It’s here! Our first issue! Cult Media Magazine aim’s to promote the ‘Alternative’ side of Cambridge, bringing you the news and interviews from the hidden corner of town. Strawberry Fair being our main article, we followed the diverse Band Competition & even an interview with the young singer/songwriter Grace Sarah! We’re hoping for a sun packed summer for the festival season, where we will be the magazine giving you all the coverage. Cult Media will release every 1st of the month, but will also be giving you news and updates on our social networking sites, so be sure to follow us on there. We can announce that we’ll be having our own Battle of the Bands towards the end of the year and plan for many more events in the next year. So make sure you always pick up a copy and follow us. We want to bring back the alternative scene in Cambridge!
ACOUSTIC & ARTS GIGS YOU MISSED LAST GANG IN TOWN CAMCON CAMS VARIETY BAD MEDICINE STABBED PANDA STRAWBERRY FAIR BATTLE OF THE BANDS GRACE SARAH BUSKER LAMB DOG LISTINGS
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Welcome, gentle reader, to Cult Media’s quaintest corner, home to all things independent, artistic and unplugged. Our self-titled night returns this month for it’s third outing at the cosy CB1 Café, taking a detour from its regular diet into more dissonant, meditative food groups. Preliminary plans suggest that, amongst other acts, there’ll be a Marimba player, live electronica from Spire Craines, and an ambient set from post-rockers’ side project Hollow Mountain. Saturday 9th June, CB1 Cyber Café, FREE For those more interested in art, check out LittleBiggs’s opening night at the Cambridge Art Salon, found just off Mill Road. Ceri Ann Littlechild and Dan Biggs unveil their collaborative work to an unsuspecting public. On display will be a combination of Ceri’s portraiture and Dan’s weathered urban art. The opening night looks to be a welcoming and unpretentious affair, complete with DJ, cupcakes, and a custom made soundtrack. Thursday 14th June, Cambridge Art Salon, FREE A few days earlier we see collaboration begin. A beautiful friendship between pub and publication, The Portland Arms is set to host a series of nights curated by our friends over at Slate the Disco. Usually a deep reservoir of musical recommendation, tonight’s a good chance to sample directly some of Slate’s hottest tipped acts, including Ivory Sea, DTSP and Model Staggs. Friday 8th June, The Portland Arms, £5 And last but not least, Pete Robbins’ monthly Night of the Artisans returns following a brief hiatus, proving once again it’s worth knowing CB2 has a basement. June’s all female cast is set to woo the ears of any who enjoy original acoustic melodies; Jess Morgan, Anna Neale and Josienne Clarke star. Friday 15th June, CB2 Basement, £5
CB1 Cafe - Sophie Jameson, Robin Vincint and Alba s everyone settled comfortably in the intimacy of the candle lit CB1 Café, the atmosphere was perfect for a night of folk, with rugged sketches adorning the walls. Sophie Jameson was first up, and her timidity is nothing if not charming and endearing. Her first song ‘Trains’ was pure Laura Marling; her style showed a real astute sense of emotion as she sang, “Every lover’s step and stutter is music to my ears”, over simple yet beautiful chords. As the set progressed, Sophie began to open up; her experiences revealing themselves like an open book in ‘Are You Sure?’ with a world wary tone to her voice that could only be from travelling. The lyric, “out of the soil, flowering love”, from her last song epitomised her poetic folk rich with metaphor and imagery, as her performance awed the crowd.
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Next up was Robin Vincent, a young man with considerable angst, and with unorthodox influences such as the Star Trek time-space continuum, he is certainly unique. The song ‘Nexus’ was abundant with the ‘out there’ allusion: “there’s a mythical morning star that someday we shall see.” His bluesy voice sang of modern topics, like Google and relationships, and the crowd laughed as he screamed: “I Google you late at night when I don’t know what to do.” Crowd interaction was constant as he puts each song into context with said themes, thriving on nerves. Thirdly was cabaret act, Alba, with an almost gothic appearance - all wild hair and black attire, like a female Tim Minchin. Her mad cap, jittery keyboard playing and high pitched voice had a dark eccentric tone alongside the almost creepy lines, “oh little girl did you ever wish to be worthless? I’m not a picture, it’s not for you to paint me”, sounding schizophrenic, as Alba jilts her head in sync with the chords. Finally, Andy Buclaw provided the enraptured crowd with a solid set; ‘Cambridge Beggar’ poignantly capturing its subject, in particularly the witty line, “I will be friendly until you refuse to be kind”, and ‘The National Curriculum’ mocks English patriotism: “I’ve watched endless programmes about our heritage and I’ve hated it.” Passionate and raw Buclaw’s set was a wonderful conclusion to a night of eclectic guitar music.
February 14th - Super Love Giant, Band of Brothers, Lady Gray o it’s February 14th, or Valentine’s Day, and the dimly lit gig room is teeming with eager strangers. Romance is sadly not in the air tonight at this Stabbed Panda Productions event at The Portland Arms. The first band of the night is comedy-rock band, Super Love Giant. The significance of their name becomes apparent as a large lad steps onto the stage and welcomes us to ‘his world’, introduces his drummer and gets straight into it. They open strongly with the upbeat, ‘Don’t Do That There Again’, and continue as such throughout their set. With vocals reminiscent of Ounsworth, from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and a mix of humorous and energetic songs, this band promises to get some attention. Find them online at: www.Facebook.com/Superlovegiant
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Next up, we have Band of Brothers. This high-octane punk rock band got the crowd moving instantly. Some of the audience’s dance moves were dubious to say the least, but their sheer dedication more than made up for it. Judging by the increasingly ludicrous dancing, the most popular song of their set was ‘Space Cowboy’. Find them online at: www.Facebook.com/ pages/Band-of-Brothers/9110334660 Lady Grey, who followed, had much to live up to and failed to meet the bar set by Bob; any rhythm established was quickly disrupted by stops and starts. They opened with a cover of ‘Seven Nation Army’, which was the most successful song of the set. Lady Grey did try their best to put on a show, however, with the guitarist jumping from the stage to play amidst the dwindling crowd. Find them online at: www.Facebook.com/ /pages/Lady-Gray/183078505051647
February 20th - Tom Stucliffe, The Breach, Little Hounds, Bury the Ladybird Being a Monday night the audience was expectedly sparse but that didn’t discourage Tom Sutcliffe, a solo acoustic guitarist who has been a regular on the Cambridge underground scene for a number of years now – first performing with Subject To Addiction and then Overdose before going solo. He may have struggled at first to get the audience to put out their cigarettes and come in from the courtyard, but eventually charmed the house into his acoustic world with confidence. With the audience captivated, he sang his way through haunting ballads, loaded with far more worries and cares than one would expect from such a young lad. The unexpected jumps in his melodies and breaks in the rhythm were surprisingly refreshing and kept his audience from going out for their next ciggy break till after he was done. Unfortunately, his set was cut short at just three songs, the highlight of which was ‘Stepping in Stepping Out’. Find him online at: www.faebook. com/ /pages/Tom-Sutcliffe-Official/123058234396390 Following Tom Sutcliffe was The Breach, a three piece rock band from Cambridge consisting of Chris Callaghan on vocals/ guitar, Chris Hull on drums, and Joe Kitchen on bass/backing vocals. However, they went without their drummer for this performance, leaving them – in the words of lead singer Chris Callaghan – “unplugged”. Nonetheless, the amplified guitar and electric bass duo managed just fine with their complex rhythms and melodic phrasings, producing a very rich and satisfying sound. The lyrics, however, felt forced at times; as if they were an afterthought added only to tick the necessary boxes. All in all, it was great to see some well-intentioned, musical intellect without the usual indie kid flamboyancy. The highlight of the set was ‘Back to Sea’ and you can find more of their music on their website: www.thebreach.eu.
