Here is the Mayhem chart for May 2024. Regular and constant 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 98% more obscure than the rest of the UK! A drop of 1% from last month. 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 Johnny Nash, Stevie Wonder, and Bruce Springsteen. Obscurify also suggests the most obscure artists I have listened to and for May those are PERCY, The Apocalypse Disco, and Joe Solo. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. There is the usual eclectic mix of artists, including two that were in the top ten last month, Frank Turner, and Delilah Bon! Delilah is the only artist to feature in the artist chart and the song chart for May, with her current single “Evil, Hate Filled Female” making it to the top of the song chart. Delilah Bon has been in the artist charts for six consecutive months. Meanwhile, a rather big artist hits the top of the artist charts. Yes, Taylor Swift has finally topped the only chart that matters! To honour that achievement she is also included in this month’s playlist! Incidentally, the longest artist name ever to reach the Mayhem Artist Chart is Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan, they are at number six! 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 MAY 2024
1 Taylor Swift 2 Percy 3 Paul Weller 4 Richard Hawley 5 Billie Eilish 6 Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan 7 Yard Act 8 Frank Turner 9 Dea Matrona 10 Delilah Bon
1 Evil, Hate Filled Female – Delilah Bon 2 Debris – Skanger 3 Come Alive – Francesca Faye 4 Here Right Now – Jessica Wilde 5 My Bile – Kate Nash
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.
Main Stage East was my first hit of the Friday, and it was a powerful set from Reading band the Amazons. I sense a lineage through the best of 60s and 70s British Rock from the Small Faces to Bad Company. Their recorded stuff is good, but the band takes it to another fabulous level when they play live. A perfect way to warm up the Friday crowd, although more audience interaction earlier in the set would have made it even better. On this basis, I think the next Amazons album will be classy indeed.
Next, it was Hot Milk on Main Stage West. They have an underlying pop-punk sound with some incredible metal injections and old-school punk. The crowd was properly up for this and would have moshed until the sun went down. To be fair many of them probably will! Next, it was the Snuts on the same stage they are purveyors of pop-infused, anthemic, indie rock songs that are perfect for a sunny festival afternoon. A quick dash to the Festival Republic Stage to catch the Royston Club. A bit like Pulp spliced with the Housemartins with an injection of heavier sounds. Some great hooks and yet more sounds for summer. My first visit to the BBC Introducing Stage allowed me to catch TWST, clearly someone who embraces the strange, but in a very good way. She is a great performer with a touch of Barbie, Madam Misfit, Gwen Stefani, and a Disney Princess with attitude. She has a gorgeous voice that works on proto-power ballads and some awesome dance bangers.
Don Broco played the Main Stage West and for me they get better and better every time I see them. This was a thunderous set from a fantastically talented band. The crowd went batshit crazy for them. I love their positive message and confidence. Huge shout out to the drummer, he is not only good with the sticks. He has a great voice too. The Festival Republic Stage was packed tight for Scottish sensation Dylan John Thomas. He has some delightful, devilish, dervish-style songs that are filled with electro-folk and alt.country stylings. I feel that Mr. Thomas has a great knowledge of the history of Scottish music from the battle hymns of Bannockburn to Andy Stewart, the Proclaimers, Big Country, and Franz Ferdinand. The Main Stage East played host to Rina Sawayama, and she put on a spectacular performance. She has some excellent funky, poppy, hook-laden tunes constructed with dance in mind. Janet Jackson fans and anyone with a pair of disco trousers will have loved this supremely confident set. The costume change where Rina changed into a dominatrix in her boudoir red vampish corset-style outfit with tassles and then gave a mild BDSM routine with a whip, a riding crop, and light bondage. Probably not one for the kids but entertaining nonetheless!
I made another visit to the BBC Introducing Stage, this time for Grandma’s House. This trio is punk with a hard-hitting, well-played sound with what feels like a DIY ethos. I felt some echoes of early White Stripes and oodles of riot grrrl vibes. A short hop across to the Radio Xtra Stage for Lost Girl, she was damned good. Tons of sublime dance and R&B sounds and some boundlessly, energetic, and stylish dancing from two stupendous and perfectly syncopated dancers. There were some fine beats from the DJ, which included some magical African-style percussion. Lost Girl was signed to a label when she was 17, she is now 23 and has not been able or allowed to release any music. So, she has left and is now independent. I am looking forward to new stuff from her.
