Charlie Puth, o2 Institute Birmingham

Finally, a slightly less boring (I hope) post about music!

I love this time of year as it usually means gigs EVERYWHERE! The last gig I went to was The Vamps at the start of April, so I've been suffering from a bit of the old gig blues. Luckily, last Sunday meant that it was gig time again as I went to see Charlie Puth at the o2 Institute in Birmingham. I was super excited as it was my first time seeing him live and we got to meet him too!

We (mum and I, as usual) bought tickets for Charlie's gig as soon as they went on sale and a few weeks later, they released VIP upgrades. I opted for the special 'dressing room' package (cheers Maximum Pop for that Ticketmaster gift card I won last year haha) which basically meant having the normal meet and greet with Charlie, spending time with him in his dressing room and a load of merch - sounds incredible, right?!

Once we arrived at the venue, we had to hang around for a bit outside before being checked in. There were six of us with the dressing room option and another 30 or so with normal meet and greet, so we got to go in first. Soon enough, we were escorted through the venue and into Charlie's dressing room!

As we walked in, Charlie was already there just chilling. He looked different in real life, in a way that I can't explain. He was just so casual, to the point that mum didn't recognise him for ages haha. We spent a good 10-15 minutes with him in the dressing room as he cracked jokes and chatted to us briefly. One of the perks of the dressing room package was an exclusive performance from Charlie. He sang his new song 'We Don't Talk Anymore' and it gave me goosebumps - his voice was just as incredible in person as it is on record! Before we left his dressing room, we had time for a hug and some selfies. His selfie skills were a little questionable but he evidently had a great time snapping away on my phone!

selfie central lol

We were then escorted to the front of the meet and greet queue and had a professional photo with Charlie. The picture was emailed to us a few days later - how cute does Charlie look please?

cute as a button :)

After the meet and greet, we had to go back outside until the doors officially opened. An hour or so later, people with VIP were allowed in and those of use who had the dressing room option got to go in first, meaning we could grab that perfect spot at the barrier. As time went on, the venue filled to capacity and quite frankly I've never been happier to have a barrier to lean on (standing gigs get less fun when you're approaching your quarter life crisis hahaha). The atmosphere is always better down the front too!

Before Charlie came on stage, we were treated to a support act called Kloe, a 19 year old Glaswegian singer. She performed original material combined with some interesting dance moves! I've never seen a singer dressed so casually - black sweats and trainers - and whilst she didn't look like your stereotypical popstar, she definitely made a statement and let her unique vocals do the talking.

After the crowd started a chant, it was finally time for Charlie! He didn't make a grand entrance onto the stage, instead he casually strolled on and took the time to look out into the audience at the appreciative crowd he would be entertaining for the evening. The screams were already deafening, which boded well for the reception he would continue to receive as the night went on!

He opened with one of his hit songs 'Marvin Gaye' and it was evident from the moment he played the opening piano chords that we were in for a treat. Charlie proved to be an extremely passionate performer, wowing the crowd with his vocals and piano skills.

Charlie then went on to perform songs from his album Nine Track Mind. 'Dangerously', 'Some Type Of Love' and 'Losing My Mind' prompted the audience to do their best Charlie impressions. It was heart-warming to hear the audience sing along to every song, including those perhaps lesser known album songs.

snapchat of 'Dangerously'

In between songs, Charlie spoke to the audience and was charmingly awkward. He doesn't come across as cocky like a lot of performers do - he was in fact very humble and down to earth about everything. The fact that he napped before the show and came on stage with a bed head and wearing the same clothes as he did in the meet and greet says it all. There's no airs and graces, he is as he is and I love that about him.

Next up was 'Left Right Left', with his band prompting us to sway our arms from left-right-left as per the chorus lyrics. I turned round at one point and it was incredible to see the entire venue getting involved, even the people up in the balcony! 'My Gospel', aka my favourite song, was next and Charlie did not disappoint. It sounded incredible live and was made complete by an epic piano jam out at the end. Charlie is beyond talented and at this point it made me realise just how bloody underrated he is.

snapchat of 'My Gospel', the jam session

For the next section, Charlie took a seat next to his guitarist as he switched to an acoustic set. He sang 'Up All Night' and 'Then There's You', both of which were pretty perfect. There were times when Charlie himself didn't even need to sing because the audience were doing the singing for him - it was an incredible thing to experience and gave me goosebumps, it must have been mesmerising for him!

Whilst I would have been happy just hearing his own material all night, Charlie also performed a John Mayer cover. I'm not familiar with John's music but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Following that, Charlie performed his latest single 'We Don't Talk Anymore' which reminded me of our dressing room experience. Of course, this was a different version again, complete with his band and Charlie beatboxing! Seriously, his talent knows no bounds. Mum filmed the performance and you can see how overwhelmed Charlie is at the 3 minute mark when everyone sings back to him!




