Independence Referendum: Where Yes and No Have Gone Wrong

It's a two horse race and it's neck and neck (sorry)

So on the eve of one of the biggest political votes we will ever have to make, I've reflected on the past two years of campaigning from the Yes Scotland and Better Together campaigns. I think it is safe to say that both sides have their pros and cons and neither should be ridiculed for what they want from this referendum.

However, there has been incidents that have pushed me away from both of these campaigns and I'll list three faults that I see in them.

Yes #1: Mindless Propaganda

Both sides can be accused of this, but for all of Yes' good points they raise, they also use scaremongering tactics that questions the motives of a well-ran campaign. We'll take two over-used pieces of propaganda: "A government we didn't vote for" and a "Tory/UKIP coalition". Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said in an article published today that "we have a Tory government we didn't vote for". As a United Kingdom, unfortunately we did - but you can't always get what you want out of democracy. If we had a Labour government in power at this moment in time, this quote would seen stupid. You could argue that every Labour voter in the UK didn't get a government they voted for. Fair enough, if we go independent we're more likely to have a socialist state, but this quote is a bit silly. As for the Tory/UKIP argument, if you really think that enough left-centre voters will change a vote to a right-wing party, then I don't think you have faith in the people of Britain. UKIP are nothing more than a phase in my opinion.

Yes #2: Keep Quiet, Figure Out Later

Of course, if we go independent it will not be so straight-forward. We technically still don't know what will happen in an independent Scotland. A number of talks will still have to take place to iron out key issues such as the currency and peace agreements. After reading Ewan Morrison's blog post "Why I Joined Yes and Why I Changed To No" I realised that the Yes campaign politicians are no different from any other politicians. They are evasive and will work things out after they win the referendum and confrontation won't be tolerated as the campaign has to keep happy and keep voters - meaning no negative talk in the Yes camp so that voters wouldn't turn to No. The Nazis used a similar bloody method: albeit to some incomparable extremes.  

Yes #3: The Utopia That Yes Are Creating

I'm not dismissing the campaign and what they want in an independent Scotland, but the yes campaign are talking about making a fairer, greener Scotland whilst relying on oil. They are talking about making a welfare state that gives everyone opportunity, whilst talking about becoming a country like Luxembourg and Switzerland - notorious tax havens. You can't please everyone.

No #1:  The Out-of-Touch Better Together Campaign

You would think that to reach out to voters, you would try and get a genuinely left-wing politician to mirror the left-wing Yes politicians, but instead Better Together pick Alistair Darling - a man who is a controversial figure in the UK. You would think that a campaign trying to get people to vote no for Devo Max would find someone who they can trust. Hell, I'd have preferred Gordon Brown or even the occasionally-batshit George Galloway to Darling. On top of that the campaign seems to look ever-so-patronising. *WOMEN! HEALTH! TOGETHER! COMMUNITY! FIGHT POVERTY!* Remind you of something?

German: Health, child protection, fighting poverty, aiding travellers, community, helping mothers.Again, not as extreme as this but you get the gist.

No #2: The BBC Bias

Seriously, even if every man and his dog that worked at BBC was strongly no - why couldn't they just keep it as impartial as possible? You could argue that some Yes campaigners were just being paranoid at first - and in some cases they have been - about the BBC, but Nick Robinson getting a little personal with Salmond the other day was surely enough to show that the BBC have been unnecessarily biased towards the no campaign. If they had kept the reporting so neutral that yes voters could have nothing to complain about, the no campaign may have had more voters at the moment.

No #3: Using So Many English People to Back up the Campaign

I have nothing against the English. I was born in England myself. My mum's English, I'm English, my little brother's English. Half my family are from England. However, if you are wanting people to vote for a union, you should be using Scottish people. It will make voters feel like they can relate to the person more in my opinion. There isn't an anti-English thing going on, but I feel there's a certain distrust towards our neighbours at this point in the referendum. 

To sum up, vote however you feel is correct. If you feel you are doing the right thing - do it. However, if you don't care - don't just vote for one side for the banter. For example, my mate Ryan has never been interested in politics and he's more pro-union than nationalist, but he isn't voting because he feels he doesn't know enough and he doesn't care enough to vote. And that is fair enough. 

Thanks if you have given this a read and I hope, like me, you support the country no matter what way it goes tomorrow.

F1: Is Nico Rosberg a Cheat?

Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix was brilliant from start to finish: throughout the 44 laps of the Spa-Francorchomps circuit we seen some world-class overtaking manoeuvres; action on every lap and a twist in the title race.

