VIDEOS: Godiva Festival In The Square

Here are a selection of videos from Godiva Festival In The Square - I think the camera got a bit water logged, so the sound quality is not perfect. Pictures from the Coventry music festival can be seen HERE.

1. Russian Gun Dogs 2. The Fallows 3. Twisted Wheel 4. The Kontours 5. The Antics 6. Dexters 7. Dark Actors 8. The Coves 9. The Subways

The Subways (sadly my camera had given up and I only managed to record a snippet from my mobile phone - so the video quality/sound was pants!)

PICTURES: Godiva Festival - In The Square

Here are a selection of pictures from the Godiva Festival In The Square, held in Broadgate during a very wet day in Coventry. Watch the videos from nine different bands HERE......

The Godiva in The Square Line Up

The Fallows

Coves

Dark Actors

The Kontours

Russian Gun Dogs

The Antics

Dexters

Twisted Wheel

The Subways

 A cheeky pint

 View from the beer tent

Wet - but worth it!

Videos from Godiva Festival can be seen in the playlist below:

ALBUM REVIEW: The Ripps - Heartaches + Hangovers

If being in a band is a journey, then The Ripps have travelled around the world several times. The Coventry band first debuted in 2007 with 'Long Live The Ripps' and went on to perform at Glastonbury the same year, storming the indie charts with their 70's punk influenced songs 'Vandals', 'Loco' and 'Holiday'. Brothers Patch and Raul Lagunas experienced the highs of being in a band that was starting to make it big, they were touring the UK and living the dream. But every musician will tell you that the dream can be shattered just as quickly as it was created and The Ripps have endured being capsized a fair few times during their long journey. Thankfully  the brothers never gave up and  their passion for music can be clearly seen in the long awaited follow up album 'Heartaches + Hangovers', released digitally on 21st May and in stores from 4th June 2012.

The Ripps have doubled in band numbers since their debut album, with Alan Ferguson on bass and Phil Cox on drums, Terry Muttitt on keys and Lolly McIntosh completing the line up on vocals. The album title 'Heartaches + Hangovers' might have you thinking it could be a rather somber 45 minutes, but you would be mistaken. This is an uplifting collection of songs that will leave you humming the tunes long before you know all the words!

The album begins with the up tempo 'She's Not All There' - the perfect song to play when you are getting ready for a Friday night out on the town. Lolly McIntosh provides gentle backing vocals with Patch delivering the main lyrics, "She's always in a rush on a Friday night, posing in the mirror she's looking alright, pictures herself in a perfect life with a happy ending." The lyrics continue to grab your attention during 'Anarchy Bridge' a song about heartbreak, with the opening line, "I met you in a crowded room and we danced all night to shitty tunes and you smiled and took me by the hand."  Forget feeling morose in a Morrissey kind of way, the foot tapping beat will leave you feeling happy that you opened your heart up to let love in and experience the pains and pleasures it can bring.



For those who loved 'Long Live The Ripps', the new album has enough for you to join in and sing along, 'Lovesick' is the kind of song you put on repeat and find yourself singing the chorus over and over. Watching The Ripps perform this song live is always a treat and the on stage antics between Patch and Lolly remind me how entertaining the band are. The tempo really reaches fever pitch during 'Lose Yourself', it's the kind of song you can clap along too or have a bit of a wild western jig while on the dancefloor . Once again the lyrics impressed me, "She looks at me with those devil eyes, do you wanna be lonely?, do you wanna get high? I'm asking for trouble and I don't know why...." This is a song about love and how you lose yourself when that love consumes your heart and mind. We've all been there and 'Lose Yourself' relates to each and every one of us.........

The Ripps (*pic by Redwood photography)

Cue the tambourine and maracas for 'Remember Me' as The Ripps get to demonstrate their talents during this musical feast about falling in love and the highs love brings. They follow this up a break up song called 'You and I' , just to keep listeners in the reality loop of the strains and heartaches that relationships can bring upon us. The Ripps then lift us from the doldrums of a broken heart and apply a plaster to our wounds with 'True Colours'  - the sort of song you need to play when you are just getting over a relationship. You know that feeling when you should let someone go, but you really don't want to - even though they've hurt you. This song encapsulates those emotions in just over three minutes and concludes with the lyrics, 'I don't want to let you go.' 


