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ABIGAIL X IVORIANDOLL
TE DNESS
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Electrowerkz
London 20 | 10 | 19
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KID KAPICHI
BOBBY OROZA
London 04 | 10 | 19
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Camden Assembly
OLDEN YOLK The Lexington London 15 | 10 | 19
RICHARD HAWLEY
Garage
Electric Ballroom
The Lexington
LITLAND FESTIVAL Oval Space London 10 | 11 | 19
INDIGO GIRLS O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
METHYL ETHEL Electric Brixton London 13 | 11 | 19
London 28 | 10 | 19
LAMB
BABYBIRD
Roundhouse
London 28 | 10 | 19
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CRAIG FINN & THE UPTOWN CONTROLLERS
OF MONSTERS AND MEN
JAMIE CULLUM
Oslo
London 29 | 10 | 19
London 18 | 03 | 20
SKATING POLLY/SHE MAKES WAR
FEBUEDER
London 17 | 10 | 19
London 17 | 10 | 19
The Lexington
Union Chapel
100 Club
Eventim Apollo
The Lexington London 30 | 10 | 19
London 18 | 10 | 19
The Palladium
JAMIE CULLUM
The Palladium London 19 | 03 | 20
DAWES
Islington Assembly Hall London 04 | 11 | 19
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PARIS 2019
One of the advantages to the summer being saturated with festivals is the chance to fall head-over-heels with acts we might not have otherwise had the chance to see. This is very much what happened when we went to Field Day this year. Catching HAAi playing above the crowds was probably the best start to a festival we could have asked for, it only made sense that she should be our next cover star. If all festivals could make note and start that way, that’d be great. Also for this month, it’s so brilliant to see the return of Shura - we last interviewed her back in 2015 and she just keeps getting better. With Jay Som and one of our favourite newcomers, ((( O ))) in there as well, this month is a mix of the best sounds. Looking at release schedules (I know, I know, there’s so much more great stuff we don’t even know about also coming) for the rest of the year and, oh my god, there is so much to look forward to. Is the best yet to come? Watch this space.
STAFF ON REPEAT
the music we can’t stop listening to this month Jess: Blanck Mass - No Dice Dave: Stefflon Don, Lil Baby - Phone Down Loki: Dream Dali – Hurt Me Danny: Squid - The Cleaner Gemma: Sampa The Great - OMG Kezia: Brooke Candy (ft. Charli XCX & Maliibu Miitch) - XXXTC Katie: Parris Mitchell vs. Nina Kraviz - Feel My Butterfly (Ghetto Acid Mix) SAMPA THE GREAT (photo: Barun Chatterjee)
Jack: Anna Meredith - Paramour London in Stereo: 07
INTERVIEWS 20
24
REVIEWS
SHURA
42
74
JAY SOM 28
36
50
((( O ))) 52
VISIONS FESTIVAL PREVIEW 16 69
LIVE
WHAT’S ON
HAAi
FEATURES 12
ALBUM RELEASES
56
EVENTS
GIGS OF THE MONTH
FULL AUGUST LISTINGS
NEW SOUNDS
TALES FROM THE CITY 70
ON THE STEREO 72 76
IN LONDON
THOUGHTS... HAAi cover story: page 28
Editor: Jess Partridge jess@instereomag.com
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Photography: HAAi cover story: Jenn Five (jennfive.com) Contributors: Caitlin Clark, Geoff Cowart, Georgia Evans, Thomas Hannan, Jon Kean, Charlotte Krol, Emma Madden, Georgia Marsh, Robin Murray, Stephanie Phillips, Kelly Ronaldson, Harriet Taylor, Lee Wakefield, Madeline Wrench. londoninstereo.com
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London in Stereo: 09
At the risk of sounding like a stuck record, Visions Festival is, simply, The Best. One of our favourite days of the entire year, we always have the best time bouncing between venues, catching incredible music, drinking great drinks and indulging in exceptional street food. Plus, of course, the dog show. To your right you’ll see a map that’ll help guide you round the streets of Hackney. Below, you’ll find five things we’re definitely going to be doing. So if you want to hang with us - then follow these simple steps.
1
2
12pm Dog show
2pm Zamilska or Scalping?
One of the reasons Visions is the absolute best is because no other festival kicks off with an open-to-everyone dog show. We honestly can’t think of a better way to start things so this is definitely where you’ll find us. This year’s theme is Pup Fiction, and if that’s not going to be the most darkly cute thing we’ve ever seen then we’ll be shocked.
The music kicks off proper at 2pm and there’s no hanging around. Straight off the bat we’ve gotta make some tough decisions. The ethereal and atmospheric sounds of Zamilska at The Arches or pop across the road for something a little more tropically upbeat in the form of Scalping at Hangar.
3
5pm Goose Island Hop Garden & Bar Obviously we’re all here for the music (and dogs) but there’s no shame in taking a break. We’ll be heading to Studio Spaces to appreciate the sunshine-soaked DJ sets (great DJing can ensure sunshine - fact), grab some grub, drinks and take five minutes sitting down before the evening kicks off.
5 Don’t let the night end - drinks at netil House, Mare St, Sebright Arms, anywhere in between With our blood pumping from those headline shows we’re not gonna be able to finish the night just there, so another drink anyone? If you’re lucky, you'll make it in time for a rooftop drink at Netil House, or another at one of our all time favourite boozers the Sebright Arms? Wherever you choose it’ll be the perfect way to close off an incredible day.
4 Anna Meredith followed by Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs As every year, the headliners for Visions are a wildly eclectic mix of brilliant acts. There’s no shortage of hard decisions to make, but with Anna Meredith sneaking us a peak of her new album and the absolutely raucous energy from Pigs x7 this unusual duo have us absolutely pumped. If we arrive at Oval Space out of breath that’s because we’ve legged it over from Kedr Livanskiy, just hand us a beer. For the latest stage-times and news, head to visionsfestival.com, and keep an eye on their Twitter on the day @visionsfestival
ZACH SAID
THU 15 AUGUST SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
NICK MULVEY
CHRISTOF VAN DER VEN TUE 8 OCTOBER THE LEXINGTON
SUN 18 AUGUST REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE
RICHARD FAIRLIE WED 16 OCTOBER
THE TESKEY BROTHERS
TWIN PEAKS WED 16 OCTOBER
MOSA WILD
CUB SPORT THU 17 OCTOBER
ANOTHER SKY
JOHN SMITH SAT 19 OCTOBER
TUE 3 SEPTEMBER JAZZ CAFE
WED 18 SEPTEMBER OMEARA
TUE 24 SEPTEMBER VILLAGE UNDERGROUND
ELOISE
WED 2 OCTOBER HOXTON HALL
SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
THE DOME, TUFNELL PARK
SCALA
ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL
NICK MURPHY FKA CHET FAKER TUE 22 OCTOBER O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON
NOAH KAHAN MON 18 NOVEMBER SCALA
HOLLOW COVES
TUE 19 NOVEMBER DINGWALLS
MATTHEW AND THE ATLAS WED 20 NOVEMBER EARTH
FOY VANCE THU 21 NOVEMBER LONDON PALLADIUM
LUNA BAY THU 21 NOVEMBER SCALA
NIKKI LANE SAT 23 NOVEMBER DINGWALLS
GEORGE OGILVIE
ROMAN LEWIS WED 23 OCTOBER THE COURTYARD THEATRE
JADE BIRD
SAINT SISTER
BRISTON MARONEY MON 28 OCTOBER
JENS KUROSS
WED 2 OCTOBER OSLO HACKNEY
WED 2 OCTOBER OMEARA
FRIEDBERG THU 3 OCTOBER THE WAITING ROOM
KYAN
THU 3 OCTOBER OMEARA
MARTHAGUNN THU 3 OCTOBER SEBRIGHT ARMS
APRE
MON 7 OCTOBER SCALA
THE LEXINGTON
SYML TUE 29 OCTOBER SCALA
PICTURE THIS FRI 1 NOVEMBER ROUNDHOUSE
HALF MOON RUN THU 7 NOVEMBER ELECTRIC BRIXTON
FINK SAT 16 NOVEMBER ROUNDHOUSE
WED 27 NOVEMBER O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
WED 27 NOVEMBER ST PANCRAS OLD CHURCH
DERMOT KENNEDY
MON 2 & TUE 3 DECEMBER EVENTIM APOLLO
SAM FENDER
TUE 10 & WED 11 DECEMBER O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON
THE PAPER KITES
SUN 15 DECEMBER ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL
VELVET NEGRONI
SUI ZHEN
TOP TEN: New Sounds Tenesha The Wordsmith - Why White Folks... William Doyle - Nobody Else Will Tell You Zilo - Be There Soon Griff - Mirror Talk Daymé Arocena - Oyá Bree Runway - Big Racks (Feat. Brooke Candy) Headie One - Back To Basics (Feat. Skepta) Chika - High Rises Hanne Hukkelberg - The Young And Bold I Sui Zhen - Perfect Place FOLLOW OUR SPOTIFY ‘ALL THOSE TRACKS OF THE WEEK’ PLAYLIST FOR ALWAYS-UPDATED NEW MUSIC
Velvet Negroni by Gemma Samways In a break from the norm here at New Sounds, this month’s subject is no industry novice. In fact, Jeremy Nutzman has more than a decade of different musical projects under his belt, plus one previous album as Velvet Negroni. However, it’s only in the last 18 months that the Bon Iver-approved alt R&B star has started hitting his stride. Sampled by Kanye and Kid Cudi on 2018’s Kids See Ghosts collaboration, Nutzman has since signed with 4AD and is due to release second LP Neon Brown on August 30th. It’s a record that will surely only reinforce the link between him and his Twin Cities-forebear Prince, while finally establishing the Minneapolis-raised singersongwriter as a visionary in his own right. LAYFULLSTOP
