LBW // INTRODUCING // FIONA // STORNOWAY

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Aloha, Ahoy!

I've been booking exciting gigs this week and working with awesome bands, there is many a good song out there on the emerging music circuit at the moment and things have been no less busy here at LBW.

I told you a little while ago that LBW was expanding outside the realms of the south coast and beginning to feature more music from around the world. I've been scouting awesome girls to join the team at LBW and share wonderful music with all of you.

Leanna joined LBW earlier this month to focus on emerging music from across the south coast, from Brighton to Southampton and everywhere imbetween.

I've got two lovely girls interning at LBW from the states who I'll be introducing next month, but tonight I'm really excited to share my newest addition to LBW. Currently based in the UK, this girl's going to be bringing some exciting sounds to LBW from Canada later this year.

So who is this girl? 

I am very much an advocate of adventures and finding friends that you share passions with.

I met this girl exactly that way.

We met at a music festival in the Oxfordshire countryside (I know it was meant to be!) through a band I was working with, while I was supposed to be watching other bands play!

I am super excited to welcome Fiona MacAulay to LBW.

I've rambled quite long enough my little pickles, so here's Fiona's first feature for LBW on a band I'm sure you'll all come to love.

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Sunday 26 June 

The world was still reeling in post-Brexit disbelief, even Facebook wasn't a safe haven from political 'willy waving' and I was in the midst of a rather traumatic break-up. 

It felt like only a miracle could lift my mood. 

Que - Stornoway, playing at Magdalen College School as part of the Oxford Festival of Arts.

I don't know how they do it, but whether you're feeling magnificent or melancholic, these boys tick all the boxes. 

The four piece are an alternative indie folk band and actually hail from Oxford itself. Seeing them play in their home town was a true honor. It was clear they were having a great time and the whole vibe was friendly and familiar. It felt more like a house party with all your favorite people, than a gig in a Marquee. 

They smashed out a few old tunes, mixed in plenty of tracks from their newest album 'Bonxie' (a MUST listen), and even threw out a cover of Yazz 'The Only Way Is Up', which the crowd went mad for. 

A personal highlight was their hit 'Josephine' which they preformed in acapella. It was a heart in mouth moment for me... I don't think there was a hair on my body that didn't stand to attention during those few minutes.

...I'll give you a moment to recover from that mental image!!! 

To top it all off there was a bit of audience participation, when we were invited to clap and click our fingers along to "Love Song of the Beta Male"... Apologies to the boys if there was one choice individual who was consistently out of time with the rest - I'd had far too much prosecco.

I cannot stress more how brilliant these guys are. They've been playing as a band for 10 years and I hope they stick around for plenty more. If you haven't seen them or heard of them, make sure you do...and you can thank me later!

Take a bow Dr Brian Briggs, Jon Ouin, Oli Steadman and Rob Steadman A.K.A - Stornoway, I salute you. 

Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- Words & Images - Fiona MacAulay - 

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

LBW // FEARLESS MUSIC // ONE

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F E A R L E S S // M U S I C

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Aloha, Ahoy

Music is a beautiful language that you do not need to speak to understand.

Whether you play music, share music or just enjoy music, it's a creative art that is pure magic.

To be able to create something beautiful from silence, be that a classical symphony, an acoustic melody or a rockin' riff heavy tune, to be able to tap into that & bring something to life, is an incredible thing.

Dance has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, there's something [for me] so natural and freeing about being able to tap into the music and allow your body to become part of that sound.

I've talked to friends many times about this feeling of nirvana you experience when you're so in the moment, my friend Hayley took me surfing as a teen and that first experience of being in the ocean was life changing. It was like the feeling of dancing, of listening to music but being completely surrounded by nature. A moment of understanding just how incredibly fragile & insignificant you are within the universe, yet how very alive and part of the energy, part of the fabric of life, a humbling feeling. In turn that experience inspired my dancing, my choreography.

For me playing, writing and listening to music becomes that experience, of tapping into something truly magical.

It's no breaking headline to anyone who stops by LBW often, that I love metal, rock, punk and heavy music. For me there's something incredibly calming in it. It's like when it's turned up loud & I'm listening, I can move between every drum beat, every riff, as if I'm lost within this symphony completely detached from the world.

