[LISTEN] Lisbon - Shark

I've been off for the past 7 days so this isn't exactly 'brand spanking new' but it was first revealed late last week, and after listening to it as a 'fan' for the past week I am gob-smacked as to how good their latest effort it. The Newcastle four-piece have sold out shows up and down the UK, and with this new song in tow I can see them selling out even bigger venues.

I do feel that this track has a lot of bite to it, and with puns aside I can see this propel them into the next chapter, watch out 2017!

[LISTEN] Lisbon - Vice

Lisbon today have revealed their stunning track, "Vice". It's a great example of upbeat Indie-Pop, a proper bouncy gem that'll certainly give you a kick and will make you boogie. The Newcastle band have just come off a huge UK-wide tour and are now looking forward to releasing more music, and this is a great start!

Head on down to check it out.

[GIG REVIEW] Lisbon w/ King No-One, Victors & Indigo Velvet @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, Saturday 6th February 2016

Either i'm going mad or the Brudenell Social Club has venue has moved. Yet nobody i spoke too seemed to confirm this for me. Anyway despite my uncomfortable feeling that i was possibly at the wrong venue, i instantly heard the reassuring sounds of Indigo Velvet coming from the room behind the bar.

Their sound caught my ears instantly and even made me skip getting an early Guinness in for fear of missing another second of their set stood in a queue at the bar. A couple of people had said these lads were good (shout out to the Lisbon street team @LisbonFC) and for me they didn't disappoint. Technically great, young and enthusiastic, I thought they carried themselves really well. Keep it going boys!

Want to check them out, below socials:

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Victors were next on the bill and they for me personally didn't hit home as much. I can't slate them because they actually played a great little set, there was just that spark missing for some reason that even a couple days after the event i can't quite put my finger on. Maybe the tunes that had the familiar 'ooo's and ahh' sing along sections just made my brain switch off.

That said I genuinely loved the bassist! From the moment go he was just exuberant about being on stage. 1UP on everyone else's efforts.

Interested? Head on over too:

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What can I say about King No-One that I haven't already. For anyone who has read my previous posts about them will know i love this band so this is going to read pretty samey.

The lads know how to deliver their tunes now with almost surgical precision and I always enjoy a good mic stand twizzle!

The guys played their newest tunes "Stay Close" and "Say My Name" which went down rather well with a Leeds crowd who no doubt will now try pop along to the single launch in the same city. Headrow House / 17/3/16.

Jump on board if you haven't already:

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Headline Act - LISBON certainly showed their prowess in terms of headlining an evening of good music by treating the crowd to some sensual, almost seedy at time, proper good indie tunes. The lads know how to get the crowd involved whilst still singing about subjects to make you think.

New tune 'Vice' has a vibe that means your hips move even if you don't want them too! A natural progression from a tune like 'Good 2 Me'. You cannot stop this, nor should you want too. 'Khaleesi' and 'Blue Love' and had the crowd continuing to move and get involved.

In turns out the lads are really really nice guys from speaking to them afterwards and i hadn't realised that I am apparently a doppelganger for Matt Varty (Lead Singer)... see this link: PICTURE

@lisbonjoe was superb at the merch stand appreciating the fact i'd traveled a fair distance, told me to have a safe journey home and chucked a t-shirt at me! On stage he was a class act aswell, as were the rest of the lads.

Would recommend catching them at some point in the near future if you can. Apologies for the poor pictures btw, i'm no cameraman unfortunately so i let the iphone do it's best. Must try harder in that respect but when the bands had my attention all night i always forget to take good piccys.

Hit LISBON up here:

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Jase Hare

From Alt-J to Azealia Banks: Who Stole The Show at NOS Alive

It was The Prodigy’s Maxim shouting “All my fucking people here in Lisbon, all my Prodigy people” which created a swirl of euphoria amongst the NOS Alive crowd on Friday night. The day two headliners provided the highlight of the weekend and took years off their 25 year spanning career with tracks such as ‘Omen’, ‘Firestarter’ and ‘Smack My Bitch Up’.

MC Maxim paraded the stage, screaming and flicking his tongue at a bouncing crowd as the band played seven tracks from their new album, ‘The Day Is My Enemy’. It was the 21 year-old ‘Voodoo People’ though that sent the audience into hysteria as drummer Liam Howlett thrashed the drums with revived lunacy.

Muse close the first night of NOS Alive, streamers 'n' all.