Featuring input from long-time collaborator Elliott Kozel AKA Tickle Torture, plus Future and Young Thug-producer Psymun, Nutzman’s second set as Velvet Negroni deals in irresistibly sinuous grooves. Of course, within that loose brief there’s huge variety, be it the fluttering marimba melody of ‘Feel Let’, the Jai Paul-esque funk of ‘Kurt Kobain’, or saxophoneflecked slow jams like ‘Confetti’. Get a feel for Nutzman’s unique songwriting and production approach via the skittish rhythms of latest single ‘Wine Green’. Absolutely superb. LISTEN TO: WINE GREEN Velvet Negroni’s album, NEON BROWN, is released August 30th via 4AD. @VelvetNegroni
@VelvetNegroni
Layfullstop by Jess Partridge Obviously there’s no lack of up-andcoming talent in the UK hip-hop scene, but there’s something that stands out about Manchester’s Layfullstop. Her raps don’t miss a beat and you can feel a comfort and confidence in her sound that newcomers often lack. It’s the combination of soul and jazz influences in her work, though, that really make sure you take notice. From touring with Children of Zeus to appearing on the much lauded Basquiat album alongside Kojey Radical and Joe Armon-Jones she’s not narrowing her options and that makes her a wildly exciting prospect. LISTEN TO: Cherries @layfullstop
@LayFullStop London in Stereo: 17
WHITE REAPER
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COMMON
LET LOVE TOUR TUE 10 SEPTEMBER
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Shura words: Danny Wright photography: Hollie Fernando
’m chatting to Shura just a couple of days after her performance at Glastonbury. “It was great! I ran around trying to find a gaggle of nuns, to be on stage with me who didn’t mind like embarrassing themselves on the internet.” If references to nuns seem somewhat confusing, just watch her video for the latest single ‘religion (u can lay your hands on me)’, featuring Shura dressed as the pope surrounded by a sisterhood of nuns (we think that’s the collective noun). “When I wrote ‘religion’ I’d just watched a few episodes of the Young Pope with Jude Law and I was obsessed with the costumes in it. So Chloe (Wallace) said ‘Let’s create this alternate universe where you are the fucking pope!’. The thing is, if this was a video for my first record, then I would just be one of the nuns but for this album it
didn’t seem right to have that hesitation.” forevher (a mix of ‘for her’, ‘forever’ and ‘forever her’, if you were wondering) is certainly less hesitant, and more confident, in its outlook than her debut, Nothing’s Real. It’s a brilliantly vivid record about falling in love. “If you'd asked me a year before I started making it was if this was the record I expected to make then the answer would have been no - but then I was single and I wasn't expecting to fall in love.” It meant a new approach to songwriting after her introspective debut, a record encapsulated by ‘Touch’ – and its viral video in which she ended up alone. “I don't think I've ever written about being happy or in love in my life but it’s been so liberating. I'd assumed that only talking about things when bad shit happened to me was the only way that someone could relate - but actually I’ve discovered that the opposite is also true.”
“I'd a s s u med that o n l y t al k i n g ab o u t t h i n g s w hen ba d s h i t h ap p e n e d t o m e was t h e onl y way that s o m e o n e c o u l d re l at e . . .”
The record tells a classic NYC-to-London love-story, but a thoroughly modern one of dating apps or Skype chats too. Just take ‘The Stage’ a dreamy song which tells the story of their high stakes first date that saw her fly across the Atlantic. “‘It’s about my first date with my girlfriend which happened to be at a MUNA concert in New York. I had to DM them asking for guest list and they were like ‘Oh my God, yes. We love the concept of a first date at a MUNA gig!’.”
“Orlando (from T-E-E-D) played me this song which had this element of musical theatre to it. It’s weird cos I hate musicals but with this album I wanted to write this lesbian musical and ‘The Stage’ is the theatrical lynchpin to it. And I really liked this image of not really knowing whether or not this girl liked me until they took my hand and led me to a place in the room where I could see because I'm so short!” London in Stereo: 21
Now they’re in love, has her girlfriend listened to the album? “I know she's listened to it and I’m sure at first she was like ‘Oh Christ, what have i got into?’ but when you finish something it no longer feels like it’s about you anymore, so I think she can listen to a song like ‘religion’ just as a song rather than about her.” This idea of art being separated from the artist who created it and meaning being imbued through the eyes of the listener runs throughout the record - from the songs and right through to the artwork, a reworking of Rodin’s The Kiss. “I was thinking about all those songs that I grew up singing and it didn't matter that they were sung by straight people or had straight people in the music video snogging because in my brain I could easily change the pronoun. As queer people we’re so programmed to do that I wanted to take something people would
instantly recognise and flipping it to be queer and seeing how people would react to that emotionally.” Though she acknowledges things like the ridiculous calls for a ‘straight pride’ show there is still a way to go, she does feel things are slowly changing. “Even in the four years since I released my first record there are so many more queer female, male, non-binary, gender non-conforming artists. It’s such a change from when I was growing up where all you could do is Google Tegan and Sara.” Shura has created an album that openly and boldly shows that love is love is love: timeless and universal. Shura releases forevher August 16th via Secretly Canadian LIVE: Roundhouse, London. November 14th @weareshura
@weareshura
HAND HABITS MON 19 AUG CHATS PALACE SAM EVIAN TUES 27 AUG THE LEXINGTON HANNAH COHEN MON 2 SEPT SET DALSTON SERPENTWITHFEET TUES 3 SEPT EARTH HACKNEY BEDOUINE SAT 7 SEPT QUEEN ELIZABETH HALL GIANT PARTY TUES 17 SEPT ELECTROWERKZ STEVE GUNN TUES 17 SEPT OMEARA NATALIE EVANS THURS 19 SEPT THE ISLINGTON ELSA HEWITT TUES 24 SEPT RYE WAX BABII THURS 26 SEPT SET DALSTON PLASTIC MERMAIDS THURS 3 OCT SCALA
BESS ATWELL THURS 10 OCT OMEARA GHUM THURS 10 OCT THE WAITING ROOM ROZI PLAIN TUES 15 OCT VILLAGE UNDERGROUND KELLY MORAN WED 16 OCT KINGS PLACE SKINNY PELEMBE WED 16 OCT MOTH CLUB
EVADNEY MON 28 OCT THE WAITING ROOM SHUNAJI TUES 29 OCT THE WAITING ROOM BAMBARA TUES 29 OCT SEBRIGHT ARMS GEORGIA TUES 5 NOV SCALA GIRL BAND TUES 5 NOV ELECTRIC BALLROOM
JERKCURB THURS 17 OCT CHATS PALACE
ALICE HUBBLE TUES 5 NOV SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
EGYPTIAN BLUE WED 23 OCT SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
PALACE SAT 9 NOV ROUNDHOUSE
ROSIE LOWE WED 23 OCT VILLAGE UNDERGROUND LISA MORGENSTERN THURS 24 OCT SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS
SHURA THURS 14 NOV ROUNDHOUSE EZRA FURMAN THURS 14 NOV O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN MEGA BOG THURS 14 NOV THE ISLINGTON
PARALLELLINESPROMOTIONS.COM
KATHRYN JOSEPH MON 18 NOV EARTH HACKNEY KEDR LIVANSKIY THURS 21 NOV BLOC ART SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND TUES 26 NOV RICH MIX SIR WAS WED 27 NOV SCALA BC CAMPLIGHT THURS 28 NOV ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL FAT WHITE FAMILY MON 2 - THURS 5 DEC EARTH HACKNEY IDER WED 5 FEB 2020 ELECTRIC BRIXTON ANNA MEREDITH WED 5 FEB 2020 EARTH HACKNEY (SANDY) ALEX G WED 12 FEB 2020 EARTH HACKNEY SLEATER-KINNEY WED 26 FEB 2020 O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON
J AY SOM words: Stephanie Phillips photography: Lindsey Byrnes
hen it comes to the mythology of music-making, there’s often no story more alluring than the raw, unfiltered display of creativity that is DIY bedroom recording. For 25-year-old, Filipino-American Melina Duterte, who performs under the moniker Jay Som and has recorded and produced all of her releases in her room, DIY recording is her first love. “I love the comfort it brings me and the familiarity,” she explains. “I've been in large studios before and I've played with other people in different studios or home studios but there’s something about the control, in my home studio that just feels right.”
