Bristol Live // ThisisDA

BRISTOL LIVE LIVE & NEW MUSIC MAGAZINE

THISISDA Jan. 17 | 60

INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK

ACTS 2017

NYE GUIDE BIG JEFF

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR! 1

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Sat 31st Dec • £10 adv 10pm-4am • over 18s only

Ramshackle NYE 90s Party Thu 12th Jan • £20 adv

Meshuggah

Fri 24th Feb • £11 adv

Mon 27th Mar • £15 adv

Fri 3rd Mar • SOLD OUT

Tue 28th Mar • £17.50 adv

Wed 8th Mar • £21 adv Rescheduled date

Wed 29th Mar • £27.50 adv

Cash

Sum 41

+ The Haunted

The Wailers

Sat 21st Jan • £18.50 adv

Fri 10th Mar • £14 adv

Rae Sremmurd

State Champs

Sat 28th Jan • £20 adv 10pm-5am • over 18s only

Sun 12th Mar • £18.50 adv

Evil B Tue 7th Feb • SOLD OUT

Two Door Cinema Club

+ As It Is + Northbound

Stiff Little Fingers + Theatre of Hate

Wed 15th Mar • £16 adv

Glass Animals

Circa Waves Sampha

The Jesus and Mary Chain Thu 30th Mar • £25 adv

The Stranglers Thu 6th Apr • £20 adv

Blackberry Smoke Fri 7th Apr • £12 adv

The Amy Winehouse Experience A.K.A Lioness Tue 18th Apr • SOLD OUT

Thu 16th Mar • £24 adv

Rag ‘n’ Bone Man

Sat 11th Feb • £27.50 adv

+ Backyard Babies + GUN

Wed 19th Apr • £25 adv Rescheduled date

Anthrax

Mon 17th Mar • £22 adv

Fri 10th Feb • £24 adv

Fun Lovin’ Criminals

+ The Raven Age

Sun 12th Feb • SOLD OUT

Black Star Riders Quantic Live with Alice Russell

Busted

+ Pete Josef Band

Wed 15th Feb • £21 adv

Agnieszka Chylinska

Tegan & Sara + Alex Lahey + Ria Mae

Thu 15th Feb • £16 adv

Wilkinson + Fred V & Graphix + TC

Sat 18th Feb • £15 adv

Sigala Mon 20th Feb • £16.50 adv

Deaf Havana Tue 21st Feb • £22.50 adv

Band Of Horses Thu 23rd Feb • £20 adv

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes

Sun 19th Mar • £32 adv

Mon 20th Mar • £16 adv

The Saw Doctors Sat 8th Apr • £25 adv

The Selecter / The Beat feat. Ranking Roger Wed 10th May • £16.50 adv

Protoje & The Indiggnation

Mallory Knox

Thu 11th May • £20 adv

+ Lonely The Brave + Fatherson

Underoath

Wed 22nd Mar • £28.50 adv

Thu 25th May • £25adv

All Time Low

Skunk Anansie

Thu 23rd Mar • SOLD OUT

Sat 10th Jun • £19.50 adv

James Arthur

2-Tone Tribute Tour

Fri 24th Mar • £17.50 adv

Thu 15th Jun • £18 adv

Blossoms

The Wedding Present

Sat 25th Mar • From £5 adv 10pm-4am • over 18s only

Fri 22nd Sep • £13 adv

Garage Nation

Sun 26th Mar • £25 adv

Hey

The Smyths

Fri 15th Dec • £19.50 adv

Purple Rain A Celebration of Prince

O2 Academy Bristol Frogmore Street, Bristol BS1 5NA • Doors 7pm unless stated Venue box office opening hours: Mon - Sat 12pm - 4pm

ticketweb.co.uk • seetickets.com • gigantic.com • ticketmaster.co.uk

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o2academybristol.co.uk

Jan • 2017

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20|02|17

RATIONALE

ALPINES + TUSKS

- THE FLEECE BRISTOL -

- THE LOUISIANA BRISTOL -

29 | 01 | 17

exmagician

27 | 02 | 17

- THE LOUISIANA BRISTOL -

WHITE LIES

07 | 02 | 17

- CARDIFF UNIVERSITY Y PLAS

VAULTS

02 | 03 | 17

- THE FLEECE BRISTOL -

SOLD

SUM 41

T O-U O2 ACADEMY BRISTOL -

10 | 02 | 17

LITTLE COMETS + ELIZA & THE BEAR - BATH KOMEDIA -

21 | 03 | 17

BAD SOUNDS - THE NEST BATH -

13 | 02 | 17

MODERN BASEBALL - BIEKELLER BRISTOL -

09 | 04 | 17

MY BABY - THE FLEECE BRISTOL -

06 | 05 | 17

14 | 02 | 17

KATE NASH

TOM CHAPLIN

- THEKLA BRISTOL -

- ST DAVIDS HALL CARDIFF -

A L L T I C K E T S AVA I L A B L E F R O M

SONGKICK.COM - BRISTOLTICKETSHOP.CO.UK GIGANTIC.COM - SEETICKETS.COM 3

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PARQUET COURTS, P12

Welcome to 2017.

From Frank Ocean finally gracing us with the follow-up to Channel Orange, to BeyoncĂŠ giving new meaning to a woman scorned and past cover stars Whitney surprising the world with some of the finest soulful country around, 2016 was a wondrous year for records.

