ASBO Meets Sonar: A World of Electronic Goodness

Words: Rafe LlewellynSonar festival is set to engulf the Catalan capital Barcelona with a whirlwind of decadent innovation this weekend. The celebration of talent begins each day with ‘Sonar by Day’ held at Fira Montjuïc. Discussions, workshops and installations are seamlessly weaved into an alluring electronic music experience that sees an intelligently curated and versatile bill to stimulate all. As sun sets however the attention will shift to ‘Sonar by Night’, a sonic expedition through time...

ASBO @ Sonar by Day – Thursday

Words: Rafe Llewellyn, Images: Sonar Insta/PressStill absolutely rocking after a heavy weekend at Primavera, the ASBO boys are back to take on the electronic dystopia that scintillates Barcelona each year: Sonar. Traditionally two weeks apart, this year we are treated to no such respite from the chaos of festival season as both festivals are occurring back to back.Regardless, rest assured we are keen to take on the two busiest days of Sonar, Friday and Saturday, which hold both Sonar by Day and...

ASBO @ SONAR by Day – Friday

Words: Rafe Llewellyn, Images: Sonar PressHaving just about managed to grasp the layout of the vast landscape that covers Sonar by Day we returned to Fira  Montjuïc with fervorous zeal for the afternoon ahead. With the prospect of a sunrise Barry Can’t Swim set in the back of our minds, we decided that a deeper dive into the project area was the perfect way to begin the day.As writers, we’re naturally slight Artificial Intelligence sceptics already, so we tentatively approached the Music & AI se...

ASBO @ SONAR by day – Saturday

Words: Rafe Llewellyn, Images: Sonar PressBarry Can’t Swim had finished mere hours ago, but the beauty of Sonar is that it never really sleeps, so before long we were back down the wide road leading to Fira Montjuïc for the final portion of the ‘by day’ edition of Sonar.This point in the weekend is usually where many ravers get hit with the reminder that festivals are a marathon not a sprint. Could we lie down in the face of greatness though and miss a whole day of festivities, saving ourselves...

Seu Jorge: A night at London’s Roundhouse

Words: Rafe Llewellyn, Images: Ravi ChandaranaLast Tuesday I had the pleasure of taking a gander down to North London to see world-renowned Latin star, Seu Jorge for his first UK appearance in 6 years.From the moment I arrived bodies and souls aligned on the floor of the Roundhouse venue. The renowned venue is akin to an  amphitheatre of sound, darkened seating circling above a packed pit of shifting bodies. As the eyes above peer through the darkness , the ground shines  alight with dancing and...

Melina Blanco

Words by Rafe LlewellynPhotos by Willow ShieldsFrom footballing glory to soul-shaping shows across London, Melina Blanco is proof that 3 months of football training as a young child is enough experience to call upon to defend with resolute determination on any 6-a-side pitch. A multi-faceted talent, I first met Blanco directly after her performance on stage at Soccer Six festival, held at the Mile End football stadium in East London. Hoping to call upon her Argentinian roots, Blanco was set to a...

SOCCER SIX

Photos by Olly BromidgeThe United Kingdom’s favourite music X football tournament festival blend Soccer Six reunited for their 30th year anniversary at the Mile End Stadium on May 10th with regular attendees and music scene legends ‘The Darkness’ headlining a star studded 6-a-side tournament that also Included ‘Deadletter’ and ‘The Clause’. A unique combination event, the live music lineup of the day promised to entertain the masses as Musos award winning talent Ben Walker was set to lineup alon...

'We started as performers and that's still our favourite part': In conversation with Drax Project

By Rafe Llewellyn, Second Year HistoryI'm searching for possible technology faults as my screen flashes quickly from an old photo of the band to the two members of Drax Project I've been given the opportunity to chat to ahead of their highly anticipated tour. Sam Thompson, who plays bass, sits back in his chair and gives a gentle wave as we exchange pleasantries. He's sat on a spinning chair with Ben O'Leary to his left peering curiously at the screen.The two adjust their seating positions befor...

Rodrigo Cuevas at La Linea 25 – One to Remember

Words: Rafe Llewellyn, Images: PressDescending on Islington assembly alongside myself was a sea of red and white. Arsenal were due to kick off their 8pm Premier League tie just down the road that evening and their fans joined me in the last portion of the journey to see Rodrigo Cuevas’ show at Islington assembly. The second instalment of Latin festival La Linea’s London scattered selection of productions, Cuevas’ performances promised to be a ‘rave pilgrimage’ and the North London giant’s fans p...

La Linea 25: Ochoa lights up the Barbican

Words: Rafe Llewellyn, Images: PressThe sun is sitting patiently a-top one of the Barbican’s many towers as it prepares to host Eliades Ochoa as the opening act to Como No!’s La Linea festival. Having come from Bristol that afternoon and being admittedly rather ignorant to what London had to offer and where else I could go, I made my way to The Barbican, straight off the bus.I was pleasantly surprised though, by the oasis I found nestled within the Barbican’s brutalist metropolis. It’s here I ch...