BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Issue #14 December 2014
Welcome to December’s issue of BEHIND THE GIG GUIDE DISCLAIMER: Please check with the SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Last month’s issue venue before travelling to gigs. The information is was read in record numbers and we feel that we up to date at time of print, but often changes. are really building some momentum. Please share We don’t want you to waste your petrol. the magazine with your friends either by telling them in person or on social media sites. We hope All photos in the magazine are used with permission, that you enjoy the usual mix of reviews, credited or found openly on the internet. No copyright interviews and articles in December’s issue. As infringement is meant. Please don’t get angry or sue us Christmas approaches we thought that it would (we don’t have any money anyway). slow down, but as you can see, this month has been as busy as ever. Enjoy reading the magazine! COVER DESIGN BY ROBBIE PERT
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COVER PHOTO BY STEVE GRIFFIN http://chesmu.zenfolio.com/
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JOHN POWER, JOE SUMMERS, JOE RICHARDSON Everybody is in good spirits tonight at The Frog & Fiddle. Even the promoter gets a cheer when he welcomes the first support act on stage and all he even says is, "Good evening." You see, there's a whiff of excitement in the air (as well as a strong stench of Guinness) as it’s a Saturday night, the Cheltenham Races are in full flow, and bona fide Britpop legend JOHN POWER has come to town. JOHN POWER played bass guitar in The La's and fronted multi-platinum selling Cast, hence why there are a steady stream of people in parkas stood around the room watching opening act JOE RICHARDSON. In fact, Joe himself has that Britpop look and feel about him. Unfortunately, his efforts are drowned out by people loudly reminiscing about the time they saw Cast at Gloucester Leisure Centre in 1996 and how their souvenir shirt (which they've worn especially tonight) still just about fits them. JOE SUMMERS nearly suffers the same fate, but is experienced enough to plug away regardless with his acoustic songs that rewind further back than Britpop, and enter the era of singer-songwriters Neil Young and Cat Stevens. A drunk race-goer, who has obviously lost all of his mates at some point during the day, stumbles back and forth to the front of the stage, swaying not from the music but from the alcohol he has steadily consumed since 10am. Although he doesn't mean it, he fits well into the theme of the evening as he's doing a pretty good impression of Liam Gallagher in his heyday. As we wait for JOHN POWER I decide that you can pretty much split the audience into one of two categories: Those that have kept their hair since the turn of the millennium, or those that have lost it. I, thankfully, am in the former. Then POWER, looking more like Bob Dylan now his trademark mop-top has had a good chop itself, takes to the stage with former LA's bandmate Jay Lewis and the levels of interest are upped several notches. New songs are mixed with old and there's no way you wouldn't recognise that powerful voice from appearances on Top of the Pops in the mid-90's. People hold up their camera phones to record the old songs and go to the toilet during some of the new ones. But he gets the mix just right and there's absolutely no denying that if you were even on the fringes of Britpop 20 years ago, then hearing 'Walkaway' performed on an acoustic guitar in a venue not a tenth of the size of the ones Cast were playing in the 90's, leaves the hairs on the back of your neck standing to attention. He’s still got the power (ahem). [Image by STEVE GRIFFIN http://chesmu.zenfolio.com/]
FROG & FIDDLE, CHELTENHAM
15TH NOVEMBER
WHO’D BE A...TOURING BAND? WITH THE BLACK FEATHERS
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TOURING BAND? We've been performing as The Black Feathers for a couple of years now, but only really been ‘touring’ for about a year now. WHERE ARE YOU A TOURING BAND? We’re from Cirencester in Gloucestershire but we tour all over the country, we’ve also toured the USA and we’re heading out to Germany in February. IS GLOUCESTERSHIRE A GOOD PLACE TO BE A TOURING BAND? It’s not bad at all, it’s got some nice little venues. The best ones are tucked away in little towns and villages. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT A TOURING BAND? We’re pretty much touring non-stop at the moment, but when we have a day or two off we can usually be found in our home studios writing songs for our first album. WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A TOURING BAND? For us it’s almost like a working holiday, we get to see new places and meet new people. We love it, every show in every town is a new experience. WHAT’S THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING A TOURING BAND? We’ve got a little dog, sometimes we take him with us but sometimes we have to leave him behind. We miss his little face WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO A TOURING BAND? 1. Join the AA. 2. Always know where the nearest burger van is. 3. Be sociable because you never know where you might need a bed for the night! GIVE YOURSELF A PLUG! Our website is www.theblackfeathers.com where you can find links to our music, videos and gig dates for the coming year. You can also find us at facebook.com/ theblackfeathers and twitter.com/blackfeathersuk
100 WORD DEBATE
Nobody came to my gig. Is the music scene dead around here? YES
NO
It’s a dead duck. It’s deader than a [note to self: insert the rest of a Blackadder style joke here].
