The Outsider Awards

Well it is award season and it is a sneak peak for The Outsider issue 2. I have a full review of 2015 in the new issue but here are some of The Outsider's favourite bands.

Simon Larcombe of Space Tourettes (c) Meg Manley Photography

Space Tourettes - Funk Rock Band 2015

Space Tourettes I have seen a number of times and been to rehearsals, what can I say about this duo well they are funky as hell . Simon Larcombe on Vox and Guitar and Trent Brown on drums are just brilliant and I am looking forward to more gigs and an album from these guys very soon!

Cydernide - Punk Rock Band 2015

Cydernide I only saw once in Bath from the side of the stage and they well and truly blew my socks off ! They are a great unit with a vocalist who puts 110% into the performance, I was smiling during the whole set I watched. Have a listen to Unleash The Still CD.

Red Room - Rock Band 2015

Red Room are a band that you don't expect to be as good as they are, a bit Indie to start with but you soon start to hear the real Rock pedigree coming through. I love that Rage Against The Machine feel they have on some tracks and the guitarist Ollie Troup is a demon on that axe! Anticipating more from these guys live and in the studio. Have a look at my review of their EP.

The Incas - Folk Rock Band 2015

The Incas are probably my favourite band of 2015 and I have only seen one band more times over the last year. I love the lyrical content and the way they play with Loud and Quiet contrasting sounds and genres. Every member is unique as is the band, no one sounds like them. It's been really cool to watch these guys evolve and for a while I almost felt like part of The Inca Empire! I am looking forward to what they record next and take it from me live they are awesome and I hope to hear them live again one day. Feed Me is their EP and see two live reviews I have done here.

Louise Distras - Solo Artist 2015

Louise Distras impresses the hell out of me, lyrically, musically and her whole stance of a range of issues close to my heart. Seeing Louise twice last year was a high light for me and when she does her solo acoustic Punk songs it is heartfelt and powerful. Louise Distras has integrity and sincerity in her work by the shed load whether solo or with her band. Dreams From The Factory Floor is her brilliant debut album.

Radioactive Bones - Psychedelic Punk Band 2015

Radioactive Bones trippy brand of Psychedelic Punk creates an atmosphere you don't get at most gigs. This trio are so cool and their dub space rock will bend your mind in really good ways. I have only seen them play once but it was such a fun gig you just have to go and see them! Eye In The Sky is an album you need!

BrotherZ GriM - Rap Group 2015

BrotherZ GriM are absolutely marvelous! Crypt-Hop from Bridgwater, who would of guessed those Phat menacing beats would emanate from that part of Somerset. Brilliant live these guys lay down some awesome tunes. Hopefully some more recordings and gigs from these fellas very soon, some tracks on Reverbnation.

Splink – Ska Band 2015

Splink are not only a great band but the lyrics are a joy to hear, from hilarious stories of lost Tent's at festivals, to kinky ghosts and nasty landlords, Splink cover a lot of ground. Musically they are solid and live you will dance and laugh with them and enjoy yourself guaranteed. Some tracks on Soundcloud have a listen

Carnivorrrr – Unique Act 2015

Carnivorrrr is like a mad experiment aimed at using sound to open portals to other dimensions and by Jove I think it could of worked. Hopefully Carnivorrrr will open a portal back to my own world so I can return home. Totally brilliant buy the album The Unleashing.

See Issue 2 of The Outsider coming soon for more! 

The Outsider

THE INCAS LIVE AT THE FLEECE BRISTOL

The most unique Folk-Rock band -The Incas conquer The Fleece Bristol

I headed up to Bristol with The Incas Manager and DJ extraordinaire Issy Hughes. Issy is a fiery bundle of fun and determination. Her scouse charm is only matched by her mature drive and laser like focus. Having arrived just before sound check to The Fleece we got in with a bag of nibbles and energy drinks, these musicians need to be fed and watered regularly. After a short sound check a few changes were made, the banjo was dropped from the set and it was decided that Emily, the lead singer, would play some acoustic guitar. The accordion player Violet was unable to attend and Aninka the violinist was also absent. The good news was a relatively new member of the band Joe Swainson was joining the line up on Electric guitar along with regulars Emily Jolliff on vocals, Immy Done on drums and Ed Shakspeare on Bass.

The Blunderbuss Press was first up, this very nice chap playing acoustic solo kicked off the evening. His interesting choice of songs had some of the audience swaying in time. Lions eating their loves, Octopus and Leeches are some of the animal's that I remember from his somewhat zoological set.

The second act was the delightful Rachel's Last Dance, the trio of a bass player, and two vocalists one on acoustic guitar and one on egg shaker (I have you know it is a difficult instrument to master). I really enjoyed their Folk sound with a mix of male and female vocals with original songs like 'Jacket'. The highlight for me was their cover of James 'Sit Down' which had the growing crowd singing along and I must confess I joined in.

With the audience now warmed up The Incas took to the stage and kicked off with new songs 'Gypsy Magic' and 'Run For The Woods', I loved this new material and what this line up sounded like. 'Hectic Glow' was emotionally charged and 'Oceanic Panoramic' had impressed me and I was liking Joe's guitar work. However when 'Caramella' started I was well and truly rocked, The Incas where kicking some ass, Immy's explosive drumming driving everything along with Ed's phat Bass, Joe's funky Guitar and Emily's soulful voice. They were making music that would probably raise the dead so it was a good thing we weren't near a graveyard as things could of got messy. The audience by now had got up on their feet and were busting some serious moves to the grooves of The Incas. 'Feeling Good' was just sublime and rivalled Muse's version of this Nina Simone classic. The band were rocking the foundations of The Fleece and a number of people came up to me and said they were 'blown away' by them. 'Swansea FC' and 'Punk Rock Don't Pay The Bills' rounded off the set to much applause, as did every song they did. So much applause that they were asked for an encore which they did with 'Mr Shakspeare'.

Reeling somewhat by just how much they rocked me I saw Emily come off stage fingers bleeding from strumming the guitar so hard. A vocalist from Rachel's Last Dance told me how much she was impressed by The Incas both on stage and off. I have been to a lot of gigs and The Incas once again raised the bar. EP’s and T-Shirts were being snatched up at the merch stand and the audience was buzzing. The aptly named Pepper's Ghost ended the nights music with an excellent set and they were very good indeed but I have to say I was kind of blown away by The Incas so I couldn't give Pepper's Ghost a proper review other than say they sounded great. I headed back home Feeling Good.

Reviewed by The Outsider

The Incas EP 'Feed Me' is out now on bandcamp

https://www.facebook.com/theincasofficial/

https://theincas.bandcamp.com/