'The Honeymoon Is Over' continues the journey of realisation that a relationship is coming to an end. In typical Ripps fashion - the tune is upbeat and shows how the band have grown up and learnt from the many experiences they have gone through. While the honeymoon may be over, The Ripps prove they have developed and matured their sound with some topical songs about love and life. The album lifts you up with songs like, 'The First Picture Of You' - which starts off quite dark and heavy (a bit like the 'Cov Song' on 'Long Live The Ripps') but bursts into life with the chorus.

The final track on the album 'The Way We Were' is a reflective track that reminds us how people change, just like the four seasons. Even after all the hangovers and heartaches - we still fall in love again. Slowly we open our hearts up and fall in love, removing the plasters from previous relationships by giving someone else a chance to shape our heart.

Previously The Ripps were said to be the new Supergrass, but I would say they are better than Supergrass. The lyrics in 'Young And Lost' say, "we deserve a chance, we deserve it"  This Coventry band truly deserve a chance, they have produced an album to be proud of - all without the funding or backing of a major record company. Their passion and determination not only make them proud of where they come from but also steadfast in the desire to make music. They have journeyed to the heights of Glastonbury and the lows of a 9-5 dead end job yet never given up on their dreams. The Ripps are an inspiration not only for other musicians struggling to make it, but for all lovers of real music. Buy this album and keep that dream alive.......

Upcoming Dates:


25th May – Taylor John’s House, Coventry 
8th June – The Wheelbarrow, Camden, London

Website/Social networking: 
www.theripps.co.uk
www.facebook.com/theripps
www.youtube.com/therippsmusic

For more info contact: Jamie Conlon – jrconlon@blitzsounds.co.uk or 07811 400 366

Released by: Ghoulish Records 
Release/catalogue number: GHOUL006CD 

Available from: Amazon / Play 

*PIC: Top - David Gover Photography

Godiva Festival 2009

Pint Shot Riot

Coventry's Godiva Festival lived up to expectations and put on a great display both local talent but also some groovy bands from around the country. Best of all the three day festival was FREE, which in the difficult times we live in was impressive. Thanks to the organisers like CVOne, Harry Shaw and other local companies the festival continued for the 90,000 in attendance over the weekend.

The Twang

Initially I was concerned Godiva wouldn't live up to last year, where The Enemy headlined but the rains came down. Yet bands like The Twang and Idlewild kept the good people of Coventry entertained. Coventry's very own Pint Shot Riot rocked the main stage Saturday afternoon with The Twang visibly enjoying being on stage, joking about a trainer thrown during the performance. The main stage wasn't the only place to listen to music, Freefall Collective packed out the Rhythm Tent and were (for me) the best band because it was totally unexpected.

Freefall Collective

I wish I'd gone on the Friday for Go West and the other 80's acts, the Saturday Carnival and the chilled out Sunday. The weather had been perfect this year and the crowds more chilled out. While The Enemy might not have been performing this year, it didn't stop Andy Hopkins from attending the festival to enjoy Godiva like everyone else.

robmacca having fun @ Godiva

Full moon @ Godiva

*EXTRA BLOG - more from the world of robmacca

Idelwild To Headline Godiva Festival

This year's Godiva Festival in Coventry will see Scottish indie rock band Idelwild headline the free festival on July 4. The band will be releasing a new album in the summer and are well known for their previous chart hits "You Held The World In Your Arms" and "American English" in 2002.

Idelwild have developed over the years since their first singles in 1997, growing in popularity and credibility and will headline on the main stage on the Saturday evening. The festival will run in Coventry’s War Memorial Park from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th of July 2009.

Previous high profile acts seen at Godiva Festival include The Enemy, The Human League, Kasabian, Super Furry Animals, The Fratellis, Shed Seven and Biffy Clyro. More acts will be revealed in the coming days.

