THE KENT’S
G I G GUIDE
NO. 1
FREE
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
MAGAZINE
HEVY FESTIVAL An INside Preview
+ Interviews with The Wanted & A Thousand Lights + Ben Mills recording in Sandwich + Reviews of olly Murs, Sons of One and more!
Issue 19 | July - August www.the-gig-guide.co.uk
Deal’s friendly high-street music bar
July
August
8th - Outcome
7th - Broken
10th - Scandal
13th - Donna
15th - Radio Riot
14th - Tony Johnson Band
16th - Charlie
19th - As Is Now
17th - Crazy Daisy
28th - Jon Wells Band
22nd - Chris (As Is Now) 23rd - Jon Wells Band 24th - Archive
32 High Street, Deal, CT14 6HE Tel: 01304 369115
EDITOR’S LETTER
are us! I hope, like me, you estival season is upon summer gigs of de ltitu mu the to looking forward r. ughout Kent this summe coming your way thro On The nge Lou and vy He be of course r gigs alle Highlights for me will sm tic tas fan ng to be some Farm but there are goi your ears open! and led pee s eye r around too so keep you nted gave w with Jay from The Wa A spontaneous intervie reading oy enj ’ll and I’m sure you some hilarious results in a fight! This is on e tak ld cou he ks which animal he thin in July. e slot at Leeds Castle ahead of their headlin t Lympne this festival Hevy returns to Por Dutton Kent’s largest alternative James ser ani org l tiva fes the year and I caught up with to attracting ssion from small stages to chat about the progre ape Plan! Esc er ing Dill The er stars; massive acts like our cov et to look as usual and don’t forg Check out our reviews missed section. be to not our and ngs towards the back for listi ! a field listening to music See you somewhere in
F
Bradley McManus Publishing Manager
EDITOR’S LETTER E-mail: bradley.mcmanus@ thanet-publishing.co.uk Telephone: 01843 282528 Website: www.the-gig-guide.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGigGuideKent Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheGigGuide Post: The Gig Guide, Thanet Publishing, Westwood Business Park, Strasbourg Street, Margate. CT9 4JJ For advertising enquiries, contact Bradley McManus Telephone: 07809526433 E-mail: bradley.mcmanus@ thanet-publishing.co.uk Blackberry Messenger: 2610962D
Publishing Manager: Bradley McManus Creative Director: Lorna Morris Writers: Toby Foster, Ben Tipple, Stuart Miller & Anthony Martin Photographer: Ryan Morris Managing Director: Phillip Moore
Cover image courtesy of Hevy festival
The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Publisher. © Copyright 2011. All parts reserved. No part of The Gig Guide may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publishers. The Gig Guide will make every effort to return picture material but it is sent at the owner’s risk. Due to the nature of printing processes, images can be subject to a variation and therefore the publishers cannot be held responsible for such variation.
3
CONTENTS
CONTENTS Features The Wanted Interview
6
Hevy Festival
10
Summer Festivals
16
A Thousand Lights Interview
22
When does a band become a business?
24
Ben Mills: Back in the Studio
28
Reviews
33
Regulars
4
Wordsearch
15
Caught in the Act
26
CD Reviews
30
Gig Reviews
27
Listings
39
Not To Be Missed
50
Deal Hoy Your welcoming meeting place in Deal. Come to a traditional inn with a difference. Good beers, wines and food with live music and art exhibitions. A special atmosphere including the beer garden in Deal which has a nautical theme and unique outside kitchen. Live music every Wednesday from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. & every Sunday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Join our facebook group: www.facebook.com/pages/ The-Deal-Hoy/186559846057
GIG lISTINGS July 3rd SOUL SISTERS 6th IAN SHAWCROSS 9th MACMILLAN GARDEN PARTY £15.00 PER TICKET • MISS PUSSY D’AMOUR • DOVER PATROL • AUCTION EXTRAVAGANZA • IAN SHAWCROSS • CLIVE METCALF • HARRY MARTIN 10th SALTY DOGS 13th EK1 FOUR PIECE 15th LIZ MOTT 17th TRIO BAMBULA 20th VOX DELUXE
24th TONY JOHNSON 27th WITHOUT THE BLUE 31st ANTIQUES ROAD SHOW
August 3rd IAN SHAWCROSS 7th DOVER PATROL 10th GEOFF EVERETT 14th CULTURED PEARL 17th LOLA SOUL 21st LADIES OF THE LAKE 24th ELECTRIC LADYBAND 28th SALTY DOGS 29th MISS PUSSY D’AMOUR 2PM 31st THE OUTCOME
art | Beers | Garden | events Food | live Music | Wines 16 Duke Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 6DU Telephone: 01304 363972
FEATURE INTERVIEW
The Wanted Interview by Bradley McManus The Wanted are appearing Live at Leeds Castle Sunday 17th July 2011 with Alexandra Burke, Eliza Doolittle, Aggro Santos, Stacey Solomon, Twist & Pulse, Jodie Connor, China Soul, NVS+ more! Last year you guys supported The Saturdays at this event. How does it compare now to be headlining? Yeah we pretty much can’t stop talking about it. Last year, not only was it nerve racking because it was a huge gig but a load of people in the crowd had never heard of us. We’re all really excited about this gig and to be headlining is just insane. Do you know any of your fellow performers? When All Time Low went to 6
number one Pixie Lott was in the next corridor and we all went mental but in our room there was a balcony. On the next balcony along was Eliza Doolittle and she said something like, “well done,” and then just asked for some hairspray. The most embarrassing thing was that Tom actually had some! So where are you and what are you up to right now? Surry, in a country house – brilliant! There are loads of studios here and we’re writing which is dead good. We’re doing it all for the second album now. How’s that coming.... So far really good. We had a creative meeting and everyone is kind of getting into gear. People keep saying, “ooh, the second albums a difficult one,” but I really don’t think it’s going to be
Interview with Jay McGuiness like that at all, we’re just raring to go and ready for it. Someone has pencilled in a release date for November but if it’s done before then, who knows. Your first album had some big named writers on board. Is this going to be the same with album two? We’re definitely using Steve Mac again. He’s really good at finding out what people are good at and focusing on that. We’re doing all sorts of tracks at the moment and we heard one yesterday that we love. In some of our last gigs we did a kind of Taio Cruz cover and we haven’t heard from him since so we hope he hasn’t taken that too badly! We’re all excited to work with any new people and of course there were a few before that we wrote on our own and we are going to try and better those too.
Is there any news on breaking America? I know you’ve signed to Def Jam... When we do go over we will be working with them but nothing is set. Nothing is confirmed but it was done all pre-emptive because we are focused on absolutely owning it in the UK because you always want to do better and make sure we keep our fans happy here before we do anything else. Are you guys looking forward to the festival season? We would actually love to go to all the festivals and we have discussed trying to blend in with the students but to be honest we’re pretty much going to be working. Last year we worked hard and were so tired but we’ve just been told, “you can work twice as hard as that,” so I doubt there’ll be many days off! 7
INTERVIEW
What’s been your highlight from the past year? That we actually got our own tour! We were always asked what our dream was and it has always been to have our own
Gig Guide 5 Tea or Coffee ? Tea Biggest pet hate? People that snore and get phlegm in their throat, makes me gag. What’s the biggest animal you could take in unarmed combat? What a question! Biggest animal would be a.... cow! Yeah they’re big but they are pretty peaceful. I think i’d probably jump on it’s back and twist its neck. As a vegetarian of course I wouldn’t actually do it but if it’s me or the cow, the cow is going! Worst Cook? Nathan – I have never seen anything like it. If you brought someone from the jungle and show them a Pot Noodle they would just be like ‘how does that even happen?’ – that’s Nathan! Most Sensitive? Nathan – youngest. It was his 18th birthday the other day and well, you know how your body is a huge percentage of water? We replaced that with alcohol.
