-
-
Artists
Get your tour dates seen by one billion fans: Sign up as an artist
Tickets go on general sale on Friday 17th October 10am
Concert in your area for Electronic and Hip-Hop.
Find out more about Electronic and Hip-Hop.
Born Michael Stafford in Hackney, East London, Maverick Sabre grew up in New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland having moved there with his family at the age of four. Four years later he heard Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me” and realized that making music was what he wanted to do with his life. He wrote his first song the very same year, at the age of eight, and by his early teens was an integral part of Ireland’s small but thriving hip-hop scene. It got to the point where he was tapped for support slots with international names like The Game, and crucially Plan B, by the time he reached sixteen. Plan B was so taken with Stafford’s voice that he suggested that he move to London in order to pursue a proper career in music, and by the age of 17, Stafford was based back in his town of birth, with the music world at his feet.
At first he collaborated with as many underground rappers as were willing to work with him, spreading his name throughout the scene until November 2010, when he released his debut solo mixtape “The Travelling Man”. Mere months after the mixtape’s release he signed to Impala Records for the release of his debut single “Sometimes” in 2011. This gave him enough exposure to come to the attention of dubstep duo Chase And Status, who had him feature on their hit album “No More Idols”. He spent the rest of the year appearing with anyone who would have him, collaborating with Professor Green, appearing on Chris Moyles’ radio show and touring with The Script. So by the time he released his first single on a major label in July 2011, he’d made enough of a name for himself for it to hurtle into the charts at number 16.
2012 saw the release of his debut album “Lonely Are The Brave”, it debuted at number two on the album charts and he’s been one of the most exciting new talents in U.K R&B ever since then. With a new album dropping imminently, Maverick Sabre comes highly recommended.
On a rainy summer’s afternoon at the Lounge on the Farm Festival near Canterbury, Kent, Mike Skinner and his entourage (aka The Streets) succeeded in retaining the crowd’s attention despite the inclement weather, his idiosyncratic style of rap translating well to the live environment. Compared to other MCs and hip-hop artists that I have seen live (artists who often rely far too heavily on their speedy delivery skills instead of upon their lyrical content and individual style), the Streets’ live set felt far more intimate and engaging. Skinner’s refusal to rely too heavily on vocal backing tracks and hype men meant that he really was the star of the show. His easy-going style and narrative prowess combined seamlessly with those beautiful shuffling and hypnotic beats in tracks like the brilliant ‘Blinded by the lights’, a definite highlight of the show. His banter with the crowd and more light-hearted numbers, such as ‘Fit but you know it’, ensured that the show maintained an upbeat vibe to it, whilst ‘OMG’ was a definite personal favourite. Skinner’s ability to keep his music firmly grounded and relevant to UK youth culture and experience makes his music good to listen to and his live shows a treat to attend!
samseyes
If you look at chart music from the last decade or so, it’s not difficult to spot certain trends. It’s incredible to think that Adele, who, with 21, produced one of the best-selling records in history, might never have had her break if it wasn’t for the fact that Amy Winehouse proved there was a market for blue-eyed soul; the same can be said for Duffy’s signing, too. That same trend - artist unexpectedly makes it big, similar, derivative peers are signed off the back of it - can also be observed in the rise to prominence of Maverick Sabre - a rough around the edges singer who also raps here and there? What a coincidence that he should suddenly pop up after Plan B, in that same style, had one of the biggest records of the past decade with The Defamation of Strickland Banks. To his credit, though, he’s managed to carve out a sizeable fanbase, with his debut album, Lonely Are the Brave, going in at number two on the UK charts. He’s also sold-out Academy-sized rooms with ease across the country, delivering live sets that saw him play guitar throughout - more than you can say for Plan B - as well as drop the odd cover into his set, including a smart reinterpretation of Oasis’ well-worn ‘Wonderwall’. His second, as-yet untitled album is set for release before the year’s out, and he’s already lined up a UK tour for October.
Joeg_67
Log in to your account
