Nice People Issue 3 by Nice People Magazine

Issue 3

featuring... girl gang leeds / Map charity / Pink picnic

FREE!

/ beth shindler long legged creatures / mamilah / shaku / b-ahwe + more!

nice one. Welcome to Issue Three. With each new issue, we fall a little bit deeper in love with Leeds and the wonderful people we share a doorstep with. Leeds is a city full of hardworking and tireless creatives who are making the world a little nicer with the work that they do, and there’s no other city we’d want to write a magazine about. The people behind MAP and Girl Gang are amoungst the most inspiring (and nicest) people in Leeds. While MAP provide creative courses to empower young people who are struggling in mainstream education, Girl Gang use creativity to empower the community around them and spark wonderful friendships. For us, they embody everything we stand for as nice people and we’re so proud to have them in this issue. Every time we finish an issue, we feel like we can’t love something more. When we started working on this one, we fell in love with it straight away. That was a lot to do with Beth Shindler and the stunning front cover she designed for us. She was a dream to work with and you can read all about her and her work on pages 14-17. This issue marks the begining of something exciting between us and our new best mates Hannah and Daisy at Pink Picnic. They’re both wonderful and truly amazing at what they do. You can have a taste of what they’re about on pages 18-20. Thank you as always to our lovely team of contributors who made this issue what it is: thank you to Jemima Skala, Elle Bennett, Megan Fairgray, Safi Bugel, Harrie Kelly, Ollie Howitt, Shauna Stapleton and Lauren Stapleton for making this issue so good. Stay nice, Meg and Tom (Co-Founders)

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Beth Shindler

26 | What Are the Neighbours Up To: Endless Love Creative 28 | Selected poems by Lauren Stapleton, illustrated by Shauna Stapleton 29 | Recess by Harrie Kelly, illustrated by Ollie Howitt

Front cover design: Beth Shindler (Instagram: @shindleee) Logo design: Julia Pomeroy (juliapomeroy98@gmail.com) Printed by Mortons Print Designed and edited by Meg Firth | Managed by Tom Nixon

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Nice gigs in Leeds February and March Laid Back

What’s your flavour?

Something New

Tuesday 5th February Dammit I’m Mad + Tall Talker & Slow Loris For fans of: getting sweaty Hyde Park Book Club, £5 ADV (andthecloud.) Wednesday 6th February Leah Senior For fans of: Julie Byrne, Lucy Rose, Big Thief… Hyde Park Book Club, £6.60 (Dice) Thursday 7th February LSR Transmission: Santino + Solis, NALA, Mondo Bizarre & NikNak (DJ) For fans of: nice people doing nice things Brudenell Social Club, £5 ADV (proceeds towards MAP) Thursday 7th February FRANK For fans of: fuzzy dreamy pysch-rock and bargains Headrow House, £4 (Dice) Friday 8th February Ian Sweet For fans of: psycho-rock peppered with shoegaze Headrow, House, £8.40 (Dice) Sunday 10th February Luna Pines For fans of: intricate and intelligent ambient tracks Hyde Park Book Club, FREE Tuesday 12th February Queen Zee For fans of: fun Hyde Park Book Club, £7.70 (Dice) Thursday 14th February Hot Fuzz Events presents: Party Hardly + Household Dogs & Afghan Sand Gang For fans of: Genghar, Boy Azooga, Drenge… Hifi Club, £5 ADV

Hot and Sweaty

Vibey

Saturday 16th February Dark Arts: The Orielles + Big Joanie, Squid, Mush, Menace Beach, Krush Puppies & Los Bitches For fans of: discovering the best new bands Belgrave Music Hall, £13 (Dice) Saturday 16th February Jungle For fans of: sun-drenched hooks and feeling good O2 Academy Leeds, £25.99 (Dice) [Waiting List] Saturday 16th February Babeheaven For fans of: Cigarettes After Sex, Puma Blue, Japanese Breakfast… Brudenell Social Club, £11 (Dice) Monday 18th February Vinyl Staircase For fans of: shameless and catchy indie hooks Headrow House, £5.25 (Dice) Wednesday 20th February Palace For fans of: Ben Howard, Yellow Days, JAWs… Belgrave Music Hall, £10.50 (Dice) [Waiting List] Friday 22nd February Fudge. + more For fans of: making friends in moshpits Lending Room, (£6.75, Crash Records) Saturday 23rd February Allusinlove For fans of: Dead Naked Hippies, Trash, Avalanche Party Hyde Park Book Club, £7.70 (Dice) Monday 25th February The Lemon Twigs For fans of: indie film soundtracks Leeds University Stylus, £16.50 (Dice)

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Monday 25th February Mothers For fans of: Speedy Ortiz with thick guitars and heaps of emotion Belgrave Music Hall, £10.50 (Dice)

Saturday 2nd March Nubya Garcia For fans of: unbelievable sax Belgrave Music Hall, £13 (Dice) Saturday 2nd March Polo + NALA & Eevah For fans of: having a very good time Headrow House, £6.25 (Dice)

Wednesday 27th February IDER For fans of: mind-bending harmonies and experimental synth-driven pop Headrow House, £7.25 (Dice)

Tuesday 5th March Death Valley Girls For fans of: PINS, Honeyblood, L.A Witch Brudenell Social Club, £8.80 (Dice)

Thursday 28th February Tank and the Bangas For fans of: flawless spoken word and uplifting neo-soul Leeds University Stylus, £15.75 (Dice) Thursday 28th February Hot Fuzz Events presents: EUT + Purple Thread & Jellyskin For fans of: Amber Arcades, Pip Blom, Menace Beach Hifi Club, £5 ADV Friday 1st March FEHM For fans of: New Order, Depeche Mode, Pulp… Brudenell Social Club, FREE Friday 1st March Jay Prince For fans of: mellow beats and poetic lyricism Belgrave Music Hall, £12.50 (Dice)

Saturday 9th March Eliza For fans of: a smooth and infectious blend of RnB, funk and pop Belgrave Music Hall, £13 (Dice) Saturday 16th March HOT WAXX and This Feeling present: Red Rum Club + Everyday People For fans of: having a dance before bedtime Brudenell Social Club, £8.80 (SeeTickets) Friday 29th March Poppy Ajudha For fans of: Lianne La Havas, Cleo Sol, Joy Crookes Headrow House, £12.50 (Dice)

Going out out?

