New Model Army are a global underground cult band. Formed by singer Justin Sullivan in Bradford in 1980, their beginnings were inspired by Punk Rock, Northern Soul and the incendiary atmosphere of the times. Since then, they have had a long, creative and eventful journey. They have been massively influential in ‘post-punk’, ‘folk-rock’, ‘politico-rock’, ‘goth’, ‘metal’ but have successfully and strongly resisted belonging to any of these categories or genres. 2010 sees the celebration of 30 years in the business for the five piece outfit who have never lost the ability to evolve, to thrill or to challenge both live and on record. With their inspirational back catalogue of songs, they remain central to the lives of thousands of devoted fans from all walks of life spread across the world.

In September 2009 the band released their 11th studio album ‘Today Is A Good Day’. With a national UK Spring tour now lined up they are set to embark on nine dates during March of this year and will be showcasing songs from their most recent album and will also be including firm favourites from their extensive musical vaults.

Lyrically the band manage to be poetic whilst spreading a strong political message, a move that has occasionally put them in trouble with governments abroad but has never deterred their unique mentality and vision to create music and move forward together. As their name suggests the band work as an organisation with over ten former members. Their current line up features founding member Justin Sullivan on vocals & guitar, Nelson on bass, Marshall Gill on lead guitar with Michael Dean on drums and Dean White on keyboards.

“As powerful and uncompromising as you’ve come to expect from any NMA album ‘Today Is A Good Day’ is beautiful defiance in the face of an increasingly superficial mainstream universe." - Subba-Cultcha

New Model Army will be playing the following dates in March:

Tue 16 March                       BRISTOL Fiddlers

Wed 17 March                     READING Sub 89

Thurs 18 March                    LEAMINGTON SPA The Assembly

Fri 19 March                        LEEDS o2 Academy

Sat 20 March                       LIVERPOOL o2 Academy

Mon 22 March                    SWANSEA Sin City

Tue 23 March                      FALMOUTH Pavilion

Wed 24 March                    SOUTHAMPTON The Brook

Thurs 25 March                    ISLE OF WHITE Ryde Theatre

www.newmodelarmy.org / www.myspace.com/newmodelarmymyspace

To support the release of their upcoming single 'Stop The Music' out 19th April, and 2nd album 'Earth vs The Pipettes' out on 28th June on Fortuna POP!, The Pipettes are taking to the road and doing a UK nationwide tour.

In their first incarnation, donning polka dot dresses and referencing the girl groups of the late fifties in the heyday of skinny tie indie music, The Pipettes had remarkable success. A top ten album in Japan where the single 'Pull Shapes' was only kept off the number one spot by J-Lo, top ten radio positions all across Europe, two Top Forty hits in the UK and a Top Ten in the US billboard indies.

They played on the main stages at Reading and Glastonbury, blazed a British trail across SXSW, conquered the world and sold a heap of records. Since then they've been working on their new album 'Earth vs The Pipettes' with legendary Martin Rushent, the semi-retired producer of The Stranglers, Shirley Bassey, and, most famously, the Human League's 'Dare'.

For details on buying tickets, please go to:

www.myspace.com/thepipettes

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg_ri_vHuUo - 'Stop The Music' audio

MySpace:  www.myspace.com/thepipettes

Website: www.thepipettes.com

The Futureheads release their new album, ‘The Chaos’ on the 26th April 2010 through their own Nul Records.
  
The Futureheads make their return with a bold new sound at a time of uncertainty and confusion for their country and beyond. As the public face collective decisions over their future with very little clarity or guidance, The Futureheads bravely promise renewed hope.
 
The Chaos is the band’s fourth album, and arguably their most riotous to date. Following high-profile support slots with The Pixies and Foo Fighters, this four-piece from Sunderland have taken heed of these rock heavyweights and written songs that rip through walls with the scale and sheer force of their delivery. Remaining fiercely loyal to their Mackem roots, the new album was recorded over a series of sessions with long-standing friend David Brewis (Field Music), and renowned producer Youth.
 
Seven years on since the release of their earliest recordings, The Futureheads have long since outgrown scenes, shed immediate ties with their post-punk and new wave influences, and outlived many of their peers as a real British favourite both on record and live. Having originally met at college and made use of a local youth development project building to write their first songs, The Futureheads have always made the most of what they have around them. This time around it is the present state of our nation that has acted as the primary source of inspiration.
 
Reacting to the confusion around them and tackling it head-on, The Chaos refuses to compromise. If punk was all about DIY ethics, anti-authoritarian ideologies, and working with whatever is available and to hand, then The Futureheads are a punk band. Released through their own independent label, The Chaos is the band’s latest manifesto wrapped up in three-minute, heads-down, pop-informed songcraft.
 
New single Heartbeat Song is currently dominating the British radio airwaves, and The Chaos is crammed with a slew of songs equally as direct and frenzied. Combining the band’s trademark four-part harmonies with a harder-edged punk delivery, The Futureheads spit out assured melodies, with the wisdom of a band that have noticeably hardened since their inception in 2003.
 
Their country needs leading. The Futureheads are ready to lead.
 
26th April – Norwich Arts Centre                                 
27th April – Nottingham Rescue Rooms
28th April – Leeds Cockpit                                           
29th April – Glasgow Oran Mor
1st May – Middlesbrough Empire (Club night)            
2nd May – Manchester Academy 2
3rd May – Sheffield Leadmill                                        
4th May – Birmingham Academy 2
6th May – London Scala                                              
7th May – Gloucester Guildhall
8th May – Coventry Kasbah                                        
10th May – Bristol Thekla
11th May – Exeter Cavern                                          
12th May – Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
13th May – Northampton Roadmenders
 

www.thefutureheads.com <http://www.thefutureheads.com>

Great News....

Bernard Sumner is back, he of New Order and indeed Electronic is back with a new band but not really a new sound. Bad Lieutenant have their debut album 'Never cry another tear' and some welcome uk tour dates, the dates are:

Monday, March 15: Leadmill, Sheffield, UK
Tuesday, March 16: Garage, Glasgow, UK
Thursday, March 18: Electric Ballroom, London, UK
Saturday, March 20: 53 Degrees, Preston, UK
Sunday, March 21: Masque, Liverpool, UK

We're looking forward to the Sheffield date, the leadmill is a corking venue and should be a cracker. There's still a few tickets left for the gig so get down to their website to grab a ticket now, it's www.leadmill.co.uk Plus there's a chance to win a copy of the album too (closing date 14/03/10 - so be quick).

Here's what the leadmill say about the band....

bad lieutenant

bernard sumner heads to the leadmill with his new band

With vocals and guitar from New Order front man Bernard Sumner, Never Cry Another Tear, the debut album from Bad Lieutenant, rings with familiar joys – playing of beautifully observed minimalism and a voice of wonderfully understated north-western England soul. But there’s also a new voice to be heard, one again from that country’s north west.

FEEDER RETURN AS RENEGADES

FREE EXCLUSIVE EP FOR TICKET HOLDERS AT NEW UK TOUR

At the end of 2008 a huge chapter in Feeder's existence came to a close having just finished a massive UK tour which had seen the band rock the whole country. Having stayed with record label Echo since their beginnings (a rare achievement these days), the band had come to the end of their contract with the release of their sixth studio album 'Silent Cry' and the label was set to dissolve.  Many would view this with trepidation, but for songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Grant Nicholas this presented an incredible opportunity.  With a blank page and empty diary in front of him he felt more relaxed and excited than in years.  Suddenly the pressure of the usual single, album, tour schedule was alleviated and he was able to return to what he'd always done best - just write songs for himself without worrying about anything else.   He spent most of 2009 working away in his own time (with a few breaks for festivals) like he had done 18 years previously when he formed the band; no expectations, just writing for the pure joy of it.  Of course, he couldn't help but construct a gaggle of accomplished catchy songs - he'd always had an ear for a tune, as proven by the bands 2006 'Singles' collection selling over half a million copies in the UK alone.  But the new music he was making was less reflective, more instinctive and back to his rock roots - lots of guitars came out!

 With a healthy bag of tunes, Grant, long time band member Taka Hirose and drummer Karl Brazil, decided to road test the new tracks to the people who had help elevate the band to their lofty status - the loyal fanbase who'd been checking the website for the last year wondering what was happening. The group booked a few low key shows round the country and announced them exclusively via Feederweb.com - of course these gigs sold out immediately. They played under the name of Renegades - no old tunes (well, maybe one or two - but very old ones!) and the response was phenomenal.  It was also great fun.  The band hadn't played venues this size for over a decade and it was as exciting and nerve-wracking as it had been back then.  

So this next step sees the 'Renegades' moving up a gear into bigger venues returning to a galvanised core of fans, revitalised from the response to the initial shows and keen to spread the word.  Feeder will of course return, but this is still the loud, uninhibited and exhilarated sound of Feeder doing what they want without a care in the world.

Live:    

15 April            EDINBURGH, Cabaret Voltaire                                   

16 April            NEWCASTLE, Northumbria University                                                
18 April            SHEFFIELD, Leadmill                                                             
19 April            CARDIFF, Millennium Hall                                                  
21 April            PORTSMOUTH, Wedgewood Rooms                              

22 April            LONDON, Electric Ballroom                        

Tickets on sale now priced �18.50 except London �22 and doors open 7.30pm each night. Ticket price includes copy of the 4 track EP 'Renegades2' which features 4 brand new tracks and a video of 'Sentimental' shot exclusively by fans who attended the first Renegades shows in Jan/Feb 2010.

http://www.seetickets.com/see/event.asp?e|artist=RENEGADES / http://www.gigsandtours.com/?s=renegades

The Sunshine Underground have announced details of the release of their second album in early 2010. The band will also be touring the UK in February around its release.

Nobody’s Coming To Save You will be released through City Rockers /EMI on February 1st 2010 and follows their debut album, Raise The Alarm. The album will be preceded by a single, We’ve Always Been Your Friends on January 25th.

The 10-track album was produced by the band and Barny (Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian) and recorded during a 4-week period at the Chairworks Studio in West Yorkshire. The full tracklisting is as follows:

1. Coming To Save You
2. Spell It Out
3. We’ve Always Been Your Friends
4. In Your Arms
5. A Warning Sign
6. Change Your Mind
7. Any Minute Now
8. Here It Comes
9. One By One
10. The Messiah

Still as stirring and anthemic as ever, Nobody’s Coming To Save You, adds something more – it’s the sound of The Sunshine Underground enhanced. Still laced with musical nods towards the likes of Talking Heads, the album is deeper, heavier and more expansive. And in keeping with the cultural and political times, the songs are populated by souls weighed-down with longing and anticipation while dealing head-on with the frustrations and political resentments of the UK during this moment of history.

Following a string of festival dates and sold-out tours throughout 2009, where they road-tested new material, and a number of chaotic ‘guerilla’ gigs in November which they only announced 24-hours in advance via their website, the band have announced a U.K. tour around the album release. The full list of dates are as follows:

FEBRUARY

Mon 01 Sunderland Independent
Tues 02 Newcastle 02 Academy
Wed 03 Glasgow ABC
Fri 05 Manchester Ritz
Sat 06 Liverpool O2 Academy 2
Mon 08 Preston 53 Degrees
Tues 09 Sheffield Plug
Wed 10 Stoke Sugarmill
Fri 12 Derby The Venue
Sat 13 Coventry Kasbah
Tue 16 Southampton University
Wed 17 Brighton Digital
Thurs 18 London Koko (NME Awards show)
Fri 19 Leeds O2 Academy

Tickets for the tour are available from 10am on October 2nd and are priced at £11 (except in London where they are £13). They will be available via www.gigsandtours.com.

The band’s Everything, Right Now EP is out now and features artwork from a project run by the band in September/October inviting art submissions from their fans on the theme Your Love, Your Hopes, Your Fears – a lyric from the title track of the album.

Turin Brakes, aka Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, have announced they will be giving away a free digital track, ahead of the release of their forthcoming album, Outbursts (out Monday 1st March).  The track, Apocolips, which is taken from the album, will be available for 2 weeks from Thursday 21st January at www.turinbrakes.com.  Turin Brakes will also be releasing a new single, Sea Change, on Monday 22nd February.

Written, produced and (for the most part) performed entirely by the two of them, Outbursts is a collection of songs that returns to the essence of Turin Brakes, and not only echoes the quiet, edgy genius of their most celebrated work, but surpasses it.  

Pop song writing doesn't get much bigger than the apocalyptic musing of the opening track – and lead single, Sea Change, which begins with the line: “Six billion backs against the wall.”   Borne aloft by a patchwork of nimble, twinkling acoustic guitar lines, the lyric avoids grand, windy rhetoric. Instead, it relentlessly counts down, like a ticking time-bomb, from the concerns of six billion people to those of just one individual – which are, of course, exactly the same.  Paper Heart an achingly vulnerable, waltz-time lament with a haunting piano and string part, dissects a relationship in which one person has the power to “rearrange the sunsets” and play with their lover's world as if it was a little stage set.  Radio Silence, meanwhile, captures a sense of beautiful alienation redolent of ‘OK Computer’-era Radiohead.  The moment of complete silence towards the end, followed by a sudden surge of sound and the majestic guitar line in the outro is breathtaking.  At other times, it is the simple power of words and tunes that give the album its distinctive emotional flavour. On Rocket Song, Olly navigates a melody line that climbs ever upwards in a delightful spiral, while Never Stops, a soulful, life-affirming mantra, with a raw, bluesy feel, sums up the enduring spirit of Turin Brakes and their uniquely thoughtful brand of acoustic music. 

In March, Turin Brakes will be touring the UK to promote the album.  Tickets are on sale now and cost between £16.50 and £22.50, but may be subject to a booking fee.  Full dates as follows :

Tue 9th March               BIRMINGHAM, Glee Club                       www.alt-tickets.co.uk   *

Wed 10th March            BRISTOL, St. Georges                           www.alt-tickets.co.uk   **       

Thu 11th March             OXFORD, Academy 2                            www.alt-tickets.co.uk   ***     

Sat 13th March              MANCHESTER, Academy                       www.alt-tickets.co.uk   ***     

Sun 14th March             YORK, Duchess                                     www.alt-tickets.co.uk   **

Tue 16th March             GATESHEAD, Sage                                www.alt-tickets.co.uk   ***

Wed 17th March            SHEFFIELD, City Hall                             www.alt-tickets.co.uk   **

Fri 19th March               EDINBURGH, Cabaret Voltaire               www.alt-tickets.co.uk   *         

Sat 20th March             GLASGOW, Classic Grand                      www.ticketmaster.co.uk *      

Sun 21st March             NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms               www.alt-tickets.co.uk  *          

Tue 23rd March             SOUTHAMPTON, Brooks University        TBC

Wed 24th March            MILTON KEYNES, Stables                      www.alt-tickets.co.uk  ***      

Fri 26th Mach                LONDON, Shepherds Bush Empire        www.alt-tickets.co.uk  ***

Sat 27th March              BRIGHTON, Concorde 2                        www.alt-tickets.co.uk  **         

*          Over 18’s only

**        Over 14’s only

***      All ages

www.cookingvinyl.com / www.turinbrakes.com / www.myspace.com/turinbrakes /

http://twitter.com/the_real_TB

Birmingham’s emperors of rock’n’folk Ocean Colour Scene have announced that they will be releasing a new album, Saturday, on 1st February 2010, which will be preceded by a digital single, Magic Carpet Days on 25th January.

OCS, who will be celebrating their 21st anniversary next year, have clocked up an impressive eleven Top 20 singles and five Top 10 albums during their illustrious career.  Saturday, their ninth studio album, was recorded over six weeks last summer at the iconic Rockfield studios in South Wales with producer Gavin Monaghan (Editors/ the Twang), and finds them as vibrantly tuneful as they’ve ever been.

From the opening bars of  psych-folk opener ‘100 Floors Of Perception’ - written by Simon about the on-going financial crisis - to epic climax ‘Rockfield’  (think ‘Baba O’Riley’ meets ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’), it’s a reminder than when it comes to delivering  classic rock hooks there is simply no one better.  Denim-driven boogie ‘Old Pair Of Jeans’ (written by Bennett) will delight those hankering for the full-tilt mod-pop of ‘For Dancers Only’, while Harry Kidnap’ (written in tribute to John Weller) boasts shades of North Atlantic Drift stand-out ‘Make The Deal’.   The single, ‘Magic Carpet Days’, meanwhile (key lyric: “The world won’t shake you/Knock you down and break you/I’ll steer you through these magic carpet days”) is a reminder that their belief in the Mod aesthetic of self-improvement remains as strong as ever.

