ISSN 2040-5472
The Original Live At Leeds If you‟ve googled (or used any alternative search engine) to find out about Live At Leeds, chances are lots of info has flashed in your face about The Who. It‟s not that Google has become more direct in its questioning – Who? Who are you after? – but that Live At Leeds is the name of The Who‟s 1970 live album recorded live at Leeds University in May 1970. At the time „Live at...‟ albums were breeding like amoebas, all live in super glamorous places that didn‟t really convey the realities of touring. Sure, sometimes bands played in hot countries and glossy venues, but gritty and grimy was more standard. So with their upcoming tour schedule The Who had the option of „Live At Hull‟ or „Live At Leeds.‟ As a soft southerner, I feel it‟s safer if I pass no judgement. The recording of the May 1970 gig at Leeds University Student Union has been celebrated for the authenticity of the sound, complete with all the flaws and foibles of live performances. The legendary clicks that punctuate the recording are due to dodgy mike leads, and were remastered amid controversy in 1995. On the original LP was a label “Cracking Noises OK: Do Not Correct” for those who feared their record player was giving up the ghost. As this weekend has got closer it has also got higher and higher up the search engine results. Who knows if this weekend‟s gigs will still be being talked about in 40 odd years time? Gracias, Merci, Mnogo blagodarya, Chezu ba, Achiu, Dzieki, Dhannvaad, Cheers, Ta, etc.... Mail Boxes Etc print this. They rock. Thanks to Ten Bears, Jonjo Feather, The ABC Club, Bruce Davies and The Old Romantic Killer Band for allowing themselves to be interrogated. Much thanks goes to Roxy at No Title for all her great advice. Shed bar have been very supportive - make sure you head there for a pint. Thanks To Northern Monkey and Rock‟n‟Roll Circus. Bad Sneakers - cheers guys. Photos http://www.fbccov.org/graphics/UploadFile/3258/Route56@150dpi_.jpg, http:// www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/, http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/30, http://musicremedy.com/webfiles/ artists/Grammatics/Grammatics-02-big.jpg, http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/images/2007/10/30/ bombay_main_203x152.jpg, www.bombaybicycleclubmusic.com, www.myspace.com/wearetheabcclub, www.myspace.com/tenbearsmusic, http://obscuresound.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/1990s.jpg, www.artsattrinity.co.uk/, http://savetherobot.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/the-end.jpg, liveatleeds.com, http:// farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/3248795204_140c9542c3.jpg, http:// farm2.static.flickr.com/1429/1250020928_23092b24d4.jpg?v=0, http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/content/ images/2007/03/01/leeds_sign_203x152.jpg, http://www.leeds-uk.com/graphic/leeds01.gif
Contact us, Dan and Francesca, at itsallhappening_music@hotmail.com, and have a search on Facebook.
April/May 2009
Contents
The End Grammatics Bombay Bicycle Club Musical Mates Spotlight on Trinity 1990s Crazy Names Other Festivals Wild Beasts A chat with Old Romantic Killer Band Route 56 Live At Leeds The Original
Leeds has long been held up as one of the best cities in the UK for live music, so what better way to celebrate this and prove the truth than by putting on a festival showcasing everything Leeds is best at: good music, good bars, and having a good time. This edition of It‟s All Happening! has some previews of bands and venues, but really the only way to discover new musical loves is to throw caution to the wind and follow your heart, or your mates, or the route to the nearest bar, and get ready to explore the musical landscape of Leeds this weekend. Although we‟re so excited about Live At Leeds that we can barely sit still, we do have the self control to remain here long enough to type thankyou to everyone who read our little magazine, sent us their kind words, and has helped us with distribution. Much appreciated.
Stay for the young indie rock four piece Flashguns at 3pm who have a bit of a Talking Heads meet The Cure meet The Smiths feel about them. This summer is likely to be a big few months for Flashguns, make sure you check them out! At 4pm Stricken City are well worth seeing. Their slightly obscure indie pop makes them different from a lot of other bands on the „scene‟ right now. After Stricken City head back to Clarendon Road, if there is a bus coming then get on it, if not just walk to the end of Clarendon Road as this is where both The Library and The Packhorse are situated.
