These Words Are: On

The Chameleon - Nick Turner

2011-12-28T16:15:00.001Z

Paul Klotschkow put some questions to Nottingham raconteur Nick Turner, the man who runs The Chameleon...

Nick Turner in The Chameleon - photo by Carla Mundy

How did you end up running The Chameleon?
I first came here in 2007, but I’ve known the place since 1995, when when it used to
be Raffles. When we started, it was a café and we only put fourteen gigs on in the first
year. Cafés don’t make any money any more, so we’re just a gig venue now. We put on about 160 per year.

You’re very supportive of the Notts DIY music scene.
We specialise in indie/ underground stuff; anything from noise music to hardcore to pop to indie rock to jazz to folk. We try to cover a wide spectrum, but because we are running a business, there are certain things that we can’t put on. Stuff like Straight Edge; they don’t spend any money on alcohol, and they don’t drink enough pop to keep the place going, so we have to try and avoid them. Nothing against them – but you’ve got to make money to survive.

So what are you trying to do here?
This is a launch pad for bands. Most of them aren’t going to make it, and most of them aren’t even going to bother to try. Some of them are good, some of them are terrible, but they’ve got their mates to come down. Some of them do it for a laugh, others have big ideas. Everyone has got to start somewhere and everyone started in the small places.

Nick Turner outside The Chameleon
- photo by Carla Mundy

Do you have any favourite Nottingham bands?
You’re putting me in to a corner here, aren’t you? Fists are a good band. The Cult of Dom Keller – OK, they get a bit drunk, but when they are sober they’re alright. Human Hair, who’ve just played.

Is it tough to run a small independent venue like this in the city?
If you want to support your small independent venues you’ve got to get out and watch live
music. We are forever getting hit by extra costs, and the Council just don’t want to help. We’re not attached to a brewery or a big company; we’re doing this on our own. What people need to understand is that if they don’t keep the small venues alive, bands will just end up playing their instruments in their own backyard.

The venues that have failed - what did they do wrong?
I don’t think that they did anything wrong, apart from the fact that the customers just didn’t bother going. Town is a funny place nowadays; every year you’re going to get a different crowd in because of the students. In their first year they’re messing about, going to lots of different places, whilst we are more of a cultured type thing. Eventually, some will come here because a band is on, then say that they like this place, because it’s a bit out of the way and they didn’t know about it – even thought it’s opposite the Square. And that’s what we’re trying to be; a bit undercover, where all people are welcome as long as they relax and get into the music.

The Chameleon on Facebook

Interview for LeftLion #44

Kirk Spencer

2011-12-28T16:01:00.000Z

Playlisted on Radio One, 1Xtra and 6Music, slots at Reading and Leeds: all in a year's work for Radcliffe-on-Trent's finest. Interview: Paul Klotschkow

Kirk Spencer in his home studio - photo by David Baird

Are you a Nottingham lad?
I’m from Radcliffe-on-Trent way; it’s outside of the main part of Nottingham but it’s great as I’ve got all of my friends there.

What is your earliest musical memory?
It has to be buying Spice Girls, and Five...I went to see Five at the Ice Arena.

Are you a big pop fan then?
Every kid kind of likes pop. I listened to my dad’s music, stuff like Bob Marley; and my mum’s music, which is quite Eastern influenced. She’s a yoga teacher.

So having that whole ‘Eastern’ sound on Enter The Void isn’t some trend thing, it’s because you grew up listening to it...
Yeah, but it’s only been in recent years where I’ve really got into that type of music. At the moment I’m listening to a lot of psychedelic music from the sixties to early seventies of which a lot is influenced by Eastern music.

What was the first record you bought with your own money?
I can’t actually remember... it could have been a Spice Girls one. I didn’t used to spend my money on music a lot.

Are you of the generation who have grown up with downloading music for free?
I think I am of that generation. It’s only recently I’ve been getting back in to buying music, as a kid I downloaded albums. I downloaded all of Radiohead’s albums, but when they released In Rainbows, I bought the full package and the tab book. I also buy music now because if I DJ with it, I need the quality to be high.

Do you think that as a musician, you can now see how people getting music for free has affected the traditional way of listening and purchasing music?
I can see how it is messing up the industry, but on the other hand I’ve discovered so many artists that are great and then gone on to see them play live; it’s a two way thing. The old
model has to change at some point; everything has to change.

How did you progress to making your own music?
I started playing in a band and at school I found out about this project that was happening down at Community Recording Studios. I went there and met Trevor Rose and Nick Stez, who run the studios. They gave me the skills to learn how to produce; CRS is a studio where lots of things are happening, so you can get involved in lots of different aspects of making music. I’m still learning now.

You’ve been played on Radio One a few times now, how did that happen?
I found a short film on Vimeo that was set in India and the first track that I made for it was called Flying Through India. I listened to Nihal’s show on Radio One every week, so I sent it to him via Soundcloud and he played it. He didn’t just play it once he played it for four weeks. A lot of people you have to chase up, but I didn’t with Nihal - from that start he just liked like the track.

You’ve got three EPs out - has your sound changed much over them?
I guess it has, although I don’t actually know. I’m not sure if my approach to making music has changed, but people are constantly changing. Depending on what kind of mood I’m in,
the music I make will change and I’m teaching myself new stuff every day.

Which label are you working with?
I’m getting interest from some indies and some majors. A track that I did with Marita called Gold got on the Radio One playlist, so a lot of people heard that which helps. I’d like to get signed, just for the fact that it might help me see the world.

How do you re-create your music live?
Luckily I’ve got an amazingly tight drummer, Ben Fawce and I’ve got Marita who acts as the hype person and sings. It’s been awesome working with them. I’ve always listened to bands like Rage Against The Machine who literally rip up the stage and that is what I want to create, I haven’t done it yet, but I’m still working on the live show and some new tunes so I can create that effect. Getting a good reaction from a live crowd is one of time working on your music.

Will you expand in to a full band set-up?
I’m working on a band project at the moment with Faley from Late of the Pier, which is really fun.

You are also a dab hand at doing remixes. How many people have you done remixes for?
Not that many, I’ve turned down quite a few. Unless it is for a decent label then I don’t see the point. But recently I’ve done two remixes for a Playstation game called Unchartered 3. At the moment I’m working on quite a big track that I can’t actually talk about.

How do you put your stamp on a remix?
Sometimes I’ll listen to a track and there might only be a two words in the whole track that I like, so I would just use those two words. Same with a synth part, I’m not scared to take out a synth part and do a whole track around that. It’s just grabbing the bits I like.

What current Nottingham music are you listening to?
I’ve always thought that Origamibiro are really inspirational. Some of the artists and graphic designers like Jon Burgerman and even filmmakers like Shane Meadows, they all inspire me. Bands like Late of the Pier because of their success and they way they got their stuff to look and sound.

How do you class yourself - are you a musician, producer, DJ or what?
I would say that I am more of an artist. I’m not doing anything completely out of the ordinary though, I’m influenced by people like Flying Lotus and they get called electronic artists, so I’m going with that.

Is the city a supportive place for you to make music, or do you need to move elsewhere to step up?
Nottingham’s been amazing; growing up here and going to nights like Wigflex and some of the nights that Dealmaker do. There’s still loads more that can happen in the city, but whether it does happen is a different matter. I think I will go to India; I want to see the whole world and all I really need is my laptop to make music. I’m also working on some sketches with my mate and hoping to do a comedy podcast together by this time next year. I’m not a comedian but my mates are.

Why should whoever is reading this go out listen to your music?
Because just like you guys are, I’ve been reading LeftLion since I was a kid - so you could be me one day.

Kirk Spencer on Tumblr

Interview for LeftLion #44

Notts Record Labels

2011-12-28T15:39:00.000Z

Every local imprint we can think of, compiled by Paul Klotschkow. And if you've been missed, pleased don't feel dissed...

49s Versus Dolphins

Specialists in limited edition, handmade releases by bands with a penchant for American post-hardcore. Recent projects include compilation Touchdowns #1, a label supergroup called Sneinton, a stream of gigs at the Chameleon and some gorgeously put-together
tapes.

49s vs Dolphins on Bandcamp

Adaptation Music

Internationally-sourced deep and soulful house label, with a few Notts artists on board. Sub-label, Cosmic Elements, covers lounge, chillout, jazz, funk and space disco. Has a strict demo policy, but is keen to work with new vocalists and musicians – and don’t rule out any producers as long as ‘they are consistent and produce quality music’

Adaption Music website

Bad News Records

The home of ASBO Peepshow, Fresh Eyes For The Dead Guy and Merciless Terror, Bad News veers towards the even darker side of metal, but isn’t interested in pigeonholing its artists, some of whom are as far-flung as the US and Russia. They accept demo submissions, but prefer physical CD, cassette, vinyl, and even wax cylinders to any of that digital rammell.

Bad News Records website

Connect For Music

On a mission to ‘create a soundtrack for the city of Nottingham’, CFORM focuses on exclusively Notts house, techno and electro. Set up in order to put out the tracks created by label owner Rich and his mates, they are, quote, ‘definitely open to demo submissions’.

Connect For Music on Tumblr

Dealmaker

The primo purveyors of downtempo beats, rap and jazz, the formerly Canning Circus-based Dealmaker is now comfortably ensconced on Broad Street and has multiple fingers in musical pies, including a very swish residency at Nottingham Contemporary. Yes, they accept demos, but via digital dropbox only.

The Dealmaker Label website

Denizen Recordings

With the likes of Hhymn, Origamibiro, Injured Birds and Kappa Gamma under their wing, Denizen – part of the Confetti empire - deal with 100% Notts-based artists at present, and are happy to stay that way for the foreseeable future. According to label boss Pete Fletcher, they are up for CD or online demo submissions, try to respond to everyone, and will check out your next gig if they think you’re worth it.

Denizen Recordings website

Earache

The legendary bedroom-based brainchild of Digby Pearson championed the very earliest death metal bands of the late eighties, and is now a worldwide concern a quarter of a century later. They now have offices in London and New York, but still keep a base in
Nottingham. Demo submissions welcome - email digby@earache. com with a link to your extreme and innovative sounds, or submit your YouTube clips via the website.

Earache Records website

The Elementz Productions

Specialists in all things bass, tropical and dark carnival, their leftfield club imprint takes in acts from all over the place. Not looking for demo submissions at the moment, but their Lace Market-based studio is available for hire.

The Elementz Productions website

Farmyard Records

According to owner Tommy Farmyard, this label’s oeuvre is ‘varied, eclectic, often beautiful, often dark, always melodic and accessible - a great representation of the talent oozing out of Nottingham’. Like all good farms, the produce is 100% locally sourced, with more to follow. Demos welcome, preferably Soundcloud-based

Farmyard Records on Facebook

Field Records

The self-styled ‘home for dysfunctional artists’ mainly deal with instrumental music that falls into the post-rock, post-hardcore, math and electronic genres. Whilst not Notts-exclusive, taken in the likes of Old Basford, Grain, You Slut! and Alright The Captain, and love to hear from bands and artists who already have stuff to listen to online.

Field Records website

Folkwit Records

A hugely eclectic label, spanning alternative folk roots and alt country through to lo-fi and experimental music, with a global network of artists on board – including a soupçon of local acts such as Andy Whittle, Jezz Hall, The Phil Langran Band and Nimming Ned. Happy to cock a tab at your demos – either drop ‘em an e with links to your online sounds, or upload tracks to their SoundCloud or Dropbox.
Folkwit Records website

Gringo Records

On the verge of a decade and a half of activity, Gringo are proud standard-bearers of, in their own words, ‘UK DIY excellence’, with roughly a third of their roster based in the Motherland. Owner Matt Newnham isn’t one to sift through demos – he’d rather deal with bands who are already self-sufficient and filter through to him through word
of mouth.

Gringo Records website

Hello Thor

The much-loved DIY indie label never set out to be Notts-only, but love the thought of working with artists they can regularly bump into at gigs or pop to the pub with, love to put on gigs and parties in Nottingham, and are constantly blown away by the talent in town. Constantly looking for, quote, ‘music that excites us’, they’re keen for even more demo submissions. As Nick Lawford, Thor’s Artist Liaison says; ‘Just say hello and give us gifts at gigs.’

Hello Thor website

Low Point

The very under-the-radar home of ambient, drone and experimental music, Low Point handles artists from all over the world. As owner Gareth Hardwick says; ‘As the music released by the label tends to be quite ‘niche’ at the best of times, limiting our output to just
Nottingham based artists would be incredibly restrictive!’ As such, the demo-to-release ratio is small – definitely ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you’ territory.

Low Point website

Mimm

The music wing of the multi-faceted design empire (situated right next door to Dealmaker) concentrates on the eclectic fringes of the dance spectrum, and specialises in producing exquisite limited edition vinylartwork- and-t-shirt/jumper packages, from the likes of Spam Chop. Predominantly, but not exclusively, consisting of all-Notts artists, their release schedule for 2012 is completely blocked out, but they are interested in hearing new stuff.

Mimm Records website

White Horse Records

Electronic dance label who – while casting the net far and wide – are always keeping an ear to the ground in the NG. House, dubstep, synth pop and drum and bass demos welcome – send ‘em via the website.

White Horse Records website

Wigflex Records

The type of music put out buy this label can, according to designer / promoter / manager, Spam Chop, be summed up by the words ‘gloop’, ‘wobble’ and ‘click’. The majority of the roster is either Notts-based or from here originally, but not exclusively. Demos always welcome; lob them in the direction of the website.

Wigflex Records website

Compiled for LeftLion #44

Roger Caney

2011-12-28T15:29:00.002Z

Let the champion gig-goer of the Shire lead you through the toilet venues of Nottingham past and present.

Roger Caney - photo by Claudette Jarvis

Why?
“Because going to see live music is always different - even the bands I love can be different every time I go and see them. I’m just constantly amazed at the depth of talent here in Nottingham; the list of bands that I like at the moment is just endless. I probably go to around three or four gigs a week, depending on what’s on - they sometimes clash with arty things that I like going to too. I must start keeping a log”.

The Old Vic
“I’ve been in Nottingham since 1973, but only really started gigging in the eighties. I was sharing a flat with some folk and they said they were off to a gig in the basement at the Old Vic. There were a couple of punky bands from somewhere up North who had been brought down by Paul Kilbride who had recently moved here. It’s now Eschucha”

Sam Fay’s
“Paul later started a listings mag called Overall and started promoting gigs at a venue located in some old engine sheds off London Road by the Canal (later to be Hooters). Here, apart from all the visiting talent, local DJs such as Walt (Sweet Potato) and Nail (now of Bent) had nights, and I saw some of the early gigs by local bands such as Wholesome Fish, and promotions by Anton Lockwood.”

The Yorker
“One night when my son Morgan was staying over, a band was rehearsing downstairs. I went down to complain about the noise keeping him awake, and ended up in the band. They were called The Decline. We played gigs in Nottingham, with my favourite being upstairs in The Yorker on the day Laurence Olivier died in July of ’89 - I did vocals for Sympathy for the Devil with a slow first verse in an Olivier stylee. The tatty cassette recording of this gig makes my tenor sound not bad. It’s now the Rose of England”

Roger Caney - photo by Claudette Jarvis

Junktion 7
“About ten years ago I was working on Alfreton Road, about five minutes walk from J7, so I would often pop in for a quick drink after work, end up watching a gig, and stumble home after midnight. This was the days when Adrian, his missus and her sister Tammy were running the place, and we had loads of locals on. This was where I saw the great Notts ska-punk revival start with people like Weeble. Also, there was this attractive redhaired
woman who was a good sound engineer and did a bi-weekly CD DJ set in the downstairs bar, indulging her obsession with sixties pop/soul. This was Roni, who I ran into a couple of years later at The Rescue Rooms gig – and later discovered that she was now known as Ronika and about to be big...”

Bunkers Hill
“One night I ran into a bizarre little band called Master, who told me about a band a couple of them had recently started up at Trent and the gig they had lined up at Bunkers Hill. They became The Hellset Orchestra, one of the first and best prog-goth-rock revival bands, started by Michael Weatherburn with some guys from his rock band Maelkar. Michael, of course, is now back being a rock-god with Ulysses Storm”

Moog
“The first incarnation of Moog had the highest quota of electronic acts of all types that I’ve seen in Nottingham - some worldwide, and also local acts and DJs, my favourite being Ill Tim who is now one of the Molten Gods. A favourite band for me - possible bias alert - was Laboratoire, which had a core of my son Morgan, with two other laptoppers; Leigh Toro (Molten Gods/ Flotel) and Kamal Joury (Geiom)”

On being known as ‘That Bloke Who Goes To Gigs’
“It feels a bit odd. I don’t want to become even more of a freak, but people seem to want to party, so let’s party. I’ll only stop going to gigs when they tear my last glowstick from my cold, dead hand. Or when I start grandad dancing”

Interview for LeftLion #44

Annie's Burger Shack

2011-12-28T15:21:00.003Z

The sloppy joe at the Navigation

Since being taken over by new owners in the summer, The Navigation has undergone a makeover, started to build a rep as a gig and event venue, and – most importantly for this section of the website – has swooped in to recruit Annie and her renowned Burger Shack from the Old Angel. This makes the Nav a pretty hectic place at the best of times; when we rocked up there were three Rockabilly bands playing downstairs, and a craft fair on upstairs.

As at the Angel, each of the burgers have a theme, mainly musical, with relevant toppings. The ‘Thin Lizzy’ (£6.90) has Guinness as an ingredient, whilst the heart-stopping ‘Elvis’ (£6.90) has peanut butter and jam. There’s three options for fries - straight, curly and wedges – and it’s all presented on a wooden slat with a couple of sliced gherkins for garnish. Another huge tick in the ‘win’ column for this place is that, unlike other places where vegetarians are often fobbed off with one or two options on the menu, all 24 of the burgers on the menu can be made for vegans and vegetarians, while the actual beef is locally sourced.

My friend and I opt for the ‘Howlin’ Lord’ (£7.50) and the ‘BB King’ (£6.90), our choices possibly subliminally dictated to us by the Blues tunes that fill the pub when we first got there. The latter is drenched in BBQ Sauce and topped with onions and cheese. We take the Quorn option, but it’s more than enough to satiate even the meatiest of appetites. Eating it is a sloppy, but fun experience as the sauce makes its way all over my face and hands. It’s not often that I can say that the simple act of eating a burger is an outright delight, but this is one time when it definitely is.

Our second choice - the ‘Howlin’ Lord’ - consists of cheddar, jalapeños, black olives, onions, peppers, chilil paste and – gasp - a whole grilled Scotch bonnet pepper. When ordering it, I was advised by the relentlessly cheerful and super-helpful Annie that I’ll need a fire extinguisher. My companion dares me to eat the Scotch bonnet pepper whole. I do, because I’m an idiot. I step through the looking glass into a world of searingly hot sweats and dizzy lightheadedness. According to my companion, who has not immolated his tastebuds, the actual burger is spicy and sweet in equal measure, but not overpowered by heat and is bursting with flavour.

Annie’s Burger Shack proudly claims to serve the best authentic American burgers in the UK. And you know what? They’re probably right.

6 Wilford Street, NG2 1AA. Tel: 0115 8087280

The Navigation website
Annie's Burger Shack website

Noshingham review for LeftLion.

Fists-O-Maza - Money For Nothing (17 December 2011)

2011-12-18T22:00:00.000Z

Fists-o-maza cover Dire Straits for the 10th Annual Damn You Christmas Covers Party at The Bodega in Nottingham.

The 10th Annual Damn You Christmas Covers Party

Fists website
Kogumaza website

Grey Hairs - Down Down (17 December 2011)

2011-12-17T13:55:00.001Z

Grey Hairs get their denim on and cover Status Quo at The Chameleon Christmas Party.

Grey Hairs website

The 10th Annual Damn You Christmas Covers Party

2011-12-16T14:06:00.000Z

For those of you who haven't experienced Christmas Covers before...it's the Nottingham music scene's funnest, silliest, most booze soaked and most joyous evening. Eight local bands play distinctly unseasonal pop hits in the name of a deserving local charity.

This year will feature eight of Nottingham's finest bands including SWIMMING, HHMYN, AUGUST ACTUALLY, GUILTY PARENTS and a couple of specially formed projects featuring members of FISTS, KOGUMAZA, GARRISON, POPPY SEED, SOUVARIS and CANTALOUPE.

Now in its 10th year, Chris from promoters Damn You! tells LeftLion why it's become such a highlight of the Notts music calendar.

For the uninitiated how would you describe the Christmas Covers Party?
It’s like the office Christmas Party for Nottingham bands. A chance to unwind at the end of the year and do something stupid. Put your arse on the photocopier or snog the person in accounts you’ve always fancied. Metaphorically of course.

How did the idea come about?
A gang of us used to do a monthly club night called Why Can’t We Just All Get Along? and it came out of that. I can’t take any credit for the idea as I believe it was the folks in the band Seachange who originally schemed it up and what a good idea it was.

What makes it different from the usual covers nights you get around town?
It’s better - simple as that. It’s developed over the years so now any idea a band might have of covering something that is somehow “cool” or in keeping with their normal bands is pretty much out of the window. It’s genuinely the highlight of the year for me and a lot of people because it’s good to see otherwise serious music types doing something silly for once. The standards are always really high as well, people really raise their game for it so it’s only ever a shambles in a good way.

Can you remember much about the first one?
Not at all. I can remember playing with Wolves Of Greece and we did New Rose by The Damned and Clear Spot by Captain Beefheart. I recall Punish The Atom doing Cokane In My Brain by Dillinger as well. I believe the first year was recorded somewhere but I hope to God it never surfaces.

This year’s is the 10th anniversary – why do you keep doing it?
Like I said, it’s brilliant fun. Any time we’ve considered not doing it people have been really upset and so we’ve given in and put it together again. That says something I think. Plus there are now versions in London, Brighton, Portsmouth and Geneva happening...