The Little Hounds are a four-piece alternative indie band who list Muse, Radiohead and The Killers as some of their influences. They are made up of Lewis Rees on lead vocals and guitar, Alex Stockley on back up guitar, Liam Togher on bass, and Matt Stewart on drums. Their strong intros were reminiscent of Radiohead’s own reverberated electronic melodies, and some punchy backbeats and well-timed changes in dynamics managed to wake up the audience and get them dancing. Their first song of the set was well executed with a contrasting intro that unexpectedly changed pace and rhythm. This did not last, however, and at times the set lacked ingenuity but was evidently crowd pleasing nonetheless. With their popped collars, colourful guitars, and dynamic energy it was unsurprising to see the group of worshipping girl fans managing their best moves on the floor. Find them at: www.Facebook.com/TheLittleHounds Of the four bands, the star quality award went to headlining act, Bury the Ladybird. Even before they took to the stage, you knew who they were – if not from overhearing excited fans gush over them, then definitely when they walked into the pub with all their glitz and rock glamour. No one could have accused them of not trying; with false eyelashes, sequin hot pants, red braces, skinny ties, and one gravity defying mohawk, it would have been hard not to take note of their arrival. There stage presence was prominent too. They looked natural up there, sporting all the right head bangs, hip thrusts and rock pouts - of the bands on stage that night they looked the most experienced. Though the sequined front man stole the spotlight, the crowd seemed to still dig the rebel-rousing sounds produced by the rest of the band: Matt Gascoyne on guitar, Zach Shannon on bass, and Seb Boyse on drums. But what of the music? There was a good variety presented – even one admittedly bad ass cover of Jessie J’s ‘Do it Like a
Dude’ - but for the most part expect shouting vocals, hard-edged punk rock riffs, double bass-drum fills with a hint of gritty blues.The popular track, ‘This Isn’t Me’, aptly sums up their sound and attitude, and will leave you feeling a little more in touch with your hardcore side. If you go to see Bury the Ladybird, it will be because you value the underground bands that have an above ground stage presence. Visit their website, www.burytheladybird.biz
March 12th - The Domestics, Hello Bear, Go.Fly.Win The first band of the evening, The Domestics, a Punk band from Ipswich/Sudbury, with an unusual line-up of two guitarists, a bassist, and three vocalists accompanying the drummer. It was unusual for so many musicians to be on stage, but even with such a large group the band managed to work the stage well. They gave a high energy performance with Screamo vocals accentuated by fast strong drum beats and catchy guitar riffs. The vocals were powerful; all band members could be seen singing along with the three main singers, showing their passion for their material. The Domestics interacted well with the crowd and showed a good sense of humour asking, "who likes beer?", to introduce one of their songs, to which the audience replied with enthusiasm. The strong Screamo could be considered overwhelming for the personal gig room, but it was dynamic and the audience seemed to enjoy it. In their own words they are, ‘proper straight-to-the-point shout-along tunes’. This band’s strong personality and sense of definite style shows punk potential. You can find them online at: www.Facebook.com/TheDomestics Next on was Norwich band, Hello Bear, rockers of self-labelled ‘Post Sad-core Fun Pop' -a mix of rock and indie elements with upbeat, pop-like vocals - who gave a lighter performance and contrasted nicely with The Domestics. Their line-up was more traditional, with the lead guitarist doubling as lead vocalist, though variety was added with echo effects and occasional solos. However, their acoustics weren’t as strong as the other band, which could have been down to technical problems, a lack of experience or just an unfamiliar gig area. Again, they engaged with the audience well in between songs and shared jokes with the other contestants. Hello Bear kept up the volume and pulse of The Domestics but had catchier, clearer lyrics and songs that were more universal in content, appealing to the indie masses with inventive titles, and choruses that stuck in your head. You can Find them at: www.Facebook.com/Hellobear Last on stage were Suffolk favourites, Go.Fly.Win, who formed in 2010. Their sound is rock with a dash of Screamo for added emotion to certain moments in the music. Like the other bands, Go.Fly.Win showed humour and ease, chatting with the crowd, thanking them for sticking around and asking questions with confidence. This confidence carried through to their performance, with impressive vocals, proving their musicality and sustained notes that emphasised the emotions of their lyrics. The guitars and drums were much more equal in importance for beat and rhythm, driving the songs forward. The material of the band would appeal more to a younger audience as they sing songs on love, dating and fun. Yet the band showed diversity by portraying this in a number of ways; light and upbeat to defiant, hard-core rock coupled with an all-round dynamic, head-banging performance. This band has great potential and clearly a genuine love for their music. You can Find them at: www.Facebook.com/Go.Fly.Win
April 17th - Fred’s House, Klya La Grange
On the bill tonight was the intense Kyla La Grange, supported by the sublime Fred’s House. Whilst both folk rock, the former adds a powerfully emotive, gothic element into the genre - think Anna Calvi. Fred’s House have been busy creating a buzz all around Cambridge, providing us with the smooth vocals from Vix, mixed with the rawer sounds of Griff. This combination echoes in their soft folk acoustics and rockier guitar riffs, which permeated throughout their set. They offered a wellrounded performance, featuring the wonderful, ‘I’m Not Saying’, and the almost rockabilly, ‘Looking Glass’. Kyla La Grange, having only started their headline tour two days previous, didn’t seem to know what to expect and started the set with a nervous, detached stare. She soon loosened up, however, and lost her distance from the crowd. Providing a mix of haunting and up-beat tempo songs ranging from, ‘Been Better’, to the current single, ‘Vampire Smile’, Kyla La Grange provided an unforgettable performance. The stripped back version of ‘Heavy Stone’ had the audience in complete silence; with just an acoustic guitar and the long, powerful notes of Kyla’s voice, it was hard not to be moved. Indeed, as the set ended the audience burst into extended applause eager for an encore and were not disappointed. Both Fred’s House and Kyla La Grange deliver stunning performances and offer a refreshing change of pace to the influx of folk bands on the circuit.