Available on CD and as a digital download, the full tracklisting is as follows :

1.       100 Floors Of Perception               8.       Magic Carpet Days

2.       Mrs Maylie                                  9.       The Word

3.       Saturday                                    10.     Village Life

4.       Just A Little Bit Of Love                 11.     Postal

5.       Old Pair Of Jeans                         12.     What’s Mine Is Yours

6.       Sing Children Sing                        13.     Fell In Love On The Street Again

7.       Harry Kidnap                               14.     Rockfield

OCS are renowned for their live performances, and stole the show at this year’s V, where they were named ‘Band Of The Festival’ by BBC Radio 2 and Absolute Radio.  In February and March 2010, the band will be undertaking a 24 date UK tour, full dates as follows :

Tue 2nd Feb              OXFORD, O2 Academy                  BO:     0844 477 2000

Wed 3rd Feb             BOURNEMOUTH, O2 Academy         BO:     0844 477 2000

Fri 5th Feb               DERBY, Assembly Rooms               BO:     0871 310 0000

Sat 6th Feb              LIVERPOOL, O2 Academy               BO:     0844 477 2000

Sun 7th Feb              COVENTRY, Kasbah                      BO:     0247 655 4473

Tue 9th Feb              SHEFFIELD, O2 Academy               BO:     0844 477 2000

Wed 10th Feb           MIDDLESBOROUGH, Empire            BO:     0164 225 3553

Thu 11th Feb            GLENROTHES, Rothes Hall              BO:     0871 220 0260

Sat 13th Feb             WICK, Assembly Rooms                BO:     0195 560 3911

Sun 14th Feb            INVERNESS, Ironworks                 BO:     0871 789 4173

Mon 15th Feb            ABERDEEN, Music Hall                   BO:     0871 220 0260

Wed 17th Feb           EDINBURGH, Picture House            BO:     0871 220 0260

Thu 18th Feb            EDINBURGH, Picture House            BO:     0871 220 0260

Fri 19th Feb              STIRLING, Albert Hall                    BO:     0871 220 0260

Sat 20th Feb             MONTROSE, Town Hall                  BO:     0844 477 1000

Mon 22nd Feb           BRADFORD, St George’s Hall           BO:     0870 735 5000

Tue 23rd Feb            BLACKBURN, King Georges Hall        BO:     0870 735 5000

Wed 24th Feb           STOKE, Victoria Hall                      BO:     0870 735 5000

Fri 26th Feb              READING, Hexagon                       BO:     0870 735 5000

Sat 27th Feb             LOUGHBOROUGH, University           BO:     0150 963 5000

Sun 28th Feb            CAMBRIDGE, Exchange                  BO:     0870 735 5000

Tue 2nd March          LINCOLN, Engine Shed                  BO:     0871 310 0000

Wed 3rd March          CARDIFF, Coal Exchange               BO:     0292 023 0130

Thu 4th March           ST. ALBANS, The Alban Arena        BO:     0172 784 4488

Sun 7th March           BELFAST, Mandela Hall                  BO:     TBC

www.oceancolourscene.com / www.myspace.com/ocsmusic

Ellie Goulding has come top of the BBC Sound of 2010 list, which showcases the best rising music stars for the coming year.
 
The Sound of 2010 was compiled using tips from 165 leading UK tastemakers, including top music critics, magazine editors, broadcasters and influential bloggers, who named their favourite three new acts.
 
The news follows the announcement last month that Ellie has scooped the Brit Awards Critics’ Choice prize for the act most likely to break through this year. She will collect her award live on stage at Earls Court at the Brit Awards on February 16th.
 
Ellie Goulding will release her next single ‘Starry Eyed’ on Polydor on February 22nd, followed by her debut album ‘Lights’ on March 1st.
 
Ellie Goulding Live Dates:

27-Jan-10-Tunbridge Wells-Forum
30-Jan-10-London-Tabernacle (New to Q)
4-Feb-10-Cardiff-Xbox Reverb
 
With Passion Pit
3-Mar-10-Bristol-Academy
4-Mar-10-Leeds-Met University
5-Mar-10-Manchester-Academy
6-Mar-10-Glasgow-ABC
8-Mar-10-Norwich-UEA
9-Mar-10-Nottingham-Rock City
11-Mar-10-London-HMV Forum
13-Mar-10-Dublin-Olympia
 
Headline Tour
25-Mar-10-Bristol-Thekla
26-Mar-10-Oxford-Academy 2
27-Mar-10-Birmingham-Academy 2
29-Mar-10-Liverpool-Academy 2
30-Mar-10-Manchester-Club Academy
31-Mar-10-Sheffield-Academy 2
1-Apr-10-Leeds -Cockpit
6-Apr-10-Nottingham-Rescue Rooms
7-Apr-10-Newcastle-The Other Rooms
8-Apr-10-Glasgow-King Tuts
10-Apr-10-Lancaster-Library
11-Apr-10-York-Fibbers
12-Apr-10-Southend-Chinnerys
13-Apr-10-Norwich-Waterfront
15-Apr-10-London- Heaven
16-Apr-10-Brighton-Digital
17-Apr-10-Cardiff-Barfly

Long time no blog, but here's to 2010 and some cool news on The Automatic...

The Automatic return with their brand new single ‘Interstate’ on 7th December 2009, marking the start of a whole new chapter for the Cardiff-based quartet. Following a three year rollercoaster ride which saw the release of two albums (‘Not Accepted Anywhere’ and ‘This Is A Fix’) and a string of top 40 singles, they return on their own label (Armoured Records) with complete control, absolute vision and total honesty.

Huge new single ‘Interstate’ is as melodic and anthemic as ever, recorded in the band’s Cardiff Studio with producer Richard Jackson, this is a song about “freedom, no stress, being away from everything and basically driving along a big long road to God knows where”. This track, like the album as a whole, finds Rob Hawkins and Paul Mullen further developing the shared lead vocal duties begun on the last album.

The release also features artwork inspired by an abstract painting by Rob on the sleeve.

Meanwhile, The Automatic are putting the finishing touches to their third album. Titled ‘Tear the Signs Down’, the new album will be released in February 2010. Before then, the band will be embarking on a twelve-date UK tour to preview a host of new material (full tour dates below).

THE AUTOMATIC ON TOUR 2010

21st Jan London Hoxton Bar & Grill

Great news the christmas number is not the usual x factor rubbish!

It's actually Rage Against the Machine, now I wish I had a tenner on that in  about June, what would the odds have being?

So the facebook campaign has proved to be a winner and a massive vote against the X Factor or more importantly the gringe behind it. But truth be told it's also a pretty damn poor song at least last years winner murdered a decent song. Take note Simon and co, when you put out the winners' tune next year don't take it for granted you're gonna walk straight into the number one spot.

Next year try and get a decent singer and pick a good song!

Hooray for the internet, it's one against 'the man'... big time!

Happy Christmas!

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

Please accept our apologies for the next couple of weeks whilst we update and spruce up the site.

We're gonna make the menu's better (already in progress), delete some stuff (already done) and more some stuff about to make it easier and more relevent to the menus.

Then we're going try and tart the site up a bit...

Anyway it's going take a few weeks and a bit of trial and error but hopefully will be worth it in the end.

Cheers

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

Ps check out LIVE for new gig reviews of Reverend and the makers & Puressence

General Fiasco Release Free iPhone App for Fans

Reverend and the makers

Leeds Stylus (Uni) - Monday, 26th October 2009

Silence is talking

State of things

Heavyweight champion

Manifesto

No soap

No wood just trees

Bandits

Mermaids

Hard times for dreamers

Open your window

Professor Pickles

Hidden Persuaders

Long long time

Yes you do

Miss Brown

He said he loved me

The end

The machine

Armchair detective

TUPACROBOTCLUBROCK

Label – Fiction

Release Date – Monday 28th September 2009

www.filthydukes.com

BIGGER AND BADDER WITH WILEY

“Filthy Dukes bring a genre-bending brand of dirty, bleeping electronica when in full band mode. Live electro of the highest order” – MIXMAG

“Boisterous electronic pop and irresistible jack hammer disco” - THE TIMES

“Dance floor wizardry” – NME

ZANE LOWE’S HOTTEST RECORD IN THE WORLD – 13.08.09

Tim, Olly and Mark (aka Filthy Dukes) have certainly got a strong case for being the up there with the busiest men in music right now – it’s fair to say that the summer of 2009 has been a bit of a blur for the guys. Having taken in a ridiculous amount of festivals and shows starting with The Gossip in Berlin back in May and taking in IMS in Ibiza, three sets at Glastonbury, Glade, Wireless, Melt in Germany as well as shows in Istanbul, Cologne, Kuala Lumpur and hosting/programming their Kill Em All residency at Fabric…. Phew! Yes they’ve been very busy, and that’s not even the half of it!

The response to the sleepless summer of touring has been really quite staggering with the band finding new friends in every corner, from the paying punters to Sara Cox on Radio 1 and even the ghetto-superstar Wiley. You can imagine the reaction when man himself got in touch with the band about doing a new version of TupacRobotClubRock that he could jump on! In fact the timing couldn’t of been more perfect with the plan always being to re-visit T-R-C-R after the summer. The results are huge, with Wiley’s very distinctive grime flow complementing the lyrical spitfire of Philadelphian funsters Plastic Little perfectly.

There just simply isn’t a record out there that sounds like TupacRobotClubRock, it’s utterly unique not just in the combination and use of sounds but in the collaborations that will shortly see UK legend MC Dynamite getting in on the act with a special alternative version (more on that soon). It’s worth noting the new Kill Em All Let Wiley Sort It out remix from the ‘Dukes which consist solely of Wiley’s vocal and a brilliant dancefloor re-working of the original track – simply massive!

As with all Filthy Dukes packages there is no shortage of quality on the remix package for DJ’s (it’s an added bonus when you have two of the countries most in-demand DJ’s in the band) and you can expect to hear club rock versions from Drums of Death, Oliver $, L-Vis 1990 and of course Filthy Dukes themselves.

Filthy Dukes will be touring again in November with dates to be announced soon as well joining a very impressive list of artists to compile and mix the hugely influential Fabric Live mix, which will be out in October. Listen out for their brand new remix of Ian Brown too, oh yes!

‘Nonsense In The Dark’ Tour Dates:

16-Nov-09-Edinburgh-Cabaret Voltaire

17-Nov-09-Glasgow-King Tuts

19-Nov-09-Nottingham-Bodega

20-Nov-09-Bristol-Thekla

21-Nov-09-Brighton-Audio

23-Nov-09-Coventry-Kasbah

25-Nov-09-London-Dingwalls

26-Nov-09-Preston-53 Degrees

27-Nov-09-Oxford-Academy

28-Nov-09-Leeds-Nation of Shopkeepers

29-Nov-09-Manchester-Moho Live

CIRCUIT RECORDS AT 102.6 SINE FM LAUNCH

A free celebration event to mark the FM launch of Sine FM on 102.6 across Doncaster will start in the marketplace on Saturday 26th September at 5pm

Circuit artists Darren Bell, the beaus, Slash Bikini
and Ross Cameron and the Horsemen will provide support on the night for U2-2 and the Sine DJ's

Come and join us for an historic night of fun...

"That's direct from Circuit records... need we say more?"

New festival celebrating music in the North East:
SPLIT FESTIVAL
SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER 2009
ASHBROOKE SPORTS CLUB, SUNDERLAND
THE FUTUREHEADS
FIELD MUSIC
BEAK
FRANKIE AND THE HEARTSTRINGS
SEA OF GLASS
PLUS The best new stand up comedians in the North East and more acts to be announced

SPLIT FESTIVAL is Sunderland’s new indie rock festival that aims to bring music fans from the whole region of the North East to Sunderland for the day. It offers people a chance to beat the post-Summer blues with a celebration of some of the city and the region’s finest bands. As well as the music there will be a cornucopia of other festival treats including magicians, stilt walkers, fire eaters, comedians, face painters and fireworks – a proper day of festivities.
 
Headlining the main stage and organising this one-day extravaganza are The Futureheads who have well and truly put their hometown on the musical map over the last few years. Joining them and co-organising SPLIT FESTIVAL are fellow Sunderland bands Field Music and Beak. The main stage will also feature short sets from the region’s up and coming comedians.
 
Other home-grown talent on the bill includes one of the UKs brightest new flames, Frankie and the Heartstrings (Sunderland) who are currently making major waves in the music industry, as well as ambient indie-rockers Sea of Glass (Sunderland).
 
Keeping it North East, the second stage will be curated by Narc Magazine and already on the bill are reformed punk-rockers Penetration (Ferryhill, County Durham), Coal Train (Sunderland), Milky Wimpshake (Newcastle), Jeans goes POP! (Newcastle),O’Messy Life (Sunderland), Sona Di  + more to be announced.

Date: Sunday 4th October 2009
Venue: Ashbrooke Sports Club, Sunderland
Doors: 1pm-9pm
Ticket Info: £19.50 (under 8s free), available from Ashbrooke Sports Club, Hot Rats Records, SUN FM, Sunderland Echo, RPM Newcastle & See Tickets www.seetickets.com <http://www.seetickets.com> / 0871 230 0010

www.splitfestival.com <http://www.splitfestival.com>

Firstly well done to Cusworth Hall, Higher Rythym, Hothouse and all those with a hand in the gig as it looked and sounded superb. To those who don't know Cusworth Hall is a country park and stately home just north of Doncaster (in fact just round the corner from us) with stunning grounds.

The stage was plonked just in front of the hall with the cream of Doncaster bands opening up for the headline Sandi Thom. Ross Cameron started proceedings and sounded excellent (as normal) before Doncaster's finest The Beaus ripped up the stage. Darren Bell did the town proud with a part solo then part band performance.

Sandi Thom, whilst not been my cup of tea, gave an excellent performance despite a smaller than expected turnout. That said those present were enthusiastic and had a fantastic time.

Hopefully despite the poor turnout those who put the gig on won't be put off from doing it all again next year.

Pics from the gig are online in the photo gallery 1 on www.shaddersonline.com right now.

Cheers

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

So here we sit, the 3^rd September 2009 as the dust starts to settle from the latest Noel walkout and quit fallout. As everyone has said ‘we’ve seen it all before  etc blah etc blah’ but this time it does seem a bit more final and like the Oasis axe is about to fall. At times like these you really don’t know what to believe, Noel has said this and Liam is supposed to have done that but as it stands all oasis.net is confirming is that Noel has quit the band but no news on Liam and the rest of the band.

The remaining and final dates on the mammoth world tour have been pulled including the infamous V festival, the Paris date in the aftermath of the Noel and Liam blow out and following Milan gig got canned too.

As I sit in front of the laptop there is still, at least on paper anyway, an Oasis featuring Liam and rent a mob (sorry Andy & Gem, but they know the score) but there’s nothing on that ‘forthcoming’ page.

Trouble is everyone knows that Oasis isn’t just Liam and co but it’s Noel and Liam (plus random backing band) therefore without Noel therefore it ceases to be the ‘real’ Oasis. It’ll be more like Liam flogging a dead pantomime Oasis horse for a fist full of dollars. Whether he does this remains to be seen, but there seems to be a strong opinion that Liam views Oasis as HIS band and he can do whatever he wishes with it. Anyhow, in the short term they’ll be more words than actions. After Milan a break was planned , let’s face it they’ve been on the road for at least 18 full months out promoting ‘Dig out your soul’ so the calendar would probably be pretty clear until we’d guess next summer. Between now and then there’s a shed load of time for things to settle down and air to be cleared.

It looks Noel’s future, short term anyway, is more obvious than his temperamental brother. Everyone is well aware of his desire to put out an album under his own name rather than under the Oasis brand, so now could well be the time to get in the studio and go down that avenue. He don’t need the Oasis roadshow for the money, it’s already provided that and the fact his name is all over their biggest hits means the royalty cheques ain’t gonna finish anytime soon neither. Long term is far less easy to read. Oasis are still the band that he made and indeed made him and Liam is still his brother, whether he likes that or not!  If he sees Liam prancing around singing his songs will he get the buzz back? Will then he be able to resist? Could he really ignore it all? McCartney still does Beatles songs live but is it really the same without Lennon and at least Noel wouldn’t have did Liam up to get him back on stage!

For now ‘I’m outta time’ is playing on the old stereo and it seems too damn apt. But saying all this isn’t time is supposed to heal the wounds and blood is thicker so let’s for now hold onto those thoughts and say ‘never say never’ cause the British music scene without Oasis just don’t seem right.

Colin  @ Shaddersonline.com

(Sepetember 2009)

HMV and The Boxer Rebellion unite in ground-breaking partnership

In an unprecedented move, UK & Ireland retailer HMV and international Rock band The Boxer Rebellion today announce a ground-breaking collaboration that will see the music and entertainment specialist act as a lead outlet and strategic partner for the physical release of the band's second album Union.

What makes the deal significant is that The Boxer Rebellion have, by choice, accepted no record label backing and remain unsigned - a fact they are openly proud of. Instead, the four-piece band - comprising US vocalist Nathan Nicholson, Aussie guitarist Todd Howe and Brits Adam Harrison on bass and Piers Hewitt on drums, are on a mission "to find innovative and meaningful ways to distribute their music and engage directly with their fans, on their own terms".

As joint partner with The Boxer Rebellion in this venture, HMV is advancing the costs of manufacturing the CD, while also supporting the promotion and marketing of the product, in return for a share of the revenues. As part of this activity HMV will deliver significant in-store and online visibility leading up to Union’s release and will also leverage its growing presence in the ticketing and live music sectors.

The Boxer Rebellion received much media attention in January this year when they pre-released Union digitally through the iTunes Music Store.  Lead track Evacuate became the first simultaneous iTunes Single of the Week across its stores and was downloaded a staggering 560,000 times in just seven days. The band subsequently topped the US iTunes Alternative Charts, and by the end of their first week of sales, Union entered the US Billboard Album Charts at No 82, an unprecedented feat for an unsigned band on a digital-only release.

Union will be released on CD on 14th September (11th Sept. in Ireland) across HMV's 270 stores nationwide as well as in select independent music stores, and can also be pre-ordered/purchased via hmv.com and other online stores in both physical and digital formats. The release will be supported with a week of live in-store performances and album signings at key HMV stores around the country, including the flagship Oxford Circus store.

