With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

Delilah Bon – The Key Club, Leeds – Friday 15th November 2024 November 17, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 10:40 pm
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The last time I saw Delilah Bon live was just over two years ago, also at the Key Club in Leeds. In the time since that gig she has achieved so much. Supported Scene Queen and Shaka Ponk, appeared on prime time French TV, played Download, Reading and Leeds Festivals, released her second album (that ought to be in many of the best albums of 2024 lists), collaborated with ALT BLK ERA and so many other things. Delilah Bon really does grow in stature and confidence with everything she does. This show in Leeds was very near the end of a sold out European and UK tour which began in September. Was this gig good? Regular readers will already know the answer to that question. But before I tell you let me talk about the magnificent support act tiLLie.

She is an American artist with a similar presence and attitude to Delilah. tiLLie has made a few appearances in the pages of Mayhem, including reaching number one in the Mayhem Chart a year ago. She describes her music as Nightmare Pop and that is hard to disagree with. Radio 1’s Jack Saunders called tiLLie “a maverick artist born from the gates of Hell.” Having heard her and now experienced her live, Jack is clearly spot on! Tonight we were all taken on a wacky, weird, wonderfully wondrous walk through the tiLLieverse and it felt good. She kicked off with an attack on myopic, incel keyboard warriors with “mOmS bAsEmeNt”. Has there ever been a song like “jeLLiefish aPocaLypsE”? I don’t think so and that is why it stands above so many other tracks from her peers. We were also treated to a few more tracks from the ‘tiLLieverse’ EP. But my highlight of the set was “bLeSs uR hEaRt” which blends anger, sarcasm and a powerful take down of the MAGA Christian fundamentalists. You need some tiLLie in your life. She has some great merch too, click here to buy some 🙂

So what was Delilah Bon like? Absolutely on fire is how she was, this was a stunning tour de force of a gig. It is clear that Delilah cares hugely about her followers, fans and every marginalised and abused person in the world. She is a phenomenal champion for the LGBTQ+ community as well. She is in simple terms a wonderful human being. The show started off in a high gear and kept adding more. Early on we got a classic performance of “Grown Ass Men” and “Chiquitita”, the latter dedicated to all the older women. There was a song added to the set that I don’t think has been performed on this tour so far, a towering take on “Homework”. If the audience thought Delilah was playing in top gear, they were blown away for the last part of the set. Brat Punk Riot Grrl rage was in full flow on stage and in the crowd. We were treated to “War On Women”, “Epstein”, “I Wish A Bitch Would” and “Dead Men Don’t Rape”. The latter had everyone in the room screaming the chorus, including this old white bloke. That song has a power that not many songs can handle. “Dead men Don’t Rape” might be a perfect end to a Delilah Bon set, but Delilah knows best, so after that “Evil Hate Filled Female” and “Maverick” truly brought the house down. This wasn’t just a gig, this wasn’t just a show, this was a statement of intent from one of the most talented and passionate artists on the planet right now. Planet Bon Bon is where it’s at, fire your rocket boosters and get here! Delilah Bon has lit a fuse of hope for the lost, forgotten, abused among us, she holds a torch for the disadvantaged and all of those that are simply different. It is up to us to help keep all those flames burning higher, fiercer and stronger.

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“Pretty Gay!” – BAYBE November 14, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:22 pm
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Baybe is a new artist to me and a true artist as she plays every instrument on her songs. She is involved in the production of her music and live shows. She also works on all her design and branding. She is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and has been playing in a range of genres and bands over the years. Apparently she started her musical journey as a voice-over artist for children’s dolls. Now that is delightfully weird, right? Her new single “Pretty Gay!” has a feel of Billie Eilish and tiLLie about it, but it is totally BAYBE, It is a dark song about relationships and the track haunts you for long after you listen to it. I love it, do you?

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“My Drummer’s Girlfriend” (Featuring Wheatus) – ALT BLK ERA November 13, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 11:04 pm
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In June, we reviewed the excellent single, “My Drummer’s Girlfriend” by the obscenely talented ALT BLK ERA. Just when you thought things could not get better for ALT BLK ERA, well at least until the release of their debut album in January, they work with none other than Wheatus on a new take of “My Drummer’s Girlfriend”. It loses none of the original excitement but it gains a slacker punk feel thanks to the delightful Wheatus gang! Check out all versions in the Spotify link below!

