White Light Parade and The Switches

White Light Parade in action at Warwick Student Union


As well as seeing The Ripps at Warwick Student Union this week, I got to see White Light Parade who were also supporting The Switches. It was the first time I had seen both groups, and I wasn't disappointed. White Light Parade are lads that look hard on stage, with a female drummer who looks equally determined to get the beats out there. It was a pity the crowd at Warwick Student Union were quite subdued, maybe it's because it is exam season, but you could almost feel the frustration as Danny Yates belted out lead vocals. As I listened to the very infectious "Wait For The Weekend", it could have been Oasis stood there on stage singing it.

Danny gets ready for the weekend!

Jono the spaced man!

Jono Yates is rhythm guitar and backing vocal in White Light Parade, and I found myself watching his face - not in THAT way, it was just he looked so "high" - on alcohol of course! Afterwards he stole my glasses and popped them on for a fun photo, proving that WLP are also fun.

Jono in his "gizza kiss" pose!

The Switches were on Channel 4's "Transmission" on Friday night, so it was even better when I saw them live at Warwick Uni. They seem to be making plenty of waves in the music world and had already won me over because i got a free sweet and badges when I joined their mailing list - yippee! I did feel a bit guilty at having to go before their performance finished but from what I did hear, they sounded pretty funky. I like the whole image they have on stage too.

The Switches at Warwick Uni on Thursday

The picture above is of The Ripps poster and stickers I got from the gig, as well as The Switches badges and the sweet. The bottle of Stella was the one Patch gave me.................

White Light Parade in action at Warwick Student Uni.

The Switches at Warwick Student Union

robmacca meets The Ripps

robmacca meets Patch.

robmacca meets Raul.

robmacca meets Rachel.



Coventry's finest group, The Ripps, were performing live at Warwick Student Union as part of the line up supporting The Switches. I went with my Lithuanian friends, Vilimas and Elvaldas - this was the first gig Vilimas had ever attended and since we were on the guest list, we got in quickly. We managed to get right to the front and got an excellent view of The Ripps as they performed a whole host of songs from their funky punk album "Long Live The Ripps".


Raul on stage at Warwick Student Uni

One of the many reasons why I like The Ripps is because they are so down to earth and totally unchanged by all the attention and limelight. For me as a new fan, I feel honoured that they recognise me and take the time to say hello and chat. I find it really hard to go up to people and ask for an autograph or to take a picture because I feel so self conscious but Raul, Patch and Rachel put me at ease because they are normal individuals that love doing what they do - performing live. If anything, it should be me buying them a drink - but Patch came up and gave me a bottle of Stella. I felt special and this is something I've never felt before when seeing any other artist.


Patch live on stage.
I really ought to invest in a digital camera because my mobile picture quality and videos don't do the bands justice. Thankfully the pictures here are taken by my friend Vilimas and Evaldas.

Visit: robmaccaEXTRA for the whole picture and video collection from the night.

MySpace Band of the Month - "KOLO"

Myspace seems to be one band after another clambering for our attention with requests and adverts - so it makes a refreshing change when a band like Kolo come along offering something for free. Even better that it's a real CD that they deliver it to you.

When it arrived,I popped the very professional looking CD in and carried on running my bath, to be honest I could hardly remember which band it was at the start because I've had so many added lately. Initially I turned the volume down when it first started playing "Wait a Minute Honey" because it had some weird special effects going on in the background but by the end of the first track my attention was captured.

Then as soon as the catchy introduction of "Lamb & Flag" started, I immediately remembered the bright orange MySpace site. The lyrics "You've had six pints down the Lamb and Flag,and now you want to hear my voice" get right inside and capture your ears attention. The CD goes on to better that tune with "I Bet Your Lonely Mad Clive", a 80's electro mix meets The Kooks.

By the time "Headache" came on, I had to get out the bath and start the CD again because I wanted to hear all the tracks again while I soaked lazily. So it was a while before I heard the simple, yet classically apt - "night out on the piss" anthem being belted out by Kolo. "The Return of Jonny Boy" belongs in a movie, something along the lines of "Shallow Grave". The tune is not only great but the lyrics are classic: "I live to live another day and I fought to gain my revenge. So I went to the nearest D.I.Y, the man in the shop thought I was raving mad". You sense a great storyline here unfolding as the track plays.

