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Music Week Ones To Watch 2012
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Meet 12 acts that could end up ruling next year...
12. AERIALS UP
KITTIWAKE RECORDS
Hot on ...Meet 12 acts that could end up ruling next year...
12. AERIALS UP
KITTIWAKE RECORDS
Hot on the heels of breakthroughs by their anthemic, foot-stomping compatriots Frightened Rabbit and The Twilight Sad come Glasgow septet Aerials Up. The transition of their folk-rock sound (guitars, violins and cellos atop an equal measure of haunting and raucous vocals) from small venues to arenas should be a breeze for the 2010 Tartan Clef Best Emerging Talent winners (previous recipients have included Biffy Clyro and Amy Macdonald). With airplay gaining ground courtesy of Vic Galloway, Jo Whiley and Tom Robinson, and fans including Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, Aerials Up are perfectly poised for 2012. Debut single Superglue is out now, with follow-up I Am and an album coming in the new year.
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Gary Lightbody
"Kemy is one of Scotland's finest young songwriters and has a way with a chorus I am covetous of."
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Jo Whiley
"You make sweet music and leave people smiling along the way"
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TOP TEN GIGS OF THE YEAR
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IT’S been another great year of gigs in Glasgow, from Take That storming Hampden to Texas returning ...IT’S been another great year of gigs in Glasgow, from Take That storming Hampden to Texas returning at the Barrowland, and from Beady Eye playing their first show here to arena spectaculars such as Kylie Minogue, The Saturdays and Katy Perry.
Here’s my 10 of the best ...
?AERIALS UP, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, July 17
The pick of the hugely admirable King Tut’s Summer Nights festival in July.
Seven-piece outfit Aerial’s Up are gigging veterans now, and they rattled through a clutch of perfect guitar-pop tunes that were impossible not to grin to.
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Exposure - Aerials Up
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Indie folk rockers Aerials Up have enjoyed a lot of success for a new band, supporting acts like Pau...Indie folk rockers Aerials Up have enjoyed a lot of success for a new band, supporting acts like Paulo Nutini and Snow Patrol. The List caught up with lead singer Kemy to find out what’s got everyone so excited about this band.
How would you define your music?
It’s indie but with strings and a load of backing vocals. We take a lot of our influence from Pixies and Talking Heads.
You’ve changed your line-up recently, how did that come about?
It takes a long time to get the right people together and find a sound that everyone agrees on – it’s trial and error - but the right people seem to have gravitated towards us at the right time. It’s great because everyone believed in the same thing for the band.
What’s it like to get a support slot with acts like Paulo Nutini and Snow Patrol?
It’s amazing! I never thought it would happen. The support we’ve had is great. Sharing the same stage as people like Snow Patrol, Paulo Nutini - and even The Editors - and being recognised by the BBC and playing the BBC Introducing Tent at T in the Park is huge!
How important has social media sites such as MySpace and Facebook been for Aerials Up?
It’s been great for us, because it’s a great way for people to get to know us and show that they like our music. We got a message from a woman in Salt Lake City who said she listens to our songs in the office. It’s a great way of reaching people who otherwise might not have ever heard of us. It’s great to keep in touch with these people.
Are there any exhibitionists in the band?
Murphy who plays bass and Neil who plays lead guitar. They do like to take their tops off at any given opportunity. We were supporting Paulo Nuttini at The Royal Albert Hall. When we finished performing, I turned round and saw the two of them running about with their shirts off climbing up the stage.
Do you listen to any music that people might be surprised by?
Sometimes I’m really in the mood to listen to some metal, which people don’t seem to get, because I’ll be listening to that then I’ll come in with a song that has a three part string harmony – which is a bit weird.
Who’s the practical joker of the group?
I think it’s me who seems to wind everyone up! I think they all reckon I’ve got ADHD or something like that.
What’s next for Aerials Up?
We’ll be playing the BBC Introducing Tent at T in the Park, then we’re playing The Wickerman Festival and headlining a gig at King Tut's. We’re also planning on releasing a single in September called ‘First in the Fire.’
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The Class of 2011 - Eight Who Could Be Great
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The Class of 2011 - Eight Who Could Be Great
* Source: thesun.co.uk
* Date: 30 December ...The Class of 2011 - Eight Who Could Be Great
* Source: thesun.co.uk
* Date: 30 December 2010
* Written by: Chris Sweeny
THE New Year is on us and the Scottish music scene is supplying its own brilliant fireworks.
