June, 2010

Think of Glastonbury and the first thing that pops to mind is probably welly boots and rain. Not since 1992 has there been an entirely dry Glastonbury weekend. This year, Glastonbury turned 40 and that all changed with temperatures soaring across each of the 4 day festival well into the late 20s. Started way back in 1970 the day after Jimi Hendrix died tickets cost £1 and the 1500 strong crowd were treated to free milk and a set from Marc Bolan. In 2010 that figure was closer to 170000 with a hugely diverse lineup across not one but 45 stages. Glastonbury has grown into something bigger than a music festival, a sprawling tented town packed tight like Manhattan a fusion of cultures from across the world. Alongside music the festival attracts performers from theatre, film, the arts and even boasts its own circus. Like every forward thinking modern town you can eat some of the healthiest food on the planet, drink wonderfully tasty spicy chai at 4am or get a massage to relax in the healing field. That’s the beauty of this place, not only can you party all night long but you can recover in style and have an experience to wash away all the stresses of the modern world. The atmosphere at Glastonbury is unbelievably friendly with music fans from newborn babies (2 onsite births this year) to folks in their 80’s all united by the common factor of a love of music arts and having fun.

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Arriving on site everyone is gifted a Glastonbury canvas bag part of the festivals drive to lower the human footprint left on site and a neat way to encourage people to stop using plastic bags post festival. With a big effort on recycling and the recent installation of solar panels on the roof of organiser Michael Eavis cow shed (Mootel) it’s clear being kind to the environment is at the forefront of the organisers minds. A mechanical bin that spits out rubbish at passers by is a thought provoking art work that landed its creator two free tickets.

After some tea and scones in a tented tearoom it’s time to catch the first live music of the weekend, Beardyman. If you’ve ever waited round the edges of Bryant Park in NYC to watch one of their free summer movies then you know the chaos that ensued when they eventually opened the tent for Beardyman’s Thursday afternoon set. From empty to beyond capacity in seconds many were left to sit outside and soak up the glorious sunshine. For those inside Beardymans Stevie Wonder number went down especially well.

The second treat of the day involves a band from California and a rammed out Queens Head Stage. Local Natives are creating lots of buzz and the packed out tent know it. Every word of every song echoes round the circus like tent, the uplifting harmonies of songs like ‘World News‘, ‘Airplanes’, ‘Sun Hands’ and ‘Warning Sign’ let everyone know the weekend has arrived! The set even produces the first celebraty spot of the weekend, none other than Emma Watson form Harry Potter jumping around backstage.

Glasgow legends Optimo round off the energetic part of the night in the Stonebridge Bar. If all the dancing and load music gets too much then theirs the peaceful Stone Circle, perched on the hill above the vast site. This magical area is perfect for building fires and meeting lifelong friends to watch the sunrise emerge form the lantern lit night sky. It doenst get more surreal than this especially while listening to birds singing over balloons whistling to the sound of half the hill inhaling nitrous oxide! With so much diverse entertainment on offer the only problem with Glastonbury 2010 is remembering to go to get some sleep!

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Friday kicks off the festival proper with 80 year old Rolf Harris opening in front of a packed Pyramid audiance. Their is much affection for the painter entertainer and many are dressed as Rolf or sporting Kangaroos on their heads. Some festivals have to bribe the crowd with a chance of free tickets to dress up, at Glastonbury it somehow comes naturally. Some of the strangest outfits include 5 full size penguins, a frog, some rather sinister stilted angels and a Victorian gentleman being pushed towards the stone circle perched on a rather large piano.

Over a breakfast of hot granola suffocated with milk rumours are starting to circulate concerning the special guest on The Park Stage. Contenders include Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire, Jay Z and even Radiohead. I decided to take a walk up and get the scoop. The Park Stage is way up on the hill close to the Stone Circle and is overlooked by a vast tower with streamers that flutter in the wind and twinkle at night. For anyone prepared to line up for at least 10 minutes the tower gives some breathtaking panoramic views of the enormous festival. The Park Stage is curated by none other than Emily Eavis and for anyone interested in new music has arguably the best line up of any stage on the festival. The walk turns out to be more than worth the trip, it may be early but backstage I spot Thom Yorke, Emily and Michael Eavis in conversation with a reporter and photographer from The Guardian. So its confirmed Radiohead, or at the very least Thom Yorke will be the special guest on the Park Stage. Unable to contain my excitement I rush down to catch Frank Turner in a rammed Queens Head Stage. Before his set Frank confesses his favourite dressing room in the world can be found in the Oran Mor in Glasgow, he also lets slip he’ll be playing a secret acoustic slot at the Strummervill Stage late into the night.

‘I’ love coming to Glastonbury , I’ve been loads of times and usually get completely fucked up, but this year I’m going to stay sober and for the first time might even get a proper shower at my friends house’

Reports from Strummerville Stage suggests Frank was being overly optimistic on the staying sober front! Frank has tent bulging and a crowd who seem infatuated by the solo set, ‘The Road’ going down particularly well.

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Pheonix at the Other Stage excite before its time to run over to watch Snoop Dog at the Pyramid Stage. With no neds at Glastonbury Snoops bouncers turn out to be the scariest part of the weekend, dressed in suits looking like they’ve been plucked straight from an LA nightclub their intimating aura is certainly huge contrast to the chilled vibe of the rest of the festival! Snoop is followed on the Pyramid by the preppy sounds of Vampire Weekend who look slightly out of place on such a big stage, nevertheless with tunes like ‘A Punk’, ‘Run’ and ‘California English’ they just about carry it off.