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“Where The Wind Blows” – Drop It First November 12, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:22 pm
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Drop It First is a mega-talented melodic punk band from Quebec City, Canada. The band is made up of members of Our Darkest Days and Go Great Guns. They have just launched their first single “Where The Wind Blows” in advance of their debut album ‘Fundamentals’ which is scheduled to hit the streets on 17th January. The song is overflowing with hardcore emotion and describes dealing with grief and loss. It is anthemic and stares sorrow straight in the eyes and says I can live through you and reach the other side of the dark chasm of loss. The harmonies are huge and even the riffs ooze emotion. An obvious comparison might be Rise Against, but I hear a little Head Automatica here too. If the rest of the album is this good it could become a classic! the video is wonderfully dark and apocalyptic and I love it! The video is dedicated to two of the band members’ mothers who passed away in 2024, this makes it clear where the depth of this loss comes from. My own mother is still alive, but I will never forget losing my father back in 2001.

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“Rabbit Hole” – Forgotten Dream November 11, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:49 pm
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According to their Spotify profile, Forgotten Dream is an alternative rock band from a future past. That sounds like some kind of rock star version of the X-Men, right? Another story, although obviously this might be some kind of secret identity thing, says that the band is from Cremona in Italy. Wow, I really went down a rabbit hole there, didn’t I? Speaking of rabbit holes, Forgotten Dream has a new single out, and it is called “Rabbit Hole”. It is heavy punk with a heavy seasoning of grunge and megatons of energy. Maryanne Muse’s voice is haunting, vibrant, and perfect for the psychedelic trip the song and the video take you on. What is a rabbit hole? Maybe a complexly bizarre or difficult state or situation conceived as a hole into which one falls or descends. I believe that Lewis Carroll first used the rabbit hole phrase in his 1865 tale ‘Alice In Wonderland’, “I almost wish I hadn’t gone down that rabbit-hole—and yet—and yet—it’s rather curious, you know, this sort of life!” As far as this track from Forgotten Dream goes I have completely gone down this band’s rabbit hole and it is a magnificent, magical, monumental, mouthwatering, musical world down here! watch the video, listen to the song, and come and join me.

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“Age Of Stupid” – Jellybricks November 10, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:28 pm
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Back in the summer, we loved reviewing the “That Way” single by the Jellybricks from Harrisburg, PA. Well, that one was good but the new one, “Age Of Stupid” is even better. Some great power-pop riffs, clever lyrics, and a vocal that draws you in. The chorus reminded me a bit of Green Day at their best. As for the message, after that monumentally stupid election result in the USA last week, this song is not just pertinent and topical it is essential listening for these crazy times! The animated video is damned good too.

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‘Mum Does The Washing’ EP – Joshua Idehen

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:50 pm
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Who is Joshua Idehen? Well, he was a founding member of bands, Benin City and Calabashed. He’s collaborated with the jazz act, Sons Of Kemet and jazz punk band, The Comet Is Coming, LA maestro Daedelus, electronic duo LV, and jazz acoustic artist Scrimshire amongst others. Why do you need this information? Simply because Joshua has just released a great new EP ‘Mum Does The Washing’.

The title track “Mum Does The Washing” has some incredibly clever lyrics that refer to Mum doing the washing but then tying it back via some great analogous thinking to everything from capitalism to feudalism via religion, fascism, feminism, and surrealism. My particular favourite line is male feminism: “That one time I did the washing I told everybody I did the washing. I blogged about it, bragged about it, took a selfie, Insta story. Went on TV, won an Oscar. Went on Fortnite, did a dance. I am an ally. Hashtag me too.” This was the single that drew me to the EP.

The second track, “Could Be Forever” is a beautiful song set against a flowing and comforting jazz dance beat with some great backing vocals that enhance the track perfectly. I feel that this song is about respect and caring, particularly for the old. It also has some pertinent and subtle yet strong anti-racist messages. The lyrics highlight Idehen’s huge talent as a poet.

“Tactics For Survival” is up next and it has a bass line that might have fitted perfectly well on Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” album. It draws on the myriad of things that get us down and leave us broken and dispirited and how we handle them, how we cope with life. For me, it sends a powerful message to understand that other people experience the world differently to you and we all cope in so many different ways? What are your tactics for survival? Great music is one of my tactics and the music of Joshua Idehen has got me through some hard days this week.

The EP closes with a cover of the Talking Heads classic “Once In A Lifetime” with Joshua’s poetic, passionate, thespian-style delivery supported with some ethereal and sublime gospel tones provided by the Social Singing Choir. Without a doubt one of the best cover versions I have heard in ages. This EP is simply perfect, I have played it a few times and I can’t see myself ever tiring of it.