We've got huge comeback albums in the pipeline from Glasvegas, The View and Franz Ferdinand, while Biffy Clyro and Paolo Nutini top the charts all over the world.
SFTW brought together the up-and-coming acts for an exclusive photoshoot. Scotland's No1 music writer CHRIS SWEENEY meets the Class of 2011...
Aerials Up - New Snow Patrol
Tartan Clef Award winners ... Aerials Up
THE pitch-perfect sounding gang couldn't have had a better 2010 - but they reckon 2011 will top it.
This year they played the Royal Albert Hall after impressing Paolo Nutini in a Glasgow boozer, opened the show at Bellahouston Park for Snow Patrol - and scooped the 2010 Tartan Clef Award for Emerging Talent.
Lead singer Alan Kemlo, 26, beamed: "We were honoured to get that. Look at the names who've been awarded it before, like Biffy Clyro and Amy Macdonald. Even if we get a little of their success, we'll be overjoyed.
"It's all going so well right now. The major plan is to get the debut album out just before summer.
"We had those gigs with Paolo and Snow Patrol and it's amazing to think back on them. It's good to know we can do it on the bigger stage and enjoy it but we started doing it in small places, so we aren't going to stop doing that.
"As a band we're all pointing in the same direction and everybody knows what we want to sound like - we've nailed it now."
The band, from Glasgow, have just done a live session for Jo Whiley on Radio 2 and new single Superglue is out next month.
Read more (and see some fabulous pictures):
http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3324829/The-class-of-2011-eight-who-could-be-great.html
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Vic Galloway - 50 Scottish artists to watch in 2011
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Vic follows his Top 75 Albums of 2010 with the 50 Scottish artists that you should be watching in 20...Vic follows his Top 75 Albums of 2010 with the 50 Scottish artists that you should be watching in 2011, over to Vic:
I know, I know... I don't things by halves! But the way I see it, if you're going to turn people on to new music at the start of the year, you may as well give them a load of names and styles to investigate and explore. I can never limit my choices to only 10 - there's simply too much good stuff out there and far too much competition. And as we all know... music isn't a competition!
So, feast your eyes and ears on this lot. There's indie, rock, dubstep, electronica, acoustic singer-songwriters, hip-hop, R'n'B and quite possibly a mash-up of all the aforementioned genres into something completely different.
This is simply a list of Scottish artists I find interesting at the moment. Some you may know, some you may not: some might breakthrough and become better known, some might not... but they're all good in their own way. I've included bands, solo artists, producers, labels and collectives - check the names, follow the links and judge for yourselves...
Conquering Animal Sound
The Controls
Aerials Up
Rachel Sermanni
Dems
Midnight Lion
Paws
Capitals
Bwani Junction
Carnivores
Fatherson
Dam Mantle
Hidden Orchestra
Fiction Faction
Mopp
Simba & Profisee
NMBRS
Pensioner
Bear Bones
Paper Crows
Jacob Yates & the Pearly Gates Lock Pickers
Teklo
Dot JR
Black Lantern Music
Washington Irving
Milk
Lightguides
Holy Mountain
Taz
Deadboy Robotics
Happy Particles
Randolph's Leap
Open Swimmer
Abaga Records
Birdhead
Veronica Falls
Song of Return
Verse Metrics
Hangman
Weather Barn
John Knox Sex Club
Show'n'Prove
Cancel the Astronauts
Crayons
Emili Sande
The Snap Elect
Clouds
We're only afraid of NYC
The Son(s)
Wrongnote
I hope you find more than a few things you like in there. Get involved!
I'd also like to mention a few names I dropped into my 2010 list you can still check out.
Admiral Fallow (formerly Brother Louis Collective), Astral Planes (formerly Paper Planes), Other People, Akira Kiteshi, Kitty the Lion, Kobi Onyame, American Men, The Agitator, Django Django, United Fruit, French Wives, RM Hubbert, The Seventeenth Century, Ben Butler & Mousepad, Miaoux Miaoux & Boycotts.
I've noticed more people tipping these guys and talking about them. They will no doubt move onto bigger things in 2011. But hey, I tipped them last year... come on, keep up!
All the best for 2011.