8
tour but you never know if your fan base is going to be big enough to make it happen. We actually did and we are all dead grateful and it was amazing. How did your Comic Relief single come about, that must’ve been quite special? We had the single ready and done, it was one of the first we did and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but we were approached and asked if we would like to represent the charity single this year. I think it was panic stations for the record company because even though it was ‘ready’ we still had a lot to sort out. I can’t tell you how great Comic Relief are and they really do amazing stuff so we tried to get our fans involved with more than just buying the single. At this point I heard a crash in the background whilst on the phone to Jay Jay: (laughs) Siva has just walked straight into the door! Jay: Can you just shout out your pain level from 1 to 10? Siva: It just hurts! Jay: He’s gone all kinds of red, come on Siva we need a number... Siva: 8....
You can get tickets to see The Wanted along with Alexandra Burke, Eliza Doolittle, Stacey Solomon and more on Sunday 17th July by visiting: www.heritage-events.co.uk
FESTIVAL
HEVY FESTIVAL Interview by Bradley McManus I stole a few minutes of organiser James Dutton’s time as he prepares for the biggest Hevy yet. Why did you decide to put on this festival in the first place? Even when we first started putting on tiny little gigs in Canterbury that no-one came to, we always knew that a festival was the Holy Grail for a promoter but we didn’t want to tackle it until we felt we could deliver. As well as being the style of music we’ve always been into, we felt that there wasn’t really any festival catering for the alternative crowd in this corner of the UK. And we didn’t want to step on the toes of any of the great little events down here – so we set out to do something different. How has everything grown and what’s the workload been like? We’d seen a fair few events be far too ambitious in their first year by thinking they can run a huge festival from day one. We wanted to take small steps and slowly grow our events to create something unique, and stable. 10
Having said that, we only started with those tiny gigs less than 4 years ago – so it hasn’t taken very long to get to this stage! The workload is insane but because we all enjoy it so much and care about the festival, it never seems like a burden. Even at its worst times, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Nothing worth doing is easy. Have you always been interested in ‘alternative’ music? It was my sister that first got me into alternative bands when we were younger. She’s a couple of years older than me so became aware of this stuff before I did. I try to keep an open mind, and have friends that are into all kinds of music, but working on Hevy has meant I’ve spent ages researching and discovering heavier bands over the last few years, which I’ve really enjoyed. There are some insanely talented bands out there, who are writing music that will blow your mind. I’ve nothing against other genres, but this is the music that speaks to me the most. Who are you most excited about this year? The Dillinger Escape Plan. And Four Year Strong. The Ghost Of A Thousand’s last ever show will
FESTIVAL
be epic too. Oh – and I really like Funeral For A Friend’s new album. Then there’s Defeater, La Dispute, Touche Amore, While She Sleeps.... In fact it’s all bloody good. But it’s when we confirmed Dillinger that we celebrated the most. That was a really big deal for us. Who was on your wish list for this year’s festival who you have managed to sign up? Dillinger. We knew from before last year’s event that we wanted that band for 2011. We spend months talking to them, and I still can’t quite believe that we’re flying them over exclusively to play our little festival. It’s totally fantastic! Who would be your dream headliners? Ha – that would be telling! We have bands that we really want to work with. Some of which are a little to big for us at the moment – but we’ll get there. Our audience know exactly what we’re aiming for, and hopefully they trust us to deliver the best we can each year.
What was your highlight of last year’s festival? Personally – having spent the weekend running round site missing all my favourite bands, getting to watch half of Glassjaw’s set was immense. It gets so chaotic keeping on top of everything, you need those moments of clarity to remember what it’s all about. I just stood there and let it wash over me, thinking - ‘Holy crap. We did this!!’ Port Lympne again, do you think this is becoming Hevy’s home? We’d like it to be. It’s a lovely site and gives us plenty of room to grow over the next
11
FESTIVAL
few years. And waking up to the sound of lions roaring and monkeys screaming is totally surreal. Seriously though - they do such admirable work to conserve endangered species, and every ticket sold helps fund their efforts. It’s really great to be part of something like that. What’s going to be different from last year? We’re changing the site layout quite a bit. As last year was our first time as a proper weekend camping festival it was a very steep learning curve, and there’s plenty of aspects we want to improve. This year we will learn from last year’s oversights, and amplify all the strengths. Last year was ace - but this year will be even better. How many hours sleep did you get during the festival last year? Nowhere near enough! I didn’t sleep at all on Thursday night. Just worked solidly from 6am on Thursday through until about 3am on Saturday morning. Then had a few hours sleep before the first bands turned up. It’s tough – but as it only once a year you have to power on through. I plan to get a lot more sleep this year. 12
We’ll see how that goes…. If there’s one thing that the fans can do to help you guys during the festival, what is it? Have a ridiculously fantastic weekend! I would say don’t drop litter or use the fence as a loo, but to be honest, it means a lot more to us if people enjoy what we’ve spent the last 12 months planning.
VENUE
WE NEED YOU! List your Gig!
Are you a band or venue that wants to promote your gigs? Visit the Gig Guide website and register to upload your gig information. We will then list you in the next issue of the magazine which is delivered widely across Kent venues.
MUSIC / COMEDY / THEATRE / ART / DANCE / OPERA / POETRY / FESTIVALS / + more
The Gig Guide is always looking for things to put in THE next issue. You can get involved in one of the following ways. •
Send us your new releases. Album, EP or even single!
•
Let us know of any events going on in Kent that you think we should know about.
•
We will list your gigs for FREE in every issue. Just visit our website and upload them to our system.
•
Want to get involved and advertise? Give us a call and we can arrange a custom designed advert for no extra cost.
•
Venue, band, artist, theatre, pub, music shop, pa hire – anything!
•
Been to a gig? Send us a photo and it could be featured in ‘Caught in the Act’.
•
Want your venue or band featured? Let us know why and we could choose you!
