Hard Rock Calling, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, June 2013

This may have been a long time in the making but at the end of June I was over the moon to have had the chance to go to the Olympic Park or as the part I went to is now called the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 

The reason I went there, Hard Rock Calling, which left Hyde Park and has now pitched up in the park. 

The first band we managed to catch were Irish band Kodaline, who were so good and even surprised my boyfriend who was convinced they were going to be like The Script. I loved High Hopes and the beautiful All I Want.

The headliners for the event were Kasabian who played a 2 hour set and were worth the £55 tickets price alone. Alongside crowd favourites LSF, Shoot the Runner and Fire, they also played Fatboy Slim's Praise You and The Korgis' Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes which was hauntingly beautiful. 

I have seen Kasabian twice before and they know how to work the audience in smaller venues but were masters of the crowd of around 45,000. It could have easily been their own concert. 

 The main stage was situated near the velodrome, which looked as if a spaceship had crash landed as the sun set behind it. 

Overall there were three stages - The Pepsi Max and Hard Rock Rising which had new acts and people like Gaz Coombes from Supergrass and Steve Cradock from Ocean Colour Scene who I heard briefly on my way to the toilet. 

The Pepsi Max stage was great and featured The Twang, The View and The Tribes. The Tribes were quite good and the boyfriend suggested that we check them out, we stayed for about twenty minutes of their set before catching the end of Miles Kane on the main stage. 

In between bands we also managed to catch a few songs by The Cribs, which was great and a brilliant warm up as I am planning to see them at the Victorious Festival in Portsmouth in August. Miles Kane rocked it in all white and we heard him perform Come Closer, Inhaler and the amazing Give Up which sounded phenomenal. 

 After him was the Modfather Paul Weller, who even though he only played for about an hour filled it with hit after hit - The Changing Man and That's Entertainment. 

 I have seen Weller twice before and always had to leave before the end so have never seen him perform Town Called Malice. This time we were there and when the opening chords started the whole field erupted and everyone was dancing their heart out, including me and my boyfriend. Paul Weller did not disappoint. 

 For food we had a pulled pork sandwich from Barbeco Jamie Oliver stand, it was delicious and was only about £6. Quite good value for money as there was a lot and I couldn't eat it all. 

 However, the drinks were quite expensive, soft drinks were £2.50 and considering how hot it was there was the chance people could have gone through quite a bit. Also my boyfriend didn't manage to have a cold, refreshing pint as the queues for the bar was ridiculous.

Overall though I loved being at the park and watching these amazing bands, if they are this good next year at the same price I will be there. 

 And while I remember we got to walk right past the Olympic Stadium and the strange red looking thing. The stadium is huge and it is hard to believe that this time last year the Olympics were about to kick off and the park was buzzing with people everyday.

Kasabian, The Brighton Centre, 28/11/2011

The last time I saw Kasabian was a couple of years ago when West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum came out. It was up in Manchester at the Apollo I think, it was so hot and crammed full so although it was a good gig, it was a little mental.

This time however, at the Brighton Centre it was cool and although full it wasn't rammed, and it was...the best gig ever!

Now again if you don't want to know what songs they play, the encore and that stop reading!

As I was saying this gig was just phenomenal! This is a band that know what they are doing and know how to rock.

They played so many hits, it was relentless you do forget how many good songs they have. L.S.F, Clubfoot, Shoot the Runner, Vlad the Impaler and Take Aim.

Tom and Serge are just to fantastic singers, and I would say dressers but I'm not sure about Serge's parka with feathers or his tiger print tight fitted t-shirt.

Their music live is just...out of this world! When you see Serge playing the opening bit of Vlad it is just...I can't describe it but like nothing I have heard before.

Tom may not be ultra cocky but he is a fantastic front man and can command a stage and captivate an audience. It was like no gig I have been to before. Much better than the gig in Manchester, which I can only assume was like being in the centre of the sun.

The encore was hard-core! They played Switchblade Smiles, Vlad the Impaler and ended with Fire, I am not lying when I say the whole room was jumping, dancing, pogoing just going completely mental and it was fantastic. Tiring but amazing. I have never seen a room come alive, with standing and seating going crazy.

In the encore you could feel the bass through your spine and it just echoes around the room, fantastic!

The set was really good as well it was like a dome, and the graphics felt 3D at points.

They got the mix of songs right as well, mixing old with new, album and singles but the whole crowd loved it. It was the type of gig when at first you go what's this....oh yer I remember this one!


I don't think anyone left that venue disappointed, and I was for one was not at all, this was what gigs are meant to be like, your ears hurt, your legs hurt everything hurts but it was so worth it.


If you like your music live and relentless and amazing and brilliant and just....indescribable then see Kasabian you will not regret it.

I should say as well Miles Kane was the support. I had seen him before supporting Beady Eye, he was really good, he is very cocky and really got the crowd going, as a good support act should.

He played some new tracks which were really good, he did well and you wouldn't have realised as first he was the support he had the whole crowd under his spell.

So if next year at any festivals you see either Miles Kane or Kasabian on the list make sure you see them, you will not regret it.

Beady Eye, 9th March 2011, Troxy London

I realised the other day I hadn't done a Beady Eye review so here it is.


Beady Eye is the new band from Manchester singer and Oasis front man Liam Gallagher. The band have a more sixties vibe and the songs are more upbeat than Oasis.

The band opened with the fantastic Four Letter Word and played a host of songs from the album Same Gear, Still Speeding, including the brilliant Bring on the Light, it is such a fantastic up-beat song that I couldn't imagine Oasis playing.

Liam is a phenomenal front-man and has a stage presence and swagger like no other. I have seen him perform in Oasis, not long before the split, and he seemed a lot more relaxed and I suppose happy in his own Liam way. He didn't just storm off and dare I say it seemed to enjoy performing something that I don't think he did really near the end of Oasis. I will admit though Liam doesn't talk much to the crowd but when he does he makes it worth it. At the end he said "I'll see you again soon.... if I can be arsed."

Beady Eye were supporting by Miles Kane of The Last Shadow Puppets, he is the other guy with Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkey's. Mile's new song Closer is excellent if you haven't heard it check it out, he played a slightly different mix but his voice carries and he can fill a room. I predict big things for Miles this year. This is his year to break out and show the world what a great singer he is.

Not really a comprehensive review but Beady Eye are an amazing band and will be here for as long as Liam and the other want to do it.

Another mention should also go to the venue, Troxy in London. It is a 1930s art deco building. It retains most of its original art-deco features and it just beautiful as a venue. It looks like it used to be a theatre and is huge. I love that it has it original features and hasn't been ripped apart, as the venue I thinks can hold music. It reminds me of Bournemouth Academy, which is another fantastic venue.