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Post by mattchew on Nov 14, 2011 7:23:22 GMT
14 November 2011[/i][/url][/size] Betreutes Feiern beim Rock-FestivalRolling Stone Weekender an der Ostsee mit Dach überm Konzert[/b][/center] Erstaunliche 800 000 Übernachtungen verbucht das Ferienzentrum Weissenhäuser Strand pro Jahr, für knapp 4000 der Gäste erklären sich die Besuchsmotive leicht. Ausgerechnet ihnen aber, die am vergangenen Wochenende aus der ganzen Republik an den ausnahmsweise einmal sogar im November sonnigen Ostseestrand reisten, brachte Töns Haltermann anfangs große Skepsis entgegen.
"Oh, oh", habe er nur gedacht, als Folkert Koopmans vom Konzertveranstalter FKP Scorpio ihm vor drei Jahren vorschlug, ein Rockfestival auf seinem Gelände zu organisieren. Als Geschäftsführer habe er "gleich befürchtet, danach renovieren zu müssen". Musste er aber nicht, auch wenn das den mäßig charmanten Bettenburgen kaum geschadet hätte. Nun jedoch freute sich auch Haltermann darüber, dass der Rolling Stone Weekender bereits in seinem dritten Jahr ausverkauft war.
Genau das aber war diesmal der Stolperstein des "Komfort-Festivals", zu dem Koopmans gemeinsam mit dem Namensgeber, dem Musikmagazin "Rolling Stone", ein sehr erwachsenes Publikum gelockt hatte. Zwar bietet die extra errichtete Zeltbühne notfalls allen Besuchern gleichzeitig ein famoses Musikerlebnis, die drei weit kleineren Säle aber erwiesen sich bei dieser Fülle immer wieder als einfach zu klein. An nur zwei Tagen machten etwa wir uns vergeblich auf den zum Glück kurzen Weg, um Portugal The Man, Anna Calvi, Thees Uhlmann und die Lesung von Wladimir Kaminer zu sehen - doch leider war wegen Überfüllung jeweils kein Einlass mehr möglich. Das war ärgerlich, aber auf einem derart gut bestückten Festival kein Drama größeren Ausmaßes. Der Veranstalter versprach zudem gleich vor Ort, 2012 Abhilfe zu schaffen.
Derweil geriet der Weekender, dem verglichen mit einem Zeltfestival samt Matsch und Sturm und Dixi-Klos beinahe das Prädikat "betreutes Feiern" verliehen werden kann, erneut zum großen Vergnügen. Zwar boten Death Cab For Cutie und die allseits gelobten Timber Timbre nicht viel mehr als sattsam bekannten Indie-Pop der gehobenen Mittelklasse, und All Mankind, als Ersatz für den leider erkrankten Seasick Steve nachnominiert, sogar nur Rock der Touristenklasse, aber die Atmosphäre in der Galerie mit Plattenbörse, Postermeile, Bars, Restaurants und einem neuen Café, das sich der sonst vorherrschenden Interieur-Tristesse der Siebziger charmant widersetzt, blieb wundervoll. Und Wilco, bereits zum zweiten Mal auf dem Weekender zu Gast, setzten erwartungsgemäß mit gegen den Strich gebürsteten Songs ein Glanzlicht. Man ging zufrieden zu Bett.
Nach dem Sonnabend tat man dies sogar glücklich, woran das irgendwie diffuse Konzert von Archive trotz vereinzelter Höhepunkte und die schönen, leicht routinierten Auftritte von Nada Surf und Elbow nur eine Teilverantwortung trugen. Doch die australischen Howling Bells mit ihrem verdunkelten, leicht psychedelischen Indie Noir und ihrer grandiosen Sängerin Juanita Stein waren genau das, wonach auf solch einem Festival gesucht wird: eine Entdeckung, ein neuer Schatz in der Erinnerung.
Und Heather Nova, nach etlichen schwachen Alben beinahe schon aufgegeben, wurde mit plötzlich wuchtigen Songs und einer endlich wieder verzaubernden Stimme dann zur Wiederentdeckung. In den Apartments des Weissenhäuser Strandes stehen neuerdings große Flachbildschirme. Töns Haltermann denkt schon laut über weitere Investitionen nach und spricht gar von einer Konzerthalle. Bald chauffiert dann wohl Folkert Koopmans den Rolls Royce unter den Weekendern an die Ostsee und lädt zur Mitfahrt ein - zum Preis auf S-Klasse-Niveau. Kein Schnäppchen, aber viel Spaß und Bequemlichkeit fürs Geld.
Stefan Krulle
Translated: Assisted celebrations at the Rock FestivalRolling Stone Weekender on the Baltic Sea with a roof over his concert[/b][/center] Amazing 800 000 overnight stays booked the holiday center white beach houses per year for the nearly 4,000 guests will visit the motives explain. Of all them, however, who last weekend from all over the Republic, for once, even traveled to the sunny Baltic beach in November, brought Toens Haltermann meet initially very skeptical.
"Oh, oh," he had only thought of as a concert promoter Folkert Koopmans, FKP Scorpio him three years ago suggested to organize a rock festival on its grounds. As CEO, he had "the same fear of having to renovate after". Had he not, even if the terms of the charming little bed castles harmed. Now, however, was also happy about Haltermann that was sold out of the Rolling Stone Weekender already in its third year.