“ ...it mean t a lot to see t h a t m an y gir ls a t sh ows. I'v e n ever seen t h a t an d I rem em b e r th in k in g I didn 't h ave t h i s wh en I wa s you n ger. I didn 't k n o w th is cou ld ex ist...” Duterte started out recording and uploading covers to MySpace in her room at 12. Using her DIY ingenuity and introspective, dream-pop sounds she has become a driving force in American indie rock. Her latest album Anak Ko (a Tagalog phrase which translates to ‘my child’) released on Polyvinyl is a reverb-drenched, shoegaze fantasy. One where we can imagine being the most emotionally available, honest versions of ourselves all set in a hazy, Super 8 music video. To guide her in the making of the album Duterte found herself drawn to the chaotic beauty of heavenly indie-pop trio Cocteau Twins, trip-hop pioneers Portishead, and
90s California indie band Pinback. For the first time Duterte reached out to her surrounding circle to work on her album bringing in Chastity Belt’s Annie Truscott, Justus Proffitt, Boy Scouts’ Taylor Vick, and Vagabon’s Laetitia Tamko. Raised in the Bay Area in California, Duterte was surrounded by music from an early age. Her house was filled with vinyl her dad collected from his time as a DJ while her mother, who sang and played guitar, taught Duterte how to sing. Her family’s love for music even played out in their favourite past time – karaoke, which Duterte says is hugely popular in Filipino culture. “I grew up with the karaoke machine at my house and every time we'd have parties my dad would put it on and my mum would be singing a bunch.”
Duterte was given her first guitar at eight and began playing the trumpet at 10, beginning a long affinity with classical music training. She almost went to a jazz conservatory until she realized she wanted to focus on recording her own music. Combining her love for creating with her years of technical training she began to work on her own songs and eventually self-released in late 2015 on Bandcamp in the hope someone would listen. Someone did – online indie label Polyvinyl signed her up and re-released the demos as her debut LP Turn Into. The release of her second album 2017’s Everybody Works saw her status London in Stereo: 25
continue to ascend as the well-received album landed on copious end of year lists. For the quiet and softly-spoken artist the new-found attention was overwhelming at first, though she now feels better equipped to handle the intensity of those moments: “I feel more at peace with myself and I feel like I've done a lot of work mentally. I think that translates into my music and I just felt more like myself making this album this time around.” The work Duterte put into herself allowed her to process her feelings on “wanting to care for people and wanting them to know”. The solemn Americana-influenced ‘Night Time Drive’ deals with her fears of drifting away from loved ones when demanding tours take you away from home. “Friendships change in that way but it gets pretty depressing sometimes and you start to really think about your place in life and why you deserve all these things and what did you do, are you lucky.”
Though life on the road has its many downsides, Duterte had an inspiring experience seeing crowds of young women of colour at shows in 2016 when she went on tour with Asian American artists Mitski and Japanese Breakfast. Duterte describes the pair as “powerhouses on their own”. Recalling the tour, she says: “It was super eye-opening and it meant a lot to see that many girls at shows. I've never seen that and I remember thinking I didn't have this when I was younger. I didn't know this could exist.” Now as a beacon of hope for others like her, Jay Som shows are packed with young women of colour waiting eagerly to sing her songs. She simply says: “It feels very good”. Jay Som releases Anak Ko August 23rd via Lucky Number LIVE: The Garage, London. November 20th The Exchange, Bristol. November 22nd @jaysomband
@jaysommusic
“It’s not about you... It’s about helping people to enjoy themselves...”
t’s no secret that Teneil Throssell, AKA HAAi, has an excellent collection of house plants. Their shiny, rubbery green leaves are all over her Instagram, and as we munch on salad and paninis in an east London café on one of those horribly muggy days in June, I’m after her best plant tips. “You know the ones with the big leaves, I’ll wipe them down and chat to them a bit, they like that.” Throssell moved to a new house a couple of months ago, and now her plants don’t seem so happy. “Maybe I’ve neglected them too much lately, maybe I need to have a proper sit down with them,” she laughs.
Before lunch, I sat and watched as HAAi grinned and giggled her way through her first ever cover shoot (those yellow trousers are the same she later lent to best friend Daniel Avery for their raucous b2b, closing out the final Beat Hotel at Glastonbury). It might sound cliché to say an artist has an infectious personality, but with HAAi, the testament genuinely stands — her energy is as sun-drenched as her wardrobe, and, no doubt, she’s chatty enough to have a “proper sit down” with a plant. As we chat, she talks infectiously about the power of trusting your instinct, how to pronounce ‘garage’, and the importance of always retaining that little bit of silliness. The last few years have seen HAAi on a supersonic trajectory from playing records at Dalston’s Ridley Road Market Bar, to taking the peak time helm on the Genosys
HAAi words: Katie Thomas photography: Jenn Five London in Stereo: 29
stage in Glastonbury’s Block9 last month. It all began when she landed a support slot warming up for Jacques Greene at Phonox, later being selected to take over from Jasper James as the club’s sophomore Saturday resident. After two years honing her sound, making the Brixton booth her home and delving deeper into her love for weird and wonderful psychedelic techno, as well as releasing a string of singles and her debut EP Motorik Voodoo Bush Doof Musik, Throssell moved on from Phonox in October 2018. The year ended on a career-defining high as she was crowned with Essential Mix of The Year, beating the likes of Avalon Emerson, Ricardo Villalobos and Four Tet to the post.
Fast forward to mid-July 2019, and HAAi has already played 40 shows this year, racking up bookings at dance music’s most revered festivals — DGTL, AVA and Nuits Sonores to name a few. When we speak, Throssell is preparing for Dour Festival in Belgium where she’ll play after Solomun to a crowd of over 15,000, before heading to Barcelona for a set on Sónar’s main stage immediately after Skepta. HAAi grew up in rural Western Australia, in a household soundtracked by chart shows on the radio, and her mum’s fondness for Billy Joel, Roxette and Transvision Vamp. “They weren’t really into music,” she says of her
parents. “I didn’t even really know who The Beatles were until I started high school.” Though she never had lessons, Throssell taught herself the guitar and spent her childhood singing around the house. “There wasn’t a defining point where I thought I wanted to make music, I think some people just have that musical bone they need to explore. ” Once she got to high school, HAAi listened to Nirvana and the Smashing Pumpkins, before progressing to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Birthday Party, and Cat Power, who inspired her to write her own “silly folk songs”. A taste for electronic music didn’t come until much later. “It progressed like rock, psych, post-punk, krautrock” she says, “I think krautrock brought me closest to techno, just because of its repetitive nature.” After moving to London in psych rock/shoegaze duo Dark Bells, Throssell started playing at Ridley Road, spinning old afrobeat, disco, and Turkish psychedelic records. Dark Bells split up, and Throssell was devastated, leaning on her Ridley Road sets to keep herself busy and scratch that musical itch. A few months after the band split, everything changed, all thanks to a seminal experience in a club that’s renowned for seminal experiences — Berghain. Specifically, Ben Klock at Berghain, who opened her eyes to a more psychedelic side of techno. “I danced for so, so long,” she says, “I was captivated.” HAAi’s stepping up as Phonox resident was a big move for the club. Here was a DJ with little profile, from whom punters didn’t know what to expect. With a Saturday music policy that aims to be, on the whole, bright, upbeat and accessible, HAAi ran into some issues about a year in, as her style of playing had developed to a point that Phonox felt was too hard, and too dark. “I made an active decision to go with my gut” she says determinedly. “They might disagree, but I felt I was doing a good job. I wanted to keep people in the room. I think that was a real turning point for my career.” There were
disagreements along the way, but HAAi happily admits that Phonox changed her life, and her face lights up when she talks about the team there. Incidentally, some HAAi shows (including the upcoming Sónar show) now feature visuals produced by Insert, the burgeoning music and club culture platform co-founded by a former member of the Phonox team. It’s now been nine months since the end of HAAi’s residency; a gestation period that has given her the confidence to take control of her own sound, having faith in being “a little bit weirder”.
“There wasn’t a defining point where I thought I wanted to make music, I think some people just have that musical bone they need to explore.” While she’s in the studio, or producing on the road, HAAi makes a conscious effort not to get too caught up in what other producers are doing. “I think it can be a bit unhealthy,” she says. Throssell considers her own style to be a bit rogue, her music building itself without direct influence. But she’s a big fan of the likes of Minor Science, Rrose and Karenn, as well as the textured, hardware-heavy techno of Japanese artists like DJ Nobu and Wata Igarashi. When she’s in the booth, she finds most affinity with close friends Daniel Avery and Mall Grab, and mentions her first b2b with The Black Madonna, at Sunfall in 2017, as a pivotal moment in her career. Imogen and Bristol up-and-comer Manami Baba are on her radar, as well as Glasgow-based IDA, who Throssell says has “the right attitude. She’s really appreciative of the thing, which we all are, or we all should be.” London in Stereo: 31
Throssell grew up in a mechanic shop owned by her stepfather, and its mechanical whirring and car samples seep into her increasingly rave-leaning production. Her new project, the five-track Systems Up, Windows Down continues in this vein, though HAAi tasked herself with producing on the road rather than feeling tied down to her studio. “I wanted to test myself,” she explains, “It feels like the next sonic generation for me.” The track titles (‘Don’t Flatter Yourself Love’ refers to an in-joke between Throssell, her girlfriend and Avery, and ‘CHONKIBOI’ is, you guessed it, an ode to the chunky dog) are synonymous with Throssell’s light-hearted attitude. “I like to keep things a bit silly,” she says. “Lighten the mood for everyone a bit.” The giggle is back as we talk about the sonic that defines London for her (garage and jungle), and we have another sillymoment discussing how to pronounce garage properly. “Right, okay, this is helpful information for me,” she laughs. “Garage? Garage? Garage?” As our conversation begins to wrap up, it’s my chance to seek words of wisdom from the plant guru. “I’m always happy to share plant tips,” she smiles. If HAAi was a plant, what would she be? “Probably a creeper”, she says, cackling, “obviously not in a creepy way, but I’m always growing and branching out into different parts of the house. It could be a metaphor sonically too.”
