So this was the year that I fell headlong into grime and dubstep, the shows tracklists seemingly reflect that fact, part of it was due to boredom with the sounds coming from elsewhere, while some others I know have fallen back in love with Indie I just find it being the same old same old, makes a change from pop bands though I still think there is a lot to be said for a good forward thinking pop production even if it’s not cool or entirely my cup of tea, but I digress.
The strange thing for many maybe just how far behind I am in terms of what records are out there and what gets played, unlike many student shows this isn’t down to money all the time, it’s more down to the fact that trying to get hold of dubstep and grime in Newcastle is well difficult, there is a market for it, just not a huge market. Newcastle musically at the minute seems to have several camps the rockers, the indie kids, the house and the breaks kids, then there is seemingly a camp of us who have very diverse tastes, though I’ve yet to discover anyone who loves dubstep, with the university’s up here you feel it may only be a matter of time before dubstep and grime start to get the exposure they deserve.
Musically away from the likes of DMZ, Kode 9 and Skream et al, and Wiley, Plasticman etc, etc…what has really been getting me excited has been an odd bunch Four Tet is still doing the trick, as is a good amount of hip hop though I’m moving away from Anticon and Mush style artists who have seemingly reached their watershed, and instead the likes of Diplo and TTC have been inspiring, along with M.I.A. Skipping away from hip hop, Jamie Lidell’s album is a great album, sadly missed him up here in Newcastle though I did get to see him at Sonar, and now that is an experience. Sonar has to be my event of the year, although it’s amazing you always feel a slight amount of sorrow that you went to see someone instead of someone else, but you just can’t complain too much because it’s quite simply the best musical event I’ve ever had the chance to experience.
On a final not I’ll spare you the top 10 mainly because you’ll get bored of reading top 10’s by the 31st December and well also because I can never remember if a track was released this year or last. Hope you all have a great Christmas and an even better New Year.
