For Your Sins Debuts Dea Matrona’s Entrance into Rock Scene

Eszter Vida on 11 September 2024

Eszter Vida reviews irish rock duo Dea Matrona’s debut album as they are venture into the territory of pop and rock music with their stellar debut album For Your Sins.

Let me introduce you to your favourite band: Dea Matrona. The duo, composed of Orlaith Forsythe and Mollie McGinn, plummeted into the country-rock industry with their eagerly anticipated debut album For Your Sins. The catchy pop-rock album makes a sweeping statement on its themes of intoxicating love and frenzy with a passionate blend of their indie-rock, pop and disco influences, topped off by their individuating Irish identity.

I stumbled on them, as you do with most rising acts nowadays, through their Instagram reels, specifically a viral clip of them covering fellow Irish heroes The Cranberries. It seems this identity becomes a foundation in many of the songs, along with their mythological name derived from the Celtic goddess depicting the alluded divine femininity of their aura. While their style is very derivative of classic rock, the duo equally boasts their love of country legends like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain soundtracking their coming together many years ago as friends and in constructing this passion project.

The opening track lures you into a brooding 90s Matrix vibe. ‘Stuck on You’ as an apt opener kicks off the LP with an unapologetic attitude of wanting somebody and feeling the unshakeable urge in being lured into an existential questioning of passion and sin. It’s a catchy, femme-fatale type of track with a trilling guitar and bass riff that mirrors the apocalyptic zeitgeist of the album, which becomes even more evident in songs like ‘Red Button’ with the impending doom of staccato guitar, especially in the fiery lyrical imagery of the bridge section. They certainly embody the idea of having nothing to lose and layer up with a smoky demeanour on the bold follow up ‘Stamp On It’. This shapes the album’s more classic 70s rock side of glimmering Beach Boys-esque backing vocals and distorted guitars. Declarations of ‘just like a treasure, you belong to my collection’ and ‘you’re my religion, baby come and put a stamp on it’ don’t suggest but scream desire while songs like ‘So Damn Dangerous’ offer a heavier, grittier take, with influences of their more modern contemporaries of Arctic Monkey’s AM era coming through.

The best way to absorb somebody’s music for the first time is to see them live, which is why I went down to Vinyl Whistle on a Saturday morning to see their acoustic set before their headline at The Wardrobe. Their spirit performing live really shone through as you get to experience their unique inspirations of stories behind songs like ‘Did Nobody Ever Love You?’, a funky and biting response to Mollie “being pissed off”, as put it in their own words.

Something else that was great to experience live was what we hear on the informal B side of the album. Their more country-folk, ‘breeze in your hair’ type of road trip songs that bring their harmonies bring together in a stunningly symbiotic way echo the vibe of California girl rock groups like HAIM. ‘Glory, Glory (I am free)’ represents the duo’s togetherness with a country-folk, There’s a good mix of easy-listening and breezy tracks on this record, like ‘Won’t Feel Like This Forever’, which encapsulate the humble campfire nature of how these songs are carefully crafted with heartfelt stories on the trials and tribulations of youth and entering a whole new realm of life and music. Their success comes after years of busking and their musical progression from obsessing over their country influences, a key signal found among the bluesy riffs in the likes of ‘Dead Man’s Heart’. The whimsical pop track ‘Every Night I Want You’ is another stand out that is definitely a song reserved for the summer, with 60s style backing ‘doos’ and ‘woos’ sang in a more upbeat disposition.

My favourite track on the album must be their dark, moonlit closer ‘Black Rain’, which rounds off a gloomy yet suggestive nod to the uncertainty of the future. If ‘Stuck on You’ represents dusk, this song is the moonlight after sunset as the significant duality of these tracks ties up the broody imagery, which is effervescently witchy and Stevie Nicks coded. Lyrics like ‘the weather’s changing and my body’s changing’, the song feels almost transformative and paranormal as the band described in other publications that its meaning resembles “that feeling when your heart sinks”, leaving us on a narratively ominous ending.

Already touring venues like Leeds’ Wardrobe and opening at BST Hyde Park shows for Sheryl Crow, success is on the sunny horizon for this group. For fans of Heart, Fleetwood Mac and potentially Abba, this is for people who enjoy fun and fearless experimenting with the blending of genres, which has helped shaped the duo’s roaringly distinct sound, enriching the sound of today’s indie-rock spheres.

Dea Matrona’s debut album For Your Sins is out now on all platforms for streaming and purchasing.

