The Skinny Northwest September 2014 by The Skinny

P.10 Art Party - Cornerhouse, Manchester

P.16 Romeo & Juliet

P.32 Lewis Loughman

P.47 Simian Mobile Disco

September 2014

I N D E P E N D E N T

C U LT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

Issue 18, September 2014 © Radge Media Ltd. Get in touch: E: hiya@theskinny.co.uk T: 0161 833 3124 P: The Skinny, Second Floor, Swan Buildings, 20 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JW The Skinny is distributing 24,680 copies across Liverpool and Manchester, a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business are available. Get in touch to find out more.

Editorial Northwest Editor Film & Deputy Editor Events Editor Music Editor Art Editor Books Editor Clubs Editor Deviance Editor Fashion Editor Food Editor Tech Editor Theatre Editor Travel Editor

Lauren Strain Jamie Dunn Simon Jay Catling Dave Kerr Sacha Waldron Alan Bett Daniel Jones Tasha Lee Alexandra Fiddes Jamie Faulkner Cathleen O’Grady Alecia Marshall Paul Mitchell

Production Production Manager Designer Sub Editor

Amy Minto Thom Isom Kristian Doyle

E: sales@theskinny.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the printer or the publisher.

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Printed on 100% recycled paper

Contents

THE SKINNY

Contents Up Front 06 Chat & Opinion: NAME A CAT! Plus: last-

minute news in Stop the Presses, the future as revealed by BALLS., and all the rest.

08 Heads Up: Go to all of this stuff – it’ll make everything better.

What connects a Michael Gove colouring-in book, a bouncing gay disco soundtrack, and a dirty protest using cake icing? They’re just some of the antics inspired by artist Bob and Roberta Smith’s newly released film Art Party. We chat to him about the impact of changes to arts education, and hear reports from the various ‘art parties’ his film has inspired.

Sebastien Grainger of resurgent Toronto duo Death from Above 1979 explains that if “people still want to see it and it doesn’t feel like a fucking joke,” they’ll keep on rocking. Amen. To adapt a Shakespeare play, or not to adapt a Shakespeare play: that is the question. With bold productions of two of his most famous works opening this month, our Theatre editor looks at The Bard’s continued relevance. Prepare to laugh out of your face hole: introducing Liverpool Comedy Festival, with three-times Comedy Awardnominated James Acaster and local luv Adam Rowe.

Anton Corbijn explains why Philip Seymour Hoffman was his most wanted man when he was casting the lead of his new film, er, A Most Wanted Man.

Hollie McNish is one of the UK’s bestknown spoken word artists. In a rare free moment ahead of her October tour, she chats about luck, poetry and YouTube comments.

Lifestyle 30

Deviance: An expecting mother comes to terms with ideas of gender she thought she’d shed.

Travel: Our writer recalls travelling in Kurdistan and Syria in happier times.

September 2014

Clubs: Simian Mobile Disco explain why new LP Whorl is their most honest (and psychedelic) record yet; Mosaic boss Steve O’Sullivan assembles eight slabs that define his craft in DJ Chart; plus a squizz at the month’s don’t-miss oneoffs and fixtures. Art: Object Recognition at Sale Waterside sees Mishka Henner and David Oates assess their own personal vision, while you can learn about the fanaticism with which Gego approached the line at Leeds’ Henry Moore Institute.

DVD/Books: Speaking of Cronenberg, the erstwhile king of venereal horror’s debut film, Shivers, comes to Blu-ray; while in Books, Hannu Rajaniemi brings his Quantum Thief trilogy to a close, and A Guide for the Perplexed, a 493-page conversation with the filmmaker Werner Herzog, is published.

Theatre: We preview an unmissable trilogy of Samuel Beckett plays (Not I, Footfalls and Rockaby) at the Lowry and ready ourselves for Liverpool’s Page to Stage Festival.

Tech: A look at the ‘complete farce’ that is the ‘Right to be Forgotten’ law.

Competitions: Best look out your vintage velvet dress and silk cape, ’cause there’s VIP guestlist places for two to ALL of Gothic Manchester to be won.

Listings: Get out of bed. Hose yourself down. Put on some pants. Go outside. Do something!

Out Back: A bludgeoning ending to this month’s mag, as the rock world’s most prolific wildman Nick Oliveri picks the ten records that soundtracked his adolescence.

29 Rainer Trüby delves into the mechanics

of slo-mo house – or as he likes to call it, slouse.

Music: Mancunian songwriter Jo Rose is this month’s New Blood; forthcoming releases from Death from Above 1979, Perfume Genius and Ital find their way into Reviews; plus your gig highlights for the month, featuring Honeyblood, Ryan Adams and Jenny Lewis.

Film: Documentarian Frederick Wiseman gives another forensic study of an American institution ( At Berkeley) and David Cronenberg’s cinematic love affair with Robert Pattinson continues (Maps to the Stars).

26 The artists behind the visual identity

of this year’s Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, Dan Tombs and Sam Wiehl, discuss the strong aesthetic history of the age old genre we know as ‘psych’.

Food & Drink: It’s that time of year again: we launch our annual Food & Drink Survey. Get voting! Plus: an interview with the organiser of a new kind of coffee festival, Cup North; news, and reviews of Yardbird and Levanter.

A teenage nun and a chain-smoking Jewish lush go on a road trip. Not the start of a bawdy joke, it’s the plot of Pawel Pawlikowski’s latest film, Ida. Punk feminist poet Salena Godden takes on the “snobbery and the bollocks” that surrounds poetry.

Showcase: Salford grad Lewis Loughman loves to draw “the kind of things that weird out your family members and boring friends.”

Review

Daniel Kessler on post-Dengler Interpol: never fear, for with fifth album El Pintor, they’re back in black.

SEPTEMBER 26 - L’POOL INTERNATIONAL - 27 FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA

NOVEMBER 04 THE WAR ON DRUGS

OCTOBER 02 STURGILL SIMPSON

08 TAMIKREST

CAMP AND FURNACE

LEAF

O2 ACADEMY

W/ LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK 2014

THE KAZIMIER

W/ AFRICA OYÉ

07 THE PHANTOM BAND THE KAZIMIER W/ EVOL

10 COLLEGE

LEAF W/ BAM!BAM!BAM!

11 THE WYTCHES THE KAZIMIER

16 TIMBER TIMBRE LEAF

14 KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB (LOFT)

15 CHRISTOPHER OWENS

LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS STANLEY THEATRE

26 MERCHANDISE THE KAZIMIER

29 BY THE SEA

EPSTEIN THEATRE

21 REAL ESTATE THE KAZIMIER

DECEMBER 13 BILL RYDER-JONES & SAINT SAVIOR THE KAZIMIER

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE: SEETICKETS / EVENTIM / TICKETLINE IN PERSON: PROBE RECORDS (SCHOOL LN) & THE BRINK (PARR ST) FOLLOW ON TWITTER: @HARVEST_SUN @LPOOLPSYCHFEST

LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAl FESTIVAL

PSYCHEDELIA

26 + 27 SEPTEMBER 2014 - Camp & Furnace / blade factory liverpool - FRIDAY 26 sept -

- SATURDAY 27 sept -

S UUNS. ALLAH-LAS. T HE BES NARD LAKES. W OLF PE OPLE. ZOMBIE ZOM BIE. AMEN DUNES.

GOAT. WOODS. HILLS. SLE E PY SUN. WHITE HILLS. GRUM BLING FUR. CHRISTIAN BLAND & THE REVELATORS.

AL LOVER'S SACRED DRUGS. ASTER OID #4 . BARBEROS . BLACK BOMBAIM. BLACK MEKON. THE EAR LY YEARS . FORMES . HELLSHOVEL. HOLY WAVE. JIBOIA. LES BIG BYRD. K L A U S J O H A N N GR OBE. PETE BAS S MAN. POW ! . PU R PLE HEAR T PARAD E. PLANK. SPECTR ES. S PIND RIFT. SUDAKISTAN. THOUGHT FORMS . THE VACANT LOTS . YOUNGHU SBAND . ZHOD .

ANTHROPROPHH. BED RUGS . BONNACONS OF D OOM. CAMERA. CANTALOUPE. CHEVAL S OMBRE. THE GLAS S MOTHS . GNOD. HALF LOON. ISLET. THE JANITORS. LAY LLAMAS. the lucid dream. MAZES. M O O D O Ï D . N U E V A C O S T A . ONE UNIQUE S IGNAL. ORVAL CARLOS S IBELIUS . QUILT. S ATELLITI. S EPTEMBER GIRLS . S TRANGE COLLECTIVE. SUDDEN DEATH OF STARS. THEO VERNEY. TEMPLE SONGS. TEETH OF THE S EA. TRAAMS . W HIS TLEJACKET.

THE CHIMES OF BIG BEN: richard norris. Justin Robertson. Bernie Connor. Richard Hector-Jones.

SONIC CATHEDRAL 'PSYCH FOR SORE EYES 2'LAUNCH HAPPENING.

PN K S LM RECO R D I N G S S H OWC ASE

TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE OUTER REALMS

R O C K E T FT.

R E C O R D I N G S

N OT H IN G

( C h e r r y S t on e s , C ag e Lit t le D ir t y , C h r is

D J s & Av iar y , R e e d e r )

Plus...a myriad of cosmic audio voyages, installations and visual sensations.

Full details and tickets at LIVERPOOLPSYCHFEST.COM Tickets also available in person from Probe Records (Liverpool), Piccadilly Records (Manchester) & Jumbo Records (Leeds)

Contents

Editorial

s suspense in Scotland builds with the Referendum on Independence drawing near, the debate surrounding this momentous event puts our own dissatisfaction with the government under an even more intense spotlight. In November of last year, the artist Bob and Roberta Smith instigated his ‘Art Party Conference’ at Scarborough spa, convening artists, speakers and the public to protest ex-Secretary for Education Michael Gove’s proposals to replace some GCSEs with the ‘English Baccalaureate.’ The setup of this new system would further reinforce the supremity of the ‘core’ subjects – Maths, English, a science or two, and humanities limited to History and Geography – as those that ‘matter,’ leaving arts educators, practitioners and the general creative community despairing that their subjects would be increasingly seen as less important, or indeed, not important at all. Gove was forced to renege on his proposal after uproar from these voices and more, but not before Bob and Roberta, with Tim Newton, had made a film documenting the events of the Conference and the resulting butterfly effect. The film was screened around the UK on GCSE results day, 21 August 2014, with arts institutions putting on a range of different afterparties for attendees to let off steam, gather, discuss moves for the future and generally celebrate the power of art. In a somewhat ambitious project that actually came off, our Art editor dispatched 12 writers and artists to report on parties from around the country – some of them had their faces caked in icing, others took out their frustrations on artist Karen Thompson’s playfully readapted coconut shy (yes, the Goveshy), and some questioned what the event really said; whether it would reach much further than that one night of larks enjoyed by a select crowd. Decide for yourself what you think of the project on page 10 (and read the full reports online at theskinny.co.uk/art). Also speaking out this issue are a couple of the UK’s most exciting poetic voices, in Salena Godden and Hollie McNish; while in Travel, one writer questions how we should feel about places we have visited, but are now in turmoil. In Music, we explore the visual element of the ever mindbending Liverpool Psych Fest, bear witness to a storming return from Death from Above 1979, and hear how Interpol got their mojo back; Film takes in Polish director Pawel Pawlikowski on his

surprise runaway sensation Ida and a straighttalking Anton Corbijn on A Most Wanted Man, if you can bear to see Philip Seymour Hoffman on celluloid so soon; Theatre ponders the undying allure of The Bard; Clubs is as searching as ever with the encyclopaedic knowledge of Messrs Rainer Trüby, Mosaic boss Steve O’Sullivan, and Jas Shaw and James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco; and we have a lovely bonkers Showcase for you this ish. What else? Too much else! Don’t be jealous of Scotland: you too can participate in democracy in action in our 2015 Food & Drink Survey, launching now! (Go to theskinny.co.uk/ food to vote, and follow #NWFoodSurvey on Twitter.) Finally, as the Liverpool Comedy Festival takes over, well, er, Liverpool for the end of the month and into October, we caught up with three-times Foster’s Comedy Award-nominated James Acaster a few hours before said ceremony; in a sort of poetic injustice, he didn’t win, but we love him anyway so there ya go. Meanwhile, Liverpudlian comic Adam Rowe falls under this month’s Spotlight – and while we’re talking about Spotlight, you should totally come and see it in real life! Yep, that’s right, a real life Spotlight. But what does that even mean, you ask – well, we’re putting on ten of our favourite standups (and sketch group) from the Northwest circuit at The Kazimier in Liverpool as part of the Festival – thanks to partners The Comedy Trust – on Tuesday 30 September, and it’s only a fiver in. Only a fiver in! That’s 50p per act. If you don’t come, frankly, we divorce you. From selfproclaimed ‘provincial gorgepot’ Liam Pickford (who wrote that BBC Three piece wot you all loved so much) to also self-proclaimed ‘Nation’s Beefheart’ (what is it with these comedians eh) Jayne Edwards, via the gloriously awkward sketch comedy of Gein’s Family Giftshop (nominated for Best Newcomer at the Fringe, no less!), it should be a rib-crackingly good night. Tickets are available from liverpoolcomedyfestival.com, or you can just turn up on the night (but you might wanna reserve a seat eh). We hope to see you there. [Lauren Strain]

Dâm-Funk at Beacons Festival, Sat 9 Aug, by Sam Huddleston

Chat

Eyes to the website

Tricky

Music speaks to The Vaselines, who return with their third album a full 25 years after their debut, and Bristolian maverick Tricky talks about his new release Adrian Thaws, personal independence and the problem of superstar DJs. www.theskinny.co.uk/music Clubs catch up with Fuse head honcho, Enzo Siragusa, and go Beneath the Label of Jimmy Asquith’s sonic outfit Lobster Theremin. www.theskinny.co.uk/clubs In Film, we speak to rising British actor Harry Treadaway about ‘cabin in the woods’ horror Honeymoon (although he’d rather speak about the much maligned The Lone Ranger, in which he played a villainous cross-dressing outlaw); we also catch up with You’ve Been Trumped director

Anthony Baxter, who’s back hounding Donald Trump in follow-up A Dangerous Game. www.theskinny.co.uk/film As he publishes his new novel Their Lips Talk of Mischief, Alan Warner talks candidly to Books about the referendum, ageing and critics – and as is only relevant, books, of course; while author and journalist Melissa Benn discusses challenging a media that views women through a distorted lens. www.theskinny.co.uk/books In Food and Drink, Phagomania takes a phagomaniacal look at everyone’s favourite Tex-Mex dip that isn’t salsa. www.theskinny.co.uk/food We preview the first ever Northwest Fashion Festival. www.theskinny.co.uk/fashion

Spot the Difference

ON THE COVER: Goveshy, by Karen Thompson. Thompson’s ceramic work often takes the form of social comment. She is based in North Yorkshire and resident at Crescent Arts, Scarborough.