HAAi’s Systems Up, Windows Down EP is due for release via her own label, Coconut Beats next month LIVE: We Out Here Festival, August 16th Peggy Gou presents The Pleasure Gardens, Finsbury Park, August 18th FESTIVALS: Lost Village Festival, August 22nd-23rd @haaidj
@HAAiDJ
((( O ))) words:
Gemma Samways
“ Wo a h h h , w h at I ' m l o o k i n g at r i ght n ow i s am a z i n g ! ” Sunbathing on a rooftop, overlooking a forest somewhere in the Philippines, the artist known as ((( O ))) is awe-struck admiring the shifting cirrus clouds overhead. “This is crazy! These murky cloud formations mean there’s going to be a fire rainbow, where neon colours start appearing in the sky. And they're already starting to come out now! Oh my god, I love it!”
Conducting our interview in the midst of a natural phenomenon feels apt. Born in Dallas to Filipino parents, the singer-songwriter moved back to the Philippines on her own aged just 16 specifically to cherish the country’s rich natural resources and to pursue a more sustainable existence. Looking back now, she concedes that it was a brave decision to make so young, though one she vehemently stands by. “My parents moved [to the USA] for a better life, but [Filipinos] have only been brainwashed by Americans to think that America is better when it’s not actually the case,” she laughs. “It’s like the grass is always greener on the other side, except it's actually greener here. So I'm trying to spread a message, encouraging this decolonisation mindset. “I'm not American and I'm not Filipino, and I don't feel like I belong in either of those worlds. I'm a bit of an outcast but that’s made me stronger and more independent. It’s the same in terms of my music: I just rely on myself and what I’ve come here to say in this lifetime.” London in Stereo: 37
The ultimate goal is to be totally self-sustaining, and she’s made good progress from her base in the jungle. Working from a hand-built treehouse studio, using a mixture of traditional and modern instruments, ((( O ))) is totally reliant on solar power to pursue her deeply spiritual strain of electronic soul, a limitation that she finds inspiring rather than confining. “If there is sun then I have the gift to create,” she smiles. “But if I don't have any sun that day, then it's not meant to be.” This zen-like patience bleeds into her compositions, manifesting itself in the spacious vocal harmonies and sparse guitar notes that power ‘Silence’, and the loose beats, languid brass and easy flow of ‘Yuyu’. These working methods inform the central philosophy of a project that she calls “The Sundrop Garden”. Snippets of material - billed as “moondrops” - are released every full moon, and a “sundrop” - or album - is due on her birthday - August 27th - annually for the next 12 years. ((( O ))) isn’t intimidated by the commitment, but then as is implicit in her deliberately unpronounceable and pretty much Google-proof moniker, this is an artist determined to pursue a radically authentic vision, rather than follow a formula. “I think it’s a form of self-sabotage to ground me,” she muses, considering the Big Bang-inspired symbol, adding. “But I can't be rushed, or catapulted into the usual route for music careers.” Certainly, her latest moondrop couldn’t feel further removed from the machinations of the music industry. A dreamy devotional in praise of fruit-bearing plant life, 'Come Home O'Shawn' samples a monologue from her Babaylan mentor (a Filipino shaman). To counteract the potential negative impact of touring, she’s already proactively donating a percentage of her record sales to preserve a forest in the Philippines. And at the “gatherings” or pop-up shows themselves, she plans to promote the
importance of biodiversity, gardening and maintaining a deep respect for our surroundings. In every sense, ((( O ))) is dreaming big: “The mission statement for The Sundrop Garden is to change the way that we create everything: art, music, shows, business, brands. To offer a new approach to all of that, in a more sustainable way.” The debut album, ((( 1 ))), will be released August 27th via The Sundrop Garden. @thesundropgarden
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thesundropgarden.com
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SLEATER-KINNEY (photo: Charlie Engman)
This intro needs exactly zero padding. Sleater-Kinney are back with a new album! St. Vincent produced it! Janet has left the band! There’s a whole lot to be talking about here. So Danny Wright sat down with Gemma Samways and Stephanie Phillips to talk The Center Won’t Hold and everything surrounding it. How excited were you when you heard there was a new Sleater-Kinney album? Stephanie: I’ve been a fan since The Woods and they're one of my favourite bands so I was beyond excited. I didn't expect them to release another album after the last one. And they were collaborating with St. Vincent - it felt like the ultimate indie band pairing. Gemma: I was definitely surprised because I half expected the last LP to be a one off. No Cities To Love was such a great comeback that I admit I was a little concerned as to whether they could keep up that standard. I shouldn’t have worried. So I take it the record lived up to your expectations? (spoiler: I love it) Gemma: It massively surpassed them. I guess my pessimistic side thought that the idea of St. Vincent and Sleater-Kinney
SLEATER-KINNEY THE CENTER WON'T HOLD August 16th Mom + Pop
together sounded too good to be true. In reality, the combination is as brilliant as it sounds on paper. I feel like Annie has really brought out a fresh new side to them. Stephanie: I had high expectations and they were also working with an artist that I also love but I don't know if it’s lived up to my expectations yet. The Center Won't Hold sounds exactly like a St Vincent/SleaterKinney collab. There are other tracks that feel like they veered from their usual path. I can tell they're enjoying themselves and trying out new styles and techniques which is great to hear.
How much of an influence does St. Vincent have? Stephanie: You can hear a lot throughout the album. The warped yelps and cut and paste style are traits from Masseduction. Also the industrial, bass heavy rumble on songs like 'Ruins' is very reminiscent of St. Vincent. Gemma: You can hear her in the really processed guitar sounds, that sort of caustic reverb. Also in the amount of obvious melody there is. It’s definitely S-K’s most straightforward record melodically. Again, 'Ruins' stood out in that respect - and the title track. Stephanie: Some of the tracks could be pop songs in their own right. ’Can I Go On' for example has a mid-noughties Euro pop vibe. We can't go on without talking about Janet leaving. Is there anything here that makes you understand why she chose to leave? Gemma: I mean, the last track has no percussion on it, but that feels far too petty a reason to leave a band after 25 years. The whole thing is very curious. Stephanie: It was such a shock to find out she was leaving. It's also a strange period in the release cycle to leave. The record is loaded with drum machine and often the drums are overwhelmed by the noise of the guitars or synths so they fade into the background. If it’s not something she was ok with at the start I can see how listening back it might have influenced her reasoning for leaving. You certainly can't hear the driving beat that Sleater-Kinney records usually are known for. But she's an amazing drummer and she's still in a few bands. Who knows she could rejoin. Gemma: The fact Janet's left makes 'LOVE' feel especially poignant, what with it being a potted history of Sleater-Kinney. I love the way that song tackles the idea of being in a band at an older age, especially the lyric "There’s nothing more threatening, and nothing more obscene, than a well worn body, demanding to be seen”.
