DECEMBER/JANUARY ISSUE 33 // FREE
NEW SOUNDS 2016 LOYLE CARNER DIET CIG NAO
THE PRETTIOTS
WET
& MORE
METROPOLIS MUSIC PRESENTS Metroplis Music by arrangement with The Agency Group presents
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P R I O R I T Y B O O K I N GS
WELCOME
LOYLE CARNER
I can’t believe it’s already this time again; album-of-the-year lists are rolling in and everyone’s placing their bets on next year’s big successes. There are some clear front runners in our minds and we’re so excited just to shout about all the things we’re looking forward too and all the releases we can’t wait to get our hands on. It’s not all about 2016 though, there’s still great albums coming out this MISSY ELLIOTT
year, there’s still a New Year’s Eve to plan (check the listings for ideas) and of course, there’s still all the Christmas parties. I have a feeling we’ll need that month off to recover. See you in February, and thanks for a completely brilliant year.
STAFF ON REPEAT the tracks we can’t stop listening to this month JESS: MAGIC MAGNET - KEVIN DEVINE DAVE: FVC - JACKET ON FIRE LOKI: BAD SOUNDS - AVALANCHE DANNY: MISSY ELLIOTT - WTF (WHERE THEY FROM) GEMMA: GRIMES - KILL V. MAIM JACK: FRANKIE COSMOS - YOUNG LiS 03
CONTENTS 08. ON THE STEREO
LONDON IN STEREO IS:
12. NEW SOUNDS: LOYLE CARNER
Editor: Jess Partridge jess@londoninstereo.co.uk
16. NEW SOUNDS: DIET CIG 19. NEW SOUNDS: WET, NAO, THE PRETTIOTS 26. NEW SOUNDS: DAY WAVE, JONES, KIIARA, OPEN MIKE EAGLE, BRUISING, ALLIE X, THE BIG MOON, MURA MASA 32. ALBUMS
Deputy Editor: Dave Rowlinson dave@londoninstereo.co.uk Sub-Editor/Sales: Loki Lillistone loki@londoninstereo.co.uk Staff Writers: Danny Wright Gemma Samways Jack Urwin Photography: Loyle Carner: Tim Boddy (timboddy.com) The Prettiots: Abi Dainton (abidainton.com)
40. EVENTS 45. GIGS OF THE MONTH 49. LIVE LISTINGS 67. INTO THE NIGHT 69. TALES FROM THE CITY 70. IN LONDON 73. PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
Contributors: Geoff Cowart, Kate Solomon, Tim Hakki, Thomas Hannan, Lee Wakefield, Lucie Grace, Hayley Scott, Henry Wilkinson, Francesca Baker, Amy Maxwell, Tom Walters, Woodrow Whyte. THE PRETTIOTS
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londoninstereo LiS 05
METROPOLIS MUSIC PRESENTS
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FRIDAY 29 APRIL - 8PM - 2AM
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P R I O R I T Y B O O K I N GS
THE LONDON IN STEREO TRACKS OF THE YEAR DIET CIG
MATES OF STATES
Goddammit if I haven’t been falling hard for this kind of free-wheeling guitar rush all my pop life, and goddammit if ‘Harvard’ isn’t just the purest hit of that rush I've experienced in forever and longer. It’s the joyful sense of abandon. It’s the swearing (obviously). It’s the bitterness and savage wit. It’s the way Alex Luciano can invest the word “sweater” with a venom you’d hesitate to direct at your archnemesis, let alone knitwear. It took just this one song to win Diet Cig a permanent place in my flinty heart. Dave Rowlinson
It’s pretty easy to choose a track of the year when your favourite band reappears after what felt like a lifetime away and bring with them some of the strongest tracks of their fifteen year career. ‘Staring Contest’ has everything, it’s upbeat without being sickly, it’s sharp but never aggressive and it’s accompanied by a hilarious video, to boot. When they returned to the UK, for the first time after almost a decade this year, we learnt never to miss the opportunity to see them play this live too. Just ridiculous amounts of fun. Jess Partridge
HARVARD
STARING CONTEST
MATES OF STATE MORE 2015 BANGERS ‘N’ POP HITS: Chairlift ‘Ch-ching’, Emmy The Great ‘Swimming Pool’, Summer Camp ‘Bad Love’, Little Simz ‘Dead Body’, Colleagues ‘Talk It Out’, Wolf Alice ‘You’re A Germ’, Deerhunter ‘Breaker’, Bully ‘Trying’, Sufjan Stevens ‘Fourth Of July’, Father John Misty ‘Ideal Husband’, Ezra Furman ‘Lousy Connection’, Nadine Shah ‘Stealing Cars’, Panda Bear ‘Mr Noah’, Loyle Carner ‘Tierney Terrace’, Krista Papista ‘Modern Girlhood’, Julie N Baker ‘Something’.
OUGHT
OUGHT
TITUS ANDRONICUS
BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKY
DIMED OUT
From its hypnotic bassline and metronomic percussion, to the way Tim Darcy creates semantic satiation with a monologue of mundane pleasantries, ‘Beautiful Blue Sky’ is a masterclass in the power of repetition. Sparse yet epic, addictively simple yet deceptively complex: in Ought’s hands, eight minutes of pure apathy feels euphoric. Gemma Samways
Nothing in 2015 came close to the urgency, fury, and sheer cathartic joy of the first single from rock opera The Most Lamentable Tragedy. Spitting on authority and conformity in its lyrics, ‘Dimed Out’ shot for the title of instant punk classic, and with strong melodies, rousing choruses and strings courtesy of everyone’s favourite Owen Pallett, boy did it achieve that. Jack Urwin
JULIA HOLTER FEEL YOU Every time I listen to ‘Feel You’ it fills me with a sense of wonder and possibilities. It’s the sun-kissed melody that illuminates my thoughts. It’s that euphoric swell, like full colour bleeding into a monochrome scene. The arrangement of harpsichord and strings. The way she says "myth-o-logic-al", picking apart each syllable. I love everything about it. Danny Wright
TITUS ANDRONICUS
LiS 09
COMMUNION PRESENTS TUE 1 DECEMBER BUSH HALL
CHATHAM COUNTY LINE WED 2 DECEMBER THE LEXINGTON
MEGAN WASHINGTON SUN 6 DECEMBER NOTTING HILL ARTS CLUB
COMMUNION CLUBNIGHT
MON 7 DECEMBER THE WAITING ROOM
PIXEL FIX
WED 9 DECEMBER SEBRIGHT ARMS
TENTERHOOK WED 9 DECEMBER SHACKLEWELL ARMS
FOXTROTT
THU 28 JANUARY O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
DAUGHTER
FRI 29 JANUARY ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL
THE LONE BELLOW WED 10 FEBRUARY BARFLY
PIXEL FIX WED 17 FEBRUARY O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS THU 18 FEBRUARY UNION CHAPEL
FRANCES
TUE 23 FEBRUARY O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
BOY & BEAR
THU 25 FEBRUARY THE COURTYARD
THU 17 DECEMBER SECRET LOCATION
TOR MILLER
SUN 10 JANUARY NOTTING HILL ARTS CLUB
HALF MOON RUN
HAUS
COMMUNION CLUBNIGHT WED 20 JANUARY THE SOCIAL
ADAM FRENCH
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JAMES BAY
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LEON BRIDGES
MON 25 JANUARY HOXTON BAR & KITCHEN
JACK GARRATT
WED 27 JANUARY THE SOCIAL
PHIL COOK
MARLON WILLIAMS ANDERSON EAST RUKHSANA MERRISE
FRI 15 APRIL O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON TUE 3 MAY 100 CLUB
SAT 18 JUNE SHEPHERD’S BUSH
BUSHSTOCK FESTIVAL
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Keep it real. That’s the motto of young south London rapper, Loyle Carner. But this ain’t the ‘real’ of a thuggish rap brag – it’s the down home reality of making your niece scrambled eggs or letting your kid brother star in your new video. Loyle – or Ben Loyle-Carner to his mum – is the 21-year-old hip hop sensation who is busy ripping up the rulebook to create startlingly personal and positive rap, armed with plenty of boom bap. I caught up with him on the final date of his recent UK tour to ask the hot question on everyone’s lips: Where’s the debut album? “I’m working on it,” he says with a wry smile. “I don’t want to rush it. But an album is where my head is at.” If you caught Loyle’s scorching Visions festival set at London Fields Brewery this summer or watched any of his intimate self-directed videos, you’ve already clocked his prodigious talent. And it wasn’t missed by the folks at the prestigious Brit school, who handed Loyle a drama scholarship. Not bad for the dyslexic kid who found it hard to concentrate at school. A short lifetime of writing has certainly helped him as a musician. “Writing: it’s just the thing I do,” he insists. “That’s how the music came about. It’s not that I was trying to make music – I was just trying to make sense of a few things in my head. I’ve been telling rhymes forever. I write for me.”
and his life, painfully reflected in Loyle’s song ‘BFG’ as he achingly croaks out the lines: “Everybody says I’m fucking sad/Of course I’m fucking sad, I miss my fucking dad.” It’s this openness that makes Loyle – and his music – so endearing, setting him apart from the many fantasists and egotists in the rap game. “Before I released my first EP I was very nervous,” he admits. “I was talking about things very close to home and I wasn’t so sure how they would be received. “It was a gamble and it would have been hard to take the criticism as I felt vulnerable. But it was a real eye-opener when I started to realise that people were feeling the same way that I was and had gone through similar things in life. I don’t think I would have known that until I wrote the songs.” Loyle admits his fledgling success has been an ‘unbelievable’ surprise, especially as he’s now recognised outside the London rap scene. “This tour sold out. It’s been very busy every night, which feels insane.”
Growing up, he split his time between his family house in West Norwood and his Nan's in Brixton. “Until I got into a secondary school in Croydon,” he says, “And we moved out about the time I turned fifteen. Today, it’s just me, my mum and my brother at home.”
When the conversation returns to his promised debut, I asked who he’s got his eye on as a collaborator. He replies without hesitation: “Andre 3000. He’s an idol of mine.” And in that second I catch a sense of Loyle’s true hunger and aspiration, before he settles back into the boy-next-door routine to name-check his long-time producer, Rebel Kleff.
Conversely, it’s his late stepfather who remains omnipresent in both his music
“I met Kleff through a Brit friend,” he says with a smile, “My mate knew that
LOYLE CARNER words: Geoff Cowart photography: Tim Boddy I was making raps with no beats, and that Kleff was making beats with no raps. So we got together – and we’ve been inseparable ever since.” That’s no joke. Check out their video for ‘Ain’t Nothing Changed’. The two are decked out as grandpas, complete with special effect make-up, shooting
pool and reminiscing about old times. If nothing else, it offers a humbling message for his fans: when you partner-up with Loyle, be prepared to go the distance. LISTEN TO: Ain't Nothing Changed LIVE: February 16th - Village Underground. ONLINE: soundcloud.com/loyle-carner // @loylecarner facebook.com/LoyleCarner LiS 13
Goldenvoice Presents
AUTOBAHN
01.12.15 SEBRIGHT ARMS
DISCLOSURE
+ LION BABE & EATS EVERYTHING 01.12.15 SOLD OUT ALEXANDRA PALACE 02.12.15SOLD OUT ALEXANDRA PALACE 03.12.15 ALEXANDRA PALACE
ISLAND
MARIBOU STATE 17.02.16 KOKO
HONNE
03.03.16 BRIXTON ELECTIRC
ELLIE GOULDING + JOHN NEWMAN 24.03.16 THE O2 25.03.16 THE O2
WOLF ALICE
26.03.16 SOLD OUT O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
+ OTZEKI
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08.12.15SOLD OUT THE VICTORIA DALSTON
28.03.16 O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
MEADOWLARK
MATT & KIM
14.12.15 THE LEXINGTON
THE MAGIC GANG 15.12.15 THE LEXINGTON
JASON ISBELL
+ JOHN MORELAND 22.01.16 02 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
THE LIBERTINES 30.01.16 THE O2
ANNE-MARIE
01.02.16 VILLAGE UNDERGROUND
08.04.16 THE SCALA
YEARS & YEARS 08.04.16 THE SSE ARENA WEMBLEY
FATHER JOHN MISTY 18.05.16 SOLD OUT THE ROUNDHOUSE 19.05.16 THE ROUNDHOUSE
SHURA
26.05.16 O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
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29.11.15 02 ACADEMY BRIXTON
11.02.16 O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
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VILLAGERS
NOV – MAY
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING
Goldenvoice Presents
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FRIDAY 08 APRIL
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THURSDAY 26 MAY 2016
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LIVE SHOW
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WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2016
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It’s 11am in Brooklyn and Diet Cig have just woken up. “It is actually kind of late for us,” guitarist and singer Alex Luciano insists, lest you think they spend all day lounging about in bed instead of heading out to their day jobs or, y’know, cracking on with their debut album. Some of us have been waiting a while. We’re speaking in early November. The band’s first EP, Over Easy, was recorded around this time last year and, for an EP that was kind of recorded by accident, it was an amazing success. In fact, a lot of things about Diet Cig seem like the breezy coincidences you’d find in an indie rom com. Just take their meet-cute: the scene, a college houseparty. Noah Bowman was drumming with his old band, Earl Boykins, when Alex interrupted the set to ask him for a lighter for her friend. He didn’t have one, but he did have a bottle of wine... One minute they were a couple college kids hanging out at a kegger, the next they were Diet Cig, soundtracking break-ups and make-ups across the world, asking us all if it feels better in an Ivy League sweater. photo: Andrew Piccone
Diet Cig’s songs are small, in a way. They pointedly ask about your new girlfriend or tell you to shut up about your band, snapshots of what it is to be young and American and more worried about dancing than the future - small, everyday concerns that translate across oceans. The band are a bit flabbergasted by the reaction. “I think the universe aligned and our music hit people in the right spot at the right time,” Alex says, trying to make sense of it. “When we released it we didn't think there was really anything that special about it and then a lot of people were like, 'We connect with this so much!' It was kind of weird.” “Yeah, I still don't really understand it,” Noah adds. As nice as crowds yelling their songs back at them and occasionally getting recognised might be, it puts quite a bit of pressure on the duo to nail their debut album. It’s in the works as we speak, they assure me. They are “writing it. Hardcore.” But the list of reasons why it’s taken a while that immediately follows makes you wonder if that pressure is making things a bit tricky. “Before we wrote [Over Easy] we didn't even know we were going to record it,” Noah says. “And this time we have so many things lined up already for next year, it's like we have to write it, in a way.” It’s not just the schedule worrying Alex, whose skills as a songwriter and musician have increased massively. Before she and Noah became Diet Cig, she had only ever played “cutesy” acoustic guitar and plugging in an electric one was a revelation. “Everyone's listening now,” she says. “And they have this idea of the kind of music we're going to put out and all that stuff. So I feel like I'm growing as a musician in general and I'm scared that it will be different.”
DIET CIG words: Kate Solomon You can tell that Diet Cig have grown, even from the two-song EP they put out later in the year, bursting with beefy riffs and fuller vocals - and the album will feature more of the same. “It's going to be big,” Noah says. “Just because we’re a two piece doesn’t mean that it's going to be stripped down a lot, we’re going to keep it big in some way. So we're trying our best to do that without making it seem like there's fifteen other people playing.” Keeping the live show bouncing is a big deal to Diet Cig, whose whirlwind set blew us away at CMJ this year. They start every show with a ‘Shake It Off’ dance party and are keen not to lose any
danceable real estate to a third member. “I think people underestimate the two piece band,” Alex says. “There's a lot of times that we get up to go play a show and a lot of bros are like 'Oh, a two piece band fronted by this small girl' - and then we play and they're like 'Woaaaah!' And I'm just like, 'Yeah! Bye!'”
LISTEN TO: Scene Sick LIVE: January 12th - Old Blue Last (with Bruising). January 13th - Servant Jazz Quarters. January 14th - The Lexington for The Line Of Best Fit’s 5 Day Forecast. ONLINE: dietcig.bandcamp.com // @dietcig facebook.com/dietcigmusic LiS 17
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WET words: Tom Walters Having been jamming together since 2007 when they met in New York City, Kelly Zutrau, Joe Valle and Marty Sulkow – collectively known as Wet – have been slowly but surely redefining what it means to be an indie rock band in this day and age. In January they release their eagerly anticipated debut album Don’t You - a highly refined collection of widescreen yet intimate pop songs that glow and tingle with relatable, deeply personal lyrics and stellar, mesmerising production. Having rented a house in West Massachusetts and secluded themselves within it for the recording process, it sounds like, on the surface, that what Wet intended to do was to create a record that’s more akin to something from Grouper or Chelsea Wolfe; all dark corners in rooms that barely see any sunshine. However, their reclusiveness has proven to produce just the opposite: the songs on Don’t You are intricate and introspective, and are produced so cleanly that they could well be a soundtrack for the next star-studded cult indie film classic.
Sometimes they glisten in trickles of sunshine as if bathed in early morning dew, other times they take on a late-night noir that’s smooth and sultry. Yet the sonic clarity of the songs particularly on the new versions of previous singles ‘Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl’ and ‘You’re The Best’ - don’t disenfranchise the genuine rawness that Wet have encapsulated. Sulkow’s guitars are crystal clear and moving, whilst Valle’s skills in tying that with Zutrau’s ethereal vocals solidify a chemistry that’s natural and alluring. ‘Weak’ is a shivering, nervous track made confident with Zutrau’s impressive vocal display, and it’s this conviction that Wet have developed over their slow-burning writing process that helps them sound genuinely convincing in their heartache. You won’t find a more self-assured indie pop band ready to take on 2016.
LISTEN TO: Don't Wanna Be Your Girl LIVE: March 23rd - The Scala. ONLINE: kanyewet.biz // @wet // facebook.com/wet LiS 19
In many respects, 2015 has already been a breakthrough year for Nao. There were outstanding reviews for her second EP, most notably from Pitchfork, who hailed February 15 “Best New Music”. There were stunning performances at The Great Escape, Latitude and the Apple Music Festival. There was a collaboration with Disclosure, followed by a MOBO nomination for ‘Best Newcomer’. Now she’s set to cap off an incredible twelve months with her first headline tour. If, to the casual observer, Nao’s ascent seems rapid, it’s worth stepping back and appreciating the singer-songwriter’s journey. Born in East London, Nao’s formative years were spent absorbing the musical tastes of her five siblings, which ranged from SWV and Jagged Edge to Mobb Deep and Missy Elliott. From there she studied vocal jazz at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and then spent several years post-graduation teaching singing to school children. It wasn’t until 2013 that she began writing original material, and it took a further year for her to share her debut EP. Led by the superb A.K. Paul duet of the same name, So Good’s neon-lit strain of funk and neo-soul provided an intriguing introduction to Nao, both as a songwriter and as a vocalist. And what a voice it is: lithe and sweet, with a subtle power, it bathes every syllable in light. February 15 proved a much more effective vehicle for it, offering slicker production and increasingly inventive arrangements, characterised by sloping sub-bass and fractured beats. There was a wider
NAO words: Gemma Samways stylistic range too, extending from the sashaying electro-funk of ‘Inhale Exhale’ to the sensuous R&B of ‘Apple Cherry’. ‘Bad Blood’ – the lead single from her forthcoming LP – is better still. Robust kick drum and syncopated synth flourishes provide a minimal base for Nao to riff across octaves and play with the space between notes. If the rest of the record is of a similar quality, 2016 will be the biggest year for her career yet. LISTEN TO: Bad Blood LIVE: December 3rd - Heaven, ONLINE: thisnao.com // @thisNAO // facebook.com/thisnao LiS 21
THE PRETTIOTS words: Jack Urwin photography: Abi Dainton You know those bands, right? Those bands? The ones everyone tells you to listen to and you listen to and you think, “Yeah, this is alright,” and forget about them? The Prettiots are the opposite of those bands, The Prettiots are one of those rare gems of instantaneous joy, The Prettiots are – basically – life-affirming. It does take a certain suspension of prejudice to get started because, well, there’s a fucking ukulele in the band and we’ve all been burned before, but once you get past your fear of overly cutesy, twee-folk-pop, you’re set. That’s not necessarily to say their music isn’t cutesy or twee, but that it’s so damn good you won’t really care. In terms of what they’re saying beyond the instruments, there have been few recent artists so genuinely accomplished or self-assured. The trio’s songs are littered with seriously funny lyrics, but at times the comedy’s so fucking dark you want to cry; the musical equivalent of an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, what Father John Misty would sound like if you stripped him of his overinflated ego and other flaws.
‘Suicide Hotline’, for instance, sees Kay Kasparhauser simultaneously lamenting her misery and counting her blessings (“Woolf took a dip with some rocks in her pockets/I’d say comparatively I’ve got a bad case of the fuck its”) while at other points her less structured, awkward train-of-thought writing style recalls the likes of Jeffrey Lewis: “He was so good at texting, but our real conversations vexed me, so I moved onto the next thing, cause he was only good at texting”, she sings on ‘Boys (I Dated In Highschool)’. There’s something very current about The Prettiots, and their music is hugely reflective of their youth - although absolutely not in a way that suggests inexperience or naivety. Crucially, in an era of global uncertainty, their cynical, introspective outlook is utterly relatable and honestly, above all, it’s just a great deal of fun. LISTEN TO: Suicide Hotline ONLINE: theprettiots.com // @theprettiots LiS 23
Craig Richards Terry Francis Alan Fitzpatrick Alex Arnout Cosmin TRG CW/A (Live) Eats Everything Floorplan George Fitzgerald James Ruskin John Digweed Luke Slater Marcel Fengler
fabric Dec/Jan Margaret Dygas Mark Broom Maya Jane Coles Nina Kraviz Paco Osuna Peter Van Hoesen Petre Inspirescu Raresh Rhadoo Ricardo Villalobos Richy Ahmed Seth Troxler Sigha Slam Steve Bug Plus many more...
December 2015 Audio Break Brockie & Det Cause & Affect Champion Delta Heavy Digital Soundboy Dillinja DJ Hype (2 Hour Set) Ed Rush & Optical B2B Black Sun Empire Emanuel Satie Flava D Friend Within GotSome Groove Armada (DJ Set) Hazard High Contrast Icicle Joe Ford Koan Sound Mistajam Klose One B2B New York Transit Authority Potential Bad Boy Rockwell Tom Shorterz www.fabriclondon.com
DAY WAVE words: George O’Brien
JONES words: Gemma Samways
“We don’t fit in, not even a little bit,” Jackson Phillips explains in one of his attention-grabbing early releases; musically, he is hugely mistaken. The floating shoegaze of his Day Wave project sticks to a simple but magically effective lo-fi formula: metronomic rhythms created by a relentless, running bass and snare, alongside his hypnotic guitar lines, form the basis of Phillips’ infectious surf-pop work, which has already won him a host of fans with gently emo-leaning sentiments. There’s a sense of self-pity that resonates through his lyrics, outlining social and romantic disappointment, while his knack for hazily uplifting choruses - see ‘Drag’ and ‘Total Zombie’ - seem to juxtapose, ensuring his effortlessly moreish sound prevails. Subtle references to Joy Division (a cover of ‘Ceremony’ appeared at a recent London show) and inspiration from the quieter moments of The Strokes and Weezer, mean Day Wave are more than fitting in the picture for 2016’s lo-fi rock renaissance. LISTEN TO: Drag ONLINE: daywavemusic.tumblr.com // @daywavemusic // facebook.com/daywavemusic
Very seldom do I side with Sam Smith, but he was spot-on when he took to Instagram to declare Cherie Jones’ debut EP “fucking beautiful”. Released back in April via 37 Adventures, Indulge found the East Londoner gliding between sparse, guitar-led soul, Solange-worthy pop and glitchy, A.K. Paul-assisted R&B, and demonstrating a restraint all too rare in developing artists. Though clearly in possession of a strong, supple voice, Jones displays refreshingly little interest in vocal showboating. Instead she uses her graceful tones as another device to add light and shade, and this subtlety lends her lovelorn compositions both maturity and emotional authenticity. If Jones’ stunning latest single ‘Hoops’ is representative of the forthcoming full-length, New Skin, spring 2016 can’t come soon enough. LISTEN TO: Hoops LIVE: February 3rd - Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA). ONLINE: thisisjones.com // @ISeeJones // facebook.com/jones
What do we know about Kiiara? Well, she's twenty, from Illinois, and works in a hardware store. At least, she did a few months ago. That was before she uploaded ‘Gold’ on to Soundcloud, a glitchy trip into a sensual R‘n’B utopia. It had folks grinding on inanimate objects in their bedrooms like someone with an insatiable fetish for Ikea furniture. She insists on her Twitter that she's still “broke af” (hardware employment status: unconfirmed) but one assumes she won't be for much longer. If ‘Gold’ got our attention, then follow-up ‘Feels’ was an invitation for 24 hour surveillance. Its transient air, cushioned with wisps of falsetto, masks a dark underbelly. “And I got way too many feels, way too much emotion,” she divulges, before the twist, “All this Xans inside my body, I say fuck it keep on drowning”. Woozy production from SZA collaborator Felix Snow has helped Kiiara stick out amongst a crowded field. All these feels are hard to resist. LISTEN TO: Feels ONLINE: soundcloud.com/kiiaraonline // @KIIARA // facebook.com/kiiaraofficial
KIIARA words: Woodrow Whyte
The fact that Open Mike Eagle is on this list is disappointing. Not that he isn’t amazing – he most certainly is. But, you see, he should already be huge. Since he released his first album Unapologetic Art Rap in 2010 he’s shown himself to be a rapper of magnificent skill, and boy is he funny (he’s even recently opened gigs for comedians such as Paul F. Tompkins). That’s the trick: he’s serious and seriously funny. He calls what he does art rap, but all the thoughtful messages are wrapped in genuinely sidesplitting humour. So though “the failure of Karl Marx’s Proletariat Revolution”, the main theme of his last album Dark Comedy, hardly seems a topic ripe for laughs, he does it by deftly bringing all his skills together; fusing indie and electronic-inspired beats with his razor-sharp wordplay (he has proclaimed himself “the King of all rappers who don’t condone date rape"). Now he just needs a larger platform to showcase his skills. We think 2016 might be the year that happens. LISTEN TO: Qualifiers LIVE: January 14th - Birthdays. ONLINE: mikeeagle.net/ // @Mike_Eagle // facebook.com/mikeeagleraps
OPEN MIKE EAGLE words: Danny Wright LiS 27
Bruising are testament to Leeds’ currently thriving DIY scene. Having formed over a mutual appreciation of Perfect Pussy and all things fuzzy, singer and guitarist Naomi Baguley and Ben Lewis began exchanging voice memos from their phones until they finally met and started writing songs. Since then they’ve exhibited an unfailing propensity for woozy and seductive fuzz pop.
BRUISING words: Hayley Scott
Describing them as ‘the best new guitar band in the country’ as others have, would counteract my contempt for hyperbole, but it’s a summary that’s not far-off, and they're even more infectious live. Their debut single ‘Emo Friends/Honey’ has all the facets of the best kind of indie pop: soft, muffled vocals counteracted by a wall of guitar dissonance, and most importantly – never earnest or afraid of making noise. It’s a promising introduction to the band and their debut album is likely to be one of 2016’s most eagerly awaited. LISTEN TO: Emo Friends LIVE: January 12th - Old Blue Last (with Diet Cig). ONLINE: @BruisingMusic // facebook.com/bruisingmusic
Allie X is different. That’s been clear since she arrived alien-like more than eighteen months ago; mysterious and fascinating. Not many musicians, for example, base their music on Carl Jung’s concept of the "shadow self”, focusing on the dark side of themselves that embodies all of their shame and pain (or did The Saturdays do that?). And not many have created “a full multimedia Xperience” comprising seven songs, visuals, and a comic, centered around the character “X.” as she did for her debut release 'CollXtion I’ (which she refuses to define as an album or EP).
ALLIE X words: Danny Wright
So yes, she’s provocatively pretentious (some have lazily called her the Canadian Lady Gaga). But she’s also got the songs: edgy electro-pop which is soaring, theatrical and weird in the best possible way. Just listen to ‘Catch’ and you’ll see what we’re talking about. It sounds like Chvrches with bigger, darker hooks. Pop is getting even weirder. And it’s great. LISTEN TO: Catch ONLINE: alliexandra.com // @alliex // facebook.com/alliexxxxandra
The ghosts of London’s past haunt The Big Moon’s music. They’re present in the grungy textures cribbed from prospective-SaintMartins-student-era PJ Harvey, or in the elastic guitar rhythms of The Slits. The ghosts of London’s present leave an irascible mark too. The Big Moon sound very much like what’s going on in the capital right now between bands like Yak, Wolf Alice and Fat White Family. But us journos are always busting our guts with comparisons in the hope that we can words: Tim Hakki transport sounds into your head. The truth of the matter is The Big Moon rock like Everest, and if you’ve heard the unholy and exhilarating clamour of last year’s debut song ‘Eureka Moment’ you’ll probably agree. There’s newer material to get through on their SoundCloud and some live dates throughout the winter. It’s a ripe moment for them now so get into them before the inevitable press and radio scrummage begins.
THE BIG MOON
LISTEN TO: Sucker LIVE: January 21st, 22nd and 23rd - O2 Brixton Academy (supporting The Maccabees) ONLINE: soundcloud.com/commoonicate // @commoonicate // facebook.com/commoonicate
There’s little point in pretending that Mura Masa isn’t in good company. As a British producer, the youthful Londoner has a slew of homegrown competition to jostle against, with plenty bubbling to the surface over the previous twelve months. Unlike his contemporaries, however, Alex Crossan boasts a craft that is as effortless as it is addictive; a sound that slots in as easily amongst the swaying masses in the club, as it does seamlessly oozing from your headphones the morning after the night before. And when ‘Love For That’ dropped last month, a quietly affirming affair that featured Shura’s dreamy vocal, listeners finally followed him to the stratosphere. Perhaps it’s the manner in which Crossan weaves his electronica, stitched together by spiralling soundscapes and startling emotion, often reminiscent of Jon Hopkins at his most poignant, but always lurking in sonic territory that boasts tantalising crossover appeal. When you can make even the steeliest listener groove like Mura Masa can, anything is possible. LISTEN TO: Lovesick Fuck ONLINE: muramasa.me // @mura_masa_ // facebook.com/MuramasaMusic
MURA MASA words: Lee Wakefield LiS 29
ALBUMS
RECORD OF THE MONTH HINDS
LEAVE ME ALONE This time last year a group of four charismatic women from Madrid were being hotly tipped by many publications (including this one) as a major new act to follow. Deers, as they were then called before legal threats from a band that nobody has heard of, arrived off the back of a zesty two track demo and in little more than a few months became a highly sought after international touring band. It’s the kind of magic that dreams are made of. And in a nice act of cosmic mirroring, our Hinds photo: cover stars for the New Sounds issue last year Lucy Johnston are now heading up the reviews section. Debut LP Leave Me Alone sees them distilling all the ramshackle elements of their garage rock ruckus into a full-length package. The problem is that at times it feels like a twelve track demo. The highlights here are mainly tracks we’ve already heard: ‘Bamboo’ is still their lazy hazy trump card and ‘Castigas En El Granero’ remains one of their best Lucky Number songs. Wherever you turn on this album there’s a sense that January 8th Hinds haven’t advanced much musically in a year, and for Stand Out Tracks: a band that’s been touring as relentlessly as they have it’s Bamboo no surprise. Castigas En El Granero When Hinds are at their most beguiling they resemble And I Will Send Your various surf and garage rock artists from the past. Their live Flowers Back set cover of Thee Headcoats’ nineties classic ‘Davey Warts Crockett’ is a good indicator of the feel-good direction Live: February 19th, Koko they’re capable of going in. More often than not ‘Leave Me Alone’ recalls more recent bands though. Album opener ‘Garden’ resembles 180-era Palma Violets and ‘Fat Calmed Kiddos’ sounds like a Twin Peaks deep cut. There are, however, a few things that put Hinds in a league of their own. ‘Chili Town’ announces itself with a Libertines-esque chromatic chord progression before becoming a lackadaisical soundtrack to cerveza soaked fiestas. The downtempo crawl of ‘And I Will Send Your Flowers Back’ also makes for something memorable, and even sinister. Hinds have made the best album they can at this point. It’s less of a product in itself and more a precursor to their new live show. Perhaps it was too-much-too-soon for a band whose early live reviews highlighted their irreverent lack of preparation. Hinds are still a fun band, and this package will be worth a purchase for their fans. They have the melodic sensibility to go far, they just need to be less predictable. Tim Hakki
TORTOISE
THE CATASTROPHIST Thrill Jockey // January 22nd Like their namesakes, Tortoise aren’t ones for rushing things – the gap between The Catastrophist and its predecessor is six years, representing the longest layoff in their history. Time will tell whether it’ll be held in as high a regard as 90s classics Millions Now Living Will Never Die and TNT, but taking it on face value, it’s really pretty great. Seven minute opus ‘Gesceap’ is both the centrepiece and highlight, a masterclass in gently mutating repetition, and while ‘Rock On’ does nothing of the sort, its brass-heavy march in to your subconscious is one you shouldn’t try to halt. Of course it’s characteristically obtuse in places – and ‘Yonder Blue’ attempts to redefine languid – but if you’ve enjoyed Tortoise pre-hibernation, you can safely herald their return. Thomas Hannan
LEROY
SKLÄSH Schamoni/Disko B // December 4th There’s no gentle introduction to the music of Bavarian-based Leo Hopfinger, as the near thirteen minute opening track on Skläsh attests. An opiate spurred jam with krautrock tendencies, ‘Like a Disease’ plays like a sonic voyage through the infinite, descending into sound collage and music concrete, though never losing its dub-inflected rhythm. Hopfinger’s penchant for including field recordings and found sounds continues throughout the record, lending it a home-made charm and stringing together these disparate, predominantly instrumental set pieces. ‘Blue Sea’ is a curious folk tune, re-imagined with the spirit of Arthur Russell, ‘Skai’ a sort of electronic bossanova and ‘Untitled Long Time’ a take on Brainfeeder’s oeuvre. An album with all the crowd pleasers apparently taken out, you have to put in a bit of effort to get the rewards. Henry Wilkinson
LIZZO
BIG GRRRL SMALL WORLD BGSW Records // December 11th When Lizzo released ‘Ain’t I’, her second single from Big GRRRL Small World, she described it as “the thesis” for the whole record. As well as setting out what’s on her mind womanhood, race, equality, strength, friendship, not taking any of your shit - it also serves as a perfect musical microcosm. Coming out all beats blazing, it retreats into a contemplative middle eight of tinkling hotel bar piano and breathy vocals, before heading back into more danceable territory. Everything that makes up the album is right here. The titular bangers of her debut, Lizzobangers, are still here but they’ve matured from angry rants to meticulous takedowns. Sounding both older and bolder, it feels like Lizzo has not only mastered what she’s saying but how she’s saying it too. Kate Solomon LiS 33
MONEY
SUICIDE SONGS Bella Union // January 29th Talk about putting your money where your mouth is… Once upon a time there was a Manchester band who wrote a humble song called ‘I Am the Resurrection’. Now 23 years later, some younger Mancunians have penned a revelatory tune called ‘I Am the Lord’ and used it to kick off their second album. Clocking in at over six minutes, it’s suitably grandiose in its creeping euphoria and is impressively haunting. So is this the second coming? Well, the perversely moody and swooning gallows humour of lyricist and singer Jamie Lee is certainly ear-catching. And, like his uni mate sidekicks Billy Byron and Charlie Cocksedge, he is not afraid to mix up the songwriting. Whether it’s the trumpet line on the title track or the stringed Indian dilruba on the opener, the sonic variety helps break up the strummed acoustic guitar-heavy dirge. Picture Zach Condon of Beirut being transplanted to Rusholme and forced to play at half speed. “The record is morbid and bleak, and never resolves itself,” Jamie states. And he’s not joking. It does get a bit lighter towards the end, or about the time you reach the stunningly titled closer of ‘Cocaine Christmas and An Alcoholic’s New Year’ – a song that would give even Shane MacGowan palpitations. But by then you’ve already been to hell and back. Fear not: there’s always time to press play again and experience the joyous hope of the album’s beginning. Geoff Cowart
NZCA LINES
INFINITE SUMMER Memphis Industries // January 22nd For admirers of low budget, Aaliyah-influenced synth-pop, 2011 peaked with the release of NZCA Lines’ hugely-promising eponymous debut. Following a spell in Metronomy’s touring band, Michael Lovett has now revived his geoglyph-referencing nom de plume, and expanded the project to include ex-Ash guitarist Charlotte Hatherley and Hot Chip’s Sarah Jones. As per its predecessor, Infinite Summer is the product of esoteric influences, which range from sci-fi writers Clifford D. Simak and Brian Aldiss to Peter Gabriel-era Genesis. There’s an elaborate plot too, following the inhabitants of a “far-future Earth” as they attempt to maintain relationships - and hope - in the face of imminent apocalypse. Peer beneath the high-concept gloss, however, and you’ll find a universal tale of loneliness and romantic longing. Hatherley and Jones’ vocals are particularly helpful in this respect, providing a second perspective in the narrative, plus a counterpoint for Lovett’s airy coo. They also accentuate NZCA Lines’ often-uncanny likeness to Metronomy. ‘Dark Horizon’ is the sort of stupendously brilliant slow jam that could have improved Love Letters, and the glittery stomp of ‘Two Hearts’ is worthy of The English Riviera. The influence of Daft Punk and French electro can be felt too, in the rococo trills on ‘How Long Does It Take’ and mellifluous synths that zoom around the steel drum solo in ‘Persephone Dreams’. But most impressive of all is Lovett’s ability to breathe warmth and humanity into his retro-futuristic creations. Gemma Samways
DAUGHTER
NOT TO DISAPPEAR 4AD // January 15th From its stark, reverberating opening, Not To Disappear is utterly gripping. Elena Tonra’s powerful guitar work complements her gorgeously haunting vocal as she works through the melancholy power of the band’s second long player. There is an unavoidable sadness in its air throughout; notably ‘Doing The Right Thing’ tragically cries “I have lost my children / I have lost my love / I just sit in silence” but this is mirrored by a underlying sense of determination that pours out most poignantly in the blisteringly epic ‘How’. ‘Fossa’ is uplifting too, placing the trio’s new work closer to label-mates The National, with its thundering percussion and inspired builds, while ‘No Care’ portrays exactly that sentiment as Tonra bares all with a brutal honesty that typifies this truly beautiful, near-flawless record. Stunning. George O’Brien
PROMISE & THE MONSTER
SOME SKELETONS
Bella Union // January 22nd
Mountain Of Records // December 4th
Walking along dark roads listening to Feed The Fire, the latest album from Promise & The Monster, is something of a haunting experience. I feel like the star of a film noir. Billie Lindahl's voice is sometimes sweet and mysterious – like on ‘Slow & Quiet’ – at others bold, evocative of Kate Bush – see ‘Hunter – and as the classically dramatic ‘Time Of The Season’ builds the scene is set. Glacial and expansive, delicate moments often fall into an urgent rush of burning intensity, pulsing and shifting through tempo and style. In the weepy ‘Erhu’, gothic organs, thumping drums and horns add a sensual and vampy air to the record’s grooving chords, in which Scandinavian folks songs merge with a steely sixties-ness. N.B. Listening in the dark is not compulsory. Francesca Baker
Sometimes creating something so seemingly imperfect can actually turn out to be surprisingly perfect. This isn't just a pretentious opening statement either, because Some Skeletons have somehow managed to create a record that’s so wrong it's right. The Nottingham trio's debut album is a turbulent journey of emotions, a combination of thoughtful melodies with a chaotically sombre vocal, that hovers somewhere between a madly upbeat Smashing Pumpkins and a melancholic Idlewild. Standout track 'To Exceed, To Achieve' encompasses the band’s depth and feeling, with heartwarming lyrics and swinging guitar. The moral of the story here is, if it works - but you’re not quite sure how or why - it’s probably better not to question it. Amy Maxwell
FEED THE FIRE
VIGILS
LiS 35
SANTIGOLD 99 CENTS
Atlantic Records // January 22nd "Everything is a product at this point but we can learn to play with it,” says Santi White of her 99 Cents album. And play with it she does. The record cover shows her shrink-wrapped among her possessions, and inside you’ll find songs splattered with life and colour. Patrik Berger provides the jubilant beats on her ode to self-love ‘Can’t Get Enough of Myself’ and, with the help of producers like Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij, Hit-Boy and Dave Sitek, the record pulses with a joyous energy. ‘Banshee’ sounds like a Technicolor Animal Collective while ‘Chasing Shadows’s effortless bounce is infectious. And even though heavier tracks like ‘Before The Fire’ leaden the mix slightly, it doesn’t dim the brightness at work. 99 Cents? Don’t undervalue what Santigold can offer. Danny Wright
SUDAKISTAN
CABALLO NEGRO PNKSLM // December 4th Since 2012 Sweden’s Sudakistan have built themselves a formidable reputation for being one of the best live bands in Sweden and now with their debut album they’re also establishing themselves as a singular force on record, too. Mostly of South American origin, Sudakistan combine the raucousness of Thee Oh Sees with the experimental psychedelia of fellow Swedes Goat as well as injecting their own thunderous Latino spirit. Fan favourite ‘Mundo Mamon’ is the best example of this, a triumphant, storming ode to Sweden that goes berserk right from the off, throwing chaotic vocals around frenetic guitar lines as if forming some sort of rally cry. Sudakistan are ready to bring the ruckus wherever you are, whenever you’re ready. Tom Walters
SEA PINKS
SOFT DAYS CF Records // January 8th Despite having four pristine guitar-pop albums to their name, Sea Pinks still remain relatively obscure to those outside their native Belfast. Featuring the now established line-up of Neil Brogan (once of Girls Names and now part of Irish “supergroup” CRUISING), Steve Henry and Davey Agnew, Soft Days has a defining sound, and it’s that of a band who’ve really found their feet. Unlike the charming awkwardness of their debut Youth Is Wasted, in which songs like ‘Peripheral Vision’ cemented the band’s propensity for melody and indie pop that’s rugged at the edges, Sea Pinks sound assured here, without negating their lo-fi aesthetic in the process. Take all the best aspects of outsider pop from the last four decades and you’ve got Soft Days: a woozy, unfailing hybrid of 60s beat groups, 70s power pop, 80s indie pop, post 90s alt and psych. It’s informed by plenty but never too derivative, thanks to a reluctance to stick to one sound. Hayley Scott
PRESENTS
D SOLUT O
MORE INFO & ADVANCE TICKETS WWW.BIRDONTHEWIRE.NET
EVENTS
a selection of new stuff we’re excited about: LUCKY CHIP BURGERS AND WINE We’ve never been shy about our love for Lucky Chip: the early issues of LiS were all planned around the Sebright Arms’ tables and fuelled by countless Tom Sellecks and chilli-cheese fries – and we’ve followed them around ever since. There’s no doubt in our minds that these are our favourite London burgers. Given that, we’re overjoyed that their first permanent restaurant is so close to happening. Based in Dalston, the name Lucky Chip Burgers and Wine is pretty self-explanatory. Expect the full array of those glorious burgers and sides, a host of extra menu items, plus the classy addition of carefully selected wines to go with them. The LC guys have always loved their wine, and the thought of a glass (or two) of a full-bodied red and an El Chapo is enough to banish any thoughts of winter chills from our minds. We’ll eat and drink a lot in 2016, but we’ll bet there will be very little we’ll enjoy more than this long-waited-for venture. Opening early January 2016. Ridley Road, Dalston. lucky-chip.co.uk // @Lucky_Chip
THE OLD BLUE LAST AND DIY: HELLO 2016 We’re not big fans of looking back when it comes to music - there’s always so much new and exciting stuff to concentrate on instead. The very fine people of DIY have always bought into that ethos too, and their now traditional new music January shows are consistently a key pointer to what we’ll all be listening to in that year. With an allumni full of acts that have rocketed towards huge venues (oh hey, Wolf Alice and Girl Band) this is your chance to see the stars of tomorrow up close and personal. The full line-up is yet to be totally announced, but with the likes of Abattoir Blues Beach Baby and Pumarosa already involved, we just know it’s going to be great. Look out for those Planet Vibes DJs, too. Every Tuesday in January 2016. The Old Blue Last, EC2A 3ES. All shows are free. diymag.com // @diymagazine // facebook.com/diymag LiS 40
TINTIN: HERGÉ'S MASTERPIECE On face value this exhibition could be pure nostalgia for those that grew up on the adventures of Tintin, his dog Snowy and the iconic supporting cast. But whilst there’s undoubtedly an element of that there’s also a bunch more going on, as the pages are explored deeper. We probably missed the symbolism of windows when following Tintin to the moon, but this device – be they portholes, binoculars or camera viewfinders – was often used to represent openings into the world. But hey, if you’re just in it for the nostalgia, that’s all good too. Open now until Jan 31st 2016. Somerset House FREE. @SomersetHouse // #TINTINexhibition
© Hergé-Moulinsart 2015
THE ROUNDHOUSE ‘IN THE ROUND’ The Roundhouse has a really great habit of frequently conjuring up really interesting events. This ‘In The Round’ series is definitely one of those. With a fascinating array of artists performing – Gaz Coombes, Marianne Faithfull, John Cale, Rokia Traoré and Matthew E White make for one hell of an eclectic line-up – the chance to be seated in the round of the main hall and savour the richness of this sounds incredible. We’re especially excited to hear the beautiful sad songs of Keaton Henson resonate around this unique setting. Jan 28th-Feb 6th 2016, The Roundhouse, Camden. roundhouse.org.uk/intheround // @RoundhouseLDN
FABRIC: NYE 2015 There’s a lot of pressure to have a lot of fun on New Year’s Eve, so probably the smartest thing to do is put yourself in the hands of the professionals. This’ll be Fabric’s 17th NYE celebration, so you can be pretty sure they know what they’re doing. And to prove that, the line-up is a who’s who of guaranteed party-bringers. Residents Craig Richards and Terry Francis are joined by a stellar cast including the likes of Nina Kraviz, George FitzGerald and Maya Jane Coles. There will be much dancing, there will be a lot of dancing. December 31st. 9pm-9am, Fabric, EC1M 6HJ From £40. fabriclondon.com // @fabriclondon LiS 41
— W ED 02 D EC —
— T HU 17 DEC —
HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE
MATT WILLS SPECIAL GUESTS
SPECIAL GUESTS
— F RI 04 D EC
[1 8+]
— SUN 17 JAN —
CORB LUND
—
THE URBAN VOODOO MACHINE
THE BLAZING ZOOS
— T HU 21 JAN —
SPECIAL GUESTS + GYPSY HOTEL AFTER PARTY
UNCLE LUCIUS SPECIAL GUESTS
— M ON 07 D EC —
— SAT 06 FEB —
PETER SHOULDER
SHOALS
SPECIAL GUESTS
THE BEAUTIFUL GAME + KALEIDOS EYE + BLACK THISTLES
— TH U 10 D EC —
THE PETEBOX
— SAT 13 FEB —
TOO MANY T’S + THE CURIOUS INCIDENT
— W ED 16 D EC —
FEATHERS AND COGS FEATURING EMILY DOLAN DAVIES
THE GODFATHERS SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE BONANZA & SON
FOLLOW US THEGARAGEHIGHBURY
THEGARAGEHQ
THEGARAGELONDON
THEGARAGEHIGHBURY.COM 20-22 Highbury Corner, London, N5 1RD, United Kingdom. Tickets available from ticketweb.co.uk or 0844 847 2424 (24hr)
HOXTON SQUARE BAR AND KITCHEN GIG LISTINGS MON 30 NOV 8PM 18+ £7
FRI 11 DEC 7.30PM 18+ £9.50
WED 02 DEC 8PM 18+ £12
FRI 12 DEC 7PM 18+ £16
ETHAM MANSIONAIR + DEPRESNO LEDDRA CHAPMAN SPECIAL GUESTS
CHAD VALLEY OSLO PARKS
DEAF SCHOOL SPECIAL GUESTS WED 16 DEC 8PM 18+ £7
BIRDPEN SPECIAL GUESTS
COUNT COUNSELLOR SPECIAL GUESTS
FRI 04 DEC 8PM 18+ £9
FRI 08 JAN 7.30 PM 18+ £7
THU 03 DEC 8PM 18+ £6.50
DANNY LADWA BABILONDON (REGGAE ACOUSTIC SHOW) MON 07 DEC 8PM 18+ £7
BIG SCARY SPECIAL GUESTS
WED 09 DEC 8PM 18+ £8
YUKON BLONDE THE WOODEN SKY THU 10 DEC 8PM 18+ £5
MUTANT VINYL KATYA
BEN CAPLAN & THE CASUAL SMOKERS SPECIAL GUESTS MON 25 JAN 8PM 18+ £10
ANDERSON EAST SPECIAL GUESTS WED 27 JAN 8PM 16+ £7
LISBON SPECIAL GUESTS
THU 28 JAN 8PM 18+ £10
DAVID RAMIREZ SPECIAL GUESTS CLUB NIGHTS
EVERY FRIDAY 9PM-2AM 18+ £5
BOOM!
SAT 05 DEC 9PM-2AM 18+ £5
JAMIE RODIGAN PRESENTS
SAT 12 DEC 9PM-2AM 18+ £5
THE DOCTORS ORDERS
THU 31 DEC 9PM-5AM 18+ £22.50
DOCTORS ORDERS NYE THE NEXTMEN + DJ VADIM + DJ FORMAT + SPIN DOCTOR + DJ MO FINGAZ + WAH WAH 45S DJS
DJS EVERY WEDNESDAY – SUNDAY UNTIL LATE Hoxtonsquarebar
@HoxtonHQ
@HoxtonSquareBar
2-4 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6NU Tickets from hoxtonsquarebar.com and ticketweb.co.uk or 0844 847 2316 (24hr)
HOXTONSQUAREBAR.COM
Orange Yard, off Manette St, London W1D 4JB Follow us @theborderline and facebook.com/theborderline Tickets from theborderlinelondon.com or 0844 847 2465 (24hr)
WED 02 DEC 7PM 14+ £13 ADV
THE EUGENE HIDEAWAY BRIDGES BAND (USA) & THE MICKY MOODY BAND FEATURING ALI MAAS THU 03 DEC 7PM 14+ £17.50
THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG MON 07 DEC 7PM 14+ £12 ADV
BATTLE BEAST AND ALPHA TIGER UNHOLY SAVIOUR EUROPEAN TOUR 2015
TUE 15 DEC 7PM 14+ £15
U2 2 CONCERT IN AID OF MENCAP (TRIBUTE) FRI 18 DEC 7PM 14+ £17.50 ADV
THE DYLAN PROJECT
SUN 20 DEC 6.30PM 14+ £13 ADV
OLLIE WADE
FRI 22 JAN 7PM 14+ £20.50
DR FEELGOOD
SAT 23 JAN 7.30PM 14+ £20 ADV
DAVY O’LIST
THU 28 JAN 7PM 14+ £18
SAT 12 DEC 7PM 14+ £15 ADV
AARON WATSON
FEATURING KAELA ROWAN
SAT 30 JAN 7PM 14+ £15 ADV
SHOOGLENIFTY
SUN 13 DEC 7PM 14+ £9ADV
ELDER BROTHER CLAWS + TEEN BRAINS
ROBBY LONGO
VOODOO GLOW SKULLS
THE TALKS + POPES OF CHILLITOWN
Thursday 31 December CLASSIC INDIE, ROCK & BRITPOP
Join The Christmas Club in the ultimate Christmas afterparty this NYE, and help us see out the iconic indie night’s 26th year!
GIGS OF THE MONTH
OUR PICK OF THE BEST SHOWS HAPPENING IN DECEMBER & JANUARY
THE OLD BLUE LAST
CAVALRY // TUSKA // MODERN RUIN // HAZING The ever-reliable Disorder put on another night of the best new music, headed up by the much talked-about Cavalry. Catch them now!
11/12/15 FREE @theoldbluelast OLD STREET
SHACKLEWELL ARMS
BUSH HALL
We’re hearing traces of Girl Band in this new band from New York - so that’s a pretty big compliment. The track ‘Circus’ is especially great. We’re expecting big things from these guys.
There’s something almost timeless about Flo Morrissey, and the ornate setting of Bush Hall should be the perfect place to watch her songs come alive.
FLO MORRISSEY
LUSHES
07/12/15 FREE @Shacklewell Arms
DALSTON JUNCTION / KINGSLAND
02/12/15 £10 @Bushhallmusic
SHEPHERD’S BUSH
BRIXTON WINDMILL
TELLISON + MANY MORE It’s ALCOPOPALOOZA time again! One of our favourite labels brings all the party imaginable to this all-dayer. 23/01/16 - 3pm £8adv @windmillbrixton
BRIXTON
THE LEXINGTON
DIET CIG // INHEAVEN + MORE Part of Best Fit’s 5 Day Forecast, this is our pick of those shows - it’s no secret how much we love Diet Cig. Do go see them. DIET CIG
14/01/16 £6adv @thelexington
THE GARAGE MCLUSKY*
It’s not quite Mclusky (see the asterisk), but no matter - if you can get yourself a ticket to this show then you’re in for the best night.
ANGEL
03/12/15 £20adv @TheGarageHQ HIGHBURY AND ISLINGTON LiS 45
SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
THE GOOD SHIP
Another star of Madrid’s lo-fi pop scene, Lois’ deep vocals and relaxed guitar make an excellent combination.
Hammerhead Records presents an evening of cutting edge contemporary instrumental and vocal music.
07/12/15 £6adv @ServantJazz
10/12/15 £5adv @thegoodshipNW6
LOIS
LOMO
DALSTON JUNCTION / KINGSLAND
BORDERLINE JACKAMAN
The solo project of Lynne Jackaman: from melodic indie rock band Saint Jude, she now explores a love of classic soul, funk and blues.
O2 ISLINGTON ACADEMY
FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM + NERGAL What an opportunity to see these goth legends play such a relatively small venue. 17/12/15 £25adv @O2Islington
ANGEL
PETER & THE TEST TUBE BABIES Punk like what they used to make it, this annual P&TTTB show provides the perfect chance to dance off turkey sandwiches. 27/12/15 £8adv @NewCrossInn
NEW CROSS / NEW CROSS GATE SAVAGES
20/01/16 £12.50adv @theborderline TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD
HOXTON BAR AND KITCHEN CHAD VALLEY // OSLO PARKS
London In Stereo has long loved the works of Chad Valley, and this chance to dance a Friday night away is not one we’re going to miss. 11/12/15 £9.50adv @HoxtonHQ
NEW CROSS INN
KILBURN
OLD STREET
OSLO
JOANNA GRUESOME // MARTHA // MARK WYNN End Of The Road celebrate another wonderful year with an Xmas shindig boasting some of out favourite bands 10/12/15 £12adv @OsloHackney
HACKNEY CENTRAL
THE DOME SAVAGES
Well, this doesn’t need much introduction. Get a sneak peek at Savages’ new album & maybe see a gig of the year in the process. photo: Sebastian Barros LiS 46
03/12/15 £15adv @DomeTufnellPark
TUFNELL PARK
FABRIC
ASH
CRAIG RICHARDS // TERRY FRANCIS ALEX ARNOUT // NINA KRAVIZ // MAYA JANE COLES & MORE Hands-down the most fun and dancing you’ll find anywhere this New Year’s Eve. 31/12/15 From £40adv @fabriclondon
FARRINGDON
O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE ASH // ASYLUMS
The longevity of Ash is absolutely no surprise; dozens of killer songs, and always amazing live - what’s not to like? 02/12/15 £20adv @o2sbe
BIRTHDAYS
OUR GIRL // GANG Bursting out of Brighton, Our Girl are capable of both tender moments and exhilarating garage-rock. Ones to watch, f’sure.
SHEPHERD’S BUSH
08/12/15 FREE @_Birthdays DALSTON JUNCTION/ KINGSLAND
BEDROOM BAR
WAITING ROOM
Funk, afrobeat and electronica all come together from this five-piece who are sure to get people dancing.
Skeletal guitar and waves of warm instrumentation enrich these candid narratives. This show will be stunning.
15/12/15 FREE @Bedroom_Bar
08/12/15 £6adv @WaitingRoomN16
HIGHRISE FIVE
ANNA B SAVAGE
OLD STREET
DALSTON JUNCTION/ KINGSLAND
THE LOCK TAVERN
100 CLUB
Elements of baggy, elements of swirling shoegaze, elements of art school-rock: A new band promising real big things.
One of the most entertaining and thrilling live acts around. Ho99o9 rock harder than pretty much everyone.
08/01/16 FREE @thelocktavern
07/12/15 £10adv @100clubLondon
HO99O9
WHISTLEJACKET
CHALK FARM / CAMDEN TOWN
TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD LiS 47
THE BLACK TAMBOURINES THURS 18 FEB SEBRIGHT ARMS
LOWLY TUES 1 DEC SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
DIET CIG WED 13 JAN SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
MELTYBRAINS? THURS 3 DEC SHACKLEWELL ARMS
THE DRINK TUES 26 JAN SHACKLEWELL ARMS
NATASHA KMETO THURS 3 DEC THE WAITING ROOM
COVES THURS 28 JAN SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
LOIS MON 7 DEC SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
DILLY DALLY THURS 28 JAN THE LEXINGTON
DEMOB HAPPY THURS 10 DEC 100 CLUB
ROYCE WOOD JUNIOR WED 10 FEB OSLO HACKNEY
THE FAT WHITE FAMILY THURS 10 DEC BUSSEY BUILDING
OKAY KAYA HABITATS THURS 11 FEB ST PANCRAS OLD CHURCH THURS 3 MARCH HOXTON SQUARE BAR & KITCHEN RYANN THURS 11 FEB GET WELL SOON THE WAITING ROOM WED 13 APRIL THE LEXINGTON
DILLY DALLY THURS 7 JAN T OLD OU DALSTON SVICTORIA PARALLELLINESPROMOTIONS.COM
HINDS THURS 18 FEB KOKO MONEY MON 22 FEB VILLAGE UNDERGROUND ROSIE LOWE THURS 25 FEB OSLO HACKNEY GIRL BAND MON 29 FEB VILLAGE UNDERGROUND
TUESDAY 1ST DECEMBER
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FOR THE LATEST LISTINGS, AND TO SIGN UP TO OUR GIGS OF THE WEEK EMAIL, VISIT LONDONINSTEREO.COM
12—15 12—15
Lanzarote Lanzarote presents presents
#lanzaroteworks #lanzaroteworks
Shacklewell Arms Shacklewell Arms 71 Shacklewell Lane London E8
The Waiting Room
MELTYBRAINS MELTYBRAINS
PIXEL FIX
71 Shacklewell Lane London E8 Thursday 3 December Thursday 3 December
Saturday 5 December Saturday 5 December
The Waiting Room
175 Stoke Newington High St N16 175 Stoke Newington High St N16 Monday 7 December Monday 7 December
PIXEL FIX
Tuesday 8 December Tuesday 8 December
TREMBLING TREMBLINGBELLS BELLS
ANNA BB SAVAGE SAVAGE ANNA
WHISTLEJACKET WHISTLEJACKET
THE DEARS DEARS THE
GUANTANAMO GUANTANAMO BAYWATCH BAYWATCH
SILAS, SNARE SNARE&&FRIENDS FRIENDS SILAS,
Tuesday 8 December Tuesday 8 December
Thursday Thursday1010December December
Wednesday 9 December Wednesday 9 December Friday1111December December Friday
Thursday3131December December Thursday
NYC NYCVS VSNYE NYE
TROPICALWASTE WASTE TROPICAL NEW YEARS YEARSEVE EVEPARTY PARTY NEW
TheLock LockTavern Tavern The
MOTH MOTH Club Club
ChalkFarm FarmRd RdLondon LondonNW1 NW1 3535 Chalk
35 35 Chalk ChalkFarm FarmRd RdLondon LondonNW1 NW1
Thursday Thursday3131December December
Friday4 4December December Friday
Friday Friday44December December
MURKAGEDAVE DAVE MURKAGE
ELLIOT ELLIOT MOSS MOSS
SOULFOOLISH FOOLISH SOUL
II HAVE HAVE AATRIBE TRIBE
Saturday5 5December December Saturday Sunday 6 December Sunday 6 December
MYSTIFIED + VENUS LYX
Tuesday Tuesday88December December Saturday 12 December Saturday 12 December
MYSTIFIED + VENUS LYX
CAVE CLUB
COUNTRIER THAN THOU COUNTRIER THAN THOU XMAS PARTY
SON LITTLE
Thursday 10 December Thursday 10 December
XMAS PARTY
Friday 8 January Friday 8 January
WHISTLEJACKET WHISTLEJACKET
CAVE CLUB
Monday 14 December Monday 14 December
SON LITTLE
Tuesday 15 December Tuesday 15 December
DAVE MCCABE & DAVE MCCABE & THE RAMIFICATIONS
THE RAMIFICATIONS
– In this month’s column, Alan Miller, of the The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) reflects on the the first year of the NTIA, what they’ve achieved and, more importantly, what they’ll be striving to achieve in the future.
INTO THE NIGHT In our first year at The NTIA, we said that we wanted to do two main things. Firstly, to begin to change the conversation nationally around the Night Time Economy and Industries, from one where it is presented as being ‘responsible for Anti Social Behaviour and crime’ to where it is perceived as an ‘enormous cultural, social and economic benefit’ to the UK. Around ten months down the line we believe we have, along with some fantastic partners, had some important milestones in impacting that narrative. The other thing we wanted to do was have our industry treated professionally – as a sector of huge importance in Britain – and not simply punished as a convenience for stats-driven policing in resource diminished times. If our industry (bars, clubs, cafes, pop ups, festivals) all conduct itself properly, then a few ‘rotten eggs’ – people that behave badly – should be held personally responsible for their behaviour. The creation of the role of a Night Time Economy Champion, being backed by The Mayor of London, is something that we firmly believe will contribute enormously positively to London. That is why we have also, in addition to pushing for this role, invited Mirik Milan, Night Time Mayor of Amsterdam and Lutz Leichsenring of Berlin’s Club Commission, over to London to meet with members of the Mayor’s Office and to participate in a joint event with Mother Agency. The insights, challenges and successes that have arisen in these cities will be drawn upon alongside the key aspects of their roles, to forge the best position
possible to work in London, navigating between business, police, transport, housing and beyond. This places the Night Time Industries at the heart of strategic planning and future oriented developments in London - and could well be a beacon for the rest of the UK. So, not bad for our first year - yet much of the shrill rhetoric still exists and we need to counter it with clear, cool analysis and objective representation of the enormous value we bring. Our benefits so massively outweigh the costs incurred. As I write, I am mindful of all our fellow international citizens, who were enjoying Parisian nightlife so recently. They were drinking in cafes, dancing in nightclubs, eating and sharing stories and making new friendships. What we have is extraordinarily special. It is not just business. It is how we live, what we value, what we think is important. Music. Love. Life. There has never been a better moment to declare the importance of what we do, of how we can work alongside authorities, not to be held accountable by them. We make our streets, towns and cities better together. Let’s all move forward, boldly, confidently, having fun... #InToTheNight Alan Miller For more information and to become a member of the NTIA visit: ntia.co.uk online: @wearethentia // facebook.com/wearethentia LiS 67
THUMPERS The Victoria Presents Wednesday 25 Nov.
MELT YOUSELF
THUMPERS COSMO DOWN
MØ
MEAT WAVE Upcoming London
UPCOMING LONDON SHOWS
XOYO Wednesday 25 Nov.
The Victoria www.rockfeedbackconcerts.com www.rockfeedback
SUNFLOWER MØ BEAN
SHELDRAKE LE1F
Thursday 26 Nov.
FLO MEAT WAVE MORRISSEY
The Victoria Bussey Building
XOYO Moth Club
The BushVictoria Hall
Wednesday Nov. Thursday 2625 Nov.
Wednesday 25 Nov. Monday 30 Nov.
Thursday 2602 Nov. Wednesday Nov.
XOYO Shoreditch COSMO MELT YOUSELF Thursday 2nd July SHELDRAKE DOWN
The Nest Dalston
RES
Lexin
CHRISTOPHER FLO OLIVIER SUNFLOWER Wednesday 8th July Thurs OWENS MORRISSEY HEIM BEAN
Bussey Building The Forge
Moth Club St John on Bethnal Green
Bush HallJazz Quar ter Ser vant
Thursday 26 03 Nov. Dec.
Monday Thursday30 03Nov. Dec.
Wednesday 02 09 Nov. Dec.
VISIONS ARTHUR RUSSELL PIS THE COSMO OLIVIER FESTIVAL CHRISTOPHER INSTRUMENTALS JE OWENS CHEATAHS BL AENAVON SHELDRAKE Venues across London
The Forge XOYO
RESIDENTS HEIM
Oval Space
St John on Bethnal Green The Lexington
Ser vant Jazz Quar ter Hackney Empire
Monday 10thWednesday September Fields Saturday 8th Thursday Sep 03 09 Dec. 04 Dec. Feb. Friday 12 Feb.
Thursday 03Jan. Dec. Tuesday 19
CHEATAHS POLIÇA JACCO
ONEOHTRIX BL AENAVON POINT NEVER
THE RESIDENTS DU BLONDE
1OO
Thu 18
GARDNER
ALVVAYS
Dingwalls Camden
O2 Shepherds Bush Empire Sebri
XOYO Village Underground
The Lexington Heaven
Hackney Empire Village Underground
Tuesday 19 Feb. Jan. Monday 15
Thursday 0424 Feb. Wednesday Feb.
Friday 12 Feb. Wednesday 24 Feb.
CA
BILL FATHER SONGHOY Mond ONEOHTRIX Friday 11th September Thursday 3rd September POLIÇA DU BLONDE RYDER-JONES POINT JOHN MIST Y BLUES NEVER
Village Underground Roundhouse UNKNOWN Wednesday Saturday 21 24 MayFeb. CH Thursday 19 May MORTAL BILL FATHER SONGHOY GIRLPOOL ORCHESTRA ts.com BE Get tickets and full info at www.rockfeedbackconcer
Village SCAL A Underground
Heaven Roundhouse
Monday Feb. Thursday1503 Mar.
Wednesday 24 Feb.- SOLD OUT 18 May
RYDER-JONES Scala Kings Cross
JOHN MIST Y
BLUES
O2 Shepherds Bush Empire The V Roundhouse Thursday 03 Mar.15th September Wednesday 18 May - SOLD OUT Saturday 21 May Wednesday 23rd Sep Tuesday Thurs SCAL A
Roundhouse
Thursday 19 May
FATHER
SONGHOY
Get tickets and full info at www.rockfeedbackconcer ts.com
TIT
TALES FROM THE CITY
by Eleanor Friedberger Underground, back to York Way, clutching my tote bag containing the bulging wallet. In my tiny room I counted the money: £80, some Turkish bills and about $2300 US dollars. I flipped through the passport and out dropped a scrap of paper. It was a wish list, written in English, of titles I didn’t recognize. The last line said “Anything by Megadeth.” At the age of 22, I proceeded to have the time of my life. Eleanor releases her latest album New View, January 22nd, via Frenchkiss Records LIVE: February 3rd - Moth Club. ONLINE: eleanorfriedberger.com // @EleanorOnly // facebook.com/eleanor.friedberger.official
photo: Joe DeNardo
I moved to London in March of 1999 and stayed with my aunt and uncle for the first week or so, until I had the sense to check a housing notice board at UCL. There was a listing for a room to let in Camden for 55 pounds a week. My cousin had taken me to Camden in his Citroën station wagon six years previously. (During the same trip I had bought my first, and only, pair of Doc Martens from Kensington Market.) Camden seemed like a dingy neighborhood, but it was familiar, and if my cousin said it was cool then it was cool. (He made his own suits and wore Buddy Holly glasses.) I was interviewed at the flat by three medical students, all about four years younger than myself: Georgie, Rowan and Lisa, who asked, “What bands do you like?” I looked her up and down, not sure what the right answer would be – what would she like? “Belle and Sebastian?” “Oh I love them!” she cried. They called me back the next day to say the room was mine. I officially lived in Camden – albeit the very edge of Camden – on York Way. On my second day in the new flat, I splurged and bought an all-day Travelcard. By 10:00pm I’d been all over town, and despite being exhausted, I decided to visit Old Street, which I’d heard was “hip”. Outside the Underground station, I gawked at the big, steel structure over the roundabout and noticed only a few bleak newsagents, so I started walking east towards Hoxton to find what all the fuss was about. Just a few steps later I stumbled upon a very large wallet containing a Polish passport, some British pounds and a huge wad of US dollars. Looking around, seeing no one, I marched straight back down to the
LiS 69
...IN LONDON
with NZCA LINES Why do you live in London? That’s what I ask myself every morning when I wake up. Though I think perhaps it’s just the past few weeks of perpetual grey skies that have made me pray for some kind of advanced cloud-seeding operations to begin over here. But hey, it’s November! Ok, so London is one of the principle capital cities of the world, and after being told for years about how harsh it is, it’s actually one of the most pleasant and forgiving urban environments I’ve been in. Where do you like to eat and drink? There’s a greasy spoon opposite the Wickes on Seven Sisters Rd that uses surprisingly good ingredients. You can get halloumi and the coffee isn’t bad (no flat whites though, sorry). They have Himalayan rock salt on the tables. However they also have regular sea salt and that powdery pepper so people don’t feel alienated. It’s pretty cool. Other than that, I’ve fantasised about eating at the cafe in Springfield Park down by where all the rowers set out on Saturday mornings, but I’ve not been there yet. It’s on my jogging route, so I can’t really stop to eat. I’d probably end up being sick - into the canal most likely. And nobody wants that. What’s the perfect way to spend the day? I had a lovely Sunday recently, actually. It was the day after Halloween, and that night I’d gone to two separate house parties, one down in Peckham then one up near my house in Seven Sisters, so didn’t get home until about 6am - there was this amazing mist hanging over everything and the sun hadn’t risen yet. I awoke around 11am and went to go see a friend of mine who lives on a boat up near Tottenham Hale, on the canal. It was a sunny day but the mist was still everywhere, so you got this really beautiful diffused light, and I was walking up the canal and it felt incredibly peaceful. This was a great 24hrs and something very exclusive to London - a mix of partying,
passing through the very centre of the city, then winding up walking next to some fields just 30 mins from my house. Pretty special. Favourite outdoor space? I love the overgrown cemeteries of London. Someone should probably do a map of them. Maybe there’s one already. I’ve lived next to two - Abney Park in Stoke Newington and Nunhead Cemetery. Out of the two, Abney Park is the most wild and easiest to get lost in. Wander off piste and you’re in a maze of thick foliage and sinking gravestones. I’ve snuck in there at night a couple of times, but it does get a bit scary. Does London ever influence the music you write? The lyrical subject of my music is often quite surreal and a bit escapist, but it’s generally inspired by my emotions or current events in my life. London’s been the setting for a lot of that. I used to live next to this covered reservoir, which is basically a huge raised plateau of grass, with a really amazing view of London - it’s a pretty evocative place. People treated it like a secret public park, and would have BBQs up there in the summer. Unfortunately (inevitably, really), Thames Water caught on and installed a massive new security fence with razor wire. That signalled the end of Peckham for me. Favourite gig venue? I’m a big fan of Servant Jazz Quarters in Dalston, it’s tiny, but upstairs it feels like a New York cocktail bar, whilst downstairs reminds me more of a country pub, so I enjoy that juxtaposition. Real classy, like. Michael Lovett NZCA Lines release Infinite Summer on January 22nd, via Memphis Industries. Online: nzca-lines.com // @NZCALINES
LiS 71
PRESENTS
FRIDAY 18 DECEMBER UNDERWORLD g n a r w o lv e s . c o m f/ G n a r w o lv e s
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MYTICKET.CO.UK
Bands Reunited by Lucie Grace You beat yourself up. You’re absolutely torn. It won’t be the same. Disappointment awaits. But can you pass by your favourite band’s reunion tour? This is not fear of missing out. This is a matter of loyalty. You should be there. You ought to. You go way back with this band, they got you through your first love / loss / hangover / mock GCSEs. No one loves this band like you do. You are caught, stuck, reeled-in and that’s what this band relies on. Your loyalty and come on, admit it, that nostalgia for a misspent youth - if you call thrashing every young man in town at Tekken 2 tournaments down the arcades ‘misspent’. This gig will be an opportunity to feel young again. Because face it, you are old and if you need reminding of that fact, just go to the reunion gig, where the rest of the audience will be old too. No corduroy flares, streaks of pink hair and smuggled Smirnoff Ice under the obnoxiously wide trouser leg – rather polite, neat adults who smugly sing along to prove that they know absolutely every single word and are therefore, by default, a bigger fan than you, who forgot the second line of the third verse. Loser. But don’t worry. The smug gits won’t stay for the encore, as they have to catch that 23.06 train home from King’s Cross. It’s a work night. Reunion gigs are never great. And even when they’re great, they’re rather sad as you know deep in your heart of hearts that your old favourite band of days gone by very probably most likely just really, really need the money and honestly, no one needs to see a middle aged man or woman pogo up and down like it’s 1996. But am I saying don’t go? Absolutely not. If you’ve found some music that makes your heart beat faster and your imagination soar and just for one second in that moment you feel 14 years old again, why deprive yourself of that? 2016 is poised to be another reunion-lathered year. Can I contain my excitement to see Kula Shaker for the first time in 20 years? Can I bollocks. LiS 73
PRESENTS
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PRESENTS
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MYTICKET.CO.UK
SJM CONCERTS PRESENT
19 DEC – O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON
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