Hang up your hang ups Shake off the day Stretch those hamstrings Let your worries fly away A night of celebrating and fundraising for MAP charity taking place at Freedom Mills on Saturday 23rd March. Featuring some of Leeds finest movers and groovers: Brazilian Wax, Andrew Devine and Stretchy Dance Supply. You can expect dancers, some sneaky instrumentalists and to leave your hang ups hung up at the front door. When: Saturday 23rd March Where: Freedom Mills, Leeds Tickets available on SeeTickets

Image

Brown / The Big Issue

MAP is a charity that provides creative education, qualifications and first-hand experience to young people at risk of exclusion from the mainstream school system. Through workshops and courses, the charity nurtures, guides and inspires the next generation. Jemima Skala talks to Raf Bogan about the charity’s vision and future.

n Leeds, everyone knows about MAP charity. In a city with such a big DIY scene, MAP’s mission to offer creative qualifications to students who don’t fit into a mainstream structure resonates with so many of Leeds’ familiar faces. Sitting down to talk with Raf Bogan, MAP’s communications manager, I was excited to talk to one of the proponents of one of Leeds’ best-loved institutions and hear their mission straight from the horse’s mouth. In Raf’s words, “MAP is a Leeds-based arts and education organisation. We’re set up essentially like an alternative school with classrooms and teachers, but we offer creative qualifications to kids who are having a tough time fitting into a mainstream setting.” Residing in Mabgate’s Hope Foundry, MAP provides a haven of education for those who don’t fit into a traditional academic structure,

allowing children to flourish by creating partnerships between working creatives and MAP’s students. “That’s really important,” Raf stresses, “because our students, who are doing BTECs in creative subjects, can see that the stuff they’re learning has a practical outcome: they’re not just learning about it for learning’s sake.” MAP is assuredly one of the city’s flourishing independent enterprises; they have their heart and ethics firmly rooted in the community, giving back to everyone who helps along the way. It was therefore shocking when, just over a year ago, MAP charity launched a fundraising project with the target of £2.4m: their home in Mabgate was being threatened by a housing development project to turn the stunning heritage building of Hope Foundry into luxury flats.

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Raf Bogan at MAP

Rather than give up without a fight, MAP have something else up their sleeve: “We basically created an alternative vision for the site; this is our home and we think it’s really important that we are in Leeds city centre and we aren’t pushed further afield. So we’ve got quite a bold but definitely achievable vision which is basically outright purchasing the site and transforming it, refurbishing it into a community arts centre.” This will include expanding the work of their education project to be able to bring in new resident artists and creatives, turning the building into a hub for young people. As well as that, they are planning to create a dedicated music venue and arts space, urban roof gardens, and a community café and kitchen. “I think with every threat it can spark a positive outcome,” Raf muses. “We’re seeing all this change around us, but rather than burying our head in the sand, we’ve actually harnessed that and repurposed it into something really positive.” Since MAP is a cause so dear to Leeds’ heart, the community has rallied around the fundraising effort in order to save such a necessary initiative. “We’ve been blown away by the support that local students, local promoters, venues, businesses and – thank you so much to everyone that has put on a fundraiser or has donated to us.” Raf stops speaking, acknowledging every contributor to the cause so far. “It really is an incredible gesture, and I think it goes to show that our vision and this project is bigger than MAP Charity, it’s bigger than this building. It’s about the kind of city we want to live in, and the society we want to live in.”

“ We’re seeing all this change around us... ... we’ve harnessed that and repurposed it into something positive”

Raf notes that one of the main challenges during fundraising has been keeping focused on the task at hand. “We’re a small team, and we’ve got such big plans, so it’s important that we remain focused and rational, and we look at achievable targets.” With so many supporters of the charity, people are constantly getting in touch to pitch new projects, collaborations and proposals. Yet, with the mammoth task of fundraising ahead of them for the foreseeable future, they simply can’t do everything. He laughs as he tells me, “the kind of person I am, I’d like to say yes to everything and try and juggle loads of different things, but we need to remain really focused.” As far as nice people go, MAP Charity are surely the nicest. They do not rely on government funding, they are a fully self-sustaining organisation and are intent on using their resources to aid the flourishing community of creatives that makes Leeds so special. As Whitney Houston said, the children are our future, and MAP is doing everything they can to safeguard our future by fostering the next generation of creative thinkers. Jemima Skala

Since then, Kaz and Emily – along with the rest of the Girl Gang Leeds team – have been tirelessly hosting meetups, gigs, exhibitions and more; all showcasing the work of local creatives and bringing together women, non-binary people and the LGBTQ+ community.