We compile our favourites on page 28. 2017 will no doubt bring a wealth of future stars; cover artist ThisisDA caught our attention with his album 21 & Done. Yewande Adeniran chats to him about how taking inspiration from the everyday has a profound effect on his artistry. Lastly, Independent Venue Week ambassador Tim Burgess talks to us about the importance of creative spaces, while national treasure Big Jeff tells us who he thinks will make it big in the coming months. Here’s to another year of innovative and inspiring music.

Sammy Maine Managing Editor

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ACTS FOR 2017

16 20 27 28 33 35 46

COVER: THISISDA NYE RADAR INDIE VENUE WEEK ALBUMS O/T YEAR BIG JEFF LISTINGS THOUGHTS W/ DEAR DICK

Ed-in-Chief Loki Lillistone / Live Ed Mustafa Mirreh / News Ed Christian Northwood / Plus many amazing contributors in print and online.

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ACTS FOR 2017

THISISDA 2016 has been a rollercoaster of a year.

When Bristol’s ThisisDA wrote the first line of ‘Over’, the atmospheric opener to his 2016 record 21 & Done, he probably didn’t know the lyrics about flying high before “searching the depths of my soul” would ring true for so many. But such introspection and honesty are just some of the reasons that 2017 is going to be his year. For those unfamiliar, ThisisDA combines progressive, spacey sounds with flecks of the old-school to create a sound wholly his own. His songs tackle the dark and light, his bouncy flow often at odds with his exhausted-sounding lyrical content.

2016 saw him starting to make waves, and not just in Bristol. His beautiful videos have found their way onto Mass Appeal 8

Who are we excited to hear more from this year?

Full Feature on page 16. and Crack Magazine, while 21 & Done has been given nods from Complex, MOBOs online and Clash. He’s even staked a claim for crossover success, laying down a verse for a remix of Bad Sounds’ ‘Avalanche’, showing how his versatile, unique flow could conquer even wider. Having surfaced a few years ago, this wasn’t ThisisDA’s first year on the scene, but it has been the year he’s truly cemented himself as one of the most exciting artists around, making 2017 his for the taking. ThisisDA is definitely not done yet.

The Sufferbus Crofters Rights, 22nd Jan

DREAM WIFE Dream Wife are a unique blend.

Icelandic vocalist Rakel Mjöll joined forces with British guitarist and bassist Alice Go and Bella Podpadec at an art school in Brighton, and set about creating a vicious, one-of-a-kind brand of disco punk. EP tracks ‘Kids’ and ‘Hey Heartbreaker’ saw them master sugarysweet melodies, while new track ‘FUU’ – with added rapping from Iceland’s Fever Dream – shows their teeth, ready to bite.

Having toured with Black Honey and commanded stages in both Iceland and the UK, and with an album expected in 2017, it’s Dream Wife’s time. And you bet they’re ready for it.

FENNE LILY

FUU Crofters Rights, 19th Jan

Fenne Lily has captured the hearts of many over the last couple of years.

One of Bristol’s brightest artists, her cherished stories and finger-picked acoustic strums have likened her to Joni Mitchell, Lucy Rose and Laura Marling, while her songs have reached impressive heights both live and on air.

2016 saw many highlights, including debut single ‘Top to Toe’ amassing over 7 million plays on Spotify, back-toback plays on Radio 1, festival shows throughout the summer and her first UK headline tour.

The whole country has begun to fall in love with Fenne Lily, and there’s no doubt that 2017 will see the rest of the world do so as well.

Top to Toe 9

KLEIN Klein is an uncompromising talent who has crafted out a space that is entirely her own. Releasing her album Only on Howling Owl Records – via a diamante heart-shaped USB stick, of course – the album profiled an intriguing artist with a knack for pulling together samples and melodic flairs to produce an original, all-encompassing sound.

Stunt Only LP [Howling Owl]

MANY MONIKA The “dolled up outfit” of Bristol’s Sean Warman, Many Monika has been on our radar since her appearance at the THORNY soft launch back in 2015. A hitherto penchant for almost Stooges-like punk rock was shattered last month with the release of astounding coming-of-age single ‘You Can’t Hide Who You Are’, which affirmed many a home truth about self-expression, queer or otherwise.

With the growth of THORNY’s DIY misfit scene and the sheer quality of her latest effort, 2017 is a surefire time to watch Many Monika go many places.

You Can’t Hide Who You Are 10

With stints in America over the past month or so, the hype for Klein is reaching monumental proportions and it’s only going to get louder. Producing everything from hip-hop to electronica to techno, Klein is a pop star for the future.

NILÜFER YANYA Nilüfer Yanya’s authenticity is what’s most striking about her output; candid lyricism and hook-laden melodies, her bluesy undertones giving a nostalgic element to a sound that’s wholly ingrained in the future. At just 21 years old, Yanya understands that less is often more, as stripped-back instrumentation adds a suspenseful restraint that ensures what she creates is emotive, without giving too much away. Recent single ‘Small Crimes’ is a gorgeous blend of guitar plucks and electronic samples – Dave Okumu from The Invisible actually taught Yanya guitar for two years, which points to Yanya’s ability to be unequivocally herself in her artistry. Be sure to check out her cover of Pixies’ ‘Hey’ too.

