Pull Yourself Together Zine - Issue 11

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER

April - May 2010

*FREE*

SxSW, Frightened Rabbit, Save 6Music, Space, No to P2P, Save WOXY, Sounds from the Other City

WELCOME

Is it springtime already? Well, the sun’s out at least so there’s a start. It’s been a busy couple of months once again over at PYT Towers, with fortnightly slots at Common, a blast at our set at Underachievers (with huge thanks to Chris Eatough, Remember Honolulu and Waiters for their ace live sets) and the launch of You! Me! Dancing! over at Night & Day going down a storm.

However, amidst all of the fun and games there’s been some pretty bad news around the music industry. Not only is there the real threat that 6Music may be closed down by the end of 2011 (see pages 4 and 5 for more), but now WOXY.com - PYT’s favourite internet radio station and our only alternative to 6 - has ceased to exist. It happened on Tuesday 23rd March: WOXY just wasn’t there any more. The full story is yet to be told but we’re 100% behind Mike and the gang over in Austin; their station has taken many a small British band to their hearts and has played a large part in kick-starting their US fanbases. WOXY was so much more than some radio station mentioned in Rain Man (bam... the future of rock’n’roll), it was a hive of creativity, as much for UK bands playing in the States as it was for natives. Much like the news about 6Music, this week’s WOXY news is a massive blow to independent (British) music.

WELCOME

pull yourself together zine.co.uk

So what’s in issue 11?

P3 - Sadly PYT couldn’t be at SxSW, but we’ve got a detailed missive from Nik from the ace Records Make Great Pets blog P4 - Last month the BBC announced proposed cuts including axing digital radio stations 6Music and Asian Network. We give you our views on why 6Music should stay P6 - Frightened Rabbit are set to be one of 2010’s success stories, and PYT were delighted to catch up with Grant during their UK tour P8 - Pay2Play is still rife across Manchester, forcing bands to cash out for the privilege to play shows. Here’s why it’s a problem that can no longer be ignored.

P12 - What happens when a twenty-something indie kid rediscovers a childhood passion for space? Turn to the back to find out.

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER

I arrived in Austin after the first Greyhound bus experience of my life. Most of the weirdos in Houston seem to gather around the coach station, so it was an “interesting” way to start the day.

I also realised that vegetarians aren’t really that well catered for in Texas, so my first American breakfast consisted of Doritos and a bottle of water. Maybe it was just because I was on my own and had no idea of where to go, but at first Austin was a bit intimidating. Hordes of people everywhere, rushing between festival parties and seminars. Completely by accident I stumbled across a poster saying that Jad Fair was in town (not for SxSW). BINGO! Jad is a personal hero of mine, so this was a most excellent way to start off the week. All was well in the world...and suddenly Austin didn’t seem so bad. Tuesday was another day of exploring the city, this time in the rain. Went to the Highland Mall; an intensely depressing experience - the ultimate symbol of America in a recession. It was a complete ghost mall, with shop assistants far outnumbering shoppers.

Thursday started by heading to the far east of 6th Street to see Slow Club. They were in good spirits, but weren’t having much luck with their gear. In the end they just gave up and finished off their set acoustically. After Slow Club we headed over to the lawn party at the French Legation Museum.

We had some free beer, listened to The Antlers in the background, before heading back to 6th again to catch Quasi playing at a parking lot; they were in great form and played an amazing set. Then we headed back to the lawn party to see Dum Dum Girls. By now, the place was completely mobbed and it proved impossible to see the band....or to get to the free beer.

On Friday I decided to take the bus and walk to Waterloo Cycles, a small bike shop north of central Austin. It turned out to be quite a trek, but it was a lovely afternoon and walking is such a great way to get your head around a city. I got there just in time to see Standard Fare.

APRIL - MAY 2010

There really is something special about this band.

Every single song on their album is great and live they’re so charming and sweet and well...just great. The sun was shining, there was free beer.... what else could you ask for? More music! The Lovely Eggs were up next and despite having been promised a drum kit, there was none to be seen.