The twist I'm talking about is that of an incident that occurred on lap two of the race. Lewis Hamilton got himself into first at the first corner, whilst pole sitter Nico Rosberg dropped to third as countryman Sebastian Vettel got past him. By the second lap, Rosberg was past Vettel and was breathing down Hamilton's neck.

Rosberg went on the outside of Hamilton at Le Combes and managed to get slightly ahead. However, he didn't have the racing line so it would be likely that he'd let Hamilton go, however he committed to the next corner and that's when the two cars came together. Hamilton took his line expecting Rosberg to give space, Rosberg didn't give him space and clipped Hamilton's rear left tyre - which resulted in Rosberg also losing his front wing.

Hamilton had a puncture and was in dead last when he pitted. He realised that there was no point in continuing after a while and he retired the car. However, Hamilton went out to the press and told them that Nico admitted to him that he did it "on purpose" to "prove a point".

Since Monaco, the former best friends haven't seen eye-to-eye

Either the media took it out of context or Lewis was being melodramatic. Turns out that the Mercedes team heard it as he made the move to prove a point, not crashing into him to prove a point - and why not? Rosberg has came under criticism for not attacking enough so he tried it. Unfortunately, it all went wrong for Mercedes. Whether it was time and place to try an overtake is another matter, but the question is: Is Nico Rosberg a Cheat?

I do not believe he is. Why? Because I believe the British media fabricate to favour their home driver against one who is from Germany.

The only one I can really think of to be a possible form of cheating is at Monaco where in qualifying he went down an escape route because he apparently lost control of the steering a little and couldn't make the corner. This prevented Lewis having another lap.

Even that is a little far-fetched. If you watch Sky Sports F1, I believe you're more likely to be brainwashed into thinking "Britain is great, it's everyone else's faults" when there is more to it than that. Some paranoid Lewis Hamilton fans have went as far to think that Mercedes would tamper with their own driver's car to favour his rival team-mate. Obviously a German team are going to let their German driver win the title by sabotaging his team mate's, all at a cost of millions! Seems logical.

The reality is Nico tries to bend the rules a bit and sometimes gets away with it whilst Hamilton has been unlucky. As much as I dislike Hamilton (mainly because of those paranoid fans) he has been really unfortunate not to be leading the championship so far. Nico has been lucky, Lewis hasn't. But to go as far as sabotage is moronic. I wonder why Lewis fans don't complain when Sebastian Vettel suffers from the same number of mechanical misfortunes as their hero? Because it's just bias that people believe.

It can't be all down to the media though. Hamilton usually uses the media as a sob story opportunity to play himself as the victim of a crime. Crimes committed by Rosberg. Yes, Nico was more in the wrong because he made the move on Lewis that resulted in the crash and in other races he's involved in controversy, but Lewis' hero Ayrton Senna was worse yet Hamilton condemns Rosberg at nearly every race.

Anyway, opinions aside, it has to be said - with the exception of the lack of drivers fighting for the title - that this has been a really exciting year for F1 and whether you think Nico Rosberg is a cheat or not, I think most want to see this feud carry on for the sake of entertainment.

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @TrainInVainn 

Let me know what your opinion is on the matter by commenting below.

My Experience at the Commonwealth Games: Cycling

It was wheely good.

Sorry. That was a bad joke.

If those of you reading this don't already know, during the Commonwealth Games I got the opportunity to interview athletes as a flash quote reporter. Before I speak of my favourite moments, I just want to say I encourage anyone who gets the opportunity to do flash quote reporting to grab it with both hands because it is such a great (and stressful) experience.

Anyway, here are some moments from the cycling that I really enjoyed:

Jason Kenny's Silver in the Men's Sprint

As a back story, Kenny was one of the favourites for the men's sprint title, but his qualifying was below-par. He came up against the favourite and fastest man, Matthew Glaetzer, in the quarter finals. He managed to outsmart the Aussie and then Glaetzer's team mate, Peter Lewis, in the semis. Unfortunately, Kenny was stopped in the final over three races as New Zealand's Sam Webster, but when I talked to him he seemed pretty satisfied. He told me after a poor qualifying he really didn't expect to get into the final, but Jason's best quality when you interview him is not so much his words, but how friendly he is. Really nice guy and is comfortable to talk to.

The Only Guy From Brunei: Muhammed I'maadi Abd Aziz

I got the chance to speak to a timid cyclist from the minnow state of Brunei. He was a timid character, but at the same time such a nice guy to speak to. He just missed qualification in the points race where he finished 13th (top 12 went through) and he seemed awestruck about the other riders in the race. He told me that he looked tiny in comparison to them before speaking about his plans for the rest of the season (competing in the Tour of Brunei if you're interested) and what he planned to do whilst in Scotland. With a confused face he told me he was going to a castle (which turned out to be Edinburgh Castle) and he made me laugh when he said he was going to see a monster in a lake. However, he doesn't believe that Nessie really exists.

