Live review: Brody Dalle, The Beaches @ Leadmill, Sheffield

Brody Dalle, former front woman of thunderous punk band The Distillers, stopped off in Sheffield on her brief UK tour to support her new album ‘Diploid Love’.

Source: NME

Opening the show were Canadian girl band The Beaches. Despite their teenage years, the four-piece boldly tore through their set as if they’d been touring for decades. Highlighted best by the song ‘Little Pieces’, the band produce a formidable alt-rock sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of Band of Skulls and The White Stripes. Their EP ‘Heights’, due out next month, is worth looking into.

Main act of the night Brody Dalle, who coincidently was hiding former Distillers guitarist Tony Bevilacqua amongst her band for the evening, fittingly chose to open her set with new song ‘Rat Race’. I say fittingly because of the line ‘I’m going to burn this city down’ which she basically did, or left some Sheffield natives with burnt out vocal chords at the very least.

Her new material, slightly more subtle on record, was properly thrashed at. ‘Meet the Foetus/Oh the Joy’ in particular was given universal approval by the packed out Leadmill crowd. Other new songs such as ‘Don’t Mess With Me’ and ‘Underworld’ fit in to the set as if they were Distillers classics, whilst ‘Parties for Prostitutes’ complimented the heavier material nicely.

The Distillers classics made up the majority of the set, much to the delight of the crowd. It’s been eight years since The Distillers broke up so, despite the quality of Brody’s new material, renditions of ‘Sick of it All’ and ‘Dismantle Me’ brought out a cry of ecstasy from the crowd that couldn’t be matched.

Completing the set list, as well as a cover of ‘Hybrid Moments’ by The Misfits, was ‘Ghetto Love’ from Brody’s previous project Spinnerette. This, a more danceable track than others, was introduced with the words ‘Dance with me, I’m not going to dance for you.’ Quite right.

Overall the set was exhilarating. There are many punk bands around today, but none of them quite like The Distillers, and none of them with anyone like Brody. We just hope she comes back to tour again.

Brody Dalle’s new album is out now and can be heard here.

Words by Jamie Doherty

Single review: 'Abyssinia' by Screaming Maldini

Following on from ‘Soweto’ and ‘Bearings’, ‘Abyssinia’ is the third release from Screaming Maldini’s yearlong #monthlymaldiniXII project, which will see the band release a new song every month.

The song itself is much darker than the previous two releases. The dance-pop beat of ‘Soweto’ and sunny timbres from ‘Bearings’ have been replaced by a more sombre, stripped back arrangement – culminating in a brooding climax of trumpets where lead singer Gina cries “Are we there?” Although not exactly infectious pop music, the song still makes compelling listening through its emotive nature.

Even if it’s just through their slightly quirky instrumentation, Screaming Maldini always manage to make their music interesting and this is no exception.

What did you think of the new track? Comment below and let us know!

Words by Jamie Doherty

Kate Moss x Topshop Coming This Week

The new Kate Moss for Topshop Spring Collection 2014 is here, and it is - unquestionably - sublime. The pieces have been influenced by Moss’ own wardrobe and the creative vision of Katy England and can be categorized as follows: Quirky Bohemian, Pajama Cool, Red Carpet Siren and Tailored Professional. All of which will fulfill a tiny fantasy of looking much cooler and much edgier than we actually are.

An item that is sure to achieve blogger Holy Grail status is the suede ‘gig jacket’ that is sure to be paraded at Glastonbury this summer at which Moss religiously attends with cult-making fashion trends that cement her place in the style pantheon. Not only Moss herself, but celebrities such as Alexa Chung, Sienna Miller and the Duchess of Cambridge have sported previous Kate Moss for Topshop designs, and Moss’ notoriety has only increased since her much celebrated Playboy Cover this year for her 40th birthday.

The prices start from £40, with a hand-finished Kaftan at the middling price of £85 and the high end of the spectrum finishing with a £600 hand-beaded flapper dress. For most students, this is big money, and perhaps too extravagant when food needs to be bought. However, owning just one of these iconic pieces will balance the financial scales with the infinitely more important fashion ones. If you are going to a festival, the collection will raise you massively in the million unflattering pictures that will be taken of you with 3-day old makeup and greasy hair. If you aren’t going to a festival, then you should get something to make you feel better and at least simulate the festival experience when sat alone in your room, looking fabulous in a fringed jacket and listening to The Rolling Stones.