Cheers,
Vic xxx
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Aerials Up, the Borderline, London
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Thursday, 25 November 2010
I’ve been meaning to catch Aerials Up for a while but every time they ha...Thursday, 25 November 2010
I’ve been meaning to catch Aerials Up for a while but every time they have been playing in Glasgow I seem to have had something on. The band (formerly known as The Ad’s) seem to have been working hard following their name change, taking on new members (only the singer and bass player were in The Ad’s and they play a completely new set of songs), developing a new sound, racking up some impressive support slots – the Royal Albert Hall with Paulo Nutini! – and generally creating a bit of a buzz. And lets face it Aerials Up is a much better name!
Last weekend they won the ‘Emerging Talent Award’ at the Tartan Clef Dinner (the Scottish Brits?). It was unfortunate that they didn’t get a chance to play, particularly when Joe Elliott from Def Leppard got to play, albeit fronting the Sensational Alex Harvie band.
Anyway, I am digressing. On Tuesday this week I was down in London with work and I was eager to get out and about at night, rather than go to the pub to watch Chelsea or Arsenal in action. Browsing through the Time Out website I noticed that Beach House were playing, but it was sold out, but so were Aerials Up. So I headed along.
The band were headlining a night at the Borderline, slap band in central London. I got there just after the first support act had finished, in time to see Jonathan Jeremiah. I’d never heard of the guy but it turns out he had played on Jools Holland the week before and he is signed to Island Records.
He was joined on stage by 6 friends, with three violinists, a trombone player, beatbox/percussion and a cello. He launched into a song called ‘Happiness’ and his talent was clear to see, at ease on stage, joking with his band (in particular the blonde violinist and I couldn’t blame him for that) and genuinely making it look easy.
One song in particular recalled Nick Drake, while the majority had a kind of soulful, loose Cat Stevens vibe going on. Quite MOR at times, more soulful at others, but definitely talented.
Upon hearing him announce ‘this is the song I played on Jools Holland last week’ I did wonder why on earth he wasn’t headlining, but the buzz around Aerials Up appears to have carried to London and there must have been a crowd of around 60 to see them.
Aerials Up are also a 7-piece and I was impressed about how quickly they got ready to play! Their violin player was perched precariously on the edge of the stage as they launched into the upbeat opener ‘Stay Awake’. It was an excellent choice of song to get going, ears immediately pricked up as the driving beat, chorus and urgency of the chorus and hook got peoples attention.
It was a very fluid set from the band (the first time I think I have ever used that description). The songs all fitted well together and the on stage chemistry between Kemy (lead vocals and guitar) and Debbie (vocals, glockenspiel and occasional guitar) was excellent.
The guitarist looked like he was having a great time, as well as looking about 18 or 19, the drummer was lost in the beat, the bass kept it all together, the cello and violin were a little quite in the mix at times (more suited to some songs than others) and they all got involved with the soaring choruses and hooks.
The band introduced a new song that I didn’t quite catch the title of, it possibly had the word ‘sand’ in it. Anyway, it was excellent and it was swiftly followed by an ‘acapella’ song (with only the tiniest touch of guitar) that showcased the vocal melodies.
A lot of the reviews I have read about Aerials Up have included references to Arcade Fire (possibly justifired on a couple of songs) and somewhat lazily to the Polyphonic Spree (probably largely due to their soaring choruses). I’ve not read anything about Vampire Weekend yet, but the immediacy and (seemingly) simplicity of Aerials Up songs and melodies, not to mention the singers voice, caused me to think of them on more than one occasion. The playful and original guitar riffs also made me think that they must have Vampire Weekend’s albums in their collection.
‘Superglue’ was introduced as the next single and they ended the night with a song that ‘will be the next single after Superglue’.
Aerials Up certainly have a lot going for them, their ability to create playful melodies, inject a change of pace/beat into a song at the right time and the entwining vocals of Kemy and Debbie certainly make them stand out.
To summarise I would definitely go and see Aerials Up again, their set seemed like an album to me, as I mentioned it was very fluid, they have some catchy singles, some more expressive tracks and are not afraid to experiment with their sound or instruments – while at the same time remaining very focused on the sound they want to achieve.
All in all it was a great wee night and my first trip to the Borderline, an excellent wee venue.
