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22 June, 15:03
Drive Music Media
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MOSAICS, Puma Theory, and Maudlin: A Musical Tale of London’s Evening at The Finsbury Pub

On Saturday, June 21, musical magic struck again at London’s The Finsbury pub, where the stage was graced by early-2000s-flavored indie rock band MOSAICS, alternative rock group Puma Theory, and cinematic indie artist Maudlin.

Discover what an evening in London can feel like in the report by Drive Music Media journalist Asya Radko.

The evening kicked off with a performance by Maudlin, who energized the crowd with heavy guitar riffs and pounding drums.

In the dimly lit room, glowing with vibrant stage lights, people stood close to the stage with their friends, as the artist shared his raw, heartfelt energy with the audience.

The next band to take the stage was Puma Theory, an alternative rock duo delivering a heavy yet melodic sound, led by Jacob Holroyd and Cameron Smith. On drums was Josh Seetanah, who also plays with MOSAICS.

Puma Theory’s music delves into questions of identity, and last night the audience got to experience the atmosphere of several of their tracks — including “Hit & Run,” “You’ve Got Me Where I Need To Be,” “Foolish Boy,” “Inside Out,” “Telephone Man,” “Stuck On You,” and “Sobering Lights.”

Puma Theory told Drive Music Media how they prepared for the show and what they felt afterward:

“We were really excited to play The Finsbury. It’s where Cam and I played our first London show together many years ago in a previous band, so our time before the show was spent reminiscing the times we’ve had at the venue.

The crowd gave a great energy and were super receptive, we felt a real buzz from the room whilst on stage. This helped us relax into the set, and emotionally dive into the stories of our songs and convey them as honestly as possible on the night, which is all we ever want to do.

We played our latest single Foolish Boy in the set. It’s currently our favorite song to play live. It’s based on the all-too-often damaging relationships that you can find yourself in in everyday life, which is something that unfortunately, I think we can all relate to. At its core, it’s a story about toxic behaviors and how they can affect you without you even realizing it — until it’s too late.

A highlight of the night and a first for us was definitely sharing a green room with a hamster. I hope he didn’t mind my vocal warm-ups.”

The evening was brought to a close by the indie rock band MOSAICS with their emotional and explosive set.

The band features Owen Castillo with his soulful vocals, Stu Smith on electric guitar and backing vocals with a wild, untamed energy, El Modena — a charismatic bassist who also adds harmonies — and Josh Seetanah, keeping the pulse alive with his powerful drumming.

Back in January, Drive Music Media interviewed MOSAICS about their journey in music and the release of their emotional single “Different People” — a collaboration with British singer-songwriter James McCartney.

The song emerged in a small apartment, capturing Stu and Owen’s personal journey through their move and everything it meant.

Also, MOSAICS recently released a new single — Late to the Party.

The Finsbury pub is where musical magic comes to life — a place where anyone can discover the rising artists of our time.

Pictures were taken by Sonat Gökdemir and C. White Shyamalan

21 January, 00:40
Drive Music Media

MJ Kim is a photographer who believes that the most important thing in portrait photography is for people to be truly seen; that landscapes should be more than just a beautiful visual — they should convey atmosphere; and that concert shots should evoke new feelings every time and remain unique. For him, photography is about living moments. Not about perfection, but about that very frame he captures during the many years of touring with Paul McCartney — even when it’s the completely unglamorous view from a hotel window. In portrait photography, it always starts with a conversation — with contact and presence. Only then does everything become real. MJ Kim has been Paul McCartney’s personal photographer since 2008 and recently returned from McCartney’s months-long Get Back 2025 tour across North America. He has created profound portraits of Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, Natalie Portman, and many others, and has documented key moments that have become part of music history. His path in photography began by chance. He simply needed a job — and became a photojournalist in London. That decision became a turning point, the very accident that shaped his future and led him to who he is today. About how he senses “the moment,” the hardest and most important part of touring with Paul McCartney, his project Rooms Without A View, and the mission he carries as a photographer — shared with Asya Radko, founder of Drive Music Media.

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25 December, 14:50
Drive Music Media

Hugo Nicolau is a Portuguese actor, photojournalist, and musician who played the lead role in the profound social short film Avenue to Nowhere, directed by Jacob Migicovsky — a project that became deeply personal and significant for him. This year, Hugo also appeared as a Maître D’ in Johnny Depp’s second directorial film, Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, and attended three major premieres: the world premiere at the San Sebastián Film Festival, the UK premiere in London, and the North American premiere in Los Angeles. Hugo’s creative journey began with music — from classical piano training to performing in successful rock bands such as Slave and Mary Me. Among all artistic disciplines, music has remained the one constant in his life. His path then led him from studying economics to the media field — specifically photojournalism, where he worked with a strong ethical focus on respecting personal boundaries and developed a sharp eye for detail. Photography became Hugo’s second great love and an essential foundation for his artistic sensitivity. Acting entered his life unexpectedly in 2001 and has remained with him ever since, gradually becoming a central part of his creative identity. All the disciplines he has been involved in have shaped and enriched his work as an actor, helping him bring his characters to life on screen. About the role of music in his life, his work as a photojournalist for the Portuguese newspaper O Comércio do Porto, and his approach to choosing roles, Hugo opens up in conversation with Asya Radko, founder of Drive Music Media.

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