Words by Eszter Vida

‘Neither a good one, nor is it so unblessed’: Travis Scott’s UTOPIA

Charlie Lake on 10 August 2023

In an effort to present the world with a true rap blockbuster album, Travis delivers a grand yet hollow spectacle featuring an array of guest stars whose impact is seldom felt.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Divina de Campo shines in a riotously camp revival

Alex Gibbon on 7 April 2022

It’s been 15 years since the last professional UK production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. With the media scrutiny of those who are gender non-conforming growing ever harsher and political rollbacks of LGBTQ+ rights cropping up left and right, it feels as though we need the smutty yet heartfelt musings of a genderqueer glam rocker more than ever. As Divina de Campo’s Hedwig proudly stands centre stage for the opening number, her fully extended denim cape emblazoned with the words ‘gender is a construct’, it becomes clear this production will be the antidote to contemporary toxicity.

Despite its humble off-Broadway beginnings and a box office bomb of a film adaptation, the musical has built a diehard cult following among Queer audiences akin to that of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The story follows Hedwig, an ‘internationally ignored’ East German rock singer, who battles with the trauma of a botched gender-reassignment surgery she undergoes to escape her Soviet homeland. Abandoned by her husband in middle America, she starts a relationship with Tommy Gnosis, a young, inspiring musician who goes on to break her heart, steal her music and become a world-touring rock icon. We join Hedwig and her band, named after her scarred genital mound, as she performs on a tour that shadows Gnosis’ while retelling her tumultuous life story with witty candour.

For this gig, the entourage have pitched up in Leeds. Jamie Fletcher’s production cleverly tweaks the script (with nods to Richmond Hill and Roundhay Park) and the multi-faceted set design from Ben Stones is primarily a Working Men’s Club stroke Dive Bar. It is as impressive as it is charming that Fletcher has managed to marry the original show’s riotous camp with a self-deprecating Northern sensibility.

The main attraction is of course Hedwig herself. From the moment spotlight illuminates her at the back of the stalls, it is de Campo’s show. The Rupaul’s Drag Race UK runner-up struts down the aisles, pausing to bask in the audience’s rapturous reception. They nail the bravado and showmanship of a diva with delusions of grandeur but also capture Hedwig’s punk edge, gyrating, growling, and rasping for a rowdy 100 minutes. Racing through the script’s funniest lines, de Campo delivers the jokes with a lovable lewdness, occasionally deploying exaggerated Yorkshire tones to hilarious effect. They truly are the star turn.

Yet, as much as the rip-roaring rush of the show’s soundtrack is electrifyingly Rock N Roll, it is easy to get left in the dust. Lose yourself in the anarchy for just a moment and you run the risk of missing a lyric crucial to the plot. Though ultimately, the spectacle of de Campo slut-dropping in sync with a giant inflatable gummy bear is enough to render any confusion insignificant.

By the show’s end, de Campo has put to good use their well-known four octave range and has even squeezed in a quick cameo from the iconic red wig and silver dress. Hedwig’s regalia has been removed layer by layer as she bares herself to vulnerability both physically and emotionally. Fletcher’s production succeeds in stripping back the pretensions of gender, belonging, and ambition in a show that centres and champions those that do not conform. This musical is a tonic, albeit one that is bittersweet and fabulously dirty.

Blondie drummer Clem Burke: “I’m basically living the other side of the dream”

Alex Gibbon on 6 March 2022

As I enter the Zoom call for our interview, I make it no secret to Clem Burke that I am a huge fan. They say it’s best never to meet your idols, but the Blondie drummer is far more jovial than one would expect of someone in the middle of a press junket. He laughs as I stand up in front of my webcam to show him the t-shirt I bought from the band’s 2013 Blast Off Tour. “I like those cartoons,” he says of the drawings of the band members on my front. “They are gruesome, caricatures can be strange.”

Undoubtedly, Burke is best-known for his time with Deebie Harry, Chris Stein, and the other rotating members of the pioneering New Wave band. However, the list of the other stars he’s played with reads like a who’s who of music legends: Bob Dylan, Eurythmics, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett. It’s not hard to see why he was named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest drummers of all time. “Clem showed up, and he was a real star,” Harry once told the Chicago Tribune. “He could play, and you could tell that it was his life.”

