Snug Platters - Label Launch

So Saturday night I was lucky enough to be one of the few, chosen to go to Manchester for the official launch of the new record label, Snug Platters, where they were to show off their first big artist, Steve, and her (yes her) EP Danger! High Failure Rate.
With music by the woman herself and support from Joseph Lofthouse, it really made for one hell of a night where live music was concerned. A friend of mine had seen the latter previously, but I hadn't heard any of his material. Needless to say, I walked into that room (with a fireplace halfway UP the wall) with a tabula rasa.

Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to take a picture at this stage, and the ones my friend took were only for snapchat, I'm so sorry. (So obviously this isn't mine)

At first I began to get some Paolo Nutini vibes from this guy (which is an absolute compliment, have you heard Nutini?) but as he began to progress into some more of his songs like 'Kerosene' (I went home and did my homework on him after), I went from Nutini, to Mumford vibes, to originality. This man is setting a new barrier for solo acoustic music, and also had a great connection to the crowd, interacting and throwing out a few bad snowman jokes.
This was to be the first of two nights, where he would play at the Eagle Inn, but sadly I couldn't go to the next gig because this Bad Blogger had to set off for Wales instead.

After a short interlude, consisting of the DJ'ing of Guy Garvey and Magic Alex (and this writer getting her fourth pint), the act of the night, Steve, finally came on, a vast contrast to the depth of Lofthouse and his songs about vanity and growing old, in comparison to her songs of independence.
To be honest, I'd actually seen her around earlier on and admired her curly purple locks from afar, but no one had told me that she was the one we were all there to see. I also ended up admiring the fact she wore comfortable looking shoes and ended up saying 'fuck' at least once in every song she played, the absolute ledge.

In my life, I have ever only seen someone play a guitar and have it on a loop, while playing another rhythm on that same guitar simultaneously, once before. And that was by a blues musician who had come to Liverpool Philharmonic from Australia, or at least I think it was Oz.
Anywho, this one definitely showed that whatever the men can do, women are just as capable, and did it herself. Not only did she have her guitar but she also had all of this technical electro-equipment, and a voice that could compete with Bjork and Natasha Khan.
Her music was absolutely entrancing, especially her single 'Emergency Art Rate'. And she was as real on stage, as she was outside having a smoke. Like Lofthouse before her, she interacted easily with the crowd, even convincing someone to get her a drink, a gift I'm sure a lot of people would kill for (including me).

All in all, this vinyl-only label is easily going to prove to be a success. I overheard a lot of people claiming that they would get a copy of her EP even though they didn't have a record player, and others saying that they would take someone elses player. If Jack White can try to revive vinyl in America, why can't it be done here on the other side of the Atlantic?
Either way it is nice to know that there are still musical superheroes out there, trying to defeat corporate evils, and save music and it's lifeblood.

I predict a success for Snug Platters, especially its main attraction Steve. Now the music industry doesn't just have B.O.B, but they also have Steve, and she's going to be putting people in their place, and kick some seriously musical arse.



For once, photos are actually mine, from my night in 'Bants-Chester', (well the last two anyway)

Eyebrow Fashion

Growing up for me, fashion wasn't something I was overall interested. I think that, looking back now, I always saw how subjective the concept of fashion really was.

The whole concept of 'dressing up' was wearing your best clothes that you rarely ever wore, and put on some make up, again rarely worn.

I don't know if its an age thing, a change in society, if I ignored it originally, or if its the fact that I am now living in another society, but make-up seems to be much more of a daily thing nowadays. And while I feel the need to inform people that they don't need it and that as long as they are happy with themselves its okay, I still enjoy wearing eyeliner everyday.

I think the biggest thing that had me noticing eyebrow fashion in today's society, was the fact I now live near Liverpool and have come face to face with the infamous 'scouse-brow'. When done correctly  this can actually look pretty cool, but if over done, it can lead to certain ridicule.

But one thing that everyone seems to be obsessed with nowadays, when tending to their make-up, is eyebrows.

Whether it is done using clear mascara, eyebrow pencil or eyeshadow, people seems to be hell bent on achieving the perfect brows to furrow in class, work, or in the middle of a good book on the train home.

Admittedly, when I was younger I used to cut the eyes out of old Avon catalogues, in the hopes of learning all the different ways to apply and blend eyeshadows, always looking for the perfect winged eyeliner on my top lids, but now it seems everyone wants the perfectly defined eyebrow.

Some tweeze, others wax, and sometimes you even get people who just shave them altogether and draw them on from scratch in a 1920's, silent cinema sort of way. Some even decide to just tattoo them on.

I don't hate this fashion, I admit that it is sometimes ridiculous the way that people go about it but if it makes someone feel good about themselves, then they shouldn't feel upset for doing something that makes them happy. I now find myself watching TV and observing the eyebrows of the actresses and try to take care of my own, but not really to the extent where I mascara them or draw on them, I tried the latter once and it just grew to be a chore I hated and didn't see any result in.

Whether you  want them as thin as Jean Harlow, or as thick as Frieda Kahlo, don't let your eyebrows dominate your life. Do whatever you want with them, just try to make them become time consuming, or really unrealistic. You don't want to forget their function to keep sweat and dirt from your eyes, or how they originally look, unlike some people.

Four eyebrows? Must beat a record of some sort.

Disclaimer: None of these pictures are mine, all credit belongs to the respected owners.