SY On The Sly – Tick Tick Tick…June! by SUIT YOURSELF MAGAZINE

SY On The Sly - Tick Tick Tick... June! June is already here, half way through 2009! So soon? Too soon! June can only mean one thing and that’s the start of festival season! This year’s festivities in Bristol and around are already shaping up to be bigger and better than ever and things are certainly helped when the Met. Office predict an absolute scorcher of a summer! Winner! Get yourself into festival mode with our extensive list of reviews from May and previews of June – including Bristol Design Festival, UpFest and You And Your Work Festival – or if your already itching for some festival loving, gear yourself up with our Summer Festival Scavenger Hunt! June sees the fifth issue of SY On The Sly, the sister publication of Suit Yourself Magazine – Bristol’s number one independent, quarterly magazine which investigates, uncovers and promotes everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant and altogether amazing place to live! Read away and don’t forget to check out the latest issue of Suit Yourself Magazine, our listings service and our constantly updated blog, all found at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

3/ Tick Tick Tick….June! 6/ SY’s Summer Festival Scavenger Hunt! 9/ SY Meets…Rosie & The Goldbug 12/ Bristol to get an Oyster Card? 15/ Auntie Harper

A Sly look back at May

20/ The best of Gigs 30/ The best of Art 46/ The best of Clubs 49/ The best of Stage 56/ The best of Cinema

A Sly look forward at June

60/ Recommended Gigs 64/ Recommended Art 70/ Recommended Clubs 74/ Recommended Stage 78/ Recommended Cinema 80/ Horoscopes by Mystic Ginger For those of you pretending to work, you can also read the magazine online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk and www.bristollistings.co.uk

Summer Festival Scavenger Hunt SY’s Freshers’ Week Scavenger Hunt was so popular it’s now time to prepare yourself for round two! Divide into equal teams and try to collect as many points as possible by completing these tasks in pursuit of the ultimate summer festival experience! Woop! Woop!

!!!POINTS!!!

Insist on wearing your straw hat and sunglasses all day, every day, whatever the weather – 40 points Have messy, drunken sex with a randomer in your tent – 100 points per day you go without washing afterwards Eat something weird and wonderful from a food stall you can’t even pronounce the name of – 60 points Throw a plastic bottle at a rapper – 10 points per bottle, 20 points if they’re filled with piss Take so many drugs you feel your eyes are separated from your body, rave through the night and wake up the next morning in a boat, in a tree, with a chicken – 200 points

Loose an item of clothing in the deep recesses of the mud – 30 points per unrecoverable shoe or wallet Start a random, obscene chant in the campsite at 5am – 90 points Chat to an old hippy with a massive beard for three hours about the multiple uses of tree bark – 70 points Try to shimmy your way up a flagpole but give up about a metre off the ground – 10 points per friction burn Push Kate Moss over in the mud – 1000 points Give up altogether on queuing for the portaloos and just piss in cups in your tent – 5 points per near disastrous spillage, 100 points for shitting in your tent Break into backstage and somehow make your way onto the stage – 700 points

!!!Good Luck!!!

For SY’s extensive summer festivals guide just go to the SY blog: It’s Like There’s A Party In My Field And Everyone’s Invited! 2009

SY Meets... Rosie & The Goldbug Three style-finally-meets-substance pop stars from Cornwall with glitter in their eyes and a strange affinity with ice-cream vans, Rosie and The Goldbug, currently at the end of a mini-tour of America, are on their countdown to take off. Suit Yourself caught up with them for a quick Q&A. Where does the name come from? It does have a classic ring to it, echoes of Bill Haley and The Comets, Iggy and The Stooges, Siouxsie and The Banshess, amongst others. The name is purposefully in the vein of Siouxsie and The Banshees, Adam and The Ants - even Alice In Wonderland. We love the way that these are more than just names, they create a world; this is something we wanted our band name to do so people can become part of our weird world. The Goldbug is a story by gothic author Edgar Allen Poe which Rosie read and felt inspired by. What are your main musical influences? Lots of 70’s and 80’s music - Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, The Cure...you can probably hear these influences. Also some grungier, rockier stuff (mainly from Pixie’s side) like Nirvana, the Pixies, Mars Volta...we listen to quite a wide range of styles and everything influences us, whether it’s a drum groove or a certain synth sound.

The group has a real sense of style. Bat For Lashes and Patrick Wolf are notable contemporary comparisons. Where would you say this comes from? How important do you feel a group’s look is? We played so many gigs in dingy pubs, at first supporting indie/rock bands and often everything about the venues and the overall look of the other bands was so dark and almost depressing that we started wearing bright colours and bits of glitter. It was a half intended and a half natural progression; we just wanted to brighten up the venues and make sure we were noticed! Our look has evolved with our music and us as people. To us the image is important, we want Rosie & The Goldbug to encompass music and imagery and it’s all part of the package! Ted Hughes once said that the greatest influence on his poetry was Beethoven. Do you have any notable outside genre influences? Ice cream vans. I’ve read that Rosie had an interesting, itinerant up bringing. Did that have an effect on developing her imagination? What kind of effect do you think this has had on the group? Yes Rosie’s upbringing wasn’t your average one! Without doubt all our upbringings have affected who we’ve become - your personal lifestyle is all you know as you grow up. Rosie still loves red, shiny, glittery things and stories such as Alice In Wonderland which is something she obsessed about at primary school as there was hardly anything else there! The lack of TV during Rosie’s childhood forced her to be creative with her surroundings and imagination; it’s clearly affected the group through her lyrics, the artwork and imagery of the band (wearing glitter, bright colours and feathers on stage!) and Rosie’s outlook on everyday things is sometimes unusual which inevitably seeps into the band.

What are your aspirations? To be known in the UK as a fantastic live band, to break America, Japan and Europe, to have some chart success in the UK. You’re in New York at the moment, which has a great history of flamboyant groups, and so seems like a good fit for you guys. Have any New York artists influenced you? The obvious one for us is Cyndi Lauper, the Brooklyn-er! We love her music, her stage presence, her determination and her genuine talent. Touring with her was incredible and opened our eyes to realising how long a career in music can last if you want it! Up next is Austin Texas, which has a more macho, Levis’ and axle grease vibe. Apprehensive at all? Nope, just soooo excited! We’ve heard a lot about SXSW and the idea of a festival in the street - amazing! We want to be exposed to different cultures and different music so bring it on! You played in Bristol recently, at The Lanes. It was great for us; how was it for you? It was cool! Any gigs in the UK are great because it’s our home and we want people to see us. The venue is linked with London’s Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes which we gigged at recently and loved. The idea of combining a venue with a bowling alley is great. We hope everyone had a good night! The people of Bristol want to know when you’ll be back. Any ideas? Nothing booked yet but there will be. The sooner the better! www.myspace.com/rosieandthegoldbug James Davey

Bristol Could Get ‘Oyster Card’

Public transport in Bristol is unreliable at the best of times but one potential solution to part of the problem could be the introduction of a smart card system. Similar to London’s Oyster Card, the system works by just touching your card against a sensor as you board any public transport, meaning you don’t have to fumble around for change in your pocket and passengers can more easily use a variety of transportation. Pre-payment smart cards, which could be used on buses and trains around the city, have won cross-party support from the city’s council. Proponents of the concept say that it speeds up passenger entry, cuts delays and simplifies matters for locals and visitors alike but technical issues and the cost of introduction are still obstacles.

Auntie Harper My flatmate is becoming a real pain in the arse. How do I get herto move out without it getting awkward? Why are you worried about the awkward part? Step up and tell the bitch to move out. Personally, I’d just piss on her mattress. The smell of stale wee will surely be enough in tempting her to move out. I think I’m still in love with my ex-girlfriend. What to do, what to do! You need to sort it out mate. She told me that she was looking for a real man and is well satisfied now she’s seeing her favourite Agony Aunt. I don’t think she’ll be taking you back anytime soon. I love your girlfriend. She’s the best shag I’ve ever had! What is Auntie Harper’s recommended booze for the up-coming summer months? Join the Bedminster alchies for a few. Brown paper bag and a bottle of rosé on East Street. Budget Booze or Budget Boozer? The world is your oyster. If you’re lucky, I may join you on my way home from work.