For me, the heavy music is a way to switch off from things, I can drown out the thoughts rolling like tides through my mind & simply focus on the music I'm listening to.

That for me is a beautiful experience, life is so constant and sometimes I think you just need a few minutes away from that to regather your thoughts, yourself.

When I first caught Slipknot's live set, the noise, the energy, the magic certainly spoke to me.

I was able to switch off and focus purely on that energy being created by nine men on the stage.

Outside of my own experience, it was the atmosphere in the room, the vibe that was being shared by every person living and breathing the sounds emanating from the stage.

I'd searched stage after stage to find more bands that provided this magic in their music.

There were, are hundreds, thousands of great bands out there, but that energy is something that is rarer to find.

Until I was at Download 2016.

I watched a band that as they set up, I waited as they readied themselves on the stage.

'Thank you Download, we're really excited to be here.'

'We are Wage War'

The energy in the room seemed to intensify, the entire tent was jumping. I felt a surge of that magic as I had done so previously with Slipknot, emanating straight from the guys on stage.

The realisation came quickly that I had finally after months, years of searching, had finally found that band, the band I was looking for.

The bands album Blueprints is available now on Fearless Records. Check it out on Apple Music and iTunes.

Having played Download, the band have been smashing it on the 2016 Warped Tour and still have plenty of awesome shows to come. The album is proving to be a massive success and the bands fanbase is expanding the world over.

I totally recommend checking out the guys tunes and getting to a live show, the energy is unreal.

I chatted to the band after their set and they were so down to earth and clearly stoked from their set. Lovely guys, great tunes, fantastic band. 

Do not let 2016 pass you by without Wage War making your playlist.

And a quick nod to the guys pushing this awesome band across festivals, gigs and stages around the world. I discovered this label a while back and every band to come out of Fearless has been absolutely cracking.

These guys have the magic formula and their bands are really making waves across the music scene ocean.

Facebook // Twitter // YouTube

Facebook // Twitter // YouTube

Check out the label and the awesome bands they are sharing. More on these musicians to come here at LBW.

As I've talked about that magic, I've talked about the bands that you really need to check out, follow, I've featured their live shows, their songs. The bands below are bands that I have also found through going to gigs and when I watched them play, that magic I talk of, they've got it.

They've found the formula and you need to keep an eye on the horizons of these bands because they're destined for exciting music adventures.

Reading // UK

Facebook // Twitter // YouTube

These boys are currently recording new material and will be playing gigs and festivals in cities across the UK and Europe, as well as being played on regional, national and European radio. Exciting horizons for these Reading boys.

Brighton // UK

Facebook // Twitter // YouTube

Currently in Europe, shows up and down the UK and playing festivals a plenty, the boys in Almeida are rocking every crowd they play to and this band are excelling in the emerging music scene. Do not miss the things to come from these Brighton boys.

Talking of awesome bands, I've met some incredible artists in the last two weeks, tomorrow you can check out the time I spent with The Twin Dracula in one of Reading's coolest venues.

A band not to be missed.

Keep a weather eye on that horizon and turn up, tune in and rock out to more music at LBW shortly.

Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

LBW // COMMUNITY // TRASH ARTS // PT II

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Aloha, Ahoy,

At the beginning of the month I posted about why emerging music is incredibly important to any community, why it's important to promote the arts, the artists and support the venues that make this all possible.

I posted about the ongoing thriving community for live music on the south coast, particularly in Southsea, where there is a small but strong community for live music and the arts.

Trash Arts were my focus of the post and the work they do promoting live artists, events and their work they complete in the realm of indie film and shorts.

Today's feature focuses on the continuation of Trash Arts and if you missed the original post, you can read it here.

Trash Arts are a collective of creative minds with the passion to explore the art of film making in all it's forms.

One of the projects they do is to create independent shows, I spoke of their latest project, which is currently streaming online and will continue to chat about today.

If you haven't yet heard of 'The Making Of' you should probably check out the websiodes via YouTube.

You can also see the trailer below.

The story follows the mishaps and tribulations experienced by an independent film crew embarking on creating a movie.

The episodes contain witty and certainly realistic writing, which allows the show to maintain it's interest. All too often shows lose their charm, but this isn't one that seems to fall into that sinkhole.

The characters really become their own throughout the performance creating a unique cast and building on the atmosphere of the show as the story continues.

