Concert Review: MADDIE & TAE, Koko, London

Going to concerts is always a lot of fun, but somehow whenever Maddie & Tae are involved it’s always a bit more fun. I started the night by heading backstage to say hi to the girls and update my photo with them (last time was C2C 2015!) and can confirm that both girls are absolute sweethearts, both on and off stage. You can’t help but like them.

I rushed back inside to catch the end of opening act Frankie Davies’ set – she’d been recommended to me on Twitter a number of times so I was very excited to finally see her live. She certainly has a lot of charisma, laughing along with the crowd and encouraging us to help sing on final track Shivers. From what I saw, she has a beautiful pure voice, and I look forward to seeing more of her soon. Great choice for an opener!

Maddie & Tae’s set began with Brothers Osborne It Ain’t My Fault blaring through the speakers which had us all singing along within seconds – we were definitely in the mood to have a good time. The girls appeared on stage and began with Your Side of Town, having a great deal of fun and both rocking out on guitar. It’s clear these two are young superstars.

The chemistry between the duo is undeniable, and as they sang Right Here, Right Now, they would look and smile at one another making it clear how fun it must be being on stage every night with your best friend. M&T prove themselves as queens of satirical songs as we moved onto Sierra with lyrics like “A heart of pure gold is something very rare / And the only one she has is on that necklace that she wears” and “I hope that I'm around when you get knocked up or knocked down.”

Both girls had the chance to show off their unique talents, Tae on guitar and Maddie’s stunning vocals which shone through on Waiting on a Plane. However, I’m sure the crowd would have happily sang the whole show themselves as was made clear when Maddie pointed her mic into the audience during No Place Like You and the crowd heartily took over.

I was impressed to see fans even knew the words to some of the duo’s unreleased tracks from their upcoming album such as We’re Gonna Get There. As the girls don’t tour the UK as often as they do the US, they offered us sneak peeks of new songs which suggest there’s a lot to look forward to on M&T2. I particularly enjoyed the sultry Why You Looking At Me Like That which I can’t wait to hear on the new record.

More new songs came in the form of Welcome to the Club, an upbeat song which somehow makes heartbreak and all the pain that comes with it sound fun, and Growing which details the ups and downs they’ve experienced over the past year – brilliant storytelling and a key component of great country music.

Perhaps my favourite moment of the night was when the girls covered Niall Horan’s Slow Hands which was utterly fantastic and dare I say even better than the original. I’ve spent all morning trying to find a YouTube link to prove it to you but with no luck – hopefully we’ll hear it again soon!

Whilst that was my favourite song of the night, the duo also got to play theirs, with Maddie choosing Downside of Growing Up which generated a huge cheer from the audience, whose age ranged from mid-teens to elderly couples – now that’s how you know your music speaks to a wide range of people. Tae’s choice came from the new album, a lilting ballad called Walk In Her Heels discussing how hard it is to see the person you like with someone new. I told you you have a lot to look forward to on the upcoming album!

Maddie & Tae showed off their rocky side on Smoke, jamming along with their brilliant band and making sure everyone was singing as loud as they were. I kid you not, when they began to play one of their top-selling songs Fly the crowd was singing louder than the girls were – it was magical. I loved the easy transition into Coldplay’s Fix You which meant that even if you weren’t a fan of Maddie & Tae (which I’m sure was not applicable to anyone in the audience) you could still sing along at the top of your lungs. No one was not having a good time.

The main set ended with more fun songs including new songs Blame It On The Tree with great lyrics like “My roots run way too deep to be pulling them up / They're stuck where they oughta be / You can't just bury what's hereditary / So don't blame it on the apple, blame it on the tree”, Just Fine, and of course the original sassy Girl In A Country Song. Each of these highlighted to me just how great songwriters the duo are, especially given their young ages. I find it hard enough to write a coherent review, let alone catchy, meaningful and fun lyrics!

As they left the stage, the room was filled with love for what had been a brilliant show, but we weren’t ready to go yet. Maddie came back on stage and asked the crowd “Do y’all have time for two more songs?” (like we were going to say no!) and we finished up with sweet ballad Somebody Will and the thoroughly enjoyable and well-written (when they were only 16 years old, would you believe it!) Shut Up and Fish. I left with a smile from ear to ear.

The last word I wrote in my review notes was ‘FUN’ and that sums up everything Maddie & Tae’s concert was for me – the girls, their songs and their performance were all so much fun, and it was easily one of the most enjoyable nights I’ve had at a gig so far. Don’t miss them next time they’re here!

