There won’t be many people who have heard of Andy Baio but he delivered a very interesting prediction on Twitter this week (@waxpancake).

“Spotify’s U.S. launch is going to destroy digital album sales. The celestial jukebox makes downloading, legal or not, feel dumb.”

And maybe he has a point.

When compared to Spotify’s “almost any song at the touch of a button” approach downloading seems a very clunky way of collecting music.

However Spotify isn’t in the car, and not every internet connection is perfect, so for many the CD and mp3 player will remain a firm fixture.

Plus new bands won’t solely commit to a service that doesn’t yet deliver a great return when your songs are played.

So the best way for up-and-coming artists to make instant cash from song writing is CD sales at gigs and the past fortnight has seen a rash of EP releases.

It continues this Saturday with The Queue launching ‘Enquiring Time. ..’ at the Soul Cellar.

They’ll be supported by Cardiff’s ‘Brother Steve and a new Southampton act ‘Welcome Pariah!.

The Queue’s early recordings were heavily influenced by the all conquering sound of Oasis and although they are leaving some of that behind they found themselves taking another avenue into the lives of the Gallaghers.

In May they played the first in a series of acoustic shows in the Manchester branch of Liam’s ‘Pretty Green‘ clothing stores.

With more gigs to come we’ll no doubt see if clothes make the band.

First published in the Daily Echo 24th June 2011

Last Friday night at the Cellar (formerly Soul Cellar) a huge roar greeted the winner of the ‘Road 2 Blissfields’ battle of the bands.

It was a strong bill with Arp Attack, LST & The Mandem, The Mopes, New Broadcast Group and Oresteia vying to land a coveted spot at the Winchester festival. www.blissfields.co.uk

The popular winners were Southampton’s LST & the Mandem and maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise.

Although LST told me later his plan was slightly different: “My mind set was to be there and smash it so that people would leave thing about me, not to win, but just to be the best.”

And when they won, he said: “It was strange, every second I had put into my music didn’t seem like a waste of time.”

The group have been working really hard, not only building a following, but with a music director, someone from outside of the unit who generates enough respect that his opinions and observations do not put any noses out of joint.

“His ear for detail is impeccable,” LST explained. “He believes in me 100%. That all I ask from the people that work with me.”

We’re all critics nowadays and seem to be encouraged to off-load our opinions about everything on any social network that we can click on.

But to deliver suggestions in a positive manner is a tough challenge: there again not as tough as being on the receiving end.

So you have to take your hats off to LST for being forward thinking enough to pursue such guidance and the festival prise will raise their profile another notch.

This Saturday it’s the O2 in Bournemouth for the final of Dorset Music Awards.

It’s another competition offering festival slots as a reward (Larmer Tree, En-Dorset in Dorset and Beach Break) but the overall prize is equally sort after: £1500 PR Campaign, recording time, CD pressing and a photo shoot.

It’s open to everyone, so maybe someone from the Southampton area will enter next year.

First published in the Southern Daily Echo 22nd April 2011

Tonight at the Guildhall there will be a full house enjoying the Celtic delights of Runrig; a powerhouse of a band that has loyal and dedicated following, especially in Southampton.

Its one of those remarkable occasions when a band connects with an audience many miles away.

The following evening the demonstration of affection is reversed at the Soul Cellar with 60 fans flying in from Europe to see Southampton’s Coast.

They are launching their next single ‘The beat of you’ which is a great ballad that would suit anybody looking out of a window, thinking of a loved one, on a frosty winter night.

Xan Phillips interviews Paul Eastham (centre) and Iain Bayne for Playdio

One of the co-writers is Iain Bayne, Runrig’s drummer and the manager of Coast and with so many people flying over Iain is confident about the band’s future: “I know Coast has got a longevity about it that will see the band grow, develop and evolve in a career that will last ten to twenty years.”

Coast’s excellent musicianship is one reason for his confidence and the second is front man Paul Eastham: “His songwriting abilities are second to none. I don’t think there’s been potential for a band like this for quite some time.”

Those skills are currently channelled into Coast’s second album “The Turning Stone” which is full of south coast themes and released in 2011.

So if you are seriously seeking an alternative to X-Factor this is your perfect reason to switch off the box and join us in town.

First published in the Southern Daily Echo Friday 10th December 2010