He also went on to perform 'Suffer', one of the most intense ballads on his album, which once again received a great reception. His supposed last song of the evening was 'One Call Away', which is one of my favourites. Charlie was full of emotion and performed his heart out. As the song came to and end, he took a bow before making his way off of the stage.

Of course, there was still one big song left to perform and the crowd knew it. They made sure Charlie had no option but to return by chanting his name at the top of their lungs - I've been to far too many gigs to remember, but the crowd reaction at this one is something that will stay with me for life. I haven't heard a reaction quite like it in such a long time.

Charlie made his way back to the stage for 'See You Again', one of the biggest songs of last year and one that has touched the hearts of many. He gave it his all during this song and it was a really special moment. I was so emotional during it and felt tears in my eyes, it's such a powerful song! Every word was sung back to Charlie which added to the experience. Unfortunately, the song came to an end all too soon and it really was time for Charlie and his band to take their final bow and leave the stage.




Charlie's gig was one of the best I've been to in a long, long time, Everything about it was perfect - Charlie's vocals are stunning, and combined with his incredible piano skills, he really captured my heart. The crowd reaction was also unreal. He commented a few times about how it was the loudest crowd he'd performed to, and whilst every artist tends to say that, I genuinely felt as if it could be true. Every word was sung back to him and the screaming, chanting and cheering was on another level.

It was also incredible to see such a humble performer take to the stage. Charlie was genuinely so thankful for his life right now. He spoke about how he's been in the business behind the scenes for a while, writing for other people, but to get to perform in his own right was a dream come true. His talent is superb and he most definitely deserves far more credit as a performer. I hope this is the first of many occasions that I'll get to see him live, as he is definitely on my 'can't get enough of' list!

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

#MusicMonday 5

Hello again! So it's that time of week again, where I share what I've been listening to over the past few days. (I swear Mondays come around quicker for me since I started doing #MusicMondays, which is both a good and bad thing aha). If you missed last week's collaboration filled #MusicMonday, check it out here.

1. Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling

J-Timberlake is baaaaaack! (cue excited screams). It feels like SO LONG since he last released anything, but he's back with a top tune called 'Can't Stop The Feeling', which appears on the soundtrack to the new Dreamworks animation, Trolls. Justin voices the character of Branch in the movie, and he is joined by fellow voice contributors in the video, including James Corden, Anna Kendrick and Gwen Stefani. It's such an infectious song - it's got 'big hit' written aaaall over it.

2. James Morrison - I Need You Tonight

Like the granny that I am, (my approaching quarter life crisis is real), one night last week I fell asleep on the sofa and woke up randomly to see a repeat of Michael McIntyre's new comedy show. James Morrison was the guest performer and he sang 'I Need You Tonight', which I've never heard before, however, I instantly loved it! I'd forgotten how good his music is, and subsequently this song has been a big hit on my playlist this week.

3. Nicky Byrne - Sunlight

On Friday, my local radio station was interviewing former Westlife star Nicky Byrne, who will be representing Ireland at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. After working on his solo material since the band split, he has finally unveiled his debut single (and Ireland's song choice for this year). Nicky's chosen a potentially enormous platform providing that people take to the song! I didn't really know what to expect from him, as he wasn't a prominent singer in the band but I was pleasantly surprised! It's an upbeat offering, with no key change in sight, and with a loyal following behind him, I'm sure he will be very successful at this year's contest.

4. Busted - Coming Home

If a reunion tour featuring ALL THREE MEMBERS (yes, even Charlie!!) wasn't enough to excite, Busted have just released their first single in over 12 years. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, and I'm so excited about them reforming - but new material is just the cherry on the cake! 'Coming Home' is so different to their old material, which is a great thing tbh. Whilst I adore their classic tracks, it would be odd if their new material was a carbon copy of their songs from over a decade ago! There is a maturity in this track as well as an anthemic feel - this song is going to sound incredible live. Welcome back Busted. I'm so excited to see them at Fusion Festival later this year!

5. Fifth Harmony - Write On Me

I'm notorious for being a boyband girl. I always have been and I always will be, however, where girlbands are concerned, I very much like Fifth Harmony. Their singles are always SO. CATCHY. but I've yet to tackle their album material until now. The girls recently released 'Write On Me' as a pre-order from their second album 7/27 and I really like it! It's so different to 'Worth It' and 'Work From Home', but it's nice (as a sideline fan) to see another side to them. It's definitely made me want to download their album once it's released.

See you next week!

Hwyl am y tro ✌️ 

#MusicMonday 2

Hellooo! It's Monday again so I guess it's time for another #MusicMonday! These are some of the songs that I've been listening to this week. If you missed the first instalment from last week, then you can check it out here.

