Next up, show #2 https://t.co/ToW62zSilU pic.twitter.com/CbbOCzSBob

— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) January 30, 2022

Beginning at 8pm, for those of us only fortunate enough to bag a livestream ticket, the first thing that catches our eye is just how pretty it all is. For a band ironically named after a Ted Hughes poem, their eye for cute lighting is absolutely on point. You also can’t help but notice the consistency of everything they’ve put out so far. The Glastonbury stream, all of the practice sessions on their socials, and now their first gigs – all are happening with the 3 members stood in a circle simply letting everything happen around them. Once the music started, I’m not even sure they remembered we were there… that’s a good thing by the way. Aesthetics aside, there were myriad musical moments that I feel everyone should be aware of: Jonny Greenwood playing a harp and synthesizer at the same time, Greenwood also playing the bass guitar with a violin bow (very cool), a rather dramatic telling of William Blake’s ‘The Smile’ from none other than Cillian Murphy, an updated version of ‘lost’ Radiohead track ‘Skirting on the Surface’ that I’m pretty sure ended up being played in 15/16 for any of you nerds, and (of course) anything else Jonny Greenwood did. We’re now aware of 12 Smile songs, until an announcement for the album drops… I guess this is just all we know. Some especially sneaky fans managed to get a bit of footage from the night, see below the encore to show 2.

The only difference between all the shows is one that only the attendants of the first show will really feel bad about, that’s the inclusion of a set-closing cover of ‘It’s Different for Girls’ by Joe Jackson. After the minute or 2 of applause for an encore of 2 and 3, the band would come back on and reveal new Smile track ‘Just Eyes and Mouth’ and then the cover. Unfortunately for everyone at show one, Yorke, Greenwood and Skinner just didn’t fancy it that time. I’d link a video but the exclusivity of the event means that if you want to see the show, you’ll have to get hold of someone with an on-demand code. Good luck, it’s worth it. Until then, here’s their latest single ‘The Smoke’ and its accompanying video. See Below.

We’re overwhelmed with how quickly the three shows on 29th & 30th sold out. Thanks so much for your response.
We wanted try to make a global audience inside the venue as well as online, so we’ve held back some venue tickets for sale… pic.twitter.com/AbHhYgh5MX

— The Smile (@thesmiletheband) January 20, 2022

Set to go ahead in just over a week (January 29^th and 30^th), all 3 of the shows are set to go ahead in less than 24 hours. Beginning at 8pm on January 29^th, the first show almost immediately leads into the 2^nd that will kick off 5 hours later at 1am the next morning. The 3^rd and final show will then allow the trio to rest for a short while before beginning again at 11am that same day.

The shows have already sold out. But fear not, if you’re in desperate need to watch the show there are a number of options. The shows will be streamed at select venues around the UK, US, and EU live on the big screen, with accompanying big sound. Details for where and when can be found here. If you don’t fancy dragging yourself to the cinema to see the show at 1AM, then firstly you may want to reassess your priorities, you can however bag a ticket to the livestream through dice. For about £14 you can stay up until 2:30AM from the comfort of your own home. Details to gain entrance to the livestream are available here.

We are still short on most other details for the band though, still no announcements on when we can hear the album or even how many songs we’re going to hear. A few snippets have surfaced on the group’s socials; so, if you’re in desperate need then head over the group’s Twitter or Instagram and you can hear a few 15-second snippets to calm the nerves until the album drops. Or you can just keep listening to the sole release we already have, “You Will Never Work in Television Again”, on repeat… it’s up to you. Listen below.

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We’re 100, baby! To celebrate our 100th (!!) issue, we’re teaming up with @signaturebrew for a week of COVID-compliant celebrations, with @matthewmaltese, @blackhoneyuk and @spector playing some extra special (socially distanced, obv) live shows and @sportsteam hopping on the decks for our big closing party! Tix available tomorrow at 10am via @dicefm!

A post shared by DIY (@diymagazine) on Aug 24, 2020 at 6:01am PDT

DIY has been a staple publication within the Indie UK music scene for a while now. Like its name suggests, DIY was started in founding member Stephen Ackroyd’s University bedroom with limited resources. Since then it has become one of the most highly regarded UK music publications, boasting cover-features from the likes of Mike Skinner, Biffy Clyro and Wolf Alice.

Such an evolution can be owed to the hard work and passion of DIY’s contributors, as well as their ability to stay on the cutting edge by helping emerging artists gain recognition. The ‘Get to Know‘ section of their website promises to get readers ‘a little bit closer to the buzziest new acts‘. With features such as musical prodigy Alfie Templeman and the new Bristolian ‘heavy pop trio’ INDIGOS, it certainly succeeds in its aim.

The ‘100th Issue Party‘ will commence with a live performance from Matt Maltese on the 8th September. Maltese has been a recurring presence on the pages of DIY since his first EP was released back in 2016. He was recently interviewed by them on his  new EP Madhouse which came out on the 7th August. This interview saw Matt open up about, amongst other things, being dropped by Atlantic Records; and when the interviewer teasingly asks ‘Are you saying you’re cute Matt?’ it serves as a perfect example of how DIY mag often uses humour to make their features more personal and entertaining.