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EK band named best new talent in Scotland
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EAST Kilbride indie outfit Aerials Up are celebrating after being named best new band at the Scottis...EAST Kilbride indie outfit Aerials Up are celebrating after being named best new band at the Scottish Brit awards.
The unsigned seven-piece told the News they are “over the moon” after being crowned winners of the emerging talent award at the star-studded 2010 Tartan Clef Awards.
Biffy Clyro, Paolo Nutini and Amy MacDonald have taken the coveted title in previous years.
The spectacular show was staged by music therapy charity NordoffRobbins at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow on Saturday night.
Frontman Alan Kemlo, 26, dedicated the gong to his mother Clare, who passed away two years ago, and violinist Cat Calton’s late stepmother Ingrid.
Alan, of The Murray, said: “It’s amazing. This is proper recognition, and says we’re basically the best new band in Scotland. Everyone is over the moon.”
Winning a Tartan Clef has topped off an incredible year for Aerials Up. After just one year together, the band has achieved huge success, headlining the BBC Introducing Stage at T in the Park and playing the Wickerman Festival.
They have also supported Snow Patrol, The Futureheads, Ash and Paolo Nutini on tour and opened for Paolo at the Royal Albert Hall and a recent BBC2 In Concert performance, hosted by Jo Whiley.
Alan says what makes this latest accomplishment even sweeter is the fact that they got there on their own.
Alan added: “This has been the greatest year for us, and what’s even greater is that we did it all ourselves.
“Sometimes you feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall, but then something like this happens and you think it might actually be worth it.
“Hopefully this could push us towards being signed.”
Aerials Up, who cite The Pixies and Talking Heads as their major influences, have been signed up to play as part of the Celtic Connections festival in the new year.
Catch their unique sound at the Arches on January 27.
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GLASGOW: SCOTLAND WITH STYLE SCOTTISH MUSIC AWARDS – THE TARTAN CLEFS 2010!
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A fantastic night for Scottish Music and an incredible £130,000 raised for Nordoff-Robbins Music The...A fantastic night for Scottish Music and an incredible £130,000 raised for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
*AERIALS UP:
winners of The Scottish Power Emerging Talent Award
THE BLUEBELLS:
winners of The Ticketmaster UK Singer / Songwriters Award
AMY MACDONALD:
winner of the Sir Reo Stakis Foundation Best Album Award for ‘A Curious Thing’
GALLAGHER & LYLE:
winners of the Guitar Guitar Lifetime Achievement Award
FRANK LYNCH: (formerly of the Glasgow Apollo)
winner of the Sunday Mail Industry Award
JOE ELLIOT / DEF LEPPARD:
winners of the 96.3 Rock Radio Award for Services to Rock
**MASIE WILSON: surprise award:
winner of the SECC Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Music Industry
***ROBERT HICKS: surprise award 2:
winner of the Scotland’s Winter Festival’s Musical Entrepreneur of the Year Award
PAOLO NUTINI:
winner of The Glasgow: Scotland with Style Tartan Clef Award
PERFORMANCES:
Glasgow rock band GUN kicked off proceedings followed by The Bluebells who got a standing ovation their set was so good.
Next up was the glorious Gallagher & Lyle playing together for the first time in 15 years then Joe Elliot and The Sensational Alex Harvey Band rocking out before headliner Paolo Nutini who had everyone dancing front of stage, closed the ceremony.
AUCTION:
Paolo Nutini bought Stevie Wonder’s harmonica (used on his last World Tour) for a whopping £4,500
Gun’s drummer bought a luxury cruise on Frank Lynch’s yacht, including crew, catering etc for an incredible £15,000
Geoff Ellis of DF Concerts bought a guitar signed by Biffy Clyro for £2,500
* Award sponsors include ScottishPower, Guitar Guitar, Ticket Master, 96.3 Rock Radio, Sunday Mail, Sir Reo Stakis Foundation, Scottish Government, SECC and headline event partner Glasgow: Scotland with style.
* Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland is a registered charity (number SC18224) and needs to raise almost £400,000 a year to operate. As the charity receives no statutory funding, its fundraising efforts are critical to the continuation of its vital work in the local communities.
* Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland is the country’s largest specialist music therapy charity, providing over 9000 therapy sessions a year nationwide. Music therapists use musical co-improvisation to help improve the quality of life for children and adults isolated by conditions such as learning disabilities, autism, mental health problems, neurological damage or serious and terminal illness.
