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Friday, August 9, 2013

Battfest 2013 - Aug 9 -11 - Tune in Here

Battfest Act - Kassassin Street


Hailing from Portsmouth UK, Kassassin Street are a 5-piece band making a big impact across the south coast with their huge psychedelic sound and effortlessly danceable grooves. Their live shows are explosive and often unpredictable, with the band drawing on a range of influences such as krautrock and electronica to push the music in different sonic directions. Following two self-recorded EP releases and a feature on BBC Introducing, the band are currently in the midst of a string of festival dates including Blissfields and Victorious Festival.

LINKS:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kassassinstreet?fref=ts

Twitter - https://twitter.com/KassassinStreet

Website - http://www.kassassinstreet.com/

Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/kassassinstreet

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Performing at Battfest 2013 - Eleanore & the Lost


Based in and around Guildford, Surrey, Eleanore & the Lost are a symphonic prog rock band with a strong gothic influence. The song lyrics are beautifully crafted, whilst the music has catchy, memorable tunes resonating influences from Jeff Buckley, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Bjork, Kate Bush and Evanescence – there are also glimpses of some of the earlier Beatles songs such as Eleanor Rigby, the Long and Winding Road etc.

Work is currently underway recording and producing the second album “The Gift”. Eleanore took time out of performing for the second half of 2012 to compose the songs for this latest offering. Production began at the end of the year but was halted shortly afterwards due to the death of Eleanore’s grandmother. Now finally back on track, the first part of the album has been recorded - it will be released in three parts, with the first part expected at the end of the summer (although a single from the album is planned to be released ahead of this, as a taster). Battfest and The Green Gathering were unexpected performances ahead of the second album – but sounded like such great opportunities – plus Eleanore is very environmentally conscious!

Eleanore (composer, lyricist and lead vocalist) has a spectacular voice and stage presence. It’s a rare thing for any singer to have a vocal range of 4 octaves, quite another to be able to hit the top note on a piano with ease – but it’s the exceptional beauty of her voice that sets her apart.

Eleanore has a wealth of past experience including covers bands, backing vocals, session work, musical theatre, various solo projects and as support to Clare Teal back in 2004. Compositionally, she’s been writing her own songs for many years and in 2004 also co-wrote the winning song in a competition through Celador Productions (for a Channel 4 TV pilot “Write on Time”).

In 2006, Eleanore was commissioned by an Indian dance company (SB Dance) to compose an orchestral piece in four movements, a project she completed within two and a half months. The finished piece “asmâkam” (the quest) went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2008 and is available on all major download sites. In the same year, she released her first single “Feels so Good” with Madman the Greatest.

In 2009, Eleanore beat 10,000 other contestants nationwide to the Grand National Final of Live and Unsigned whilst also working on her debut album “Parlour Game”, which was released at the end of the year. Fans say that they just don’t get tired of it even after three years and it’s now being discovered by a whole new group of new people as Eleanore & the Lost finally starts to get noticed. The album is available as both a CD and as downloads on all the major sites including Amazon, iTunes and Napster. It is also available to stream on Spotify.

The band, Eleanore & the Lost initially got together to promote the album and between 2010/12 did numerous gigs across South East England including Guilfest, The Half Moon in Putney, The Boiler Room Guildford, Babalou in Brixton, the Fairfield Halls Croydon and the Windsor festival as well as radio interviews and airplay. It has resulted in a tight knit group of friendships as well as colleagues.

In 2011, Eleanore was commissioned by the international environmental charity, WWF to compose the theme song for their 50th anniversary which was also to act as a stimulus piece for the charity’s nationwide competition aimed at young people. “My True Nature” was released in May 2011 and is again available on all major download sites.

Towards the end of 2011, Eleanore was asked to star in a Windsor Festival specially commissioned piece called “Kiss Me Goodbye”. This was a dance show, but all of the dancing was choreographed to Eleanore’s music. The dancing took place in the prestigious Theatre Royal, Windsor with the band performing on stage as well.


Press & radio testimonials:

"The awesome vocal might and musical presence of Eleanore & the Lost are unleashed with a mix of rock, pop and grunge as the story changes direction. Perhaps a representation of youth and love, Eleanore, a Kate Bush-like vocalist, stole the show and certainly uplifted the audience, evident by standing ovations at the end."

Pete Rann, Royal Borough Observer, Windsor

“I have to say Eleanore & the Lost have done us all proud with My True Nature! Once again this is another masterpiece in their impressive repertoire, and I will certainly give it some airplay..."

David Durrant, Brooklands FM

"It might be her first time at Guilfest but Eleanore, the Cranleigh singer-songwriter, has racked up live experience that would make others blush," writes Luke Jacobs (of the Surrey Advertiser). "Winner of a television songwriting competition back in 2004 and finalist in the Live and Unsigned competition last year, the artist is already used to putting herself up for scrutiny."

“Better than any female vocalist in rock going back 2 decades... I'm a rocker and it sounded amazing! She blew me away, perfect voice teamed with a perfect look! Eleanore should be up there with the best… and no doubt she will.”

Richie Day


LINKS:

www.eleanoreandthelost.com
www.youtube.com/eleanoreandthelost
www.facebook.com/eleanoreandthelost
Twitter: @EleanoreLost

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Battfest 2013 Artist - Karina Vismara


From the rural town Balcarce, Argentina, Karina Vismara is an award winning songwriter, now based in Brighton.

Taking an interest in music at an early age, she began to teach herself piano, using a Beatles 'Rubber Soul' song book she found in the house. A local pianist saw her talent and offered her free lessons, unfortunately this tuition was cut short, when the tutor began to lose his vision. However her fascination with music continued, in-particular her love for the 'Beatles' and with help from her farther began to learn guitar. Dedicating her life to music, she developed her style, taking influence from both English 60's/70's rock 'n' roll, and Argentine musicians.

When 17 she travelled to Europe for the first time, this experience inspired her to start taking her songwriting more seriously. Two years later she moved to Liverpool to study at LIPA, and achieved a distinction in her diploma. She furthered her study in Guildford taking a degree in Sound Design at The Academy of Contemporary Music and won the ACM 2011 Songwriting Competition with her song 'Only You', chosen by Warner Chappell Music.

Her success is anything but casual, anyone who listens to her playing can attest. Her extraordinary guitar playing adopts a delicate finger-picking style held together by melodic bass lines and unconventional chord progressions, which blend perfectly with her angelic voice and memorable melodies. Her lyrics are deeply inspired by personal life experience, avoiding literal description, she depicts emotions everyone can relate to.

Website: karinavismara.com
Facebook: facebook.com/vismaramusic

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Isla Will be Performing at Battfest 2013!



Isla are sisters Charlotte, Emily and Eleanor. Originally from Yorkshire, they are now based in London. They create an eclectic mix of indie/folk/pop combining unique instrumentals with distinctive harmonies.

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/bandisla
https://twitter.com/bandisla
http://www.reverbnation.com/bandisla
http://www.youtube.com/islabandofficial
http://soundcloud.com/isla-band