The Enemy's Tom Clarke Survives Bottle Attack

Tom Clarke continues @ Reading Festival despite bottle throwing

The Enemy's Tom Clarke continued his performance in front of a massive crowd at the Reading Festival even after someone in the crowd threw a bottle at him. The bottle hit his guitar as he was dedicating the song 'It's Not OK' to the former workers at Peugeot, Coventry. Tom responded by calling him a ""f**king c**t" but then gave a passionate performance.

The Coventry trio have just returned to the UK following their first US tour, where Tom Clarke sliced his finger on the first date but continued with most of the dates. The Enemy will be working hard in the studio as they work on their follow up album to 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns'.

*visit: www.theenemy.eu - for updates, videos and pictures of The Enemy

Babyshambles Banned From Moonfest Festival By Police

Babyshambles on stage (pic: Guardian)

Pete Doherty and Babyshambles have been banned from performing at the Moonfest festival, that was set to take place on August 29-31 in Wiltshire by police, according to the NME website.

Doherty's band were due to play at the bash on the opening Friday night (August 29), but a police investigation into Babyshambles' stage manner led them to draw the conclusion that their performance would be likely to incite violence.

Chief Superintendent Julian Kirby, divisional commander of Wiltshire Police, said: "We carried out an analysis of what Pete Doherty and his band does.

"What he does as part of his routine is to gee up the crowd. They speed up and then slow down the music and create a whirlpool effect in the crowd.

"They [the crowd] all get geed up and then they start fighting."

Police presented their findings to North Wiltshire Magistrates on Monday (August 17), who ordered festival organisers to cancel any appearance from Doherty or Babyshambles.

Reacting to the police's decision, Babyshambles drummer Adam Ficek said he was angry, but said that the band would try to organise an alternative show. "The whole thing is a farce, it's almost comical,"

"The organiser of the festival is now on the verge of bankruptcy," he continued. "Why? Because we intentionally speed up and slow down the tempo of our songs. We're now in the process of trying to make it happen in a different venue. Watch this space."

More updates and news at: NME.COM

Godiva Festival Coventry: The Enemy

Tom Clarke and Liam Watts @ Godiva Festival, Coventry


Headlining the Godiva Festival in Coventry was the natural choice for The Enemy, having achieved so much during the past year. While Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts have enjoyed a number one album and awards, they have always remained firmly down to earth and loyal to Coventry.

Coventry welcomes The Enemy

Tonight was the night The Enemy returned home to Coventry and put on a free performance in front of thousands. This year there was no tent to restrict the numbers and no matter how much it rained it didn't stop the masses from standing firm in their support of the lads who have done so much for this city. Slowly the umbrella's came down and the hands went up in unison as the whole of Godiva sang "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" and "You're Not Alone" - being reminded by Tom Clarke that the song was dedicated to the ex-workers from Peugeot.

Liam Watts on drums

Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts proved as energetic as ever through out the show, with Andy darting from side to side on stage - wisely avoiding crowd surfing and thus keeping his clothing during the duration of the set. As well as playing hits from the debut album, the Coventry crowds were treated to a new tune as a taster for things to come. The debut album went to number one exactly a year ago and has remained in the UK album chart virtually the whole year, sitting at #85 this week.

The Enemy headline Godiva Festival in Coventry

Thousands watch The Enemy

visit: www.theenemy.eu - for the latest news on The Enemy

Godiva Festival Coventry: The Enemy Videos

The Enemy performed at Coventry's Godiva Festival and here are a selection of videos from the headline act. Thousands braced the rain and cold winds and stayed at the free festival in support of The Enemy, who have done so much for Coventry.

I wasn't in a very good position to record so these are the best I could manage this time around..................

