Wordsmith Online

Formerly known as The Coliseum,Coventry city’s The Kasbah is renowned to say the least.  This vibrant and popular haven for all music lovers has stood the test of time (give or take a facelift here or there) and has done so instyle, for over 10 memorable years.  Now, here it stands and faces another decade of decadence.

Both as a nightclub and live music venue, The Kasbah is widely recognised as a leader in the entertainment industry, recognition that surely stems from its majestic history, forthcoming features and the loyal fan base who continue to enjoy its offerings.

Supporting the local music scene is also another avenue for which they’re revered.  They’ve opened the live music scene up to the people of Coventry by comfortably accommodating groundbreaking audiences of up to 1150 people.  Discovering up and coming, unsigned talent, some of which even get to support the big name bands that regularly feature here, is a proven attraction, especially amidst their student strong clientele.

Securing popular acts such as Arctic Monkeys, Gary Numan, Calvin Harris and Klaxons has certainly raised The Kasbahs profile and put them in competition with similar sized yet longer standing venues.  Along with regular club nights Poptastic, Kinky and Groovy Garden proving to be every bit as popular as their drinks promotions, it’sno wonder the place is so often found packed.

And now, with its recent Moroccan themed rejuvenation, The Kasbah simply shames any local competition.  How many heated beer gardens feature a luxurious barbecue area and extensive outdoor bar… how many establishments can boast of an outdoor area that mirrors the opulent decor found within?

So now, with all looking forward to the festive season and a happy New Year that already promises the likes of Ocean Colour Scene (7/2) & The Sunshine Underground (13/2), Kasbah proprietor Thanos Staikos gives us a little insight into what The Kasbah might have in store for us in 2010…

“We’ve a whole host of massive artists lined up to play for 2010, particularly within the D ‘n’ B and Dub-step scene; rumour has it that Roni Size, Shy FX, Hazard and Scream will grace our stage!”

“One of our targets for 2010 is to have more local bands like The Enemy, breaking big into the music scene and I’m confident we’ll do it too because the city’s real thirsty for new music.  Bands like Pint Shot Riot and Just Morale are ready to break, so watch this space.”

“Kasbah has always been the place to be and to be seen, there’s something for everyone and every night differs from the next.  We aim to create a memorable party atmosphere every night, in a safe environment for all our clients to enjoy.”

INTRO.

After an extensive break from the UK, Gomez are finally back home where they belong, not Southport, but the UK!  Tonight is the first date of their somewhat low-key European tour, a tour which sees Gomez take on a collective pioneering approach as they venture into lands unknown and particularly tonight, as they investigate a brave new world.

Yes, tonight sees Gomez sent to Coventry for the very first time in their 13 years together.  They’re playing at the renowned Kasbah (formerly The Coliseum), perhaps the last of the city’s live venues that can actually boast of its opulent history of hosting live music and of the bands to have played there.

Tonight, the mighty ‘mez enrich The Kasbahs majesty in front of a subdued but surely anticipation-filled audience.  After an impressive and suitably billed support act from Coventry’s own The Treehorns, Gomez take to the stage, after a long day that was accosted with tragic circumstance and a suicide on the tracks.  It happens though, right?

To quote a pre-show Olly Peacock…”The suicide express to Coventry shouldn’t be missed; I’m off to save my ears” (From the rapture that’s escalating from TT show).  I go on to shake Bens hand as Olly heckles me from behind, fearing I might be armed (as I soon will be) with interview material!  I leave them to hastily gobble up their take-away and to shift from chow time to show time (20:30) in a matter of minutes.  Along with 99% of the people in here tonight, I stand poised and ready for my wait to end, to see Gomez live!

REVIEW.

As the rest of the band prepare, Olly takes the roll of showman and engages a maniacal crowd,”You forgotten who we are?  We make music, pure and simple” he adds, before Ben unfolds the show with ‘Little Pieces’, which benefits from a typically charged delivery that holds the attention of a crowd that’s perhaps unsure of these newer Gomez sounds. (I know I should be happy to see the first 8 rows going crazy, I guess I’m just getting impatient to see the whole room bouncing).

Personal favourite ‘Hamoa Beach’ (originally titled ‘Advice for Potential Divorcees’ before the label refused it) warms the crowd, which now holds most of its arms in the air, clearly thankful for another exemplary execution from Gomez.  Thanks for Frightened Rabbit (FR) follow (who, due to their vans faulty ignition and late arrival, couldn’t play tonight) and, after a considerate yet not to subtle reminder from an audience member, thanks are given to TT too!