Ahead of Girl Gang Leeds’ 2nd birthday, Elle Bennett chats with founding members Kaz and Emily to find out more about the collective, learn about their highlights of 2018 and gets the low-down on what’s in store for 2019.

ack in 2015, Girl Gang launched as a creative collective for women, non-binary and trans people in Sheffield. It began when two female business owners decided to collaborate on an immersive screening of the cult classic Mean Girls. They realised there was a need for an inclusive and collaborative community, and thus Girl Gang was born. Together they wrote up a manifesto, focussing on establishing a supportive and welcoming platform for women, non-binary and trans creatives, and posted it on social media. “I saw this manifesto and was like ‘Oh my God, yes! This is something I really want to be a part of!” Kaz excitedly recollects. At the time, Kaz had finishing university and was looking for something to do and wanted to make some new friends, so a group like Girl Gang seemed to be exactly what she needed. Around two years later, Kaz moved to Leeds and decided to bring Girl Gang with her. “It took me a while to find my feet, but we had a big meeting and loads of people came. They really helped us get the ball rolling and helped to form our team,” explains Kaz. “That’s when I met Emily, and it just sort of spiralled from there”.

2018 was a massive year for Girl Gang Leeds, with them holding some of their biggest events ever and establishing a constantly growing network of artists and musicians. Their event for International Women’s Day was one of the year’s highlights. It was an evening of inspiring talks from badass local creatives and activists, featuring: illustrator Kristyna Baczynski; Bobbi Rae and Emma Hardaker of Modes of Expression; the Leeds-based DJ collective Equaliser; Tina Leslie, the founder of the anti-period poverty charity Freedom4girls; and independent porn producer and performer Vex Ashley. “At that point, it was one of the busiest things we had done,” Emily tells me. Girl Gang’s success points toward the strong and shared desire to foster a sense of connection and community among women, trans and non-binary people – especially in large cities where you can easily find yourself feeling isolated and alienated. “I think we all just relate to that feeling of wanting to meet new people and make new friends. For some people, it’s an [opportunity for] artist collaboration; but there’s also just everyday people who want some friends. I think that need for a community is what really brings it all together,” says Kaz. And it’s true, often the perception of ‘boys clubs’ within artistic circles can leave people who aren’t cis-men feeling discouraged, unable to make their voice heard or be taken seriously.

Girl Gang Leeds at Leeds Zine Fair

Nice People Magazine February 2019

“Girl Gang help tackle the self-doubt and ‘imposter syndrome’ that can inhibit new creatives.” Collectives like Girl Gang play a huge part in lifting up women and members of the LGBT+ community, instilling confidence and creating a welcoming space free from competition or hierarchy. Girl Gang help encourage numerous new artists hoping to make a name for themselves by creating a platform for them to present and sell their work. “Like with our Festive Arts Market,” Kaz says, “some of the stall holders had never done a stall before and were like, ‘Oh God, this is my first one!’ But by the end of the day, they were all really positive about it and said it really inspired them to try and do some more”. Kaz and Emily are keen to tell me about illustrator Olivia Talbot, who held one of her first exhibitions with Girl Gang in 2017. “When she first started with us, she was so unsure about selling her stuff, but we were like, ‘It’s amazing you should definitely do this!’” Emily tells me. By connecting established artists with emerging artists, Girl Gang help tackle the self-doubt and ‘imposter syndrome’ that can inhibit new creatives from achieving everything they aspire to. “When you’re working in isolation it’s really easy to look at other people on Instagram and think ‘Oh I’m not as good as them’, but actually when you meet them you break that barrier and realise they’re just a normal person”.

Along with a bunch of other fantastic punk and indie bands, there’ll, of course, be lots of birthday cake. They’re going even bigger for International Women’s Day too, with a whole week of events, workshops and talks taking place in celebration of women, non-binary and trans folks. There are more Art Markets on the horizon, as well as Girl Gang’s monthly meet-ups and their opens decks spot at Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen called ‘Join Us in the DJ Booth’, which takes place on the first Monday of each month. All the amazing achievements of Girl Gang over the past 2 years are an encouraging sign of the work being done to platform marginalised voices and create safe spaces for women and the LGBTQ+ community. Nevertheless, Kaz and Emily note how sometimes being a part of Girl Gang can feel like a bit of a bubble of positivity and inclusivity, which has made them more critical of the lack of female, nonbinary and trans representation in the wider world; “but I don’t think that that’s a bad thing. I think it just makes you more aware of stuff,” Kaz explains. “Things don’t change if you don’t pick up on them like. If nobody points them out and tells you what’s wrong, then nothing’s going to change,” says Emily. “So even though it is a little hard-work noticing these things all the time, it’s not going to change without it”. So make sure to follow Girl Gang Leeds on Facebook, Twitter (@GIRLGANGLEEDS) and Instagram (@girlgangleeds) for updates on their ongoing fight against the patriarchy, as well as how you can get involved. Elle Bennett

Heading into 2019, Girl Gang Leeds have a tonne of exciting events on the agenda. On 13th February they’ll be holding a special meet-up in honour of Galentine’s Day at Redondo Beach in Headrow House. They’ll also be celebrating their 2nd birthday on 2nd March by throwing a huge party at Wharf Chambers. The day will be filled with performances from some of Girl Gang’s favourite bands, such as Kamikaze Girls, Kermes and Dream Nails; “they played for us last August and we love them,” Kaz tells me. “They’re the epitome of feminist punk and DIY; they really align with our values”.

behind the cover:

beth shindler

One look at Beth Shindler’s illustrations and you’ll be hooked. An observational and witty illustrator, she uniquely captures the essence of life with her simplified colour palettes and distinct style. Here at Nice People, we were buzzing when she sent over her design for the cover of Issue 3 and you can see why. In her brilliant, seemingly effortless way, she has captured the epitome of being genuinely ‘nice’. We asked her about how she developed her style, who inspires her and what plans she has for the future. Words by Meg Firth

@shindleee

Above Kanassa Kitchen Overleaf Nice People

Nice People Magazine February 2019

“My aim is to bend the norms of the body” Is art something you’ve always wanted to pursue? Yes, although I must admit I wasn’t sure what form that would take, as I’m interested in so many different types of art. I remember growing up and begging to have drawing competitions or getting overly excited when we were asked to design a poster in class. I never pursued university as, for me, I felt it restricted my creativity and contradicted a lot of what I feel art is about: freedom of expression.