No one came to your gig? No one came to my birthday party. Only 3 people came to my Christmas shindig and 2 of them were driving (which made for quite a dull night and a lot of left over mulled wine, I can assure you).
You see, no one goes to gigs any more unless the band has been on XFactor or Fame Academy or Opportunity Knocks (or whatever the youth are watching these days). Just because they Besides, why do you need didn’t go to your gig to go to a gig when you doesn’t mean that the can watch endless hours of music scene is dead. you didn’t live footage from the Perhaps comfort of your own promote the gig very home on Youtube? The well. Maybe there was drinks are cheap, you can a lot of other stuff on always get a seat and you that night or, and this don’t have to wait until is the biggie, you 11pm for the band to misjudged how popular the bands you booked start. are. You may love The world has moved on. them, but does Gigs were alright when everybody else? you absolutely had to go out and do something. On Don’t expect instant These a Tuesday night when gratification. take time. your only other choices things were to read a book, talk You’ve got to get the to your family or go to word out there by bed from sheer boredom, putting on consistently who wouldn’t want to go good shows, you’ve got to a gig? But in 2014 to offer something a anyone can spend the bit different from just night happily sending some bands playing in pub with dirty endless text messages or a Jawbreaker or watching for that little toilets. red notification on released a song in called ‘Bad Facebook until the cows 1995 Everybody’s come home. Come on Scene, Grandad, no one goes to Fault’ so it really is nothing new. gigs anymore!
NEXT MONTH’S DEBATE: “My girlfriend asked me for the McBusted album for Christmas. Should I end the relationship now or give her a second chance?”
MOULETTES As I browse the very reasonably priced range of Charles Bukowski books on the shelves in Rise Records, a girl with a flyer approaches me. "A band are playing in the store in 5 minutes," she says and hands over a glossy double-sided leaflet. It's nice to see THE MOULETTES attempting to drum up an audience through good old fashioned flyering (as opposed to just Facebook or Twitter). Whatever next, vinyl making a comeback? In-stores are great because they give you a chance to watch a band in an unusual setting at a reasonable time of day (2.30 on a Sunday afternoon in this case). But in-stores are bad because you kind of feel like you're standing in the way of genuine shoppers looking for the latest Breaking Bad box-set. And you can't get a pint of cider from the bar because there is no bar (however, Rise Records does have a comprehensive range of vinyl, books, CDs and vintage clothing, but you can't drink yourself dizzy with those). THE MOULETTES from Glastonbury are currently touring huge venues with the award-winning contemporary folk band Bellowhead. This in-store is a far more intimate affair with a handful of people stopping, listening, clapping, moving on to Debenhams and then being replaced by others who have strolled into the shop and stumbled on these 5 musicians at the back of the room. The band are wearing knit-wear like it's going out of fashion (it already has done but nobody seems to have told them) but their finger clicking, shaker shaking and vocal harmonies are just sublime. This is modern folk for modern folk (not the monotonous 'Kumbaya' we used to sing daily in school assemblies). Almost apologetically, the band say that they have a more orchestral sound on record, but this stripped back set is a treat to listen to nonetheless. The flyer girl has now turned into the 'mailing-list sign up girl' and is busy asking everyone to put their e-mail addresses down on the sheet. Aspiring bands take note: Do more of this because it works.
Rise Records, Cheltenham
16th November 2014
DECEMBER 2014 Wed 3rd DECEMBER – FUNKE AND THE TWO TONE BABY Fri 5TH DECEMBER – MISSIN’ ROSIE Fri 5TH DECEMBER – THE SUNKEN FOAL (CELLAR BAR) Sat 6th DECEMBER – HOUSEBOUND (CELLAR BAR) Wed 10TH DECEMBER –LEWIS CREAVEN BAND Fri 12th DECEMBER – WILL EDMUNDS TRIO Fri 12th DECEMBER – DIRTY LYLE (CELLAR BAR) Sat 13th DECEMBER – BOUNCE (CELLAR BAR) Wed 17th DECEMBER – MARY SPENDER Fri 19TH DECEMBER – THE SOUL STRUTTERS Fri 19th – TBC – CELLAR BAR Wed 24th DECEMBER – TBC Thur 25TH DECEMBER – THE YOUTUBE SHOW Where you choose the music! Friday 26th DECEMBER – SKA-VILLE Saturday 27th DECEMBER – HIRED GUNS Saturday 27th DECEMBER - DANCE CONSPIRACY (CELLAR BAR) Sunday 28th DECEMBER – TBC Mon 29th DECEMBER – RUZZ GUITAR’S BLUES REVUE NYE – details to be released soon. A ticketed event, two floors of music and free buffet included in the ticket price.
SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION Every time I’ve watched SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION play a gig, by the end of the first song the audience have cut short their conversations and found themselves glued to the performance, whether they’ve come to see the band or not. It’s a talent that some bands have and some bands just don’t. After a quiet few months, the band are ready to launch themselves again with a new EP. I caught up with lead singer and songwriter Scott James to find out more about the band… “Me and Chris were writing songs and started looking for additional musicians to form a group. We met James first, then through Scope Music Management we were introduced to Oli (Drums), Groovey (Bass), Reuben (Electric) and Shelina (Vocals).” SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION’s roots are firmly set in Gloucestershire. With links to the Forest Of Dean, Gloucester and Cheltenham, there’s no other band playing the same style of music so well in the county. Their soulful take on hip-hop is politically charged, yet effortlessly slick at the same time. Over the last couple of years the band have expanded from their initial acoustic roots to a full band arrangement.
There are things happening today that simply cannot be ignored and if we are lucky enough to have a platform of influence we will try to use it in a positive way.”
“It gives us more freedom to experiment with creativity; there are more people involved so more ideas transpire because we have more resources available to utilise.” The band have recently changed one of their vocalists. “Previously we worked with Sophie Cotterell, and now we have Shelina Taylor Gordon. We also have a new electric guitar player – Reuben Reynolds. I think any change in the line-up of a band brings an inevitable alteration to the sound, but it’s still the same set up.” If you haven’t listened to SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION before, then now would be a good time to start as the band are in full swing after a short period of transition.
a role in song-writing. The initial ideas begin with me and Chris and it stems outwards to James and Shelina, then to Oli, Groovey and Reuben. I write the lyrics.” Those lyrics can be very politically minded, which is refreshing in this time of X-Factor-styled mediocrity and mind-numbing covers. In what way do politics and social justice influence the song-writing process? “It depends on your perspective as a musician and what you want to achieve with your music. It can potentially be a powerful voice to propagate ideals of peace. There are things happening today that simply cannot be ignored and if we are lucky enough to have a platform of influence we will try to use it in a positive way.” So much so that last summer members of the band completed a 100km walk in aid of Oxfam. “This was another opportunity for us to try and help out. Oxfam is an important organisation and it deals with humanitarian issues that we believe should be supported. We were proud to raise over £2000 for them, we had a lot of support from people and we were very grateful. We’ve performed at Oxjam Festival twice and will continue to support them in the future. The actual event was a pretty gruelling experience! We walked non-stop for 29 hours along the South Downs from Petersfield to Brighton. It is a rewarding achievement; our biggest challenge was trying to persevere with so many blisters and fatigue.” Not only do the band talk the talk, but they also walk the walk. On a final note, which Gloucestershire bands and venues get the SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION seal of approval? “We like watching King Solomon play. We enjoy performing at The Guildhall, Sound Music Venue and The Frog And Fiddle, they’re always very welcoming.” The band are currently in the process of recording a new EP which will be available for free download very soon and in the New Year they have several gigs lined up. Don’t just take our word for it, go see them for yourself.
Despite Scott’s name being at the forefront of the band, song-writing is a collaborative process. “We all play
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ACTUAL REAL QUOTES FROM PEOPLE WHO READ OUR MAGAZINE: “So nice to see a 'local-interest' fanzine put together with dedication and intelligence.”
“Another fine issue, fast becoming an essential read....” “Really pleased that someone set up a really useful listings mag at last! More power to you.” “You’re fired.” (Ok, so that last one is made up).
STEVE & THE ACHIEVERS THEY SAY: “A love of upbeat Blues, Southern Soul, Rhythm & Blues and Roots music have brought us together in the hope that we can play the music that we love for folks who want to have a good time.” ARE THEY A COVERS BAND? In a way. They play mostly obscure numbers and forgotten gems as well as some popular classics. YOU MAY KNOW STEVE & THE ACHIEVERS FROM SUCH PREVIOUS GIGS IN STROUD AS: The Ale House, The Brewery and The Globe where they have performed recently. WHAT EXACTLY HAVE THEY ACHIEVED? Good question. We’ll ask them and get back to you. WE LIKE STEVE BECAUSE: He once said this about our magazine. “It's good to see a music publication that isn't littered with hyperbole!” What a remarkable, amazing, stupendous fella he is! FIND OUT MORE: http://www.steveandtheachievers.com/
PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD
20TH DECEMBER
GLOSFOLK
Glosfolk is a wonderful resource if you a) like folk music and b) live in Gloucestershire. I like and I live in both, so I caught up with Chairman Peter Cripps to discuss what the organisation offers the county and whether traditional folk music is still relevant today. “Very much so,” says Peter, “Otherwise 10,000 people a week would not be listening or taking part in folk! Involving younger people is a challenge, particularly when many schools do not do country dancing, or use traditional songs and tunes in their music curriculum. We are trying to change that with the 'Gloucestershire Traditions' project (details at http:// gloucestershiretraditions.co.uk/).
