Unfortunate to me and everyone else outside of Europe, but the new Glasvegas singe "The World Is Yours" is available for free download today only for those in Europe. So for the moment get your stream on and listen to the track below. The new album is entitled EUPHORIC /// HEARTBREAK \\\ and according to NME is set for release this spring:
Or listen to the track below via SoundCloud:
For smart phone users - go to Soundcloud directly to stream the track which, at least for me, is compatible with my iPhone.
The band's only headlining date around these parts was in April 2009 for a foundation-shaking performance at The Mod Club - I think they also opened for Kings of Leon after that - and it's been far too long since I've seen them.
Showing posts with label Glasvegas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glasvegas. Show all posts
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Monday, April 06, 2009
Glasvegas, Von Iva @ The Mod Club (April 3, 2009)
concert review: Glasvegas, Von Iva @ The Mod Club (Toronto, Ontario) - April 3, 2009
Over the last few month's Glasgow, Scotland's Glasvegas have been working the promo route, having gone to SXSW, played Letterman and Craig Ferguson, and touring intensively. They finally made it to Toronto for a show at The Mod Club last Friday night. When tickets went onsale, they sold out almost immediately, a good indication that more than a few people were aware of this wonderful band. Melding the sound of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Phil Spector and 60's pop, Glasvegas create a wonderful melodic racket.
Taking the place of Norweigan indie artist Ida Maria who'd originally been scheduled to open was San Francisco trio Von Iva. Working their electro-soul rock from a basis of drums, keyboards and vocals they do bear a bit of resemblance to The Gossip, although stylistically, both visually and musically, they trade in The Gossip's dance-punk angle and play it with a glammier sheen. Even though they're from San Francisco, they sound L.A. / Hollywood to me, if that makes any sense. Perhaps it's not surprising that they've already appeared in a film, the recent "Yes Man" where they played 'Munchausen by Proxy', the band backing Zooey Deschanel's character in the film. Von Iva vocalist Jillian Iva definitely has some vocal chops and she played to the crowd, at one point jumping down from the stage to get all up in the audience's faces. A bit cliched perhaps, and maybe she wasn't aware how stoic Toronto audiences could be, but you can't blame her for trying. Ok, maybe you can.
To put it succintly, Glasvegas' Toronto debut last Friday at The Mod Club was triumphant. With the rain having come down steadily all day, letting up slightly as the day ushered in the night, Glasvegas just seemed like the perfect soundtrack. Their rockabilly greaser fashions, in particular bassist Paul Donoghue wearing a Clash t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his shoudlers, and vocalist James Allan looking a lot like Joe Strummer, evoked a certain rock n' roll spirit that did carry over into their music. From the opening notes of their 'hit' song "Geraldine" it was pure bliss. Anchoring their melancholy melodies, it was an arsenal of guitar pedals which they used to augment their guitars(Rab Allan) and bass, while the primitive drum rhythms(played competently enough by Caroline McKay) kept things at pace. Guitarist Rab Allan frequently faced into his guitar amp while playing for a desired noisy effect. The lighting, hues of red and blue, and strobe lights which bordered epileptic levels seemed to mirror the frequent audio chaos. However, things did grow calmer when James Allan performed solo, shedding his black leather jacket to reveal a droopy black sleeveless shirt underneath. Whether the music was loud or softer, the crowd (one of the most enthusiastic I've ever seen recently) was along for the ride every step of the way, clapping hands and singing along with enthusiasm. Glasvegas displayed an anthemic streak that I could definitely see them playing larger venues. Even in a venue as intimate as The Mod Club, at the end of the show James proceeded to play up to the audience applause and cheers, and as if he were looking out at a stadium-sized sea of people, he proceeded to point to every part of the venue including the balcony as if he were thanking us one by one for giving them the best show of their life.
Photos: Glasvegas, Von Iva @ The Mod Club (April 3, 2009)
Chromewaves, The Toronto Sun and eye all have glowing reviews of the show.
MySpace: Von Iva
MySpace: Glasvegas
Fan Site: Glasvegas
Over the last few month's Glasgow, Scotland's Glasvegas have been working the promo route, having gone to SXSW, played Letterman and Craig Ferguson, and touring intensively. They finally made it to Toronto for a show at The Mod Club last Friday night. When tickets went onsale, they sold out almost immediately, a good indication that more than a few people were aware of this wonderful band. Melding the sound of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Phil Spector and 60's pop, Glasvegas create a wonderful melodic racket.
