The music...
Aside from all the incredible people I met, England completely broadened my music horizons. I moved away (not completely) from my obsession from hip hop and started to appreciate a couple other different types of music. While England is really known for their Dub Step and Drum n Bass, it is also the home of some incredibly talented performers. Some of them old (the Beatles, Led Zeppelin) and some of them you can tell are going to be huge music sensations. On this page I will introduce you to some of the great bands I discovered throughout my exchange as well as share with you any other music related experiences I encountered.
Florence and the Machine
About one month into my trip a friend I had met over there played one of her songs for me. From that day on, Florence Welch, the lead singer of Florence and the Machine became an icon for me. To this day, I listen to her debut album Lungs at least once a day and love every single song on it. Luckily, right before coming home to Montreal, I had the incredible opportunity of going to see her live in Wolverhampton, a small district in Birmingham England. It was one of the greatest concerts of my life. The venue resembled a school gym; it was small, sort of shanty and everyone had to stand. Not only did this make the sound quality ten times better then being in a huge stadium where the artists voice is drowned out by the echos, I was able to make my way to the front of the stage where I was able to have an incredible view (<---I took that picture).
Here are some pictures from the concert! Also, here is her music video for my FAVORITE SONG!
Top 5 songs to check out by Florence and the Machine off her debut album Lungs!
1. Cosmic Love (video below)
2. Drumming
3. You've got the Love
4. Howl
5. Dog Days are Over
Here are some pictures from the concert! Also, here is her music video for my FAVORITE SONG!
Top 5 songs to check out by Florence and the Machine off her debut album Lungs!
1. Cosmic Love (video below)
2. Drumming
3. You've got the Love
4. Howl
5. Dog Days are Over
Mumford and Sons
This weekend I was fortunate enough to see another one of my favorite concerts at Le National which is a really cool, beautifully crafted venue in Montreal east. I know it says it is number two on the list but to be honest, I think that Florence and the Machine have met their match. The only thing that could have possibly made this concert better is if Florence was singing alongside this incredible band.
Just like Florence, a friend of mine introduced me to this band when I was there and I immediately fell in love (not to mention they are all really good looking). Their style is folky and they sound somewhat scottish. They sound like a mix between Simon and Garfunkle and a little bit of Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Overall, they are one of the greatest bands I have heard in a very long time.
Here are some of my Mumford favourites!
1. Sigh No More
2. The Cave (Video Below)
3. White Blank Pages
4. Liar
5. Winter Winds
Some pictures from the concert!
Just like Florence, a friend of mine introduced me to this band when I was there and I immediately fell in love (not to mention they are all really good looking). Their style is folky and they sound somewhat scottish. They sound like a mix between Simon and Garfunkle and a little bit of Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Overall, they are one of the greatest bands I have heard in a very long time.
Here are some of my Mumford favourites!
1. Sigh No More
2. The Cave (Video Below)
3. White Blank Pages
4. Liar
5. Winter Winds
Some pictures from the concert!
The Beatles
I know that any of you who are reading this know who the Beatles are, at least I would hope so! Growing up, my father would always have the album "1" playing in the car, and while they are not my favorite band, I definitely recognize how iconic they are as well as appreciate their music. Luckily, Birmingham is only a two hour bus ride away from Liverpool, the home of the Beatles. One weekend, my best friend who was just a few hours north, decided we would take a weekend trip and discover the bands roots.
We visited the Cavern, which is the first bar that the Beatles ever performed at. Below you will see pictures of the sign when you walk in as well as the stage!
We also went on the Magical Mystery Tour Bus which was a guided tour through the streets of Liverpool where we got to see some of the Beatles landmarks (penny lane, strawberry fields, their childhood homes).
We visited the Cavern, which is the first bar that the Beatles ever performed at. Below you will see pictures of the sign when you walk in as well as the stage!
We also went on the Magical Mystery Tour Bus which was a guided tour through the streets of Liverpool where we got to see some of the Beatles landmarks (penny lane, strawberry fields, their childhood homes).
