MUSIC

Less is more for Newton

When Newton Faulkner plays the Roadmender on September 29, there won’t be a big production in place. Instead, ticket-holders can expect Newton to be joined onstage only by his guitars and his voice, writes Sammy Jones.

“I’ll be focusing on the songs that work best with just a vocal and guitar part and no musical multitasking or loops,” he promises.

The reason for this travel-lightly production? It’s no accident. Newton called his last road trek ‘an immensely complicated set up, like flying a musical helicopter.’

Besides, music should carry itself without the need for glitter and pomp. And Newton, a noted alumnus of Guildford’s Academy of Contemporary Music and a seasoned tutor, is about to show the next generation how to listen, learn and play – with the launch of the Newton Faulkner Guitar Academy.

“Playing has made me so happy for so long and I want to pass that on,” Newton said, “But music theory is a huge topic and if you’re just thrown in, it puts a lot of people off. The Guitar Academy is about streamlining everything you need to have the most fun, work stuff out by ear and get deep in – but to the fun stuff – as quickly as possible.”

Who better to learn from than a man with a 15 year catalogue that takes the listener on a trip through the genres; from rock and pop to folk and soul and beyond.

Support comes from Sam Richardson. Tickets are on sale through theroadmender.com

Town Takeover from TSRP

The Scratched Record Podcast takes its finds to four ‘fampton venues on September 24, with a feast of musicmakers from far and wide gathering to play under the Town Takeover banner.

The Scratched Record Podcast - Elliott & Joe

Joe Edwards and Elliott Farrar launched the podcast during the lockdown.

“It was an opportunity for Joe and I to chat about the quality underground bands we’ve found during our time obsessing over the indie and alternative industry,” Elliott told Pulse Music, “But also creating entertaining content around the industry in general.”

The podcast is a weekly session with new episodes cut loose every Tuesday morning. If you’ve not already tipped an ear their way, you can find them in all the usual places (Spotify, Apple etc).

“Out initial motive was to show the best bands in the industry and give them a platform that they truly deserve,” Elliott said, “It developed into a podcast where we not only create content around the bands, but we now interview some of the best artists in the scene.”

And the scene locally is buzzing.

“It’s the best it has been for years, everyone coming through is incredibly talented and we’re getting some really quality bands going places,” Elliott said, “But we see the Northamptonshire scene as being in its infancy. We think the town can become a staple of the indie scene and become a place where bands make it a necessary destination on their tours. We have an insane amount of belief in this town!”

Artists on the Town Takeover bill are from all over the country, with Northampton and Milton Keynes represented.

Headliners Bilk, The Covasettes and Second Thoughts will be joined by Abbie Ozard, Molly Burman, The Motive, The Barratts, The Clause, L’objective and Venus Grrrls.

You want more? There are plenty: Naked Next Door, Lucky Iris, Budd The Band, The Flitz, Baby Lung, Ynes, Solar Strides, Cusp, Stereo Ghosts, Rat Race, Viddy, Elliot Williams, The Gonzo Experimental Band and Sweet Coins.

Ticket-holders will be issued with a wristband that allows them to roam from venue to venue, and they are The Black Prince, The Lab, Brooklyn Social and Phipps Albion Brewery Bar.

Black Prince Invasion

Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart play The Black Prince on September 1.

The Invaders, a moveable project of session musicians with Jah’s brilliant bass work and smooth charisma at its heart, sizzle in the live setting. The show will be a hot one.

‘With his mighty bass, Wobble is like an old-fashioned band leader, barking out instructions within a cavernous, space-echoey dub mix,’ decided one critic post live performance.

Jah has four decades of musical activity to his name and during that time he has also played on numerous albums by artists as diverse as John Lydon, The Orb, Primal Scream, Bjork and U2’s The Edge.

Tickets to see the master at play are £20.

The SoapGirls

Visa issues have caused the cancellation of the planned date by Crime & the City Solution, which was supposed to happen on September 10, but in their place will be The SoapGirls.

Fearless French-born sisters Millie and Mie are society’s rejects, or so they say.

They write outsider anthems that are androgynous, audacious and straight from the heart.

And when the rest of the world put the brakes on during the pandemic, this duo delivered in excess of 400 live-streamed shows. And you know what, as they toured from one virtual country to another, they kept it fresh; not one set, costume or theme was the same. They must have big wardrobes...

This show forms part of their Don’t Give A Damn tour, a chance for fans, aka The SoapSuds, to scrub up to tunes from their current elpee, In My Skin.

Support at the gig will come from Utopia Development Corporation and doors open at 7.30pm.

A strong month for SBD Promotions is seen out with a solo show by the lead guitarist with Gomez.

Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart

Singer-songwriter Ben Ottewell is known for his raspy voice and being a dab hand at delivering some particularly inspired solos. Visiting us without his bandmates means he can flex his own musical muscle a little more, and since issuing his debut album more than a decade ago he has toured extensively with his acoustic show, so this stuff is polished and pretty. The pandemic might have interrupted the musical Ben Ottewell flow, but he is back with a vengeance. There will be lots for fans to get their ears around at the

September 16 show, including new produce and the odd Gomez favourite. Tickets are £15 with support coming from Jasmine Burns and

Keiron Farrow.

> Go to sbdpromotions.com to get mitts on tickets.

Go Wild! For Culture Shock

One of Pulse Music’s all-time favourite bands lands at The Lab on Saturday, September 3.

Hugely influential punk ska makers Culture Shock were the soundtrack to my youth and their gigs at Bletchley’s Countapoint were some of my best times. As for their music? It’s still on regular rotation over here. Since reforming a good few years back, Dick Lucas and his pals have been adding to their catalogue, most recently with 2021’s Mandemic.

If only I wasn’t at the wedding of one of my oldest pals, I’d be in the thick of it for this gig!

Support comes from rail punks Eastfield and Leicestershire punks Tri Subversion. You have Northampton’s own Julie’s Dead to thank for putting this whole thing together.

Each band will play a furious 30 minute set and tickets are just £10 in advance – with a limited capacity of 100.

Get in quick: wegottickets.com/furiousthirty

> Friend of Pulse Music Alex Novak will be selling vinyl and Djing at the show, and we should also mention a couple of his own upcoming Venus Fly Trap dates.

Culture Shock

Catch the post-punk/electronic duo on Friday, September 2 at The Lamplighter when they’ll be supported by prog/acid folkers the Paul M Cox Band. Venus Fly Trap will be in action again towards the end of the month when they visit The Clubhouse in Corby on September 24. They’ll be supporting Siouxsie and the Banshees tribute mob, Lizzie and The Banshees.