Check out Suit Yourself Magazine, the sister publication of SY On The Sly. Suit Yourself Magazine is a free, quarterly printed magazine that has been going strong for over four years and can be found in every shop, cafe, pub, club, restaurant, hairdresser, gallery and venue all over Bristol! Suit Yourself Magazine is an independent publication, a voice for all those young at heart, those interested in music, fashion, adventure, the arts, their environment and everything in between. A magazine which investigates, uncovers and promoters everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant, and altogether amazing place to live. Pick it up on the streets of Bristol or read back issues at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Donate Now! Help save our sausages and keep Bristol's No.1 independent magazine! Just go to www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk and follow the links.

A SLY look back at May Reviews of all the best gigs, art, clubs, stage and cinema over the last month in Bristol 19

Babyhead (gig review)

Sunday 3rd May 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol If you wanted to see a hyperactive ska band play in front of a hyperactive live crowd, then Thekla’s bank holiday Babyhead offering would have been for you! Showcasing old classics and new material from their third studio album, this was a one-off gig in aid of ‘25 Years Of The Thekla’ celebrations that re-united the band after an amicable New Years split that saw three band members move in new directions. Despite the initial setback (only five of the fifteen band members were present, resulting in an apparent lack of brass) the band compensated well, with lively front man Mancub working up a sweat; his energy and passion keeping the crowd wanting more. In response to popular demand, Krishna proved that it wasn’t a one-man band with its energetic bass solo and guitars and drums provided by JG and Lupo were also impressive. Crowd favourites like Babyboom Town and Recording Device meshed well with new material, keeping the die-hard fans happy and interested new spectators that had packed Thekla all the way back to the bar. This was a million miles away from four childhood friends creating a jazzy, untamed punk sounds in a caravan on the Somerset levels, but the band certainly hasn’t lost its origins and the connection between band members was undeniably still there. A favourite song was new track Jungle Law, a jazzy, lively, number that moved the crowd into dancing that verging of out-of-control and singing along. This certainly wasn’t a gig to have been missed; aside from anything else, their next scheduled gig isn’t until July! www.babyhead.co.uk Della Emsworth & Rory Hugh Evans

Maximo Park (gig review)

Thursday 28th May 2009 @ Academy, Bristol Maximo Park are welcomed onstage with the kind of light and sound display that wouldn’t look out of place at a NASA launch or in a North Korean nuclear bunker, blowing the Academy’s roof and the retinas of everyone present. As the packed crowd shield their eyes, our five favourite Geordies run onstage and explode straight into the instinctive and addictive riffs of Graffiti. Dancing is certainly the order of the day and the front row faithful give it their all every song, inspired and coaxed on by Maximo Park’s enthusiastic front man, Paul Smith. During the gig, he’s a blur of maroon and black chequers, trilby hats, megaphones and flying kicks, throwing himself back and forth across the stage, never missing an opportunity to gyrate atop a monitor. His spotlight has real trouble keeping up with his thin, sweaty frame! They’re here tonight on the last date of their tour to promote their third album, Quicken The Heart, and so we’re given a generous helping of new material. I hadn’t heard any of the tracks before the gig and, to be honest, was left a little uninspired, particularly by the misjudged power ballads, their new material seeming to lack the band’s usual punch. But hey, I thought that about Our Earthly Pleasures first time I heard it and now I recognise it as the ruthlessly buoyant art-pop album it is, packed with hooks hooks hooks! Either way, Paul Smith goes headfirst into the new songs with just as much gusto as the older, adored material. Everything is finally brought satisfyingly full circle though as we round off the night with a vigorous performance of the band’s first single, Apply Some Pressure, triggering involuntary dancing everywhere. www.maximopark.com Matt Whittle www.ianbradleyphotography.com

Metric (gig review) Saturday 16th May 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol There’s no support band tonight, no warm-up, nothing, but who needs it when the atmosphere is already this electric? Thekla has been sold out for weeks ahead of tonight’s visit of electro-pop pioneers Metric and now everyone has eagerly crammed themselves into Thekla’s sweaty hull and you can almost taste the anticipation. Under dim, blue lights, our four favourite Canadians emerge slowly to a deafening roar from the crowd. Metric break us in slowly with the sobering Twilight Galaxy before they unleash the almighty Gold Guns Girls; a rip-roaring, electro-pop opera that could bring a stadium to its knees, let alone the intimate Thekla. Hit after hit is torn through by a band that can only go at full throttle and the hysterical crowd lap it up. Tracks like Stadium Love and Empty carry such a punch that after all the frantic pogoing and moshing, you feel like a boxer reeling from a knock-out blow. Emily Haines spurs the crowd on though. She is the ultimate front woman, beautiful, talented, passionate and intelligent, and sparkles like a dream figure in her sequined dress at the front of the stage. She thrives on the attention and never misses an opportunity to pep things up and inspire even more dancing in front of her. Jimmy Shaw on guitar too, with his catalogue of irresistible riffs, hooks and brutal guitar solos that sound like he’s grown an extra pair of hands, prove more than enough ammunition for the audience to get overexcited about. It’s inspiring stuff and it’s not going unnoticed; I haven’t heard the Thekla cheer and roar this loud is quite some time.

Alongside the new material, Metric wheel out a couple of old favourites like Dead Disco that still feel as fresh as ever and for the demanded encore, the crowd join in a spunky rendition of the band’s most successful track, Monster Hospital, before ending the night on a much more intimate note: Metric have the ability to blow minds with their stadium-ready rock but they show they still retain that ability to touch you with an intimate, campfire performance of Live It Out. I was lucky enough to catch up with Jimmy before the gig and I asked him as a musician, what was his biggest ambition, his greatest goal, his ultimate fantasy; “A dream of mine was to play alongside The Rolling Stones, but we’ve already done that now…actually, something we have talked as a band is to do the first gig in space! That would be insane. I guess we need to get Banson on the phone!” Wow, now there’s something to aim for! www.ilovemetric.com Matt Whittle

Antony And The Johnsons (gig review) Sunday 24th May 2009 @ Colston Hall, Bristol

what we find Beyond gushing superlatives, few have ever tried to explain exactly ing attempt convinc most the s so enchanting about the human voice. Perhap t of ‘the concep s’ Barthe Roland pher philoso comes in the shape of the French who one is voice ich’ ‘grain-r a with singer a s, Barthe For grain of the voice’. are they what of ar manages to emote something beyond the mere gramm which body own their inside deep singing; who communicates something from bodily, singing a resonates in the body of their listener. As such, a voice so core laced with inner an has rather but pure, never is esh”, fl with “language lined it. Such voices with reality, and all the pain, longing and of course joy that goes subversive by socially is terms s’ are rare, so a voice that has ‘grain’ in Barthe to. listen to fortable uncom nature. Often, as a result, even voice with grain to Of course, any voice can only ever be judged subjectively. A however, that argue would many Not you, may seem anaemic to somebody else. grain! bloody lotta gotta Antony Hegarty’s voice has g intimacy to the Playing beneath very dark lighting, which creates an amazin he started in, the clubs ttan Manha show, almost like being in one of the small -esque voice to Simone Nina , ghostly ’s Antony audience sits back and allows by a full band Backed bones. their of marrow the to through way slowly work its o sax) and sopran a for of drums, guitar, bass, cello, violin, clarinet (often taken for Antony sound of ral cathed a create even a harmonium at one point, the group

to sing inside of. The tone, of course, isn’t a bombastic one as you might usually expect from such an array of instruments, but rather one of a man whispering to himself. Perhaps this kind of introspection is what gives the whole thing its “language lined with flesh” quality. No matter how great this group are on record, live is how they should be heard. The song Epilepsy Is Dancing is a thing of wonderment, driven by a twisting, operatic vocal; Shake That Devil an up-tempo saxophone stomp; You Are My Sister and Aeon heartbreaking, string accompanied exaltations that are at their best when performed to a congregation. A standing ovation demands an encore and the group oblige with Cripple And Starfish (one of those songs, though haunting in its lyrical content, you’d be happy to hear go on forever) and finally the truly ethereal Hope There’s Someone, before receiving another rapturous ovation, greeted by Antony and the group with characteristic humility. Lou Reed once said that when he first heard Antony sing he knew he was in the presence of an angel; a falsetto voiced, transgender one of course, or witch, as Antony would prefer to be called. Either way, tonight’s show certainly slots comfortably into the category of ‘revelation’. www.antonyandthejohnsons.com James Davey

Casiokids (gig review)

