"i:candy have not only stunned me with the selection of songs that they have up on their myspace profile which are innovative and energetic, have brilliant and funny story telling lyrics, are undeniably addictive, and also have a female lead singer that has managed to do what Lily Allen, Kate Nash, Adele, Duffy et al have failed to do and that is - impress me.
They are a four piece band that write songs about real things, every day things that anyone and everyone can identify with, they are refreshingly honest, intent on having a raucous good time and taking us all with them.
Imagine the offspring of Little Man Tate, Toyah and the Arctic Monkeys and you come pretty close to i:candy – OK so a threesome is a bit unconventional but then so are these guys.
I shall be booking my place at the front of one of their gigs at the earliest convenience, why not join me ….
Compiled and written for Manchester is Music by Kim Etheridge
"OK... Forget about The Ting Tings from Salford, cross the boundary between the 2 great cities and check out "i:candy".
Radio Wishing Well
The long tradition of British girl-fronted pop-indie bands that include Echobelly, Sleeper, Lush and the Long Blondes finds itself under attack in today’s pop wars from the ‘away from these shore’ers Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Ida Marie and Alphabeat; not to mention underground scenesters like Paramore and Lacuna Coil providing heavier ammunition to try and blast British star heroines like The Ting Tings, Kate Nash and Lily Allen out of the water. So who can we find to protect the UK Top 40 from the Nordic pop invasion. Who can save British kids from singing karaoke in an American accent?
STEP FORWARD i:CANDY
Pop-fuelled guitar-led indie fronted by a “…21st century alcopopped-up descendant of the likes of Fay Fife from the Rezillos; all pop fun without shop mannequin airbrushing..” with songs that connect with their audience through music and lyrics: love, social problems, break-ups, crushes, bullying, the search for fame, families… all encompassing advice enveloped in killer tunes, ready to reclaim the word ‘pop’ back from the reality world that has stolen it. As Cath Aubergine said on Manchestermusic.co.uk “The critics might salivate over Girls Aloud in some desperate attempt to show their pop credentials in these "uncool is the new cool" times, but this is the real thing."
Four 18-year-olds that have been together just over a year with live performances to match their undoubted studio abilities and the potential to grow into the defenders of the BritIndiePop scene that they are.
ASHLI: Lead vocals. Singing as if her very life depended on you hearing what she’s got to say. A lifetime’s experience in such a young voice. A live performance honed over 3 year’s of stagecraft. Quite simply, a talent.
DANNY CANDY: Lead guitar. Displaying a God-given gift of guitar mastery, he shares his talent with us, welcoming us into his world of frets and tremolo, sitting us down in a comfy armchair, then leaving us open-mouthed while we watch, as our forgotten tea grows cold.
OLI: Bass guitar. Surely Aviator shades were created solely for him as his fingers race around the strings, creating a noise that leads straight to the feet of the onlooker, daring them to dance, making them move to the sound of the bass man.
Remember that POP is short for POPULAR – it’s not a dirty word, not a word to be viewed and used with derision. When allied with real live chiming guitars, booming drums and a female vox that any girl would die for, prefix-POP grabs back its credibility and stands up loud and proud and says to the world: “I am POP, I am POPULAR, I am what I am.”
‘Sing like no-one’s listening, love like it’s heaven on earth.
Grow up with your dreams of stardom, wake up to your doubts: you’re born, you live and then you die - that’s what it’s all about’
We're pleased to announce that our XFM SESSION on PETE MITCHELL'S RAZOR CUTS will be broadcast this Sunday - Dec 6th between 10pm and Midnight (UK Time)
Its on air nationally in the UK so you can tune into your local XFM dial or listen online at http://www.xfm.co.uk if abroad
For those who can't wait till then there's a preview vid on our myspace of our time at XFM....
As you may or may not be aware SoundARC hold a charity gig every year at Club 85 in Hitchin in aid of the Garden House Hospice in Letchworth, and this year we are going to try something a little different from previous years.
This year we are going to take over the club and host 37 acts in one weekend putting full bands upstairs and acoustic acts downstairs in an event that we are calling ARCfest!
