FILM

'Red State' (3)

Kevin Smith is best known as the writer/director of multiple comedies, such as Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, to name a few. In Red State, though, he plunges into horror, where Christian Fundamentalism is his plot’s subject matter. Credit has to be awarded to Smith for creating alarming material out of something he could have easily mocked, but to say that he’s made a film that is a triumph in all things gory would be a lie. Loose ends remain loose and corruption appears forced and out of context during the movie’s final moments. However, he is able to create some truly horrifying, bone-tingling imagery - for this he owes a heavy thank you to Michael Parks, portraying the disturbing, bigoted pastor Abin Cooper. His monologue in the church interior is delivered with patronizing and venomous hatred, which can be felt through the screen - his anger provokes anger in those watching (or at least those who disagree with violent treatment of homosexuals, which I assume is the majority of us). Parks is by far the star of the screen, but this is a reasonable step in the right direction for a director new to the genre.

MUSIC (CD)

We Are The In Crowd

'Best Intentions' (3)

Pigeonholing WATIC as ‘Paramore-wannabies’ is both easy and understandable, especially considering vocalist Tay Jardine’s, at times, striking similarities to a certain Miss. Williams. However, give their debut full-length a spin and you’ll soon find that there’s much more to them than that.

Granted, the pop-punk framework we are all familiar with lies at the heart of ‘Best Intentions’, but WATIC do add a few more ingredients to the mix.

Opener ‘Rumor Mill’ suggests that plenty of energetic bounce will be heard throughout, but this wheelbarrow isn’t truly picked up again until ‘Exits and Entrances’. Dance sensibilities can be heard on ‘The Worst Thing’, whereas on ‘Kiss Me Again’ Jardine sounds more Taylor Swift than Hayley Williams, which shows how far her vocal capabilities can stretch. Ultimately, it’s the conjoined moments between Jardine and vocalist/guitarist Jordan Eckes that let WATIC shine, giving a new angle to the territory dominated by the likes of Paramore and All Time Low; perhaps the best example of this being ‘This Isn’t Goodbye, It’s BRB’. A good Pop-Punk album, for fans of Pop-Punk.

MUSIC (CD)

Blink-182
'Neighborhoods' (4)

It's been eight years since Blink-182 released a studio album. During that time they've been apart, formed side-projects, reunited and toured the world. This is what we've been waiting for - worth it?
Overall, 'Neighborhoods' is a reminder of their ability to create incredibly melodic and learnable songs. However, the distinction between tracks written by Mark Hoppus and those by Tom Delonge couldn't be any clearer, as the contrast between the spacey, synthetic opener 'Ghost on the Dance Floor' and the powerchord-heavy, up-tempo nature of 'Natives' proves. This isn't a bad thing at all - it makes for a musically wiser and stronger Blink-182, showing us what they've gained as musicians during their time away from the band. If drawing comparisons, 'Neighborhoods' lies closer to the grown-up side of Blink-182 as found on their self-titled release in 2003. Lyrical maturity can be heard throughout the record, it's most exposed areas are present in 'After Midnight', 'Kaleidoscope' and even on the more fast paced moments which may be associated with earlier material, like 'Heart's All Gone'. There’s no reason why any of the tracks on 'Neighborhoods' cannot be considered as 'classic' Blink-182. This will soon be a classic album itself.

Sonisphere 2011: Pulled Apart By Horses, Volbeat

While the rain outside the Bohemia stage dampens the Knebworth land as well as those unable to get into the tent, Pulled Apart By Horses (4) do nothing short of turning raindrops into one big sweaty blur. The band are simply a joy to watch and appear happy to be performing to a packed-out tent at this festival. The majority of their setlist is of course formed using favorites from their self-titled album, but they also premier some new tracks, which sit along comfortably with the older ones (if they can even be called that yet). The variation of coloured lighting only adds to the spectacle of their show, and the crowd's reaction is of course of a mental nature. Could a live performance be any more ideal?
Arriving on-stage 15 minutes before they are due to appear, Volbeat (4) pummel their instruments for longer than their allocated time-slot. No one at the Apollo stage this morning is complaining though; if anything, they should consider themselves lucky. The Danish country-metalers showcase snippets of Motorhead's 'Ace of Spades' and Slayer's 'Raining Blood' in-between their own tracks, which goes to show that they're aware of the fanbases they're playing to this morning, and undoubtedly they will have increased their own after this performance. It wouldn't be surprising to see their position on the bill head upwards in future years, too - it's only fitting that those who missed out this morning get another chance to see what they can do.

Sonisphere 2011: Richard Cheese, Gallows

Battling his way through an early sound issue (the lack of volume on his microphone) Richard Cheese's (5) humorous stage presence spurges hilarity from the crowd throughout his set. Fist pumping and chaotic moshing are in absence this morning (on this stage anyway): they've been replaced by finger clicking, and seeing 5,000+ metalheads and rockers do so is simply a surreal sight to see. Not only do Cheese's swing re-workings of rock, metal and even hip-hop's most well-know songs go down a storm, but he even invites the security staff to join in the fun. This man is built to host parties for just about any occasion.
Fact: A Gallows (5) show is not for the faint of heart. Seriously, its not, as this crowd-crushingly good set in the early-afternoon sun proves. Their nutcase of a frontman Frank Carter has the crowd singing along to every venomous word that comes out of his mouth and its just as well; its difficult to think of another modern-day vocalist who could front their aggressive, raw and undiluted spectrum of punk. However, Carter announces that he'll soon be parting ways with them, and the former question regrettably has to come into place. Still, this doesn't bring an end to the waves of chaos already started, and the band invite their crew and close friends on-stage to party in the sunshine for closer 'Orchestra of Wolves', giving their set the heroic ending it needs. Frank, you will be missed dearly.

