Mayo and Viccars live! April Gig list

Friday 1st April

Mayo from The Mayo and Viccars Show will be DJing the after party for MK11 Presents: Mr B. The Gentleman Rhymer.

From deepest darkest Surrey, and with a decade of gentlemanly catterwalling under his belt, Mr.B brings you Chap-Hop, re-acquainting Hip-Hop with the Queen's English from whence it came. His legendary live recitals have earned him plaudits, largely from top shelf gentlemen's quarterlies.

Now he comes to MK11 for a April Fools Day Special! 

http://www.seetickets.com/tour/mk11-presents-mr-b-the-gentleman-rhymer

Tickets: £6 adv.


Saturday 2nd April

Viccars from The Mayo and Viccars Show will be DJing at this months Tailfeather at Slug & Lettuce.

TAILFEATHER brings you the very best in Motown, soul, disco, funk and rock 'n' roll! The night is perfect for those who want to get up and dance, love great music and who love to socialise. Slug & Lettuce was also voted Best Bar in 2015 so you know that is a winning combination!

In April we will be bringing you our usual mix of Motown, soul, funk, disco and rock 'n' roll! If you want to hear more of a particular genre or artist then let our DJs know.
Come shake ya Tailfeather!


Friday 29th April

Mayo and Viccars from The Mayo and Viccars Show will be DJing the after party at MK11 Presents: Lonely the Brave

You can wait a long time for a band like Lonely The Brave to come along. Maybe once every couple of years a band comes out of nowhere and captures the imagination of everyone from grassroots rock fans to national radio programmers. Perhaps once a decade do we see a band with LTB’s levels of musical intensity and emotional resonance. And maybe, if we’re very lucky, once in a generation we see a band with enough originality and unstoppable, unforgettable anthems to put British rock back on the international map.

“Lonely The Brave could be the biggest band on the planet. Fact.” Rock Sound

“Their vocalist has a mammoth arena-filling voice and it will only be a matter of time before they do so.” Huffington Post

“They’re the real deal, and their singer could be the new Eddie Vedder.” The Fly

Tickets: £10 adv.

Viccars' album review

by Paul Viccars

Artist: Daft Punk

Label: Virgin Records

Producers: Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo.

1.       One More Time ★★★★☆

2.       Aerodynamic ★★★★★

3.       Digital Love ★★★★☆

4.       Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger ★★★★☆

5.       Crescendolls ★★★☆☆

6.       Nightvision ★★☆☆☆

7.       Superheroes ★★★★☆

8.       High Life ★★★★☆

9.       Something About Us ★★☆☆☆

10.   Voyager ★★☆☆☆

11.   Veridis Quo ★★☆☆☆

12.   Short Circuit ★★☆☆☆

13.   Face to Face ★★★☆☆

14.   Too Long ★★★★☆

Welcome ladies, gentlemen, robots and children of all ages to one of the greatest albums of all time. Daft Punk’s Discovery is the French robots’ second studio album and what an album! This album changed the face of “house” music forever. Influencing such artists like Justice and the ENTIRE French house music scene such as Ed Bangers Records, which is the home of numerous electronic/alternative artists whom synced themselves up to the robots sound.

Later collaborating with Toei Animation (Japanese animation studio – Dragon Ball Z, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Digimon) to use Discovery as the score on a movie called Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, with each song forming a segment of the movie.

In the movie “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” is played during a scene when the extra-terrestrial beings are being converted into industry zombie-slaves by an EVIL INDUSTRY CORPORATION! In my own opinion I believe this scene forming the best relationship between music and movie because if you listen to the lyrics it does sound like a well-oiled superstar making machine, “work it harder (the band), make it better (commercialisation), move it faster (sales), makes us stronger (company profit)” “hour after hour, our work is never over” (repeat process). Perfectly summing up how some parts of the music business can function with little to know consideration towards the artists, they just want to bleed them dry like a vampire but worse… like those weird Reaper vampires from Blade 2!

Discovery introduced house music to the masses in a way I’m sure Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo weren’t expecting! They have been quoted as saying after “Too Long” they “didn’t want to do 14 more house tracks” so they set out to incorporate a variety of sounds which later defined a genre, a genre best described as a fusion between house and pop music.