GOAT GIRL

Keep On Calling Lexington (London) 11th Jan

This London-based four piece may signal where music is going in a postBrexit, post-Trump and post-truth world.

Rather than the uncontrolled lashing out of standard punk, Goat Girl choose the dark, brooding controlled punch of post-punk as their weapon. The band’s second track ‘Scum’ questions “how can an entire nation be so fucking thick” before turning on those who rule by fear, flipping their own rhetoric against them as they drawl “you scum aren’t welcome here.” It’s no surprise that the group have been snapped up by Rough Trade, and with the world deteriorating at its current rate, it’s looking like Goat Girl are going to be more and more necessary.

Scum 11

ARDYN From the rural fields of Devon are alt-folk duo Ardyn. Following from their spellbinding debut EP Universe and capturing the hearts of Bristol with their show at The Louisiana in November, they’ve continued to expand on their conventional pop, rock and folk elements.

The Valley Lexington (London) 11th Jan

BOSSY LOVE

Their latest release ‘The Valley’ is marvellously crafted, showcasing woven pop melodies that can only be created by a band like this. Katy Pearson’s vocals can be as delicate as they are powerful and, now accompanied by a full live band, 2017 will certainly see Ardyn turning yet more heads.

The Glasgow-based duo of Amandah Wilkinson (ex Aussie indie-pop outfit Operator Please) and John Baillie Jr (ex noise-sters Dananananaykroyd) have combined their talents for catchiness for new project Bossy Love. It’s pop music that bites, with melodies to soothe the soul and stick in your head for days on end. Hip-hop beats and wonky synths merge seamlessly with Wilkinson’s distinctive vocal to produce genreless bangers that will intrigue and inspire.

With three singles already under their belts, ‘Want Some’, ‘Call Me Up’ and ‘Wind Me Up’, Bossy Love are only just getting started as purveyors of an all-new alt-pop.

Wind Me Up 12

ZUZU Earlier this year, Liverpool’s Zuzu supported Courtney Barnett, which, if you have heard Zuzu’s music, is possibly the best-fitting tour buddy you can get. If you haven’t heard Zuzu’s music yet, let me fill you in: Take Courtney Barnett’s sharp wit, then mix in some of Pavement’s slacker guitar.

Sprinkle on bit of punk spikiness before adding in just a bit of extra fun, and then you’ll have it: Zuzu.

So far we only have one offering from her, the brilliant ‘Get Off’, but that, and her impressive live show, has been more than enough to prove why she will be one of the brightest stars of 2017.

SERPENTWITHFEET

Get Off Lexington (London) 10th Jan

Josiah Wise is something of a musical chameleon, after training as a jazz vocalist and dabbling in the heavier stuff during his goth phase. Serpentwithfeet is where he found himself; a project that is both soulful and wondrous, with Wise having previously described the music as “pagan gospel”. Teaming falsetto vocals with barely-there instrumentation, this project is undeterred in its cinematic approach, with recent EP blisters proving Wise as one heck of a singer.

Track ‘four ethers’ could slot itself into just about any Bond movie, with soaring strings and wandering vocal lines, while ‘flickering’ is a slow-jam for darkened, misty evenings. Wise’s distinctive structures and fearless approach will see serpentwithfeet take over the world.

blisters 13

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“ I’ve NEVER been the sort of person ...

... to do what

EVERYONE ELSE is doing. ”

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D

avid Aidoo is a breath of fresh air. Providing personal insight through heartfelt and unfiltered lyricism, the audio-visual artist made waves in 2016 with album 21 & Done.

Releasing under the moniker ThisisDA, Aidoo grew up between London and Bristol. Surrounded by white people until he started secondary school, Aidoo says the transition had a profound effect on his music. “The whole jump of culture was weird to me; it was a complete shift in understanding what life was about.

Recently I’ve been trying to record conversations so I can sample them and put them into songs – I feel like I hear a lot of things that spark my interest when it comes to making music. Your environment is the key factor in making music, if you ignore it, you’re not really going to make good music.”

Navigating between these two distinctly different environments has allowed Aidoo to surpass the confining boundaries of UK rap. As for many of us during our teenage years, indie music was inescapable and now as an adult, ThisisDA is using it to channel his ideas with the world. “I work with bands on a general basis; I was on the Sumo Chiefs album and I’ve worked with Oliver Wilde as well,” he says. On how this relates to his own music, he explains, “The esoteric lyrics in ‘indie’

are way more fulfilling than hip-hop.

Hip-hop can sometimes be so candid, so straight to the point that when you’re listening to it you immediately know what the rapper is going through.”

Expressing his dual consciousness with vocal experimentations to create his own unique blend of harmony and melody in arrangements, his tracks feel familiar yet fresh. “I get my influence from so many outlets so it’s a natural thing for me to change my sound. I’ve never been the sort of person to do what everyone else is doing. I listen to a lot of mainstream hip-hop but I also listen to everything I can do, from The Beatles to Pixies. I’ve been listening to a lot of ScHoolboy Q lately too.”

Besides his nostalgic affection for indie, art in the broader sense is increasingly playing a significant role in Aidoo’s work. In October, he was involved in an evening of music and art – Don’t Trust These Walls – accompanied by Beulah Davina and his brother, Eric Sings. “I’m not an artist as such, that exhibition was the first thing I’d done. I used to draw majorly as a child but I haven’t for years.” But in 2017, Aidoo aims to incorporate more visual elements into his work. “I have a video mash-up that I’ve done which is loads of 80s commercials and weird film bits that we intend to show through a projection.

