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Welcome to the most amazing part of the site - the music section!

Below, check out this week's Playlist, Music Reviews, Interviews, Gig Reviews & Podcasts!

You can download our latest podcasts to keep up with the interviews and general information from your own student radio station! You can hear us in action by clicking here!

Enjoy!

Love the KUBE Music Team

Week Commencing Monday 3rd May 2010

A List - New & Current

1) Fenech-Soler – Stop and Stare (KUBE Top Single)
2) B.o.B ft. Bruno Mars - Nothin' On You
3) Roll Deep ft. Jodie Connor - Good Times
4) Hurts - Better Than Love
5) Yeasayer - O.N.E
6) Plan B – She Said
7) Diana Vickers – Once
8) Florence & The Machine – Dog Days Are Over

B List - Alternative

9) Taio Cruz ft. Ke$ha - Dirty Picture
10) Ellie Goulding - Guns & Horses
11) Joshua Radin - I'd Rather Be With You
12) Alex Gardner - I'm Not Mad
13) Marina & The Diamonds – I Am Not A Robot
14) Kate Nash – Do Wah Doo
15) MGMT - Flash Delerium

C List - Older

16) Chase & Status ft Plan B – End Credits
17) Example - Watch The Sun Come Up
18) Dizzee Rascal - Holiday
19) Paolo Nutini – Candy

Unsigned Track of the Week - Chosen from Demos sent into KUBE

Charleena - Lipstick

Daytime shows MUST play at least 3 tracks from the A LIST and 3 tracks from the B LIST, C LIST or unsigned track of the week

Daytime Shows include all those from 10 am – 6pm

Tinie Tempah - Frisky

Back in January Tinie Tempah exploded onto the music scene with his infectious floor-filler ‘Pass Out’, earning him the top spot in the charts, along with the biggest selling single this year. The Londoner is back with another Labyrinth-produced electric hit, with his follow up release ‘Frisky’. Typically a fusion of grime and hip-hop, ‘Frisky’ showcases Tempah’s style with overloaded synths and pulsating beats, alongside the MC’s trademark cheeky and amusingly catchy lyrics. The track shares most of the qualities of ‘Pass Out’ with a similar arrangement, ending with a wild drum and bass fill. Admittedly, the track is probably a grower and doesn’t quite posses the immediate likeability of ‘Pass Out’, yet its sure to be a favourite at this year’s summer festivals and clubs all over the UK.

Personal Rating (7/10)

Mikey Aveline

YouTube Video

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Delays – Unsung
Released: 31/05/10

‘Unsung’ is the first single from the bands forthcoming album ‘Star Tiger, Star Ariel’ and hopefully it is a good representation of the music that they will be sending our way on the 7th of June. The track starts off in a way not too dissimilar to Owl City’s ‘Fireflies’ until lead singer Greg Gilbert’s voice kicks in. His falsetto takes some getting used to, whether you like the track or not could depend largely on if you are a fan of falsetto or not. That aside the song is upbeat and easy to listen too; it’s also a nice change to the current music trends, offering up something a bit different, an interesting and pleasing alternative that definitely grows on you after a couple of listens.

Personal Rating - ***(3/5)

Eleanor Hopkinson

The Delays Website

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Example - Kickstarts
out June 13th 2010

Kickstarts confirms Example's transition from a cheeky London rapper to somebody capable of delivering some serious melodies that are so addictive that they could fill the biggest of dancefloors. With the help of the electro genius of Sub Focus, Kickstarts has the potential to be his biggest single yet and certainly one of the tunes of the summer. Following on from "Watch The Sun Come Up" and "Won't Go Quietly", the hook is effective and conveys the kind of emotion that many club anthems fail to achieve when trying; "Imagine life without ya - and the love kickstarts again". It's simple but brilliant and the more you listen to it - the more you'll love it. Whatever this man touches right now just seems to turn to gold and it is no wonder that he is pretty much on the line-up of every festival imaginable this year! His forthcoming sophomore album is out this summer and if the preceding singles are anything to go by - it should be a cracker. After this song - it's surely only a matter of time before it really kickstarts for Example.