If I wanted to prove to anyone that house music is good and deserves respect then I’d recommend Discovery.

★★★★★

The Mayo & Viccars Show - Mondays 8pm on Secklow Sounds

Viccars' Film Review - The Big Short

The Big Short (2016)

Director: Adam McKay

Writer: Adam McKay, Charles Randolph

Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt.

Genre: Bio, Drama.

When watching The Big Short, a movie based on Michael Lewis’s book, I could see the similarities with The Wolf of Wall Street. The narrative style and breaking of the 4th wall are all very similar. But instead of using the same narrator (Ryan Goslings character Jared Vennett) throughout the film, Adam unfortunately chose to explain complex financial jargon using celebrity faces, one of which being Margot Robbie in a bubble bath, whom starred in The Wolf of Wall Street (seriously? Think we wouldn’t catch on to that one Adam?), and then later with Selena Gomez playing Blackjack. These cameos take me out of the movie and didn’t seem necessary, they should of put Ryan Gosling in that bubble bath sipping champagne, that would of made more sense.

It’s shame because the underlying story of the stock market crash in 2008 is a seriously interesting. The performances given by Steve Carell playing Mark Baum, the only man with a conscience, was the standout for me. He depicted how awfully ignorant the whole system was and knowing the underlying truth, this is a standout performance from the previously comedic actor(this guy played Brick for crying out loud!). Also another performance worth a mention is Cristian Bales depiction of aloof genius Michael Burry, a hedge fund manager whom blasts out heavy metal and walks about the office bare foot and clenching drum sticks, betting against the American economy all the while being under extreme pressure by his investors.

Unfortunately the film had all the makings of being a great but falls short when it came to the execution, I felt the film didn’t need any of the celebrity cameos breaking the 4th wall that could have easily been executed by the stories narrator Ryan Gosling character, the typically stereotypical arrogant banker. I can’t tell you how gutted I am for this movie as the underlying story, is really something of interest, the script written by Adam McKay and Charles Randolph’s seemed to have created something decent but it seemed like the movie was too busy and needed to just be simple, focussing on the story at hand.

★★☆☆☆

by Paul Viccars

Catch The Mayo & Viccars Show on Mondays at 8pm

Viccars' Film Review - The Revenant

Paul Viccars (of The Mayo and Viccars Show) has turned his critical mind to Movie reviews:

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Writer: Mark L. Smith, Alejandro González Iñárritu

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson and Will Poulter.

Genre: Action, Drama.

Leo is so darn determined to get that Oscar on his mantelpiece he even had a fist fight with a bear!

The film is based partly on the novel “The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge” written by Michael Punke; which focuses on the story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his death defying journey of vengeance after being left for dead in the American mid-West during the 1820’s.

During fur trading endeavour lead by Andrew Henry (Domhnall Gleeson) and his men consisting of the selfish and cowardly John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy) and a young man with a heart full of morals Jim Bridger (Will Poulter); whom right from the get go are ambushed by Native Americans in a brutal and action packed scene. It was shot in such a way it felt like you were there with them running for your life, this movie takes you on a sensory journey and puts you in the heart of it all.

Alejandro González Iñárritu isn’t alone, choosing to work again with cinematography Emmanuel Lubezki who again brings visually stunning scenes to screen. The way he catches the American wilderness in such tranquillity is something to be admired, Lubezki’s high standards have become expected with his previous work on films such as Birdman and Gravity both of which winning him Oscar’s for cinematography; if you thought two Oscar’s on the bounce would get him slacking off then you’re wrong!

Leo’s acting is again on point, the man can do no wrong and he is consumed by his character. Tom Hardy also delivered a decent performance becoming a very easy to hate villain. The end fight scene between the two is something that puts you on the edge of your seat, I became so engrossed that I genuinely wanted revenge for Leo, no punches were held in this brutal climax!

This film reminded me of another similar plotted movie The Gladiator, obviously the plots are similar 

but also with the whole visual aspect and the spirituality undertones. Every pause for a poetic pan out on the American landscape is like a pause for breath during this extremely intense endeavour.