Ah, is that the hissing of the opening of a can of Strongbow? Wicked...we‟re off to enjoy the music... Cheers, Dan and Cesca
Spend the rest of your afternoon split between the Brew Records gigs at The Packhorse and The Library, but bear in mind that the gigs at The Library kick off at half past the hour.. and remember the green cross code when you‟re running between the two venues! In particular make sure you see Leeds‟ very own Cowtown at 10pm in the Packhorse. If the music here is not to your taste then get back on our friend the 56 from outside The Library on Clarendon Road and head to Leeds Met, or in to town and then to any of The Cockpit, Joseph‟s Well, Holy Trinity Church or The Elbow Rooms!
Contact us - itsallhappening_music@hotmail.com We‟re super cheap.
Not decided what bands to see at Live At Leeds? Well, read on.. and enjoy the legendary route 56! All you need is a Live At Leeds wristband and a £3.20 First bus day rider so that you can jump on and off bus 56.
Start off at the intimate Brudenell Social Club at 12pm for Wonderswan who provide a throwback to the 1990s with their loud and raw sound. Then actually listen to the 1990s. These are going to be a real highlight of LAL, so don‟t miss it. Their recently released second album „Kicks‟ oozes with confidence and energy, and these first two bands at the Brudenell will be a great way to start the day. Better than Kelloggs.
After 1990s finish turn left out of the Brudenell Social Club and walk about 100m to the crossroads of Queens Road and Moorland Road. Wait at the bus stop for number 56, and then stay on it for a couple of minutes and get off at Clarendon Road by Leeds Uni. Head back down Clarendon Road (away from Hyde Park) and turn left when you get to Mount Preston Street to the Faversham. Check out Barringtone at 2pm who have received some rave reviews from The Guardian, and make your own mind up.
With the music on Saturday kicking off at 12 noon and stretching on for the next dozen hours, you might feel like you've got your moneys worth out of Live At Leeds. Ah, you southern softie. There's still hours of fun left! With your Live At Leeds wristband you can get in to The Faversham, Leeds Met Student Union or The Cockpit clubnights… all for FREE! With each of them usually costing £5, LAL really is a bargain.. Here's a quick rundown of what you should expect from each: Every Saturday Bad Sneakers host an Electro/ Indie/ Disco cliubnight. Expect MGMT, Little Boots, Metronomy, Crystal Castles, Foals, Hot Chip..and much, much more. With more drink offers than you can drunkenly wave your glow stick at, The Faversham always provides a good night. The Garage at The Cockpit- Room 1 provides a great mix of Emo/ Punk/ Rock, such as New Found Glory, Brand New, Alkaline Trio, Rage Against The Machine.. But with a cheeky bit of Dizzee Rascal, Kings Of Leon and the like to keep you on your toes. In Room 2 you'll find more mainstream indie such as Foals, The Strokes and The Smiths. Personally I have not yet ventured into Room 3 but I hear they have Rock Karaoke, which sounds like a fantastic concept.. So if you feel like replicating your favourite bands after 12 hours of watching brilliant live music, pick up that microphone… Leeds Met Student Union doesn't tend to have a club night on a Saturday, but I imagine it will be similar to their excellent Friday clubnight. Two rooms, one of classic indie and new wave and the other with metal, emo and hardcore rock, provides a diverse range of music to suit most peoples musical taste buds. The night is yet young....