Burke tells me that he is in a very good mood. The previous night he played a private show at The Troubadour, the iconic West Hollywood venue that helped to launch the careers of Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, and the stateside success of Elton John. Since the onset of the you-know-what in 2020, he is grateful for the re-emergence of live music. “It kind of drew a line in the sand to realise how fast time does move because it’s hard to believe that it’s been two years almost,” he says. “But I’m ready, like everyone else, to move on.”

Skipping past the Covid era, his mind casts back to the last time he played in the UK, drumming with Bootleg Blondie (“the only tribute band endorsed by the real Blondie”) as part of an extensive national tour. “It was really, really wonderful,” he grins. “I got to do some songs that we don’t normally do, like deeper cuts, because we have so much new material.” Amusingly, the idea for the tour came when Burke dropped in on a Bootleg Blondie gig at Sutton FC’s football ground. “After a couple of beers, you want to get up and play. I played a couple of songs, there were a couple of hundred people there, and it was really fun!” The tribute band invited Burke to be a special guest at any of their shows next time he was in the UK, but he suggested doing a whole tour. “I was expecting to be playing pub back rooms and then the second gig was the Shepherd’s Bush Empire which was sold out.”

The tour included a stop in Leeds with a show at Brudenell Social Club. I remind Burke of this and tell him that I was in the audience. He is elated. “That is such a wonderful venue as well.” Then, he recounts an “inspiring” pilgrimage he made to The Refrectory to see the space where The Who recorded their seminal album ‘Live at Leeds’. Picturing the drummer of one of the greatest bands of all time pottering around the Student’s Union in search of the canteen is nothing short of fantastic.

But, alas, two years has passed, Blondie’s upcoming tour has been postponed twice, and Burke is itching to get on the road again. “The tour is called ‘Against The Odds’ for several reasons: having any kind of success in the music business is really against the odds and then with being able to actually tour [amid international coronavirus restrictions] is against the odds”

Although, this time, he is looking forward to playing big arena shows again. “At this point in our career, the bigger the better,” he admits. “We have Johnny Marr opening as a special guest; we want to give people value. He’s brilliant, he’s a friend. It’s going to be great.”

What’s more, the magnitude of 2022 for the band doesn’t stop there. The tour precedes the release of the first ever authorised archive project of the groups work, the similarly titled ‘Blondie 1974-1982: Against the Odds’. The collector’s box will include extensive liner notes, track-by-track commentary from the entire band, as well as the band’s entire discography complete with unreleased bonus material. With Blondie’s 50^th anniversary fast approaching alongside this archival retrospective, I ask Burke how it feels to look back at such a long and illustrious career that few bands manage to achieve.

“Well, they say – not to flatter myself or Debbie or anyone – if you’re a living legend you’re kind of near the end of your life so I don’t really like to dwell on that too much,” he laughs. “I don’t think we think about time all that much, we think more about health and creativity. And to have a bit of optimism about the world as difficult as that may be.”

Yet, he confesses that the pause that lockdown gave the world made him reflect back on his memories as a musician. “When I get interviewed people once in a while would say that’s a great anecdote. You should think about doing a book,” he claims. “It’s almost a cliché, but I’ve been working on a memoir for some time that’s probably going to come out in 2023.”

“The working title is ‘The Other Side of the Dream: My Life In and Out of Blondie’. It’s about the success and accepting what happens after the success, the ups and downs of that and what still spurs you on creatively. I’m basically living the other side of the dream… anyone who’s [tried to have] success in the rock and roll business, that’s what they wanted. They wanted to be on the radio, be on tour, meet David Bowie. All that stuff happened for me. But what I’m also writing about is the other side of the dream. Taking out the trash, cleaning the cat box and then going and doing a gig. It’s the yin and yang of success.”

But now he’s reached that hallowed ‘other side’, I ask Burke who of the up-and-comers he has his eye on. He mentions Lana del Rey but saves his biggest praise for Måneskin, the Italian rock stars who have seen rapid success since winning last year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

“I like their energy, their glamour. They are taking from what came before and making it new which is kind of what we did with Blondie in a lot of ways. If you have the right influences you can make something different and great based on that. If you’re influenced by Marc Bolan and David Bowie, you are going to make music that I want to hear.”

However, despite the rise of new talent, Burke and the rest of Blondie are not content with simply resting on their laurels. In fact, he mentions that the band still has one goal in particular. “The ultimate gig for a New York band is to headline Madison Square Garden. not that we couldn’t get an audience for that but for one reason or another we’ve never headlined.”

Regardless, Blondie and Burke show no signs of slowing down. Referring back to his memoir, he says that he wants its release to coincide with the band’s new album in 2023. Considering that they already have a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a back catalogue that is the stuff of legend, and enough royalties to ensure a peaceful retirement, their tenacity is admirable.

“We are going to keep going because we are going to do the new record. So, we are going to have to tour again behind the record. It’s not the end yet.”

Blondie will play First Direct Arena in Leeds on 4th May 2022.

Tramlines Festival Announces Second Wave Of 2022 Acts

Alex Gibbon on 4 February 2022

Tramlines, Sheffield’s biggest city-based music festival has announced its latest round of music acts and the full comedy lineup. The 2022 event will mark the 13th edition of South Yorkshire’s biggest party and take place at Hillsborough Park in Sheffield from Friday 22nd to Sunday 24th July.

Joining the party is Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Lady Leshurr, Alfie Templeman and Kelis, alongside more exciting additions including Crawlers, Bleach Lab, Baby Queen, The Clockworks and Elvana.

Also, comedy will be returning to Hillsborough with a huge line-up including headliners Jason Manford, Russell Kane and Seann Walsh. This latest wave of new acts will join headliners Sam Fender, Kasabian and Madness with over five stages of music, a family-friendly area and a genre-spanning line-up of performers including everyone from internationally acclaimed acts to grassroots talent.

Alongside this latest line-up announcement, Tramlines also reveals that Weekend tickets have sold out with 95% of the festival’s tickets now sold, with only an extremely limited number of Day tickets available. Day tickets for Tramlines are priced from £50 plus booking fees and can be purchased alongside VIP ticket options from www.tramlines.org.uk. Sign up for ticket alerts here: https://bit.ly/TL22SignUp.

Tramlines 2022 takes place following an exceptional event in 2021 where the festival took place as part of the Government’s Event Research Programme. It was the largest festival in Western Europe to go ahead since lockdown restrictions were eased and marked a national celebration of the return to live music.

Kelis is back in 2022 for the first time since joining us on the Ponderosa back in 2017. The multi-award winning artist is bound to be dropping classics such as ‘Trick Me’ and ‘Millionaire’. British rapper Lady Leshurr also makes a return to the festival, bringing her expert lyricism and freestyles, best known for her ‘Queen’s Speech’ series.

Alfie Templeman finally gets his opportunity to grace Hillsborough park after having to cancel his appearance last year due to isolating. The ‘Happiness in Liquid Form’ singer, who said he was “gutted” in missing out on his slot last year, will appear on Saturday alongside newly announced Liverpool rock-group Crawlers and London alt-rockers Bleach Lab.

Joining Friday’s line-up is Baby Queen, who brings her hazy alt-pop hits to Sheffield’s biggest party. While Galway four-piece The Clockworks join the bill to add a post-punk twist to what will be the start of another memorable weekend. Also joining the Line-Up for 2022 is Bradford bassline collective Bad Boy Chiller Crew, bringing with them even more genre-spanning sounds to Tramlines Line-Up. Sunday will see a performance from Elvana, an Elvis fronted Nirvana tribute band. Unfortunately due to scheduling issues, The Snuts (Friday) can no longer join us at Tramlines 2022.

Comedy has become a mainstay of the festival and in 2022 Tramlines has secured some huge names kicking off with Seann Walsh who headlines on Friday. Seann is a multi-award winning performer with a growing list of TV credits including QI, Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity Juice and 8 out of 10 cats. Sean is joined on Friday by Scott Bennett, Michelle Shaughnessy, Alisdair Beckett-King, Vince Atta and host Danny McLoughlin.

Saturday headliner Russell Kane is a UK household name due to numerous TV appearances as a guest and as a presenter of his own shows including 2016 travel doc Stupid Man – Smart Phone. Joining Russell on Saturday are Tom Ward, Karen Bayley, Harry Stachini, Jack Gleadow and host Matt Read.

The Sunday showcase is headlined by Jason Manford, well known due his tenure as team leader on 8 out of 10 cats, his numerous presenting roles and his appearances in West End musicals such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Producers and Sweeney Todd. Also appearing on Sunday are Ivan Brackenberry, Lily Philips and host Emmanuel Sonubi who has been hotly tipped by both Jason Manford and Russell Kane.