The Passionate Malaysian: Azizulhasni Awang

It took me ages to get a hold of one of the most entertaining riders but I finally got him. Awang managed to win bronze in the Keirin and done it in style. His tactics in the sprint were very exciting, but it was amazing to see him hold on to third in the Keirin despite having a bad line coming into the finish. He is a bit of a character - he was already in hot water for showing support for Gaza on his gloves and he really gets worked up when talking to you. He told me that his nation look to him to win a medal so he is very proud to represent the country. Has to be said, he's one of the biggest rebels in cycling. 

Danny Laud Gave Me a Laugh

When you're not interviewing the winners, you interview those who don't do so well in the road events. Anguilla's Danny Laud was telling me about how small his country is and how the climate is very different to race in. All of his answers were pretty average until I asked him what he was planning to do once he finished his racing in Glasgow and he replied "Well I leave early on Monday so I have a couple of hours at night to get myself into trouble".

Stephanie Morton On Her Friendship With Anna Meares

Aussie pair Stephanie Morton and Anna Meares finished one and two in the 500m Time Trial and the Women's Sprint. Meares took the time trial, but Morton took the sprint in a bit of a shock result. It's difficult to outsmart a legend like Anna Meares - but she did. She spoke about how they are room mates at the games and are the best of friends, but sometimes I find that hard to believe as some say it to diffuse any chance of the media making a big story. However, I was proven wrong when Morton invited Meares up to the top of the podium for the national anthem as she embraced her team mate and sang. 

Meeting Chris Froome's Old Coach

Well, allegedly. Kenya's David Njau could have kick-started the career of one of Britain's best cyclists or he is great at lying. The 43 year-old took part in the time trial and he told me that he dedicated this race to Tour de France winner Chris Froome. Thinking it was a bit strange, I asked David why. He told me "He made me famous". He then went on to tell me that he coached Froome from a young age and taught him about "training and suffering". 

Katie Archibald's Late Bronze

Although there was a scrap for the gold between England's Laura Trott and Wales' Elinor Barker (for whom I have a soft spot for), Katie Archibald grabbing bronze in the points race was brilliant. Katie managed to push Australia's Amy Cure down to fourth with a last burst of speed in the last points sprint. The silver-haired Scot was so happy to win a medal in front of a home crowd and she couldn't stop smiling. When a colleague of mine asked if she dyed her hair silver and blue for Team Scotland she replied "Well you wouldn't believe me if I told you it was an accident". One of my favourites after the Games.

The Edmondson Siblings

I didn't just love them because of their ultra-competitiveness (something that I can relate to with my inferior little bro) but they were just so eager to talk to you. For a couple of world champions, you wouldn't be surprised if they looked down on you a little, but they were genuine people. It turns out their family come from Elgin in the north of Scotland, so the country adopted them as the nations darlings when Scotland weren't having so much luck. Annette seems like she could talk forever and Alex is very approachable. A nice duo.

Christopher Symonds: The 40 Year Old Multi-Eventer

I was looking in our information system and came across a guy who was competing for Ghana in the Triathlon AND the road events. He unfortunately suffered pretty bad in both, but he told me he was suffering from a bug half way through the triathlon (which he thinks he picked it in the swim). He just about recovered for the time trial, but still felt drained. It turns out that he lives in London and works at the House of Commons as a doorman. After asking him if he thought those in the Parliament were, I'll go with "dislikeable" he told me that they're an all right bunch - much to my dismay. However, he told me that he decided to represent Ghana because he wants to be a pioneer for the country and get young people interested in triathlon and road cycling. He was probably the nicest guy I met there: he had a laugh and a conversation with me, he was going very well at 40 years young and put out his hand for a handshake. True gent.

The New Zealand Coach (a.k.a. Quote Machine)

Anthony Peden was put in the difficult position of answering a question about how he would conduct himself as two of his riders faced off in the semi finals of the Men's Sprint. He replied with "I'm just going to sit back and watch really. I've got to stand silent on the sidelines and that's the hardest thing for me, I'm normally pretty vocal and have arms going everywhere. You might see a bit of gaffer tape over my mouth and a zip tie around my hands."

Geraint Thomas' Bronze in the Time Trial

I waited for a good half an hour to find the Welshman who came back to the mixed zone long after the race. He is a confident character and he told me that getting the bronze in Glasgow was good enough for him and that he wouldn't be disappointed if he only came away with that. But just a few days later, he would add to that bronze with a dramatic win in the Road Race. He certainly looks like a potential replacement to Froome.