I’m more into the filming side of things, especially moving images.”

Judging from his music videos, it’s no surprise to learn that Aidoo helped curate the Black Lives On Film event at Watershed. An alumnus of the BFI Film Academy and the National Film School, Aidoo is committed to changing 17

the narratives surrounding the representation of black people on screen and in the wider creative industries. “I feel like we’re always put into a box. As a black person you’re ‘this kind of artist’ or ‘that kind of artist’, you can’t just be a human individual. You’re a black guy from ‘that place’ so you must be representing ‘this’. I’ve always felt that I’ve been pushed into the ‘black Bristol rappers’ box and it’s not really who I am.”

Affected by the inaccurate and demonising portrayal of young black men in film, Aidoo remembers an encounter he had with the directors of Kidulthood. “I got into a massive argument with [director of photography] Brian Tufano. He was doing a talk with [the director] Menhaj Huda, and they showed the first film they made together in the 90s. It was about a group of black boys after school who clashed with a group of Asian kids. The two groups got into a fight and one of the black kids ends up stabbing one of the Asian kids. When the film finished, the whole cinema was silent. Everyone was there to obviously study the 18

cinematography of it; I just put my hand up to ask ‘what was the point in that film?’”

“For many black people, this is how we’re used to seeing ourselves presented by the white maledominated creative industries. When you’re not part of the marginalised group you’re presenting, you escape the implications of negative and false stereotypes,” he continues. “They get to select what’s on TV – it just fucks everyone up. The majority of people on Earth are coloured, they’re not white, so we’re not the minority.

We deserve to say whatever we feel like; if the media want to censor that, we’ll find another outlet.”

For Aidoo, artists of colour and consumers alike need to look forward: “You need to be realistic about the situation black people are in… We need to make moves internally and keep collaborating with people.”

ThisisDA and NTS Radio are curating a show at The Crofter’s Rights on 22nd Jan, which will see ThisisDA perform, with Bad Sounds, Eskimoe and Kojey Radical also playing.

O CTO B E R

D R I F T

W W W. O CTO B E R D R I F T. C O . U K

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NYE RADAR RHAIN, OLIVER WILDE & BRISTOL SUPERGROUPS

What our live music venues have on offer this year.

Straight Outta Pop Con Thekla | £8-15adv It’s hip hop vs pop this year at Thekla and we look forward to your personal battle lines shifting with each drink you slurp down.

Bristol’s own Notorious BS3 are even busting out their take on a glock-load (official term) of hip hop classics before DJs trade blows.

...Fat Lip Parade The Lanes | £10adv

The Louisiana | £10-13adv Promising to be one of the most sceneaffirming, both beautiful and messy nights on offer this New Year’s, No Need to Shout presents a bewilderingly-named ‘NYE Hoedown’. As if the amazing Rhain and Oliver Wilde weren’t enough with their awe-inspiring vocal gymnastics and layered splendour respectively, we’ll also get a sneaky set from ‘Buckfast Crimewave’, whose true identity we’ll let you all guess.

What truly promises to make this night hard to forget however, is the stream of one-off supergroup performances lined up. That’s right, some of Bristol’s most influential acts of the year will be out in force, all mashed together like some divine serving of Pie Minister potato. Unmissable.

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Fat Lip has had a huge year and to top it all off they’re turning The Lanes into a living version of MCR’s infamous Black Parade. Live sets from Beyond Recall, Montroze and Healer, plus a MySpace photo booth and more.

Ramshackle 90s Party O2 Academy | £10.50adv OD on ‘member berries this NYE as student mainstay Ramshackle brings us all kicking and screaming back to the 90s. Well, we say kicking and screaming until about Track Name Goes Here drink three, at which point we’re all like, “West Philadelphia, born and Track Name Goes Here raised!”

Mclusky + Double Venue Lineup Exchange & Stag | £20adv Another awesome lineup this year from the Harlem Heat of New Year’s Eve, the Exchange and Stag & Hounds. Posthardcore cult faves Mclusky lead a huge lineup of guitar bands firmly turned to eleven.

Grunge-indebted three-piece Soeur remind us of their recent spike in momentum by heading up the local portion; expect a typically raucous live set thrashing with memorable riffs and long hair in equal measure. Iran Iran, Downard and tons more add to a bill that, like the generous lover it is, delivers both quality and quantity.

Free Party ‘til 4am The Mothers Ruin | Free

Break Stuff Nu Year’s Eve The Fleece

If we’ve said it once we’ve said it a thousand times: “Shall we have a pint at the Ruin..?”

This year The Fleece asks: Nu Metal or Pop Punk, who would win in a fight? While this would probably be the most hilarious whiteboy slap-fight imaginable in real life, in DJ form it actually sounds like a rad way to sink some beers and lament over the boss not letting us wear flesh tunnels in the office. Fuck you, Sue.

Soulworks + HBS + Bodywork The Gallimaufry | Free Is there anything more tantalising than the word ‘free’? While 8/10 dads agree those empty pots are worth keeping, a freebie of Galli NYE proportions is a whole different kettle of yes. Soulworks, Hot Buttered Soul and Bodywork will be slamming vinyl back to back until this whole 2k16 shitstorm is a distant memory.

