Artist Of The Week - Anson Li

Anson Li

I first discovered Anson when he followed me on twitter, usually I am slightly skeptical about listening to random follows on twitter however I am very glad that I gave this one a chance. Anson is an American teen with a huge smile at all times and his influences are the likes of All Time Low and Mayday Parade however his original music has a fresh, pop vibe. He is another artist that 'wows' teenage girls all across Youtube with his covers of artists such as Maroon 5 and Allstar Weekend. Anson is not that well known yet but I love how he still connects with his fans on twitter and his passion for music means he is not going to give up until his songs are being listened to across the globe. My personal favourite song that he wrote himself is 'I Swear'. The track has a basic beat and the beginning reminds me of a slower 'I Like It Like That' by Hot Chelle Rae. I think sometimes less is more with a rhythm and if you're looking for a fun, easy-listening song this is perfect. Much to the annoyance of my family, I have been singing this song around the house all week as it got stuck in my head within minutes of listening to it on Youtube. Anson Li's own songs are available on itunes so check them out!

www.youtube.com/user/ansonofficial

Loveable Rogues at Dartford Festival

My Friend and I hanging with the Loveable Rogues
 fresh from their set at Dartford Festival.

Another weekend and another Saturday of bands, rain, fun and mud. This weekend I attended Dartford Festival in Dartford Central Park despite the fact the rain outside was making me wonder whether I should stay in and build an ark! Nevertheless, I was eager to see the band Loveable Rogues after watching them take the judges and Britain by storm on the show 'Britain's Got Talent'. The song that they wrote themselves and performed at their audition entitled 'Love Sick' seemed to be stuck in everyone's heads for many weeks after; with it’s really catchy chorus and funny verses such as 'I was crumbled like apple pie when you left my flat only wearing a goodbye'. The three boys from Chingford write their own music, usually with the chorus being sung and the verses rapped/spoken. Their music is all very quirky and their London accent makes them (dare I say it?) loveable. Although on BGT they only finished fourth, it is clear they have developed a huge fan base as when I arrived at the festival there were plenty of screaming, teenage girls all trying to catch a glimpse of the band. At around six o'clock, it was announced that the Loveable Rogues were about to take the stage and the crowd went nuts. The rain managed to hold off during their set which was very good as it meant our view was not obstructed by huge umbrellas. As well as singing Love Sick and the song they performed in the final of BGT, they also did an impressive cover of 'Posh Girls' by Scouting For Girls and 'A Team' by Ed Sheeran. After the show, I was fortunate to have passes to go backstage and so met Sonny Jay, Eddie Brett and Te Eugene Qhairo. They were all very funny guys, laughing and joking with the fans about their twitter and the need for an umbrella hat. Overall, the band put on a great show for Dartford and, hopefully with the help of Simon Cowell and his record label, will go on making their charming blend of acoustic rock and rap.

Luddstock Festival 2012 - Interview with Sam Gray

Sam Gray and I in the rain

With a list of questions, a huge umbrella and my best pair of wellies, I was ready for my night at a truly British festival in the rain in the garden of Reynold's farm. When I arrived the marquees were all set up and the stage looked extremely scenic with a forest backdrop and decorative lights scattered around the field. I was eager to meet Sam Gray, the singer/song writer whom I had nothing but praise for in my recent 'Artist of The Week' article and as I first introduced myself it was clear he was not just a talented singer, but also a very nice guy. The interview (as you can see above) went brilliantly, despite the loud background music from the blues band playing at the time. Off camera, Sam told me that he was worried people would not get up to dance during his set and as the clouds got darker and the wind picked up, the fear that people will stay in their marquee and not support him boiled up inside me too. Nevertheless, as Sam graced the stage singing his hits such as 'Senorita', 'All of My Life' and 'Brighter Day', people braved the rain to watch him sing. Sam also did a couple of covers which was great as everyone could sing along to well-loved tunes such as 'I Wish' by Stevie Wonder and 'Brown Eyed Girl' by Van Morrison. When the beloved 'any requests?' question was asked, my family could not help but request 'Superstition' by Stevie Wonder (my all-time favourite song). I thought that it would be really difficult to suddenly be able to play and sing a random song suggested by the audience, but I was pleasantly surprised when Sam and his band performed the song wonderfully. The audience were screaming 'more' every time Sam showed any sign of finishing, and I was so pleased that people were genuinely having a fantastic time listening to him. Also, the bass player for Sam was a true showman, rocking out with his instrument and smiling his head off during the whole set. Both the bass player and drummer were very impressive and never missed a beat, even with the surprise covers. Sam finished with his new single 'This Girl' which was a great way to end the set and definitely left the crowd wanting more. The rest of the night went 'swimmingly', the final band was a 'Ska' band who were great to dance to and the whole place was buzzing. It was a really good night for the excellent cause of Milestone School and a lot of money was raised, I am looking forward to next year's festival which is the 29th of June 2013!