And that was the stumbling block but this time the "comfort-Festival", was lured to the Koopmans together with the namesake, the music magazine "Rolling Stone", a very adult audience. While the extra features built tent stage necessary to all visitors at the same time a splendid musical experience, the three smaller rooms but far proved time and again in such abundance as simply too small. At only two days we went about in vain for the short path to happiness, to see Portugal The Man, Anna Calvi, Thees Uhlmann, and the reading of Wladimir Kaminer - but, unfortunately, was possible because of overcrowding in each inlet no more. That was annoying, but on such a well-stocked no drama festival broader scale. The organizers also promised the spot to make 2012 a remedy.
Meanwhile came the Weekender, which compared with a festival tent along with mud and storm, and Dixi toilets almost the title of "supervised parties" may be awarded, again for the great pleasure. Although offered Death Cab For Cutie and the well-acclaimed Timber Timbre not much more than hackneyed indie-pop of the upper middle class, and-nominated All Mankind, as a replacement for the unfortunately ill Seasick Steve, it's only rock the tourist class, but the atmosphere in the gallery with a record fair, posters mile, bars, restaurants and a new café, which is opposed to the otherwise prevailing gloom of the interior-seventies was charming, wonderful. And Wilco, for the second time on the Weekender as a guest, sat as expected, with songs brushed against the grain a highlight. One went to bed happy.
After Saturday this was done even happy, somehow diffuse what the concert archives, despite sporadic highlights and the beautiful, gently seasoned performances by Nada Surf and Elbow wore only a partial responsibility. But the Australian Howling Bells with her darkened, slightly psychedelic indie noir and its magnificent singer Juanita Stein were exactly what to search for such a festival is: a discovery, a new treasure in my memory.
And Heather Nova, after some weak albums almost became abandoned, with the suddenly powerful songs and a mesmerizing voice then finally rediscovered. In the apartments of the white beach houses recently have large flat screen televisions. Toens Haltermann already thinking aloud about further investment and even speaks of a concert hall. Soon chauffeured then probably Folkert Koopmans, the Rolls Royce of the weekenders on the Baltic Sea and invites you to a passenger ride - at a price to S-Class. No bargain, but a lot of fun and convenience for your money.
Stefan Krulle
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Post by mattchew on Nov 16, 2011 11:38:54 GMT
16 November 2011GoombayInterview: Alt Det Vi Ønskede Os Howling Bells turnerer for øjeblikket med det britiske band Elbow. Goombay mødte forsangeren, Juanita Stein, et par timer før bandet skulle på scenen i Falconer Salen, til en ærlig og voksen snak om deres seneste udspil og om livet på landevejen.[/b] Radisson Blu-hotellet på Falkoner Allé tårner sig op i den novemberkolde skumringshimmel, som en ensom skyskraber. Om få timer vil de hypnotiserende lydbølger fra de elektroniske guitarer gå i symbiose med trommernes hårdt pulserende slag, når Howling Bells går på scenen og fylder den store koncertsal med pop/rockede indie-toner. På 3. sal befinder hun sig, den lille mørkhårede forsanger, Juanita Stein, der nærmest går i et med den sorte lædersofa i det store rum, hvor bandet hænger ud inden de skal på scenen.
En mere voksen udgivelse
”Det er nogle år siden vores sidste udgivelse og vi er bogstaveligt talt blevet lidt mere voksne”, siger Juanita, da snakken falder på deres seneste album, ”The Loudest Engine”. Et album de selv har beskrevet som deres mere voksne udgivelse. ”Jeg tror, når man bliver voksen, at man lærer at være mere ærlig og ikke så bange for hvad man har at sige,” siger Juanita med den charmerende australske accent. Med høje forventninger, ambitioner og bekymringer til den nye plade blev den indspillet uden de store komplikationer i samarbejde med bassisten fra The Killers i Las Vegas’ ørkenområde og har høstet gode anmeldelser fra nær og fjern. ”Den er alt det vi ønskede den skulle være. Den lød befriende for os og det var dét vi ønskede”.
Howling Bells turnerer lige nu med indierock bandet Elbow og spiller de nye sange for første gang. Forventningerne og kravene til dem selv, om at gøre publikums oplevelse til den bedste, er ikke forsvundet, selvom de gennem årene er blevet mere afslappede på scenen.
”Det slutter aldrig. Selv nu. Hver aften når jeg går på scenen, vil jeg være meget bedre end aftenen før.”
Den larmende maskine
”Jeg prøvede på at sove en nat i tourbussen, men jeg kunne ikke. Det eneste jeg hørte var motoren, der kørte rundt og rundt og rundt,” starter Juanita, da hun fortæller om, hvordan titlen til albummet blev til. ”Jeg begyndte at tænke på alle de andre artister, der har kørt rundt i en tour bus og hvilke situationer der havde udspillet sig. Jeg begyndte at tænke tourbussen som en slags sjæl, der bar alle disse artister gennem forskellige landskaber”. Størstedelen af sangene på pladen er skrevet på landevejen gennem USA, da de turnerede med Coldplay sidste år, så navnet faldt naturligt for de fire australier.
Tro kan flytte bjerge
Sådan lyder et kendt bibelsk ordsprog. I denne sammenhæng er det troen på sig selv, hvilket netop også er, hvad Juanita ser som den vigtigste egenskab, for en kunstner at være i besiddelse af.
