Ever since I first saw The Marlins play, I dunno, maybe a dozen years ago, the music of Matt Marr (subsequently as Matt Marr and the Robbers and more recently solo) has had a profound effect on my life. The Marlins were a ridiculously good band; musically they blended the groove of the Black Keys ...

First up, a massive thanks you to everyone who voted for their favourite local band to play at this year’s Oxjam Bournemouth Takeover Event, and to the huge number of bands and djs who have applied to play. We received nearly 2000 votes, with many bands creating facebook events and online campaigns to encourage votes. ...

Every time I press play on New Volunteer’s new long-player Remote Control Parade I’m reminded of Supertramp’s ‘Dreamer’. That’s purely from the burst of keyboard stabs on opener ‘All Their Peculiar Ways’, after which the similarity disappears completely. After the Supertramp start this is non-stop alt-rock, choc full with melodic, harmonic, rhythmic wonderment – Summerteeth-era ...

Since first witnessing Acoustic Ladyland at a CuRioSiTy night at Kyps a couple of years back, and subsequently putting them on in front of a packed and particularly excited Gander crowd, I can’t remember another band who have impressed me more on a local live stage. The fact that their first (and only) date in ...