Every pause for a poetic pan out on the American landscape is like a pause for breathe during this extremely intense endeavour.

Hopefully The Revenant can emulate Gladiators success.

★★★★☆

Ratings:

★☆☆☆☆ = BAD

★★☆☆☆ = OK

By Paul Viccars

Catch The Mayo and Viccars Show on Mondays at 8pm

Viccars' Album Review #3

Nevermind (1991)

Artist: Nirvana

Label: DGC

Producers: Butch Vig

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit ★★★★☆
2. In Bloom ★★★☆☆
3. Come as You’re ★★★☆☆
4. Breed ★★★☆☆
5. Lithium ★★★☆☆
6. Polly ★★☆☆☆
7. Territorial Pissing ★★☆☆☆
8. Drain You ★★☆☆☆
9. Lounge Act ★☆☆☆☆
10. Stay Away ★☆☆☆☆
11. On a Plain ★★☆☆☆
12. Something in the Way ★★★☆☆
13. Endless, Nameless (hidden track) ★☆☆☆☆

After recently watching Cobain: Montage of Heck; a documentary about Kurt Cobain directed by Brett Morgen, I found myself compelled to write something in homage to the great man himself.  So here we are, bearing down on yet another album review by yours truly.

“Nevermind” is the second studio album by Nirvana which took on unsuspected success back in 1991.  Maybe it was the Dave Grohl factor? But it was more than likely down to the overwhelming positive reception to the now rock cult classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.

In the song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” we are tossed from wherever we are at the time of inception, into an ocean like mosh pit; thrashing us with waves of chaotic guitar rage, and then soothed by Cobain’s almost trance-like voice-encapsulating all those whom hear-to only then throw you back into a frenzied mosh pit, much like a siren calling sailors to their demise.

As you listen through the album you’re met with instant recognisable classics such as “In Bloom”, “Come as you are”, “Breed” and “Lithium.” However, after this the album kind of loses me in a state of chaotic fury, which I can’t seem to understand.  Nonetheless, we then get to “Something in the Way”, and I become instantly mesmerised again. Kurt has a special way of bringing people to feel his emotions; and in this song you get a sense of dark frustrated sadness. This acoustic stroke of genius is a real stand out track for me, it just resonates with me.

Nirvana thrashed their way to chart success paving the way for rock bands to follow.

★★★☆☆

Paul Viccars

Mayo & Viccars Show - Mondays 8pm - 10pm - or catch it on SPREAKER

VICCARS' ALBUM REVIEW #2 - Elephant (2003) by The White Stripes

Secklow's Paul Viccars invites you to listen to his favourite albums.                                                                                                                                                                         This week he's been listening to:

Elephant (2003)

Artist: The White Stripes

Label: XL

Producer: Jack White

Tracks:

1. Seven Nation Army ★★★★★

2. Black Math ★★★★☆

3. There’s No Home for You Here ★★★☆☆

4. I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself ★★★★☆

5. In the Cold, Cold Night ★★★★☆

6. I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mothers Heart ★★☆☆☆

7. You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket ★★☆☆☆

8. Ball and Biscuit ★★★☆☆

9. The Hardest Button to Button ★★★☆☆

10. Little Acorns ★★★☆☆

11. Hypnotize ★★★★☆

12. The Air Near My Fingers ★★★☆☆

13. Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine ★★★☆☆

14. Well It's True That We Love One Another ★★★☆☆

Elephant is the fourth album by The White Stripes and deservedly received wide critic acclaim, notably winning a Grammy Award for “Best Alternative Music Album”. For me this is the album that saw The White Stripes really come into their own, I mean their first three albums were good but nothing like this one; Elephant is special. I mean when you kick-start an album with such an original yet simple song like “Seven Nation Army”, literally anyone with working hands can pick up a guitar and play that riff and yet it’s so atmospheric you hear it echoing around many of Europe’s football stadiums being chanted by thousands of fans. That’s something special, not many artists can say they’ve done that.