Contact Bradley: Email bradley.mcmanus@the-gig-guide.co.uk Call 01843 282528 Text 07809526433 Our BBM Pin is: 2610962D
www.the-gig-guide.co.uk 13
INTERVIEW FEATURE
ASTOR COMMUNITY THEATRE
East Kent’s Premier Venue
For Music, FilM, TheaTre, class & clubs, arT exhibiTions lisTings Friday July 8th @ 7.30pm (Theatre) Accidental Collective - Performance art installations - £5 Saturday July 9th @ 1pm (Dance Workshop) The Bollywood Experience Various prices Saturday July 9th @ 7.30pm (Music) Legends Live featuring Norman Wisdom, Elvis Presley, The Carpenters and many more! £10 advance £12 on the door Thursday July 14th @ 7.30pm (Comedy) Astor Comedy Club presents prior to their Edinburgh Festival performance, Jim Smallman, Ian Smith and Rob Beckett - £6 Friday July 15th @ 7.30pm (Music) Smugglers Records present Cocos Lovers Album Launch - £5 Monday July 25th @ 8pm (Film) Norwegian Wood
Thursday July 28th @ 7.30pm (Comedy) Astor Comedy Club present prior to their Edinburgh Festival performance Andrew O’Neill and Diane Spencer - £6 Friday July 29th @ 7.30pm (Music) A Ceilidh - £5 - children under 12 free Saturday July 30th @ 7pm (Music) Charity Rock concert in aid of Cancer Research UK See website for band line up - £5 Astor First Annual Beer Festival (Festival/Music) Thursday August 11 and Friday August 12 11am - 11pm Bands, BBQ and lots and lots of beer and cider £3 entry A fundraising event for the Deal Maritime Folk Festival Friday August 19th @ 7pm (Music) Raw Deal - The Metal One - £3 Friday August 26th @ 7pm (Music) Audioshock + guests - £5
Astor Community Theatre, Stanhope Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 6AB Telephone: 01304 370220 14Email: info@theastor.org
14
FUN
BRADLEY’S
MUSICAL WORDSEARCH
See how many you can find: • • • • • • • •
A Thousand Lights Hop Farm Castiel Jamie Woon Chiodos Jay Dillinger Lounge
• • • • • • • •
Enoteca Rosco Festival Skindred Herofest Sons Of One Hevy The Wanted 15
R E M S M L SU TIVA S E F
FESTIVALS
Words by Bradley McManus There are two main problems with festivals. One; more often than not demand will be far greater than supply and two; there’s the price. At the time of writing this article a pair of tickets for the Reading Festival with set you back around £350 on eBay. Add to this an ‘early access pass’ (another £40 each) and travel, you are looking at nearly £250 per person! To put this into context you can get 7 nights in Spain all in, for around the same price. I’m not going to go into a mass debate about whether these festivals are worth spending hundreds of pounds on. I have been to several festivals of different sizes and I know that
16
once you’re there the money is irrelevant. I went to my first festival in 2004 and ever since then I have been hooked. There’s something quite magical about waking up in a boiling tent and having the mental dilemma whether to walk across the field to get some water and queue... or just open a warm beer? I took my guitar to V festival in 2006 and ended up playing an impromptu gig for about 150 people with my bass player with people screaming requests . Another festival goer dragged over an amp from the party tent and then we were set for the night – it was a truly special evening. Once you have been to one of these festivals you become a member of a very welcoming club who share stories of the best acts, the
FESTIVALS
worst weather and the random friends you have met along the way. My personal favourite was a stranger ushering me to the side in a festival and showed me a very drunk man who was trying to restring his guitar with strawberry laces! There has never been a better time to enjoy the fruitful variety of festivals available in Kent throughout the summer and more importantly they cater for all wallet sizes and interests. If you are after a mainstream pop festival then you can’t go wrong with Lounge on The Farm with headliners Ellie Goulding and The Streets. It will cost you a fair bit for a full ticket but you cannot argue with the talent on show.
Unbelievable! Exclusive UK dates on our doorstep! But what if you don’t have a spare wad of cash lying around? Don’t think you have to have a festival free summer! The Lions Den festival will only cost you £3 if you get an early bird ticket and there are 15 bands playing all day long. That means it will cost you 20 pence to see the incredible Springtide Cavalry among others. If you’re on the other side of Kent near Gravesend you can check
Alternatively you could check out HEVY. This festival is not for the faint hearted so be sure to check out our interview with organiser James Dutton in this issue. There are some epic bands playing for a very good price! The trio of meg-fests is completed by The Hop Farm Festival which has absolute mega-stars Prince, Eagles and Morrisey headlining! 17
FESTIVALS
out Herofest for only £5 with over 40 bands and 3 stages! That’s only 13 pence per band! The value for money at local festivals is unbelievable. Then if you have no money at all and you fancy a free gig, you only have to open your eyes a little more and you will be rewarded. First of all you can nip along to countless pubs for free afternoon and evening gigs that often have a few bands playing (check out our listings).
You can always put on your own little festival too! I don’t doubt that most of you reading this are in a band yourself or even know a few people who are. Why not get together, put a BBQ together and play some mutually appreciated music? I’m sure you can find a spare
18
couple of quid to come along to these local festivals and you really should make the effort. A great day supporting local events that will only grow with your help, you never know, next year we may even have Lady GaGa....if enough people come. Of course there is no possible way to list every single outdoor event, festival and gig. There are just way too many but the Gig Guide has done its best and you can find a little festival section in our listings at the back of the magazine. No matter where you are headed in July and August, have fun and make sure you let us know about your best experiences on our Facebook page as we’re going to put some of the best ones in the next issue. Get out there, see some live music, play some live music and have fun!
FEATURE ADVERTORIAL
20
FEATURE
21
FEATURE
A Thousand Lights Interview & Images by Bradley McManus I went along to meet up with A Thousand Lights at one of their practices underneath ‘The Accommodation Shop’ in Dover. After banging my head on the basement ceiling and cracking open an energy drink I was ready to interview Neil, Josh, Stu & Dee. How long have you guys been playing together? J: Well Neil (Drummer) only joined about 3 months ago but altogether we’ve been together for about a year, year and a half – something like that. Also we went to college together and were friends with Stu as well. You guys seem to play a lot of gigs. I assume you’re enjoying that? N: Yeah with all the people helping us out, Jez especially, we are trying to build up working relationships with people so we can keep getting more and more gigs! We did a gig a while back and we just got talking to him and he’s been helping us out ever since. S: We’ve got a load on the go and a couple more are being spoken about but not as much 22
as what we had last year or the start of 2011. We had at least 2 a week, at least! For Neil to come in at that time and perform to that standard was just amazing. How do you find time to fit in everything else? S: Our lives are this band, everything else comes second – if one of us clicks their fingers then everyone appears! You’ve played a few gigs with The Flack now. How did that come about? N: We met them through Jez and his band Suspects… S: We got friendly with the band and they asked us to open for them at their album launch and that’s kind of it. We like their music and they’re great guys. Is there any sign of a full album on the cards? S: We have the album coming out this year! J: We’re mixing it with our EP ‘Giving Up This Town’ so it’s going to be half that and half new stuff and we’re re-recording the whole thing… N: And with me being in the band now the songs have progressed quite a bit and some sound completely different so there isn’t going to be any
FEATURE
repeated music. J: We’re hoping to record any day now so hopefully we can get it out in July… Is the band your full time job then? S: I work for the band full time booking gigs, leafleting and calling people. This is complete commitment and we want to do everything we can. Just promoting more and more and more! N: We’re all doing all sorts but the band comes first. So what’s been the best gig you guys have played? N: Westcoast with Missing Andy S: The Flack album launch or when we supported Wheatus. J: There was a gig up the road at The Priory in Dover which was mental, everyone was on the tables and the whole night was a blur. Who do you guys sound like? Who are your influences… D: They’re all varied, we’ve got such different backgrounds.
we just thought, what the hell, lets just put them all into one so now we’ve got this epic seven minute song! N: Them two will set the song up and within ten minutes I’ll pull something out J: It’s trial and error, what we love one day can be hated the day after! N: I will say that I’ve never broken as many sticks as I have in this band! J: Yeah we are using some really heavy gauge strings and they are still snapping! So if we can get a string or stick sponsor that would be great! N: Along with our £1 mics and ‘Singstar’ mics I think that we’re pretty dedicated! The images are from their gig at The Red Lion in St. Margarets the same day of the interview. Make sure to check out our review of their current EP later in this issue!