What’s the most enjoyable concert you’ve been to? Let me know on Twitter @CiarasCountry or in the comments! I love to hear anything and everything music related so be sure to let me know who your favourite artists are, what your favourite albums are, and what you’re listening to right now. More reviews and interviews coming soon!

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Concert Review: MIRANDA LAMBERT, Eventim Apollo, London

It was a Wednesday evening, and I was tired. What better way to wake myself up than a country music concert? And not just any country concert at that, but the Queen of Country herself, Miranda Lambert. To be honest, I was surprised that the event was talking place at the Eventim Apollo, one of London’s medium size venues. She could easily sell out the O2 as many of her counterparts have done before.

Kicking the night off was Ward Thomas, who started their set with a literal bang as drum beats filled the speakers. Their set was much the same as usual (and you can read more of my Ward Thomas reviews here and here) but with the addition of new song Breathe In, a gentle acoustic track which I found a welcome break from many of their poppy, ‘clap-along’ songs like Boomerang and Cartwheels. What the new song did well was highlight their impressive vocals, so I’m interested to see what their next album holds. Nevertheless, it was clear that they are crowd favourites as each song ended with raucous applause and standing ovations from some.

The standing continued, and didn’t stop, when Miranda hit the stage – her music is not the type you want to sit down during – instead the crowd were dancing and swaying to each song, an energy I love to see at any kind of concert. She walked on exuding cool vibes in a blue fringed top and blue guitar complete with diamond strap before launching into Fastest Girl In Town. Given that this was the ‘Highway Vagabond’ Tour, I had anticipated that most of the songs would be from her latest (absolutely brilliant) album ‘The Weight of These Wings’ but the set appeared to be more of a Greatest Hits type. I can’t say I minded at all.

We hit real nostalgia in second song Kerosene released when she was only 21 years old so it was nice to see her old songs still getting a lot of love from the crowd. Just in case we forgot what kind of gig we were at, we were greeted with a hearty ‘Hey y’all’ and a good old drinking song – Heart Like Mine. Looking around, not one person wasn’t singing, true dedication to a country legend.

The next section of the set was dedicated to ‘The Weight of These Wings’ beginning with Highway Vagabond, We Should Be Friends and my favourite song of the night Vice which somehow made more sense to me when sung live than it had ever done before. All the time, Miranda looked like she was enjoying herself, working the stage and getting the audience to join in with choruses.

If I had to use one word to describe the concert, it would be ‘powerful’ and this was particularly evident in strong songs like Baggage Claim, Over You (a song which breaks my heart every time I hear it) and All Kinds of Kinds. Raw emotion ballad The House That Built Me generated the biggest cheer, and again, made it clear that such songs were of real importance to events that had affected Miranda in the past. Whilst her latest album is varied in itself, getting to hear tracks from her entire discography proved how versatile an artist she is, dealing with any content and style that she wants.

The pace picked up again with Pink Sunglasses in which her cool outfit was completed by a pair of (definitely more than $9.99) pink sunglasses. This was a song a lot of us had been waiting for, and audience members hastily pulled their own pink sunglasses out of bags to join in the fun. The party continued as Miranda poured herself a glass of whiskey and invited us to toast to failure and when things go bad. She quoted her own divorce, a little bit of drinking too much, and then things getting better – no song better to follow this speech than Ugly Lights which transitioned halfway through into the brilliantly fun Mama’s Broken Heart. Here, she showed her crazy (watch the music video, it’s fantastic) as did we all. We’d come out to have a good time and she wasn’t disappointing.

One thing I always appreciate at gigs is when artists introduce their bands, but Miranda went beyond, referring to them as ‘family’ and encouraging huge cheers for everyone even if we didn’t know where they were from. This request was obliged but backing singer Gwen Sebastian (you might recognise the name from Blake Shelton’s My Eyes) got a mega cheer, and the cheer for her Essex-born steel guitar player went on for a good two minutes.

Moreover, the stage was let over to Gwen briefly to sing her new single Cadillac, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen at a concert before which was really lovely. We were inundated with special guest singers as Miranda’s boyfriend Anderson East then appeared on stage to duet Getaway Driver, but in a very different manner to how I’d heard it before – much slower with Anderson singing with an almost tortured expression. They clearly bring out creativity in each other and it was nice to watch their chemistry.

Next up was the second song of Miranda’s I’d heard – Automatic (I know, I was late to the party), a song I was really glad made it on to the setlist given her plethora of tracks to choose from. This was followed by the first song of hers I’d heard and admittedly hadn’t liked too much – Little Red Wagon – perhaps it’s always been a bit too rocky for me, but honestly, the way she performed it made it so enjoyable I found myself getting a new appreciation for it as I left the gig.