Namibia's Dan Craven

On paper, this guy would do a decent job in the road race but wouldn't do anything significant. Yet, Craven (based in Bristol I'm sure) secured a ninth place finish which is Namibia's highest placed  finish in a road race at the Commonwealth Games. But his position wasn't the best thing about him, it was how funny he was. He stopped talking mid-sentence to compliment my shorthand writing. I then thanked him and he then joked "I like your top". He then complimented how great the crowd was. Me and a colleague said thank you, before he replied "No thank you! It's been brilliant and Glasgow, you've done well". We thought so too.

Scott Sunderland's Emotional Win

You would have had to have a heart of stone not to hold back the tears listening to Scott Sunderland's interview after winning the 1000m Time Trial. He said that to defend his title here was something special, but also winning the same event in Delhi was just as special as he dedicated the win to his late grandmother who died as he spent his last days with her. Whilst listening to his story of heartbreak and death I told myself  "Just don't cry". Scott was one of the best cyclists on the track and he had many journalists saddened by his story. You could see how much it meant to him. 

Did you have any particular highlights? Leave a comment if you do.

Give me a follow on Twitter: @TrainInVainn

What Music Culture?: T in the Park: 10 Acts to Catch This Weekend

Now for all of you who are heading to T in the Park this weekend or are watching it on the TV, you'll know that the headliners are usually a must-see at Balado, so I've compiled a list of ten acts - some obvious, some not-so-obvious - that are worth checking this weekend.

1. Pixies

So on this list, Pixies are probably the biggest. I mean, they have had a rough couple of years - legendary bassist Kim Deal left the band and they released a slightly-above-average album with new bassist Paz Lenchantin. Even if you aren't a fan of the new stuff, tracks from their albums Surfer Rosa and Doolittle will show you how great Black Francis and co are. 

Key Track: Here Comes Your Man

2. Drenge

The Loveless brothers from the tiny village of Castleton in Derbyshire have grabbed the attention of critics with their debut album which was released last year. Their fuzzy garage rock is certainly a breath of fresh air to the UK indie scene, so if you like a mosh pit and a bit of a riot. Go see em.

Key Track: Face Like a Skull

3. Bombay Bicycle Club

Another band that have been around for what seems like forever, Bombay Bicycle Club released their fourth album So Long, See You Tomorrow with world music influencing it. Feel sounds straight out a Bollywood film and Luna is dreamy and euphoric. They always know how to put on a live show and should be an exciting watch on the Radio 1 Stage.

Key Track: Shuffle

4. Disclosure

Where do you start with Guy and Howard Lawrence? They make up Disclosure, who have absolutely booted a fairly-generic genre of music up the arse. Dance music has been given a makeover since they emerged at the end of 2012 with White Noise. Now, they are collaborating with everyone and mixing it up on the live stage too. If you like the Slam Tent, but don't want to bump into someone with an "eccy jaw", go see these guys on the Radio 1 Stage on Sunday.

Key Track: Latch

5. Chance the Rapper

If you like Danny Brown's weird rapping, Chance the Rapper might be your new favourite guy. His aptly-named mixtape Acid Rap may be the best description of his music. The beats he makes resemble early Kanye West and he knows how to make a hit. There's a reason Justin Bieber is mates with him.

Key Track: Juice

6. Tame Impala

Arguably one of the most underrated bands going, Aussie psychedelic band Tame Impala haven't released an album since 2012's amazing Lonerism, but now they have enough tunes to satisfy neutrals live. Lonerism was trippy and gave a sense of escapism, so maybe their live set will sound the same. 

Key Track: Elephant

7. Baby Strange

The Glaswegians are pretty much brand new and the trio's debut album should be around the corner. They've toured with the likes of Palma Violets so a lot is expected of them. Friend is two minutes of complete jumping-about fun. Wanna say you've seen a band before they are big? Check em out.

Key Track: Pure Evil

8. Wolf Alice

They are NME darlings right now - which isn't always a good thing, but I think they have got this one right. Their recent EP Creature Songs has been applauded and the debut album is coming soon. The cliche "girl fronting a band" thing actually works here and isn't just a "LOOK WE HAVE A GIRL IN OUR BAND, WE ARE SO DIVERSE". Ellie Rowsell is a great front woman and can keep things slow or flipping hard.

Key Track: Fluffy

9. Neon Waltz

Going to be honest, there isn't much to judge this band on. However, from what I've heard this sextet from Caithness (if you aren't sure where that is, it makes Inverness look south) are worth a listen. They have played local to me (Gourock) and I've been told they are great. A band surrounded by isolation (in comparison to the Central Belt of Scotland) certainly show that you don't need to be around bands to be a great band.