The collection will be available from Topshop stores and online, Nordstrom stores and online and Net-a-porter.com from April 30, but will probably be sold out by lunch of the same day so the strategic buying that every serious fashion shopper has must be utilized and lectures must be abandoned in favour of incessantly refreshing websites and crying quietly.

By Romy Risley

Film Review: The Other Woman

‘The Other Woman’ tells the story of Carly (played by Cameron Diaz), an ambitious New York lawyer whose cynicism towards the ideas of true love and monogamy are finally swayed when she meets bad boy Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). However her happiness is short-lived when a surprise visit to his home goes horribly wrong and she discovers that he is married.

Source: TalkBacker

Scorned wife Kate (Leslie Mann) finds her whole world crashing around her when she realises that the woman standing on her doorstep is in fact her husband’s mistress. She leans on Carly for support and their heartbreak becomes the foundation of their relationship as “the weirdest friends ever.” To add insult to injury, the women soon discover that there is a third lady in love rat Mark’s life, the beautiful Amber (Kate Upton), and between the three of them, “The Lawyer, the Wife and the Boobs”  hatch a plan for revenge on the man who played them all.

L-R - Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Cameron Diaz. Source: Huffington Post

Although the plot is arguably predictable and a little bit cliché, this film is a really easy watch and would be perfect for a girly night in. Diaz and Mann’s characters are the perfect counterparts of each other; the sassy career girl with ice queen tendencies, and the sweet, loveable wife, albeit a bit dippy. Mann in particular excels herself in her performance, sparking off Diaz with ease and providing moments of comedic genius thanks to her character’s ditzy personality. Her moments of humour are balanced by glimpses of vulnerability, which are played beautifully, tugging at the heartstrings and reminding you that she still has the devastation of a broken marriage to deal with.

Upton’s character, although likeable, is very much disposable. Amber’s naivety and girl-next-door charm makes her endearing, and her obvious beauty is appealing to male viewers, but her character is comparatively dull. This is a shame when so much more could have been done with her personality. She doesn’t really contribute much to the trio or the plot of the film, and even without her, Diaz and Mann would have worked perfectly on their own.

Source: OnTheRedCarpet

Although it is clear that there has been an attempt at a message of ‘girl power’, it is seemingly feeble and doesn’t really hit home unless you’re really looking for a moral of the story. Although women everywhere relish the idea of reaping revenge on men who have broken their hearts, the fact that the triage of women seem to devote every waking moment on their plot against Mark seems to contradict the point that the film is trying to get across, and it certainly drives wife Kate towards a mental breakdown.

While ‘The Other Woman’ isn’t the most memorable rom-com, I certainly found it an enjoyable watch. The glamorous settings of New York and Miami along with the sophisticated characters made the film pleasing to the eye, and the regular bursts of comedy moments made the story flow well without there being any lulls of tediousness. There’s even a bit of toilet humour thrown in (literally) to cater for the dozens of bored-looking boyfriends who have been dragged along to see yet another chick flick.

Source: Brunch News

Overall, ‘The Other Woman’ is fantastic for its target audience and definitely worth a trip to the cinema if you’re looking for a light-hearted, girly film.

Words by Sian Abbott

Crop Top Weather Ab Attack Workout

It's that time of year again.... We are getting ever closer to warmer weather and (dreaded for some) bikini season! With the crop top trend flying off the charts and sunshine poking through the clouds, it's time to consider amping up - or starting - to get toned in that tummy area. I know this is a particular problem area for many women, myself included, and it is probably one of the hardest areas on the body to tone up and get definition. Hard, but not impossible! With this in mind I've come up with a little routine that you can easily fit into a busy day and do in your living room; no equipment needed!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/66755335@N05/9661595123/

The Crop Top Trend

Crop tops have experienced a major revival recently, appearing everywhere from the red carpet to the lecture theatre. Our writer, Ashley Chan, takes a looks at this new cropped trend and how to wear it…

It’s that time of year again when our pale legs must emerge from their nylon sheaths, and the summer ritual of fake tanning, shaving, and getting those tootsies sandal-ready begins. This year, however, you might just have one more thing to add onto the list of summer preparation: a slender waistline. It comes as no surprise as the bikini season is approaching, but it’s also a must so that you’re prepared to embrace this ever-growing summer trend: the crop top.