You could say rockabilly has gotten an unfair slating in the Cambridge scene over recent years. Despite whatever people may think, Laura and Alec over at Last Gang in Town have continued to bring you some of the best punk rock bands that the UK - no, the world - has to offer. With bands like Mojo kings, Wigsvillespliffs, The Grit, and not to mention Switzerland’s own, The Peacocks, they have done Cambridge proud. And now they can add Canadian ‘horrorbillies’, The Brains, to their list of achievements. Graveyard Johnnys killed their return to the Cambridge stage. By no means are they newcomers, but it felt like this was one of their best turnouts to date at The Man on the Moon. In between the fantastic LGIT DJs tracks, they smashed out some awesome tunes, such as ‘Cherylene’ and classic cover, ‘Radar Love’, that just made you want to dance. Which let’s face it, is pretty damn awesome regardless of genre, and it has to be said, not a single foot was static during their entire set. The Canadian ‘horrorbillies’, The Brains, seemed to have a good time, and mingled with the crowd afterwards. They were nice guys, though perhaps a little perplexed by a couple of local drunk punks – at least they’re ‘drunk not dead’, eh guys? Unsurprisingly, The Brains have a penchant for all things undead, and love to incorporate of zombie themes with a psychobilly edge. Songs like ‘More Brains’ and tracks off their record Zombie Nation really got the crowd going; let’s face it, who doesn’t love zombies?! The Brains will certainly be on my playlist during the impending zombie apocalypse. Written by Dom Benatar.
In association with Tattooing by Fabio...
Coffn Nails Mojo Kings + DJs Man on the Moon Saturday, June 9th Doors 7:30pm £7 Entry
Written by Lenny Reid
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or the first time in Cambridge’s history, The Junction has been taken over. An airtight bubble of imagination, talent, and foreign culture has been lowered over the venue and sealed off, with only the believers being granted access. CamCon 2012 has arrived.
The two foyer floors, the J3 Studio, and the J2 Theatre are host to a number of different presentations, performances, and commercial dealers from morning until midnight, which has drawn comic book and Japanese media enthusiasts from all over the country. Some have even come from as far as the continent to take part. Before the doors open the queue outside is drawing bemused looks from locals. Littered amongst the standard Converse, plaid, and comic book T-shirt crew are characters from Yu-Gi-Oh, Star Wars, Game Of Thrones, and enough Pikachu costumes to make you think Pokémon had come to life. If that wasn’t enough, there are also countless cosplay Lolitas and schoolgirls in increasingly extravagant, custom-made dresses that you can’t help but notice. However, it wouldn’t be a comic book convention without these colourful characters. In fact, a good portion of the day was spent celebrating their creativity, with fashion shows and award ceremonies that had the doll-like cosplayers buzzing with excitement. Outside the general Camcon arena was the gaming area and alongside today’s events have been a number of commercial dealers selling everything from comic books to Japanese treats. Most involved was the Japanese snacks importer, Tofu Cute, who held a slideshow and talk regarding the various curiosities available from their table in the Dealer’s Room, including the delicious Poccha – edible sticks in as many flavours as you can think of. The audience are invited to taste and describe the snacks onstage, and the popular segment is punctuated with brilliantly imaginative and just plain weird adverts from Japanese TV. The highlight of the whole talk was a series of Japanese Fanta adverts regarding a role-call of inappropriate teachers that had the audience in stitches. As a perfect compliment to the media and commercial events of day, Akemi Solloway takes the time to educate and inform the morning’s eclectic audience about traditional Japanese culture. One of her most enjoyable events is the Tea Ceremony she held in the J2 Theatre. Stopping occasionally to explain the traditions of her culture, Solloway interacts with the audience and ends the ceremony with intricate instructions on a polite bow of respect. Before she leaves the theatre, she talks to the audience about the charity that she is involved with, Aid For Japan, which is currently supporting 350 children who were left orphaned by the recent natural disasters in the area. Camcon managed to mix the modern and traditional events seamlessly, and the talks with industry professionals made the whole day an experience to remember...
GLENN DAKIN
CLAIRE GRISTWOOD The final talk in The Panel Room was Claire Gristwood’s fantasy talk. A young self-published author of two fantasy adventure novels, Raystone, and Raystone II, aimed at young readers. It is an exciting series involving children transported to a magical world, where warring dragon clans and talking wolves are the order of the day.
The Glenn Dakin talk had attracted the biggest crowd of the day, with what proved to be a fantastic insight into the career of a writer who has worked with some of the top publishers in the comic book industry. We were treated to a slideshow walkthrough of his life’s work, touching on his involvement with Marvel UK; his recent work on storylines for Spiderman and Batman; and the publication of his autobiographical comic Abe – Wrong for All the Right Reasons. He spoke avidly about his later work’s involvement with children’s books and television, and his passion for writing was clearly evident. The audience got a more in-depth overview of his latest publication, Candleman, which Dakin described as a character and world he wishes will last into the future, like many of the characters he has written content for.
MUSIC
Claire talked animatedly about the writing process; how selfpublishing and independent publishers stand up against the larger publishing companies; and having patience with your ideas. Having been writing her series for twelve years now, she went on to discuss the mindset of creating a world from scratch, and not getting carried away with a blank canvas. The sagely advice was clearly absorbed by the full room, who then went on to pick her brains about rewrites and publishing advice. There may have been a few prospective writers in the room to encourage and educate, which – after all – was the aim of The Panel Room. the Sweatdrop Studios talk with Sonia Leong - designer of CamCon’s mascot, Cambi - was brief but informative. Sonia talked the audience through the history of Manga, and went into detail regarding the different types of comics and the cultural differences between Manga, which is aimed at boys, and the comics designed for girls. Before the end, she described the process of creating a comic from using a panel layout to speech bubble font, right up to the toning process.
Temphuibis was the first musical act of the evening’s events, and was the highlight of a full roster of musical delights, including the Tin Foil Hat Brigade and Zonic, before The PsychoCandy clubnight. The lone DJ brought together massive bass-laden beats with melodies that seemed to have been wrung from a digital afterlife. Coupled with an onstage energy that the Tron suit wearing Temphuibis was threatening us all with, the only possible downside to his act is the lack of crowd at that hour.
