Locksley Record Release for Be in Love Tonight in NYC

Hey New Yorkers, do you like to dance? Do you like power pop? How about joy? Then forget that it's a school night and do some dancing to joyous power pop at the Mercury Lounge tonight for the Locksley cd release party of Be in Love. The band's second release, Be In Love is an upbeat collection of power-pop songs that are full of big fat hooks and non-stop energy, a musicial ode to love, "the greatest thing ever," says Locksley's lead guitarist Kai Kennedy. Plus, the ticket gets you into an after-party, which is hosted by Red Bull, so your potential lack of sleep...covered! You'll be glad you missed a little sleep to experience so much joy.

Physical copies of Be in Love will also be sold at the event, in case you can't wait until the store release date of 3/16. Tickets are $10 and available here.

Read our recent show review of Locksley here.

Lights That Flash in the Evening: Locksley @ Iota, Arlington, VA (1-21-2010)

When I last saw those Brooklyn Brit-poppers Locksley around here, it was last year and they were the openers for one of the originators of Brit-pop, Ray Davies at the 930 Club. While Locksley's stage show wasn't sedate, it was totally nothing like what they put forth last week at Iota. They were good at the 930, make no mistake. But a year or so of playing out in support of their first release, Don't Make Me Wait has tightened up this band as a collective musically, as well as made them comfortable enough to let loose and show an audience visually how much they enjoy doing what they do.





Playing for about 90 minutes, Locksley's set included most of the tracks from their upcoming release, Be in Love (out 2/23), a lot of Don't Make Me Wait, and a William Bell cover called "There's a Love," they had the audience moving about as much as they were onstage. With all the moving and jumping about onstage and off, I was surprised the Iota's bar glasses weren't rattling.


I liked this show so much in fact, I was bummed to hear they're heading to Japan and not Austin for SXSW in March so I could see them again. With all that Austin has to offer in terms of new music during SX, that's saying a whole lot.




Locksley's music isn't complicated and layered, it's not political and statement-filled, but that doesn't mean there isn't a bunch going on musically. I think with all the technology that bands have access to and the ways one can tinker with music these days, the basics of rock music are forgotten sometimes. And there's real beauty in those three chords and the truth. So it's great to see a band like Locksley see that and do it well, while invigorating their audience to feel that way too.

(See the rest of the photos from the show here)

Give a Listen: The Whip-Locksley from Be In Love (buy)

Locksley Releases First Single from "Be in Love," Starts Fall Tour Dates

Locksley released the first track, "Darling It's True" from their forthcoming second full-length, Be In Love, yesterday. Carrying forward their bright fervored sound and trademark "oooo"'s that would make Paul McCartney proud, it's absolutely something you'll find yourself instantly finger-snapping and foot tapping along to. Little Steven Van Zandt called them the "Kings of Juvenile Delinquent Rock" on his radio show; we just call them instantly likable Brit-Pop.



Be In Love, out Jan 2010, is the band's follow up to 2007's most excellent Don't Make Me Wait. Read our review from that tour where they also acted as the backing band for Ray Davies.

They're out on the road doing east coast/south/south-west dates starting tomorrow.

Locksley Fall Tour Dates
* September 24: Carrboro, NC, Cat's Cradle
* September 25: Greensboro, NC, Greene St. Club
* September 26: Lancaster, PA, Chameleon Club
* September 27: Richmond, VA, Canal Club
* September 28: Atlanta, GA, Masquerade
* September 30: Orlando, FL, The Social
* October 1: Tallahassee, FL, Club Downunder
* October 2: New Orleans, LA, House Of Blues
* October 3: Little Rock, AR, The Village
* October 4: Dallas, TX, The Door
* October 5: San Antonio, TX, The White Rabbit
* October 6: Austin, TX, Emo's
* October 8: Scottsdale, AZ, Martini Ranch
* October 10: San Diego, California, Soma
* October 11: Anaheim, California, Chain Reaction
* October 13: West Hollywood, California, Roxy Theater
* October 14: Luis Obispo, California,Downtown Brewing Co.
* October 15: San Francisco, California, Bottom of the Hill
* October 18: Seattle, Washington, Neumos
* October 19: Boise, Idaho, The Venue
* October 20: Billings, Montana, The Railyard
* October 21: Salt Lake City, Utah, In the Venue
* October 23: Fort Collins, Colorado, Everyday Joes
* October 24: Denver, Colorado, The Walnut Room
* October 27: Ames, Iowa, The Maintenance Shop
* October 28: Minneapolis, Minnesota, 7th Street Entry
* October 30: Chicago, Illinois, Reggies Rock Club
* October 31: Madison, Wisconsin,Freak Fest

Locksley Announce New Tour Dates

Do you like your pop sporting a Union Jack cover? Are you of the belief that all good bands are just x number of degrees from The Beatles or The Kinks? Well then, Locksley is the band for you. They supported Ray Davies during the tour for their first record, Don't Make Me Wait, even acting as his backup band for gems like "You Really Got Me" and "All the Day and All the Night." Their new record, "Be In Love," is due out soon so the brothers Locksley are heading back out on the road, even doing a few dates with the Blind Faith of power-pop, Tinted Windows. If those doesn't provide for some ample pop street cred, I don't know what does.