Your style is stunning and very unique. How did you develop your style? Thank you very much! When I first started exploring my own styles I was obsessed with graffiti art and the way that the letters would flow. I thought it was the most powerful thing, (predictable, I know). This then influenced the way I draw people now. I love the idea of my work being translated onto a wall one day, or have the same free-flowing “wow” effect as I think graffiti art does. My aim is to bend the norms of the body, introduce fluidity and freedom of form.

Do any other artists inspire you? Plenty! I love HEDOF – an illustrator & printmaker from the Netherlands. His colour palettes really inspire me and his giant wall murals are beautiful. I love Jean Jullien – an illustrator from France. He sees art in absolutely everything! He’s definitely made me look at art in a different way and his art just brings a big smile to my face. My absolute favourite at the moment is Gaurab Thakali. Again, for the use of colour and the way he incorporates shadow into his work, which is something I’d love to learn. I also absolutely adore the fact he works his illustrations around the Jazz musicians he loves. His skateboard work is sick too!

Does running Kanassa Kitchen inspire your creativity? Absolutely. Having worked in street food for the past 3 years, I’ve developed other street food brands whilst working in the Kitchen. Kanassa is a Colombian-inspired street food business that I’ve run with my sister Anna for the past year. Being so hands on in that aspect, I try to get across in my food illustrations the chaotic, madness of being in a kitchen. I think working in the kitchen is an art form in itself. I would go as far as to say that working in that industry has lead me to be able to become self-employed due to the high number of contacts and understanding of the business. I also think illustration lends itself so well to my love of food as, essentially, I am able to merge two passions together.

Your colour palettes and design choices are genius. How do you decide on what colours to use? Thank you very much! I tend to ensure that the people I draw do not have a specific race, which is why you find that all my illustrations use different colours for skin tones, like red, green and blue. Other than that, I’m still learning on that front!

What were your thoughts and concepts behind the cover you designed for us? I actually had so many ideas for this cover design! I sat down and wrote out what I consider to be the epitome of being ‘nice’. Things like holding a door open for someone, making a brew or simply lending a hand. I think a super nice quality is when people don’t know they’re being nice and are not immediately expectant of others. I wanted a light-hearted, comical value to it to make people smile – which I hope I have achieved! I also felt the concept of flowers tied in nicely with your beautiful logo design.

“It’s super important to let young girls know that they can be anything that they want to be.”

How’s life as an independent artist? Life is good! I think self-employed life really does become what you make it. Being an independent artist at essentially the bottom of the ladder can be testing at times but there’s no better feeling than seeing your art on the wall, shaping a brand or making people smile. Naturally, self-doubt is inevitable and everyday I want to progress and grow more but I think that’s what’s so good about it. You’re never stuck in one place, you’re never bored and things are always what you make them. You essentially create your path.

What advice would you give to other aspiring artists? Just do you. Listen to yourself, explore all techniques and don’t get too stuck on one specific style too soon. I would also recommend contacting artists that you respect & love – you will be surprised by how many reply no matter how famous / busy they are! Knowing your worth is also key. Being an artist is like being a football; kicked around by a bunch of strangers all day long but then sometimes you score. Being confident in your abilities & learning to say no so you’re not breaking your back is super important. You are the artist and they’re coming to you for a reason.

Do you have any plans for the near future? My plans for now are just to keep developing my style, learning new techniques and working on small jobs whilst running my street food stall. I hope to do a few exhibitions soon too!

All images used by kind permissions of the artist © Beth Shindler (@shindleee)

Do you have any ultimate pipe dreams? Definitely. I’ve always wanted to do children’s books. The illustrations are so magical and I was always so captivated as a child. I must admit, if you ever catch me in a book shop, I will most likely be in the Children’s section (this is not a reflection on my ability to read… I promise). Being a gay woman myself, my dream is to one day write a series of illustrated children’s books that break away from the heterosexual norm from a young age. I love the new feminist cards they have for children. I think it’s super important to let young girls know that they can be anything that they want to be. I also think it’s really sad how different sexualities are not represented in children’s books. I believe that changing this can promote higher levels of acceptance and prevent depression and stigma later on in life.

Above Johnny Cash Overleaf Hafla Hafla

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Hafla Hafla Â© Beth Shindler (@shindleee)

venus Debut single â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;derangedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; out now available on spotify and bandcamp @venusgrrrrls

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Â© Abbie Wooley (Gross Studio) @ab.woolley / @grossstudio

“It’s something light-hearted and fun that brings friends together. It’s something to share.”

Pink Picnic are promoters like no others. Hosting delightful gigs with tasty line-ups, they embody what gigs are all about: discovering new music and having a truly great time while you’re at it. Meg Firth sits down with founders Hannah and Daisy at Hyde Park Book Club to hear about how they met, the inspiration behind putting on picnic gigs and why they love Leeds so much.

y first taste of Pink Picnic was at a gig of theirs at Belgrave Music Hall. With N/\L/\ headlining and impeccable support slots from Vide0, Fred M-G and Slut Drop DJs, it was set to be a beautiful night. Walking into the room, it was instantly clear that it was going to be special. Greeted with fortune cards, homemade lemonade, 3D glasses for the visual art and the ear-to-ear smiles of Hannah and Daisy, it was a gig where anyone felt welcome regardless of music taste, style or path in life. Hannah and Daisy met “many moons ago” at the Arts Hostel. Hannah was working there at the time, and Daisy would volunteer a few nights a week. One evening, at the pub with mutual friends, the soon-to-be best mates were sat at either end of a table; “I was just sat there thinking, ‘This is my girl!’” laughs Daisy. “We realised we had similar music interests so we ended up just hanging out and going to gigs all the time.”

