Here is the Mayhem chart for April 2024. Regular readers know that the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month gathered together by obscurify.com. Apparently, my tastes are 99% more obscure than the rest of the UK! The chart remains contemporary-ish (but if a classic artist releases something new they might feature in the chart). However, the top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie, the KLF, and Public Image Ltd. Obscurify also suggests the most obscure artists I have listened to and for March those are Liz Davinci, The Apocalypse Disco, and Kindelan. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. There is the usual eclectic mix of artists, including just one that was in the top ten last month, Delilah Bon! Delilah is one of only two artists to feature in the artist chart and the song chart for April, the other is the Blackheart Orchestra. Delilah Bon has been in the artist charts for five consecutive months and after topping the March song chart with “Maverick” she sits at number two with her new single, “Finally See Me”. Joe Solo, who we interviewed recently, tops the artist chart and Everything After Midnight takes the top spot on the song chart with their cracking new single “Little Hints” So without further ado here are those charts in full! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART APRIL 2024
1 Joe Solo 2 Grace Potter 3 Ian Hunter 4 Frank Turner 5 English Teacher 6 Julia Othmer 7 The Blackheart Orchestra 8 Delilah Bon 9 Avalanche Party 10 Paraorchestra
1 Little Hints – Everything After Midnight 2 Finally See Me – Delilah Bon 3 Cinderhaze – Stumbleine 4 The Tide – The Blackheart Orchestra 5 Manoeuvres – Carol Hodge
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It is official, I have now seen Avalanche Party more than any other act. Frank Turner is a close second with David Bowie just behind him! I haven’t been to gigs at Oporto very often, the last one was an acoustic set from the Murder Capital back in 2022. But before I tell you about the mighty Avalanche Party I need to fill you in about the two support bands that played in this intimate, sweaty Leeds venue on Friday. First up was another band with party in their name, Freeparty. They play souped-up, dark indie pop with a smattering of punky overtones that reminded me at times (no pun intended) of the Undertones. Some of their songs were like shoegaze on speed and I do mean that in a good way. The song that they closed with was epic. Almost Pink Floydish with a pinch of Libertines added to spice it up. This bunch is very good!
Next, it was the turn of Bansley’s Everglades to take to the stage. This music is drone-driven, slow, moody 21st-century stoner blues. Musically Everglades were in perfect form. The moment where the frontman kneeled in front of the bass player was a very Bowie Ronson moment, although they didn’t go for the full-on guitar fellatio money shot. This band has some hugely talented musicians. I want to give a thunderous shout to the guitarist and co-vocalist whose playing was stupendous and made me think of Earl Slick!
Finally, it was time for Avalanche Party, this was the 15th time that I had seen them live. Let’s face it, there ain’t no party like an Avalanche party, right? Their blend of psychedelia, garage, punk, glam, indie and so much more is unparalleled among their peers. I believe that they are the finest British band of their generation and that they will continue to get better with each gig and every release. This was yet another classic Avalanche Party set. The new stuff sounds incredible and bodes well for the sophomore album which will hit the streets later this year. The band was on fire tonight and generated more heat than the core of a star, so around 100 billion degrees Celsius! If a band can thrill the crowd so much in a tiny venue like Oporto, then they can probably do the same for arena or academy crowds too. Let’s hope that they get the opportunity to do that! Kane’s drumming was louder than and more powerful than the big-bang and Joe’s bass might have registered on the Richter scale. Glen’s work on the keys tonight was magical as was Jared’s guitar riffs and fills. But high praise goes to a frontman who performs like he was made for the job, Jordan. His thousand-yard stare oozes that perfect rock god attitude and style and his voice and axe playing was sublime. There were many highlights in this set. The two biggest for me were “Solid Gold” and a magical, magnificent “Rebel Forever”. This band deserves to be huge, let’s make it so! There are a few more gigs on this tour, get along to one of them if you can.