1. Meghan Trainor - No

I heard this song a few weeks ago but I was undecided as to whether I liked it or not. Needless to say, the more I've heard it, the more I've grown to like it. The 'My name is No' bit is still a bit annoying but I love the rest of it, it's a real bop.

 

2. P!NK - Just Like Fire (From 'Alice Through The Looking Glass')

P!NK is back! I feel like she hasn't been around for forever, but she's returned with another great song called 'Just Like Fire' which is from the new Alice Through The Looking Glass movie. The chorus is the best part of the song and it makes me want to sing along at the top of my voice.

3. MKTO - Hands Off My Heart

My American baes are back with a new single. Originally a fusion of two tracks, 'Hands Off My Heart/Places You Go', the song has now been remixed by Mysto & Pizzi and they've given it a video too. Check out the remix and the full version, both are fab.

4. Little Mix (featuring Sean Paul) - Hair

Last week, Little Mix announced that 'Hair' would be the new single from their latest album Get Weird. I think it was originally released as a promo single late last year, however it's been given a bit of a twist as pop world's favourite collaborator Sean Paul now features on it. The song is quite empowering and full of sass - girl power all the way!

5. Nathan Sykes - Stitches (Cover)

Okay so this isn't an official cover, but last week Nathan Sykes decided to share a video of him doing a vocal warm up, and it just so happened to involve him singing Shawn Mendes'  'Stitches'. My goodness, it is INCREDIBLE. The chorus in particular hit me right in the feels - Nathan has such a gorgeous tone to his voice and so passionate, even when warming up! He can sing pretty much anything, forever getting goosebumps and being in awe at his vocals.

I've been loving this song for ages so I decided to use it as my warm up! @ShawnMendes #Stitches hope you like it!!https://t.co/mQU66JHc1I

— Nathan Sykes (@NathanSykes) 14 April 2016

What are you listening to this week? Let me know! I always like suggestions of new music to listen to.

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

#MusicMonday

Evening all! So recently (and in the past), I've done a couple of 'what I'm listening to atm' posts. The majority of my posts are normally gig related but seeing as I'm not actually going to any gigs until the end of May (KILL.ME.NOW), I thought I would try and start a weekly thing, sharing some of the songs that I'm currently jamming to!

I'm going to try and include a mixture of originals and covers - it goes without saying that you're likely to see some of my faves pop up from time to time too haha. So here goes! Here's five songs that I'm listening to this week, check them out if you haven't already.

1. Sigala featuring John Newman and Nile Rodgers - Give Me Your Love

As a huge John Newman fan, I was so hyped to find out that he would be featuring on Sigala's new single! The pair have also teamed up with the legendary Nile Rodgers which must have been an incredible experience for them! The song is set to be a massive summer hit and I can't wait to hear it live at Fusion Festival in September. It's a really feel good track and just makes you want to get up and dance.

2. Nick Jonas - Champagne Problems

This is the second song made available from Nick's new album Last Year Was Complicated. I'm already loving Nick's new mature sound and I can't wait for the rest of the album. (Please do a proper tour in the UK!!!!!)

3. Conor Maynard - Close (cover)

Conor Maynard is one of my favourite ever people to see live. He has this incredible energy about him and it doesn't matter how long you've gone without listening to his music, you never forget his catchiest hits. He's also the king of covers and his latest is a version of Nick Jonas' 'Close' with a bit of Years and Years mixed in too. It's one of my favourite songs at the moment and I'm so in love with this cover!

4. Joe Conaboy - Follow Me (cover)

I've been a fan of Joe for over three years now, ever since his Kingsland days (forever missing those). Since becoming a solo artist, he's been very far removed from the boyband sound that I know and love but he's still smashing it with his music. His latest cover is of Bring Me The Horizon's 'Follow You', which I'm not familiar with, however, I actually really enjoyed it.

5. David Mark Bulley - Hello (cover)

Finally, I had to include my little fave David who's blown me away with this Adele cover. Now to me, anyone who covers Adele must be crazy or stupid (or both) as she is so iconic and very rarely does anyone do her songs any justice. However, I think David's done an incredible job - his cover (which is even more stunning live) gives me goosebumps and his voice suits the song so much.

Hello (Adele Cover)
There's such a difference between us... ❤️
Posted by David Mark Bulley on Friday, 8 April 2016

What are you listening to at the moment? Leave a comment below :)

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

There's Only One Direction...

On Thursday I went to see One Direction in the O2 Arena, London. This was the first show of the UK arena leg of the On The Road Again (OTRA) tour and my first time seeing them perform a full set. Having seen them perform a short set at Summertime Ball earlier this year, I was really excited about watching a full show from the world's most famous boyband.