For many of us in the arts, we understand the frustrations that the characters are facing, often between their own relationships and that of the working situation, The Making Of is a delightfully witty,somewhat melancholy wonderfully indie take on film making.

Performed by a talented group of artists based on the south coast.

In a time when supporting the work of independent artists has never been more important, I certainly recommend giving the episodes a watch.

Check out episode One here.

If you'd like to stream the show so you can watch it, you can do so here.

Show your support for the arts by giving the YT a subscribe, the Facebook a like & the Twitter a follow.

Make sure you check out the gigs and live music events supported by Trash Arts - from upcoming exciting gigs to festivals and all the arts imbetween.

I can't wait to start sharing the exciting gigs booked for some awesome new bands coming up over the summer & into winter.

The next section of this feature will feature more of the story, so tune back in Friday to get the lowdown!

Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

LBW // THE STATE OF PLAY

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Aloha, Ahoy,

Summer my old friend, you have finally arrived & just in time too.

The emerging music market is a wondrous place of creativity, of new sounds of new people, events and a place that a few years ago, I decided I would call home.

KG & The Band // 2014

I take my bands seriously, I am effectively giving them a part of me when I decide to join them on their music adventure.

I live very much by the ethos that you should always be kind.

When someone brings you negativity, you can either manifest that or you can take that opportunity to create something positive, because in life and particularly in music things are never certain.

The bands shared on LBW are my family and I feel protective of them.

I decided I would spend my time, my days sharing their music, promoting them and bringing them a space to connect with the industry & people from around the world.

For the handful of folk that make the market a difficult place to navigate, there are many who share that passion in promoting live music, in helping bands build their audience, who create wonderful events and festivals.

These are the people I invite to be part of the LBW community.

In the south east and the south coast there are many professional promoters, event organizers and bands who know the score and are proving that the emerging music scene is an incredible place to spend your time. That means that bands get great shows to play, that people get great gigs to go to and the emerging music scene lives on.

Check out these three incredible bands and their upcoming shows not to be missed!

C A P T A I N // T R I P S

August 3rd // Edge of the Wedge // Southsea

August 5th // Wickham Festival // Wickham

August 19th // The Hobbit // Southampton

August 25th // Edge of the Wedge // Southsea

& yesterday was bassist Lee's birthday, hope you had an excellent birthday dude.

K A M I K A Z E // T E S T // P I L OT S

August 20th // The Hobbit // Southampton

August 26th // Global Cafe // Reading

September 24th // The Dublin Castle // London

October 29th // The Loft // Southsea

November 18th // Drift // Portsmouth

November 25th // Global Cafe // Reading

T H E // B I T T T E R  T O W N // H O U N D S 

August 5th // Drift Bar // Portsmouth

More to be announced shortly!

Yesterday was also the birthday of another awesome person... my little brother, I hope you had an awesome day bobo and thank you for your constant music suggestions, introducing me to new viking, pirate, metal and damn awesome bands.

Here's some pirate metal just for you dude.

There will be many more awesome bands and features to come this week, so keep a weather eye on the horizon.

Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

STATE OF LOVE & TRUST

Aloha, Ahoy

At the start of July, I wrote a post titled 'Happy', I talked about finding the things that make you happy and then spending your time living and breathing it.

The planet feels like it's in a real state of disrepair at the moment, social media is a labyrinth of misery & negativity, people feel divided.

I believe in a world without borders, without judgement and in a community that respects the planet, that nurtures her, invests in her.

Earth is a beautiful planet, manifested by humanity among other lifeforms, the natural world exists in a state of harmony. A delicate balance that exists throughout the entire universe.

Life is like that, finding the formula to happiness and a good life, is something that we are all searching for. The truth is we all seek love, companionship, freedom & harmony.

Many people live afraid of not finding what it is that they seek, so they cling to the shelter of security, but I was never one to follow others. I was always a little outside of everyone in class, a curiosity to some, a hippy to others, never quite accepted or understood. A day dreamer, someone not associated with reality but that was okay, I liked dancing on the edge of the world, I liked to be a little different because it made me feel like I didn't need to become like everyone else in order to exist in their world, I knew one day I'd step outside of town and though I didn't realise it back then, would never return to live there.

I always feel like I exist on the edge of humanity. On the edge of my social circles, poised half toward the horizon because I know when the moment comes I'll wander west towards the ocean following the sun.