It was at one of these gigs where the idea for Pink Picnic blossomed; “We were at a gig and I was looking at Hannah, and I was just thinking about how great she’d be in the music industry running her own label or whatever. Then I thought, ‘Wait, I want to tag along for that!’” Daisy recollects. Her band Pepe Sylvia were bringing out an EP, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to unroll the picnic blanket and get the ball rolling for Pink Picnic; “We just thought ‘Let’s do this’,” explains Hannah. We put on the EP release party, [and] we realised that we’re just really good at putting on a party.” Pink Picnic’s name was conceived at Daisy’s house, where they were listening to The Books’ album Lemon of Pink. “We spent about 3 hours trying to come up with a name, and we were just throwing words around,” Hannah remembers. “I really like the word picnic; it’s something light-hearted and fun that brings friends together. It’s something to share.” The concept of a picnic is exactly what Pink Picnic is all about. They bring people together, look after them and have a bloody nice time while they’re doing it. Good promotion and genuinely enthusiastic support from promoters is sadly hard to come by, but Hannah and Daisy put caring for the bands they represent first and foremost. “We’ve become really good friends with most the bands we’ve put on,” expresses Hannah.

Nice People Magazine February 2019

“The promotion becomes second to meeting the people,” Daisy adds. “We try and hang out and get to know them, so we’re all on the same wavelength and they’re getting the same out of it as we are. When we started, it was mainly about supporting [the bands] and raising them up and giving them the recognition that we think they deserve.” On top of hosting some of the finest gigs in Leeds, the Pink Picnic girls juggle fulltime work. The way they manage to balance everything is a testimony to their great friendship and teamwork; “We’re really lucky, we’re a perfect match,” laughs Daisy. “With balancing life stuff, you’ve just got to love it otherwise you’re not going to do it. It’s hard work, but then at the end, we’re always like, ‘I really enjoyed that’. We’re doing because we want to do it and there’s no other reason.” The intention of Pink Picnic is to “strip back the ego from gigs”. Daisy explains: “it’s all about making connections, making a community [and] making bands feel welcome. [Our gigs are] pay as you feel, always. We want everything to be accessible and inclusive of everyone. We’re not aiming to make money from this basically; it’s just about enjoying ourselves and for the people who come to enjoy themselves.” N/\L/\ at Pink Picnic. photographed by James Ward/Pretend Online

Emily Garner of Vide0 at Pink Picnic. photographed by James Ward/Pretend Online

What Hannah and Daisy do with Pink Picnic is a celebration of DIY and the incredible independent music scene in Leeds. The city is full of independent creatives and musicians who are quick to support each other: “I think that’s what’s really nice about Leeds, it’s such a community feel,” expresses Hannah. “There are so many different scenes and styles and interests, but there’s no judgement whatsoever. Obviously, there’s the occasional dickhead, but everyone’s just so open and up for trying new things. It’s so beautiful to be in a city that’s so respectful of everyone. With the openness and community feel, everyone just wants to be here and inhale everything that’s going on here.” “It’s all about finding your people and what you want to find in a city,” Daisy adds. “Leeds has so much to offer that it’s easy to find.” So, look no further than Pink Picnic’s spread of the bands that you’ve been craving. You’re bound to find a new favourite.

Meg Firth

Introducing..

Megan Fairgray meets Long Legged Creatures’ Beth and Ross

Long Legged Creatures have been creating music in their Leeds basement for two years now, taking over the live music scene with their twisted and rebellious electronica. Bassist Beth and producer Ross discuss their sound, Leeds basement parties and what we can expect from the band in 2019. Megan Fairgray: So, how did Long Legged Creatures begin? Ross: It was Beth, Matt, Vanessa and Ed at the start. After a year of you guys being together and figuring out your sound, I invited you down to an event I used to run. Beth: For so long we had just been in our basement jamming and making bits of a song but never writing it down. It took us a while to get solid ideas down without just having loads of fun! That’s where Ross helped so much. Ross just gave us some new inspiration to the group, as we all come from different backgrounds of music. What’s been your favourite gig? B: The launch of Pretend; the response from the audience was amazing. We also knew it as Ed’s last gig and we went onto the stage knowing that and just went onto the stage like fuck it, let’s just have the best time. We just had a really good attitude towards it and I think audience could see that and responded to it really well and it

just felt a little bit spiritual. R: It really did feel spiritual! All of us on stage kept slipping in weird effects or sounds and we’d all just have a sick connection with each other. The audience could probably see that and just supported it.

Leeds’ independent music scene is immense. Do you take inspiration from this? B: I was inspired by the escapism of the basement parties or gigs. How the DJ’s would come in with big sound systems and how everyone could just dance to it, it’s a real equality kind of thing. No matter your music preference, they would just make you dance. I want our music to do that, I want to make people dance in a different kind of genre. R: That’s it, getting people to dance to your band. You look up and see a crowd moving and you’re like ‘this is what I’ve been waiting for’.

What’s the next step for Long Legged Creatures? R: We’re trying to step back from gigs a little bit. We’re excited to be releasing new singles and music videos and just excited to start releasing stuff on our own terms. B: With Ed sadly having to leave the band as well, it has left us with more room to experiment. Without a keys player we can really test out looping and more production effects and get featured artists on our tracks so I’m just looking forward to working with featured artists. And recently, I’ve been a bit depressed with the world, so pushing my political agenda forward through new songs I think will especially give me more meaning in music and in life. Ross: We want to be political and say that we don’t like what’s going on and no one is doing that really, so it would be cool if we could find a way to put that into what [Long Legged] Creatures is.