So how did Glosfolk form? Why did you feel a need for an organisation such as this? “Over 20 years ago Glosfolk was formed from Gloucestershire Folk Association. It’s aims are to promote and preserve traditional music, song, dance, drama, and customs in and around the county. About 10 years ago a new bunch of people joined the committee determined to raise the profile of folk in the county. Since then, membership has risen to over 400, the web site gets 1000 hits a month, the Folk Diary has over 200 events a month, and there are nearly 300 entries in the Directory of performers. So it’s doing well and it is all free! No grants, no subsidies, no membership fees, and the officers and committee claim no expenses - the 'Big Society' in action!” Somebody tell David Cameron! But seriously, with 61 singers and groups, 14 Morris dance sides, 43 dance bands, 24 dance callers, 35 musicians, 10 folk clubs and many social dance clubs and sessions most nights of the week, folk in Gloucestershire appears to be thriving. So when the team behind the Cheltenham Folk Festival recently announced that it would no longer run in its current format, there was what can only be described as an ‘outcry’ from enthusiasts. Many ankle bells were shaken in anger. A series of three concerts titled ’Folk Three’ will replace the festival which has been running for around 18 years. What are Glosfolk’s views on this? “We very much regret these changes. We have lobbied the Cheltenham Town Hall management without success. Our strong conviction is that people will not come to a series of three evening concerts in the same numbers as come to a vibrant festival with concerts, ceilidhs, workshops, music sessions, dancing in the streets. Therefore Cheltenham's economy - which used to benefit to nearly £500,000 a year will suffer. However any replacement - and we are working on plans for 2016 - will have to be sustainable in the longer term.” With the challenges of a largely amateur style of music and very few royalties or commercial radio play for traditional songs, Glosfolk are doing their very best to keep alive the tradition of local folk music in the county. Good on them.
Join Glosfolk for free at: http://www.glosfolk.org.uk/
IMPERIAL LEISURE WHO THE DEVIL ARE THEY? A ska-punk/hip-hop party machine who have previously toured with Less Than Jake and Ugly Duckling. EXPECT: Trumpets, keys, plenty of energy and approximately 8 grown men trying to fit onto the tiny 2 Pigs stage. HAVE I SEEN THEM SOMEWHERE BEFORE? 2000 Trees, The Frog & Fiddle and Boogie Lounge have all hosted Imperial Leisure locally in the last few years. WHO IS SUPPORTING? Emmett Brown, Kelso & Lanterns. OUT NOW: An EP called ‘Razzle Dazzle.’ Available from all good record shops (and some bad ones too). DID YOU KNOW? That the band used to perform impromptu guerrilla gigs in car parks, streets and even building sites across London. They even performed in the car park at Reading Festival. BUT THE 2 PIGS DOESN’T OPEN ON A THURSDAY? Imperial Leisure are coming to town—it’s a special occasion. TICKETS: £6.50 or £9 on the door (£8 for students) from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/295881
2 Pigs, Cheltenham
December 11th
STRESSECHOES
Alex Petrie and Andrew Corey make up Cheltenham band STRESSECHOES. They recently slung their guitars over their shoulders and visited Germany where they packed in a series of gigs over three weeks. I asked Alex to recount his experiences of touring in a European country and how it differs to the circuit in the UK. Over to him…
do Germany.
We were recently lucky enough to tour in Germany for the third year in a row. This time Andy and I went as a duo as we couldn’t make it as a full band. We played 26 gigs in 21 days at various different venues: bars, cafes, cultural centres, a university, and someone’s house. The tour was organised by our friends at Songs & Whispers, who are based in Bremen. It’s a pleasant change from gigging in the UK as audiences here have a tendency to be a little ….chatty. Your average German audience will listen in silence, and applaud heartily where appropriate, even if they weren’t expecting a band to be playing. It is a slightly surreal experience to have dead silence from a crowd of people while you introduce the next song or readjust your capo. We tried to tell funny stories but Stressechoes aren’t known for their easy stage banter. It is traditional, in northern Germany at least, for the band to pass a collection hat around the room and for your audience to pay you directly for their entertainment. This is a convention which has faded out in the UK but my parents insist it used to be quite common. If pub landlords here re-introduced the hat pass then they could put music on at no additional cost. Another lovely thing is being asked to autograph your CD as it makes you feel like a proper musician, and slightly famous. People have been very friendly and chatty and I suppose having an English band playing in their town must seem slightly exotic. We must have sold more CDs in one month than we had in the previous year. Most Germans speak conversational English, which made us occasions we would launch into a practised sentence only to not all good though; it is apparent that very few Germans when you’re trying to keep the rhythm on guitar and you keeping a different beat.
both feel slightly embarrassed. On many receive a reply in perfect English. They’re can clap in time. It is very disconcerting have up to 60 people all enthusiastically
Some of you hardened musicians will have noticed that I have not addressed the most important question: what are the kebabs like, Alex?! Well, they’re pretty amazing, so much so that we put on about half a stone each.
Visit stressechoes.com or find them on Twitter @stressechoes and Facebook. They launch a new record on January 14th at The Bayshill in Cheltenham.
BENSON DOYLE
MARLBOROUGH ARMS, CIRENCESTER
WHO’S HE? They are a band, not a person. FOR FANS OF: Led Zeppelin, U2, The Cult and The Doors. THE BAND SAY: “We'll be previewing our new piece of work called 'Dark Flow' which'll be a 20 minute er, epic.” THEY HAVE RECENTLY SUPPORTED: Ex-Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bailey in Carlisle. IF YOU LIKE BEER: Then Corinium Ales (who are based in Cirencester) are brewing a one off festival beer for the gig called 'Saturnalia'. BEER AND MUSIC. CAN THIS GIG GET ANY BETTER? Indeed it can—entry is free which means that you just need enough money for said beer and the bus ride home available).
(other drinks are
WHAT SHALL I WEAR? Casual gig attire. Jeans, souvenir t-shirt from Pink Floyd’s 1974 UK tour and optional Santa hat to get into the festive spirit. DOORS OPEN AT: 7.30pm. FIND OUR MORE: facebook.com/bensondoyle
ADAM BARNES ALSO ON THE BILL: Local lad Russ Poole, plus other acoustic acts in the bar before the gig. THE PRESS SAY: “Adam Barnes is a rising star on the folk scene with an enviable beard and an even more impressive voice, packed with soul, sincerity and warmth.” [Gigwise] JUST WHAT IS THIS OBSESSION WITH FACIAL HAIR? I’ really have no idea. What will be fashionable next? Hairy backs? I’M ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS BEARD THING. WHAT CAN I LISTEN SO I CAN MAKE MY MIND UP? His album 'The Land, The Sea & Everything Lost Beneath' can be streamed here: http:// adambarnes.bandcamp.com DID YOU KNOW? The closest car park to Gloucester Guildhall is the Kings Walk multi-storey. Parking is FREE after 7pm. The postcode is GL1 1EA and once you’ve parked your car you can enter the Guildhall via the secret rear entrance (stop sniggering at the back). OTHER FAMOUS BARNES INCLUDE: John (ex-England footballer), Stuart (rugby commentator) and that dysfunctional family from Hollyoaks (aren’t they all?). IT’S NEARLY CHRISTMAS AND I HAVEN’T BOUGHT A SINGLE PRESENT YET. IS THIS SHOW GOING TO COST ME AN ARM AND A LEG? Nope. Entry is just £5. Go on, treat yourself.
GUILDHALL, GLOUCESTER 5TH DECEMBER
BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE END OF YEAR AWARDS 2014 We’ve had a crazy idea to present some local music awards for a bit of end of year fun. We asked for your nominations and you literally bombarded us with them! Now we’ve made a shortlist for each category. In December our panel of judges will lock themselves in a padded room, argue for several hours and then come up with some winners which will be announced in January’s issue. Thank you to everyone who has contributed. Here’s our shortlist…
LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD FROG & FIDDLE, CHELTENHAM ST PAUL’S TAVERN, CHELTENHAM CAFÉ RENE, GLOUCESTER
BAND OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Lansdown Studios) KING SOLOMON, STILLBUST, EDENFALL, EMP!RE ETHEMIA, ERICA
RELEASE OF THE YEAR (sponsored by
2 PIGS, CHELTENHAM
Cheltenham Flooring Services)
GUILDHALL, GLOUCESTER
EDD DONOVAN & THE WANDERING MOLES—SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF (album)
SOLO ARTIST OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown Studios)
LONGSTONE— RISAIKURU (album)
CHARLIE BAXTER, HATTIE BRIGGS, MEN DIAMLER, PECHE/GREY AREA, EMI MCDADE, DAMON T
BAD NEWS—SARASWATI (EP)
HOT FEET—MIST IS DUST (EP) LANTERNS—MOVING ON (single) THE GOING GOODS—HIP HOP ANONYMOUS (single)
BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE AWARDS SHORTLIST 2014 LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR
PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD
FROG & FIDDLE, ST PAUL’S TAVERN, CHELTENHAM CHELTENHAM
CAFÉ RENE, GLOUCESTER
2 PIGS, GUILDHALL, CHELTENHAM GLOUCESTER BAND OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown Studios—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)
Clockwise from top left: KING SOLOMON, EMP!RE STILLBUST, ERICA, EDENFALL, ETHEMIA
SOLO ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Lansdown Studios—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)
CHARLIE BAXTER
PECHE/GREY AREA
HATTIE BRIGGS
EMI MCDADE
MEN DIAMLER
DAMON T
RELEASE OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Cheltenham Flooring Services) EDD DONOVAN & THE WANDERING MOLES— SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF (album) LONGSTONE— RISAIKURU (album) HOT FEET—MIST IS DUST (EP) BAD NEWS— SARASWATI (EP) LANTERNS— MOVING ON (single) THE GOING GOODS—HIP HOP ANONYMOUS
LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Behind The Scene Gloucestershire)
PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD The Prince Albert hosts live music on most nights of the week. Artists are often creative, left-field type, ranging from local folk musicians to more established bands. Regardless of where they come from, they are always of the highest quality. Highlights this year include Emily Barker, Glenn Tillbrook and Martyn Joseph.
FROG & FIDDLE, CHELTENHAM The Frog & Fiddle has a large barn at the back that acts as a showcase for local bands as well as a stop-off on the UK touring circuit. 2014 has seen gigs from the likes of John Power, Kal Lavelle and Mad Dog Mcrea, as well as local favourites Hattie Briggs and Edd Donovan & The Wandering Moles.
CAFÉ RENE, GLOUCESTER Café Rene has garnered a reputation for great beer, great food and, most importantly, great music. Local acoustic artists play throughout the week and on weekends the party gets started with up-tempo music from all over the UK. Their annual Nott The Notting Hill Carnival and Rene:Gade festivals are not to be missed!
2 PIGS, CHELTENHAM The 2 Pigs is a music venue that specialises in alternative music, whether it’s the numerous local bands it gives a first chance to or its popular club nights that keep going until the early hours. One of the few venues that lets under 18’s enjoy the live music experience, it has recently played host to a show by the popular Funeral For A Friend which sold out months in advance.
ST PAUL’S TAVERN, CHELTENHAM The St Paul’s Tavern is a free entry pub in the centre of Cheltenham that just loves live music. Twice a week they put on Open Mic nights and at the weekend you’ll see the best local bands making as much noise as possible. Once a year they close off the adjoining street for the bands to perform in, all in aid of the Help For Heroes charity. This year was headlined by Tewkesbury ska-punkers Spunge.
GUILDHALL, GLOUCESTER The Guildhall continues to attract national bands to Gloucester. The venue has a superb set up for watching live music. This year, as well as the usual touring acts that have graced the Guildhall stage, it has also hosted it’s annual Underground Festival and Summer Sound Fest to showcase the best up and coming young indie and alternative bands.
BAND OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Lansdown Studios in Cheltenham—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)
KING SOLOMON King Solomon have their roots set firmly in reggae. This year the band have played anywhere and everywhere, including One Love Festival in Weymouth, Sport Beat and Fashion Rocks in Gloucester. Their single ‘The Brave’ has received widespread airplay and over 1500 plays since being released in January.
EMP!RE Empire are a 5 piece rock band. They recorded their debut mini album ‘Where the World Begins' in 2013 and have garnered positive reviews from the likes of Kerrang, Rock Sound and Metal Hammer. This year they paraded their vitriolic sound at venues and festival countrywide, including Sonisphere, Y Not, Hevy and 2000 Trees.
STILLBUST Earlier in the year Stillbust released their ‘77 For You (57 For Me)’ EP on Matt Records. Punktastic said, "Still Bust manages to cram a multitude of time signatures, vocal styles, and varied riffing into a frantic four minutes." In May the band performed at Groezrock Festival in Belgium and in August supported A Willhelm Scream at Gloucester Guildhall.
ETHEMIA Cirencester’s Ethemia write heartfelt folk songs which have been performed all over the country this year. In November the band released a single for Children In Need titled ‘Don’t Let Them Down.’ And if that hasn’t persuaded you of their merits, then here’s a quote from Gabby Roslin (of Big Breakfast fame) following a BBC Radio London live session: “I'm completely overwhelmed. Gosh! You're fabulous." That’s one to tell the grandchildren about.
EDENFALL
Cheltenham band Edenfall describe themselves as a 'Blackened Gothic Doom Metal' band - not for the faint hearted! This year their second album, 'Under Sultry Moons and Velvet Skies', received positive reviews all over the place and the band have supported big names such as Hecate Enthroned and Blaze Bailey. They also played at the prestigious Whitby Gothic Weekend.
ERICA
Erica’s year peaked in the summer when they performed on the main stage at Lakefest (with Steve Norman from Spandau Ballet as a guest on a few songs). The selfproclaimed ‘Sons of the Highland’ host regular gigs at their ‘Funhouse’ venue out in the sticks and have recently taken to performing on the back of a pick up truck in Winchcombe and London to anyone who will listen.
SOLO ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Lansdown Studios in Cheltenham—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)
CHARLIE BAXTER Charlie Baxter has taken his electro-rock sound all over the county this year, either as a solo artist or as pasrt of bands Oui Legionairres and Last Night's Victory. In the summer he entertained crowds at more festivals than you could shake a stick at, including Oxjam Cheltenham, Witcombe Cider Fest, Walk The Line, Lechlade and Vinestock.
HATTIE BRIGGS Hattie Briggs' stock has risen and risen this year. As well as receiving regular airplay over the last few months from the likes of Mark Radcliffe and Simon Mayo, she also performed live on BBC1 Points West Television as a result of her BBC Young Folk Awards nomination. She has supported Sam Brookes at gigs in London and in Cheltenham, and is constantly playing live across the country. Performances at Wychwood Festival and Monmouth Festival supporting Seth Lakeman capped off a busy summer.
MEN DIAMLER Men Diamler (or Richard Abberline) has played hundreds of gigs and festivals and released several albums over the years. This year he toured the UK for one last time to put these songs to bed, which culminated in one final Cheltenham gig in November at The Exmouth Arms. Expect a new project from him in 2015 which will no doubt be as abrasive, soulful and meaningful as the last one.
PECHE/THE GREY AREA Peche is a familiar face on the local music scene. He hosts weekly open mic and acoustic nights at St Paul's Tavern in Cheltenham. He also performs under the moniker of The Grey Area, which he describes as: 'A mixture of rock, ballad, folk, indie and everything in between, mixing in stories and experience to bring the most out of lyrics and giving songs meaning to many different people.'
EMI McDADE Still in her teens, Emi McDade has cut her teeth on the Gloucestershire open mic stage and now performs her pop-ballads regularly in Gloucestershire accompanied by her trusty keyboard. Regularly appearing on BBC radio, Emi released second single 'Just Begun' in July and played at festivals far and wide this summer.
DAMON T Damon T is a New York City born singer-songwriter who frequently plays in Gloucester and the surrounding areas. Both as a solo musician and as part of duos, Damon is influenced by traditional blues, folk and Americana roots music. His music is bluesy and from the heart - a real taste of Americana in the Gloucestershire.
RELEASE OF THE YEAR
(sponsored by Cheltenham Flooring Services)
www.cheltenhamflooringservices.co.uk
EDD DONOVAN & THE WANDERING MOLES— SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF (album) Edd Donovan & The Wandering Moles' debut album, Something To Take The Edge Off, was released in April 2014 on Paper Label Records. Described by Folk Radio UK as, "Witty, thoughtful, thought-provoking and blessed with a melodic touch," the album has received widespread airplay and been released on both CD and vinyl to great acclaim.
LONGSTONE— RISAIKURU (album) Longstone is an improv/electronic group from Cheltenham and 'Risaikuru' is a musical interpretation of two photographs taken in Miyagi prefecture in Japan in 2013. Each member of the group viewed and musically interpreted the photographs independently, and the resulting recordings were then collected together and recycled into a cohesive composition. It's not your average release, but then Longstone aren't your average band.
HOT FEET—MIST IS DUST (EP) With echoes of delta blues and the pulsing rhythms of world music, Hot Feet's 'Mist Is Dust' EP was launched in October at The Goods Shed in Stroud. A nationwide tour with Cocos Lovers in the same month raised the profile of the Stroud band who are shaking off their folk tag by making music that both haunts and mesmerises at the same time.
BAD NEWS—SARASWATI (EP) Bad News' debut EP 'Saraswati' is 4 tracks of indie-folk that might just be the start of something. Self-released in October, the EP was launched at the Frog & Fiddle in Cheltenham. The band's dreamy vocals and delicate guitar sound has been taken to Birmingham, Oxford and London so far this year and they have recently recorded a BBC Introducing session.
LANTERNS—MOVING ON (single) Lanterns play good, honest pop-punk the way Billy-Joe Armstrong first intended. Taking cues from Millencolin and Blink 182, 'Moving On' is their debut single and was released in September. Clocking in at less than 3 minutes long, the song is an up-beat tale of breaking up and...well, moving on. It does exactly what it says on the tin.
THE GOING GOODS—HIP HOP ANONYMOUS (single) 'Hip-Hop Anonymous' by The Going Goods is a beatbox driven, hiphop confessional. It is light-hearted and summery, perfect crowd pleasing festival music. As a big fan of potato based snacks, any song that name-checks Pringles and Wotsits deserves a nomination for an end of year award in our book.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED... HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE SHORTLIST? We had a few thoughts in mind and then we asked the great Gloucestershire music loving public to suggest their ideas too via an online survey in the second week of November. Hundreds of you put forward your opinions and we took most of them on board!
HOW CAN A BAND BE NOMINATED FOR ‘BAND OF THE YEAR’ BUT NOT ‘ALBUM OF THE YEAR’ TOO? We’ve given a maximum of one nomination per band/artist. We wanted to spread the nominations around as much as possible and that seemed the best way to do it.
MY BAND DIDN’T MAKE ANY SHORTLIST. WHY THE HELL NOT? I GOT ALL OF MY FRIENDS TO VOTE FOR US. Because the awards would end up going to the people with the most persistent fans (and that just isn’t our thing). Sorry you didn’t make the shortlist, but at least you know that you have good friends who will do anything for you!
SO WHAT NOW? We’ll put our heads together, get some opinions of like-minded Gloucestershire music fans, and make a decision on the winners. They’ll be announced in January’s issue of Behind The Scene Gloucestershire.
WILL THERE BE AN AWARDS CEREMONY? Not this year. A few kind venues have offered to host one but we just don’t have time to organise it properly at the moment. We’ve got full-time jobs to work, presents to wrap and turkeys to stuff. And besides, we don’t want Chumbawumba turning up and throwing a bucket of water over us.
WILL THE WINNERS GET AN ACTUAL AWARD? They sure will! Just a little token of our appreciation that they can put on their mantelpiece, use as a doorstop or sell for scrap metal (whatever takes their fancy). The winners of the ‘Band of the Year’ and ‘Solo Artist of the Year’ will also win a rehearsal slot at Lansdown Studios in Cheltenham (who have kindly donated those prizes).
YOU’VE ONLY CHOSEN BANDS YOU LIKE. Well, we wouldn’t choose bands we didn’t like would we? Thanks for your support!
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS CHELTENHAM FLOORING SERVICES
www.cheltenhamflooringservices.co.uk LANSDOWN STUDIOS lansdownrehearsalstudios@gmail.com
Prior to his performance at the 2 Pigs in Cheltenham on Friday 21st November, I caught up with Tom Spice to have a chat about how he prepares for performances and some of his experiences playing live… How do you decide what your setlist is going to be? I normally have a rough idea of what songs I want to play but I’ll feed off the crowd and change the set list around to suit the atmosphere. I have quite a big repertoire that I can take songs from so I’ll try and fit it to the crowd. Where do you like playing? I tend to play in pubs or in more intimate venues. In pubs it can be tricky if there’s people that are just in there for a drink and they don’t really expect you to be in the corner singing! Or there might be a drunk heckler that requests ‘Wonderwall’! But it’s a good experience. It’s different to a venue where it’s more professional and people that attend are purposely there to watch music.
TOM SPICE
Do you still get nerves before a gig or are you used to it now? No! I still get nervous, all the time. If I didn’t get nervous there would be something wrong! Do you have a rider? I don’t, I just ask for a few pints! A pint tends to help with the nerves a little and it has become part of my look now! It’s nice to go on stage with a drink.
www.facebook.com/tomspicemusic TOM SPICE, POLARY BEAR, FREEFALL & ALL EARS AVOW The night got off to a flying start when Tom Spice stepped on to the stage to kick off the night’s action. Playing a range of covers, the crowd went wild for a flamenco style rendition of ‘I Will Survive’, followed by ‘King of The Swingers’ (yes, that one from The Jungle Book!) that even included a scat solo.
Freefall
Polary Bear kept the audience going, their set of hard rock got rowdy and the crowd ate it up. Mosh pits were formed and crowd surfers were raised up to the heavens. Or the roof at least. Both the throng before the stage and the band themselves were unrestrained, as demonstrated in their lively antics. Freefall maintained the energy, keeping the crowd singing along. They played their own brand of pop-punk and covered Blondie’s ‘Maria’. Lead singer Elin Allan brought a powerful voice to the stage, and rocked the covers. All Ears Avow were by far the loudest act on a bill of loud acts. The mosh pits were a grand affair, one reveller even injuring themselves. Playing songs from their EP ‘Home’ and some new material, the headliners have certainly established themselves as an enthralling live band. They ended on ‘Crazy Chris’, dedicated to one of the members’ dads, rounding off what was an excellent night of local talent.
2 PIGS, CHELTENHAM
21ST NOVEMBER
Our thanks go to Tone Radio from University of Gloucestershire for their contributions. Tom Spice interview and 2 Pigs gig review by Hannah Barlow. http://www.toneradio.co.uk/