Kolo are the "MySpace Band of the Month", not because they sent me a free CD - but because that CD was bloody good. I've played it over and over and can honestly say it's better than many CD's I've actually bought. This is their second EP and they have a single coming out on Monday 11th June called "Lou Reed Scared Man", which will be available to download for as little as 79p. It would be fantastic to see these lads from Exeter break into the UK charts and reach a wider audience than the 8859 friends on their MySpace. They have restored my faith in MySpace bands, proving that real talent does exist and needs to get snapped up by the record labels.

robmacca investigates: "It's Not OK" Royal Mail

In this special video, robmacca looks behind the scenes to find out just what is happening to the Post Office in a place like Coventry. What the investigation uncovers makes grim viewing and inspired by The Enemy's "It's Not OK" we see how Royal Mail want to tear out the heart of Coventry and trample on it's workers and customers as they continue in their race to the bottom..........

A Day Of Celebration!

It's a day to celebrate - firstly, it's St George's day so being English I'm celebrating that fact today. I've got my England flags up on all 3 front windows for today only. If it was my day off work I may have gone out and had a drink but I think my body is still recovering from all that alcohol at The Enemy gig on Saturday..........

Secondly, it's a day to celebrate because Coventry's The Enemy stormed into the UK Charts this week at #8. Liam, Andy and Tom worked their socks off last week touring England doing gigs, signings and HMV performances. It all turned good as the single climbed up from 52 - 8, giving the lads their first Top 10 with their first chart eligible track entitled "Away From Here".
Ironically, The Enemy will now be jetting off to Europe for a 16 date tour so will indeed be "Away From Here" but they will be back soon with another 19 UK dates taking them through to late May.

The single sold a respectable 13,000 copies last week as UK singles saw a 5% increase in sales at almost 1.4 million.

Quote from Yahoo Music:

"The weeks biggest winners though are surely The Enemy. Hailing from
Coventry, they have benefited of late from the patronage of the NME and a well
received support slot with the Fratellis. Their third single 'Away From Here'
now becomes their first ever chart hit, surging 52-8 after a physical release
this week. The anthemic and incredibly appealing single arrives to herald the
release of their debut album 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' "

*See videos from Saturday nights Coventry gig HERE

The Enemy celebrate getting to #8 in the UK charts yesterday in Coventry.

Geri Unites Spice Girls At Christening

Spice Reunion: Emma, Melanie, Geri and Victoria demonstrate "Girl Power"

At one time Geri Halliwell was the one who divided the Spice Girls back in 1998 when she sensationally walked out, but yesterday Geri united the Spice Girls at the christening of her 11 month old daughter Bluebell Madonna. The service was held at the Parish Church of St Michael, in Highgate, North London. Melanie C, the now pregnant Emma Bunton and Victoria Beckham - "the god mother" were all on hand to celebrate this special occasion. Only Melanie Brown (aka Scary Spice) was absent from the event, but she had a good reason - she'd only just given birth to her new daughter in America.

Geri and Bluebell yesterday at the church.

*pictures from thisislondon and Getty images.

More pictures over at robmaccaEXTRA

The Enemy - Colosseum Gig Coventry

The Enemy performed in front of the home crowd at the Colosseum club in Coventry last night. The gig was sold out, the atmosphere was great as both the band and the crowd were "up for it". Before the gig had even got started, the fans were crowd surfing and going mental, then when the boys came on stage the whole place became electric. You had a real feeling that this was the night before The Enemy really hit the big time - for Tom, Liam and Andy their lives would never be the same again from this day on.

This was a night to remember for anyone who comes from Coventry, a gig where people will be able to say "I was there" when The Enemy hit the big time and put Coventry back on the music map. As they played and I watched from the balcony, you could feel the vibe as the crowds pushed and shoved and surfed and chanted - already these lads were legends in our eyes. Even during the short half time interval, the Cov chants rang through the Colly with one voice - this was the home coming gig and The Enemy were like the Coventry City football team, who 20 years earlier rode back into the city triumpant victors.