I just managed to catch the last three songs from on the Main Stage East from Steve Lacy. He first came to prominence as the guitarist in the alternative R&B band The Internet from 2015. He is a talented guitarist and vocalist and somewhat Princelike in his style and performance. He closed with “Bad Habit” which was a US number and a UK top 10 hit last year. I am so glad I got to catch even a small part of his set. Imagine Dragons were on the Main Stage West next as one of the joint headliners. Personally, I think whoever closes the night is the real headliner. But to be fair to them they played like headliners. “Thunder” and “Follow You” were highlights for me. Finally, it was time for Billie Eilish, and it felt like everyone on site had converged on Main Stage East for her performance. Like many headliners, she has had her own stage constructed, a huge ramp. She put on a fabulous performance and as expected the crowd loved her. She was like a feminist alt.Barbie with a hugely colourful outfit.
All photos by John Hayhurst of Snapagig.com
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.
Let’s start with the Friday lineup for this year’s Leeds Festival. Firstly though, we have now come to expect this joint headline thing for Leeds/ Reading each day of the festival. I don’t see the point, are the punters getting more value for money? That is debatable, but maybe, but not a great deal. Surely the last act to play on that particular night is the main headliner, right? Anyway, enough of the mini-rant. The Main Stage East headliner on Friday 25th August is the towering talent, Billie Eilish. Earlier in the evening Rina Sawayama will undoubtedly put on a stunning set. Also, keep an eye out for the Amazons, they come highly recommended by my daughter. Main Stage West on the Friday looks a little “safe” to me with Becky Hill followed by Imagine Dragons. However, to balance that we will be given a stonking double whammy of the magnificent Don Broco followed by the rather awesome Snuts!
The hot ones hitting the Dance Stage on Friday are likely to be Shy FX and Eliza Rose in my opinion. The Festival Republic Stage will undoubtedly host a real screamfest when Lovejoy perform the headline set. Further down the bill, you will see the sublime Tom Odell and the rather wonderful Royston Club. My pick for Radio 1 Xtra Stage is the headliner K-Trap. Of course, the BBC Introducing Stage never lets you down and the one not to miss on Friday is the Goa Express.
On Saturday the Main Stage West hosts a very early highlight when it is opened by none other than the genius and all round top bloke, Frank Turner along with the mighty Sleeping Souls. I would consider selling my grandmother to get a ticket to see Frank Turner, but as she died many years ago, I won’t be tempted! You Me At Six will bring some good noise with them and Trippie Redd will bring some fine US rap ahead of what will be a truly rambunctious set by festival stalwarts and Leeds/ Reading favourites, Foals. Over on the Main Stage East try not to miss the arch wit and supreme talent of Yard Act, who will be opening proceedings on the Saturday. I reckon Yard Act have the potential to be headliners (or joint headliners?) in the future. Later on the Main Stage East, we get to judge whether Wet Leg are as good as the hype that surrounds them. Expect the Main Stage East to be closed with a highly charged and incendiary set from Sam Fender.
The Radio 1 Dance Stage has the Murder Capital listed early on for Saturday. Dance Stage? Really? But trust me getting to see the Murder Capital at a festival is worth the weight of all the illicit substances in your rucksack, you’ll probably feel healthier for losing that stuff too. The Festival Republic Stage features an incredibly eclectic and rather excellent bunch of acts for Saturday at Leeds. Make sure that you are in attendance for Yonaka, Lauren Hibberd, and Bilk at the very least. Check out the Last Dinner Party too. Are they an industry plant? many think that they are, but personally, I don’t. However, I am keen to see whether their performance will live up to the weight of expectations and plaudits heaped on them. On the Saturday I will try and catch as many acts as I can on the BBC Introducing Stage. But whatever happens, I will definitely be there for headliner Alt Blk Era.
Of the two Main Stage lineups for Sunday 27th August, Main Stage East looks stronger for me. Likely highlights will, I think, be Baby Queen, Holly Humberstone, Nothing But Thieves, and obviously indefatigable indie rock darlings, the Killers. Main Stage West is to be headlined by perennial super subs, the 1975. Last year they filled in for Rage Against The Machine and this year they will be covering Lewis Capaldi’s slot. Apart from the 1975, I reckon that Arlo Parks will raise the East Stage’s game in the afternoon.
MK will headline the Radio 1 Dance Stage. The Festival Republic Stage hosts a classy lineup on Sunday, including Mothica, Scowl, High Vis, and Fat Dog. Then the Radio 1 Xtra Stage will be nicely smashed by Malaki and Nippa. Once again the BBC Introducing Stage has a great selection. Standouts on Sunday for me will be Hannah Grae and Hotwax.
It is since I attended my first festival, which was Reading, and I recall a stunning set from Thin Lizzy back then (in 1975!!!!) I don’t believe that the lineup for 2023 looks like one of the best on paper, but on the muddy fields of Bramham Park, it will be a different matter entirely!
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.
