News
British Rapper Beats out Bat For Lashes, Florence and the Machine, The Horrors, Friendly Fires, The Invisible
Sep 08, 2009
By Mark Redfern
Speech Debelle has won this year's Mercury Prize, it was just announced at a ceremony in London. The British rapper was something of a surprise winner and beat out the likes of The Horrors, Friendly Fires, Bat For Lashes, The Invisible, Florence and the Machine, Kasabian, Glasvegas, and others. Debelle took the stage and immediately gave a shout out to one of her fellow nominees. "Big up The Invisible," she said. Debelle had told BBC 6 Music radio earlier in the evenining that The Invisible were her favorite other nominee. Ironically, despite her name, Speech Debelle gave a short speech. She thanked her label, producers, and family ("my gran's over there").The winner is awarded 20,000 pounds and Debelle also said, "Thank-you to whoever's name is on the check." More
Aug 25, 2009
By Wendy Lynch Redfern
Friendly Fires played a sold-out show at The El Rey in Los Angeles, CA Monday night. We sent a photographer Wendy Lynch Redfern down to capture the action. Check out the full gallery of photos from The El Rey show here. More
The Invisible, Glasvegas, The Horrors, Kasabian, and others also honored
Jul 21, 2009
By Mark Redfern
Every year since 1992 The Mercury Prize has been awarded to the best album recorded by an artist from either the United Kingdom or Ireland. Last year Elbow won it. This morning 2009's nominees were announced. They include Bat For Lashes, Florence and the Machine, Friendly Fires, The Invisible, Glasvegas, The Horrors, Kasabian, and others. More
Other highlights include Friendly Fires and Throbbing Gristle
Apr 23, 2009
By Mark Redfern
On day three of Coachella My Bloody Valentine threatened to burst a thousand eardrums. As we entered the festival site around 12:30 PM they were handing out complimentary earplugs in anticipation for the aural attack. Other highlights included a blood-splattered Fucked Up, an energetic Friendly Fires, and the incredibly strange Throbbing Gristle. More
Under the Radar articles on Those Performing This Weekend
Apr 16, 2009
By Mark Redfern
We have posted to our website select previous Under the Radar interviews with some of the great artists playing the Coachella festival this weekend. If you're heading out to the festival, then check out these interviews at the links below to either give you a primer on an unfamiliar artist or remind you why they are one of your favorites whose set you will definitely be catching. Even if you're not hitting the desert festival, this is a great collection of back issue content newly posted to the site. More
Start Weeping About Set Time Clashes Now
Apr 14, 2009
By Michele Yamamoto
The set times for Coachella have finally been posted to the festival website. With a nerve-shattering 3 days to go, festival goers can finally agonize over conflicts, geography and meal times. More
Interviews
Feb 01, 2008
By J. Pace
Friendly Fires, hailing from St. Albans, England, burst on the scene with a rousing, danceable cover of Jamie Principle's infamous house cut "Your Love," a far cry from their beginnings as a hardcore band. More
Reviews
Friendly Fires at El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Aug 25, 2009
By Laura Studarus
I don’t dance. I’m an arrhythmic white girl whose main goal—at most events—is to not put an eye out with my pen or notebook. Although, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to getting my (very) awkward groove on at last night’s Friendly Fires show. For the record: no writing utensil related injuries were sustained. More
Apr 23, 2009
By Mark Redfern
On day three of Coachella My Bloody Valentine threatened to burst a thousand eardrums. As we entered the festival site around 12:30 PM they were handing out complimentary earplugs in anticipation for the aural attack. Other highlights included a blood-splattered Fucked Up, an energetic Friendly Fires, and the incredibly strange Throbbing Gristle. More
Friendly Fires at the Troubadour, West Hollywood
Apr 14, 2009
By Paul Bullock
Friendly Fires, of St. Albans, U.K., is still riding high on their self-titled debut. The album, released in the fall of 2008, showcases confident, kinetic songwriting that matches their growing reputation for high-octane performances. Frontman Ed Macfarlane’s winking histrionic delivery plays nearly perfectly against the tight, road-honed sounds of Jack Savidge (drums), Edd Gibson (guitar), and Rob Lee (bass) making for a kind of smart, indie-rock response to Duran Duran. More