Shot of the Month 6

Online Only

Can you spot the difference between these two owls? If you think you can see it, head along to theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and let us know.* You might just be in with the chance of winning a lovely book, Strange New Things by Michel Faber courtesy our pals at Canongate.

*Hint: It’s not that one has a magazine. Competition closes midnight Sun 28 Sep. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full Ts&Cs can be found at www.theskinny.co.uk/about/terms

THE SKINNY

It's not long until the Manchester Literature Festival (6-19 Oct) and one of the events we're most excited about takes on a musical bent. On 9 Oct in the grand surroundings of Manchester Cathedral, Bill Ryder-Jones performs alongside the Manchester Camerata orchestra in celebration of Ifâ&#x20AC;Ś, his 2011 LP based on the novel If on a Winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Night a Traveller. Full programme details at manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk. Do you like to laugh? Then we've got just the thing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we've curated a lineup of ten up-andcoming comics as part of the Liverpool Comedy Festival whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be at The Kazimier on Tue 30 Sep â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fresh from the Fringe! Come and support some of the Northwest's most exciting talent at The Skinny Spotlight. Grab tickets at liverpoolcomedyfestival.com, and search â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Skinny Spotlightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the event page on Facebook. Aged 16-19 and interested in film? The third BFI Film Academy at Cornerhouse, Manchester is accepting applicants for its 15 available places. Taking place from October to December 2015, the Academy offers 100 hours of training over two months, providing a full overview of all film aspects, practical and theoretical; cultural and commercial. More details at cornerhouse.org/livewire. The Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge returns, with View Two art gallery set to be the source of inspiration for this year's contenders. Following a public launch event on 6 Sep, entrants should submit a new, original song inspired by the art at the Mathew Street space; the top ten perform at the showcase final on 21 Nov. Details at challenge.liverpoolacoustic.co.uk.

The righteous NOUS magazine is a free print publication available online and around Manchester's bars and cafĂŠs, dealing with societal issues, topics around mental illness and modern mind culture. They're now accepting submissions for their forthcoming fourth edition. Email hej@nous-magazine.de for more info on article guidelines. We celebrated the end of the Edinburgh Festival with our first ever awards show. The Skinny Awardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; inaugural outing took place in Creative Exchange down in Leith on Thursday 21 August, compered by the wonderful Jay Lafferty, and featuring the comedic talents of Mae Martin, Doug Segal, Trent Weinbach and Trevor Lock. The first award went to the winner of The Skinny / Innis & Gunn Short Film Award, which has been running since February. Our crack team of industry judges sifted through the shortlist to crown Rory Alexander Stewart for his short film Good Girl. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be receiving ÂŁ3000 and industry support to produce a follow-up, set to be screened at Glasgow Short Film Festival in early 2015. In the comedy categories the awards came in the form of golden chickens, specially made from

The Skinny Awards

plaster, spray paint and the interior of a rubber chicken by your kindly editor-in-chief. The nominees in full were: Fringe Genius Richard Gadd Sam Simmons WINNER: Barnie Duncan Best Debut Nick Coyle Pierre Novellie WINNER: Natasia Demetriou

Talk of the Town Luisa Omielan Juliette Burton WINNER: The Colour Ham Massive thanks to Creative Exchange for the venue, Innis & Gunn for the beer, all of the acts for their most excellent performances and time, and all the nominees for being so very gracious. Particular mention must go to Comedy editor Vonny, who organised the acts, the judging panel and the presentation, and whose idea this whole Fringe awards thing was in the first place.

BALLS.

SCORPIO After a brutal assault on Sagittarian spaceports, asteroid mining facilities and planetary destructo-rays, ARIES triumphant Scorpio forces finally crush the barAfter tasting your sperm the witch doc- baric regime and take control of the Sagittarian system. As marine-bots clack their claws against tor concedes that you probably have a low sperm count. His prescription is the docking bay of Orbital Space Command HQ, to sleep with a decorative pejazzle of via hologram the segment-bodied Scorpion comcarnelian and chrysoprase crystals over your sac. mander urges the remaining population to save Due to the healing potency of the crystals, by themselves by swearing an oath of obedience to dawn wild bunches of new balls have grown like Krarlak, Destroyer of Moons. grapes all over your groin. With a sperm count thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out of control, desperately you dig through NEW SCORPIO layer upon layer of excess new ball to find the This month evil Scorpio forces invade crystals as the rest of your body sinks beneath a your star sign, putting your beloved clammy grave of gland. Sagittarian Space Emperor to the laser guillotine and enslaving your sign under TAURUS the iron fist of Krarlak for all eternity. Billions of Sagittarian refugees stream into space or are Your DNA sequence is absolutely riddled with typos. turned into glue by the merciless occupiers. Next month your sign will be assimilated comGEMINI pletely, so please check the bumper two-part Scorpio horoscope. Hail Krarlak! If you want a vision of the future, imagine an arse shitting on a human face â&#x20AC;&#x201C; forever. CAPRICORN This month someone steals most of CANCER your car. The worst part of going to the dentist is the bit when your owner crams you in AQUARIUS The worst things in life are also free. the cat basket.

LEO You wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be caught dead fucking a necrophiliac.

VIRGO This month you finally begin following through at work on all your tasks, goals and farts.

LIBRA As the great philosopher Kanye West said, that which does not kill us makes us stronger.

September 2014

Bill Ryder-Jones

PISCES a Christian and a Daily Mail reader, As youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re furious about the shocking number of foreigners St. Peter allows through Heavenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;open gateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; every year. To counter, in September you commence an intensive anti-missionary campaign to the developing world to try and cunningly convert people away from your faith.

Photo: Marie Hazelwood

www.jockmooney.com

with Mystic Mark

twitter.com/themysticmark facebook.com/themysticmark

Chat

Compiled by: Simon Jay Catling

Open the floodgates! Comedy and theatre return after their Scottish sojourn, while thousands of students are back in the region. This means September’s calendar is bursting at its belt buckle, with Manchester Food & Drink Festival, and Liverpool Comedy and Psych fests leading us into autumn.

Wed 3 Sep

With a voice able to quell the noise of even the lairiest crowds, Perfume Genius returns with an angrier, tougher new album in Too Bright – out this month – and, with it, a new set of live dates. Prepare to be swept away by the open-hearted emotional gravitas of his vocal acrobatics. Band on the Wall, Manchester, 7.30pm, £11

Catch up on the latest literary talent from the University of Manchester's Centre for New Writing, as 20 up-and-coming scribes showcase poetry, novel extracts and short stories from the latest edition of the Manchester Anthology. Centre alumnus Chris Killen will also be reading extracts from forthcoming novel, In Real Life. International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, 6.30pm, Free

Perfume Genius

Mon 8 Sep

Tue 9 Sep

Offering more than 20 bottled and cask ciders from which to get your sugar and booze double-hit, Heebie Jeebies' Cider Festival has also organised nearly two dozen arts, crafts and food stalls drawn from the city and a live music lineup curated by the ever-reliable Bido Lito. Heebie Jeebies, Liverpool, noon, Free

Aiming to showcase mid-level theatre that might otherwise not find exposure, new company NewPlayhouse host their Great Northern Playhouse Launch. Renovating an empty shop unit, they're providing 15 weeks of performance, starting with this preview event, Sherlock Holmes: A Working Hypothesis. Great Northern Playhouse, Manchester, 7.30pm, Free

A double-header of American college humour sees If I Were You advice podcast duo Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld joined by CollegeHumor. com's Streeter Seidell. Seidell – also a co-host of MTV's Pranked – kicks things off, before Hurwitz and Blumenfeld record a live take of their warped Agony Auntisms. The Lowry, Manchester, 7pm, £15

Heebie Jeebies' Cider Festival

Great Northern Playhouse

Photo: Sara Davidmann

Sun 7 Sep

Jake, Amir, and Streeter

Sat 13 Sep

Sun 14 Sep

Mon 15 Sep

Offering a platform to local writers, Page to Stage Festival aims to stage several new one-act plays up to five times in various venues over two weeks. The Treasure House Theatre in the World Museum has already announced its involvement. The festival continues the work of the currently on-hiatus Write Now Festival. Various venues, Liverpool, 13-28 Sep, prices vary

The Kazimier Garden hosts Guitars + Other Machines, which sees classical guitarist Neil Campbell joined by producer Gordon Ross and electric guitarist Carlo Bowry for a performance encompassing the work of minimalist composers Philip Glass and Steve Reich, interspersed with original post-minimalist compositions. The Kazimier Garden, 2pm, Free

Father Ted and The IT Crowd writer Graham Linehan's Olivier Award-nominated adaption of the 1955 comedy The Ladykillers comes to Altrincham, focusing on the sort of potentially disturbing comedic scenario that the Irish writer does so well, with an old lady suddenly finding herself unwittingly putting up a gang of criminals. The Garrick, Altrincham, 15-20 Sep, £14

Page to Stage - Mother Crone GregMaiden Wilson

Neil Campbell

Sat 20 Sep

Sun 21 Sep

Inspired by the ancient symposium form, US writer and artist Angie Keefer's The Companion takes the idea of a long dinner party punctuated by music, and places it in various venues, with artists meeting and collaborating including visual artist Chris Evans and acclaimed folk singer Josephine Foster. Various venues, Liverpool, 19-21 Sep, Free

The street food specialists Guerrilla Eats are going weekly! Taking place every Saturday until December, at a secret city centre location yet to be named at the time of going to press, they promise seven traders, including a revolving cast of four different ones each week, as well as the usual well-stocked bars and live/DJ entertainment. Secret location, Manchester, 5pm, Free

With vinyl sales up but all other physical sales down, it feels like a relevant time to re-visit multimedia composers Philip Jeck and Lol Sargent's 1993 collaboration Vinyl Requiem. Joining the screening of the original performance, which involved 180 record players and multiple film and slide projections, will be Jeck himself playing live alongside it. The Bluecoat, Liverpool, 2pm, £6

Jeremiah Day - Ghost Dance Song (2012)

Photo: Yorck Maecke

Fri 19 Sep

Graham Linehan

Philip Jeck & Lol Sargent: Vinyl Requiem Replayed

Street food

Thu 25 Sep

Fri 26 Sep

An exercise in artistic process and intuition, the Combines series offers Liverpool artists Jason Thompson, William Blake and Arthur Roberts the chance to collaborate, picking one of their existing pieces and re-contextualising it together. It’s the latest of a number of impressive exhibitions and projects by new arts space Model. Model, Liverpool, 24-28 Sep, Free

Last year's Foster's Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Award winner – with a heavily feminist-slanted set – Bridget Christie is a riot as she launches into anecdotal rants that centre around underlying issue of gender inequality, in a manner that's both intelligent and rib-crackingly funny. She performs as part of the Liverpool Comedy Festival. Unity Theatre, Liverpool, 8pm, £14

Returning for its third year, Liverpool Psych Fest has another mind-bending lineup over two days. 2014 headliners include Swedish-folk influenced enigmas GOAT and Canadian art-rockers Suuns; local picks include the morph-suited noise trio Barberos and constantly evolving, abrasive Mancunian heavyweights Gnod. Camp & Furnace, Liverpool, 26-27 Sep, prices vary

Arthur Roberts - Summer (drawing) (2014)

Chat

Bridget Christie

Photo: Idil Sukan

Wed 24 Sep

Liverpool Psych Fest

THE SKINNY

Photo: Stuart Moulding

Heads Up

Tue 2 Sep

Thu 4 Sep

Fri 5 Sep

Sat 6 Sep

The Marburae Gallery's The Real Draw exhibition includes illustrators whose practices span pencil drawings to modern digital illustration and the resurgent graphic novel form. Sci fi novel cover artist Chris Moore features, as do several Macclesfield College drawers in this genre-spanning exhibition. Marburae Gallery, Macclesfield, 4 Sep-11 Oct, Free

Alongside the PAN label’s Mat Dryhurst, Holly Herndon drops in for SYNDROME's latest A/V instalment. Herndon has one of the most adventurous minds in electronica; together with Dryhurst, she'll produce and play a digital instrument that puts objects in a 3D sound field, allowing them to collide and respond to each other. 24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool, 8pm, £5

MODU:LAR's return sees ascendant techno producer Julian Perez and Leeds-based deep house man Jack Wickham drop by for a hard-hitting start. Perez is fresh off a summer playing everywhere from Sónar festival to Ibiza, while Wickham can boast a recent Fabric debut and work with Adam Shelton and Subb-an's One Records crew. The Magnet, Liverpool, 11pm, £12

Laura Frame - Impossible Guidance

Holly Herndon

Julian Perez

Thu 11 Sep

Fri 12 Sep

As the anticipation grows around new First Street theatre and arts hub HOME, the in-house team offer a glimpse of the sort of production that we can expect from the new venture in 2015 with Shakespeare classic Romeo & Juliet. Good luck trying to get a ticket for opening night, but this one runs until October. Victoria Baths, Manchester, 10 Sep-4 Oct, prices vary

Founded with no formal training in the mid90s, the rise of DR Congo's Kinshasa Symphony and Choir has continued unabated despite practising around dayjobs and travelling miles on foot to make evening rehearsals. Tonight they join the Hallé for a special show featuring pieces by Beethoven and Shostakovich. Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 7.30pm, £12

Superbyte Festival returns for a two-day extravaganza of the best in chiptune, lo-tech and 8-bit music and arts. As well as a lineup drawing from the international chiptune circuit, there are retro gaming opportunities and workshops and expos for gamers to get stuck into. Look out for the Fab Cafe pre-party on the 11th too. Pub/Zoo, Manchester, 12-13 Sep, £17 (weekend £30)

