Posted on in GOTB

11 Great Things From 2014: Where Are They Now?

Each year we all read hundreds of end-of-year lists, but how well do they hold up in retrospect? Five years ago, we published 11 Great Things From 2014: Much has changed in the latter half of the decade – including the death of excellent steaming service Rdio – so what became of our choices? 

Note: This article is completely spoiler-free.

Albums

Elbow – The Take Off and Landing of Everything

2014: “A hark back to the Elbow of old…wonderfully understated but intensively emotive”

After the unexpected commercial success of ‘The Seldom Seen Kid’, and more disjointed and morbid follow-up ‘Build A Rocket Boys!’, Elbow returned with their most complete album in years.

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Posted on in Radio

Podcasts

In the five years since I last published the article Podcasts To Which I Listen, the medium has gone from mostly being a home to niche shows by geeks and comedians, to everybody and their dog – quite literally – making podcasts. So what have I been listening to in 2019? 

The Main List

The Frank Skinner Show

Now in its tenth year, Frank Skinner’s flagship Absolute Radio show is still going strong, thanks in no small part to the perfectly edited podcast.

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Posted on in Live

2000 Trees Festival 2019 Review

Started by six friends in 2007 as an “antidote to the massive mainstream festivals” – and boy at that time did we need it – 2000 Trees has grown to become one of the best medium-sized festivals in the country, now capped at a 10,000 capacity. While the musical line-up is broadly based around the founders’ love of alternative rock, in truth it’s far more eclectic, especially the many smaller stages dotted around Upcote Farm, with everything from hardcore screamo to acoustic sessions in a fairy-light lit forest.

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Posted on in Features

2000 Trees Festival Guide & Tips

So it was our first visit to 2000 Trees festival this year, and one we’d throughly recommend. That said, being a small festival that’s grown very quickly, it does have its quirks – mostly good, but some which could be improved. Here’s some top tips for first-timers at Upcote Farm…

Website

Let’s start with the most obvious. The official 2000 Trees site isn’t great, and often contains out-of-date information, hence why this article exists. Indeed the info pages for this year’s festival still contain all the details for 2018.

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Posted on in Live

Washed Out Festival 2019 Review

Now in its third year, local Brighton promoter Patrick McNaught’s Washed Out Festival continues to go from strength to strength. Even with Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar no more, there’s no stopping the show as new venues Latest Music Bar and Patterns are added to the roster. Due to weather and other commitments, it’s a slightly truncated visit for us this year – missing all the warm-up fun on Friday night – but nevertheless the usual one of discovery into the DIY punk scene.

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