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Introducing...

Meg Firth has a pint with Mamilah’s Lydia, Aisling and Ed Image

Alec Aarons

After one listen to Mamilah, you’ll be dancing in your seat without a care in the world. The Leeds College of Music graduates have been making fresh, carefree neo-soul for nearly two years now, and are indisputably one of Leeds’ best live bands. Catching up at Hyde Park Book Club, we talked about what their music means to them and why they love doing what they do. Meg Firth: So, how did you all get together and start doing what you’re doing? Lydia: I needed a band for my final year project. I was just like ‘I like these people and they play well’ and we became a band. Aisling: Then a month later we had gigs booked. We did the gigs and loved it, and now it’s now. The Leeds music scene is insane. Does it inspire you? A: What I love about Leeds is that so much more exists than you think it does. Leeds is growing as a city right now; it’s expanding and the music scene is expanding, but there’s still so much opportunity for DIY. Everyone wants to be creative and want to be involved, and people are really receptive and want to go to gigs and do everything.

Your music is the music I crave! What’s your writing/recording process like? A: The songs were a long evolution. Some of it was done in the studio, and then some of it was done in our friend Ross’ bedroom. Ed: [Recording the EP] was a good opportunity to go over stuff that we’ve been playing for a while and really think about again. L: All of it has been a learning process as well. We don’t really know what’s right and what’s wrong at the moment; we’re just putting our feelers out. So that’s part of the process at the moment. Your EP is called Moonlight Walking. What’s the thought behind the name? L: I think it was a device to write lyrics for me. I wanted to write something that didn’t really mean anything specifically. It was just

two strangers walking in the moonlight, and that’s what the EP sounds like. It kind of sets the pace with the songs.

When you play live it looks like you’re having the best time. Do you find it therapeutic to play together? L: Doing gigs is definitely the funnest part of it because everyone’s just so happy. A: You look across the stage and everyone’s just in their happy place. What I love is when we come off stage, and people come up to us saying that they had such a good time just watching us have a good time. E: We’re all in quite serious projects as well, so it’s a really nice thing to just come and play some Soul and not worry about serious stuff.

Introducing...

Tom Nixon sits down with Noiak and Kieran of Shaku

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Fergus Riordan / FJR

Project

I hear the name Shaku on a daily basis in passing conversations; the buzz that surrounds them is driven by their incredible live performances. They currently have no recorded music and haven’t really left Leeds to gig much at all, but regardless of this, they are one of the most exciting bands to follow. With their plans to record and tour, it won’t be long until they are popping up in the daily conversations of music fans in every city in the UK. Tom Nixon: So, how and when did Shaku begin? Noiak: It began in September of 2017. I made an album by myself and had got some of the members of Shaku in for one of the tracks. That’s what inspired the guys to do it. Was getting all the members easy? N: Getting the members was easy as we all knew what the vibe was and we all wanted to work together. Kieran: It all came together very organically. Noiak: Yeh, besides the drummer. So basically we went through two different drummers and had lost hope a little bit. But then I was in a queue at The Domino and met Jack. It was lucky he wasn’t doing much band-wise, so we asked him to come in and he smashed it first rehearsal, learnt all the tunes really well. K: We love Jack.

So, what’s coming next for Shaku? N: Next up for Shaku is recording. We have got as many funds together as we can and we are gonna spend the next few months just sitting down and putting together an album. A lot of people like to do EP’s but were are just gonna hit it with an album from the start. K: It seems more authentic that way, it suits the vibe of the band. We will be able to create more of the vibe of our project with an album. N: Go big or go home! Know what I’m sayin’? You seem to always have a gig coming up in Leeds. N: Our main goal with gigging in Leeds is to get tighter together as a band because, seeing the history of a lot of bands, it’s really important that a band plays live together a lot. You can then understand what not to do live and what to do as well, the different things you

can try, the way you talk to the audience... Playing as a unit is a big factor. Kieran: A lot of our live inspiration comes from other bands, rather than their actual music. Our musical inspirations are very separate between the band members, but our live inspirations are more congruent.

Where did the name come from? N: The name is Arabic. I used to live in the Middle East, and the name just means ‘How come?’. It would be used in a conversation like ‘Shaku man?’ like ‘What the fuck man?’. It’s a cool one-word thing, but it also leaves a bit of mystery. K: I mean, what the fuck is Shaku? We are still working that out ourselves.

Nice People Magazine February 2019

Introducing...

Pink Picnic’s Daisy and Hannah chat to Beth of B-ahwe

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Alec Aarons

We were unceremoniously shoving grilled cheese sandwiches down our throats when we looked up to find Beth from B-ahwe calmly witnessing the crumby carnage from across the room. Wiping mustard from our chins, we soon got giddy on pressing topics such as Hermione Granger, “Soft Bois” and meditation before getting to the real stuff... Pink Picnic: Right, let’s get to it... What does B-ahwe mean? Beth: It’s a polish word (biały). It’s actually the pronunciation that I love most about it; I’m really drawn to round words. I’m a part polish and it’s been a massive part of my life. Something else I realised afterwards is that when I skat I often use the same vowels. What’s the process of writing for you and how would you describe your writing style? I make skeletons of songs; I’ll make the vibe, the beat, the harmonies, the vocals and the main melody of an idea. Then we’ll all jam together, and each section will just fall into place. I spend about 10 years writing a ridiculous amount of vocal harmonies, yanno cos they’re peng. B-ahwe is really pretty, quite story driven music. It carries a lot more than folk; it’s got more groove and those filthy drums that bring it all together.