Lee McCrory The Fringe | Free Free live music from 7pm, centered around the blues of Lee McCrory.

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Escape the Metropolis Tobacco Factory | £35adv

Sleeptalking + More Crofter’s Rights | £10adv

Our Tobacco Factory turns the clock back to 1927, the year of Fritz Lang’s iconic dystopian film, Metropolis. Expect dancing, aerial acts, fire, juggling, burlesque and stilt walking plus DJs and live music from the Carny Villains. Now you’re on the trolley.

Waxslax presents a night of moshing and weird face paint at The Crofters Rights. The live lineup even includes one of our true guilty pleasures, tongue-in-cheek skate rockers The Gnarwhals.

The 45s The Thunderbolt | £10adv

Sleazy Sessions

45 is the length in cm of a cubit in the Old Testament. OT also stands for Oral Testimony. The same oral testimony given by OJ Simpson in 1995 before being cleared of all charges. Illuminati! We shall overlook this excellent rock band’s involvement for NYE then throw the book at them in Jan...

Single-handedly making the word ‘sleazy’ a positive, Sleazy Sessions combine “sex and disco” with more earnest than a pre-you-know-what Michael Jackson. With a very successful September event under their gold-hooped belts, they’re taking everything they learned and going bigger for NYE. Jay L is set to spin “disco classics no-one has heard before”, Bristol producer Ishmael turns his hand to selection for the night and Pardon My French turn up to do their thing.

Jungle New Year’s Eve The Canteen | £27.50-33adv Do you ever have urges? Like, animal urges? Well don your jungle attire and head to The Canteen.

They’re promising an untouched tropical paradise where animals run free and DJs drop bangers from the canopy above. ASBO Disco, Dr Syntax and Dub Boy are all getting involved, along with Ed Solo, Eva Lazarus, Gardna and many more.

There’s never been a better time to be a slutty Tarzan, Jane – or monkey. If you’re into that.

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DJs ‘til late; wax in your slacks optional.

Old Market Assembly | £10-20adv

The Prohibition NYE

Trinity Centre | £17.50-32.50adv What is it about being told you can’t have something that makes you want it even more? Alcohol, carbs, a president who understands women are people… Enter: The Prohibition NYE, complete with speakeasy, moonshine factory and a casino. Acts inc. A.Skillz, Laid Blak and Benny Page.

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SUN.15.JAN.17

WED.15.FEB.17

TUE.24.JAN.17

MON.06.MAR.17

FRI.31.MAR.17

FRI.10.MAR.17

TUE.04.APR.17

TUE.14.MAR.17

THU.06.APR.17

WED.15.MAR.17

FRI.21.APR.17

THU.16.FEB.17

TUE.24.JAN.17 FRI.17.FEB.17

FRI.03.FEB.17 SUN.19.FEB.17

SUN.30.APR.17 WED.22.MAR.17

FRI.10.FEB.17 TUE.21.FEB.17 SAT.25.MAR.17 WED.03.MAY.17 FRI.10.FEB.17

FRI.24.FEB.17

THU.30.MAR.17 WED.15.FEB.17

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FRI.24.FEB.17

SAT.27.MAY.17

THEKLA

LIVE LISTINGS

The Grove East Mud Dock Bristol BS1 4RB theklabristol.co.uk | thekla.club F L theklabristol | I X theklabris alttickets.com • gigantic.com • bristolticketshop.co.uk