Wednesday 13th May 2009 @ Start The Bus, Bristol “There are 34 Bristols in the world and this is our first show in any of them!” Casiokids are brand new, fresh out of the packet, untainted, but if there’s any justice in the world they will be absolutely everywhere by this time next year. They’ve got the charm, the pop-sensibilities and, most importantly, the tooooones!!! Norway’s answer to CSS, they are playful and energetic as soon as they squeeze themselves onto Start The Bus’ tiny stage and their wide grins transplant instantly onto the faces of everyone watching. Big Jeff is already off the pogoing starting blocks and after only two songs, the whole room is bouncing; their infectious rhythms spreading faster then an outbreak of Swine Flu. Casiokids’ pulsing riffs and overexcitable synths getting everyone from the windows next to the stage right the way up the stairs, through the back to the bar and beyond shaking their arms and legs, grooving the Bus to its very foundations! Don’t expect to be able to sing along, these boys are on strict diet of Norwegian only lyrics and fact fans will be interested that October 2008 saw the band release the UK’s first ever Norwegian language pop single, the double-a side Grønt Lys I Alle Ledd/Togens Hule on Moshi Moshi Records. The language is far from a barrier though; it gives the five lads onstage an added charm and just means we can concentrate all the more on their blissful electro-pop melodies. Non-stop dancing ensues as they pump out insatiable rhythm after insatiable rhythm and the crowd can’t help but go nuts for it. It’s all over in a flash though; Casiokids as a band are still in their adolescence so only play for about 30 minutes but they end on the kind of high that Howard Marx has been searching for his whole life, the sonic orgasm that is Fot I Hose. All filthy riffs and electrifying synth beats, I couldn’t stop smiling all the way home. Watch this space! www.myspace.com/casiokids Matt Whittle

Graham Coxon (gig review)

Thursday 14th May 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol Shuffling on stage, scratching his head and sipping from a can of Coke, Graham Coxon looks more like a quirky art teacher from Grange Hill than someone soon to be headlining Glastonbury, but then this, combined with classic Coxonisms like mumbling into the mic as he stares at his navel, is a large part of what makes the man so endearing. What has always made Coxon such a great guitarist however, is the subtlety of his playing; each note perfectly placed, no room afforded the purely decorative. This goes a long way toward explaining how he manages to blend the dusty folk-blues-andbeyond of Davy Graham with the alt-rock of Pavement so seamlessly. Tonight’s set is predominately made up of acoustic tracks from his new album The Spinning Top, but is punctuated with heavy, effects pedal driven electric guitar tunes (on one occasion even managing to sound something akin to early Smashing Pumpkins mixed so naturally with foot tapping folk; this is no mean feat). Look Into The Light wouldn’t be out of place in Nick Drake’s songbook, and he even plays a short clarinet solo during the acoustic stomp of Dead Bees. Ironic really that on the eve of a Blur reunion, Graham Coxon should reveal himself to be such an eclectic gem of a songwriter. Comparisons to Elvis Costello certainly wouldn’t over flatter.

Quickly loosening up, Coxon instigates witty repartee with the audience and even pokes fun at the sound man for his striking resemblance to former Oasis guitarist, Bonehead. Relaxed, and looking completely at ease with the laid back atmosphere of this small venue, his easy charm soon illuminates the stage. All very different from the wired neurotic of his Blur days. We can only hope that said reunion, and the series of mega-gigs that will presumably follow, don’t lead to a regression. It seems unlikely however, given he’s just released his most confident and accomplished solo album to date and looks every bit as comfortable in his own skin that someone like Coxon – a shy, paled faced bedroom boy at heart – possibly can be. The show ends with a cover of the Davy Graham version of Babe, It Ain’t No Lie; finger-picked like a natural. There’s no Freakin’ Out but it hardly matters because tonight is more about chillin’ out. Well over a decade since the smash and ruin of Britpop, Coxon has carved out a nice new niche for himself as folk troubadour, it ain’t no lie. www.grahamcoxon.co.uk James Davey

Spartacus Fest (gig review) Monday 25th May 2009 @ Komedia, Bath

Featuring Performances From: Laura Marling, With Love From Humans, Seven Days Of Sleep, Artisan Quarter, Fighting Fiction I arrived at the brand spanking new(ish), lets-finally-get-some-culture-installed-in-Bath-for the-love-of-God Komedia early for the Bath Spa University Commercial Music students’ end of year performances. A couple of years ago Boris Johnson visited our lovely campus, set in the lush green hills, and snorted at this ‘Pop-music degree’, insulted all of us doing creative subjects and pretty much asserted that we were wasting our time and should be doing ‘crunchy’ subjects like Maths and Science. Well fuck you Boris because we’ve got a good thing going on! The first band on tonight, Fighting Fiction, were musically tight and upbeat but could have lost some of the clichés in their lyrics. Their most impressive song, Sanctuary, was about what a good thing asylum is. Next up were Artisan Quarter, fronted by a happy looking hippy who sounded a bit like Brian Molko interrupted by dolphin cackles and swaying. I liked their trumpet and Mogwai-esque backing. Seven Days Of Sleep had two cellos and a violin backing them and a cute, brown-haired female lead who had a soft, soulful voice. Her counterpart was a blonde keyboardist who provided lovely harmonies (when her mic was actually turned on) like on 59, a song about being infatuated with someone who really actually doesn’t like you at all. The pièce de resistance of the Bath Spa set was With Love From Humans, a funky mass of guitars and a trumpet who really had me dancing! The evening climaxed with a headliner I was amazed was singing for our petit university do; the striking, angel-faced nineteenyear-old (really, nineteen!) Laura Marling. I think I am a little obsessed with Ms. Marling; her lyrics, as often pointed out, are far more mature than one would expect, as is her bewitching and prepossessing voice. She describes her songs as ‘optimistic realism’ which says it all really. For the first time in the history of all the gigs I’ve been to where I’m a fan of the band, I wasn’t standing there thinking ‘please play my favourite such and such song’, I was instead happy to be under her spell, to listen to whatever she wanted to sing and yes, here comes the bit where I agree that she echoes Joni Mitchell — but this girl is the next big thing with a capital T! She could be modern folk what Amy Winehouse would have been to modern jazz. Towards the end of the night she asked us all; ‘I’ve never been a student and never will be, do you think I’m missing out?’ There was a mix of cheers and boos as the audience tried to answer but I thought some of us go to university to nurture and mould our underlying talent but with as much raw talent as you have Laura, no I don’t think you’re missing out. www.bathspa.ac.uk Sophie Collard

Basement Jaxx (gig review)

Friday 1st May 2009 @ Colston Hall, Bristol Basement Jaxx took to the stage in spectacular fashion with their glorious hit single Good Luck sung by one of the many singers touring with them. The live band are flawless and the live mixing by Felix recreates all the songs perfectly. The real stars on this tour though seem to be the many guest vocalists; five to be precise. The three female vocalists brought tonnes of soul to tunes such as Oh My Gosh, Red Alert and a beautiful acoustic version of Romeo. The male vocalists brought the famous rap to Jump N Shout and harmonise other tracks. As a live show, these guys can do no wrong. They have a ball on stage and bring everyone along for the ride! The energy was infectious and made everyone in the whole venue dance from beginning to end. Even all the seated punters in the balcony were on their feet by the second song. The carnival show style continues as we discovered that all the singing performers had a different outfit for every single song in the set. All of these costumes helped make the show a colourful visual spectacle. If you have never seen Basement Jaxx live before then you are missing out on something truly special - these people party like no other dance act! They bring every classic track to life better than any DJ set ever could. Felix and Simon continue to make original and soulful dance music which makes their tours the best night out you could wish for. www.basementjaxx.co.uk Stu Freeman

Andrew Bird (gig review)

Sunday 10th May 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday evening in Bristol docks that begun with a dynamic lively band, Cortney Tidwell, playing support to a packed out crowd within the belly of the Thekla boat/club. Andrew Bird was up next beginning his set alone, creating the tune simply using his customary loop pedal, clapping, whistling, singing and but two of the infamous amount of stringed instruments he has become celebrated for. In essence, this intro was an introduction not only to the gig but to Andrew’s unique style. His band members joined him mid-song and went on to play new track Not A Robot, But A Ghost from the most recent album Noble Beast. Bird also gave a nod to his older sounds such as Fake Palindromes and Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left both from The Mysterious Production Of Eggs. This really got the crowd going with individuals hanging on to each note and longing for the next. Bird at times played with this notion, purposefully and overtly shifting timing of the lyrics and tune, playing cheekily with the audience’s expectations in a lovable fashion, consistently reflected in his cheerful, sneaky expression. The Thekla’s amps took a while to warm to Bird’s music but once the sound was sorted after the first few tracks, the space itself allowed the performance to feel intimate and gave a fantastic atmosphere that went well with Bird’s band’s character and genre of music, with everyone leaving the venue feeling content with smile upon there face, a hop in there step and attempting a whistle. Andrew Bird’s joy and passion for music is nothing short of infectious. www.andrewbird.net Kyle Von Brown