The record melds the personal and the political together well. What themes jump out at you? Gemma: The title is a play on the line "the centre cannot hold" from W.B. Yeats' poem 'The Second Coming', and throughout the record you can sense this idea of everything collapsing. Like you say, it blends the personal and political really well. Stephanie: They seem to be tackling the state of politics right now and the Trump administration. There are also nods to feeling depressed with the state of the world. ‘Broken’ is a great song that really tackles how we're all feeling right now. Gemma: I like that it doesn't deal in specifics, but captures a feeling. Yeah I love ‘Broken’ too: “She stood up for us, she testified / Me, me too my body cried out when she spoke those lines.” Referencing the #MeToo movement is about as specific as they get. How do you feel this album compares to their past work? Stephanie: It’s so hard to compare it. The Center Won't Hold feels like a different band. Both The Hot Rock album and The Woods were departures from their usual sound at the time. I don't know if this album works to the band's strengths in the same way their past work has though. Gemma: Like you say, it’s really hard to compare but I think it's laudable that they're breaking new ground after 9 albums. LIVE: O2 Academy Brixton, February 26th @Sleater_Kinney
@SleaterKinney London in Stereo: 43
FÖLLAKZOID I Sacred Bones August 2nd
SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG SAFE AND ALSO NO FEAR Big Scary Monsters August 2nd These indie-folk anecdotes and internal musings of a farfrom-spotless mind showcase Jake Ewald’s enigmatic, wry and pathos- laden storytelling. The songs’ musicality – simple electric picking or swells of slide guitar – provides a lush, fertile soil in which these things of beauty can take root. ‘One Down’ acutely depicts life’s tendency to bring only partial success and ‘Black Oak’ is a cautionary tale about “eating household objects for a dare”. Listening to the new Slaughter Beach, Dog album is like discovering a previouslyunpublished set of Raymond Carver short stories. You’ve not heard this album yet, so if you’ve never read Short Cuts, or seen John Altman’s 1993 film based on those stories, you have three things to add to your ‘To Do’ list of essential cultural learnings. Jon Kean
Like the best ambient music, the fourth album from Chile’s Föllakzoid rewards close listening – yet doesn’t require it. The band winds up its minimal tranced-out drones before setting them free to rumble away ad infinitum. Their approach is both blissfully elegant and intriguing as each of the four songs unfold. But it comes with a major caveat: beats. Often of the 4/4 variety, the intrusive pulse strips away the hazy veil of psychedelic epiphany the group works so hard to develop, rendering it all a bit predictable and limp. It’s a fatal flaw for the album. But these moments are often short-lived, allowing you to once again revel in Föllakzoid’s ‘non-rational, sonic artform and its energy’ as guitarist/singer Domingæ Garcia-Huidobro prosaically describes it. Geoff Cowart
CLAIRO IMMUNITY Fader Label August 2nd A star of the Internet age, Clairo didn’t have a Top 40 hit or smash streaming records. Instead, she quietly scored a viral YouTube win with ‘Pretty Girl’, and amassed over a million Instagram followers in the process. Although this breakout tune didn’t make the album cut, there’s plenty of other songs coddled in the same reassurance, all backed with celestial choruses and notes of longing. Comparable to The Japanese House, her songs are as sweet as sugar, especially when matched with her butter-wouldn’t-melt vocals that infuse upbeat indie with DIY electronica: the kind of stuff her producer, ex-Vampire Weekend-er Rostam Batmanglij, is master of. Think fuzzy black noise, devastating percussion and twinkling ballads. It’s music made for pensively staring out of your car window. Georgia Marsh
THE HOLD STEADY THRASHING THRU THE VOID Frenchkiss Records August 16th The Hold Steady exist to dish out solace and solidarity to humans falling apart and getting fucked-up. Or, equally, those doing just fine who live all speedy and vicarious through Craig Finn’s tales of killer parties, redemption and more killer parties. So, basically, they exist for everyone. Just as importantly (and it really is), The Hold Steady are the greatest band on the planet to see with one fist clutching a beer and the other fist pointing to the heavens and the fist with the beer pointing to the heavens too. Thrashing Thru The Passion is very here for the fists-to-the-heavens crew. The guitars just absolutely rip and Finn’s immaculate enunciation spits out every harsh consonant with the purest conviction. Those drums that drag you from the back of venues to the front of the stage beat more ferociously than ever and Franz dowses everything in louche magic. it’s all backed up by a horn section that bounces between woozy, boozy warmth and the most triumphant march to the party you ever heard. Sure, it might not quite touch the white-hot fury of the first three albums, but it’s honestly the best – the most alive – they’ve sounded in years. Lyrically, though, it’s a new Hold Steady – or maybe an older Hold Steady. Finn claiming “I don't want to dick around, I just want to devastate”, feels a helluva tone switch. Literary references swap Sal Paradise’s exhilarating trips for Brick Pollitt’s apathetic, self-defeated alcoholism. There’s irregular heartbeats, serotonin getting you glitchy, everything’s “brittle and falling apart”. The killer parties might not have killed us (yet), but they sure ain’t doing us any good. For all that, though, there’s never any doubt that the solace and solidarity is still abundant. Basically, when Craig Finn said “While you’re still alive, I wanna make you feel protected and high”, I felt that. Dave Rowlinson
BLANCK MASS
ANIMATED VIOLENCE MILD Sacred Bones August 16th Before you immerse yourself in Blanck Mass’ latest offering (and trust me, it is an immersion, there is nothing passive about this record) make sure you brace yourself. A brutal but brittle assault on the senses, it continues where World Eater left off, though maybe lacks the nuance and variation in pace of previous efforts. The influences are direct and stark, displaying Benjamin Powers’s talent for everything from pop (honestly there are parts of ‘Death Drop’ which sound like Tears for Fears), to screamo, ricocheting from one to the next in a single track. There’s no surprise, then, that the singles ‘No Dice’ and ‘House vs House’ are the most recognisable, fully-formed moments on an otherwise ambitiously-abrasive album. There’s a familiarity to them that help bring the record together. An enjoyable ball of energy and passion, that reveals what would pop music sound like if you put it through an organ grinder. Jess Partridge London in Stereo: 45
BLACK BELT EAGLE SCOUT
AT THE PARTY WITH MY BROWN FRIENDS Saddle Creek August 30th Surrendering your voice to your surroundings is a boldly quiescent choice for a sophomore album. On a debut which introduced Katherine Paul, aka Black Belt Eagle Scout, to the world with a neat assertion - representing both Paul’s present-day queer feminism, and her Native American upbringing on the Swinomish Indian Reservation in NW Washington state - those facts have now been sublimated into a far softer, prettier sound. On At The Party With My Brown Friends, instead of using words, Paul’s more likely to use long, whooping notes; her voice now being used more as an ambient instrument than as a troubadour. While on the surface, this album doesn’t do much to separate her from her friends and musical peers - Hayley Hendrickx, Jay Som, and Hand Habits are a few that come to mind - it’s clear that behind it, there’s a heart as large as the wide beaches and canyonscapes that Paul conjures on the album. Ultimately, this album is a stepping stone, but if Paul can align her virtuosity with her vision, then her third album will triumph. Emma Madden
EZRA FURMAN TWELVE NUDES Bella Union August 23rd Ezra Furman’s Twelve Nudes bleeds the hot, red blood of a man frustrated, confused and intensely pained by the state of our political and emotional dissonance. Opener ‘Calm Down’ (aka ‘I Should Not Be Alone’) screams of loneliness, desperation and horrible men in suits that crush us into submission. Punky, fuzzed-out guitars in ‘Evening Prayer (aka Justice)’ are reminiscent of the drug-fuelled, booze-induced songwriting of 90s Beastie Boys, and Furman’s edge-of-chaos shrieks in ‘Rated R Crusaders’ stretch the vocal cords like Germs’ frontman Darby Crash in the late 70s. There are moments of reflectivity, in the short and intense hangovers like ‘I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend’ that languish in surf-rock guitars, but this is an album for losing your shit to. Caitlin Clark
CARTER TUTTI VOID TRIUMVIRATE Conspiracy International August 30th Triumvirate, the third and “final” collaboration between Throbbing Gristle’s Cosey Fanni Tutti, Chris Carter and Nik Void of Factory Floor, is a hypnotic, subtly noisy and unnerving piece of electronic improvisation that, in all honesty, sounds a lot like the two that came before it. That’s a good thing. The preceding Transverse I and II were works I always regarded more like uneasy, fascinating dreams than albums, and an opportunity to slip back in to this trance-like world is one fans of the trio’s existing pair of records won’t want to sleep on. It’s a good way to go out, but I do wish they’d continue. A good thing then that the word “final” has always been a rather vague term in Throbbing Gristle circles. Thomas Hannan
TROPICAL FUCK STORM BRAINDROPS Joyful Noise August 23rd Tropical Fuck Storm present a wonderfully chaotic debut that's nothing short of unnerving. Characterised by eerily creeping vocals, gradual build-ups and eventual implosion, tracks such as the opener 'Paradise' showcase the talent of the Australian four- piece melodically. Meanwhile, the title track, described as 'Fela Kuti in a car crash' draws in jazz influences to switch up the tempo. Lyrically, dark themes are woven throughout and paired with humour, exemplified in the finale 'Maria 63'. This melancholic homage to fake news makes digs at the alt-right conspiracy theories that birthed facism, with lines such as, "Maria with her iron cross fled into the sky, she reached the old Chilean border with deerskin round her child”. The end result is fractured, dystopian and frankly stunning. Georgia Evans
WHITNEY
FOREVER TURNED AROUND Secretly Canadian August 30th Whitney’s gilded charms resulted in one of 2016’s standout debuts, and the group stick to that pattern on a wonderfully endearing follow-up. After embarking on some unfulfilling studio sojourns, the Chicago group – hinging on Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek – opted to finish the album in the same bedroom they laid down their debut LP. As a result, Forever Turned Around shares the almost-pastoral feel of its forebear – from the lilting Neil Young-isms of ‘Giving Up’ to the jaunty 70s strummer ‘Friend Of Mine’. There are surprises, too – take the country inflections of ‘Before I Know It’, while those trumpet flourishes find full light on jazz-leaning ‘Rhododendron’. Broadening and deepening their sound while remaining true to that initial ethos, Whitney may just have crafted another classic. Robin Murray
!!!