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“Falling” – Apollo Junction

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:04 pm
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Every step that Apollo Junction takes seems to take them two steps forward, and the new single “Falling” is no exception. It is an anthemic masterpiece perfectly suited to drift across festival fields and draw more new fans into the Apollo Junction family. “Falling” is sublime pop with some orchestrations and riffs that might have been crafted in rock heaven. There are shades of U2 vocally in the underlying guitar sounds, but these boys are not copyists, they are truly original! I love this band, and I love this track. The video, filmed at the Piece Hall in Halifax is rather good too! If you haven’t got Apollo Junction in your life yet then what the hell is keeping you?

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‘Initiation’ EP – Sleuth Gang November 9, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:22 pm
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I am a lucky man. I have seen Sleuth Gang live three times in the last couple of months, all as part of their triumphant performances, which saw them win the 2024 Fulford Arms Battle Of The Bands contest. Now they have released an EP, ‘Initiation’. It encapsulates everything that is so great about them and they have managed to capture 100% of just how good they sound in the live environment. These tracks are incredibly powerful. If you are familiar with the band you will already know the mountainous singles “Pity Party” and “Sleuth Season”. On top of that, you get a few more banging, anthemic songs, especially the magnificent “Headshot”.

The Clash sang about the last gang in town in a song of the same name “Everybody’s looking for the last gang in town. You better watch out for they’re all comin’ around“. Well maybe the Clash were seen as the last gang in town, but now there is a new and truly fucking awesome gang in town and they are called Sleuth Gang. I have never been interested in joining a gang, but Sleuth Gang is now the gang to be in!

There are influences from Beastie Boys, 70’s punk (including the Clash), the Specials, Grime, harder-edged hip-hop, and Enter Shikari. But they still sound like no one else. Sleuth Gang wear their passions and opinions on their sleeves and they have no fear in confronting issues that other bands steer clear of. They stand up for those without a voice and those who are not heard. I bloody love them and this EP is a taster for a massive future for Sleuth Gang. Stop looking for overpriced Oasis tickets and similar stuff and get yourself along to a Sleuth Gang gig, this band is the real deal and they will not disappoint you! Now is the time, now is the season, now is Sleuth Season!

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Johnnie Walker’s Final Sounds Of The 70s Show On BBC Radio 2 November 8, 2024

Filed under: News,Observation,Review — justwilliam1959 @ 7:00 am
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Johnnie Walker‘s final Sounds Of The 70s was broadcast on 27th October. I was on holiday when it aired but listened to it via BBC Music’s catch-up service. After 58 years as a DJ, this is the end of an era for Johnnie and radio. He is one of the finest radio presenters I have ever heard. I might have heard him during his stint at pirate station Radio Caroline in the ’60s, but I remember listening to Johnnie avidly during school lunchtime in the ’70s on BBC Radio 1. In those heady days, he was the first DJ to reveal the weekly chart in a Tuesday pop chart rundown. I remember that he used a musical bed of the classic Booker T and the MGs track “Time Is Tight”. His voice and that track bring back so many teenage memories. I was the kid who always brought a small transistor radio into school with him, particularly on a Tuesday. This meant that me and my mates at Bishopshalt School in Hillingdon could find out whether David Cassidy and the Osmonds were still clogging up the UK charts (they were), whether Slade had gone straight in at the top (they had), or whether Bowie would get his first number one single (yes but not until 1975 with a reissue of “Space Oddity“).

I have listened to Johnnie’s shows regularly over the years. Saturdays in the 1990s were good but Sounds Of The 70s possibly topped all of his other shows for me. This final show was quite emotional, particularly some of the messages provided by stars and colleagues. The one from Rod Stewart was heartfelt and heartwarming. It was followed by “Sailing”, the song played at my Dad’s funeral. I cried a lot at that point. Then there was the wonderful chat with the legendary Sally Traffic. The music Johnnie chose for his last show was like a playlist of some of my favourite 70s songs; “Giving It All Away” – Roger Daltrey, “Solsbury Hill” Peter Gabriel, “I Can See Clearly Now” – Johnny Nash, “Father And Son” – Cat Stevens, “Misstra Know It All” – Stevie Wonder and the Dame himself David Bowie with “Drive-In Saturday”. There was a lot about Bowie on the show. I loved Johnnie’s wife Tiggy’s tale of meeting Bowie in 2002. By the time Johnnie ended the show with Judy Collins’ “Amazing Grace” I was a sobbing wreck! Radio is a smaller place with no Johnnie Walker on the airwaves.

As a footnote, I should tell you that the ‘Johnnie’s Jukebox‘ feature of the Sounds Of The 70s show inspired me to start the Play It Again Mayhem playlist.

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