‘Love Is Better Than A Warm Trombone’ quickly kick-starts the proceedings once more, and being a familiar old school favourite, the effect is indeed sweet, seeing the crowd finally settle into their devout role.  A tight rendition of ‘Mix’ unfairly seems to undo some of the previously cast Gomez spell, leaving a mainly motionless crowd in its wake.

All’s well however, as ‘See the World’ stirs the crowd into frenzy, like a celebration that yes, this is happening!  With Olly asking the full room  “Y’all alright…YEAH… time for a big dirty blues song” at the songs close, we’re given something of a comedown, when ‘Charley Patton Songs’ leaves the crowd shuffling around and somewhat baffled, with these sublime but less upbeat sounds all around.  Still, what a ride and yes, before you know it, the crowd are up again!

Forthcoming single ‘If I Ask You Nicely’ (which pleasingly features a cover of ‘Ain’t no Sunshine’ on the flipside, Nov 30th) awakes the rested onlookers, enticing them to sing along with its infectious “Hey La…” chorus.  However, their effort is put to shame with the next interaction, and as a sampler drones in the background, a noticeably distant Ian struggles with a cable before ‘Tijuana Lady’ hits the mark like nothing else before it.  Ben decides to relinquish his singing duties and passes it over to the crowd, who contribute beautifully, before all involved enjoy the laughter which erupts as slowly diminishing lyric knowledge and declining confidence levels call for Ben to take the lead once more.

The mood is electric as we reach the midpoint of the gig.  Both crowd and staff members are relishing this rollercoaster ride of a set, not to mention the bands much appreciated, easy going and approachable demeanour.

As Gomez predictably continue to perfect their thing, the head-nod-inducing ‘Other Plans’ follows, which sees Ian confidently carrying the torch.  I can’t help but wonder why he’s not addressed the crowd in his usual charismatic way (Ian’s often found to be rattling on between tracks and explaining any given song background).  The crowd respond enthusiastically, albeit in all the right places, but the continual overall vibe is awesome nonetheless.

‘A New Tide’ bleeds into a sample-rich, short but sweet melody which, when combined, add a couple of tracks that despite being impressive, somehow leave the crowd behind and perhaps something which doesn’t go unnoticed on stage.  When the words “Think it’s time for a really big ballad, would you like that… are you feeling romantic?” hit the crowd, they respond positively before succumbing to the sumptuous sounds of ‘We Haven’t Turned Around’, which is as close to a CD playback as you’re going to get and a harmonic sense of admiration somehow connects each person here tonight.

With hands in sleeves, Ian displays some worrying body language as he takes something of a backseat and expertly takes to the keys on ‘Girlshapedlovedrug’ which sends us all into groove-along spasms, before the final verse features an understated but exuberant breakdown of the track so strong that ‘Bring Your Lovin’ Back Here’ almost goes unnoticed, as it follows on in this tour-de-force Gomez.

The on-stage antics which accompany penultimate track ‘Ruff Stuff’ go some way to reflect the playful sentiments which hang in the air for all to enjoy, here tonight.  Moving on, Ian talks to a boisterous interjecting crowd…

“Well ladies and gentlemen, this is our first ever show in Coventry, it’s taken 12 years!” and as the crowd barely begin to process the information, the unmistakeable intro to ‘Get Myself Arrested’ envelopes all.  Singing, glass raising and mass grooving ensues, as the band have it large right up to the songs close.  As the band leaves the stage, the contrast in noise levels is minimal, thanks to the sheer volume of the crowd.  It’s a wondrous moment that’s slowly infused with the collective and heartfelt chant of “MORE”.

ENCORE

And we get more, as Gomez open an encore with the superb Charlatans-esque ‘Airstream Driver’, an epic blast of energy that’s enhanced by increased and accelerated strobe lights throughout.  There’s a quiet moment as it closes, allowing ‘How We Operate’ to open, with full backing from the crowd.  Tom is loaded with venom as he strikes away at the skins whilst Ben (after getting into the right mindset) gets his freak on and, much to the delight of the crowd, Gomez explore and exploit all its niches nooks and angles to brilliant effect.  It’s now the band leave the stage and a euphoric audience for what will hopefully be a shorter time than 12 years!  God bless Gomez, each and every one of them!  Bassist Paul is here too by the way, he’s just happy to play bass and to be I guess!