SATURDAY 31ST DECEMBER

NYE STRAIGHT OUTTA POP CON FEAT. NOTORIOUS BS3 THE HOTELIER

CABBAGE

MONDAY 27TH FEBRUARY

FENECH-SOLER

+ CRYING

FRIDAY 27TH JANUARY

THURSDAY 2ND MARCH

HIPPO CAMPUS

WEDNESDAY 13

+ MASICANS

+ BOURBON CROW

SATURDAY 28TH JANUARY

SATURDAY 4TH MARCH

TYKETTO

THE ORWELLS

SUNDAY 29TH JANUARY

KEVIN DEVINE AND THE GODDAMN BAND + LAURA STEVENSON + THE LION AND THE WOLF

TUESDAY 7TH MARCH

MITSKI

WEDNESDAY 8TH MARCH

VANT

WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY

MONDAY 13TH MARCH

THE PIGEON DETECTIVES

+ STEVIE PARKER

THURSDAY 2ND FEBRUARY

TUESDAY 14TH MARCH

BOXED IN

BEN HAENOW

FRIDAY 3RD FEBRUARY

THURSDAY 16TH MARCH

LIAM BAILEY

CLOUD NOTHINGS

SATURDAY 4TH FEBRUARY

MONDAY 17TH MARCH

EVIL SCARECROW

DAVE HAUSE AND THE MERMAID

+ ENDEAVOUR

+ DEAD HEAVENS: INTRODUCING ROBYN G. SHIELS

MONDAY 6TH FEBRUARY

AMARAL

WEDNESDAY 22ND MARCH

FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY

TURNPIKE TROUBADORS

THURSDAY 23TH MARCH

UNION J

KATE NASH

THUNDERCAT THE LEMON TWIGS

SATURDAY 11TH FEBRUARY

TUESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY

SATURDAY 18TH FEBRUARY

+ THE SHIMMER BAND + APRIL

THURSDAY 26TH JANUARY

C DUNCAN

FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY

THE SHERLOCKS

FRIDAY 24TH MARCH

SOLD OUT

LEWIS WATSON

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Behind Every Musician

@WeAreTheMU Photo: Joseph Branston. © MU 2016

vert.cs2.indd 1

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11/24/16

Words: Sammy Maine Feat: Tim Burgess

In the wake of 2016, Independent Venue Week is as important as ever. Safe, creative spaces are sadly becoming few and far between, so gathering up your pals and heading to your favourite venue is one of the best things you can do on a dreary January evening. Here in Bristol, we’re lucky to have our choice of eclectic spaces that provide stellar lineups of some of the best acts around – from local to international – and Independent Venue Week will see them given the spotlight they deserve. Acting as a nod to the people that own, run and work in these venues, week in, week out, it’s one of the most fulfilling live music experiences all year.

Author, label-founder, solo artist and The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess was announced as the 2017 ambassador, following in the footsteps of previous ambassadors Wolf Alice, Frank Turner and Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood. Under the banner of Tim Peaks, Burgess has curated a lineup alongside our very own ‘Big’ Jeff Johns, featuring local favourites Yama Warashi and Kayla Painter.

”Independent venues put on some fantastic shows but they also need an enthusiastic audience to make them into events,” he explains. “I played a gig in Bristol a few years ago and it was the first time I saw Big Jeff. He’s usually the tallest person in the room and he has an armful of festival wristbands and must go out five nights a week just watching bands. If you’re playing in Bristol and he’s not there then you need to up your game.”

Burgess continues to say that when he was asked to help out with Independent Venue Week, Big Jeff was the first person he thought of contacting. “We asked him to put a lineup together for a show,” says Burgess.

“He’s picked some brilliant performers who I’d not heard before. Big Jeff is the patron saint of live music.”

Catch Yama Warashi and Kayla Painter at The Exchange on 26th January and Elder Island, Tamu Massif, Body Clocks, Jamie Cruickshank and Nugget at The Louisiana on 28th January.

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ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

HEAR OUR HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2016

Plus tons more at: bristollivemagazine.com 28

2016 was a shit bag of a year but with it came some truly great records, too many to even fit our countdown. Special shout-outs to Danny Brown who produced some serious bangers; Margaret Glaspy who made heartbreak sound beautiful; Doe who proved that punk is as cathartic as you can get and of course Radiohead who continue to prove they’re one of the most inventive bands around. Also soz Skepta, but we thought you’d be okay with your Mercury Music Prize.

Key Contributions: Sammy Maine, Christain Northwood, Mustafa Mirreh & Loki Lillistone.

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SHE MAKES WAR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

When Laura Kidd released her third studio album Direction Of Travel, it was the next chapter in her already established songwriting and musicianship. However, what made this release exceptionally good was the level of creativity involved. Hand-picked collaborations, crafted instrumentation and vivid stories created something honest, empowering and heartfelt. No matter the situation, SMW will always find a way to push things further, whether online, acoustically or live on stage.

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SAVAGES ADORE LIFE

A real punk band, with real punk songs and – this year – a true punk album. With so many shows now under their belt, including an infamous set at Banksy’s Dismaland, a measure of the atmosphere found on their 2013 debut was eschewed for yet further relentless, ovaries-out post-punk. Adore Life thrust this particular sound in front of the masses (let alone women) more effectively than any band for quite some time, earning them their second Mercury nomination and plenty of fresh victims for Jehnny Beth’s infamous mosh-pit death-stare.

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CAR SEAT HEADREST

SOLANGE A SEAT AT THE TABLE Producing political pop gems with a soulful, enriching stance, Solange truly came into her own on A Seat At The Table.

Gorgeous harmonies, electronic rhythms and badass basslines were teamed with powerful interludes to make this an LP that will stand the test of time.

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BON IVER 22, A MILLION

TEENS OF DENIAL Honed through countless Bandcamp releases, the first full-length album from bedroom slacker Will Toledo examined the fractured, disengaged mind of modern man through an album’s worth of rambling epics while reimagining bands like Pavement and quoting Dido. It’s an album in which you discover a new funny, self-deprecating lyric with every listen as he numbs the deepest of feelings and dramatises the mundane.

A third album from Bon Iver was never guaranteed to happen, and that uncertainty makes 22, A Million all the more intense and vital for simply existing.

Ridiculous song titles aside, it’s a progression from one of the world’s most fascinating artists.

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BEYONCÉ LEMONADE

OLIVER WILDE LONG HOLD STAR...

Bristol’s Oliver Wilde surprised us with a summer release that was a delightful, emotive treat. Long Hold Star An Infinite Abduction was a bridge between old and new, showing glimpses of his original bedroom pop sequences while shining into newer territory.

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DAVID BOWIE BLACKSTAR The perfect swansong for a man like no other, Blackstar saw Bowie perfecting his artistry up until his very last moments. Exploring existentialism at its rawest, it was an LP that looked to the future with wit and a musicality that extends beyond genre.