OK, who are your favourite bands then? S: Guns ‘n’ Roses J: Red Hot Chilli Peppers D: Greenday N: Sometimes when I’m on stage I like to pretend I’m Travis Barker… What are you looking forward to later in the year? S: Herofest – that’s through Jez as well! J: Anything really, always looking towards any gigs. We haven’t played for two weeks and we just feel so weird. What’s your writing process? J: It’s always music first but it really depends. It’s either me or you (Stu). S: Yeah, like on Monday this week we were trying to write a few songs at once but nothing was seeming to really stick so 23
ADVICE
WHEN DOES A BAND Words by Stuart Miller Over the past few years, H M Revenue & Customs (HMRC) started a major crackdown on groups of people who are making money and not declaring it as earned income. Over the last year, one of the most common targets for HMRC has been musicians. There is a belief amongst many musicians that they don’t have to declare their income until they are signed to a record label and are making a lot of money. Based on HMRC guidelines, any person receiving payment for a service or make use of their skills should declare this under self-assessment. Therefore, if you have ever received income from performing in a band or as a solo artist, you should be declaring this income. Now, I’ll be honest, this does seem a little excessive if you’re only making £10.00 here and there for the odd gig. I’m not saying that everyone should start panicking that they’re going to 24
be investigated by HMRC for not declaring income or registering themselves as self-employed musicians but if it is discovered that you haven’t declared this income, you could receive penalties and be charged interest on any unpaid tax. It should also be mentioned that HMRC are now keeping an eye on pubs and clubs which put on live music shows. These venues have now been asked to start keeping a record of the names and addresses of all the people who they pay throughout the financial year for performing music. This information will be handed to HMRC on request. If you have to declare all your income, you can offset any expenses relating to your band against any income you receive. This can include expenses such as new guitar strings, drum sticks and advertising costs. You can also claim a proportion of rehearsal costs if you pay for a rehearsal space. If you have made a profit from your earnings after deductions, you
BECOME A BUSINESS? would be taxed at the same rate as you would be through your employment income. However, if you have made a loss, you may be able to offset this against your employment earnings. This could lead to you receiving a tax rebate. As mentioned in this article, any income received outside of your employment should be declared to HMRC. After speaking with an HMRC officer regarding this subject, their view is that while the income received initially is low and potentially loss making, throughout the year the income could increase substantially and therefore lead to a high tax liability. This is why all musicians should declare details of their income and expenditure to HMRC. If you are to register yourself as a self-employed musician, I would suggest you do the following: • Make sure you register yourself as a self-employed musician within three months of your first paid gig. If you register after three months
you could receive a penalty from HMRC of £100.00. • Keep a record of all the venues that you perform at along with the dates and income you receive. As a majority of your income will be paid to you in cash, there will be no paper trail and this is why keeping a record is important. • Don’t include expenses that are unrelated to your performances. Despite what many musicians believe, buying alcohol before or after a gig does not count as a legitimate business expense! • If you have any questions regarding this subject or if you have any other taxation queries, please feel free to send me an email or call me and I’ll be more than happy to help.
Stuart Miller Client Tax Manager Email: smiller@pentins.co.uk Tel: 01227 763400
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Ben Mills - Dave Neal Studio
Lightz Jack Bowden, City s The Beercart Arm
Nick Curtis, Firstb orn Heroes The Beercart Arm s
26
CAUGHT IN THE ACT
line Wilson Olly Murs with Caro The Winter Gardens
Tanner Wayne, Chiod os The Westcoast
Young Adult Faction The Attic
-
27
FEATURE
Ben Mills:
Back in the Studio Words & Images by Bradley McManus
get back in the studio and he had given himself quite a task.
Ben Mills is one of the artists caught up in the media storm that is The X-Factor. Ben was third in 2006 but this is just a small part of his musical career.
“I’ve actually picked the most complicated song to record. It probably isn’t the best way to start but I like a challenge”
I was invited along to the studio to catch up with Ben and hear his latest material. Some of you may remember that The Gig Guide featured his last album ‘Freedom’ when it was released in 2010. This album reached number 78 in the national chart from downloads alone and if you consider this was done on an independent record label, it is certainly something for Ben to be proud of. “If I can beat that with this next album it would be great. The last album was such a rush and we didn’t even have time to push it properly. This time it is a much slower and we can really focus on the details of the music and getting the name out there” Ben was recording a single after he promised his fans he would
‘You’re Wrong’ will ‘most likely’ be Bens next single though he hastens to add this is not something he is trying to get into the top ten. It is something for his dedicated fans to listen to while they wait for the full album which has been pencilled in for the end of this year. Ben’s musicians turned up and started practicing and improvising on the song that had been written for them. It was clear to see that there was a long history with the guys as Ben explained. “When X-Factor came around the group disbanded, it had to. I was so busy with the show and having to do things with management that there was no time for the group. It was a real shame because we were starting to get a good thing going but when
FEATURE
something like that comes along you have to take notice. We have only just got back together this year (for many reasons) but now we are focused and I have written this song with them in mind – the musicians rather than a musical direction. We are essentially a bluesy funk group and it is quite different to the rockier stuff I’ve done before.” There was a real collaborative effort from the band and it was clear they were all perfectionists, perhaps too much so. The day went on and tired minds started to kick in but a last minute take
had some real gusto and it gave the guys something great to start with the next day. Unfortunately I did not hear the final piece all together but I certainly got a huge insight to a very talented singer’s writing & recording process. Look out for his album towards the end of the year and open your mind to listen to a singer who is far greater than the few months he was on television; a writer with genuine talent to perform great music.
Unit 13, Crystal Business Centre, Sandwich Industrial Estate, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 9QX 01304 611676 Contact Nick Wilson for booking information: nooleywrittenmusic@hotmail.com
29
REVIEWS
CD Reviews Jamie Woon Mirrorwriting
5/10 Jamie Woon’s debut LP is a somewhat perplexing and, at times, contradictory listen. Using his incredibly soulful and emotive voice, the BBC Sound of 2011 nominee has bravely attempted to combine two distinctly different musical genres. Despite utilising all the right components, what is constructed is a frustratingly shallow listening experience; too poppy for the minimalist dubstep and dance crowd, yet certainly lacking the necessary hooks for an engaging pop record. Despite this Mirrorwriting is indeed unique, placing Woon on the verge of the mainstream. With some developed song-writing and an increase in experimentation he may find the substance he needs to create a truly memorable release.