They’re not really a band that would let a minor thing like that stop them and they soon managed to collect some bits and pieces for a makeshift drum kit of sorts. The band was great as usual and I don’t think the crowd knew quite what hit them.

In the evening it was time for the Cakeshop/ Slumberland Records showcase. Frankie Rose and The Outs is the band of the drummer from Dum Dum Girls and they do a similar(ish) thing, but with ALOT more reverb. Fuzzy 60’s style girl-pop with bucketloads of harmonies. They were followed

by Grass Widow, more of that fuzzy reverby girl pop that is so popular at the moment, but with a rockier edge to it. Eventually, it was time for The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. By now the place was mobbed and it was a great atmosphere. The Pains get better and better every time I see them.

The final day of SxSW started at the British Music Embassy at noon. Despite the early start the place was busy, the promise of a free bar and free food always ensures a good crowd. Allo, Darlin’ played an amazing set, probably the best I’ve ever seen them do. Everything was just spot-on and the crowd loved it. Four Bloody Marys later we found Vivian Girls playing an acoustic set in a tiny room. I’ve only seen them once before and it was nice to actually be able to hear their melodies. Made a second attempt at seeing Dum Dum Girls, this time at a small venue called Spider House. Luckily, the cold must have been keeping people away, so we were actually able to see the band....and they sounded just as great as they looked. Later it was time for the closing night party, again at the British Music Embassy.

Hosted by Moshi Moshi Records, it featured Best Fwends, Still Flyin’, The Wave Pictures and Slow Club. It was just a brilliant way to finish off an already great week. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back next year...

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Here’s hoping that as Spring continues to make its rather languid arrival there will be some better news for 6 and for WOXY.

As SxSW drew to a close for another year, Nik of Moustache of Insanity fame penned his thoughts on the best from weird and wonderful Texas.

LETTERS FROM INDEPENDENT AUSTIN

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LETTERS FROM INDEPENDENT AUSTIN

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SOS (SAVE OUR STATION)

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INDIE: This just doesn’t wash with thousands of listeners, however, and its no wonder. It’s true that the indie and alternative remit of 6Music attracts a level of geekery and fanaticism, but supporters have good reason to disagree with these defences beyond simple favouritism.

As early March arrived, so did a dark cloud over the BBC. In what was seemingly an attempt to jump before it was pushed, the Beeb announced its plans to close digital music stations 6Music and Asian Network.

Speculations flew across the internet – were they leant upon

by Murdoch and co? Or possibly the Conservatives insistent that the BBC had become oversized and overblown? – but so too did the backlash. It became immediately apparent that these (relatively) small stations had more fans than the decisionmakers had bargained for.

The case of 6Music in particular showed an unprecedented level of public support, with the immediate launch of campaigns, petitions and Facebook groups, as well as #saveBBC6Music becoming the top UK trending topic on Twitter (it was in fact the 6Music news that forced my hand to join Twitter, having refrained adamantly up until this point).

Since then numerous voices have spoken out, from many of the station’s DJs to initial sceptic, Tory MP Ed Vaizey, and one argument seems to be apparent throughout: lose 6Music, lose a unique and important element of British broadcasting. Attempts to defend the decision include the assertions that the station isn’t popular enough to keep (but would present a threat to other stations if it were to grow – engineering of a lose lose situation there then), that its listeners could be catered for by diversification of Radios 1 and 2, that it competes with commercial stations.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INDIE: SOS (SAVE OUR STATION)

Personally, I had all but stopped listening to the radio by the early 2000s; with the only Radio 1 output I found appealing being shifted later and later into the night and commercial stations seeming repetitive and bland. Obviously as a music fan I was always going to have other ways of finding music new and old, but there’s something comforting about a well designed radio station that can’t be replicated elsewhere. Having been given a digital radio for Christmas in 2006 I soon switched to 6, and haven’t switched back since. Just over three years on and it’s still the only British station I listen to, and I can listen day and night without tiring.