Sonisphere 2011: Lower Than Atlantis, Glamour of the Kill

To say that 'I've seen the big 4!' will undoubtedly make many rock fans jealous, and while the first of them, Anthrax, are a lure and a half over on the Apollo stage, Lower Than Atlantis (3) manage to attract a sizeable crowd to the Bohemia stage this afternoon. Some minor sound issues means that their melodic brand of hardcore doesn't quite cut through the mix and under these circumstances, its the more up-tempo tracks that make the most impact upon those under the tent. Nonetheless, they pulverize through their 30 minutes on-stage, asking the crowd to take a seat and of course jump back up again on cue, causing a satisfactory frenzy. The warm melodies are there; its just a shame that they can't be heard properly.
Spawning mass chaos at the front end of the tent, Glamour of the Kill (4) know how to knock a crowd into action, even so that frontman Davey Richmond temporarily ditches his bass to get close and personal with whoever's arms can reach him. The clapping and screaming rings ferociously throughout the tent as their setlist flows smoothly from one song to another, which can only be considered as a sign of victory for a band appearing on top from. A show that won't easily be forgotten by those who enjoy any form of movement.

Hop Farm Festival (Friday, July 1st 2011)

The first band to take to the main stage at this year's Hop Farm Festival are San Diego's Transfer (4), who appear to be happy to be here and showcase a confident performance. Smooth violining and the use of mystic delay sounds from guitarist Mathew Molarius evaporates any awkward filler between songs. That said, it's arguable that this largely seated crowd have become motionless due to a heavy amount of mellow numbers mid-set. Nonetheless, they have their true fans screaming throughout and the large, open commanding riff of 'White Horse' will undoubtedly have gained them some new ones today. It's just a shame there aren't more people here to see it. As the sun comes out of nowhere, so does a much larger gathering for the appearance of City & Colour (4). Offering twangy lead tones, warm rhythm sounds and silky vocal harmonies, head-honcho Dallas Green appears to have pleased everyone in-sight, even setting off a few giggles with some Prince-related banter. This singer-songwriter is undoubtedly a festival favorite and for good reason, too - it's as if 'Fragile Bird' was written for grooving in the outdoor sunshine. Taking to the stage with a roaring 'yeah!' easily mistakable for Metallica's James Hetfeild, Aussie-rocker Jimmy Barnes (4) is undoubtedly the heaviest act on today's bill. Brimming with energy and swaggering vocals, Barnes is able to win himself a crowd within a matter of seconds, despite it being a mostly static one. it's as if the previously mentioned Hetfeild calmed down slightly and began fronting some solid hard rock.
Inducing the largest crowd and loudest sing-alongs of the day so far, 10cc (5) deliver a setlist that any festival crowd (one that is never made up of an artist's own fans) would dream of: hit-after-hit-after-hit. 'I'm Not in Love' has the crowd at it's knees whilst pouring their heats out - it's as if every word is being reflected right back at the stage. However, during finale 'Rubber Bullets' things take an unexpected turn: the generator blows and the stage loses all power. a small portion of the audience flees, but after 10 minutes, the band return heroically and give their setlist the ending it deserves. Those who left, missed out. This band have defiantly set the bar high for today. Perhaps almost too high, then, for Death Cab For Cutie (3) to reach. Nonetheless, this doesn't stop them from putting on a breathtaking show of their own, with lots of energy and momentum. They even provide one of the day's most memorable basslines with 'I Will Possess Your Heart'. In no way do they let the delay caused by the recent power fault tamper with their presence and passion. The stage's big screens return to power seconds after the arrival of Brandon Flowers (5), who is positively blazing in the evening's lush, late-afternoon setting. This is the sign of a performer who knows his songs well, delivering them to a packed-out but bouncing crowd with confidence and control. The appearance of The Killers bassist Mark Stoermer for a performance of 'Read My Mind' only aids Flowers, as does ending a gone too soon 50 minutes with a dance-infused version of 'Mr. Brightside'.
With the appearance of a colourful big-screen backdrop and exotic dancing girls, Roxy Music man Bryan Ferry (3) certainly brings the most theatrical and choreographed show to the stage so far today. For what may be silky guitar tones and beautiful instrumental passages on record simply over-exaggerates on-stage, so much so that a passing hot air balloon is able to get more attention from the frozen crowd. Only for his last 15 minutes does Ferry really hit his stride, but at this time, his set is over before it has a chance to really get started. As tonight's headliners The Eagles (4) unexpectedly open their set with 'Hotel California', a song widely regarded as a timeless classic since it's release almost 35 years ago, it cannot help be felt that it doesn't quite get the massive song-along it deserves. That said, the band go on to present a 95-minute masterclass showcase of riffs and songwriting where even newer numbers like 'Long Road Out of Eden' slide smoothly into place alongside well-known crowd pleasers such as 'Peaceful Easy Feelin' and 'The Long Run'. The large amount of bright, fixed lighting blows Ferry's theatrics out of the field and goes to show that this band are simply a spectacle to watch. As the sun disappears and night-time becomes ever more present, 'Desperado' brings a day of live music to a mesmerizing conclusion as well as proving that The Eagles are still at the top of their game, all those years after originally forming.