The main set ended with two edgy and very fun songs, White Liar and Gunpowder and Lead, the latter of which I hadn’t realised had been written in response to Miranda meeting domestic violence victims – definitely changes the way I think about it! The band then left the stage but thankfully not for to long as Miranda then returned to ask us to wish her parents a happy 39^th wedding anniversary via video and then dedicated her penultimate song to them for encouraging her to pursue music. This was what I’d been waiting for, my favourite song of the moment, Tin Man, and it couldn’t have been more perfect with just Miranda and her guitar.

The band wasn’t forgotten though, and everyone came back on stage to sing Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, highlighting their instrumental talents and vocals. By the end of the night, I was fully awake and happy from a thoroughly enjoyable gig. This may have only been her second time playing in the UK, but as long as she keeps coming back, we’ll keep spending money to go to more country gigs!

I hope you enjoyed my review! If you’re a fan of Miranda or Ward Thomas, or saw them on tour, I’d love to know what you thought. There’s lots more reviews and interviews to come so be sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry and drop me a message with your comments or what gigs you think I should head to next!

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TRAVEL: Merida, Mexico - townhouses, temples and tortillas

Travelling to Merida, Mexico, isn’t the easiest thing to do, particularly when travelling from a regional airport like Newcastle. My journey began early on a Sunday morning, where I caught a flight from Newcastle to Heathrow, and then from Heathrow to Mexico City. Bare in mind, travelling from the UK to Mexico takes a whopping eleven hours, so make sure you have something to entertain you on the flight, or comfortable things to sleep in!

Mexico City has to be one of the most confusing airports I’ve ever set foot in – it’s effectively a long corridor on two levels with no obvious directions. My advice: print out directions for inside the airport before you go so you know where you need to check in and the like! Luckily, I’d done this with direction for The Courtyard by Marriott hotel where I was spending the night before my final flight the next day, although it did still take me a good fifteen minutes to make my way there.

Jetlag wasn’t on my side, so it was an early start (luckily they start serving breakfast at 5am) and my first taste of Mexican food was excellent – refried beans, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, chilaquiles (tortillas topped with red or green sauce and cheese) and tlacoyo (black corn tortillas with cheese and chilli). They also had a great selection of waffles, hotcakes, omelettes and breads, so you certainly wouldn’t be going hungry!

Giving myself enough time to get lost again, I headed back into the airport to check in for my Interjet flight to Merida, and was glad I’d given myself the extra time as the queue for check-in was humungous. Don’t worry if you don’t have time for breakfast as the airport itself is lined with hundreds of stalls selling traditional Mexican food, and believe me when I say the food is good.

You’ll also have plenty of chances to practice your Spanish if you wish – I was asked at check-in if I spoke Spanish, to which I replied “un poco,” and was the conversation then proceeded completely in Spanish. (Yo entiendo mas que puedo hablar). A short while later, I was engaged in Spanish conversation with someone in the waiting room – Mexicans are very friendly!

My primary reason for visiting Merida was to attending the International Student Energy Summit, a biennial conference which invites students from across the globe to some exciting location (last time it was held in Bali) to hear from leaders in the field and engage with likeminded students. I was collected at the airport by members of the SES team and driven to my hotel for my time in Merida, the Hampton Inn by Hilton. Getting out of the van, the heat hit like a tonne of bricks, and it wasn’t even the ‘hot hot’ season! Sunscreen is a must.

Having a bit of downtime before the conference began, I headed across the road to admire the natural beauty of Costco. You heard right. This Costco, however, was different to most in the fact that it has a cenote, naturally occurring sinkholes which are connected by underground caves spreading all across the Yucatan Peninsula; right in its carpark. While this is undoubtedly one of the less attractive cenotes (some are extremely beautiful – more on that later), it’s something different that you won’t find anywhere else.

Whilst the area of Merida I was staying in was a 7km away from the centre (and I would recommend staying closer to town if you can), I was pleased to find it wasn’t completely devoid of attraction, and opposite Costco was not only a massive Mexican flag, but a line of small shops which opened onto the street. The only problem was that they were across an 8-lane highway from where I was currently standing. How does one cross such an obstruction? You walk into oncoming traffic and hope the cars don’t hit you, apparently, so that’s what I did. It is slightly daunting knowing that once you cross you may never be able to get back depending on the traffic situation.

I wandered alongside the shops for a while, getting a feel for what the locals eat, drink and do, before finding myself at a massive shopping centre which appeared almost out of nowhere. Out of curiosity (and a wish for some sweet, sweet air-conditioning), I made my way into the supermarket inside – very different from back home. Here, everything was piled sky-high (how they ensure the food at the top of the piles don’t go out of date is beyond me) and they even had a tortilleria where you can get as many freshly made tortillas as your heart desires.