Elvis Presley Always on My Mind at The Damn You Christmas Covers Party 2008

It’s almost become a bit of an institution, are you surprised that it has lasted this long?
Not really, playing covers is good fun and the night always brings people in bands together so it’s inevitable that people will always have enthusiasm for it. Plus, it’s a rare occasion where getting pretty messy is acceptable and we all like a bit of that.

What are your highlights of Christmas Covers past?
I think The Chemistry Experiment’s regular appearances have always somehow raised the bar of what is expected from a band. They were the first band to really take the idea and go with it and make it something extraordinary, so I have to say every time they’ve played has been amazing.
Other things that stick in my mind are Scout Niblett doing Black Sabbath, Savoy Grand doing I Want To Know What Love Is and the incredible medley of Godspeed You Black Emperor and Gold by Spandau Ballet that happened at the London one a few years back. Mind blowing! Then there was the Maneater/Maneater Nelly Furtado/Hall & Oates medley by Jingle Belles. And how can I forget Wander Phantom tackling Ol Dirty Bastard? Brave lads.

Some of my own favourite musical memories have happened at Christmas Covers but (from my point of view) our set of Elvis covers from a few years ago complete with Elvis impersonator in jumpsuit is going to take some beating. I cried a bit when we were playing Always On My Mind. I was pretty hammered though.

What can we expect at this year’s covers party?
More of the same but bigger and better! We’re aiming to break our fundraising records this year and all the cash is going to Nottinghamshire Hospice where we think the money would be most appreciated, so we urge everyone to not only come along but to donate any change throughout the night as well. After all, that’s what it’s about. I can also confirm that you can expect some serious squeezing going on onstage as some of the bands have far too many members.
The awesome bands involved this year either in their own right or in ill-advised supergroups put together for the occasion are – Swimming, Fists, Souvaris, Savoy Grand, Kogumaza, Guilty Parents, August Actually, Fonda 500, Garrison, Cantaloupe, 8mm Orchestra, Hhymn...

Undoubtedly the highlight of the millenium for Nottingham music!

Has anyone ever turned up and played the same songs?
The setlists are always a closely guarded secret, but a few years back 2 bands played the same song by The Doors (serves them right for covering The Doors), so now we have an adjudicator who vets the choices to make sure no one else is doing/has done them. It’s very professional Paul. It might not sound it but we run a tight ship here mate.

Is there one song that you’ve always wanted to hear covered but no one’s done it yet?
That’d be telling. There is one and we came so close to doing it one year but it was like the Holy Grail or the secrets of the Sphinx, impossible to tackle, unscalable, insurmountable. One year though.

Fists Breaking The Law at the Damn You Christmas Covers Party 2009

Away from the Christmas Covers nights, what is your favourite cover version and why?
Easy peasy – At Last I Am Free by Chic covered by Robert Wyatt. With All Along The Watchtower by Dylan covered by Hendrix coming in a close second.

Finally, for those reading this who have never been, what would you say to them to get them to come to the Xmas Covers party?
It’s the best musical night of the year. No chin stroking. No coolness. Just a lot of merriment and fun all in the name of charity. That’s what Christmas is about right?

The 10th Annual Damn You Christmas Covers Party with Swimming, Fists-O-Maza, Hhymn, Unique Moments, Blade Runner The Band, August Actually, Guilty Parents, The Lukewarm Equation and Burly Nagasaki takes place at The Bodega on Saturday 17 December 2011.

Raising Money for Notts Hospice.

The 10th Annual Damn You Christmas Covers Party website
The Damn You Christmas Covers Party Database Project

Original article for LeftLion.

Grey Hairs - Rescue Rooms (23 November 2011)

2011-11-27T19:23:00.001Z

Ther Art of Noise...Grey Hairs live at the Rescue Rooms - Photo by Paul Klotschkow

It may only be their second show, but you can hardly tell as Grey Hairs launch in to a taught, tight and and dogged set that left your ears feeling like they had been touched-up in all manner of inappropriate ways.

The band, made up of local music-types from other Notts bands such as Fists, The Cult of Dom Keller, Kogumaza and Paper Plane Crash, line-up on stage like they are just about to get down to a rehearsal and not play to a hundred or so people in the Red Room of the Rescue Rooms. They stand around in circle type formation and play to themselves as much they do to the audience.

The vocals are deliberately murky and kept low in the mix, and sound as if they are trying to fight their way through a wall of static. It works perfectly though as this band seem to be all about creating fuzzy textures and grainy dynamics. Imagine taking a photograph and photocopying it, then photocopying the photocopy and repeating this process until all that you are left with a is a distorted black and white image with only a faint outline of the original photo. This is how Grey Hairs sound.

It’s heavy, but not heavy in a ‘metal’ sense of the word, but more in the physical, crushing way you feel the music pushing down on you. This is all down to the sheer volume and raucous playing of the band. The pummeling fuzzed-out bass holds court laying down the foundations, leaving room for the guitar to lay waste to whatever hearing you have left; playing with swagger, flair and firing out riffs like it’s still 1991 and Sub Pop have got a couple of A&R men are in the room. Behind all this is the Grey Hairs secret weapon - the drums. The driving force for the whole thing; they crash and smash creating one almighty racket, and are the glue that holds the whole thing together

Yes, it’s unabashedly grunge, with the slabs of guitar often reminiscent of Mudhoney, yet you could see them lining up alongside more recent punky types such as Male Bonding, especially with their skittering energy. This is the art of noise and what a glorious sound it is.

Grey Hairs played in the Red Room of the Rescue Rooms on Wednesday 23 November 2011.

Grey Hairs Facebook

Original Review for LeftLion.

Smashing Pumpkins - Sheffield Academy (18 November 2011)

2011-11-20T11:14:00.001Z

Unlike with previous tours since their 2007 re-boot, tonight is a drama free Smashing Pumpkins gig experience. Gone are the silly costumes (well, Billy Corgan is sporting what appears to be a long-sleeve tshirt with the image of the Turin Shroud on it), the even sillier headwear and the tantrums aimed at fans. What we do get is a heads down, no nonsense intimate rock club show; with the majority of the set made up of new tracks alongside nuggets from Siamese Dream, and a handful each from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Pisces Iscariot and debut album Gish.

The opening double-header of Quasar and Panopticon, from the soon to be released Oceania, sidle up alongside the cuts from Siamese Dream perfectly. They are full of that classic Smashing Pumpkins sounds - creamy and thick guitars that feel they could engulf whole planetary systems with dreamy and psychedelic breakdowns. Next to Starla, which follows, they don’t seems out of place at all. What’s more fascinating is that the crowd don’t seem bored by the band opening with two unreleased tracks; both are welcomed with enthusiastic cheers. Perhaps it’s the nagging sense of familiarity that these songs bring, the excitement of seeing the band up on stage, or it could just be that these are genuinely good songs.

Geek USA sees the first of many moshpits start-up down the front and it’s played with brute force. It’s definitely the Siamese Dreams songs that are greeted with more enthusiasm than others. Soma seems to have become the Stairway To Heaven of the 90s Alt. Rock cannon - a much coveted track that builds up gradually in to a towering pillar of guitars; and when it takes off, boy, it goes inter-galactic as the Smashing Pumpkins spaceship takes-off.

All in all, it’s a varied set that elicits elation at every twist and turn. Frail and Bedazzled is a joy to behold and brings sheer delight to this particular reviewer and Window Paine is a rare treat that brightens up the first part of the set.

There are points though where it does feel the band are going through the motions and are playing the ‘crowd pleasers’ just to appease the more casual fan who perhaps don’t want to hear, say, an evening of crammed full of Machina and Zeitgeist album tracks. For instance, Muzzle is cast away early on and in such a slip-shod fashion that Billy fluffs the first few opening lines. It’s also telling that aside from songs destined for Oceania and the lone Teargarden by Kaleidyscope track (Lightning Strikes), nothing post 1995 is played. But with Gish and Siamese Dream re-issues to shift, it perhaps makes sense to remind people of these era-defining albums, but there is a feeling at the back of my mind that nostalgic revisionism is at play.

So tonight we get 2 hours of Smashing Pumpkins at their rocking best. Interaction with the audience is minimal, with the band preferring to keep their heads down and tear their way through their back catalogue and touting what, going on tonight’s performance, is set to be a new Smashing Pumpkins album that proudly harks back to their earlier output.

Set list
1) Quasar
2) Panopticon
3) Starla
4) Geek USA
5) Window Paine
6) Lightning Strikes
7) Siva
8) Muzzle
9) Oceania
10) Frail and Bedazzled
11) Silverfuck
12) Pinwheels
13) Pale Horse
14) Soma
15) Thru the Eyes of Ruby (with I Am One tease)
16) Cherub Rock
Encore:
17) Zero
18) Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Grey Hairs

2011-11-15T22:50:00.000Z

If I'm going to try and kick-start this blog back in to life, it may have been with something that I have done recently. With that in mind, here are a couple of videos of a band some friends of mine have put together called Grey Hairs. They've not played a gig yet, but I recently interviewed them for the LeftLion website. I'll try and throw the interview up here when I get a moment.

For fans of beer and volume.

Grey Hairs website

TUMBLR: Cult of Dom Keller - Swamp Heron Blues

2011-11-15T22:39:00.001Z

TUMBLR - Spotlight Kid - Forget Yourself In Me

2011-11-15T22:28:00.001Z

TUMBLR: Fists - Stag

2011-11-15T22:23:00.001Z

TUMBLR: Lone - Feral (Radiohead RMX)

2011-08-12T11:18:00.000Z

LIVE: Let's Wrestle, Warm Brains, Weird Menance and Fists

2011-08-06T17:08:00.000Z

Let's Wrestle

It’s always a pleasure watching Fists, whether they are smashing their way through a set at the Rescue Rooms, bringing the sunshine at a local festival or playing an intense set in a dark and sweaty tiny room above a café - which is what we get tonight.

Some say that familiarity breeds content, but that isn’t the case with Fists, a band I’ve seen so many times they could call me a stalker. Tonight they re-confirm everything that I love about them. Yes, they’re a little bit ramshackle and seem to be held together by some magical force that stops them from collapsing in on themselves; and without sounding too patronising, it’s part of their charm and one of the reasons why they are so great. They exist in their own little world and like musical magpies cherry pick their way through the last 50 years of modern music wearing their influences with pride. There are bits of rock n roll, garage rock, country and college rock, and with their sound even more dirtier, darker and heavier than before they are really hitting their stride. If they aren’t already, they really should be your new favourite band.

Weird Menace are so new and have only played literally a handful of gigs that they come draped in a fog of mystery. This soon dissipates as they squeeze out a gritty wall of fuzz with the guitarist making her guitar sound like sandpaper scraping against the speakers as the bass and drums grind out tight angular rhythms. There are the usual noise rock references in their loud squall such as Sonic Youth, although Weird Menace have more of an ice cool air about them. Their secret weapon is the bass guitarist who makes her instrument creep around like Peter Hook on tip toes, giving the whole thing an early New Order vibe before they went dance and if they ever attempted to go grunge.

Warm Brains are fronted by former Test Icicles drummer and DIY producer Rory Bratwell, whose yelp immediately reminds me is some places of Peter Shelley, which is more than apt, as the band’s enthused energy and brittle punk sound is reminiscent of early Buzzcocks. Despite their brash sound and attempts to bury their songs in muddy guitars, deep down this is still classic pop music, with the melodies kicking and screaming their way to the foreground through the din of reverb and the clatter of drums. It makes for a very woozy and breezy set that jumps between lo-fi indie that’s a bit shoegazey in places through to 60s style garage jangle. It may seem a bit affected in places, but it’s fun and enjoyable stuff that will make their debut album an essential listen.

Mid-way through the Let’s Wrestle set someone cheekily shouts out for them to “play some Husker Du”, a rather cheeky reference to the fact the band’s obvious reference points are the slacker rock of the 80s and the early 90s. But Let’s Wrestle aren’t a Guided By Voice tribute act, and instead they use this as a loose fitting template for their own brand of raucous and spirited lo-fi indie rock that’s played with the passion of a band who mean every last second of it. They sound big too, possibly as a result of working with Steve Albini, and have the potential to bring down the walls around us. For anyone who likes their guitars to be warm and fuzzy and their lyrics dry and full of wit, then this would be your manna from plaid heaven.

Let’s Wrestle, Warm Brains, Weird Menace and Fists played at The Chameleon on Sunday 31 July 2011.

Why I Love Twitter

2011-08-06T15:02:00.000Z

Why I love Twitter. One of my musical heroes responding directly to one of my questions. I speak to band types all the time with LeftLion, but I still get excited when I get to communicate with someone I admire so much. I’m aware how geeky this is.

LIVE: Pilgrim Fathers, Baby Godzilla and Alright The Captain

2011-07-19T19:25:00.000Z

Pilgrim Fathers - photo by Thom Stone

The first band on tonight, Alright The Captain threaten to tear my eardrums to shreds and rattle my bones until I’m just a pile of mush on the Chameleon’s beer soaked floor. The band weld juggernaut sized riffs to a mind-melting array of time signatures and key changes. Math Rock be be a self-knowing and introverted genre, but ATC explore their music with glorious abandon. The guitars jitter around in a restless and schizophrenic manner and you don’t know where the band are going go from one minute to the next. Talking about music taking you on a ‘journey’ can sound a bit cheesy, but ATC make music that grabs you in a headlock and drags you along with it. There’s also a fun bit of crowd participation as they get the crowd to shout “honey badger, honey badger” before playing said song.

Baby Godzilla threaten to tear the venue a new one as they flood the room with relentless and heavy hardcore buzzsaw riffs and punky energy. If people were starting to flag after a week of nine to five then this is the perfect shot of energy - the music smashing you in the face to get your attention and wake you from your slumber. As usual, the stage area is not enough to contain the band and their energy and they burst amongst the audience making their set a full on immersive experience. Throaty screams whip up those at the front in to a moshing frenzy and set eventually implodes in on itself, because, as one mighty Canadian once said, it’s better to burn out then to fade away; and Baby Godzilla seem to have taken these words to heart.

Everything about Pilgrim Fathers makes me want to triumphantly punch the air. It could be that lead singer Shelf looks like he’s just come back from rummaging through Rob Halford’s linen basket or it’s because that the band make music that sounds like its been carved by the gods of metal as a present to us mere mortals. Heavy, psychedelic 70s rock is the obvious reference point, with the band churning out monster riffs that would make Tommy Iommi shake in his fairy boots; whilst the vocals burble and swirl around in a kaleidoscopic haze as if they’ve taken something they shouldn’t have. It’s all played with a cheeky wink in the eye, but they mean every last note they play.

Pilgrim Fathers, Baby Godzilla and Alright The Captain played at The Chameleon on Friday 15 July 2011.

...And Stars Collide

2011-07-19T19:19:00.000Z

...And Stars Collide interview

...And Stars Collide are getting ready to release their debut album The Courage To Start Again later this month and are playing a free launch gig in support of it at The Chameleon on Saturday 16 July. With this in mind and because we loved their previous releases, we decided it was about time we interviewed them...

Hello, how are you?
Chris: We’re all tired.

Who is in the band?
Tom: Chris and I play guitar, Rob plays bass, Andrew plays drums, and most of us played some level of keyboard part in the studio.

How did the band get together?
T: Back at university in 2005 I was looking to put a band together with a friend called Adam – we recruited Rob and a drummer called Jimmy and played one show with that line-up before Adam and Jimmy moved away. We replaced them with long-term friend Andrew and Chris in 2007, so the current incarnation has been a going concern for quite a while.

Where does the name come from?
T: Originally we had a name that was fourteen or fifteen words long, but the last three words were And Stars Collide, so to at least give us a chance we kept it to that. Also it’s a bit of a genre cliché to have a really long name…
Rob: …so we thought we’d just have an ellipsis at the beginning instead…

How would you describe your sound?
T: “Crescendocore” is a silly one that someone’s thrown at us. The starting point is “instrumental” really because a common comment, especially from people at work, is “when are you guys going to get a singer?”.
R: A band we played with once described us as “post-rock with emphasis on the rock”, which I quite liked.

How does the songwriting work in the band?
R: It’s quite democratic. Sometimes we just jam stuff out and we’ll be going round in circles until one riff sticks, gets a song built round it and then ends up mostly absent from the finished track. Other times someone will bring pretty much a whole song in for everyone to refine together.

What was you first gig like?
T: It was a Battle of the Bands heat.
R: I believe we came third out of five.
T: I’d been talking to a lot of people at university about putting a band together for ages, so it felt good to put my money where my mouth is.

What has been your favourite gig to play in Nottingham?
R: Probably supporting Pure Reason Revolution at the Social – decent sized crowd, good sound, sold a bunch of records…
C: Really good sound-check…
R: Yeah, we say it was our favourite gig, but you’ll still find it as the prime example of us complaining about not getting a sound-check.

What can we expect at your album launch gig?
R: Well, it’s free entry, so you have no entitlement to expect anything…
T: As it’s an album launch gig we’re going to be playing a lot of new material, although I think we have played all of our new songs live at least once now. We’re going to be playing for a fair bit longer than we’re used to.

Can you tell us a bit about your new album?
C: Factually, it’s forty-five minutes long and has seven songs on it.
Andrew: It was recorded in the space of a week in February at the Snug Recording Co. in Derby.
R: We were fortunate enough to work with three incredibly skilled engineers on it – Rob and Rich at Snug, and then the album was mastered in the US by Medi at Shelsmusic. We kind of went in to it saying that if we were going to do something as bold as an album then we’d make sure it was the absolute best that we could possibly come out with. I think certainly sound-wise those guys have really helped us deliver that – hopefully the song-writing will stand up for people as well. We’ve tried to make it a nice product too, so we’ve got some fairly fancy card and carefully-crafted artwork. Hopefully it’s a record people will want to buy and cherish rather than hijack off their favourite torrent site.

What has been your highlight of being in the band so far?
R: The first review we got was actually for our first EP from Rock Sound, which is obviously quite a renowned publication, so it was nice to have such a resounding endorsement of us committing ourselves to tape and pushing ourselves out into the wider world.
C:I’m going to say playing with Pure Reason.
T: I enjoyed playing with Rinoa in the Basement.
A: I really like it when a new song’s coming together, especially if it’s a jam and you’ve recorded it, though it never feels quite as good as when you’re actually jamming it.

What other music coming out of Nottingham are you currently enjoying?
R: Souvaris… You Slut from Derby…I’m less in touch with the local scene than I ought to be.
T: 8mm Orchestra and Union Station Massacre are in a similarish vein to us. Our buddies All The Empires Of The World have a new record out soon. My favourite is probably Pilgrim Fathers.
A: Prize Pets, if you can call them Nottingham still.

What is it like for a band in Nottingham trying to get gigs and support?
R: We struggle… I think that relates to an extent to how much we manage to interact with the local scene. There are some guys like Marty from Alright The Captain who put in a load of effort and have built up a decent underground. I do wonder how Nottingham compares to other cities in terms of getting support slots with bigger bands. I’ve been to plenty of gigs in places like Sheffield, Leeds or Birmingham where there appears to be an easier level of access to those kinds of opportunities. For a band like us in a niche style, there are only so many suitable chances you’re going to get, and to-date we tend not to.
C: I’m still mourning the death of Saggy Pants.
T: It’s difficult for small venues – Junktion 7’s been open and shut more times than a…
R: It’s a difficult balance to make because fundamentally it’s not that viable to put on small music shows. You can’t blame promoters – they don’t owe us anything and we wouldn’t pretend that for a second, but as a direct answer to the question then yes we do struggle. Our modest fan-base is spread quite widely around the world and while it’s exciting to sell CDs to Japan and America and Greece and wherever else, we struggle to get the momentum locally that can cascade into something more enduring.
T: To be honest we don’t put a great deal of effort into self-promotion and maintaining a “profile” and so we don’t tend to gig all that often. But I think that suits us really - I’d much rather play infrequently than be in one of those bands that is everywhere, overexposed.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
A: My favourite thing is to go on a pub crawl but no one ever seems to…
T: I’m well up for a Canning Circus pub crawl!
R: Canning Circus does have a good melee of drinking establishments.
C: Let’s do it.

What is your earliest musical memory?
T: I always remember being in the car going on long journeys and my dad would have The Beatles on or some old rock stuff like Black Sabbath or Hawkwind or something.
R: I don’t remember this because I was incredibly young at the time, but I’m told that when Live Aid was on when I was a couple of months old, I was sat on my granddad’s knee bouncing around to Rockin’ All Over The World, so that’s probably my first true musical experience.
A: My dad loves Status Quo, so we used to have Status Quo or The Kinks.
C: Mine was probably Dire Straits in the car.

If you were reincarnated what would you like to come back as?
T: Something that could fly, although I’d be shit scared because I don’t like heights.
C: Probably a horse.
R: I’d just be reincarnated as a person with some of my personality flaws taken away.
T: Only some of them?
R: Yeah, you’ve got to leave yourself room for improvement.
A: I might be taking this too seriously, I probably am, but the problem with coming back as an animal is that you can’t converse… do they converse?
R: You can converse, but you lose the richness of language that humans have afforded themselves over millions of years.

What’s next for the band?
T: We’re going to play some gigs around the country to support our new album…
R: We’ve been focused on making this album for really quite a long time and material-wise we’re back down to having about half a song, so I think it’s going to be quite a long road of composition slowly but surely over the coming months and realistically years, and we’ll see where that takes us.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
C: How have you stayed with us this long?!
A: Please buy our album.
T: Being in a band is great and we’d recommend it to everyone – I think we’re a good example of “if you enjoy what you’re doing, you can find the time to do it”. Writing music you want to hear and being able to connect with people through it is an incredibly rewarding experience.

...And Stars Collide album launch is at The Chameleon on Saturday 16 July 2011. It is free to get in..