It was great talking to the people of Coventry at the gig - they were proud to come from Coventry, something which had been lacking in days gone by. The lads I talked to at the bar were saying that it's not just The Enemy and The Ripps, but other great bands are coming out of Cov. Another lad chipped in and mentioned yet another group who are creating a wave in the music world. You could sense that Coventry was alive musically and The Enemy were helping that revival. (Cheers for the pint!). During the gig there was a "oneness" and the random stranger next to me put his arm around me and I did the same to him as we sang along to "Away From Here". It was indeed a night to remember and the begining of a great future for The Enemy and the music industry in Coventry.

Watch some of the videos from the gig HERE

The Enemy "Away From Here" , the final song for the night as the crowds go wild.

Cho Seung-hui - A "Hero"?

He killed 32 students and professors this week, but Cho Seung-hui has already gone down as a "hero" among many young men, who feel isolated from main stream society. The 23 year old was enrolled as an undergraduate student in his senior year as an English major at Virginia Tech but ended it all in such a chilling way, massecuring fellow students then turning the gun on himself.




But it is the way he posted a video to NBC News and the pictures he took of himself that will be most remembered from this tragedy, and in time will be copied by those who already consider Cho Seung-hui a "hero". This killing spree has already been linked with events involving Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold - perpetrators of the Columbine massacre - and Kimveer Gill, who went on a killing spree at a Canadian school last year. Cho even refers to the Columbine perpetrators as "martyrs" in his video. Even the images are similar to Kimveer Gill's web page, where both Gill and Seung-hui are shown brandishing a gun and a hunting knife.

What next for this new "hero"?

Once the dust has settled and lives get back to normal at Virginia tech, what will happen to this new "hero" Cho Seung-hui? Sadly, lessons will not be learnt and even though tougher security measures will come into place and leaders make new promises, America's gun laws will almost certainly mean another massacre like this will happen. Those young men who feel isolated by the main stream society and find pleasure in reading about such events will look up to Cho Seung-hui and "admire" his works, seeking to emulate themselves by copying him in some way or another. Within days, copycat images - such as the one below, were appearing on the Internet. The victims of the Virginia Tech killings will almost certainly be forgotten by the masses, but the memory of Cho Seung-hui will live on for generations..........................

Time Table of Events:

Aug 2006: Moves into dorm at Harper Hall, Virginia Tech. Cho shared with 5 other students, yet made no friends. Spent long hours on laptop in isolation.

Feb 2007: Cho Seung-hui began to change- going to gym for intensive training alone and he also took up cycling.
Went to a porn shop and bought a pistol.

March 2007: Cho bought another pistol from a different shop.

April 16th 2007:
07:15: Police receive emergency call , man and woman shot dead. Police thought it might be a domestic incident. Cho goes back to his room at Harper Hall.
09:01: Cho arrives at Post Office with a package containing video, stills, documents and other multimedia.
09:45: Second emergency call to police, this time from the Norris Hall building, multiple shots are heard as 30 more students and lectures are gunned down. Finally Cho Seung-hui turns the gun on himself - knowing his multimedia messages will live on long after his bodied is buried.

You can view the images Cho Seung-hui posted to NBC at: robmaccaEXTRA

"robmacca" In Local Newspaper

robmacca in the Coventry Telegraph.

robmacca was in the local newspaper today as the Coventry Telegraph reported on The Enemy's HMV performance. As circled in the picture above you can see just how close I was to the front. I'd been about 10 in the queue before the signing , but once inside there were already "HMV guests" - which included Tom's young brother Andy (as seen at the front of the picture talking to his friend Dom who is playing with his mobile phone). If there hadn't been any HMV guests then I'd have been right at the front, but I'm still happy where I ended up standing.

Tom Clarke,Liam Watts and Andy Hopkins on stage.

*Pictures thanks to ic Coventry

*UPDATE: Here is a picture posted in another local newspaper, see if you can spot robmacca in this one............