The following day, I caught the hotel shuttle into town. Don’t do this if staying at the Hampton. I was told at the check-in desk that the shuttle would take 20 minutes to get to the only drop-off point of the Fiesta Americana, and then a further 20 minutes to walk into the centre. With this in mind, I thought catching the 8:30am bus would give me ample time to be at the Cathedral for my tour, starting at 9:30am. How wrong I was…

The bus left late to begin with, and then drove about 20 minutes, dropping 2 people off at a university campus. We then drove to a cenote where more people were dropped off. At this point, it was 9:05, and another of the passengers was already late for his tour leaving the Fiesta Americana at 9am, so he checked his Google Maps to discover that we had headed in the complete opposite direction of town and it would take us a further half an hour just to get back to the Fiesta Americana. We ended up driving back past our hotel, arriving at the Fiesta at 9:35. Needless to say, neither of us were particularly happy being very late for our tours.

I literally begged the shuttle driver to take me to the Cathedral, to which he reluctantly agreed, and we arrived there at around 9:45. I ran as fast as my legs would take me to find my tour, and by some act of God spotted a man in a pink t-shirt speaking to a group – a sure sign of the Pink Cactus tours, right? I’d made it! And only just, as a minute after I arrived, the group moved on to another part of town and there’s no chance I would have been able to find them. To conclude, take a taxi into town!

The tour itself was very good – despite only taking in a relatively small area of land, we managed to see a lot in the hour and a half tour, including the Plaza Grande, Teatro Peon Contreras, shops selling bejewelled beetles due to an ancient myth, beautiful churches, colourful buildings, the Santa Lucia Plaza, before ending up in the artists foundation. And the best bit? It was free! At the end, you can pay what you think the tour was worth, and it certainly was worth it. A great way to spend the morning.

I asked our guide how I should spend the next three hours before I needed to register for the conference, and he suggested to check out Paseo Montejo. Firstly, I retraced my steps a bit to visit a chocolate shop in the Santa Lucia Plaza to buy some Mayan chocolate as presents. The shopkeeper was very nice and let me try a number of the chocolates so I could make my decisions – I settled on an 82% dark chocolate, and milk with corn chips. I then headed to the Plaza Grande to take some photos of the Merida sign and pick up an overpriced snowglobe (it had to be done).

Paseo Montejo is a broad boulevard lined with utterly stunning mansion-like buildings, so I can see why it had been recommended. You can easily spend an hour or so strolling down the street admiring the beautiful architecture. The street even has free wifi, so I quickly Facetimed my Dad (to make him jealous of the sunny weather, of course) and checked the route back to the hotel, which I’d decided to walk as I had a few hours to kill. Perhaps not my best decision, as it was midday and 35’C, and I did end up getting a bit lost, but I’d say I’ve certainly seen a lot more of Merida than most tourists now. If you make a similar decision, please ensure you take a lot of water with you – heatstroke is definitely a potential issue!

That evening and the following three days were spent attending the conference, and included special events such as an opera performance at the Teatro Peon Contreras (be warned, the one we saw was in Italian with Spanish subtitles), a cocktail reception right next to the Cathedral, and a Gala Dinner in one of the glorious Paseo Montejo buildings. I understand my target audience probably aren’t as interested in energy as I am, but if you’d like to find out more about the conference, do get in touch!

Given I’d travelled halfway across the world for the conference, I had decided I might as well stay a few extra days afterwards to explore, so on Saturday I headed down for a leisurely breakfast only to find that the hotel had messed up my tour bookings and I was meant to leave 10 minutes ago. Again, not particularly pleased with the way the Hampton handled this so I wouldn’t stay there again if I returned to Merida. Nevertheless, everything was eventually sorted and I headed out on a different tour, this one organised by Mayan Heritage to Chichen Itza, one of the most impressive remnants of the Mayan era. Luckily, we arrived early at the archeological site, although it was still very busy – the earlier you can get there, the better. Entrance was 242 pesos which you pay yourself, but I would recommend following a similar route to me, as the whole tour, including transport, a guide and lunch had cost me 600 pesos, whilst choosing a tour guide at Chichen Itza would set you back 800 pesos alone.

Our guide was very informative and walked us round the main temples and buildings, explaining things like the ceremonial sacrifices which occurred following ball games, what was found inside the main temple, how clapping in a particular place in front of the temple would cause an echo that sounded like a bird call, and ‘beauty regimes’ implemented by the ancient Mayans like strapping boards to babies heads to make them more round and ‘attractive’.