It’s amazing how quickly 6Music can feel like a faithful friend; from Shaun Keaveney shaking the cobwebs out of my head of a morning, to Lauren Laverne brightening the day, through to the golden trio that is Steve Lamacq into Marc Riley into Gideon Coe I feel I identify with what 6 has to say as well as the music it plays. No other station allows its DJs so much room to breathe, and it’s this feeling of getting to know

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER

their own tastes that makes the station feel so authentic; it’s great knowing what’s exciting them, especially as they all seem genuinely delighted to impart their tastes, views and knowledge. To lose all this would be a huge blow to music lovers and artists nationwide – there simply isn’t any other station that offers what 6 does, and it seems very unlikely that a broader remit for Radios 1 and 2 will cater for the wide range of listeners who will find themselves without a home, let alone that the commercial sector will up its game in terms of broader or more relaxed attitudes to playlists. Above all, the BBC exists to “inform, educate and entertain”, so to cut a station which fulfils all three objectives is not just upsetting, it goes against the very essence of the broadcaster.

What 6Music means to me: The musician’s perspective Patrick Fogarty, The Answering Machine Within the lifespan of my own band 6Music has been instrumental in focusing national attention on indie labels and artists from a range of genres.

Its (potential) closure for all of us is a tragedy. From the perspective of The Answering Machine it means next to no UK radio play for upcoming releases. It is actually that drastic: No 6Music, no national radio play. Many other artists such as ourselves, Jonny Foreigner and the like will find themselves in the position whereby they are no longer played on the radio and lose the live sessions that are so important in documenting (rather like John Peel) the British underground. For us 6Music is the personal and the private; not only do we need it as a platform to help us get our music heard but we need it as fans of new music. If we lose the station, we’ll also lose many artists who will no longer be able to justify making music for myspace.

APRIL - MAY 2010

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Tim McIver, Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band Never had I been so close to falling off my chair in an excited shock. It was late afternoon and I was sitting in my grotty student digs beavering away on my laptop. I started flagging after a day of essay writing, so I decided to reward myself with a nice hot cup of tea and the dulcet tones of Steve Lamacq. Within minutes of tuning in I was grinning from ear to ear, rushing to text anyone I knew who might be near a radio. Steve was introducing one of our songs! ‘Join the Dots’ was being played across the airwaves! What a moment. It’d been two or three months since we finished recording the first batch of Tim and Sam songs in my very modest home studio, and a few weeks since I posted out some CDRs to a select few who I thought may be interested. Being an (up until very recently) instrumental band, getting on the radio was never something we thought would happen, especially during such a prime time radio slot before we’d even done our first gig. Would this ever happen on any other station? Thankfully, it turned out to be the first of many 6Music radio plays, including interviews and sessions. Every 6Music DJ we’ve come across has been incredibly friendly and supportive, and it’s been such a vital platform for us. Like hundreds of other bands, 6Music has been a formative part of our development because it caters for genuine musos, whether musicians or fans.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you, like us, are concerned about the loss of 6Music or Asian Network then please get involved and let the BBC know your feelings. You can fill out the strategy review survey at www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/ consultations/departments/ bbc/bbc-strategy-review/ consultation/consult_view or email srconsultation@bbc. co.uk, as well as joining Save BBC 6Music on Facebook or following @save6music and @6musicprotest on Twitter.

The BBC belongs to you, you fund it and you have the right to have your say. The BBC Trust have stated that they will have to consider public opposition to the Review, so your views can make a difference.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INDIE: SOS (SAVE OUR STATION)

IN WHICH PYT INTERROGATE FRIGHTENED RABBIT

IN WHICH PYT INTERROGATE

Was it a natural decision to work with Peter Katis again after the critical success of ‘The Midnight Organ Fight’? He seems to have a real understanding of what bands like you, The National and Twilight Sad are looking to create.

Working with Peter last time we felt we built a good relationship but didn’t really have the time to work the way we would have liked. Knowing him from the beginning this time and knowing how he works helped a lot and there was more of an understanding from the offset. MOF actually turned out to be one of his wife’s favourite albums he’d worked on!!

Frightened Rabbit have come a long way over the past three years, with each album they release gaining momentum and gaining them fans. With their latest effort, The Winter of Mixed Drinks, gaining critical and public acclaim they look very much like one of 2010’s success stories. Long standing FRabbit Grant let us know a bit about the album, as well as their biggest shows to date.