Romeo & Juliet

Kinshasa Symphony

Photo: Sounding Images

Wed 10 Sep

Kodek

Tue 16 Sep

Wed 17 Sep

Thu 18 Sep

Classics 80s teen flick The Breakfast Club comes to the recently reopened Central Library and its new performance space, its tale of five teenagers stuck in detention remaining an enduring piece of work and one of the late John Hughes' strongest works, even alongside his later films Weird Science and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Central Library, Manchester, 6pm, £5

Interactive audiovisual performance project INKbeat invites the audience to partake in drawing while, around them, music, live art and choreography unfurl. Expect a diverse soundtrack, with everything from the funkedup pop of SANA to the electronica-based Audio Voyeur and Dogspocket's sultry beats providing a varied muse. 24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool, 8pm, £6

New additions to Manchester Food and Drink Festival include cheese and chocolate festivals, plus a special Malaysian bazaar. An abundance of street food options takes over the city for 11 days, while there's also the dubious highlight of former Manchester United defender Gary Neville putting his cooking skills to the test. Various venues, Manchester, 18-29 Sep, prices vary

The Breakfast Club

INKbeat

Tue 23 Sep

The Axis of Awesome got their break writing a series of parody raps around the Australian election in 2007 and since then have seen their song Four Chords – a medley of 36 pop songs with the same chord structure – reach more than 50 million views on YouTube. They tour with their Fringe-premiered new show Viva La Vida Loca Las Vegas. Academy 2, Manchester, 7.30pm, £16.50

With their new Void soundsystem installed, Joshua Brooks welcome back students in style with new in-house night Neighbourhoods, featuring a late-night DJ slot by motorik-loving local rockers Kult Country, and Neighbourhoods residents John Loveless, Olsen and Guy Richards on hand with warped and dancefloorready grooves. Joshua Brooks, Manchester, 11pm, £3

The Axis of Awesome

Photo: Patrick Boland

Mon 22 Sep

Manchester Food and Drink Festival

Kult Country

Sat 27 Sep

Sun 28 Sep

Mon 29 Sep

The Asia Triennial presents work by some of the most respected Asian and British-Asian artists currently creating. Highlights include the Harmonious Society, CFCCA's largest exhibition of Chinese contemporary art in the UK to date, which answers the Triennial's overriding themes of conflict and compassion. Various venues, Manchester, 27 Sep23 Nov, Free

Liverpool institution MelloMello hosts its semi-regular Right On Record Fair, offering a potential bounty of long lost gems, original presses and 7" curios for eager crate diggers. In addition to some of the North's most avid collectors, there'll be plenty of local distro action going on too, so be sure to take time to find a new discovery. MelloMello, noon, Free

The legendary Monty Python member and travel documenter Michael Palin embarks on a new tour, with the Around the World in 80 Days man lifting the lid on relationships and projects forged and lost through his extensive career, with a comic twist no doubt never far around the corner. Opera House, Manchester, 7.30pm, prices vary

The Genie (proposal image) (2014) Bashir Makhoul in partnership with Ray Young

September 2014

MelloMello

Michael Palin

Chat

You Would Cry Too If It Happened to You Artist Bob and Roberta Smith discusses his newly released film Art Party and the impact of changes to arts education – and we invite artists, writers and critics from across the UK to respond to the film, the art and the afterparties they inspired Interview: Sacha Waldron

hen Bob and Roberta Smith wrote his public letter of protest against the marginalisation of arts education from the curriculum to then education secretary Michael Gove, he was voicing the worries of the entire creative community in the UK. “It was actually a very spur of the moment thing,” says Smith. “It was the day that Amy Winehouse died and that lunatic had just shot all those young people in Europe… so those issues of youth and creativity dying out were at the surface.” Gove’s intention was to scrap some GCSEs, replacing them with a new system of EBacc (English Baccalaureate Certificates), which would redefine schools’ core subjects: English, Maths, Science, Foreign Languages, History and Geography. This meant that subjects such as Art (along with Design & Technology, Drama and Music) wouldn’t count towards the EBacc, and the subjects would be increasingly pushed out of secondary school education. This was a pretty crazy thing for the government to propose but if you’re not sure why, let’s for a moment talk figures: in January of this year, the DCMS (Department of Culture, Media and Sports) published statistics stating a 10% growth in the Creative Industries, outperforming every other industry in the UK. This sector also accounted for 1.68 million jobs (5.6% of all UK jobs), generated £8 million an hour and made up 5.2 % of the total UK economy. Gove was forced to back-track somewhat on his EBacc plans last year after warnings it would not survive a change of government, but damage has been done and repercussions are already being felt. In 2013 there was a 14% fall in the number of children taking Art and similar trends have been reported in Music, Drama and Design. Some schools opted to scrap creative subjects completely. Furthermore, says Smith, although the plan was abandoned and Gove is now reshuffled, replaced with Nicky Morgan, “the concept of the EBacc hasn’t changed. The core subjects that make up the reconstituted GCSEs haven’t been changed. Morgan is just overseeing the process and hasn’t publicaly come out to speak in support of the arts. EBacc or GCSEs… it’s really just semantics.” Smith’s Letter to Michael Gove and subsequent articles for the UK press resulted in the organisation of 2013’s Art Party Conference at Scarborough Spa, which brought together artists, teachers, performers and musicians for a day of agitprop action. This has been developed into a film that’s part road movie, part documentary, part political fantasy. Directed collaboratively by Smith and Tim Newton, Art Party was released across the UK on the day of the GCSE results – Thursday 21 August. Galleries, arts organisations and cinemas across the UK organised Art Party afterparties and we invited 12 critics, students, writers and artists from each of these towns and cities to respond to Smith’s Art Party, each attending an event simultaneously. Some of

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the results, published below, add another layer of critical collective action to the noisy and necessary bandwagon. (If you head to theskinny/co.uk/ art, you’ll find the full collection of 12 reports including from the Hepworth Wakefield, The Pad at Bedford Creative Arts, firstsite Colchester, Plymouth Arts Centre and Glynn Vivian Gallery, Swansea.) Art Party the film is by no means the end for Bob and Roberta Smith. Now it has been released across the UK, the artist is setting his sights on the run up to 2015’s general election. “We’re going to ask organisations across the UK to host Cultural Question Times,” he says, “asking museums, galleries and libraries to gather parliamentary candidates from all the parties and bring them together to quiz them on their local and national cultural commitment.” Art Party has the potential to go way beyond educational policy, becoming a vehicle for wider issues of how makers, producers, commentators and consumers of culture can participate in an active conversations with politics. “It’s now about how we go further,” says Smith. “We cannot stand still… the world does not stand still.”

“What began as a playful, politically engaged conversation goes way beyond both the party and the film” Jade Montserrat

Reports from the Art Parties Cornerhouse, Manchester, by Jack Welsh Sugar. So much sugar. After a well-attended screening of Art Party, the third floor of Cornerhouse transformed into a bustling party venue dominated by Squirtapalooza: a monstrous cake installation constructed by Manchester bakery Home Sweet Home. Backed by a bouncing ‘gay disco’ soundtrack, Manchester’s Art Party afterparty slapped it on thick. Flanked by tables of endless saccharin goods – giant party rings, ‘millions’, tongue painting lollipops and gloopy icing sugar – the party featured inclusive activities such as hitting a picture of the reshuffled Gove with cake (highly satisfying) and face painting with icing sugar. Dirty Protest was an invitation for people to use a white cube as a mass canvas for fluorescent

Karen Thompson - Goveshy at Crescent Arts. Scarborough

paints. The room was packed all night. Picking up a white plastic paint palette to get started, I had flashbacks to my own GCSE art class – particularly poignant given the context. Amid all this mischievous, spontaneous creativity and outrageous fun hung a more serious question: was there any substance here? I’d suggest that the answer lay in the conversations I had over the course of the evening with artists, marketing officers, staff from the main Manchester universities and a pastry chef, among others. What linked them was an early personal connection with creativity that underpinned their strong belief in the significant message driving Art Party. These boisterous gatherings are successful because they physically bring people together and that is where Art Party’s strength lies: in mobilising a critical mass to support and defend the crucial role of creative education. What exemplifies this better than a room of adults wearing boiler-suits furiously painting, Pet Shop Boys playing in the background? Jack Welsh is an artist, producer and researcher based in Manchester and Liverpool.

ART

FACT, Liverpool, by Ashleigh Owen Weather forced us to retreat to the warm, dry indoors of FACT on the night of Art Party’s screening and afterparty, planned to take place in Ropewalks Square. There to greet us were the Bluecoat Print Studio running a screen printing workshop, and artist-led gallery Model selling prints from artists such as Emily Speed. Most notable on the night were designers/developers Draw and Code, who over the years have established a reputation by generating immersive experiences through new technologies. Topically, Draw and Code decided to show us what Hope Street would look like without arts funding. Through the virtual reality headset, Oculus Rift, they had people explore this landscape with galleries, theatres and studios rendered as abandoned sites or turned into sterile offices and flats. Overall however, due to the cancellation of the live music, the general atmosphere of Liverpool’s Art Party was less revolutionary rave and more of a grown up, mild-mannered affair. Admittedly, some aspects of the documentary-cum-political fantasy are hard to swallow, with serious speeches and inspiring interviews

THE SKINNY

Photo: Katherine A. Caddy

Bob and Roberta Smith

Turner Contemporary/LIMBO/Crate/Resort Studios, Margate, by Charley Vines and Matthew de Pulford A seaside walk. Foil-covered walls. Gin. Surreal pop standup. Participatory painting. Funk. Umbrella dancing. Stolen shoes. A Michael Gove colouring-in book. The screening of Art Party at Turner Contemporary led to the first collaboration between Margate’s three artist-led organisations, Resort Studios, Limbo and Crate. Held in the former furniture depository building where Resort Studios is based, the afterparty was organised to raise funds for the future projects of the artistrun spaces. The party started with a walk from Turner Contemporary along the coast and up the hill into the exotic Cliftonville area of Margate. Here was to be found a room decorated in emergency blankets and tissue paper, with a bar built from left-behind removal crates serving flavoured gin and tonics. There was also a raffle draw with three prizes, the most desirable of which was a colouring-in book featuring illustrations of Gove in what can only be described as compromising scenarios. DJs Wolf Zines, Prime and Chico provided music ranging from indie-pop to 70s funk, and performance artist Dul Fin Wah! re-told nursery rhymes and shared songs written in the week

Crescent Arts, Scarborough, by Jade Montserrat “It looks a little like a doss-house,” [Crescent Arts director] Stuart Cameron harks as we manoeuvre the sofa to face the screen, the exhibition space jam packed with banners and portraits of the ‘bogeyman’ Gove. But you don’t know until you try it! Richard Hamilton and Victor Pasmore will no doubt have had this sentiment in mind when they imagined the Art Foundation course, founded in Scarborough. Doss-house or not, through the course of the evening, this space becomes the hub of proceedings. Crescent Arts is the diamond in the rough: Scarborough’s haven for contemporary art, progressive ideas and radical implementation. So of course Smith was going to produce the Art Party at Scarborough Spa – a favourite for party political conferences (including, very recently, UKIP). Scarborough is a town that hinges on its illustrious past as a spa resort but now saddles up to ex-X Factor stars for its entertainment – apart from the Stephen Joseph Theatre. This is the venue that puts the town on the map, and it’s there where Art Party is screened to a full house. Two years in the making, I treasure the very first visit Smith made to Crescent Arts. We flooded the office table with ideas, suggesting artists, art educators and institutions (Lynda Morris! Jeremy Deller! David Shrigley!) who might champion freedom of expression on behalf of students and practitioners nationwide. Crescent Arts, 35 this year, was once one of those ideas, and with stalwart dedication, passion and stoicism, not only does it still support artists, it thrives. This is to the credit of Cameron who, supporting Bob and Roberta’s project, embodies the belief that ‘true art is unable to be anything but revolutionary, aspiring to a complete and radical reconstruction of society… Only on a basis of friendly cooperation, without constraint from outside,

Turner Contemporary, Margate

will it be possible for scholars and artists to carry out their tasks, which will be more far-reaching than ever before in history.’ The ripple effect: what began as a playful, politically engaged conversation and was brought to public attention last November in the Art Party Conference goes way beyond both the party and the film. The project raises the revolutionary potential of artists and educators demanding the acknowledgment of the creative industries as our most successful export, and consequently expanding the core curriculum, turning STEM to STEAM. Jade Montserrat is an artist and writer based between Islington Mill in Manchester, Scarborough and London. ICA, London, by Emily Beber ‘Why did I go to art school? To express myself myself, man. To make ART.’

Dirty Protest at Cornerhouse, Manchester

September 2014

ART

It began with humour. Protest placards, crude political slogans; sprawling wordplay upon house-sized banners. Then there was the letter, and then the Art Party. Bob and Roberta Smith’s public statements in the UK press have become, over the last four years, ever more fiercely political, more provocative, more absurd; harnessing humour as a method of exposure. The UK government, he feels, is beating the creativity out of society, starting in schools, where education reforms have created a hierarchy of subjects leaving art and design flailing at the bottom in the remnants of their own, empty materials. But rather than railing at the situation, Smith set up something that allegorises his concerns (if the government won’t fight for art, we will!) with a somewhat tongue-in-cheek ferocity. The room I am standing in is full. Smith watches from the side, his toxic coloured suit jacket clashing with the sterile ICA walls. He stands out. A compilation of established artists flood the room in support of the ‘protest’ film we have just watched and in which many of them feature. It presents a powerful euphoria at times, amid the artist speeches, the smashed Gove effigies, the protest calls from podiums decorated with caricatures of politicians’ faces, and the swathes of students, school teachers, councils and artists holding Gove-slandering banners and parading them across Scarborough beach. The room seems drunk on this elation. Yet I am uncomfortable and a little troubled in some ways by the Art Party’s preciousness – this is a collective protest, but you must have a ticket to be a part of it, the propagandistic aesthetic of Smith’s artwork that calls upon mass movement seemingly undone by the utter criticality of supporting struggling arts institutions but then limiting a broader, public engagement with the event. Or, the collective agreement that art is ‘useful,’ ‘makes kids powerful,’ without really addressing its greater manipulation in the job market. The evening teases at these tensions, yet does not directly address them. Then again, perhaps this is just the beginning of Smith’s performance. Emily Beber is a writer, editor and performer based in London. Read all 12 Art Party reports at theskinny.co.uk/art www.bobandrobertasmith.co.uk

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Photo: Crate/LIMBO/Resort Studios

“It’s now about how we go further. We cannot stand still”

leading up to the party. Throughout the evening party-goers covered a wall in a collaborative mural with neon coloured paints, while local residents peered in curiously, occasionally braving the threshold to join in. With a total profit of £5.16, the event paved a way for future alliance between the artist-run spaces involved, and acted as a reminder of why artists have no money and that sometimes it doesn’t really matter. Charley Vines is an artist based at Crate, Margate. Matthew de Pulford is an artist and curator of LIMBO, Margate.

