gig previews
the besnard lakes
JOHN BLEK & THE RATS
THE TELESCOPES
Here’s a show to take a chance on if you’re up for a guaranteed Saturday night hoedown. Rounding off the UK leg of a tour in support of their debut single, the Rats will be bringing the hardknock attitude of bottle living in Southern Ireland to our own south coast for the first time. But while the music might be the spirit of Ireland with a mixer of their American folk forefathers, this is a night for those who take it neat with a stamp of the foot on the floorboards. (NC)
Back in the day, it was all baggy flares, long fringes and even longer faces around these parts. My Bloody Valentine ran the government, Ride had no defence and Jesus & Mary Chain were, controversially, on drugs. Meanwhile, the Telescopes headed up our fledgling space programme, issuing intergalactic anthems to the stars rather than fucking about with technology and satellites like the phoney Americans. With the band now back down to earth, playing soppy indie to UK shoeboxes, NASA clearly has a lot to learn. (BG)
Hope Sat 14th
THE LOWLAND HUNDRED Prince Albert Sat 14th
Experimental pastoral duo The Lowland Hundred are breaking out of their Aberystwyth ‘exile’ for this year’s Green Man Festival, and play a warm-up show at the Albert this afternoon for their label bosses Victory Garden Records. Mixing field recordings with strung-out song structures, their album ‘Under Cambrian Sky’ helps develop a hauntological strain of never-never folk music. Acoustic guitar instrumentalists -a+M are an unexpected, welcome addition to the supports. (DL)
EASY STAR ALL STARS Concorde 2 Tues 17th
You might not know it listening to ‘Climbing Up The Walls’ but ‘OK Computer’ has elements that are perfect for reggae – strong melodies, intense dynamics and trippy soundscapes.” So says Michael Goldwasser, who produced and arranged ‘Radiodread’, the New York band’s reworking of Thom and co’s landmark 1997 album, which followed 2003’s self-explanatory ‘Dub Side Of The Moon’. Expect to see Mrs SOURCE, who loves reggae, down the front for tonight’s encore of ‘Rockafella Skunk’, their special tribute to Brighton. (BG)
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Hector’s House Weds 18th
THE BESNARD LAKES Freebutt Fri 20th
‘The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse’ proclaimed the band in 2007, only to then contradict themselves on their latest album by insisting ‘The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night’. Clearly, there is an identity crisis at the core of this group. Which is hardly surprising, given the fact they are a bold, brave blitz of Canadian indie rock from Montreal, Canada, centred around a husband and wife. But make no mistake, their explosive symphonic roar could put out any Arcade Fire. (BG)
THE LOW ANTHEM Komedia Weds 25th
How many more American bands must take the ancient, weary format of guitar music and imbue it with mystery and moonshine before we give up? Last year, the Rhode Island quartet issued their second album, ‘Oh My God, Charlie Darwin’, a wistful, blood on the tracks and whisky on the brain slow-burner, glowing with melancholic thirst, endless highways and barroom balls. We were seduced and the rest of the world will surely follow. “OMG, The Low Anthem!”, as the kids say outside Rounder. (BG)
www.brightonsource.co.uk/BANDS