For more information on Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland and The Glasgow: Scotland with style Scottish Music Awards – The Tartan Clefs, call Mhairi Cowley on 0141 572 7079, email mhairi@tartanclef.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or log onto www.tartanclef.org. Donations to the charity can be made by logging onto the website and clicking on ‘donations’.
*Aerials Up are a Glasgow seven-piece who are fast becoming the most talked about band around. With a live session on BBC Radio 1, headline slot at the BBC Introducing stage at T In The Park and an in concert performance on BBC 2 with Jo Whiley supporting Paolo Nutini. They’ve also toured with Snow Patrol, The Futureheads and most recently Ash.
**Maisie Wilson is well respected throughout the music community and has been helping promoters, agents and artists sell millions of tickets for major shows throughout her career in the ticketing industry. Set to retire in January, Maisie received a standing ovation when it was announced she was being honoured with the award.
***Robert Hicks founded the Rockness Festival as well as establishing both Belladrum and Loopallu Festivals. Rob is heavily involved promoting across the Highland region setting up tours and booking for the Ironworks venue in Inverness.
If you require any other information on performers, award winners and / or photos please contact:
Chris, Leanne or Derick @ Genuine PR by Telephone: 0141 243 2621
Email: chris@genuinepr.com
or derick@genuinepr.com
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Aerials Up! Word Count Down!
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Getting wrapped up in something on the internet to the point of running out of time elsewhere is inh...Getting wrapped up in something on the internet to the point of running out of time elsewhere is inherently silly, and yet after a huge splurge in traffic at my other blog Bad Cover Versions, it’s exactly what I’ve done today.
So this post is a little curtailed, and I apologise profusely. Look on the bright side: perhaps this time the music itself will do the talking, as opposed performing tricks in the background, trying to grab your attention from my incoherent jabbering.
And what a song to choose to showcase in such rarefied environs. Apparently Aerials Up have only been spluttering and gasping for a year – and already they’ve whelped a song as direct, positive and wholesome as any you’ll have heard for a while.
Aerials Up // Stay Awake
The band is vast – think Arcade Fire having eaten The Polyphonic Spree – and look as equally wholesome as their songs. A more ruddy-cheeked and cheerful bunch I have never seen.
All of this – their innate happiness, which bleeds joyously into their songs, and their love-bomb songs themselves – can’t fail to shove everything in your life, very slightly, into a new, ultra-positive perspective.
Thus Tony Robbins should look out. Good clean fun, in the best possible way.
www.aerialsup.com
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K&A with Aerials Up
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God only knows why I haven't gotten around to featuring the wonderful Aerials Up on here yet. But, ...God only knows why I haven't gotten around to featuring the wonderful Aerials Up on here yet. But, with their debut Superglue EP racking up all sorts of airplay and acclaim, it's about time I threw my hat into the ring! The EP is an absolute joy to listen to... over and over again. With it, we could very well be witnessing the gorgeous, melodic, epic rise of Scotland's new favourite band. You have been warned!
Over to them to tell you a wee bit about Aerials Up...
Kowalskiy: Who are Aerials Up?
Aerials Up: We're a seven piece band from Glasgow and Dublin.
Kowalskiy: How did the band get together, and what's the story behind the name?
Aerials Up: Hmm.. long story. The band weren't really 'formed' as such. Three members were left over from another band and everyone else kind of came along one at a time. We've all been slogging away in loads of different bands for years so everyone was really on the same page when we kind of found each other. The name is pretty much two words that Kemy always thought sounded nice I think.
Kowalskiy: You're one of the hottest up-and-coming bands in Scotland just now. You were chosen to play at Snow Patrol's HUGE Bellahouston Park gig, a venue 'rocked' by the likes of Coldplay, Subo and The Pope. You'll be one of a select few to play this years TBreak Stage at T in the Park, and your EP is racking up airplay and critical acclaim since its release. Not really sure what my question is... What do you make of it all?
Aerials Up: Hmm.. We're not sure really! We get asked about stuff we've done in the past all the time but to be honest it's not really something we think about much, we tend to focus way more on the things we all still want to do. We've had a lot of luck in the past with people being into the band and stuff but we're most proud of things that we've managed to achieve ourselves that haven't been so easy. T Break is huge for us, we're very proud to have been picked. Getting the EP out on our own but still getting such a good reaction to it and airplay from the BBC and stuff is amazing as well.