Sewing up the seams, step into character,
Beats coming outmy thewords speakers, winding up, straight into my sneakers Tripyeah, ontowere the stage, over
You just fly straight up and calm the fuck down
Grammatics Leeds Met SU Sat 1st May @ 9pm
Ever wondered what would happen if you took a random selection of records, peeled them apart layer by layer then and threw them all in together? Say Brendan Butler‟s Suede vocals mashed together with QOTSA beats, or Pulp‟s satirical lyrics delivered with Jarvis Cocker‟s audacity, merged with Hot Chip‟s electronic repetitions. Such equations are what Grammatics are made of. The band have been around for a couple of years, but only this year started to gain recognition, having streamlined their melting pot of sounds and cymbals into a more accessible yet equally as complex offering. Describing themselves as Owen on Squeal, Jangle, Noise Box, Nana's Keyboard, Dominic banging the Big Tangerine Barrels, Rory on Grime Bass, accompanying with Mutter and Emilia slicing up the Cut-Throat Cello, and providing some Murmers, it‟s clear that Grammatics are not your run of the mill indie band. „DILEMMA‟ sees some of these disparate elements being brought together in an architecturally strong sound, and The Vague Archive is anything but, the direct gear shifts in fact more crisp than on other offerings. „Rosa Flood‟ is an explosion of energy representative of the disparate elements of Grammatics‟ catalogue: a high pitched bridge, stabbing guitars, the
undercurrents of The Foals, and a vocal that at times sounds like, er, Lost Prophets. The delivery gets to work on your nervous system immediately, but the frenetic pace sometimes lacks direction, leaving me feeling frustrated rather than invigorated. Grammatics have certainly challenged the expected limits of music at the moment, but their musical curiosity does at times lead them down paths self indulgent. Confidence boosted from having made waves across the country supporting Red Light Company last month and being asked to support Bloc Party this Bloctober, combined with the thrill of being home favourites should ensure that Grammatics provide Leeds Met with an intelligent and innovative treat.
On their album ‘Swan With Two Necks’, and it’s two little duck like 22 minute length... We don‟t have 'the plan' like a lot of bands. We work quite frenetically so we had enough songs to document where we were at that point in time - why not put it out? It‟s easy to over-think strategy when you're in a band but we just wanted to let people know where we're at right now. I think we're the sort of band that could change and expand over time so it' a nice starting point record. Plus we play fast and unconventionally - thus the debut album should reflect that. I didn't read the reviews but I think they were ok, right? The „press' isn‟t really behind us right now but hopefully that may change... On the rest of 2009... We have just recorded some new stuff so are hoping to put a couple of low-key singles out? Any takers?
On being granted one wish to change the music industry... I‟d change fucking everything dude – it‟s so easy to be in a band now but the industry isn‟t changing to accommodate that. Now we just have loads of fucking bands that are in NME one week and forgotten about the next - the idea of building a following over an extended amount of time is forgotten about and now we rely on forums and hype rather than finding bands who just have the old-skool idea to tour all the time. It took The Cribs two records to get proper exposure, now we are told to give a shit about bands with one or two 7"`s out.
Harry Johns and Greg Roland, aka Old Romantic Killer Band, of the Bad Sneakers label, give us their views on their music and that of this weekend, ahead of what promises to be a jawdropping performance of their chaotic ‘I refuse to be pigeon holed’ music. Old Romantic Killer Band The Cockpit Sat 2 May, 6pm On the size of the band and potential sonic expansion... It‟s not just an aesthetic quality we're trying to produce music which is raw but also catchy, a bassist right now is kind-of unnecessary... On their name... No way! not another name question
On their favourite gig they’ve played... Maybe Leeds Hyde Park last summer? Because of the sheer volume of people, and that we got to play with Howlin` Rain which was also ace because we love them. It generally depends on the radness of the promoter and the radness of who is attending, rather than amount of people - just if they're good people, get it?
On who they’ll be seeing at Live At Leeds... Dinosaur Pile Up, Youves, Eskimo Twins, James Owen Fender, Sky Larkin, Holy State, and Diagonal.
On their influences... What influences us...um, not fitting in, I guess. Trying to merge everything we love about music and not compromising.
On their return to The Cockpit... It‟ll be more chaos, I promise.
On their genre transcending (blues, rock, garage, folk, punk) sound and the crowds this attracts... People tend to dig it man. We live in a society and musical climate which makes it easy for Joe Bloggs to be equally into hip hop and heavy metal, so I think we just reflect that changing attitude towards making and listening to music.
Beats yeah, were coming out the speakers, winding up, straight into my sneakers
You just fly straight up and calm the fuck down
Bombay Bicycle Club Leeds Met Student Union Sat 2nd May, 7pm
I'm completely charmed by Bombay Bicycle Club.