Photo: Chris Payne

cut up with quirky footage of performances and parody. Yet there is an exuberant charm in musician Flame Proof Moth and in John Voce’s characterisation of ‘Michael Grove’ [Art Party’s Michael Gove stand-in] that sweeps the viewer along. Overall, it feels Art Party’s efforts to seriously champion art’s place in society translate as a rather tame attempt at advocacy. This being said, I think the real point behind Art Party is to emphasis the seriousness of having fun, and perhaps the personal benefits, joy and pleasure, that being creative can bring. Ashleigh Owen is an artist based in Liverpool.

Back in Black With his band about to release fifth album El Pintor – their first since the departure of talismanic bass player Carlos Dengler – Daniel Kessler tells us why Interpol’s muse is on the rise

“A

fter touring is done and I’m just playing my guitar, not putting any pressure on myself and things kinda start coming – a good body of songs that start to get my attention – that’s when I start to think: I really wanna work on these with the guys. To me, those are exciting times, very pure times, you know?” Daniel Kessler is on the other end of a transatlantic phone line, talking to The Skinny from his home in New York City. But his breathless enthusiasm, that’s right here in the room with us. He’s not the only member of Interpol who has perhaps been guilty of being taciturn with the press in the past, often simply refusing to entertain questions that don’t appeal, and certainly unwilling to suffer fools gladly. To paint Interpol as inscrutable is, certainly on this evidence, unfair. Kessler is in good humour as we discuss upcoming fifth album, the excellent El Pintor. With bassist Carlos Dengler now departed, the trio return after four years away and, while much of the Interpol palette is still in evidence (Kessler’s chiming lead guitar, Paul Banks’ astringent vocals, and Sam Fogarino’s increasingly unmistakeable rhythmic throb), they continue to explore. Lyrically, tonally, there’s reflection amidst that de rigueur sense of menace. There’s a soulfulness on the likes of My Blue Supreme and Tidal Wave that adds a welcome breadth. El Pintor is refreshingly not Interpol-by-numbers. “I really, really need to see what will happen when Paul and Sam start to add their parts,” continues Kessler, returning to his theme. “And that takes me back to the beginning of the band. An excitement thing, seeing what we can do together. And when we got together this time, we hadn’t had any discussion about what we were going to do. Whether we were going to do anything. There was a real purity. And when you do get together, and you have all of these things to say, I think it kind of speaks for itself: you do have good chemistry, and you do have a lot more you want to say.” It’s tempting, as ever, to start slapping on labels. So, this is Interpol’s first album in four years, the longest break of their career. While

Interview: Gary Kaill

some of those who side-stepped 2010’s selftitled release were simply unwilling to accept anything other than a complete re-write of their 2002 debut Turn on the Bright Lights, the trio continue to show a healthy mix of both respect and disdain for their formative years. Interpol still sound, to all intents, like Interpol. Kessler is keen to explore: “Whenever I go about writing songs, I try not to overthink too much. These are the songs that came out. These are the songs that came to me after the last touring campaign. They just felt right when we dressed them up into pieces of Interpol music. They’re just where we wanted to be, and I guess I can understand you saying it sounds like an Interpol record. I’ll take that. It probably does sound recognisably like the band and at the same time I do think that there is probably a sense of progression in our songwriting.”

“You stay in the club because you have something you want to put out there, something you have to say” Daniel Kessler

At times, El Pintor breaks thrillingly free from expectations. Paul Banks adopts a winning falsetto on several tracks. This is Interpol revealing their softer, more soulful side, perhaps. “Yeah, I’d have to agree,” says Kessler. “I’m happy for you to describe it as soulful. I think that’s a good way of putting it. Certainly on a song like My Blue Supreme, what brings us all together is a desire to essentially mix all of these elements

and not overthink it, and just explore what we feel like doing and gravitate towards what’s right for us. We don’t really know what we’re going to do until we start doing it. This is how it happened here this time. But you really appreciate it when you don’t need to have much conversation – you just need to play together. And when I brought these songs to Paul and Sam, they both in their own ways dived right into them and made them… our music, Interpol music.” Besides a sound that early commentators were keen to attribute to an unfairly narrow lineage but which is distinctly their own, Interpol’s offstage persona is similarly atypical. No spats with other bands and certainly no narcissistic posturing. They’re refreshingly boring on that score. “I think that’s fair,” offers Kessler. “I think so. Look, I think that’s the way it really should be. It feels pretty intuitive to me for it to be that way. And at the same time, I’ve nothing against the sport of rock ‘n’ roll banter, talking in the press, talking the thing up. It’s just not in my nature to do that; making proclamations one way or another. I like to do things this way because, artistically, I go back to why I wanted to start a band. I wanted that moment – that moment where you, you know, you leave rehearsal and you’re like, ‘Man these songs are sounding good!’ The first few days we were rehearsing, we had a real bounce in our step, a real high. I still have that. I still want that. To me, you do this stuff because you have to do this. You don’t get in the club and then stay in the club because you feel you have to stay in the club. You stay in the club because you have something you want to put out there, something you have to say. So, for me, still, everything else falls into place intuitively.” Of course, getting a record out there is one thing. Getting people to buy it is something else entirely. And yet, Turn on the Bright Lights became a crossover success quite quickly. “Well, yes. Remember, we played our first show in March 1998 and we didn’t make that record until the very end of 2001. And as for people taking to the record, it wasn’t due to a hit single. There was more of a sense of discovery and word of mouth.

Incredible. A natural growth. That was really great to see but I was not expecting it. We had all those years to get to know each other, to learn how to play together, and to not have that much encouragement to go on, it does make you somehow comfortable. You’re just doing your thing. I never stopped and took stock of our situation as much as much as I might have done.” Kessler is effusive about the response to their recent UK dates: “You know, for the first time I started to see these fans in maybe their forties alongside kids who were 16.” It makes it difficult, when listening to a seasoned musician do anything but romanticise the slog and the eventual breakthrough, to envisage that oftmythologised awakening where suddenly a sea of faces singing your songs back to you makes worrying about the rent a thing of the past. Was there a ‘Made it!’ moment? “Mmm. No, not really so much like that for me,” says Kessler. “I did all the management stuff for the band in the early days, sending off demos to everyone I could think of to get anything, to get any interest. So in the midst of having to coordinate all that stuff, the big moment for me was having Matador tell us they wanted to put out our record. They were one of my favourite labels. That was enough right there. What a fortunate situation – to be making a record but also to be working with one of your favourite record labels. It’s a dream, I think, really. Apart from that… actually, no, that was it!” He laughs. “All we could think was, ‘Thank God we finally get to do this.’ Plus, I’d reached a comfortable position internally a year before, maybe eight months before, where I was thinking that if no one ever wants to do anything with our music, well…” He stops to recall. “We’d reached a point where I personally felt that, artistically, this was enough for me. If nothing happens, I thought, well we did it. I genuinely did think: I’m getting enough, I’m getting something pretty big out of our music.” El Pintor is released on 8 Sep via Soft Limit. Playing Manchester Albert Hall on 8 Feb 2015 www.interpolnyc.com

Interpol

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MUSIC

THE SKINNY

The UK Biennial of Contemporary Art 5 July – 26 October www.biennial.com #biennial2014 liverpoolbiennial @biennial

ART TALKS MUSIC E V E N TS CONCERTS EXHIBITIONS PERFORMANCES Enjoy a full season of art, music and events with Liverpool Biennial this autumn

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September 2014

Radarworks presents SpAcE~LiFe Saturday 4th October, 6.30pm An extra-terrestrial takeover of music, art and performance puts Manchester Central Library at the centre of the Universe for one night. Immersive sound scores, projected video art in the Reading Room and DJ Entropy mixing the sounds, songs and beats of space. Early bird: £15 (£10 students) Full price: £20 (£12 students) Book now at librarylive.co.uk

Events at Central Library

the music college

ACCESS TO MUSIC IS COMING TO MANCHESTER! Enrol now for full-time music courses in Performance, Technology, Vocal Artist, Artist Development

Manchester Music Base 77 Newton St, M1 1EX The centre will move to purpose-built premises on Oxford Street in September.

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THE SKINNY

Ride the Lightning Once described as ‘Marilyn Manson with melody’ and ‘Slayer down the disco with Michael Jackson,’ Death from Above 1979’s Sebastien Grainger stops this nonsense with cold hard facts and a kick-ass new album

Interview: Dave Kerr

Death from Above 1979

“I

t’s the same world as ten years ago, we haven’t added any planets to the universe,” Sebastien Grainger says of the protracted period between Death from Above 1979’s debut LP and their long-awaited next step, The Physical World. In their first life, the Toronto duo burned out almost as quickly as You’re a Woman, I’m a Machine’s lightning bolt left the bottle. Exhausted by heroic touring commitments (agreeing, as they did, to play almost every gig that was put their way), ‘a punk band with pop aspirations’ was evidently a difficult proposition for the duo to fully realise at the time. Blaming growing pains for DFA1979’s early demise and quietly retiring the name shortly after a lengthy run of North American arenas at the invitation of Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age, Grainger and sparring partner Jesse F Keeler left a lingering question over the band’s legacy while it was still very much in its ascendancy: was this a punk rock victory or a whisper of what might have been? Following multiple projects over the years – Keeler most notably operated as one half of electro remix kings MSTRKRFT, while Grainger found form as a chameleonic solo artist – their disco metal Frankenstein’s monster jolted back to life in 2011. Treading cautiously back to the stage with an unannounced appearance at SXSW, their resurrection was formalised – as post-millennial big-deal reformations often are – by a triumphant set at Coachella a few weeks later. Since battening down the hatches and saying very little to the press on the subject of new material, Death from Above 1979 have reclaimed the element of surprise. Having relocated to Los Angeles last year, Grainger found a productive stride and worked with Keeler to lay down the foundation for their long-delayed studio return. The results are genuinely electrifying; that

September 2014

propulsive energy is here in abundance – raw, heavy and carrying an undeniable pop nous, The Physical World has been well worth our patience. “We’ve been sitting on it for so long,” Grainger enthuses, brimming with conviction for what’s about to hit you.

“There wasn’t a myth when we were first around, there wasn’t anything to honour”

have this thing that we honour called Death from Above 1979. We have a respect and an excitement for the band and in the sense the audience would because it’s this external third thing that happens when we get together. That didn’t exist before; I was just this dude in the band. Now I can look at it objectively and go ‘This fuckin band is awesome,’ and ‘What would make it better?’”

When a popular band first reconvenes, the motivation often looks uncertain from the outside – whether it’ll be a retread of the glory days or a more daring foot forward. At what point did the possibility of another Death from Above 1979 album become a reality? “After we’d played a number of shows under the ‘reunion’ umbrella, the conversation between Jesse and I started with: ‘If we want to continue doing this, be it next year or beyond, we can’t just keep playing the same songs.’ Not that it wasn’t Sebastien Grainger fun for us, but at a certain point it becomes kind of a cheap novelty. We discovered in 2011 that The Skinny: You’ve said previously that new ma- there was a real active audience for our music terial will permit you to play the gigs you want that had grown since we’d last played together. to play, and give you the freedom to do what That audience became a concern – it became you want. Was there a sense that the reunion something that we cared about. Before, it was circuit was keeping the band on rails? hard to tell whether we had it. We did feel the Sebastien Grainger: “Really, it’s a matter of honascension of the band in the first era; we‘d play a ouring this band. There wasn’t a myth when we city once, then we’d go back and play to double were first around, there wasn’t anything to honthe number of people at the bigger club. All of our. There was just the moment. In that moment, those steps had happened, but that was just the I think we were too wound up with it and it was groundwork. When we came back, we realised unsustainable. At that time I was so wrapped up that all of that work had come around, but we with the band personally that I only identified my- didn’t want to rip people off. It wasn’t enough for self as being part of it. When I started to reject us to just give them the old show. We wanted to that concept, that’s when shit went bad. In this do something better for ourselves and wanted particular period, the band is a completely sepa- the band to grow.” rate thing; it’s like a third individual. Jesse and I are able to have our lives and feel a certain way Musically and lyrically, what fuels the band about each other or about ourselves and then now? Is there some sense that the other

