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Livesphere is an online music magazine led by a female collective united by the love of music, dedicated to bringing you the latest music news, reviews, live photos and insights, predominantly in London and the UK as well as throughout Europe. Whether you're a fan of rock, metal, alternative, pop, or indie, we’ve got you covered with in-depth features on artists, album releases, concert reviews, and interviews.

And don’t forget to check out the Live Events section to stay updated on what’s to come!

LIVEreviews

MOTHER VULTURE | EXETER PHOENIX, EXETER | 31 JANUARY

NEW!

Ever wished you could go back in time to see your favourite arena band in a smaller venue? A venue where you can crowd surf over the barrier and high five the singer, or hang out at the merch table after and buy a shirt from the drummer? Many of us will have had this daydream, the regrets for not getting out to the local venue when that- then- underground, and underappreciated act was in town. 

Well the next, next big thing are out there now, lugging their own equipment, slinging their own merch, and at the end of a long, cold January, they were selling out The Phoenix in Exeter.

For the main course, it was time for Mother Vulture to debut their album Cartoon Violence. Mixing things up - literally, the playthrough wasn't linear. New album tracks were muddled in with old favourites and curated expertly to keep the audience on their toes. 

The set did start however with the album opener ‘Mike Check’ and commenced a full force, relentless stampede through typical Mother Vulture carnage with singer Georgi Valentine slamming into the high notes and wading through the growls, bassist Chris Simpson doing an uncanny impression of ‘man walking on hot coals’ for the entirety of the set, guitarist Brodie Maguire delivering riff after riff and drummer Matt West holding the whole thing together.

How earlier Mother Vulture tracks are going to end up sitting within future setlists is yet to be seen. ‘Mr Jones’, which, for a long time formed part of the top of the set- a song to be played once fever had already reached its pitch, instead sat second in the running order amongst the newcomers of Cartoon Violence. The band's biggest ‘problem’ now will potentially be having too many essential tracks to fit into their live shows.

ONLY THE POETS | O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON, LONDON | 2 FEBRUARY

NEW!

You can’t summarise a decade of hard work and a literal industry revolution in two paragraphs. If you were there, you’ll know why every word matters; if you weren’t, settle in, because Only The Poets (OTP) showed us exactly how you execute a mission successfully.

There is an old proverb in the corporate world that people don’t invest in businesses; they invest in people. On a cold Monday night in South London, 5,000 people didn't descend upon this landmark venue simply to hear catchy hooks; they were there to back four human beings who have spent a decade refusing to sell their souls or price out their fans.

In a landscape dominated by "Ticketmaster wars", dynamic pricing, and the soulless privatisation of live music, they decided to flip the script entirely. By charging just £1 for a headline slot at this iconic venue - matching the price of their first-ever gig seven years ago at Reading’s Purple Turtle - the band turned a sold-out gig into a “monumental” protest (pun intended).

Behind the band hung a simple, defiant sign: "Live Music is not a luxury; keep it accessible." This was a mission statement, not some opportunistic slogan or a trend they decided to hop on for the Brixton stage; it’s a philosophy they’ve been vocal about since day one. This is exactly why they have managed to build such a formidable, loyal following: they are consistent in an industry that rarely is. While it’s easy for an artist to dream up a clever gimmick for a quick PR win, Only The Poets stand out because they’ve proven they actually care about the health of the live circuit. This wasn’t a marketing stunt; it was the culmination of a decade of hard work, grit, and a refusal to forget where they came from.

ALBUM reviews

SOFTCULT - WHEN A FLOWER DOESN’T GROW | 28 JANUARY

NEW!

For Softcult, twin sisters Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, moving from a few short EPs to a full-length album feels like finally getting to tell the whole story. While their early singles were quick snapshots of emotions, a debut album is the first time the siblings have the space to really open up.

On their debut full-length When A Flower Doesn't Grow, the siblings deliver Softcult’s most unflinching work to date. Born from a period of personal upheaval, the album explores the path from trauma to liberation, anchored by a central philosophy: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” The album’s title is a nod to the environmental and social factors that stunt personal growth. Throughout the tracklist, the sisters tackle heavy themes with a blend of empathy and righteous anger: predatory behaviour, gaslighting and empowerment.

After years of testing out their sound and finding their voice, this record is where everything finally clicks. Produced by the band themselves, the production on this record is a massive step forward. It retains the shimmering textures of Cocteau Twins and the crushing, reverb-soaked weight of My Bloody Valentine, but there is a new "cleanliness" to the melodies that allows Mercedes’ vocals to pierce through the atmosphere and make the Softcult sound truly their own.

The album’s title is a nod to the environmental and social factors that stunt personal growth. Throughout the tracklist, the sisters tackle heavy themes with a blend of empathy and righteous anger: predatory behaviour, gaslighting and empowerment.

After a brief, soft intro track, the album opens up with the single ‘Pill To Swallow’ setting the stage with a masterclass in the "spiritual grunge" sound that the Arn-Horn siblings have pioneered: an immersive blend of shoegaze textures and 90s alt-rock grit.

MOTHER VULTURE - CARTOON VIOLENCE | 15 JANUARY

NEW!

Everybody say "Thank you Mother Vulture". In the deep, dark depths of frozen January there is salvation from the humdrum to be found in the electrifying pandemonium of Cartoon Violence. If anyone was worried this album couldn't live up to 2022's raucous Mother Knows Best, they needn't have lost any sleep, Cartoon Violence is a demonstration of what happens when determination and creative skill combine, expertly steered by four individuals who know who they are as a cohesive group and how to flaunt themselves convincingly through music. Where some rock artists aim to give the sonic version of a middle finger, Mother Vulture instead beckons.

‘Mike Check’ opens by sampling Mike Patton of Faith No More going in on Wolfmother at Lollapalooza Festival, before a rip roaring scream by singer Georgi Valentine and one of Chris Simpson's filthy bass riffs flings us into proceedings with no safety harness in sight. This album opener does indeed conjure the feeling of being thrown around violently on a fairground ride, dangerous but in a thrilling, moreish way. 

Don't imagine the rest of the album will loosen its grip though, ‘Sufferin' Succotash!’ is similarly frantic but in more of an unhinged- toddler hopped up on sugar way as it surfs through multiple tempo changes, breakdowns, vocal effects, moments of self-aware humour and a tasty guitar solo from guitarist Brodie Maguire.

‘Treadmill’ rumbles on relentlessly, manifesting the song's theme- "Life ain't a highway no, it's a treadmill'. The first of only four tracks on this album released prior to the full offering, it is a darker, more intense moment with a serious subject of monotony and the struggles many may have experienced. ‘Treadmill’ also features Valentine singing in Bulgarian for an entire verse, the icing on the cake of a true journey of a song.

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We are an inclusive, independent, non-profit publication led by a female collective launched out of sheer passion for live music and all things music related.

Executive Editor and Photographer: Florelle Servageon

Contact: florelle@livesphere-magazine.com

Editor and Photographer: Eva Grant

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Lead Writer & Photographer: Imogen Bird

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