Now I read that the vinyl sleeve for us Brits was a special version was actually made out of elephant dung… cheers guys won’t be able to touch that again without washing my hands! With Jack White being the technophobe producer he is this album was produced without the use of modern tech and instead Jack opted for a more analogue style and to be honest you can tell a Jack White album from anything else out there today, his guitar sound is such a signature of himself it feels like he is infused into the music.

I’m not going to lie I honestly struggled to rate this album as I felt that this would be a five star album but as it happened with the way I score my music its fallen just short but let’s be honest this is near on perfection.

VERDICT:  One of the greatest albums of all time.

★★★★☆

by Paul Viccars

Catch the MAYO & VICCARS SHOW at 8pm on Mondays on Secklow Sounds, and hear previous shows on SPREAKER

VICCARS' ALBUM REVIEW - Appetite for Destruction (Guns 'N' Roses)

Secklow's Paul Viccars invites you to listen to his favourite albums. This week he's been listening to

Appetite for Destruction (1987)

Artist: Guns N' Roses

Label: Geffen Records

Producer: Mike Clink

Track listings:

1. Welcome to the Jungle ★★★★☆

2. It's So Easy ★★☆☆☆

3. Nighttrain ★★★☆☆

4. Out ta Get Me ★★☆☆☆

5. Mr. Brownstone ★★★☆☆

6. Paradise City ★★★★☆

7. My Michelle ★★★☆☆

8. Think About You ★★★☆☆

9. Sweet Child O' Mine ★★★★★

10. You're Crazy ★★☆☆☆

11. Anything Goes ★★☆☆☆

12. Rocket Queen ★★★☆☆

Guns N' Roses's debut album "Appetite for Destruction" is probably one of the most influential albums of my childhood, I was introduced to them by my mother who would constantly sing "Sweet Child O'Mine" to me as a child.

"Appetite for Destruction" is one of my all-time favourite albums, with such classics as "Welcome to the Jungle", "Paradise City" & "Sweet Child O' Mine" this is easily one of those masterpiece records everyone appreciates with an estimated 30 million copies sold world, making it one of the top selling records in the United States.

The original artwork for the album created by American artist Robert Williams (see below), this artwork was rejected by the studio (maybe because there is a blatant raped victim being portrayed, while the rapist looks to be confronted by some crazy creature) and replaced by the famous cross and skulls (I prefer the cross and skulls).

With the album supposedly being written whilst the band were performing in Los Angles, apparently the memorable lyrics in "Welcome to the Jungle" came from a homeless man in Seattle trying to put fear in young runaways... "You know where you're? You're in the jungle baby; you're gonna die"

Overall Verdict: ★★★★☆

by Paul Viccars

Catch the MAYO & VICCARS SHOW at 8pm on Mondays on Secklow Sounds, and hear previous shows on SPREAKER

Poetry Slamming with Mayo and Viccars

MONDAY SEPT 21ST, 8 - 10pm

"THE MAYO AND VICCARS SHOW WITH MAYO & VICCARS" -  FEATURING B DOLAN

Tune into “The Mayo and Viccars Show” on Monday 21st September from 8-10pm for a B Dolan Kill The Wolf Special, where the guys will be promoting the album Kill The Wolf by rapper/spoken-word artist/activist B Dolan, playing some of their favourite tracks from the album and playing snippets from an interview Viccars had with B Dolan himself.

B Dolan moved from Rhode Island to New York at the age of 18 to pursue his dream. He took inspiration from many experiences through his life but especially the album “The Diary” by Scarface which inspired him to be a rapper. After heading back to his hometown in Rhode Island, he created a website called Knowmore.org to highlight what people might not know about their everyday shopping as part his activism. He eventually had his big break when he teamed up with Sage Francis and begun his journey to become the man he is today…

Now, with his latest album “Kill the Wolf” having been released after five years in the making, he begins his world tour which sees him bring back an 'old skool' hip-hop style reminiscent of Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff/Run-DMC to MK11 on 26th September - for more information on the event just click HERE

To contact the show tweet  @MayoViccarsShow

#Mayo&ViccarsShow #PlayingUp