The Maccabees (gig review) Monday 4th May 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol

Perhaps sensing the buzz in the air for tonight’s Thekla show, Maccabees frontman Orlando Weeks and co took to the stage in buoyant mood, launching straight into belting newcomer No Kind Words. The brooding track – one of the latest LP’s many standouts – built menacingly into an exhilarating sing-a-long and the indie upstarts simply didn’t let up from there, rocketing through a scintillating hour-long set for the anthemhungry hoards. As epic as the Wall Of Arms songs sounded, it was still the dancier, jerkier cuts from lo-fi debut Colour It In, a la the exquisite X-Ray, that got the biggest response. The momentum was astonishing, with only a slightly awkwardly-placed rendition of new b-side Accordion Song – featuring axeman Felix White on vocals – threatening to interrupt proceedings. However, by the time the five-piece closed with superbly-executed crowd favourite First Love, any such clumsiness had long been forgotten and utter euphoria had returned. With the sweat-drenched crowd gasping for more, the boys returned for an encore with latest single Love You Better, a tension-filled mountain of a song that positively soared in the live setting. There was a noticeably warm sensation hanging in the air as the lads departed – one of genuine satisfaction that us lucky punters had been able to catch The Maccabees in action at the Thekla that evening. Judging by their showing, and the sheer brilliance of Wall Of Arms, they’re not going to be performing at such small, intimate venues for long. www.themaccabees.co.uk Ian McDonald

Johnny Foreigner (gig review) Monday 11th May 2009 @ Louisiana, Bristol With Support From: Oxygen Thief, Tubelord

There is a prophesy written in the stars above Bristol that if the local celebrity that is Big Jeff graces a musical event with his presence, it will be a good gig. Sure enough, his Jeff-ness is at the front of the stage at Louisiana for all acts performing tonight. First up is local chap Oxygen Thief aka Barry Dolan who describes himself as ‘one man acoustic loudness’. Oxygen Thief hits the strings of his acoustic so hard if that guitar was a child it would be placed into care. A very good performance but just one criticism – it was a bit short! I would have liked to have heard more as would the majority of the crowd. Next up is the increasingly popular Tubelord. If you like your indie-rock/math-pop and you’ve not already checked out this London threesome then quite simply do. Tubelord’s entire set was entertaining and quite frankly, very good. This is probably why their fan base is expanding like a skinny-jeaned, plaid-shirted amoeba. To pull on a particular highlight of Tubelord’s performance would have to be when front man and guitarist Joseph Prendergast jumped off stage mid-song, set up his mic amongst the crowd, put on a pig mask and continued to play and sing the remainder of the song. Impossible to not be entertained! Up step the headliners, Johnny Foreigner. The band plough through the songs off the debut album Waited Up Til It Was Light while throwing a few from their 2007 EP in for good measure. The singles Salt, Peppa And Spinderella, Our Bipolar Friends and Eyes Wide Terrified get the front singing along and dancing like it was their last night on Earth. Tubelord’s Joseph joined Johnny Foreigner on stage playing along with the band. One second he’s stood next to me appreciating the music, next minute he’s transported himself on stage with guitar giving it his all!

Front man Alexei Berrow seduced the crowd with his floppy fringe and witty commentary. He likens Hull (last night’s show) as ‘possibly the worst place on earth…the other side of the wardrobe.’ I’ve been to the Hull, as a city it’s not that pretty. To put into a context that those who’ve not visited Hull, it’s as attractive as Wayne Rooney, were Wayne battered with the ugly stick, then set alight. The Hull-battering went down well with the crowd, we know Bristol’s awesome but we still like to hear it all the same. Everything about Johnny Foreigner is interesting; the aesthetic, the music, the lyrics…I would actually watch this performance live even if it were on mute. You would be hard-pressed to find a review of Johnny Foreigner that isn’t full of praise; this review is not the exception to the rule. www.johnnyforeignermusic.com Fay Harley

Youngblood Brass Band (gig review) Saturday 2nd May 2009 @ Fiddlers, Bristol Youngblood Brass Band are from Wisconsin. They’re a progressive, raw, acoustic group and have released three albums of hip-hop and riot jazz with a bit of samba thrown in. No synths, no artificial sounds, just brass and percussion. This kind of acoustic dedication makes for a perfect live performance as there is no sound you’ve heard on the album, that the band couldn’t create right before your eyes. Youngblood’s are a live performance force. They don’t just play music for you, they push it into you. Warm up act, Imperial Leisure, a local ska band, did their fair share of crowd frenzying an hour before the Youngbloods took to the stage. In fact, a mosh-pit had emerged the instant they started their first song, but it was the brass the crowd were gunning for. Youngblood Brass Band didn’t disappoint; kicking off with Centre: Level: Roar, favourite and classic Culture: Envy: War and ending the set with my personal favourite, Brooklyn. Some tracks from Is That A Riot? were scattered throughout the set as well as a few newer or updated tracks. One particularly beautiful and epic solo from new saxophonist Zach Lucas was welcomed by the crowd as a chance to stop jumping around and simply appreciate his talent. Band leader, Dave Skogen kept crowd interaction to a minimum, dropping in a few jokes here and there. At one point, as he told us which shops the album was available in but then he seemed to have a change of heart and said; ‘You know its pretty hard to find our album, record companies don’t seem to really like us, but hey, burn it from your friends, we don’t care!’ By then, Dave could have asked us all to stand on our heads for the rest of the show and I’m positive we would have, such is the power of the Youngblood Brass Band. www.youngbloodbrassband.com Agatha Knowles

(art review)

Innovative Two Dimensions Friday 8th until Wednesday 13th May 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery, Bristol When I tell people I study two-dimensional fashion they say; ‘Ooh - That’s really interesting!’ Most people expect a fashion student to be labouring away designing and making garments and accessories but there is another side to it. Two-dimensional fashion covers a number of subjects such as illustration, photography, styling and magazine work. On May 8th hidden down a dark, dank alleyway, the Centrespace Gallery was buzzing with excitement and laughter as we opened our first show to the public, displaying our final pieces of our three-year degree specialising in two-dimensional fashion at UWE. Organised by Ellie Rymell from my course, all fourteen of us got together to try and create an exciting and diverse show displaying what the new generation of fashion photographers, illustrators and stylists have got to offer the world of fashion and art. On Leonard Lane, just off Corn Street, Centrespace Gallery really is an unexpected hidden gem. Surrounded by fairy lights, this white space was the perfect space for our show. The work we displayed here was greatly varied and worked brilliantly as a group. As fashion students we wanted to make the show fun but still professional. With swing music in the background and everyone dressed up, the gallery soon filled with people discussing and admiring the work.

The illustrators from our group produced work that pushed the idea of what fashion illustration is; from expressional, experimental drawings of the female form to intricate and delicate embroidered birds and fluid ink illustrations. On one wall was displayed a huge photograph of a model underwater, surrounded by swirling fabrics and bright explosions of colour by Ella Nott. This piece and its great scale, which had a quality of a painting in composition and colour, made you feel like you could almost step into it. Other photographs varied from being embossed, voyeuristic and cleverly photo-shopped. My own images were three small ambiguous photographs of the female silhouette surrounded by large white mounts based on the theme of solitude. One of the students, Joanna Wills, studying styling, had produced a Perspex box containing a professionally bound book with pages filled with her own drawings and photo shoots displaying her progressive work and strong style of block colours and futuristic Edward Scissorhands references. The show was a real success and we hope the next one will be just as good. Our work will be shown again alongside the three-dimensional fashion studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; catwalk in the Passenger Shed at Temple Meads Saturday 23rd May 2009. We also have another private view on Friday 12th June 2009 at the UWE Bower Ashton campus. Alexandra Walters