We've been cooped up inside Locksley HQ for far too long, and like any other caged beast, must roam free from time to time. We got our feet wet (soaked, actually) at The Bamboozle in New Jersey, and found our insatiable hunger to bring you new music was not to be held back any longer. Thus, we present to you:
SHOWS!!!
June 4th
STAGE ONE
Fairfield, CT

June 11th
SUBTERRANEAN
Chicago, IL

June 12th
FREEPORT MUSIC
430 N. Lake Street Park, Port Washington, WI
FREE SHOW!

June 13th
THE MAJESTIC THEATRE
Madison, WI

June 18th
TLA
Philadelphia, PA
***w/TINTED WINDOWS***

June 17th
HIGHLINE BALLROOM
New York, NY
***w/TINTED WINDOWS***

June 19th
THE BELL HOUSE
Brooklyn, NY

Lights That Flash in the Evening: Show Photos of Locksley and Ray Davies Show Photos, 930 Club, Washington, DC (12-9-08)

I'm trying to play catch up with a bunch of photos from shows in the last little while this week. Today's is the great Britpop sounds of Locksley. They're hyper and feverish and, as we said about them before , "It's not all pop-goes-the-fuzzy guitars though for Locksley, there's definitely some other things happening there, so be sure you listen to more than one track."




Locksley opened the show for the great Kinks-frontman, Ray Davies. If any band these days was utterly appropriate to do this, it was their head-bobbing punk-Britpop.




Listen: Why Can't I Be You (live)_Locksley

(See the rest of Locksley's 930 Club photos here.)

Theirs was an utterly proper amping up for Davies, and Davies' set proved why he's still influencing musicians who could be his grandchildren. The first part of Davies' set was him and Bill Shanley both playing acoustic guitars and covering the gambit in terms of Davies' solo and Kinks-ian catalogue. Davies is an excellent teller of the stories surrounding his life and myth, explaining what made him write this song or that song, including some interesting not-so-well-known facts (for example, the song "Come Dancing" was a tribute to his sister who died because she loved to go dancing at dance halls). He also rather candidly talked about the mugging/shooting that he experienced in New Orleans that almost killed him a few years back, and, of course, the famously acrimonious relationship with his brother and Kinks-band mate, Dave. While I enjoyed hearing him play, I must say, I think I probably enjoyed his tales more. It was all very comfortable, like the 930 Club was his big living room.




Locksley came out to back up Davies and Shanley, everyone plugged in and turned up to 11, for the encore including hits like "Lola" and "All Day and All the Night." The addition of Locksley was something really special in terms of the songs and Davies, as we watched this living legend sharing the stage and his most known songs with a young indie band, something that's not uber-common. The combination added a new life and energy to the songs, making them seem as fresh as when they were first released more than 25 years ago.



Davies, even after all these years, still very obviously loves what he does. And unlike some other performers his age who still put out records, (Mick Jagger I'm looking at you here), Davies' well for beatiful phrasing has not run dry; his songs are still creative and interesting enough that you listen to them on repeat. I know I came away a bigger fan for sure...then again, how can you not love such a witty wiseass?

BritPop By Way of Brooklyn: Locksley

Locksley is a name that may sound a bit foppish, but there's nothing foppish about this four-piece group from Brooklyn, NY. Named after the British village where Robin Hood supposedly originated, Locksley plays tough Britpop, garage rock under lovely Liverpudlian harmonies, and includes two brothers, Jordan and Jesse Laz. So it's no wonder they're not only opening for one of the original tough Britpoppers Ray Davies on his current solo tour, but also acting as Davies' backing band. No word at this time whether the Laz brothers resemble the Davies' brothers though...

We’re Locksley. We listen to just about any music we can. Our first album, Don’t Make Me Wait, has been compared to the music from the 60’s quite a bit, especially the Beatles, a generous compliment by any measure and not inaccurate in our initial aims. The sixties are definitely a jumping off point for us. Everyone needs a jumping off point and that’s ours, because we like good songs, songs that you can just sing while you’re walking around or showering or driving. Songs that you can sing along with, I guess is the point. But we also like music that’s a little bit fast and/or exciting which is why we love the Ramones and the Stooges and Richard Hell and The Strokes and The Rapture and Dr. Dre and Wham and Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson. So, there it is.

It's not all pop-goes-the-fuzzy guitars though for Locksley, there's definitely some other things happening there, so be sure you listen to more than one track.

Listen:
She Does-Locksley
Why Can't I Be You-Locksley
All Over Again-Locksley

(Locksley and Ray Davies are playing the 930 Club here in DC this evening. Click here for remaining dates for this tour.)