The first thing that surprised me as we sat in our seats was the variety of people in the audience. Whilst I was greeted with screaming fangirls in abundance (which was totally expected) there was also older women, couples and quite a few men!

Before 1D came on stage, we were treated to a great support act in the form of Jamie Lawson. I didn't really know who he was beforehand, I'd never heard him sing and my knowledge of him only stretched to the fact that he's signed to Ed Sheeran's record label. I was pleasantly surprised, as it turned out that he was a fantastic singer-songwriter. Jamie performed his original songs and a crowd pleasing cover of 1D's More Than This.  I can see why Ed Sheeran has signed him - he reminded me so much of the Ed Sheeran I first saw live a few years ago, and no doubt that after this tour that Jamie will grow even further in confidence.  Whilst I thought he was really good, personally I would have chosen someone livelier as a support act. I think an audience like 1D's want to be hyped at all times, yet I found Jamie's songs too mellow to get incredibly excited over. I think Jamie would have shone even more as a support act for someone else.  Nevertheless, this tour is the most incredible opportunity for him and an excellent platform to showcase his fantastic music.

After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, it was finally time for 1D who burst onto the stage to perform No Control. As one of the most popular songs amongst Directioners, the boys most definitely chose the best opening to the show and in return, the crowd showed their appreciation by screaming, singing along loudly and dancing about.  Kiss You was next, one of my favourites from their earlier days and they put on a very energetic performance!

Fireproof was one of the first ballads performed which was made even more special by fans holding signs baring the words 'Nobody saves us the way you do'. These were handed out before the show began (the first of many different projects that the boys will see during their tour) and I thought it was a really cute idea.

One of my highlights was Stockholm Syndrome.  When I first heard Four, it instantly became my favourite song and I was so excited to hear it live. Despite Zayn being the main singer on the album track, the boys did a fab job and didn't disappoint! I definitely got a bit over excited during this song, no shame haha!

One of the most eventful songs was Night Changes. The poor souls had real difficulty as they were hearing something different in their ear pieces and had to attempt the song three times! In the end, with the help of the fans they were back on track and I must applaud them on dealing with the sound problems so well. To be honest, the fans didn't mind at all as it meant getting a short acoustic snippet of Infinity which excited the crowd even further and gave them an insight to what they can expect on their new album Made in the A.M. The banter between the boys was also hilarious, Harry was trying to get people to tell jokes which was funny in itself!

There was a good mix of different album tracks and well known songs on the setlist, including Little Things, Best Song Ever, Clouds, Diana and Little White Lies. It was nice to see Niall playing the guitar on several songs. The boys spoke a lot in between songs, mainly thanking the fans for all of their support over the last five years. I must also mention Harry starting a kiss cam which was funny - an older couple kissed on camera and in return they bagged Niall's plectrum as they had a sign asking for it.  They were completely over the moon at the whole thing haha.

1D finished the set with Steal My Girl, however knowing that there were some important songs missing, we knew that there would be an encore.  Several minutes of anticipation later and they boys reappeared on stage to perform Act My Age, What Makes You Beautiful and Drag Me Down. They most definitely saved the best song until last - Drag Me Down is such an anthemic song and it's even better live (once again, no shame in losing my shhhh whilst they performed haha).

Liam kept saying how the O2 was one of his favourite venues to perform at, so I'm glad that I got to see them at such an iconic venue.  Their two hour set was the epitome of energy at all times and you could see what a great relationship they had with each other. I can finally say that I've seen a whole One Direction set and it was definitely worth the wait :-)

Here's some pictures from the night, courtesy of mum as she had a better view than I did!

Niall and his guitar

Liam

Louis

Harry entertaining the crowd

with the girls

the boys

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

'London' - Britroyal album review

photo credit: Min Reid-Richards

This week the lovely Kais and Mazin, aka Britroyal finally released their debut album London! Having worked with Pledge Music to deliver the album, it is currently available exclusively to pledgers.  This means that if you missed out on pledging, you will have to wait until the iTunes release I'm afraid!!

I thought I would review the album in order to hopefully entice anyone to support the guys and their album once it is widely available.  London is a brilliant album, instantly memorable with catchy choruses and plenty of strings and guitar riffs.  If you are familiar with Kais and Mazin's music then you will recognise the trademark Britroyal sound throughout the album. However, on the whole it is a far more positive and upbeat record, full of inspirational messages delivered through anthemic tracks.

The track listing is as follows:

1. Stronger - what an epic beginning to the album! The opening chants are anthemic and there is a good, positive message to the song.  The song tells you that any pain you go through makes you stronger in the end.  You can imagine this song being played at a gig with everyone swaying their phone lights in the air!

2. Defiant - this song is more upbeat and carries another strong message, that you should never let anyone get you down - be defiant and fight for your dreams in life.