This is a bit late really, but Happy 2010 FRabbits!

How has the year been treating you thus far?

2010 has been kind so far. I haven’t been in hospital yet so that’s positive!

It was great to see you at In The City last year, and those new tracks seemed to go down incredibly well. Did that help to build some excitement for the album and tour?

It’s always hard to know how new songs will be taken. Even though we felt they were really strong it’s not really us that gets to decide how everyone feels about them.The shows we did at the end of last year did help to reassure us that what we were trying to achieve with the new stuff was paying off!

How excited are you about the new record finally seeing the light of day? It seems like forever ago that ‘Swim Until You Can’t See Land’ popped up.

I absolutely can’t wait! If you think it feels like a long time since Swim popped up how do you think we feel having recorded it 4 months earlier?! The new record has done well so far. Fingers crossed everyone feels the same now it’s out!

What was the process behind writing this album?

We’ve seen the stories of holing up in a fishing village for ideas, did you need an escape from it all to clear room for these songs?

I think when it got to February last year we all needed a break from touring, from radio sessions and apart from anything else we needed time away from each other! I chose the hospital and Scott chose Crail. We’ve never written songs on tour

and I think this can often lessen the artistic impact songwriting can have if it’s purely about being on the road. With the theme of the last record being so heavy it was vital for Scott to remove himself from it entirely and start afresh.

It’s been really interesting to hear your sound growing over time - each time you tour or put out a new record it seems that the music becomes more heartfelt and more anthemic. Is that a progression you’ve felt as a band?

The progression has definitely been a conscious decision. Albums do not sound the way they do through accidents and mistakes! Although the songs in their raw form are not preconceived in any way we had a definite idea of how we wanted this record to sound before we recorded it. With the first record it wasn’t so much a choice but more like a necessity. Those tracks sounded that way due to financial constraints, time constraints and unfamiliarity with the process of recording.

‘The Winter of Mixed Drinks’ seems to have more layers of sound to it than previous records, is this a sign of more divergent ideas coming in as the band grows?

This record is leaning towards more of a band record. Scott still hasn’t given up control but he’s definitely loosened his grip this time! The songs on Midnight Organ Fight were so personal that I don’t think it would have been right for anyone else to have a huge input whereas this time when in the studio we tried to work more as a group!

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER

How important is it to have the backing of your label, Fat Cat? From seeing how you, Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks have been ‘taken in’ by them, it seems like they are really supportive of what you are trying to achieve.

Before signing to Fatcat we were discussing the pros and cons and the one overriding pro was that Fatcat would not let us release a bad record or a record that was sub standard. That’s the greatest thing about the label, they will always be honest when it comes to the music. The creative freedom we have been allowed would not have been granted elsewhere and that is really important to us.

You aren’t the first band we’ve interviewed who seem to be spending loads of time in the US. Los Campesinos! said that it was purely because they are bigger in the States, is that a sentiment you share?

The sentiment is exactly the same. We are bigger in the States than we are here and I think it’s got a lot to do with the fact that we have toured a lot over there. The reception varies because it’s so fucking big! In Texas they’re quite crazy and in Seattle there are a lot of discerning music fans so they can be a lot calmer! Overall the reception is great and we love touring the States.

You’ve visited Manchester again on the current tour; does the city hold any particular memories for you? We first saw you here back in 2007 supporting The Twilight Sad at The Phoenix, not a particularly glamorous first show in town...

We love playing Manchester. Although my outstanding memory of Manchester is slightly bittersweet! We had just finished our European tour with Death Cab for Cutie which came after a 5 week US tour and we were 2 days away from playing our first sold out King Tuts show when we played Manchester. It was a 5-band bill with us headlining at about midnight having not slept for about 3 years! The silver lining however was Airship. Great band and hopefully after the tour we’re doing with them great friends!

Are you conscious of the Koko show on this tour being your ‘biggest London show to date’ as has been heralded in some quarters? Does it add any extra pressure? Of course we’re conscious of that because that’s exactly what it is, but it isn’t our first ‘biggest show to date’ and hopefully it won’t be our last so I guess we’re just gonna have to deal with the pressure and get on with it.