Kowalskiy: Speaking of the EP, what'd be your sales pitch for anyone out there who hasn't gotten their hands on it yet?
Aerials Up: I think for us it just represents a period in time that we want to share with people. We had a hard time getting it out and we were going through a lot of transition both in the way we wanted to do things as a band but also musically. There's a couple of really upbeat, poppy tracks that kind of reflect the sound we made our name with but also a more edgy song that's really important to us all and kind of a newer sound. We want to move forward from here with a kind of balance of the two vibes so hopefully the EP reflects that.
Kowalskiy: You've been touring the EP a fair bit recently. Is there much more to come this year?
Aerials Up: For sure yeah. We're on our way to play at the Solas festival at the moment. We've a few more shows before T in the Park and then we're headlining one of the King Tut's Summer Nights shows in July, playing The Liquid Rooms as part of the Edge Festival, and plenty more gigs before summer's out. We've some announcements still to make too, watch this space!
Kowalskiy: Aerials Up have been gathering a reputation as one of the finest live bands in Scotland. How would you describe a typical Aerials Up gig?
Aerials Up: We've been dabbling with a more stripped back, almost acoustic vibe on the road a bit recently but where we most feel at home is on a big stage, loud and proud. A typical gig for us is just a big sound, loads of strings, big drums, and people singing along, hopefully enjoying it as much as we do!
Kowalskiy: What would be your ideal gig?
Aerials Up: It's maybe kind of a lame answer but one thing that's still on my list is to play the Barrowlands at home in Glasgow. I've been lucky enough to play most places that I've wished for but that's definitely still on the list. It's had a bit of a hard time I think with more modern venues appearing but as a kid I just loved it, i'd go most weeks and saw so many of my favourite bands there so it's pretty special. We went to see Frightened Rabbit's homecoming show there in December and it was amazing, it seemed to mean so much to everyone that they were playing there and yeah, I'd definitely like to experience that!
Kowalskiy: Some may know, that the band was formed after the demise of The Ads. I had the pleasure of seeing them at The Mill and The Sauchiehall Crawl many moons ago. 'Superglue' was originally performed back in the Ads days and given the Aerials Up reworking. If you could pick one track from any band in the world and give it the Aerials Up treatment, what would it be?
Aerials Up: We actually had a go at Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting' for a session on Vic Galloway's show a while back and it went down really well so we've played it at a few gigs but it's time for something new. We've got a couple of ideas but don't wanna give anything away just yet...
Kowalskiy: What else can we expect from Aerials Up in the future?
Aerials Up: We really want to record again once festival season wraps up, I guess that'll be the next main thing from us, another single or two..
Kowalskiy: Here's a topical one. Is Andy Murray ready to win Wimbledon? Discuss.
Aerials Up: Hmmm... you're kind of asking the wrong person to be honest. Sure, he's been busting his ass for ages right? I kinda feel a bit sorry for him though, must be hard to represent an country in a sport they're not very fussed about.
Kowalskiy: Anything you'd like to add? Any juicy gossip or embarrassing band-related facts you're itching to reveal?
Aerials Up: Nope!
Spoilsports! Anyway, it's time now to have a wee listen to the EP below...
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[Introducing] Aerials Up
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Go on Scotland, go do your thing (I know Frank is all about the homeland); as he should be, especial...Go on Scotland, go do your thing (I know Frank is all about the homeland); as he should be, especially with good music coming out of it like Aerials Up. Aerials Up is an outfit from Glasgow, making some serious noise this past year. This is a good one, a seven piecer with a wide range of instruments coming together to make melodically intricate but with a simply beautiful sound. With a few notches in their musical belt, they’ve been associated and played with huge names like Snow Patrol, The Futureheads, Doves, Ash, and Paulo Nutini in 2010 alone (whew, that makes me tired to even think about). Not bad, eh?
I love the violin picking alongside the heavy guitar riffs and balance with the trombone and cello; I mean, come on, amazing. Aerials Up have the talent of mixing a wide array of sounds with the perfect balance. Their playful hooks are crafted like a fine souffle, though it tastes just deliciously good, there’s a level of good mixture and complexity. I will admit I thought we had a Polyphonic Spree thing when I heard there were so many people in the band, but this has a fresh face on it (well, seven fresh faces to be exact). It makes more than sense, it makes happiness. If anything I would love to see them live, it has to be a hoot. The interchanging male to female vocals play off each other that makes you wish you knew all the words to sing along with.
