only halfway there.

Glasvegas tonight in London felt like they were beginning something again. The audience saw a band testing themselves and their boundaries but also a band looking at the mountain off success that they scaled with their first album and thinking “I’ll climb that”. And so they just might!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In that two years the band have recorded a new album, lost their original drummer – Caroline McKay, gained a new one – Jonna Löfgren, bassistPaul Donoghue has lost some teeth, guitarist Rab Allen got some tattoos and singer James Allen nearly lost his mind.

Calling all football fans! Win a training session with Anton Ferdinand

Posted on by

Calling all football fans! Win a training session with Anton Ferdinand

A once in a lifetime opportunity is up for grabs for budding footballers and fans of Anton Ferdinand and Queens Park Rangers FC, all in the name of charity.

Premier League footballer Anton Ferdinand is taking time out from his rigorous training schedule to support Billi Mucklow and Cara Kilbey of The Only Way is Essex, who are aiming to raise a massive £10,000 for Samaritans. Anton is offering an hour’s football training session for ten lucky people, to help raise vital funds for the charity that answers more than 5 million calls a year from people who are struggling to cope.

To be in with a chance to win this dream prize, bidders need to take part in an online auction which is open now and will run until midday on Monday 2 April 2012. Place a bid now by visiting http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150786207098 The 5 highest bidders will win the opportunity for them and a friend to attend a training session with Anton which will take place at Lucozade Powerleague Docklands on Wednesday 18 April at 2pm.

Anton said: “I’m really pleased that I am able to offer this prize and support Billi and Cara in their marathon challenge. Samaritans is a fantastic charity that offers 24 hour confidential support to anyone, no matter what the problem. Get bidding, I will make sure this is a training session you will never forget!”

On Sunday 22 April Billi and Cara, from The Only Way is Essex are running the Virgin London Marathon in aid of Samaritans. As well as putting themselves through a punishing training schedule in preparation for the 26.2 mile race, the girls have been busy enlisting their celebrity friends to help them reach their fundraising target.

Billi said: “Massive thanks to Anton for donating this prize and supporting us in our crazy quest!”
Cara continued: “We really believe in the work of Samaritans and hope that the general public get behind us and help us raise as much money as possible so the charity can continue their lifesaving work.”

To help Cara and Billi reach their huge fundraising target, please sponsor them by visiting their Virgin Money Giving page: www.virginmoneygiving.com/BilliandCara

Alex Knott on Home Nations

Posted on by

Last month, former Northern Ireland and Fulham manager, Lawrie Sanchez took to the airwaves to launch a blistering attack on Liverpool stating: “They are no longer a big club. The Premier League has been going for 18 years and they have not won it. They won the Champions League [in 2005] by default. It was one of those days where everything went right, having gone wrong. I mean, they lost 17 games that season.” He went on to tell BBC Radio Five Live: “I remember when they used to win the title, then go on to win the European Cup in the same season. That’s when they were a big club.” One of the unwritten rules of football is that Liverpool are a BIG club, no matter what state they currently lie in.

It is with this sort of straight talking that, in December 2006, Sanchez, then manager of the Northern Ireland national team, bandied around the idea of resurrecting the defunct British Home Championship. Sanchez was fed up with the games he was playing and stated that reviving the competition would be much more beneficial than playing non-interesting friendlies. He did immediately concede that there was ‘not a lot in it for England’ and went on to cite both a fear-factor from England regarding losing the games and also a lack of commercial attractiveness for them. Walter Smith, manager of Scotland at the time and now boss at Rangers, agreed saying: “Sometimes the friendly matches that we have at international level are not worthwhile having.”

A few months later, Sanchez left the Northern Ireland job to take over at Premier League Fulham, but the seed had been planted and the ball begun to roll. In September 2008, presumably after a few behind-the-scenes conversations between the respective FA’s, it was announced that from 2011 the Nations Cup would take place in Dublin featuring Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. England declined to take part in the tournament.

Fast forward two and a half years and England find themselves playing a somewhat meaningless friendly in Denmark while the rest of the home nations battle for regional pride in Éire. All because England felt themselves above things – both from a commercial and a competitive angle.

According to the FIFA rankings, that is true regards the competitiveness, but any ranking system that puts England sixth and Wales 116th is as flawed as the day is long. England’s current ranking puts them above Portugal and Uruguay, which cannot be right, and Wales’ current position puts them behind Malawi, Qatar and Niger.

A meaningless friendly is something that England players frequently experience. But the feel of a tournament, albeit a slightly meaningless one, can only be a good thing – especially the England players who complained of being bored while in South Africa. Indications are that England will compete in 2013, at least as a one-off, to mark the 150th anniversary of the Football Association. The FA will no doubt wait until the tournament is successfully established and then ask to join. Most likely to be told to push off. England arrogant? Never!