We were then given about an hour to explore independently, and the site is very large so there are plenty of places to walk and take photos. I spent the remainder of the time checking out the hundreds of stalls lining the pathways towards the Temple which sold all kinds of crafts like tiny stone temples, Mayan calendars, crocheted bags, magnets and more. As most of the stalls were selling the same goods, the stallholders were more than willing to try and have the lowest prices to attract customers, and we were followed around by calls of “One dollar! Almost free!” wherever we went. I ended up with a stunning Mayan painting, ceramic Mayan calendar, and a tiny Dia de los Muertos skull, haggling my way around and ending up with some pretty good deals!

After Chichen Itza, we headed to the Ik Kil cenote, where 80 pesos got you access to swim in the stunning pool – definitely worth it. You could backstroke into the centre of the cavern and look up at the hole above, with vines dangling down and Motmot birds flying overhead. One of the girls on my tour said it was the most amazing place she’d ever been too. It’s certainly one of the most exciting places I’ve ever swam! It was tiring work though – the cenote is 50ft deep so you have no chance of touching the bottom, meaning you have to keep treading water or find one of the ropes around the edge to hang onto. An hour was more than enough for me, and how refreshing it was. 

Our last stop of the day was lunch at a lovely buffet stop. On one side of the room, they had Mexican cuisine – sopa de lima, pork cochinita, refried beans – and on the other, international food – hot dogs, quesadillas, mashed potato, corn chowder. A great mix and definitely meaning you wouldn’t need dinner later. We also had mid-dinner entertainment in the form of dancers balancing beer bottles on their heads. A successful day I think.

The following day, I headed out on another tour with Mayan Heritage, this time to two more Mayan ruins – Uxmal and Kabah. Both were considerably smaller, and notably less busy, than Chichen Itza, but with distinctly different architecture. I enjoyed Uxmal in particular as unlike Chichen Itza, you were allowed to climb some of the ruins, giving a fantastic view of the Mayan site and the surrounding forest area from the top. I did think to myself during these tours whether it had been worth choosing them, as once you’ve seen one Mayan ruin, you’ve seen them all, but I was glad I had as they were quite different from one another. Had I another day in Merida, I probably would have headed to Celestun, a beach famous for its hundreds of flamingos, which may be worth visiting if archaeological sites aren’t your thing.

Having seen it on a number of other tours to Uxmal and Kabah, I asked our guide if we could visit the nearby chocolate museum, Choco Story, which he agreed to take us to if everyone agreed (thankfully they did). Again, the entrance fee wasn’t included, but when in Rome… The museum was a series of cabanas each of which explained something about cacao, such as its role in sacrifices and offerings, as a monetary alternative, and had its use had spread across the globe. One stage was also a ritualistic ceremony which I think was supposed to represent praying for rain. Whilst clearly touristy, it was still interesting to watch. 

Perhaps my favourite part was watching the process of making Mayan hot chocolate, which we then got to try (very bitter) and had the opportunity to add in sweets and spices to tailor it to our own taste. The museum also served as an ecopark which was very exciting, and we saw spider monkeys, jaguars and deer; a nice addition to the iguanas and snakes we’d seen at some of the ruins. Well worth a visit if you have the chance.

Again, our final stop was lunch at a place I have written down as Ca-Nah, and just in time too, as the heavens opened (clearly the rain ceremony had worked) as it does occasionally in Merida. The food wasn’t quite to the same standard as the day before, but it felt traditional nonetheless.

On my final day, I ordered an Uber to the airport – do not do this. Apparently Uber drivers get told off for going too close to the airport so most won’t take you there, despite you still being able to book it on the app, so I was charged a cancellation fee. Instead, we took a taxi – 200 pesos (around £7) isn’t bad for a 30 minute drive. My plane trips back weren’t split with an overnight stay, so after leaving early on Monday morning, I arrived back in the UK late on Tuesday night – a long trip. Worth it? I think so. 

My advice regarding Merida: prepare for weather (hot and sunny or hot and torrential rain) and mosquitoes – suncream and insect repellent are musts. If you don’t mind slumming it, stay in a hostel. My hotel cost whopping UK prices, whereas friends who stayed in pleasant hostels in the centre were paying only £7 a night. Don’t just stick to the touristy attractions – whilst the Mayan ruins are once in a lifetime experiences, don’t miss out on checking out the city and Paseo Montejo which are definitely worth a look. 

Did you enjoy this blog? Make sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry - I'm spending the whole summer traveling so they'll be lots more like this coming soon! Also be sure to let me know in the comments if there's anything I missed in Merida (or Mexico!), and I'll be sure to check it out next time I'm there!