Personal Rating - ***** (5/5)
If you like this check out - Example - Watch The Sun Come Up, Won't Go Quietly

Vinesh Patel

YouTube Video

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Cobra Starship, an alt-rock dance group from New York, that toured the UK last February. KUBE DJ Eleanor Hopkinson caught up with Ryland Blackinton in Manchester. To read the interview click here

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Last year, KUBE presenter Vinesh caught up with rapper Example. His pseudonym arose due to his initials forming EG, an abbreviation for example and since emerging on the music scene in 2004, his fame and popularity has continued to rapidly increase. The 27 year old London born talent has now worked with the likes of Calvin Harris, Chase & Status and The Streets and with exposure on national radio, it seems that it is only a matter of time before Example becomes a household name. To read the interview click here

AFI
Supported by Sick Of It All and Dear and Departed
Birmingham O2 Academy, 12/4/10

After a successful tour of the US supporting their eighth album, Crash Love, AFI returned to UK shores this April for a six date tour, starting in Nottingham and finishing in Birmingham. Their final show of the tour was sure to have them leaving the country with a bang as their first support act, The Dear & Departed took to the stage with a more than modest reception. Their set was catchy and the band were friendly, their selected songs definitely made them seem worth checking out as they quickly got the crowd going in preparation for the next band, Sick of it All. The hardcore punk band from Queens managed to work up an impressively sized mosh pit from the crowd that helped the excitement levels of the crowd ride up to an impressive amount, ready for the headlining act to take the stage. The gothic punk quartet from California are well known for their excellent live shows, being one of those rare bands who are far better live than they are on record, their recent Birmingham show was no different and proved why they have such a loyal fan base. They are lively and energetic, their set list full of songs from their impressive newest album Crash Love, mixed with well loved singles from their previous albums including some older songs that aren’t so often played live. Their music easily enveloped the venue, guitarist Jade Puget and bassist Hunter Burgan running round the stage with an energy that clearly shows that they love what they do. Though the years are in some ways taking their toll on front man Davey Havok’s voice, an issue which is clear when he invites lead singer of Sick Of It All, Lou Koller, to come to the stage and help him out with some of the tougher screaming parts, it is obvious that it is his amazing voice that makes the show. He is charismatic, theatrical and a tiny bit arrogant as his presence takes over the room, joining his band mates as he plays off of the crowds energy to produce a show which lingers in the venue long after the fans and band have left. After a long break from doing headlining shows in the UK, AFI show why they are still loved after so many years.

Eleanor Hopkinson

AFI - Beautiful Thieves YouTube Video

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KUBE Fest 2010

Take three huge artists, a massive supporting line up, some electrifying lasers, a handful of excited students and the result ... the first ever KUBE Fest! The big weekend organised by us at KUBE was undoubtedly our biggest ever event and there were lots of reasons for it being a highly successful one.