Before Mumford and Sons at John Peel Stage there’s time to catch rising Scottish band Meursault over at the BBC Introducing Stage. Always a man in the know for many things but especially new music, Chris Cain from We Are Scientists said ‘I just got their new album and I really love it’. They opened with their epic ‘Crank Resolutions’ from said album All Creatures Will Make Merry. Further on in the chat with Chris he lets slip he is looking forward to seeing Frightened Rabbit,

‘Gary from Snow Patrol took us to Nice N Sleazys in Glasgow a few years back to see this band he was raving about, that was Frightened Rabbit and I been a fan ever since!’.

Safe in the knowlage that the Park stage special guest will not be Will Young (who is thankfully ligging not playing) it’s an easy choice to forgo Dizzie Rascal and the Gorillaz. As rumours circle that it might actually be Radiohead there’s no need to think and the half hour hike to the Park Stage begins. The Park is rammed and the anticipation of something really special is building. Thom Yorke emerges on stage to ‘The Eraser’ before the crowd is treated to several solo tracks. It than gets really exciting as Johnny Greenwood comes on for Idioteque.

‘Karma Police’ follows and the crowd refuse to let it finish as a mass singalong of ‘I Lost Myself’ stretches for several minutes before Thom Yorke joins back in!  With the Glastonbury 40 sign above and views of the whole sight beyond the stage this really is something of a treat. The element of surprise make this the highlight of the entire weekend, closing with ‘Street Spirit’ the crowd really cant believe their luck in witnessing such an intimate Radiohead performance. At Michael Eavis traditional Sunday morning press conference he hinted almost in the same breath when asked about U2 headlining in 2011 that Radiohead made a great headliner this year. The full set is below:

The Eraser
Harrowdown Hill
Negroid Swan
Cymbal Rush
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Monument Song
Idioteque
Karma Police
Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Theres not many festival where you’d see Thom Yorke strolling round in a straw hat with his top off but throught the weekend thats exactly the sight on several occasions as he patrolled the area around the Park stage, maybe he was taking in the atmosphere in preparation to headline the Pyramid in 2011!

Next up in this hectic day of back to back quality bands are the Flaming Lips. Earlier in the day singer Wayne Coyne was stomping round the backstage area with his son. Wayne is responsible for the funniest line of the weekend as I overheard him say to his kid in his OKLAHOMA accent

“look I told you already, you cant smoke pot until your 12!”

what an awesome dude! Sky full of confetti, a choir dressed completely as orange Munchkins and a front man emerging from a pulsating vagina in a huge inflatable balloon. Apparently the feeling of complete happiness all this produces is all par for the course at a Flaming Lips show! Its not easy taking pictures when there are what feel like hundreds of massive balloons emerging form a vagina landing on you! This memorable set confirms why the Flaming Lips are such a draw and are a excellent way to close the Other Stage for the night.

You might expect with such a ridiculously good line up that the evenings bands are all done already. Think again, because up at The Park Stage Label mates to Radiohead and one of the hottest emerging bands of the last year The XX are providing the conclusion to Fridays proceedings (on the big stages at least). Their Glasto debut at The Park Stage show is decidedly low key compared to their Saturday set at the John Peel STage where they were joined by FLorence and The Machine. With a full moon as a backdrop to the sublime beats of tunes such as ‘Heart Skipped a Beat‘, ‘VCR’ and ‘Crystalised‘ their set makes you wonder if all this is a dream, or if a festival really can be this good!?

The XX then head over to the Stonebridge Bar to dj with Micachu and the shapes, Jamie Klaxons (more on him later) and a very wasted Guillaume from the Golden Silvers!

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Saturday its back to the Park to catch the perfectly scheduled Beach House, sitting on the hill taking in the atmospheric rhythms of ‘10 Mile STereo’, ‘Norway’, ‘Used to Be’ and of course ‘Walk in The Park’, Beach House are the perfect tonic to many a fuzzy head!

The quiet serenity of the Park though has to be traded for a run down to the Other Stage to catch Brooklyn’s finest The National. The hit packed set includes ‘Anyone’s Ghost’, ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, ‘I’m Afraid Of Everyone’, ‘Conversation 16‘ and the rather appropriate ‘England‘ from their glorious new album High violet. Classics such as ‘Mistaken For Strangers’ and ‘Abel‘ follow before closing with ‘Fake Empire‘ and the rousing ‘Mr November’. The National are responsible for one of the albums of 2010 and have an equally impressive back catalogue.They are back n the UK for a full tour including Glasgow in November.

Saturday night also has a Secret Special Guest at the Park Stage. Tonight though the secret is not so secret with Biffy Clyro flags everywhere stating they are indeed tonight’s special guest. On arrival at The Park gates the hill already look rammed and shortly after security close the gates as the field is running beyond capacity! In broad daylight this feels strangely like a headline set in front of a crowd peppered with Scottish flags and stretching solid all the way up to the Glastonbury 40 Years sign on top of the hill. To cries of ‘moan the Biff’ (apparently a phrase started by Frank Mcdonald an early supporter and college friend of the band) orange trousered Neil runs round teh stage like a man possessed. Biffy rocked out with

That Golden Rule’
‘Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies’
‘Glitter And Trauma’
‘Bubbles’
‘Who’s Got A Match?’
‘Mountains’
‘Many Of Horror’
‘The Captain’

The last time I caught Biffy was at Glasgow’s 13th Note way back in 1999, Neil and Ben were carrying their own gear onstage and selling tickets after for their upcoming King Tuts show, personally seeing them play to so many adoring fans was surreal. They headline 2 Sold Out nights at Glasgow’s SECC later this year.