The Courage To Start Again by ...And Stars Collide is available to buy now.

...And Stars Collide website

LIVE: The Petebox

2011-07-19T19:12:00.001Z

The Petebox live at The Bodega - Photo by Melimoi

Nottingham's prodigal son has returned and, for the home leg of his tour he has a full-on HoodTown line-up in support.

First up are Captain Dangerous, a band from the I'm Not From London stable who are quickly becoming Nottingham’s foremost purveyors of indie-pop. With bags of catchy riffs, quirky lyrics, gypsy-inspired violins and the occasional brass instrument all vying for attention, they are always a treat to see on stage.

Next up is Nina Smith, who has been The Petebox’s tour support on his whole week-long UK tour, but she admits that she’s most nervous about tonight’s show because she is playing in front of a home crowd. She needn’t have been because as soon as she starts singing the room melts and is hers for the taking.

Nina Smith live at The Bodega - Photo by Melimoi

Nina has a rare ability of being able to take heartache and pain and spin them in to golden soulful nuggets. Backed by her ‘boy band’, a stripped down outfit of acoustic guitar, bass and percussion, they leave space for Nina’s voice to weave its magic and it doesn't take long for you to be seduced under its spell.

Having seen her live numerous times over the past couple of years or so, she is really now starting to come in to her own performer and singer; and with her debut EP ready to drop, it seems that thing are only get better for Nina Smith.

Nina Smith live at The Bodega - Photo by Melimoi

It’s The Petebox's first solo gig in Nottingham for three years and it’s unfortunate that he’s neglected his home town for so long, because as tonight’s gig proves, he is a force to be reckoned with.

The first part of his set is made up of collection of self-penned songs that show that Petebox is not happy to rest on his laurels and has been giving himself the challenge of combining his award winning beatboxing skills with more traditional songwriting. Mixing up pop, rock, soul and hip hop to an astonishing effect, he lays bare the tricks of his trade and shares with us the arsenal of loop stations, samplers and koass pads he uses to manipulate his voice and build up the songs from the bare bones to a fully formed bangers. It’s extraordinary stuff watching him lay down a beat with his voice and then slowly breathe life in to a song layer by layer until it has the whole room shaking.

The Petebox live at The Bodega - Photo by Melimoi

We are also treated to a run through a heap of covers by bands as diverse as Nirvana and Crystal Castles, with Petebox acting the DJ and practically remixing the songs live in front of our eyes. His cover of Where Is My Mind? is given the biggest reception of the evening, which is bizarre as it’s not even the best thing he does, but after going viral it now has a life of its own and people have clearly taken it to their hearts.

But it’s at the end when he steps away from the covers and takes it “old school” that Petebox’s true talents are unleashed. Free of the shackles of sticking to a rigid song format, when he gives us some drum n bass style work outs by freestyling in to the mic you can’t help but be amazed at the sounds he can create using his voice. A true one-off talent and individual who hopefully won't stay away from his home town for too long again.

All photgraphs by Melimoi

The Petebox and Nina Smith played at The Bodega on Thursday 7 July 2011.

TUMBLR: The Petebox- Home Filmed Series #2

2011-07-19T19:06:00.000Z

TUMBLR - Kogumaza live at Dot To Dot 2011

2011-07-16T17:05:00.002Z

FSN Final: Harlikings

2011-07-10T13:58:00.000Z

Hello, how are you?
Excited for the final!

How would you describe your music?
We would say our music is toe tapping indie with a hint of jazz, combined together to create memorable melodies and catchy choruses.

What was your first thought when you found you were through to the Future Sound of Nottingham final?
Excitement! We couldn’t thank the fans enough. But we want to take that support right to the end now it’s so close!

You get to play at Rock City, pretty awesome right?
Yes! Can’t wait, literally a dream come true. We’ve all seen bands take to the main stage at Rock City and wanted to be in their shoes, and now having this chance is brilliant.

What can we expect from your set at Rock City?
We’re gonna play the fan’s favorites, and songs that get the crowd moving.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever seen at Rock City?
I’d say we’ve all got our separate favourites, as we have different influences. We just hope that one day, we are the band people consider their best gig they’ve been to.

Why did you decided to enter the FSN competition?
The thought of playing Splendour and Rock city was huge. But most of all, we wanted to be judged by the fans, the public and the professionals, and making it to the finals has been a huge boost of our determination to take it further.

What was it like to play in the Market Square in the semi-final?
Awesome. To see loads of people enjoying your music is the best feeling about being a musician. There were people we’ve never seen before moving and singing along by the last chorus.

Why do you think you should open the main stage at Splendour?
The majority of our fanbase are the same crowd that attend festivals like Splendour, we think we’d go down well and we know how to get a crowd going and warmed up for the rest of the bands performing. Our music does not apply to a niche audience and is easy on the ear for new fans which would be perfect for a festival opener we believe.

How long have you been playing and making music?
Just under two years together, but it’s only been this last year that we’ve pushed ourselves to get out there.

What is going through your head when you are up on stage?
This is awesome. We don’t want the last song to ever come along.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
Dance to good music!

What is your earliest musical memory?
We’ve all been in bands when back in school, so I’d say trying to compose a song with your mates for the first time, its always fun to see where you started.

How can people find out more about you?
Our website or our Facebook page.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
Check out our music, we hope you enjoy, we want to do the city of Nottingham proud!

The Future Sound of Nottingham Final takes place at Rock City this Sunday from 6.30-10pm. Entrance is free. No ticket required, just turn up and enjoy the fun!

Harlikings website

FSN Final: Tastebuds

2011-07-10T13:54:00.000Z

Hello, how are you?
Very good thanks

How would you describe your music?
Bloomin hate this question!! I don’t think we are easy to pigeon hole in to some categories. We have a lot of influences, particularly from the 60’s/70’s. We’re usually described as indie/folk/rock & pop. People have likened us to The Kinks, David Bowie, The Beatles and more recently The Coral, which is a lot to live up to, but great nonetheless..
"Catchy songs & bouncy beats with a bit of psychadelia thrown in to the mix" – I think that was a recent description by a reporter...

What was your first thought when you found you were through to the Future Sound of Nottingham final?
Get in – ROCK CITY!! We are really chuffed to have got through, we thought it was going to be a tough one as some other bands had such a good fanbase on Facebook (which was how votes were placed), and we thought we would have been knocked out by the other bands (not literally). We were overwhelmed with the support we got from everyone. Hopefully that’s a reflection on our music!

You get to play at Rock City, pretty awesome right?
Yes, this is the best thing about getting through. We had everything crossed hoping we’d get to the final just so that we could get on the Rock City stage, it’s the thing of legends. Especially all being from Notts, and going to the venue for years, we’re looking forward to getting the Rock City experience – the sound will be amazing on stage.

What can we expect from your set at Rock City?
It'll be like a mini Tastebuds gig...a good energy on stage, good energy off stage.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever seen at Rock City?
My most memorable would have to be my first. First proper gig ever, come to think of it; it was Placebo in 1999. Such volume and energy I had never experienced before, then halfway through one of the songs Brain Molko stopped and threatened the crowd "if anyone throws one more thing then thats fucking it, end of show". He'd just been hit with numerous bogrolls and bottles of piss. I thought this must be the norm to stop playing and threaten the audience.

Why did you decided to enter the FSN competition?
Don’t get me wrong the 'prizes' are intense, Rock City and Splendour gigs, but we mainly entered to 'break into' the nottingham scene. It can be so hard even though we're only down the road in mansfield. You play gig after gig here and there, but still no-ones ever heard of you, you pick up a copy of LeftLion...hundreds of bands in gig guide, but no ones heard of Tastebuds!!!..so many bands, all wanting the same thing...suddenly we're in the final 6 competing to be the 'future sound of nottingham'. Not bad duck!

What was it like to play in the Market Square in the semi-final?
Brilliant, hot, but brilliant. We could have stayed up there all day, it was a pleasure to play, slightly weird surroundings as we’ve never done an outdoor stage in a city centre. Just wish we could have played a longer set and had a bit more time to take it in. I’m sure we’ll feel the same at Rock City.

Why do you think you should open the main stage at Splendour?
We're very watchable, with good solid songs too. We would catch and hold the audience's attention and hopefully set the atmosphere for the rest of the day. Folk may even remember the name of that little unsigned band who opened up, long after the day is over.

How long have you been playing and making music?
Forever. It seems anyway. We’ve got a long history together – Si and Phil have been songwriting and performing together since they were about 17, and we’ve all crossed paths somewhere musically along the line playing in bands.. But Tastebuds as it is today formed in 2009.

What is going through your head when you are up on stage?
Depends on the gig!! A good gig.. I can’t say anything really goes through my head, just the music and the connection on stage – probably thinking: “I love this band”. But a bad gig, say if the sound is everywhere on stage, you can be smiling on the outside but having a breakdown on the inside!! Nowt worse than a gig with bad sound! No matter what the gig you’ve got to get on and perform and give it 100%. That’s what the audience are there for at the end of the day.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
Generally going to bars & gigs, there’s lots of decent venues and places to go to – and loads of good restaurants too. We did go to watch Shakespeare last year, half way through there was only two of us left.. haha. Better stick to the bars & gigs.

What is your earliest musical memory?
I remember climbing this ramp in the 80's and sneaking a glance through a window into the practise room where these kids where playing. Their music was reverberating all over the market place...loud guitars, drums etc. I would've been four maybe, they would've only been teenagers. Looking back now that was quite poignant, that memory has stayed with me and how awestruck it made me feel.

How can people find out more about you?
We’re on Facebook and MySpace – loads of info about the band, upcoming gigs and of course our music.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
Check out the music and come to a gig.

The Future Sound of Nottingham Final takes place at Rock City this Sunday from 6.30-10pm. Entrance is free. No ticket required, just turn up and enjoy the fun!

Tastebuds website

FSN Final: The Money

2011-07-10T13:46:00.002Z

Hello, how are you?
Very well thanks and how the devil are you?

How would you describe your music?
We always struggle on this but have come to the conclusion that we are a finely crafted slick and stylish indie rock chorus machine!

What was your first thought when you found you were through to the Future Sound
of Nottingham final?
Well, we knew where we were 3rd in the polls with 24 hours left and were relieved to find out we stayed in the same place after rounding up our fans to vote.

You get to play at Rock City, pretty awesome right?
Hell yeah, it is! We have big plans for this band and crave a big stage and crowd to perform to.

What can we expect from your set at Rock City?
Expect to see a glimpse of what we are capable off! We’ve prepared a mini show. When we perform live we like to make it a show rather just than four lads standing strumming and singing, so have tried to make it as interesting as we can.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever seen at Rock City?
We’ve all seen so many there, sell outs and amazing acts it would be hard to narrow it down! But if we could have been at a gig that we weren’t at it would have been amazing to see Rage Against The Machine there or Bowie

Why did you decided to enter the FSN competition?
We really want to play Splendour! We’ve seen it advertised every F**k**g where and really want to be a part of it. We had the opportunity a couple of years ago to play it but we out of the country gigging so didn’t get the chance, but now we feel we are more than ready for that stage and just wanna play our music live to as many people as possible!

What was it like to play in the Market Square in the semi-final?
It was cool! You always see things like that on the square and this time we got to get involved. Good fun!

Why do you think you should open the main stage at Splendour?
We are ready for it! We’ve been together for 3 years now and have been progressing all the time. We have now settled into a sound that we can call our own and all we want is to play live to as many people as possible. We’ve got a great set together and want to show Nottingham what we can do. There’s so much talent right under this city’s nose and I think this competition is really showing people that.

How long have you been playing and making music?
Individually all of us have been involved in playing and making music for very long time. For instance PK the drummer is 21 and has been drumming since he was 5, let alone all the other instruments he can play. As a band we’ve been together for bout 3 years. We’ve lived together, spent endless hours in our van gigging up and down the country and had a great time seeing the world because we’re in this band.

What is going through your head when you are up on stage?
Ummmmm depends where and when really. We gig a lot as it’s what we do now, as in our job I guess so that would be hard to answer. I guess sometimes you’re thinking ‘bout how to please the crowd, concentrating on the technicalities of the song or what your next drink is gonna be. It really depends on the gig.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
Last night we all went out to a gig at the Bodega Social and saw the Petebox. It was a great night with great Nottingham acts. We’ve been in the Notts scene for a while in this band and others and it was great to see someone we’ve all gigged with and know doing so well. His set was a real eye opener he’s very talented lad. Apart from that any old party or a Sunday night at Pandoras Box is always a hoot!

What is your earliest musical memory?
Not sure about the rest of the band but for me it’s learning to use a record player as a very young boy. We had a card board box full of old 45’s and I remember going though them till I found a Beatles single for Hello Goodbye which had I Am The Walrus as a B side. That track as a B side, unbelievable. Anyway, I nearly played that thing to death but still have that same old box of records. Good times.

How can people find out more about your music?
Go to our web site or our Facebook. We have a music video on our Youtube channel for our single Looks Like Rain, which was great fun to make, and our latest EP Sparks is available to buy on Itunes now! Just search Itunes for Looks Like Rain and you’ll find us!

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
Just check us and other Nottingham bands out. If you hear about a live show, just go down it’s never expensive. You’d be surprised how good the scene has got and can only get better with the support and hard work put in by people like Mark Del, NUSIC and LeftLion. Hopefully see you all very soon much love. Also Keep on reading - this is a hell of a mag and we love all who read and write it! It entertains us no end and LeftLion have supported us all through many bands and thick and thin. May you live forever!

The Future Sound of Nottingham Final takes place at Rock City this Sunday from 6.30-10pm. Entrance is free. No ticket required, just turn up and enjoy the fun!

The Money website

FSN Final: The Austin Francis Connection

2011-07-10T13:42:00.000Z

Hello, how are you?
I’m very well thanks, how polite of you to enquire!

How would you describe your music?
It’s beatbox driven Acoustic hip hop to make you smile, like if The Beastie Boys had a freestyle jam with Morecambe and Wise.

What was your first thought when you found you were through to the Future Sound of Nottingham final?
“Cor DM!” (old 80’s cartoon reference for you there… that’s how we roll!) No, it was great – I got told on facebook by one of my students from school. My actual first thought was “Right. Better get some support down there now eh?!”

You get to play at Rock City, pretty awesome right?
Yeah, I’ve been trying to get the band noticed in Nottingham for ages but because of the fact that the rest of the band are now all spread out, it’s been tricky. So to get the chance to play to a rocking crowd on one of the best PA systems in Notts will be wicked.

What can we expect from your set at Rock City?
Some beatboxing, some hiphop and some great tunes; lots of daftness and hopefully a smiling audience. We’ve got a set for a festival style crowd, which hopefully people will be up for to joining in with, so that we can get people going for the rest of the acts throughout the night. Oh, and I might bring a flask cos I don’t think they sell, do they?

What’s the best gig you’ve ever seen at Rock City?
Probably The Streets a couple of years ago. I wanted to go and see Enter Shikari, but found out too many of my pupils were going to be there, so bailed and went round my mates’ house for a cuppa instead.

Why did you decide to enter the FSN competition?
It was simply on a whim really. I’d been listening to the podcasts before, and had met Mark Del when he popped along to see us play at Hockley Hustle in the afternoon a couple of years ago (he said he’d never heard us, but the name sounded intriguing!!) So I thought I’d send a track, and then didn’t really think of it until the semi final… it was a bit of a fluke really – I hadn’t even checked that the band were all free on that date!!

What was it like to play in the Market Square in the semi-final?
It was good going out there and seeing a bunch of people that I knew, but hadn’t seen me do my thing with the band. Some friends from work, friends from around the city who'd never had the chance to see the full AFC experience before. A bunch of pupils came down in order to give me grief, but came up to me after saying "I didn't think you would be, but you're actually really good". But it was also a bit manic, cos we’re used to playing hour long shows so trying to cram what we’re like into 15 mins was well tricky! I hadn't really realised what the crowd size was until someone mentioned afterwards that they thought we'd had the biggest crowd of the day, which was really.... well, just quite nice really!

Why do you think you should open the main stage at Splendour?
Because we’re the ideal festival band. Often people at festivals come across music and they're looking for a particular something about a band. Perhaps something that doesn’t rely on a light show or a complicated set up to be impressive. Maybe just something that draws your attention to the stage. Very often, it's just something that’s engaging, light hearted, something that most of all makes you smile. We’ve played at the Godiva Festival in both pouring rain AND in bright sunshine alongside The King Blues and Newton Faulkner etc and had the same results each time – a bunch of smiling faces singing and clapping along, being in a better mood than before we played! And in my mind, that’s what a festival should all be about.

How long have you been playing and making music?
All the guys in the band have been doing music of one sort or another for years. Mark's played lead guitar in bands since his teens, Hobbit's been playing beatboxing shows since he was 16, around 7 years ago, whilst I've also been in bands since I was 16.... but that was back in 1991!!! We recorded our first EP in 2006, but as we now live so far away from each other progress has been slower than for some bands. We've only just finished our first album which we made available online & at shows on April 1st (seemed like an appropriate date for us!)

What is going through your head when you are up on stage?
Trying to remember the words. No, seriously! I remember the jokes in between songs fine, but when I’m sat and rapping I try to get a lot of eye contact with the audience, and I get distracted so easily! I’m also always scanning the crowd for any stuff that I can use in between songs. You’d have thought after playing the songs for so long, the lyrics would be etched in my brain by now….but no!!

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
My favourite night out in Nottingham is to go with my basketball team (Go Tropics!!) to the Red Hot Buffet Shack and their all you can eat night....yeah, generally just a night with mates for food or at a bar, or to a chilled night at Bodega or something. Either that or my usual jaunt with Hobbit to the Rescue Rooms for the UK Beatbox Champs. Anyone who’s been will tell you that the host, Stig, is one of the funniest men on the planet and had me in absolute stitches this year!.

What is your earliest musical memory?
Piano lessons. I had them when I was a kid, but hated the practice. I used to go to a friend of my mum's for lessons, and it was alright cos I'd get there early and play Buckaroo against her son before my lesson came. Reading music never came naturally to me, but I did like messing about with melody playing by ear which I guess comes across in my songs even now.

How can people find out more about you?
They can check us out online at our website or Facebook as well as finding us on YouTube, iTunes & Spotify.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
When all else fails, and everything seems a little bit cloudy, just stick the kettle on, have a brew, and smile along with The AFC - we'll see you around!

The Future Sound of Nottingham Final takes place at Rock City this Sunday from 6.30-10pm. Entrance is free. No ticket required, just turn up and enjoy the fun!

The Austin Francis Connection website

FSN Final: Kurt Martinez

2011-07-10T13:34:00.001Z

Hello, how are you?
Hey Paul, I am very well thanks!

How would you describe your music?
Electro-Pop Street Fighter Rock 'n' Roll??

What was your first thought when you found you were through to the Future Sound of Nottingham final?
Well, I had missed out on the first two days of voting what with being on holiday and managed to play a ridiculous game of catch up. Being a one man band it was hard trying to gain votes to keep me in the top 5. I think it was the Tuesday night the vote went private and I had just slipped to 6th place. I think I thought then that I hadn't got through. But all the hard work hadn't been for nothing because my name had been put out there, I had the chance to play the Market Square, and I'd achieved another hundred or so fans on Facebook! I was pretty content and then when I saw the podcast and the six finalists I thought I might be in with a chance. As soon as I heard Please Don't Stay Away kick in I was over the moon!

You get to play at Rock City, pretty awesome right?
The amount of times I've stood on that stage at a club night and thought “what if?”. I had the opportunity to headline a charity gig in the Basement back in May. The sound was fantastic in there. I am so excited to take the main stage. It's just a shame it has to be a three song set, Otherwise you wouldn't be able to get me off.

What can we expect from your set at Rock City?
Haha. Well, I don't know if anyone saw my interview with Mark Del yet but he says my track I Am The Answer sounds very similar to the Top Gun theme tune. I don't want to give anything away but my set should be quite entertaining...

What’s the best gig you’ve ever seen at Rock City?
Best gig? I've seen so many. The last gig I saw there was 3OH!3 last month. I am a stupidly big 3OH!3 fan. The crowd was so energetic it was unreal. I think the guys were just taken back by it all. But, I'd have to say, I think since I was 14 I've seen Bowling for Soup every time they've hit Nottingham and they just get funnier and funnier. I even saw them in TGI Friday's once and stood tapping on the window waving like a crazed fan.

Why did you decided to enter the FSN competition?
I think I entered because I wanted to see how I was received. To see what people working in the industry think of my work because I think I might be better than I think I am, If you know what I mean? People have a preconception of me at shows. If they haven't heard my stuff they expect me to go on stage as one man and suck. It's nice when I see the look of surprise on their faces and how much they're getting in to it while I'm up there.

What was it like to play in the Market Square in the semi-final?
Playing the semi's was a great experience. I don't remember the last time I got that nervous. But the second I walk on stage I'm fine. Strange. I did think when I came off I could have played a lot better. But I watched the video back after and really surprised myself! I actually didn't recognise myself which I suppose is a good thing.

Why do you think you should open the main stage at Splendour?
I play better in front of bigger crowds. It's like I feed off the crowd so not only would I have an awesome time playing to a crowd that size but I guess I'd put on the best show I could. I think people always enjoy it more when the person they're watching is having a good time.

How long have you been playing and making music?
I started playing the guitar at 8 years old. I think I wrote my first song at about 13. After leaving school I studied my BTEC in Music Tech at Confetti. The whole time I was with my band No Etiquette. We played a lot of shows and had a great time but fizzled out when I moved to London. I came home last year to work on this project after becoming Apple Certified and studying my DipHE in Music Technology Specialist at London College of Music at Thames Valley. So I guess it's fair to say I've been making music for a while and playing even longer.