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Avalanche Party are back, this time with a tour diary film montage that details their eventful trip, and it was a trip, around Europe with …& You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. The subtitle says ride the hell train, but the film shows that they rode the hell bus, or rather they didn’t, as that jumping jalopy failed to jump on too many occasions. It is quite a stark and intimate recording of events, and a ten-minute film showing what being on that tour was like gives you a feel but not the full experience. Will there be a Director’s Cut? Sometimes it feels like an updated visual version of what I believe is the greatest rock ‘n’ roll book ever written, Ian Hunter’s ‘Diary Of A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star‘. I have watched it twice, and something new has jumped out at me each time.
This is shaping up to be a great year for Avalanche Party. A few live dates are coming up later this month and their sophomore album ‘Der Traum Über Alles’ is on the near horizon. For me, it is already pencilled in as a contender for album of the year. Take a look at the film and get Avalanche Party into your life in whatever way you can!
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This book is the true story, documented sporadic diary style, of Press On Vinyl in Middlesbrough. Steve Spithray’s excitement and enthusiasm oozes from the pages and is wonderful to feel. When my review copy of ‘How To Build Your Own Record Pressing Plant’ arrived through the post my wife said, based on the title, that is the most boring book you will ever read. She is always right, at least she always was up to that point, I read the book in around three days. It has everything. Science, business, nerdiness, geekiness, vinyl and obviously, music.
Press On Vinyl was set up by David Todd and Danny Lowe from an initial idea which arose in a chat, just like so many wonderful ideas, but this one took flight in a huge way. Steve Spithray clearly has a great relationship with not only David and Danny, but also with pretty much everyone who played a part in getting this amazing venture off the ground. To have a new pressing plant in the UK at a time when the vinyl revival is in full flow is very special indeed. The highs and warts and all lows are documented eloquently and my interest in this story never waned once. Now I need to get myself up to Middlesbrough for a visit! As a footnote I also loved that there are a couple of people, places and bands mentioned that I actually know. Step forward Vinyl Eddie (York’s finest record shop), Avalanche Party (Possibly one of the best bands on the planet right now) and a special mention for Avalanche Party front man Jordan Bell. The book is out soon (3rd November), if you love records, love music or simply love a tail where a potential underdog reaches the top, get it. You will not be disappointed. It is published by Butterfly Effect, click here to order it via Bandcamp.
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I think it’s time for another Mayhem singles round-up, don’t you? Here comes the fourth for 2023, it includes a baker’s dozen of tunes that have been passed on to me or recommended during the previous few weeks and months, there are some rather spiffing tracks.
It features many artists and bands that have appeared on Mayhem’s pages before. There are also four great cover versions in this collection. There are new tracks from Avalanche Party, Apollo Junction, Vaquelin and Liz Davinci who I think all have new albums coming out sometime this year. Judging from their latest offerings, choosing Mayhem’s album of the year for 2023 will be very difficult! Let me know what you think of this great collection of tunes!
You will find a YouTube link to each song in the title (or a link to the audio of the track) and a link to the artist’s website or one of their social media pages when you click the artist’s name. You can also find the link to a Spotify playlist of all these songs by clicking here.
Ain’t no party like an Avalanche Party and the AP boys are back with what is most definitely a tune for partying to. You probably wouldn’t play this at a work event! I sense an Amazing Snakeheads influence in this fast-paced, frenzied, frenetic, funky, feral, fest of a song. The band all seem to be in top form, especially Kane’s drumming. This is the first single from their upcoming sophomore album, ‘Der Traum Über Alles’. The video is very classy indeed.
The Apollo Junction lads are back with another offering that will feature on their third album, due out later this year. For the first minute, it is soft, acoustic, mellow, and pensive. Then the sound continues to build with an almost drone-like guitar sound underpinning it. It finally builds to an immense orchestral-sounding, epic finish. The harmonies are superb and I can imagine this sound echoing across festival fields for years to come. Possibly my favourite Apollo Junction song so far.
This is a fine slab of fuzzy, dirty, electric blues. If you are not doing the Grayston Boogie by the end of the track then frankly you should seek medical help. The video has a few fleeting tips as to how to boogie in a Grayston way!