Live review: JAWS, The Magic Gang, Tropic of Youth @ The Plug, Sheffield

With the success of recently released single ‘Think Too Much, Feel Too Little’ making it into the top 10 on the iTunes alternative charts, Birmingham boys JAWS head off on tour. Of course, any tour wouldn’t be complete without stopping off in Sheffield for a greatly received show at The Plug.

Single Review: ‘Money’ by Peace

Harry Koisser presents us with a robust anthem in the form of Peace’s single ‘Money’. Unsure of what to make of the news that the Worcester band’s frontman had turned his hand to rapping,we’re pleased to say he doesn’t disappoint.

Record Store Day – Is Vinyl Really That Great?

 This Saturday record stores across the US and UK are opening early, hosting in-store parties, and generally selling a lot more records than usual – all because of Record Store Day.

Started in 2007, the event was created in the US in order to help independent record stores in their plight against dwindling sales and encourage people to return to the old form of music consumption. The event centres around bands releasing limited edition vinyl records that can only be bought in person during Record Store Day, forcing fans into stores on mass. Previous bands that have contributed include Daft Punk, Metallica, Florence and the Machine, and David Bowie just to name a few.

So what’s so great about vinyl anyway?

Newcastle Does Vintage

Vintage Fairs are taking the UK fashion scene by storm, so our writer Charlotte Imlah went to Newcastle Does Vintage to see what all the fuss is about…

One of my favourite things to do is rummage through piles of vintage clothes, looking for the next adored piece of my wardrobe that I will wear to death. Last Sunday’s Newcastle Does Vintage – the city’s biggest vintage fair, that takes over four floors at the Theatre Royal – gave me the perfect opportunity to do exactly that.

Sartorial Lent Antidote: Sugary Easter Dressing

Have you picked an outfit for Easter yet? If not, don’t worry, because Liberty Belle is here to help you! Our writer Amber De Smet has handpicked sugary Spring pastels and cute bunny accessories that will make your day as sweet as the chocolate eggs you’ll be munching…

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A pair of cute Topshop socks (£3.50) will instantly Easter up your outfit.

Look sugary sweet in Topshop’s yellow and red floral shirtdress, £42.

Or just relax on the couch in some blush-coloured lacey shorts, £15, New Look.

River Island managed to combine two of the best Springy things – bunny ears and daisies– with this cute headband!

Keep your feet warm (and cute) with some bunny socks from John Lewis, £6.50.

Dress up for Easter brunch with this pastel green top, £15, New Look.

Or hunt for Easter eggs in a pale yellow skater dress from New Look, £25.

We suggest you snuggle up in a light blue bunny jumper at the end of the day. (£20, Miss Selfridge)

What Easter themed fashion trends do you love? Let us know @libertybellemag

Dreaming of Coachella...

This weekend, thousands of US festival-goers will flock to Coachella. Fashion Editor Megan Sutton is giving us the run down on the event, and how to dress like a Coachella girl… 

If you’re free this weekend, a fan of Haim, Pharrell Williams and Disclosure, and willing to sell a kidney to fund flight costs, then Coachella could be the place for you. This internationally esteemed festival, held near Palm Springs in California, attracts celebs and hipsters alike year after year with glorious weather, uber-trendy acts, and a reputation of being the place to be seen.

Coachella veterans include Kate Bosworth, Vanessa Hudgens and Alexa Chung, all of whom opt for bohemian style when at the festival. If we were rich enough, or willing to part with that kidney, we’d be in a taxi to the airport quicker than you can say ‘skinny margarita’. But, alas, we’re neither of those things; so instead, we’re just going to plan what we would wear to Coachella…

Sheffield Adventure Film Festival 2014

 

Some of the most extreme and thrilling experiences known to man will be showcased at Sheffield’s Showroom Cinema this weekend.

The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF), now in its ninth year, will feature over 100 films about extreme sports, adventure and travel.

The New Midi Length

The past year has seen a transformation in popular style with the introduction of the pencil skirt. Fay McDermott talks us through the trend of the minute…

The pencil skirt and crop top is a look that was made popular by Kim Kardashian, and has recently been worn by celebrities like Daisy Lowe and Anne Hathaway. Pencil skirts are a classic cut which have always been worn as office wear; but with daring prints and luxurious fabrics they have been given a new feminine take.