What is going through your head when you are up on stage?
Don't mess up... Don't mess up... No. I think I'm a very different person on stage. I don't tend to think. Or if I do I don't realise. Like I mentioned before about watching the video back, it's like watching someone else. Like I have a persona or an alter-ego.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
Night out in Notts for me starts in Hucknall at around 7pm. Catch the bus in to town and get around a few bars before heading to a club in the early hours. Usually Rock City. Then at 4am I find myself forking out for an epic taxi ride back up my end. And I won't lie it usually ends up with me worse for ware...I get travel sick easy.

What is your earliest musical memory?
I think it would be playing Celine Dione's My Heart Will Go On in front of assembly at about 10 years old and my guitar tutor, Jim Oakden his name was, he told me "If you ever give up I'll know".

How can people find out more about you?
People can check me out online on Facebook. I'm also on Twitter, Soundcloud, MySpace. You name it. My website should be ready soon too.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
My album, The Idiots Guide to Breaking Hearts, will be available to buy from iTunes and a couple of independent record shops in Nottingham, on September 5th. And erm, shimmy shimmy coco pop, shimmy shimmy rice... That is all.

The Future Sound of Nottingham Final takes place at Rock City this Sunday from 6.30-10pm. Entrance is free. No ticket required, just turn up and enjoy the fun!

Kurt Martinez website

LIVE: Death Cab For Cutie

2011-07-07T19:15:00.001Z

Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie

Opening with Bend To Squares, the opening track on their 1998 debut album Something About Airplanes, is a brave move considering it’s a rather languid tale of suicide; but in a way it’s a rather perverse choice and it acts as the launch pad for what turns out to be a rousing and joyous set that shows Death Cab For Cutie have steadily built-up an envious back catalogue that most bands would slit their own wrists for.

The New Year follows with Ben Gibbard ending the song by jumping up on the drum riser before leaping off and straight in to a thunderous version of We Laugh Indoors. The opening run of songs are capped off be a spiky Crooked Teeth, which causes the first mass sing-a-long of the evening.

The band tear through much of their set at breakneck speed, they squeeze in a mammoth 25 songs in to 2 hours; even so, the songs never lose any of their emotional clout or clarity. In fact, it goes to show what a tight and dynamic live band they’ve become; for all of their indie mannerisms and oft-introspection, Death Cab For Cutie now pack a hefty punch and have become heavyweight live performers.

Grapevine Fires is a lighters aloft moment (if you could smoke inside Rock City, that is) and kicks-off the ‘ballad’ section of the set; the band slowing things down with some of their most 'heart-on-the-sleeve' moments. Fortunately this is early on in the night so the mid-to-late slump that many bands suffer from when they whip out the ballads late on doesn’t happen.

The pace is kicked back up a notch with the ominous rumbling groove of I Will Possess Your Heart and it’s a performance that is mind melting in its intensity, and from here they power on like a band determined to slay any indie bedwetters that dare stand in their way.

Tracks from their recent album Codes and Keys have them adding more texture and colour to the Death Cab for Cutie palette. Doors Unlocked and Open is swamped in tight Krautrock style rhythms and angular guitars that rattle off all four corners of the venue. Ben takes to the piano during the album’s title track, the band swooning through 60s style pop with Chris Walla’s lap steel guitar adding cinematic sweeps. Underneath The Sycamore is classic Death Cab, all shimmering, tense guitars and Ben’s yearning yelp leaping out during the chorus. But it’s the squealing guitars and heart warming melodies of recent single You Are A Tourist that has the audience in raptures and marks the peak of a set that is overflowing with high points.

The main set ends with a blustery The Sound of Settling and is evidence that even when dealing in introspection the band have always known how to grapple with a decent pop hook.

Portable Televisions re-introduces the band, before a triumvirate of what can now be deemed ‘classic’ Death Cab songs - Title Track, Expo ’86 and Transatlanticism - has the band bidding farewell to Nottingham in triumphant style.

Set list:
Bend to Squares
The New Year
We Laugh Indoors
Crooked Teeth
Photobooth
Doors Unlocked and Open
Long Division
Grapevine Fires
Codes and Keys
What Sarah Said
I Will Follow You Into the Dark
I Will Possess Your Heart
You Are a Tourist
Underneath the Sycamore
Meet Me on the Equinox
Title and Registration
A Movie Script Ending
Soul Meets Body
Stay Young, Go Dancing
Cath...
The Sound of Settling
Encore:
Portable Television
Title Track
Expo '86
Transatlanticism

Death Cab For Cutie played at Rock City on Tuesday 5 June 2011.

Read an interview with Death Cab For Cutie on These Words Are: On.

Death Cab For Cutie website

TUMBLR: Swimming - Mining For Diamonds

2011-07-04T21:30:00.001Z

TUMBLR: Nina Smith 2010 Video Diary

2011-07-03T19:56:00.000Z

8mm Orchestra

2011-06-30T15:04:00.000Z

8mm Orchestra - Photo by MelimOi

8mm Orchestra having been gigging in and around Nottingham for a few years after initially getting together for a Fine Art project at Nottingham Trent University and in that the band has built up a strong and loyal following. They've just released their second EP, so LeftLion thought it was about time it grabbed a few words with them...

Hello, how are you?
Jack: Tired, but good!
George: I am fine.
Leo: I'm good thanks.
Martin: I'm just dandy. Tired & dandy
Dan: I'm ill! Picked up a virus off a family member.

Can you tell us who is in the band?
J: I play the drums and sometimes the guitar, Leo plays guitar, Martin also plays guitar and sometimes drums, Dan plays bass and makes some pretty awesome sound effects and George makes 'the noise'. We also all play a couple of other little bits like extra percussion, keys/metallophones and various electronic sounds.

How did the band get together?
J: At the time George was a studying Art at university and for a particular piece of work he needed musicians to come in and improvise sound and music over some silent film. He would then manipulate the footage around the sounds we were creating.

Where does the name come from?
J: From what we were doing with George’s work. Most of the film was 8mm footage that belonged to his grandparents. Some really beautiful looking stuff.

How would you describe your sound?
J: Atmospheric/Spacey mainly instrumental rock. A lot of people have tried to generalise and call us post rock - how wrong they are. It's not a type of music we dislike, but there's So much more going on with us. I mean we are a band who between us like Zu, Neu!, J Dilla, Biffy Clyro, Kong, Thundercat, Aerosmith, Radiohead and Kiss. Anything goes with us.

How does the songwriting in the band work?
J: It usually goes one of two ways. Sometimes one of us may have written something at home and will bring it in and the rest of the band will add that special 8mm touch. Alternatively we usually jam constantly for about an hour and then make a song out of that foundation. One Small Step is an example of that. The original version is 14 minutes long!
L: Most of the time we'll end up jamming on something for about an hour, recording it on a phone, then trying to pick the best bits from that recording and trim it down into a more tangible structure. Other times one of us will have just written something at home, teach everyone the basics and then let them add their own bits to it.
M: Everyone usually has the freedom to write their own parts.
D: Sometimes one of us will come to the band with a fairly complete track that we’ll then shape into a proper 8mm track.

What was your first gig as 8mm Orchestra like?
G: It was a studio party for Fine Art students at Nottingham Trent with visuals bits that I did. I didn't play any instruments, just sat at the back like a groupie.
M: We had about four songs hardly finished and kinda stumbled through them really.
J: I don't think the students were happy.
L: Mine was pretty weird because I joined the band a year in and had to learn the set in about 2 weeks. Luckily I'd seen their other gigs enough times that I already had a pretty good idea of the structures, and just needed to work out the notes.

What has been your favourite gig to play in Nottingham?
J: I personally always enjoy playing at The Jam Cafe. Every time we've played it's been a rammed. I love those intimate gigs. That or Splendour last year with Ronika (Jack and Martin also play in Ronika’s band).
G: In recent memory playing The Chameleon with Alright The Captain and Khuda. Upstairs was shut down for the night we played pretty much in Nick's face, my Kaoss Pad was on the bar. Some minds got blown away that night; the whole line up was gnarly!
M: We always have an awesome time at The Chameleon laughing, playing loud & drinking Nick's excellent cider.
L: I really enjoy gigs at the Jam cafe. I like that it’s so tight in there that the audience can’t all just huddle in the back corner. It gives it a bit more of an interactive feel, which is nice because our songs all flow one into another which doesn’t leave much room for ordinary banter.
D: Probably playing a Farmyard gig at Jam Cafe during the summer last year. It was unbearably hot in there but the vibe was great and everyone seemed to have a really good night. Supporting Orange Goblin in a previous band was awesome!

You’ve got a new EP out, can you tell us a bit about it?
J: Yep, Its called One Small Step and we just put it out through Super Music Collider Records and it's totally free. We actually recorded it way back in January 2011 with Pete Fletcher at First Love in Nottingham, we did it all in a day. The second track is a remix by Mirrorzisland (John Sampson from Swimming). There was a bit of a delay as he has been away on tour for a long while now. We all love the mix. The final track is a special live performance of Untitled from our first E.P. and Martin arranged the strings himself. The string players literally looked at the sheet music and got it in one take - it was amazing! You can download it for free from our Bandcamp page. It's also on all the usual places though Soundcloud, Spotify, iTunes and YouTube.

8mm Orchestra - Photo by MelimOi

What has been your highlight of being in the band so far?
J: Sounds really cheesy but just being in this band. There is total freedom of expression. It's also been great to see the amount of people coming to our shows increase each time and to hear people dig what we are doing.
G: Well the highlights of being in a band for me are the friends you make along the way. Your band members become so close to you. I love meeting new bands that have that fire for playing good independent D.I.Y gigs where the people actually care what they're listening to. The highlight for any one involved in the scene is the great friends you will undoubtedly make.
L: Recording our EP at First Love. I'd never really recorded something with the whole band playing live before, and it was really nice to get so focused on one song and really tweak it to be as good as we could get it.
M: The couple of times we haven't had to carry our stuff to gigs by hand and got a taxi!
D: Hanging out with my mates, playing some great music, meeting some delightful people, and being able to check out some awesome bands.

What other music coming out of Nottingham are you currently enjoying?
J: There's an awesome scene in Nottingham right now. A few worth checking out are Ronika, Injured Birds and The Lukewarm Equation - I swear by 'em! There's lot of good music out there, you just have to open your mind and ears and find it.
G: Well Swimming are a band favourite. Also Made of Leaves or what ever they will now be called have always been a talked about. Along with the obvious notts godmother of disco, Ronika.
L: There's such a variety in Nottingham, so it depends what mood I'm in. If I want my mind melted by crazy instrumentals then I go for some Alight the Captain, or Shape Lt. But if I fancy seeing a band completely tear a place apart then there’s always Baby Godzilla and Ocean Bottom Nightmare.
M: I can't answer this question without saying Swimming. It's great to see them doing well they deserve it. Jack and me have some exciting stuff coming up with Ronika too! Other than that the Barnum Meserve, Alright the Captain, Kogumaza, Injured Birds, Ocean Bottom Nightmare. So many, it's a great time to be a musician in Notts.
D: Kogumaza is pretty popular in the band. Barnum Merserve are really good. The recently disbanded Dead In The Woods made some great music which I like to get angry to. I'm looking forward to the Origami Biro album launch as well.

What is it like for a band in Nottingham trying to get gigs and support?
J: Depends how you go about it. I send out a hell of a lot of e-mails. It's hard to get slots in with the bigger bands coming through town but there lots of awesome independent promoters in Nottingham like Will (I'm Not From London), Tommy (Farmyard) and Gayle (Memory Box) who work really hard to showcase the unheard.
L: To be honest, Jack tends to be the one organising most of the gigs, I just get texts asking me if I'm free. So as far as I'm concerned getting gigs is really easy. I imagine he has a much harder time though.
M: Tough! We get asked a bit but we're always looking for more. We're a niche band so it's hard to find gigs people want to put you on. Also everyone expects you to play for free or beer and that's great at first but it's a shame this seems to be the only way a lot of the time.
D: With such a vibrant scene in Nottingham there are a lot of opportunities but a lot of competition. You have to be proactive and work hard. Being good and doing something different isn't enough.

What do you like to do on a night out in Nottingham?
J: Go to hear the SPAM DJ play endless Wilson Pickett for me or go to the Orange Tree for my favourite rum. I think I’m the only member who doesn't like cider.
G: I'm a drummer you know, I like to drum, and drink tequila and make love then I fall over in the dirt. And when I wake up the next day I do it all again!
J: George is most definitely not a drummer!
L: Drink.
M: Drink good rums, ciders & bad lager & laugh 'til I cough up food from Hockley Fish Bar or the chippy of dreams near the Cornerhouse.
D: Sing along badly to any Bowie tracks played at Vinyl Countdown, dance badly at SPAM, and try to drink my weight in cider.

What is your earliest musical memory?
J: Hearing lots of Elvis or Marvin Gaye. Also listening to my tapes of Thriller and 1999 over and over.
G: Terminator 2: Judgement Day
L: Having a cassette of Purple Rain pretty much on loop for a month in the car on the way to and from primary school. That was a good month.
M: Playing the ironing board like an upright bass to my mum's old vinyl records when I was six years old.
D: My dad's prog and folk records. I hated music when I was younger! I'm a bit of a late-started.

If you were reincarnated what would you like to come back as?
J: The new Nikola Tesla. That guy fucking rules.
G: A Grizzly Bear
L: The Duchess of Cornwall's Tampon. I'd suffer that horror, just to stop Prince Charles getting the chance to enjoy it.
M: A pair of tits. Or a feeling, like a bad itch under your foot you can't get to because you've got your shoes on and you're out shopping.
D: A mantis shrimp or a mimic octopus. Amazing creatures.

What’s next for the band?
J: We’ve been gigging lots recently but just got back into writing some new stuff. However we are working on recording another E.P. soon and there is a lot of talk of working with a visual artist to create some lovely audio/visual performance pieces for people to come and see. Old school.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
J: Fuck Tesco's you guys. Seriously.
G: One time my cousin Walter got this cat stuck in his ass. True story. He bought it at our local mall, so the whole fiasco wound up on the news. It was embarrassing for my relatives and all. But the next week, he did it again. Different cat, same results, complete with another trip to the emergency room. So I run into him a week later at the mall and he was buying another cat! And I said to him, "Jesus, Walt, what are you doing? You know you're just gonna get this cat stuck up your ass, too. Why don't you knock it off?" And he said to me, "Brodie, how the hell else am I supposed to get the gerbil out?" – Mallrats
L: Download Our EP or I'll get George to wait in your bedroom with a Kaoss Pad and make horrible noises every time you think you're just about to drift off.
M: I like the word 'crepuscular'. Try using it in a sentence.
D: Support the local scene! Not only does it foster up and coming local acts but helps bring in big underground groups too.

8mm Orchestra play with The Wax Dramatic and Apparatus of Sleep at the Jam Cafe on Friday 15 July 2011. One Small Step EP by 8mm Orchestra is available now to download.

8mm Orchestra Facebook
8mm Orchestra Bandcamp
8mm Orchestra Soundcloud

Death Cab For Cutie Interview

2011-06-27T16:07:00.000Z

Ben Gibbard (Second Left) from Death Cab For Cutie speaks to LeftLion

Death Cab For Cutie have just released their seventh album 'Codes and Keys' and are currently in the middle of a world wide tour that touches down at Rock City on Tuesday 5 July. We were fortunate enough to speak to singer Ben Gibbard on the phone from Chicago were the band were getting ready to play a show...

Hi Ben, I see that you are currently in Chicago?
Hi, yes, the band are playing The Metro tonight. It’s a great small and intimate venue. We’ve played here a few number of times in the early years, so it’s good to go back.

How easy is it to replicate the new songs live?
Some are easier than others. Some of the songs from the new album would be impossible to replicate live, so they might not get played. With a song like Unobstructed Views that is just like a soundscape, so it is a matter of approximation when playing it as we wouldn’t be able do it as it is on the record. For the new songs we are using a lot of samples that I’m triggering with my feet, vocal loops, and delay pedals. It is early days for the new songs and we are still working them out.

Your playing Rock City in July. Do you have any memories of your previous shows in Nottingham?
I’m not just saying this and I don’t say it about every where we play, but we’ve played Nottingham two or three times before, once in the smaller room next to Rock City (Rescue Rooms), and the crowds have always been great. When you travel around in a band you notice that the way a crowd reacts is regionally specific, you get a different feel from them and sense the local colour. Nottingham has always been great and the crowds have always been vibrant. I’m excited to be going back to playing this dirty rock club.

What is going through your mind when you are up on stage?
It varies from show to show. In the recent shows that we are playing we are still working out the kinks, so I’m thinking about stuff like the monitor mix and the transition from song to song, seeing how the new songs fit in to the set. This means that the current shows are a bit more cerebral at the moment. When it’s a good show you are just thinking about the songs and getting taken back to the time the songs were written, trying to find the spark. If it is a bad show my mind tends to drift and I maybe might start thinking about the next show or what I’m going to do after the gig. I think that we’ve got better at, and I know that this isn’t a cool thing to say if you are an indie rock band, but being more professional. So if we aren’t having a good show now people can tell. In the early days if I was having a bad show I would be vocal about it and let the audience know. I’m aware that people are paying a lot of money to see the band and want to hear a good show.

Are you always writing songs or do you just write when you know you’ve got to write and album?
When I’m on tour and have a new album to promote there really isn’t any time to write, and by that time I’m had enough of writing new music. When I’ve finished a record I need time to decompress and just to live my life. I need to have a time for output, I just can’t do it all of the time. I have a little studio in LA where I go to when I’m writing and I treat it like a job, going in every day and trying to write from 9 to 5. I can’t write at home as there are too many distractions, I need to be physically somewhere else.

Do you ever worry about running out of things to write and sing about?
No I don’t. I think that if you are living your life with an open heart you will always find things to write about. It is possible that as I get older I will write songs that have less appeal to teenagers and people in their 20s, because I would be a different person and would be having different experiences. I couldn’t write and album like We Have The Facts... anymore. This is why I’m such a big Paul Simon fan, because he continues to grow and writes about what he is feeling now and isn’t always trying to write a song like Bright Eyes.

When you record an album do you have a clear idea of how you want it to sound?
Not really, it tends to be that when we start recording the record starts to tell us how it should sound. When the band reconvenes we toss around ideas, influences and whatever toys we have been playing with whilst we have been away, and eventually the album starts to show itself. One of the great things about this band is that there is a division of labour and when we have been away we have all been perfecting our own craft, everyone brings something to the table. We are all inspired by things that we love and there are no shortage of ideas. Then we refine the ideas that we all enjoy and agree on.

What are your favourite songs on the new album?
I really enjoy playing Doors Unlocked and Open live, it translates really well live. Some Boys is another good one despite it having less lyrics and more hooks. This time around the songs are a little more refined and less verbose. The songs have more space and instead off adding more we are always trying to take things out.

How long did it take to plan and rehearse the video for You Are A Tourist (The video was recorded live in one take)?
It took two days for us to rehearse it. There were loads of other people involved in the making of the video like the choreographers and the dancers, but because our name is attached to it we get to take all of the glory. It was actually the idea of Aaron Stewart-Ahn, who we collaborated with in the past and the Director, Tim Nackashi, was brilliant. Really, all we had to do was just show up.

Are there any mistakes in it that eagled-eyed views may be able to spot?
Not really, it all went as planned. There may be a couple of things, but they are purely circumstantial and it would just be nit picking.

Are the two runners a reference to We Have The Facts?
Yes they are, that is awesome that you have spotted that. No one has ever told me that before, I’m going to tell the band right after this interview. We decided to put in a couple of inside jokes, references to old Death Cab stuff. There is the boat and the birds too...

You probably get bored of people asking you this, but will there ever be another Postal Service album?
It is a perfectly natural question to ask. The Postal Service isn’t a band, bands break-up, the Postal Service was just a side project. So I’ll never say that there won’t be another album, but it’s more likely that there won’t be. I don’t want to be wish-washy about it all.

Who is your favourite historical figure?
Hmm...let me think about that one. I’m stumped, my mind has gone blank. There are so many to choose from. I’ll have a think and send my response by email.

I often get that when I go in to a record store and can just never think of anything to buy...
Yes, I used to get that too and walk out all of the time, but now I just keep a list of everything that I want to buy. I have a friend who is like my musical guru and has far more knowledge then me, and he always recommends stuff to me. One of the things that I miss when I am on tour is listening to my records, reading and hanging out with my wife.

That’s the end, thanks for your time Ben.
Thank you and I’ll see you in Nottingham.

Death Cab For Cutie play at Rock City on Tuesday 5 July 2011. You can buy tickets here.

Death Cab For Cutie's latest album Codes and Keys is out now on Atlantic Records.