A plethora of sparkly sounds, solid moods, all underlaced with jazzy undercurrents. This group of teenagers have the vivacity and positivity to make optimistic songs that don't feel sickly sweet or naive, just embrace life ing... The song 'Evening/Morning' perfectly sums up the tunes - the semi conscious hazy half light, unable to put your finger on anything, but there being a feeling of possibility all around. Recent single „Always Like This‟ is a pacy number, immediate and heartfelt. Both lyrics and detailed melodies, executed with mathematical precision but coming from a magical well of creativity are intelligent and have an immediacy that belies their tender years. Lead singer and guitarist Jack Steadman‟s dancing is frenetic and unorthodox. He plays the guitar like he is a having a musical fit, all head jerks, arms bending and face twitching. Playing to a young crowd of teens at Kings College London Student Union at the beginning of this month, Jack never gave up the connection with the crowd, and through the band‟s glinting playfulness the group of kids who started off more interested in snogging the face off the opposite sex emerged from the sweaty pit as enthusiastic fans. Of course, Leeds music fans know how to have a real good time, so this gig should be a riot. Debut album „I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Out‟ is out in June - although if you see them this weekend you won't have any blues come summer. Fact.
I’ve been made blue, I’ve been lied to , When will I be loved?
MUSICAL MATES
Ten Bears Elbow Rooms Sat 2nd May @ 4pm What are your top three Shakespeare plays? Midsummer Nights Dream, Titus Andronicus (Mmmm kids in a pie!), Macbeth. What is the best biscuit to dunk in tea? Ginger Snaps or Butternut Crunch, they're firm enough to take a lengthy dunk but soft enough to soak up plenty of tea. And they get chewy when wet.
Top down: Ten Bears, Jonjo Feather, ABC Club
Would you rather have heavy rain or heavy snow? Snow, no question. surely everyone prefers snow. With luck you'll be snowed in and won't have to go to school, or work or band practice.
Fancy dress - Batman or Superman? Superman would stand out a bit more than Batman, who would just hide in the shadows... Give the following marks out of ten – Games 10; Geisha girls 10; Gloves 10;; Grandmas 10 Gymnastics 11 these people are incredible, not sure how they do it. I wonder if it's all just camera trickery sometimes.
Which is the most effective method of communication – shrieking or streaking? Definately streaking. It's something i think more people should do more of. I'm happy to promote it as both an effective way of communicating and good for your health. What is the best train journey? The journey where the person opposite you knows intuitively whether you're in the mood to chat or not. If you are taken out by someone else, should you order a starter? YES Complete the equation: ?? + ?? = Perfect Pair I was never good at balancing equations in school, but I'd go for... Pert and Firm. Pick a song for us to put on our Live At Leeds mixtape. Push it to the Limit - from the Scarface soundtrack. Good motivational song. Or do you mean one of our songs? If so Braces. It's our favourite at the moment.
stage.
ATTENTION: WILD BEASTS Wild Beasts Joseph’s Well Sat 2nd May, 3pm Live At Leeds is packed with great bands, but one of the highlights is surely going to be 3pm at Josephs Well when Wild Beasts take to the
different from most I was lucky other bands coming out enough to be at the of Leeds at the moment, Brudenell Social Club on and indeed anywhere the 11th March for their else in the country amazing set, and I think (although three of them their afternoon tea slot are from Kendal before this weekend will offer they moved to Leeds much the same. Wild perhaps Kendal is the Beasts are full of hotbed for perfect indie melodic indie pop songs. pop as well as perfect Some bands find mint cake?), and they it difficult to translate excel at what they do. their sound from record They may be a to stage, but lead singer 'Marmite' type band and Hayden Thorpe hits not to everyone‟s taste, everyone of those but for me that says it all impossibly high notes - I love Marmite. perfectly. This four piece are
This truly is the devil's answer, Carved from the tongue of this romancer, This truly is the devil's answer, The oldest children used to kiss
If you‟re stuck as to who you‟d rather watch on stage, why not see which one you‟d rather hang out with? To help you decide who could be your potential new best friends, we‟ve devised a personality test. It‟s kind of like Blind Date, except with weirder questions, no red haired Scouse woman, and way way less humiliation. Potentially.
Dance the way I feel
I’ve been made blue, I’ve been lied to , When will I be loved?
If you can‟t decide who to see, why not just judge a book by its cover, or a band by its name, and check out the best named bands. Jon Jones and the Beatnik Movement
Two Minute Noodles
Not as jolly as their name suggests, Jon Jones and the Beatnik Movement are an intense five piece with enough reverb and snarl to scare off any wanna be „punk‟ boy bands. Deranged and dangerous.
Infinitely more palatable and less processed than the food they are named after, Two Minute Noodles sound like the feet of Morris Dancers running up and down a Hammond Organ. If you can imagine that.
Mountain Goat Frenzy
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
I just want to know where these guys got in a frenzy with mountain goats in Hull. Especially goats that inspire such punky wails and swirling percussion.
Not only is the band name great, but the „maverick renegades‟ (as they call themselves) who make up the band are also eclectically named, Andelé Peligroso Pericosima, Fernando P.I. and Affa Da. Taking inspiration from Pet Shop Boys, Yazoo, Beastie Boys and the like, this Camden based trio are a little crazy, a little colourful, a little eccentric, a lot danceable.
Jonjo Feather Holy Trinity Sat 2nd May @ 12pm
The ABC Club Leeds Met SU Sat 2nd May @ 5pm
What are your top three Shakespeare plays? 'Macbeth', 'The Comedy Of Errors' and 'Romeo and Juliet', I'm always up for a bit of where art thou.
What are your top three Shakespeare plays? Die hard 1,2 & 3
What is the best biscuit to dunk in tea? Ginger biscuit, also works well with milk. Fancy dress - Batman or Superman? Definitely Batman, Superman's a bit of a drip
The Great Escape in Brighton runs from 14th-17th May. 300 artists, 34 venues, 3 days. You do the maths. Stag and Dagger is hitting London on 21st May, Leeds 22nd May and Glasgow 23rd May The same weekend sees the Dot to Dot festival, gracing Bristol on the 23rd and going home to Nottingham on the 24th.
Fancy dress - Batman or Superman? Batman, superman has gay tendencies
Give the following marks out of ten – Games – Scrabble for the win 8/10 Give the following marks out of ten – Gloves – Good for warmth shit for fashGames I like poker, so i'll give games an 8. ion 7/10 Geisha girls I dig those shoes geishas Grandmas – Not a nice scene in the wear. 10 windows of Amsterdam 3/10 Gloves My hands go blue in the cold, a good pair of leather gloves sort that out. 9 Gymnastics – Anything Matt Baker from Grandmas I'm giving my Grandma a 10. I Blue Peter likes gets a 10/10 don't know any others. Gymnastics I once bust my wrist on one of Would you rather have heavy rain or those horse things. 1 heavy snow?
Heavy snow!!!
Would you rather have heavy rain or heavy snow? Which is the most effective method of I love snow, rain can get a bit messy. Which is the most effective method of communication – shrieking or streaking? Postcards. What is the best train journey? One's with a smoking carriage.
It’s cheaper than conventional festivals, less muddy, the beer is cold, and if you so choose to, you can sleep in your own bed. If the one wristband fits all vibe of Live At Leeds pleases you, the next month has some similarly knicker wettingly wonderful weekends in store...
What is the best biscuit to dunk in tea? Chocolate Digestives any day!!!
If you are taken out by someone else, should you order a starter? Depends on how hungry you are, I like to pace myself when i'm bagging out. Complete the equation: ?? + ?? = Perfect Pair Dog + lead = perfect pair. Pick a song for us to put on our Live At Leeds mixtape. 'When Will I Be Loved' by The Everly Brothers
communication – shrieking or streaking? Who writes these questions? What is the best train journey? One that doesn‟t stop in Bradford!
If you are taken out by someone else, should you order a starter? As long as they are paying Complete the equation: 1 coconut + 1 coconut = A lovely pair of coconuts Pick a song for us to put on our Live At Leeds mixtape. The ABC Club – Tinkering Teacups, one for every occasion!
And I'm changing the ribbons in this old underwood, Step out of your dress and I'll wear you like a hood, For a hood is a home
blueprints
so without being censorial. It seems that this has not really been an issue for the arts administrators, as the artists are respectful of the fact that they are playing in a church. “On the whole artists and musicians who use the space do so because they want to utilise the ambience and architecture as a positive which means working with the building and it‟s meanings rather than against it. “ It seems that there is in fact more cross over than you may think between the worshippers and gig goers. Although the crowd isn‟t full of the same people as the congregation, both are there to focus on something, gaze in wonderment, and be inspired. “A lot of people do come in during the week just to look at the space and sit in it regardless of whether things are happening here or not.”
1990s Brudenell Social Club Sat 2nd May, 1pm I'm going to be the first writer to not mention Franz Ferdinand once in their review of the 1990s. Ah shit Well it's tough not to. Having battled it out with Alex and the guys back in 2007, the new album „Kicks‟ promises more comparisons. A danceable clash of sassy rhythms and tongue in cheek quirkiness, the 1990s are ridiculously good fun, but lack any of the depth and darkness of Glasgow's other glam pop rockers. „The Box‟ is instant instinctual hip shaking, the sing a long melody perfectly fusing with the 4/4 drum beat. „59‟ is a stomper of a tune, springy rhythms propelling it through. A stylish succession of energetic sounds and rhythms, 1990s are not drowning in dimensions, but after 3 minutes and 51 seconds of hip shimmying to „Kickstrausse‟, who will care? For superficial fun times, the 1990s are a perfect soundtrack, and „Sparks‟ could make it as one of the summer‟s tunes. Recent show at the Water Rats in London showed the boys at their rough and rugged best. Like their name, they won‟t last forever, but also like their name, it‟s a bloody good experience.
I’m a little bemused by the shoes you choose the threads that you combine
Tv cheats, herbal tea, money back guarantee
An unconventional idea, arts@trinity began as an arts chaplaincy, aiming to use art as a focus for the activities of its community. Over time the Holy Trinity Church has ceased to have a permanent minister but successive people have undertaken overseeing the arts programme, with an output as diverse as the talent that exists in Leeds. We chat with Bruce Davies, the Arts Adminstrator about the venue and the concept. It seems to me that staging gigs in a church can be a little blasphemous: a lot of people do idolise bands, and certainly choose their Saturday night at a gig rather than their Sunday morning at church. However, Bruce argues that the awe inspiring building itself is the focus of the attention. Regardless of religious views it is impossible not to appreciate the architectural brilliance and atmosphere of many churches and ensuring the building remains in use ensures that it stays standing. “Anything as far as I am concerned that opens such buildings up and allows people of all persuasions access for whatever reason can only be a good thing. I think it is impossible not to have some thoughts and feelings towards such buildings and their original purpose anyway even if you are only here to see a rock band or an art exhibition.” Rock stars are hardly known for their clean living habits and angelic lyrics, and strict censorship of this would leave very few acts being able to perform. Whilst being sensitive to the needs of everyone else who uses the building arts@trinity do
Trinity is not a supporting venue to the main act of the band, like many spaces can be. Like all the best venues, the ambience and experience of Trinity is as much part of the event as the art and music itself. The experience of seeing a band in Trinity often compels people to come back during the week to submerge themselves in the aura of the area. Having been stimulated by a gig or event, the church becomes one of the repertoire of places important to someone in Leeds. One of the special venues indeed, Holy Trinity Church “is a resonant space, as opposed to a dead space as some gig spaces can be and the bands tend to play to this using the acoustics of the building for their own benefit. As far as art is concerned it is a highly adaptable venue that has played host to some brilliant and very unusual exhibitions the likes of which you just wouldn‟t be able to see anywhere else in Leeds.” Live At Leeds will be using HTC to showcase 2007 Mercury Prize nominee Fionn Regan, James Yuill, Paul Marshall, who played a gig here at Christmas last year and Marina and the Diamonds. A testimony to the success of Holy Trinity is the emergence of St John‟s the Evangelist on New Briggate, which is just at the beginning of what they hope will become another arts project. Although Trinity is still a working church and the dynamic is completely different, Bruce sees St John‟s as an “ally” in his mission to bring art to more people in Leeds. Keep your eyes peeled for a collaborative visual art event between the two being staged later this year.