Saturday saw drum & bass legend High Contrast take to the ballroom stage to deliver a simply mesmerising 90 minutes of music. With European club lasers brought in to create a real atmosphere - he showed everyone why he is simply the king of the decks in his genre. The WKD Team were on hand to offer free shots of vodka - with their promo girls dress in skin tight leotards (certainly a welcome distraction!). In truth - taking nothing away from the brilliance of High Contrast; the atmosphere of Saturday was a mere warm up for what was to come on Sunday.
With an array of artists on the bill - there was certainly something for everyone. Solo guitarists Matt Burton and James McVey entertained a modest crowd but nobody could deny their exceptional talents and if there is justice in the world of music, both will have very bright futures. Burton's voice was as powerful as James Morrison's and his version of Gavin DeGraw's Chariot was simply brilliant. 17 year old Myspace sensation McVey was also extremely popular and his catchy self-written pop songs gave him the credentials of a singer-songwriter set for great things. The two big bands on the bill were Tequila Lips and The Spires, both fantastic individual indie acts. Local lads, the Lips are worth checking out - their song "Crystal Ball" in particular is a fantastic crowd pleaser. Sheffield's The Spires were also brilliant and it is no wonder they have supported some huge artists. "Fireworks" was the highlight of their set - a powerful song that has the credentials of a fantastic breakthrough single. Jessica Harris proved to be an exceptional talent with her eclectic vocal range justifying her place on the bill as the final act before the major artists when she joined Birmingham rapper MC Grimes on stage for a fantastic rendition of their track, “Hometown Heartbreak”. Following an array of fantastic live performances, the stage was cleared to make way for DJ Fad and Def Jam UK’s JUS:J, both who delivered excellent DJ set that truly got the crowd in the mood for what was to come. It wasn’t until international superstar Mr Hudson emerged on stage that the crowd erupted, cheers echoing the ballroom. Starting his set with his number 2 single “Supernova”, Hudson went on to interact with the audience, winning over all. A mention of Stoke wasn’t received well though and Hudson seemed a little bemused by the boos. Nonetheless he cracked on and gave out one hundred free shots to the crowd’s delight before going on to sing his hit single White Lies. During his set, Hudson was accompanied by a backing vocalist and a DJ, both of whom were part of his “library”. Mr Hudson really shone on stage, his vocals proving to be very powerful and he showed exactly why he’s managed to collaborate with Jay-Z and Kanye West in a short space of time. The man had a lot of talent. His set was ended with a roaring number in “Young Forever” with Keele’s crowd chanting the song along from start to finish and going on to give the song an encore in accapella with Hudson joining in. He then went on to sign the hands of those in the front row in what was a bizarre crowd pleaser. His interactivity, charisma and voice gave him a fantastic connection with the audience and his appearance at Keele is sure to be long remembered. Hudson was followed on stage by grime artist Lethal Bizzle who delivered a phenomenally energetic set. During a 40 minute period in which he played hits including “Pow”, a mosh-pit was formed and the audience became slightly male dominant. Nonetheless Bizzle proved to be a unique performer and almost controlled the crowd as they got truly involved.

KUBE Fest was a fantastic weekend – eclipsing twelve hours of fantastic performances over the two days from incredible DJ sets to acoustic and band performances to appearances from truly recognisable superstars. Whilst many Keele students missed out, those who did attend left with a real buzz and overall the event will remain a memorable one. Bring on KUBE Fest II?

Vinesh Patel

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Love Music, Hate Racism Stoke 2009

Weather could not have been better for Love Music Hate Racism's Festival at the Brittania Stadium in Stoke-On-Trent on Saturday. The sun was shining and thousands crowded in front
of the main stage to take a stand against the BNP ahead of the European elections and to
catch an array of chart acts including Kelly Rowland, Pete Doherty, Kano and Reverand and The Makers but to name a few. Adrian Daniels, Mikey Aveline as well as myself attended the event represeting Kube Radio.We managed to catch up and interview upcoming star DJ Ironik whilst Kano also spoke to us as did Roll Deep which included Wiley. We were also fortunate enough to meet legendary comedian Eddie Izzard, rising stars Kid British who will headline Keele's own Pigfest, Sam Duckworth from Get Cape Wear Cape Fly and iconic guitarist Mick Jones formely of The Clash. If that wasn't enough, I also met twins Sam and Amanda of Big Brother fame and Stoke forward Ricardo Fuller. And to top it all off I was given a film pass so that I could capture photos of all of the stars just inches away from the main stage in the pit. It was an unbelievable experience and one I will not forget. Amidst the excitement I forgot that I even played the festival myself on the Sugarmill Stage at 12 midday! Hopefully the photos capture the intimacy of the event. Kube were the only student station in attendance and were given the same access as the likes of The Mirror and BBC Radio so it was a fantastic profile boost for our network and all involved. We will continue to pursue involvement in larger events in a quest to put Kube on the map.

Vinesh Patel