Slightly stunned from the Biff, it was time to head down to The Pyramid and watch the Scissor Sistors and very special guest Kylie.

Searching for something more intimate the decision is made to go watch fellow New Yorkers the Phenomenal Handclap Band up at the Queens Head Stage. Tunes as good as ‘Dim the Lights’ and ‘15 to 20′ make this a trip well worth the effort.

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With Muse restricting photographers allowed into the Pyramid pit (to big publications) I decide to kick back and enjoy their set. The same happened last year with Bruce and the clamour to get a shot resulted in a panic attack, this year it would be inappropriate to get stressed at Glastonbury! The huge production of lights was overshadowed by the special atmosphere created from two flares set of during the set. Muse even roll out The Edge for the encore with a cover of ‘Where the Streets have no Name.‘  Apparently after the set the Edge asked Michael Eavis (not clear if he was joking or not) if he was getting paid for this. Eavis replied ‘I honestly don’t know but I thought you were doing it for fun!’. He also hinted in will be at least another 3 years before U2 will headline the festival. Eavis went on to say ‘We finally got a headliner in MUSE’ maybe a reference to the fact many belive Gorillaz slightly bombed on the Friday having being upstaged my a man who continually exposed himself during their set! Muse played:

Uprising
Supermassive Black Hole
New Born
Map of the Problematique
Guiding Light
Citizen Erased
Nishe
United States Of Eurasia
Feeling Good
Undisclosed Desires
Resistance
Interlude
Hysteria
Time Is Running Out
Starlight
Stockholm Syndrome

Where The Streets Have No Name (U2 cover) (with The Edge)
Plug In Baby
Knights of Cydonia

At this point lesser festivals send everyone back to their tent (you know the ones), at Glastonbury though The night is still young. From the Pyramid the next destination is the Rabbit Hole. The Rabbit Hole is an area featuring secret tunnels and requiring a special password to get in. The vibe is very Alice in Wonderland! Such a strange enchanting area is exciting enough but throw in Jarvis Cocker to the mix doing a surprise DJ set and it all starts to feel too good to be true! That’s the magic of Glastonbury, 4 days in a surreal world where anything seems possible.

On route though a random bespectacled man is asking people for their opinion on The Edge ‘did he suck or not!?’ this random bespectacled man turns out to be none other than Chris Cain from We Are Scientists. We decided to stroll together to the Park where him and Keith were heading to party with Keith Allan, Lilly Allen, Alexa Chung, Alex Turner, Jarvis Coker and Jamie from the Klaxons. Jamie was apparently setting the record for longest continuous boozing session without sleep of anyone at the festival - every time over the weekend we stopped by the backstage Park Stage bar Jamie was holding rolly polly competitions with anyone who was game including several members of The Big Pink and Local Natives, although it cant be confirmed if he asked Thom Yorke to join in or not!

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In a blink Sunday arrives and Frightened Rabbit kick off the action on the Other Stage. Their first time at Glastonbury draws a large crowd considering the very early slot! Scott Hutchinson announces

“we were lucky to make it hear we broke down in our van in Switzerland on Thursday and it looked touch and go for a while’

he then proceeded to have a chat with a crowd member before launching into to the uplifting ‘Modern Leper’ and tugging the heartstring with the glorious ‘Good Arms Versus Bad’.

Meanwhile Dublin group Villagers were treating the Park Stage to highlights form their debut album Becoming a Jackal. Next on the Other Stage and kicking off the Sunday Brooklyn takeover (Grizzly Bear, We Are Scienetists, MGMT and LCD Soundsystem) were Springsteen esk rockers the Hold Steady. One of the best live bands on the circuit their passion and energy set the crowd up nicely for the England Germany game (we all know how that turned out)!

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Back up to the Park stage there was a treat in the upcoming Californian band Avi Buffalo, haling from Long Beach and with tunes as good as ‘Whats it in For?’ and ‘Where’s Your Dirty Mind’, you’ll be seeing more of this lot in the coming years. While Avi Buffalo charm the chilled out crowd there are many strange goings on to explore nearby. You can get a Mother Love tattoo in support of The White Ribbon Alliance or you can make a poster at the arts and crafts tent. If that all sounds a little too energetic you can get some shade drinking home made Chai or even get married. Yes get married, in a caravan above the park stage matchmaking was the order of the day. Pick someone from the crowd and if it all goes well you have a 10 minute relationship and get married at the end. My bride ran the caravan and after signing I realised I might very well now be married! In 2010 Glastonbury also has its very own University on site and a Speakers Forum tent hosting discussions as diverse as the proposed shut down of BBC 6 music to proposed Action on Climate Change.

The party atmosphere that surrounds Glastonbury peaked on Sunday evening with founder Michael Eavis joining legendary performer Stevie Wonder on stage for the most special of ‘Happy Birthday’ send-offs. We can all be very thankful that 40 years ago Eavis decided to start a festival and not pursue singing career!

Tonight’s gig at King Tuts headlined by Liverpool’s very own Hot club de Paris was a welcomed musical island among the sea of world cup fever.