My compass doesn't point north, nor at the moment does it point in any specific direction. I'm half terrified and half excited by that. I long for all things that humans do, of course I do but I search for those things in a different manner, I'm not looking for someone or a place to call home, because in truth I feel as though I belong in all places, I find a little part of myself in the people I meet, the friends I keep.

I love to travel, I love to explore places, meet people with interesting stories, I like to find myself while leaving a little part of me in the places I have traveled. I find it hard to come home, I don't feel like home is one place.

I always felt as though my heart was leading me in directions away from societies perception of life. As a kid I longed to be outside, my favourite days were the lengthening days of spring spent wandering in the trees, being in the ocean, feeling like I was anywhere in the world but where I was.

I couldn't sleep while the sun was up and my folks would walk me round the garden or drive me round town until I would nod off. I have always found travel therapeutic. Being on trains, on ships, being on the road, the journey is often as good for me as the destination and adventure itself.

I like to be alone, I like to explore life my own way but I still love companionship, I too one day want  to share the adventures, to run wild with someone as wild as me, to feel that electrical spark you feel when you connect with someone, when you can just while away the time talking or listening to music.

To me life is for living, to me life is exploration, it's adventure, it's the harmony at being one with nature, with life in all aspects of living.

Don't search for love, for life, when you're completely comfortable in yourself can you be completely comfortable around someone else. You really do need to be enough on your own because if you're not, you'll never be enough. You will never find what you seek if you look for it. It will find you when you least expect it. Live and trust that you will while travelling on the road learn what it is you seek and find what it is that your heart desires.

My words to you,

Be kind always.

Believe in love even when your own heart aches.

Have faith in yourself and humanity. There is good left in the world.

Treat the planet with the same care you would treat those close to you with.

Adventure, don't be afraid to make new friends to take paths you haven't walked down before.

 Find what sets your heart on fire & let the passion burn brightly.

Be honest with yourself, with those around you & trust your instincts.

Believe in the magic that exists in this world, it is all around you.

Trust that when things are hard, that when nothing makes sense, that there will be someone there to support you, to hold you up when you cannot find the strength to stand. 

Be yourself, be everything you have ever dreamed of being.

The magic you seek is the life you will create.

Endless oceans, horizons & adventures.

We are all on the road of life.

So let's write a good story to tell.

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Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

LBW // SCENE SCOUT // READING

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Aloha, Ahoy

This weekend I've been back in Reading, England. I didn't know too much of Reading when I went for the first time a couple of months back. It turns out it's a pretty cool place with some absolutely awesome bands rolling out from it's confines.

I'm able to spend more time on the road these days and this means being able to add music scenes to the map & musicians to the music community.

There is nothing like hearing an awesome band for the first time, the rapture of losing yourself in a song that is totally new to the senses. I love sharing emerging music, supporting bands and finding great venues to go to gigs.

One band in particular led the way for Reading to be brought to life on LBW, I've featured their music on the blog and got to know the band, their cool guys and they've got more to bring you in 2016; but more on the band later. I'd like to thank Simon, Ryan and Wes from Kamikaze Test Pilots for showing me how awesome the music out of Reading can be as well as providing me with more musicians to check out too.

I've been able to spend a bit of time with some of these awesome bands and will be sharing the upcoming interviews and features throughout the week with you all, so do take time to check out these bands and their fabulous songs.

T H E // A M A Z O N S

T H E // T W I N // D R A C U L A 

K A M I K A Z E // T E S T // P I L O T S

H A I Z E 

LAUNCH // CONTROL

If you haven't been to Reading for live music before, then I'm telling you now, you should definitely check out the Purple Turtle and Sub 89.

There are some wicked gigs listed and with more being announced daily, there will be plenty of opportunity for you to check out both venues this summer.

Reading it would appear is a pretty cool place when it comes to emerging music.

Keep a weather eye on that horizon for more music & features from the finest of Readings music scene coming to LBW. Don't miss the best of Portsmouth coming this week on Scene Scout.

Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

LBW // ALL THE MUSIC OF THE PLAYLIST

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Aloha, Ahoy

I told you there were so many awesome bands to come tonight!

INTERNATIONAL ANTHEMS

I'm so incredibly lucky that I get to connect with so many wonderful artists who are really out there bringing tunes to the emerging music market.