Castiel The Debut EP
7/10 This three track EP from Canterbury based Castiel demonstrates the potential to transport the listener back to the mid-1990s. In particular the chorus of opener and lead single (Off The Coloured Wall) would not sound out of place on a Pearl Jam record. Musically this quintet does nothing particularly breath-taking, yet Castiel’s debut EP provides a simple but surprisingly refreshing alternative rock sound. The traditional guitar riffs are easily supported by the captivating vocals, and with a press release that promises astounding live performances, Castiel might just be one to watch.
30
REVIEWS
Reviews by Ben Tipple
A Thousand Lights Giving Up This Town
6/10 Despite naming the second track of Giving Up This Town ‘Ska Song’, it’s difficult to categorise A Thousand Lights into one genre. The EP changes from song to song, opening with the highlight; the easily accessible and catchy title track, before offering a range of indie and punk influenced numbers. Although the variety helps support interest within the listener, overall the EP falls a bit flat in terms of tone and energy. Unfortunately for a style that relies heavily on exhilarating musicianship A Thousand Lights do not hit the mark. Rather than an acoustic closer, there are clear indications that a full live performance may have provided the required punch.
Riskee and the Ridicule Demo
9/10 Riskee and the Ridicule create unique music using only grime/ hip-hop vocals and an acoustic guitar, expertly fused together to enhance the impact of each. The combination provides one of the most original listening experiences on the scene, supported and complimented by two individuals who clearly understand their instruments. With a few exceptions, the four songs on the demo display impressively humorous and relevant lyrics which provide the backbone to the release. If it wasn’t for a couple of unnecessary lyrical choices, Riskee and the Ridicule would have created perfection. Instead the listener has to settle for simply fantastic. 31
WHEN YOU NEED A
QUALITY PUBLISHER
Thanet Publishing offers services in contract publishing: from concept, editorial and design right through to print and distribution.
Thanet Publishing Westwood Business Park, Strasbourg Street, Margate, Kent, CT9 4JJ 01843 282500 www.thanet-publishing.co.uk
REVIEW
Olly Murs
29th April 2011 @ The Winter Gardens,Margate
Words & Images by Bradley McManus After coming second in 2009’s X-Factor there were a lot of people ready to write off Olly Murs to never be seen again. Only 18 months after he begins his first solo tour after gaining a number one single and a double platinum album. Olly’s support was provided by Reading based lads The Kixx and Irish girl group Wonderland. Both acts were of a high standard and were
well received. A special mention must go to Kixx’s song ‘Breathless’ which was written for one of their friends who was killed in action on duty in Afghanistan – such a powerful song. Screaming girls welcomed Olly onto the stage with one of his album tracks. A strong band helped Olly to achieve a very powerful musical presence which had a strong emphasis on his trio of brass players. Olly himself put in a very capable vocal performance proving that 33
REVIEW
he can match everything done on his album and his countless television appearances. Olly has an incredible talent to make you feel like you are only one of a few people watching him – he is still the lad from Essex and remains grounded on stage. Olly covered a few artists including Jason Mraz, Madness and a medley of Stevie Wonder songs which started with his X-Factor debut song ‘Superstition’. Nothing has changed in his performance since then and that’s not a bad thing. Olly has retained all that initially made him famous. He even pulled his whole band into a tiny section of the stage to do a little acoustic set, very well done and set up by intelligent lighting of the stage. There were a couple of amateur moments on stage but it just added to the entertainment.
34
Usually you expect to see a pop star drinking bottled water on stage but not Olly, he had a (and I quote) “good ol’ cup of southern tea.” He took his jacket off because he was sweating so much even though, “I’m really not supposed to,” as we saw his shirt did not fit him at all. Even when Olly was talking to the fans and lining them up for a huge photo he suddenly realised that he didn’t have a camera. If could we have been a well rehearsed comedy sketch but if so, it worked. Overall Olly Murs put on a fun show that was very entertaining and that is part of his charm. His singing was impressive and his fans were utterly obsessed by everything he did. I would recommend getting a ticket to anyone who even vaguely likes him – but with a sell-out tour that may be some task.
REVIEW
Sons of One 29th April 2011 @ The Zetland Arms, Kingsdown Words & Pictures by Bradley McManus Sons of One are three brothers from Kent who play a variety of covers and original material influenced by the likes of John Mayer. What is essentially a pop/rock group with a heavy blues note throughout the guys have pulled themselves out of the practice room to start gigging and getting their music out there. The guys took the unenviable task of playing their debut gig on the day of the Royal Wedding knowing full well that there was fierce competition at nearby venues known for their big events but the band were confident of bringing the crowds in. The bar was packed, it was standing room only for an indoor afternoon gig – to be honest it was quite bizarre. I was expecting to chill out and listen to some quality music but the pub turned into a proper venue for the next hour. The guys played covers of groups ranging from the aforementioned John Mayer and Maroon 5 before playing their single ‘Traffic’ for
the first time in public. This showed the inner strength of the band that played a blues/pop song that would sound perfectly in place on today’s radio shows. All three are very talented guys which means they can focus on their performance and let the music speak for itself; all dressed in ties, shirts and waistcoats which for me was a bizarre choice but certainly looked professional. After finishing off their set the crowd chanted (yes, honestly) for the guys to encore! However, after exhausting their material it the guys could only repeat songs. It would usually be disappointed by repeat songs but the superbly written ‘Traffic’ was a joy to hear again. Sons of One play some very good music and some very good covers but their only downfall comes from a lack of gigging. I spoke to the guys after the gig and they have more material and are trying to find time to get into a recording studio because I can guarantee that once their music gets out they will be in huge demand! 35
REVIEW
Skindred
4th May 2011 @ The Westcoast Bar, Margate Words by Ben Tipple Pictures by Ryan Morris It is somewhat surprising to see Skindred visiting Margate on their recent UK tour, particularly in comparison with some of the other venues on their journey. Skindred’s arrival on stage showed the brimming audience had only one band on their mind since the start of the gig, and that band were about to show Margate how to put on a show of their lifetime. In fact it only takes the initial riffs of opener ‘Bruises’ from the bands widely acclaimed debut album to multiply the energy within the venue tenfold. Throughout a set filled with seventeen carefully selected songs from Skindred’s small but powerful back catalogue, lead singer Benji Webbe commands the audience with his every word, enforcing mass group jumping and skanking whenever he sees fit. The band managed to turn an ordinary gig venue into possibly one of the biggest 36
parties in the country at the time, all without forced tricks or frontman gimmicks. The one time the band does attempt a crowd pleaser, namely suggesting the revellers sit on the floor until a key breakdown where it is once again “suggested” the audience goes somewhat crazy, there is not a single person in the audience who responds negatively; Skindred have obtained utter obedience. Following encore song Warning it is clear as to why Skindred have obtained their reputation for one of the best live bands on the circuit. The size of the venue only serves to further add to the intimate party atmosphere created throughout the particularly exciting, and at times euphoric, performance. The majority of the exhausted masses exiting the Westcoast Bar at the end of the gig all concur that something special had just been witnessed, as Skindred show Kent how real rock-stars party.