Death Cab For Cutie website

UK Summer Festival Guide 2011

2011-06-27T15:56:00.000Z

The crowd at last year's Splendour Festival - Photo by Dom Henry

Latitude (14-17 July)
Vibe
Arguably the spiritual brother to Glastonbury and although still fairly a newie on the festival calendar it’s established itself as not only a festival of great music, but also of comedy, literature and theatre, which all takes place in a laid back and friendly environment.
Line-up
The National, Suede, My Morning Jacket, Foals, Anna Calvi, Dog Is Dead
Location
Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk
Tickets
£70 - 170
Web
www.latitudefestival.co.uk

Splendour (24 July)
Vibe
Held amongst the deer of and against the backdrop of Wollaton Hall, Splendour is Nottingham’s very own one day family friendly summer party, featuring a range of acts that wouldn’t be out of place on the Radio 2 playlist. There’s also a range of activities for the children and a real ale tent for a sunny afternoon pint or two. If the weather’s good bring a picnic.
Line-up
Blondie, Scissor Sisters, Feeder, Swimming, Liam Bailey, The Petebox,
Location
Wollaton Park, Nottingham
Tickets
£15 - 35 (under 10s get in for free)
Web
www.splendourfestival.com

Indietracks (29-31 July)
Vibe
A boutique indie-pop festival with a focus on smaller and DIY acts, but also with a handful of established acts higher up on the bill. There’s also the added attraction of vintage trains as the festival is held on the site of Butterley Station in Derbyshire, so festival goers enjoy the steam trains and museum.
Line-up
Edwyn Collins, The Hidden Cameras, Jeffrey Lewis, Help Stamp Out Lonliness, Chris T-T
Location
Swanwick, Midland Railway Butterley, Derbyshire
Tickets
£35 - 65
Web
www.indietracks.co.uk

Ynot Festival (5-7 August)
Vibe
Cosy and intimate festival in Matlock with a mix of local bands and more well known indie rock and dance acts. Away from the music you can find real ale tents and late night entertainment, which all add the the friendly and open feel.
Line-up
Maximo Park, Feeders, Jamie Woon, Art Brut, Miles Kane, Swimming, Yunioshi
Location
Mouldridge Lane, Pikehall, Matlock, Derbyshire
Tickets
£65 weekend ticket
Web
www.ynotfestivals.co.uk

Summer Sundae (12-14 August)
Vibe
Set in the gentle and relaxing surroundings of De Montfort Hall this is one of the most delightful and enjoyable small festivals in the country. The line-up takes in anything and everything from folk, rock, ska and dance and is a real eclectic mix that aims to please just about everyone, with a big Notts contingent this year too. There’s also a big real ale tent selling beer from local breweries, stand up comedy and various stalls.
Line-up
Graham Coxon, The Maccabees, Example, Warpaint, Toots and the Maytals, Liam Bailey, Hhymn, You Slut!, Gallery 47, Fists, Maniere des Bohemiens
Location
De Montfort Hall, Granville Road, Leicester
Tickets
£30 - 115
Web
www.summersundae.com

Green Man (19-21 August 2011)
Vibe
A fiercely independent and ethically minded music festival that has grown from a one day 300 capacity festival to a 10,000 capacity one in its eight years of existence. It aims to put on the best in folk, americana and anything that is generally a bit left-of-the center and interesting.
Line-up
Fleet Foxes, Explosions In The Sky, Iron and Wine, The Low Anthem, Robyn Hitchcock, Holy Fuck, Polar Bear, Hannah Peel
Location
Brecon Beacons, Wales
Tickets
£135
Web
www.greenman.net

Waterfront Festival (20 August)
Vibe
Following on from its successful innaugral year in 2010 the Waterfront Festival is back for another hedonistic day and night of amazing Nottingham bands. With over 30 bands playing by the canal, it’s the perfect way to spend a sunny summer afternoon and night with a few beers and some amazing music.
Line-up
Royal Gala, Pilmgrim Fathers, Hot Japanese Girl, Baby Godzilla, Fixit Kid
Location
Canalhouse, Nottingham
Tickets
£5
Web
www.imnotfromlondon.com

Reading/Leeds (26-28 August)
Vibe
Along with Glastonbury this mammoth beast of a festival is still one of the premier music festivals in the world. Bringing in top American rock acts along with a whole host of new and up and coming bands and dance acts. Away from the music you can enjoy comedians, film screenings and a silent disco.
Line-up
My Chemical Romance, Muse, Pulp, The Strokes, The National, Elbow, Jane’s Addiction, Crystal Castles
Location
St John’s Farm, Richfield Avenue, Reading and Bramham Park, Leeds
Tickets
£193
Web
www.readingfestival.com or www.leedsfestival.com

Bestival (8-11 September)
Vibe
Curated by BBC Radio’s Rob Da Bank and the winner of numerous awards including The Best UK Major Festival at the 2010 Uk Festival Awards, this is guaranteed to be the most fun that you can ever have on the Isle of Wight. Granted that isn’t hard, but with music from established greats through to the cutting edge of modern music and the annual fancy dress competition, if you don’t have a good time here you have no soul.
Line-up
The Cure, Brian Wilson, Pj Harvey, Public Enemy, DJ Shadow, Mogwai, Diplo. Noah and the Whale
Location
Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight
Tickets
£170
Web
www.bestival.com

Headstock (9-11 September)
Vibe
Set in a beautiful country park in Nottinghamshire, Headstock is a volunteer led, eco-friendly and not-for-profit festival run by the local community. Away from the lively line-up the aims of the festival are to help regenerate the local community, which sounds like no bad thing in our books. Music wise the bill has definitely been put together to make sure that everyone has the best party in a field imaginable.
Line-up
Echo and he Bunnymen, Tunng, Royal Gala, DiY, Smokescreen, Nick Harper, 25 Past The Skank
Location
Newstead & Annesley Country Park, Nottinghamshire
Tickets
£15 - 50 (under 12’s get in for free)
Web
www.headstockfestival.com

Sound of the Lion #11

2011-06-19T16:27:00.000Z

Download Sound of the Lion #11 NOW

It's Sound of the Lion time again here to bring you another aural injection of hot Notts tuneage. All these songs are taken from recent local releases that have been reviewed in LeftLion Magazine #41. Check it!

Track listing
Ronika - Wiyoo (Kirk Spencer Remix)
Crushing Blows - Tie Them Down
Hhymn - Girl of Mine
Breadchasers - Saving The World (Running out of Time)
Karizma - Dead Promoter
Tokyo Green - Hit Single
Marc Reeves - Perfectly Fine
Luxury Stranger - On+On&OnandOn
Kogumaza - Swang

If you are a local music maker and want LeftLion to cover and promote your music, head over to leftlion.co.uk/sendusmusic now.

Spotlight Kid

2011-06-19T16:01:00.000Z

Spotlight Kid, May 2011. Pic: Matt Gallagher

How did the band get together?
Rob: Me and Chris Moore, our guitarist, have a friend in Madrid, so we went over for a few days. And on the same weekend we were there Chris’s old band were playing a gig so we went along.

Chris: It was in a pole dancing club and brothel, and also an arts cinema. They were showing this film before we played about this porn star who only had one foot, and she’d use her stump... If anyone knows where to get this film from, by the way, I would like to know.

Rob: After the gig we went to the pub, and it was the first time that me and Chris had properly really chatted, and we really got on.

The band has a specific sound and style; you get bundled in with the ‘nu-gaze’ scene...

Chris: You can call us shoegaze – we don’t mind. I like to think that we are a little bit more ambitious than most shoegaze bands, though. And you can hear the vocals, which is a challenge that we want to achieve. Bands like Spiritualized create that amazing blanket of sound, and if you can put a song in there you are on to a winner.

Rob: We get compared a lot to My Bloody Valentine but I don’t think they would ever write a three minute pop song. It’s a great comparison, but it doesn’t mean anything.

You supported The Joy Formidable in London at their request recently. How important is it to get hooked up by bands who have broken through and been signed?

Chris: They told us; “We fought tooth and nail to get you on this gig”. Because they are in a position now where they are on a major label and they’ve got agents and managers, and everyone has got an agenda. They were like, “That’s all very well, but we want to put this band on.” From a practical point of view, that sort of thing is essential. It does no end of good for us and if a band like that puts you under their wing, it means a lot.

You’re playing Glastonbury...

Rob: Dean Jackson, he’s the man.

Chris: And Tom Robinson from BBC Introducing. I think it was Tom Robinson that actually got us the gig, as there was a panel of judges...Zane Lowe, Steve Lamacq, Jo Whiley... Emily Eavis.

Rob: It wasn’t about getting the most ‘likes’ on Facebook and all of that rubbish. I just know that as soon as my fringe is let loose they going to have to put us on the telly.

When can we expect the new album?

Chris: We have just been finishing it off. There’s ten tracks and most of them we already play live, but there will be three or four that we don’t. It goes all over the place; there are six minute build-ups, there are acoustic bits…

Rob: We’ve got proper songs as well, songs that can be played on the radio and that go against the shoegaze ethos. Our next single is going to be three and a half minutes long. They are like pop songs, but full on and in you face with great melodies and a great energy to them. We recorded it all live in two days in Norwich...

Chris: ...with a genius producer, well, more of an engineer, at a little rustic old converted church. We are putting it out ourselves. No-one is buying albums in this country, so I’d like to focus on Japan and America.

Why did you decide to record it that way?

Chris: Financial reasons. I also think that this band is a good live band now. We’ve been going long enough and understand now that you have to be tight, you get found out if you aren’t. I didn’t want to do more than three takes for one song.

When you are writing a song how do you know when it is finished?

Chris: We did the Camden Crawl recently and as the stage was the size of a table, we stripped it down to a psychedelic sound like the Cocteau Twins because we had to. That is when you know that a song holds up by itself.

What other Notts bands do you like?

Rob: We record at Rubber Biscuit so we are surrounded by bands all of the time but we’re stuck in our own little world. I like I Am Lono, I think they’re amazing. I love Pilgrim Fathers, and Amusement Parks on Fire have been one of my favourite bands for a long time. I really love Hello Thor too, what they are doing is brilliant. And there’s Fists, they’re really good.

Chris: I like them. They’re kind of brittle, they reminded me of Pavement. I love Swimming, that last single was brilliant.

What is the most memorable gig that you’ve played in Nottingham?

Chris: Hockley Hustle – there was a great line-up on the stage we played.

Rob: There wasn’t any PA! The organisers turned up without a PA. Rescue Rooms was great when we played there recently. Going back to what I was saying earlier, no-one really knows that we exist here. I would love to play a gig at The Social where everyone knows the songs. Dog Is Dead did really great to sell out the Rescue Rooms, but I know how long it took them to do that. They were promoting that for six months easy, every week they had a little advert for it in the NME.

What’s next for the band?

Chris: I think the strength of this band is playing to people. Over the last couple of years we have been building up a few contacts in London, and we’ve started to make in-roads in places like Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds. I don’t want a long gap between albums, I want the other one to be out within the year to keep the momentum.

Rob: From the start I have always said that it is all about the music, the songs, and if the songs are good enough... I know it’s about luck as well. We’ve had luck; we’ve had bad luck and good luck. We are very ambitious, we properly mean business.

Chris: Playing Glastonbury Introducing stage is just the start. If no-one takes any notice on this album, hopefully the next one. We are like cockroaches – you can’t kill us. If we get the hype then we have got something behind us as well. Hype really gets you going at the moment. There are so many bands you don’t know what is good or bad.

It’s the idea that if you aren’t a new band then you aren’t very good...

Chris: It’s like starting a new relationship, the honeymoon period. You have to capitalise on that and ninety-nine percent of bands don’t.

Rob: We are a new band. This whole thing is starting again, the new album is a new band, we are doing things that we have never done before. People think that we have been going for years, and no, we haven’t.

At this moment how does it feel to be in Spotlight Kid?

Chris: After last night, it’s great.

Rob: The bit in All Is Real when I am just playing the note, I’m stood on the monitors and I’m stood right at the front. It’s filling up and I can see all of the people, and I’m thinking, “I’m not going back to work, sod that.” I could do that every night forever.

Chris: One day you can be playing a festival in front of five hundred people then the next gig might be in front of thirty, but we will still give it our all. We make pop music, but we bury it with noise.

Any final words for LeftLion readers?

Rob: All this talk of there being no bands coming out of Nottingham needs to end. It’s just waiting to happen. We only exist if people buy our records and if you talk of Nottingham having no bands, if you don’t come and see us...

Chris: That is why we are trying to promote ourselves. Behind the scenes it’s great with the Dean Jacksons and LeftLions of this world.

Rob: Then there are people like Will Robinson of I’m Not From London – every night he’s got gigs and it’s all sorts of random stuff. The Maze have always been pushing Nottingham. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of bad out there, but it’s all about finding the good ones.

Spotlight Kid play with Frontiers, I Am Lono and Jake Bugg at The Bodega on Wednesday 22 June 2011.

Spotlight Kid website

Spotlight Kid Bandcamp

Splendour 2011 Preview

2011-06-19T15:55:00.000Z

illustration: James Huyton

Splendour: A day-long chunk of festie goodness, without the massive mobile phone adverts. And tents left behind by gormless students that blow across a field and upset some cows. And being in a different postcode to the nearest decent bog. Our Music Editor marks your card for this year’s event…

The Huge Band

It’s become obvious that Splendour can’t keep away from high camp pop music - as we’ve seen before with Rufus Wainwright and the Pet Shop Boys. This year, it falls to Kylie Minogue faves Scissor Sisters to turn Wollaton Park into a giant Studio 54 with a mix of nu-disco and glam pop that fizzes and froths with the energy of a thousand glitterballs.

The Undisputed Legends

Over 40 million albums sold. A catalogue of classic pop tunes. A band that broke out of the CBGB’s scene and left peers such as The Ramones, Talking Heads and Television choking in their dust, fronted by a genuine New Wave icon. Heart of Glass. Hanging On The Telephone. One Way Or Another. Dreaming. Atomic. Rapture. Blondie. Ooh.

The Young Upstart

Next on the main stage bill is youthful singer-songwriter bedraggled-Cockney-flower-girl Eliza Doolittle, whose singles Skinny Genes and Pack Up bothered the Top 40 last year whilst her self-titled debut album flew in to the album charts at number three. Her poppy mix of jazz and soul will go down a treat as the sun starts to set in the early evening.

The Dadrock Slot

Then we arrive at Cast. Remember them from the mid-90s when they released Walkaway, Sandstorm and Alright? Well, dust the picnic crumbs off your Ben Sherman, plonk one of your kids on your shoulder, and do that Ian Brown ‘Frankenstein that’s peed itsen’ dance whilst telling your offspring that this is ‘proper music’. Yes, the band whose live show Noel Gallagher described as a ‘religious experience’ are on that reformation bandwagon, and will be doing their best to ensure that the Splendour crowd have a real, ahem, Finetime.

The ‘Hang On, Is That…’ Bit

Justin Currie was the singer in Del Amitri, the Scottish band of Roll To Me and Nothing Ever Happens fame, but now he’s working solo, with a set-list containing both the hits of his old band and his current breezy acoustic rock fare. Before that, however, Sam Duckworth – who isn’t the son of Jack and Vera, but rather the artist formerly known as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – will be emptying a songbag full of charming leftfield acoustictronica songs.

The Opening Act on the Main Stage

We don’t yet know, but we will very soon – because LeftLion and Nusic - the new Notts music behemoth fronted by Mark Del and the team behind the old Notts Unsigned podcast – are holding a competition for a local band to open up the main stage. You need to run very quickly to nusic.org.uk if you want the chance to play in front of thousands of people who might scream and want to have thingy whatsit with you afterwards.

The Second Stagers

As is its wont, the Jagermeister Stage (as it’s known this year) is playing host to a cornucopia of indie rock mainstays and esoteric Notts delights. Feeder top the bill, and their everyman alt.rock is bound to get the crowd jumping up and down to the likes of Buck Rogers and Just A Day. Britpop veterans The Bluetones are on their last-ever tour, so this could be your final chance to hear indie disco staples Slight Return and If... live. Look out for huffing Dads pegging it across Wollo Park from the Cast set. Meanwhile, fresh from playing Dot to Dot, Romance head backto Notts. They look like they have stolen the Human League’s wardrobe circa 1982, and sound like The Bravery. Say no more.

Our Local Heroes

The second stage will host four local acts, showcasing local talent to a local audience - and they’re all from the very top drawer of locally-sourced musical produce. Indie-popsters Dog is Dead will be making their third appearance at Splendour and will still be celebrating the fact that they’ve just inked a deal with none other than the supremely massive Atlantic Records. That means this might be your last chance to see them before they start playing really big fields. Swimming will barely have time to take their pants down to the launderette after coming back from a UK tour supporting Killing Joke before they hit the stage and show why they’re causing more than a ripple on a national level. Combining the power of Smashing Pumpkins, the noise of My Bloody Valentine and the dream-pop of Sigor Ros, you would, quite simply, be a fool to miss them.

Handling the truly essential dance-like-a-mad-get portion of the day will be the NG’s very own funky groove machine, Royal Gala. With an abundance of soul, bass and massively infectious hooks, there is no other act on the bill who is as guaranteed to get a party started. But before that, Harleighblu - a young songstress with a remarkably smooth and velvety voice – will be easing you in gently with her magical take on smoky r’n’b and soul. She’s an exceptional talent: miss her and people will laugh at you.

The LeftLion Stage

Oh yes, yours truly will be handling things on the Courtyard Stage once again – and this time, we stomped our feet and screamed and rolled about on the floor until we got our own way and put even more Notts acts on. Look out for the likes of Jake Bugg (a seventeen year old singer-songwriter who mixes 50s country and 60s beat-pop to create heartfelt acoustic ditties), Gallery 47 (a folky wordsmith par excellence whose songs adiate charm like a box of chicken on the bus radiates stench), Cecille Grey (a folky French-pop-influenced band), The Petebox (fresh from drumming for Swimming, and up for demonstrating his award-winning beatbox skills).

Lob in a comedy tent, a real ale bar, entertainment for the really young ‘uns and the usual stalls selling food and gifts, and it’s safe to say that Splendour really has that one-day outdoor musical splurge honed down to a fine art. See you there.

Splendour Festival, Sunday 24 July, Wollaton Park .Tickets £10-£35, under-10s free.

Splendour website

LIVE: Dot To Dot 2011

2011-06-19T15:53:00.000Z

Talbot Street was closed for Dot to Dot - photo by Victor Frankowski

With over 40 bands spread over various venues including Rock City, Rescue Rooms, The Bodega, Stealth and Nottingham Trent, the Dot To Dot festival is a mammoth day and night of new and underground music.

Baby Godzllla - photo by melimOi

The day starts off in the basement at Rock City to catch local lads Baby Godzilla, and they blast away the early afternoon cobwebs with an onslaught of atomic strength riffs and nuclear screaming. Combining the noise and energy of punk, hardcore and heavy rock and delivering it in chaotic fashion that sees band members throwing themselves around the stage and amongst the audience, it’s an exciting and entertaining way to start the day.

Royal Gala - photo by Dom Henry

Royal Gala are another Notts band who are set with the task of opening up one of the stages - in their case it is The Pulse Bar at Nottingham Trent. I’m used to seeing them late at night or in the wee hours in a packed sweaty club, so catching them in the early afternoon with daylight flooding through the windows is a little disorientating at first. But they soon warm the audience up and get them going with their soulful and funky mix, with singer Louise barking orders at the crowd to get them dancing. Royal Gala are the perfect party band in many ways led by a captivating lead singer and pushed along by some of the funkiest horns to never appear on a James Brown song, so it’s not hard for them to liven up the early starters.

Spotlight Kid - photo by Dom Henry

A small walk downstairs and it’s recent LeftLion interviewees Spotlight Kid opening up the Trent Uni Main Room. It’s a big space, but fortunately Spotlight Kid generate such a mammoth wall of noise that they easily make the room their own. With three guitarists there is a heaviness to their sound, but the guitars ring out and chime as the twin male and female vocals harmonise perfectly underneath it all, creating a warm aural blanket that wraps itself around you - it’s music to lose yourself in. They summon up the ghosts of bands such as Ride and Slowdive, yet Spotlight Kid stamp their own authority and style on the classic shoegaze sound.

Yunioshi 'let there be biscuits!' - photo by Dom Henry

In the downstairs room at Stealth a Yunioshi seem genuinely thrilled to have attracted a sizable crowd at such an early-ish time. Over the past year Yunioshi’s self proclaimed ‘robot funk’ has got noticeably heavier and now it sounds like the machines have finally taken over. Leaning more towards heavy, crunching electronica, the band play like the house band at a Sci-fi version of Studio 54. Their electro-funk is enthralling and makes even the the most rhythmically challenged want to get down and dance. The Yunioshi Catering Corp was also in action as the band dish out some Y shaped biscuit treats midway through their set

And lo there were biscuits - photo by Dom Henry

Around the corner in the Rescue Rooms Get People are doing their thing. They sound a touch like Friendly Fires if Friendly Fires made ice cold grooves, and leave arctic sized spaces between the instruments giving their songs are rather chilling early 80s vibe. Their minimal sounding tunes are overflowing with enough pop know-how that they never sound detached and instead pulse and throb with life. They are the perfect warm up band for what is coming up next...

Not enough praise can be heaped upon Is Tropical who blow everyone’s mind in the Rescue Rooms. All three band members wear masks and the stage is draped in darkness, but out of the shadows radiates an electronic dust storm of squelching samples, throbbing bass and driving drums. They sound like a darker heavier late 80s New Order and are relentless and euphoric all at the same time. Their music feels like a chemical rush that forces itself in to your veins. I could have listened to them all night, but unfortunately it eventually has to end.

Nike and the Dove - photo by melimOi

But next door in Stealth, Niki and the Dove are conjuring up a bewitching spell of dark and gothic-tinged electronica led by the enigmatic and spellbinding Mahlin Dahlstrom on vocals. The Knife comparisons are obvious, but there are similar traits as both bands deal in epic and gloriously melodic electro. Although, watching them live you can’t but help feel that Siouxise and The Banshees also cast a shadow over the band. They are a dance band, but a dance band with darkness at their heart and this is more than obvious when they end of a pounding version of DJ Ease My Mind.

Kogumaza - photo by Dom Henry

Back to the Pulse Bar and Kogumaza are loud and heavy and hammering their way through a set of hypnotic and fuzzy sludge rock. The heaviness and repetitive nature of their music makes your mind do weird things; you feel like a worm hole has opened up in your brain and reality has just been zapped away from you. The brutal levels of volume are counter-balanced by the subtle and groove based nature of their songs. This reviewer has seen Kogumaza numerous times previous, and just like tonight, watching Kogumaza is an assault on the mind as well as the ears.

...And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead - photo by Victor Frankowski

It’s fitting that ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead are on straight afterwards downstairs in the Nottingham Trent Main Hall as they share similar traits to Kogumaza, mainly in their love of noise, volume and mighty riffs. The first thing that hits you is just how loud they are, but in the past where they may have been chaotic up on stage, tonight they channel their energy by throwing their all in to their songs. Their set plays out like a greatest hits and the band quite simply tear it up like they won’t be happy until the venue is nothing but a pile of rubble around their feet.