MUSIC

Photo: Andrew Graham

projects you’ve both played with since have been to the benefit of your collective songwriting? “I think so. The scene that we came out of originally was very different. The music we made was music we liked, that we enjoyed. It was also in opposition to what was happening around us. It was a contrarian reaction to the scene in a sense, we weren’t trying to fit in with what was happening in the hardcore and rock’n’roll scenes that we ended up playing in. That still exists – we’re still contrarian. No one’s come along to do what we do; there’s very little interesting angular rock music with the breadth that we give it. We’re always trying to make big fuckin’ tunes; that’s what we do. If we achieve that, great. If we don’t then, oops, we fucked up. The ambition of the band is similar and the climate is a little similar as well. Lyrically, I think I’m pulling from a larger well of experience. I’m not just finding themes to write about, but things that I feel. The ability to write a fictional song – a song that’s a story about something that didn’t exist previously – that’s something I’ve developed over the years. I’d have liked to do that on the first record, but I just didn’t have the skill.” You hired Dave Sardy – whose CV reads like a roadmap through some of the most respected electronic, rock and hip-hop albums of the last 20 years – to produce The Physical World. Unsurprisingly, it sometimes sounds like a bulldozer. Did you know you were you in safe hands from the start? “He was Jesse’s first choice, because I think his real skill is that he’s really good at getting certain sounds. He’s also good at recording music that’s sort of undeniable, you could say. There’re a lot of songs he’s produced that you can’t really ignore. We felt similarly about our band and figured it was a good match. Then when you look at his CV, from producing Slayer to LCD Soundsystem – those are two pretty disparate sounds and I think that we meet somewhere in the middle there. We had a new ambition for this record that was maybe a little bit bigger than the last one so it made sense to work with someone who has that experience.” Is there a satisfaction that you get out of this band that, as yet, you haven’t been able to find in any other? “Absolutely – I just don’t listen to heavy music. I enjoy writing and performing it, but it’s not something I gravitate towards. It really is the only therapy I have. It serves that purpose almost entirely for me sometimes. In the setting of a small show, that’s something the audience is more likely to appreciate; when you’re having a super visceral cathartic show where you’re just pounding away, you’re singing too hard and you’re playing too fast. Those gigs where, if you were to play the tape back it would sound like shit, but the people there had the most incredible time and so did you. Sometimes people just want to wile out and go crazy.” Does Death from Above 1979 finally feel like a long-term prospect – might we see a third album before this decade’s out? “We take the same approach now as we did back then. If we still enjoy doing it, people still want to see it and it doesn’t feel like a fucking joke, then we’ll do it.” The Physical World is released on 8 Sep via Last Gang/Fiction. Playing Manchester Gorilla on 21 Oct www.deathfromabove1979.com

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Reimagining Shakespeare One man, 37 plays, a 400-year legacy. Walter Meierjohann and Sarah Frankcom discuss the continued relevance of Shakespeare ahead of their forthcoming adaptations of Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet

Interview: Alecia Marshall

eo Tolstoy refused to recognise Shakespeare ‘even as an average author,’ considering his work ‘trivial and positively bad’ and unable to satisfy ‘the most elementary demands of art’; Voltaire referred to the Shakespearean canon as ‘an enormous dunghill,’ its appeal inherent in only London and Canada; George Bernard Shaw vocalised his hatred of the Bard with gleeful antagonism, confessing the desire to ‘dig him up and throw stones at him.’ And yet, the essence of Shakespeare continues to infiltrate our stages and screens, exam papers and lecture halls, attracting programmers, producers, directors and playwrights on a universal scale. From Olivier’s Oscar-winning Hamlet complete with traditional garb and setting, to contemporary adaptations such as Bernstein’s West Side Story and Lurhmann’s seminal Romeo + Juliet, Shakespeare’s work has been reimagined for over four centuries, traversing the realms of film, ballet, opera and art with a flexibility that remains unparalleled. As Benedict Cumberbatch’s approaching role as Hamlet at London’s Barbican becomes the most in-demand theatre production of all time (outstripping popularity for Beyoncé’s On the Run tour by 214%), Shakespeare continues to affirm his pertinence in a society 400 years his junior. In the wake of his birthday celebrations, September sees two fresh adaptations of Shakespeare’s work: both daring and bold, both in Manchester, the first a unique rework that challenges context, setting and audience experience. The Grade II listed Victoria Baths plays host to a unique promenade performance of the greatest love story ever told, Romeo & Juliet. Three atmospheric Edwardian swimming pools are transformed into an Eastern European fairytale, complete with colourful characters, captivating visuals and live music, courtesy of Macedonian composer Nikola Kodjabashia. “I have always wanted to direct Romeo & Juliet,” explains director Walter Meierjohann, perched on the descending tiled steps belonging to the Gala pool. “It is timeless: combining the colours of life in one play. I knew, however, that it needed to be a fresh production, to attract a young and expectant audience – so where to stage it? “I had long imagined something urban and industrial for the play, but when I arrived in Manchester I struggled to find the right venue. I walked into the Baths by chance on a private tour and was astounded by its beauty. It changed my

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whole approach to the piece.” Quietly eerie and yet breathtakingly beautiful, Victoria Baths has its own colourful history that includes a passionate campaign to save the building, prompting over a decade of careful restoration. Armed with both the beauty of archaic stained-glass windows and the insidious air of a largely disused space, the Baths has a disarming potential that lends itself to Shakespeare’s tragedy – and Meierjohann clearly recognises it. “Shakespeare thinks in contradictions; this building is filled with contradictions. These walls undoubtedly house the beauty of the play, yet you can also sense decay and degeneration: there is an authentic dialogue between the two.” Born in Amsterdam and raised in Holland, America and Germany, with an impressive array of international credentials that include positions at the Dresden State Theatre and the Residenztheater, Munich, Meierjohann’s Eastern European approach to the text is certainly intriguing and is perhaps as much influenced by his diverse cultural experiences as the space itself: “Romeo & Juliet is originally an Italian-set Renaissance piece, and yet the Baths prompted me to think about the play differently. My mother is from Vienna and I know a lot of people from Hungary and Eastern Europe and the bathing tradition is important there. It all seemed to fit.”

“It is important to be bold and not deal with a text as though it is sacred or reverential” Sarah Frankcom

Meierjohann was appointed artistic director of theatre at HOME in 2013 and has since embarked upon an ambitious site-specific prelude to the building’s official opening next spring. ANU’s Angel Meadow was the first production of the programme and was met with rapturous critical response, providing an immersive experience that explored the long-forgotten horrors of Manchester’s Ancoats. A vicarious and harrowing experience from the perspective of the Irish

Maxine Peake in rehearsals for Hamlet

community who resided there, Angel Meadow challenged and provoked its audience, and Meierjohann’s Romeo and Juliet intends to do the same. “By setting it here I am already challenging my audience. They will not be able to sit down and await a conventional theatre experience; this is not a conventional theatre space. I am trying to create a play in dialogue with the building.” It is a savvy move: to take Shakespeare outside of the theatre immediately injects a sense of daring and unpredictability. But can the playwright’s work be reinvigorated within the conventional theatre space? Manchester’s second Shakespearean offering thinks so. Artistic director of the Royal Exchange Sarah Frankcom directs a stirring and provocative adaptation of Hamlet – with Maxine Peake in the title role. Ladies and gentlemen, Hamlet is a woman. “Hamlet has become the ‘Everest’ for male actors because it allows them to be vulnerable and honest with an audience in a way they rarely can,” begins Frankcom. “I was interested in what would happen if you flip that, allowing a female actor to explore power, murder and revenge.” A noted theme in Shakespeare’s work – though more often than not employed for comedic effect – gender reversal is a concept that has been explored frequently, both inside the text and on the stage, with companies such as Smooth Faced Gentlemen gaining critical acclaim as an all-female Shakespeare ensemble. Casting a female in a notoriously masculine role may not be

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unprecedented, but it no doubt adds an unorthodox flavour to a familiar text. “I think we need to be making theatre that is flexible to the world we live in now: when I look at a Shakespeare play I have to find a parallel with contemporary society,” Frankcom continues. “I think the female experience is quite particular in the shape the plays were written in so you have to make quite radical interventions to make them relevant now.” But in making Shakespeare ‘relevant’ do we distort the original intention of the text? Is a play Shakespearean if you reimagine it entirely? Frankcom is unfazed by such insinuated accusations: “There is a long tradition in this country of performing Shakespeare at face value; of viewing his plays as a preserved text. Shakespeare was an actor and a writer and understood that each different production requires a similarly different interpretation. Cracking open a play and exploring its contemporary relevance may not necessarily be what Shakespeare intended but it is important to be bold and not deal with a text as though it is sacred or reverential.” An Eastern European Romeo and Juliet and a female Hamlet may not have been what Shakespeare had in mind – but by reinventing his work, it is inadvertently preserved. Successful adaptation or not, that has to be a good thing. Romeo & Juliet is at Victoria Baths, 10 Sep-4 Oct www.homemcr.org/production/romeo-and-juliet

Hamlet is at Royal Exchange 11 Sep-18 Oct www.royalexchange.co.uk/hamlet

THE SKINNY

Photo: Jonathan Keenan

Romeo & Juliet

The Wit Parade Do you like to laugh out of your face? This year’s Liverpool Comedy Festival presents up-and-coming names fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe alongside established stars on a bill that’s got something for everyone, but particularly those keen to spot new talent

ack for its 13th year, the Liverpool Comedy Festival is a gleeful parade of established names rubbing shoulders with unsung heroes and hopeful fools in equal measure. There is a plethora of acts from which to choose, running from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again, via Whimsy-Me-Not Avenue. “In my first year as festival manager, I am absolutely thrilled with the line-up,” says, well, festival manager Sam Avery. “It’s going to be more diverse than the Speke night bus, with a huge cross-section of comedians performing.” With every effort taken to provide a breadth of choice under the festival’s massive umbrella, some of the biggest names touring the country will shelter merrily next to comedians who struggle to convince friends and family to come to their gigs – but who might just be precisely your cup of tea. So while you may already be eagerly awaiting the arrival of Michael Palin (Echo Arena), Sean Hughes and Robin Ince (Unity), it’s worth checking out what else is available. The bigger comedy clubs of the city, which march to the drum of humour all year round, have punctured a hole in their snare with some typically excellent lineups. You can see acts from all over the country mixing with regulars

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on the Liverpool circuit, from local treasure Nige – aka Keith Carter – at Hot Water Comedy, to Phil Nichol’s carefully sculpted flights of fancy (Laughterhouse), and the nigh-on perfect Ray Peacock (Liverpool Comedy Central). Most of the regular comedy nights have made an extra effort to promote the festival by arranging for some local acts to do their first solo shows. Bless ‘em. One suspects that Tony Carroll: Just Wants to be Loved (from Hot Water) isn’t all it might appear, as he opens up about his love life while sharing his mad passion for ‘the spit game.’ Still, his enthusiasm for proceedings is genuine enough, as he tells us, “I’m excited. Ever since starting standup four years ago, I’ve wanted to do a show in my hometown, for my friends and family to enjoy.” Meanwhile, in the festival’s only show based on a quantum mechanics proof, Mike Osborne will be attempting to hold both the best and worst gig ever to take place (simultaneously) in Schrödinger’s T**t (courtesy of Live at the Pilgrim) – an exploration of multiverse theory and suchlike, or why science isn’t just for people who need glasses. Although Mike does wear glasses, it’s worth pointing out. Hordes of comics limp behind, flagging

from extensive weeks gigging in Edinburgh, and will perform their Fringe shows again, no doubt while experiencing vivid flashbacks. Some of the finest young talents in the Northwest – Steve Bugeja, Pete Otway, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Hayley Ellis, to name but a few – are showing up. (We’re also very excited that, in partnership with the festival’s organisers The Comedy Trust, The Skinny – yes, that’s us! – is hosting a showcase of Northwest acts at The Kazimier on 30 September featuring ten comics who’ve been featured in our regular Comedy Spotlight column.)

“The last float of the comedy parade is always the oddest” In the fairly niche Scouse musical act contingent, there are two. The criminally unsung Steve Gribbin, with his blisteringly clever songs and random asides, comes swaggering down the road, waving his razor sharp wit like a massive flag. Hometown boy Silky (if you count Crosby)

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Interview: Debs Marsden Illustration: Noa Snir

scuttles behind, trying to peddle his tawdry 4*-reviewed wares for bare coinage, like a ladi-da fop. Now to be found around Leeds, he’ll presumably be travelling via canal to impress the patrons of his place of birth: “I’ve used the past three Edinburgh Festivals just so I’m at match fitness for this show,” he says. “I know how exacting a home crowd can be, and want to be sure I’m bringing my A game.” The last float of the comedy parade is always the oddest. It jangles into view, with delights and unexpected oddments flailing free, such as a screening of American: The Bill Hicks Story, including a Q&A with the director, Matt Harlock, and the BBC Writersroom Seminar teaching budding comics to fully develop ideas. Lastly, Tee Hee in the Park and the Comedy Coach Tour hove into view dragging wheelie bins, to sweep away the confused mixture of confetti and litter left behind it all. Plenty to marvel at, then. And all dancing joyfully past your window. It’d be almost rude not to go out to gawk at it for a while. Liverpool Comedy Festival runs 23 Sep-5 Oct The Skinny Spotlight: a showcase of some of the best young comics in the Northwest, curated by yours truly, 30 Sep, The Kazimier, Liverpool, 7pm, £5 www.liverpoolcomedyfestival.com

THE SKINNY

Acaster Spell on You Foster’s Comedy Award nominee James Acaster shares his thoughts on the competition and the dangers of misquotation Interview: John Stansfield

should start by letting you know that this article is being written at 12pm on Saturday 23 August 2014. Half an hour before the announcement of the next winner of Foster’s Best Show at the Edinburgh Fringe. An award James Acaster is nominated for. An award he has been nominated for twice before. Three times in three years. Not a bad average for someone who’s only done four shows at the Fringe. Though you suspect it wouldn’t change Acaster’s trajectory on the comedy scene. “It’s nice. To get that kind of nod, three times in a row, is beyond what I’d ever thought would happen to me,” he tells me while on a break before his show Recognise starts up at the Pleasance at 8pm. He sounds very relaxed, laidback, Zen about his chances of bagging the elusive best show at the awards presentation the next day. “To be nominated once to be honest was more than I ever thought I’d get. You never know what’s going to happen. This time tomorrow what will happen will happen and I imagine we’ll all just carry on about our business.” When talking about his fellow nominees and getting my information wrong (I thought Alex Horne had been nominated before, but that was for Best Newcomer), Acaster corrects me and reels off the respective footings of his peers. “Alex and Sara it’s their first time, Sam Simmons has been nominated before, and the other three guys were nominated for best newcomer last year.” When I suggest he’s done his homework on the competition he nonchalantly bats the suggestion away. “Well no, I just know them,” he laughs. “We’re all friends, we were all doing the photoshoot together yesterday.” There’s no hint of falseness about him. No Hollywood faux niceties masking secret back-stabbings. Similarly he is happy for his friends in the Best Newcomer award, Skinny faves Gein’s Family Giftshop. “They’re brilliant. I like them a lot.” He was supposed to do a double preview with them

at Chorley Little Theatre but after Gein’s selfproclaimed ‘token woman’ Kath was taken ill they had to pull out. “They still organised it, [Gein’s member] Ed was still driving me around, which was very nice of them. That was the last preview before Edinburgh, I went to Edinburgh from there. Stayed over at Ed’s house so it was quite nice driving around together listening to a mix on my iPod called ‘party mix,’ we listened to that as a way of getting psyched up for Edinburgh, and it’s nice to see those guys on the list now.”