Before them, Mumford and Sons had taken to the stage, opening up with their sinister new Ben Howard-esque track ‘Snake Eyes’. The band, who ditched the waistcoats for a much smarter, all black look, opted for electric guitars over banjos in light of their stadium-filling new album ‘Wilder Mind’. There was room though for the likes of ‘The Cave’, ‘Roll Away Your Stone’ and a thrashing ‘Dust Bowl Dance’ from debut album ‘Sigh No More’. 

Keyboard player Ben Lovett explained their “fond memories” of the festival before singer Marcus Mumford took to the drums for a symbol crashing version of ‘Lover Of The Light’. The intensity ebbed and flowed throughout the set, ending with singalong favourite ‘Little Lion Man’ and latest pop-rock infused track ‘The Wolf’.

The day before, the festival opened on the Palco NOS Stage with The Wombats and James Bay, who was greeted by a sea of white hats and a sign reading “James please give me your hat”. He toyed with the crowd, getting them to sing back to him before ending on a energetic performance of ‘Hold Back The River’. 

Alt-J light up the stage with one of the standout sets of the weekend.

 Later on the Thursday night, Alt-J gathered one of the biggest crowds of the weekend as they fused old tracks with new songs such as ‘Hunger of the Pine’ ‘Every Other Freckle’ and ‘Left Hand Free’ from second album ‘This Is All Yours’. Earlier track, ‘Something Good’ presented an epileptic onslaught of scribbles on screen and ‘Fitzpleasure’ brought about a clattering of lights. The band sounded as crisp live as they do on record from Joe Newman’s twisting vocals in ‘Matilda’ to the deflated bag pipe, bhangra fluttering ‘Taro’. 

Muse followed the band over ten years their junior to headline the first night following the recent release of seventh studio album ‘Drones’. The trio played an EDM inspired ‘Dead Inside’ and ‘Mercy’ from the new album but also delved into older tracks such as ‘Plug In Baby’, ‘Time Is Running Out’, finishing on ‘Knights of Cydonia’ with singer Matt Bellamy parading around the stage, draped in a Portuguese flag whilst big bouncing balls and streamers adorned the crowd. 

Scottish trio, Young Fathers give an intense show.

The same day also boasted sets from the entrancing Young Fathers and party starters Metronomy

on the Palco Heineken Stage. The electro-pop Londoners filled the over-capacitated tent with their up-beat catalogue, featuring the glitchy ‘Reservoir’, ‘I’m Aquarius’ and ‘Love Letters’ from the same titled 2014 album. Singer Joe Mount was on top form hopping between synth and bongo drums whilst sporting an even thicker, yes thicker, bundle of hair.

Unlike most British festivals, Saturday was the final day for the Portuguese faithful, who were treated to Sam Smith on the main stage. The ever-rising popstar showed off his vocals and got the crowd singing along to ‘I’m Not The Only One’ before dedicating his back to back covers of ‘Tears Dry on Their Own’ and ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ to Amy Winehouse. Smith explained how his next song was about someone he had been in the studio with who was “making music for money”, before launching into ‘Money On My Mind’. The singer also did his own slowed down version of ‘Latch’ which he worked on with Disclosure.

19 year-old Raury performs one of the rawest sets of the weekend.

Elsewhere, whilst Azealia Banks was getting rowdy on the Heineken Stage American singer and voice of the people, Raury took to the tiny Raw Coreto Stage to a crowd of dedicated fans who knew all the words to his hit ‘God’s Whisper’. In a few years he could well be playing the main stage, which is where people flocked for a last gasp of Disclosure before the end of the festival. The Lawrence brothers provided a mammoth lights and visuals show whilst showcasing new material from upcoming second album, ‘Caracal’. Infamous for their guests vocalists, the pair were joined by Kwabs for new track ‘Willing and Able’ but no Sam Smith was to be present for their ending song, ‘Latch’.

Musically NOS Alive had it all, and that’s not to mention the ability to remain dry and provide reasonably priced food and drink. It was a weekend of returning heroes and new beloved idols. Here’s our favourite quotes from some of them:

The Wombats

“The next song’s called ‘The English Summer’ which is pretty much the same as a Portuguese summer but with no sun.”

Mumford and Sons

“The only two words I know in Portuguese are Cristiano Ronaldo.”

The Prodigy

“This one’s yours, it’s even for the fucking security.”