”Man kan være talentfuld, men uden tiltro til sig selv betyder det ingenting. Det er en meget stor udfordring at befinde sig i en kunstnerisk arena, så hvis man ikke har tiltro til sig selv, er der risiko for at man ikke kan fortsætte og man ender ulykkelig.” Ulykkelig er dog ikke et ord, der falder ind under beskrivelsen af den australske skønhed.
”Jeg har lært, jo ældre jeg er blevet, at være yderst taknemmelig for hvad vi har. Jeg spiller for et nyt publikum hver aften. Jeg turnerer med Elbow, som jeg elsker, og det er bare fedt.”
Melodien vs. teksten
Det er det melodiøse der bliver vægtet højest i bandet.
”For os handler det helt klart om musikken først. Jeg bliver altid først draget af en sangs melodi. Hvis melodien er spændende så giver jeg efter og sætter mig ind i teksten,” fortæller hun og tilføjer hurtigt.
”Men du ved, en fantastisk popsang har en ligeså god tekst som melodi, og det er det vi stræber efter.”
Udenfor er mørket faldet på. Den dundrende klokkeklang fra Frederiksberg Rådhus høres i den store ekkomodtagelige lobby, der snart vil blive fyldt af indie-stemte koncertgængere.
Sanne Lundqvist
Translated:Interview: Everything We Wanted Os Howling Bells are currently touring with the British band Elbow. Goombay met lead singer Juanita Stein, a few hours before the band was on stage in Falconer Salen, for an honest, adult conversation about their latest release and about life on the road.[/b] Radisson Blu Hotel for Falconer all towers up in the cold November twilight sky as a lone skyscraper. In a few hours, the mesmerizing sound waves from the electronic guitars go in symbiosis with the drums hard pulsating beats when Howling Bells go on stage and fills the great hall with pop / rock indie tones. On the third floor is she, the little dark-haired lead singer Juanita Stein, who almost become one with the black leather sofa in the large room where the band hangs out before going on stage.
A more adult publishing
"It is some years since our last release and we have literally become a little more adult," says Juanita, when the talk falls on their latest album, "The Loudest Engine". An album they themselves have described as their more adult publishing. "I think when you grow up that you learn to be more honest and not so afraid of what you have to say," says Juanita with the charming Australian accent. With high expectations, ambitions and concerns for the new album was recorded without major complications in cooperation with the bassist from The Killers in Las Vegas desert area and has garnered good reviews from near and far. "It is everything we wanted it to be. It was liberating for us and it was what we wanted. "
Howling Bells on tour right now with indie rock band Elbow and play the new songs for the first time. Expectations and requirements for themselves whether to make the audience experience at the best, have not disappeared, although over the years has become more relaxed on stage.
"It never ends. Even now. Every night when I go onstage, I'll be much better than the night before."
The noisy machine
"I tried to sleep a night on the tour bus, but I could not. The only thing I heard was the engine that drove around and around and around, "starts Juanita when she talks about how title for the album came to be. "I started thinking about all the other artists who are driving around in a tour bus and what situations had occurred. I started thinking about the bus tour as a kind soul who wore all these artists through different landscapes. " Most of the songs on the album were written on the road through the U.S. when they toured with Coldplay last year, so the name fell naturally to the four Australian.
Faith can move mountains
This is a well known biblical proverb. In this context it is faith in themselves, which is exactly also what Juanita sees as the most important attribute for an artist to be in possession.
"You can be talented, but without faith in itself means nothing. It's a very big challenge to find themselves in an artistic arena, so if you do not have confidence in themselves, there is a risk that you can not continue and you end up unhappy. "Unhappy is not a word that falls under description of the Australian beauty.
"I have learned that the older I become, to be extremely grateful for what we have. I play for a new audience every night. I tour with Elbow, whom I love, and it's just fat. "
Tune Vs. text
It is melodious being weighted highest in the band.
"For us it's definitely about the music first. I will always first drawn to a song's melody. The melody is so exciting, I give after and put me into the text, "she says, adding quickly.
"But you know, a great pop song is as good a text as a melody, and that is what we strive for."
Outside, darkness had fallen. The resounding bell rang from Frederiksberg Town Hall heard the great echo susceptible lobby that will soon be filled with indie voted concert goers.
Sanne Lundqvist
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2011 19:36:14 GMT
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Post by blade on Nov 16, 2011 20:05:45 GMT
Many thanks. Will have to keep an eye out for that session!
I love one of the picture captions:
"Ach, sie ist aber auch schon eine Hübsche."
Literally:
"Aah, she is but even already a pretty one."
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Post by mattchew on Nov 16, 2011 20:23:57 GMT
17 November 2011[/i][/url][/size] Loud and clear[/center] Seven years ago a Sydney pop-rock four-piece called Waikiki changed their name and relocated to London.
Now known as Howling Bells, the band have achieved widespread recognition in Europe, have toured with The Killers and Coldplay and have released three captivating records.
Their impressive latest album, The Loudest Engine, marks the group’s continual sonic evolution and popularity.
They have come a long way since sharing a tiny flat.
“I suppose some people do it for a long time,” singer, guitarist and co-songwriter Juanita Stein says from her London home.
“A lot of backpackers and travellers tend to live on top of each other for years and that’s the situation we moved into when we first got over here.