The Boxer Rebellion will commence a UK tour on 22nd September, for which HMV will have an exclusive window on ticket sales. Tickets go on sale at hmv.com from 9.00am on Thursday, 23 July priced £9 plus booking fee (£10 in London) – although they will also be available with the CD as part of a special album bundle for just £15 (inclusive of ticket booking fee. See Editor’s Notes for full tour details). The band most recently performed on Glastonbury’s Other Stage and will also be playing thelondonpaper’s Headliners Festival on 17th September, and Brighton’s White Air Festival on 19th September.

Sumit Bothra, Manager of The Boxer Rebellion comments, “To have succeeded in creating this ground-breaking deal with HMV is a testament to their passion for discovering and genuinely supporting world-class artists on behalf of their customers.

“The Boxer Rebellion are unlike any band of musicians I have ever worked with, capable of creating deeply emotional, accessible, and powerful albums while, crucially, possessing an incredible live reputation. These qualities were enough to approach HMV for their support and to ultimately secure their commitment – which, I’m proud to say, is exactly the way it should be.”

The collaboration is consistent with HMV's 'get closer' brand vision; an approach that is becoming increasingly '360' in character where customers are engaged through core channels comprising stores, online digital and live, to get them closer to the music, films and games they love.

HMV's Head of Music, Rudy Osorio, adds: “We're excited to be working with The Boxer Rebellion, and believe this will be a fruitful partnership. We see this as a bit of a one-off, unique opportunity for the time being – it’s really just about finding new ways to engage with customers, and, of course, The Boxer Rebellion are already well-established and have a core fanbase that we can connect with. However, if this initiative proves particularly successful, as I believe it will, then it could well create a template for future activity.

“There are now so many different ways for fans to discover and purchase the music they love, and we see HMV's role as an enabler of choice in an increasingly multi-channel world, whether, as in the vast majority of cases, that means working with our longstanding supplier partners to promote their artists and music or, as in this case, collaborating directly with exciting unsigned acts to give them vital access to our customer base.”

The CD of Union, unlike the pre-release digital version, will contain the bonus track Broken Glass, and will be powered by Opendiscâ - allowing access to a private website hosting a further bonus track Murder Ballad, as well as album instrumentals, never-before-seen interviews, and a wealth of original and exclusive material. The album will be preceded by a AA-side single/remix package on 10" limited edition vinyl and digital formats, which will be released on 7th September through HMV, the band’s own website, and independent stores.

www.theboxerrebellion.com

www.myspace.com/theboxerrebellion

The Boxer Rebellion tour dates:

Tues, 22 Sept – CARDIFF Barfly

Wed, 23 Sept – SOUTHAMPTON Joiners

Sat, 26 Sept – BRISTOL Thekla

Sun, 27 Sept – BIRMINGHAM Hare & Hounds

Mon, 28 Sept – LIVERPOOL Masque

Tues, 29 Sept – BELFAST Auntie Annie’s

Wed, 30 Sept – DUBLIN Academy 2

Thur, 1 Oct – GLASGOW ABC 2

Fri, 2 Oct – NEWCASTLE Other Rooms

Sat, 3 Oct – MANCHESTER Roadhouse

Mon, 5 Oct – LEEDS Faversham

Tues, 6 Oct – LONDON Relentless Garage

16-date UK winter tour announced for November-December 2009

Sixth studio album, My Way, released 28 September on Fiction

Ian Brown – NME Godlike Genius, Q Legend – today announces details of a major UK winter tour. He hits the road in late November for a 16-date series of shows culminating in a hometown performance at Manchester’s MEN Arena the weekend before Christmas. The full dates are as follows:

Sun 29 November           Leicester De Montfort Hall (tickets: 0116 233 3111)

Mon 30 November          Southend Cliffs Pavilion (01702 351 135)

Tue 01 December           Ipswich Regent (01473 433 100)

Thu 03 December           Bournemouth O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Fri 04 December             London Brixton O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Sat 05 December                        London Brixton O2 Academy (8PM-2AM) (0844 477 2000)

Mon 07 December          Cambridge Corn Exchange (01223 357 851)

Tue 08 December           Sheffield O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Thu 10 December           Leeds O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Fri 11 December             Leeds O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Sat 12 December                        Liverpool University (0151 256 5555)

Mon 14 December          Newcastle City Hall (0191 261 2606)

Tue 15 December           Edinburgh Picture House (0844 4999 990)

Wed 16 December          Glasgow O2 Academy (0844 4999 990)

Fri 18 December             Birmingham O2 Academy (0844 477 2000)

Sat 19 December                        Manchester MEN Arena (0844 847 8000)

Tickets go on sale at 9.30am Thursday 27 August, and can be bought online at gigsandtours.com & ticketmaster.co.uk or via the 24hr hotline: 0871 2200 260 / 0844 826 2826.

The shows will be the first following the release of Brown’s sixth studio album, My Way, due 28 September on Fiction. The bulk of the album’s 12 tracks were co-written with long time collaborator Dave McCracken at London's Battery Studios, where Brown and the Stone Roses recorded their seminal debut 20 years before. Lead track Stellify was debuted on radio on Monday 10 August, at the same time the video for the song was premiered online. In an unprecedented move, Fiction made the Stellify EP available to download that evening and it shot straight to #1 on iTunes. Stellify will be released as a traditional single via all retailers on 21 September on Fiction. It is followed a week later by My Way, on CD, 12-inch and download.

Ian Brown has been confirmed as very special guest on the main stage at the 2009 Reading and Leeds festivals on 28-29 August. He plays shows in Wolverhampton (25 August) and Oxford (26) beforehand.

Stellify EP is available to download now

Stellify is released as a single 21 September 2009

My Way follows 28 September on Fiction

Idlewild has announced it will be releasing its seventh studio album, Post-Electric Blues, on Monday 5th October.    

The album, which was available earlier this year as a limited edition via the bands website, will also feature two bonus tracks – Take Away The Night Time and Take Me Back In Time (demo).  These tracks will be available to download once the album has been purchased.  The release will be preceded by a digital single, Readers & Writers, on Monday 28th September, which will feature an extra track, (The Night Will) Bring You Back To Life (demo)

'Post-Electric Blues' is an indie-rock album of Boss-like bombast, flecked with 70s synths and dashes of brass.  It's an album that leaps from Fleetwood Mac epic folk/rock/pop peaks into joyous Loch-side sing-a-longs. It's the sound of a deft and defiant band(completed by Rod Jones on guitar, backing vocals, keyboards; Colin Newton on drums, percussion; Allan Stewart on guitar and Gareth Russell on bass),
exploring soundscapes whilst finding hooks and generally, genuinely and
quite clearly, having a fookin’ good time.

"Album opener 'Younger than America' was the first track we wrote for the
album," says singer Roddy Woomble. "The idea for the lyrics came from a spate watching Westerns - simple stories of justice and courage set at the 'frontier'. It
sounds the way it does because we're all big fans of Neil Young & Crazy
horse. After we'd written the song I though the record might turn into a
American sounding piece of classic rock, but it didn't turn out that way
really, especially after writing 'Readers and Writers'. The record went in
whatever direction it chose to.”

Lyrically, the punk-rock sloganeering of their earlier work has become a
mixture of poignant observational small-world imagery and universal
ponder-neering. This isn't all textural wilderness-gazing or woe is me
Morrissey-like rambling. There are a few wry lyrics because "sometimes you
need some daft lines in there," explains Roddy, "I don't that think it's
possible to have a rock song where every line is perfect, I don't think
that's the point of rock music."

Whilst the band were writing and recording the album, members of
their fanclub-like online community saw and heard work-in-progress snippets: "The fans of the band were part of this album and
were entitled to see the songs being written and to feel a part of them,"
beams Roddy. "They paid for them to be recorded after all. In today's
musical world when everything has to be available and instant and people get
bored quickly (far too quickly in my opinion) this album was our attempt to
get with the times. I suppose the album title reflects this. We all really
like and appreciate the fact the fans paid for us to make this album and
that all their names are inside of it."

Written in Scotland and recorded in Wales (and Scotland), Post-Electric Blues is
an album made to play live, as Roddy explains: "Most bands now make their
living through concerts, and we're no exception, so records have to be
tailored that way. With 'The Remote Part and 'Warnings...' we were writing
songs that would sound good on the radio (and live, but the radio was more
important - so we were told). There are a million new bands on the radio
waves, or digital waves, now so it's more important to us how we will sound
good through a PA system in a club and that we can play and sing it all!"

To coincide with the release, the band will be touring the UK, full dates as follows :

Sat 10th Oct             MANCHESTER, Club Academy

Sun 11th Oct            NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms

Mon 12th Oct            EXETER, Phoenix Centre

Tue 13th Oct            COLCHESTER, Arts Centre

Thu 15th Oct            SOUTHSEA, Wedgewood Rooms

Fri 16th Oct              LONDON, Electric Ballroom

Sun 18th Oct            OXFORD, O2 Academy

Mon 19th Oct            NORWICH, Waterfront

Tue 27th Oct            MIDDLESBOROUGH, Empire

Wed 28th Oct           LEEDS, Cockpit

Thu 29th Oct            BIRMINGHAM, O2 Academy Birmingham 2

Fri 30th Oct              SHEFFIELD, Leadmill

WAVE MACHINES
"Wave Machines are up there with 2009's finest." – NME

- UK TOUR -
-      NEW SINGLE PUNK SPIRIT ON AUGUST 31st –
** HEADLINE THE HOXTON BAR & KITCHEN ON 9th SEPTEMBER **

Wave Machines head off on a UK headline tour in September, with new single Punk Spirit out August 31st.
 
Championed by Zane Lowe at Radio One and playlisted at 6Music, Punk Spirit has been a Wave Machines live favourite throughout the festival season.

Glastonbury was the first of several high profile festival shows for the in-demand live band including Electric Picnic, Bestival and main stage appearances at Green Man and Lovebox. Their critically acclaimed debut long player Wave If You're Really There was a Rough Trade Album Of The Week and summer dance-floor smash I Go I Go I Go - an iTunes Single of The Week.

UK LIVE DATES:

SEPTEMBER 9th, LONDON, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (www.kililive.com <http://www.kililive.com/>  / 0871 230 5595);

10th, KINGSTON, New Slang @ McClusky’s (www.newslangkingston.co.uk <http://www.newslangkingston.co.uk/> );

25th LIVERPOOL, FestEvol@Academy;

29th SOUTHAMPTON Joiners (02380225612 / www.joinerslive.co.uk <http://www.joinerslive.co.uk/>  or www.seetickets.com <http://www.seetickets.com/> );

30th BRIGHTON Freebutt (01273606312 / www.wegottickets.com <http://www.wegottickets.com/> );  

OCTOBER 1st LEICESTER Sumo (01159129000 / www.seetickets.com <http://www.seetickets.com/> );

2nd PETERBOROUGH Met Lounge (01733571616 / www.wegottickets.com <http://www.wegottickets.com/> );

3rd BRISTOL Louisiana (08713100000 / www.alt-tickets.co.uk <http://www.alt-tickets.co.uk/> );

5th BIRMINGHAM 02 Academy (08444772000 / www.ticketweb.co.uk <http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/> );

6th MANCHESTER The Deaf Institute (01618321111 / http://thedeafinstitute/ticketline.co.uk <http://thedeafinstitute/ticketline.co.uk> );

7th GLASGOW Captains Rest (08448472487 / www.ticketweb.co.uk <http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/> );

8th NEWCASTLE, The Cluny (08713100000 / www.alt-tickets.co.uk <http://www.alt-tickets.co.uk/> );

9th YORK,  City Screen Basement (0871 704 2054 / Ticketweb – 08700 600 100 / http://seetickets.com <http://seetickets.com/> )

11th NOTTINGHAM Bodega (08713100000 / www.alt-tickets.co.uk <http://www.alt-tickets.co.uk/> ).

Album Wall Of Arms out now on Fiction

Summer Festivals and tour for September / October

“brilliant…effortless and unstudied” 8/10 NME Album of The Month Artrocker

**** The Guardian **** The Sun **** London Paper

“the meticulously evolved sound of a band aiming to bid to breathe life into British indie” **** OMM

“concise and intelligent” **** The Independent

“perfect, passionate and sophisticated pop… a fine album” The Sunday Times

The Maccabees have announced a major UK tour for September/October, which will see them play their first ever Brixton Academy show. The South London band released their second album Wall of Arms to rave reviews earlier this year, and it’s not just the critics who are hailing the album a triumph, Wall of Arms entered the UK album charts at number 13.

Wall of Arms is set to be a stand out record of 2009. Don’t miss out, catch The Maccabees live on tour and at festivals in the coming months.

LIVE DATES:

August

Fri 28                            LEEDS FESTIVAL, RADIO 1/NME STAGE

Sat 29                           READING FESTIVAL, RADIO 1/NME STAGE

September

Wed 30              BRISTOL ACADEMY (Tel: 0844 477 2000)

October

Thur 1                           BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY (Tel: 0844 477 2000)

Fri 2                              NORWICH UEA (Tel: 01603 508 050)

Sat 3                             LONDON BRIXTON ACADEMY (Tel: 0844 477 2000)            

Mon 5                            NOTTINGHAM ROCK CITY (Tel: 08713 100 000)

Tue 6                            MANCESTHER ACADEMY (Tel: 0161 832 1111)

Wed 7                           NEWCASTLE ACADEMY (Tel: 0844 477 2000)

Fri 9                              GLASGOW ABC (Tel: 08444 999 990)

Sat 10                           LEEDS ACADEMY (Tel: 0844 477 2000)

24 HR CC HOTLINE: 0871 2200 260 / www.gigsandtour.com

http://www.themaccabees.co.uk

So after our constructive critism of Doncaster Live '09 we come across some fantastic news of a brand new event in Doncaster.... Live at Cusworth.

To those who aren't familiar with Doncaster,  Cusworth Hall is located just north of Doncaster and is a fantastic park and grade 1 listed 18th century country house. We know it well as it's just a short walk round the corner from us and take it from us it's a lovely place and we can't think of anywhere better to hold a gig.

So on Saturday 5 September Cusworth Hall will host Sandi Thom (her of internet gig fame and singer of the hit 'I wish I was a punk rocker').

Better than that there are the cream of Doncaster's music talent as support. None other than the sensational The Beaus plus our favs Darren Bell and Ross Cameron. Quite a impressive line up.

Price is a reasonable £12.50 per person.

For more info check out www.doncasterhothouse.co.uk and to buy tickets online see www.doncastercivic.co.uk

Doncaster Live 2009 

Now we’ve been a big supporter of the free Doncaster festival for many a year and think it’s a brilliant idea but to be honest we feel it’s hit a bit of a crossroads, the 2009 line up is possibly the weakest for the last few years, last year The Levellers headlined Saturday night with The Rascals, Elliott Minor and Tiny Dancers with the Sunday given aside just for Doncaster’s finest. However, this year the main day was shunted onto the Sunday and it appeared that although the piss poor website (more of which later) was advertising 25^th & 26^th July nothing actually happened on the Saturday. On the Sunday the line up was to be Girl Spit, Liam and the triumphs, in fear of olive, Eureka Machines, Will and the people, The Yeah You’s, Go Audio and headliners The Magic Numbers. That’s hardly the most illustrious line up especially with the Tramlines festival not 20 miles away in Sheffield boasting Reverend and The Makers as their Sunday night headliners plus absolutely loads of stuff across multiple venues for the whole weekend.

Now we have to say the infrastructure for Doncaster Live is damn well spot on, plus to be fair the additions year on year have greatly improved the event. The location is really good, the stage is spot on and the big screen adds that extra professional look to proceedings. This year the introduction of dedicated bar is a brilliant addition to the established boozers situated in the Market Place and the fun fair is an expectation of the current festival goer so thumbs up on that too.

So where do things starting going wrong then? Well the booking of bands is the first bug bear, there doesn’t seem to be a consistent policy of what they are trying to achieve here, it’s just a bit of ‘cover all bases’ with obviously cheap bands to book. Now we know that money is an issue; it’s free, without a major sponsor and goes cap in hand to the local authority for funding but even so would they be better going hell for leather for a decent headliner then filling the bill with the cream of local talent especially as it’s slimmed down to just the one day? Then you have got to look at similar events across the north, take the aforementioned Tramlines, Middlesbrough Music Live and even an event in Stockton on Tees where they get the whole local musical community involved with loads of gigs across loads of different venues. In fact lets use Middlesbrough as a prime example, they have the open air stage but use all available venues to pack the town with punters and bands for the full day. They also have one of the best booking agents in the business, a real eye for a band just about to break plus getting loads of local bands into the act too. We believe this kind of event goes by the name ‘joined up’ where the whole town is involved, lets face it Doncaster has currently the best set of venues well ever really, surely instead of The Priory, Vintage Rockbar putting their own ‘alternative’ events on they should be encompassed by Doncaster Live and promoted with it.

This brings us onto the promotion of the event which is nothing short of scandalous, there’s a website which has jack on it and the line up is only published about a week before which is a joke. There is a bit of promo in the local papers but that’s it. Now take Tramlines, it’s on local Tv for god’s sake plus a decent website and national coverage via stuff like NME etc. If you look across into West Yorkshire and the fabulous (but bigger budget, as they charge) Bingley Music Live, they have a good website with plenty of info on who is playing (plus history of the event & previous bands to feature)  but they have also announced who is playing in July for a festival in September.. advance notice people! If the Doncaster Live website is up all year round get some pics on there (there were 7 people covering the event and the pics are all over the internet on bands websites, myspace etc) and make sure if the event continues into 2010 there’s more band info, event info and it’s done a hell of a lot quicker.