London is a funny place at the best of times but when you get up on stage you never know whether the people watching are fans or people waiting for you to fuck it up! Our job is to turn any of those pricks into fans and if we can’t do that we don’t deserve to be on that stage.

What are your hopes for this year? Is 2010 the year that major television events are soundtracked by Frightened Rabbit?

I hope to be able to pay my rent, buy food and enjoy the odd glass of Weston’s Organic Cider for a weekend treat! I also want our music on a McDonalds ad, an iPod ad, Match of the Day and as the background to a sob story on the X Factor!!

The Winter of Mixed Drinks is out now on Fat Cat. You can find more from Frightened Rabbit at myspace.com/frightenedrabbit

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Finally, do you have any new music tips for us?

John Knox Sex Club, Three Blind Wolves, The Antlers and a little known group of lads called JLS. Keep an eye on em they’re gonna be huuuuge!!!

As a band who originated closer to Edinburgh to Glasgow, do you feel like you’ve had less/ different opportunities to those based in the West? Possibly wrongly it seems that the ‘Glasgow Scene’ receives far more attention than Edinburgh, why do you think that is?

I think the Glasgow scene has had more attention because in the past there has been more of a scene. This is changing now though with bands like Meursault and Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers. I don’t think it’s wrong that Glasgow has grabbed more attention it just means Edinburgh needs to flex its muscles a bit more!!

APRIL - MAY 2010

IN WHICH PYT INTERROGATE

Pay2Play: The Devil on the Shoulder of Live Music

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Back in 2008 a rather disturbing truth came to light regarding the music industry: the practice of getting bands to pay for the privilege of gracing a stage had become commonplace – not for the first time – and Pay2Play were the words on many a music fan’s lips. As a promoter this was absolutely sickening; despite never really having any funds PYT had never dreamed of not paying a band at all, let alone asking them to hand their cash over to us.

If you’ve not come across it, P2P generally involves venues or promoters requiring bands to sell a certain number of tickets before their show. And if they don’t? They have to pay for them themselves.

it to the best of your abilities. One of PYT’s favourite artists in Manchester right now has found they can barely play a show where they’re not expected to take on the financial burden in some way, and is sick of it. This is partly why things need to change: aside from the morality issues, P2P will end up preventing many of the best upcoming artists from performing live, leaving only those with more money than sense. This obviously isn’t good for the artists involved, and neither is it good for the punters. Personally I’d far rather see a well-chosen line-up featuring bands that complement one another than a lottery of whoever happened to have the cash that week.

We all know that musicians are usually hardup in terms of cash – it’s hardly a lucrative business. Unless you’re U2 of course. So how come so many musicians are being persuaded to Pay to Play? It’s well known that the Academy Unsigned nights in Manchester operate a P2P system of sorts through mcr:music’s Unsigned Guide (not, it has to be said, anything to do with Manchester Music, who are vehemently anti P2P), and yet there still seems to be an endless queue of young, naïve bands willing to hand over their money to a system that doesn’t win them any new fans, and rarely earns them any cash.

Sadly it seems that this practice isn’t going to quietly slip away, so it’s up to us – the artists, fans and promoters of this world – to try and make sure there’s an alternative. If you’re in a band, be aware that P2P is very rarely a good way of making money - there are plenty of venues where you could host your own show and be in with a better chance of not only breaking even, but playing alongside bands you care about. If you’re a promoter, pick the bands you want to put on, treat them fairly and do as much promotion as possible! Possibly most importantly if you’re a fan of live music, be aware of P2P, and steer clear; it’s only by heightened awareness that there’s a possibility of stopping P2P in its tracks.

Through recent chats with musicians around Manchester, it also seems that other venues are still operating this policy, albeit not by name.