The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns @ Coventry Godiva Festival


The Enemy - Had Enough @ Coventry Godiva Festival


The Enemy - Aggro @ Coventry Godiva Festival


The Enemy - Technodanceaphobic @ Coventry Godiva Festival

visit: www.theenemy.eu - for the latest news on The Enemy

Godiva Festival Coventry: Kombat Breakers

Kombat Breakers @ Godiva

The Kombat Breakers performed at Coventry's Godiva Festival as they plan to release their first single following their success on Britain's Got Talent last year. The break dancers gave the festival crowd something different on the Main Stage as they jumped, danced and slam dunked around the stage to their track "Caramel".



Millions saw these Coventry lads on ITV and now they continue to inspire not only the young people of Coventry but also teenagers around the nation in a positive way.

Kombat Breakers "Caramel" @ Godiva Festival

Godiva Festival Coventry: Pint Shot Riot

Pint Shot Riot @ Godiva Festival Coventry

Pint Shot Riot believe Coventry has an opportunity to be firmly established on the musical map and then put on a stunner of a show at the Godiva Festival to prove it is true. The band stand at the edge of something big as their single "Start Digging" is released on Monday 7th July.

They are another proud band that big up Coventry and told the crowds they are the one's that make a difference. As fans danced, moshed and sang along, Pint Shot Riot gave the happy crowds something to remember from the Godiva Festival. I heard people saying the band were better live than on their MySpace page and reactions from the crowds were clear to see - Coventry loves Pint Shot Riot.

As well as playing their familiar tunes, the lads also played a new track, which was an instant hit with the masses - watch the video below and judge for yourself. Hopefully many of those in attendance will now do their bit in helping local music and support Pint Shot Riot in their bid to make it big by purchasing the single on Monday.

Pint Shot Riot - "Deep End" @ Godiva Festival, Coventry

Godiva Festival Coventry: The Ripps

The Ripps @ Godiva Festival, Coventry

The Ripps were on the Main Stage again this weekend at Coventry's Godiva Festival and played a combination of new and old songs that injected enthusiasm into the crowds that had gathered in anticipation. No-one was left disappointed because Patch, Raul and Rachel gave another fantastic performance. Even when the rains came down, it didn't dampen the young people that were jumping around to the sound of SKA with The Ripps.

Raul and Rachel

Patch Ripp

Even from the stage you can feel the humility and genuine appreciation that The Ripps have, they are a band that have loyally promoted Coventry and love playing in front of their growing fan base. The Ripps deserve to be signed up to a major record label because the wider audience are missing out on the new sounds of SKA music. The videos below give a taste, but the quality does not do The Ripps justice. Check out their MySpace page and grab a listen to their tunes and get to know The Ripps better.................

The Ripps - "1000 Miles From Home" (Godiva Festival, Coventry)

The Ripps - "Vampires" (Godiva Festival, Coventry)

...with a little help from their friends

Godiva Festival 2008: Sunday Line Up

Here is the full line up for the Godiva Festival, Coventry on Sunday 6th July 2008:

Electric Main Stage - Singer/Songwriters:

12noon - 2.30pm -G Factor acoustic winners:

Lee Mitchell
Matt Lakey
Barricades Rise
The Carter Manoeuvre
Daisy Moon
Greg Schofield
Katie Dove-Dixon
Murray Wyatt
Ben Wainwright
Dan Haynes
2.30pm
Gary Nock
2.50pm
Austin Francis Connection
3.15pm
Julian Velard
4.00pm
Envy & Other Sins
4.45pm
Gabriella Cilmi
5.45pm
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly

Rhythm Tent - Folk:

1.00pm
Kristy Gallacher
1.45pm
Dark Island
2.35pm
The QP
3.20pm
The Oddsods
4.10pm
Rob Halligan
5.05pm
Joe O'Donnell's Shkayla
6.00pm
Jez Lowe and Kate Bramley

Spotlight Tent - Jump and Jive:

12.30pm
The Big Easy
2.30pm
Blue Harlem
4.45pm
King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys

Market Tent - Street Entertainment etc:

13:00 - 15:30

Splotts - House Band

Matt Barnard – Compére
Jason Maverick

Wolly the Clown

Jones and Barnard

Nakupelle

The Black Eagles

Official Website: www.godivafestival.co.uk

Godiva Festival 2008: Saturday Line Up

Here is the full line up for the Godiva Festival in Coventry on Saturday 5th July 2008:

Electric Main Stage - Rock:

12noon
Dogfight Revolution
12.45pm
Shadowplay - G Factor Winners
1.40pm
Exit Calm
2.35pm
The Ripps
3.30pm
Pint Shot Riot
4.15pm
Kombat Breakers
4.45pm
Six. By Seven
5.55pm
The Displacements
6.55pm
Glasvegas
8.00pm
Art Brut
9.30pm
The Enemy

Rhythm Tent:

12noon
Claudio Kron
2.00pm
Vamos
3.30pm
Los Tropicales
5.00pm
Buffalo Soul Jah
7.00pm
Mankala
9.00pm
Kanda Bongo Man

Spotlight Tent - Hip Hop:

1.00pm Woodend DJ’s

1.20pm P’Nology (Warm up)

1.30pm Hillz Fm

1.55pm YIP Group

2.10pm Mc Dee & Crew

2.20pm Evivo

2.40pm Zanity Dance Group

2.50pm Charlie Healy

3.10pm Italia UK

3.25pm Ricta

3.50pm Kombat Breakers

4.00pm Open Mic (pt1)

4.40pm DJ Frogeye

5.00pm C.O.Vs

5.20pm Open Mic Finals

6.00pm TLG

6.20pm Reggiemental

6.40pm Starvin Artists

7.00pm Parly B

7.10pm TBC

7.20pm KOF

7.55pm Brotherman

8.35pm Yogz

9.15pm Kano

10.00pm DJ’s - 4th Front

Market Tent - Street Entertainment etc:

12.30pm - 2.30pm & 3.00pm - 6.00pm

The Sneakers - House Band

Matt Barnard – Compére
Jason Maverick

Wolly the Clown

Jones and Barnard

Nakupelle

The Black Eagles

Market Tent - Poetry:

7.00pm
Mike McKimm
7.10pm
Coventry’s ScrubberJack
7.20 pm
Irish Twin City Poets
7.50pm
Yusra Warsama
8.00pm
Jane Holland
8.15pm
Mario Petrucci
8.30pm
Kei Miller
8.45pm
Dreadlockalien
9.00 pm
Linton Kwesi Johnson

Official Website: www.godivafestival.co.uk

Godiva Festival 2008: Friday Line Up

Here is the full Godiva Festival line up for Friday 4th July 2008:

Electric Main Stage - Reggae:

6.30pm
Michael Prophet
7.25pm
Ambelique
8.15pm
Tippa Irie
9.15pm
Inner Circle

Rhythm Tent (17:30 - 22:30):

DJ Line up:
Jonny Mac (Vice Deviants), Rosko Pico, Jay Nana, DJ Christo

Spotlight Tent:

5.00pm
Illchemists
5.40pm
Men in Caves
6.20pm
Fiori
7.00pm
The Shakletons
7.45pm
The Bellows
8.30pm
Akeal
9.15pm
Wes Finch & The Dirty Band
10.00pm
Shadowplay

Market Tent - Comedy:

8.00pm
Rufus Hound – Compére
8.15pm
Carl Donnelly
8.40pm
Brendan Riley
9.00pm
Interval
9.30pm
Ivan Brackenbury

Official Website: www.godivafestival.co.uk

Pint Shot Riot: 'Start Digging' Video

Pint Shot Riot are a quality band from Coventry and will be releasing 'Start Digging' on July 7th, 2008. Watch the video below to get a taste of their music or check out their websites:

www.myspace.com/pintshotriot and www.pintshotriot.co.uk/

Pint Shot Riot will be performing on the main stage at Coventry's Godiva Festival on Saturday 5th July.

Pint Shot Riot - Start Digging

Coventry Godiva Festival 2008: Line Up and Times

The Enemy headline Coventry's Godiva Festival and here is the line up for the Main Stage on Saturday 5th July 2008. The Ripps, Pint Shot Riot, Shadowplay (G Factor Winners) and Kombat Breakers will also be showing off the cream of talent on offer from Coventry's music scene.