The Enemy - HMV Coventry (Post-signing)

Here is the video I made after I'd seen The Enemy perform at HMV Coventry. Find out what I thought about the performance and see what I got signed by the group................

The Enemy - Live HMV Coventry Video

The Enemy performed in their home town of Coventry today (19/04/07), now watch the live performance! The three videos were recorded on my mobile phone and sadly the sound quality is awful because I was so close (and it was loud of course!)

So turn the sound down low and watch the biggest sensation to come out of Coventry since the late 70's when The Specials put Coventry on the music map.


The Enemy "Away from Here" - Live HMV Coventry.



The Enemy "It's Not OK" - Live HMV Coventry.

The Enemy "40 Days and 40 Nights" - Live HMV Coventry.

The Enemy - HMV Coventry Pictures

The Enemy at HMV Coventry.

The Enemy rocked HMV Coventry today in front of their home crowd as they performed "40 Days and 40 Nights", "It's Not OK" and their new single "Away From Here". Then the lads from Holbrooks signed copies of their single for the new generation of fans who had turned up for the event.

The crowds gather and wait near HMV.

This was the first performance of its kind at HMV Coventry and what better start than Coventry's own new superstars "The Enemy". The excited crowds were treated to three songs and then a brisk signing session where Andy, Liam and Tom patiently signed one copy after another.

Tom hard at work signing.

Liam shakes his pen as he signs yet another CD.

Andy busy signing at HMV Coventry.

The Enemy - HMV Coventry (Pre-signing)

Today The Enemy perform and sign copies of their new single "Away From Here" in their home town of Coventry and robmacca wants to be one of the lucky one's watching them perform, but will he get a wristband in time?

Watch this short video blog to find out what happened before the signing:

* more exclusive pictures and video's of "The Enemy" may follow later!

robmacca: Coventry News Video #1

robmacca is one step nearer insanity as a news reader...........

The video below is of 10 short Coventry news stories from the week, presented by robmacca. It turned out to be really hard work and meant that I got no sleep. I thought it would be easy to just "present" news stories but in reality it's blooming hard work - I now admire real news readers more, because they articulate almost perfectly!

Anyway, watch the video for a laugh and learn what is going on in my lovely city:

"The Enemy" Storming Charts

Coventry's music sensations "The Enemy" are taking the UK singles chart by storm this week with their first chart eligible single from their forth coming album "We Live And Die In These Towns". Here at robmacca we reported the band are touring the country working their socks off promoting "Away From Here".

According to early indications, the single could enter the Top 5 on Sunday based on physical sales alone - not bad for a first single!

"Top 5? How come they are so popular suddenly?"

This was a question asked on a forum, and the answer is down to the fans buying the single and the band working so hard, mixed with good promo. I've got about 16 copies on various formats, which might sound excessive but I'm hoping this local group makes it big and I may well sell some copies on ebay or give them to friends.

My copies of the single

I was a bit annoyed because I'd bought the limited edition Stiff records format (10 copies), having been told only 1,000 copies were being printed. I thought they would be individually numbered like the last limited edition "It's Not OK". But now I find out they are not numbered and it seems they are printing more copies. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

Long Live The Ripps!

I went into Coventry city centre today on a mission to buy a "I ♥ Cov " t-shirt from Vintage Urban Village, sadly they had sold out, but it turned out well as I saw a "Long Live The Ripps" t-shirt and almost creamed myself with excitement..............

I tried it on and it fitted perfectly, even though it was a medium junior size. I'd tried on the small adult size but when your a bag of bones like me - then there is no shame in buying kids sizes!

If you've not heard of Coventry group The Ripps then head over to their MySpace and give them a listen. The album is awesome, plus they remain totally humble and down to earth and loyal to Coventry - which I love so much.
Rather ironically there was a bulletin from the group saying you can order "I ♥ Cov " from them for a great price of £10 (plus £2.50 postage and packaging) so all has not been lost in my quest to own one of the t-shirts. While I was in Vintage Urban Village I also bought a retro top for the summer.

Good news for The Ripps fans - they are releasing a new single "Holiday" is released on 21st May, which has a perfect summer feel to it. The band can be seen "every fuckin where" as my new t-shirt says, so support this brilliant local group.