You’ve collaborated with a lot of different people, one of our favourites being Lausse the Cat. What do you think the key to collaboration is? Never say no. No is the death to everything. You never know what’s going to come out of something. Collaboration brings out a whole other side to me. I wanted to rap for ages, but I just felt like I couldn’t do it and I would just look stupid. But everyone was so supportive and really brought that out of me. If I hadn’t been open to those collaborations, maybe I wouldn’t have the unique style that I’m h opefully working towards. What’ve you got coming up for B-ahwe? I’ve just recorded an EP. It’s all recorded except for vocals. I’m so excited, it sounds like what it sounds like in my brain. I’m planning on doing a video for every track - I love working with artists! When I

have to think about things from an artistic point of view it makes me delve even deeper into the meaning, and gives a whole other version of it.

We love your artwork for your previous releases, do you have someone lined up for the next? I’m working with Olivia Revens who did the ‘Rising’ artwork. We’re both really into anime but I also love vintage oil paintings. She really got that with the ‘Rising’ artwork. Finally, and most importantly if you were to have a picnic who would be there? The most powerful picnic of incredible women. Oh god, we could all sing together... Minnie Riperton, Sarah Vaughan, Nai Palm and Charlotte Dos Santos.

Andrew Devine

Tom Nixon speaks to Natural Selection’s Andrew Devine about how he became established in Leeds, asks him what his 5 favourite songs to DJ with are and his 5 favourite songs he would never play out.

ndrew Devine is the perfect example of how far someone can go with hard work, passion and being a bloody nice person. Originally from Derry in Northern Ireland, Andrew came to Leeds to complete his Third Year of University at Leeds College of Music. This was eye-opening for him in his discovery of new music; “In Derry, it was just dance music, dance music, dance music…” expresses Andrew. “Moving to Leeds was my first time meeting Jazz heads and people who were into ambient music and stuff.” These experiences in Leeds started to broaden Andrew’s musical interests; “In Leeds, when

you meet another DJ, the first thing they’ll talk about is what they’ve been listening to at the moment, not necessarily the stuff they’re playing.” It took Andrew a little while to find his feet in the DJ scene in Leeds; “My first gig ever in Leeds was at a place called It Bar; I played an hour of pretty hard techno, to people who didn’t want to listen to it. I think I finished with ‘Fairytale of New York’, which was fucking bizarre.” It wasn’t long until Andrew began working at Belgrave Music Hall, which is where his more regular DJing began; “Working at Belgrave meant I was hearing these DJs that were blowing out of the water what I thought a DJ set was.

Nice People Magazine February 2019

“I just wanted to make people dance in their seats” As I started soaking in what other DJs were doing, I got the hang of what was going on and what I could do. I started listening to different things, asking DJs ‘what record is this?’, ‘what label is this on?’. It was definitely the biggest thing for my DJing, hearing all these DJs every night, playing this weird and wacky stuff.” This guided Andrew toward his first residency at Belgrave, coined Repulsive Wax Club. This meant he could experiment with the more unusual tracks, and delve into the stranger music from “obscure Turkish guitar music right up to deep dubstep stuff; I just wanted to make people dance in their seats.” This led to his residency at Flux; “I was playing massive parties, playing to 700 people in a room, everyone drenched in sweat. It was 5:30 in the morning, absolutely rammed and someone opened the fire door to let some air in. We then realised it was completely light, it was daytime outside, so they said to me ‘last tune’. I put on ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers, it was the sweatiest mess of people and they were all leaving singing ‘lovely day, lovely day!’ out into the sunshine.” This motivated Andrew to start Natural Selection, playing residency slots before the headline acts. He quickly decided it was very important to find local supports that could match the style of the headline act. “My view on getting the supports is that if the headliner couldn’t turn up, the support could absolutely nail it.” The night has grown and grown and is now a staple of the Leeds music scene. Tom Nixon

5 favourite songs to DJ with: ‘Skylight’, Yamaoka: “Gorgeous ambient music to start a set with or blend with something really minimal for a nice warm up vibe.” ‘Alien Shapes’. Hugo Massien: “Since hearing this track I don’t think I’ve played a club set without being tempted to play it. We were lucky enough to have Hugo come to Natural Selection to play last year which was a real highlight of the season for me!” ‘Yazoo’, Situation (Richard X Remix): “Killer remix of an absolute killer from, in my opinion, one of the most important artists in the history of UK electronic pop music. Remix puts a bit of meat on the already nice bones.” ‘Dan’s Dancing’, Donald’s House: “Loving everything on this EP, fantastic house music with every sound on form. Bonus points for checking out Desert Sound Colony’s release from the same label!” ‘That’s Nice’, dBridge and Skeptical: “Something a bit different here from what I would “normally” play. I do try to play a wide variety of music but something like this really stands out in a set. One for a proper rig…” 5 favourite songs to never DJ with: ‘Phaedra’, Tangerine Dream: “This is 17 minutes of absolute terror. It jumps from lovely arpeggios to snarling synths and then back. I recently played this for my good pal Charlie Tilley and he said ‘Can we turn this off please?’. Proper Repulsive Wax Club gear” ‘Heaven and Hell’, Cabaret Voltaire: “Spooked out stuff from all the way back in 1979. Most punk bands were still working out how to rip off Ramones songs when this record came out.” ‘I Turned Into A Martian’, Misfits: “My favourite band would be a toss up between The Undertones and Misfits. Luckily, this tune sounds like a baby the both of them had.” ‘Out of the Blue’, System F: “Now this is a tune that could get you in trouble very quickly. Trance always seems like a good idea when you are the one DJing, people in the crowd, not so much. Banger.” ‘Thank u, next’, Ariana Grande: “Not even sorry. This should have been in the other list.

