Music matters- as if we needed reminding...

http://www.whymusicmatters.org/

Pull us a Pint, Boys

From JLS condoms to Manics party poppers, there seems to be no end to the lengths musicians (or rather their labels) will go to ensure we buy tacky crap with their logo on, moreso now that bands have to contend with a recovering economy and largescale piracy, amongst other such bother.

Personally I've never been one to buy into that kind of thing; admittedly I've been known to get a poster or two in my time, but largely I think the music is more than enough. I'd much prefer to use the money to see them at a gig rather than get some t-shirt that my mother will inevitably shrink in the wash.

However, the latest addition to the mountains of merch is something I think I can get behind. Rather appropriately, Northern band Elbow are set to release their very own brand of beer.

Robinson's brewery have created their very own brand of beery goodness as a tribute to the homegrown band's current success, having played some of the biggest festivals in the country and managing to pick up a second Mercury nomination for Build a Rocket Boys!

While the beer had previously only been available in the band's local city of Manchester, Robinson's have decided to roll out Build a Rocket Boys! beer and cask ale to the rest of the country as from October, with a significant percentage of sales going towards Oxfam's East Africa famine appeal.

As a fan of the frothy stuff, I'm intrigued to see if this will actually be any good. It's certainly a marketable idea in an age where many are scrimping on the luxuries but still want to enjoy a nice cold pint or two.

If you're interested in finding out just what Build a Rocket Boys! tastes like, keep an eye on 'Elbow beer' on Facebook for more info on when the beer will be released.

Everyone's Here

One of the stand out moments for me this summer, nay year, was standing in a sunny field, listening to some of the most beautiful, spine-tingling music I've ever heard live. No it wan't U2 and shockingly not Morrissey either (sacrilege I know) who reduced me to tears with their glorious sunset show, but Elbow.

Elbow's 2011 Glastonbury set had everything you could possibly ask for in a performance, with my only qualm being lack of older material (but it's not as if their new stuff is sub-par at any rate). Every song packed as much punch as the last, whether it was the psychedelic The Birds or something thrilling like Grounds for Divorce.

But what made this something truly special was the band themselves. If there's one act that knows how to work a crowd, it's Elbow. Reverse Mexican waves, a mass happy birthday singalong and even some Freddie Mercury style call and response; Guy Garvey totally had us in the palm of his hand. And what's better is that it wasn't just us who were entranced by the magnitude of it all, the entire band looked just as giddy as we did. For me, that's what makes gigs that little bit more special- the fact that you know the band are right there with you, in spirit as well as body.

There's a lot to be said for the setting here too, which could help to explain some of my gushing. If you've been to Glastonbury before you'll no doubt have experienced the 'sunset moment:' i.e. a period of awe and contentment with the world. It sounds pretentious and maybe it is, but those moments are few and far between outside the gates of Worthy Farm so you have to take what you can get really. Standing in the crowd, singing Hey Jude with thousands of people before the set, then listening to anthems like Lippy Kids as the sun went down- it just doesn't get better than that. It just encapsulates everything I love about festivals. They're a chance to escape and get back to what you love, whether that be watching music, making clay pots or even performing music, in the case of Mr Garvey. At any point across the weekend you'd hear the phrase 'we love Glastonbury' being banded about like nobody's business, but when he says it, you can tell by the look on his face that he means every syllable.

Makes me teary just thinking about it.

Elbow's 2011 Glastonbury set is a fine testament to the Glastonbury spirit, where musician and audience both share something that can only be found at a certain time of year (usually in a muddy field). At 20 years old, Elbow have certainly paid their dues and deserve the success they're currently enjoying. What puts the icing on the cake, however, is knowing that amidst the album sales and gruelling tour schedule, they still love what they're doing. Long may they continue to do so if these are the kind of performances they produce.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have something in my eye.

Get Lippy

This is a perfect accompaniment to the family arguing and chocolate bingeing that usually befalls Boxing day. I've been dying for Elbow to come back after the mass success of last album Seldom Seen Kid; Guy Garvey's voice does wonders to make the cold winter months that little bit cosier. If this is any kind of barometer for how the new album is shaping up, then we can only really expect good things.

Elbow are set to perform a couple of dates at the massive O2 arena in the new year, and about time too! After all the years of hard toiling, the Mancunian band definitely deserve all the success they've accrued in recent years. Now, if they could just add a certain festival slot to their lineup..

Build a Rocket Boys! is out on 7th March. (Eeeee!)

It's Looking Like a Beautiful Day..

A possible Special Guest at Glastonbury?



Whether they play or not, this will be the soundtrack to my Glastonbury.




'One day like this a year could see me right-' More like 5 days like these will see me right.

To all those going, have a good one, look after yourselves and each other, first one to make it to the top of the Stone Circle will get a pint from me at the cider bus!



...Next year ;)