“You just have to make it work, but thank god the situation did change and we got out.”
Howling Bells have announced a run of Australian dates, including Newcastle, and Stein says she is
looking forward to returning to home soil.
“It couldn’t have come sooner,” she says.
“Just as it’s starting to get a lot colder and darker in England.
“It’s an exciting idea to go to Australia. I miss the cliched things like the sun, the sea and the space – all the S’s.”
The Loudest Engine mixes dark pop and psychedelia, but delivered with immediate and organic arrangements.
It is the sort of record that Stein hoped her band would make when they drastically changed their direction.
“It harps back sonically to what a lot of us grew up listening to, which is a lot of 60s and 70s music,” she says.
“Obviously you can never know what [the new direction is] going to sound like, but generally I was hoping it would sound as loud and raw as The Loudest Engine does.”
Thematically, the album is fuelled by days spent touring the landscapes of foreign countries in a well-travelled van.
“The name of the record is literally a vehicle for the feelings, the ideas and the experiences that we had had over the last few years,” Stein says.
“The idea in the song is that the ‘loudest engine’ is the tour bus that we lived on for a long time, which in a sense carried the soul of the band – we were sitting on that bus for months at a time.
“You become very acquainted with this odd vehicle and it becomes an incredible part of your life.
“We did a lot of touring in that bus and it represented a lot of what we’d experienced and what we’d been through and how we were to view the next few years of our lives.”
Stein explains that before writing the album, which was produced by Killers bassist Mark Stoermer, the band had a number of clear intentions.
“The first and most important thing, after everything we’d been through, was that whatever we did and however the record sounded it had to be uncontrived, untouched and an absolute expression of the four of us at the time,” Stein enthuses.
“After using a lot of keyboards and electronic aspects on the second album, we really wanted to make sure that the third one was super raw and a lot more rock’n’roll.”
The Loudest Engine was recorded in Stoermer’s studio, which is in The Killers’ home city of Las Vegas.
“It was very inspiring for us to experience that,” Stein says.
“I think environment is crucial and at that particular time it helped us relax.
“It’s funny, because a lot of Las Vegas looks like Perth. It has that really open, wide sense of suburbia and it’s incredibly sparse. It reminded me of when I used to go and visit my grandparents in Perth.
“I remember thinking that the roads were so wide compared to Sydney and that’s kind of what Vegas looked like.”
Howling Bells befriended Stoermer during their major tours in support of The Killers.
“Mark and us shared a similar taste in music and what music should be,” Stein explains. “He was really a delight and was intent on leaving us be and
harnessing our own musical spirituality.”
Howling Bells also drew on their other American sojourns.
“There was a big tour we did across America with Coldplay a couple of years ago and it was a spectacular experience,” Stein says.
While landscapes influenced the sound of the album, Stein again shares personal emotions in her lyrics.
The opening track, Charlatan, is an unveiled barb toward a person who has wronged her.
“I guess most people would be able to focus on one particular person they’ve met in their lives who tends to take advantage of every situation,” Stein says.
“You do meet certain characters in life and you wonder if they have any conscience at all. But I don’t think it’s very classy to say who it is.”
When it is pointed out that the track Golden Web from Howling Bells’ second album, Radio Wars, is also aimed at someone who has been a negative presence in her life, Stein admits that it is no coincidence.
“I think they’re actually about the same person,” Stein laughs.
“Yeah, it’s interesting – you’re the first person to pick that out.
“I didn’t even realise that.
“Obviously this person has had quite a profound impact on our life.
“I don’t want to gravitate towards negativity – the world’s full of really, really challenging and distressing stuff and it’s important to try and find a
balance in your life. But there are
people who just stand out and unfortunately it’s a lot easier to express anger than kindness a lot of time.
“Especially for an artist – it’s a lot easier to just throw a whole bucket of paint on a canvas than to sit there and contemplate the figure of a flower for about four hours.”
n Howling Bells perform at Newcastle Leagues Club on Friday, December 9 with tickets on sale through Bigtix.com.au. The Mercury has a double pass to give away to their Newcastle show. For your chance to win, simply fill out the attached coupon by noon next Wednesday.
The Loudest Engine is out now.
Nick Milligan
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Post by mattchew on Nov 16, 2011 20:38:44 GMT
16 November 2011IndieMusicREPORT: Elbow a Howling Bells (Huxley’s Neue Welt, Berlín, 10.11.2011) Koncerty Elbow patří k těm nejvyhledávanějším a nejžádanějším. O tom žádná. Z nějakého důvodu jsme se ale s nimi u nás ještě nesetkali (nebo o tom alespoň nevím), a proto, když se objevila nabídka zajít na ně do Berlína, volba byla jasná. Čekala na nás významná kapela, hrdí držitelé Mercury Prize a hlavní evropské město současné kultury.
U vchodu do klubu Huxley’s Neue Welt nás 10. listopadu 2011 vítaly plakáty s nápisy „vyprodáno“, známá fronta „počesku“ však nikde. Netrvalo dlouho a na scéně se objevil australský kvartet Howling Bells, kterému byla přisouzena role předkapely.