REVIEW
Castiel
26th May 2011 å The Beercart Arms Words & Images by Bradley McManus The Beercart Arms in Canterbury was and still is one of the county’s best places to listen to new music of a more ‘alternative’ style. The list of bands that have played here is pretty much endless and you can always look forward to three or four bands for a couple of quid. Tonight was no different with Castiel headlining an evening featuring City Lightz, First Born Heroes & A Thousand Lights. The three acts previous had warmed the inebriated crowd up for the main act who had clearly brought along the most support. The small stage was filled by five members of Castiel who were clearly ready to play to an anticipated crowd. Their front man of the group is where the stage presence lay for the duration of the set. James Delin had a clear image and progressive moment throughout. Painted nails, no shoes, white blonde hair, late for his own gig and clutching a vintage microphone in both hands – a brilliant lead. Unfortunately not much can be said for the rest
of the group who were rather motionless and stared at their instruments throughout. That said, the music was something very different. Sounding somewhere between Audioslave, Incubus & Metallica, Castiel pull out a combination that you’re never quite sure where to place. A well performed variety of tracks from screaming metal to melodic falsetto, there is no doubt that the guys are very talented and can write some great songs. Their title track ‘Off The Coloured Wall’ is a slick tune with deep guitar riffs and a decent vocal hook. My personal favourite was ‘Anna’s Child’ which has a proper guitar riff starting the song, you always want to hear it – a very well constructed song. Overall Castiel put on a very good show and had a very rapturous crowd who clearly enjoyed the set and wanted more! Their music has a few ups and downs, all Castiel need to do is pin down their hits and shed the weight and less desirable songs and the group will certainly do very well for themselves. 37
FEATURE
THE PORT ARMS
CONTACT THE PORT ARMS FOR THE LATEST GIG LISTINGS 10 Beach Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 7AH (01304) 373598 38
FEATURE
GIG LISTINGS Your guide to all things entertainment in Kent this July, August and September...
39
LISTINGS
Friday 1st July 2011 THE PRIFF STICKS Alexandra Hotel, Chatham, Chatham Goodbye Eric Earls, Maidstone Gez Gord Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate The Retrophonic Archive Fleur-de-Lis, Sandwich VIVID NATION The Castle Inn, Dover A Thousand Lights The Cavern, Liverpool ShyChlo The Leaf Lounge, Ashford
Saturday 2nd July 2011 Barkin’ Mad Britannia Inn, Margate YOUR SHOUT Deal Welfare Club, Mill Hill, Deal Cara Harrison Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate ShyChlo Quarterhouse, Folkestone Rumblefish The Bower Inn, Maidstone
Sunday 3rd July 2011 The Retrophonic Archive Churchill Tavern Public House, Ramsgate
Wednesday 6th July 2011 Ian Shawcross The Deal Hoy, Deal
Thursday 7th July 2011 Gallows Quarterhouse, Folkestone
Friday 8th July 2011 Accidental Collective Astor Community Theatre, Deal Mark Taylor Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate The Retrophonic Archive The Fountain Public House, Sittingbourne Jon Wells Band The Hole in the Roof, Deal The Outcome The New_Inn, Deal
Saturday 9th July 2011 Bollywood Experience Astor Community Theatre, Deal Legends Live Astor Community Theatre, Deal VIVID NATION Barnaby Rudge, Broadstairs YOUR SHOUT BOARS HEAD, DOVER Bread & Butter Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate Barkin’ Mad Golden Lion, Canterbury
Jacuzzi Soup The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
The Black Sheep Oranges Bar Cafe, Ashford
Soul Sisters The Deal Hoy, Deal
Lara The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
Brad Pittance and the Pirates The Port Arms, Deal
Macmillan Garden Party The Deal Hoy, Deal
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 40
J.N.S. Sounds
FEATURE
• Event Audio Management • PA Hire • Sound Engineers
www.jnssounds.co.uk 07789 248881 Rumblefish The Railway Tavern, Longfield The Retrophonic Archive The Unicorn, Marden
Sunday 10th July 2011
Friday 15th July 2011 Cocos Lovers Album Launch Astor Community Theatre, Deal Escapists Bfestival Friday, Fawkham
The Slug Pixies Earls, Maidstone
Charlie Rivers Band Bfestival Friday, Fawkham
Counterfeit Notes The Clarendon Hotel, Deal Salty Dogs The Deal Hoy, Deal
Nathan Watson Bfestival Friday, Fawkham
Doctor Rock The Hole in the Roof, Deal
Tuesday 12th July 2011 VIVID NATION Bassment’al Bar & Club, Ashford
Wednesday 13th July 2011 EK1 Four Piece The Deal Hoy, Deal
Thursday 14th July 2011
TOPLOADER Bfestival Friday, Fawkham The Gaffer Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate Crazy Daisy Oranges Bar Cafe, Ashford Screaming Cherry The Charles Dickens, Broadstairs Liz Mott The Deal Hoy, Deal
Jim Smallman + Support Astor Community Theatre, Deal
Diana Ross Tribute The Hole in the Roof, Deal
The Tony Johnson Band The Kings Head, Deal
The Slug Pixies The Mill Inn, Deal
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 41
LISTINGS
Radio Riot The New_Inn, Deal YOUR SHOUT The Park Inn, Dover VIVID NATION The White Lion, Streatham
Saturday 16th July 2011 ShyChlo ASHFORD FESTIVAL in the PARK, ASHFORD The Tony Johnson Band Deal & Betteshanger RFC, Deal YOUR SHOUT DEAL RUGBY CLUB, DEAL Blow Unplugged Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate Charlie The New_Inn, Deal THE PRIFF STICKS The Railway Tavern, Longfield Chopper Nostrils The Red Lion, Ramsgate Goodbye Eric The Star, Ashford
Wednesday 20th July 2011 Vox Deluxe The Deal Hoy, Deal
Thursday 21st July 2011 ShyChlo Beer Cart Arms, Canterbury The Retrophonic Archive The Lobster Pot, Maidstone
Friday 22nd July 2011 YOUR SHOUT Bowling Green Tavern, Deal Surfdude Grandad Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate ShyChlo Marsh Academy, Romney Marsh Left of The Dial The Hole in the Roof, Deal Chris (As Is Now) The New_Inn, Deal The Slug Pixies The Pelham Arms, Gravesend
Saturday 23rd July 2011
VIVID NATION Walmer Castle Public
The Slug Pixies BOARS HEAD, DOVER
House, Deal
Jed Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate
Sunday 17th July 2011 Brad Pitt & The Pirates The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
Rumblefish Gravesend Boat, Gravesend
Trio Bambula The Deal Hoy, Deal
Plenty The Mill Inn, Deal
The Retrophonic Archive The Kings Head, Deal
Jon Wells Band The New_Inn, Deal
Crazy Daisy The New_Inn, Deal
Cellar 39 The Park Tavern , Sittingbourne, Sittingbourne
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 42
LISTINGS
Barkin’ Mad Ye Olde Charles Inn, Cliftonville, Margate