WALLOP Warp Records August 30th Do you remember the ‘Feel Good Hit of the Fall’? The breakout hit from a band whose name was almost impossible to pronounce correctly – prime dance-punk noughties, perhaps something most imagined would fade into obscurity. But here we are. 2019 and !!! (Chk Chk Chk) are still going strong with their eighth studio album Wallop, now undeniably proving the longevity of genre-busting big beats and that “na’s” never go out of style. With each release, the band feels invigorated. Sparing no time ‘Let It Change U’ hits straight out of the gate with filthy menace. And the Liars-inflected ‘Off The Grid’ bears a hook so addictive it should probably come with a health warning. Malformed funk for the Black Mirror generation? You got it – Wallop! Harriet Taylor London in Stereo: 47
MARIKA HACKMAN ANY HUMAN FRIEND AMF Records // August 9th ‘I’m Not Where You Are’, a pop rock jam with ‘80s synths – and the first release from Marika Hackman’s Any Human Friend – subverted expectations like her material did from two years ago. To recap: in 2015 Hackman released her debut album bristling with wistful folk before dramatically changing tack in 2017 for the grungey, garage rock-indebted I’m Not Your Man. And now her new album is the most open and daring yet, both lyrically and musically. Eleven songs play hopscotch with genre (see the krautrock-esque ‘Conventional Ride’ or traces of space rock on hilarious wank anthem ‘Hand Solo’). But really these creations surpass such signposting. Any Human Friend is a thick quilt of refreshingly varied sounds knotted by tumultuous turns of love, lust and fragility. Keep subverting, Marika. Charlotte Krol
RIDE
THIS IS NOT A SAFE PLACE Wichita Recordings August 16th
Marking the sixth studio album since the band’s formation, shoegaze pioneers Ride return this month with an outstanding twelve-track release. This Is Not A Safe Place begins with a distorted three-minute instrumental, before the dreampop haze of latest single 'Future Love' breaks through the chaos, embodying a sense of desire and infatuation. The drastic contrast of 'Repetition' and 'Kill Switch' comes next, layering echoes of heavy, post-punk influences with a burst of raw emotion, until 'Clouds of Saint Marie' brings the record back to a bittersweet sense of nostalgia. ‘15 Minutes’ reaches back into early-nineties territory, while the rest of the album expertly blurs the lines between The Cure’s Disintegration and Silversun Pickups’ entire discography, finishing with the beautiful, yet intensely emotional ‘In This Room’. Kelly Ronaldson
new things happening soon that you just don’t want to miss out on
© Cindy Sherman. Image courtesy of National Portrait Gallery.
Bird On The Wire turns 10 We are beyond thrilled to see our friends, and one of London’s best independent promoters, turning 10 this month. After a couple of big blow-outs (Mac DeMarco at Dreamland anyone? Exactly as wild as it sounds), they’ve put together a run of shows featuring the likes of Weyes Blood, Olafur Arnalds, Black Lips, Aldous Harding and even more of our actual favourites. What’s more, to kick it all off they’ll be hosting a stage at the always-wonderful End of the Road festival at the end of the month. Join us in raising a glass to our wonderful decade-old friends. THE PARTY START FROM AUGUST 31ST AT END OF THE ROAD birdonthewire.net // @BOTWevents
Abbey road - ‘The Studios That Became A Legend’ lecture series Have you ever seen a more appropriately named lecture series? We mean, this famous landmark has now eclipsed many (not all, obviously) of the artists it hosted in fame and legend. This month you have a rare opportunity to see behind its closed doors. Hosted over two weekends, learn about the history of the first purpose-built studio and the stories it has spawned, from a series of lectures. Surround yourself with the instruments and space used by the likes of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Kate Bush, Oasis, Radiohead and more. Tickets aren’t cheap but it’ll be unforgettable. AUGUST 8TH-11TH & 16TH-18TH. ABBEY ROAD abbeyroad.com/lectures // @AbbeyRoad
Cindy Sherman The National Portrait Gallery is one of our all-time favourites and if you haven’t caught it already - you have 6 weeks left to get down there to see the fantastically sprawling Cindy Sherman exhibit. A retrospective of her work from the mid-1970s to present day, it’s a thorough and intenselymoving collection that explores the very personal to the very public. Many of these pieces have never been publicly displayed, so don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY. npg.org.uk / @NPGLondon
My Neighbours The Dumplings Is there a food more universally adored than dumplings? If there is, we’re not interested, and if you’ve been to Clapton’s My Neighbours the Dumplings you’ll understand why. Not made it out there yet? Well soon enough you’ll have no excuse because they’re opening a new site and bringing this versatile food stuff to Victoria Park. Our advice: Take loads of friends and order the whole menu. You won’t be disappointed. OPENING SOON. 178 - 180 Victoria Park Rd, E9 7HD myneighboursthedumplings.com // @my_neighbours
Meltdown Festival We know it seems like there are a lot of festivals happening in London (there are - we know) but Meltdown is genuinely always a unique offering. Each year they invite a new curator and bring together a real mix of up-and-coming, niche artists alongside heavyweight greats. The mighty Nile Rodgers is this year’s creative force behind the line-ups so it’s no surprise it opens up with the world premiere of ‘A Night At Studio 54’ and continues on with some of our faves including Kero Kero Bonito, Nakhane, Rosie Lowe and loads more. AUGUST 3RD-11TH SOUTHBANK CENTRE southbankcentre.co.uk // @meltdownfest London in Stereo: 51
our selection of the best shows coming up this month
O2 SHEPHERD’S BUSH EMPIRE
O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON
OSCAR D'LEON
YBN NAHMIR
August 11th £40adv // @o2sbe
Shepherd’s Bush
August 24th £21.60adv // @O2Islington
Angel
SERVANT JAZZ QUARTERS KONCEPT August 19th £9adv // @ServantJazz
Dalston Junction / Kingsland
THE CAMDEN ASSEMBLY MALIKA & FRIENDS + MARK ASAR August 15th £4adv // @CamdenAssembly
Chalk Farm / Camden Town YBN NAHMIR THECITYISOURS
THE WAITING ROOM FLIES+FLIES August 14th FREE // @WaitingRoomN16
Dalston Junction / Kingsland
THE LEXINGTON INSECURE MEN August 29th £13.20adv // @thelexington
THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
BOSTON MUSIC ROOM
ZAMILSKA
THECITYISOURS August 3rd £10adv // @BostonMusicRoom
Tuffnell Park
August 2nd FREE // @shacklewell Arms
Dalston Junction / Kingsland
BRIXTON WINDMILL
THE DOME SKEGSS + GAFFA TAPE SANDY August 9th £12.50adv // @DomeTufnellPark
Angel
BLACK MEKON + CHERRY PICKLES Tuffnell Park
August 21st £4adv // @WindmillBrixton
Brixton
MOTH CLUB
BUSH HALL NASHVILLE MEETS LONDON' PRESENTS AMERICAN YOUNG August 29th Shepherd’s Bush Market / Shepherd’s Bush £20adv // @Bushhallmusic
TACOCAT August 29th £11adv // @Moth_Club
Hackney Central
REMI
TACOCAT (photo: Helen Moga)
O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN NAV + 88GLAM August 20th £27.25adv // @O2ForumKTown
JAZZ CAFE
PAPER DRESS VINTAGE
REMI + IYAMAH + COSIMA + ROXANNE TATAEI
ÄTNA
August 15th £15adv // @TheJazzCafe
Camden Town
Hackney Central
THE OLD BLUE LAST
THE SEBRIGHT ARMS
MASTER PEACE + M.I.C + INFAMOUSIZAK + BADISE
BLACK PEACHES August 7th £7.50adv // @SebrightArms
August 28th £6adv // @paperdressed
Kentish Town
Bethnal Green/ Cambridge Heath
NOTTING HILL ARTS CLUB
August 6th £5adv // @theoldbluelast
Old Street / Liverpool Street
OSLO
NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL WEEKEND
ELEPHANT GYM
August 22nd FREE // @NHAClub
August 9th £12adv // @OsloHackney
Notting Hill Gate
Hackney Central London in Stereo: 53
FULL AUGUST LISTINGS
LONDON’S GIG GUIDE Your full listings
Friday August 2nd
guide to all the best shows happening across North, East, South and West London this month. Thursday August 1st
visit londoninstereo.com for all the latest listings, & to sign up to our Gigs Of The Week email
LONDON TICKETS: WeGotTickets.com/LondonInStereo Saturday August 3rd
Sunday August 4th
Monday August 5th
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FULL AUGUST LISTINGS Tuesday August 6th Thursday August 8th
Wednesday August 7th Friday August 9th
visit londoninstereo.com/subscribe to get London in Stereo delivered every month
LONDON TICKETS: WeGotTickets.com/LondonInStereo
Saturday August 10th
Sunday August 11th
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FULL AUGUST LISTINGS Monday August 12th
Thursday August 15th
Tuesday August 13th
Friday August 16th
Wednesday August 14th
see londoninstereo.com/venues for up-to-date listings at all our favourite venues
LONDON TICKETS: WeGotTickets.com/LondonInStereo
Monday August 19th
Saturday August 17th
Tuesday August 20th
Sunday August 18th
Wednesday August 21st
WeGotTickets.com | Simple, honest ticketing
FULL AUGUST LISTINGS
Friday August 23rd
Thursday August 22nd
Saturday August 24th
find us on Spotify at London in Stereo to keep up with our weekly new music playlists
LONDON TICKETS: WeGotTickets.com/LondonInStereo
Wednesday August 28th Sunday August 25th
Monday August 26th
Thursday August 29th
Tuesday August 27th
WeGotTickets.com | Simple, honest ticketing
FULL AUGUST LISTINGS Saturday August 31st
Friday August 30th
PUMAROSA
visit londoninstereo.com for all the latest listings, & to sign up to our Gigs Of The Week email
LONDON TICKETS: WeGotTickets.com/LondonInStereo Sunday September 1st
Monday September 2nd
Thursday September 5th Tuesday September 2nd
Wednesday September 4th
WeGotTickets.com | Simple, honest ticketing
AUGUST LISTINGS
Friday September 6th
Sunday September 8th
Monday September 9th
Saturday September 7th
see londoninstereo.com/venues for up-to-date listings at all our favourite venues
LONDON TICKETS: WeGotTickets.com/LondonInStereo Tuesday September 10th
Thursday September 12th
Wednesday September 11th
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3 Aug
VISIONS FESTIVAL
London Fields 25 Aug
WILLIAM TYLER
Cafe Oto 4 Sept
JADE IMAGINE
The Waiting Room 5 Sept
GIA MARGARET
St Pancras Old Church 12 Sept
THE MYSTERY LIGHTS
Dingwalls 21 Sept
MÚM
Union Chapel 21 Sept
SHABAKA HUTCHINGS ONEFEST
EartH 26 Sept
MARIKA HACKMAN
Islington Assembly Hall 2 & 3 Oct
LD OUT BILLSORYDER-JONES
St Matthias Church 2 Oct
DU BLONDE
Moth Club 2 Oct
ALI BARTER
Sebright Arms 3 Oct
GRACE LIGHTMAN The Islington 9 Oct
FAR CASPIAN
Moth Club 16 Oct
18 Oct
6 Nov
Redon 19 Oct
Scala 10 Nov
HARRIET BROWN DEEPER
Shacklewell Arms 21 Oct
THE DREAM SYNDICATE Scala 24 Oct
CHASTITY BELT
Islington Assembly Hall 24 Oct
PEGGY SUE The Dome 27 Oct
CHROMATICS Roundhouse 28 Oct
CHAI
Village Underground 28 Oct
ORVILLE PECK Scala 29 Oct
HELADO NEGRO Jazz Cafe 29 Oct
COMBO CHIMBITA The Lexington 29 Oct
RAYANA JAY
Camden Assembly 30 Oct
PUMA BLUE EartH 4 Nov
ERIN RAE
The Lexington 6 Nov
HOLLY HERNDON
EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE
MURKAGE DAVE
ANNA OF THE NORTH
Barbican 18 Oct
Studio 9294
EartH 6 Nov
Heaven
CHARLY BLISS THE RAINCOATS EartH 12 Nov
KEVIN MORBY
Cecil Sharp House 12 Nov
FLUMESOLD OUT
O2 Academy Brixton 19 Nov
OSCAR JEROME Heaven 20 Nov
ELDER ISLAND Heaven 24 Nov
NITZER EBB
Village Underground 26 Nov
RADICAL FACE Union Chapel 27 Nov
THE YOUNG GODS The Garage 28 Nov
KOKOKO! Fabric 29 Nov
!!!