As soon as the venue was open I headed upstairs to catch the support acts. First on the bill was The Banter Thiefs, who are a cheeky four piece from Motherwell. Notwithstanding this bands blatant disregard for band name grammar, they are an honest and no nonsense act with guitar pop songs about their lives in north Lanarkshire. Second up was Glasgow’s own Shimmer who surprisingly for a support act drew the largest crowd of the night. The reason for this soon became clear as the band announced that it was their last gig ever. And with closer inspection of the audience, it was apparent that it was busy because it was filled mainly by the band member’s extended family. By the end of Shimmer’s set I was glad it was their last gig. The world does not need another vacuous navel gazing carbon copy of Matchbox 20. No thanks; you can keep it.

It wasn’t until a quarter to eleven that HCDP took to the stage. The Tut’s crowd had dwindled from the heady heights of Shimmer, but there was a buzz about the place and a sense of expectation that this band better be good. This three-piece scouser outfit didn’t disappoint. Straightaway they sounded a class above what had come before. They are band that are pop rock personified but yet don’t fall into the formulaic meritocracy that so often befalls most British bands.

There were no skinny jeans or trilbies here; just three irreverent lads playing out of their skins and treating the audience to some rock n’ roll. Songs such as ‘Fuck You, The Truth’ personified this band’s attitude and ‘I’m Not In love And Neither Are You’ paid homage to the influence of Big Country on their music.

Currently, HCDP are touring their two EP’s released in 2010, ‘With Days Like This As Cheap As Chewing Gum, Why Would Anyone Want To Work’ and ‘The Rise And Inevitable Fall Of The High School Suicide Cluster Band’.

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Words/Pics: Alan Dunlop

It was that time of year once again where Glaswegians get to use the term Mardi Gras with a straight face. Admittedly, the West End Festival is well…, in the west end where that sort of thing is encouraged. But there were no floats or Celtic drummers tonight gig at the Captains Rest. Just three of the most captivating live bands I’ve seen in over a year.

First up were The Organs of Love, a surprise addition to the bill who are an offshoot of Wilson Tan and comprise Jim McKiven (keys) and Alicia Mathews (vocals). This act really set the tone for the night with three avant-garde songs that left the audience ponderous and entertained. Alicia’s ethereal vocals, accompanied by Jim’s organ and drum machine created seductive and surreal performance. Their final track, Le Chien et Moi typified their intellectual and cheeky sides. Having said that, I’m not quite sure about the intentions of this pre Wilson Tan act; whether it was meant to be tongue-in-cheek or originality verging towards pretension, you just have to see it to believe it.

Three or so songs into the show both members of the band stripped off their black outfits and blue tape and were joined by the three other members of Wilson Tan. They kicked into their set and dived banjo first into some psychedelic country rock. Think Gram Parsons meets Primal Scream. Highlights were Harry’s Theme and The Ungentlemanly Gentleman.

Second up was another of El Rancho Records acts, Schnapps. This four piece reminded me of what it is I love about Iggy Pop and The Stooges; primal energy and a fuck you attitude. Crossdresser had high tempo drumming and uncomplicated guitar riffs that left many heads bopping and toes tapping. Schnapps slowed things down relatively with More To Life Than Peach that reeked of the influence of Primal Scream’s Riot City Blues. No bad thing of course, but that thought stuck with me for the rest of the gig. Overall a great live performance and surely one to watch.

Last on the bill were Milk, a band that before the gig I knew relatively little of. A pre-gig Google search revealed nothing. I was genuinely none the wiser. But as soon as their drummer Michael Marshall took to the stage in his multicoloured Lycra body suit, I knew I was in for a treat. My fears that no man could upstage an attention-seeking drummer were unfounded as Pablo Clark’s front man performance was nothing short of visceral grit. Not since Alexis Krauss (Sleigh Bells) performed at the Art School in May have I stood and paid attention to a new band. They take the best of The Doors and Franz Ferdinand and produce a sound that is greater than the two. Keep an eye out of these guys in August.

Words/ Pic: Alan Dunlop

Scotland’s leading music scene social night, Born To Be Wide , is set to host a booking agent seminar on Thursday 1 July at Edinburgh’s Electric Ballroom. The panel is geared to explaining what the job involves, what musicians should look for in an agent and what they need to be aware of if they decide to book their own gigs. It will also aim to provide an insight into what is involved in getting festival slots and tour dates.

“With the live sector becoming increasingly important, getting a good booking agent can often be harder than getting a record deal,” says Born To Be Wide co-organiser, Olaf Furniss. “Finding the right person is one of the most important decisions an artist will have to make.”

The panel includes Jason Edwards, who has been running his Glasgow-based The Art Of and is set to move to Brighton based 13 Arists (Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys), Lisa Whytock, founder of the largest agency in Scotland, Active Events. She will be joined by Joanna Ashmore from ITB agency (Guns N Roses, Aerosmith, Biffy Clyro, Aaron Wright, Mitchell Museum.) and Alex Lloyd from Mainstage Artists, who are both based in London but represent Scottish acts. An additional guest will be announced later this week.

The agent seminar will be Born To Be Wide’s second event at its new home the Electric Circus. May’s Music PR panel attracted over 100 paying guests (watch a video above), while the discussions hosted by BTBW organisers at the Go North conference in Inverness drew capacity audiences.

