Once, twice, three times at Wembley

For some artists, their dream would be to have a song top the UK charts. For some, it's winning a BRIT award. For a lot of dreamers though, playing Wembley Stadium is up there. All of these feats have been achieved by one man and his guitar: this ginger lad from Suffolk, Ed Sheeran.

Following in the footsteps of Rupert Grint as the latest red headed heartthrob, Sheeran has released two albums fittingly entitled + (Plus) and x (Multiply), as this is what seems to be happening to the size of his fanbase with every song he releases. As mentioned before, he has topped the charts with two singles from x: the acoustic hip shaker that is Sing and the slow dance number Thinking Out Loud, which has helped the album become the fastest selling album of the year. Now that you have a little back story that you didn't ask for, and let's face it, you almost certainly know everything about this guy because you can't escape him, let's move on to the matter at hand.

As a well respected UK pop artist, Ed is climbing high up festival hierarchies, with a sub-headliner position at V Festival and a high billing on the final day of Glastonbury ticked off this year. Festivals are a great way for Ed to showcase his bouncy anthem side, where tunes like Sing will leave people reciting the main hook until they get back to their flooded tents, but also a place to raise your lighters and croon along to The A Team with your friends arm in arm. He stands there with his favourite trademark acoustic guitar and a loop pedal, and makes it seem like there is a small band playing. His back catalogue is laden with single after single, and with only two albums released, it's a big feat to have so many recognisable songs at your disposal. Although, John Giddings, the man responsible for organising the Isle of Wight Festival, claimed that if acts like Ed Sheeran are the future of festival headliners, then "we're all screwed" due to him being "boring". So it doesn't look like he'll be topping that festival bill any time soon.

Recently, Ed announced that he would be playing a show at Wembley Stadium in July 2015 as part of his world tour, and then later announced that he would be playing two more shows on the same weekend at the home of English football. A bold move indeed, but could it pay off? This is a man at the top of his game, and everything he touches seems to turn to gold, but is it too soon to have him pinned down as a stadium act? Is he even right for a stadium? Will he have enough fans to want to pay that much money to see him in a stadium on three occasions? I've brought this up a few times with people close to me, and a couple of times on Twitter, and instead of an informed response, I've had people either claim I'm jealous of him (right...), or people have attacked my favourite bands who have gone on to headline Wembley Stadium, saying that if they headlined Wembley, why can't Ed Sheeran? My answer is a simple one: because they're bands who can put on a stadium show. Muse, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Oasis, Metallica, The Killers - their music is tailor made for stadiums where over 80,000 people can go nuts to loud, gargantuan rock songs; their songs fill every metre of Wembley.

At this moment in time, Ed Sheeran has been performing alone on stage. I can't see that live presence translating well into a headline stadium show, which is why I hope he takes advantage of the occasion and either turns his performances into a Take That-esque show, or at least brings a full band with him. Eminem headlined Wembley in the summer, and he brought a whole band with him, who, when I saw them at Reading Festival, were amazing. If Slim Shady turned up to that kind of gig armed only with an MC and a set of turntables then I'd say that was an opportunity wasted. What I'm hoping is that Sheeran has the ammunition to pull this off, which could come in the form of a backing band when he needs it for certain songs (which he recently showed he can do with his performance on X Factor a few weeks ago), or guest stars when necessary (Taylor Swift, Pharrell etc.). Even his support acts will help show that he has the credibility to fill one of the greatest venues in the world, and to paraphrase a line from his early single You Need Me, I Don't Need You, I hope he brings Damien Rice along for the ride.
I'm not expecting a light show out of the idea book of Kraftwerk, or an elephant standing on it's hind legs blowing the hook to Sing from its trunk as it suddenly grows wings and flies out of the stadium. I just hope he steps up to the plate, and proves he has the capacity to expand. If you want him to stand there and play his guitar, fair enough, but it would be interesting to see if it works; I won't rule anything out. Ed is a showman, and he gets the crowd involved, which is one of his strongest qualities as a performer. However, is he more Wembley Arena than Wembley Stadium? Only one way to find out I guess.

To quote Anthony Fantano, the internet's busiest music nerd, y'all know this is just my opinion, right?

Get a Download of this!

I don't know if anyone knows this, but apparently you can't please everyone. On 17th, 18th and 19th November 2014, the infamous Download Festival announced its first set of confirmed bands for the 2015 event. Lets go through each confirmed band, shall we?

Friday

The first day needs to be hard-hitting, and it needs to set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Who better than to send the happy campers of Download back to their tents in a hyperactive mood than Slipknot? This is the band's third headline appearance at Donington since 2009, which has given people reason to moan about how there is a lack of diversity amongst the headliners each year. I could understand people whinging about that if the headliner were an act who are infamous for having the stage presence of a courgette, but this is Slipknot we're talking about; arguably one of the most destructive live outfits around. With a rotating setlist and new album .5: The Gray Chapter out now, I see no reason why they can't slam Download to the ground once more.