EartH 3 Dec
SARAH KLANG The Lexington 4 Dec
CRUMB
The Dome
UPCOMING LONDON SHOWS
rockfeedback.com
BY
SNOH AALEGRA I’ve been going back and forth to London since I was a kid and I actually lived there for a few years back in 2014. I really love the city - it’s so multicultural and I have family there too. My uncles and cousins lived there. I love the food spots, the energy. It’s one of my favourite cities in the world. I appreciate London most when it rains - it’s just really beautiful and melancholic. As a songwriter I find the beauty in the gloom and in the darkness. I wrote some songs when it was raining when I lived there and I just loved the melancholy. I appreciate the gloom as it fits the architecture and the vibe. I can’t stand when it rains in LA cos the city looks so ugly!
“And without a doubt I always go to Nando’s…”
London is always just so alive. It's a mecca for music. I played a couple of dates at Bush Hall last year and that was really cool. One of the nights I was singing one of my ballads and there was someone right on the front row singing along to every word but in a different key, which made it really difficult. I was already struggling to hear myself and she was singing so loudly. It's gonna sound corny but I also really love all the traditional things about London. I love to go and have afternoon tea. I love this place called Home House, a private member’s club and it’s stunning inside, really regal looking.
And without a doubt I always go to Nando’s… One of my the craziest memories is going to a club called The Box (a raucous, cabaret club in Soho). I saw a crazy, crazy performance act there that night and I’ll never forget it. I don’t even know how to explain it. All I can say if you are into surprises you should definitely go there… Snoh Aalegra release her new album, Ugh, Those Feels Again, August 16th via ARTium Recordings. LIVE: O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, September 23rd @snohaalegra
@Snohofficial London in Stereo: 69
with INTRO As if you needed more excuses to go see the dramatic landscaps of Iceland - over the last 20 years (this year marks its 21st Birthday) Iceland Airwaves has been providing both the best in cutting-edge line-ups for an international audience and a stunning location to see them in. This year Reykjavík will be overrun with musicians like Mac DeMarco, Of Monsters and Men and Anna of the North and filled with the opportunity to stumble across some of the most exciting new music from the Nordics and beyond. To help you work out where to be (book your flight already!) we asked Iceland Airwaves MD Will Larnach-Jones for his pick of the most exciting new Icelandic acts playing. Iceland Airwaves takes place in Reykjavík, Iceland, November 6-9th. Tickets: www.icelandairwaves.is
BLÓÐMÖR LÍKÞORN Hard hitting fast metal/punk music newbies. They’ve only been playing live for a year, and in that time they won this year’s Músíktilraunir (previous winners Mammut, Of Monsters and Men, Between Mountains). By all accounts their live set is blistering and they’re all in their late teens, so ones to watch for sure. SVAVAR KNÚTUR
BLÓÐMÖR
SVAVAR KNÚTUR THE HURTING Icelandic troubadour, whose storytelling is as charming and beguiling as his songs – full of charm, wit and human warmth. He’s been making some good inroads around the world including a very good following in Germany. Last years Ahoy! Side A was a delight.
HATARI
KÆLAN MIKLA NAETURBLOM This trio create misty circles of darkwave and engaging electronic gloom. Their synth sounds and live delivery represent a darker side to the Iceland music scene in the best possible way. This year’s seen them pick up attention from all over the world, with festivals in Europe and the US. KÆLAN MIKLA
HATARI SPILLINGARDENS Hatari have been part of the Airwaves story for the last few years and this year sees a homecoming of sorts. Since their performance last year they’ve taken on the world via Eurovision, challenging conventions with their BDSM techno pop and political convictions, all delivered with a wry humour and amazing videos and staging. This will be their biggest Airwaves show and it will be a riot.
GABRÍEL ÓLAFS CYCLIST WALTZ
GABRÍEL ÓLAFS
At just 19, Gabríel was discovered by Björk’s manager, Derek Birkett, after appearing on Icelandic TV. He’s a stunning pianist and composer. His debut work ‘Absent Minded’ is filled with fantastic moments, daydreams, the imaginary worlds we create in our quietest hours. Icelanders seem to be on such a great creative streak in the classical and neoclassical world and Gabríel is certainly one to watch. London in Stereo: 71
BARNEY ARTIST (photo: Nathaniel Bailey)
with
Barney Artist
“People that make the community so vibrant contemplating having to leave because the prices of living are so extortionate - that breaks my heart. �
Whereabouts do you live London? It’s home. I haven’t found a city that makes me feel at home like London does. It’s crazy, I’ve travelled quite a bit but London is still my home.
3 Steps to a Barney LDN
What are your go-to places to eat and drink? My local pub, The Golden Fleece, in Wanstead, that’s my spot! Can’t beat it really, family vibes - absolutely love it! Do you have any favourite outdoor spaces? Wanstead Flats. I literally live opposite to it but it’s honestly one of the most beautiful, peaceful places in London, tons of nature - sheer bliss. Do you prefer London in the sun or in its regular overcast glory? Ok, I’m probably extremely weird but I really love staying in my house and hearing it chucking it down outside and watching one of my favourite films The Parent Trap with a hot chocolate.
The Golden Fleece WHERE? 166 Capel Road, E12 5DB
What’s the bit of London you live in got that the rest of London hasn’t? Moon House, the greatest Chinese takeaway in the world. What’s the best way to spend one great day here? Get a speaker, a couple packets of Jaffa Cakes, a bag of Salt & Vinegar Tyrell’s Crisps and five bottles of Corona and go to the pond with your mate. Do you have any favourite venues? Oslo in Hackney, Roundhouse in Camden and Ghostnotes in Peckham.
Moon House
Does living here influence your music? 1000% living here not only influenced my sonic tastes and the genres I lean towards but also my slang and the words I use in my lyrics. I’m very London-based and I love it.
56 Woodgrange Rd, E7 0QH
WHERE?
What’s the worst thing about London? The gentrification. People that make the community so vibrant contemplating having to leave because the prices of living are so extortionate - that breaks my heart. How would you advise someone to get the most out of living here? Love, patience and a willingness to embrace cultures. London is absolutely beautiful if you give it a chance. Barney Artist releases his Bikes Are Bikes EP August 9th via Banana Bus Records @barneyartist
@BarneyArtist
Wanstead Flats WHERE? Capel Rd, E11 2LT London in Stereo: 73
NOS Alive Passeio Marítimo de Algés, Lisbon July 11th-13th words: Dave Rowlinson
NOS Alive often feels like an extraordinary festival ecosystem. A fascinating land which seems to have defied evolutionary law so musical creatures that should never co-exist somehow live together in the sweetest of harmony. Rock dinosaurs and the brightest pop stars co-inhabit a small astro-turfed site on the banks of the River Tagus. Everyone seems to think it’s perfectly normal and everyone is in a really weirdly good mood. Apart from the people who see Weezer play Toto’s ‘Africa’, of course. And even they get to hear ‘Buddy Holly’ and ‘Island In The Sun’. It’s almost like you really can’t lose at NOS Alive. Seriously, everyone seems to be in a good mood. Is it cos Lil Nas X dropped another ‘Old Town Road’ remix? Is it because you know there’s 100% going to be a bit where you get to see The Cure and then saunter off to watch Robyn? Is it because you’re at a European festival so you know 100% there’s gonna be really fun hot-dog options on site and pints of cold wine that cost, like €4 or something? Is it because hitting festival sites no earlier than 5pm means you get a festival and a holiday? Is it all these things? It really might be.
