American Beauty

I just love the end bit of that film. A great soundtrack of Thomas Newman too. Check it out.

Exit Calm single release

Nicky Smith Oldham Sept 08 Photo by Pedro Vila

Exit Calm 2nd single 'We are on our own' is released today.

Single, limited pressing CD version and 7". Exit Calm new single We're On Our Own (edit), with Atone (Acoustic)



http://www.clubac30.com

I had the pleasure to hear 'Atone' acoustic already and is immense.

Go and gerrit!

There are two more shows in Manchester in Nov and Dec from their 1st major tour in England and then the band will go to studio to record and deliver their 1st album early next year.

Ta

Exit Calm Live@The Castle Oldham [Manchester]- Sept 08 [The Night]

Rob Marshall genius!

Hearts and Minds new tune intro

Band came on stage before midnight. Simon, the bassist player suddenly points me out a t shirt hanging from one speaker. I look at it and to me surprise I realize it was an 80's Barça T shirt, my fav team!

That was class! Thanks bro.

Nicky Smith Exit Calm

They started with 'Hearts and Minds' again like the night before in Rugby. We had a few tracks to hear from their upcoming album, but god, they get better and better. I ve uploaded a video in youtube for anyone to hear it.

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=wO-TrLxP14E

Rob Marshall-Exit Calm

What an amazing trip

Sound was much better and had nothing to do like in Rugby. And also a bit of a lighting was there too, which helps a bit to the show and me photography. Although Nicky voice wasn't 100% due to technical sound problems the night before, as he couldn't hear himself at all although he gaved his best to almost break it.
What a night!.

They try to teach me to be alone, when I believe that we are on our own

They are more and more skilled every time I see them [And its been a few already] and also getting their own style and personality, which is what really amazes me about this band. They are unique.
I get special feelings with Exit Calm, something hasn't happened to me for a long time with any other band, and I ve seen hundreds of live acts on the last 20 years.

Ladies and gentleman, the rather fabulous Exit Calm

Nicky is getting more and more skills, he has the right dose of Charisma a front man needs.

Scott drumming was again sublime again. Unfortunately both nights he was dark and couldn't make good photos of him.

Rob Taking off.

He makes it sound like if there are 4 or 5 guitars in there.


Simon Linsdley shines bright, very bright.

They are on a national tour at the moment and I'm just hoping they get back to the studio soon so we will get the most anticipated 1st album from the lads very soon. There is a lot of expectation about it, reviews from independent and indie sources are rather good. Its been 4 or 5 fuckin years since Lyca Sleep and its about time we get a full studio album. And also hopefully in the future a quality dvd recording , as the snippets we can see in youtube does not do justice at all.
They sound massive!

Pretty Sharon and Nick aftershow

The Castle Oldham, backstage room

Here is the link to Cath Aubergine blog in myspace with some photos too. The best regular read to anything happening to indie and Unsigned bands in the Northwest and other weird Villages you ve never heard before all around England.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=59983142&blogID=438283214

Me and Rob Marshall before the show .photo by Cath

Thanks Cath!

I hope to see them live again very soon. And, why not, to play here in Spain next year!

All photos by Pedro Vila

Exit Calm Live The Castle Oldham [Manchester] Sept 08 [The Day]

Saturday morning I woke up in Aubergine Towers, me mates Cath&Nick place in Manchester city center.

Cath in Manchester city center

Near Picadilly Manchester

Despite I had quiet a few pints and Corona beers the night before I was not hang over at all. It was rare sunny Manc day and I wanted to make the most of it, so about noon after a nice breakfast in Night&Day [One of my fav places] in the norhtern quarter and a top walk around city center [God, how much Manchester has changed on the last 10 years!] me and Nick went to the nearest newsagent to get two more 6 packs of the mexican delight with lime and chill out a bit playing Grand Theft Auto 3 on the PS3.

Oldham street near the Afflecks Palace

Later on the afternoon we gathered with Alex [Big Clive] and some other friends and we watched Arsenal getting thrashed by Hull on the pub. I found funny how much all the crowd was cheering and supporting Hull. I guess the londoners get the same sympathy that Madrid or Valencia teams can get in Barcelona.

This is fuckin Manchester!

Night & Day Manchester

I used to hang around a lot in Night&Day on the late 90s

After a few more beers, it was time to call a Taxi and go to Oldham. Its been a long time since I went there the last time on the late 90s, but hasnt changed much unlike Manchester city center although The Castle was a venue I have never been before.

Breakfast beer

Our friends Ness and Gaz from Lincoln were driving all the way to meet us, and also Pretty Sharon and Ian 'The Dirty Voyeur' with another friend. We were a bunch!

Meeting point was the pub nearby the Castle. Where we had a few more and even witnessed Big Clive doing a Karaoke performance of a Sparks old song!
Big Clive Rocks!
Pub atmosphere was funny, it was like taken from TV series 'Shameless' chapter. You could not get more mancunian than that.

I missed the supporters 'No Tokyo', but we all had a great time sitting on the Castle terrace with all the mates over a nice drink. Also Rob Marshall came and gave me a T-shirt of the band. Thanks a lot mate. I havent wear a band t shirt since the old 'Metallica Justice for All' or 'Janes Addiction' Nothing Shocking days, but be sure Im gonna wear this one until it fades away and until everybody asks me 1000 times 'Who they are?' [Which people has done here in Spain already].

Exit Calm was due on stage soon, so I went to the Backstage and wished the lads the best of the shows.

