Jamie T - Live At The Oxford Brookes Student Union

Jamie T
Oxford Brookes Student Union
Tuesday 6th February 2007
By Andrew Hendry


There seems to be no end to Jamie T’s (real name Jamie Trias) increasing popularity, a statement proved by the fact that he managed to sell out his ‘Panic Prevention Tour’, with added dates throughout Europe recently revealed. It seems that the twenty year old can not put a foot wrong, and even his support act ‘Them Nudes’, a three-piece rock band resembling an earlier ‘The Who’, managed to get the crowd jumping. It is no wonder that his ability to ride unique and catchy beats with honestly-raw lyrics about such subjects as alcohol abuse and teenage angst, has left many labelling him ‘a one man Arctic Monkey’.

By the time Jamie T made his appearance, the Student Union was packed to the rafters with lively teenagers, all making their appreciation well heard. Renowned for his individuality, he came bounding onstage in a chequered shirt, tight jeans and a rather shabby hat to perform his opening song, ‘Dry Off Your Cheeks’. Although admittedly not the most upbeat song on his debut album ‘Panic Prevention’, with the help of his live band ‘The Pacemakers’, he managed to really get the crowd going. The atmosphere on the night never once lagged, with the crowd more than ready to assist the choruses of such hits as ‘Sheila’, ‘So Lonely Was The Ballad’ and his latest single, ‘Calm Down Dearest’.

As well as performing all songs from his album, the East Londoner also treated the crowd to renditions of less well-known tracks from his earlier demos, such as ‘Northern Line’ and ‘Not Without Apology’. These earlier tracks were full of interesting samples, many of which, he later revealed, were lifted from a self-help CD which his mother brought him to battle panic attacks.

Throughout his set, Jamie oozed with confidence and skipped around the stage, truly making it his own, and his audience certainly left feeling that they had seen more than they had expected. Great music and entertainment alongside student-priced beer made this a thoroughly enjoyable night for all.

Plan B - Live At The Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Plan B
Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Friday 9th February 2007
By Andrew Hendry

To say that Plan B (AKA Ben Drew) is a one-hit wonder is one hell of an understatement, and his ‘Who Needs Actions When You Got Words’ show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire was certainly evidence of this. With a fan base which grows by the hundreds daily, Plan B’s support acts had a great task set ahead of them. Nevertheless, Example and Professor Green (also signed to the 679 label) proved to be very popular with the crowd, which was already jumping at the mere mention of the UK rapper.

When the 19 year old Londoner stepped out onto the stage, looking rather menacing with his hooded jumper, the noise of the crowd managed to drown out his live band, with the whole venue standing in appreciation. The protégé of Mike Skinner (of The Streets) went on to disprove recent controversy that the hip-hop genre is dying, with an electric two hour set, performing tracks from his debut album, ‘Who Needs Actions When You Got Words’ and his new mixtape, ‘Paint It Blacker’.

Plan B certainly knew how to put on a good show, treating his crowd to a number of freestyle raps, over such beats as Blur’s ‘Song 2’, leaving them to happily chant the chorus. The rapper’s raw individuality shone through when he performed his newly re-released single, ‘No Good’ when returning on-stage for his encore, rewarding his fans with a one-off drum and bass version, courtesy of his live band.

What Makes A Good Journalist?

An Interview with Rosie Swash
By Andrew Hendry


Rosie Swash believes passion is vital to be a good reporter, after starting out as a Good For Nothing Magazine journalist.

Swash, an established music writer for the Guardian Unlimited, said that a good reporter is ‘rigorous, passionate, opinionated and open-minded’. The 25-year-old got into reporting because of her love for writing and music.

Choosing to learn from experience rather than education, she opted not to train as a journalist, managing to get a job with Good For Nothing in 2005. When the company folded in the same year, Swash pursued her passion for writing and worked on a casual basis for the Observer Music Monthly until 2006.

Swash does not agree with the view of reporting as a ‘glamorous profession’, after having to work a number of ‘terrible jobs’ and spending ‘two years of writing things for free’. Despite this, Swash has not lost her passion, saying ‘I still get excited by new music so it's not hard to be enthusiastic’.

Swash believes that it is her attention to detail and authentication of facts, which makes her a good reporter, but admitted that she had to mature as a writer before obtaining these skills.

In light of recent criticism aimed at reporters, Swash believes that it is actually online reporters who have lost respect in the eyes of the public, who see online reporting ‘as throw-away, because the emphasis is on speed’.

In such a competitive industry, Swash advises aspiring reporters to ‘be prepared that you have to make things happen for yourself.’