“This show that I’m going to do in Liverpool starts with a story that I don’t say was in Liverpool, but it was. In Pret a Manger” James Acaster

Bonding over a shared love of John Farnham’s You’re the Voice on this little road trip (“Ed took a longer route home so he could sing along to it”) there is a nice symmetry in that they have now both been nominated in their respective categories. Similarly there is a symmetry to Acaster heading to the Liverpool Comedy Festival later this month with his current Fringe show. “This show that I’m going to do in Liverpool starts

with a story that I don’t say was in Liverpool, but it was in Liverpool. In Pret a Manger.” Not the most interesting tidbit he admits, but one he appreciates. Going back to somewhere that has given you material is important to him. In fact the last time he performed in Liverpool led to a particularly confused altercation with a comedy fan in the crowd. “An audience member misheard me and accused me of being homophobic and complained to the venue and my management,” he tells me. “He had misheard me use the word quitters and thought I’d said the word queers.” This of course made absolutely no sense to the narrative of the show, and is completely incongruous with Acaster’s comedy persona, and indeed human personality. “It made no sense. It was the last line of the whole show. It was double bad because he wrote a review online where he said the show was a work of genius apart from the homophobic ending.” The ridiculous affair was sorted after Acaster’s management contacted him to clear up whether or not he was a massive and rather pointless homophobe. After he pointed out the error and the difference between the notwholly-alike words ‘quitters’ and ‘queers,’ the disgruntled fan relented and changed his review to say ‘The ending may have been a bit harsh for me.’ Hopefully it’ll go better this time, I suggest.

“Yeah, hopefully. It is a very homophobic show this time round. He gave me some good ideas.” He is of course joking, please don’t write to his management. His show as ever is the study of the trivial, breaking down minutiae, what he calls “low-key whimsy,” dissecting his train of thought for comedy steam. It’s always difficult to describe exactly what Acaster does, he can’t really be imitated. You couldn’t repeat to a friend why he was funny, you just have to watch it and get swept away by his thought process and carefully chosen wording. “It’s easier for me because I can remember the jokes. And because with a lot of my ones, if you get the wording wrong then it doesn’t make sense.” By the time you read this you’ll know whether or not James has won the biggest award in comedy. “For my money this is the best Fringe I’ve been involved in. I’ve not heard of anyone having a shocker.” It would be quite a feat then, to win it, I suggest. “Oh that’d be lovely,” he says in the same manner your nan might after you’ve asked her if she wants a brew after she’d just sat down. It’d be nice, but it’s not going to change his life. And the winner was... John Kearns James Acaster: Recognise at Unity Theatre, Liverpool, 27 Sep, 6pm www.jamesacaster.com

Spotlight: Adam Rowe This plucky young Liverpool comedian (of the year! In 2011) is happiest when playing to a crowd of baying hyenas and friendly ghosts

t only 22 years of age Adam Rowe is nothing short of prodigious. Gigging up and down the country since he was still at college, he has a rare combination of being fiercely ambitious and a thoroughly good person. He won Hot Water Comedy’s Comedian of the Year in 2011, which was only his second year on the circuit. After a fair amount of tragedy in recent years Rowe has channelled this into his own show, Shit Happens, which will run as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival this month. Unflappable and a consummate professional at such a young age, he has already drawn comparisons with Jason Manford – let’s just hope he keeps the likeness to his quick wit and not his proclivity for social media philanderings. But then, he is only young… First gig: “Hot Water Comedy at Envi (Liverpool). There was 32 people in the audience, 28 had come with me and two of them were Hungarian. It seemed to go

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Interview: John Stansfield

well at the time, but I watched it back recently and wanted to kill myself afterwards.”

Circuit favourites in the Northwest: “Nobody. They’re literally all very bad people.”

Best gig: “In all honesty, I can’t pick between my favourite four. One was in Chester at The Laugh Inn which was probably the best reaction I’ve ever had, but in terms of nostalgia I’d go with winning Hot Water Comedian of the Year. All the acts had been winding each other up for months over who was going to win and I managed to win despite being on first. I also managed to get three years (and counting) of bragging rights.”

Favourite venue: “It was The Laugh Inn but that’s now gone, so I would say Hot Water, Baby Blue or Birmingham Glee. They’re all just ridiculously good fun to play to.”

Worst gig: “A Laugh In Stockport, 2010. It was the day I got my A-Level results and realised I wasn’t going to Uni for another year. I decided to rant about my day and not do my material. I died on my arse and got gonged off. Awful.”

Best heckle: “It was an audience member heckling another audience member with a putdown. There was a girl chatting on the front row and I told her she looked like a student (she didn’t, she looked 35+). She turned to her mate and said, ‘Aww that’s a compliment isn’t it?’ A girl at the back shouted ‘Yeah but it’s also a fucking lie!!!”. Brilliant.” If you could be haunted by anyone, who would it be and why? “Casper. He’s proper sound.”

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If you were on death row, what would your last meal be? And why are you on death row? “My last meal would be a T-bone steak with fries, onion rings, peppercorn sauce... Then when I’d finished I’d go all Law Abiding Citizen and kill all the guards with the bone from the steak. “I’d be on death row for killing Liam Pickford.” If you lived in medieval times what would you do for a living? “Window cleaner.” Question from past Spotlighter Peter Brush: Which member of the animal kingdom do you think would most enjoy your comedy stylings? “The hyenas.” You can catch Adam at Yoghurt Pot Comedy @ Igloo, Liverpool, on 21 Sep; Hot Water @ Holiday Inn, Liverpool, 12&13 Sep, and The Skinny Spotlight showcase at The Kazimier as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival on Tue 30 Sep, £5, liverpoolcomedyfestival.com www.adamrowecomedy.com

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Third Time’s the Charm Anton Corbijn is one of the world’s finest rock photographers. He’s pretty handy with the moving image too. Here he discusses his latest film, spy thriller A Most Wanted Man, and working with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman

Interview: Jamie Dunn

A Most Wanted Man

n this age of social networking and self-promotion, we all kid ourselves. Cast an eye over your friends’ Twitter feeds and Facebook profiles and you’d think you were part of some cultural glitterati, where every second acquaintance is a musician, filmmaker or visual artist. You know, and they know, of course, that their true profession should read barista, office temp or retail assistant, but we accept these false boasts because we make them ourselves too. But it’s not just struggling artists who tell these little white lies. People who have excelled professionally in one field often want to be recognised for other ambitions: the journalist with the failed book deal who claims to be an author, the actor who wrestles directorial command of their film project and instantly announces him/herself to be a filmmaker or the reality star with one novelty hit who changes their CV to read singer. Not so Anton Corbijn. The Dutch photographer and music promo genius, who was responsible for some of the most indelible rock and pop images of the 80s and 90s, shooting everyone from U2 and Depeche Mode to Björk, Tom Waits and Bruce Springsteen, has been reluctant to call himself a filmmaker, even though cinema has been the art form in which he has primarily worked since his 2007 debut Control, a biopic of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, whose sunken cheeks Corbijn photographed within weeks of moving to the UK in his 20s. He declared at the start of his movie career that it would be a while before he considered himself a filmmaker: “After I’ve made three films I’ll either quit or become completely absorbed in filmmaking,” he said while promoting Control. Having followed up that film with the George Clooney-starring assassin flick The American, he’s now reached that magic number with A Most Wanted Man, an adaptation of John le Carré’s novel of the same name. When we meet in an Edinburgh hotel on the day of A Most Wanted Man’s UK premiere at the city’s film festival, The Skinny asks if he’s come to a decision: will he quit or embrace the movie racket? Despite all his success in cinema (Control won numerous awards, including prizes

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at Cannes and Edinburgh; The American opened at number one at the US box office), the 59-yearold is still a little sheepish: “To me, Scorsese is a filmmaker, Lars von Trier is a filmmaker. Am I a filmmaker? Well, I don’t want to say I’m on that level, but, yeah, if you look at the time I spend on doing what I do in my life, then most of it is spent making films now, so in that sense I am. Plus,” he laughs, “I jumped straight into another film after this one, so I didn’t have to think about if I’m going to make another film or not.”

“It’s very interesting how current the film is” Anton Corbijn

Back to film three: A Most Wanted Man centres on German spymaster Günther Bachmann (played with a world-weary brilliance by the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman), who’s tasked with preventing the kind of large-scale terrorist attacks that rocked the world at the start of this century. “9/11 and its aftermath, it’s what shapes the world we live in at the moment,” says Corbijn. “And I think it’s a pretty dark place.” This, for Corbijn, is one of the chief reasons for his move towards filmmaking: “Music videos, they’re fun, but they’re more entertainment. My photography has always been more serious – not politically serious, but more about people’s own development or state of mind. But I felt it was important to work on something that affects our lives. I feel that the world is so polarised now, it’s so black and white, we judge people very quickly, and that’s all in the last ten years or so, and it’s been such a quick change.” His new film certainly couldn’t be accused of being morally black and white. It’s a dense puzzle in shades of grey populated with characters whose motivations remain opaque ’til the final

reel. Take, for example, Issa Karpov, the wanted man of the title, a Chechen refugee who enters Bachmann’s home turf of Hamburg illegally so that he can collect a large inheritance from his dead Russian father, a notorious gangster. While the US authorities are keen for Karpov, a suspected Muslim extremist, to be apprehended and interrogated, Bachmann’s instinct is to sit back and observe him – play the long game – which causes tension with his US counterparts who distrust his methods. Le Carré’s story, written in 2008, proved to be prescient: “The period that we filmed was late 2012, and then after that came the Boston bombing, a guy from Chechnya, and then you had the NSA revelations about spying on Merkel and Germany. It’s very interesting how current the film is.” While its themes and plot machinations could have been ripped from today’s headlines, A Most Wanted Man’s stylish gloom and sombre tone call to mind the great paranoid thrillers of the 70s – think The Conversation and The Parallax View. Corbijn doesn’t appreciate the comparison, however. “I wouldn’t know the difference between my film and other thrillers because I haven’t studied them,” Corbijn says gruffly. “That might be a bad thing or a good thing, I don’t know.” This is a typical Corbijn response. Later, when asked about this film’s and The American’s similarity to the work of Jean-Pierre Melville he fires back, “It was interesting when people made that comparison with The American, because I hadn’t seen that movie [Melville’s 1967 masterpiece Le Samouraï], just as I never saw a film called Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, which some people said Control reminded them of. For this movie, I didn’t watch much at all.” A Most Wanted Man does represent a shift in style for Corbijn, however. While Control and The American are both never less than gorgeous, taking the form of exacting tableaux and fastidious framing, A Most Wanted Man’s handheld cinematography, by contrast, is raggedy and loose. “I wanted to get away from this idea that everything is so composed,” says Corbijn. “And of course I still think it looks quite beautiful.” So

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it looks less like a photographer’s movie, then? “With Control and The American that was more obvious I think. And because of the subject matter I wanted something that brings you into the action. Handheld camera gives you that immediacy, that urgency – that’s hard to achieve when the film is very static.” Another element that draws you in is the acting. Russian actor Grigoriy Dobrygin gives an intense turn as the troubled Karpov, while Rachel McAdams and Willem Dafoe do good work as, respectively, a human-rights lawyer and a German banker who help Karpov get hold of his inheritance. But the picture belongs to Hoffman: hulking, intelligent and melancholy, it’s one of his finest performances. For Corbijn, no other actor would do: “Initially I looked at it as a solely German film, but once I let that go and it became an international film it was always Philip,” Corbijn explains. It wasn’t only Hoffman’s acting talent that the Dutchman was drawn to. “He had many of the characteristics in him that I wanted for the role, including his size. It was important for me that the character was someone who was not totally looking after himself, who was very occupied on what he was passionate about, and there was no vanity there; he did it because he believed in what he was doing.” Sounds like Hoffman alright. As well as being one of the much-loved actor’s final performances, the film has added poignancy in that it, along with The Master from a few years ago, suggests that Hoffman was on the verge of a breakthrough: after a career spent working primarily as a character actor he was starting to be considered as a bona fide leading man. “It was hard for Philip to get leading roles, but if you look at the ones that he did, they were so good you cannot believe he wasn’t always the leading actor,” agrees Corbijn. “At the same time, though, he was open to do a small role in my new film. He liked to work with certain people again and again: Moneyball after Capote was not a big role but he liked working with Bennett Miller; he supported filmmakers.” A Most Wanted Man is released 12 Sep by Entertainment One

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Back in the Habit Ida marks Polish filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski’s return to his home nation and his return to form. The My Summer of Love director speaks to us about Ida’s surprise success and how making it allowed him to escape the boredom of cinema direction the film was taking, and his attempts to secure a last-minute replacement came to nought, Pawlikowski was forced to promote his young camera operator Lukasz Zal to the position. “I had no choice other than to go with the guy who was there, and he turned out to be great. Good energy, total courage and he was really excited, and that’s all you really need.” In fact, the whole of the production appears to have been blessed by such happy accidents. The heavy snowfall that disrupted the shooting schedule gave Pawlikowski the time he needed to rewrite the whole of the film’s second half, and he can also be thankful that his friend and fellow director Malgorzata Szumowska spotted Agata Trzebuchowska in a Warsaw café.