Obviously venues have their own livelihoods to think about; putting shows on costs money, particularly when there’s no guarantee that people will turn up, but if putting on a gig is a risk, you take that risk and mitigate it by keeping up your side of the bargain: promoting

Pay2Play: The Devil on the Shoulder of Live Music

If you want to know more about the anti-P2P movement in Manchester, head to myspace. com/manchesterbandsvspay2play or keep an eye on the blogs at manchestermusic.co.uk

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APRIL - MAY 2010

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN PYT PLEASE GET IN TOUCH - HELLO@PULLYOURSELFTOGETHERZINE.CO.UK

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THE LISTINGS

APR-MAY 2010

High Voltage 7th Birthday - 4th April, Islington Mill HV have made it to the ripe old age of seven, and to celebrate they’ve got together a great range of bands for an evening of entertainment at Islington Mill, including The Heartbreaks, Young British Artists, Help Stamp Out Loneliness, Remember Honolulu and Christopher Eatough. And all for the bargainous price of £5! It’s an early start at 5pm, so make sure you get those spritely Easter feet over to Salford in good time.

Coco Rosie - 7th May, Manchester Cathedral I’m really surprised by this gig. Coco Rosie aren’t the kind of band I would ever think of putting on in a Church. Their debut album was full of sounds lifted from kids toys, and since then they’ve brought in waves of electronics and hip hop. Their last show in Manchester was fantastic entertainment, and this should be even better - even if just to see how they react to playing in such unexpected surroundings.

Underachievers 2nd Birthday - 10th April, Saki More birthdays to celebrate, with Underachievers reaching two on the 10th April. It doesn’t look like these twos will be terrible either, kicking off with birthday sets from the really rather wonderful Of Mice and Mental Arithmetic, as well as Dignan Porch and Boy or Bison, followed up by a few surprises along with the usual DJ fun upstairs!

Darwin Deez - 15th April, Ruby Lounge Information on Darwin Deez isn’t particularly forthcoming, but one thing’s for sure, and that’s that he’s got some of the catchiest tunes of the year, with both Constellation and Radar Detector firmly imprinted on PYT’s minds from only a couple of listens. Darwin has a reputation for unexpected twists and turns in his live shows, so this should be an intriguing night to say the least. Support from Driver Drive Faster and Hey Zeus will make sure for a fun evening!

Contemporary Art Iraq - 16th April until 20th June, Cornerhouse Following the second Gulf War, culture was as damaged as the rest of Iraq’s society the national museum was hit hard, as were Iraqi artists. This show at Cornerhouse is the first UK exhibition of new and contemporary art from Iraq, examining practices that are emerging with fresh perspectives from a culture marked by conflict and turmoil. The artists involved are obviously aware of and affected by the aesthetics of conflict, yet aren’t bound or defined by them. This should prove a really interesting collection.

A World Observed 1940 - 2010: Photographs by Dorothy Bohm - 24th April until 30th August, Manchester Art Gallery Dorothy Bohm is quite possibly one of the best living photographers, and this retrospective documents over 6 decades of work in both black and white and colour. Bohm honed her skills whilst studying in Manchester after leaving Germany in 1939, so it feels right that this collection is of aesthetically striking and deeply humane works that document people and landscapes in a rapidly changing world is on display at the Art Gallery.

Fuck Buttons - 22nd April, Club Academy Tarot Sport by Fuck Buttons was high on pretty much every ‘Albums on 09’ list, and rightly so. Building on the eerie, throbbing drum loops and terrifying vocals of Street Horrrsing, their second LP was a little more accessible but just as impressive. Their live shows are incredible, seeing the duo smash keyboards, a Game Boy and bits of Fisher Price toys to create a sound somewhere between Aphex Twin and post-rock.

British Sea Power - 26th April, Moho Live (also playing Liverpool Masque on 19th May) One of a handful of dates the mighty BSP are playing in the run-up to the release of their forthcoming album.

Little has been revealed thus far as to what this album holds, suffice to say that as one of this country’s best live acts this tour isn’t one to be missed.

Chris Cunningham - 22nd April, Opera House Wow. We’ve got no idea what form this show is actually going to take, but it will be incredible. Chris Cunningham is easily one of PYT’s favourtie video directors, especially for his work with Aphex Twin and Bjork. He is so good that the video for All Is Full Of Love is seen as a true piece of art, being displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This show in the stunning setting of the Opera House promises to mix Cunningham’s visuals with his own music and remixes to create a truly multimedia experience. It’ll be incredible.