Matt posted on his instagram that he was looking forward to playing his ‘first gig in years celebrating @diymagazine 100th issue!’. On the following evening, 9th September, raucous indie-rock band Black Honey will take the stage. They too shared their enthusiasm on Instagram, stating ‘Woooahhh Can’t believe this is happening!’.

The week of live performances will surely be a joyous occasion, and it’s fair to say that DIY certainly deserves to celebrate such an impressive legacy!

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NME heads to Asia! Get your daily dose of pop culture from Southeast Asia and beyond at NME.com/Asia @nme.asia : Dean Chalkley

A post shared by NME (@nmemagazine) on Aug 18, 2020 at 6:00pm PDT

On the launch, Ong said ‘South East Asia has a proud musical heritage. Whether it’s trending pop styles, traditional music or a marriage of the two, artists in the region have pricked the ears of audiences worldwide – and we’re thrilled to be able to tell their stories’. Meng Ru Kuok, CEO of NME’s owner, BandLab Technologies, acknowledged that the launch comes at an unstable time in the industry, but that consumers will certainly reap its benefits, explaining that ‘Even though live events, tours and travel are on pause globally, there is still incredible creativity coming out of this region which we want to highlight’.

Kuok confesses that the work will not be easy, adding that ‘It’s challenging because we can’t get together and have those conversations in person… interviews are never as good as when you’re sitting in a room and speaking to someone face to face’. However, he says, the pandemic has also allowed writers to dedicate more time and energy to each piece; ‘At a normal time everyone would be running around doing reviews and shoots… It’s let people be more focused on the craft and making sure the product is good’. The CEO told Billboard that he is optimistic about the future of NME Asia: ‘Singapore is unique, it imports music very well and it tends to the indie music scene, in which NME is strong’.

NME Asia follows in the footsteps of the brand’s two other international branches, NME Australia and NME Japan, each of which has amassed a large and dedicated local following. In fact, NME Australia has become so successful that in April 2020 it relaunched the brand’s print magazine, which was discontinued in the UK in 2018 due to production costs.

NME, the New Musical Express, was established in London in 1952, initially operating as a trade magazine for musicians and fans of pioneering underground artists. It became the UK’s best-selling music magazine in the 1970’s and remains an iconic publication. NME was the first British magazine to include a singles chart, and produced weekly print issues for 66 years until moving online after financial troubles beginning in the mid-2010’s. The publication, along with Uncut Magazine, was sold to Singaporean music company BandLab Technologies in 2019, and has since shown promising signs of recovery.

Stubbs created Loud and Quiet in 2005, and the magazine has become popular in London as well as many other towns and cities, including New York. Up until 2018, the publication was a free monthly instalment, but it now continues bi-monthly and fans can purchase it online or in-store in exchange for a printed copy.

A statement about the future (or not) of Loud And Quiet. Subscribe to save us: https://t.co/1tAO6KsPU0 pic.twitter.com/BJqIHIuqSa

— Loud And Quiet (@LoudAndQuietMag) April 28, 2020

In his message, Stubbs explained his concerns to readers, saying “Since the Covid-19 crisis hit we’ve been trying to work out how to keep Loud and Quiet going. Or, should I say, if we can keep it going.” April’s edition was not published as planned, for reasons which follow. Firstly, the stores and venues who usually stock the magazine are closed for the time being, and secondly, advertisers have dropped out due to the lack of live shows and record releases at the moment. Another important set-back is the unsustainable market model which is currently in place for the magazine. Though readers can subscribe, there are not enough who are signed up to receive regular copies.

For this reason, the team at Loud and Quiet have created a new subscription package in which fans can pay the small amount of £50 per year for numerous perks. Included will be six editions of Loud and Quiet over the next 12 months; a commemorative zine showcasing the last 15 years of the magazine; a logo bookmark and pin; entry into an ‘Album of the Month’ vinyl draw. Along with this package, subscribers can still listen to the Loud and Quiet podcasts for free.

Stubbs confirmed that if enough people sign up, the releases will continue from August 2020, however, if this does not happen, the instalment which was released in March will be the last. Fans were glad to hear that as of 5th May, Loud and Quiet have achieved half of their subscriber goal – things are looking up, but there’s still a way to go. Readers can subscribe and discover more information via the website.

We are halfway towards our target of new subscribers to keep L&Q alive. Thank you to everyone who’s signed up already. The second 50% is tougher to reach, we’re told, but we’re feeling a lot more positive about it these days. https://t.co/W9ZwdNypgy pic.twitter.com/7ZPUb4aXdf

— Loud And Quiet (@LoudAndQuietMag) May 5, 2020

Covid-19 has had a significant effect on everyone in the music industry, especially independent record stores and magazines. Many musicians have joined campaign ‘Love Record Stores’ in the hopes to save as many as possible. In the current climate, streaming services and the refusal to buy tickets for local gigs has caused many areas of the music industry to crumble, and will continue to do so as long as society maintains its view that art is not worth paying for. One positive point which Stubbs made in his statement was that perhaps there “will be a reset in what we consider a fair price for the things we love.”