Key Track: Sombre Fayre

10. John Wizards

This South African band have finally broke through in the UK following a critically acclaimed debut album. They mix South African house with R'n'B and reggae to make an incredibly unique sound. At least you can say that they aren't "generic shit". 

Key Track: Muizenberg

Give me a follow on Twitter: @mickyhaitch or my university Twitter: @michaelhgcu

If you are going to T in the Park, tell me who you enjoyed or who you're excited to see.

What Music Culture?: LIVE The Boys In the Band are Back (Temporarily) But What Was It Like?

2004 was a turbulent year for The Libertines. They released their second and last album - a confrontational and tragic tale of the relationship between front man Carl Barat and guitarist Pete Doherty - and later that year The Libertines were no more. Pete's drug addiction had left him frozen out of the band and in December Barat broke up what was left of the band stating that there wasn't much point in continuing without Doherty.

Ten years on and the London quartet play their biggest show in the heart of the capital. As a build-up they played two nights at The Barrowlands - one of Glasgow's greatest venues - where reviews were generally positive. However, there's a difference between playing an intimate gig to performing in front of 65,000 people in one of the most famous parks in the world - so would they pull it off?

But there was one question that was more important - would Pete turn up/perform well/be taking heroin? 

Well he did turn up, God knows if he took heroin prior to the show, but if he did, he definitely masked it better than he usually would. As an individual, Pete performed well. However, if we compare him to 2003 Pete he was fairly average, but can you ask for much from a smack addict? I was satisfied with his energy and interaction even if his vocals were a little below par. So yes, I believe he performed well. In some ways I think his fans mean more to him than Pete is to his fans. He seemed desperate to get back out to do an encore after the encore and despite looking worse for wear, looked almost rejuvenated. 

As for the rest of the band, they have all matured. John Hassall gets his job done quietly and tries to settle the crowd with drummer Gary Powell to get things a little stable again. Yet, you can see throughout the performance that Hassall does not care for over-the-top pushing and tensions seem to be high due to that. Who could blame him?

Gary Powell is a little less reserved. In times where the crowd are out of control he screams down the microphone pleading to fans to move back and when he's not being a huge personality he's battering away at his drums - showing that he hasn't lost it despite only playing four shows in ten years. Powell is a rare type of drummer. The fans absolutely love him as an individual and if it wasn't for the spotlight constantly being focused on Barat and Doherty, you would assume he would get quite a bit of press. His humour is rare and has always been approachable to fans. It would almost be a waste if The Libertines didn't stick around a bit because he's the unsung hero of the band.

Front man Carl Barat looks as if he has came straight out of 2004. He has hardly aged and he sings just as well as he did in the band's prime, but he isn't as wild as he once was. He has since - as mentioned above - matured and quietly performs. There's not a lot of stage banter until nearer the end from Barat, but that may be thanks to the negativity radiating from the audience. He seems stressed at the start, but seems to ignore it as the set goes on. 

As the band come on at 9.30, there is pandemonium in the air. For locals, they already know (as of half past eight) that The Libertines will play two dates at Alexandra Palace in September, but the focus returns to tonight. A ten minute montage of the band, featuring snippets of their songs, plays before they walk on stage. The crowd are jumping around already and a note hasn't been played. They start off with Vertigo their opener to their debut album "Up the Bracket" and is quickly followed up by fans favourite Boys In the Band. But there is already trouble brewing. 

Due to excitement/obsession/drunk fans/dickheads in general a number of fans are on the floor already because of excessive pushing. Barat and Hassall are asking the crowd to calm it down a bit, but their plead falls on deaf ears. Unfortunately, the band are powerless in controlling the crowd this evening. Boys in the Band is interrupted twice with the second plea coming from Pete Doherty. If a man who has been carefree on heroin tells you to calm down, he's probably got a point. 

B Side The Delaney comes next and crowd surges soon cause a third interruption. During Time For Heroes they have to stop once again, bringing a little irony to their lyric "Did you see the stylish kids in the riot?" as a bunch of "LADs" crushed those in front of them into the barrier. Begging seems like a cry for help from some members of the audience as the Barat looks disengaged after all the pushing. Music When the Lights Go Out on paper would have been a beautiful moment (everyone I spoke to said that they couldn't wait to hear this) but not even a slow song could tame the fans and one of their best overall songs was wasted.

The Boy Looked at Johnny, Can't Stand Me Now and The Last Post on the Bugle all go down well due to their high energy. However, arguably their biggest hit doesn't stand out much. Can't Stand Me Now - a song which focuses on the friendship of Carl and Pete - doesn't stray from the norm which is a little disappointing. Death on the Stairs is one of the highlights of the night as the crowd turn a little friendlier for this riotous track. 

