 Perhaps one of the biggest and most exciting festivals in Europe for discovering new music, The Great Escape returned in May (9th—11th May 2019) to transform Brighton into a hotspot for emerging artists. Ahead of the festival’s opening performances next week, I spoke with organiser Adam Ryan to get the full picture; listen below as he walks us through the festival and reflects on the experience of organising an event of this scale. Listen to the interview here.
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 Blending neo-soul, hip-hop and countless other influences, 5-piece English group Easy Life was among those performing at L’Ère de Rien in April. Formed in 2017, the success of the band has been swift following their numerous releases over the last two years, which most recently includes their second EP: « Spaceships Mixtapes » (2019). Ahead of their performance, the boys sat down with me and Jon Berry to discuss their process, their journey, playing Coachella, and the significance of referring to their EPs as « mixtapes ». Listen to the interview here.
 14th March 2019 saw Stereolux Nantes transport its audience to the heart of Romania, in a night dedicated to the food, culture and music of this wonderful country. Before the big night, Euradio welcomed CORP into the studio — a DJ collective that works to provide a platform in Bucharest promoting the work of female musicians, DJs, producers and technicians. In the interview, the group spoke with Jon Berry and I about their struggle for recognition as solo female DJs, their plans to open a studio, and the stigma around the LGBTQ+ community that still exists in Romania. Listen to the interview here.
 In February, film festival Univerciné russe showcased the diversity and brilliance of Russian film, spanning six days at the cinema Katorza in Nantes. Late one Friday night, as fantasy thriller Dead Starlings was due to be screened for the first time in France, Liv Cowle spoke with the director, Natalia Perchina, for the ins and outs of the film. In this interview, Natalia gives insight into the spirits of the forest featured in Russian folklore, its cultural importance in modern Russia, and her view as a female writer/director on gender bias in the Russian film industry today. Listen to the interview here.
 To celebrate the release of his brand new album, « Ten More Songs » (2019), Euradio welcomed Lauter into the studio for the first time. Joined by Vincent Dupas, the pair performed three tracks from the folk album, which was released just last month, ten years after his second record « The Age of Reason » (2009). Following the live session, in our interview with, Lauter explains that the album was actually recorded four years ago, before the birth of his twins. When asked why it wasn’t released til now, he simply smiled, shrugged, and said: « Now is the time » Listen to the live session and interview here.
 With just hours to go before hitting playing at Stereotrip Prague, a night dedicated to Czech musicians, Lazer Viking graciously featured as a guest on The Euradio Show. He and I spoke firstly about the Czech music scene and where it has gone in recent years, while also looking back on the music that emerged during the communist regime (1948—1989). We also discussed the changing times with regards to online streaming versus rifling through record shops, and what he feels this shift has brought to bands from smaller countries. Listen to the interview here.
 Variation by name, variation by nature: in a week-long festival dedicated to music centered around the piano, Nantes welcomed Festival Variations back for a third year. With specialists in classical Bach, contemporary jazz and everything in between, the event recruited artists from across the globe in a grand celebration of the ivory keys. To find out more,I spoke with Variations‘s musical director, Pierre Templé. In the interview, he explains the inclusion of dance collectives in this year’s line-up, and highlights the drive of the festival to promote new pieces as well as the classic works. Listen to the interview here.
 To celebrate the return of Nantes' annual Spanish film festival, Jon Berry and I covered the event for a two-hour special on-site. Speaking with producers, directors and jurors involved in this year's selection of films, it was a fantastic event. Listen to the coverage and interviews here. (FRENCH AND SPANISH)
 They don’t like labels and it’s clear to see why: quartet LICE from Bristol is hard to describe. Favouring rhythm over melody, their music crosses tangents of alternative noise-rock, post-punk and general madness, settling on a sound they like to call « art-punk » — it’s weird, it’s ironic, and it suits them perfectly. Before their concert in Nantes, the band and I sat down for an extensive chat about the encouragement and support they’ve received from IDLES, the mainstream music press and its « breeding of complacent, insipid, artless landfill », and the new struggles of being a band outside university. Listen to the interview here.
 In a colourful record bursting with classic pop, Latin jazz and his signature trumpet, Voyou presents his debut album, « Les bruits de la ville » (2019). From lively, complex tracks such as « Papillon » or « À nos jeunesses », to the likes of « Il neige » in which his voice is backed only by a single piano, Voyou displays a talent and versatility that is second to none. In preparation for an extensive tour of France, Voyou performed a live session at Euradio. After playing three tracks from the album, he and I later spoke about creating music that transports you, saying goodbye to childhood, and snow days. Listen to the live session and interview here.
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A selection of the many live sessions and interviews I have conducted at Euradio — please note that some may be in French!
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