Taking the place of Norweigan indie artist Ida Maria who'd originally been scheduled to open was San Francisco trio Von Iva. Working their electro-soul rock from a basis of drums, keyboards and vocals they do bear a bit of resemblance to The Gossip, although stylistically, both visually and musically, they trade in The Gossip's dance-punk angle and play it with a glammier sheen. Even though they're from San Francisco, they sound L.A. / Hollywood to me, if that makes any sense. Perhaps it's not surprising that they've already appeared in a film, the recent "Yes Man" where they played 'Munchausen by Proxy', the band backing Zooey Deschanel's character in the film. Von Iva vocalist Jillian Iva definitely has some vocal chops and she played to the crowd, at one point jumping down from the stage to get all up in the audience's faces. A bit cliched perhaps, and maybe she wasn't aware how stoic Toronto audiences could be, but you can't blame her for trying. Ok, maybe you can.
To put it succintly, Glasvegas' Toronto debut last Friday at The Mod Club was triumphant. With the rain having come down steadily all day, letting up slightly as the day ushered in the night, Glasvegas just seemed like the perfect soundtrack. Their rockabilly greaser fashions, in particular bassist Paul Donoghue wearing a Clash t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his shoudlers, and vocalist James Allan looking a lot like Joe Strummer, evoked a certain rock n' roll spirit that did carry over into their music. From the opening notes of their 'hit' song "Geraldine" it was pure bliss. Anchoring their melancholy melodies, it was an arsenal of guitar pedals which they used to augment their guitars(Rab Allan) and bass, while the primitive drum rhythms(played competently enough by Caroline McKay) kept things at pace. Guitarist Rab Allan frequently faced into his guitar amp while playing for a desired noisy effect. The lighting, hues of red and blue, and strobe lights which bordered epileptic levels seemed to mirror the frequent audio chaos. However, things did grow calmer when James Allan performed solo, shedding his black leather jacket to reveal a droopy black sleeveless shirt underneath. Whether the music was loud or softer, the crowd (one of the most enthusiastic I've ever seen recently) was along for the ride every step of the way, clapping hands and singing along with enthusiasm. Glasvegas displayed an anthemic streak that I could definitely see them playing larger venues. Even in a venue as intimate as The Mod Club, at the end of the show James proceeded to play up to the audience applause and cheers, and as if he were looking out at a stadium-sized sea of people, he proceeded to point to every part of the venue including the balcony as if he were thanking us one by one for giving them the best show of their life.
Photos: Glasvegas, Von Iva @ The Mod Club (April 3, 2009)
Chromewaves, The Toronto Sun and eye all have glowing reviews of the show.
MySpace: Von Iva
MySpace: Glasvegas
Fan Site: Glasvegas
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Glasvegas
Scottish quartet Glasvegas just released their debut self-titled full-length this past week domestically but I've been listening to a promo for the last month now. Even before I'd read things like Creation Records / PopTones head Alan McGee, heralding them "The most exciting thing I've heard since Jesus and Mary Chain" or the BBC saying that the band "...draw on rockabilly and pop from the 1950s and '60s, using a backdrop of brooding guitars to create their own wall of sound, a bit like the Jesus and Mary Chain playing the 'Grease' soundtrack", my initial impressions that the band dabbled in a 60's-ish pop sound combined with JAMC's wall-of-sound were already quite evident. Although, perhaps early JAMC's wall-of-sound aesthetics sounded a bit like they were filtered through a tin can, Glasvegas go for broke with a much clearer production, and glorious waves of guitar, bass and drums combined with vocalist James Allan's attractive emotive Scottish drawl leading things along more than competently. Glasvegas sound big, fit for stadiums or big halls, much in the same way that Oasis approaches their influences with a large robust sound. Lyrically, there's a few missteps, but I find myself better able to handle them the more I listen to the album. I'm looking forward to seeing them when they come to Toronto for a just-announced show at The Mod Club on April 3, tickets onsale January 10. They performed on Late Show With David Letterman a few nights ago and will perform on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on January 15. [photo courtesy of William Morris Agency]MySpace: Glasvegas
Video: Glasvegas - "Geraldine" (live on Late Show with David Letterman)
Brooklyn Vegan informs that Femi Kuti has cancelled all upcoming tour dates in February (including a Toronto date at The Opera House that had been scheduled for January 15) due to illness.
Canoe indicates that Tokyo Police Club have a date at Metro Toronto Convention Centre on April 4. The venue site indicates that the event taking place that day is a Teen Consumer show. Anyone know what that's about.
NME reports that The Watson Twins are kicking off a North American tour on February 16 to support the release of their newest album "Fire Songs". The tour stops in Toronto for a show at The Mod Club on February 22.
Attack In Black post at their Myspace that they along with Baby Eagle and Shotgun Jimmie have started a new record label which will be releasing Shotgun Jimmie's new album "Still Jimmie" on March 10. A MySpace post over at Shotgun Jimmie's page says that the new record label imprint is called "You've Changed". Over at CBC Radio 3, they report that Attack In Black and Baby Eagle will be doing a split LP (perhaps being released on their new label I guess?). Attack In Black will be covering Baby Eagle's "Some Things We Lose".
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