The winners of the 2010 Tartan Clef ‘Emerging Talent’ award are plugging away at turning out things to keep it new and fresh. They sent over ‘Superglue’, its upbeat sound is reminiscent of The Arcade Fire but fresh like Phoenix, there’s even a tinge of the Talking Heads. This track is so fresh I want to squeeze it on my toothbrush and brush my teeth with it… this track is COLGATE. “Superglue” is out February 28th, but down there for your listening pleasure. ‘Stay Awake’ is also there for your perusing; A super fun track to put into your back pocket as well. It’s just straight up sounds good, feel good, be good kind of music; and plus I kind of love that you can hear the leads accent coming through.
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Stay Awake With Aerials Up
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Aerials Up are our Buzz band of the moment. Hailing from Glasgow, BBC Radio Scotland’s influential D...Aerials Up are our Buzz band of the moment. Hailing from Glasgow, BBC Radio Scotland’s influential DJ Vic Galloway tips them for big moves in 2011. They definitely have all the ammunition to make major commercial in roads in 2011. Top notch live entertainment with strong, tightly honed performances, they’ve caused a stir wherever they’ve played.
Their music is an uplifting mix of rock and folk with glorious intertwining violin / guitar parts as well as mammoth choir like, multipart vocal harmonies, a solid rhythm section and lush orchestral string arrangements.
You can download their debut single, “Stay Awake” for FREE here.
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Scots Way-Hay #58 - Aerials Up
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I am such a fickle fucker some times, for ages I turned up my nose at Aerials Up for no reason other...I am such a fickle fucker some times, for ages I turned up my nose at Aerials Up for no reason other than they seemed to get a lot of gigs supporting Snow Patrol. What makes me even more stupid is that I actually really like the 'Patrol, which I guess loses me several indie street cred points, but fuck it I don't care. Thankfully though, my stubbornness was worn down and I hold my hands up and admit that Aerials Up are a great fucking band, with some of the most catchy pop songs that I have heard in ages. Having won the Emerging Talent Award at last years Tartan Clefs, the band have just released their new Superglue EP, aninfectious pop record that delivers on their early promise. I caught up with Kemy from the band for some Scots Way-Hay action, here's a wee insight into the world of Aerials Up...
Would you care to introduce yourself?
Hi I'm Kemy from Aerials Up, I sing and play guitar.
How would you describe the music you make?
We always try to make music that makes an impact. Recently we have been trying to hold back a bit a leave the best part till the end, also trying to simplify the writing. A song like 'all your mothers daughters' was hard to write because it kept wanting to grow and expand, but the key to that song is that it really only changes twice in about 4 and a half minutes. With seven people in the band, the options are endless in terms of adding parts and hooks, we are trying to write songs that grab people, and if they turn out to be catchy then great!
How did you come together as a band?
I got offered an arena support with Snow Patrol with an old band, but for ages I'd been feeling really unsatisfied with the music we were doing. I had a hard drive full of material but didn't have the band to do it, so Murphy met Cat at a gig and asked her to play strings, luckily she agreed and introduced us to Ruth. Neil was put in touch with us through some other contacts and he slotted in so well, everything really clicked when he joined. Me and Murphy had been in The Ads before so we were really trying to build soothing around us that we felt could be special. Then when Debbie and Chris joined it became that. Chris new Cat from a previous band and we found Debbie through another contact. We checked her out online and her solo stuff was amazing, she agreed to join and Aerials Up were complete!
How did you start out making music?
I started writing punk stuff in college, I was a huge pixies fan, also stuff like Talking Heads, Magazine, Television, mostly post punk stuff. I tried to copy Ian Curtis buy never really cracked it. When I got a job in a record shop I got exposed to a lot of new music, especially from the classical section. I grown up playing piano buy never really appreciated it, so I guess the mix of strings and heavy guitars is what we are all about.
What process goes into the way you write songs?