Upstairs at The Bodega for Fixers and it’s heaving, with people being stopped from going upstairs. Fixers are a kaleidoscopic adrenaline rush of vaguely Animal Collective pop, and their choppy and bubbling songs are a much needed shot of energy at this late hour. It’s a relentless set and the band barely stop for breath between songs whipping up the already excitable crowd.

Cults follow with their echoey, Phil Spector-ish sounding take on sunny 60s girl groups and twee indie-pop. Where Fixers were like a wound up ball of energy, Cults are more laid back and have an air of New York cool. But they joyfully bounce through their set with wonderful abandon and their songs shimmer as if encased in sunshine. They mix up lush sounding keyboards with moments of blustering garage rock guitars for added moments of spice, and it’s clear from the anticipation before their set and the audiences reaction that there is a lot of expectation around this band at the moment.

Dot To Dot 2011 took place at Rock City, Rescue Rooms, Stealth, The Bodega and Nottingham Trent University on Sunday 28 May 2011.

Dot To Dot website

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

2011-06-19T15:47:00.000Z

Noisy conceptual post-hardcore rocker types ...And You Will Us By The Trail Of Dead are headlining the Trent Main Room as part of this year's Dot To Dot Festival in Nottingham.

LeftLion put some questions to Conrad Keely from the band...

Hello, how are you?
I am in Washington D.C. having just left the National Portrait Gallery where I strolled amongst the 19th century marbles thinking lascivious thoughts.

What can we expect from your set at the Dot To Dot Festival?
The usual rock and roll bullshit. Four dumb guys in a band. Very unoriginal.

I saw you play at the Rescue Rooms in Nottingham in 2006. Do you have any stand out memories of playing in Nottingham in the past?
I remember an archery contest. A merry forest dweller clad in green split the Sheriff's arrow in twain. He later made off with my lady, leaving me to explain his presence to local authorities.

The band has stripped back to a four-piece, what was the reason for this?
One hundred thousand dollars divides easier between four than six.

Can you tell us about your new album - it works as two separate pieces of music as opposed to just simply being a collection of songs...
We were inspired by band like Duran Duran, Bananarama, Bow Wow Wow, Kajagoogoo, Human League - bands that made epic, highly-evolved concept albums with many layers of meaning and fantasy-esque album art.

What bands were you listening to when you were first getting in to music?
My mother started me off slow, with songs like The Big Ship Sails on the Alley-Alley-o, Paul's Little Hen Ran Away From The Farm, There Was A Man Named Michael Finnegan, Over In The Meadow In The Field In The Sun, and I'll Sing You Three-o, Green Grow The Rushes-oh. This early musical education still influences me quite heavily.

Who are you currently listening to?
Bruce Molskey, the new Tron soundtrack, Beach House's Teen Dream, Wolf People's Steeple.

What is going through your mind when you are up on stage?
When I'm playing drums I'm thinking "What the hell am I doing, I don't play drums!" When I'm playing guitar I'm thinking "What the hell is Jason doing over there?"

Do you have any advice for any budding musicians or bands who may be reading this?
They should be practicing their instruments and fucking young beautiful crack whores, not reading this.

If you could play in one other band who would it be and why?
I'd be in a band of marauding Norsemen, raping your dead mouths.

Do you have any final words for the LeftLion readers?
Looking forward to playing for you! Thanks so much for having us, and can't wait to embrace your midsections.

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead play the Dot To Dot Festival in Nottingham on Sunday 29 May 2011.

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead website
Dot To Dot Festival website

LIVE: Over The Wall, Fists and I Am Lono

2011-06-19T15:43:00.000Z

Matthew from I Am Lono at Spanky Van Dykes - Photo by MelimOi

Hello Thor are one of Nottingham’s (and the UK’s) premier DIY record labels, and not only do they release some of the best records, they also throw some of the sweetest parties as tonight’s gig at Spanky Van Dykes shows.

This is the first time I’ve seen I Am Lono and I’m immediately struck at how complete they sound as a band. It is obvious that this is a band who have a set idea on how they want to sound and they seem to have nailed their vision perfectly.

David from I Am Lono at Spanky Van Dykes - Photo by MelimOi

They whip up a storm of powerful and emotive electro-pop that’s wrapped in a dark cloak of 80s goth. The two piece consisting of keys and guitar take vast multicoloured synths and throw them in the ring to fight it out with dark, shimmering guitars to create something akin to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Knife fighting it out at an 80s disco. This is all the more apt considering the stage back drop at Spanky’s looks like it was stolen from the Top Of The Pops studio circa 1986.

Angie from Fists at Spanky Van Dykes - Photo by MelimOi

As soon as they get up on stage, Fists are the first to admit that opening with a new, slightly under-rehearsed song probably isn’t the best of the ideas; but that is exactly what they do as they debut a slab of powerful, hook-laden alt. pop. Not only is it immediate and fresh sounding, it is also the best thing they’ve ever done.

It’s the perfect primer for the rest of the set, which is the most upbeat performance I’ve seen them play as it veers between country-esq ditties (Ascending), rockabilly punk (Squirl Squeek), and Velvet Underground style 60s garage stonkers (Stag).

James from Fists at Spanky Van Dykes - Photo by MelimOi

This is their first gig in Nottingham since February and they sound like they’ve upped their game in the intervening months. James admits that he’s actually in the middle of a stag-do and though this shows in the in between song banter, when Fists launch it to their songs they sound tighter than ever before. There is also more of a heaviness to their sound, and whether this is down to the soundman or is a deliberate move on their part, I don’t know, but it means every songs strikes harder than they ever have done before.

With a collection of thrilling news songs and a new found sense of vigour, it is going to be exciting to see where Fists go next.

Ben from Over The Wall at Spanky Van Dykes - Photo by MelimOi

It is a shame that more people don't stick around for Over The Wall, but those who do clearly enjoy every note of the Glaswegian’s set, and it’s understandable too. Having played Nottingham twice already within the past year and a bit for Hello Thor, tonight at Spanky’s Over The Wall sound like they are channelling pure electricity - it is as if they have plugged themselves directly in to the mains.

Gavin from Over The Wall at Spanky Van Dykes - Photo by MelimOi

They have the same home-spun folktronica charm of Notts’ own Spaceships Are Cool, mixing yearning lyrics with warm synths, glitchy drum sounds and melodic guitars to exuberant results. It is an irresistible combination and you can’t help but fall under their spell.

All photographs by MelimOi.

Over The Wall, Fists and I Am Lono played at Spanky Van Dykes on Saturday 7 May 2011.

Hello Thor website

LIVE: Kogumaza Album Launch

2011-05-08T16:46:00.001Z

Ex-Easter Island Head live at The Chameleon - Photo by MelimOi

Tonight is the Kogumaza album launch gig, but it’s also a bit of a Low Point showcase as Liverpool band Ex-Easter Island Heads have also been invited to play. This means we are treated to two bands whose approach to the guitar is very different, yet they share some similarities, mainly in their love of drone.

Ex-Easter Island Head play two pieces - Mallet Guitars One and Mallet Guitars Two. They have three guitars laid out flat on music stands and for the first piece of music two members from the band stand around the instruments hitting the strings and body of the guitar with mallets.

Ex-Easter Island Head live at The Chameleon - Photo by MelimOi

This creates an expressive percussive groove that ebbs and weaves throughout the track. The act of hitting the guitars causes the strings to vibrate, creating a warm and harmonious hum underneath the percussion. It’s an interesting effect, and the combination of the repetitive rhythmic beats and the hum from the guitars creates a surprisingly charming and meditative piece of music.

For the second piece the band expands to four piece and sees further percussive elements added with the addition of cymbals. This is a more textured piece with the band hitting the strings of the guitars to create a flood of pulsating rhythms. Along with the cymbal crashes and occasional trumpet, it adds up to create a dynamic wall of sound. There is the potential for it to sound messy, but Ex-Easter Island Head keep it simple meaning the melodic charms of their experimental approach to the guitar shine on through.

Neil from Kogumaza live at The Chameleon - Photo by MelimOi

Then it is time for Kogumaza who are playing to mark the release of their debut album and are about head out on a European tour supporting Zomes.

Perhaps it is due to the type of music they play, which has a loose, lucid feel to it (despite the volume) giving the music room to breath, but they always sound like a different band. A lot of this has to be down to their sound guru, Mark Spivey who is manning the sound desk and helps to make them sound like a band who have beamed down from another planet. There are moments when the drums sound ridiculously enormous and rattle around the intimate room.

Chris, Neil and Katy have a wealth of experience of playing in various bands and they are clearly comfortable performing and making music with each other. There are moments during the gig where intuition seems to kick in and they instinctively know where to take the music next.

Katy from Kogumaza live at The Chameleon - Photo by MelimOi

Kogumaza play with a heads down determination and there is a new found sense of power to them; they sound ferocious and play with the energy of a punk band. The band barely leaves a moment to breath between songs, as soon as one song ends they dive head first in to the next. This is probably the best way to listen to them - one long continuous piece of fuzzy, drone rock. Their circular riffs and buzz-saw drone have a hypnotic effect that have the habit of locking you in to a trance like state as the music snakes and wraps itself around you.

Chris from Kogumaza live at The Chameleon - Photo by MelimOi

You can physically feel their music too as it repeatedly pounds your chest and rattles your head. Their combination of power, volume and sludgy, riffs make Kogumaza a ferocious beast of a band.

All photographs by MelimOi.

Kogumaza and Ex-Easter Island Head played at The Chameleon on Thursday 5 May 2011.

Kogumaza's self-titled debut album is out now on Low Point Records.

SUPERFURRYDISCO @ Broadway - 6 May 2011

2011-05-07T12:28:00.001Z

SUPERFURRYDISCO

2011-05-04T13:24:00.001Z

From this Friday for a limited time Broadway will be showing the Creation Records documentary Upside Down, which charts the rise and fall of the legendary indie label.

To celebrate release of the documentary, Broadway has invited LeftLion to DJ in the Cafe Bar and throw its very own indie disco on Friday 6 May.

We’ll be playing music that was only released by Creation Records. So expect to hear tracks by the likes of My Bloody Valentine, Super Furry Animals, Ride, Slowdive, Oasis, Primal Scream and loads more from their epic back catalogue.

If you have got any song requests for the DJ, please leave a comment below or post them in the Facebook event page.

Here's just a little taster of what you can expect to hear...

LeftLion Presents...SUPERFURRYDISCO takes place at the Broadway Cafe Bar from 19:30 on Friday 6 May 2011.

Upside Down is showing at the Broadway Cinema from 6 - 12 May 2011. Please check listings for further information.

Upside Down website
Broadway website

LIVE: Acoustickle 2nd Birthday

2011-05-02T18:05:00.000Z

Nina Smith live - Photo by Jim McVeigh

The first act I get to see are Mucus Mules, who play a set of breezy, summery folk songs that are perfect for the late, warm spring afternoon. With timeless melodies buzzing around lilting acoustic guitars and vocals dripping in honey, it doesn’t take long for them to get The Maze under their spell. They have a more European/Gypsy approach to folk music and it’s good to see that they can retain a sense of humour, with a song about looking for a job getting a few knowing titters from the audience.

What strikes you about Paige Guy is her astonishing velvet voice that belies her young age. Taking influences from modern pop and RnB and running them through her acoustic guitar, it is the simplicity to her songs that really makes them work. You never feel overwhelmed and it gives the audience the opportunity to focus on that soulful voice; and it’s that voice that really carries the songs and gives them the emotional oomph.

Now with an expanded band name and line up, Timothy J. Simpson and the Monstrous Dead add a bit of grit and darkness to the evening’s proceedings. The line-up of Timothy J. Simpson on vox and guitar and ably backed by bass and drums, breathe life in to TJS songs, adding texture and a little bit more of a kick where once that may have been lacking. His set jumps between energetic rock n roll and Jeff Buckley influenced emotive alt-rock with hints of The Replacements style ramshackleness; and when the band play The Centurion it is blooming gorgeous. If you’ve never listened to this man, I demand you to do it now.

Daniel Dobbs may be small in stature, but his big, powerful voice more than makes up for it. Straight from the off his stadium sized songs threaten to blow the roof off The Maze. He is bombastic and earnest in equal measure, and there are moments where it can fall in to ‘Bryan Adams headlining Wembley’ territory, but if he can keep that in check, he’ll no doubt be on of the most explosive singer-songwriters in Nottingham.

Acoustickle 2nd Birthday at The Maze

I’m not too sure how many times I have seen Gallery 47 play live, but I do know that every time I see him I’ve never failed to be awestruck by just what a talented songwriter he is. His warm, hazy, pastoral folk has lyrics that twist and turn as much as his finger-picking guitar playing. Lyrically adept, his clever word play keeps the songs skipping along like a beat poet and stop his thoughtful introspection from gazing at its shoes for too long. There are shades of Nick Drake in his playing and Dylan in his singing, but you never get the impression that he is overwhelmed by his influences, and is definitely his own man. Judging by the response he elicits from the audience I’m not the only one that is awestruck by him tonight.

On to another male singer-songwriter deservedly generating a lot of excitement in Nottingham, Jake Bugg. He can often look like a rabbit in the headlights on stage, but tonight it looks as if he is gaining the stage presence that his songs deserve. Reaching back to the 50s and 60s for songwriting inspiration; Jake Bugg sounds like Johnny Cash grappling with The Hollies, as country grapples with beat pop to create charming, heartfelt ditties. Quite rightly so the audience is stunned in to silence as they listen on intently, giving the songs the warm attention they demand.

It’s late in the night and my eyes and legs are telling me I should be heading to bed, but I manage to hold out to watch Nina Smith, and she is well worth the wait. Accompanied by just an acoustic guitar, it’s a stripped back and raw performance that showcases all of Nina’s qualities. She admits that the late time has meant that she has drank a little more than she intended to, but it doesn’t matter, because as soon as she launches in to the first song, you are struck by just how spellbinding Nina is as a performer and songwriter. Her tortured love songs dig the deepest of emotional wells and her voice has that rare quality of being able to melt even the coldest of hearts. Ending on a cover of Sex on Fire, it is a captivating late-night performance.

The Acoustickle 2nd Birthday took place at The Maze on Sunday 1 May 2011.
Acoustickle website

LIVE: Oxjam at the Golden Fleece

2011-05-02T18:02:00.000Z

As native of Hull and a member of The Holy Orders, Matt Edible is making a rare solo appearance here in Nottingham. Accompanied by only an electric guitar, Matt gives a deft performance of electric emotive rockers, where his howl and bold power chords are often reminiscent of the Manic Street Preachers. Advent Beard is one of the highlights of his set, perfectly illustrating the the power, heart and humour that runs throughout most of his songs.

Having only recently seen these play, it was a pleasure to catch them again so soon. Tonight, The Dusty Bible band are playing under the moniker of Dusty Bible and the Honey Drippers, and it's good to hear that it’s only their name that has changed. Their 50s influenced garage blues sound just as highly charged as ever, and when they ramp up the energy they sound like the early Stones battling with Bo Diddley; whilst their slower numbers show just how adept the band in channeling, and not simply imitating, the old American blues back catalogue.

Still a fairly new band and with each gig Paper Plane Crash are becoming a more and more tighter outfit. Playing fuzzy indie-pop, it’s clear that early 90s lo-fi bands such as Sebadoh and Pavement are touchstones in their sound, yet they never sound derivative. Front-woman and bass player Bod has paid her dues in various bands, most noticeably with Fonda 500; and it’s her experience and flair for songwriting that give PPC that shine and sparkle that lifts them above just being your typical converse wearing indie guitar band who know a few Dinosaur Jr riffs.

Fronted by singer-songwriter Sam Kirk, Injured Birds are the final band of the evening. Sam takes to the stage alone at first with just his ukulele, but gradually the rest of the band join him to complete the line-up. The band switch between folk-esq ditties and storming country-blues rock workouts with shades of 70s rock in their swagger.

As a simple, stripped back three-piece, all three of the band play a key role - Sam’s singing and soulful playing is under-pinned by Jack’s rumbling and funky bass lines, with the whole thing being anchored by Ian’s fluid drum playing. They sound energised and they are all clearly adept musicians, but there are moments where you just wish for for a bit more menace and bite. They are a fun way to end the evening and their music gets people up and dancing in aisles, and what more can you ask for on a Saturday night?

Injured Birds, Paper Plane Crash, Dusty Bible and the Honey Drippers and Matt Edible played at The Golden Fleece on Saturday 20 April 2011.
Oxjam website

LIVE: Steffen Basho-Junghan, The Dusty Bible Band and Nick Jonah Davis

2011-05-02T17:58:00.000Z

Nick Jonah Davis

Solo guitarists Nick Jonah Davis and Steffen Basho-Junghan have been conducting a short tour of the UK together, and tonight they hit up The Chameleon along with the Dusty Bible Band.

When Nick Jonah Davis plays it looks as if his hands are barely moving and this is where the magic lies. Even though it looks like NJD is not doing much, he’s actually conjuring up interwoven melodies out of his acoustic guitar that are full of heart and soul.

Playing in support of his new album Of Time And Tides, he plays a few choice cuts from it including Narrow Bridge, which is full of autumnal, gently tumbling guitar lines. He ends his set with Fred and Evelyn, a gentle, wistful waltz that was written as a dedication to the passing of an old relative.
There are shades of Bert Jansch and Nick Drake in his guitar playing and NJD is certainly part of a very similar lineage of British folk musicians, dealing in Celtic, folk-influenced finger-picking. It is a privilege to have such a talented musician on our very own doorstep.

The Dusty Bible Band are are the noise of the evening, and boy do they bring it. An expanded version of Dusty Bible’s delta-blues infused solo act; this time the ex-Designer Babies front man is joined by Neil on drums and Chris on guitar - both of whom have played in far too may bands for me to try and mention here.

The thing that hits you first is Dusty Bible’s voice - his gritty bluesy yelp sounds like it has been soaked in whiskey for half a decade. Whilst the more than able side-men locking down the grooves on guitar and drums, sound enthralled to, and are clearly well versed in the Chess Records back catalogue.
It’s an energetic, toe-tapping and head nodding fun set. Listening to and watching The Dusty Bible Band makes you feel like you’ve been transported back to a 1950s American blues bar, and it's no bad place to be.

Finally, and a little late in the evening, Steffen Basho-Junghan takes to the stage. His experimental and arty approach to the acoustic guitar clearly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, yet its hard to deny that this is a man who is a master of his craft.

Taking an unorthodox approach to playing guitar; he switches between classic, finger-picked guitar stylings and creating textured sounds by scraping and rubbing the strings of his guitar with a slide. As he plays it’s clear that he is in awe of the acoustic guitar and sets about exploring the various sounds that it can produce.

He has more of a classical approach to the guitar as opposed to Nick Jonah Davis’ more British folk leanings, yet their music sits comfortably side-by-side and it makes sense that they have been conducting a short tour of the UK together.

Steffen Basho-Junghan, The Dusty Bible Band and Nick Jonah Davis played at The Chameleon on Wednesday 20 April 2011.

Gringo Records

2011-05-02T17:52:00.001Z

Matthew Newnham has been running Notts based Gringo Records since 1997. In that time they have built up a reputation for being one of the foremost DIY record labels in the country. Their impressive list of releases includes music by bands such Lords, That Fucking Tank, Bilge Pump, Ox Scapula and Part Chimp, and reads as a who’s-who of the UK’s underground rock scene.

We caught up with Matthew to ask him how record shops have helped his label and whether they still have a future…

What is your earliest memory of shopping in a record store?
That would be buying a 7” copy of Mental As Anything’s Live It Up from Andy’s Records in Ipswich. No idea what happened to it.

How important are independent record stores to your business?
They can be tremendous if the shop stocks our stuff and likes it enough to promote it. I would by lying if I told you that record stores currently make up the majority of Gringo’s sales though.

How easy or hard is it to get Gringo Records product stocked in the shops?
The difficulty is that there are not many shops around that stock new releases by independent labels, especially on vinyl. We have a distributor - Cargo - who tries their best. I’d like to be able to spend a lot more time on promoting the label and developing relationships with the remaining record shops than I currently can. I have plans though!

Is there an outlet on the high street for your music in Nottingham now that Selectadisc is gone?
I don’t think there is on the high street. The Music Exchange has popped up and is doing great things to support local labels. They have sold a decent amount of stuff and they chase me to give me money. When Selectadisc became insolvent Gringo was a creditor and we lost some income. In the grand scheme of things I’m sure we were at the lower end of people affected though. If anyone reading this wants to buy or help sell Gringo releases please get in touch.

Have you tried getting your music stocked in the local HMV and Fopp’s as they are the biggest music retailers on Nottingham’s high street?
I’ve not attempted to get my releases in to local HMVs and Fopp. If they end up in there, fine, but I have never had much time for Fopp in particular. Before Fopp got taken over by HMV, they were the wolf in sheep’s clothing – they were an independent record store that expanded in to other towns, reduced trade for the incumbent local record shops and helped to put them out of business. Go to any town where a Fopp was opened and see what happened. I won’t pretend to have the full inside knowledge as to why Selectadisc shut down, but you can be sure having a Fopp a few streets away did not help keep them afloat.

HMV is on the ropes now anyway. Their credit insurers recently removed the cover on sales. If independent labels want their stock to be shipped to HMV / Fopp they currently have to supply written confirmation that they will accept any bad debts arising from HMV’s sale of their releases. So if HMV goes belly up, the labels won’t get paid.

In the 14 years that Gringo Records has been going have you noticed a change in the public’s music buying habits?
I was talking about this in the Gladstone with James from Fists last night. When we put out our earlier 7”s, our distributors could get 250 7”s in shops no problem. Ecommerce was in its infancy and we didn’t know how to build a website let alone an online shop! CD sales have dropped to be somewhat replaced by downloads, while vinyl is holding up its end.