Backstage, I catch up with Gomez, and not wanting to intrude as Olly consoles FR about their misfortune and discusses the sauna like qualities of a condensation covered stage, I beckon Olly for a quick one on one, so as to share my growing concerns about Ian.

I ask “What’s wrong with Ian… he’s not looking very chipper tonight…  He’s usually far more animated”.  Olly replies “Oh no, no, he’s just jetlagged, he only got in last night (from the US) and then his little boy’s been keeping him busy too, so he’s shot basically”.

And so, my fears of any impending band break-up, however unlikely after all these years, are thankfully put to rest.  The seemingly unstoppable Gomez triumph in Coventry, as I’m sure they will on each leg of their November tour listed below.

15 Northampton New Roadmender

16 Brighton Corn Exchange

17 Southampton University

19 Exeter Lemon Grove

20 London Troxy

24 Sheffield The Plug

25 Whitehaven Civic Hall

27 Edinburgh Queens Hall

28 Dublin Academy

For full Gomez info click here

For more of my photos, click here.

What are you trying to say?

Ever wonder why your wonderful writing fails to retain its readership?  Ensuring your message is communicable can directly impact and transform your sites statistics.

Concise and easily conveyed; that’s what your message should remain throughout any piece of work, otherwise, you might as well say nothing at all.

So, just what is a writer’s most common downfall when it comes to producing high-impact work?  The majority could perhaps argue that it lies within the striving for word count compatibility; and rightly so perhaps.  If you’re 200 words through an already explanatory article and you’ve 200 more words to find, the danger you face is that of falling into the trap of cramming ‘filler’ content into your work, of depreciating any true value your article holds.

Along with common issues such as grammar, punctuation, mundane content or estrangement (baffling readers with the overuse of ‘big’ words like estrangement), another thing to try and avoid are complicated sentences like the one I’ve used to create this entire paragraph, or worse.

I like to work every word of every sentence, sometimes needlessly or impractically, but I always keep one thing in mind… engage the reader throughout.  If the content and its construct engage the reader, then you’re halfway there.   Get the message across just as effectively and by the end of your article, your readers will feel a sense of obligation unto themselves, to return to your work and the sense of gratification they’ve attained from it.

Remember, even factual pieces can be well presented without being lacklustre or conventionally restrained.  So, stand out from the crowd, express yourself and your message, to attract a greater readership and to project a more influential image of yourself and your work.

Words like wordsmith, writer, journalist, author and other such proper sounding titles, exude grand images of literary professionalism, authority and ultimately, superiority, but anyone who loves language could be, fairly or otherwise, categorised as such.  Clearly conveying your message in as concise a manner as possible is crucial, especially if your readers are going to get the message.

Rise above...

So, you’ve found the niche that’s right for you.  And if you haven’t already, like on-line writers of any calibre, you’ll be fretting about niche saturation and the detrimental effects to your websites exposure.

Niche saturation and the negative impact it can have on both a writer and their work, can be kept minimal, and by the end of this article, you’ll come to see that one shouldn’t fear it.

Adhere to these 3 vital guidelines and in the long run, anybody (who’s not a waste of cyberspace) in the business of on-line writing can be a winner…

• Exclusivity:  It’s invaluable to keep both your site and its content unique.  There will always be recycled, regurgitated and rehashed literature on a platform as expanse as the internet, this is simply unavoidable.  However, a conscientious writer (such as yourself) can establish a respectful and loyal readership by ensuring your output is original, fresh and well suited to your website.
• Significance:  Without an audience, your chosen niche and the site you’ve built upon its foundations will crash and burn… FACT!  Ironically, the niche factor of your topic can prove vital, so do ensure there’s demand of any size for your written material.   Even the smallest audience will create steadily flowing traffic, and in return, develop the visitor statistics of your niche site.
• Marketing:  Generating affiliate ad-driven income of any level can broaden your horizons beyond the boundaries of your site.  With your sites inclusion of relevant external content, you can benefit from increased levels of interest and exposure, whilst projecting a greater sense of authority and validity on a subtler level.  Any income to stem from this is of course, a secondary and most welcome bonus.

So, when is a niche not a niche?  In all honesty, you’d be hard pressed to find a topic that hasn’t already been covered extensively.

