Life with a dash of zing
Making a name for yourself away from Maltese shores is certainly no mean feat that is achieved by the mediocre. For the talented few who do achieve it, the temptation to forget all about the tiny audience back home must be pretty irresistible. Which is why I have a lot of respect for those musicians [...]
With apologies to the Texan post-rock band for nicking their name for my header, this happens to be the perfect way of describing the Rock the South festival that, as it were, rocked the south last weekend. I’m talking musical explosions, of course, with some 17 bands coming together on two stages at Zion Reggae [...]
This review was first published on the Sunday Times of Malta. All photography is by Gianluca Trapani. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea… it’s more like a shot of tequila, in fact. But those who insist that punk is dead would certainly have had to rethink their thoughts had they been present at [...]
It is no secret that Skimmed are one of my favourite Maltese outfits. When they first appeared on the scene, their sound was extremely promising, if raw. Six years down the line, with every live performance, the band – in particular vocalist Alexandra Aquilina’s voice and presence – has grown from strength to strength, presenting [...]
This review originally appeared on The Sunday Times. There’s something about the Maltese language – and by this I mean the more poetic version of the language before words like kompjuter and wijkend infiltrated daily use – that almost begs for it to be set to the plaintive chords of the violin. Which is [...]
The second edition of the Nil By Mouth Sessions saw a packed house at V-Gen in Paceville, and no wonder, given that this year’s line-up was nothing short of impressive. The two-day-long festival, organised by Hairyamp, opened on October 5 with a spirited performance by the local The Violent Violets. Interesting sound with quite a [...]
It is very rare that the lyrics in an album gain as much importance as the music itself. Harum Scarum is one such album. If it weren’t for the fact that siblings Joe Gideon (bass, guitar and vocals) and The Shark (who also goes by the name of Viva and who can rock the drums [...]
This review was published on The Sunday Times. Fairly or unfairly, goth is considered something of a pariah in the more – how can I put this delicately? – refined music circles. There are, of course, the more ‘socially acceptable’ brands within the genre. Bands like Siouxie & The Banshees, The Cure and now, Esben [...]
The Xemxija coastline recently came alive to the sound of Maltese trio Stalko’s music in a quirky performance by the edge of the sea. This review appeared on the Sunday Times. The evening kicked off with a set by Martin Mc Neil & The Dissidents. I will not be giving away too much about these [...]
A review of the Kinemastik International Film Festival opening concert, featuring Dolls For Idols, Capitol K and Dark Horses. An edited version appeared on The Sunday Times. Image is really everything nowadays, huh? Which probably explains why British neo-rock outfit Dark Horses took to the stage with some half a dozen hired groupies in tow, [...]
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