Timm Cleasby, Tramlines Operations Director said, “I’m beyond excited for Tramlines 2022, Our first announcement was ace and now this? You had me at Kelis and Elvana… The return of Lady Leshurr too, just mega. Add to that Jason Manford, Seann Walsh and Lily Philips I’m gonna need more hours in my weekend.“

Gang of Youths deliver a live show full of energy, supporting Sam Fender

Imogen Harper on 13 December 2021

Bursting onto the stage full of energy, Gang of Youths were filled with charisma and passion as they supported Sam Fender at the First Direct Arena. Highlighted by the colourful and exuberant flair of the frontman David Le’aupepe, Gang of Youths rocked the audience with a mix of their old tunes and some fresher songs from their new album (to be released in February 2022). Joining Fender on his penultimate sold-out show, Gang of Youths are lining up well for their headline tour in 2022.

The 5-piece indie rock band started their atmospheric set with The Man Himself, the first single coming from their new album. A song that focusses on themes of grief and growth. Through their use of instrumentation, the group created a hugely textural and atmospheric sound that left the crowd mesmerised and wanting more. Although the live performance of this track is a little more stripped back then the recorded version, it did not fail to touch the heart strings of everybody watching.

Continuing the set with songs such as The Angel of 8^th Ave. and The Heart Is a Muscle, Gang of Youths filled the hall with flavoursome soundscapes and subtle hints of indigenous influences. Although the layered soundscapes can become a bit similar after a while, Gang of Youths fight this well with the use of intricate lyrical strands and a passionate delivery from all participants.

With Le’aupepe taking centre stage with his exuberant style, it would have been quite easy for the rest of the group to fade into the background. However, it can’t be denied that they all brought their own individuality and excitement to the set. The rest of Gang of Youths, made up of Jung Kim, Max Dunn, Donnie Borzestowski and Tom Hobden, put their hearts and souls into the performance. All adding to the amazing atmosphere of the lively show.

Along with their intense and energy-ridden songs came the intimacy of songs such as Tend the Garden and Magnolia. Keeping with their musical identity, these songs are filled with sensitivity and pain whilst still creating a more positive sonic scape. In these quitter points of the set, Le’aupepe’s vocal qualities were evermore present. Even though it was clear that the energy of the other tunes had left him breathless, he was still able to use intricate and timid vocal tones to put across the delicacy of the songs. With a sound close to the of Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, Le’aupepe made sure the audience felt every emotion he was putting across. Gang of Youths finished their set with the song What Can I Do If the Fire Goes Out and were met with a great audience reaction.

After the headline set of Sam Fender, who smashed the set as always, Le’aupepe was asked to come back on stage to sing with Fender on his cover of I’m On Fire by Bruce Springsteen. The addition of this encore worked well and fit both artist’s styles. It was nice to see both artists working together as an end to the show.

Sydney’s Gang of Youths set to support Sam Fender in Leeds

Imogen Harper on 18 November 2021

Following the announcement of their third album Angel in Realtime, Gang of Youths are out to impress in Leeds later this month. As the guests of Sam Fender on his sold-out arena tour, they have traveled the UK playing to crowds of thousands. They will be making their stop at First Direct Arena, Leeds, on the 24th of November.

First formed in Sydney back in 2012, the indie rock group are on par with the likes of Arcade Fire, Muse, and The National. With a mix of cinematic soundscapes, stunning vocals and influences taken from indigenous music; Gang of Youths create an unforgettable sound for anyone who listens.

The release of their new single ‘Tend the Garden’ marks their fourth preview of the new album, to be released on the 25th of February 2022. Singles released so far this year include ‘The Angel of 8th Ave’, ‘Unison’, and ‘The Man Himself’; all tracks to be found on the upcoming album. When describing the LP, the band said the album is “about the life and legacy of Dave [Le’aupepe]’s father”. With themes of grief, death, and faith; the album is set to be an emotive and compelling collection.

The group is described by the Guardian as “a band who always swing for the fences”. In addition to their shows with Sam Fender, Gang of Youths have recently announced a headline tour of the UK and Europe in March of 2022, during which time they will visit Leeds again – this time at Leeds Beckett student union on the 8th of March. This tour will be quickly followed by a North American tour, before the group return to Australia to play some shows in July. 2022 is set to be a busy year for Gang of Youths! With the release of their new album and their world tour, fans can expect great things over the coming year.

Gang of Youths are set to support Sam Fender on the 24th of November for the sold-out show at First Direct Arena. If you didn’t manage to get tickets for the show, the group is returning to Leeds in March – tickets for that show go on sale on the 19th of November and can be found via the Live Nation website.