I mean, it helps to be in Lisbon. It helps to be in a truly beautiful city where the sun always shines (presumably the sun definitely always shines - I can only go on evidence provided). Bring your tile-nerd friends. The tile game in Lisbon is wild. Be in a place where you can sit by the river and eat world-beating tacos from Taco Shop #1 and, sure, maybe have a frozen margarita. If you’re the kind of person that thinks a game of Uno go well with tacos and margs then, pal, do it. A short walk from tacos to Café Janis for class-act cocktails? Sure. An even shorter walk to the Bica Funicular to ride the prettiest little funicular you ever did see up crazy steep and narrow streets? Exactly zero chance of not doing that. Why wouldn’t we? We’re in a great mood cos we’re going to NOS Alive. If anyone has the temerity to say ‘Are you sure this is a funicular and not a tram?’ then just remove them from your friendship group. It’s a bit of a stroll to the site, so you’ll probably want to stop off at Time Out Market for a Ground Burger and croquettas. You’ll definitely want to play on the curvy roof of MAAT (the art, architecture and technology museum), and, sure, maybe you’ll just stop in random bars where they play ‘Old Town Road’, have a cold beer and play more Uno. Maybe all this happened in one trip, maybe it was over a few days. Doesn’t really matter, does it? You really can’t lose at NOS Alive.
MARINA (photo: Hugo Macedo)
Regardless of how it happened, we’re now on site. We’ve got a hot-dog covered in crisps (what a world), we’ve got our pints of cold red wine (what a world), we’re in a good mood and we are ready to dance. Look, let’s not bogged down in the stupefying faff of who-played-when and on what day. It also doesn’t matter. Just know that all the acts are in a good mood because they get to say ‘obrigado’ which is the best ‘thank-you’ word. And that good mood translates into joyful sets and joyful times. Every single person at the festival has a blast dancing to Vampire Weekend, who have ascended into the rarefied realm of perfect festival band. Chief of the dinosaurs, The Cure, can be very insular but they play ‘Just Like Heaven’ and ‘Pictures Of You’ and honestly I’d have swapped all the hot-dogs on the planet just for that. But there’s no need for that because both options exist here. Robyn is on a different level to almost everyone these days. Every show feels like A Moment, every song is immaculate. Give ‘Dancing On My Own’ a Noble prize for pop or peace or anything. Shower it gold and prizes. Please.
Maybe no person has ever regretted leather trousers more than Sharon Van Etten, but also no people have ever been more grateful to her for sticking it out when ‘Seventeen’ does its glorious stuff. Bon Iver play and we have the loveliest time showing each other pictures of our cats while it happens. Who knew Bon Iver was the idea soundtrack to that? Apparently Smashing Pumpkins played ‘1979’. That would have been nice to hear, but instead we’re having maybe The Best Time Ever dancing to Marina, who really wins the weekend with the most fun stage show, the most fun dancers and way more huge pop songs than I ever realised she had. A star: a proper, wonderful pop star. Would like to go on the record right now to say George Fitzgerald is a national treasure, capable of producing some of the richest, most soulful, most exhilarating dance music out there right now. I turn down a hot-dog to see out his set. Seriously, that kinda level. We turned up in a good mood, we left in a better one. It happens every time at NOS Alive and it’s why we will always keep on coming back to this joyful festival. That, and the tacos. London in Stereo: 75
VISIONS OF KEDR by Austin Maloney Yes, YouTube is the most harmful creation in the history of humankind, a septic pit of narcissism, bigotry, complacency, self-indulgence, a book without sources, a school without teachers. But what, what if, the thing I use it for, and by extension me, is actually good, and the only correct way of doing things? That, in one of those happy coincidences so common in opinion pieces, is the case here, because I used YouTube to get deep into Russian music. The Point of all this, to reunite this train with its tracks, is Kedr Livanskiy, the origin of my Russian music obsession and sort of a vanguard artist for the country’s current musical output. I came across Livanskiy first in the way a lot of people probably did, through a review of her glacial techno track ’Sgoraet’ on Pitchfork, and since then she’s been one of my favourite current artists, a four-year spell where I’ve grown as a fan through her putting out three records with some of my favourite songs (from samurai breakbeat on ‘Otvechai Za
Slova’ to the sprawling, pristine analogue synths of “Ariadna” to the feverish, celebratory release of “Ivan Kupala (New Day)”), doing a couple of interviews and seeing a live show in a cramped nightclub at By:Larm in Oslo that was one of the festival’s best. And as good as Yana Kedrina is, a combination of curiosity and the YouTube algorithm means that her music also provides a path deeper into Russia’s scene. That can go two ways depending on your taste – enjoy the techno, electronica and ambient side of Kedr Livanskiy and you’ll pitch towards her contemporaries on that scene like the Gost Zvuk crew (GV member Flaty co-produced her latest album Your Need). Drawn towards the poppier side of her work, you might come across ЛУНА, МЫ and MIRÈLE. Russia and Russian-speakers are currently producing a musical culture that’s not afraid to be ambitious and pretentious while also having the ideas to back it up. And seeing Kedr Livanskiy at Visions is a great way to open that door (or just see a cool show, whatever, I don’t know what your dreams are).
Austin Maloney is a Stockholm-based writer who usually covers music from Scandinava and Northern Europe. You can send him death threats for his bad tweets at @amaloney_ Kedr Livanskiy plays Visions Festival, LFB The Arches, August 3rd.
London in Stereo: 77
THURSDAY 15TH AUGUST THE GARAGE
THURSDAY 15TH AUGUST THE WAITING ROOM
TUESDAY 3RD SEPTEMBER OMEARA
+ SUPPORT
+ RYD
+ SUPPORT
COUNTERFEIT.
OK BUTTON
DYLAN LEBLANC
THURSDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY HALL
THURSDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER BOSTON MUSIC ROOM
MONDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER THE LEXINGTON
+ SUPPORT
+ THE BROKEN KINGS
+ SUPPORT
TUESDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER THE LEXINGTON
FRIDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER OMEARA
SATURDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER
+ SUPPORT
+ SUPPORT
+ OHMME
FRIDAY 11TH OCTOBER DINGWALLS
FRIDAY 11TH OCTOBER CAMDEN ASSEMBLY
+ ROE
+ SUPPORT
JOHN PAUL WHITE
THE DELTA RIGGS
THURSDAY 10TH OCTOBER O2 FORUM KENTISH TOWN
SEA GIRLS + SUPPORT
STEVEN BATTELLE
WINTERSLEEP
RYAN MCMULLAN
DOTAN
EVENTIM APOLLO, HAMMERSMITH
WILCO
TIGRESS
EVENTIM APOLLO, HAMMERSMITH
TUESDAY 15TH OCTOBER
TUESDAY 15TH OCTOBER SCALA
WEDNESDAY 16TH OCTOBER 100 CLUB
+ SUPPORT
+ SUPPORT
+ SUPPORT
KATE TEMPEST
THE ACADEMIC
CURSE OF LONO
THURSDAY 17TH OCTOBER PAPER DRESS VINTAGE
FRIDAY 18TH OCTOBER THE PICKLE FACTORY
+ MABES
+ SUPPORT
TUNGZ
THE ASTEROIDS GALAXY TOUR
TUESDAY 22ND OCTOBER OLD BLUE LAST
THURSDAY 24TH OCTOBER HEAVEN
FRIDAY 25TH OCTOBER CORSICA STUDIOS
+ SUPPORT
+ SUPPORT
+ SUPPORT
CALLUM PITT
EUT
LADYTRON
TUESDAY 22ND OCTOBER 100 CLUB + SUPPORT
ALICE JEMIMA
FRIDAY 25TH OCTOBER THE LEXINGTON
WEDNESDAY 30TH OCTOBER BUSH HALL
THURSDAY 31ST OCTOBER OMEARA
+ SUPPORT
+ SUPPORT
+ HOLLIE COL
ROBERT ELLIS
TYLER RAMSEY
HARRISON STORM
S.J.M. CONCERTS PRESENTS
14 & 15 SEPT / THE O2
30 SEP / 1 OCT / 3 / 4 / 5 OCT / PALLADIUM SOLD
OUT
SOLD
OUT
SOLD
OUT
PLUS SPECIAL GUEST
04 OCT / EVENTIM APOLLO
11 0CT / THE O2
10 0CT / O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON
17 OCT / THE GARAGE
PLUS SPECIAL GUEST
ROSIE
LOWE
22 OCT / THE CAMDEN ASSEMBLY
26 OCT / ALEXANDRA PALACE
13 & 14 NOV / ALEXANDRA PALACE
13 & 14 DEC / O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON
PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS SO LD OUT
RAZORLIGHT 01 FEB 2020 / THE O2
WITH VERY SPECIAL GUESTS
01 FEB 2020 / O2 ACADEMY BRIXTON