Now, I must stress I’m not saying I could do better and I’m fully aware of just how much hard graft goes into an event like this and how difficult it must be to juggle what must be a small and really tight budget. So for the record I’d like to say well done to Heather and all those concerned for getting it off the ground in the first place and keeping it going over the years. I do however stand by the points raised above and hope that the event continues next year except encompasses all that’s great about the Doncaster scene and the people behind it. So fingers crossed for a multi venue Doncaster Live 2010 featuring a shit hot headliner, some quality up and coming talent plus the cream of Doncaster’s bands. It might sound a pipe dream but by getting everyone involved god only knows what can be achieved, reach for the sky and you might just catch a piece!

Anyway less of the future and back to 2009 and what went down, well plenty of rain.. again. Unfortunately it seems that mother nature always gives a big two fingers to Doncaster Live and this year is no exception with at times torrential rain blighting proceedings. The numbers are down on last year too, that could have something to do with the god awful weather, the fact it’s a Sunday or the line up or even a combination of all three.

Anyway there’s still a good turn out when The Yeah You’s take the stage and plenty of young, female fans giving their vocal support. The singer has some charisma and a bit of a look of a young (but better looking) Rick Witter however the rest of the band look of an age they have done this before and should know better. The Yeah You’s really don’t appear to be much of anything really, watered down radio friendly guitar pop shandy. Then the do a really surreal cover of Duran Duran’s ‘Ordinary World’… why?? I’m not sure it’s really target audience nor is it that good a cover neither, proper weird. That said those clinging to the barriers at the very front of the crowd seem to enjoy it so they can’t be the devil incarnate can they?!

Blimey it’s over to Go Audio to get cracking and raise the bar then and right from the off they do just that. They look the part, energetic frontman who is somewhat easy on the eye but knows a tune or two and a brilliantly dipsy looking keyboardist who is wearing flip flops of all things! The musical path is well trodden but when indie guitar pop rock is done right and with some verve you can’t beat it and Go Audio are up there with the best of the genre. They play with energy and real conviction plus they have a damn fine arsenal of tunes too. The weather hasn’t perked up none but Go Audio really heat up the stage and the crowd are well up for it, in fact too up for it in some cases which actually ends up with some police intervention which leads the band to comment on how it ain’t everyday they get the cops watching their gigs! Great stuff which is a top fillip for the headline act.

Tonight The Magic Numbers walk the stage ramp trodden previously by The Bluetones, Wedding Present and last year The Levellers. Unfortunately for them the weather takes another turn for the worse and by the looks of it the younger fans here for The Yeah You’s and / or Go Audio have already exited stage left, still there’s a hardy bunch left out in the rain. The last time we witnessed The Magic Numbers were likened them to a Lincolnshire family outing which to this day remains our favourite shadders quote (which is why it’s been used again) and they don’t seem to have changed none in the intervening years, still beards aplenty (we’ll refrain from the obvious ‘and that’s just the girls’ gag). In fact they seem to have been away from quite a while so it’s good to know that there’s still life in the old dogs. They try to lift the crowd but their brand of melody based indie pop doesn’t really lend itself for a rousing sing song, it’s more laid back and relaxing and more in keeping with a pleasant summers evening and a cold beverage! So for the vast portion of their set the crowd really isn’t lit up but there’s still a few highpoints, no great surprise that they are both from their highly successful and acclaimed debut long player. ‘Forever Lost’ is a fine tune but when the ante is upped and the tempo flowing (like the rain) ‘Love me like you’ still remains a pop classic. There’s still some good new tunes aired which suggests The Magic Numbers can continue along nicely, away from the pop fashion and in their own way. Not the most exciting of sets but solid enough and so ends another year of Doncaster Live, here’s to 2010!

Review: Twin Falls – We Will begin to flicker

You’d never guess this splendid six track ep is the debut release by Twin Falls, it’s a beautifully crafted collection of indie pop folk tunes that are endearing to say the least. There’s a wonderfully laid back alt country vibe but with many of the songs containing multiple instruments (aside from the traditional guitar, bass and drum combo) there’s some stunning soundscapes to reveal in. ‘Janie I will only let you down’ has the best title and kicks off proceedings with strings aplenty adding a great background atmosphere whilst there’s a corking tempo and some inspired understated vocals, sets the tone in some style even if it lasts only two and a half minutes. Influences cited include the likes of Magnetic Fields, Ryan Adams, Wilco, Sparklehouse and Vanilla Ice, the last of which we assume is the joker in the pack. ‘Matter of the heart’ has a more serious tone with affected vocals, edgier bass and a deeper vibe and shows they have more strings to their long term bows. ‘New Years eve’ returns to a lighter laid back groove without any vocals at all, ahh the art of the instrumental. ‘Chunk Honey’ has the vibe that makes Mojave 3 and The Thrills so damn interesting to get into. Whereas ‘Scientist’ does the whole soundscapes thing after a most lowkey start but another endearing tune to end the ep off with. ‘We will begin to flicker’ represents of the finest debut ep’s to come out of the capital in quite a while and we look forward to plenty more in the future, a pretty damn bright flicker and there’s no doubting that.

ART BRUT ADDED TO INDIETRACKS FESTIVAL HEADLINERS

This year, the Indietracks festival will also introduce its ‘Workshop Wigwam’, hosting a wide range of fun activities. Festival-goers will have the chance to make jewellery with the cult label Tatty Devine, write a song with The Smittens’ Colin Clary, get crafty with the Craft Guerrillas and The Bunty Collective, find out about making clothes with Eithne Farry, and win some serious prizes in the poptastic pop quiz! You can view the workshop timetable at http://www.indietracks.co.uk/Pages/workshops.html

This is the third ever Indietracks festival, which is being held at the Midland Railway in Ripley, in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside. The site houses a whole range of lovingly restored steam diesels and locomotives. Festival goers are allowed to have unlimited rides on the steam railway over the weekend and full access to other railway attractions including a farm and museum.

Full setlist from London lads' cracking gig at Leeds Cockpit:

Superhuman Touch

You got the style

Half Light

Shake Windows

Hurricane

Black Swan Song

Tourist

One Million

Magical Mistakes

Westside

24 Hours

The Getaway

_______encore_____

Light the way

El Salvador

Wires

What is Tramlines?

The idea behind Tramlines was simple. Take over a weekend, fill the whole of Sheffield with music and showcase the energy and diversity of the Sheffield Music Scene.

It was a simple idea which the musical godfathers of Sheffield took up with a passion. Matt Helders, Jon McClure and Toddla T – signed up immediately and got to work bullying the musical industry into supporting Sheffield – the music city. And so on the last weekend of July – the city of Sheffield will be filled with music. Every local band worth seeing – who isn’t on tour will be there. The curators musical friends and family will be putting on a show. And to top it all – with the generous support of the council and Hallam FM, there will even be a massive outdoor stage on Devonshire Green.

The enthusiasm was infectious – and attracted outside help - the global legends Ibiza Rocks jumped on board, the massive music website Drowned in Sound and Camden Crawl aficionados – Adventures in The Beetroot Field also signed up.

So with a boat load of peer pressure and the generous support of Sheffield City Council and our sponsors, Tramlines was born.

And best of all – it is free for everyone. July 24th - July 26th – its completely free and will be on all over the city.

Get on Board.

Latest News

Reverend and The Makers have confirmed they will be headlining a legendary climax to Tramlines 09 and Sheffield Music City. Support will be provided by The La’s, the seminal Liverpool band whose debut album was released
almost 20 years ago.

Jon McClure - better known as the Reverend - is relishing the chance to perform to the band’s biggest ever home crowd, with a 5,000 capacity sell-out guaranteed on Sunday July 26th.

The Devonshire Green Stage will be curated by John McClure and Captured for prosperity thanks to media partner NME Radio.

“As soon as I heard about the festival, I was desperate to get on board. I knew we’d need something special, so I
talked to Drew and Lee and they agreed to reform the La’s at the event. That was my big (but not only) festival
surprise. On top of that, though, I wanted to showcase some of the great bands coming out of Sheffield, so as well as myself and the La’s you’re gonna see some Sheffield bands that deserve to be seen.”

“It’s gonna be legendary.”

Further proof of the curators’ commitment came when Matt Helders confirmed his attendance:

“I just had to persuade the lads to rearrange the schedule a bit. No way could I miss this event.”

Matt will be headlining his own showcase on the Saturday from DQ, the spiritual home of the now legendary
taste-making Threads club night. Supporting Matt on the night will be The Rascals and Milburn’s Joe Carnell on his first solo venture.

Newest curator on the block, Toddla T, will be kicking off the headline programme with his End of the World line-up (featuring Martello, Oneman and Toddla himself) as well as a set from the incredible DJ Zinc.

On Saturday, the Devonshire Green stage will be hosted by Hallam FM, with Little Boots, Pixie Lott, The Yeah Yous and The Noisettes amongst the highlights on their family-friendly line-up.

The Tramlines festival will incorporate at least 25 venues across the city. In conjunction with the week-long
celebration, Sheffield Music City – a diverse collection of outdoor stages and performance areas - will showcase the variety and cultural mix of Sheffield’s musical community.

Drowned in Sound, Adventures in The Beetroot Field and festival-openers Ibiza Rocks are all also soon to announce their full line-ups for the event. Fringe programmer and manager of The Harley, Sarah Nulty, believes the festival promises a unique inner-city experience:

We set out from year one to create a cross-city festival that would showcase Sheffield’s extraordinary musical variety and depth. The initial line-ups already demonstrate our intent. There are more big names to come but it’s as i
mportant to me that we showcase breaking artists from across the genres, from live hip-hop
(courtesy of The Tuesday Club) to rock, or from reggae and dub to bassline. Our aim is to celebrate the music that makes Sheffield tick. Expect endless variety in every available musical space.

Keep watching!

Lineup

Confirmed so far:

Reverend and The Makers // The La's
The Rascals // Little Boots // Pixie Lott Toddla T // Martelo // DJ Zinc // Errors
The Noisettes // The Yeah Yous // Maps
Johnny Foreigner // The Rumble Strips
Rolo Tomassi // Rodney P // The XX
The Chapman Family // Slow Club
Man like Me // Skint and Demoralised
Kid Acne // MPHO // Banjo or freakout
Oneman // Detroit Social club // Navvy
Futurecop! // I Monster // Shake Aletti

Dead world leaders // Backhanded compliments
Munch Munch // Pygmy globetrotters // Alvarez kings
Joe Carnall and the book club // The Violet may
The Crookes // The Yell // The Swines // Calenko
La folie // Elephant keys // Pistola kicks // King Capisce

Plus loads more soon

 Wave Machines
   
 
  Competition: 100 pairs of tickets for Wave Machines iTunes Festival gig up for grabs 

 
 Wave Machines are from Glastonbury with good news: 100 pairs of tickets to give away for their gig at this month's iTunes Festival.
 
 The show takes place on July 23rd at Freedm Studios, The Roundhouse, London. A winning entry gets you not only into Wave Machines gig at 6.15pm but also a show by Graham Coxon, later that day, in the Roundhouse main space.
 
 Just answer the following question to be in with a chance:
 
What stage did Wave Machines play on Sunday at Glastonbury this year?
 
 a: John Peel Stage
 b: Queen's Head Stage
 c: Park Stage
 
 Please send an email with your answer to: wavetickets@googlemail.com 
 
 The competition closes on July 17th. The winners will be contacted by iTunes with details of how to get their tickets.
 
 Please note that the gig is exclusive to competition winners - you won't find tickets on sale anywhere, so be sure to enter!
 
 Good luck if you do

NB - This competition is run by Wave Machines & Itunes and not Shaddersonline.com, any problems contact them & not us - good luck!

Full eight song set list from the Kasabian support slot at Sheffield Academy June 28th, 2009.

Set list states Kasabian tour June / July 2009 - same every night??

Love is an action

Narcissus Road

Come on

Ali in the Jungle

Never see you again

Icarus

People Say

Murder or Suicide

Check this out, details announced of the Bingley Music Live Festival. If you've not been before it's well worth a visit, the venue is superb and the line up is excellent, see below:

Saturday 4th September

DOVES 
The Zutons 
Ocean Colour Scene 
The Sunshine Underground
Detroit Social Club
TBC
The Moons
Local Band   
Local Band


Sunday 5th September

EDITORS
Calvin Harris
Reverend and the Makers
The Futureheads
Howling Bells                           
VV Brown
White Belt Yellow Tag
Local Band
Local Band

Weekend Tickets (£25) are selling fast get yours at http://www.facebook.com/l/;https://www.seetickets.com/bingleymusiclive

Friday 4th September - FREE admission.
The Undertones with support from Toploader, and local U2 tribute New 2.

Hi - long time no blog mainly as we've just taken a well earned break away down to the South West.

Just have to say that this has to be our fav part of the country especially with a decent spot of weather too.

A few years ago we toured Cornwall, this time we based ourselves near Bideford in North Devon (about 25 miles from the Cornwall border). With the sun a shining we managed to spend plenty of time beach side at Westward Ho and on Widemouth Beach. That aside we managed to visit Padstow, Bideford and Barnstable plus some blatant mad country road driving in the zed.

Now firmly back in Yorkshire we managed to check out The Hours / Kasabian at the Academy at Sheffield last night and there's some cracking pics awaiting to get uploaded... check the gallery later this week for these.

Later

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

We're happy to report that Doncaster Live and Bingley Music Live both return in 2009.

Doncaster Live (ex Doncaster Music Live) returns to it's usual venue outstide the Market Hall on Saturday 25th July and 26th July. Although there is no mention of booked bands as yet if last years format is continued (and why not it worked rather well) it'll be a ''high profile'' out of town headliner on Saturday night followed by a day of local bands on the Sunday.

Blooming good news is that once again it's completely free.... hooray!

Check out the website www.doncasterlive.co.uk

Bingley Music Live 2009 is bigger and better than ever. Taking place Friday 4th September to Sunday 6th September it adds the Friday day on for this first time in 2009.  The Friday is completely free (hooray) with a weekend ticket for Saturday and Sunday coming in at just £25.

Bands confirmed are Doves, Calvin Harris, Futureheads, Reverend and the makers and Ocean Colour Scene plus loads more not yet confirmed - it's gonna be a big ticket this year and is set in a fantastic bowl venue.

Check out the website at www.bingleymusiclive.com

Gonna be a good old Yorkshire summer and make no doubt of that!

A big well done to Kevin Morrison from Aberdeen who answered our very easy question of 'who is the current underachieving manager of Manchester City', it is of course Mark Hughes (hooray...not!).

The Match of the day album is in the post to Kevin as we blog.

It is a quality album and there's some great tunes amongst the 40 tracks, heavy weight stuff.

Check out the album review elsewhere on this site, full track listing is on the previous competition blog entry, check those out. 

Finally a big thanks to Kate @ Quite Great for sorting this out, much appreaciated.

The Unsigned Band Review, a new site that offers advice to new bands from recognised industry professionals from a range of disciplines, are selecting 4 bands from their talent pool to play at the Hyde Park calling festival this month.

Bands have until this Friday (June 12th) to enter through www.unsignedbandreview.com  on the ‘Artist Sign Up’ page and 4 lucky winners will join The Killers, The Kooks and Howling Bells as part of the Friday shenanigans.

Unsigned Band Review have teamed up with Cancer Research UK and their ‘Busking Cancer’ campaign (http://www.buskingcancer.co.uk) to offer 4 busking locations at the busiest parts of the festival to play in front of thousands- with all proceeds going to Cancer Research.

The bands will be chosen by UBR’s team of music industry experts and the decision will be based on who they consider to be uber talented, exciting and ready to get their music out there. The chosen bands will be announced on the 12th June on www.unsignedbandreview.com.

Unsigned Band Review’s team of experts includes industry players from all parts of the music business and includes Simon Gavin (Universal), Simon Hargreaves, Olivier Behzadi and more.

The ‘Busking Cancer’ initiative is fronted by Rod Stewart and Suggs and further information on the campaign can be found at www.buskingcancer.co.uk.

LIVE:
JAMES YUILL
MICACHU & THE SHAPES
MAN LIKE ME
LAUREL COLLECTIVE
THE OPERATORS
COLOURING IN
THE PEPYS
REGGAE ROAST FEAT. BROTHER CULTURE
ROB COWEN & THE DISSIDENTS
BRASS ROOTS
JAZICA
TARRBABY
RWD

DJS:
SOMBRERO SOUND SYSTEM
FEAR OF THEYDON
ITCHY FEET DJs
ALEX PARSONS

After the sell out success of 2008, Festibelly have developed their boutique festival for another wonderful weekend this summer. Set in the peaceful surroundings of the New Forest, Festibelly provides a chilled day, party night time, camping and - what so many festivals lack - intimacy, with a capacity of only 1000 people.

2009 features musical performances from some of the most exciting talent to emerge from the indie, rock, pop, acoustic, and reggae scenes. After his astonishing 2008 performance, Festibelly welcome back 'folktronica' wizard James Yuill as headliner. Signed to Moshi Moshi Records, James has released a plethora of hits, such as 'No Surprise' and 'This Sweet Love' gaining huge support from BBC Radio 1 and was even an iTunes track of the week.

The strong line up continues with Rough Trade signings Micachu & The Shapes, grime pop upstarts Man Like Me, critically acclaimed ensemble Laurel Collective and future-romantic pop group ColouringIN. They are joined by London's favourite reggae party, Reggae Roast who will be 'dubbing' it alongside live performances by Brother Culture and the heavyweight 9-piece brass band, Brass Roots.