As the night comes near the end, next up is Radio America which yet again, despite its low tempo, includes a lot of pushing. Even though the pushing has become the talking point the song is still well played and well received. Up the Bracket keeps the tempo high after Tell the King as they reach the end of their set. The crowd by this point are exhausted but continue jumping around like mad. They finish on What a Waster to a delighted 60,000 people as it sparks a sing-along, which again caused it to be stopped as some fans climbed the PA tower. Some are relieved that that's that, but the majority want more music.

As they return to the stage for their encore, a projection stating "Please get down from the delay tower" is slapped on the background of the band's set. Doherty encourages them to get down before playing a duet with Barat as the crowd go silent for France. A cover of Babyshambles' Albion then proceeds before more familiar territory is found in I Get Along which ultimately finishes off the 24 song set - if we don't count the 30 second chant of the Hokey Cokey. At the end, Pete and Carl recite "Suicide in the Trenches", a poem by Siegfried Sassoon as everyone watches in awe as they get to see how close these two individuals are. Their friendship is borderline romantic and they are in kissing distance of each other as they talk down the mic. When they finish they embrace in a hug and they leave. Some may call it an underwhelming way to end, but it was pretty unorthodox and special too. 

What was not to love though? Oh right, the attitude of a minority of the crowd.

I am all for moshing, pushing, forming human pyramids, even punching people in the face (as long as they are cool with that) at gigs, so what made this different?

Well, many lives were at danger. I managed to stay on my feet quite a lot - my balance has some purpose - and yet I came out of Hyde Park with multiple bruises, a swollen toe, a sore knee and a strain on my achilles. I witnessed a teenage girl of around the same age as me (17/18) being trampled on and a guy having trouble breathing because he sort of had ten people piled on him. Another dislocated his bloody arm. Sure you could say "Fans were going to react like that when a band makes a comeback gig" but that doesn't excuse some fans' actions. On multiple occasions I was too busy trying to survive that I missed the performance. On multiple occasions people were on the ground, yet some knowingly continued to push despite pleas from those around them. I thought the flares were a pretty good touch if I'm honest, but those climbing the delay tower were just idiotic. They didn't know how to work that thing or how much weight it could take. That could have ended up with people dying.

The organisers were awful too. Why have such a huge VIP area at a gig that celebrates being working class? Why was it a fiver for a pint? Why were only 700 people out of 65,000 allowed to see bands like Swim Deep and Blur legend Graham Coxon? The layout was awful, but I have to give G4S a round of applause. They done all they could up the front - including giving out drinks to the dehydrated. Top lads.

As for the band, they hardly put a foot wrong. Sure the glaring omission of What Became of the Likely Lads? and Good Old Days could be criticised, but that was partly down to the stupid half ten curfew. 

What can be said? The band were pretty great and it was amazing seeing them live, but a couple of hundred fans ruined this momentous occasion with utter stupidity and a lack of humanity for others. I did not expect to come back from London and think "that was a 3 out of 5 performance". Oh well, they can't always be great I guess.

Give me a little follow on Twitter for more updates: @mickyhaitch or @michaelhgcu

If you have your own opinions about Saturday night, feel free to share.

Fifa World Cup - Predictions For the Biggest Show on Earth: The Groups

If I guess this all perfectly, name me the bookie's worst nightmare.

However, the reality when it comes to predicting games is usually you get them right, but occasionally the odd underdogs will turn the predictable on its head. So, to show you what I think will happen in the World Cup, I'll give you a run down of my predictions for the greatest show on Earth which starts tomorrow.

Group A

Hosts Brazil will kick off the World Cup against struggling Croatia, who started their qualifying campaign well, before a poor last few games in their group. The only reason why they qualified was due to a slow starting Scotland and an average Serbia side. To top it off, they got the easiest draw in the play offs as they overcame Iceland.

Brazil are going to be hard to predict.

On paper they are one of the favourites to win the trophy, but they have left out some experienced stars like Ronaldinho that may weaken their team in the long run as they seem to be going for a defensive side this year. I think they'll ease through the group. Their friendlies boast a 100% record, but they haven't came up against the strongest of sides.

Then the match that could decide everything - Cameroon vs Mexico. If Cameroon win, I think they'll go through, however I am leaning towards Mexico at the moment. After a poor qualifying which seen them finish 4th out of 6 teams in the CONCAF region, they thrashed New Zealand to earn a place. Their defence may be a little leaky, but they have reached the last 16 in their past 5 World Cups and Cameroon's strikeforce may not be up to the task. It will be close between the two, but I fancy Mexico this year.