Kapela má na svědomí celkem tři studiové desky, přičemž tu debutovou vydala už dva roky po svém založení, tedy v roce 2006. V Berlíně však byla aktuální The Loudest Engine ze září letošního roku. Hlavní role se v berlínském příběhu Howling Bells ujala frontmanka Juanita Stein, a tak už od prvního pohledu na ni bylo jisté, že alespoň v jednom případě překonají Elbow; půvabnější slečnu totiž manchesterské partě nenajdete. Zpátky ale k hudbě.
Zvony se rozezněly krátce před devátou hodinou večerní a přestože se ze sebe snažily dostat opravdu hodně, díky slabším skladbám nijak zvlášť nezaujaly. Ač si o nich bude Guy Garvey myslet sebelepší věci, právě v Berlíně bylo zcela evidentní, že se Howling Bells dostali do slepé uličky, z níž nevědí kudy kam. Zkrátka můžete hrát sebelépe, působit více či méně zajímavě, bez kvalitní hudby nezmůžete nic. Výsledkem pak bylo jediné; Howling Bells se zařadili mezi ty projekty, které nijak zvlášť nenadchnou ani neurazí. Na druhé straně celá řada jejich kousků by se v dohledné době mohla objevit v některém z filmu Quentina Tarantina. Právě jeho oblíbený „patoz“ se jim vévodí na celé čáře.
Vyprodaný Huxley’s Neue Welt tak po zhruba hodině čekal příchod hvězd večera, Elbow. Bez jakýchkoliv okolků kapela nastoupila společně se čtveřicí hráčů hrajících na cello a housle. S poněkud rozpačitým úvodem zahájili The Birds, The Bones of You či Mirrorball a Guy Garvey si postupně začal podmaňovat všechny v sále. Tím se dostáváme ke zdroji největší síly Elbow. Frontmana, jakým Guy Garvey je, si může přát každá kapela sympatický třicátník s nezaměnitelným chraplákem by mohl na nejprestižnějších univerzitách světa okamžitě přednášet, jak by měl ideální frontman vypadat. Jedinečná komunikace s diváky v hledišti i mezi členy skupiny, charisma až k Plutu a hlas toho nejsilnějšího kalibru.
Právě tyto vlastnosti se nejvíce projevili v klidnějších kouscích, kterými alba Elbow čiší. The River, Lippy Kids a především excelentně zvládnutá Some Riot, která patřila k naprostému vrcholu večera. To když vám v naprostém dojetí v hlase někdo servíruje alkoholismus s patřičnou grácií.
Není ale všechno zlato, co se třpytí. Kromě slabšího úvodu se v některých momentech dostavil pocit „tohle ale hrálo před chvílí, ne?“, jindy zase asistující smyčcový doprovod hrál zcela zbytečně, poněvadž jej stejně nikdo neslyšel. V některých momentech, jako třeba při Starlings, zafungoval playback, což ve výsledku znamenalo, že se kapela vrátila na pódium s trumpetami, tvářila se, že na ně hraje, o výsledek se ale nakonec postaraly připravené nahrávky. A právě tyto nepříjemné odmlky ve výsledku zachrňovaly výrazné kytarovky jako například hit Grounds for Divorce.
Něco takového ale stejně nakonec přebíjí momenty, kdy si kapela připíjí ke svému dvacátému výročí a poté si střihne jeden společný kousek u klavíru nebo když celý sál, mladí, staří, tlustí, tencí, s dojetím v očích sborově zpívá One Day Like This.
Jan Fryč
Translated:
Concerts Elbow is one of the most popular and most sought after. The fact no. For some reason, but we have them with us yet met (or at least know about it), so when the offer came for them to go to Berlin, the choice was clear. She was waiting for us an important band, proud holders of the Mercury Prize and a major European city contemporary culture.
At the entrance to the club Huxley's Neue Welt our 10th November 2011 was greeted with posters saying "sold out" well-known line "počesku" But nowhere. Before long, the scene appeared on the Australian quartet Howling Bells, which was assigned the role of support act.
The band is responsible for a total of three studio album, which released the debut two years after its foundation, namely in 2006. In Berlin, however, was The Loudest Engine date of September this year. The main role in the Berlin story Howling Bells took frontmanka Juanita Stein, and so from the first sight of it was certain that at least one case exceed Elbow; graceful Miss Manchester is find a bunch. But back to music.
The bells sounded shortly before nine o'clock in the evening and despite of himself trying to get a lot, thanks to the weaker songs not particularly have not delivered. Although information about them will be Guy Garvey think no matter how good things, just in Berlin was quite evident that the Howling Bells got into a blind alley from which they do not know where to go. Matter how well you can play short, causing more or less interesting, without good music can not do anything. The result was a single, Howling Bells are ranked among those projects that do not specifically nenadchnou not offend. On the other hand, many of their pieces would be in the foreseeable future could occur in one of Quentin Tarantino. It was his favorite "patoz" They dominated the line.
Sold Huxley's Neue Welt, so after about an hour waiting for the arrival of the evening star, Elbow. Without any ado, the band got together with four players playing the cello and violin. With a somewhat embarrassing introduction began The Birds, The Bones of You or mirrorball and Guy Garvey began to gradually conquer all in the hall. This brings us to the source of greatest strength Elbow. Frontman, Guy Garvey is such, you may wish every band with a unique personable thirty chraplákem could at the most prestigious universities of the world immediately recite how it should look perfect frontman. Unique communication with the audience in the auditorium as well as between group members, charisma and to Pluto and the voice of the strongest caliber.