More festival antics will be provided by local hero's, The Operators, East London indie-outfit, The Pepys, Tarrbaby, Jazica, RWD, Rob Cowen & The Dissidents and a fierce selection of DJs including Sombrero Sound System and Sunday Best's Fear of Theydon.

If that wasn't enough Festibelly 2009 will be engaging your other senses with activities including Secret Wars hosing urban artists battling it out in the form of a tag-team competition on a giant wall.

Festibelly also supports neighbouring traders and provides delicious and sophisticated food from local sources, catering for both meat eaters and vegetarians. The Festibar will also be stocked with a plentiful supply of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Festibelly provides clean toilets (something highly commented on last year, as some of the best ever seen at a festival) with washbasins, mirrors and lighting. Festibelly has a safe and friendly atmosphere and welcomes people of all ages.

Date: 9am, Saturday 29th August - 1pm, Sunday 30th August
Tickets: £25 + booking fee (includes camping) from ticketweb.co.uk
Location: Undershore, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 5QA
Capacity: 1,000

festibelly.com

Not only is Glade Festival moving to a new site at Matterley Bowl this year; they have also given their website a complete overhaul.

The all-singing, all-dancing Flash and HTML website will surely lead the way as a template for other festivals.
Traditionally, the Glade Festival website has always been in plain HTML but this year they have decided to enter into the realms of full interactivity by creating the ultimate pre-festival experience allowing the user to virtually explore all dimensions of the Festival before even stepping foot on the site.
With easy features and great functionality the sites main highlights are:

• Traditional navigation – the simple menu buttons sit at the top of the page making it easy to navigate - even for a technophobe
• Movable map – by clicking and dragging you can explore the actual festival site, familiarising yourself with the space before you get there - thus saving time
• Timeline – situated at the bottom of the page, by dragging the slider across it will show you who’s playing on what stage and when. You can do this for each stage. It will also tell you who’s playing at the same time as one of your favourite artists. This information will be updated as they get closer to the festival
• My Schedule – within the Timeline section of the website you can create your own schedule by adding as many artists as you like. Print it out and take it with you to the festival - ensuring you don’t miss your favorite artists.
• Music – tracks from the artists are streamed on the site
• Food – information about the food on the market stalls is available so you’ll never miss out on your favourite falafel, pie, or crepes.

Oh and you can win tickets for you and a friend by spotting the Vaudevillian who is a dastardly fellow causing a nuisance... He appears at certain places at certain times and if you find him you can win two free tickets to this year's Glade Festival right there and then. Simple.

The Website was designed by Urbian, a Cape Town based design company.

Tickets for this year's Glade Festival cost a mere £125 (the same price as last year). All tickets include free on-site camping. Camper & caravan tickets cost an additional £45. Tickets are also now on sale for the VIP boutique Tipi camping area too.

The Glade Festival won Best Dance Festival at last year's UK Festival Awards and is a 10,000 capacity event, visited by dance music and free spirited aficionados from around the world. gladefestival.com

Date: Thursday 16th - Sunday 19th July 2009
Tickets £125 + £7 bf from gladefestival.com
Children / Teenagers: Under 12's free if accompanied with an adult. 13 - 15year olds are allowed but must be accompanied by an adult - tickets cost £125 + bf.
Location: Matterley Bowl, Winchester, Hampshire
Capacity: 10,000
Entrance: gates open midday Thursday 16th July
Hours: Thursday midday - late | Friday midday - 4am | Saturday midday - 6am | Sunday midday - midnight [subject to licensing] Bars will be open 24 hours a day.

WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!

WANT TO WIN A 40 TRACK CD FEATURING SOME TRUE INDIE / ROCK GEMS???

Well enter our Match of the Day album competition if you do.

To celebrate the launch of the Match of the Day album we've got  a copy to give away... FREE!

For a chance of winning this stunning album, email us at mail@shaddersonline.com (or click on the contact us page) the answer to this easy question....

Question.... Who the the latest underachieving manager of Manchester City (the only football team to come from Manchester according to the song and the fact U****D come from Salford!)?

So get emailing now, the MOTD album could be yours!

Check out the info & tracklisting....

Match Of The Day- The Album

40 Anthems for Home & Away

Release date: 9^th June 2009

IT IS THE PERFECT GIFT FOR FATHER’S DAY AND INCLUDES A BONUS DVD OF 100 GREAT PREMIERSHIP GOALS!

Sony Music is releasing the ultimate in compilations ready for Father’s Day. Match of the Day: The Album features iconic tracks that have played a great part in the soundtrack to football highlights over the years.

Launched in 1964, Match of the Day has become an institution across the UK and THE must watch show for any football fan. It is the programme that provides the biggest dual viewing for both fathers and sons.

Over the years the show has been hosted by numerous presenters, the memorable including Jimmy Hill, Des Lynam and of course the current host Gary Lineker. The show still enjoys viewing figures over the 4 million mark and can count its success on not only its fantastic football highlights but great use of music. Starting with the anthemic theme tune, the show uses both classic and contemporary tracks which the album has brilliantly encompassed. A must-have for football fans and a great gift for Father’s Day.

Full tracklisting:

LONDON’S FINEST SUMMER SOCIAL
ANNOUNCES FIRST WAVE OF ARTISTS

BANDS STAGE:

ADVERT // A GRAVE WITH NO NAME // AN EXPERIMENT ON A BIRD IN THE AIR PUMP // A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS // BANJO OR FREAKOUT // CC-SB // CHROME HOOF // FACTORY FLOOR // FLASHGUNS // HATCHAM SOCIAL // IPSO FACTO // KASMS // LION CLUB // O CHILDREN // POLLY SCATTERGOOD // PROJECT: KOMAKINO // RELICS // S.C.U.M // SILHOUETTE // SLOPPY SECONDS // SUNDERBANS // TELEVISED CRIMEWAVE // VEGAS WHORES // THE WARLOCKS // WILD PALMS // ULTERIOR // VIDEO NASTIES
 
ELECTRONIC STAGE:

**K // AUTOKRATZ // BOY CRISIS // DEATH TO THE KING // JOE & WILL ASK // KOOL KIDS KLUB // KRAZY BALDHEAD (ED BANGER) // LUNG ROTTER & SEVEN // MODEL FOR MEMORY // MICRON 63 // THE LOVELY JONJO
With many more to be announced soon…

SUNDAY 26TH JULY 09: SHOREDITCH PARK: LONDON: 12pm-9pm

£15
Includes entrance to all day festival and ten after parties

www.the1234shoreditch.com
 www.ticketweb.co.uk   // www.seetickets.com

"THE1234 Festival It is about stylish bands, stylish fans, stylish sounds and having a great time”- I-D Magazine

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
Continuing on from the phenomenal success of its first year. The 1234 Festival returns for its second outing on Sunday 26th July, bringing with it a whole host of the best new genre defying bands and Dj’s over three stages at its much loved stomping ground of Shoreditch Park nestled in the heart of London’s East End.
 
Back for 09 with a fully heaped serving of infamous1234 East End musical mash up magic and good times shenanigans, this year sees yet again the best bands, the best people, the best location, the best of everything one festival can bring- all rolled into a jaw dropping bonanza price of just 15 English Pounds which includes the all day festival and also ten after shows and parties in Shoreditch.
 
Brought to you courtesy of 1234 Records main man- Sean Mclusky, The 1234 Festival is an essential addition to the UK’s Festival scene providing a proper showcase and meeting point for the UK’s musical tribes and creative minds pushing the boundaries of the music scene today.
 
1234’s inaugural Festival was London’s best glam-racket and saw 15,000 reveller’s descend upon Shoreditch on one of the hottest days of the year to witness the likes of Har Mar Superstar take to the stage in his pants and Fab Moretti perform exclusively for the masses.
 
This year is no exception, with the hottest bands de jour such as S.C.U.M, An Experiment On The Bird In The Air Pump, Ipso Facto, Hatchem Social, Flashguns, Kasms, Televised Crimewave, Ulterior, Chrome Hoof and Lion Club leading proceedings alongside the finest Dj talent on the electronic stage bought to you by the likes of Autokratz, Boy Crisis, Kool Kids Klub, The Lovely Jonjo, Death To The King amongst many others performing over 3 stages and specially curated tents. With some very unique 1234 headliners and guests to be announced shortly, the 1234 offers musical eclectism at is finest with something for everyone on a fine summer’s day.
 
After the sun goes down on Shoreditch Park the 1234 continues onwards into Shoreditch centre as it hosts the festivals ten post parties and after shows at hand picked specially curated venues including Hoxton Bar & Grill, Electricity Showrooms, Bar Music Hall, Queen of Hoxton, Old Blue Last, Catch, Cocomo, The Joiners Arms and Mother all included in the insanely cheap price of £15 and transforms Shoreditch into a pivotal party Mecca for a night of balmy summer mayhem for 1234 revellers with the good times rolling on into the early hours.  Full after-party curators and lines ups and venues will be announced shortly so watch this space!
 
The 1234 Festival is a place to kick back with mates, see musical creativity at its best, party the night away, see and be seen, without the need for silly fancy dress, steep ticket prices or long queues for bars and toilets. Let yourself be put in the inspiring hands of the world’s best music talent as you get your best Sunday rock on at London’s coolest summer outing by far all in the heart of the most creative diverse area of London.
 
All this and more for just £15 at the UK’s most forward thinking new music festival. www. the1234shoreditch.com
 
HEADLINERS, FULL STAGE AND PARTY LINE UPS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

STANDON CALLING REVEALS FRIENDLY FIRES AS SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINERS

ALSO JUST CONFIRMED: FREELAND (LIVE) | GOLDEN SILVERS | MUMFORD + SONS | THE ALIENS |TOMMY SPARKS | N.A.S.A. | THE INVISIBLE | DELPHIC | THE FONTANAS | BABYHEAD | DETROIT SOCIAL CLUB | DENT MAY AND HIS MAGNIFICENT UKELELE | THE FABULOUS PENETRATORS | PULLED APART BY HORSES | BANJO OR FREAKOUT| ARK PEOPLE | FLASHGUNS | CHANCERY BLAME & THE GADJO CLUB | FIVE MINUTE POP PROMO | LULU LAMPSHADE | DOWNTOWN WOLVES | ANNIE D

The line up for Standon Calling just got bigger with Friendly Fires, Freeland and Golden Silvers confirmed for this year’s ultimate space-themed festival! They join headliners Femi Kuti and Positive Force, Ladytron and Tony Christie for the most delectable festival of the Summer.

Fresh from the triumphant success of their self titled album Friendly Fires are set to headline the main stage on Saturday night at Standon Calling.  With the album going Silver in the UK, the band were nominated for a Best Breakthrough Award at the South Bank Awards and for ‘Best Dancefloor Filler’ at the NME Awards earlier in the year. One of the most exciting live acts around Friendly Fires are poised to release their new single ‘Jump In The Pool’’ on XL next week. Stepping straight off the plane from OZ Friendly Fires make their triumphant return to Standon and are rumoured to be releasing an all new track at the end of the summer.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, organisers of Standon have also confirmed Freeland (Adam Freeland’s live incarnation) for what promises to be an unmissable epic live performance. The band have just released their new album ‘Cope’ featuring none other than Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) on drums, Twiggy Ramirez on bass, Tony Bevilaque (Distillers/Spinerette) and Joey Santiago (The Pixies) on guitar. With a huge sound and jaw dropping visuals this is a band purpose built for the festival stage.

Also appearing on this stellar line up are NME favourites and band of the moment The Golden Silvers. Having just released their debut long player ‘True Romance’ to rave reviews the Silvers will join Florence and The Machine on their sell out UK tour at the end of the month. Other new confirmations include London folk sensations Mumford and Sons, N.A.S.A, The Aliens, Tommy Sparks, The Invisible, Delphic, The Fontanas, Detroit Social Club, The Fabulous Penetrators, Pulled Apart By Horses and many more.

And elsewhere in our galaxies, we present: Intergalactic dressing up competition, Stranger Than Paradise’s CCCP Cosmonaut Training Centre, Hot air ballooning, Rockaoke, Salena Godden's Book Club Boutique tipi, Skandalous! presents: Intergalactic Red Light District, Underwater Disco, Beach Hut Karaoke, Heritage Arts’ Heliocentre live theatre experience, Extra-terrestrial experts from CERN, Astrological Blind Date with alien Cilla and loads more to be announced.

With the site set in rolling countryside only 35 minutes from London, Standon Calling is easily accessible by train, car or coach and is the musical picnic you and your friends have been waiting for.

FRIENDLY FIRES | LADYTRON | FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE | TONY CHRISTIE  | THE WHIP | SUN RA ARKESTRA | ED HARCOURT | EASY STAR ALL STARS | GOLDEN SILVERS | FREELAND (LIVE)| CHROME HOOF | PALOMA FAITH | MICACHU &  THE SHAPES |  MUMFORD AND SONS | EDDY TEMPLE-MORRIS | SON OF DAVE | NOSTALGIA 77 | THE ALIENS | TOMMY SPARKS | DAVE HASLAM | N.A.S.A | BABYHEAD | WE HAVE BAND | CASIOKIDS | THE INVISIBLE | DELPHIC | CHEW LIPS | THE FONTANAS | SELFISH CUNT | DETROIT SOCIAL CLUB | DENT MAY AND HIS MAGNIFICENT UKULELE | THE FABULOUS PENETRATORS | PULLED APART BY HORSES | JOSH WELLER | JONQUIL | MR. DAVID VINER | DELIRIUM TREMENS | FIRST AID KIT | A. HUMAN | ARK PEOPLE | THEY CAME FROM THE STARS I SAW THEM | REVERE | BANJO OR FREAKOUT | TIM TEN YEN | GABBY YOUNG & OTHER ANIMALS | FLASHGUNS | YOUR TWENTIES | HOOK & THE TWIN | LOUIS BARABAS & THE BEDLAM SIX | CITADELS | CHANCERY BLAME & THE GADJO CLUB | THE LANGLEY SISTERS | YES SIR BOSS | CAT & MAX | FIVE MINUTE POP PROMO | DISASTERADIO |  LULU LAMPSHADE | DOWNTOWN WOLVES | ANNIE D

A beginners guide to the Standon Calling phenomenon..

• Standon began as a birthday party for founder Alex Trenchard who wanted to create an intimate weekend of ultimate fun for his friends. Standon grew solely by word of mouth and now people come from all over the UK for its friendly atmosphere and killer line up.
• Our kids or area will get bigger this year to coincide with Head Honcho Alex becoming a father! Kids can expect an interactive fun filled experience with the emphasis on education and discovery.
• The festival is a not-for-profit event that raises money for Phoenix Futures; a charity who support victims of drug and alcohol abuse across the UK.
• Festival goers will often wake up on Sunday morning to find a detox juice at the door of their tent; courtesy of Standon HQ
• The toilets at Standon have wooden doors, paintings on the walls and lights round the mirrors. Yes folks, better than your one at home!
• Top secret areas at Standon change each year and revellers are unexpectedly led there when they least expect it..
• You can walk around the whole festival site in under half an hour.

Coldplay will be giving away an exclusive live CD, titled LeftRightLeftRightLeft to all fans attending the Viva La Vida summer tour beginning May 15th, the first date of the band’s North American tour and at every remaining live show in 2009.  The CD will also be available as a free download during the same time period through their website http://www.coldplay.com.
 
“Playing live is what we love” say Coldplay. “This album is a thank you to our fans – the people who give us a reason to do it and make it happen.”

 Released in June 2008, Coldplay’s album Viva La Vida charted at No. 1 in 36 countries, including the UK and the US, and was the Top Selling Global Album of 2008 according to IFPI, the body that represents the recording industry worldwide. It is also the top-selling digital album in SoundScan history.
 
The track listing for Left Right Left Right Left is as follows:
 
1.    Glass of Water
2.    42
3.    Clocks
4.    Strawberry Swing
5.    The Hardest Part/Postcards From Far Away
6.    Viva La Vida
7.    Death Will Never Conquer
8.    Fix You
9.    Death And All His Friends


The group play four stadium shows in the UK/Ireland  in September with Jay-Z as special guest (excluding Sep 18 at Wembley when they are supported by Girls Aloud).
 
 The dates are:
 
SEP 12    MANCHESTER OLD TRAFFORD CRICKET GROUND
SEP 14    DUBLIN PHOENIX PARK
SEP 16    GLASGOW HAMPDEN PARK
SEP 18    LONDON WEMBLEY STADIUM (SPECIAL GUESTS GIRLS ALOUD)
SEP 19    LONDON WEMBLEY STADIUM


www.coldplay.com

Summer is peeping round the corner and that turn of the season heralds the annual Futuresound Competition, offering West Yorkshire bands the phenomenal prize of playing Leeds and Reading Festivals. The Cockpit is now on the lookout for local acts to take part in the annual competition which showcases the best regional talent in a battle of the bands style competition to win the coveted festival slots.

For the second consecutive year the overall winner will play on the Festival Republic Stage at both Leeds and Reading Festivals, which has previously featured performances by Kasabian, Bloc Party & the Arctic Monkeys. The five runners up will also get the opportunity to play at both festivals on the BBC Introducing Stages.

The success of The Pigeon Detectives, Grammatics, Sky Larkin, The Kaiser Chiefs and The Sunshine Underground has shown Leeds to be a hotbed of new musical talent, and promoters of the Cockpit & Futuresound are aware that the city has loads more top acts to offer. This competition is the opportunity for local bands to get noticed at one of the UKs major music festivals.

The competition is now in its ninth year. Last year saw a huge amount of top quality entrants with Fran Rodgers, Dinosaur Pile Up and These Monsters coming in the top six acts.