The promo video can be seen below:

Holiday



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The Enemy - Away From Here

It's an important week for Coventry music as local lads "The Enemy" release their first chart eligible single "Away From Here". The group have been touring up and down the country and this week they will be performing in Manchester, Cardiff, Bristol, London, Northampton and finally a sell out gig in Coventry. The Enemy will also be performing at HMV Coventry on Thursday (5pm), hopefully this time the licence has been approved!

The Enemy have also been featured on TV over the weekend on Sky's "Soccer AM"
and on Fridays "Transmission" over on Channel 4. The album is out on July 2nd, entitled "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" and is available for £7.99 on pre-order at HMV .We'll have more news on that nearer the time. Look out later in the week as robmacca tries to get some exclusive photo's of The Enemy.

See "Away From Here" video below:

Coventry's music scene is buzzing at the moment as local group The Ripps announced the next single to be released from their acclaimed album will be "Holiday", an upbeat quirky single full of summer sunshine.The album is also being released this week in Australia. Watch this space for more news about The Ripps.

robmacca - Online Video Blog 15/04/2007

Here is something new - an online video blog. I'm just experimenting to see if I like doing it or if I actually get the time. I was going to try and make it fancy with lots of picture inserts and music - but I'm crap with editing so in the end I just did a weekly summary.

Check out my online video blog below:

Geri To Write Kids Books

Geri and daughter Bluebell.

It has been revealed today, according to Reuters, that Geri Halliwell is about to publish a series of books about a feisty nine-year-old. The books due out about May 2008 take "Girl Power" to a whole new level as she follows a path already taken by the likes of Madonna and Kylie Minogue.


The tales of Geri's heroine Ugenia Lavender, will also have Geri recording a special song to accompany the books and will be reading the audio editions personally. Geri said in an interview with Reuters:


"She is the rebirth of Girl Power, it is time to hand on the baton of Girl Power through a different medium".

Melanie Brown Names and Shames Murphy

Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown has announced that she plans to take Eddie Murphy to court to prove that he is the father of her newborn baby.

Scary Spice is so sure that Eddie is her daughter's father that she has already put his name on Fortuna Daphne Bay's birth certificate.

"Mel has no doubt Eddie is the father and she wanted to make the point," a source said.

Despite her insistance that the Hollywood funny man is the baby's father, Mel B still doesn't want him to play any role in her newborn daughter's life.

The source added: "She doesn't want him involved because he has hurt her too much. She just feels that he will have to accept responsibility at some point."

Easter Pub Pictures

There is a whole wad of pictures from Easter Sunday over at robmaccaEXTRA - just follow the link and piss yourself laughing at us getting pretty drunk!

Videos

Been a busy time my end - I joined in at band practice yesterday and spent time uploading several short mobile phone videos, which can all be seen in the links below. Thursday I'll try uploading the weekender pictures.

Pub Trouble

Lazy Sunday

Lazy Cat

Aimee

I also get easily distracted by sunshine, so I spend more time outdoors. I'm sure I'll blog something a little more interesting soon.

robmacca's New Glasses!

Three brand new pictures of robmacca taken on Saturday, at home and at a houseparty. Below is a video made on Sunday, testing out new mobile phone.

robmacca in a suit!
robmacca at a house party
robmacca's new glasses!

A video of robmacca showing off his new glasses and acting like a nerd!

Madonna v Melanie C - The Remix Video

It's a surprisingly good remix of Madonna's "Music" and Melanie C's "Yeh YehYeh" singles and video's as seen on YouTube and Melanie C forum . I enjoyed it and I hope you do as well.

* I wanted to post lots of photos and videos from the holiday weekend but I'm having trouble transferring the media to my laptop.

*Late Update: My good friend Martin has just spent a few hours sorting out the software problems with the phone upgrade and so now the media is ready (as seen by the silly picture above). So get ready for some new pictures and video entertainment during the days ahead.

Beware!

If your going to go out in the sun during this glorious holiday weekend - then PLEASE make sure you cover up with the right protection!