Video: Benjamin Cowie on Vimeo

Being dragged away from the sun during summer to see a band, it had better be a good one.
Dance-funk group, !!!, played The Arches as part of the Sailor Jerry Presents… tour circling
the UK; show casing live music, film and art, and quite frankly they blew the lid right off it.
Chk Chk Chk (the preferred pronunciation) protest against anyone just standing at their gigs,
and instead they promise music in return for the dancing. The reaction from the crowd, for
them, is as much a part of the gig as the band themselves. Whether you’re listening to them
in a club or live, efforts should be the same.

No strangers at all to Glasgow, they’ve already left a very distinguished mark
at Oran Mor, and tonight was more of the same. Touring with !!!, and appropriately sporting a
sailor’s hat, is Shannon Funchess helping stir up the crowd, and together with lead carnage
creator Nic Offer they manage to blast out the vocals nearly forcing you to spill your drink!

Leading from the front, and at times from the crowd, Nic single handily ignites the gathering
of supporters. With enough energy to give a Red Bull wings, he dances about The Arches’
generous stage, never cornered – even at the edge of the stage the crowd forms no obstacle
as he leaps right in like a fish to water. The rap verses in ‘Must be the moon’ off the album
Myth Takes are a declaration to the extent of Nic’s ability and there’s catchiness in the title’s
repetition throughout the track re-defining talent simply as !!!.

They treat all present to a preview of the fourth coming new album Strange Weather, Isn’t
it? - due out August 23rd - beginning their set with the new eighties style dance tune ‘AM/
FM’. The drum beat builds up to what sounds like a throbbing didgeridoo before the vocal
range hits, prompting a series of drops. Nic’s mic boom’s out over routines of some of the
most electric dance shapes ever witnessed – a definite party starter.
Their new album marks the unveiling of the group’s new line-up after many setbacks over
the years. The album was recorded in Berlin and fuses together distinctly simple 80’s dance
with the accelerating beat bashing growls of drum and bass, with a little punk – not exactly
hard to find in Berlin. There’s no sign of any slip in standards or corners being cut; just a
simple kiss on the cheek and nothing wishy-washy.

“The name is three !s and you make it up.’’ Nic explains. On the back of tonight’s display,
how about Wow! Wow! Wow!

Words: Ashten Macdonald
Pics: Alan Dunlop

I can only postulate the origin of their name, however after performing King Tut’s in May of this year with Surfer Blood, Funeral Party are back to treat an eager crowd to a second set .

Despite their creativity the LA outfit Funeral Party are not what you call unique however what they do, they do well. Bringing to the game a sharper take on their indie rock counterparts, they emulate energy and enthusiasm in the largest of quantities. Defining their genre as Indie/Rock/Alternative they manage to successfully introduce a cow bell and a blow organ –a somewhat unorthodox approach, think The Rapture crossed with the Cold War Kids.

Classmates from high school, the quartet emerged from the post-punk revival prominent in east LA at the time and quickly established their mark playing back yard gigs at every opportunity. Now, they’ve traded the porch steps for the stages of some of the industry’s most iconic venues.

These guys are well tuned for live gigs and grace us with a performance like nothing seen this year. Confined to the cosiness of Tut’s they thrashed about like they were playing the set in a padded room. Instruments aren’t just for making music to these lads. Vocals were interrupted by the mic stand resting over lead singer Chad’s shoulder mid set whipping frivolously close to the faces of James and Kimo. With a background of controversial gigs in their home town of Whittier’s parking lots and back garden’s, in an attempt to break free of what they viewed to be the shackles of boredom, the four renegades bring the same fire to Glasgow tonight. They certainly posses the rock star mentality.

The shredding vocals in ‘Finale’ and ‘Chalice’ are contrasted by the smooth, albeit, just as impacting ones in ‘Where did it go wrong’ a dynamic talent Chad manages to switch faster than it takes him to throw his water bottle across stage. Focusing the emphasis on certain instruments for different tracks is something executed on stage just as easily as on their Bootleg EP.

The highly danceable ‘New York moves to the sound of LA’ was the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The cowbell intro stimulates like War’s ‘Low Rider’ and echoes out over a smiling audience provoking a synchronised bob through the crowd. James Tores stands balanced on the kick drum tearing out a rif while Chad rolls about the floor in true ACDC style. It’s inspiring to see the same extravagance that drew the large crowds to the car parks and backyards of the bands early performances. With heavy play on BBC 6 music and featured on NME’s ten tracks to hear this week, its probably safe to say you’ll be jigging to this lot on a sweaty dance floor very soon!

Words: Ashten Macdonald
Pics: Alan Dunlop

This year’s pre-Rockness music industry showcase event, goNorth, took place over three days (9th, 10th & 11th of June) and hosted a series of seminars and some of the best new music from Scotland and beyond.

Rokbun were extremely happy to be invited to this event by Born To Be Wide who were hosting a significant portion of the seminars throughout the festival, along with other aspiring musicians, solo artists and industry figures.

Day One – Fringe Events @ The Ironworks

Wednesday’s fringe programme provided a number of warm-up seminars and gigs across the UK’s most northern city. The Business of Music and Standing Out From The Crowd, were the highlights of the day and were hosted by a panel of industry figures that included Vic Galloway, Phil Ellis and Chris Williams from Baby Boom records, as well as various representatives from music management and publishing. This panel attempted to provide some insight into the dark arts of the music business. Emphasis was placed on how to deal with managers as well as the importance of establishing a unique brand for your act.

Immediately following the seminars, delegates were asked to make their way downstairs for the first of the evenings showcase gigs. The Ironworks planned to have bands from 6pm to 8pm before moving over to Hootenanny’s and Mad Hatters for the rest of the Acts.