End of part 1

All photos by Pedro Vila

Exit Calm Live Style Bar Rugby. Sept 08 [The Night]

Style bar Rugby

7.20's

The 1st band on was 7.20's and they were Ok. But to be honest I didn't pay much attention when they played as I was busy chatting with EC band members and some other people popped up to say hello.
As a weak thing the place didn't have a great sound that night and lacked of lights on the stage, something I noticed pretty soon and was starting to worry me for all the photos I wanted to take later of Exit Calm. I love me photography.

The mighty Alex [AKA Big Clive]

So photos do not make justice for the sonic trip we all were going to experience later that night.

Next on were Dogfight revolution. As a curious thing I was told the singer of this band played once with local members of the band 'Spacemen 3'. Very good.

Dogfight Revolution

And finally Exit Calm came on about 11:30. The sound like I said was not brilliant. Nicky mike wasn't working at first and for a minute it seemed the band was left alone there and with no support at all. Rob was doing some funny faces sometimes too, meaning that he wasn't impressed with the sound and neither he couldn't hear a bloody thing.

Plenty of these

Nicky Smith-Exit Calm

Even Big Clive had to warn the sound guy to warn him about the technical problems. I guess they want the best to give the best on their performance and their quality professional style doesn't really clash with amateurish equipments and dodgy sound boards but to be honest they managed to make it through and the whole show was amazing!!......I wasn't really bothered about minor tech troubles as I was in heaven, and I think I can speak for everybody there...we all were!

Nicky Smith. The man is got Charisma

Rob Marshall

I couldn't take any quality photos really as, blame the drink or the poor venue light [Probably both] so It was a very crappy night only when it comes to photography, so I shut a little few but with flash.

Next night in Oldham was going to be a very different night :-)

It was a fantastic show, they rocked the place and also played a new tune 'Hearts and Minds' as an intro. It leaved everyone jaw dropping there.

Nice lasses on the crowd

Rob was again massive, and Simon performed another excellent set.
Scott, the drummer ended up sweating like if he just finished a 12 round boxing fight. Ace.

Although at the end of the night I could tell Nicky was struggling with his voice again, because as he later said, he couldn't hear himself at all.
The band weren't enjoying 100% perhaps, but we all did! The room was packed and also some pretty girls could be seen on the front.
I really hope in the future they get the full tech support they really deserve, although considering the low budget equipment they have now they still sound rather fabulous!

Ladies and gentleman, the rather fabulous Exit Calm

As a funny note I asked Rob if he liked his guitar as he normally plays with the same one, and he said that he hated it! but he had to play with it because he could not affort a new one.

Go and figure the day he plays with a guitar he likes!!!

When show was finished I went to Manchester with Nick, Big Clive and Cath and crashed there for the night, or what it was left of it really.......but waiting already for the next night to happen.

Oldham....here we go!!

All photos by Pedro Vila

Exit Calm Live at the Style Bar. Rugby 26th September 2008 [The Day]

On the way to Rugby England

Nuneaton down to Rugby

Last Friday got an early plane and flew from Madrid to East Midlands airport. I had planned this weekend before summer holidays, and my intention was to see the band in Oldham Manchester on saturday night, but one night more was added on the whole tour so went to Rugby to see them on friday night.

View from the train

The route was a train through Leicester, Nuneaton, Coventry and then Rugby. It didnt took me more than 1:30m.

Rugby Church

Local Pubs

I got on Rugby pretty early, in fact it was too early, around 11 Am, and band wasn't on until 11 night so I spent the whole day wandering around, visiting the city and having a pint here and there to test fine local breweries and also enjoy some of their beautiful parks. I was very lucky with the weather as it was a blue Skies days the hole weekend. Those bloody English always complaining about the weather...

Rugby field in ....Rugby!

Rugby is a nice place, at least it looked to me. It was the first time I was there, another place indeed for my list of villages/cities visited on the past in England.

In city center there was a street market in the main street and an old church near from there too. There was also a Rugby field [What else!] with a big old school inside. It looked a bit posh to me and also uniforms were a bit weird if you ask me. Rugby school I guess.

Rugby school

I was also later told that Rugby is the hometown of some member of the missed 80's band 'Spacemen 3'.

There was also one thing I needed to do, which is normally the first thing I do when I get in England...and that was to get some Chips& Curry!
love it!

More local pubs

The Merchant Pub

Sometime around the afternoon I went finally to the venue where the band was supposed to play and I started what it was gonna be the first of a long list of Corona beers for the whole weekend.

Park with graveyards

The club was some sort of design bar, hence the name 'Style Bar', with big black comfy leather sofas and it had a back terrace with heaters and a room downstairs with a small stage and also a tiny backstage room. Terrace was very handy for smokers like me. It feels weird to be watching a live band and not been able to skin up. I fear that is gonna happen in Spain pretty soon

Rugby streets

Style bar. Pint before shows

Sometime about 7ish the Exit Calm folks turned up, it was fantastic to see Rob and the lads again. I was so excited to see them live again that It seemed like an eternity since last time in the Leadmill in Sheffield last June.

Three bands were on the bill that night 'The 7.20s' and 'Dogfight revolution' as a supporter acts and then Exit Calm.

Style bar Rugby

After some chat with the chaps and sound check we went to the back terrace to have a smoke and say hello to all the people was turning up for the night. Nick and Cath from Manchester, Alex [AKA BIg Clive] and some other friends too.

It was a great atmosphere and everybody was so excited!. Everyone was commenting how good the lads are and how confident we all are that Exit Calm are gonna go to bigger things.

I can always say that I saw them when they started in small venues like with many other bands in the past.

Cant stop to thank to me mate Sean from Barnsley to let me know about them 4 or 5 years ago. A man of a fine music taste indeed.

End of part 1

All photos by Pedro Vila