Top Albums of 2017 (So Far!): Part 2

Well done, you’ve made it halfway through 2017! Now that we’ve reached the mid-way point of the year, it’s time to look back at some of the great albums we’ve been blessed with over the last few months. And boy, has there been a lot! Whilst big names like Brad Paisley, Chris Stapleton and Zac Brown Band have all recently released new records, I’ve decided to pick the four albums that you might not be as familiar with that I’ve loved this quarter. Don’t worry, there’s something for everyone! Read on…

Bailey Bryan – So Far EP

Why it made the list: Not heard of Bailey Bryan yet? Don’t worry, you will soon. She’s one for the new generation of country fans as is clear from her social media inspired music video for the poppy and relatable lead single Own It. Listen to it a couple of times and you’ll be singing along too. Whilst only a 5 song EP, Bailey manages to fit in a variety of different styles, from radio ready tracks like the early Taylor Swift sounding Used To (think Tim McGraw, Fifteen vibes) to ballads such as Hard Drive Home and the piano-driven Scars. Named as an Artist of Tomorrow by Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, So Far is a strong introduction to an artist I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more from over coming years. 

Top Tracks: Used To, Own It, Hard Drive Home 

Raelynn – WildHorse

Why it made the list: It’s rare that I find an album where I enjoy every song in equal measure, but somehow Raelynn has managed just that with her debut album. WildHorse is a modern country album with both songs that you can imagine rocking out to at her concert like The Apple and those you can imagine belting out at karaoke night like Lonely Call and Love Triangle. Raelynn has an extremely strong voice (no surprises there, having been a contestant on The Voice in 2012) which coupled with the beat-driven vibe prevalent throughout the album makes for a fierce combination. However, that’s not all – each song tells a unique story, ranging from youthful insecurity, dealing with a broken family, and knowing when you’re in love, so if you’re into storytelling and meaningful lyrics, this is an album for you.  It’s really, really good.

Top Tracks: Love Triangle, Diamonds, Say

Midland – Midland EP

Why it made the list: Another EP, but this one’s very different from the above albums. The EP starts with the retro Drinkin Problem that wouldn’t seem out of place in a diner jukebox. In fact, the whole EP is filled with classic sounds coupled with smart lyrics as made clear in Check Cashin’ Country, which assures us that whilst they might have been made for mainstream media, they ‘sure aren’t in it for the money’ but instead, their aim is to bring back an authentic sound to country music, and they certainly achieve just that. Somehow they’ve taken traditional country and put a very modern spin on it, but it’s difficult to determine which side comes through more. They’ve certainly brought back a lot of what we’ve been missing in the genre for the past few years. If Blake Shelton and Kenny Chesney have room on your playlist, consider adding Midland to that bunch. I’ll take another round please.

Top Tracks: Drinkin’ Problem, Electric Rodeo, Check Cashin’ Country

Charlie Worsham – Beginning of Things

Why it made the list: If I didn’t know these songs were all on the same album, I’m not sure I’d be able to tell what genre each of them was in, let alone that they’re all by the same artist. We’ve certainly got some real downhome country with tracks like Southern By the Grace of God, in fact one of the most country songs I’ve heard in a long time as noted by lyrics such as “country is as country does, and look here cause you can’t out-country me”. And yet, the next song Call You Up is a completely different big band style track, whilst Birthday Suit could slide easily into a rock album. I won’t lie, not all tracks are to my liking, and I might skip one or two of the more humorous songs when it comes on my shuffle, but with an album with such variety, that’s to be expected. However, I know that side of country has a very popular fanbase and that a lot of Charlie’s fans love those tracks. I’m just glad he included something for everyone. 

Top Tracks: The Beginning of Things, Call You Up, Cut Your Groove

Do you agree with my list? What albums are you most looking forward to hearing in 2017? Let me know by commenting below, and make sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry to stay up to date with future additions to my Top Albums series, as well as reviews and interviews from your favourite artists!

TRAVEL: Toronto, Canada - high-rises, Hornblowers and home runs

 Unlike a lot of big cities, Toronto doesn’t seem to scary at night, which was good for us, arriving from the UK at around 10pm local time and taking the UP Express and Subway from Toronto Pearson airport to our hotel, the Marriott Bloor-Younge. A relatively painless journey which is exactly what you need after having spent 7 hours on a plane!

The Marriott was a perfectly pleasant hotel to stay in – large, modern rooms and really decent breakfast options if you choose to have that included in your room cost though. Be warned though, if you veer off menu (and we weren’t told exactly what options were included by our servers) you will be charged the ‘extra’ over the allotted monetary value that each guest is given for breakfast. But very nice and big breakfasts, making the perfect way to start the day, and meaning you can probably get through the day with just a coffee break until dinner. Plus, I discovered they allow dogs in the hotel for a small extra fee, so might be one for any dog owners out there!