Pawel Pawlikowski

year has passed since Pawel Pawlikowski’s Ida was first unveiled for festival audiences, and in the course of that year it has quickly become one of the most awarded and critically acclaimed pictures on the circuit. This minimalist 1960s-set drama about a young nun exploring her past while on a road trip with her chainsmoking, sexually liberated aunt has also proven to be an unlikely box-office success, having made over $3.5 million in the United States (more than films like Under the Skin or The Raid 2, despite playing on fewer screens) and it has now been selected as Poland’s official entry for next year’s Academy Awards. All of which has come as a major surprise to the film’s director. When he was snowbound in rural Poland with an untested lead actress and a director of photography who had never shot a feature before, he was convinced that he was making his most obscure film to date. “We were making a film that was clearly not going to be commercial, although it has turned out to be commercial, strangely enough,” he says. “And because we would have such a limited audience, I just wanted to do it the way I wanted to do it and take risks.” Stung by the hostile reception to his 2011 Paris-set mystery The Woman in the Fifth, Pawlikowski decided to return to his native country to rediscover his passion for filmmaking. “I always assumed that this film could be my last film, and I just didn’t want to think that I hadn’t done it the way I wanted to do it.” The resulting picture is not simply a considerable departure from Pawlikowski’s own body of work but a film that feels bracingly out of step with the style and fashion of contemporary cinema, and it seems that was one of the prime motivating factors behind his choices here. “It was just a case of being tired of cinema,” he admits. “I’m not talking about commercial films necessarily, but especially middlebrow films, you know; the good ‘quality’ films are the worst. I was tired of all the trickery and devices of cinema – all those close-ups, tracking shots, helicopter shots, beautiful lighting, emoting – and one of the key phrases on the set was ‘God, this feels too much like cinema.’ We would say that if it was over-lit or if the framings didn’t feel accidental enough, or whatever. So it was an escapist film in

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a way, trying to escape my boredom of cinema.” Pawlikowski does concede that it took some time to get everyone on board with his vision, however. “Of course there were murmurings from the financiers: ‘Why can’t they emote more? Why can’t the camera move? This is going to be a disaster.’ The rushes didn’t have a very good reception,” he recalls with a smile. Ida simultaneously feels like something old and something new. With its static and square black-and-white images, it often resembles a picture made in the early 60s, but Pawlikowski’s off-centre framing and the expressive lighting makes every shot feel distinctive, unusual and fresh. I assumed that the film’s extraordinary cinematography was the work of a master, perhaps a veteran of the Polish new wave, but nothing could be further from the truth. When his regular DP Ryszard Lenczewski left the production after one day, apparently in disagreement with the

“My films are always the result of where I am, what I’ve discovered and what’s in my head” Pawel Pawlikowski

Trzebuchowska is a real discovery. Her soulful screen presence, with her beautiful features accentuated by Zal’s use of light and shadow, is quietly mesmerising, and she charts her character’s development throughout the course of the movie in almost imperceptibly subtle but resonant ways. A star is born, we might think, but Pawlikowski suggests that this may be the only time we see this young woman on screen. “She was interested in meeting me because she had seen my films and she liked Last Resort and My Summer of Love, but she has no ambition to be an actress,” he says. “Agata is actually just doing her final exams this week in Warsaw where she’s

Interview: Philip Concannon studying philosophy and history of art, so she’s very aware of aesthetics and what they mean and she was interested in the process of filmmaking. I don’t think she’s an actress type, though: she doesn’t enjoy being the centre of attention, and that’s actually why I chose her, because she doesn’t have a histrionic bone in her body and she doesn’t need to perform to be alive.” However, Pawlikowski does leave the door ajar for any top European directors who might be reading: “I mean, never say never. If Sorrentino or someone like that called her then I’m sure she’d be interested.” As for the director’s future plans, they remain very vague. He has a number of projects at various stages of development, one of which is set in Poland and another in England (where he has spent most of his career), and he talks with some passion of a script about Johann Sebastian Bach that he has been working on, but he can’t say for sure what his next move will be. “Generally all my films, including my documentaries, act as markers for where I am,” he explains. “I’m not a professional filmmaker, it’s just a little part of my life and it’s not how I define myself. It’s not really important whether I make the film in Poland, England or wherever. The films are always the result of where I am, what I’ve discovered and what’s in my head.” For now, Pawlikowski is simply enjoying the journey that Ida has taken him on and is trying to come to terms with the film’s unexpected and continuing success. “It’s hard to understand,” he admits. But he thinks he may have pinpointed one reason why the film has struck such a chord with audiences: “I remember seeing a poster for this film in Paris when it came out in February, and they chose a really good poster in Paris, the wide shot of the monastery with the nun walking in the snow, and it really jumped out at you,” he recalls. “All of the colours and movement, and suddenly you had this black-and-white space in the middle of it. I think a lot of people crave the silence, the simplicity, the meditation or whatever the quality is that takes you out of modern culture, just for a moment.” Ida is released 26 Sep by Curzon Film World

Ida

FILM

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‘The sort of festival people get possessive about’ – The Guardian

WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL 26TH SEPTEMBER - 5TH OCTOBER 2014

Imaginative writing has always been at the heart of Manchester Literature Festival and we have a wealth of wonderful writers lined up for you this year. Authors include Sebastian Barry, Colm Tóibín, Sarah Waters, Michel Faber, Olivia Laing, Kamila Shamsie, Simon Armitage, Audrey Niffenegger, Will Self, Howard Jacobson, Lynn Barber, Sheila Hancock, Jackie Kay with Adam Fairhall, Patience Agbabi, Daljit Nagra, Pascale Petit, Arne Dahl, Hong Ying, Evie Wyld, Cynan Jones, Peter Blake, Ben Watt, John Lahr, David Mitchell, Kate Tempest and Manchester Camerata with Bill Ryder-Jones.

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Come and join us: Monday 6th — Sunday 19th October 2014. Visit the festival website for full programme details or email office@manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk to request a brochure.

manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk @mcrlitfest

MORE THAN 18O EVENTS FOR ADULTS, YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN WWW.WIGTOWNBOOKFESTIVAL.COM O1988 4O3222 Charity No. SCO37984

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Narrating the Times London’s Salena Godden, punk feminist poet, writer and performer – once termed by Kerrang as ‘everything the Daily Mail is terrified of’ – talks tears, laughter, and the poetry of toilet walls and lovers’ whispers

“I

t was a good cock, there’s no disputing it. It made her giddy just to look at it, throbbing, twitching and pulsating there within her hand...” Salena Godden is on typically mischievous form, and from her diverse repertoire of poems she chooses to perform the most bawdy and deliciously vulgar at Edinburgh spoken word night Neu! Reekie!. I’m unsure whether to be ecstatic or affronted; whether she is keen to offend tender Edinburgh sensibilities, or confident we have the mettle to take it. She answers in a roundabout way when we meet the next evening. The sun is still bathing the water of Leith, and drink is taken as a gang forms on the shore: Godden’s friends from the performance duo Shiny Shiny, building up to their next day gig at the Pussy Whipped festival, plus two young Scottish writers now in tow. “I did a gig only once,” Godden tells me, “where I did my more beautiful stuff and the audience were all in tears and that felt weird and I’ve never done it again. It didn’t make me feel good, I’d just made everyone cry. To make people feel is obviously the job, but gosh... I thought, I’m never doing that again.” So, perhaps it was for our own good that she instead spoke of ‘good cocks’ and ‘fisting love’ to ignite the crowd in shocked laughter. “If you make an audience laugh then you can make an audience care, and if you can make an audience care you can make an audience cry, and think. I go on that level and I like more than anything to get a room full of people laughing.” For the uninitiated, how to describe Godden? A London-based poet, writer, and singer? “I find all the clichés really uncomfortable,” she claims. So let her describe herself: “Jamish is the word I call myself. I’m Jamaican, Irish, English, and I call that Jamish... All the other words like feminist writer, black writer, performance poet; all those other labels I find stifling and limiting.” She dismisses her regular tag of punk poet – protesting she’s far too young – although she did start her days reciting on stage alongside Irvine Welsh and the print rebels of the time. “I’m very flattered when people call me a renaissance woman. To me, I just tell stories whether that comes out

September 2014

as a poem, whether that comes out as a short story or whether it comes out as song.” But punk need not be tied to era; it can exude in ethos and attitude, and does so from Godden with ease today. Possibly a result of being shown a fine time by the Neu! Reekie! crew, or perhaps she showed them one herself; the truth as always probably somewhere in-between. Anyway, this has a ‘day two’ feel, where thoughts are lubricated and inhibitions melt away. “I don’t know why there’s this staid and quite starchy cupcake attitude around books, because to write a book is rock’n’roll, it’s hard work. And I don’t understand why everyone tries to act as if it’s some cheesy kind of quilty, blankety, cosy thing; a warm glass of white wine in a plastic cup. It’s not, it’s a fucking really wicked martini!” Fishing in the Aftermath is her collection of poetry from 1994 to 2014, which published in July through Burning Eye, the titular piece gathered from the emotional debris she found circling her in New York on 9/11. While her words are most often listened to, enjoyed and endured by fans rather than read from the page, when I question her loyalty to either medium she kicks off in typical glorious fashion. “Don’t even go there! I actually...” A pause, a stiff drink and gathering of thoughts. “The page and stage debate is just old and tired and rinsed out and squeezed... it’s bollocks.” She takes a free and borderless approach to words, refusing to allow form to label her work. “Basically a good poem will be written on a toilet wall, a good poem will be whispered in the ear of your lover, a good poem will be remembered and recited to people sitting about at three in the morning drinking a bottle of whisky, going ‘this line, it moved me, I related to it.’” There are more important arguments for the writer than how their work is compartmentalised, she believes; more prominent roles. “As a poet I believe your job is to narrate the times, you are making the document of our times in the way a journalist can’t. That’s what a poet does, you’re echoing, talking about what everyone’s thinking... My nudge when standing on stage is to get everyone in the audience to go, ‘Oh my god, I think that, I feel like that.’” Her work edges close

to standup at times, and I ask about the relationship between these genres. It’s a comparison I imagine most poets would balk at, but it’s taken as a compliment by Godden, who relates with the rhythm and repetition of the greatest comedians. “I think Bill Hicks was a brilliant poet, I think Lenny Bruce was a brilliant poet, I think Stewart Lee’s a brilliant poet, but we don’t call them poets we call them comedians... narrating the language of the people is poetry.”

“I wish we could stop with the snobbery and the bollocks that surrounds poetry” Salena Godden

The tone changes as we begin to discuss her upcoming autobiographical work, Springfield Road – and this change can be heard in the words of the work itself. While officially publishing this month, nostalgia-tinged sections read by Godden herself have existed on YouTube for some time. These are tales of an era she attaches to newspaper-wrapped fish and chips and roller skates you tied to your shoes. “I looked everywhere for a book which could describe my era, the late 70s and early 80s, and I couldn’t find it. Even more so from a little afro, National Health glasses girl, sitting there just observing.” This is the role she feels she has taken in life, beginning at a young age. “I was an observer as a child, I just sat there watching, making shapes out of clouds but also making shapes out of the adults and the people above me.” It wasn’t only her age which legitimised this position; all aspects of her culture, race and upbringing made her a perfect storm. Her father was an Irish jazz musician, having played on Sgt. Pepper and with Miles Davis and

BOOKS

Interview: Alan Bett

Salena Jones (from whom she takes her name), her mother a go-go dancer. “It’s weird being me, not black enough to be black so I’m not really embraced by that team, not white enough to be white... not posh enough to be posh, and I speak too well to be poor enough... but actually from that stance it makes me an incredibly powerful writer and observer because I’m so not in anyone’s team, I’m just literally on the edge.” More edge is provided by her favourite writer, Charles Bukowski – a character who seems at odds with her feminist thinking and a man exactly 20 years dead as we sit talking on the shore. She has a deep respect for the work. “It was brutal, and it was honest and it was talking about being skint and hungry and it was talking about being randy and they were the things that I totally related to... I engulfed it all.” To such an extent she was nicknamed Birdkowski in her early days (but it didn’t quite catch on like Salena Saliva). It’s that eternal question, differentiating between the artist and their art. “I think he was an absolute brute, he was awful... just a horrible old drunk man... but his writing, I just get it.” There’s a level of understanding and acquiescence. “We can all be a little arrogant and a little vulnerable, I just wish we could stop with the snobbery and the bollocks that surrounds poetry. I’d rather sit under the table than pull up a chair to join the salesmen and magicians! The books I love don’t come from a clean place, the writers I love to read are brutally honest and filthy. They exist on the outside... the outside may be cold, but it’s the best place to be.” It’s definitely a theory in line with the drunken poetry this afternoon has conjured; then, as the evening sun extinguishes itself in the sparkling waters – aspirationally gentrified but still stained with the oils of industry – we gather up the retinue, of which I am now one, and drag ourselves to darker places along the port. Fishing in the Aftermath – Poems 1994-2014 was published by Burning Eye Books in July Springfield Road is published September through Unbound. Salena Godden plays Festival No. 6, Portmeirion, Wales, 5-7 Sep www.salenagodden.com

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A Psych for Sore Eyes As Liverpool Psych Fest stakes its claim to be Europe’s premier site of sonic worship, The Skinny questions the festival’s visual experts on the aesthetics of psych, plus their plans – and the music – for this year’s event

Interview: Colm McAuliffe

Dan Tombs

hat is the psychedelic experience in the 21st century? Is it, as Aldous Huxley asserted, the sensation of being “transported, carried away toward that Other Earth of the Platonic Dialogue, that magical place where every pebble is a precious stone”? Or is it the truly modern psychedelic trip composed of slack-jawed gurning in a damp field to the sound of fuzz guitars and wah-wah pedals? Either way, it’s impossible to ignore the simply staggering proliferation of psychedelic festivals on the modern festival circuit. From every two-bit town to raging metropolis, the psychedelic festival has become ubiquitous, the default adjective for any musical gathering worth its tabs. Does this dilute the whole notion of a psychedelic festival? Not necessarily, you see, especially when it comes to Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, the full and rather grandiose title of unquestionably the UK’s, if not Europe’s, premier psych fest. The festival takes place at the city’s Camp and Furnace venue which this year plays host to a frighteningly feral music line-up. But more of that shortly. What makes Liverpool stand out above the parapet is the carefully curated visual style and art direction from the festival; the festival’s aesthetic is as much a part of the event as the music and audience. Sam Wiehl is the chief designer for Liverpool Psych Fest and sees his role as interdisciplinary curator, bringing together all of the art and visual aspects under a cohesive banner. “This year we have shifted the principal medium in the run up to the festival,” reveals Wiehl, “with video becoming central to the aesthetic. We have been releasing video trailers in the run up and this will form part of the AV setup across the venue. I’ll also be anchoring the visual goings-on in the Furnace – our largest festival space – over the weekend.” But what of psychedelia? Has the term been diluted somewhat due to over-exposure? “I think

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the term ‘psychedelic’ is pretty broad these days, which gives ‘psych’ festivals a huge breadth of freedom to curate from,” he says, “meaning a wealth of really interesting, expansive artists playing together – often in some ways crossing over genres. This broad church is one of the key aspects, I suppose. I think you can find a lot of psychedelia in many areas of music; if it’s transportive, in our mind it’s psychedelic. “There’s a strong global community of psych culture bubbling at present; it does feel like a truly global ‘moment,’ and this means that people travel a lot to various festivals helping their growth. We saw this with our first international event, Eindhoven Psych Lab, in June. There is a genuine community of enthusiasts out there and it’s brilliant to be able to put on shows that bring the community together.”