Weapon Of Choice Gallery: Opening Group Show Exhibiting between Friday 8th May and Tuesday 2nd June 2009 @ Weapon Of Choice Gallery, Bristol Featuring Artwork From: Cheba, Stanley Donwood, Inkie, Lokey, China Mike, Mr Jago, Andy Council, 45RPM What with the regal art institution of the RWA jumping on the graffiti bandwagon earlier this year with their ‘top-down’ look at Bristol’s very popular class of art, it was refreshing this month to see the little guy succeed too with the opening of the brand-spanking new Weapon Of Choice Gallery. St Michael’s Hill’s latest addition is a lip-licking example of a ‘bottom-up’ approach to the same class of art, an approach which is now paying dividends its creator; local graffiti artist, Cheba. Back in the day when graffiti was still on the cusp of exploding into popular culture as it now has in Bristol and artists who are now household names were still cutting their teeth and getting to grips with their cans, one of the first tags I distinctly remember seeing on pretty much every spare bit of wall going was Cheba’s very own wavy tie wearing, wide-faced schoolboy. Bristol rewards the motivated and determined and Cheba has always been one to bring graffiti to the people. Last year he brought a live graffiti and music night to Mr Wolfs, a monthly dose of art battles under the new guise of Weapon Of Choice, and though that is still going fantastically well (every second Tuesday of the month – June 9th sees Lokey vs. Nikill), Cheba is still itching for more and so has opened a new gallery! Weapon Of Choice is a brand which has now grown synonymous with our favourite goateeclad graffer (so much so that when he was asked to do us a front cover he couldn’t help but slip in a subliminal reference to it) and so it was the obvious choice as a name for the gallery. The Weapon Of Choice Gallery then is a new space to showcase graffiti and other art, to show the world the artists of Bristol and also show Bristol the other interesting artists of the world. The Opening Show was the benchmark, highlighting exactly what we would like to see more of in the future from the gallery; a heady mix of medias and techniques from an equally heady mix of local and international graffers, illustrators and painters. Top draw! www.weaponofchoicegallery.co.uk

Matt Whittle

Bristol PhotoMarathon 2009

Saturday 16th May 2009 @ Photographique, Bristol Exhibition running between Friday 22nd and Friday 29th May 2009 @ Southbank Centre, Bristol The principal of a PhotoMarathon is very simple: just turn up, collect a disposable camera, and then take twenty photos of twenty topics. This city’s first PhotoMarathon was coordinated by the lovely people at Second Look and was completely embraced by the people of Bristol. As I arrived on the Saturday morning of the event, Photographique was already bustling with life and energy as over 100 people flocked to take part. There was a fantastic spectrum of ages and abilities, all eager for the creative challenge. Step one for us was to go somewhere for breakfast and brainstorm some ideas over tea and sausages. Just reading through the topics really got all our creative juices flowing and suddenly everything around us became the inspiration for a photo – literally in the first case as the leftovers of our breakfast become a clever little way of showing off our registration number – drawing it out in ketchup! Each topic could by interpreted as literally or as abstractly as you fancied and our endeavours turned into a fantastically fun afternoon walking around Bristol debating ideas. We created a lot of fake ceremony in taking each of our photos with some hilarious and memorable results: The heavens opened during our set up for ‘Circles’ and we were forced to create a human shield against the elements; we got some very strange looks for getting semi-naked in the grounds of St George’s for our ‘Layers’ photo; and our mission to capture a kiss on the cheek for ‘X Marks The Spot’ became a desperate agenda of contrived chat-up lines and voyeurism. It was frustrating not being able to find a shot you were happy with because you knew you were limited on time but was equally thrilling when a fantastic opportunity presented itself or a shot came off perfectly. It

was equally frustrating but pleasantly disarming having to use a very ordinary disposable camera. In our digital age we’re all so used to taking an infinite amount of shots willy-nilly but here you were really forced to think extra carefully and really take your time over every exposure. The challenge was exciting though and the Photomarathon would never have worked and not nearly been as much fun if we all had amazing Digital SLRs. Photo purist will complain but by limiting the technology and time available, the competition becomes a level playing field and therefore accessible to everyone; professional photographers alongside amateurs looking for a fun day out. Each could realistically produce a photo as good as each other as the competition became more about the ideas behind the camera rather than just technical ability. Equally, we’re so used to instantly seeing how our photos have turned out on the screens of our digital cameras that it was with a strangely regressive excitement that I nervously enter the PhotoMarathon exhibit – How did the shots come out? Was it light enough? Was my finger in the way? Was it framed properly? Should I have turned on the flash? Will the ideas come across? What did everyone else come up with???

part in the PhotoMarathon or not – just the sight of those 2000 photographs together is jaw-dropping! We spent a good hour examining ours and everyone else’s entries, being inspired, impressed and tickled with all the results. It was fascinating to see how many other people had similar or completely different ideas to some of your own and how they faired, better or worse, in capturing them. All in all a brilliant event and I can’t wait for the next one! www.secondlook.org.uk Matt Whittle

Flying Lotus (gig review) Monday 4th May 2009 @ Start The Bus, Bristol With Support From: Samiyam, Rekordah

Aside from audio-visual wonder Weapon of Choice, the Bristol music scene suffers from a distinct lack of eye-candy to match some of the tip-top aural stimulation that the city enjoys. Spotting this, and squeezing neatly into the gap, comes Pattern, a new night hosted by Start The Bus that aims to fuse live visuals and exciting sets from cutting edge musicians, all in the homely format of a pre-11pm gig. Who better then to headline the launch night of such an event but Warp Records master Flying Lotus, whose abstract audio soundscapes and quirky beats lend themselves brilliantly to visual exploration. Blending hip-hop with more organic, jazz-inspired progressions, FlyLo (as his fans affectionately abbreviate him) has become one of the most sought after producers of recent months and the breathtaking 2008 album, Los Angeles, immediately became an essential record on every beat-loving hipster’s wind-down playlist. No reviewer can fail to mention his connection to the Coltrane dynasty (his great-aunt is the late pianist Alice Coltrane) if for nothing but interest’s sake, but the hazy ambience, experimental production and purposely messy quality of his lopsided beats speak masses of his musical heritage. The brave creatures that powered through the thick and painful fog of a bank holiday weekend hangover were rewarded with an increasingly energetic live performance from FlyLo, laced with refashioned album favourites and affectionate reworkings of many a track by top Bristol producer Joker. Playing to a sea of bobbing caps, disk spinning from DJs Nemo and Vespertine, the distorted sounds of Pollen coordinator Rekordah and the hip-hop beats of fellow L.A. dweller Samiyam prepared the way for FlyLo’s headline set. Like a medallion-clad engerizer bunny, Samiyam’s hip-hop heavy set turned too-cool-to-dance scenesters into bouncing devotees. All was accompanied by undulating visuals from Vector Meldrew, which were projected on to two above-stage screens and an exciting arrangement of white cones in one of Start The Bus’s many darkened nooks. With such a strong double act of Flying Lotus and Samiyam, Pattern.one was always going to be a successful affair. More could have been made of the visuals but despite this and grumbles about the less than mind-blowing sound system, the guys at Pattern have proved that they can book quality acts and innovatively blur gig/club distinctions to provide top producers with an opportunity to showcase their live work. And all, as promised, in time for a bed and a mug of Horlicks. www.flying-lotus.com Laura Snoad

Carny-Ville Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May 2009 @ The Island, Bristol Sinister magicians, bearded ladies, pox-infested nightwalkers, a cage fight between a seal and lion: it’s probably not your average Saturday night out in Broadmead. Existing in a dream-like realm between a party and a play, Carny-Ville was an old-fashioned circus-style romp masterminded by the overwhelmingly skilful Invisible Circus, a now Bristol-based collective of circus and street performers. Complete with Dickensian rogues, popcorn stalllined dance floors and oozing faded gypsy glamour left, right and centre, Carny-Ville offered a night of devilish entertainment that encompassed a variety of circus treats from fire dancers to old-school fairground games. Over 200 volunteers came together to transform the former Police and Fire Station, now a collection of studio spaces known as The Island, into a giant den of debauchery for three nights only. Roll up, roll up… the circus of your nightmares has come to town! In the vast outdoor area gypsy beats, dance troops and many a weird spectacle could be seen on stage, as the entertainment only paused for breathtaking sets from trapeze artists – who incidentally seemed to get more androgynous as the night went on – and death-defying tightrope walkers. The master of ceremony, a captivatingly belligerent bearded lady, teamed up with a drag queen DJ to keep the party alive and caused clouds of fire to spew from the twisted Victorian lampposts at moments of intense excitement. In the main theatre glitzy showgirls performed flamboyant cabaret and seductive hula tricks, whilst others gracefully entwined their athletic bodies in trapeze ribbons before swinging dramatically from seemingly perilous heights. Performers sinisterly mingled with the crowd, although many punters got into character so well it was often hard to distinguish your average ne’er-do-well from the actors.

Dotted around a warren of delight-filled rooms was an assortment of other wonders. Put your pennies in his slot and the human jukebox would issue you with a charming rendition of any tune from an extensive list, including his own covers if you asked nicely. Behind an unmarked door, noticeable only on account of incongruous sack of peanuts outside and the excess of shifty characters about, was the animal brothel. After a tentative knock, you were led to meet a menagerie of creatures, including the feline king of the jungle, a vain peacock, hyperactive and mischievous ape, child-like seal and a bolshy pimp, who would ask punters in a indistinguishable eastern European accent whether they wanted to ‘spend time’ with some of his ‘pretties’. After propositioning your beast of choice, you arranged a price (mostly in monkey nuts) and then ventured into the caravan, yes caravan, to get your money’s worth. Inside portraits were penned, philosophy was discussed and no doubt many an animal lover was worked into a frenzy by some heaving petting, if you’ll excuse the pun. For the spectacular finale, ghost-like maidens abseiled from the building’s heights as another seemingly peddled across the outdoor arena on an imaginary bicycle immediately above the audience’s heads.

Meanwhile a mass of fire-dancers gyrated and performers cackled; captivated onlookers had no choice but to pinch themselves in disbelief. After the main acts were over, revellers danced late into the night, pausing to rest their weary bodies on a lush collection of sofas, beds and the odd coffin. In the taxi queue a charming gentleman fresh out of nearby Syndicate asked me where the hell we’d come from. I simply answered, ‘another world.’ www.invisiblecircus.co.uk www.mayfestbristol.co.uk Laura Snoad

Mayfest 2009 (stage review) Running between Friday 1st and Saturday 16th May 2009 @ Various venues across Bristol As part of Bristol Old Vic’s front of house team, I seem to witness some pretty wacky things. I’ve spent shifts hunting for dinosaurs in the Studio along with gaggles of excitable children and I even once served a coffee with a shot of gin in it – yes, it did curdle – but nothing has come close to delight and frenzy that has been Mayfest. The fest has been a two-week whirlwind adventure of ground-breaking theatre, a fun-loving atmosphere and seemingly never-ending bar shifts. As soon as the influx of reclaimed chairs, kitsch tablecloths and dusky lampshades arrived, we knew we were in for enchantment. The downstairs bar was transformed from wipe-clean chic to a vintage cornucopia. This prop shop-come-folk den provided some unusual finds, like a telephone box once frequented by Daniel Radcliff that “smelt like magic and horses,” according to one FOH joker. The joyous soundtrack to the Old Vic’s temporary makeover was provided by Mayfest co-producer Matthew Austin’s ipod, Beirut and Bat For Lashes making each lonely bar shift (it’s pretty lonesome when you guys head inside) that little bit more inspiring.

At the launch party we worked like speedy bar squirrels to make sure we kept up with your insatiable thirst but also played the part of ushers-come-maiden aunts, preventing the more inebriated punters (and staff) from initiating a health and safety nightmare. Live music and reviews floated back to us throughout the night and we felt like disco-Nazis when, after time was finally called, we had to heartwrenchingly shoo out all the merriment. The usual perks of the job applied, like being to ask the actors all those niggling questions over a post-performance pint, but during Mayfest every query seemed a tad more bizarre. From “which character suits you best: dog, penguin or walrus?” (Polaris) to “how’s onstage nudity treating you?” (Kellerman), it all felt like pub banter between friends rather than pretentious hobknobing. Not only was there camaraderie behind the scenes but the audience too seemed far keener to get know the folk that tore their tickets. Whether it was the charming Mayfest regulars or hip, young things that hadn’t lingered about the theatre before, there was more post-play chitchat, complete with loving, loathing and liquor, than ever before. One of the best parts of the festival was sharing with the you some of the Old Vic’s stunning and secret enclaves that we have the pleasure of wandering through every day. We led you backstage to our paintshop, an intimate space with an arty warehouse feel, perfect for animated puppetry of The Paper Cinema and playful DIY aesthetic of Our Father’s Ears. During The Weepers, you saw the exquisite and historically invaluable Theatre Royal from an actors-eye view and had a chance to witness the charming mechanics of lowering the iron. Kellerman may have sparked marmite-style reactions, but most agreed that the visually stunning blurring of the cinema/theatre divide helped to see a very old space in a startlingly modern light. And ushering for My World is Empty Without You tested my commitment to contemporary theatre to the limit – I stood alone on a Clifton corner for several hours in squall and highviz, like a weathered neon hooker – but I pulled through and was still smiling, mainly because my features had frozen that way. Amongst Mayfest’s packed programme of shows, workshops and events, we were all entertained, inspired, touched, educated, provoked, impressed, intrigued, offended, excited and challenged. We shared drinks, opinions, ideas, debates, fish and chips, cycle rides in the rain and bacon sandwiches. We made new friends, made new discoveries and some were quoted as having had life-changing experiences. What more could you ask for from a theatre festival?

2009 saw the biggest Mayfest yet and correspondingly, it was the biggest year for coverage of the festival by Suit Yourself Magazine. For all of our reviews of Mayfest 2009, just follow the links: Carny-Ville (The Invisible Circus) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/performance-review-carny-ville/ Polaris (Adriatic) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/theatre-review-polaris/] The Smile Off Your Face (Ontroerend Goed) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/theatre-review-the-smile-off-your-face/ Our Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ears (Tinned Fingers) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/theatre-review-our-fathers%E2%80%99-ears/ Kellerman (Imitating The Dog & Pete Brooks) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/theatre-review-kellerman/ The Adventures of Wound Man and Shirley (Chris Goode) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/theatre-review-the-adventures-of-wound-man-and-shirley/ Of All The People In All The World (Stanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cafe) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/artstage-review-of-all-the-people-in-all-the-world/ My World Is Empty Without You (Duncan Speakman) www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/theatre-review-my-world-is-empty-without-you/ www.mayfestbristol.co.uk Laura Snoad

Synecdoche, New York Screening between Friday 15th and Thursday 28th May 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol “There are 13 billion people in the world – can you even start to comprehend how many that is? – and none of them are an extra, each is the lead in their own story.” This is the fundamental idea behind Synecdoche, New York, Charlie Kaufman’s directorial debut, the writer of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Philip Seymour Hoffman shines as Caden Cotard, an aging theatre director battling with severe depression. As an escape from his failing marriage and ailing body, Caden becomes obsessed with a theatre piece he wants to create, a show that will be his legacy; something real, something pure, something truthful. As the years pass, Caden buries himself deeper and deeper into his incredibly ambitious masterpiece, surreally blurring the world of his play and his own deteriorating reality, but as outsiders looking in, are we watching Caden’s life story, Caden’s production, the insane inner-workings of Caden’s mind, or some sort of postdeath epilogue? The film too is wondrously ambitious. Deep philosophic questions are explored like an individual’s significance and the essence of humanity itself and you often feel like you are watching five films at once, overflowing as it is with ideas, stories and provocative messages. We spend a lot of time too exploring (what I like to call) ‘Truman Show Syndrome’ about life itself being a performance; that strange feeling which motivates as much as it unsettles that everything you do has meaning, that someone, somewhere is always watching. Each subject it tackles could easily fill its own film and Synecdoche, New York’s downfall is that you end up feeling like you’ve watching half of five really interesting films - overwhelmed and a little unfulfilled. As a single film it often gets very confused and though it was too surreal for my tastes, I did find it very thought-provoking. That said, Synecdoche, New York does stir something inside you though and you will leave with an altered perspective of humanity. www.watershed.co.uk

Matt Whittle

(cinema review)

A SLY look forward at June Previews of all the best gigs, art, clubs, stage and cinema coming up next month in Bristol 57

Bristol Design Festival (festival preview) Between Friday 5th and Thursday 11th June 2009 @ The Old Firestation, Bristol Following hot on the heels of last year’s success, Bristol Design Festival is back with a vengeance. Not only will visitors see a return of the old favourites, such as the ever popular Grafikea table design competition, the Eco Design Show and a plethora of exciting exhibits to whet your design appetites, but there is a whole host of new initiatives ready to inspire and educate. “It is great to be back organising the design festival again for a third year. It has come a very long way since our first exhibition in 2007 with just 25 exhibitors,” says Festival Director, Neil Ferguson. “This year, the festival has grown enormously with 30 venues across Bristol showcasing work from over 500 exceptionally talented companies and designers and we are still only scratching the surface of what is out there.” The main event, as with the previous two years, will be held at The Fire Station on Silver Street but look out for other exciting events at The Lanes, St Nicholas House, The Create Centre, King Street Studios, Jamaica Street Studios, Bristol City Museum, Diana Porter, The Tobacco Factory, The Grain Barge, Bristol Folk House, The Architecture Centre, Room 212 Gallery, Queens Courtyard and Bristol Royal Infirmary. For the full programme of events, visit: www.bristoldesignfestival.com

De La Soul (gig preview)

Thursday 4th June 2009 @ Academy, Bristol Where is hip-hop going and where will De La Soul go with it? These hugely popular hi-hop trio bring their outstanding live show to Bristol, packed with all their classic hits including Three Is The Magic Number, All Good and Me Myself and I. www.myspace.com/delasoul

2ManyDJs (gig preview) Tuesday 9th June 2009 @ Academy, Bristol Together, David and Stephen Dewaele, two brothers from Belgium, are infamously known as 2ManyDJs, but together with Stefaan Van Leuven, Steve Slingeneyer and Dave Martijn, they also make up the alternative rock 4-piece known as Soulwax who are international superstars in their own right. All in all, a class act, from two of musicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most talented young individuals. www.2manydjs.com

Bizali â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Album Launch (gig preview) Friday 19th June 2009 @ Fiddlers, Bristol Bizali are Bristolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own alternative funksters. Expect a big party at Fiddlers in aid of their latest album, Dance Yourself Alone. www.bizali.co.uk

Other Recommended Gigs for June in Bristol The Horrors

A Hawk And A Hacksaw

Wednesday 3rd June 2009 @ Thekla

Wednesday 17th June 2009 @ Fiddlers

White Rose Movement

Aqualung

Thursday 4th June 2009 @ The Fleece

Thursday 18th June 2009 @ Thekla

Me First & The Gimme Gimmes

Jamie T

Saturday 6th June 2009 @ Academy

Sunday 21st June 2009 @ Thekla

Quantic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Album Launch

Jack Penate

Thursday 11th June 2009 @ Watershed

Wednesday 24th June 2009 @ Thekla

UpFest’09 – The Urban Paint Festival (art preview) Saturday 6th June 2009 @ Tobacco Factory, Grain Barge, Bridewell Island Police Station and View Art Gallery

Bristol is internationally renowned for its wide range of cultural and vibrant street art pieces and that makes it the perfect venue for UpFest. The Urban Paint Festival returns to Bristol with over 150 contemporary urban artists travelling from across the globe to take place in what is set to be the largest ‘live’ art event in Europe this year. Following the staggering success of Upfest’08, the shows organisers have gone all out this year to make 2009’s festival even bigger and broader growing from one venue to seven! The festival encourages a wide range of urban art styles including graffiti, stenciling, pasting and screen-printing but this year keep an eye out to for extra eccentric techniques like exploding paint and painting with remote control cars! Once again the festival will raise awareness and support for the local charity NACOA (National Association of Children of Alcoholics). www.upfest.co.uk

Jamaica Street Artists Open Studios (art preview) Open between Friday 5th and Sunday 7th June 2009 @ Jamaica Street Studios, Bristol With Opening After-Party on Friday 5th June 2009 @ The Croft The Jamaica Street Artists Studios have been an active and vibrant home to numerous artists, illustrators painters, photographers, film-makers, embroiderers and sculptors for over 20 years. Each year they open their doors to the public to showcase their work so head along and check it out for yourself! This year the event is particularly exciting because the artists have been given the opportunity to purchase the building from their supportive landlords, securing the future of the studios as a permanent home for the arts. They aim to convert the ground floor into a gallery/ shop and space to run seminars and workshops, widening participation to the arts in the local community, encouraging new audiences and to help act as a catalyst to regenerate Stokes Croft. SY caught up with Emma Dibben, one of Jamaica Streetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current artists to chat about the upcoming Open Studios event: Can you introduce yourself and your work? I am a freelance illustrator working in pencil, inks, gouache and sometimes collage and at the moment specialising in food illustration. My work is inspired by time spent on my allotment growing my own fruit and vegetables.

What are the Jamaica Street Artists Studios? These studios are a brilliant, lively and inspiring place to work, with 43 artists currently working behind the cast iron façade of this old carriage works. Jamaica Street Artists (JSA) encourage a broad variety of disciplines and it’s a principle of the studios to take on newcomers as well as established artists so there is a really good mix of stuff going on. The very strong community is what makes Jamaica Street so special and having other artists to work alongside and to give each other advice and support is really precious when many of us have experienced the difficulties of working alone. I moved into Jamaica Street in 2005 and it really turned things around for me. What can people expect to see if they come to the Open Studios event? The Open Studios is a fantastic chance to come and see an inspirational and lively exhibition of work from some of Bristol’s most talented and diverse artists and makers! Come meet and chat with the artists and help support us in securing the future of JSA. One of our designers has made a beautiful book that brings together a piece of every artists work for £5 and there will also be a mini canvas auction with all proceeds going towards securing the future of Jamaica Street! See you there! www.emmadibben.com www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk Matt Whittle

Other Recommended Art for June in Bristol PLATFORM: A Selected Group Exhibition

Tuesday 9th until Saturday 13th June 2009 @ Broadwalk Shopping Centre Hand In Glove seeks to engage with artists that are in the midst of the transition from further education into professional practice, easing this often difficult process. The exhibition is motivated by a DIY approach for artists to get their work seen, with the intention of raising creative profiles and generating opportunities for those involved. www.hand-in-glove.net

Exposure

Saturday 13th until Wednesday 17th June 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery Photography graduates from City of Bristol College have their annual end of course exhibition. The diverse and individual work on show represents the culmination of two years work and the finale of the course itself. www.centrespacegallery.com

Tommy Støckel’s Art of Tomorrow

Saturday 20th June until Monday 31st August 2009 @ Arnolfini Geometry, scale and perspective are essential to the work of Tommy Støckel. His fascination with modernism and science fiction novels from both the 19th and 20th centuries are reflected in his installations. Questions such as what would modernist architecture of the 20s/30s/40s have looked like if they had today’s technology? are central to his practice, looking to obtain a science fiction writer’s aspiration to speculate on possible futures as well as imagining alternative courses for things to have taken (and may go on to be). www.arnolfini.org.uk

(Regular Club Nights) Monday

Tuesday

Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

9 Ball Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

Wednesday

Academy Bierkeller The Cooler Elbow Rooms

Mr Wolf’s

Every 2nd Tuesday – Weapon of Choice – Live graffiti. £3

Native

Run – Drum & Bass. £4/£5

Open Mic Night

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Ramshackle – The UK’s biggest alternative night out. £3/£5

Phuct – Punk, metal and rock to make your spine tingle. £3/£5

Ooompah – Boozy mayhem, pefect for Stag/Hen parties. £5.50

Every 1st and 3rd Thursday – Beat Surrender – Live bands and indie DJs. £4/£5

Espionage – Live bands and sixties funk and soul DJs. £4

Klub Kute – Classic and new indie. £4/£5

Crunchie – Party music. Free

By The Pool – Part music. Free

Alternate - Empathy, Byte, Tape, Monterpiece, The Blast. Techno, house, D&B.

Western Soul – Live bands and DJs.

Grass Roots – New and old reggae. Free

Oceana

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Monday Night Chill

Shipwrecked – Student Night

Poker League

Po Na Na

Fatpoppadaddys – Funk and indie classics. £2/£3

Queen Shilling

Treason – Bristol’s only gay alt/indie night. £2

Wednesday Wannabe – Karaoke. £2

Start The Bus Syndicate Thekla

Propaganda – Massive indie night. £3/£4

Gorilla Audio – Indie/pop. £2/£3

(Regular Club Nights) Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Come Play – Themes, live acts.

Commercial RnB, Garage, Pop/ Rock, Dance.

Over 21s.

UK Club Culture – Under 18s.

The Shisha Mashup – Musical mash but free shisha! £1/£3

Soul A-Go-Go – Funk and soul. £3/£4

Po Na Raa – Collars up, cocktails down. £6

Shagtag – Student night. £2/£4

Camp as Tits – Themed chart and dance. £3/£5

Alternate – Glow, Core, Sale, Switch. Dance and funky house.

Bat Cave – Alternative mash-up. Free

Alternate – Wriggle, What A Drag. Alternative.

Alternate – Beef, Juke2000. Alternative.

Sunday Roasted – Dance and cheese. Free

Voodoo – Dance and old school.

Death From Above – Indie, electro. Free/£3

Alternate – Fruity Antics, Shoestring, Hospitality, Play, Monkey! Knife! Fight!, Blow Pop. Liquid D&B and electro.

Socialism – Indie, electro, punk. Free/£5

The Tale of Lady Stardust (stage preview) Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd June 2009 @ The Wickham Theatre, Bristol Drama Department Ziggy and Gary wait patiently for the day of judgement in a dingy tower block flat in south London. Finally, today, there’s someone at the door. The cautionary tale of a box, a believer, a dubious angel and David Bowie. “I will bring distress on men because they have sinned against the Lord. Zepheniah 1:14. Very good Gary, I’ll get you some Ribena” www.bristol.ac.uk/drama/theatre

Peter’s Friends (stage preview) Sunday 28th June, Sunday 26th July, Sunday 27th Sept and Sunday 25th October 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol Four evenings of mind-melting magic with Peter Clifford, the ‘secret star’ of the contemporary magic scene! Peter – part of the original creative team for Derren Brown’s TV series and first live show and who also appeared in Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory’s production of Julius Caesar earlier this year – will be performing alongside others of the conjuring elite, from mind readers, street performers and card sharks, to pickpockets, comedy magicians and presenters of brain stunning bamboozlements; the best magic from the best magicians. In the first show, on the 28th June, Peter Clifford shares the stage with Peter Wardell - the Magic Circle Close-Up Magician of 2009. Peter Clifford says; “I love the weightless sense of wonder we feel as those things we are certain of are shown to be surprisingly and utterly wrong…. It is a feeling that I will bring to the Tobacco Factory with this series of shows.” www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

You And Your Work (stage preview) 5pm till late Saturday 6th June 2009 @ Easton Community Centre, Bristol You And Your Work is a free performance festival bringing together the best in theatre, performance, installations and live art alongside live music and world food. This is the festival’s sixth outing and this time it’s international! Expect artists and companies from as far afield as Australia, Singapore and Spain performing alongside several Bristol and UK favourites in the creation of a memorable night at the Easton Community Centre. Heading up the line-up is Sydney based performance artist Malcolm Whittaker who is currently on a cultural exchange research trip funded by the Australian government to strengthen his practice through experiencing the thriving British cultural scene and sharing his work with us. It is a rare privilege to see Malcolm’s new show which focuses on the performer’s fear and desire for the spotlight; ‘The Red Room’ is a space where the performance is longing to and resistant to take place. Will you help Malcolm make it through the fear? Also, fresh from their wonderful outing at Mayfest 2009, Bristol favourites Tinned Fingers will be on hand to take over the Bristol to Bath Railway Path in a commissioned interactive performance ‘The Carrier Pigeon Project.’ As an audience member Tinned Fingers invites you to entrust them with your messages; they are ready to send, deliver and receive. “You and Your Work is not only aimed at committed art audiences,” says festival co-curator Sylvia Rimat, “but it seeks to give an opportunity to a wider community to see selected, good quality, risk-taking work by emerging artists and meet and talk with them.” www.youandyourwork.blogspot.com

Other Recommended Stage for June in Bristol Ray Collins Dies On Stage Tuesday 2nd until Saturday 13th June 2009 @ Alma Tavern Theatre

Playwright Ray Collins is angry. Ray Collins is dead. He’d been telling everyone it was coming for years of course. But typically, after finally getting the doctors to take his illness seriously, he’s been finished off by a hospital superbug. Trapped inside his own version of purgatory, a badly-directed version of his final autobiographical play, Ray takes us on a rollercoaster ride through his four decades of ill-health and theatrical disappointments. A tale that can only be redeemed by love… www.steppingouttheatre.co.uk

Machinal Thursday 11th until Saturday 27th June 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre

Machinal is a powerful expressionist drama about the dependent status of women and the living hell of a loveless marriage. The relationship between Helen and her husband is typical of the time. Confined and regimented to wife, mother, housekeeper and sexual partner, it is no wonder her head is turned by the sudden arrival of a man who offers her a momentary glimpse of passion and solace. www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

Brunch with Bond, James Bond 12-noon Sunday 7th, Sunday 14th, Sunday 21st and Sunday 28th June 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Spend your June Sundays with 007 himself at the Watershed with this special season of classic James Bond films fortified by a delicious brunch in the Café/Bar before the screening. The four 007 films have been digitally restored frame by frame to celebrate the centenary of legendary Bond producer Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli’s birth. This is Bond as you have never seen him before – gloriously restored and presented as originally intended: on the big screen. The four ultra-classic Bond titles on show are Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. “I musht be drrreaming…” www.watershed.co.uk

Other Recommended Cinema for June in Bristol Anything For Her Friday 5th until Thursday 18th June 2009 @ Watershed

A taut, tense and thrilling chain of events sees Julienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Vincent Lindon) wife jailed for brutal murder and the tale of this ordinary man resorting to extraordinary measures to prove his wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s innocence. www.watershed.co.uk

Looking For Eric Friday 12th until Tuesday 30th June 2009 @ Watershed

Ken Loach returns to the big screen with this philosophical footballing comedy. Soccer-mad Manchester postman Eric is losing control over what little remains of his life. Despite misplaced goodwill from his mates, he eventually has to turn for help to his hero: footballing genius Eric Cantona. www.watershed.co.uk

Behind The Pink Curtain: An Introduction to the Japanese Sex Film Saturday 25th until Monday 27th June 2009 @ Cube Cinema

An introduction to the Japanese pink film (pinku eiga), the sub-industry of low-budget, softcore, indie sex films screened in specialist cinema networks since the 1960s and still going strong to this day, presented by Jasper Sharp of the website Midnight Eye and the author of Behind the Pink Curtain: The Complete History of Japanese Sex Films. www.cubecinema.com

Gemini: You are extra fertile this month and everyone can smell it on you. Make the most of it; they won’t gather around your front door like that forever. Cancer: Saturn entering your chart this month may cause drowsiness – do not attempt to drive, use heavy machinery or walk unaided. Avoid grapefruit. Leo: Single Leos will find romance this month as Jupiter’s descent brings a surprise change of cellmate. Be brave. Nobody respects a screamer. Virgo: You may feel you are going in circles for the first half of the month. Try swimming through the plastic archway for a change, or nibble at the miniature castle. Libra: Time to get your affairs in order. It’s Margaret on Wednesday, Lucille at the hotel on Friday night and you promised to do the little-finger-technique on Camilla on Sunday. Scorpio: The planets move in mysterious ways this month, and so will your bowels. Uranus is descending, I’m afraid. Get comfortable – this could take a while. Sagittarius: You may feel tension from your boss this month – then again, you may not notice anything until it’s too late. And it’ll be your best friend that does it. Your lucky footwear: concrete boots. Capricorn: It feels like a bit of an uphill slog this month, but it’s just the stairs. Let yourself go a bit, haven’t you, Capricorn? And those jeans are giving you a muffin top. Aquarius: Mars and Mercury are rising in your chart this month; you will need to slap them down. Assert your dominance quick, or they will rip your skin off with their planety teeth. Pisces: Go with the flow this month, Pisces. You will have to – you will be producing excessive bodily fluids from all orifices. Just act like you meant to do it. Aries: A bit of a dull month for you, Aries. Although it does look like you will find Jesus. Or the DVD remote. It’s not clear which. Taurus: Have your cake and eat it. And then have another one. Eat them all. Why not, no one will ever love you again anyway.

On The Sly - June Issue

Editor: Matt Whittle / matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk CEO: Faye Westrop / faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Design and Illustration: James Penfold / penfold@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of Suit Yourself Magazine. Suit Yourself Magazine and SY On The Sly are independent publications distributed throughout Bristol. Advertising Enquiries: faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Contributors for May Issue: Ian Bradley, Kyle Brown, Sophie Collard, James Davey, Della Emsworth, Anna Freeman, Stu Freeman, Faye Harley, James Harper, Agatha Knowles, Ian McDonald, Laura Snoad, Alexandra Walters, Matt Whittle