A brave choice to cover this one. No one could ever hope to emulate the original Amy Winehouse, so the Palava choose to take the song in a different direction. An immaculate blues rock vocal and some gritty, scuzzy garage rock style guitars. I have seen the band play this live and they do it well, but this recording is so very much better than that! I bloody love it!
This bunch is from Adelaide, Australia and this track is reminiscent of the softer side of Blink 182. It is a close-to-perfect amalgam of great pop punk and emo. A heartfelt tale of heartbreak. I am looking forward to hearing more from Sad Like You.
Is Liz Davinci descended from Leonardo? I don’t know, but she is certainly an incredibly talented artist. Vocally there are elements of Kate Bush, Suzanne Vega, and Marcella Detroit here. This tune is beautiful and almost baroque in its construction. I love the way that Liz is not afraid to use the space between the notes. This augers well for her forthcoming album ‘Fata Morgana’.
This is the second cover in this singles selection (there will be more) and it does what I think makes a perfect cover in that it isn’t a simple facsimile of the original. This is the first track to be released from the Easy All Stars forthcoming album of a reggae reimagining of Bowie’s ‘The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars’ album. This one works perfectly and bodes well for the album. The Dame’s rarely touched reggae, and when he did it was never particularly good in my opinion. But Easy All Stars with Steel Pulse show with absolute certainty that Bowie can work in a reggae style.
We have another cover in the singles round up. This time it is smoky, heavy, swampy, garage rock version on Nina Simone’s iconic classic “Feelin’ Good”. For me this version takes back ownership of the song from Muse after Matt Bellamy’s somewhat histrionic and over-the-top take on the tune from a few years ago.
Witch Of The East return with a fabulous new song. This is punk, post punk, electro, dance with a goth icing and a pinch of New Order. Based on this, if there is another Witch Of The East album in development it will be bloody wonderful.
Get into this band now, then when they break big you can impress your mates by saying you were there at the start. This song is full on rock with large shots of Yard Act and Sleaford Mods and a shady undercurrent of mounting anger. Go see them live as soon as you can!
Gemma, Danny and Aaron return with a stonking cover of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”. It feels like the Velvet Underground made the song originally back in the 60s and then Isaak covered it in 1989. OK, I know that isn’t true, right? This must be top of the list to be on the Twin Peaks soundtrack if there is ever another remake, prequel or sequel. I love that in the blurb to the video on YouTube the band state “Dear lovers, snoggers and nighttime doggers. We’ve recorded a cover of one of our favourites in light of the smoooochin’ season” that cracked me up, well the nighttime doggers bit anyway!
Another banging tune from Vaquelin, it kicks off like Led Zeppelin on Quaaludes and the vocals are classic 70s rock style with a dash of Bowie’s Tin Machine Style. The screaming lead guitar, particularly in the last part of the track is something Mick Ronson would be proud of. The second album from Vaquelin looks like it will be better than the first based on this tune!
The Undercover Hippy is an expert at protest tunes, because it is done in a very clever and subtle way. The reggae backing has shades of another great band, Captain Ska. This song questions the greed and or incompetence of our less than industrious leaders. We need more artists like this calling out the scummy liars in government.
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I am sure you know that Rage Against The Machine have cancelled all their current European dates, including the Reading and Leeds Festivals. The bad press that their replacement as headliners, the 1975, are getting is a little OTT and unfair in my opinion. However, this change does present me with a dilemma. If Rage Against The Machine were still on the bill it would be no contest. But one of my most favourite bands, a band that I have seen more times than any other act, Avalanche Party will be playing a headline set at the Crescent in York on Friday 26th August, which is the night the 1975 will be headlining the Leeds Festival. I am not camping at the Festival site, so I will be driving home to York each night. Also, I don’t have a press pass, I am a paying punter, so therefore beholden to no one. My problem is do I drive back to York for the Avalanche Party experience? I have already bought my ticket, which was just a quid in advance, how good a deal is that? If I do drive back I will definitely miss Beabadoobee and possibly Pale Waves, two of the bands I mentioned in my Leeds Festival preview a few days ago. Weighing it all up I have decided to drive back to York to see Avalanche Party on Friday night. It won’t change my mind, but I would love to know what you would do. On the same night, Ginger Wildheart is playing the Fulford Arms in York. So in fact York has a better set of headline acts on the Friday than the Leeds Festival does. So apologies to Beabadoobee and Pale Waves but there ain’t no party like an Avalanche Party, right?