Sunday 24th July 2011 ShyChlo Canterbury Town Centre, Canterbury EK1 The Clarendon Hotel, Deal The Tony Johnson Band The Deal Hoy, Deal AKA The Hole in the Roof, Deal The Retrophonic Archive The New_Inn, Deal
Monday 25th July 2011
The Kingsdown band The Hole in the Roof, Deal A Thousand Lights The Park Inn, Dover The Slug Pixies The Trafalgar Hotel, Queenborough
Saturday 30th July 2011 Charity Rock Concert Astor Community Theatre, Deal ShyChlo Canterbury Town Centre, Canterbury A Thousand Lights Leo’s Red Lion, Northfleet Tank Trap Leos Red Lion, Gravesend
Last Picture Club: Norwegian Wood Astor Community Theatre, Deal
ShyChlo Revealing Ashford, Stour Centre, Ashford
ShyChlo The Lanterns, Folkestone
Jonathan Sketcher The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
Tuesday 26th July 2011 The Tony Johnson Band The Royal Temple Yacht Club, Ramsgate
Wednesday 27th July 2011 Without The Blue The Deal Hoy, Deal
Thursday 28th July 2011 Andrew O’Neil & Diane Spencer Astor Community Theatre, Deal Rubber Biscuit The Hole in the Roof, Deal
Friday 29th July 2011 Ceilidh Astor Community Theatre, Deal
YOUR SHOUT The Red Lion, Sittingbourne
Sunday 31st July 2011 ShyChlo Chemtrail Awareness Festival, Hastings Antiques Road Show The Deal Hoy, Deal The Tony Johnson Band The Hole in the Roof, Deal
Wednesday 3rd August 2011 Ian Shawcross The Deal Hoy, Deal
Thursday 4th August 2011 ShyChlo Walmer Castle Public House, Deal
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 43
LISTINGS
Friday 5th August 2011 Phil Alexandrais Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate The Scalextrics The Swan, Crawley
Saturday 6th August 2011 ShyChlo Kings Hall, Herne Bay The Black Sheep The Six Bells, Woodchurch
Sunday 7th August 2011 Los Salvadores Duke of Cumberland Hotel, Whitstable Rumblefish The Black Boy, St Albans Antiques Road Show The Clarendon Hotel, Deal Dover Patrol The Deal Hoy, Deal Phoenix Soul Band The Hole in the Roof, Deal
Monday 8th August 2011 Scandal The New_Inn, Deal
Wednesday 10th August 2011 Geoff Everett The Deal Hoy, Deal
Friday 12th August 2011
Saturday 13th August 2011 Rumblefish Ascot Arms, Gravesend Astor Beer Festival Astor Community Theatre, Deal Chopper Nostrils Britannia Inn, Margate Bread & Butter Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate Donna The New_Inn, Deal The Slug Pixies The Red Lion, Ramsgate
Sunday 14th August 2011 The Slug Pixies Old House at Home, Queenborough Heroes The Clarendon Hotel, Deal Cultured Pearl The Deal Hoy, Deal The Tony Johnson Band The New_Inn, Deal
Wednesday 17th August 2011 Lola Soul The Deal Hoy, Deal
Friday 19th August 2011 Hang 10 Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate
Astor Beer Festival Astor Community Theatre, Deal
Kai McKenzie The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
Mid Life Crises The Hole in the Roof, Deal
The Slug Pixies The Fountain Public House, Sittingbourne
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 44
FEATURE
The Eastcoasters Modern Jazz Quintet
ust 5th aug y a id r F l late 8pm til house CloCk @ the in deal
Jazz scores of Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley & John Coltrane First Friday of every month at The Clockhouse - A Jazz & Dine venue! Ring Claire on 01304 367757 for more details.
Plenty The Frenchman, Folkestone
Kai McKenzie The Hole in the Roof, Deal
Get Ape The Hole in the Roof, Deal
The Black Sheep The Swan, Wittersham
As Is Now The New_Inn, Deal
Saturday 20th August 2011 VIVID NATION Barnaby Rudge, Broadstairs Surfdude Grandad Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate ShyChlo Liquid and Life, Ashford Screaming Cherry The Charles Dickens, Broadstairs The Black Sheep The Queen’s Head, Rye
Sunday 21st August 2011 The Tony Johnson Band The Clarendon Hotel, Deal Ladies of the Lake The Deal Hoy, Deal
Wednesday 24th August 2011 Electric Ladyband The Deal Hoy, Deal
Friday 26th August 2011 The Hell Yeahs Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate The Retrophonic Archive The Hole in the Roof, Deal YOUR SHOUT The Louis Armstrong, Dover
Saturday 27th August 2011 Jed Enoteca Bar & Lounge, Ramsgate YOUR SHOUT THE EAGLE PUB, DEAL The Retrophonic Archive The Lower Bell, off the A229 Bluebell Hill, Aylesford
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 45
LISTINGS
Chopper Nostrils The Park Inn, Dover
The Retrophonic Archive The Long Hop, Sittingbourne
ShyChlo The Star, Ashford
Chopper Nostrils The Mill Inn, Deal
Sunday 28th August 2011
Sunday 4th September 2011
20th Century Auction Astor Community Theatre, Deal
Tapestry The Deal Hoy, Deal
Jeff Barker Band The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
The Tony Johnson Band The Kings Head, Deal
Salty Dogs The Deal Hoy, Deal Jon Wells Band The New_Inn, Deal
Monday 29th August 2011 Miss Pussy D’Amour The Deal Hoy, Deal
Tuesday 30th August 2011 ShyChlo O2 Academy, Islington
Wednesday 31st August 2011 The Outcome The Deal Hoy, Deal
Thursday 1st September 2011 The Retrophonic Archive The Carpenters Arms, Eastling, Faversham
Friday 2nd September 2011 The Retrophonic Archive Old House at Home, Queenborough THE PRIFF STICKS The Railway Pub, Bromley
Saturday 3rd September 2011 Floyd and The Flesh The Clarendon Hotel, Deal
Wednesday 7th September 2011 Ian Shawcross The Deal Hoy, Deal
Friday 9th September 2011 VIVID NATION The White Lion, Streatham
Saturday 10th September 2011 YOUR SHOUT Barnaby Rudge, Broadstairs Plenty Britannia Inn, Margate Rumblefish The Beauty of Bath, Sittingbourne The Retrophonic Archive The Red Lion, Badlesmere, Faversham
Sunday 11th September 2011 Trio Bambula The Deal Hoy, Deal The Slug Pixies The Rising Sun, Kingsdown
Wednesday 14th September 2011 A Shed Load of Love The Clarendon Hotel, Deal EK1 Four Piece The Deal Hoy, Deal
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 46
LISTINGS
Friday 16th September 2011 The Slug Pixies The Royal Norfolk Hotel, Folkestone
Saturday 17th September 2011 The Scalextrics Britannia Inn, Margate The Slug Pixies The Pilot, Maidstone VIVID NATION Walmer Castle Public House, Deal
Kent Festivals (1st July - 7th August 2011) Hop Farm: 1st-3rd July
Sunday 18th September 2011 Andee Price Quartet The Deal Hoy, Deal The Tony Johnson Band The New_Inn, Deal
Friday 23rd September 2011 YOUR SHOUT Rose & Crown, Stelling Minnis, Canterbury
Lounge on the Farm: 8th-10th July
Saturday 24th September 2011 VIVID NATION Chislehurst Rocks Festival, Chislehurst
Sunday 25th September 2011 The Tony Johnson Band The Deal Hoy, Deal
Hevy: 5th-7th August
Don’t forget live music at The Port Arms, Deal. 47
COMPEtiTIONS
WIN! We have four SIGNED copies of We Cry Hero’s debut EP hot from their launch event at the end of June. Featuring their latest single New You and other great songs like So Tell Me, the indie lads from Kent are onto a sure fire hit with this record.