I normally sit at home and write the songs then bring them to Cat and Ruth, we then sit and figure out where the song will go from there. Then Murphy and Chris add the spine of the song and Neil just sprinkles the gold! The lyrics normally take a while, I used to just write what ever popped into my head, but a few things have happened recently that I want to give proper respect too. So in trying to focus more heavily on what in saying, not for any kind of catharsis, its just what I feel the most involved with right now.
Who are your big musical influences?
I would say we all bring a bit of our own personal taste into the band, for me I love bands like Talking Heads, the Pixies, a little prog stuff like early Jethro Tull, I've borrowed a few ideas from Wish Bone Ash too, just now in quite into Miike snow, and the latest Feist album.
What kind of influence do you feel that where you come from has had on the music you create?
I think the things I am writing about just now could happen anywhere to anyone, so geographically I don't feel constrained or too heavily saturated by my surroundings. Though saying that the last song we just finished is about trying to get away. But I love that I can get on my bike and be out in the country in about ten mins. Admittedly East Kilbride wouldn't top many people's wish list on places to see, but I wouldn't have my friends or fiancée had I not lived here so I wouldn't change it. My dream is to live way out in the sticks though with a couple of dogs.
What can people expect to see/hear from your live shows?
They can expect some honest decent music with no pretence. I couldn't care less about ' the scene ' and the cool kids can keep doing what they are doing. We write solid songs that have something worth saying. We love it and if the audience can feel that then we have done our job.
Has there been a particular gig that has stood out for you so far (good or bad)?
Our recent Celtic connections show at the Arches was great! It was a little rough around the edges but it was all the better for it. Bellahouston park was incredible. 25,000 people is pretty intimidating but the sun came out and people actually listened. I'm really looking forward to a festival down in Wales this year and Tuts next Saturday.
What are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond? Do you have any new releases planned for any time soon?
We are releasing our first EP Superglue and we have also organised our own UK tour. We will go back into the studio in August for another release in September.
Aerials Up - All Your Mothers Daughters
Aerials Up new EP 'Superglue' is available to download now on iTunes, Play.com, Napster and Tesco Digital, to name but a few.
You can stream two tracks from the EP on Soundcloud
Check out the bands website for future live dates.
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Howling Bells @ Oran Mor, 19/09/11
[+ Show ]
It’s a Monday night in Glasgow and I’m standing in the rain. A soaked queue of people drip behind me...It’s a Monday night in Glasgow and I’m standing in the rain. A soaked queue of people drip behind me. When we eventually enter Oran Mor we find a band ready to go almost immediately. At this moment I don’t envy Aerials Up, staring as they do at a soggy crowd in need of cheering up. Luckily they are just the band for the job.
The seven members provide, if nothing else, plenty to look at. Should I watch the cello or the violin? The guitarist or the xylophone player? The many musicians deliver a poppy set bolstered by the ensemble sound and are thoroughly enjoyable. Importantly, they also look like they are enjoying themselves enormously and that sense positively infects the room.
In fact Aerials Up are almost too much fun. Followed by the quieter, more thoughtful, Cold Specks who have the misfortune of playing to a room who have been primed for something more upbeat. The venue is full of chatter, which is a shame because Cold Specks perform an interesting set anchored around the gravely, gospel strains of a wonderful voice. The backing is sparse, a few kick drums and a cello, but the songs soar. One to look out for in more sedate surroundings for sure.
In the queue I’d overheard a fevered debate about whether Howling Bells were more “goth country” or “indie folk”. As they begin to play the word that comes to mind is “rock”. It’s a near-Zeppelin setup – drums loud and heavy on the riffs and solos. The counterpoint to that is Juanita Stein’s voice, which gets stronger by the song. A storming opener sets the tone for the next hour.
I’ve always found the trouble with Howling Bells to be that they have a great sound but not enough standalone songs to back that up. On seeing the band live things start to make more sense. They are all about the sound and the atmosphere, so even the less remarkable tracks have a certain power when presented with Stein dancing around a stage lit by fairy lights and filled with smoke.
That said, they are at their best on the singles. ‘Low Happening’ might be an old one but those opening guitar notes tear through the venue and the song is thrilling. Songs from the new album, The Loudest Engine, are given some set time and sound like more of the same – in a good way. It’s a formula that works and they are sticking to it. The “goth country”/”indie folk” debate can rage on but what’s certain is that Howling Bells are a terrific live band that are definitely worth waiting in the rain for.
supersonic