Here is what you could have had
Here is what you have
Here is what you want, and what you will get!
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The Fantastic and Fabulous Fulford Arms is most definitely one of York’s first-class music venues. (Other music venues in York are, of course, available!) If you enjoy intimate, sweaty gigs in a 150-capacity venue you will love this place. Regular readers know that I go there a lot, in fact, I will be there later this evening for what I am sure will be another great gig. The staff are wonderful, welcoming, and fun. Steph and Chris know how to run a great venue. On your way in don’t forget to check out the legendary Zac’s Shack, manned by Heartsink’s heartthrob Zac Roughton. I am proud to say that With Just A Hint Of Mayhem now has a page of Fulford Arms gig reviews on the Fulford Arms web page. I have had some great times at gigs and reviewing gigs at the Fully Arms and many other venues, but to get my reviews posted in this way is something that I am immensely proud of. Check out the reviews here, but more importantly get yourself along to the Fully for a gig or two, you won’t regret it! Support your scene good people!
Check out one of my favourite bands, Avalanche Party playing the Fulford Arms six years ago, blimey they look young don’t they?
Sweet May rocking the Fulford Arms earlier in 2022
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I never like to pass up the chance to witness the mighty Avalanche Party in all their live pomp and glory and this was no exception, especially at a wonderfully intimate venue like the Fulford Arms in York. Later I have some big news regarding how many times I have experienced a live show from Avalanche Party. A big shout out to Aron Murray of Vexed Music Photography for all the excellent pictures below. (Click the link to his page and you will find plenty more great shots from the gig). First I need to tell you about the rather spiffing support bands. First to take the iconic Fully Arms stage were the Rosemaries, a band whose combined total age is not much more than my actual age! They belie their youth with pummelling punk power and a guitar sound ripped from the still-beating heart of the best of early 70s glam rock. The singer has the perfect John Lydon whiney style post-punk voice. They have some great tunes particularly “Debutante”, Kismet” and “Easy Peasy”. Mid-set the singer took a break while the guitarist sang a song called “Hornsea”, about the East Riding seaside town that is a victim of erosion. Does Hornsea get a bad press or is it a shithole? (Answers on a postcard please). This is a magnificently exciting band that has punk passion and energy by the skip load. I see elements of Public Image Ltd and Yard Act in them, but don’t let that fool you. The Rosemaries are a band with great potential in their own right!
The Rosemaries. Picture by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography.
The Rosemaries. Picture by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography.
Based on their legacy Pennine Suite were always going to be a good band, but now they are fast heading towards being a great band. This was their second set of the day after they had wowed the crowds at the York Life Festival in Parliament Street in the afternoon. They are building up a classy canon of great tunes. “Impatience” has become a mountainous banger in their live set. Their next single, due in the summer, I believe it is called “Far” sounds rather ace. The double highlight for me was the two outings the band gave to their fabulous current single “Pass On You” which has hit 5,000 streams in a week! Get this band in your ears NOW! watch out for an interview with Pennine Suite frontman Nick coming to these pages very soon.
Nick from Pennine Suite. Picture by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography.
Louise (and a slice of Harry) from Pennine Suite. Picture by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography.