3. Change - I found this song to be almost countryesque!  The chorus is the winner here, simply telling you that 'it's never too late to change your life'. Whilst I love the message in the song, at the moment it is my least favourite track from the album.

4. Count on Me - there are woah oh's in abundance at the beginning of this song and it is extremely anthemic.  There is a good use of strings in the song too which adds to the great sound created by the guys.  Once again the lyrics are very positive, one of my favourites being 'I'll be the light in the dark when you can't see".  This song is a great way of telling someone that they can depend on you.

5. What Matters Most - this is one of my favourite tracks from the album. It is a beautiful and poignant ballad which, as with many of the album tracks, appears to have been influenced by personal experiences. Experiencing dark times can make you realise what's important in life.

6. Compromise - this is a more up-tempo ballad about keeping a relationship alive by compromising.  There is positivity within this song and it's most definitely a grower.

7. Head v Heart- cue one of the most trademark Britroyal songs on the album! As the title suggests, the song highlights the head and heart battle between staying and walking away. This will definitely be a good song to hear live. It is instantly catchy and the chorus is very easy to sing along to.

8. Tears - this is the surprise track on the album for me as it is the most far removed from the trademark Britroyal sound.  Nonetheless, between great guitar riffs and the fantastic vibe the song gives, it is one of my favourites by far.  The best line in the song for me is a lyric which almost sounds like a rap, which I find amusing considering how posh Kais and Mazin are haha, but the tongue-twisting lyric is 'and it's too heavy to hold under the weight of it all'. (It will make more sense to anyone when listening to it!).  

9. Love's Burning Out - this takes us back to the Britroyal style that we're used to. The song is definitely a grower and builds from the beginning into a strong chorus.

10. London Streets - the main album ends with another strong ballad.  Filled with woahs, drum beats and great lyrics, this is a great song to end a brilliant album with.

11/12/13. (Deluxe tracks) Wasted I Love You/Unfinished/Ordinary - Britroyal have added three of their previous EP tracks as bonus songs on the deluxe version of the album.  In my opinion these are the three best songs from their EP which you can download here. They are sing-a-long tracks, with Ordinary being the stand out track for me.

When I first heard their EP, it took me quite a while to get used to it however I was instantly hooked on this album within the first time of listening to it. I love how every song has a meaning behind it and how they've taken personal experiences and turned them into positive songs.  They have truly excelled themselves with this album and I'm so pleased that I pledged and got to own this superb album before a lot of other people! 

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

Only The Young Tour

On Sunday night I went to Cardiff to see Concept support Only The Young on their 'Up Close and Personal' tour.  I was so excited to see them perform, especially as it was their first proper gig in Wales.  

We arrived in Cardiff ridiculously early as per, and after having food we decided to mooch around the shops to kill time.  One (crazy and very expensive) Primark haul later, we ended up having to rush over to the venue in order to make it in time for the doors to open haha.

Once we were let inside, we were greeted by lots of merchandise and I had a nice surprise to see Concept and Canary Swing personally selling their merch.  I bought one of Concept's new baseball tees (super comfy, may I add) and had a quick chat with Scott, Matt and Ben.  We then went to find a good spot.  I've never been to the Globe before but I really liked it as a venue as you had a clear view from wherever you stood, as it was very intimate.

The first support act was The Brooks, who opened with a Michael Jackson medley.  The twins were very good and got the crowd singing along to their cover of Four Five Seconds.  To finish their set they performed an original song called Cinderella.

Secondly were Canary Swing.  I absolutely love Canary Swing and became a fan after seeing them support Kingsland which feels like many moons ago now,  They are always so lively and get the crowd involved.  Whilst I'd grown accustomed to the old songs they used to perform, this time around they performed a few new originals, with Right Now being a personal favourite of mine.  You know that a song is good when you catch yourself singing along immediately despite not actually knowing the words!  They also did a great cover of Rita Ora's Poison before finishing the set with the classic Second Star to the Right.  I adore this song and it wouldn't be a Canary Swing show without it.

The last support act were the Basingstoke baes, Concept!  There aren't enough hours in the day in which I could fawn over them to you. They are genuinely some of the nicest people you could meet and they have talent in abundance.  They opened with an energetic performance of Uptown Funk which, with no question, was an enormous crowd pleaser.  Concept followed up with a cover of Nick Jonas' Jealous which was another hit with the audience.  I love it when they perform slower songs as it gives them the opportunity to fully show off their incredible voices - their original song Last Man Standing was a great example of this, gorgeous harmonies that complemented Ben's guitar skills. A big crowd favourite was their cover of Imagine Dragons' Radioactive - this is definitely my favourite cover from their set these days! I'd never heard the song before I first heard their cover but I fell in love with it.  They also make it their own with an insane rap by Karim and Matt.  They ended their set with another original called Young and Rebellious - and as the title suggests, it's all about having fun.  Every member of the crowd, young and young at heart were having the best time!  I could watch them perform all day - every time I've seen them, they step it up and improve even more than what you could think possible. I can't express how much of a joy it is to watch them!!! (end of fawning for now).