The first three bands were at best forgettable McFly-esque pop punk bands that were drowned by the considerable Ironworks stage. However, an unscheduled solo act managed to make this arena seem a much smaller and intimate place. Jun Tzu’s savvy manager Phil Ellis saw tonight’s showcase as an opportunity to gain him some exposure and pulled some strings to get him on the bill at the last minute. And I’m grateful he did.

Jun Tzu’s (aka Jonathon Hamilton) performance was a force of nature and even though he rapped without any backing music I was totally gripped and hit in the gut with his lyrics. His rhymes are filled with stories of his experiences of bigotry during both his time in Belfast and Manchester. One would think that such an emotive subject matter might dominate his act and veer it off in a political direction, but it definitely does not. What you’re left with are goose bumps from the power of his performance and the visceral anger that he delivers with such authenticity. Jun Tzu’s debut album is due out this summer.

The other stand out act from the fringe showcase was Iglue (aka Niall Masson), a singer songwriter from the Isle of Lewis. As I waited in Hootenanny’s bar where Niall was about to play, I almost called it an early night. But as soon as I saw the majority of today’s seminar panel members arrive, I knew I’d better hang around. As soon as Iglue came on, he immediately grabbed my attention with both his sound and his presence. His vibrato voice combined with his electric guitar provided a contemporary take on the singer songwriter mould. His songs are a genuine reflection of his life on, and away from, the island that he loves.

Day Two – Thursday @ The Ramada Jarvis Hotel

The pick of the seminars from Thursday was Management, hosted by Born To Be Wide. Here the attendees were treated to some of the leading managers within the business, notably, Keith Harris (Stevie Wonder, yes Stevie fu*king Wonder!), Rab Anderw (Primal Scream, Texas, Astral Planes, Kassidy) Dougie Souness (Wet Wet Wet), Phil Ellis (Jun Tzu) and Grant Dickson (The View). Here we learned about the nature of the band/act – manager relationship and how they often work without a contract. Trust is key. And Rab Andrews certainly didn’t disappoint with his anecdote about the time he had to get Mani out of a police station and straight to that night’s gig. The only problem was that the police went with him and took him straight back to the station at the end of the night. Classic.

The evening’s show case programme was in my opinion the main event of the festival. There was a range of bands from the established to the unknown.

The fist of the night was Glasgow based electropop Miaoux Miaoux, aka Julian Corrie at Mad Hatters. Straight from the start of his set I was impressed by his ability to play his guitar combined with on the fly sampling and sequencing. All of this came at a price, however as his attention was solely trained on his equipment. This created a disconnect between him and the audience and it felt like I was intruding on someone jamming in their bedroom. But as soon as Miaoux Miaoux began to add his vocals to his tracks, his performance really came alive. The mixture of Julian’s soft vocals against his down-tempo beats created a sound that can only be compared to Hot Chip, with Pixellated being the stand out track of the gig. Miaoux Miaoux’s Blooms EP is out now.

Next on the my hit list for Thursday night was Baby Boom’s Japanese pop-fusion act Mothercoat, who were in the UK to play Rockness and a handful of dates across the county. This is another band that really stood out from the crowd. From their first song to their last, this outfit showed the rest of the bands how to perform. Their sound mixes the best of contemporary rock, pop and electro beats, to produce very enjoyable head bopping music. Mothercoat’s latest album, Patchwork Shiki is available on iTunes.

As soon as Mothercoat finished their set, I headed downstairs to Hootenanny’s to catch one of Glasgow’s hottest acts, Astral Planes. I knew that Rab Andrew was their manager and I thought that if he was involved with them, then they must be worth a look. And the self declared surf post-punk act certainly didn’t disappoint. They made this venue their own with songs like Rotten and Disconnected, I know, captivating the audience. They have a sound that many bands wish they had, with a uniqueness that blends haunting tremolo guitar with vocals that both scream and seduce. Their performance lingered for the rest of the night and into the next day as the question everyone was asking was “did you see Astral Planes?” Yes I did!

To see the most anticipated act of the night, Meursault, a change of venue was required. A quick walk over the road to The Room, saw Neil Pennycook and one member of his band attempting to carry out their sound check. It was clear from both their faces that things weren’t going well and they were over 30mins late. But as I am a fan, I waited patiently for the haunting sound of Meursault. But this time I was disappointed. Neil screamed out his vocals with the passion and the pain that he always does but he wasn’t anywhere near in key. This isn’t like Meursault, and I’m sure that this was the result of an issue with the stage monitors. My spirits were lifted immediately however, as soon as I heard the powerful and melodic ‘A Few Kind Works’. But the sound issues persisted. This was certainly a low for goNorth. Luckily for us though we will get to see them again at Glastonbury where they are second from top of the bill on the BBC Introducing Stage.

Words/Pics: Alan Dunlop

‘Pulled Apart By Horses’, the debut album from the Yorkshire quartet of the same name, is due for release through Transgressive Records on 21st June 2010.

Led by the single Back to the Fuck Yeah, released on digital download and limited-edition 7” vinyl, available just prior to the album on June 14th, Pulled Apart By Horses is a blistering document of a band that manages to rock extremely hard yet still remember the importance of vital hooks and incredible songwriting (and having fun).