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You can’t discuss 2016 without mentioning Queen B. Arguably breaking the internet when she released her visual album Lemonade, Beyoncé reminded us all once again why her creative artistry deserves its rightful place on the throne. It was also her most emotional and powerful work to date. From the heart-wounded ‘Pray You Can Hear Me’ and ‘All Night’ to ‘Hold Up’ and the devastating ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’, we felt every heartache, every tear and cheered on every comeback. Both fearless and vulnerable.

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ANOHNI HOPELESSNESS What could secure Antony Hegarty’s place as a downright national treasure better than her re-birth as ANOHNI and this perfect album. While best-known by most for her depictions of dysphoria and its associated personal pitfalls, Hopelessness tackled global issues amidst brave production. From asymmetric warfare on ‘Drone Bomb Me’ and climate change on ‘4 DEGREES’, to online privacy on ‘Watch Me’, it’s a tour of hot-button issues, but with each opportunity for cheese replaced with a deep irony.

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SHURA NOTHING’S REAL

Who knew an album all about crippling anxiety and lost loves would be one of the most lifeaffirming and dancefloor-ready records of the year? Stepping out of the shadow of her 2014 viral hit ‘Touch’, Shura proved her pop credibility with hits ‘What’s It Gonna Be?’ and ‘2Shy’. Playful synths and hooks-a-plenty, Nothing’s Real was truly an all-killer, no-filler affair that when teamed with personal childhood recordings and candid lyricism showed how 2016 saw pop take on a new meaning.

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WHITNEY LIGHT UPON THE LAKE

DAUGHTER NOT TO DISAPPEAR This follow-up to Daughter’s debut album saw them break free of their quiet, emotive band shell and into something beautiful and dynamic.

Certainly more structured and balanced in terms of sound, while being lyrically hard-hitting as ever – it’s Daughter at their very best.

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MITSKI PUBERTY 2 First single ‘Your Best American Girl’, was maybe the biggest musical statement of the year, transmitted via screeching, distorted guitars. Puberty 2 painted a picture of an artist that is, above all, committed to speaking the truth and nothing but the truth.

What started out as a project to help founders Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich get over the breakup of both their band Smith Westerns and with their girlfriends, there’s a woeful core to Whitney’s debut LP. However, with its soulful, alt-country approach, the band were able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and guitar flairs and shuffling rhythms get heads swaying in no time. With beautifully sun-kissed tracks like ‘No Woman’ and ‘Golden Days’, here’s an utterly life-affirming listen.

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FRANK OCEAN BLONDE

Considering that Frank Ocean’s second album was probably one of the most eagerly-anticipated albums of the last decade, it felt like there was no way he’d be able to hit the heights expected of him. Blonde presented a rawer version of the singer we knew before, mixing beautiful production with off-the-cuff vocals to make something unlike anything R&B had seen before. If we thought Ocean had bared his soul to us before, we were mistaken; Blonde is his snapshot of self-exile.

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PINEGROVE CARDINAL

Beneath Cardinal’s pleasant instrumentation is an intense, focussed work that brings beauty in grief; the loss of friends, the loss of yourself and of stability. Songwriter Evan Stephens Hall makes the transient nature of things sound like poetry, rectifying previous mistakes through sorrowful, colourful narratives that resonate with our own internal battles. Hall is leading us forward with our lives, encouraging us to fight solipsism but to never lose who you are and, most notably, telling us to care.

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BRISTOL BECAUSE...

City chat with our fave people.

PHOTO: SIMON HOLLIDAY

This month: ‘Big’ Jeff Johns When did you first move to Bristol?

I moved to Bristol in 2002 for Access to Music. I studied Contemporary Popular Music – something that has become a wellknown obsession of mine.

What was the last gig you went to here?

I went to see an Orchestra lead by Charles Hazelwood perform Philip Glass’ Low and Heroes symphonies as a celebration of the work of David Bowie. They also had the Fantasy Orchestra playing the hits of Bowie in the Foyer, it was a really beautiful event.

What’s your favourite thing about the city?

My favourite things about the city are the independent venues (like The Louisiana) and seeing people use different spaces in a really creative way. The other week I went to see Richard Dawson play in Redcliffe Caves; it made me look at how magnificent the caves really were.

And your least favourite?

The development of new student flats and all the roadworks. It feels like they’re completely culturally destroying the town centre.

Some favourite gigs of the year?

Probably Yama Warashi; I love their fusion of psychedelic Japanese jazz with tropical rhythms. ‘Egg Shaped Moon’ is one of my favourite records of 2016. We are spoilt by so many great and exciting artists in Bristol.

John Carpenter at Colston Hall, PJ Harvey at The Eden Project, Saul Williams at The Lantern and Thekla, Colin Stetson at St Georges, Deafheaven at The Fleece, Dalek at The Louisiana, Super Furry Animals at the O2, Low at Trinity and Vryll Society, again at The Loui.

How would you describe the music scene here?

Which Bristol artist(s) do you think will make it big next year?

Who’s your top Bristol band / artist at the moment?

I would say that the music scene thrives owing to the smaller communities and that it covers many different genres, so it’s really difficult to pigeonhole it.

I really hope Oliver Wilde makes an impact outside of Bristol with his next album. I have my eye on ThisisDA, and Rhain, Idles and Scarlet Rascal will surely do great things.