Brazil
Mexico
Cameroon
Croatia

Group B

Poor Australia. What an awful group to get! Chile is a tough ask as a third seed as it is, but they also play the finalists of the last World Cup - Spain and Holland. I think it's safe to say that Australia are pretty much out of the competition. If they manage to qualify, manager Ange Postecoglou deserves some recognition - maybe even a knighthood.

Elsewhere, we will see a repeat of the final in the first match. Although Spain's golden generation are beginning to wither, they still have a tough team who are expected to get to at least the quarter finals. Spain are a certainty to go through - unless something disastrous happens. Holland on the other hand, are going through a regeneration period. their side lacks a lot of experience and have slipped up against the bigger teams (see their loss to France and draw with Colombia) but they seem to cope with the smaller sides. In hindsight, maybe playing Wales before playing Spain wasn't the best preparation. It will be close between them and Chile.

You'd wonder how great a team Chile could be if there were more Chileans that played football. Their team lacks depth - so much that Championship players such as Gonzalo Jara and Jean Beausejour are in the fold - yet they can spur upsets everywhere. They lost solely to a single goal to Germany and Brazil away from home as well as beating a bunch of teams including England and Costa Rica by a few goals. Without sounding boring and predictable, I'm sure that Chile will fail to beat the Netherlands despite their good use of tactics. 

Spain

Holland

Chile

Australia

Group C

Ah, the group of opportunity. This is the most unpredictable group in the tournament and no wonder. We have: Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan fighting for two spots where no one is safe or out. The favourite for the group will be Colombia after their great qualifying campaign. Their side boasts a bunch of big names and if they play the way they have been, they should finish top of the group. 

The other three. Greece were squeezed for first by Bosnia and Herzegovina and had to settle for a play off spot, beating Romania in the process. They drew with Portugal in their friendlies, but apart from that they've been pretty unimpressive. Japan finished top of their group in qualifying and they have a 100% winning streak in friendlies, albeit against weaker opposition (most of the time). With a little luck and some stand out performances, they could make it out of the group. Finally, Ivory Coast made their debut in the World Cup in 2006 and returned in 2010. Both groups that they featured in were groups of death, so this is an opportunity to qualify for the last 16 and they have what it takes.

Colombia

Ivory Coast

Japan

Greece

Group D

Arguably, this is the 2014 Group of Death. England's choice in who to play in friendlies before the draw cost them dearly as they were unseeded from Europe and given an out-of-form Uruguay and solid Italy side. Costa Rica finished off the group. However, I think it looks a lot worse than it actually is. The Three Lions haven't had a good run of friendlies, but neither have their rivals Uruguay and (especially) Italy who drew with Luxembourg and Ireland. Personally, I think England will win the group due to Uruguay's awful qualifying campaign and Italy's inconsistency at World Cups. Many think England will struggle in the heat, but they should make it through the group, despite what the majority say. Uruguay will get by if Luis Suarez can bang in the goals like he did last season for Liverpool.

Italy showed last time around that they can have a strong team and still be humiliated. They drew with Paraguay, then held to another by minnows New Zealand. They ended their disastrous 2010 campaign with  a 3-2 defeat to Slovakia, despite attacking late. This sums up Italy as a team who don't usually lose, but don't usually win either as most of their games end in draws. I haven't spoken much about Costa Rica. Mainly because they - just like Australia - are stuck in a group with teams that are more than likely to whip them. It'd be a great underdog story if they managed to go through, but I really doubt their chances.

England

Uruguay

Italy

Costa Rica

Group E

Group E is a little like Group C, there are opportunities for all to qualify, but I think that it will be more straight-forward than expected. Switzerland to top the group over France is my tip as the Swiss defence will be organised enough to keep France at bay in their match. Honduras are a surprise package, but just like Chile, they lack depth and an injury to one of their stars could ruin their chances. They showed against England that they are a competitive team, a team that can secure third place over Ecuador anyway. France will go further than Switzerland in my opinion, but they won't beat them in the group.

Switzerland

France

Honduras

Ecuador

Group F

There's a big battle behind Argentina for a place in the knockout round. Argentina have been handed a pretty easy group and I would not be surprised if they come out that group with 9 points. Bosnia were very impressive in qualifying, but my bets are on Nigeria. The climate will suit the Africans better and their qualifying was solid too. Iran also came out of qualifying impressively and this will be their best chance of making the last 16. I just think Nigeria will be the best of the rest of the bunch. An open group nonetheless and definitely one of the most unpredictable. 

Argentina

Nigeria

Bosnia

Iran

Group G

I'm about to make a bold statement about Group G - I think that Ghana will go through. 

Germany will win the group. They are a team that hardly have a weakness. Their defence is probably the weak link, but Germany have always been an organised team and will be strong going forward, making this group a piece of cake for them.