Last to perform was the headline act, Only The Young.  I've never seen them live before and only had their X Factor performances to compare to but they were full of fun and bounced onto the stage. They performed a lot of their XF songs, such as a medley of Jailhouse Rock/Twist'n'Shout, Blame it on the Boogie and Something About The Way You Look Tonight.  Amongst these were some great original songs, including my favourite Little White Lies.  Disaster stuck mid-set as Charlie fell ill but the remaining three did a great job of carrying on without him.  One of my favourite covers that they performed was Dancing in the Moonlight, which was a massive hit many years ago and a song that you forget about but as soon as you hear it again, your love for it is reignited haha. By the end, the trio were definitely missing Charlie's presence so invited Concept onto the stage to perform Shut Up and Dance with them - the atmosphere was electric! Everyone in the audience were singing and dancing along.  OTY ended their set with their debut single I Do which is incredibly catchy.

After the gig finished, we went outside to meet Concept.  They were incredibly lovely as per and we had quite long chats with all of the boys.  The typical Welsh weather was determined to ruin my selfies but hey ho, it was still a fantastic night and a pleasure to see them again as always.

first ever selfies with Nathan haha :)

Karim 

Matt

funny selfies with Ben

Scott

love this group pic!

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

(P.S I've started writing occasionally for CelebMix and wrote a review about this gig which you can read here - note it is a lot more unbiased that what you've just read, but I think it's acceptable to fawn over my faves on my own blog, right?!)

Fusion Fest 2015

Last weekend I went to Birmingham for its annual Fusion Festival.  Normally a two day event, this year they had 26 acts play over three days, with Ed Sheeran, Rudimental and McBusted being the headliners.  We decided to go on the Friday and Sunday, as those were the days with the lineups we most liked.

Friday's headliner was supposed to be Justin Bieber but he pulled out at the last minute.  I did doubt that Fusion would be able to get a good replacement at such short notice but my god, they pulled it out of the bag! Ed Sheeran was the most insane replacement, an incredible 90 minute set from one man and his guitar.  I've always liked Ed's music and I've seen him live a couple of times at Summertime Ball but never have I witnessed a full set from him, I'm so glad that I finally have!  His set was phenomenal from start to finish, I was in awe and several times I just stood gawping at what I was seeing and hearing.  One minute the atmosphere was electric, the next it was stunning with the whole crowd creating a sea of lights with their phones.  I'm still amazed at what Ed can do with his guitar, using it as a cajon in Bloodstream was one of the stand out moments for me.  To be perfectly honest, Fusion excelled themselves by signing up Ed - as much as I like Biebs, Ed really was superb.

Ed Sheeran

Another stand out act were Rixton. I haven't been a fan for long, but ever since they released Me and My Broken Heart, I fell in love with their music.  I've only seen them live a few times too but they keep on improving every time.  They had a great set, full of energy and crowd interaction.  I felt for Jake as he was losing his voice slightly but he still put on a fantastic performance.  He even jumped into the crowd, serenaded a fan and walked along the barrier to get to as many fans as possible.  They are a band that deserve so much more recognition in the UK!

Charley and Jake, Rixton

I must also mention Aston Merrygold!!  I was so excited to see him perform as a solo artist for the first time and he did not disappoint.  He showcased his original music, including his debut single Get Stupid which really got the crowd going.  The only complaint I had was that his set was far too short!! I wish he could have performed for longer but nonetheless he was exceptional and made me really proud.

Aston Merrygold

On the Sunday, we had VIP tickets which allowed us access to a special area with comfortable seating, posh toilets and the possibility of seeing some of the performers up close and personal.  We were given a free Vimto mocktail as we arrived (which was absolutely delicious) and we sheltered in the tent whilst the rain stopped.  Soon enough, I noticed a big group of girls making their way into the tent, surrounding Conor Maynard who wanted a go on the Playstation 4 that they had inside.  He was so lovely and spent ages meeting everyone!

Conor Maynard

Once the weather dried up, we hovered by the fences as you could see some of the performers going for interviews etc.  This is where I met 5/6 of new Irish boyband Hometown.  They were really nice lads too and spent a long time meeting the big crowd that had gathered along the fence.  I had a blast from the past when I saw their driver Darren, who used to drive for Kingsland last year!  We also bumped into Lukey who used to be in Times Red - it was so nice to have a catch up as we haven't seen him for so long,

Dayl, Dean, Cian, Josh and Brendan - Hometown

We went into the main arena later in the afternoon to watch Conor Maynard and Union J.  Conor performed a shorter version of his Thorpe Park set and I loved every minute!  He is so energetic and had the crowd singing along to every classic hit.  Union J were also marvellous.  They always put on a fantastic show and got the crowd hyped by encouraging them to swing an item of clothing around during one song.