I certainly recommend you checking out all of these bands tonight because they are truly among the best of the newest brightest bands on the scene.

FOR // A  // LIFE // UNBURDENED

Hailing from Canada, these guys are here to bring the metalcore right to you.

When I found this band I couldn't stop listening and I can't wait to bring you more features on these guys. Their Canadian metalcore is something to behold so treasure 'Who You Think I Am'.
The boys have just signed with Poison Bomb records so be sure to check out their social pages & keep up to date with all the awesome things the band are up to.

COLD // SUMMER

Cold Summer are a post hardcore / rock band from Leeds, England and these boys are turning the loud up a notch so check out their tune 'A Time Imagination Forgot To Inspire' and lose yourself in the music for a moment.

I've got exciting features and much more planned for these boys right here at LBW and I am so excited to share more with you later this month and over summer!

ALMEIDA

My favourite Brighton/Southampton, England boys stole my heart a long long time ago and I can't wait to bring you more on this awesome band with a crazy unique set of tunes. 'The Twisted Architect' is one of my favourite tunes of the year and you realy need to get to a live show.. which lucky for you I'll be sharing info for right here at LBW very soon.

LAUGHING // IN // THE // FACE // OF

Fast & Heavy Punk Rock from Birmingham, England and trust me when I say these boys do not mess around. Probably as close to home as I've got in recent times with awesome new bands, these boys bring back all the memories from the punk and skate gigs I went to as a teen. So check them out and show them your love!

LUNGS

A new band to LBW, fresh tunes for you, awesome vibes for everyone. Introducing feature to come on this wicked band very soon.

CAPTAIN // TRIPS

Boys boys boys - yes so good! From those early days of listening to rehearsals to your gigs I am so excited for the journey you're on and this is only the start of crazy cool things. Catch the boys at The Hobbit in Southampton and at Wickham Festival in August and do not miss another awesome set from the best band out of Portsmouth, England.

EAT // DEFEAT

Bringing skatepunk to the masses is totally something I can handle. This band have some rad shows coming up over summer and I'll be brining you the full lowdown tomorrow along with show information.

Pretty much all the love for this band right now, so do check them out stat!

THE // TWIN // DRACULA

Reading, England has some serious music talent. Everyone told me nah don't bother with Reading there's nothing there. Except it might be one of the best kept secrets in music with so much emerging talent I'm surprised the entire town isn't bursting. 

Catch up with The Twin Dracula and all the cool things they're up to right here at LBW because I'm excited to say I'll be meeting these top boys this weekend to bring you the lowdown.

KAMIKAZE // TEST // PILOTS

Another of Reading's awesome new bands breathing fresh air to the scene with gigs coming up across the south including awesome gigs at The Hobbit (everyone's favourite venue) and you can catch the boys at The Islington in London too, keep an eye out for this show!

Not to mention being played across regional radio and features on Gigsoup and blogs, the boys are being played on BBC Introducing Berkshire, Brighton radio this weekend and features coming all this weekend and next week too. Don't miss out on the exciting things these boys are up to because they're bringing all the rock to the scene.

 AGE // OF // ATLAS

Alt Rock four piece from the depths of Hull, England.

A new one to LBW but I'm pretty psyched to be bringing you the best of this bands tunes and sharing them across the scene. Look out for an Introducing feature coming your way right here at LBW.

I // DIVIDE

Okay so a little bit of a hiatus but the band are teasing us with tours and new tunes and they really aren't to be missed. I first met the boys at Butserfest where we talked all things music and life and their live show was mesmerising. I can't wait to share more updates on this cracking band very soon. Keep your eye on that horizon!

some of Idivide & I a very very very long time ago!

BALLERINA // BLACK 

Beautiful tunes emanating all the way from LA from Ballerina Black. I first hear this band a couple of years ago and featured them in the early days on LBW but their music journey is still going strong and it's a pleasure to feature their tunes once again. Keep an eye out for a full feature coming soon to LBW.

I think that should be just about enough new tunes to keep you going over the weekend! Pop back for more next week and look out for next month's international anthems playlist on Spotify.

I can't wait to bring you updates from all of these awesome bands, give them a follow, a like and turn up those tunes!

Keep a weather eye on the horizon.

 

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Love & Peace

 

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -

- L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -