Podcasts about stratcast.co.uk

James Blackburn and Wayne Bartlett brought three hours of radio gold live from The Riverside Revelry in Barton. We've collected all the best bits for you to download and keep. Check back at www.stratcst.co.uk for more upcoming events for you to get involved in.

Coffee Shop Situation vs. Basement Services vs. The Death of Johnny Alpha After many weeks of local unsigned bands battling it out to be crowned the winner of Soundclash 2011, the final is finally here. We’ve had passion, performance and integrity and now the public have chosen the final three. Two indie acts and a metal rock, the music promised to be varied and colourful. First up was a very nervous Coffee Shop Situation who has been classed as the underdogs of this competition. Let’s face it; the other two bands have a bigger following so they would really need to pull out all of the stops. This band performed better than their previous sets, with more energy and charisma than we thought possible. This band genuinely wanted to win but they certainly had a great appreciation of the competition. With an excellent cover of the Kook’s ‘Naïve’, the enormous crowd were treated to a beautiful set. The crowd were singing along, and really soaking in the atmosphere. Crowd pleasers Basement Services were up next and they were to enjoy every moment of the set. This young band delivered every ounce of musical talent they possessed, and loved every minute of it. The band was quite nervous, but in awe of the support and opportunity to have a place in the final. The tempo was definitely quicker which gave the set a more raw edge. The crowd loved it, with cheers of support. This competition was going to be close, well if you were an indie fan, but we still had the epic delights of zombie loving Johnny Alpha. We were promised an epic performance, and they were not lying. Opening the act were performers from Koss and Doktors Rendezvous to allow the Death of Johnny Alpha walk on stage and deliver metal rock, as we know it. From outfit to music, this band had thought of it all. The adrenaline from the guys oozed into the audience, with wannabe zombies dancing with the dead. One of the most energetic sets to be performed on Soundclash, these guys was always going to be finalists. However, it’s not up to us to choose the winners, it was down to the overpopulated audience to make that choice. Would we have an indie or metal winner? Will this really be the end of Soundclash? What will we do on Wednesdays from now on? As always, check out the podcast to find out and have a quick recap of the night. If you really miss it, you can always catch up and watch the whole show back again on Stratcast to your heart’s content. From full sets to all the interviews, you really are in for a treat. This is sadly the end so far, and we would like to thank everyone involved. All the staff at Cox’s yard, all the bands that have performed and have become good friends, all the technical crew who have helped out in the background, all the college staff with their support and dedication, and also to you at home that without, this venture would never have been possible. Whatever happens with Cox’s Yard…let’s keep music rocking.

Well the selected bands are back to fight it out for that divine title of Soundclash Winners 2011. Yes, the semi-finals are here which means more music, more sweat, and more ridiculous interviews from Stratcast. Round one saw Beyond Dreams of Grandeur facing the wrath of zombie wannabes Death of Johnny Alpha. Both bands have previously been very successful and popular, so this was not an easy ride for either band. They would need a cunning plan to ensure a place in the final. Beyond Dreams of Grandeur were first up, and ready to kick zombie ass. There was no faulting their set, with excellent choice of tracks, brilliant vocals and instrumentals that would rock any rocker’s world. This band have shown a real passion for live events, and it was clear to see, well hear, that this has been a new focus of theirs. It is a strategy that seems to be working because this was pure live rock that deserved a place in the semi-final, and excellent practice if they were to make it to the final. The only criticism that could be said about the band was that their stage presence was not as inspiring as their music, but surely that really isn’t something to worry about… Well apparently it might be. Zombie obsessed Death of Johnny Alpha followed with what can only be described as the best entrance to a set that has ever been seen at any live event. Johnny Alpha has obviously been researching, because zombies are walking the earth, and they’re dressed to impress. And impress they did, with a rocking set that would have woken the dead in a ten mile radius plus their well thought out stage act, Johnny Alpha had certainly done their homework. However, would the crowd buy into a zombie stage gimmick? Both bands were impressive music wise, but is it a case of dreams coming true, or nightmares wearing red shirts for the final vote outcome. To find out the first band to secure a place in the allegedly last ever final, check out the podcast that also features exclusive band interviews and banter. With only two more rounds before the final, music is going to get bigger and better at Stratcast. More news on the end of Soundclash will be featured in upcoming shows, let us know your thoughts on the possible end of an unsigned music era.

After last week’s lacklustre phenomenon, all was put right with the music tonight. The curse felt like being nice and rewarded us with an extra band; Dirty Voice joined Coffee Shop Situation and Hurtseason for the last set of round one. Indie band Coffee Shop Situation had the honours of getting the crowd in the mood for a night of what can only be described as music debauchery. These four young lads had it all, unfortunately that included a broken string for the bass guitar. However, the crowd were very forgiving tonight, and embraced the variety of catchy tunes that these guys had to offer. What they lacked in stage presence was made up for with their extremely noteworthy talent. The drumming was even commended by compere Andi, a rare occurrence indeed. Hurtseason was a change in style, as we veered towards the metal style attitude of the night. This band had everything, from raw vocals to a tremendous use of instruments. These guys were the hardcore metal version of Coffee Shop Situation, with total respect from the crowd who could recognise that this was metal talent at its best. We have definitely been spoilt for choice for a variety of talent tonight. Last up was last minute addition Dirty Voice. Not as heavy as Hurtseason, but not as light as Coffee Shop Situation. Again a lot of passion was put into their performance with pleasing results. A suitable stage presence blended with some courageous tracks, this was a last minute band with no intentions of being last minute. With an accolade of talent available, it really was going to be a close call for the eventual winners. Check the podcast to find out who did win, along with exclusive interviews with the bands. We’ll be back with the night’s winner, joining: The Death of Johnny Alpha, Deflection Theory, Beyond Dreams of Grandeur, Upon Collide, Basement Services, The Doktors Rendezvous, and Wave Goodbye Sunset. Ladies and gentlemen, round two promises to be a very close call throughout!

Strange things are happening at Soundclash 2011, with the curse back in full swing. Down to two bands, yet again, and one of those were not even advertised as playing. It did not matter though, cheeky compere Andi was back with his witty banter, and firelighters at the ready…this man should really be presenting, but maybe not the family shows. The night was going to be interesting though, as it really was a clash of sounds – indie versus metal. We had last year’s semi-finalists Wave Goodbye Sunset against Shrike, who were performing their first ever gig together. Would it be a case of the band that brought the most fans (due to the controversial voting system) would win, or would it be down to the actual music? WGS were first up with a very laid back set. This popular band have had a lot of experience at gigs, and so why wouldn’t they be relaxed on stage. However, it may have been a case of too laid back. Now don’t get me wrong, these guys are good but there did not seem to be any energy or vibes being passed on to the audience. It felt like they were the warm up act for the event. Now WGS have many gigs lined up, including another set at Cox’s Yard, so maybe they were taking it in their stride. Perhaps it was just a case of prestige of being semi-finalists that will see them through. Great lads, great music but tonight their stage presence had to be questioned for its greatness. Only votes would tell if they had done enough. Second up were metal band Shrike. A last minute replacement, and their very first gig, no one really knew what to expect. From their opening song, it felt like they were pros and had been doing it for years, and not just a couple of months. This was pure metal and not for the faint-hearted. The lyrics, the sound, the tattoos all symbolised what metal stands for, and these guys had it all. The audience loved it. You could see the passion and energy in the souls of their eyes…if these guys had a soul that is. The group did a great interview, and you could see they wanted to do well. Apparently they were nervous before going on stage, bless their cotton socks. However, it’s votes that win prizes, so would it be experience triumphing or performance snatching that prize money and a place in the next round? Check out the podcast to find out, and remember, you can tune in live for all the banter, interviews and sets only on Stratcast.

Week 4 of Soundclash2011, and the curse seems to be at bay because for the first time in this competition, all of the bands turned up. With sets from OK Roy, Elise, and Upon Collide, the ever- increasing crowd were in for a musical treat. Mellowing down from last week’s manic metal manifestation, we were offered a more idyllic indie taste. First up was OK Roy, with a shorter than anticipated set. With the lead singer having a distinctive monotony with his singing, it was almost comparable to Placebo but without the hedonism. The band definitely does not like to be taken seriously, even though it is clear that they do take it seriously. They like to perform at gigs, and Cox’s Yard was no exception. Cheeky tune “Shooting My Load” was a definite crowd-pleaser with its adolescent lyrics that you would not want your parents hearing. Unfortunately, the competition may be too strong for this band, and with a lack of followers in the crowd their chances look slim. They were more campfire than forest fire, but hey, we all like to camp every now and then. Elise was second to perform and energy was definitely flowing through the band members. With a more indie-rock approach, the songs were fast-paced with particular acknowledgment to the drummer, and our first female vocalist in the competition so far. This band wanted to win, and the passion was visible. The crowd were pleased, the band were pleased, even we were pleased with their performance. The band covered Katy B’s “Katy On A Mission” which was by far their best performance, and even being applauded by fellow competitors Upon Collide. With loyal followers, the votes were bound to be close, and Upon Collide would need an excellent set to win. So this was there chance to play the set of their life if they wanted a chance to grab that prize money. With a relaxed stage presence complete with witty banter, they already had the audience in the palms of their hands. They were the epitome of indie, and the crowd loved it. Everyone joined in with either clapping or singing along to the awesome songs being performed. A couple of tracks were slower than maybe fully appreciated, but they soon got into the flow of things and offered a cover of Killers “Mr. Brightside” that had complete audience participation. Even technical guru Sam was seen to be toe tapping. Did they do enough to secure that coveted first place? Well with screams of encore, that has never been witnessed so far, and other bands’ groupies dancing along to them, they certainly had a very good chance. Respect to stand-in compere with the results, as he teased the audience with the actual winners. I’m a gambling man, but even I could not predict a winner for tonight. So to find out who won, check out the latest podcast to see if the crowd preferred campfire, rock or collisions.

An introduction to Stratcast Films with Wayne Bartlett, and a teaser of what's to come. www.stratcast.co.uk