12noon Dogfight Revolution

12.45pm Shadowplay - G Factor Winners

1.40pm Exit Calm

2.35pm The Ripps

3.30pm Pint Shot Riot

4.15pm Kombat Breakers

4.45pm Six. By Seven

5.55pm The Displacements

6.55pm Glasvegas

8.00pm Art Brut

9.30pm The Enemy

Full Godiva Line Up:

*Friday Godiva Programme: HERE
*Saturday Godiva Programme: HERE

*Sunday Godiva Programme: HERE

*Godiva Festival website: http://www.godivafestival.co.uk

*visit: www.theenemy.eu -for the latest news on The Enemy

Kombat Breakers To Perform At Godiva Festival

Kombat Breakers set for home coming performance at Godiva Festival

Coventry's Kombat Breakers have been added to the line up for this year's Godiva Festival (4th - 6th July) at the Memorial Park and will be performing their new single and break dancing on the same stage that The Enemy will perform.

The 'Britain's Got Talent' finalists signed up to athlete Linford Christie's agency Nuff Respect after being praised by Simon Cowell on the ITV show, and are sponsored by international sports company Reebok. The six piece Coventry crew have recorded a single called 'Caramel' and will be performing it at the Godiva Festival during their 4pm slot on Saturday 5th July.

Leeroy Bailey, Simeon Henry, Tyrone Miller, Leon Lea, Ryan Stilwell and Darrian Stevenson Joseph make up Kombat Breakers and have enjoyed success since reaching the final of 'Britain's Got Talent'.

Leeroy Bailey told the Coventry Telegraph:

"We are really looking forward to appearing at the Godiva Festival. To be performing in front of 30,000 people on the same day as The Enemy is fantastic.

"We are going on tour around the country, but to play in Coventry - which is our home city - will be one of the highlights for us."

The Enemy - 30,000 Coventry gig

The Enemy - stars of Coventry's biggest ever open air party.

Coventry band The Enemy, will be playing at the biggest open-air festival Coventry has ever seen. The annual Godiva Festival will be making changes so that up to 30,000 fans will be able to attend the free festival. The Coventry trio were performing in Leeds at the weekend as support for the Kaiser Chiefs and head off to Ibiza this week to launch "Ibiza Rocks"

The main tent is being replaced by a large open stage and will be relocated to a different part of the Memorial Park so that an extra 27,000 visitors can watch The Enemy perform tracks from their number one selling album "We'll Live And Die In These Towns".

Included in this years Godiva Festival line up along side The Enemy will be Exit Calm, an up and coming band that are tipped to be big and are mentored by the Coventry manager who took The Enemy under his wings. Glasvegas will also be taking to the stage during the three day festival, they have also been tipped for the top by music mogul Alan McGee - the man who discovered Oasis. Recently signed to Columbia records, Glasvegas have already won the Radar Award at the NME Awards in March. Their debut album is due out later this summer and is a fusion between "fifties Rock 'n' Roll with a large helping of Jesus and Mary Chain", according to the Coventry Telegraph.

The Ripps will rock Godiva

The cream of Coventry will also be on stage during the eleventh Godiva Festival, The Ripps and Pint Shot Riot are expected to add to the electric atmosphere. Art Brut, The Displacements and Dogfight Revolution have been added to the event which will take place at Coventry's Memorial Park from Friday 4th July until Sunday 6th July 2008.

*visit: http://www.theenemy.eu/ - for the latest news on The Enemy

The Enemy To Headline Godiva Festival

The Enemy at Godiva Festival 2007

The Enemy are set to be the headline act at this years Godiva Festival and will be bigger and even better than the 2007 reception given to the Coventry band.

The festival runs from Friday July 4th until Sunday July 6th at the Memorial Park and further information is available from www.godivafestival.co.uk. The Enemy will be performing on the Saturday evening and organisers expect record crowds to attend the festival in Coventry this year.

visit: www.theenemy.eu : for the latest news on The Enemy