These characteristics are expressed in most peaceful pieces, which reeks of Elbow album. The River Lippe and Kids especially Some Riot excellently mastered, which belonged to the ultimate culmination of the evening. That's when you utter the emotion in her voice serves alcoholism someone with proper grace.
But it is not all gold that glitters. In addition to the introduction weaker in some moments came a feeling of "this but played a while ago, right?", Sometimes assisting string accompaniment played totally unnecessary, because no one heard him. In some moments, like the Starlings, It worked playback, which in effect meant that the band returned to the stage with trumpets, pretended that they played, but the result is ultimately fostered ready recordings. And these uncomfortable silence in tribute zachrňovaly distinctive guitar like a hit Grounds for Divorce.
Something like that but anyway trumps moments when the band toast to their twentieth anniversary, and then you střihne one common piece on the piano or when the entire hall, young, old, fat, thin, with emotion in the eyes of the chorus sings One Day Like This.
Jan Fryč
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Post by mattchew on Nov 16, 2011 20:54:48 GMT
16 November 2011Tonhalle, Munich, Germany 8th November 2011 Elbow & Howling Bells ELBOW were in town and that was reason enough to have another look at the band after I had seen them three years ago. This time, the location was bigger. But anyway, the Tonhalle was not sold-out completely. Howling Bells[/b] The Indie Rock band HOWLING BELLS was founded in 2004 in Australia. However, meanwhile all band members live in England. Since their foundation they already supported bands as for example THE KILLERS, SNOW PARTOL or also PLACEBO. In 2009, they were even in the interlude of some COLDPLAY concerts. Their first album ‘Howling Bells' was released in 2006 and was sold up to now more than 25,000 units.
Music & Performance Just in time at 20:30, singer Juanita Stein, her brother Joel Stein (guitar), Brendan Picchio (bass) and Glenn Moule (drums) appeared on the stage. Their programme offered a diverse mixture of Rock, Pop and Blues music. The acoustic in the Tonhalle was extremely good and the crystal-clear voice of the singer was turning out exceedingly well. The audience was obviously very much excited by the band and the mood was already very good. The band played songs of their three albums up to now, among them also 'Into The Sky‘ from their recently appeared album 'The Loudest Engine‘. Unfortunately, everything was already over after good half an hour and they left under blustering applause.
Rating Music: 8 Performance: 7 Sound: 8 Light: 7 Total: 7.5 / 10ElbowELBOW is a British Rock band which was founded in 1990. Their first album 'Asleep In The Back‘ the band, which already played as support of R.E.M., U2 and COLDPLAY, released in 2001. They had their breakthrough in 2008 with the album 'The Seldom Seen Kid‘. As a result they received honouring as for example the Mercury Music Prize or in 2009 a BRIT Award for “Best British group”. This year, their current album 'Build A Rocket Boys!' was released.
Music & Performance After the rebuilding break it was time for singer Guy Garvey, guitarist Mark Potter, his brother Craig Potter (keyboards), Pete Turner (bass) and Richard Jupp (drums) to enter the stage. The band from Manchester was supported in this evening by four additional musicians with their strings. Guy Garvey was in a very good mood in this evening (also according to own information), made jokes, told small stories and interacted extensively with the audience which was infected by the good mood. The listeners sang and banged often in the course of the show. Furthermore, ELBOW offered a very diverse show to the audience: From rousing songs up to some quiet ballads as for example 'The Night Will Always Win‘ everything was present. The atmosphere was extremely good. The occasional company of violins and background singers fitted very well to Guy Garvey’s incredibly voice.
With 'Weather To Fly‘ there would be a small unplugged session and a slug for the band. Spontaneously and without any help of the band the audience started to sing 'Happy Birthday' to their 20th anniversary. The evening ended after some additions with 'One Day Like This' which could not be missed of course and raised the mood within the audience once more.
Setlist 01. The Birds 02. The Bones Of You 03. Mirrorball 04. Neat Little Rows 05. Grounds For Divorce 06. The Loneliness Of A Tower Crane Driver 07. The Night Will Always Win 08. The River 09. Some Riot 10. Dear Friends 11. Lippy Kids 12. Weather To Fly (with little Unplugged Session) 13. Open Arms --- 14. Starlings 15. Station Approach 16. One Day Like This
Rating Music: 10 Performance: 9 Sound: 9 Light: 8 Total: 9 / 10
This evening was really dreamlike! A fine mixture of blues and rock, great voices, very good acoustics, a fantastic audience and of course of two excellent bands. Everybody who has the opportunity should take the chance to experience them live. The only drop of bitterness in this evening was that I might not take photos…
Erika Knepper
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Post by mattchew on Nov 17, 2011 4:19:51 GMT
16 November 2011[/i][/url][/size] Howling Bells: mixing with rock royalty[/center] Australian Indie outfit Howling Bells have been based in East London for nearly seven, somtimes struggling, years.
But they were one lucky little Indie band when chosen to support arguably the planet’s biggest band, Coldplay, on tours of America and Europe in 2009.
Despite Coldplay's lofty standing in world music, Howling Bells' lead singer Juanita Stein thought the English lads were a pretty tame lot by true Rock n Roll standards.
“They’re definitely not operating at Black Sabbath level,” Stein laughs.