Our first day in Toronto involved a self-guided walking tour by my brother, who’s been living in the city for almost a year now. Our first stop was Tim Hortons, of course, given that it is a true Canadian staple and part of my aim for our trip to Toronto was to try as many Canadian delicacies as I could! We had a box of 10 Timbits (donut holes) to share – ask the server to give you one of each flavour if you can. Admittedly, they were a bit dry, but that may just have been at the franchise we tried, but it was interesting to try different flavours like sour cream, or salted caramel. I heard the coffee was good too.

 

Following this, we walked down to the Waterfront, where I stopped for my second Canadian delicacy of the day – a ‘beaver tail’ at the aptly named BeaverTails, apparently the place to visit for these stretched out pieces of dough with a plethora of different toppings for you to choose from. I decided to go as Canadian as I could with the maple topping which was then drizzled with chocolate syrup. Really really delicious – but make sure you eat it quickly as it tastes best warm! I also found out (sadly after I’d paid) that you can go for half and half on toppings, meaning you get two for the price of one, which I would definitely recommend.

Our next stop was the Distillery District, what seemed to be the hipster area of the city with a bunch of independent shops and restaurants. Get there quickly if you plan to eat, because the queues get really big around lunchtime, but there are plenty of places to eat so you won’t be stuck for choice.

I would absolutely recommend taking a long walk round the lake where you can get a spectacular view of the city skyline and watch the planes fly in to the tiny Billy Bishop airport. It’s a popular place for wedding photos as well which is always nice to see. Definitely worth the walk.

Shopping-wise, check out the Hudson Bay Company department store, where you should be able to get pretty much whatever you need. They also have a nice Canadian section if you’re looking for souvenirs without the hassle of checking out all of the souvenir shops across town.

That evening, we headed over to the most notable building in Toronto, the CN Tower, for one of the coolest things I’ve ever done – the EdgeWalk. This involves walking around the circumference of the CN Tower roof, 1168ft above Toronto. It’s pretty high up. It begins by getting kitted up in a special Walk suit (very stylish), putting on a variety of harnesses and getting safety briefed before heading up in a special elevator up to the top. Your guide then attaches you to two ropes which tie into a rail that runs around the EdgeWalk and then you’re off to gaze down hundreds of metres over the city. Probably not an activity for anyone with vertigo. 

As we walked around, our guide told us the different areas of Toronto we could see, and encouraged us to do a number of activities, including ‘Toes Over Toronto’, where you stand with you feet hanging off the edge; a leaning backwards over the edge with the rope holding your weight, and finally leaning forwards with basically nothing between you and the city. The experience comes with a reasonably hefty pricetag for your 30 minutes EdgeWalk, but it truly is a once in a lifetime experience, and the photos turn out pretty cool. If you can, I would recommend doing it.

I then joined my family at the 360 Restaurant a bit below where I’d been doing my EdgeWalk. In my opinion, the food was quite mediocre, but I guess you’re paying for the view, which is pretty spectacular as the Sun starts to set. I set up a timelapse which was great as we revolved, giving views of the entire city.

The following day was road trip day. Our first spot was Niagara-on-the-Lake, a quaint town about an hours drive away with a beautiful main street with some lovely shops and places to eat. We stopped at Cows for ice cream, apparently Canada’s best ice cream shop (according to Cows) which also sold cute novelty t-shirts with logos for things like ‘Doctor Moo’, ‘Cownton Abbey’ and ‘Moonions’.

We walked down to the edge of the lake, where on a clear day you can see the Toronto skyline, but we were blessed with a very drizzly and grey day without much of a view. We then drove to Niagara itself. What you don’t see in the pictures of the falls is what’s opposite the falls – massive high rise casinos and quirky shops in the shape of upside down houses, the Empire State Building, or with giant chocolate bars outside. Some might call it tacky, but it’s worth a look anyway, purely for its audacity. Keep driving along by the edge of the Falls and you’ll pass all of the extortionately priced car parks and find one right at the end where you can park for free and save yourself $18.

We got tickets for the Hornblower cruise, Canada’s equivalent of the Maid of the Mist (give yourself enough time to queue for tickets, especially during high season) and managed to get a space at the side of the boat at the top. If you don’t mind getting wet, this is probably the best place to stand. And yes, you will get wet. Very wet. The delightful pink ponchos did a pretty good job at keeping us dry, but I had my hand up to take photos and ended up with a river flowing down my sleeve, leaving me pretty saturated! The boat takes you right up to the falls so you will get drenched by the spray, but it is an incredible experience, and up that close you can really feel the force of the falls.  

We walked back along the side of the Falls to dry off, which was particularly nice as a rainbow came out. It was very busy so you couldn’t get too close to the edge at a lot of points due to tourists, and this wasn’t even the high season. At the edge, it almost didn’t look real as the water flowed so smoothly over the edge into the violent depths below. Ethereal.

We then took the scenic route to Port Colborne, which involved driving past some of the largest houses I’ve ever seen – I’m talking 13 bedroom, 4 garage houses with enough yard space to build seven more same size houses. Interesting to see how the other half live! Dinner was at Smokin’ Buddha, a very unassuming place in a town I don’t see many people visiting – we were only going because a colleague of my brothers had recommended this restaurant. I certainly am glad we did – it was quite possibly the best meal I’ve ever had, or at least in recent memory. I started with a delicious spinach and artichoke dip (why don’t we get these in the UK?) followed by a Thai yellow curry. Well worth the drive. Then, the long drive back to Toronto.

The next day we were up early to walk over to the other side of town to Mildred’s Temple for brunch where we had been recommended to try the blueberry pancakes, although probably not the best idea after the massive breakfasts we were treated to in the hotel. One mildly exciting fact about the restaurant is that the Air Canada flight safety announcements are played in each of the bathrooms. Interesting to say the least.

It was then time for what I was perhaps most excited for – a baseball game! This took place in the Rogers Centre just next to the CN Tower, with the Toronto Blue Jays playing the Baltimore Orioles. I absolutely loved it – the game itself was thrilling to watch, with balls being pitched at over 90mph, a few homeruns, and a lot of foul balls which were always cool to watch as they soared into the crowd with everyone trying to catch them.  

There was no time to be bored either, as during the pitching changes they had little gameshow type things broadcast on the screen like Deal or No Deal where spectators could win prizes. Unlike a lot of sports, it was also very civilised. Whilst the home crowd didn’t necessary cheer for the other team, they didn’t boo them either even when it became clear the Blue Jays weren’t going to win. The final score was 11-4 to the Orioles – a really great way to spend an afternoon.

I then took the opportunity to head up the CN Tower, as my EdgeWalk ticket gave me a free trip up the tower to be used once on the 3 days following my walk as well as going to the highest viewing point, the SkyPod which would ordinally cost an extra $12. 33 flights up from the normal observation deck, you could actually feel the wind moving the tower – very disconcerting! The windows up here were slanted so you could look more directly down at the city, and I stuck around to watch some of the EdgeWalkers heading round, who waved up to SkyPod. However, I’m not sure that I would suggest paying the extra to head up – the view is only slightly higher up so you might as well save your money.

Dinner was at Momofuku, a hip noodle bar on University Street, where I had a delicious ginger scallion noodle bowl followed by a cereal milk ice cream from the upstairs ice cream bar Milk. Personally not my cup of tea, but if you like the taste of the milk left at the bottom of your cereal bowl, this one might be for you.

Our final day in Toronto was a trip out to the Toronto Islands. As it was off season, the ferry wasn’t too busy and a lot of the attractions on the island weren’t open. I imagine it would be a bit like Coney Island during summer. Still, it was nice to spend about 4 hours walking the 11km around all of the islands which are all interconnected and offer some great views of the city skyline. There are also a few small beaches dotted around where you can stare off into the distant and enjoy the solitude of being away from the city, albeit not that far!

Back on the mainland, we headed for my final Canadian delicacy – poutine (chips, gravy and cheese curds) at Smoke’s, the best place in the city for this particular dish. If you’ve got time, stroll along Queen Street which has some super cool shops and murals to enjoy – a bit like London’s Brick Lane. I picked up an official Blue Jays jersey from one of the sports shops along the street. Ladies, if it fits, I recommend choosing a L or XL kid’s shirt as it’s about half the price of an adults! Then hotel, subway, UP Express, airport, and home.

My advice regarding Toronto: head in off-season, particularly if you’re planning to visit Niagara. Sure, it might be a bit colder, but you’re in Canada, what do you expect? Organise your movement around the city – whilst spread out, it is walkable so try and plan what you’re going to visit depending on the district you’re in. We didn’t quite have this down and ended up doing some back and forth, which takes it’s toll on the legs!

Did you enjoy this blog? Make sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry - I'm spending the whole summer traveling so they'll be lots more like this coming soon! Also be sure to let me know in the comments if there's anything I missed in Toronto, and I'll be sure to check it out next time I'm there!