SWEATDROP STUDIOS
ADAM MILLARD
Adam Millard’s Brief History of Horror led an amused crowd through everything from the Birth of the Monster film to Hammer Horrors, and from the literature of Bram Stoker to Stephen King, with much derision for a certain paranormal romance series along the way. Funny and engaging slides taught us never to pick on kids “who look a bit weird” - with reference to their eventual kill count; what cliché’s to avoid, “unless you’re being all post-modern”; and how many silly movies were made in the name of horror - Gingerdead Man 1and 2 spring to mind readily. Author of zombie novels and further twisted musings, Adam’s passion and knowledge of all things horror really brought the subject to life - no pun intended. One could easily get all this with the click of a mouse, but not with such breadth, humour, and surprising care for the integrity of the genre. The future of horror is in safe hands, if guided by such avid fans as this.
SAFE HAVEN
At the Safe Haven talk, a short zombie recruitment lobby is held for everyone in attendance. Safe Haven is a zombie survival series, currently being filmed in the local rural area. We were treated to two trailers on the big screen to wet our appetites, and the brief talk was finished with an open invitation to any prospective zombies or survivalists wanting to get involved with the show.
TERRY MARTIN Seasoned publisher, artist and writer of all things graphic, Terry Martin’s sadly under populated talk led a small gathering through everything one could feasibly need to learn to get ahead in the industry. Smaller details that would trip an inexperienced writer, or publisher, were helpfully illuminated through a mix of pragmatism, auto-biography and anecdote; a great resource to anyone aspiring in the field. He also gave away the first issue of his own Murky Depths comic anthology absolutely free. What a nice man. The panel room held host to the gaming talk with Benzaie. Benjamin Daniel – known in the online media world as Benzaie – led his audience through a few clips of his hilarious video-game review show. The self penned and produced show features Daniel himself in his native language, French, which he then overdubs in English for the UK and American fans that visit his website. The show itself is concerned with reviews of collectors’ editions and rarities in the gaming market, as well as covering older games and consoles. The bulk of the talk was aimed at those interested in shooting their own short shows for the internet than the games themselves; but there are few out there who can cover all bases like this speaker. He finished the talk by showing the captive audience his whimsical short-film, Computer & Spaceman: The Only True Space Opera, which has been entered into a competition to be judged by Ridley Scott later in the year. Good luck, Benzaie.
Benzaie
You have heard of The Royal Variety Performance and Britain’s Got Talent! Well now Cambridge is to host its very own ‘Variety Performance Show’, at the Guildhall on Saturday, 15th September, and our talent search has already begun. The variety show will be in aid of both Great Ormond Street Hospital and The East Anglia Children’s Hospice, so come get involved and show your support for these life-changing charities. Cams Variety, who are organising both events, are looking for that special talent around Cambridge. La Raza will be hosting three showcase evenings throughout the summer to find those shining stars. If you would like the opportunity to perform alongside some top acts at this year’s ‘Cambridge Variety Performance’ then contact the organisers by email to secure your place. Showcase evenings will take place on 21st May, 11th June, 9th July and acts will perform from 7pm onwards each evening. There is no entry fee and no door charge at the showcase evenings, but remember you must register in order to claim your slot. E-mail talentsearch@camsvariety.com and don’t forget to invite all your family and friends. Early Bird Tickets for the Cambridge Variety Performance can be purchased online at: www.camsvariety.com. Buy now to save up to 25% off the normal price!
Bad Medicine is club night with a difference, offering an eclectic mix of rock, metal and punk in the best kept secret of the Cambridge’s underground scene, aimed at range of clubbers from twenty something students to couples nearing thirty five. Manager, Darren Douglas, introduces. The night to me, and the vibe the night aims for is accurately symbolised by their old logo; a depiction of a seductive rock chick clutching a syringe in suspenders in a glorious metaphor. Named tenderly after a Bon Jovi classic, Bad Medicine exudes anthemia through every sweaty pore during DJ Ross’ vast array of fist pumping classics. Fans are treated early on to Black Sabbath’s ‘Paranoid’ as the strobe lighting darts in a schizophrenic blur of red, yellow, and green across the mind-bending mirrors of the venue. As Aerosmith’s ‘Love in An Elevator’ rips through the crowd, an instant buzz consumes tonight with its raucous energy. Pure thrash metal, courtesy of Iron Maiden with ‘Run to the Hills’, melts into epic euphoria in the System of a Down fan favourite ‘Toxicity’. At the half eleven mark The Q Club is thriving, as a throng of revellers gather to lose themselves in Alien Ant Farm’s outstanding cover of ‘Smooth Criminal’, which slides seamlessly into the pop punk of ‘Original Prankster’, by none other than The Offspring. The thundering ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’ resounds violently and is met with elation by the punters. The pier de resistance tonight, however, is Audioslave’s ‘Cochise’, with its climatic helicopter sound effects building into a rapturous chorus that pulsates through the amps, epitomising The Q Club’s ability to create an intimate storm of a night, during an atmospheric few hour s of a rock-fuelled gem of a night in Cambridge.
Greetings from Stabbed Panda Productions... If you don’t know who we are; we’re a trio of guys from the Cambridgeshire area, dedicated to putting on events and gigs featuring up and coming bands and artists from a variety of genres. Not only do we do that, we also provide recording services, coaching, and much more. We’ve worked with bands such as ‘Go. Fly. Win’, ‘Dirty Cousins’ and ‘Little Hounds’ to name a few. Let’s begin by looking at something we’re especially proud of, which would be the recording of local duo Super Love Giant’s music; the first recording done in our new studio. For those of you who don’t know, ‘Super Love Giant’ are a self-proclaimed ‘funk rock collision’ consisting of front man and guitarist Sam Boevey, and drummer Johnnie Pyke, who in all their glory knock out brilliantly delivered songs that have crowds hooked. They have an intensity that gives them the air of well-established stage veterans - and as such it would be easy to assume these guys have been performing live gigs for much longer than they actually have. Their performances are punctuated with light-hearted banter and a relaxed yet confident attitude, with the staple attributes of cleverly written lyrics, well written music, and obvious skill with their instruments. The best tracks to impress any budding fan would have to be the favourites ‘Biscuit’, ‘I’m a Dinosaur’ and ‘Don’t Do That There Again’. The recordings can be found on their Facebook page: SuperLoveGiant, or on their SoundCloud. In Stabbed Panda news, we have an event set for Friday, 15th June, featuring the Essex-based ‘crayon-rock’ band, Ten Tigers, whose influences consist of Sleater Kinney, Super Furry Animals, The Beatroots, and more. These guys will be joined by alternativerock trio, The Imaginary Minstrels, who promise us a night of harmonies that sometimes sound like songs- a promise I expect they’ll keep. Entry is £5 on the door, and the doors open at 8pm. That’s all from me for now. Check out our Facebook, and come along to some of our events! Reverend Mickey Kink Stabbed Panda Productions.