What are the alternative ways to selling your music other than through record stores?
Make your own online shop absolutely brilliant and sell downloads. My shop is pretty crap at the moment so I need to follow my own advice. I can highly recommend Bandcamp as a tool for labels and bands. I have pages for all Gringo artists and use it to produce download codes to go with vinyl releases and also sell downloads direct. If you ask people to name their price for a download you often find they will pay much more than the price you would have set.

Do you prefer to sell directly to your customers or go through a shop?
I like counting money so it is quite a thrill to sell a record direct to someone. There is something to be said for the personal transaction. It is also cool to meet someone who might have bought a release in some far off land in a record shop you have never heard of, and they can tell you all about it.

Is being able to sell your own records at gigs important?
I prefer to meet people at a gig, sell them a record and have a chat with them. The Gringo fancier is handsome, witty and erudite you see.

I hear that you are planning on opening up your own boutique record store?
Yeah, it is all in the planning stages at the moment so I can’t really give too much detail or big it up in case it doesn’t happen. I’m looking at taking over a space in the city that will house creative businesses and regularly hold events. I am hoping there will be room to house Gringo and have a select amount of stock from independent labels.

Do you think you will be able to attract enough people to the shop?
If everything comes off, there will be loads of different reasons to visit the building. You might come in for a cup of coffee but end up browsing through the record shop, or buying some artwork, or getting yourself a new vintage dress or learning how to sew. The record shop will be one part of a greater whole so if it breaks even I will be perfectly happy.

What role do you think record stores play in the local community?
A record shop can be the glue that holds a city’s music community together. I think a great record shop can really influence bringing people in to a city. Selectadisc was one of the reasons I moved to Nottingham. I initially went to university in Southampton. There was no music scene as there was no record shop. I left after six months as it was so depressing. I ended up at Leicester and visited Nottingham a few times, and when I finished I decided to move to Nottingham with a few friends. The music scene and Selectadisc were a big factor in making that choice. Nottingham seemed like a vibrant place and Selectadisc was the hub.

Record shops can be a meeting point, a social space where you run in to old faces. They can give employment - and sympathetic employment at that - to musicians. And of course, a place to discover music. The Music Exchange also has a track record of helping unsettled people rebuild their confidence through working in the shop. How brilliant is that?

What do you think independent records shops can do to keep going?
I think they have to learn from what has happened to the shops that have closed. Records do still sell, but not in the same numbers. The independent stores have to compete hard, but not on the same terms as your chain stores or Amazons. An independent store can be whatever it wants to be – the owner can shape it in any way they want. That should be the unique selling point – make it different.

What does the future hold for independent record shops?
I think they have a big opportunity if they reject the old model and come up with something new.

Which is your all time favourite record store?
I used to love going to Rough Trade in Covent Garden and Selectadisc on Berwick Street in London. Monorail in Glasgow is brilliant. The store I could spend all day in is Amoeba in San Francisco.

Do you still shop in any of Nottingham’s independent record shops?
I’ll always have a browse in Rob’s Record Mart, Good Vibrations and Anarchy. I don’t get down to the Music Exchange as much as I should do. In fact, I am going to get of my arse and go down there now, as should you!

Gringo Records website
Buy Gringo Records on Bandcamp

Last Shop Standing

2011-05-02T17:50:00.000Z

Record Shop - Illustration by Judit Ferencz

Graham Jones has probably visited more record shops than anyone else on planet earth. He started working as a distributor for Proper, the largest independent music distribution company in the UK, over two decades ago. Since then he has watched his customers struggle to survive in a market of online downloads and corporate dominance. And written a book about it…

What made you write Last Shop Standing?
When I started with Proper 23 years ago we had over 2,000 independent record shops. Now there are just 269. I set off thinking I was writing the obituary of the record store, but instead it became a celebration of the great characters that run them. They all had fantastic funny anecdotes to tell me.

How long did it take to visit all of the shops and write the book?
My tour of the UK was spread over a three-month period with me travelling to a different part of the country each week. The book itself took a year to write.

Had any of the shops in the book shut down before it was published?
No, but since the book was published we have lost the excellent Selectadisc and Pendulum Records in the East Midlands.

Do you have any early memories of record stores?
Every Saturday I would tour the record shops of Liverpool and Birkenhead spending my pocket money. I would always buy records after they had gone out of the chart because if I still liked them after they had been out a while then it was a great record. Often you can like songs at first, but tire of them when they’ve been out a while.

What makes independent record shops special?
You always leave with something you didn’t go in to buy in the first place. I always find something that looks interesting or I hear something being played. Record shops evoke memories as I look through my collection and can remember where I bought each record and why. Downloads also evoke memories. I can remember where I was every time I have downloaded something; sitting in front of my computer screen.

What role should record shops play in the local community?
They should promote local and new music and offer a choice of music for people whose taste stretches beyond The X-Factor. They need to make the shop a part of the community, so that people meet at the local record shop.

Selectadisc was an iconic shop in Nottingham: what are your memories of it?
The manager Jim Cooke was a Notts County fanatic and one of the nicest guys I ever met in the music industry. The first time I called I was driving around with a big Mercedes van crammed full with 9,000 records and CDs. Jim came in my van, pulled out a hundred albums by a Liverpool band called The Icicle Works and put them on the floor. I presumed he was making space, so a minute later I started jamming them back in the rack. Jim then told me he was buying them all. That’s how they worked, buy huge quantities and sell cheap. It is only now it has gone that record buyers appreciate what a great shop it was.

In the past do you think record store owners shot themselves in the foot?
Yes. The shops that made you feel uncomfortable are the shops that have closed. The record shops left have survived because they make the customer welcome; for them it’s never too much trouble to find that exclusive record for you.

Do you still work with any Nottingham record shops?
I still sell to Music Inn, Heavy Sounds and a market stall in the Victoria Centre called Pendulum, who have no connection with the East Midlands chain of the same name who recently closed down.

Last Shop Standing by Graham Jones

What can record labels do to help support independent record stores? Is getting behind Record Store Day enough?
Since Last Shop Standing was released the UK record companies have been superb as they now support independent record shops. I think they finally realised how important they are to help in supporting new artists. My argument with them is why do we have a hundred exclusive releases available just one day per year? If they had exclusive releases throughout the year it would encourage music fans to visit record shops on a regular basis.

How detrimental are online retailers such as Amazon to independent record shops?
Our online retailers are great at what they do but they have a twenty per cent advantage over high street retailers. The vast majority of new CDs purchased online in the UK are shipped from the Channel Islands. This is because if you ship anything from the Channel Islands under £18 it is VAT free. Have you ever ordered a few CDs online and thought to yourself, how come they all arrive in different jiffy bags? If they put them in the same bag the value of the package would be above £18 and therefore liable for VAT. So because of this our supermarkets and online retailers have operations there. This loophole is the main reason why we have lost so many record shops. The government is currently looking into this issue.

Why is there a massive price difference between an album in a supermarket and the same one in a more traditional record store?
Due to spending power supermarkets get bigger discounts than indies. Supermarkets use CDs to attract people to their store, often working on tiny margins because nobody leaves a supermarket with just a CD. Whilst there they will purchase other stuff like milk, bread and ready meals; that’s where the supermarket makes its money.

Do you think people buying physical music is a dying trend?
Sadly we have lost a whole generation of music buyers and it is a slow process trying to get them back. The music industry’s handling of digital music was an utter disaster. First they didn’t explain to the public that stealing music was no different than going down to your local shop and nicking a loaf. Secondly, instead of seeing digital as the future of music they deemed it as the big bad enemy. They should have done a deal with Napster before it became massive. Trying to close them down was a PR disaster and only encouraged more young people to download.

With the apparent demise of the HMV chain is there an opening for more independent record stores on the high street?
I would not read the last rites to HMV just yet, I think their long term policy is sound. They will make a profit of over £30 million this year. They just borrowed too much money to expand as sales dropped rapidly. I know of fourteen new record shops that opened this year. Many major towns don’t have a record shop and there are opportunities for the right people with passion and an expert knowledge to make it work. Record shops can survive as Record Store Day shows. They need to adopt the model similar to Rough Trade and others by supporting new music, local bands, and by becoming the place in town for people to meet. They should put on bands every week, sell coffee, t-shirts, music accessories, books and have a great selection of vinyl.

Last Shop Standing (Whatever Happened to Record Shops?) is published by Proper Music and is available in all good record and book shops. If possible buy it from an independent shop.

Last Shop Standing website

The Heavy Sounds

2011-05-02T17:49:00.000Z

Clint Harris, owner of The Heavy Sounds - photo by Carla Mundy

How long has The Heavy Sounds been going and why did you start up?
For three years. I always wanted to own a record store and I like heavy rock and metal. The area lends itself as there is a local scene for this style of music.

What formats do you sell? And what’s the most popular?
Compact discs and vinyl, with very occasional cassette tapes and DVDs. CDs are still the most popular format, but vinyl is getting stronger. In the 90s vinyl was completely dead, but it has come around again. The CD is less of a desirable format; you can get the same files on your computer, whereas vinyl is more of an experience.

What are your biggest sellers?
It changes depending on the release schedule. Electric Wizard have been a big seller recently as they have gone through a series of re-issues as well as a new album. But at any given time, it could be Slayer, especially when they put a new album out.

Who is your typical customer?
Usually male, they range from the young teens to one of my oldest customers who is in his 70s. If you are narrowing it down, I would say 30-40-year-olds who grew up pre-internet. Obviously technology is great to go and find whatever music you want, but you still get the people who come in every Saturday to flick through the racks. If the death of the record store happened, they would be lost – I’m not sure what they would do. There are a few who don’t have computers or trust shopping online.

Clint Harris, owner of The Heavy Sounds - photo by Carla Mundy

How difficult is it running a record shop in the current climate?
It is difficult; there are no two ways about that. On the flipside it means it can’t really get much worse. As long as you know what you are doing in terms of the music and the customers, you won’t be beaten by massive competition from supermarkets and all the other factors that cause problems. Nowadays if you go around Nottingham you find lots of little independent record shops specialising in certain genres.

What can a record shop can offer that a chain or the internet can’t?
Essentially it comes down to always dealing with the same customers. If a person has been shopping here since we started, they have always been dealing with me and you build up a relationship. It is a more personal service. In an environment where it isn’t as busy at the counter as Fopp or HMV, you get more time to have a chat as opposed to just taking your items to the counter, having them scanned, paying and leaving.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start up an independent record store?
I’m as new as it comes so I don’t have much sage advice. But I would say that if you are just starting up don’t expect to be making huge amounts of money. Try and do something you enjoy. Everything else is just common sense; customer service, flexibility and helping out where you can.

What would say to someone to encourage them to shop in independent shops?
If you were to walk into Nottingham and there were the same stores as everywhere else it would be sad. You need independent shops to make places more interesting.

Why are you taking part in Record Store Day?
I didn’t want to get involved to start with. Three years ago Selectadisc was still open and I assumed they would be the perfect place to do it. But they didn’t sign up and it turned out they were closing. I thought there would be nowhere in Nottingham for people to get any of the Record Store Day items. The products that come out aren’t the things I would usually sell; it was more that I wanted somewhere local to have the event.

It changed last year where RSD got much bigger. I signed up again expecting it to be similar, but it was phenomenally massive last year which was a bit of a shock. It went well, but I was getting out of my depth doing it. This year there are more of us involved, so we can share the burden.

What does the future hold for The Heavy Sounds?
If you start in the environment that we are in and continue to survive, it might start to level out. I don’t know what will happen in the future – will CDs die out or vinyl sales dry up? Will people still be buying music? I don’t know. We are not all of a sudden going to be floating on the stock market. You just have to be flexible. I hope I can continue doing what I’m doing, but you never know what is around the corner. You can’t get too complacent.

The Heavy Sounds, West End Arcade, Chapel Bar, Unit 15-17, Nottingham. NG1 6JP

The Heavy Sounds website

The Music Exchange

2011-05-02T17:47:00.000Z

Andrew Thompson, Manager of The Music Exchange - photo by Carla Mundy

Why did you start up the shop?
We started at the Handel Street Centre primarily with Big Issue vendors who wanted a job. It’s all about giving people the opportunity to work in a supported environment and instill confidence. There has been no end of people go into other employment from here. We’ve been open from June 2009 officially and will be having a birthday party this year. Death By Mono Records are putting together a compilation of local bands and we will have a few play for us.

What music does the shop stock?
We get donations from the public, which can be any vinyl from any period. We have started to stock classic re-issued rock, electronic stuff and we are selling new products too. Garage seems to be a big thing in Nottingham at the minute – we sell a lot of it.

What are the most popular formats?
Vinyl is the most popular, it always has been. When we just stocked second-hand vinyl it always sold more than the CDs. DVDs tend to fly out as they are cheap, but vinyl outsells them all.

We are fortunate to have lots of great record labels in Nottingham at the moment…
I think there is a really healthy music scene and they are all really supportive of each other. If you’re a musician and want to be in a band this is a really great place to be. Fortunately this is what the shop has got caught up in. People like the idea of The Music Exchange and want to get involved, either by volunteering or wanting their records sold there.

Andrew Thompson, Manager of The Music Exchange - photo by Carla Mundy

Do you get many returning customers?
We are in a thoroughfare, so people come in and ask about the price of something and then come back on pay day. We are looking to introduce a discount card so we can knock a couple of quid off to make it easier for people to purchase new vinyl. It can be quite expensive, so if we can make it more attractive than buying online we are onto a winner.

How difficult is it being a high street retailer in the current climate?
We’re fortunate not to be particularly niche and we’re very cautious about ordering too much, so what we get in will always sell. The customers lead what we get in and that’s why there is a broad spectrum. If people ask for something we will try to get it. Fortunately we have established a good reputation with distributors and record labels, so it is quite easy for us to move into other areas and smaller contracts.

Are record labels supportive of the store?
They all love it. Being a charity we often get a discount on orders. That is some of the basis for introducing a discount card; if we are getting a discount, we want to pass that on to our regular customers.

What advice would you give to other record stores?
I think any record store still existing is probably already doing the right thing. They should be listening to customers and not competing with the bigger shops. It is about finding something that your city wants and rising to that. We are fortunate that people in Nottingham and the surrounding cities want vinyl and to come in to the shop to talk about music. Not only do we sell music, we also put on bands, so people can come to us and feel part of the Nottingham music community.

What does the future hold for the store?
We are going to keep on doing what we are doing. We’ve got really great links with Paul Smith - he came in to the shop at Christmas to buy some vinyl. He’s a big vinyl lover, which is fantastic!

What did he buy?
A Roxy Music and a Pink Floyd album; and two t-shirts – a John Burgerman design and one of our own. He is really supportive and has a great knowledge of what’s going on in Nottingham. One of our volunteers now works in the Paul Smith factory. For a massive organisation they have been really supportive of such a small organisation as us.

Do you have any fond memories of shopping in record stores?
Loads! I still go in to Robs Records – I love hunting through the racks and not knowing what’s there. Reading about something, going to ask someone about it and listening to it. I’ve always loved records, they’re a massive part of my life and always will be.

The Music Exchange, 18 West End Arcade, Chapel Bar, Nottingham, NG1 6JP

The Music Exchange website

Jim Cooke

2011-05-02T17:46:00.001Z

Jim Cooke, former Manager of Selectadisc - photo by Dom Henry

How long did you work at Selectadisc?
Roughly thirty years. I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top. I used to go there as a kid when the shop was on Arkwright Street. When I started working there they’d moved to Goldsmith Street.

What are your favourite memories of working there?
All of it! I always looked forward to going to work in the mornings.

How did people’s buying habits change during your time at the shop?
When I first started shopping there it was a haven for young people. By the end, the hardcore supporters were in their forties and fifties. Younger people would sooner spend their money on a new pair of trainers than on music they can download for free.

How difficult was trading in the last few years at the shop?
It was awful, staff morale was crap, it was clear we had had it. If we had downsized and really thought about it we could have made it work. The closure of the shop did come at a good time for me though as it freed up my Saturdays just as Notts County marched on to glory.

What were the reasons for the shops downturn in fortune?
Music downloads, shopping online, us not developing a website and mail order system earlier, Fopp opening and the introduction of the tram. Before the tram you used to be able to walk from the Market Square to the university, which is one of the reasons why we chose the unit. The construction of the tram made Market Street a no go area for a long time. Once it was up and running customers would go sailing past rather than walking by and going in.

How supportive did you find the record labels?
All of the record labels were extremely supportive of the shop, I don’t have a bad word to say about them. The shop won Independent Record Store of the Year a few times and we were always in the Top 5 polls each year. Things started to go wrong when the record labels decided to get in to bed with the likes of Amazon and Tesco. Supermarkets can undercut the cost price of a CD as they use them as loss-leaders, because people go in to supermarkets for other stuff too.

What can independent record stores can offer that bigger chains and the internet can’t?
The internet is definitely the first port of call for people buying music now. But record shops are a more personal and inclusive service. However, it used to be that on a Monday morning there were queues of people waiting for the latest Smiths or The Jam release. Then Radio 1 started to play songs six or seven weeks before the actual release date and by the time the song was released people were bored of it. Nowadays if people hear a song on the radio they can download it straight away and often for nothing. All these factors work against record shops.

What role do you think record stores play in the local community?
I think Selectadisc played a large part. We always had people from local bands working in the shop like members of Tindersticks, Bent and The Soundcarriers. We would always stick up posters for local bands gigs and have band adverts, which we did free of charge. We always stocked CDs from local bands too, as we wanted to repay and support local musicians. That’s what a record shop should do.

In your opinion what does the future hold for independent record stores?
I think it is good. The future is to run shops on a smaller scale. I’m tempted to get back into it, I just need to bide my time and wait for the right moment. When Selectadisc first closed I looked at moving the shop to Wollaton Street, but that was too far out, or Hockley, but that was too expensive. The high rents in the city centre are a huge problem. When they come down I might be more inclined. A stall on Victoria Market is another option.

Do you do any record shopping in Nottingham now?
Yeah. I always look in Fopp, but I mainly buy second hand so I go to Good Vibrations, Anarchy Records, the West End Arcade and charity shops or car boots.

Any final words for the LeftLion readers?
Thanks for all the support the people of Nottingham and the East Midlands gave Selectadisc over the years. Plus the support of all of the students who pass through from the university; September used to be nearly as busy as Christmas when the new students hit town. I would also like to say that Neal Bishop is a god!

As well as following the up and downs of his beloved Notts County, Jim is still involved with his other passion in life, music, and continues to sell records through his Amazon shop.

Sound of the Lion #10

2011-04-13T12:48:00.000Z

Download Sound of the Lion #10 NOW

Hello and welcome to another dose of new Nottingham sounds. As ever, all of the tracks that are played on this podcast are taken from recent releases that have been reviewed in the magazine.
This podcast features music reviewed in LeftLion Magazine #40. Thanks for listening!

Track listing
Verbal Warning - Z List Celebrity
RUBIX - Sweet Lullaby
Duke01 - Delta Squad
The Henry Road - Jeff Lynne is Five
Jezz Hall - Silhouette Man
The Lukewarm Equation - Dead Cat
Shrinkwrap - Beautiful Thing 
Old Boy - Like Ball and Chain
Illuminatus - Glasnost

If you are a local music maker and want LeftLion to cover and promote your music, head over to leftlion.co.uk/sendusmusic now.

Richard Herring

2011-04-10T12:57:00.000Z

Richard Herring - performing at The Playhouse on 13 April

From TV fame as part of Lee and Herring in the nineties to the comedy wilderness in the early noughties and back again; the career of Richard Herring has always been interesting. Over the last few years he’s become a regular of 6music, a prolific podcaster and come to within an inch of winning Celebrity Mastermind. We caught up with him before his appearance at the Playhouse…

Why are you resurrecting the Christ on a Bike show?
I first did it at Edinburgh nine years ago and it was the first time one of my shows ever sold out. I’m doing it again because it’s not currently available on DVD and I’ve got loads of new fans since then who have never seen it. Parts of the show have also been rewritten and I’ve added four or five new routines to it. It was the first solo show I ever did, so I am fond of it.

Do you get much feedback from disgruntled Christians?
I do a little bit. But if people do complain you’ve just got to take it with a sense of humour and walk away. Pretty much everyone who sees the show seems to enjoy it. Recently I got an email from someone who had a list of reasons as to why the show is offensive to Christians and I asked him if he had actually seen the show. He said that he had but couldn’t pick out any specifics. But I’m sure he wasn’t lying as God would be able to see in his heart and see the truth. But the show doesn’t really attack Jesus or Christianity and it also says how silly atheism can be too.

You’ve played Nottingham a few times in the past. Any notable memories?
On my way to play Edinburgh in 2001 I stopped off in Nottingham at Just the Tonic and it was the first time that the Christ On A Bike show had really gelled. Last year I played at The Playhouse in front of 600-700 people, which is much more than I usually get. It was a great to see that I had gone from playing tiny rooms to this great big room. I must thank Darrell from Just the Tonic for helping with that.
When Lee and Herring used to tour, every time we came to Nottingham we would always go to The Tales of Robin Hood. It was so preposterous and it used to make me laugh that before you went in the Sheriff of Nottingham used to say “Get ready to leave behind your humdrum lives”. How does he know my life is humdrum? My life is actually quite good fun!

Richard Herring - performing at
The Playhouse on 13 April

You must be distraught that the Tales of Robin Hood is now a Tesco?
Nottingham you idiots! What have you done?

Were you gutted to not have won Celebrity Mastermind considering the amount of points you got?
I was very gutted. I had revised really hard and knew all of the answers to the questions I was asked. I did make a couple of silly errors, but I was more worried about being humiliated and I don’t think I was. I was up against people who were answering questions based around their professions whereas my subject was Rasputin, so I’m pleased to have done so well. For days afterwards it felt like I had been taken hostage, it was a psychological nightmare!