What Are the Neighbours Up To?

feild

love EndlessLoveCreative is a Sheffield based life drawing workshop that brings new life to the art of life drawing; erasing all your preconceptions about what life drawing is and represents, EndlessLoveCreative give people of any artistic ability the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;experience to enjoy experimentingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The people who model do so in a celebration of their new-found confidence, while guests are free to chill and enjoy themselves while they leisurely draw the people around them. Safi Bugel talks to founder Charlotte Righton.

Nice People Magazine February 2019

“It’s not about perfection or compromise; it’s about doing something for yourself.”

centuries-old practice, life drawing traditionally involved the sketching of a live model, typically nude, and from a male perspective. However, Sheffield-based collective EndlessLoveCreative do things slightly differently: those being drawn are not models at all, but rather friends or members of the community. Furthermore, they are not nude but dressed in exciting and intricate garments, arranged by founder Charlotte Righton. Left unfulfilled by a course of classical life drawing classes, Charlotte decided to create this new programme, with an underlying aim to provide an unintimidating opportunity for people of all abilities to draw in a social environment. The result? “A poster, some art boards and lots of Ikea glasses later, we’ve had fifteen workshops, eight free socials and a maker’s market.” The sessions take place in the Union Street workspace on one Friday evening of each month. Each is guided by a different theme, often in keeping with the model’s personality or the respective season (the Christmas session was inspired by Home Alone, for example). In accordance with Charlotte’s aim to create a comfortable atmosphere, the space is decorated with fairy lights and candles, with an eclectic, hand-picked playlist to soundtrack the evening: Charlotte’s go-to is London Grammar, Taylor Swift or northern soul. Wine, art supplies and boards are included. Limited to just forty spaces per session, the class is intimate and seats are arranged in a circle to encourage inclusivity. Though the workshops promote challenging oneself, the environment is friendly and supportive: “it’s not about perfection or compromise; it’s about doing something for yourself.”

The reception so far has been positive: “it’s basically blown my mind!”, Charlotte enthuses. In turn, the engagement has inspired Charlotte to expand the project further, with the organisation of free-of-charge drawing socials in the summer to incorporate the whole community, regardless of income or skill. The EndlessLoveCreative project seems to be part of an exciting wider independent arts scene in the area: “so much goes on”, Charlotte says, citing smaller spaces like Sheffeild’s Bloc Project and the S1 Arts Space in particular. Once a predominantly female-identifying scene, the demographic attending the workshops has expanded over the programme’s two-year course, with increasing diversity in age and gender. Though the collective is growing, a regular crowd has emerged, reinforcing this sense of community. As a 32-year-old, Charlotte feels especially at home in the classes, with many fellow attendees between the age of 25 and 40 years old: “this age bracket has been a little big neglected. I’m a single woman who wants to make friends.” For Charlotte and others, then, the programme is a unique platform for connecting with like-minded people. So why no nudity? “I did a degree in fashion design, I enjoy fashion illustration and I have worked as a visual merchandiser, so it personally felt like a natural direction: something that I could really get people excited about because I was.” Furthermore, Charlotte explains that it is about creating a safe space with a more casual atmosphere. But EndlessLoveCreative is not anti-nudity: the programme has previously explored part-nudity with one model, Kerry, who had her body painted, allowing the class to try something different. Whilst the workshop provides support and artistic opportunity for attendees, Charlotte believes that it is equally beneficial for the model, as it can foster confidence and self-acceptance. Previous models range from people looking to tackle their bucket-list to others who are ready to embrace personal insecurities. In just its second year of existence, EndlessLoveCreative is still growing. A new monthly drawing workshop is in the works, encouraging an even more diverse audience - with children and parents alike - as well as more art markets throughout the year. In the long-term, Charlotte aspires for a place of their own, for talks and exhibitions as well as the current classes: “there will always be a need for safe spaces, and I would love to offer that”. She’s certainly on the way. Safi Bugel

Selected poems Words by Lauren Stapleton Art by Shauna Stapleton (@shaunastapletonart)

I’m like a cigarette to you You enjoy me for five minutes Watch me burn Then stub me out I’m forgotten as quickly as I was lit But at least I’m slowly killing you

I will be someone else’s forest fire

At least when you hit Rock bottom You have a solid base You just need to find The strength To build yourself Back up again Pain makes strong foundations

Abusing your body Is like setting fire to Your house Destroying the one place You call home There is no beauty in ashes

Recess Words by Harrie Kelly Art by Ollie Howitt

My lips curled up at the side As I crawled into my dimples to hide Please don’t seek, You mustn’t find me weak. Let me curl up in my pride.

I could play the master pretender In a game of bluff, no surrender. Even my closest friends, You couldn’t see until the end How much I needed a defender. There came a moment filled with laughter One that apparently came after I quacked a punchline, But felt desperate to resign. I swore never to play the goose thereafter. Now that the new year has come, I’ve learnt not to smile for anyone. We should play peek-a-boo Maybe I’ll surprise you With the love returned to my eyes

They shine like the sun.

3 SHEAF ST, LEEDS, LS10 1HD

Calling all Nice People Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for writers, illustrators, poets, photographers, artists, advertisers, sugar, spice, and all things nice. If you would like to get involved with Nice People in any way, send us an email on: allthesenicepeople@gmail.com or message our social media. Instagram: @allthesenicepeople Facebook: Nice People Magazine

Nice People Issue 3

Articles inside

EndlessLoveCreative

Andrew Devine

Pink Picnic

Girl Gang Leeds

MAP Charity