Written by Samuel Douglas t’s June, 2012 and yes, Strawberry Fair returns for its 37th year on Midsummer Common, Cambridge. After its controversial ban in 2010, it has only been growing with more buzz and events that will once again capture the public gathering on one of Cambridge’s largest parks.
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Here at Cult Media, we have been following the Strawberry Fair Battle of the Bands competition, so we can tell you all you need to know about some of the hottest bands at this year’s fair. All the finalists of the five heats, as well as the public voted ‘beer cheer’ winner, will be playing amongst the other acts on various stages throughout the day. Further on in this feature you can learn all about the battle of the bands Strawberry Fair puts on every year to help fund the main event and showcase local talent, as well as an interview with the winner, Grace Sarah. Now it’s coming to the 2nd of June and everyone is getting ready for one of the highlights of summer in Cambridge. There are several more stages here at the Strawberry Fair this year than ever before, and we’ll be covering them for a follow-up review next issue. Many of the higher profile acts this year are making it big at the festivals across the UK, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to see them here in your hometown first! Below you will find schedules for all the stages we will be covering, so you can plan your day around your favourite acts and learn about new and exciting bands. Find out more online at: www.strawberry-fair.org.uk/
STAGES
ACOUSTIC STAGE
The bands playing in the Acoustic Tent represent a vast range of musical influences, but all have one thing in common:it’s unplugged. Get ready for some sweet sounds of soul, jazz, indie and folk. We recommend checking out Annie Dressner, Tom Copson,and Fred’s House, who have sparked a lot of interest since the beginning of the year - Fred’s House being one of the Strawberry Fair Battle of the Bands finalists. Schedule 12:00 – 12:25 12:40 – 13:10 13:20 – 13:50 14:05 – 14:35 14:50 – 15:20 15:30 – 16:00 16:15 – 16:45 17:00 – 17:35 17:55 – 18:30
- Hugo Meredith-Hardy - Dave Gerard and the Watchmen - Bo Tomas - Jon Hart Band - Paul Goodwind and Band - Ecki - Annie Dressner and Band - Tom Copson and Band - Fred’s House
Colonel Mabey’s Mechanical Menagerie Shedule 12:00 - 01:00 13:00 - 13:30 13:30 - 14:00 14:00 - 14:30 14:30 - 14:45 14:45 - 15:15 15:15 - 15:30 16:00 - 16:30 16:30 - 17:00 17:00 - 17:30 17:30 - 18:30 18:30 - 19:00 19:00 - 20:00 20:00 - 20:30 20:30 - 21:30 21:30 - 22:30
- Hills Roads Sixth form - The Folk - Lee Mcb - Cathedral & Cars - 105fm - The Abstracts - 105fm - Echo Trails - Fat man - Spiv - Frijfro take over - Brass Funkeys - Future Swing Stories - Dropout Dan - QVC take over - Ed DMX
EDMX
, stage name DMX Krew, is a genius musician and true master of electronic music and compositions. Since the mid-90s he has developed an enviable career in music, going through an hugely impressive range of electronicbased styles, from vintage electro to electro-funk and acid house. Perhaps most famously known for his work on Aphex Twin’s Rephlex Records – arguably one of the most important and influential electronic music labels – with records such as synthpop/retro LP ‘We Are DMX’, which includes the anthem ‘Street Boys’, or the more experimental but equally exciting and listenable ‘The Collapse Of The Wave Function’ series. Having toured the world several times over, his music regularly shows up on new, obscure and established labels, as well as his own label Breakin’ Records. We are extremely proud to be welcoming this exciting and talent musician to play a set at this year’s Fair.
QVC
(Quatre – Vingt – Cinq), came out of nowhere and slapped grins onto the faces of partygoers up and down the country. Bored of chin stroking, poker-faced DJs playing who seemed more intent on proving their worth through obscure limited pressings rather than entertaining the crowd, turntable funkateer Mr Margaret Scratcher and electronic music knowledge bank Captain Stearne joined forces to put on parties where the emphasis is on both quality dancefloor-filling music, and generally having a ridiculously good time. The overused phase ‘something for everyone’ has never been so appropriate – from the pink cowboy hat crowd to indie kids, and even the techno trainspotters have no option but to forget about being cool for a second, smile, and dance with appearances at Secret Garden Party, Meadows in the Mountains, as well as many other indoor events can attest to that. The QVC crew are really excited and honoured to be entertaining the Strawberry Fair crowd, and joined by recent recruit, Mr. Frosty, expect everything from 80s funk classics, through to disco and electro, with Mr Margaret Scratcher’s turntable wizardy providing the cherry atop this tasty musical cupcake.
Future Swing Stories
is a London-based collective of producers, DJs, promoters, bloggers, designers and to top it all off: a kick-ass live act! Their sound merges a forgotten era of swing, jazz, dixieland and New Orleans with the contemporary sound of big band breaks and bad boy bass. Some people call it electro swing, they prefer ‘Ghetto Swing!’ Their music, although very important to the ‘electro swing’ movement, borrows heavily from old school hiphop breaks, Nu-school bass lines, dusty drum loops and swing-era samples arriving at a sound that quenches even the most discerning of the dance music generation’s thirst. This vintage revamp will surely leave you with a new understanding of what it really means to ‘shake a tail feather’.
The Kings Head Stage
It’s going to be a full day of diverse genres at The Kinds Head Stage, featuring finalists of the Strawberry Fair Battle of the Bands, Super Love Giants. Schedule 12:00pm : Lippy Sound 12:45pm : Super Love Giants 13:15pm : The Lemon Escapdes 14:00pm : MC Magic and Comedy Interlude 14:30pm : Swamp Truck Good Time Band 15:30pm : Comedy Game Show Interlude 16:00pm : Zeb Rootz Reggae 17:30pm : Comedy and poetry Interlude 18:00pm : Rebel Icons 19:00pm : Rodney Branigan 20:00pm : Ouse Valley Singles Club 21:00pm : Cambridge Electro Swing Club with Smyley Jay 22:30pm : Kickin out time to Close
WIGWAM Stage
The massive and, it has to be said, legendary WIGWAM has the usual diverse mix for your delight and delectation, featuring: - - - - - - - - -
Ms Lee Cave Berry and Mr Kimberly Rew (Katrina & Soft Boys) and guests. Nutmeg – Great festival band re-formed after 15 years. Mr Bernie Elliot – From the first Strawberry Fair in ’73. Miss Grace Sarah – Winner of this year’s Band Competition, she’s only 14 and a super talent. Marina Florence and band – Recently working with Nick Mason (drummer of Pink Floyd) Keri Williamson and her band Keltrix Vanilla Pod - Norwich Punkers The Von Nitros – Strawberry Fair Band Competitions Finalists Emma & Elio – Ascendant duo. To find out more about WIGWAM check out their webpage: www.wigwam-stage-hire.co.uk
The Mad Hatter’s Community Café
Take a trip to wonderland and unwind at the Mad Hatter’s community café. On the menu are lashings of smooth musical vibes interspersed with extra portions of upfront poetry and spoken word wizardry from Fay Roberts, Hollie McNish, Jessie Durrant, Richard Frost and the current Bard of Stony Stratford, Danni Antagonist . Some of the highlights to look out for this year at the caféare: Acoustic duoDodobones will be performing gritty, emotionally driven material of their own making, with the odd ironic pop cover thrown in for good measure. The versatile, mostly acoustic repertoire of The Caution Horses often has a Cajon, an accordion or a violin added to the mix to match their wonderfully rich vocal harmonies. The New Redeemers offer up slices of lyrically driven, funky, melodic ska/reggae. Localfour piece band, Captain Jacks and the Doghouse will play a highly original foot-tapping mix of early rock n roll, country, blues and folk. And finally the magnificently soulful Tiger Blue who blew away audiences in the Battle of the Bands competition are back to do the same today, no doubt.
GREEN AREA STAGE Don’t miss Tribazik, the headlining band of the stage, who has a unique blend of thrash, rave, acid, alternative rock and break beat. They’re anticipated as of the most exciting live bands in the UK today. There are some smaller stages to keep an eye out for on the day. Be sure to make use of the map and make your experience at Strawberry Fair 2012 one to remember!
© Tony Coleby
MAP
Written by Alice Cracknell very year, the Strawberry Fair Committee hold a battle of the bands to uncover local talent and raise funds for their annual fair. Being a non-profit organization, it is these type of events that keep our first weekend in June always fully booked. This year saw a large range of both genre and age, with the under 18s trying their best to compete with bands who have been on the Cambridge circuit for years. With just five heats - one especially for the youngsters - and a public vote for what is known as the ‘beer cheer’ winner, the competition was fierce. Below are all the heat finalists, who will be playing at the Strawberry Fair on 2nd June. The overall winner, Grace Sarah, won a fantastic prize of recording time and a live session on Cambridge 105 radio station. Catch up on last month’s exciting event and turn over for an interview with the lovely Grace Sarah.
E
HEAT 1
Tiger Blue was already a popular act, receiving huge cheers from devoted fans whilst they talked away to their audience. The drums added a strong beat and movement to their already energetic material, and the audience couldn’t help but dance to their eclectic music with its reggae overtones and a wide range of vocals. The vocalist admitted to a sore throat, but performed with vivacity and strength. In fact, her personality shone through any mishaps, as she connected with the audience, making jokes and apologising if she croaked into the microphone. The guitarists got their chance to show off with connecting riffs and skilful solos, adding another dimension to their music. Tiger Blue showed passion for their material and even illness couldn’t prevent them sharing this with the audience.
Black-clad Lamb Dog is seemingly one of a kind in this year's competition, being a large metal band fronted by the charismatic Heidi, who possesses all the dark elegance of Evanescence's, Amy Lee, but with her own twist. As they exploded on to the stage, the bassist immediately immersed himself into the already enraptured crowd, leading the way for a mind blowing performance. As if the epic face melting riffs weren’t enough, the singer danced seductively into the crowd, convulsing her body in sync with the thrashing drums that resonate profoundly off the walls. The Cuban heels of the guitarist reflected the rock 'n' roll attitude this band carried off effortlessly. Heidi poetically sang ‘I lose myself to find myself’ as she parted the rows of punters, dominating the floor, and she certainly found herself that night; she spent the last song on her knees in the centre of the stage, the crowd in awe. Lamb Dog gave it their all their all and have quickly made themselves competition favourites.
HEAT 2
Fred’s House, recognisable by their catchy, folk-rock sound, have only been on the Cambridge scene for about a year, yet were still very strong performers. The two main vocalists included intense harmonies, and guitar riffs were catchy, making you want to move your feet. What stood out about Fred’s House was the fact they only had one sad song; the rest of the set was upbeat and so, not only was the music more appealing, but the sad song was given importance in its own right. They did overcome some technical difficulties, but when it was all successfully sorted, they were perfectly in balance with one another. Fred’s House was chatty and explained a little about their songs. They were worthy winners of the third heat and their summery tunes seem well suited to the Strawberry Fair.
HEAT 4
HEAT 3
The Abstracts, headlined and won the fourth heat. This indie rock band was, from the start, engaging. The vocals started off a little quiet but got stronger throughout. They had a definite style that mirrored popular bands like, The Futureheads and The View, but this just came across as unoriginal. Even so, they’re musically skilful and had loads of drive. Technically they were tight and their performance was fun, with the lead singer hopping about the stage and dancing. Generally, they were a pleasing band with talent but it would be refreshing to hear something a little more unique. Even with other strong competitors like Go.Fly.Win, The Abstracts knew what they were doing, and their familiar style and sound worked in their favour.
Grace Sarah, one of the winners of the under-18 heat, is a twopiece consisting of a young female vocalist, doubling as keyboard, and a drummer. Their mellow set was pleasant, with vocals sounding just like Ellie Goulding or Birdy. Unfortunately, their nerves showed, as well as their inexperience. The drummer could have had more of a role in the songs and the singer’s voice needed a little more projection, especially as she has such a good tone to her voice. Grace Sarah have a wonderfully different sound, but need more experience in order to truly compete. All in all, Grace Sarah have potential, and will clearly get better as they get older and have a few more gigs under their belt. Super Love Giant, the second winner of the under-18 heat, is a two-piece band consisting of guitarist/vocalist and a drummer. What shone out about this garage rock band was the strong guitar and drums, however, the vocals brought the performance down: the style of singing didn’t suit the music and was sometimes out of tune. Quite simply, their only vocal strength was their amazing and well-timed projection at certain points of the song. A couple of the songs sounded a bit too similar, but they did attempt a few changes in sound later on in the set. They gave a good performance, and their confidence onstage won the judges over; they just need to become a little more professional and refined.
UNDER 18's HEAT
BEER CHEER
The Von Nitros took to the stage in matching red and black striped t-shirts. Though looking slightly mismatched on stage, they lightened the mood with a melodic, well played set brimming with psychedelic rock overtones, bizarrely mixed with punk pop vocals. The skilled guitar riffs became at times indistinguishable from the raucous vocals of the frontman, who gave a memorable performance. It is easy to hear The Doors’ influence, as well as eighties alternative rock and more contemporary punk rock acts, in this multigenerational band’s music. Crowd pleaser, ‘Horse Rider’, was their most upbeat, with the lead singer energetically jumping up and down to the fast tempo. The singer invited them to clap along, moshing as the funky bass line got people nodding their heads and some even losing themselves in the melodic maelstrom. The melting pot of influences the band exudes is popular, although at times conflicting, but by this point the energy in the room had reached a high and the audience seemed wowed by The Von Nitros electric performance.
THE FINAL The final heat began with an energetic start with Super Love Giants’ own brand of alternative rock. The Junction’s bigger stage was surely daunting for the young acts, but Grace Sarah performed with confidence, engaging the audience with her acoustic melodies. Fred’s House were on next and kept up the standard of their previous performance; their folk rock harmonies complemented their accomplished guitarist. Tiger Blue followed, but despite their enthusiasm, couldn’t keep up with the pace set. The Abstracts picked up the energy with alternative rock riffs and got the crowd moving in the face of technical difficulties. Von Nitros kept up the pace, and were musically sound; they just need to refine their style. Last on was Lamb Dog, who gave an awesome Metal performance, and quite simply owned the stage. Everyone gave it their all, but it was Grace Sarah who won the judges over in the end.
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race Sarah is this year’s winner of the Strawberry Fair Battle of the Bands – and she is just fourteen. After winning the Under 18’s heat, she went on to beat out stiff competition at The Junction, besting Fred’s House, Tiger Blue, Von Nitros, The Abstracts, Super Love Giant and Lamb Dog for the final prize of £250 and a chance to perform at the Strawberry Fair festival this June, as well as a live performance on Cambridge 105 radio station. With a soft voice, poetic lyrics, and attractive melodies her music feels surprisingly advanced. Particularly glowing with creative promise is her song ‘Calling Eagles’, which has over 1,500 hits on YouTube. Born and bred in Cambridge, she currently attends Cottenham Village College, where she occasionally hears her friends hum her songs around school. I met up with her at CB1 Café and was surprised to greet a very mature teenager, with a self assurance I didn’t possible at that age. Easy to talk to and very composed, Grace Sarah makes it hard for you to find reasons why she won’t succeed in the music industry.
And what age did you begin playing music? “I’ve always sung since I was really little, like three, but I started playing piano when I was six or seven – doing general grade lessons – and I started writing music at the age of 11, which is when I wrote ‘Calling Eagles’.” Did you write a lot of stuff at that age or more so now that you are in your teenage years? “Well I started [writing] at 11 because there was a thing at school called the Band Project, where we had to write songs and do them as a band. I enjoyed that so I just started writing more at home. I recently started again writing quite a lot – I had stopped for a bit.” Is there anything you wrote when you were 11 that makes you cringe now you are older? “Um… I used to like all the girly stuff, which I hate now – a lot of the stuff I wrote for school is a bit cringe-worthy now.” Have you had the chance to record at the studio yet? “Yeah, I’ve recorded six songs at the actual studio, which was good. I have three songs up on YouTube; one of those is a cover by Lana Del Ray.” What was it like to play at The Junction? “Incredibly nerve-wracking: really, really scary. You could see the people in the first two front rows, but when the spotlight goes, you could just see loads of little faces. It’s really scary.” Is that the biggest venue you’ve played? “Yeah, I’ve only played the heat [at The Portland Arms] before that. I’ve never played anywhere else.” It must have felt great to win – how did you feel when they announced it? “It still hasn’t really sunk in. There were quite a lot of prizes, so I didn’t really know what to do. It was all a bit of a shock to be honest.” Where do you hope winning this competition will take you in the future? “I’m just enjoying the moment. I guess I’d like to play another bigger festival like Strawberry Fair next, maybe like Secret Garden Party.” So that’s kind of short term, but what are your long term plans looking like? “I’d love to have a career in music, that would be my dream. But if not… well it would be a bit of a letdown. I don’t really know. I don’t have any plans to be honest.” Well you are only 14. Are your parents supportive of a career in music? “Yeah, incredibly. My dad has set up a website and a Facebook page and everything.” What is your song writing process? “I write down ideas on the move, so wherever I go I write it into a notebook and when I get to a piano I think of a chord base. So if it’s a happy song I do major, that kind of thing. It goes from there, so you do the chords then you do the melody and then you kind of hum what you want the tune to sound like and then you put it all together. It’s mostly just on piano until I get to the studio and then [the studio musicians] recommend things and I just say yes or no.”
As far as lyrics go, do you tend to get inspiration more from your own life or from observing other lives? “Observing. I get ideas from all my friends who gossip loads and I just take snippets from that.” How many times a week are you at the piano practicing? “I practice piano for about an hour and half every day.” Besides Strawberry Fair (and SGP) what would be your ultimate venue to play and what artists inspire you at the moment? “Glastonbury – any stage. I love Marina and the Diamonds, I listen to her constantly, and Lana del Ray I think is really good. I like Norah Jones – I love her song ‘Sunrise’. A lot of people say I sound like Ellie Goulding though.” And the name Grace Sarah, is that a stage name? “My name is Grace Shelley, but I thought sounded too much like Grace Kelly, so I used my middle name instead, which is Sarah.” What are your favourite bands to see at the moment? “I think that 28 Boulevard, who was in the Under 18’s heat with me [at the Strawberry Fair Battle of the Bands], they’ve got a brilliant sound. And there’s a local band called Chasing Outlaws too, who are really good. They’re my neighbours actually.” What’s your favourite song of yours to perform? “I don’t have a favourite, but most people say it is ‘Calling Eagles’ because I’ve played it so many times, and they say it’s different.” You have someone that plays with you normally…. “Yeah, Jonno – he’s a drummer and he’s really, really good. He’s been playing since he was, like, three. He really enjoyed The Junction too, he was incredibly nervous because he hasn’t really performed that much either.” What sort of challenges have you faced so far, if any? “I guess it’s that people always come up to me and say, ‘Oh you’re going to be brilliant in the future’ and it’s like well, I’m not going to be 14 in the future. There’s not really going to be that appeal, so it’s that people don’t think that I’m doing well now – they think I’m going to do well in the future, but I don’t think like that. You have to take the opportunity you’ve got. “ In addition to Strawberry Fair Festival, Grace Sarah will also be performing at Cambourne Youth Festival and The Lodestar Festival. You can learn more about Grace Sarah on her Facebook page GraceSarahShelley, or visit her website at: www.gracesarah.com.
Bryan Bryn started busking in Cambridge aged 75, and two years later is still proving that busking is not just a young man's game. Many of you will know him as 'the man who plays the saw with a nail'. Despite having been branded one of Cambridge’s most 'tone-deaf and tuneless' buskers, videos of 'The Crazy Saw Man' have over 4,200 hits on YouTube. Here’s what we chatted about: What made you start busking? “Because I played my saw all my life - I was a carpenter. I used to play at topping out parties and things that we used to have like that. When we finished building a building we’d have a “topping out” party just before we put the roof up and I’d sing for them all night [with my saw]. I’ve been playing the saw since I was about 21 years old.” How many times a week do you busk? “Whenever I get time. This might be the last time I’m here this week and I’ll be back whenever I get the time.” What’s your favourite part of busking? “I just like to play the saw because it’s different.” Where are you from? “Originally I’m from the Midlands, but I moved around here 35 years ago.” Do you play any other instruments? “No. I used to sing at school - though [only] at Secondary School. I used to sing [sic] when we finished school for holidays, so I used to go on stage and sing all the Scottish and Irish songs. My ancestors are Scottish, Italian and German.” Bryan does not have a fixed busking day or time, but you can often catch him out and about in Cambridge city centre. Just listen out for the ‘boing boingboing’ of the unique nailon-saw ensemble.
Written by Christine Macdonald
Written by Lenny Reid Absence can make the heart grow fonder, and in Lamb Dog’s case, a short break from one another brought about a sense of focus and a desire to return to their roots. Having played together for around five years, the Cambridge based five-piece drifted apart for a short time before regrouping a year ago, with a clear sense of what they wanted to do. Made up of Heidi (Vocals), Ben (Guitar), Dom (Guitar), Mac (Bass), and JB (Drums), this metal rock ensemble don't do things by halves, and recently scored runner-up at the Strawberry Fairs 2012 Battle of the Bands. Lamb Dog bring their own brand of melodic rock - soaring vocals and heavy-as-fudge hooks – and an energetic and eye-catching live show to the forefront of the Cambridge alternative scene. We managed to catch up with Heidi, Ben, and Dom, and get them to answer a few of our questions. Congratulations on being the runners-up in the Strawberry Fair Band Competition. How did you all feel about the amazing response at the competition? B - “We were all thoroughly surprised because our past experiences of band competitions hadn’t been good. We also thought that we wouldn’t be perceived as the right kind of music for that kind of competition, so we were pleasantly surprised when we won the heat, and then came second overall.” Your sound is hard to pin down, so can you tell us about your influences? D - “There is a little bit of crossover, but actually we all have quite different influences. I go for Guns ‘N’ Roses, Black Stone Cherry, old-school Pantera, Metallica, that kind of stuff. Also, I’m into Pearl Jam.” What are Lamb Dog up to at the moment and what can we look forward to in near future? H - “We’re getting our studio together at the moment so we’re able to work on our EP.” Finally, can you tell us where the band name comes from? Why Lamb Dog? H - “We have a band dog, called Lamb Dog, that the band is named after. Everyone wrote down about fifteen names each, so we collectively had about fifty names and we went over the names, and couldn’t decide. Eventually, we said, “Let’s just call us Lamb Dog!”.” You can catch Lamb Dog at the Strawberry Fair on Saturday June 2nd and Club 85, in Hitchin on Saturday, 30th June. In the mean time, check out their Facebook page, lambdogband, for more information, music and listings.
Portland Arms Portland Folk Club ----------------------------Portland arms Model Staggs 7pm -----------------------Man on the Moon Exit state + more ------------------------------
SATURDAY 15 th
Melbourn Rock club Kill Baljo 7:30pm, FREE -----------------------------Man on the Moon Last gang in town: Coffin Nails, Mojo Kings 7:30pm -----------------------------Portland Arms Provisional -----------------------------CB1 Cafe Camsperimental 8pm, FREE ------------------------------
-----------------------------Portland Arms
SATURDAY 9 th
FRI D AY 1s t
Hole in the wall, Stamford Riff Rock covers band 9pm, FREE -----------------------------Monkfield Arms Fusion 9pm, FREE -----------------------------Factory @ Q club 9pm -----------------------------Portland Arms Green Mind presents Hundred in the hands £7 -----------------------------Missing Sock Better than TV 8pm, FREE -----------------------------Man on the Moon DTSP + more
SAT U R D AY 2 n d
Aviator, St. Ives Sledgehammer 9pm -----------------------------Cornerhouse Narrow sound, The Shivers, M people -----------------------------Waterbeach Social club Brookband
Portland Arms Stabbed Panda £5 -----------------------------Strawberry Fair All day ------------------------
S unday 3RD
Deans Bar, Ely Great British Party 8:30pm -----------------------------Portland Arms Portland Folk Club ------------------------------
M O NDAY 4th
Portland Arms Green Mind Presents -----------------------------Ex-Servicemans club Thorney Let there B/DC 9pm, FREE ------------------------------
THURSDAY 7TH
Portland Arms Jim Bob (carter USM) £8 adv, £10 Doors ------------------------------
F R I DAY 8TH
Cross Keys, P’boro Let the B/DC 9pm, FREE -----------------------------Portland Arms Green Mind/Slate the disco: -----------------------------Bad Medicine @ Q club - 9pm ------------------------------
SUNDAY 10 th
Portland Arms Folk club Folk Day ------------------------------
M O NDAY 11th
Hidden Rooms Worldservice Project, Alfie Ryner 8pm, £6 Doors -----------------------------Portland Arms Bad timing: R Stieve Moore + more -----------------------------Portland Arms Bright Club: Dangerous Thoughts £7 Doors ------------------------------
THURSDAY 14th Portland Arms
Paper Aeroplanes
£7 adv, £8 Doors -----------------------------Tram Depot Flack Films 7:30pm
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Portland Arms Stabbed Panda Present: Echo Trails @ 8pm ------------------------------
SATURDAY 16 th Cock, Gamlingay Sledgehammer 4pm
ROC SOC £5 --------------------------------
Rock Lobster 80’s Night @ Q club 9pm ------------------------
SATURDAY 2 3 rd
Man on the Moon Summer Event -----------------------------Club 85, Hitchin ROTW Fundrasier £5, 8pm -----------------------------Stabbed Panda Present: Super love giants @ Portland Arms 8pm ------------------------------
Friday 2 9 th
Man on the Moon Noel Gallager Tribute Band ------------------------------
SATURDAY 3 0 th
The Alma The Tabs 8:30pm -----------------------------The Indie Thing @ Q club 8pm
The Tang Podcast Showcasing the freshest local and unearthed talent in an eclectic monthly mix Previously featured artists include Mikill Pane, G.R.E.Ed.S, Hot Donkey, Lyrix Organix, Dean Atta, Mazoulew, Bobby Tank and Cara Winter Covering everything from House to HipHop, Disco to Dubstep, Chillout to folk, DnB and everything inbetween. Always Looking for new music Tangmusic.co.uk Soundcloud.com/tangmusic Facebook.com/Tangfanpage @andytang