I don’t often put together the best albums of the year list, but I do love a good list so here are my favourite albums of 2021. What were yours?
‘Delilah Bon’ – Delilah Bon –An absolutely sublime, sassy debut from Lauren Tate’s magnificent, impassioned alter ego. This has been my album of the year since I first heard it
‘The Yearbook’ – Baby Queen – Not many bands care as much about their fans as Baby Queen, but they are so much more than caring, they really are a stunning band
Well, that’s nearly it for 2019. The world has gone even crazier, but underneath all the chaos there is and hopefully will always be great music. So along with almost every other publication, website and blog I have compiled my top ten albums of 2019. It was a tough choice and putting them into a sequence has been even tougher, especially the top 2 which have switched places a lot. I would love to hear about your favourite albums of the year.
’24 Carat Diamond Trephine’ – Avalanche Party – Possibly the best debut album in rock history.
‘Ghosteen’ – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – is it possible to get more gut-wrenching and thought-provoking emotion in one album.
‘End Of Suffering’ – Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes – As a fan of Frank since his Gallows days I believe that this is his finest moment…. so far!
‘I Want The World’ – Hands Off Gretel – Easily one of the most exciting and exhilarating live bands to emerge in the last couple of years.
‘Renaissance Men’ – The Wildhearts – This band is well and truly back, not just with a bang but with a mega explosion.
‘Encore’ – The Specials – Who believed that the Specials had a new album in them, let alone one this good?
‘Nothing Great About Britain’ – Slowthai – no one has summed up what the UK is like now much better than Slowthai did on this stunning release.
‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ – Billie Eilish
‘Tough Crowd’ – Nervus – Better than their last album and probably not as good as their next, this band gets better and better!
‘Kind Heaven’ – Perry Farrell – an eclectic mix of styles that perhaps only someone of Perry’s talents could pull off. This was one of my most listened to albums on Spotify this year apparently.
I would also like to take the opportunity to say thank you for reading and following this site, you inspire me to continue. Finally always remember those that are less fortunate than you, homeless people and those suffering in silence. Remember the people it would be easier to forget. It is ok to be not ok. “In a world that has decided that it’s going to lose its mind Be more kind, my friends, try to be more kind” (Frank Turner). I hope that 2020 is a great year for you and however it pans out look out for each other.
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
How do Festival weekends seem to go so quickly? This was by far the hottest of my three days at the 2019 Leeds Festival, well in terms of temperature at least. Were the bands as hot in terms of performance? Well, dear reader, you will need to read on to find out. One of the big rumours of the day was that Frank Turner would be playing a secret set. There was a gap on the Pit/ Lock Up Stage from midday to 1 o’clock, so I came in extra early to be there only to find that it was just a rumour based on the fact that Frank had played a couple of album launch sets at the Brudenell in Leeds the night before. Hopefully, Mr Turner will be playing at the festival next year. My first action of the day was to see Amsterdam’s Pip Blom on the BBC Radio 1 Stage. The band name is taken from the name of the bandleader who writes and produces all of the band’s fabulous indie-pop classics. They are like a reincarnation of the Breeders with a very strong power-pop direction. Check out their album ‘Boat’ on Heavenly Recordings.
Oddity Road
Next, it was a quick dash across to the Festival Republic Stage to see Sheffield’s Oddity Road. They hit you with harmonic, melodious rock songs that would grace the canon of many successful bands. The Foo Fighters and the Killers to name just a couple. Oddity Road are purveyors of finely crafted and intelligently performed power-pop classics in waiting. Remarkably they are currently unsigned, but I doubt that will last for too much longer. I made a dash across to the Pit/ Lock Up stage with great excitement and anticipation as it was time for Queen Zee. But our hopes were dashed as the band had to pull out for medical reasons. I hope that there was a speedy recovering and that this amazing band will be back next year.
Belako
The Festival Republic Stage next played host to Basque country rock band Belako. This band are incredibly hard-edged with a planet splitting volcanic shriek of a rock vocal and I mean that in a good way. I heard shades of peak-era Siouxse and the Banshees in Belako. Definitely a band to keep an eye out for. I made my first visit to the Main Stage today to catch Against The Current. This charming, talented and well-rehearsed band from Poughkeepsie in the USA smashed it with a great set. This bunch epitomise perfect high powered pop with vocal hooks and riffs aplenty accompanied by some really top tunes. They have more energy than Duracell’s finest products! Back to the Festival Republic for a band that has been highly recommended to me by quite a few people, Sophie and the Giants. The band hail from Sheffield and while I don’t believe that they are real giants they do have some gigantic tunes with huge sweeping choruses that attach to your neural network like a stubborn and persistent beanstalk. Sophie Scott’s voice has an incredible range and volume and a gorgeous tonal quality. She could easily match the vocal talents of Florence Welch.