Finally, it was time for perhaps my favourite band in the world right now, Avalanche Party. I promised you some big news about how many times I have seen them play live. Including tonight’s gig, I have now seen them fourteen times. This pushes Frank Turner into second on thirteen times and David Bowie third on twelve times! Thanks to Joe Bell for the name check from the stage. This was another classic Avalanche Party set. The new tunes sounded very special indeed and bode well for the sophomore album which a source tells me may well be recorded in August. Avalanche Party is now a band where every member gives it 150%. I suspect they would play like headliners wherever they were on the bill and however big the venue. While I hope they break out of grass roos venues and start playing huge venues it is something quite special to see such an immensely talented band in this environment. The combination of Joe’s supernova bass lines and Kane’s thunderous drumming continue to keep the band’s engine running perfectly. On top of that, the psych keyboard licks and flourishes from Glen combined with Jared’s other world guitar work make them a band like no other. But obviously, I can’t ignore the performance of their extraordinary frontman Jordan who plays and sings like a man possessed. No one does the penetrating rock star stare like him. There wasn’t a dull tune in the set tonight, but if I forced myself I would have to say “Bugzy” was my favourite, with “Solid Gold” a close second. This band deserves to be huge, let’s make that happen!
Jordan Avalanche – Picture by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography.
Jared Avalanche – Picture by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography.
All pictures, except the gig poster, were taken by Aron Murray, Head Honcho of Vexed Music Photography. The videos were found on YouTube. If the video is yours and you would like a credit or for it to be removed please let me know.
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Just when you thought those Christmas messages had ended along comes another one, this time from a band that I have now seen as many times as I saw David Bowie, so twelve times then. I have been a fan and have followed Avalanche Party since I first saw an embryonic form of the band, under the name of 3 Foot Ninja back in May 2009. Probably one of the best live bands there is and their debut album in 2019 was stunning. Expect more material, loads more gigs, and a new album from the Avalanche Party boys in 2022. Click here to check out their website for some great T-Shirts and an opportunity to purchase that debut album. The message is from bass player Joe on behalf of the band. Remember, there ain’t no party like an Avalanche Party!
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Finally, real gigs are coming back and on a regular basis too. This was the first full-on Avalanche Party gig I have seen since Covid hit, although they did do a great socially distanced show at the Crescent last December. Anyway, it is now official that I have seen this great band more times than I ever saw David Bowie, but a couple less than I have seen Frank Turner. But before I say more about Avalanche Party there were a couple of great support bands. First up was the Hazy Janes who exploded onto the stage like a two-man Led Zeppelin. Drummer Bron and guitarist and singer Ellis formed during lockdown and are clear proof that some good things did happen during the darkest of Covid days. Very regular readers might recognise Bron from previous mentions of Hunter-Gatherer and Ellis from previous mentions of Freek. Bron’s drumming huge and Ellis’s guitar skills have a lineage back through classic British rock to the Yardbirds. Meanwhile, his voice could compete with Paul Rodgers, Robert Plant, and many more. Next, it was the turn of Trueman whose songs are soap opera kitchen sink dramas that cover topics like cold calls, Flares (the awful nightclub chain where your feet usually stick to the floor), and boredom to name just a few. The frontman is like a very angry Ian McNabb at times, and I do mean that in a good way. The band is an incredibly tight unit, but what stands out most are the great tunes, especially the lyrics!
Those magnificent, sumptuous, unmatchable, mighty, matchless, sublime, peerless, resplendent, swanky, clinquant delinquents of Avalanche Party, probably the best band on the planet right now, took to the stage with moody menace and the crowd was singer Jordan’s from the first note. To steal a quote from a good friend (thank you Simon P) “there ain’t no party like an Avalanche Party” and this was a spectacular call to arms from a great band. The boys tore the roof off the Crescent and left us all feeling happy and high. Jordan was on great form and no one does that 10,000 yard stare better than he does, if you think differently bite me! Every song was a highlight from set opener “I’m So Wet” all the way to “Dream Jonny Dream”. But if you forced me to pick the highlights it would have to be “Million Dollar Man”, “Rebel Forever” and an absolutely glam storming version of “Howl”. In a parallel universe “Howl” has been at the top of the singles chart for three years. The sophomore Avalanche Party album when it arrives will be something very special!
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