“Like blood drinking and blood use, the cliches of Rock n Roll, they’re just a phenomenal band, they’re so big it’s hard to get your head around.
“Playing stadiums to 30,000 people, it’s really crazy.”
Stein also provided backing voals on Up With The Birds from Coldplay's recent album Mylo Xyloto.
She had another brush with British rock royalty recently too: former Oasis frontman, Liam Gallagher.
“I accidentally met Liam Gallagher not long ago,” Stein says.
“I was surprised at how nervous I was around him.
"I don’t consider Oasis one of my favourite bands, but when you’re in the same room as him, and you’re shaking hands, you’re kind of sh*tting yourself a little bit (laughs).”
Was he as brash as his reputation suggests?
“He was nice, but I guess he had no reason to be a d*ckhead really,” Stein laughs.
“There was nothing to retaliate against.”
Howling Bells play The Corner Hotel on December 2. Their new album The Loudest Engine is out now.
b.entertained will have a feature story on The Howling Bells soon.
Ben Cameron
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Post by mattchew on Nov 17, 2011 5:08:28 GMT
Here's another pic courtesy of Community Promotion & Publishing out of Hamburg.
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Post by incoasterble on Nov 17, 2011 19:10:56 GMT
Wow - well I think you've gorra be more rock and roll than Coldplay if you lead such a mental life that you can write, record and perform over and over a couple of songs, then not realise you actually wrote them about the same person who 'quite profoundly impacted your lives' until someone points it out... oh and it makes me wonder...
Music can make for such subjective art... personally I tend to feel a lot more grounded interepereting Charlatan just as a love song myself...
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Post by mattchew on Nov 18, 2011 21:13:45 GMT
18 November 2011RockfreaksElbow @ Falconer Theatre, Copenhagen, DEN The music industry is a young business. Not in the sense that it hasn't been around for a while now, in that sense, other businesses are certainly younger, no, what I mean is that most of the people whose names are up in music, especially rock music, tend to be pretty young. Most bands you hear about are lucky if they stick together past one or two albums, and plenty more break up before even that, indeed, before you ever get a chance to hear about them. So when you frequent concerts, it's probably not so strange that most bands you see will act on stage like their live performance is sort of a work in progress. Not tonight however. Tonight I am at Falkoner Theatre seizing an opportunity to see Elbow, a band whose 20 years and five albums worth of history have given them plenty of time to perfect both their music and their stage-show. It seems I've arrived in perfect time, as the crowd is thin and the support band is only just about to go on, so I hastily stash my bag in the cloakroom and shell out the cash for the somewhat pricey pints they sell here, and then march up as close to the stage as possible, to get a good look at warm up performers Howling Bells.
Howling Bells are a quartet who, having relocated from Australia to England, have put out three albums in their seven years of existence and toured with the likes of Coldplay and The Editors. I however, have never heard of them, so my encounter with their relaxed, moody indie/folk/rock is, judging by the look of it, every bit as novel as that of the average person in the audience at this point. Not that there are many, as the rearmost two thirds of Falkoner Theatre are still gapingly empty, which seems to be dampening the spirit of frontwoman Juanita Stein and her three bandmates to a point where they initially seem to just calmly go through the motions. The band seemingly plays well, and Stein shows off her expert vocal skills, but with little dynamics going on between band and audience, the set seems destined to being mere background music for the consumption of the night's first couple of beverages. Gradually however, the crowd grows a bit, and when Howling Bells go for one of their not so relaxed numbers, it's hard to feel like, "hey, something's going on now". Maybe the band is feeling that people are listening as well, because they seem to cheer up a bit, and Juanita casually opens up to the audience, telling us a little story about how she once had a fling with a Danish guy she met travelling, and how she was reminded of it seeing how good we all look. Little interactions like that spice the show up a bit, but still, other than that, Howling Bells make the kind of small impression that hardly lasts a week, and effectively, their grade must reflect that.
6 1/2
Tim Larsen
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Post by mattchew on Nov 22, 2011 21:58:36 GMT
22 November 2011[/i][/url][/size] HOWLING BELLS - HOWLING OUT LOUD[/center] Despite it being a leisurely 9.45am when my phone rang, it was close to midnight for HOWLING BELLS frontwoman Juanita Stein. The quartet had just finished another gig on tour with Elbow, this time in Amsterdam. Despite the hour, Stein didn’t sound remotely fatigued by the rigorous touring schedule, nor the impending drive to Paris – oh the glitzy, globe-trotting lifestyle of touring artists. “You know what, it’s not as glamorous as it sounds,” she responds, a tone of disenchantment coupled with a smile in her voice.
So, how is Amsterdam, I probe. “Fun!” she exclaims. “I think that’s the most important word… We’ve had the most time off here, and I guess if you’re gonna have time off then Amsterdam is the place to do it!” she giggles, keeping the tales of deviance and debauchery to herself.
The London-based Aussie band are returning home, proudly toting The Loudest Engine, their new album recorded in Las Vegas. It was produced by The Killers’ Mark Stoermer and penned while travelling around the United States on tour with Coldplay – their tour bus inspiring the album’s namesake. “The album was about looking back, gaining perspective and summarising the whole experience,” she says. “We found ourselves in some really dirty and gritty parts of America and you meet some… umm,” she trails off, “fruity characters. Yeah, we’ll leave it at that.” Stein thoughtfully concludes, after mentioning a flowing track, Sioux, written about a wandering homeless man they met in Nashville.