Sophie and the Giants
I rushed over to the BBC Radio 1 Stage for rising British rapper Slowthai and oh boy was it worth running in that heat. After being so disappointed by Gunna and Juice WRLD over the past couple of days Slowthai. He singlehandedly restored my faith in rap as I thought that he might. He is a great performer and his words and cyphers are intelligent, challenging and at times works of genius. His album ‘Nothing Great About Britain’ is, for me, among the best releases of the year. The Pit/ Lock Up was home to Bad Nerves from Essex next. These boys play it hard and fast with 100 miles per hour riffery and spot on sneery punk vocals. Their tunes are reminiscent and worthy of early Strokes cuts. I sense influences from classic period Buzzcocks and Stiff Little Fingers. I heard them play their single “Radio Punk” here and that has since become one of my favourite songs of the moment.
Bad Nerves
The BBC Introducing Stage has been supremely good this year on my next visit to that stage I got to experience the delights of Charlotte, a 20-year-old from Hull, who possess one of the most soulful voices I have heard. Her style is at times similar to Adele, but with less of the shoutier elements. Charlotte has a really tight and funky band behind her too. This girl can go all the way and I hope that she does. The Japanese House were next up on the Festival Republic Stage. I am sure that they are not Japanese, nor are they a house, what they are is highly talented singer-songwriter Amber Bain from Buckinghamshire. She has songs with hypnotic harmonies and huge hooks. If you want to chill out on the hottest festival afternoon that I can remember then you need to do it to the Japanese House. The refreshingly beautiful symphonic flow of Bain’s songs is still washing over me.
Charlotte
I did not make too many trips to the Main Stage on Sunday but I wanted to be there to witness the first person born this century to have a US number one album with ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ I am talking of course about the mercurial talent that is Billie Eilish. She is what a 21st-century superstar should be; an original talent, someone who does things her way and on top of that a truly engaging performer. She has sass, style and superb songs. I reckon she drew the biggest crowd of the weekend, the crowd went absolutely nuts for her. She will undoubtedly be back at this festival before too long. Have I been at the Pit/ Lock Up Stage more times than any other this year? It certainly feels like it, this time I was here for Blood Youth from Yorkshire. This bunch are heavier than Osmium and harder than Nuclear Pasta (a.k.a. the material that makes up a Neutron Star). Blood Youth wield the force to cause an earthquake in Hell by the power of their mountainous riffs alone. This band produced a wave of the heaviest hardcore heavy metal today and rocked the Pit/ Lock Up Tent almost out of its moorings! Take a listen to their current album ‘Starve’ it is something special and you will not be disappointed.
Blood Youth
I stayed in the Pit/ Lock Up tent for the next act, an artist I knew next to nothing about, but I was intrigued. Just when I thought I had seen pretty much all there is to see at gigs and festivals during the last forty-seven years up comes Poppy, once known as Moriah Rose Pereira. This completely original LA artist shares a birthday with me, she was born the day that I turned 36. If you thought Lady Gaga was a bit ‘out there’ and strange then you have never come across Poppy. Is she an android? Well, she could be. This was perhaps one of the most spectacular sets that I have ever seen at one of the smaller stages at the Reading/ Leeds Festival! Poppy is like the sproglet of Max Headroom and Gwen Stefani with added alien DNA. Her band look like players in a rock star zombie film. The music is full-on heavy glam rock with a heavy nod to classic 60s girl group choruses in the vocals. Almost certainly my favourite act of the whole weekend. What was yours? I might have left after Poppy as nothing could really follow her, but I felt that I needed to stick around a little longer. Well, long enough to at least catch Twenty One Pilots. The boys opened with “Jumpsuit” which set the bar pretty high for the rest of their set. They managed to include a piece of the White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” within the live rendition of “Morph”, so I guess you could say that “Morph” morphed. It was an electrifying set, highlights for me were “My Blood” and “Cut My Lip”. But the real crowd-pleaser was a cover of the Oasis classic “Don’t Look Back In Anger” for which they were joined on stage by fellow co headliner Post Malone. I was more than satisfied to end my festival with such a great set from Twenty One Pilots. Apologies to Post Malone, the heat pretty much wasted me and I am not a big Post Malone fan! Leeds Festival I will see you again in 2020.
I know that they didn’t actually play the Leeds Festival, but they are a great band, so here is a sneaky Queen Zee video. Get well soon and we’ll see you next time!
All the photos apart from the Festival Line Up poster were taken on my cheap android phone. The videos were all found on YouTube, if one of them is yours and you would like a credit or for me to remove it please let me know.
If you have enjoyed this article feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on;
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 