It all starts on Friday 4th December at 7pm and then continues on through Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th from 12pm-11pm
As well as raising money for the Garden House Hospice in Letchworth, ARCfest will showcase all the different genres of bands that we at SoundARC have come across over the last 4 and a half years. Over this weekend a lot of the acts that you will see don’t get a chance to play a great local venue like Club 85, So as well as hearing new music you will see all manors of genres and styles from acoustic - Metal - Indie - Rock - Punk - Electro - Ska - Funk - Hip Hop/Rap - Alternative - Rhythm & Blues - Reggae - Grunge and loads more that I cant remember!
phish food ice cream or cookie dough? we've been debating :) ..thankyou for giving us a chance, it means alot to us we just wanna get our music out for people to hear
The new James Maddock album "Sunrise On Avenue C" is OUT NOW on Ascend Records. Take a sneak peak at his page! If you like it, you can buy it at iTUNES.
James also has aFACEBOOK PAGE and he'd love to stay connected with you there as well. Check out his page HERE and become a fan!
THE MANDIGANS - LIVE @ MANCHESTER ARNDALE........ JULY 1ST - 7PM
Its our only Manchester gig of the Summer as we're taking a break to write some new songs - so come on down for your last chance to hear the old Mandigans songs
WHATS THE DATE AND WHAT TIME? Wed July 1st @ 7pm
WHERE? Halle Square - its where JD Sports and Henri Lloyd store are
(Note: There's a very very small chance the gig may get moved to Exchange Square, near Next, so if you dont see a PA system and band around 6.30pm at Halle Square you know where to move to)
ISNT A GIG IN A SHOPPING CENTRE A BIT WEIRD? Yeah, in the UK maybe, but they happen all the time in America.... so come down, make noise, invite your mates and make sure everybody knows the Mandigans are in the building
IM NOT IN MANCHESTER SO CANT MAKE IT? We have gigs throughout the Summer in Wigan, Blackburn, Leeds, London, Birmingham and maybe a few more TBC so keep checking http://www.myspace.com/themandigans
La Folie are having a launch party on the 8th of June at The Forum in Sheffield! £2 advance tickets/£3 on the door! Plus the added bonus of if you film some stuff from the night of us, you or anything else connected and send it us, we will send you a free copy of 'Risus Sardonicus'
Hiatus have taken the third semi-final place in Stockport's Finest. Pure 107.8FM's competition to find the best new band in Stockport.
BEST OF LUCK TO DIRTY AVENUES
Dirty Avenues have become the latest quality band to be knocked out - the standard is amazingly high.
Only one place left in the Semi-Finals will it be The Nouvelles or The Locals who'll join The Harks, King Kayak and Hiatus in the last four?
UPDATED PROFILES OF THE NOUVELLES AND THE LOCALS - are now available on our myspace. Why don't you check them out and all the other bands that made the quarter-final.
Keep voting for your favourite bands at www.pureradio.org.uk but please remember only one vote per round for each band.
Thanks to all the bands who have taken part. It's great to hear so much local talent on the radio.
YOU BETTER BE COS WE'VE JUST JOINED THE WONKY POP TOUR IN MANCHESTER ON MAY 26TH....AND ITS HALF TERM SO NO ESCUSES ABOUT EXAMS (NOTE: its an early show with doors at 6pm and us on at 6.30pm)
We havent got any tickets for this one so you need to buy online at - http://www.kililive.com/tours/filter/Wonky%20Pop%20Tour
Thank you for the add... We are doing special offers on music videos this month, so give us a shout and we will do you a deal, speak to you soon Fiona SHAKA b u k u
splendid you found us! the readers blog has it all--feel free to join.
if you are in l.a. ........
Sunday, May 24th, 2009 Time: 8:00pm - 9:00pm Location: The Viper Room Street: 8852 Sunset Blvd City/Town: West Hollywood, CA
This is a great night at the Viper Room right on the Notorious Sunset Strip... It's a great location and will be a top night - we're on at 8.00 pm SHARP. It's the KROQ/High Voltage Magazine night!
Come one come all---see the newly electrified DOTD in an intimate setting while you can...And just when the deal couldn't get any sweeter, it's a free entry night!! Email us and we'll send you over the Secret PASSWORD to GET IN FOR FREE...
Online Now!
![Fooled By Chance [BATTLE OF THE BANDS WINNERS 09]](http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/61/s_12f2c0aff03f42ad94b810aa1a936775.jpg)