The band’s highly-anticipated debut album will not disappoint those lucky enough to witness their incendiary live shows over the past months. ‘Chaotic’ is a massive understatement for the nuclear-powered PABH live experience, their every show a violent whirlwind of noise and acrobatics - of the body as much as the guitar. In a much kinder sense, the band’s onstage antics echo the medieval execution technique after which they were named. Certainly, the members have the scars to prove it. Guitarist James, who had a tendency to jump on his knees, ended up in hospital on a drip after an infection turned his leg into a gigantic yellow balloon. “The Doctor said if I’d left it a couple more days it would’ve spread to my balls, and once it gets to your balls it spreads everywhere.”

At last year’s Leeds Festival, vocalist and guitarist Tom knocked a chunk out of his shin and ended up with a ‘spurter’. It wasn’t until the end of the show that he even realised his jeans were black with blood. “I thought, I’ve smashed my leg and broken my guitar strap, I may as well crowd-surf. I got back onstage and realised I had a bloody hand print on my shoulder,” he laughs.

Tom’s girlfriend will no longer watch the band live through fear of what might happen, but none of this has made them tone down the intensity. “That’s what it boils down to,” considers James, “because when we play it’s just what happens. It’s not something we plan or think about it just happens because we enjoy it.” And as their reputation grew, they found themselves princes of a new UK underground as support band of choice for aggro-rock’s ivy league, racking up tours with Future Of The Left, Biffy Clyro, Glassjaw, The Bronx and will be supporting MUSE later this summer.

Pulled Apart By Horses on tour:

17 // GLASGOW // King Tuts TICKETS
26 // Glastonbury Festival: BBC Introducing Stage

THURS 17TH JUNE, ORAN MOR:
ZOEY VAN GOEY, PETER PARKER, ENDOR

ZOEY VAN GOEY released their stunning debut album ‘The Cage Was Unlocked All Along‘ on legendary indie label Chemikal Underground in 2009.

A work of charming ambition loaded with full-blooded sing-along choruses, understated keyboards, close harmoniesand irresistible melodies - all underpinned by various musical ephemera including vintage Super Mario sound effects - it rightly received widespread critical acclaim.

An accomplished, highly entertaining live act - their uniquely engaging brand of indie-pop translates brilliantly to the stage.

PETER PARKER followed their successful 2009 debut ‘Swallow The Rockets’ in April of this year with the infectious ‘Pretty Living’. The band are fast becoming a leading light of Glasgow’s musical landscape and will be taking their ebullient, gritty pop, to the Belle & Sebastian curated All Tomorrow’s Parties later this year.

Set to release their self-titled debut album on 5th July, ENDOR’s brand of lush harmony laden indie pop has made them one of Scotland’s most promising acts in recent years. “Perhaps now the time is right for Endor to make the sort of impact they’ve always promised.” (Jim Gellatly)

BUY TICKETS HERE (over 14s):

FRIDAY 18TH JUNE, BREL:
ASTRAL PLANES (formerly Paper Planes) & MALE PATTERN BAND.

Recently proclaimed as “the best band in Glasgow” by The Herald,  Astral Planes will be performing a rare, stripped down acoustic set featuring alternative versions of the tracks on their critically acclaimed releases - not to be missed!

Male Pattern Band are a new lo-fi garage outfit currently forging a strong reputation for their exciting ‘Junkyard Pop’.

Tickets: here.

SUNDAY 27TH JUNE, BREL:
WOODENBOX WITH A FISTFUL OF FIVERS & MAPLE LEAVES.

Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers’ first two singles were ’single of the month’ in The List and The Skinny respectively and their debut album ‘Home and the Wildhunt’ was released in April to similar reviews. This is a rare chance to see that record played in a stripped-back, acoustic setting.

Maple Leaves have written some of the best folk-pop songs that Glasgow has to offer (and we have our fair share). Despite being a relatively new band they have already played T in the Park and performed guest vocals on Stuart Murdoch’s ‘God Help The Girl’ album.

Tickets here.

With the Halt Bar Hijack just along the road the area is jam packed with live music fans. This hands the perfect scenario to much hyped avant-garde musician Ariel Pink to play his own set just a skip away at the Captain’s Rest.

Many have taken a quick time out from the Hijack to catch the LA based act, with his band Haunted Graffiti. As a result the show is sold out very quickly and we find the tiny basement of the Rest once again at it’s sweaty best by the time the headliners come on.

Before the venue gets packed to the brims we are treated to a couple of local acts to get the early comers warmed up. First on are We’re Only Afraid Of NYC, who’s alternative indie borders on the expansive without really breaking any barriers.

Next are the more interesting, yet not as well received, Paws who up the energy and the volume with a number of powerful punk enthused alternative tracks.

The one trouble with a packed Captain’s Rest, aside the intense heat, is vision, if you aren’t near the front you aren’t going to see very much. So, with having to guess what the band looks like your ears are left to do the judging.

With agitation building in the crowd, as the Graffiti take a good time fidgeting with equipment, the band finally fire into their set, opening with the funky ‘Don’t Think Twice (Love)’ from Ariel’s 2004 debut Doldrums. The track’s grooved up bassline coupled with Ariel’s obscure yet impressive vocal changes, switching from a high squeal to a deep boom and everywhere in between, provide an ideal start.

The Graffiti’s latest release, Before Today, has been receiving much hype all over the music press and with it only out a week many tonight are here to see what it can offer in a live environment.

The flowing dreamy pop tones of 60s garage cover ‘Bright Lit Blue Skies’ is the first chance we get to sample the new material and it does not let down. The soaring beautiful chorus drags the listener in and as Ariel sticks to one vocal pattern it gives a nice coherence not found in much of their older material.

Indeed it is Ariel’s vocals that many will raise a question over, the constant changing and sometimes odd positions of his voice can occasionally come across as grating.

However, these eccentrics, love them or hate them, are tied down more of the new release and as a result the band have found their feet commercially. Still, a vast amount of the set is built up of old material and some who have only heard the new release will struggle to accept the more taxing material.

Closing, before an encore, on their hit of the minute ‘Round and Round’ the Graffiti reach the peak of their set. The single has become an indie centerpiece for 2010 and best signifies the band’s move form psychedelic awkwardness to dream filled pop bliss.

Ariel Pink appears to be gradually moving away from his past musical haunts, and while live he still clings to the past, there is still quality here in abundance. Finishing just in time for a run back along to the Halt to catch Holy Mountain and Eternal Fags, the Graffiti provide a perfect pop injection to a damp Sunday evening.

Words: Iain Dawson
Pics: Sam Fenn

As work on the  T in the Park site continues at pace in preparation for 85,000 music lovers turning the festival into Scotland’s fifth largest town for one weekend in July, a trio of additions are added to the 2010 bill.

Fresh from supporting Snow Patrol at their Bellahouston Park show in Glasgow at the weekend, chart-topping Editors return to Scotland on Friday 9th July to play the Main Stage at T in the Park. Renowned for their stirring lyrics, emotional vocals and striking live performances, the critically acclaimed British four-piece will make their fourth T in the Park appearance.

As we announced last week also joining Editors on the bill at Bellahouston Park on Saturday were one of Scotland’s hottest bands, Frightened Rabbit, who will play the King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent on Saturday 10th July. With their star in strong and steady ascendancy in 2010, the band recently played a string of sold out shows and performed on ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon’ in the US.

The young Liverpudlian singer-songwriter Delta Maid has a modern take on the blues that will seep into your soul. The artist will make her T in the Park debut in 2010 opening the Radio 1/NME Stage on Sunday 11th July.

The home of traditional Scottish music at T in the Park returns in 2010 with the Ceilidh Tent. The line-up this year mixes it up with Ceilidh acts of a traditional style performing alongside those with a contemporary take on the Scottish institution. T in the Parkers of all musical persuasions can’t resist a fling round the tent at some point over the festival weekend – the infectious energy of a Ceilidh Tent in full flow will see even the hippest of festival goers enter for a lively session of elbow swinging and foot stomping!

There will also be Costume craziness with Fancy Dress Friday returning for the third year. This time T in the Park is encouraging festival goers to get into the spirit of ‘The Madder Hatters T Party’ – we’re not talking Alice and the Queen of Hearts here but Stetsons and sombreros, bonnets and boaters, panamas and porkpies! Any T in the Parkers still needing inspiration for a fancy dress outfit should get their thinking caps on and hit the hat shop!

Festival goers who fully embrace the dress up shenanigans whether sporting fabulous headgear or togged up in a terrific outfit of any fancy dress inspiration or theme should make their way to ‘The Mad Hatters T Party’ in the Indie Disco in the campsite from 1pm to 4pm on Friday 9th July to be in with a chance of winning tickets for T in the Park 2011.

Twenty years in the making, the second Vaselines album is here. Behold…’SEX WITH AN X’ will be released on Subpop on Sept. 14, 2010. They are giving away a free track here.

Formed in Glasgow in 1987, The Vaselines released two singles and one album, Dum Dum, on the 53rd & 3rd label. Splitting up in 1989 (in the same week their album was released), they might have faded into obscurity but for the intervention of a certain band from Seattle. Nirvana covered three Vaselines songs, helping to fuel a growing after-the-fact appreciation of their seedy, two-and-a-half chord, garage pop manifesto.

Founding members Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee remained musically active throughout the intervening years: the former with Captain America aka Eugenius and finally as a solo artist; McKee with Painkillers and Suckle.

Eugene and Frances collaborated intermittently in the intervening years. They toured jointly and played a few of the old songs together in the wake of their respective solo project releases in 2006. But an acclaimed, unannounced appearance at a fundraiser in Glasgow’s Mono for Malawi Orphan Support in 2008 was the real catalyst for their latest, exciting bout of creativity.

Ensuing tours of America (including a stand-out appearance at Sub Pop’s 20th anniversary festival, SP20), Brazil, Japan and some UK festival dates saw The Vaselines “re-connect” with wildly appreciative audiences who had blinked and missed them the first time round. Buoyed by the success of their live return, the two punk rock chums decided to go back into the studio.

The new record was recorded outside Manchester at the Analogue Catalogue studio in Mossley with Julie McLarnon engineering and produced by Jamie Watson who produced that first album Dum Dum, Sex with an X was recorded the old-fashioned way: twelve songs in thirteen days (plus two b-sides). The Vaselines ca. 2010 is Eugene and Frances with guest musicians Stevie Jackson and Bob Kildea from Belle & Sebastian on guitar and bass, and Michael McGaughrin from the 1990s on drums. It may have taken The Vaselines 20 years to get round to making this baby, but it was worth the wait—bringing their solo careers to a climax. The irony has not been lost. Who says indie music can’t be fun? No hand-wringing on these tracks—just good clean smut with a twist of bitter.

Scottish dates in SEPTEMBER 2010:

15 Edinburgh Bongo Room £12.50
24 Glasgow Glasgow Oran Mor £12.50 adv

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