What draws you to making the As It Occurs To Me and Collings and Herrin podcasts and putting them out for free?
It came out of frustration from not being able to get work on the radio. Doing podcasts was appealing and it meant not worrying about what we were doing. The Collings and Herrin podcasts came from when I would go on Andrew’s old 6Music show and we would have our little chats. We discovered that the podcasts were easy to do and we got a geek we know to help us. What appeals about doing the podcasts is that you can have an idea in the morning and people are listening to it by the evening. It was never our intention to do this when we started, but they are a good way to advertise work you are doing and hopefully people listen to the podcasts and will pay to come to the shows.

Will Fist of Fun and This Morning with Richard not Judy ever be released on DVD?
We are trying to get it released through Go Faster Stripe. There is someone at the BBC who has looked in to getting it released, but they seem to be dragging their feet, which is very short sighted of them as I get asked about it about three to four times a week, so I think there is an audience for it.
I think the BBC are reluctant to release it as they invested a lot of money on us in the 90s and saw very little return. Ideally we will buy the rights off them and release it through Go Faster Stripe. We would be able to do it in a very cost effective manner through them; a run of 2000 would make it worthwhile. There is a very loyal group of people who would buy it. I was watching clips the other day and I think it stands up very well. Whenever you see these lists of the Top 100 sketch shows we never get mentioned; we’ve been wiped from history.

Richard Herring’s Christ on a Bike: The Second Coming will be at The Playhouse on Wednesday 13 April.

Richard Herring website

Brooklyn Vegan re-published my Josh T. Pearson review

2011-04-02T17:51:00.003Z

Time to be self-indulgent, and if you can't be self-indulgent on a blog, I don't know where you can be.

Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool and decent of the excellent blog Brooklyn Vegan to re-publish and link to my recent Josh T. Pearson live review that I wrote for LeftLion. Thanks BV!

I'm basically posting this here for prosperity.

I attempted to do a screen grab of the page and that is the end result up there.

(PS - that typo is in the post url as I can't spell...)

LIVE: Josh T. Pearson

2011-03-31T19:29:00.001Z

Josh T. Pearson live

Josh T. Pearson’s debut album The Last of the Country Gentleman is a heartbreaking account of the collapse of his marriage; recorded over two soul-searching nights in Berlin, it perfectly captures a man in the depths of despair using music as a cathartic escape. It’s one of the few albums that will still be listened to in years to come and will still ring with the emotional resonance that it does today.

The album is very much a personal listen and was unsure of how it would translate when being played in front of a packed room or how Josh T. Pearson (some how seems wrong to revert to calling him Josh) would be able to deliver such stark and personal material in front of an audience.

There was no need to be worried, because as soon as he starts playing Rivers of Babylon/Thou Art Loosed, the audience is stunned in to silence – I’ve never witnessed such a quiet and respectful audience at The Bodega. Everyone is so enthralled by Josh T. Pearson’s performance that not even a whisper is uttered. Even guffs of wind are held in out of respect.

Stood centre stage alone except for a guitar; as he sings he stares out over the audience transfixed on some imaginary point in the distance, cutting a solitary, yet defiant figure. His reverb soaked voice and rambling, lucid guitar playing are the perfect accompaniment to his Gothic Americana vignettes on love lost and heartache.

It is enough to make grown men cry and there have even been reports of men breaking down at previous gigs. To say that there wasn’t a dry eye in the house tonight would be a lie, but that’s not to say we aren’t touched - only someone with no soul wouldn’t be moved by songs of such beautiful sorrow.

When he isn’t singing, Josh T. Pearson comes across as a very affable and charming Southern American gentleman. He jokes with the audience and gives shout outs out to the supports acts and friends in the audience. Perhaps this on stage humour is a way of dealing with the bleakness of his set?
The night ends with Devil’s on the Run, a request from someone in the crowd, which sees Josh T. Pearson encouraging the audience to sing along with him during the coda. It means the gig finishes in celebratory fashion as the audience joyfully shouts along.

Josh T. Pearson played at The Bodega Social Club on Wednesday 30 March 2011.

Josh T. Pearson website

Fists - Ascending

2011-03-26T13:55:00.000Z

Another great video by Dan Toporowski, this time for the song Ascending by Fists.

The 7" that this song is taken from was recently reviewed in LeftLion Magazine #39.

This track is from the bands recent Ascending/Stag 7" - and if you like what you hear you can purchase the song from Hello Thor.

Sound of the Lion #9

2011-03-23T13:53:00.001Z

Download Sound of the Lion #9 NOW

Boom! The Sound of the Lion podcast is back again to fill your tab holes with the latest and greatest in new Notts music.
All of the songs played on this show are taken from recent local releases that have been reviewed in LeftLion Magazine #39. Thanks for listening!

Track listing
Sleaford Mods - The Mod That Fell To Earth
Skiman - Darkside
Long Dead Signal - Again and Again
Alberto Veto - Careful
The Burt Bacharak Fight Club - In The Miso Soup
Dick Venom and the Terrortones - Attack of the 50ft Frackenbride
Alright The Captain - Peanut Worm
Some Skeletons - Throats
Fists - Ascending

If you are a local music maker and want LeftLion to cover and promote your music, head over to leftlion.co.uk/sendusmusic now.

Listen to the podcast by clicking here.

Some Skeletons - Pests

2011-03-16T13:33:00.004Z

In the run up to Christmas I was sent an EP called Kypes | Pests | Throats by Some Skeletons, which I reviewed in LeftLion Magazine #39.

As I often get sent so much music it is rare for me to repeatedly listen to something over and over again, but I did and continue to do so with this EP.

It's a great little EP and if you like the sound of this song, you should head to the bands Bandcamp page and think about making a purchase.

LIVE: 8mm Orchestra, Strings of Seville and Practical Lovers

2011-03-09T08:48:00.001Z

8mm Orchestra live at the Jam Cafe - Photo by Melimoi

Another Friday night and another fresh and exciting Farmyard Records organised gig at The Jam Cafe.

The first band playing tonight are Practical Lovers, a two-piece consisting of a vocalist and bass player accompanied by a backing track that that spews out tight new-wave electro-pop.

It is this bed of beats and samples that gives the band room to manoeuvre to do their thing. The bass player drives the songs forward, using his bass as more of a lead instrument adding an extra layer of melody; much like Peter Hook does in New Order. Over the top of all this the singer croons and struts his way through the set, with the vocals heavily processed and digitised to such an extent that they become an extra instrument and slot seamlessly alongside everything else that is going on.

There is a dark 80s indie thing going on, but they are upbeat and poppy enough to keep everyone entertained. A really enjoyable update on the 1980s electro-pop template.

Strings of Seville deliver pile-driving alternative rock with waves of warm fuzzy guitars and added art-rock shapes. Yes, they are delightfully noisy, but they always stay on the right side of melodic and distil the essence of what makes a song great, which stops them from ever vanishing up their own proverbial - often the downfall of so many bands of this ilk.

The obvious My Bloody Valentine references are there in the wall-o-sound guitars, but their more direct approach recalls the thick slabs of sonic power of Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins.

8mm Orchestra live at the Jam Cafe - Photo by Melimoi

Taking their lead from the more atmospheric and emotional spectrum of the post-rock; 8mm Orchestra bring to mind bands such as Slint and Explosions In The Sky.

Over the past year they’ve become a much more refined outfit., with small passages of sounds linking one song to the next being a rather deft touch. When you deal in intricate instrumental passages it can be hard to convey any emotional impact, but 8mm Orchestra are fast becoming masters of their craft and are able to mine deep strands of emotion from within their songs.

When they need take it to the next level and kick it up a gear they make you feel like you are being thrown in to the air by a nuclear explosion. Yet, when they are quiet it’s hypnotic and they draw you in with subtle keys and intricate guitar lines.

They are a powerhouse of emotion and raw power, a tough combination to get right, but 8mm Orchestra pull it off with flair and style.

8mm Orchestra, Strings of Seville and Practical Lovers played at the Jam Cafe on Friday 4 March 2011.

All photographs by Melimoi.

LIVE: Gruff Rhys

2011-02-23T15:59:00.000Z

Gruff Rhys

Touring in support of his latest solo album, Hotel Shampoo, Gruff stroll’s on to the stage and takes a seat behind a piano, where he will stay for the first couple of songs. He opens the set with the last track from his latest effort Rubble Rubble and jokes that we should greet it with a big round of applause so that it is more like a Coldplay concert. The song is testament to Gruff’s knack of writing clever pop songs and delivering them with a sort of home-spun charm, as his backing track is played off a 7” record that he puts before playing the song.

When the support band Y Niwl join him on stage as his backing band they immediately bring a sparkle and flair to Gruff’s songs. Shark Ridden Waters is a widescreen love affair to classic 70’s MOR and the smouldering bass line becomes the heart of the song.

Of the other songs played from the new album, both Sensations In The Dark and Honey All Over are live highlights. The former skips between classic 60s pop stylings and sun-drenched, mariachi flavoured rhythms, possibly influenced by Gruff’s recent travels around South America for the documentary Seperado. Whilst the latter, playing on the Hotel Shampoo theme, is a bubbly love song about a shower gel.

The audience is also treated to a fair few choice cuts from Gruff’s first solo album, Candylion, including the playful title track and the welsh language Gyrru Gyrru Gyrru that Gruff informs us literally means "Driving Driving Driving", and is still toe-tapping enjoyable despite my ignorance of the Welsh language, which is a special skill Gruff Rhys has as a songwriter. He’s able to craft little pop nuggets that may seem inconspicuous at first, but reveal themselves to have hidden depths and pleasures.

Gruff Rhys played at The Glee Club on Monday 21 February 2011.

Read an interview with Gruff Rhys on LeftLion.

Gruff Rhys website

Gruff Rhys

2011-02-23T15:58:00.000Z

Gruff Rhys sampling hotel shampoo - photo by Mark James

Gruff Rhys is best known as the singer of the Super Furry Animals, but he’s also a documentarian, solo artist and plastic bottle modeller. Guess which one of those skills he’ll be demonstrating at the Glee Club this month?

Your new solo album is called Hotel Shampoo, due to the fact that you’ve built up a substantial collection of hotel toiletries. How did you become such a kleptomaniac?
I lead a quite mundane, normal life, so when I go on tour I find it too good to be true. I just started collecting hotel shampoo bottles as mementos when I was on tour. I started doing it in 1995 and didn’t think it would last such a long time. It’s kind of got out of hand.

Where do you keep them all?
Around the house. Around two years ago, when I was writing the new album, I ended up building a hotel out of them. I became obsessed with building this actual shampoo hotel; it was a way of giving the songs context. The bottles inspired me to think of song titles, so I started to come up with imaginary products.

If you hadn’t been a musician, would you have had the urge to see so many places?
I don’t think the travelling would be possible; I’d have to find a way to pay the bills, so it would be harder to leave the one place. I do feel very lucky to be able to get to see so much of the world.

What are your favourite places to visit?
I’m not fussy, I don’t really have a favourite. Everywhere is good in some way. It’s more about the people – if I meet good people then it doesn’t matter if I don’t see the sights.

What was it like travelling to Argentina to track down a long lost relative for the recent documentary Seperado?
For a while I tried to persuade people to give me the cash to go to Argentina to investigate, but no-one would. Then in 2004 our old record label gave SFA £15,000 to make a video. I don’t think they truly believed it as it took five years to make, and by the time it was finished we were no longer on the label. It was an amazing experience making it – much harder than I anticipated. I had no idea of the work involved. It ended up taking five years to make.

The mindblowing Gruff Rhys - photo by Mark James

Did you get to make any music whilst you were there?
I played with a few Argentinean musicians when I was there. I’ve actually recorded the soundtrack to Seperado, which I plan to release sometime soon. I have seven new tracks, one in English and six in Welsh, plus four to five instrumentals. It’s all ready, it just needs a sleeve. I should really get round to putting it out.

Now you’re not tied to a major label, what’s the process like when releasing a new album?
It’s a palaver. Even once the music has been recorded, it takes a few months to sort out the sleeve, then you have the press and interviews to sort out. My last record was with Tony da Gatorra – The Terror of Cosmic Loneliness – and it took three years to come out. I finished Hotel Shampoo last March and it’s only just coming out nearly a year later.

What became of the tank that the Super Furry Animals used during the Radiator period?
We actually bought that tank from an arms dealer just south of Nottingham – he has a field full of armed vehicles. We ended up selling the tank to Don Henley from The Eagles, as we couldn’t afford to keep it. He collects tanks on his farm in Texas. When we had it, Creation Records kept it on a farm. We all had a go at driving it and we kitted it out with a massive sound system.

Any fond memories of playing Notts?
I’ve played Rock City a few times, but the venue I’m playing this time around is in a new part of town for me. One of my favourite Robin Hood-inspired songs is by Steeleye Span, called Gamble Gold (Robin Hood). It’s very weird – part of the short-lived genre of glam folk. I sometimes play the song when I’m DJing.

What keeps you going? How do you find the inspiration to keep creating?
Before I was in Super Furry Animals I was in another band for seven years. I released my first record in 1994. I started singing when I was 25. There was no real pressure; it was just playing music for the sake of it, and then somehow we got signed. I was used to playing to no-one and making records that don’t sell for a really long time. So now I’m happy to do gigs to five people, I don’t see what I do as a career. I just like to make music and if I make a record that more than ten people hear, that gets me very excited. I don’t feel any pressure to be popular; maybe that’s why I’m still able to do this.

If you were to die and be reincarnated, what would you like to come back as?
Something useful to society, like a rubbish tip or a hospital.

Any final words?
Always keep your keys with you so you don’t lose them. Happy New Year to you.

When’s the cut-off point for saying that to people?
I don’t think that there is one - cultures around the world all celebrate a different New Year, so there’s a different New Year’s Day every month of the year. Happy New Year!

Gruff Rhys plays at The Glee Club on Monday 21 February 2011. Tickets are £13.50.

Gruff Rhys website
Glee Club Nottingham website

LIVE: Bright Eyes

2011-02-23T15:55:00.000Z

Bright Eyes live at Rock City

Tonight’s show was originally scheduled to be at the Rescue Rooms, but a last minute change saw it move to the less intimate surroundings of Rock City. What is lost in intimacy is more than made up for by an extraordinary special performance.

With a band featuring regular Bright Eyes collaborators Mike Moggis and Nate Walcott along with Saddle Creek alumni, Laura Burnhenn; it is a line up of Bright Eyes that brings a sparkle and shine to the songs. Whereas in the past there may have been low-key introspection, now there is an explosion of elation and joy in their performance. If this is the final outing for the Bright Eyes moniker as has been insinuated, it is fitting that they take a bow in the celebratory mood that they are in this evening.

Opening with two newies even before the new album has been released is a brave move, but that is was Bright Eyes do tonight. Bathed in a warm glow of orange light, Firewall and Jejune Stars turn out to be perfect primers for the rest of the set; with the former being a country-blues-infused slow burner, whilst the pace picks up as the band marches through the latter.

These aren’t the only new songs that the band perform. In fact, a whopping nine out of the ten songs from the new album The People’s Key are littered throughout the set. They have a spikier and punchier vibe than previous Bright Eyes material, and it is testament to Conor Oberst as a songwriter that these new tracks fit along side the more familiar material perfectly despite only being less than a month old to many of the audience’s ears (The album has been streaming online for the past month).

Arc Of Time (Time Code) finds Conor Oberst loosening up as the band bring a much more organic feel than the digital sheen found on Digital Ash In A Digital Urn. By the time they launch in to the boisterous Four Winds, everyone on stage seems relaxed and energised.

Bright Eyes live at Rock City

There is playfulness in the interaction with the audience too. At one point Conor Oberst asks is there are any 16 year olds in the audience and tells them that the “next song is older than you” before playing Falling Out of Love at This Volume. He also declares himself “a human jukebox” during the encore when an audience member who has kept shouting for Something Vague to be played again finally gets her wish granted.

Props too for the shout out to the support act, Andy, better known as Notts folky indie-popster We Show Up On Radar.

The main set ends with the cynical tale of Lover I Don’t Have To Love and a spine-tingling rendition of Lua that sees Conor stood alone with just his acoustic guitar for company telling the story of two people fighting addiction. It is a touching way to end what has been a rather magical performance so far.

Gold Mine Gutted fires up the encores and highlights what a tight and dynamic line-up of Bright Eyes this is, with an emotionally charged extended intro lead by Mike Moggis wrangling line after line out of his guitar before Conor Oberst eventually reappears to sing.

The Calendar Hung Itself is another highly charged performance before the band finally finishes proceedings with One For You, One For Me; a widescreen, poetic track ending with Conor singing, “You and me that is an awful lie/It is I and I”. It turns out to be a rather touching finale.

Setlist:
Firewall
Jejune Stars
Arc of Time (Time Code)
Cleanse Song
We Are Nowhere and it's Now
Something Vague
Four Winds
Triple Spiral
A Machine Spiritual (In the People’s Key)
Take it Easy (Love Nothing)
Approximate Sunlight
False Advertising
Falling Out of Love at This Volume
Beginner's Mind
Spring Cleaning
Shell Games
Bowl of Oranges
Lover I Don't Have to Love
Lua

Encore:
Gold Mine Gutted
Haile Selassie
Something Vague
The Calendar Hung Itself
One for You, One for Me

Bright Eyes played at Rock City on Wednesday 9 February 2011.

All photos by David Baird.

Bright Eyes website

Gigs of 2010

2011-02-23T15:47:00.001Z

Garrison & Friends @ The Golden Fleece - 7/01/10

Lisa de'Ville/Fists/Captain Dangerous @ Rock City - 15/01/10

Future of the Left/That Fucking Tank @ The Social - 21/01/10

Felix @ The Social - 25/01/10

Henry Parkinson/Escapologists/We Show Up On Radar @ Angel Row Library - 6/02/10

Nick Jonah Davis/Kogumaza/The Horse Loom @ Lee Rosys Tea Room - 7/02/10

NME Awards Tour: The Maccabees/Bombay Bicycle Club/The Big Pink/The Drums @ Rock City - 9/02/10

Red Shoe Diaries/Ghost Cassette/Of Mice and Mental Arithmatic @ The Malt Cross - 4/03/10

Spotlight Kid/Tenebrous Liar/Twenty Year Hurricane @ The Chameleon - 10/03/10

The Joy Formidable/Baddies @ The Social - 16/03/10

Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra/Kogumaza @ Rescue Rooms - 24/03/10

Divorce/Guilty Parents @ The Chameleon - 24/03/10

Over The Wall/Three Blind Wolves @ The Chameleon - 1/04/10

The Black Light Parade/Fists/Spotlight Kid/We Show Up On Radar @ The Arts Theatre - 3/04/10

Moon Unit/Kogumaza/Strange Attraktors @ The Chameleon - 16/04/10

Rufus Wainwright @ The Royal Concert Hall - 25/04/10

Foals @ Nottingham Trent Student Union - 07/05/10

All Tomorrow's Parties Curated by Pavement @ Butlins Minehead - 14-16/05/10

Yunioshi/Japanese Sleepers/Spaceships Are cool @ Cafe Bar Contemporary - 29/05/10

Dot To Dot Festival 2010 @ Various Venues - 30/05/10

Scout Niblet @ Spanky Van Dykes - 03/06/10

Future of the Left/The Plight/Spectres @ Spanky Van Dykes - 05/06/10

Lissie @ Fopp - 21/06/10

8mm Orchestra/Bravo Juliet/Leela and the Spaceship @ The Central - 1/07/10

Shield Your Eyes/Ox Scapula/Solomon Grundy/Kogumaza/Silent Front/Nope/Dead Spex/Young Wolves/Slowcoaches @ The Social - 18/07/10

Fonda 500/WeBeNaked/Paper Plane Crash - 21/07/10

The Waterfront Festival @ Canalside - 31/07/10

Reading Festival - 27-29/08/10

The Low Anthem @ Rescue Rooms - 01/09/10

Black Mountain @ Rescue Rooms - 16/09/10

Paper Plane Crash/Garrison @ Bar Deux - 18/09/10

The Vaselines @ Rescue Rooms - 20/09/10

Grinderman @ Rock City - 25/09/10

The Joy Formidable/Chapel Club - @ Rescue Rooms - 30/09/10

Sparrow & The Workshop/Fists @ The Social - 8/10/10

Oxjam Takeover @ Canning Circus Venues - 9/10/10

Souvaris/Ed Wood/Fresh Eyes For The Dead Guy @ The Chameleon - 16/10/10

Guns N Roses @ NEC - 17/10/10

Denizen Record Label Launch w/ Hhymn and Injured Birds @ Antenna - 18/10/10

Yunioshi/Ronika/Muha/Lisa de'Ville/Gallery 47 @ Nottm Contemporary - 23/10/10

Hockley Hustle @ Various Venues - 24/10/10

Strange Attraktors @ Cafe Bar Contemporary - 28/10/10

Hello Gore: Black Powder/Yunioshi/Red Show Diaries/Hot Horizons/Hhymn/Joey Chicken Skin @ Cafe Bar Contemporary - 30/10/10

Kogumaza/Gareth Hardwick/Dusty Bible @ The Chameleon - 11/11/10

Foals @ Rock City - 6/11/10

Guns 2 Roses @ The Flowerpot - 12/11/10

Bands In The Sand @ Sandfield Centre - 18/11/10

Beach House @ Manchester Cathedral - 19/11/10

Interpol/Surfer Blood @ Rock City - 24/11/10

Felix/Poppy Seed @ Hand and Heart Gallery - 25/11/10

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Rock City - 3/12/10

Damn You! Christmas Covers Party @ The Social - 18/12/10

Ronika/The Eviltones/Rebel Soul Collective @ The Golden Fleece - 31/12/10