The competition will take place over 10 dates, running from the end of June and over the course of July featuring a three band line-up at each date. All gigs will be judged by three judges from within the Leeds music industry.

Full details about the competition, conditions of entry and application forms can be found on www.thecockpit.co.uk from Monday 11th May. The deadline for entries will be Friday 29th May.

Any queries about the competition can be sent to andy@thecockpit.co.uk

Full set list for The Hours @ Sheffield Leadmill on Saturday, 9th May, 2009.

These Days

Icarus

Narcissus Road

Come On

Car Crash

Ali in the Jungle

Big Black Hole (acoustic)

Think Again

People Say

Murder or Suicide

---------------- Encore ------------------

Back when you were good

See the Light

Take a look at this, it sounds pretty cool... in fact just looked at the website and it looks really fucking cool!!!!

BEAT-HERDER FESTIVAL

The Ribble Valley, Lancashire

3rd - 5th July 2009

Early Bird Tickets all SOLD OUT!
Remaining tickets can be bought at £60 via:
http://www.beatherder.co.uk

THE FESTIVAL

Now in its fourth year, the Beat-Herder Festival (3rd, 4th, 5th July) is set in beautiful woods and farmland beneath Pendle Hill and overlooks the 3 Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales. At a capacity of only 5000, it is a unique, intimate, and friendly experience, spiced with artistry, the best music, and theatrical nonsense.

Formerly a best-kept secret, Beat-Herder is smaller version of events such as Bestival and Glastonbury. 2009’s early bird tickets sold out in 3 hours, 20 minutes. Tickets are only available from the Beat-Herder website.

The festival is fully independent and self funded, building on work from over the last 10 years and its origins as a free party within the Northern scene. It remains a DIY ‘handmade’ production, helped by the input of friends and volunteers. Split into four areas, the Main Arena, Lazy Way, Toil Trees, and the Lazy Meadow, within these are eight musical pockets, numerous cafes and bars (4am licence). Food and drink (including alcohol) can also be brought onto the site.

THE MUSIC

The musical talent this year ranges from Reverend And The Makers, The Whip, Beardyman, The Filthy Dukes, Utah Saints, Banco De Gaia, and the Dub Pistols, to 808 State DJs, Krysko, James Yuill and many more.

THE SPECTACLE

In addition, the event’s reputation for art, theatre and spectacle continues, via installations and wacky props. There’s Mikey’s Tea Shack, a rustic building situated within the woodland. A secret room in the woods accessed by a long tunnel, a vodka bar that requires thirsty people to lie on their bellies to be served, a trick or treat booth, and beyond. Artists include Paul Hitchen and Hugh Jart (Glasto and Bestival letter creators), graffiti crews such as Bestjoinedup, the Mutoid Waste Company, costumed acts, stilt-walkers, the Ladybird Project kids area, a techno barber, workshops for all ages, comedians, and much more (please see the full line-up below).

THE ETHOS

Beat-Herder’s organisers (including builders, joiners, plumbers, gardeners and electricians) stick rigidly to an eco-friendly and green ethos, recycling reclaimed timber, materials from house clearances, donations, and skips to build the site infrastructure and the many ‘objects’ and sculptures that are a unique feature of the festival. These include a cube that holds a 36 ft maze, the shower blocks, the VJ booth, an underground bar, and many more. In addition, each artist performer receives a handmade flower box, with plants grown from seed and their logo painted onto it.

THE TALENT

Mainstage:
 
Reverend and The Makers
Beardyman
The Whip
Filthy Dukes
Young Punx
Dub Pistols
Banco De Gaia
Nucleus roots
Loonaloop
Biscuit Head and The Biscuit Badgers (comedy musicians)
Voodoo Trombone Quartet
Monkey Wrenchers
Shoshin

Woods 'Toil Trees':

Sugarbeat Club ft Utah Saints, Meat Katie, Ali B, Toni Jarvis, Mooquie
Punks Jump Up
808 State Djs
Men in Masks
Krysko
James Yuill - LIVE!!
Toil Soundsystem DJ's
Tilley & Killawattz
DJM
Skank2skank soundsystem
Celt Islam

Trailer Trash:

Underground Roots featuring Bongo chilli and Danman
Dead Silence and The Real DS
DJ Baliuk + RMKO (Ukraine)
Shean P (Disconotdisco/BBE)
Trailer Trash DJ’s
Rusty Staples

Stumblefunk:

Pendle Coven
Mr psik
Knob jockeys
Ken Evil
Xander
Caul Bearers
Live film re-score by Animat
Johnny clash
Unbalanced jack
Electrosluts
Se7en
Pete Mangalore
Lost Property
Longshot
Freaky Bitches
Dave Witchdoctor
Smokey Tentacles Shisha Lounge:
Techi
The Hang Project
Lazy Habits
Rum Jig
Lewis Garland and The Kett Rebellion
Brooke Sharkey
Woodnote

The Beat-Herder and District Working Mens Club:

Captain Hotknives - (Comedy musician)
The Eggs On Sticks Theatre Company
Andrew Barry
Eddie Earthquake and The Tremors

Bushrocker Hi-Fi:

Mikey Don
One Love (Lancaster)
Messenger (Edinburgh)
Eden Dub

++++++++
 
Festival Artist - Paul Hitchin (Liber8designs)
bestjoinedup - amazing graffiti artists who do many club nights in Leeds
LML paint team - more great graffiti artists
The ladybird project - kids area + loads of workshops for all ages
Hugh Jart - the creators of the famous Glastonbury LOVE letters and BESTIVAL and artistic veterans of the UK festival scene
Mutoid Waste Company - Glastonbury and Fuji Rocks amazing mad max style sculptures and crazy contraptions
Inta Africa - The UK festival circuit's biggest bus-full of drums and workshops to go with them.
Floorspace - roaming madness and silliness in costume
The Pandemonium Collective - more roaming escapades
The Company Contrary - Stiltwalking fun
Lost Frosticles - Stiltwalking madness from the veterans of Megadog's club nights
Bubble man - filling the site with his bubbles from his crazy contraption
Techno Barber - techno haircuts for the mad max fan+
loads more workshops, a fancy dress theme of Animals or a Lancashire Hotpot!, range of cafes, flags, banners, showers, amazing views and lovely people.

THE FACTS

Adult tickets now £60, kids tickets (under 12's) £5, Campervans £10  - + booking fee
No dogs on site ANYWHERE!
No glass in the main arena
Site opens midday on Friday 3rd July. (pitch tents and set-up)
Festival begins/opens - 17:00

http://www.beatherder.co.uk/site/location-map/

Hi

Just a quick note after an ill fated attempt a while ago the shadders jukebox made a welcome return online last night!

As a tester check out shadders: The Lee Griffiths page and there's a jukebox on there containing two cracking griffo tracks; Falling and Meet me Halfway.

So as well as a nice pic of the lad, our normal gubbins on why Griff is such a staff you can have the pleasure of listening to a few tunes. Also check out the interview from a few years ago, still a cracking read.

Anyway, we'll be contacting a few of our fav new & unsigned bands in the next few weeks with a few to getting more tunes on the website.

Let the jukebox roll.

Cheers

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

Peter Doherty, The Paddingtons, Red Roots, Melody Nelson and more, come together in remembrance of Jonny Rhythm @ The Rhythm Factory, 15th May, 8pm – 4am.

The Rhythm Factory is immensely proud to announce a special event in memory of legendary London promoter Jonny ‘Rhythm’ Sedassy. An integral part of The Rhythm Factory’s long, proud history, the much-missed Jonny helped launch the careers of numerous high-profile bands including The Libertines, The Noisettes, The View and many more during his hugely successful five year career with the legendary East London venue.

This evening will feature live sets by top names that played at the venue on their way to the top, on Jonny’s promotional bills, and are appearing at no cost to help make the evening a success. This impressive line-up features; Peter Doherty, fresh from the release of new album Wasteland / Graceland, The Paddingtons, Red Roots, Melody Nelson and more. Also, behind the decks there will be a DJ set by top secret celebrity DJ duo ‘Team Disgusting’, whose identities will remain top secret until the doors open on the night.

Jonny Sedassy passed away on March 16th of this year after a battle with Bowel Cancer and spent his last days in the Michael Sobell Hospice in Oxford. This evening is to raise awareness of the Michael Sobell Charity and to raise money for the hospice with all proceeds from ticket sales going to the organisation.

The purpose of the charity is to support the Sir Michael Sobell House Hospice in providing palliative and end of life care to the residents of Oxfordshire. The hospice currently costs over £3 million a year to run, much of which is raised through the support and generosity of individuals and companies throughout the community.

The Rhythm Factory and the Sir Michael Sobell Hospice would like to thank all those who are giving their time to support this evening.

In memory of Jonny ‘Rhythm’ Sedassy.

Tickets are £25 in advance from www.ticketweb.co.uk or direct from the Rhythm Factory, 16-18 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1EW, 020 7375 3774. £30 on the door.

Calling all Embrace fans....

Check out this fan site from Germany, yes there's a load of german on it but there again there's loads about Embrace plus loads of pics & setlists too.

Well worth a look.

www.embrace.de

The Brute Chorus will be releasing their fourth single All The Pilgrims on Sunday the 31st of May. Recorded live at The Roundhouse on February 28th this is the first of all the songs recorded that night, to be released into the public domain and is a taster of more to come as the release of their debut album draws ever nearer.

The band rehearsed non-stop for four weeks above a Dalston pub in preparation for the live album recording and enlisted the help of Mercury nominated producers Choque Hosein (Black Star Liner) and Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Gogol Bordello, PJ Harvey and Sons & Daughters) for the project.

A firm favourite among fans and recorded in one hit in front of a sell-out crowd the song blends yet more of the band’s influences for this punked up rockabilly stomp that compares sexual desire to the fervent worship of a saint, in this case Joan of Arc (…'in her bob hair cut’…), and finds the band ‘…laid out in the power and babbling in tongues…’ ; imagery that vicar’s son, songwriter James Steel, witnessed first hand at prayer meetings as a teenager.

A band of unique style and merit, The Brute Chorus have already toured England and Scotland extensively this year as well as recorded a live set for The JD Sessions due out on Channel 4 on May 29th where they dueted with Sons & Daughters’ front woman Adele Bethel on their song The Cuckoo & The Stolen Heart.  Currently in the process of booking their summer tour you can see The Brute Chorus’s amazing live show on these dates over the following weeks:
 
24 Apr  CAMDEN CRAWL   *Headlining The World’s End with an additional secret         headline show tba
29 Apr   The Fleche d’Or, PARIS  *with The Rumblestrips   
02 May  LIVE AT LEEDS   *at Leeds University
03 May  The Stockroom, Sheffield *with Lord Auch
03 May  MAPs Festival, Manchester  *Aftershow party
15 May  THE GREAT ESCAPE  
26 May  The 100 Club    *All the Pilgrims single launch show  
18 July   2000 Trees Festival  *headlining the second stage

Hear a snippet of the new single at http://www.myspace.com/thebrutechorus and look out for the band’s live performance recorded earlier this year at the JD Set in Glasgow which will be broadcast on Channel 4 on 29 May.

(inter)National competition to help out struggling new bands!

Glamour Kills Clothing (the New York based clothing company that already sponsor bands like You Me At Six) are running a competition for a new band to win a sponsorship for a whole year from them!

This will include loads of free merchandise which will no doubt be of great help to the hoards of 'not-so-rich' new bands touring the country. Competing bands are being asked to write the Glamour Kills Clothing company a theme tune and post the track on their MySpace page!

The competition represents a great opportunity for bands to get noticed by an international brand and the winning band will receive heavy promotion as well as the perks from GK!

Full details at www.glamourkills.com - the closing date is May 10th

HOP FARM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES IT’S 1st LINE UP DETAILS

Vince Power’s Hop Farm Festival is set to return in 2009 with a spectacular bill of acts. The 1st of which were released today. 

Saturday’s line up includes - Pigeon Detectives, Echo and The Bunnymen, Florence and the Machine, Noah and the Whale, Howling Bells, Etienne De Crecy, Dr Lektroluv, D.I.M, Jape, The Twilight Sad, Let’s Wrestle, The Good The Bad.

Sunday’s line up - Paul Weller, Editors, Doves, Super Furry Animals, Mystery Jets, Ladyhawke, The Rifles, That Petrol Emotion, 2ManyDJ’s, Scratch Perverts, Alex Gopher, Burn the Negative, R.S.A.G. 65 Days of Static, Dananananaykroyd.

More major acts will be announced shortly.

Vince is delighted to announce that this year Hop Farm Festival will go ahead on the 4th & 5th of July, especially as licensing issues had held up this year’s event unnecessarily.  This year will be a two-day festival, with camping, set in the grounds of the picturesque Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent.

The Hop Farm Festival returns as a truly unique experience, exclusively themed as an event totally free of ticket registration, with No VIP areas, No Branding or Sponsorship.  This year the festival offers a weekend experience of boutique camping, top-notch food and traditional ales, with some of the best artists playing over 3 stages.  It is a festival for festival- goers, returning live music to its roots, where music lovers turn up and enjoy the same experience as every other ticket holder.  Weekend tickets are £125.00 inc camping and parking and with day tickets at £65.00, its one of the cheapest festival tickets available.

For all the information on this years event go to their brand new website that goes live at 12pm 09.04.09 : www.hopfarmfestival.com

Vince Power said:  “After some delay due to our licensing issues, we have managed to get a great line up off the ground in time for 2009, with an expected audience of 20,000.  I’m very pleased with the bands, over 70 across the weekend, and £125 for a weekend ticket inc camping and car parking, making this the best value festival ticket this year.  I’m looking forward to the weekend in July”

This year’s festival will define itself as an ‘un-missible event’ on the summer calendar.  With several stages playing host to some of the greatest acts playing live at the moment as well as some the best talent coming up the ranks.  The Hop Farm Festival will offer something for everyone including 5-a-side celebrity football, fun fare and campsite entertainment.

To Book Tickets please visit www.seetickets.com.

After the critical acclaim of 2008’s, ‘The Golden Foretaste of Heaven’, Berlin’s favourite anti-hero, Alec Empire releases ‘Shivers’, a 5 track mini album that serves up as a little taster for his highly anticipated new album out later this year.

This is the most recent output from The Hellish Vortex, the production team founded by Alec Empire and Nic Endo.  THV is based in a studio warehouse space in the centre of Berlin; it’s design reminiscent of Kubrick’s, ‘Space Odyssey’.

Last year, Empire announced a change in direction, a departure from his signature digital hardcore sound and called it – “The Sound of New Berlin”. This sonic revolution has brought about an influx of hipster collaborations in the form of Raveonettes, who got their single remixed by Nic Endo and Alec’s mutual pairing with one, Patrick Wolf, who’s Berlin musings have led to the hotly tipped single, ‘Vultures’. Blogosphere and NME favourites, Big Pink have also appeared on a few tracks off the new album.

Alec Empire's output has never been higher and more diverse than over the past months. Those who remember him as the industrial noise terrorist he once was when he appeared on the cover of Kerrang! magazine many years ago, should think again. Never one to be pigeon holed, Alec has worked with a myriad mix of artists like Thurston Moore, Jon Spencer, Dan The Automator and Definitive Jux bad boy, EL-P for example.

The track ‘Baby Skulls’ is the perfect representation of “The Sound of New Berlin”. This is electronic music the likes of which you have not experienced before. Berlin is the city with the most hedonistic club nights anywhere in Europe. A city that doesn't allow compromises when it comes to getting your next kick. The only way to survive and evolve is to keep on reinventing yourself to stay ahead of the pack.

‘If You Live or Die’ features Big Pink's Robbie Furze on guitars and a Big Pink remix is also on the cards.

This is Alec’s revolution and 2009 looks set to be the year of the Empire.
 
‘Shivers’ will be released on digital format (iTunes has a full live concert as a "bonus" feature) via Eat Your Heart Out Records, and will also be available as limited edition special packaged CD.
 
Track listing:
1)   Control Drug
2)   Shivers
3)   Baby Skull
4)   If You Live Or Die feat. Robbie Furze from Big Pink
5)   1000 Eyes (Film Version)
 
Past-Present-Future Tour 2009:

Alec Empire and Nic Endo present a special tour this year playing material from ATR to songs from the next album.
24th April             Bang Face Weekender             Camber Sands
1st May                        The Underworld                        London
2nd May            Satan’s Hollow                                    Manchester
3rd May            Ivory Blacks                                     Glasgow
5th May                        The Waterfront                                    Norwich
(Tickets available through www.flagpromotions.com and www.ticketweb.co.uk)
 
Out now:
Alec Empire’s ‘Bass Terror’ (20 tracks from his early break core rave era, vinyl tracks first time in digital format)
 
Alec Empire wrote scores for four films in 2008:
1.    Tadanobu Asano's, ‘224466’, Asano is well known from films such as ‘Electric Dragon’, ‘Ichi The Killer’, ‘Mongol’.
 
2.    The highly controversial film ‘Chaos Days’, a film based on the German Punk scene in which the lead character shoots a corrupt policeman. The film has literally caused riots when it premiered across Germany and made headlines in the German tabloids. (http://www.eyho-blog.com/2008/10/07/chaostage-premiere-causes-riots-in-hannover-last-weekend/) It will be released in over 50 cinemas in Germany this year. As the 10th anniversary of Atari Teenage Riot's legendary performance at the May 1st riots is draws near
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ab7Dksqfnw), the police expect more outrage, especially in this current climate of crisis.
 
3.    Russian cult photographer and director Miron Zownir's, ‘Phantomanie’ with legendary actor from Werner Herzog films, Bruno S. The preview at this year’s Berlinale Festival left the audience shocked and polarised. Zownir and Empire had created an audio and visual nightmare experience, which has been rarely seen on screen, coupled with lush, textured shots of Berlin. The film is currently being overdubbed in English language and can be seen at international film festivals later this year.
 
4.    Austrian director Richard Wilhelmer created his film ‘The Golden Foretaste of Heaven’ based on Alec Empire's album. Empire and Endo wrote the music for it and appeared in the film. It premiered at Austria's ‘Diagonale Festival’ and went down like a storm. Tickets sold out within the first hour. The mini album ‘Shivers’ features the film version of ‘1000 Eyes’.

THE LEMONHEADS, who have entered into a licensing agreement with Cooking Vinyl, have announced they will be releasing their long-awaited covers collection, VARSHONS (COOKCD495), through the label on Monday 15th June 2009.

It makes sense that the new album from The Lemonheads sounds like a mix tape slipped to you by a music-obsessed friend anxious to turn you on to something new. In fact, the idea for the band’s new covers record was inspired by Gibby Haynes, ringmaster of the Butthole Surfers, who for years has made mixes for his longtime friend Evan Dando. “Making a good mix is an art, and Gibby has it down,” says Dando. “I thought it would be fun to share these songs with other people like he shared them with me. So I picked the ‘greatest hits’ from his mixes and covered them, along with a few other songs I always wanted to play.” 

VARSHONS was produced by Haynes and features Dando along with Vess Ruhtenburg (bass) and Devon Ashley (drums). The collection is filled with strange bedfellows - from G.G. Allin to Texas troubadour Townes Van Zandt and garage rockers The Green Fuz.  The Lemonheads make each track their own, with help from actress Liv Tyler, singing back up on Leonard Cohen’s “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” and Kate Moss, who sings over the dance groove of Arling & Cameron’s “Dirty Robot,” which also features lead guitar by John Perry on loan from The Only Ones.

VARSHONS unearths a pair of psychedelic treasures with “Yesterlove” – a song recorded in 1969 by the group Sam Gopal featuring future Motorhead bassist Lemmy Kilmister – and “Dandelion Seeds” from July, record collector’s Registered Landmark Band. For “Layin’ Up With Linda,” the band filters Allin’s cold-blooded tale through the swaggering country-honk of The Stones’ “Dead Flowers.”

Filled with obscure nuggets, the tracks on VARSHONS cut a wide swath, jumping from early British psychedelic to Dutch electronica and like all good mix tapes, you never know what is coming next.   Full tracklisting as follows :

1.         “I Just Can’t Take It Anymore” (Gram Parsons)

2.         “Fragile” (Wire)

3.         “Layin’ Up With Linda” (G.G. Allin)

4.         “Waiting Around To Die” (Townes Van Zandt)

5.         “Green Fuz” (Randy Alvey & Green Fuz)

6.         “Yesterlove” (Sam Gopal)

7.         “Dirty Robot” v/ Kate Moss (Arling & Cameron)

8.         “Dandelion Seeds” (July)

9.         “Mexico” (Fuckemos)

10.       “Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye” f/ Liv Tyler (Leonard Cohen)

11.       “Beautiful” (Linda Perry)

* Original artist in parenthesis

www.myspace.com/thelemonheads / www.thelemonheads.net / www.evandando.co.uk / www.cookingvinyl.com

Here's The Boxer Rebellion set list from The Rescue Rooms, Nottingam (18/03/09) - note this is what it states on the set list so some of the song names have been shortened!

Semi-Automatic

Evacuate

Surrounded

Flashing red light

Spitting fire

The Absentee

Soviets

These Walls

Forces

Silent movie

All you do is talk

___________________________________

Encore

___________________________________

Misplaced

Watermelon

Our shoegazer friends Daniel Land & The Modern Painters head out on tour, details as follows (remember to check out their interview and shoegazing peice within the shadders shoegaze section)...

FURTHER DETAILS:

MANCHESTER, THE HOPE MILL - SAT 28 MARCH
Support from The Lightshines.
Doors at 8pm. Free entry.
www.myspace.com/hopemill
www.myspace.com/thelightshines


LONDON, GOO NITE @ BUFFALO BAR - WED 1 APRIL
Support from Eat Lights Become Lights, The Fauns.
Doors at 8pm. Tickets £6/£5 on door.
www.myspace.com/gooniteclub
www.myspace.com/eatlightsbecomelights
www.myspace.com/thefauns


CAERNARFON, MORGAN LLOYD - FRI 3 APRIL
Support from Yucatan, Johnny Horizontal.
Tickets: £5 on door. Doors: 8pm.
www.myspace.com/yucatanambyth 
www.myspace.com/johnnyhorizontal


BRISTOL, SECRET GARDEN @ THE LOUISIANA - SATURDAY 4 APRIL
Support from The Fauns & others tbc.
Tickets: £5.50 on door. Doors 8pm.
www.myspace.com/thesecretgardennews
www.myspace.com/thefauns


LEEDS, OPORTO - TUESDAY 7 APRIL
Support from Yucatan. Lucid Dream DJ Set.
Doors at 8pm. Free entry.
www.myspace.com/oportobarleeds 
www.myspace.com/yucatanambyth 
www.myspace.com/theluciddream08


____________________________________


BBC 6 MUSIC TOM ROBINSON INTERVIEW:

Last night we were on Tom Robinson's BBC 6 Music show, talking about the forthcoming tour and our plans for the album. The show was broadcast this morning from midnight; anyone in the UK who missed it can hear it on the BBC's Listen Again facility by going to the following link, and clicking on "Monday":

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/tom_robinsons_introducing/

Our interview starts at about 29 mins 30 secs and last for about ten minutes.

__________________________________

Daniel Land & The Modern Painters
Online store: www.danielland.bigcartel.com
Website: www.myspace.com/danielland

Daniel Land - Graeme Meikle - Oisin Scarlett -
Andrew Galpin - Marcus Mayes - Jason Magee

CORNBURY FESTIVAL 2009

         JULY 11th & 12th

SCOUTING FOR GIRLS, SUGABABES, THE PRETENDERS, JOE JACKSON, THE MAGIC NUMBERS, IMELDA MAY, TEDDY THOMPSON, SHARLEEN SPITERI, EDDI READER, THE DAMNED PLUS MANY MORE

The UK’s most beautiful boutique festival continues its eclectic musical tradition as it announces the line up for  its 6th glorious year. With a fusion of indie pop Brit nominees Scouting for Girls and ‘Belle de Jour’ Imelda May, the stage is shared with inimitable girl group The Sugababes and Chrissie Hynde’s legendery rock outfit The Pretenders.

“Cornbury is a unique experience in all manner of ways”, says promoter Hugh Phillimore. “We’re immensely proud of our musical diversity and family friendly ethos. Where else could you see The Damned and the Sugababes on one bill?”

The festival embraces the ‘something for everyone’ approach. From alt rockers The Magic Numbers and rising stars Teddy Thompson and Ava Leigh, to the retro classic chic of Sharleen Spiteri, Cornbury attracts festival goers from all age ranges and with all manner of tastes.

Cornbury is about its beautiful Cotswold location, fantastic food, hot air balloons, the madness of the many morris dance pageant, children’s theatre workshops, great festival shops and a huge fairground all held together by a carefully selected spectrum of top music talent. Typically English – eccentric, eclectic and inclusive – a farmers’ market with a dancefloor, a county fayre with a rock ‘n’ roll twist indeed!

“The Most charming festival you will ever attend” – UNCUT

“Lush rolling countryside...champagne...VIP tents – I had a great time” – Dom Joly, THE INDEPENDENT

“Set in the natural bowl of the oak-strewn, verdant slopes of the Cornbury estate, it lays claim to the cleanest, cosiest and classiest fest that I have ever frequented” – MARIE CLAIRE

“Cornbury...family friendly, with plenty of face-painting and sideshows to keep the kids happy” – THE OBSERVER

 Full line up:

Saturday, July 11thh:

Main Stage:                                               The Word Stage:

Scouting For Girls                                       The Damned             

Sharleen Spiteri                                          Teddy Thompson

Magic Numbers                                           Shortwave Set           

Dodgy                                                       I Am Kloot

Boy Least Likely To                                     Amy Lavere

Relay (local school band comp win)              Kingsize 5 

                                                                The Love Trousers

Sunday, July 12th:

Main Stage:                                               Oxford Folk Festival
                                                                    Stage:

Sugababes                                                 Peatbog Fairies

The Pretenders                                           Mary Coughlan

Joe Jackson                                                       Eddi Reader

Imelda May                                                        Coute Diomboulou

Ava Leigh                                                   3 Daft Monkeys

Laura & The Tears                                     Stornoway

·        For all ticket information please visit www.cornburyfestival.com

·        Tickets prices:- Adult weekend with camping £110/under 16 £65, Day tickets – Adult £55/under 16 £27.50

·        Cornbury Festival is promoted by Hugh Phillimore and is produced by Cornbury Music Festival Ltd and Music Producers Sound Advice Ltd

·        Cornbury takes place on 11th and 12th of July 2009 at the Cornbury Park Estate, Charlbury, Oxfordshire, OX7 3EH.

·        Cornbury Festival is 30 minutes from Oxford and 75 minutes from London

·        Parking is free at the festival grounds

CALLING ALL FILTHY DUKES FANS
CAN YOU DANCE?
DO YOU WANT APPEAR IN A CHANNEL 4 MUSIC SPECIAL?

We're shooting the new Filthy Dukes 4play special in Central London on 9th March and we need Filthy Dukes fans of all shapes and dancing styles to dance for our cameras. Are you keen? Are you free that day? Each person will take about 30 mins to film.

If you are free then contact info@pulsefilms.co.uk, and send a picture or a link to your MySpace page. You must be 16 or over. You will not be paid, however there will be snacks and we guarantee it will be a laugh.

– A NEW TIDE
RELEASED ON APRIL 6th ON EAT SLEEP RECORDS
 
On their new album Gomez mark a return to their freewheeling and experimental roots. With those distinctive voices, breezy harmonies, ceaselessly evolving rhythms and a melodic restlessness that sees vocals shared and verses cut in two, A New Tide is released on Eat Sleep Records on APRIL 6th.

The whirling psychedelia of Win Park Slope and Bone Tired; the country-fried rock of Little Pieces; and the eccentric, elasticated blues of If You Ask Nicely and Airstream Driver.  Each moment born of boundless imagination and a longstanding collaborative relationship, and each as inventive and melodically addictive as those first creative milestones Bring It On and Liquid Skin.
 
Gomez have stood apart from the very beginning, earning critical praise and an ardent fanbase for their eclectic and ambitious musical tack. In October 2008, Gomez celebrated the 10th anniversary of their Mercury Music Prize-winning debut BRING IT ON, with a string of live dates showcasing the classic album.
 
With the band members now scattered across two continents, from Brooklyn to Brighton, early tracks were written and recorded individually and then merged online.   The process allowed for an open and adaptive songwriting approach, the material taking on its ultimate shape when Gomez officially convened in studios in Chicago and Charlottesville, VA, with producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron and Wine).

A NEW TIDE also sees Gomez accompanied by a number of illustrious guest musicians, including vocalist Amy Milan (Stars/Broken Social Scene), bassist Josh Abrams (The Roots /Godspeed You Black Emperor!), cellist Oliver Krauss (Paul Weller / Beth Orton), and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Bogie of Brooklyn’s world renowned Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra.
 
As ever, a wide range of styles is incorporated into Gomez’s matchless musical brew.  Flavours of Delta blues, psychedelia, and Krautrock all come into play, resulting in a musically mischievous and remarkably forward-thinking collection. In short, A NEW TIDE is Gomez at their inimitable, incomparable best.
 
Eat Sleep Records - Originally set up in 2002, Eat Sleep Records has been dormant for a number of years while looking for the right release to reignite it. Originally releasing albums by the likes of Shane Meadows co-horts Clayhill and New Yorkers French Kicks the London based label was happily re-established to release the new album from Gomez and will continue to release the finest in new and established acts from here on in.
 
UK LIVE DATES: 16th APRIL, GLASGOW, Glasgow; 17th LEEDS, Academy; 19th CAMBRIDGE, Junction; 20th MANCHESTER, Academy; 21st WOLVERHAMPTON, Wulfrun Hall; 22nd NORWICH, UEA; 24th LONDON, Shepherds Bush Empire ; 26th BRISTOL, Academy; 27th OXFORD, Academy; 28th LIVERPOOL, Academy.
 

www.myspace.com/gomez <http://www.myspace.com/gomez> , www.gomeztheband.com <http://www.gomeztheband.com>

The video to Mercury Summer, the new single from Fightstar album be human, is now up on the bands Myspace page. Despite being added less than 24 hours ago, it's already notched up almost 15,000 plays across the web!

http://tinyurl.com/fightstarvideo

the first single from the album, The English Way, was released late last year and was not only play-listed by Radio 1 but was also at the top of MTV2’s MySpace Chart for 3 weeks. Mercury Summer, a highlight from the forthcoming album, is released on April 6th on 7", CD and download. It has already received upfront play from Radio 1’s Colin Murray and Sarah Cox as well as being added to Kerrang, Scuzz, NME and 4music.

be human is released on April 20th and the band start their headline UK tour on April 22nd, preceded by an appearance at London’s Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust show on March 28th. 

Check out www.myspace.com/fightstarmusic for more info

We're very, very excited to announce that Scottish pop legends Camera Obscura will be headlining this year's Indietracks! The band, who have recently signed to 4AD, are playing the Outdoor Stage, which is this year being given over to seminal indiepop record label Elefant Records as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations.


The band will be joined by fellow Glaswegians BMX Bandits, shimmering six-piece Lucky Soul, indie heroes The Frank and Walters, and hotly-tipped Welsh popsters The School. Other bands playing on the Elefant stage over the weekend include La Casa Azul, Cola Jet Set, Cooper, Nick Garrie, Single, Speedmarket Avenue, Tender Trap and Fitness Forever. Elefant is a Madrid-based record label launched by Luis Calvo in 1989. The staunchly independent label has become internationally renowned for both its championing of cult music heroes such as Trembling Blue Stars and Helen Love, and its Singles Club releases from more established bands such as Cinerama and The Clientele.


The full list of bands announced so far are: Camera Obscura, La Caza Azul, Cola Jet Set, Cooper, The School, The Frank And Walters, Nick Garrie, Single, BMX Bandits, Speedmarket Avenue, Tender Trap, Fitness Forever, Lucky Soul, The Carrots, Mighty Mighty, One Happy Island, Downdime, Disasteradio, Pocketbooks, The Smittens, Northern Portrait, Countryside, Bonne Ideé, Little My, The Pete Green Corporate Juggernaut, The Lovely Eggs, Kevin McGrother, Le Man Avec Les Lunnettes, Ste McCabe, Hong Kong In the '60s, Eux Autres, The Understudies, and Ray Rumours And The No-Eyed Dears.


Further details about these bands can soon be found on the brank spanking new website at www. indietracks. co. uk with everything else you'll need to know about the festival which runs July 24-26th.


Weekend tickets cost £55, day tickets £30 and are available now from Ticketweb (http://www. ticketweb. co. uk/user?query=search®ion=xxx&category=misc&search=indietracks&x=6&y=6) or by calling the railway direct on 01773 747 674 (9am - 5pm) - tickets bought through this way benefits the railway and have a lower booking fee.

Let’s face we all know that Comic Relief does a great job of raising shit loads of cash to distribute to plenty of great causes across the globe but one down side is always the bloody dross they churn out in the form of the Red Nose Day Single.

Now if they went for the comedy angle then fair play, novelty records for charity always get a wide berth from us but have their place amongst the charts as they are plenty of people willing to delve into their pockets for something a bit ‘wacky’.

But as far as we can see The Saturdays covering the Depeche Mode classic ‘Just can’t get enough’ is actually a serious attempt at covering the electro dance rock monster. Now let’s see, why!? It’s a bit like Girls Aloud taking a shed load of crack and thinking they are a serious band, it’s just not right! These two bit girl bands should stick to what they know best, Simon Cowell pant wetting and till filling pop candy nonsense.

So what does it sound like then, bloody rubbish! It’s still got the beat, possibly speeded up a tad but they have managed to rip out the heart, soul and guts of the tracks and replace it with love heart sweets and puppy dogs!

Bet Dave Gahan wish they hadn’t revived him when he hears this toss, in fact bet he wishes he was spinning in his grave right now.

Best ring Comic Relief and give them some cash to stop them ever playing it again, they’d raise a few bob that way I can assure you! 

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

Yes we were trawling the interweb the other night and came across the fact you can get the 2008 Duels album 'The Barbarians Move In' for nowt!

It's not the physical CD release but MP3, if you wanna CD copy you've still gotta pay for that.

Plus this isn't a dodgy file sharing thing but actually direct from their own website, it's either to celebrate the 1st anniversary of the release or the fact they've gained a new member (what that has got to do with giving away an album for nowt I'm not sure but never look a gift horse in the mouth is what we day).

Another great idea is that when you download the album you'll also get a pdf version of the sleeve & notes. That's pretty cool.

Anyway if you want the album the link is:

http://www.duelsmusic.co.uk/2009/02/download-the-barbarians-move-in-for-free/#more-240

or the website is just http://www.duelsmusic.co.uk/

The Maccebees – ‘No Kind words’

This marks the return of The Maccabees, with the debut album ‘Colour in it’ gaining plenty of praise including from us at shadders towers it’s fair to say that their entrance onto the comeback trail actually is eagerly awaited.

When we heard ‘No kind words’ on XFM for the first time we were stunned, what an epic piece of pop music. It has all the hall marks of a great record; brilliant tune, singalong lyrics, a few stop start bits, plenty of bite, excellent ending and comes in just under the crucial three minute mark. Add atmosphere into the mix and you have a belter of a record.

Then there’s the fact that you can’t actually buy the song, no,  The Maccabees are actually giving it away for free, it’s available to download for free at www.themaccabees.co.uk now, hell what are you waiting for, go now (and then come back to shaddersonline.com obviously!).

SINGLE ‘THIS RHYTHM’ WITH SAMUEL DUST (LATE OF THE PIER)
OUT 9TH MARCH

FROM THE DEBUT ALBUM ‘NONSENSE IN THE DARK’ RELEASED 16TH MARCH ON FICTION

UK TOUR DATES IN FEBRUARY: HEADLINE SHOWS AND TOUR WITH SECRET MACHINES

“Dance floor wizardry” NME  
“Three Londoners stage a dance floor invasion” THE TIMES

Filthy Dukes release their new single ‘This Rhythm’ on 9th March featuring Samuel Dust from Late Of The Pier on guest vocals.  The infectious disco-noir track has the makings of a dancefloor classic and comes with essential remixes from Fred Falke, Emperor Machine, Toddla T and Filthy Dukes own Kill Em All version.

The London three-piece of Tim Lawton, Olly Dixon and Mark Ralph first met Samuel when they put on one of Late of The Pier’s first London gigs at the Dukes’ now legendary dance rock club night Kill Em All (now a regular fixture at fabric). Samuel’s vocal was recorded in his room while his mum was sleeping next door – that’s the sound of Sam singing in hushed tones from his bedroom.

Filthy Dukes release their debut album ‘Nonsense In The Dark’ on 16th March. Recorded on the mixing desk of producer and Krautrock legend Conny Plank (the very desk that Kraftwerk used to make those albums back in the day), ‘Nonsense In The Dark’ showcases Filthy Dukes’ unique, analogue electro-indie-kraut-pop. A host of great artists also lend guest vocals to the album including Orlando Weeks (The Maccabees), Brandon Curtis (Secret Machines), Tommy Sparks, frYars, Plastic Little and more.

‘This Rhythm’ is the follow up to November’s bombastic limited edition single ‘Tupac Robot Club Rock’ featuring Plastic Little which was played across Radio 1 (including a Sara Cox SOTW) Kiss, Galaxy, Xfm, NME and Ministry FM while killing it in the clubs.

Meanwhile, their status as in-demand remixers continues apace, with new commissions for White Lies, Bloc Party and Lil Wayne cohort Kevin Rudolph.

FILTHY DUKES LIVE:

11-Feb-09         Glasgow                               King Tuts                                               w/Secret Machines
12-Feb-09         Manchester                          Ruby Lounge                                          w/Secret Machines
13-Feb-09         Sheffield                              Leadmill                                                 w/Secret Machines
14-Feb-09         Nottingham                           Rescue Rooms                                        w/Secret Machines
15-Feb-09         Bristol                                  Thekla                                                   w/Secret Machines
17-Feb-09         Brighton                               Digital                                                    w/Secret Machines
19-Feb-09         Aberdeen                             Snafu                                                     
21-Feb-09         Glasgow                               The Arches                                             Death Disco
24-Feb-09         London                                Lexington                                                
27-Feb-09         Manchester                          The Deaf Institute                                     
28-Feb-09         Nottingham                           Stealth                                                    
5-Mar-09          Reading                               Oakford                                                 FREE SHOW
6-Mar-09          London                                Fabric                                                    Album Launch Party
12-Mar-09         Hull                                     Adelphi                                                   
13-Mar-09         Sheffield                              Club Pony                                               
14-Mar-09         Bristol                                  The Lanes                                               
20-Mar-09         Derby                                  The Royal                                                
21-Mar-09         Leeds                                  The Faversham

Fantastic! Yes it's a strange introduction but new single 'Whole world on it's head' is fantastic! Think Friendly fires mixed with Editors and you are half way to what a brilliant tune this is, one of the best of 2009 already. It has a legendary groove, a few neat effects, banging drums, unconventional vocals with a strange poppy darkness.

This is left field indie at it's best and should be a quick addition to everyones record collection post haste.

There's a blinder of a b side too, 'Flames like tinder' is a little more conventional sounding but still is quite a song. Slightly darker, keys and drums sound splendid along with plenty of backing vox.

Find the Post War Years via Chess Club records.

Bolton born Rob McCulloch proudly shows his roots every time he talks, and every time he sings. He's cocky and self-assured and he's not ashamed of that.

McCulloch's songs tap into the folk music that he heard as a boy, his dad's Elvis and Dylan records, and his mum's albums of showtunes. But his biggest influences are men from the north west who combine singing and acting and comedy  men like the so-called 'Bolton Bullfrog' - Bernard Wrigley, the Bolton poet and comedian Hovis Presley, and even stand-up comic Alun Cochrane.

McCulloch's first single 'Wandering' is a powerhouse tale of getting off your head out of boredom, in a futile search for something better going on. Delivered in McCulloch's signature raspy northern tones, reminiscent of early John Cooper-Clarke, 'Wandering' sounds like an anthem for a Friday night in any British town.

'Wandering' will be released on February 23rd on Gladrag records, to support the release Rob will be touring the UK, the dates are as follows:

February

26 February  London, Cross Kings
27 February  Leeds, Elbow Rooms 
28 February  Barrow

March

1 March - Chepstow, Five Alls 

3 March  Manchester, Dry Bar 
5 March  Liverpool, Bumper 
6 March  Runcorn, The Canal Walk 

11 March  Edinburgh, Whistlebinkies 
12 March  Glasgow, Twisted Wheel 
13 March  Mansfield, The Mill

South London 5-piece The Maccabees ended 2007 on a wave of praise for their “consistently excellent, willfully eccentric debut” (The Observer). “Colour It In” was hailed by NME as “The best alt.pop record of 2007. No contest” and crowned Album of The Year by Artrocker magazine.

Now the celebrated gang of musical romantics are back. They have finished work on their new album and, as a taster, are giving away a blinding new track hot from the studio. “No Kind Words” will be available to download from www.themaccabees.co.uk <http://www.themaccabees.co.uk/>  following its debut play on Zane Lowe’s Radio1 show this Monday 9th February at 7.30pm. The download is a present for patient fans eagerly anticipating the follow-up to their debut.

The celebrated five-piece play their first live dates of 2009 with two club shows in London in February and an Xfm Presents at the Barfly on 5th March prior to their headline tour. They will play London’s Electric Ballroom, their first London headline since the triumphant sold-out Roundhouse show at the end of the “Colour It In” tour in 2007.

The Maccabees old-fashioned work ethic dictated an anti-rock ‘n’ roll approach to song-writing for the new record – throughout 2008, the band enforced a five day working week - cutting loose at the weekends just like the rest of us. In April, they set out on a low-key tour of intimate venues to road test the new songs. Sessions continued in the summer with a handful of special sets at boutique festivals like Underage and Beachdown. This dedication and focus has propelled them from the beginning and as a result, The Maccabees just get better and better.

A new sound started to evolve as the band focused on writing to each other’s strengths and late last year they teamed up with producer Marcus Dravs (Bjork, Coldplay, Arcade Fire) for recording sessions in the UK and Paris.

The results are stunning, as befits a band of true English eccentrics whose vision sets them apart, and beyond the confines of indiedom.

This as-yet-untitled new album will be released in May.

Catch The Maccabees live at the following dates:

Fri 20 Feb            LONDON MATTER, Wonky Pop 10pm-5am, £8 adv, £11 standard, £6 student

ART BRUT

Announce new single and album

Plus … UK tour dates

Art Brut has announced it will be releasing its third studio album, Art Brut vs Satan (COOKCD492) on Monday 20th April.  

“We recorded the album in a punk-as-fuck two weeks in Salem, Oregon,” explains lead singer Eddie Argos.  “I don't always enjoy the recording process - all that fiddling with guitars and drum sounds waiting for my turn to ‘sing’.  This time though, we did it just right. We spent a day getting the sound of the instruments perfect, then with all of us in the same room at the same time, with the amazing Black Francis conducting us, we pressed record, jumped around and played our songs. This is how I always thought albums were made and it’s definitely how we're doing it from now on!”

The first single to be released from the album will be Alcoholics Unanimous, on Monday 6th April.  More details to follow …

Art Brut, who love touring (“we actually have to be physically restrained to stop us playing live every night”), will be doing a 10 UK dates in April and May.   Full dates below.  Please note all ticket prices are subject to booking fees :

Sun 26th April               POOLE, Mr Kyps                       £10.00             BO: 01202 748 945    

Mon 27th April               MANCHESTER, Academy 3        £9.50               BO: 0161 832 1111

Tue 28th April                BIRMINGHAM, 02 Academy       £9.50               BO: 0844 477 2000

Wed 29th April              NEWCASTLE, Other Rooms      £9.00               BO: 0191 261 9755

Fri 1st May                    LEEDS, Cockpit                         £10.00             BO: 0113 245 5570

Sat 2nd May                  GLASGOW, Stereo                    £8.50               BO: 0844 847 2487

Mon 4th May                 NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms   £10.00             BO: 0871 310 0000

Tue 5th May                  BRISTOL, Thekla                       £10.00             BO: 0870 444 4400

Wed 6th May                 BRIGHTON, Concorde 2            £9.00               BO: 01273 637 311

Thu 7th May                  LONDON, Electric Ballroom       £11.00             BO: 020 7403 3331

While we were at the York Fibbers the other night we were browsing through The Fly freebie magazine which to be fair ain’t a bad read (and good value for money!). On page ten along side Fly on the wall is a ‘Flying high’ … ‘Flying Low’ mini feature. By all accounts the reunion of uber mardy Damon Allbran and co was the chief flying highlight but on the other end of the spectrum was the following… “Leonard Cohen’s – Hallelujah. We can’t believe X Factor crippled our love for this song. It just to be timeless. Now it’s just wank”.

What absolute nonsense, yes it is true the X Factor finalists versions of the classic was truly woeful but the Leonard Cohen and perhaps now more famously the Jeff Buckley versions are still timeless.  The whole X Factor debacle has proved this even further as these versions are far, far superior.

I’ve always said there are two viewpoints with regard to X Factor and it’s associated reality music shows (personally I always preferred the beebs Fame Academy). Firstly it brings music back to the masses, normally music shows are shoved into a late night slot, take later with Jools Holland for example. So having a music show in a mega prime time slot is a real coup. Musically it ain’t my taste at all but most programmes that go out in prime time slots on ITV / BBC1 have little appeal to me either, so I don’t usually watch them. Afterall that’s the beauty of the box, it’s comes with a remote or an off switch!

The other stance is more obvious; it’s just a way of Simon Cowell of making an easy buck. Well fairs fair he isn’t daft and having the rights to ‘Hallelujah’ was a masterstroke. But my view on this is slightly different, I fully understand the money making potential of X Factor but the music industry have always come up with great ideas to get the public to part with their cash and lets remember no one is forced to walk into HMV and hand over their hard earned are they! My view is that if one person hears the latest no talent off X Factor perform ‘Hallelujah’ and thinks that sounds a good song, then hears it’s a cover and finds the original and buys that then that’s brilliant. X Factor is built around the cover version, some covers are shite records already but some are great songs. So if the show introduces a new generation to the likes of The Beatles or Leonard Cohen then Simon Cowell can sleep easy in his bed with the knowledge he is doing a service to music. He is obviously going to sleep relatively easy anyway safe in the knowledge he’s feking loaded!

So when we listen to Jeff Buckley’s ‘Hallelujah’ we won’t be thinking this is wank because it isn’t it’s a beautiful timeless classic and no rubbish version by a no talent is going to change that.

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

I haven't mentioned my three year son on this blog before mainly because he doesn't write, perform or record albums on a regular basis!

But the other day we were watching a 'Top 40 Dave Grohl' special on TMF I had recorded (freeview plus what a godsend). And up pops Tenancious D and Dave playing the playing the part of the devil (rather well I may add) to Jack Black playing the part of the rock and roll saviour whom playing the best song in the world.

Obviously I don't want Tom to be alarmed (at the devil rather than Jack Black when he opens his shirt!) so played down the devil just saying it's a man pretending to be half man half horse and painted red, sounds more weird than trying to explain the concept of the devil that! So he thinks it's quite funny especially as Grohl rocks out with a guitar.

Anyway the video finishes and the link comes up with presenter Zane Lowe.... next thing Tom is shouting to switch it off, why? Zane Lowe is scary!!!

So there you have it Zane Lowe is scarier than the devil....fact!

Just on a musical note, just like to say that Tom's favourite song is 'Monster' by The Automatic, a song which he sings all the time (in the car, in the bath, running around like a maniac, anywhere really). There was one time he was singing it really loud in Tesco of all places and managed to get another kid to join in.... in a different isle. Rock star in the making!

Stay lucking & who's that coming over the hill......

Colin

www.shaddersonline.com

As the winter turns to spring and eventually summer our minds will start to think about the best thing summer has to offer... MUSIC FESTIVALS! So we're going to bring back the shadders festival guide page.

Last year we run a listings page for small indie festivals especially featuring small local (sometimes free) events. because for us you can forget yer mega corporate 100,000 capacity events and come back to the roots of why festivals are great fun.

For us Indie Tracks was the pick of the bunch in 2008, set on a steam railway in the middle of Derbyshire it had a great laid back vibe and some brilliant indie tunes, tad of the twee side at times but headliners The Wedding Present were awesome as usual.

Anyway as the festival guide comes back online we bid farewell to the download links page, we tried to get info from bands to feature but it was more difficult than we thought.

If we do get any new info on free songs we'll post into this newsblog section, here are the ones we did feature:

Lee Griffiths

Our fav manc gobshite and voice of an angel has put his entire first album online to download for free (must to the annoyance of former label ZTT - suckers). Get it all for nowt at...

http://lee.griffiths.com/

Daniel Land and the modern painters

This is copied directly from their myspace bulletin:

Hey there

You can download our first ep for free here:

http://www.yousendit.com/download/Q01IaUNONEh1Yk0wTVE9PQ

The link be valid for another 6 days or 100 downloads - let me know if it runs out, we can easily prepare another one.

All that we ask is that if you like the music, please share it with as many people as possible, and point them in the direction of our Myspace! Share the link, copy the EP, whatever you fancy.

Enjoy

Laguna Meth

Hailing from California Laguna Meth is the brainchild of Michael Laguna, you can get the track 'Everybody loves acid on a sunday morning' purely by signing up for his irregular mailouts!

http://www.lagunameth.com/ or www.lagunameth.com/sign.up.html

'Ragged shoegazing trip' and 'not for the fainthearted' NME

'Part Daniel Johnson, part early Mercury Rev' Mojo

The Hair

One of Yorkshire finest The Hair give away the track Half Cut to celebrate supporting the likes of The Kaiser Chiefs.

http://www.leedsmusicscene.net/article/9572/ or www.freehair.co.uk

It’s true to say I’ve been a huge fan of Lily Allen (except for the celeb Dad part anyway!) but here ‘comeback’ single ‘The Fear’ is actually damn special. Musically it’s a tasty pop ditty but the beauty of ‘The Fear’ is the lyrics. Great insight into the celebrity mindset (afterall she should know with her background) and some cracking tongue in check lines too.

It’s gonna be a huge smash, already a single of the week on radio 1 and deserves to be too. It’s how pop should be, perfectly listenable but with a bit of bite.

Should take the edge off having her BBC3 series cancelled anyway!

Tourdates are very excited to announce a brand new initiative for 2009, the Musicians’ Clinic, allowing upcoming Artists access to music industry leaders.

The clinic will be held monthly at Proud galleries in Camden, North London and will allow upcoming artists a unique opportunity to discuss the challenges they are facing in areas such as label negotiations and legal issues, merchandise strategy, effective PR, working with the press and sales.

In addition they will have the opportunity to have their demos critiqued by Andy Ross, former boss of Food Records,120 consecutive top 100 singles and six UK number one albums with three different artists including Blur. Andy Currently manages Bleech.

Andy Ross is joined by Leonard Lowy a solicitor specialising in the music industry, Mel Brown the MD of Impressive PR, Andy Allen CEO of Backstreet Merchandise and Richard Hodkinson Editorial Director of LondonTourdates magazine.

Leonard Lowy commented "With so much doom and gloom out there at the moment, I can't think of a better time to launch a new initiative like this. For those of us who make our living from this industry, it's great to be able to give something back. Hopefully with our combined expertise we'll be able to help steer people in the right direction."

Jarrod Robinson, CEO of Tourdates, added “Tourdates is delighted to have been asked by Leonard to run the event which will provide our artist community with access to over 100 years of collective know-how.”

Andy Allen, CEO of Backstreet Merchandise, praised the event saying "This is an excellent opportunity for artists to receive some professional advice and possibly avoid costly mistakes."

Mel Brown feels there is a wealth of great bands that really don’t know where to start - they don’t know what PR is or when the best time is to start a PR push or campaign. Getting an experienced PR on board early could make a huge difference to the overall strategy of the bands career.

The first event is on Monday 26th January 2009 with bookings being accepted on a 'first come' - 'first served' basis.

 Artists can book online at www.tourdates.co.uk/musicians-clinic