Jaymi, Josh, George and JJ, Union J

We headed back to the VIP area and tried to get near the fence to meet some more acts. I was SO close to The Vamps but didn't meet them unfortunately.  However I did meet Union J for the first time and they were so nice!  I'm really excited to their 'audience with' events next month.  I also met Adam Lambert and Jess Glynne, both of whom were lovely too.

Adam Lambert

Jess Glynne

Sunday's headliner was supergroup McBusted, who were fantastic.  They were a bundle of energy from start to finish and belted out all of the big McFly/Busted hits including Obviously and Crashed The Wedding.  I haven't seen McBusted in a long time but they were such a great closing act for the night and the whole weekend.  It was also so cute to see the wives of the band members watching from in front of the stage, aside from Emma Willis who was the biggest fangirl of all, watching everything from the golden circle amongst all the fans, even getting on a man's shoulders for the finale! McBusted are not only brilliant performers, but they have great stage banter which entertained everyone.

Tom

Dougie

I really enjoyed the weekend, and I would definitely encourage anyone to go next year and to also try the VIP option as it gives you a more comfortable festival atmosphere! Fusion is always really well organised and a super fun time :)

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

A Day Out WIth Britroyal - Take 2!

On Saturday we had our second pledge with the Britroyal twins. The first day out we had with them back in July was so hilarious that I was super excited to see what this day would entail!

Kais and Mazin picked us up from our hotel, and following a change of plan due to crazy traffic and getting lost, they opted to take us to Windsor for the afternoon. The most I remember about Windsor previously was going to Legoland when I was much younger, so I was looking forward to sightseeing the quaint little area.

Windsor Castle

After parking up and grabbing a drink, we decided to go on one of the sightseeing buses around the town. We caught a bus just as it was about to depart and sat in the only four seats left on the top deck as it was such a beautiful day. This was our first mistake as the seats had black crosses on them, meaning the headphone jacks weren't working so we wouldn't be able to hear the running commentary.

selfie with the beefeater!

However, we decided to just wing it and enjoy the beautiful sights as we went along, knowing that we could come aboard the bus again later in the day. The tour took an hour and we passed through sights such as Eton College, though we were lucky to make it out alive to tell the tale!!!  Unbeknown to us, had our headphone sockets been working, we would have known that all passengers had been given a warning about low trees. Yet here we were, sat on the left side of the top deck, travelling quite fast down country roads and being scared half to death by branches! We were travelling at what felt like Grand Prix speed, so much so that mum actually took out half a tree on the way around! (I did carry the branch around with me for a while as a funny memento but then mum left it on a café table :( I wasn't impressed!!!).

Whilst we had to make up the commentary as we went along, we decided to put my selfie stick to good use to get some pictures along the way. An hour of laughter later, we arrived back at the area where we boarded and stepped off in search for a café.

On our way we came across a museum - after our last escapade in London with the music museum, the whole thing has become a running joke so we most definitely had to wander in. We were limited to the bottom floor as there was a wedding upstairs but the curator was very friendly and amongst other facts, informed us that Prince Charles and Camilla got married here. Mum was the butt of all jokes all day long (I won't go into detail to embarrass her further lol) but it involved a man, which led to Kais and Mazin asking if they did weddings for anybody in the museum, even discussing costs with the curator and making her fetch a brochure for us. I'd like to think that I matched the twins on their banter all day, but they were too funny to keep up with at times!

excited faces all round!

We then found a café and had a sit down as the jokes continued. Kais and Mazin are always so friendly, it didn't feel like a pledge at all as the conversation and laughter wasn't forced.

We spotted another bus that appeared to be empty so decided to go round again on the tour. This time we sat on the right hand side where the headphones worked (first announcement: be aware of low branches....). We took more selfies to pass the time before the bus set off, as well as waving at all the other tourists that were taking pictures of the bus.  I felt as if I was on a school trip haha! We went a slightly different route this time, and actually heard what was being said as we went around. I found it quite interesting and it made a change for me to be having a bit of culture injected into my life - despite the numerous towns we've visited over the past few years, we never have time to do anything touristy.

After the bus tour came to an end. we hopped back into the car and headed to Bracknell for supper. Frankie and Benny's was the dining destination of choice and we continued our jokes over food.  We had a Portuguese waiter called Ricardo who was quite hysterical, I can just picture him now recommending puddings and acquainting himself as our friend. Four food comas later, we were ready to leave and sadly end the day.  Kais and Mazin drove us back to our hotel, and we parted ways after another hilarious day.  

how we felt when the day came to an end :(

They are such lovely people, spending the day with them is always so pleasant as they are so nice. The laughter never stops and I always appreciate the memories we make.  Unfortunately we don't have any more personal pledges left with them so until they start gigging, I don't know when we'll get to see them again.  Hopefully it won't be too long, I need more of their posh banter in my life!!!

Hwyl am y tro ✌️

Island Beats

On Friday I went to Thorpe Park as once again they were doing a series of Showcase Live/Island Beats gigs. I went last year with my friend Mim to see Concept and Canary Swing and enjoyed so much that I just had to come back again.

This year they have had unsigned artists perform every single day in the park for free, as well as special headline shows on Fridays and Saturdays with a chart topping act performing. Conor Maynard was the headline this week, with support from Cahoots, BB Diamond and Concept (who were the main attraction for us!).

Without Mim in tow, I was my usual rollercoaster-phobe so as soon as we arrived, we just headed straight for the gig area. There were two gigs, one for the support acts, and then the main gig in the evening.

The first act were an English/Spanish three piece called Cahoots. Their name was familiar to me but I'd never heard their music before however they were absolutely brilliant! Made up of Tom, Matt and Curricé, they sang a mix of covers and originals and built up a good crowd outside. Their cover of Uptown Funk was amazing, the only instrument they used was a guitar as a cajon and it sounded so different to most covers of that song!

Next was a female singer called BB Diamond. Now I have a history of not liking female artists but she was actually very good! She mainly sang her own songs, all of which were catchy by the end, as well as a cover of the 90's song Finally which is a jam of mine!!

Lastly were my faves Concept. It's been around a year since I last saw them live, but my gosh I didn't think it was possible for them to keep improving so much! I fell in love with them when I saw them for the first time in Reading in 2013 and ever since then they just keep stepping it up.

They performed five songs, made up of three covers and two originals. They opened with their rendition of Uptown Funk, which was again so different to what Cahoots had done. They went straight into a cover of Walk The Moon's Shut Up and Dance which was one of the first times they'd performed it live. They followed with an original song called Last Man Standing which is fantastic - I've never heard it in full so it was nice to be able to hear them perform it live. They also performed one of my favourite covers, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons. I love Karim's rap that he adds into it! Finally they ended with another original, Young and Rebellious. I first heard this song last year and instantly loved it because it's so catchy and the boys get the crowd involved too. Their sets are always so full of energy and they drew a massive crowd, it made me so proud to be a fan of theirs!  

Shut Up and Dance

Afterwards, they stayed to meet all of their fans, took pictures and chatted with everyone.  Even when Scott's dad was trying to rally the boys for dinner, they still didn't want to leave!  This is one of the reasons why I love Concept - they are extremely grounded and always make time for their fans, whether they know them well or not.  I've only met them a handful of times so they don't know me like I know some other artists yet they had so much time for both me and my mum!  We spoke about their great set, how excited we were that they were finally coming to Wales to perform in September as well as how much I was looking forward to the cinema date me and Mim won through our fan account for them.  It was so nice to speak to them properly and I managed to get pictures with Scott, Matt and Ben.  

Scott, Matt and Ben

The main gig wasn't due to start until 6pm so we wasted some time by having dinner, people watching and playing games in the arcade.  At 5pm we headed over to the queue for Island Beats to try and get a decent spot as we only had standard tickets. People always laugh at me for queuing for a gig, however sometimes being keen pays off as at 6 o'clock the steward came round and gave the first 50 people in the queue a free upgrade for VIP!  Instead of being half way back in the venue, we ended up being in third row.  

Cahoots

We had a great view of Cahoots, BB Diamond and Concept, who all performed fantastic sets once again.  After their performance, Concept came to stand in the VIP area so everyone went to have group pictures with them.  This was the first group picture I had with them and tbh I really love it! (Karim's got the perfect arms for selfie taking haha).

Afterwards we stood at the back of the VIP area ready for the headline act, Conor Maynard.  I'll be honest, I'd forgotten how much I loved his music!  He was absolutely incredible, he got the crowd bouncing and everyone was singing along to his classics like Can't Say No, Vegas Girl and Turn Around.  He did a medley of covers including Trap Queen and Gotta Get Thru This which was just amazing, before finishing off with my favourite song R U Crazy.  His whole set was insane and so feel good!

I hope Showcase Live continue to put on shows at Thorpe Park every year as they're always really enjoyable.  They're ideal for people who like to combine music with theme park thrills, but even if you're a wuss like me, it's a fantastic setting to get to listen to some incredible music!

Hwyl am y tro ✌️