To be in with a chance of winning one of these great prizes all you just have to send us your details and we will randomly select four names. You can either enter by post by cutting out the attached form and sending it to: We Cry Hero Competition, The Gig Guide (Thanet Publishing), Strasbourg Street, Margate, Kent, CT9 4JJ Or if you don’t want to hang about you can enter on Twitter (as long as you promise to keep following us). Just Tweet is @ thegigguide with the hash tag #wecryherocompetition and you will be entered – if you win we will send you a direct message. Closing date for all entries is 12th August 2011. The Editor’s decision is final.
Answer:
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
T&Cs Only official entry forms and correct ‘Tweets’ will be valid for entry into the competition. Competition not open to employees or their families of Thanet Publishing Ltd or any other company involved. No cash alternative to be given. The winner will contacted by The Gig Guide after the closing date to arrange delivery/ collection of prize(s).
48
BOARS HEAD Contact us for a full listing of gigs and events
46-48 Eaton Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9PB (01304) 330081
STOP THE PRESS!
WIN!
Last minute competition! We have two pairs of tickets for the up and coming Lions Den Music Festival in Deal (I’m not sure if we have mentioned this one before?). The festival takes place all day on July 16th and you can be there to see 15 of the county’s best bands including Springtide Cavalry, The Flack, We Cry Hero, Room L, Luke Jackson and ten more! This is going to be an online only competition so what we want you to do is go to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/thegigguidekent Then write LIONS DEN followed by why you should have the tickets – simple! We will pick the best entries and get in touch with the winners and we’ll sort out the prizes.
GOOD LUCK! 49
NOT TO BE MISSED
HEROFEST
30th July 2011 Leo’s Red Lion, Gravesend Words by Anthony Martin
Herofest is the opportunity for me and other promoters I have met along the way to join forces and treble that effort. Last year it was Antfest/Duck And Goose and Local Support Promotions and this year we’ve added Sickfish Promotions from Thanet. We’re expanding our horizons, adding bands from further afield and trying our hardest to raise money for Help For Heroes. Last year raised over £4,000 through the efforts of Duck And Goose (Aaron and Andy), Venue owner/publican/ allround hero Terry Lee, Local Support Promotions (Paul and Mike Smith) and the stage organisers (Vic Wintergreen/Tom Crittenden/ Leon Meijentes, Paul West and Dave Irving) and this year we’re looking to smash our former target.
It wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the bar staff, security staff and organisers so well done them/us. This years event is looking bigger and better... with over 40 bands accross 4 stages all on one day. If you’re into music and you’re wondering what the local scene might be like then you could do no worse than coming to the Red Lion, Gravesend on 30th July to see ALL of the BEST local bands on THE SAME DAY!!!!
There should really be a mission statement for Herofest and I think it should be: “Raising money for an excellent cause while having a ruddy awesome time”.
Search for “HEROFEST 2011” on Facebook 50
Astor Beer Festival
NOT TO BE MISSED
Thursday 11th & Friday 12th August 2pm until late The Astor Theatre
2 days of Music, good beer and sunshine! Come and enjoy yourself and raise funds for the deal Maritime Folk Festival.
In Association with Gadds and the Green Berry 51
NOT TO BE MISSED
THE LIONS DEN MUSIC FESTIVAL 16th July 2011 Deal & Betteshanger RFC
You probably read about this event in the last issue but make sure you don’t miss The Lions Den Music Festival. Taking place from 11am you can see all of the following acts! • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Springtide Cavalry The Flack The Alleviators Euston Clacket Lane The Tony Johnson Band The Suspects We Cry Hero Your Shout Craig Sheridan Room L City Lightz Luke Jackson Strangely Addictive The Outcome
The Gig Guide is proud to sponsor The Lions Den Music Festival 52
NOT TO BE MISSED
ROSCO LEVEE 12th August 2011 The Barnaby Rudge, Broadstairs Rosco Levee the singer/ songwriter from Kent will be holding the Launch Party for his self-titled Debut EP on the last day of the Broadstairs Folkweek 12th August in the Barnaby Rudge at 3pm. The EP is released on his bands own label “Red Train Records” and will be on sale for £5. The first 50 will also be hand-numbered.
“It’s part rock, it’s part blues, it’s part gospel, it’s part country Americana, it’s a big part genius and it is amazingly well crafted in it’s writing, in it’s performance and definitely in it’s recording.” Lee Charles/ LivewireRecordings
53
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
THE
G I G GUIDE
Whether you’re an Artist, Venue, Studio, Rehearsal Room, Manufacturer, Promoter or Retail Store; we’ve got some great advertising opportunities for Quarter, Half and Full page spaces. Distributed widely across Kent to venues, education establishments, shops, libraries, tourist information offices, and other public spaces, our ever growing circulation means your name is guaranteed to be seen far and wide.
THE KENT
’S
G I G GUID
NO. 1
FREE
ENTE
R TA I N
MENT
MAGA
E
ZINE
ElliE G Gouldin The nGe on nInG lou heAdlI
to Kent PLUS: return heads The Block & Walls Margate. Floors g gig in homecomin Theatre The Astorit’s changed see how
2011 FArM
- June 18 | May co.uk uide.
Issue gig-g www.the-
Don’t miss out on Issue 20 of The Gig Guide published for September 2011
Follow The Gig Guide on Twitter, Facebook and Myspace: Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheGigGuideKent Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheGigGuide
Call for more details and a media pack on 01843 282528 54
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNIT FEATURE
The Clarendon Hotel Best roast on the Coast from £7.95 Sunday morning Breakfasts from £3.95
July 3rd - Jacuzzi Soup 9th - Lara 10th - Counterfeit Notes 17th - Brad Pitt and The Pirates 24th - EK1 30th - Jonathan Sketcher
28th - Jeff Barker Band
August 7th - Antiques Roadshow 14th - Heroes 19th - Kai McKenzie 21st - TBC
PlEaSE Call For THE laTEST EvEnT inFormaTion.
September 3rd - Floyd and The Flesh 14th - A Shed Load of Love
51/55 Beach Street, Deal, Kent, CT14 6HY Telephone: 01304 374748 Fax: 01304 371116 Email: admin@clarendonhoteldeal.co.uk
55
Hole in the Roof
FEATURE
The Soul Bar
Hotel - Cafe - Bar
Live music events at The Hole in the Roof (6pm Sunday & 9pm Friday) •
Situated only a 5-minute walk away from Deal seafront and town centre
•
Traditional homecooked food
•
Three course specials
•
Function room for hire
•
Comfortable accomodation
JulY: 8th - John Wells 10th - Doctor Rock 15th - Diana Ross Tribute 22nd - Left of The Dial 24th - A.K.A 28th - Rubber Biscuit 29th - The Kingsdown Band
31st - The Tony Johnson Band AuguST: 7th - The Pheonix Soul Band 12th - Mid Life Crises 19th - Get Ape 21st - Kai McKenzie 26th - Archive
42 Queen Street, Deal, CT14 6EY Tel: 01304 374839 www.holeintheroofhotel.co.uk holeintheroof@btconnect.com
56