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Babsii •

The Soundtrack of your Year… or Life? Why are we so obsessed with what our music says about us?

I must say the form of self-reflection represented in numerical data is highly satisfying, and while a personal competition to beat last year’s ‘minutes of music listened to’ is a factor –Spotify Wrapped unveils how we may have evolved and changed by what we have been through. It’s so strange how a certain song can immediately take you back to your first love or heartbreak, a holiday or a certain icky club in your university hometown. Looking back on our year in music can really help us reflect on what we have experienced both personally and emotionally.
LeftLion •

Gig Review: L'objectif at The Bodega

Nearly coming to the end of their UK tour, L’objectif, made up of Saul Kane (vocals, guitar), Louis Bullock (drums), Ezra Glennon (bass) and Dan Richardson (guitar), were not shy of energy and talent.

But before such a momentous occasion began, The Bodega welcomed the first support act of the night, recently formed band Granary Club. Self-described as ‘freshly baked indie/pop’, the band succeeded in filling The Bodega with joyous tunes that were enough to send you back to the times of enjoying
Impact Magazine •

Interview: The Mysterines

After their top ten debut album in the UK, Mersey-side guitar fuelled quartet, The Mysterines, have just announced the news that their second album, ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’, is coming out on the 7th June 2024, as well as a huge headline tour. Impact’s Kira O’Boyle had the pleasure of speaking with band members Callum Thompson (guitar) and George Favager (bass) over a zoom call, about writing a new album, going on a huge headline tour and the UK gig scene.

If you have never listened to The Mysteri
Impact Magazine •

Live Review: Echo and the Bunnymen

Having grown up listening to Liverpudlian-born band, Echo and the Bunnymen, at the hands of their biggest fan: my mum, it was only sensible to finally check out the band in action on the Nottingham stop of their ‘Songs to Learn and Sing Tour, The Very Best of Echo and The Bunnymen’. Kira O’Boyle reviews.

Starting in 1978, Echo and the Bunnymen have a string of incredible tracks under their belt, and now, on their 14-show run, it was time to see if the band still had it at Nottingham’s very own
Impact Magazine •

UK’s Biggest Festivals 2024

Summer may seem a lifetime away, but the days of sitting in a muddy field surrounded by your best mates will come round sooner than you think. There is no doubt that UK festivals do it better than anyone else, we thrive on camping in unpredictable weather and having no access to clean toilets or showers, it’s magical right? UK festivals are unpredictable and energetic, they make for the best memories. A summer full of bucket hats and bum-bags, Strongbows and stellar line-ups; Impact’s Kira O’Bo
Impact Magazine •

Impact Magazine: Issue #277, Page No.20

I hate to admit that TikTok has become my most effective source in discovering new music and new artists in the recent year, with the question “Have you heard that song that is all over TikTok?” appearing into conversation way more than I would like. But in the case of 5-piece, London-based band, The Last Dinner Party, this is very much an expression of an amazing new discovery. The band’s first ever official single, ‘Nothing Matters’ released back in April 2023, has found itself in the circulation on TikTok, a love song with a blend of classic rock and the theatrical vocals of lead singer Abigail Morris, I then found myself in rabbit hole I was very happy to be in.
LeftLion •

Gig Review: Sophie Ellis-Bextor at Royal Concert Hall

Inspired by the success of her lockdown livestreams where she welcomed the nation into her home through a virtual Kitchen Disco, disco-pop royalty Sophie Ellis-Bextor took the show to Nottingham’s Royal Theatre and Concert Hall with a Christmas extravaganza.

