Playlist: HITS magazine

To celebrate the release of our first print issues, here's a playlist featuring all artists involved.

HITS x Berlin

We hosted our very first live gig in Berlin - and this is what it looked like.

Cover The HITS

Our latest video series - covers performed by our favourite acts, exclusively for us.

Video Interview: Scenic Route To Alaska

Melting away in front of Stuttgart's castle, we had a chat about touring, band names, Toy Story and a lot more.

Find us on YouTube!

Visit us on the 'tubes for interviews, exclusive performances and outtakes.

Showing posts with label access all areas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label access all areas. Show all posts

Access All Areas: Lewis Watson in Richmond & Baltimore




Hey guys!

If you've been with us for a while, you might still remember the "Access All Areas" feature.

It was a feature we started when we found ourselves hanging out with the artists we featured, and thought it would be nice to share some of those pre- and post-gig adventures with you.

In the past we've shared "AAA" posts of Chris Pate, Hudson Taylor and Ciaran Lavery on here.

Today the series returns with a post created by our Philadelphia based photographer and writer, Carolyn who recently went on a road trip with Lewis Watson.


You can get to know Carolyn here -  please also find her online and support her:
website | twitter | facebook | instagram

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Before we dive into the post, please let us introduce you to Lewis Watson.

Lewis Watson is a musician from Oxfordshire, UK.

His sound combines Pop, Folk, Acoustic and Alternative - but probably it's even more diverse than that.

Lewis started playing the guitar after he was given a guitar for his sixteenth birthday and discovered his true passion for it.
In 2010 he uploaded his cover of Bombay Bicycle Club's song "Swansea" on YouTube and soon started uploading covers as well as originals regularly.

In 2012 he released his first EP, "It's Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW" which soon caught the attention of Warner Bros. Records. and landed Lewis a record deal.
A few months after, he released his second EP, "Four More Sad Songs".

Lewis kept releasing EPs and eventually toured Australia supporting Birdy, played multiple festivals and more.
In 2013 he released his fifth EP named "Some Songs With Some Friends" - a cover EP on which he collaborated with his friends Gabrielle Aplin, Kimberly Anne and Hudson Taylor.

In 2014, Lewis released his debut album, "the morning", which - of course- was well received.

After writing a lot and discovering new sounds and styles, Lewis returned with his latest album, "midnight" in 2017 and has been touring for most of the year.


Check out "little light" below:




Lewis Watson online: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Soundcloud | YouTube | Instagram


So now that you now more about Lewis, check out Carolyn's words and photos from last week.

We hope you enjoy!










It's kind of difficult to sum up in words how great an artist Lewis Watson is.
His efforts go far beyond just what you witness on stage. How he's not passed out on the floor from exhaustion at this point is beyond me.

Having been on the road since January of this year, he's finally wrapping up touring behind his most recent album, "midnight", with his US tour.
Mixing in supporting Nashville's Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, along with some solo headlining dates as well, he'll be playing almost every night til early-November when he finally returns home to London.

I got to hop on the road with Lewis for the first two days of his solo tour, which included stops in Richmond, Virginia at The Camel, and Baltimore, Maryland at Metro Gallery.

















Some might think it's a feat for an artist from the UK to really grow roots in the US music scene, but sometimes it comes easier than you might think.
After finishing up soundcheck in Richmond, an eager listener from the other room came running in thinking he was hearing a cover of "Sink or Swim", only to find in fact it was the real thing.
Turns out he's been listening to the Mahogany Session for years but didn't know Lewis was actually playing that night.

Which also brings out a friendly reminder to put on those proper notifications for Facebook pages, and linking up your Bandsintown and/or Songkick accounts as to not miss out on your favourite acts coming through.























As there are many special qualities to Lewis, another huge one would include his time with fans.
After each show you'll find him going through the massive line of fans and talking to them, taking photos, selling merch, drawing out potential new tattoos, etc.
Even if it takes two hours to get through everyone.





























"You can't have the highs without the lows" might be a motto Lewis lives by.
No matter what seems to hit him, he's able to keep a smile on his face - except maybe for the time American Airlines destroyed his guitar.

All that being said, thanks Lewis for the good times and being a class act!










That was Carolyn's little tour diary which we loved sharing with you.

Have you seen Lewis live before?
We loved his set at Manchester's Albert Hall in 2016 when he supported Gabrielle Aplin.



We would like to thank Carolyn and Lewis for allowing us to share this cool insight with everyone.



Thank you for your visit!










&








Credits // Words Intro: Vanessa Jertschewske | Words & Photography: Carolyn Lederach

Access All Areas: Hyena on tour



Hey guys! 

I remember the first time I got one of the well known "AAA" passes.
AAA is the cool sounding short form of "Access All Areas" - it means you can go wherever you please at a gig.

The first time I got to do that was at a Martin and James gig where I got to photograph soundcheck, film backstage and then go on stage to photograph the band.
It all felt super special and new back then.

Nowadays I get to do that very often and also have "earned" many AAA's by being a member of the band's crew.

Because I like sharing experiences (not food, though), I've created the "Access All Areas" feature, where I share some impressions of the gigs.

Previous AAAs: Ciaran Lavery & Tommy Reilly | Chris Pate | Hudson Taylor

Last month I spent a few days with the talented dudes of Hyena.

The Alt-Rock trio just got back from their first tour through Germany & Switzerland.
With gripping rhythms, powerful vocals and a lot of energy, the band from Liverpool, UK is taking over by storm and has already made it very clear that they belong on stage.

Hyena are:
Chris Pate (vocals, guitar)
Daz Mangan (bass)
Adam Rooney (drums, cajon)

Last month the band played at the best venue in Germany - Riffelhof in Burgrieden.
On their way to the venue, they picked me up and stuffed me into the car.

Now, get ready to jump into the car with us and take a look behind the scenes.


You'll find photos from the car journey, the backstage area, the room I got to stay in, and of course, photos from the show.

Enjoy!







































































Hyena online: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp | Instagram





Thank you for your visit!



















Credits // Text & Photography: Vanessa Jertschewske