MAPS Festival - 30th April - 3rd May, Northern Quarter Not much has been given away about this one yet, but there’s sure to be a whole host of music and arts based entertainment around the Northern Quarter this bank holiday weekend, with venues ranging from the usual suspects (Night and Day, Ruby Lounge, Bay Horse...) to the new and exciting (Kraak, Mooch Art Gallery) via the downright bizarre (Hilton Laundrette) and events from the likes of BBC Introducing and Debt Records. PYT will also be getting involved, with a Y!M!D! special at Night & Day.

Surfer Blood - 8th May, Ruby Lounge Following their support slot with The Drums earlier this year, pretty much everyone I know was recommending that I check out Surfer Blood. For some unbeknown reason I didn’t, and am now regreting this. They remind me of Built To Spill and Weezer (NB - early Weezer, before they got a bit dull), high praise indeed in my book. I will not be missing them this time around.

Tim and Sam album launch - 9th May, The Kings Arms It seems like 2010 could be the year that one of favourite acts get the recognition they deserve for being generally brilliant. Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam have been producing beautiful lilting folkpop for years, and are about to release their debut LP, Life Stream.

The tracks we have heard live up to, and indeed surpass expectations. Join Tim and Sam in the stunning surroundings of The Kings Arms to celebrate the record being released.

PYT at Common - Wednesday 14th April, Wednesday 28th April, Wednesday 12th May, Wednesday 26th May Head to Common for your fortnightly dose of indiepop goodness as well as generous doses of C86, Northern Soul and whatever else we can lay our hands on. Perfect for that much-needed mid-week break!

THE LISTINGS

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER

A Sunny Day in Glasgow - 14th May, Islington Mill It seemed for a while that Ashes Grammer, A Sunny Day in Glasgow’s second album, was doomed.

Band members broke bones, left to pursue further education and a host of other issues. Yet it was all worth it, as their second LP is a fantastic mixture of C86 sensibilities and ambient pop sounds, arriving somewhere between M83, Deerhunter and The Orchids. We are stupidly excited about the prospect of seeing the band live. Oh, and they are from Philadelphia, not Glasgow.

The Antlers - 20th May, St Phillips Church Without any doubt, Hospice

by The Antlers was one of the most moving and beautiful albums of last year.

Chronicling the forming of a relationship with a cancer sufferer, and her eventual death, the themes of the album are difficult to say the least. Yet the blend of low key ambiance and sometime anthemic nature of the band’s music holds it all together as a piece of music you want to listen to again and again.

There are flashes of Arcade Fire and Bon Iver, but nothing that pins Peter Silberman and his band down to a particular notion of sound. This all feels very original and holistic, and will suit the confides of St Phil’s Church perfectly.

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Sounds from the Other City 2nd May, Salford

May Bank Holiday can only mean one thing, and that’s Sounds from the Other City. This year’s festival is even bigger and better, having moved along Chapel Street to incorporate new venues like the Old Pint Pot and the beautiful St Phillips Church. Along with the new venues come new promoters, and PYT are very proud to be co-presenting the Postcards from Manchester stage downstairs in the Old Pint Pot, with one of the first UK shows from the excellent Rural Alberta Advantage, a rare UK outing for Windmill, certain excitement from Islet and plenty more!

Upstairs at the same venue sees Bring on the Dancing Horses pulling together many of Manchester’s finest (Dutch Uncles, MAY68, Egyptian Hip Hop) as well as Fujiya and Miyagi, and there’s plenty more around and about the festival with excellent choices from wotgodforgot, Swn, Hey Manchester, Comfortable on a Tightrope and many more. SFTOC sells out every year, so don’t miss out on your ticket! There’s even after-hours DJ entertainment from PYT, Underachievers, Now Wave, Bring on the Dancing Horses, Stop Making Sense, Mind on Fire and more across three venues.