USA have a nightmare draw and will be very lucky to make it through. Their team is never short of passion, but this is no group like 2010. Ghana are just as ambitious and Germany and Portugal are heavyweights in this competition. Very unlikely to see them past this stage. 

As for Ghana and Portugal, Portugal are a side that slip up on many occasions. In qualifying, Paulo Bento's side had to come back to defeat Luxembourg, drew with Northern Ireland and drew twice with Israel. Ronaldo may be in that team, but one man doesn't make a team. Ghana on the other hand, hammered Egypt to get to Rio and look like they can upset Portugal if things go their way.

Germany

Ghana

Portugal

USA

Group H

The final group is made up of European group winners Belgium and Russia, as well as South Korea and Algeria. Four years ago, this group would have been a free-for-all. However, the times have changed and Belgium have become the dark horses of the World Cup and Russia's side has looked pretty menacing as of late. Algeria have bad luck written all over them at World Cups as they always struggle to make an impact, but South Korea will go into this tournament with an awful record after such a successful qualifying. In 2014 they have played five matches and lost four - winning against Greece in March. Last night's defeat to Ghana shows that they are not much to worry about in the tournament, despite their respectable track record.

Belgium should win this group. Russia are a better side than four years ago, but they partially won their group due to Portugal's mistakes. They're unbeaten in friendlies this year, but most came against teams like Morocco and Armenia. Belgium's players have been inspiring this year. Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard took the Premier League by storm last season and they'll be backed up by arguably the best goalkeeper of last season - Thibaut Courtois who was a rock in goal for Atletico Madrid last season. Belgium could realistically go as far as the final if they play the way their players have been performing this year. 

Belgium

Russia

South Korea

Algeria

Next Time: I Predict the Knockout Rounds.

Follow me on Twitter: @mickyhaitch

 

What Music Culture?: Are Peace Sell Outs or Earning an Honest Buck?

"Mum, want to put it on E4, Made In Chelsea is on."

I never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth, but they did on the 19th of May 2014. A date for the history books.

Some reading this might wonder why a left wing, "Reality TV" hater would say such words, but it's because of one word.

Peace.

For those unfamiliar with this band, they rose to critical acclaim at the start of 2012 and were relatively well-known by the summer of 2013 after the release of their debut album In Love. They have arguably become one of the most exciting new bands in the UK, leading the up-and-coming music scene from Birmingham. 

However, yesterday I was skimming through my endless Twitter timeline and I came across the band's Twitter page, telling their thousands of their indie darlings that they were playing a few songs - including their new single Money - on the popular posh programme. You only had to go on NME's Facebook page to see the mixed reactions:

"Gash sell out shit"

"I don't care if The Beatles are playing, nothing will ever make me watch that shite!"

"It seems odd and maybe as if they are selling out. But actually good for them! We have no top of the pops anymore, bands have got to break into the mainstream somehow"

"Fuck off Selena Jackson" (Ok, that one was in reply to a spammer).

So I decided to watch it anyway. They show started with them playing Lovesick and then Wraith, but mainly in the background whilst the MIC cast argued about who nicked the last caviare ready meal. Then they played Money, a little ironic playing a song about not needing it in front of millionaires, but getting to the point: are they or are they not sell outs?

Of course they aren't. 

Sure, they might feel like they sold their soul to the devil, but put yourself in the situation of these four young lads.

You are in a band with your mates and you are making the music because you love the music. Ok, girls and money is a bonus, but you genuinely love making music. Then, one day you get noticed, you get a record deal, you release an album, you have a huge (on the new band scale) fan base and your songs are used on things from Match of the Day to adverts. However, you only have that group of fans who know who you are and like most bands, you wouldn't mind being more famous. Then you get some TV coverage to promote your new single and you get paid handsomely. Where did they sell out?

Peace simply gained some TV time and got paid. At no point did they change their music to suit the weak-minded (you know, that lot that think Mumford and Sons are the 21st century answer to Bob Dylan), but simply earned some money to do what they love doing and mingling with a couple of celebrities. Plus, not all of MIC is bad, I've heard that Proudlock guy is a laugh.

Those who call them sell outs are forgetting that bands hardly make money off CDs these days and playing live is where they make their money. A huge number of people watch Made In Chelsea as well, why not let them hear you if they haven't already? You may gain a few fans and you may make them want to search for other bands. That's a win-win-win. 

And to finish, sell outs don't play three free (that's hard to say) shows for their fans. They have a great personality towards music and they don't compromise to appeal to the boring rock fans. Hell, I'd do it to get some money and let everyone know about my band.

So to Harry Koisser and co, Peace x