The Loudest Engine permeates ‘70s-esque pop with psychedelic indie rock flavours, twangy and gritty guitars, subtle percussion and Stein’s ethereal vocals rounding out the album. Many a Hitchcock film was watched in the production process, adding to the theatrically brooding undertones. Male vocals add a nice element to a few of the tracks, changing the dynamic and keeping the compilation engaging. The album has a continuity in its sound which will translate well on stage; audiences are set to be enchanted by the lyrical stories and smouldering tracks.
Their first single, Into The Sky, was born out of a challenge. “I wrote it about my…” she pauses, searching for the right word, “…loved one, I guess you could say. He challenged me because I was complaining either he was always going away, or I was always going away – so he set me a challenge, to filter all my sadness and frustrations into a song. He said ‘when I land in the next country in so many hours, I want you to have written a song’. And so I wrote that song and played it to him over the phone when he landed.”
Our time comes to an end all too quickly, and I leave the lovely Stein to head for the land of snails, frogs legs and “lots of red wine”.
Howling Bells will play a show at The ANU Bar on Thursday December 8. Tickets cost $24 + bf and are available through Ticketek.
Jessica Conway
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Post by mattchew on Nov 23, 2011 0:57:31 GMT
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Post by mattchew on Nov 24, 2011 7:28:22 GMT
24 November 2011[/i][/url][/size] Howling At The Stars[/center] In an alternate reality, Juanita Stein says that she would have been a pro surfer.
“Like a super professional surfer chick,” she laughs. “I can’t really surf but it’s been a dream of mine. I just never got around to learning.”
Lucky for us, Stein decided to pursue her passion of music in the real world, and has been front-woman of the Sydney-bred band Howling Bells since 2004.
Since it’s conception, Howling Bells has relocated to London, toured with the likes of Coldplay and recorded three albums, the latest of which – The Loudest Engine – was released in September this year.
Having last toured Australia in 2009, Stein and the rest of the bells – Glenn Moule (drums), Brendan Picchio (bass guitar) and Stein’s brother Joel (lead guitar) – are returning this month for their Loudest Engine tour.
“We’re super excited for that,” says Stein. “We haven’t been there for a couple of years to do a proper tour. We feel like we owe a lot to Australia and we kind of grew up there and were raised there and it means a lot to go back and play our own tour.”
The band moved to London in 2005 to record their debut self-titled album after Coldplay producer Ken Nelson showed interest in the project. Having been based there ever since, the UK has become a second home to the group.
“It’s weird to explain but when we touch down in Sydney it kind of feels like, well it feels like home and similarly when we touch down in London it feels incredibly familiar and comfortable as well,” says Stein.
“I never thought that was possible but at the moment I feel as comfortable in both cities.”
The relocation itself had a big effect on the Howling Bells, both as a band and individually.
“I feel like any environment impacts you profoundly and being in London has definitely effected our frame of mind and our sense of writing music and creatively I guess it has,” says Stein.
“You come from a small town so to speak and then all of a sudden your horizons are expanded greatly and what you use to think is acceptable is no longer acceptable and what you use to think was challenging music no longer is that challenging, if you know what I mean. It keeps expanding.”
In regards to touring and audiences however, Stein struggles to find too much of a difference between their Australian fans and those in the United Kingdom.
“I kind of feel British and Australian audiences are very similar. I mean you have the American audiences who are a lot more forgiving but in England and Australia you don’t get away with half as much!”
With 13 dates packed into a 19-day schedule for their Australia tour, Stein willingly talks about the pros of touring and the cons, primarily the lack of sleep.
“Sleep never ever happens on tour,” laughs Stein. “You just try your best to be mentally and spiritually alert because physically it is quite challenging and especially in Australia where the distances between cities are extraordinarily long.
“All the driving and the traveling can be really tiring but once you actually get up on that stage and you’re playing that 45 minutes to an hour set it’s definitely the most rewarding thing about touring for sure.”
Having toured consistently since their debut release, Howling Bells have experienced countless different live shows. Stein’s favourite?
“I feel really, really comfortable in compact venues and you know, when they are packed to the rafters and it’s really sweaty and punky and everyone is making mistakes and it’s just really kind of back to basics.”
Finally touring The Loudest Engine means the band has almost come full circle, with the majority of the album written on the road.
“It was important to us that when we recorded it, that it was very organic and that it felt very, I guess kind of had that on the road sensibility.”
Whilst the pressure behind recording The Loudest Engine could have been overwhelming for the band after the mediocre reception of their 2009 sophomore album Radio Wars, the band – and Stein’s – outlook was a positive one.
“Not everybody loves you and some people hate you and some people are undecided and that’s just life. I think if you look into it anymore than that then you are just torturing yourself.”
“When you create your first project it’s without expectation and that’s a very innocent and beautiful process because you’re not aware of what’s expected of you,” says Stein. “The second you make an imprint you become profoundly aware of what it is that you have to live up to.”
“I think that the best musicians tend to ignore and fight some of those expectations and just keep doing what it is that they intuitively need to do.”
The Howling Bells will be making their way across the country on The Loudest Engine Tour at the end of this month.
Cate Summers
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Post by mattchew on Nov 24, 2011 7:35:08 GMT
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