You! Me! Dancing! at Night + Day - Saturday 3rd April, Saturday 1st May After a pretty damn successful opening night with the help of the folks from Underachievers, we’re quite excited for the next couple of Y!M!D! nights. There’s also the added bonus that both of these weekends are bank holidays, which equals that extra day of recovery from our new 3am finish!

APRIL - MAY 2010

THE LISTINGS

12

WE’RE OUT LOOKING FOR ASTRONAUTS...

Space has always been a subject which has held a certain fascination for me. As a kid I can remember one of my only proper ‘grown up’ books being one about the Solar System, which had all kinds of incredible, incomprehensible facts in it – I loved it. There was so much to learn, and it was all just there, in the sky, above us.

Amazing. However, over time I found that my time and interests were taken over by other things, be it exams or music or girls or video games. I still had a keen interest at the back of my head though, and space remained something that I found amazing. I gave my nephew a telescope for his birthday recently, as I wanted to share this passion with a kindred spirit who would be just as amazed, and hopefully follow up the obsession a bit better than I did.

In recent weeks it has all come flooding back though. For all that the BBC have come in for some well deserved flack earlier in this zine, they have also been producing some quite fantastic television recently.

Right at the top of this list is Wonders of the Solar System, fronted by the astonishingly enthusiastic Professor Brian Cox. Wow, this guy is a D:Ream.

Physics isn’t a cool subject, but within about 20 minutes of the first episode Brian Cox completely blew this theory out of the water, whilst showing how much energy the sun produces. His very scientific tools: a tin can, some water, a thermometer and a brolly. The light in his eyes as he delivered the line “and that’s why I love physics” struck a chord with me, and I’ve not been able to stop thinking about science and space since. His enthusiasm is infectious, a trait I’ve been finding in numerous scientists WE’RE OUT LOOKING FOR ASTRONAUTS...

recently. I don’t mean scientists as in crazy men in white coats, or indeed stuffy old blokes sat behind desks. In recent weeks I’ve had amazing conversations with people who research beetles and spiders, someone who showed me his frogs and received a box of live butterflies in the post, and a palaeontologist who has an ACTUAL REAL LIFE DINOSAUR EGG. I found everything these people had to say fascinating, and inspiring. Brian Cox is the same as the rest of these scientists in that his passion for his subject is so evident - these people are geeks in the best sense of the word, in the same way that people like Steve Lamacq and Marc Riley are for music.

Spurred on by the insatiable enthusiasm of these folks, I have been in search of new ways for a novice to interact with science and space exploration. One of the most incredible resources around is the NASA website/iPhone App. You can follow all their observation satellites, including ones like Cassini which is circling Saturn. I can sit at home and look at up-to-date images from Saturn - if only my five year old self had access to this kind of stuff, I would never have lost my passion for space.

Another great example, the daily photo on the NASA website this morning was evidence of Spring on Mars; just think about that for a minute, you can track the seasonal changes on another planet due to the work put in by scores of scientists. I’ve also been reading a lot about Sir Bernard Lovell, who tracked radar echoes of meteor showers in the 1940s. I am constantly astounded by the notion of someone discovering something like that; what would it feel like to realise that you have just seen a meteor on a screen for the first time? Lovell went on to establish the Jodrell Bank Observatory, home to the Lovell Space Telescope, which is one of the most impressive things I’ve seen in ages.

Going back to my music geeks = science geeks analogy, Emmy The Great made a fantastic observation recently, which also really struck me.

“Scientists dedicate a life’s work to providing a small piece of a picture they will never see completed.” What an incredible yet terrifying thought.

Do you go to work/uni/whatever in the knowledge that on the one hand you are potentially going to change the world, yet on another hand you will actually make little difference? The fine people who explore space, science, nature for us are brilliant, and massively under appreciated.

And that’s why I love science.

Point yourself towards NASA.gov for daily images of space and loads more. Jodrell Bank produces a really accessible monthly podcast, available at jodcast.net. Professor Brian Cox is all over Twitter, he is @ProfBrianCox. Soichi Noguchi is currently on board the International Space Station, and is tweeting loads of photos from space - @astro_soichi. Oh, and one last thing - get to your local science centre, especially if they have a Planetarium - the ones at MOSI and Techniquest are great!

PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER