amplified.october - november 2013

edinburgh oxjam | music business | the maine | vinyls | lights| reviews | and more!

for those who want more out of music

a note from theeditor...

October and November have been fantastic months for music and the music business in Scotland as it often is after the Sum-mer months, and it has manifested itself hugely in music fans everywhere.The transition in to Autumn and Winter has seen the success of Oxjam, Oxfam’s month long festival for charity, as well as a number of fantastic gigs hitting both Edinburgh and Glasgow for once! amplified. had the chance to cover a number of these events as well as get some hands on experi-ence with some of the organisers.

This month’s issue sees amplified. get to speak to the future of the music industry and see what goes on behind the scenes with music business students from Edinburgh College. Here at amplified. we’re asking why are vinyls back today? Are they coming back as just another hipster trend or are people really getting in to our old ways of records and tapes?

As well as our brilliant features and reviews, amplified. is let-ting you know what is coming up in the lead up to Christmas

Keep getting amplified.

Caitlyn Dewareditor.

thismonth...- Oxjam Edinburgh

- Behind the Scenes

- An Evening with...

- Introducing...

- Vinyls

- Lights

- Photos from the Month

-Reviews

- Gig Guide

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amplified. is not the average monthly music magazine. as well as re-viewing, interviewing and photograph-ing musicians, amplified. focuses on those who are often forgotten behind the scenes as well. amplified. is magazine for those who want more out of music.

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Over the past six years Oxjam has rapidly grown and has been beneficial worldwide. The month long music festival for the charity Oxfam takes place every year in October, connecting music lovers all over Britain. Hundreds of gigs take place with local artists from each city and all the money raised combats pover-ty and suffering worldwide.

For every city Oxjam is differ-ent but there is one event at the end of the month which every city takes part in. The Takeover. A voluntary team, who put blood, sweat and tears in to what they do put on the events. Amplified took a step in to the world of Oxjam with Edinburgh takeover man-ager, Hannah De Angelis.

Hannah De Angelis is a grad-uate sound producer and has undertaken an apprenticeship in music business that first took interest in Oxjam as a result of the ongoing charity work she has done throughout her life and her passionate love of music.

The Edinburgh Oxjam takeo-ver consisted of a pub quiz, a gig in an Oxjam music shop, a campfire acoustic show, a comedy show and finally the Takeover.

“The main challenges the team faced was with the mon-

ey and the bands. We didn’t have any budget so getting venues to agree to let us use them for free was tough and we had a lot of bands commit-ting then dropping out close to last minute.” Hannah told us. “It was really stressful, but all in all it was totally worth it.”

With the help of NapierUniversity’sStudent Union,the Edinburgh Oxjam teaming £200 in that night alone. Local Edinburgh musicians, The Harr, Jamie Flynn and Alan McKenzie kicked off the launch night at Edinburgh’s City Café. Although the turn-out wasn’t huge, Oxjam 2013’s publicity in Edinburgh contin-ued to grow and Hannah and her team managed to recruit pop rockers The Magic Num-bers to play.

The Magic Numbers played an intimate free acoustic set in the Oxjam music shop in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge to promote Oxjam in Scotland. The tiny shop was packed out with fans brought together by a love of music for a fantastic cause.

The usually quiet shop in the suburbs of Edinburgh com-pletely transformed, even attracting passers by who had no idea of the event that was taking place.

The Edinburgh Oxjam team hit a wall hard when two of the bands that they had booked dropped out for a show at the City Cafe . On top of that, the

“There were times where I couldn’t eat or sleep, it didn’t seem worth it.” - Hannah

love is... Oxjam Edinburgh 2013

The Magic Numbers at Edinburgh’s Oxfam music shop

The story of a takeover

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event organisers were told that there was no musical equipment and it was some-thing that they had to provide themselves, of course, having no budget made this a real problem, for any events be-fore the venue had provided equipment for them. With only a few days until the show, no equipment and only two re-maining bands, Hannah made the final decision to make the gig a campfire acoustic show.

The acoustic show was a huge success; the warm atmosphere drew the public in to a dimly lit venue. It was something completely dif-ferent that stood apart from other gigs and Oxjam events. This was Edinburgh’s biggest Oxjam event so far and it was drawing closer and closer to the big Takeover.

The Takeover brought togeth-er local music fans and artists alike and although it did not raise an exceptional amount in comparison to other are-as of the UK, the money that they did raise truly did make a difference. Hannah’s team, which was made up of events management graduates, mar-keting graduates and herself really pushed for the success of the gig and wholeheartedly put their soul in to what they did. They worked to accom-modate artists with equipment venues and an audience and managed to fill their small venues for the takeover. The atmosphere was electric and the crowd were generous. It was clear that all the teams hard work had been a suc-cess and had been worth it in the end.

The money raised from Edin-burgh’s Oxjam events went to-wards providing aid for the cur-rent disaster in the Phillipines.

“It was extremely humbling at the de-briefing to see exactly where the money we raised went. You don’t really think about it when you’re just putting on events but it was really, really touching to see the money we raised in action.”

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behind the scenes5

The people behind the scenes in the music industry are more than often forgotten, despite their jobs being arguably more important than the actual artists. It’s often forgotten how much work actually goes in to creating your favourite song or album. Sure, artists usually sound great, but who are the people mix-ing their sounds, promoting them and making them in to the icons that the public love? The hardworking men and women of the music business. Of course, TV shows like the X Factor show those with a huge success in the industry, but it is’t exact-ly real life. amplified. got the chance to speak to the future of the music industry at Edinburgh college.

The college campus prides itself on student’s creativity and drive, accommodating a large number of students involved in music and the arts. Incredibly, the college even has it’s own record label ‘Feast’ which students can voluntary join and be involved with. It’s something that makes these students stand out from others in the cut-throat competitive industry. Feast doesn’t just help these students, but local musicians looking to get their foot in the door as well.

Leah Curtis is an HND Music Business student who was in-volved in sound production and raised the issues of challenges of being a woman in the music business. “The main challenge I faced as a techie was the fact I’m a woman. People weren’t really sure about a girl being involved in that kind of thing be-cause it is so male dominated. I got a lot of stick for it but you just have to keep going and prove everyone wrong.”The college has a number of studios with professional equip-ment and gives students hands on experience of how to work with real people in real situations.

What do they think?

"The course has really helped my confidence."

"HND Music Business has allowed me to get some hands on experi-ence.”

“It’s an industry that’s cut throat, you can’t rely on grades you have to just go out there and get connec-tions and work your ass off.”

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The students immerse them-selves in all kinds of work both in and out of college because ultimately, it’s an industry where you need to have connections.

“It’s an industry that is cut throat you can’t just rely on your grades you have to go out there and make connections and really work your ass of if you want to be successful.” Said Duncan Jones who works booking gigs for DF Concerts. “Experience is the key.”

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I MAYQUITTHE

MUSIC BUSINESSONEDAYBUT

NEVERFORGET

THEMUSIC

Dan Fogelberg

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an evening with...

The Maine

The past few years has seen Arizona five-piece, The Maine, grace our shores a number of times along with a number of different bands. After the huge success of their most recent album,‘Pioneer’, The Maine have embarked on a world tour and have made it once again to the UK. Once again, The Maine are playing one of the best venues in Glasgow, The Garage.Support band, Arkells, have a slightly more indie sound when compared to the other two bands on the bill. Despite this, the band fit perfectly in to the line-up for the evening and singers, Max Kerman and Mike De Angelis have an incredible amount of stage energy that absolutely lights up the whole room. The energy is electric, and there is an un-deniable buzz that wavers through the crowd. The whole of their set is entertaining and they prove to be the perfect warm up for the main band of the evening.Following shortly after, This Century, also from Arizona, play a nine-song set which is electric. It is their first time overseas and in the UK and their growing fanbase is evident. Singer, Joel Kan-itz has a real way of working the crowd who are screaming his band’s songs right back at him. It’s hard to pull your eyes away from any of the set, This Century pick a mix of songs from both their older and newer work, incorporating new song,

‘Skeletons’ into the set as well. In many ways, This Century are very similar toThe Maine, with even their singers looking alike. A better band couldn’t have been picked to open up for the main band of the evening.It doesn’t take long for The Maine to take to the stage like ducks to water. Singer, John O’Cal-laghan jerks and kicks around the stage, his sig-nature moves, eyes closed as he sings. They play eighteen songs, mixing from ‘The Black And White’ album to ‘Pioneer’ and also slotting in a couple of songs from their new EP, ‘The Good Love’. It’s almost intoxicating to watch The Maine on stage, the whole set seems very natural and a lot of fun, especially mid set when Joel Kanitz of This Century joins in to sing ‘Into Your Arms’. As their set draws to a close, the band don’t slow it down, finishing with the perfect song to end the set, ‘Don’t Give Up On Us’, a great reminder to the crowd that The Mainewill definitely be back.The Maine never fail to please live and have proved tonight that, despite having a rollercoaster year, they can still maintain an extremely loyal fan-base and are still incredible to watch live. They’re not a band that disappoint and even afterwards, the crowd drenched in sweat from levitating off the ground, the atmosphere still has a welcome buzz.

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introducing...

WILLIAM BECKETT

It’s a possibility amongst pop rock fans that this man’s name has been heard before. In the States, this man’s name is certainly known but in the UK, not so much. The name William Beckett may ring a bell to fans of bands such as Fall Out Boy and Cobra Starship from the early 2000’s. William Beckett is the ex singer of alternative band, The Academy Is... after their split a couple of years ago, Beckett has come back fighting solo and now has 4 EPs and a debut album released. His new acoustic material features names that are well known in the current pop rock music scene such as Derek Saunders from Mayday Parade, Ryan Ross, Panic! At The Disco’s ex guitarist and lyricist and the lyrical genius behind Say An-ything, Max Bemis. William Beckett’s music has undertones of The Academy Is... weaved through it but it’s clear that this solo project is for himself and is his own direction of work. If you haven’t checked this guy out and upbeat acoustic music sounds like your kind of thing, go ahead and do it!

For Fans Of: Andrew McMahon, The Academy Is..., Fall Out BoyNotable Tracks: Warriors, Benny and Joon, Compromising Me

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From the 1920s to the 1980s, vinyls, also known grammophone records, were the way in which music was played on record play-ers. When digital media began to incorporate itself in society the vinyl died. Everything was more compact. The past year or so has seen the vinyl make a comeback in hipster culture and now artists more and more regularly are not just releasing their music digital-ly. CDs are definitely still kicking around, but the comeback of the vinyl is upon us. Of course, it’s not all good for vinyls and vinyl col-lectors. This year has seen inde-pendent music stores and vinyl sellers, One Up in Aberdeen and Avalanche Records in Edinburgh unfortunately shut down.

I’ve grown up around vinyls! My mum refuses to

buy CDs and I think her love of them has made

me want to use vinyls from a young age. There’s

just something a lot more special about them, the

design and everything. I’ve got a huge collection

of modern ones that bands are just releasing and

oldies as well.

- Megan Cummings

Modern Day Vinyl collector

I saw vinyls the first time obviously from my parents, my mum was an eighties child and had a huge colllection of vinyls that kicked about at my grandparents house. I live in an area full of charity shops as well and every time I passed in their windows was piles and piles of vinyls. the first time I really noticed them in modern day was when a friend of mine wanted a Motley Crue vinyl for Christ-mas, after that they started cropping up everywhere. notably, in high street store Ur-ban Outfitters which has a real connection to the hipster fashion sense. I saw them selling vinyls and record players and vinyl frames so it can be presumed that these beautiful records are just for show. Bands I liked be-gan to release vinyls as well as CDs. I think it’s a really great thing that they’re coming back even though they can be seen as just a collectors item or something decorative. It’s showing that although society moves on and trends change music will always be something that’s present in our society, any way it can be.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITHVINYLS TODAY?

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LIGHTS.KING TUTS WAH WAH HUTGLASGOW

The singer has just announced her pregnancy with rocker husband, Beau Bokan [blessthefall], but it hasn’t slowed the electropop princess down in the slightest. amplified. went to her gig at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow.

The gig is completely sold out and it’s not a surpise when Lights energetically takes to the stage. amplified. are the first magazine to snap a photo of her new colourful tattoo on her thigh and she wastes no time getting right in to her set. The great thing about Lights is she barely sounds different to how she sounds on her albums, the latest one being Siberia.

The 10 song set sees her mix material right from the beginning of her career to her newest material and she proves that electropop music isn’t just a noise that comes out of a laptop. She mixes her music live on stage and even plays pi-ano and guitar on stage. Alongside her band, Lights wows the crowd with her passion and energy which is evident in the way she sings and moves on stage.

She finishes with her first hit from an earlier album, Saviour and there is not a still person in the crowd. Despite it only being her second venture to the UK the crowd reaction is bound to see her return at some point.

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photographs from the month

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Lorde - Pure HeroineReleased at the end of October, then 16 year old New Zeland singer-songwriter, Lorde took the world by storm. She imme-diately hit the UK’s number 1 spot with her single ‘Royals’. What is fantastic about Lorde is the haunt-ingness of her voice and how each song on her album differs but still has a distinc-tive tone throughout it. It’s not often that an artist who takes the charts can do some-thing really original, but here at amplified. Pure Heroine is on repeat. Her mother is a poet and it’s obvious that her talent has been passed on to Lorde.It’s catchy and something different from the usual, and Lorde has created something that is truly unique.

Reviews.

Salvage My Dream - Desert, Sea and Grass

‘Desert, Sea And Grass’ is the latest 6-track EP from Wakefield’s Robert Fisher, also known under the alias, Sal-vage My Dream. Since 2008, Salvage My Dream has re-leased an EP and two albums and has explored a number of different musical genres. In comparison, ‘Desert, Sea And Grass’ is a lot more serene sounding than his other work.

‘Lemon Tray’ is the song that kicks the EP off and is instant-ly likeable hit from the get go. Fisher‘s indie sounding vo-cals are complimented with a catchy tune and a light glock-enspiel throughout the song and, as a whole, really sets the tone of the EP overall.

The EP continues with a folkie sound throughout and, despite a few of the songs sounding slightly too similar to one another, Fisher redeems himself with the EP’s final song, ‘Come Live In My Big Dream’, which has the perfect balance of huskiness and tune. It’s a lot slower than the rest of the album, but it shows that he can really branch out with his genre.

Overall, for listeners who prefer music such as Bon Iver and Bearhead, this EP is a must listen to. The songs are purposely not perfectly cut which makes it sound a lot more natural than an EP that has been over-produced. Sal-vage My Dream has a really raw and special talent that truly manifests itself in this EP.

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Gig GuideDecember 2013

1st December 2013-Skarlett Riot Audio, Glasgow-Mindless Self InduldgenceLiquid Rooms, Edinburgh

2nd December 2013-Basement JaxxPicture House, Edinburgh-Bullet For My ValentineThe Hydro, Glasgow

3rd December 2013-HansonO2 ABC, Glasgow

5th December 2013-The HoosiersO2 ABC 2, Glasgow-Don BroncoO2 ABC, Glasgow

6th December 2013-Ocean Colour SceneBarrowlands, Glasgow-BeardymanArches, Glasgow

7th December 2013-JLSThe Hydro, Glasgow

8th December 2013-Papa RoachBarrowlands, Glasgow-Fatboy SlimArches, Glasgow

10th December 2013-Touche AmoreStereo, Glasgow

11th December 2013-CourtneersBarrowlands, Glasgow-OwenAudio, Glasgow

12th December 2013-HaimO2 ABC, Glasgow

13th December 2013-PlaceboO2 Academy, Glasgow

14th December 2013-Primal ScreamSECC, Glasgow

15th December 2013-Tenacious DPicture House, Edinburgh-BoyzoneThe Hydro, Glasgow

18th December 2013-Status QuoThe Hydro, Glasgow

19th December 2013-Wet, Wet, WetThe Hydro, Glasgow

20th December 2013-TravisBarrowlands, Glasgow-Deacon BlueThe Hydro, Glasgow

21st December 2013-The ViewPicture House, Edinburgh

22nd December 2013-GlasvegasOld Fruitmarket, Glasgow

23rd December 2013-Calvin HarrisThe Hydro, Glasgow

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for those who want more out of music.

amplified. thank you for purchasing.