With a hugely admirable career of twenty years, a sea of audience dressed in sequins and disco-inspired outfits highly awaited on her arrival. The huge white curtain upon the stage falls, revealing Ellis-Bextor, sitting on a huge toy horse
LeftLion •

Gig Review: The Silver Lines at The Chameleon

Teaming up with The Future Sounds project, the line-up pledged to showcase the newest and most exciting sounds, and first up were the local Nottingham rock duo, Wired Euphoria. Jack Cawthorn (lead vocalist and lead guitarist) and Harry Barber (drums) were not shy of musical talent, showcasing electrifying guitar riffs and explosive drums, they victoriously impressed in their first ever gig. After a rock rendition of Oasis’ Married with Children and a few technical issues with the drums, they hum
Impact Magazine •

Spotify Wrapped 2023

It’s that time of year again, Spotify Wrapped season. With the 2023 wrap-up having just come out on 29th of November, Impact’s Kira O’Boyle gives a rundown on what stats you can expect from your Wrapped, its new DJ feature and the impact Wrapped has had on social media.

Coming round once a year, it may be one of the most anticipated days across the globe for music listeners. Christmas has come early – Spotify Wrapped is here. If you are a music lover and Spotify user, Spotify Wrapped will be on
Impact Magazine •

Was the UK's Biggest Kilo Sale 'Worth the Weight'?

On Saturday 11th November, the UK’s biggest kilo sale company returned to St Mary’s Church in the Lace Market, Nottingham. The kilo sale has been hugely popular across the country as it has been travelling far and wide in the UK since it was founded in 2018, promising to offer a huge range of pre-loved, vintage clothing and accessory items for a price that would be hard to decline. The company prides itself in its sustainability pledge, where these second-hand items can cost you as little as £1
Impact Magazine •

From TikTok to the charts: How the app is changing music forever

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms of 2023 and it has great influence over so many elements of popular culture, including the music charts. Impact’s Kira O’Boyle gives us a rundown on the impact TikTok has on the music industry as well as examples of viral hits that have climbed the charts due to their success on the mobile app.

After Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill re-entered the music world by storm in 2022 at the hands of TikTok, I was alarmed to see the amount of peop
The Mic •

Can a Cover Be Better Than the Original?

Can covers be better than the original? Whilst it may seem a rare phenomenon, some covers have risen and proven to outshine the inspiration. Kira O'Boyle explores ten covers that have done just this and arguably beaten their originals...

Who knew that a post- punk take on Kate Bush’s baroque pop hit would be a

crossover we didn't know we needed? The 2005 release of The Futureheads spin on the classic

truly reflects how a cover should be; innovative and unexpected. The single is rich with

har
Impact Magazine •

What do I wear now? All the essentials you need to dress for mid-temperature weather.

You wake up. It’s a chilly autumn morning, you put on your wooliest hat and gloves and your warmest winter coat, only to walk to university or work and arrive sweating in 20-degree heat and infuriated at your earlier fashion choices. October so far has seen that typical confusing British weather, sunny, warm spells, rain showers and now, chilling temperatures. So what are we supposed to be wearing in this in-between weather?

Trench coats are an essential for this hard-to-navigate weather. Trenc
The Mic •

The Mic's Albums Of The Year 2021

Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice
Wolf Alice’s third album Blue Weekend stunned and captured me, undoubtedly becoming my favourite album of the year immediately upon its release in June 2021. The genre-shifting nature of the album takes listeners through a musical study of imperfect friendships and relationships which, as a young adult, I could relate to. Wolf Alice have truly shown a new certainty and conviction in their artistry, track by track- I found Blue Weekend volatile and exciting. With 90s rock influenced Smile, followed by melodic Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall In Love), synth-dream How Can I Make It OK?, to punk track Play The Greatest Hits displays how Wolf Alice have accomplished a portrayal of vulnerability and emotional story-telli
The Mic •

SPINN - People Should Know Better

Liverpool based band SPINN have shared their sixth single of the year People Should Know Better, a teaser of their forthcoming album Outside Of The Blue set to be released in February 2022. The band took to Instagram to explain that the song “is all about how truly terrible the UK government is”, as it follows a dialogue of frustration and anger towards the current state of the Government and those who support it. Whilst the song is not going to single-handedly take down the British Government, the four-piece have proven that their indie-pop, feel-good song style is merely just what is on the surface, as they combat the moral dispos