Before the masked mayhem though, you have to go through Judas Priest first. A band that are undisputed legends of the heavy metal circuit, they will go down a proverbial storm at Download. Last time they graced Donington's hallowed turf, they played as special guests to Kiss in 2008, and I hear they were phenomenal. As veterans of the live circuit, they played back when this festival was called Monsters Of Rock, over thirty years ago, so it is time for them to show these young whippersnappers how it's done.
The main stage announcements are completed by Five Finger Death Punch. My girlfriend went to Download's 2013 event, and came away from it with nothing but good things to say about this band. With live performances as hard-hitting as their name, they'll be bringing their stateside heavy metal show to Donington for their fourth appearance. They have rightly earned their place high on the main stage, and with the anthems that gracefully adorn their back catalogue, they are sure to whip up a frenzy and get the circle pits going. Future headliners? We'll see.
For the Zippo Encore stage, Black Stone Cherry are your headliners. Now, this has set the cat amongst the pigeons, so to speak. Whilst Black Stone Cherry are a hugely respected band amongst the rock community, they are in the exact same position that they were in back in 2013, when they headlined the second stage against main stage headliners, you guessed it, Slipknot. They will definitely pull a big crowd on the Friday, but for those who have to choose between these two American heavyweights again, it's not an easy choice to make. That and, some people are a bit sick of them being at Download (this is their third year in a row here). I however, would like to see them on the main stage at some point. Their recent arena tour with Airbourne in tow suggests that there can only be bigger things on the horizon for Black Stone Cherry.

Saturday

Whether the ignorant masses incapable of accepting change like it or not, Muse are headlining the Saturday night. Regarded as the greatest live act around today, Muse will be showcasing their alternative rock to the metal masses, which is an environment that they're not entirely unfamiliar with. The minor backlash that they received upon announcement was totally unjustified. This is a band who can woo you and make your clothes mysteriously fall off with a delicate piano ballad, but can also burst your eardrums with an onslaught of riffs. With a rumoured "heavier" seventh album in the pipeline, I can guarantee that Muse will be one of the heaviest bands of the weekend, with more riffs than Donington will be expecting. If they play the right songs, they will go down an absolute storm e.g. playing Stockholm Syndrome, Dead Star and Hyper Music in favour of Explorers, Undisclosed Desires and Feeling Good will win over the doubters who have the band pigeonholed as Queen wannabees who write radio rock for teenage art students. This is a chance for Muse to shut everyone up who thinks they can't rock a cradle.

Muse can make light work of following many bands, but returning former headliners Faith No More are not going to be an easy band to follow. A very popular pick, they blew everyone away when they returned to the live circuit and headlined Download in 2009. Now though, they're bringing some new tunes with them, which will become part of the first album they have released in 18 years. The recently aired Motherfucker has fans pining for more, and at the same time has left every fan as confused as ever, as let's face it, Faith No More are at their best when they leave people feeling confused. Even if their new material somehow fails to deliver, you can bet your mortgage that songs like Epic and We Care A Lot will leave the crowd caring a lot.

A Day To Remember are guaranteed to draw a huge following to the main stage. They're currently coming to the end of a small UK tour, with the foundations being built for what could become one of the most successful acts to come over from across the pond in recent years. Having caught their main stage set at Leeds Festival this year, they're definitely at home on a big stage, with the crowd being in the palm of their hand. Thousands upon thousands of excitable punters were singing the guitar riff to 2009 single The Downfall of Us All before A Day To Remember had even taken to the stage; this is the kind of hype that the Download crowd will gladly provide too. A crossover of pop punk and modern metal appeals to many demographics, meaning that everyone from happy hardcore teenagers to the most metal dude you know will be keeping an eye on this band. Miss them at your peril.
And now, we have Marilyn Manson headlining the Zippo Encore stage. His recent appearances at Download gathered many critics, with claims that he was either "not bothered" or that he was too drunk to know his Antichrist from his Superstar; these criticisms were mostly related to his much maligned 2009 appearance on the main stage. Download Festival booker Andy Copping confirmed that he refused to book him after the calamitous 2009 gig, but since Copping recently observed Manson back in action in the USA, he explained that Manson is "back to his best". This will excite those who are holding out hope for the American to not have completely lost it, but will also provide those who aren't satisfied with Muse as a headline option, with something to get their teeth into.

Sunday

The final day of the weekend is very much as classic rock affair as the line up looks so far. Kiss will be closing the main stage, with what may be one of the biggest shows Donington will ever see. They're definitely showmen, but with Gene Simmons' big mouth not gaining him many fans (see my post before this), he may be prone to a bit of verbal from the local pundits. Maybe this his way of winning over his haters, and it may very well work; last time they headlined in 2008, if Donington had a roof, Kiss blew it off, and then some. Their anthems have the power of unite all masses, with what may prove to be one of the loudest singalongs of the weekend.

Signing off in style with their last ever UK festival appearance is Motley Crue. They're old hands at this, and since it's their final tour, they will want to go out with a bang. Kiss will have trouble following them, because when the ever so solid Crue are on form, they're untouchable. With a sold out tour of the USA behind them (with Alice Cooper in tow), and nine studio albums behind them, be sure to see them for what may be the final time, as each individual embarks on their own projects/consider retirement.

A mixture of Download favourites, Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators combines the sexy Guns n' Roses riff machine with the soaring vocals of Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy. These two rock n'roll juggernauts put Axl Rose's silly excuse of modern "Guns n' Roses" to shame. Rather than being all about Axl, with these two it's all about the music. New album World On Fire will get an airing, and you can guarantee a top notch atmosphere with the popular top-hatted veteran. Still to this day he is one of my favourite guitarists, and with his trademark Gibson Les Paul on display, Kennedy's Plant-style crooning will surely be one of the strongest and most popular performances of the event.

Finally, topping the second stage are techno-wizards Enter Shikari. They seem to be at Download every other year, but that's only because their live shows are such a draw. At Leeds 2014, they were easily one of the best performances I've seen at the festival, and I am lucky enough to be catching them on their upcoming UK tour. New album The Last Garrison is due for release in January, and if the title track is anything to go by, we're in for another groundbreaking effort from the St Albans quartet. There will be a large dose of youngsters who will be sacrificing their chance to see the painted ones on the main stage, but what they will get is a powerful light show complete with high intensity mosh pit action. There will be blood, and I warn you, there will be genre-bending.

We wait in anticipation for further announcements from the Download camp. Your move, Mr Copping.

Let's get topical!

I've decided that since I've graduated from university, and as such have a bit more free time, that I should be contributing more to the big wide world of opinionated blogging. Here I tackle recent musical topics and point some fingers.

Royal Blood

"Rock is finally dead" - Gene Simmons, 2014

Gene Simmons has made some outrageous claims in the past, and he has added to this list by confirming the demise of a genre he helped contribute significantly to. He might have polluted his brain throughout his sex-fuelled 40+ years in the music business, hence the backlash to his remarks with regards to the state of rock music, but he has seen it all and has lived through many different waves of musical trends.

Well, if there's one band out there that are proving Mr Simmons wrong, it is definitely the dynamic duo Royal Blood.

The outfit hail from Brighton, and have only technically been a band for two years. Combining a love of garage-based riff rock with tight grooves Josh Homme would be proud of, they have taken the UK by storm, grabbing the airwaves by the bollocks and saying "now listen here closely pal, and prepare to have your eardrums burst!".

These guys have smashed the barriers of the mainstream to pieces, and after a lengthy summer festival circuit playing at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Download and T in the Park amongst others, they're one of the hardest working bands around today. This hard work has paid dividends though, and when they announced their UK tour at the start of September, the whole tour was to sell out in less than two minutes. Questions needed to be asked once tickets that were originally on sale for around £20 were now being sold for up to £300 on what can only be described as tout websites. If you too share my frustration about these evil corporations, or aren't totally educated on just how corrupt the live music industry is, please watch (or skim through) this video on the Viagogo Ticket Scandal.

Nevertheless, I really recommend you give these guys a listen. You will not regret it, I swear. My sincerest apologies if you're not 100% satisfied.

Glastonbury Festival 2015

Like many of you who have a similar interest in attending a music festival, I'm sure that applying for a ticket for Glastonbury is high on your agenda. The bookies are already going crazy, and amongst others, have Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Muse, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, U2, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay and Depeche Mode listed as the potential headliners, but there can be only three. 

Out of that group, I'd say that AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac and Foo Fighters are the most likely to headline. AC/DC have never headlined the hallowed turf of Somerset before, but are a class act and would draw in many fans for a full blown set of rock n'roll, but I do wonder what with Malcolm Young retiring from the group due to illness, maybe it might scupper their plans. Fleetwood Mac have been on the rumour list for a long time, but recently said that they would headline Glastonbury if Michael Eavis provided them with wellies first, which is basically a "come and get me" plea to Mr Eavis. And finally the Foos, who I have always been a huge fan of. The American rockers have headlined pretty much every festival in the world, apart from Glastonbury that is, so they're long overdue a headline slot. They plan to drop their eighth album 'Sonic Highways' in November, with Dave Grohl professing that they have huge plans for the upcoming year, so maybe a headline show is on the cards.

Radiohead though... maybe. I bloody hope so.

British music festivals

"V Festival is the festival for people who don't like music but still want to tell people they've been to a festival"

It's the same situation every year, and it goes something like this:

• Festival announces some of the line up

• 70% of the pundits moan ("they're not worthy of a headline spot", "they're not heavy enough", "they headlined about 3 years ago")

• 30% of the pundits rejoice and some will jump to the defence of the announced acts ("if you don't like it, don't go", "they are good live; people will be surprised", "you have no taste so shut up *insert derogatory homophobic slur here*")

I have a few things I want to say about this.

Sometimes I will not get the acts I want at festivals, which is fair enough; what I consider to be dross someone elsewhere will consider the dogs bollocks. However, I am entitled to my opinion if I think the headliners or the other acts are not up to scratch, and I don't think anyone should stand for this "if you don't like it, don't go" bullshit. When I was a teenager I went to V Festival six times because I only lived ten minutes away from the Staffordshire site, so I saw it as my only realistic option to go to a festival since travelling to other festivals was out of the question due to a lack of funds/available transportation. Granted, V Festival doesn't boast the kind of rock bands that I long for, but with its history of acts that it has hosted since its inception in 1996, it has really gone to pot. Some of the old fans of this festival complain that V used to boast the best collection of rock bands, but since then it has turned into a copycat of T4 on the Beach with its mix of chart-humping pop, radio-friendly rock and generic indie tunes.

I mean, look at the trend of recent headliners:

2006: Morrissey, Radiohead

2007: The Killers, Foo Fighters

2008: The Verve, Muse

2009: Oasis (Staffordshire only - in your face Chelmsford!), The Killers

2010: Kasabian, Kings of Leon

2011: Eminem, Arctic Monkeys

2012: The Stone Roses, The Killers

2013: Kings of Leon, Beyonce

2014: Justin Timberlake, The Killers

Now, in my opinion, that looks like a horrible dip in form. Notice how The Killers have been headliners four times in eight years? Are V Festival running out of ideas? And is heavy rock music dying a death at mainstream music festivals? Let's explore further.

This scenario is now a similar sight at Reading and Leeds Festival. Once the cornerstone for the best rock and metal acts around the globe, it has delved into primarily indie and dance territory, although the main stage does have an eclectic display of genres, but mostly hard, earnest rock. Line ups from the noughties couldn't be matched by any other British festival with a healthy mix of rock, mainstream metal and a dash of pop punk; it was a rock fan's wet dream. It was no surprise to see that when 50 Cent sub-headlined in 2004 (playing before Green Day), he was bottled into submission by a crowd who clearly do not stand for straight up gangsta rap... Nowadays if 50 Cent sub-headlined the festival he would most likely be welcomed with open arms. It's safe to say that Eminem headlining in 2013 brought in another breed of people to Reading and Leeds who didn't care about any other act but Eminem; YOLO vests, snapbacks and short-back-and-sides haircuts were everywhere, and it was difficult to enjoy Foals in 2013 when these dickheads are standing at the front waiting for Eminem and making a nuisance of themselves during Foals' set.

There is nothing necessarily wrong with rap music (Eminem was brilliant at Reading), but does it have a place at these sorts of festivals or should it be saved for somewhere where nobody will moan about their inclusion on the line up (Wireless, Bestival)? Is Reading becoming the new V? That's what many pundits have been saying on social media sites after the inclusion of rapper Macklemore as a sub-headliner provided a controversial talking point. After having prestigious acts like metallers System of a Down, dance-rock titans Chase and Status and techno-rock legends Nine Inch Nails sub-headline last year, we now have Vampire Weekend, Jake Bugg and Macklemore/Ryan Lewis sub-headlining this year. Does that put it into enough perspective for you?

Rock isn't dying at festivals though, as there are still many other choices on the smaller stages to enjoy up and coming acts, but it's not them that the customers pay over £200 to see. Even though we don't really like it, Reading and Leeds Festival is a business, and they have jumped on the bandwagons of the revival of EDM and the conception of dubstep, which are "popular" at the moment and will most likely draw in the customers. I guess if you want guaranteed rock and metal, then go to Download or Sonisphere, even though Download now has its critics for turning its head towards a teenage audience, and even with Sonisphere's big names, the somewhat predictable headliners tend to flip flop between Iron Maiden and Metallica.

I'm not here to preach about what acts festivals need to be booking; I am just acknowledging why people feel the need to moan on Facebook and Twitter. It is clear that some festivals are taking a slow turn for the worst with their bookings, but hey, the music is only half of the British music festival experience. Grab a beer and chill, and if you feel like checking out some new music, you might just be enlightened.