By Josh Shreeve

Disclosure Reveal Stunning New Set at NOS Alive

Howard and Guy Lawrence are constantly on the move. Just last month they hosted their new festival ‘Wild Life’ following the announcement of their second album, ‘Caracal’. On Saturday they were at Lisbon’s NOS Alive festival to show off their new set to fans abroad.

The brothers from Surrey headlined the final night of the Portuguese festival with a set that included tracks from their debut album such as, ‘White Noise’, ‘F for You’ and ‘When A Fire Starts To Burn’.

The new album, ‘Caracal’, named after the wild cat is just as stunning on stage as the name suggests and gives the duo a chance to reinvent their live show. Soul singer Kwabs was the only guest to be welcomed onstage for upcoming new track ‘Willing and Able’ whilst pre-recorded vocals from Nao were used in super sleek and sexy track ‘Super Ego’.

Another new track, ‘Hourglass’, featured vocals from rising star Lion Babe, which boasted a mix of modern dance and old school house reminiscent of Artful Dodger’s ‘Movin’ Too Fast’. The set alights though with the pair’s own vocals in ‘Jaded’ as contouring lasers bathe over the stage.

Visually, it’s a striking performance, and their latest track ‘Holding On’ is big enough to fill arenas as is the fifteen-foot, outlined caracal which struts along the screens behind them. Elsewhere, old and new floor fillers, ‘Grab Her!’ and ‘Bang That’, keep the crowd moving till the early hours of the morning. 

The pair finish the set with a swaying encore of ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ but fail to lure Sam Smith, who performed just two hours before, onto stage for their finale of ‘Latch’ but perhaps it’s for the best. Disclosure are onto their new batch of vocal talents whilst still providing their infectious blend of house and dance.

By Josh Shreeve

[EP REVIEW] Lisbon - Life Is Good

Whitley Bay four-piece Lisbon have their brand new EP "Life Is Good" all ready for ya, and we've managed to get our ears around it before you - to bring you this review. The band have been riding a wave of positive reviews for their live shows and their recorded tracks too, with a big following across their social media sites they're certainly on the up!

This EP just proves it, the opening song "I Don't Know" sounds like it's been lifted from the late 00's, but with added energy and urgent vocals, the latter half of the track has a driving bassline that makes you want to revisit the song over and over again. "NatÏve" is a straight up Indie-Pop classic resembling The 1975's work, not to say that it's a rip off track but this sound is definitely in at the moment, loads of artists are revisiting music from the 1980's and early 90's and here they've stumbled upon something great, this is one for the festivals!

The second half of the EP features "Khaleesi" - which took me a good few listens to really appreciate it fully. It's a cut that wouldn't sound out of place at a Imagine Dragons set, with uplifting vocals and a powerful chorus this EP sounds like it's got everything Indie music fans are after in 2015! The band do sound like they're onto a winner here, and 2016's going to be a big year for them. But before we end the review there's one more song to go. "Good 2 Me", it's a track that the band have experimented a bit with by the sounds of it, with distorted vocals in the into and a Daft Punk-esque vibe to the verses. If you could imagine the perfect 4 tracks to soundtrack an escape to an island to, it'll be these four!

Lisbon are living up to their name here, their music is certainly summery and laden with great hooks. The EP is very strong and even comes with a remix pegged onto the end of it by J Tropic. These guys are a really hard working band and have easily converted me into a fan!

Lisbon - Life Is Good EP

Out of 10: 9/10

Lisbon reveal video for "I Don't Know"

Lisbon have today revealed their video is for their brand new single "I Don't Know" which was produced by the brilliant Gil Norton at Rockfield Studios (Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Maxïmo Park).

The single is out now and you can check out the messy video just below!

Listen / [SOUNDCLOUD]
Watch / [YOUTUBE]

Lisbon unveil new single "I Don't Know"

Today we bring to you Lisbon's new track "I Don't Know" as premièred by Huw Stephens on Radio 1 last week. The track was produced by Gil Norton and the guys are going to be playing a fews shows with Little Comets next month.

Scroll on down to listen to the track. 

Lisbon Live Dates in March 2015
12 - KOKO - London (w/ Little Comets)
13 - Academy - Manchester (w/ Little Comets)
14 - Academy - Newcastle (w/ Little Comets)
29 - Oporto - Leeds (w/ High Tyde)

Listen / [SOUNDCLOUD]