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Instagram of the Month

LIVE LISTINGS The Lanes 22 Nelson Street, BS1 2LE

@simonholliday • HMLTD at the Old England

The Louisiana Wapping Road, BS1 6UA The Marble Factory / Motion 74-78 Avon Street, BS2 0PX

Anson Rooms 105 Queens Rd, BS8 1LN

Mother’s Ruin 7-9 St. Nicholas Srreet, BS1 1UE

Arnolfini 16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA

No. 1 Harbourside 1 Canon’s Rd, Bristol BS1 5UH

The Bierkeller All Saints’ Street, BS1 2NA

O2 Academy 1-2 Frogmore Street, BS1 5NA

The Bristol Fringe 32 Princess Victoria Street, BS8 4BZ

The Old Market Assembly 25 West Street, BS2 0DF

The Canteen 80 Stokes Croft, BS1 3QY

Roll For The Soul 2 Quay Street, BS1 2JL

Colston Hall & Lantern Colston Street, BS1 5AR

The Stag & Hounds 74 Old Market, BS2 0EJ

The Crofters Rights 117-119 Stokes Croft, BS1 3PY

SWX Bristol 15 Nelson Street, BS1 2JY

Exchange 72-73 Old Market, BS2 OEJ

Thekla The Grove, BS1 4RB

Fiddlers Willway Street, BS3 4BG

The Thunderbolt 124 Bath Road, BS4 3ED

The Fleece 12 St. Thomas Sreet, BS1 6JJ

Tobacco Factory Raleigh Road, BS3 1TF

The Gallimaufry 26-28 The Promenade, BS7 8AL

Trinity Centre Trinity Road, BS2 0NW

The Grain Barge Mardyke Warf, BS8 4RU The Gryphon 41 Colston Street, BS1 5AP Kingsdown Wine Vaults 31 Kingsdown Parade, BS6 5UE 35

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REHEARSAL LISTINGS Dockside Studios Fully equipped in central Bristol. Free parking. No fixed booking times. Equipment hire and storage facilities also available. Open until 11pm every day except Sat (7pm). docksidestudios.co.uk • mail@docksidestudios.co.uk 0117 934 9994 • Albion Dockside Estate, BS1 6UT Factory Studios Where music is made! Eleven practice rooms, a recording studio and great discounts for student and regular bands.

Book by phone or online. factorystudios.co.uk • info@factorystudios.co.uk 0117 952 5655 • Unit 23, Maze Street, BS5 9TQ Maverick Studios Rehearsal and recording (both audio & video). Large 30’ stage as well as dedicated sound-booth and control room available. All rooms with PA and drum kit. maverickstudios.co.uk • maverickstudiosbristol@gmail.com 07833 691 741 • Office Tower, Foundry Lane, BS5 7UZ RS Studios The largest independent rehearsal and recording Studio complex in the Southwest, consisting of 18 individual, custom designed & built sound-proof studios. rs-studios.co.uk • rsstudios@hotmail.com 0117 971 1495 • 47-57 Feeder Road, BS2 0SE Wilder Studios Acoustically treated rooms with complete backline, free wifi and off-road parking. On-site storage available and live recording studio with vocal booth. Daytime discounts. wilderstudios.co.uk • bookings@wilderstudios.co.uk 0752 252 2723 • 470 Bath Road, BS4 3HG Firebird Studios Run by musicians for musicians. Friendly, helpful staff, six affordable rooms, lots of onsite parking and food & drink available. Book by phone or online. firebirdstudios.co.uk • info@firebirdstudios.co.uk 0117 972 1830 • 21-23 Emery Rd, BS4 5PF 45

THOUGHTS

Comment and opinion from staff and guests.

But Once a Ye a r by

Dick Dickson, Resident Antagony Aunt

I used to know a man called Dave Christmas. He was always filled with the joys of spring. He wore a flat cap and attended salsa lessons thrice weekly, something he paradoxically never became good at. There was always something odd about Dave.

Whether it was his thumb-like appearance, his seemingly ill-advised interest in attractive Latin women, or the fact he always had sweets in his pocket, Christmas was queer. I couldn’t help but think it was because he was birthed over the yule, Mrs Christmas carefully matching her ovulations to the festive period, instilling an everpresent sense of Noel within him.

I believe the only thing that makes Christmas even remotely bearable is that it happens just once a year, albeit for at least a month and a half, depending on where you shop. Annual Stockholm syndrome is something we obsess over. We’re spoonfed the idea of consumption from the get go. We all know that Coca-Cola changed Santa’s traditional green garb for red robes to match their branding, but did you know his standard slippers were swapped out for Timberland boots as far back as 1965?

And his traditional reading glasses, seen in so many classic images? Replaced by contacts in 2001 through a lucrative deal with Dollond & Aitchison.

If even the big man isn’t sacred, it begs the question; what else can be corrupted?

The saccharine Christmas music we guzzle down every year couldn’t have come from more bitter beginnings… 13-year-old Brenda Lee’s xmas classic, ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ was actually an allegory for her mother’s devastating crack-cocaine habit, one of the earliest instances of the drug’s usage in the States.

Chuck Berry’s classic, ‘Run Rudolph Run’ was originally created to raise awareness for now famous African-American track and field star, Wilma Rudolph, who was struck with pneumonia and polio, potentially damaging her chances of competing at a professional level. Oh, and ‘Fairytale Of New York’ isn’t anywhere near as good as you think it is. Merry Festivus.

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