Persistence wins the day and nothing else comes close.  In an erratic marketplace that’s abundant with ‘flash in the pan’ websites and their respective authors, if you’ve got staying power as well as talent, you’re already on the road to success.

And to further alleviate any ongoing concern, here are 3 points of reassurance to keep in mind…

• Niche Saturation is a universal worry for writers in all capacities, not just newcomers.
• Niche Saturation realistically equates to (healthy) niche competitiveness and nothing more.
• Niche Saturation is ultimately, thanks to ever-escalating demand, a defunct concept or concern.

Put the hurt on...

A few extra minutes spent shaping an article can leave your readers with a greater sense of appreciation which ultimately, can lead to a steadfast readership.

Your audience can extract much more from your work if you choose to put the hurt on.  It’s big, it’s clever and it’s good mental exercise to extract every last morsel of vitality from your work.

Here are a few examples of putting the hurt on…

• Invention – when done considerately, this method can further pinpoint your intention, meaning or emotion.  A clear example of an invented word would be scaremongery.  A clear example of splicing words would be banoffee.
• Embellishment – an easy to read passage is easier to absorb… FACT.  It’s not necessarily the most satisfying though, i.e. “the band played all night” attracts little attention when compared to “tirelessly, the band played on into the early hours”.
• Composition – play with words, with their place or value in a sentence and don’t be too afraid to incorporate some subtle complication into the flow e.g.  “The band played all night and despite the earlier promises of banoffee pie, the canteen staff enjoyed their scaremongery and lied to the band, claiming it had all gone” or “the dedicated band was subjected to the lies and scaremongery of the mischievous cook, who’s promised banoffee pie was prepared yet hidden”.

So… what of that title and it’s somewhat ambiguous meaning then?   ‘Putin the hert on the ritten werd’ just doesn’t cut it and can gain no justification, agreed? I believe that ‘putting the hurt on’ is a fantastic and simple way to empower your work.

So, you like the cut of my jib hey?

Want me to work your words or maybe you’ve simply got a question to ask.

Then please, get in touch with Ant Standring at antstandring@gmail.com

Please include the following details-

Your name:

Email address:

Website address:

Query:

I will of course endeavour to reply in a timely manner!

Thank you for your interest…

Ant Standring

Are you getting your point across?

Audience identification and target marketing:  Making the acquaintance of your audience and understanding its general mindset can be priceless.

Creating the world’s snazziest website and filling it with impeccable copy is a great start for sure, but if nobody visits for a read, why bother at all?

Keep your readers at the helm of your work, so as to shape a more customised and attractive piece.  In/exclusion of particular information and its presentation can prove to be vitally important, so try to consider who might read your writing and what they’ll value most.

Outside of the usual applicable concerns such as net surfing habits or spending patterns, your readers vary in age, race and gender, occupation, class, location and religion and numerous other aspects.   What do they want from you, why are they interested?  What have you got to hold their attention and what goals do they have?

It’s never easy and it’s certainly no exact science, but focus is vital to the realisation of your goals, be it selling, create a readership, attract newcomers or simply to acquire feedback.  Your game plan is every bit as important as the needs of your audience and without it; you could be relying on luck.

If your work is diverse, follow the same path into different, separate websites of your making.  A website that strays from its main topic is bound to lose readers who visit, hoping for a constant feed on their chosen topic of interest.

Simplistic phrases and terminology, absorbable content and neat layout are great attributes for a website, but it always helps to have a FAQ/help section too.

What is SEO?

SEO (Search engine optimisation) increases your sites quality and quantity of the traffic that’s attracted to your site, from search engines and their image, local or vertical search results.

This ultimately provides you with a web presence which will appear higher and higher on search result pages as your sites traffic increases.

With regard to SEO, the essential content of your site are keywords, words frequently used when a search is made that’s relevant to your site.

What is Google AdSense?

(Available in an array of schemes and colours)Google AdSense is a proven application which boosts both your income and website.

AdSense basically advertises targeted products which are relevant to your particular post, and if your pages and their topic should change, the ads will too.

It’s fully customisable and allows you to block any particular pre-checked and censored ads, and even lets you choose your very own ads.

A Google search bar can also be applied to your website, making for prolonged browsing from your pages.

The application can be monitored using reports at any time, gifting you the ability to track your sites progression.

Go to http://www.Google.co.uk/AdSense for full information.