I think that the only aspect the visuals have to fulfil is that they’re completely immersive and transportive. Complementing the performances, a strong visual presence can be a really powerful addition to a show – and many forms can work. We like the way the rooms at the festival all have their own individual ‘feel’ and concept. They all share the idea of creating a world which you can either drift off into or be completely bombarded by. I personally like the intensity of light and use a lot of white-light projections and strobes within performances – that’ll definitely be going on over the two days.” Last year’s festival saw the pairing of Spaceman 3 luminary Sonic Boom and Londonbased screen printers Heretic at a bespoke gallery space in the festival. The two created an entirely mesmerising and enveloping sphere of warped and wonky psychotropics; Wiehl is relishing the opportunity to consolidate and build upon this legacy for 2014. “This year’s visual art programme is more expansive,” Wiehl proudly notes, “including an exclusive installation by Dan Tombs – who has worked with Jon Hopkins, East India Youth et al – plus we’ll also have a live screen printing workshop. There is also a brilliant cinema programme curated with Tusk Festival in Sam Wiehl Newcastle and Piccadilly Records will be pitching Wiehl has grand plans for this year’s festival, up with a new pop-up, their Psychedelic World of all of which are underpinned by a strong theoreti- Wax Wonders.” cal foundation; you’ll find no half-assed fractal Indeed, Dan Tombs’ installation piece is wall projections or pseudo-horror graphics under rather conceptual, based upon the concept of his command. “We’re really keen to develop a circuit bending, the deconstruction and re-wiring broad visual aesthetic at the festival. Innerstrings of cheap electronic devices to create entirely Psychedelic Lightshow will be doing their amazing new hybrids. “It’s interesting to see what is reoil-based wall transformations with us again this dundant in the world and modifying it in a small year – aided by some very special guests – and we way to change the possibilities,” says Tombs. have a brilliant analogue video artist also taking “I’m a great believer in the idea of a common over one of the spaces. consciousness and am thinking of some sort “My own work tends to be quite momentum of border-less, state-less way in which you can driven and also this year I’ll be using more film. bring everyone together in a short period of time

“If it’s transportive, in our mind it’s psychedelic”

MUSIC

– that’s the interesting thing about the festival, you create a new world for people, which is a very exciting experience. I’m thinking of subtle ways in which I can involve this in the video work. My current thinking is to try and explore the idea of people’s colour perceptions. I’m quite fascinated by the idea that we have no idea if we all perceive colour in the same way; we all agree that the sky is blue and the grass is green but are we actually seeing the same thing? So, I’m trying to think about using that along with using a large amount of old television sets to make the installation which naturally will all have different representations of the same video signal, playing around with changing the formats of the videos, using different international standards, and then rewiring it a little bit. Then I want to arrange the sets in a column or pyramid so you can walk around 360 degrees effectively.” And what of the music? The lineup for Liverpool Psych Fest is stellar – mental Gothenburg psy-magicians Goat headline, but dig a little deeper and some more gems are to be found: Parisian Orval Carlos Sibelius beautifully melds kosmische cool with a glistening ear for melody worth of vintage XTC; ditto Sudden Death of Stars and their ersatz prog folk and the often frightening Gnod, Salford’s premier purveyors of occultist sonic menace. Sam Wiehl is breathlessly excited about this year’s prismatic jamboree: ”There is a brilliant mix of AV artists creating work over the weekend across all the festival spaces, including brand new AV elements I am building at the moment, which are heavily video based. I’m also working with Rocket Records for a new visual set for Goat, just for the festival, which is really exciting. Oh, and I’m installing strobes. Lots of strobes...” Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia, Camp and Furnace + Blade Factory, 26-27 Sep www.liverpoolpsychfest.com

THE SKINNY

RE-OPENING SATURDAY

6th

SEPTEMBER 10.00 am

Shostakovich Symphony No. 4 Sibelius

Rakastava (The Lover)

Shostakovich

Symphony No. 4

Nielsen

Clarinet Concerto

bbc.co.uk/philharmonic

Saturday 11 October 7.30pm The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

MONDAYS 50% off all food! TUESDAYS Comedy nights, showcases and one-offs. WEDNESDAYS Cocktail Club where all cocktails will be 2 for 1. THURSDAYS Sweet Thursdays open mic, hosted by Ian McNabb FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS Weekly DJs spinning good vibes! SUNDAYS Stylus pop up vinyl shop + music quiz with Chris Carney

September 2014

Speaking Out Poet, mother, lover, daughter, friend, feminist and proper author Hollie McNish is one of the UK’s best-known spoken word artists. In a rare free moment ahead of her October tour, she chats to The Skinny about luck, poetry and YouTube comments

ollie McNish has a number of awards and accolades to her name, from a treasured pasta necklace made by her daughter to third place in the World Slam poetry finals. As we speak, she has just finished recording her third poetry album, following critical acclaim for her earlier albums Touch and Push Kick. “There are five poems plain, and five with music. And now I’m annoyed that they aren’t written as well. Sometimes you just like to sit and read by yourself…” The poet, who has also published a written collection Papers, doesn’t distinguish between her written and her spoken poetry: “I don’t really get the difference. I never write poems just to read them out. I don’t even read them by heart – I used to get myself in a massive kerfuffle about reading by heart, but now I just read it.” As a side-note, she comments, “I always write poems that rhyme, which people tell me I need to get out of – but I am never going to write poems that don’t rhyme.” McNish is warm, funny and occasionally apologetic – catching herself if she veers onto a tangent, wondering out loud whether her answers are any good. She’s humble about her success, “It’s weird – I feel very grateful but also feel like I’ve just been lucky. I get lots of young people emailing me being like, ‘I want to get into spoken word, how do I do it?’ And I don’t really know!” Reflecting, her advice is to “write poetry, read it out, do as many gigs as you can.” Having grown up in a village with no poetry scene, she recalls, “I never stepped into an arts centre or a poetry cafe or anything like that before I was 24. I went in and asked if there were spaces on an open mic night, and then I ran away. Arts places can be quite intimidating if you don’t feel like you’re their type.” McNish’s poetry began with the diary she started writing aged seven. “They’re all things that have really happened,” she says. “When I was 15 I wrote about every boyfriend I had. The point was to get personal things off my chest. Then, if I

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read something in the papers then I’d write about it too.” She’s passionate about the importance of the arts for young people. “I think it’s brilliant for all kids to learn to express themselves. It’s good to give people an outlet for thoughts and feelings and anger and all sorts. That’s what it was for me.” When asked which poems she was most moved by, she gives a nod to Wilfred Owen before replying: “The ones that kids write when I do workshops with them in schools – these kids where the teachers say, they have no culture. They have just as much culture as me. I have to hold back tears sometimes. What really gets me is people just writing down their thoughts and feelings.” In recent years McNish has braved the internet, posting videos of herself reading her poetry aloud. “I think YouTube is brilliant,” she enthuses. “I’d just had a baby when I started putting videos on YouTube – I couldn’t go anywhere. It makes things more widely available.” Yet she exercises caution with her praise: “I am wary about telling people just starting out to put themselves on YouTube. It isn’t necessarily good for people who are younger, more vulnerable. You get a lot of hate on YouTube. Just put your voice up – people prefer to slag off your appearance.” McNish is unfortunately accustomed to the vitriol of the internet. “At first it was a bit horrible,” she remembers. “I like it when someone gives me criticism in terms of the poem – I learn from it. But sometimes people are offended by things I put up. I put up a video in support of the No More Page 3 campaign [‘For just one day/ I’d like to hear what those men who mock me would say/ if everything, was the other way around’]. I have never been called an ugly lesbian bitch whore so much in all of my life. “When people are so horrible, you think they are sort of proving the point of the poem,” McNish reflects. “It doesn’t bother me so much anymore. It bothers my partner, and my mum as

well. But I post the poems in places where I know people won’t like it – not just on The Guardian’s website – I posted the Page 3 poem on The Sun page, on men’s magazines.” While some have responded with abuse, others have been prompted to think about the everyday sexism women face. She muses, “I’d rather tackle the mainstream stuff – make mainstream things better. I don’t want to go to left-wing venues all my life and meet people who agree with me. I’d rather get more hate and maybe change a few people’s opinions about things.”

“I post the poems in places where I know people won’t like it – I posted the Page 3 poem on The Sun” Hollie McNish

McNish addresses a number of feminist issues in her poems – from attitudes towards breastfeeding to the narrow parameters of what women are supposed to find ‘sexy’. Embarrassed moves from ‘I whispered and tiptoed with nervous discretion’ to the affirmation ‘For God’s sake, Jesus drank it – so did Siddhartha/ Mohammed and Moses and both of their fathers… I’m sure they weren’t doing it sniffing on piss/ as their mothers sat embarrassed on cold toilet lids/ in a country of billboards covered in tits.’ Her poem about Flo Rida’s song Blow My Whistle is a brilliant and hilarious deconstruction of

BOOKS

Interview: Ceris Aston

the sexism in music videos: ‘It brings me to the actual thing that I find kind of odd/ and that’s the image that this man has used to talk about his knob… In a fantasy of orgy dance where straight women go to blow his piece/ at least choose a metaphor that doesn’t fucking squeak.’ She has a point. Yet she doesn’t hammer it home, but laughs – and with humour, her point is won. While McNish has written powerfully against sexism and xenophobia, she asserts that “I’m not a political commentator, I’m a poet. Any subject where I don’t have personal experience I wouldn’t write about.” It’s a response she’s well practised in by now, having fielded requests to write about issues from multiple sclerosis awareness to the current situation in Gaza. “When I wrote about immigration it was during my Masters [in Development and Economics]. I only put poems up when I am really sure of what I think – even if that will change at some point. I’ve been reading a lot about class issues recently and writing loads on the May elections – I might put up some of them.” McNish’s poems range from the mundane to the political, the sensual to the prosaic. “The poems I write are quite broad,” she considers. “Not wanting to have sex after pregnancy – it’s an issue many women go through, and men feel awkward about.” Her only wish is that her dad would avoid mentioning her poems about sex, particularly at family dinners. “The only people I feel embarrassed around are my family, and people in my village – they know my opinion on everything before they’ve even met me.” McNish’s warmth, wit and honesty have already won her a multitude of fans. Her tour in October will no doubt be an opportunity to win many more. McNish tours the UK next month, taking in Gorilla, Manchester, 17 Oct www.holliepoetry.com

THE SKINNY

Fishing in Slower Territories Rainer Trüby began his DJ career as the host of tea parties at a local old folks’ home, occasionally dropping orchestral versions of the theme tune from Shaft

Interview: Daniel Jones

odern-day life ticks over at a frantic pace. Have a butcher’s around your local high street on a Saturday afternoon and you’ll see that rushing around is ingrained into the very fabric of our culture. People have a tendency to dash between A and B as though their life depends on getting in and out of Greggs in record time, which can’t be good for the ol’ heart, can it? Rushing, that is... We’d all benefit by taking a leaf out of Rainer Trüby’s book. The Compost Records affiliate/A&R has taken the past year in his stride, curating a sultry house compilation of high grade toetappers, while cementing his place as one of the finest taste-makers to come out of Stuttgart in the past two decades. Tempo-wise, most of Slouse: Fishing in Slower Territories glides along at around 115 bpm, harbouring the talents of S3A, Chroma Keys, Ron Deacon and Sello, to name a few. There’s also a prime slot on disc two for the previously unreleased Maurice Fulton mix of Alice Smith’s Love Endeavour – a rare nugget indeed. We caught up with Trüby on the eve of the release, and in between producing sessions with young Italian up-and-comer Corrado Bucci, to delve a little deeper into the mechanics of slomo house, or as the man himself likes to call it, slouse.

The Skinny: Let’s start by talking about your youth growing up in Stuttgart, and the music you started off on... Rainer Trüby: I actually grew up listening to UK bands like Level 42, and The Style Council. Then in the late 80s, I started going to a G.I. disco club called Maddox in Stuttgart, which where I discovered bands like Kool & the Gang, Earth Wind & Fire, and Cameo. I totally fell in love with what was referred to, at the time, as ‘black music.’ Stuttgart often gets compared to Detroit, maybe because two huge car factories are based there – Porsche and Mercedes – so we’re often referred to as the other Motor City... What about your parents, any major hereditary influences there? Sure! My dad used to hang with the US soldiers, and he was really into Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Really though, I had to discover my true heroes – people like Herbie Hancock, Roy Ayers and Donald Byrd – a little later, and by myself. Hip-hop was vital for that, especially samples from the Native Tongues era. Legend has it that your first DJ slot was in an old people’s home! Yes! Back then, instead of enlisting in the army, we had the possibility to do an alternative civil service, so I chose to work in an old people’s home mainly as a meals-on-wheels driver. But, every Tuesday afternoon, I was also there to entertain them as a tea dance DJ from 2 ’til 5.30pm. I’d go from Vienna waltzes via classic Oktoberfest-style volksmusik to some orchestras playing rock’n’roll medleys. I once tried out a cover version of Isaac Hayes’ Shaft by James Last, complete with frantic wah-wah guitars. So funky, but my crowd was not amused, I can tell you... It sounds like quite the experience for any budding DJ; when did you make the switch into the club? It wasn’t until a few years after when Ali and Basti (Tiefschwartz) offered me a residency at ON-U club. Soon after that, I met Michael (Reinboth; head of Compost Records) for the first time in 1993, and he invited me to DJ at his Into Something night in Munich. I gave him a demo

September 2014

with some A Forest Mighty Black tunes; he liked them and that turned out to be the first Compost release in 1994. Later, I did the Glücklich compilation series with him too. Michael trusted my taste, and it turned out that some of my A&R work seemed to match the spirit of Compost. Talk us through the selection process for the new compilation. The idea for Slouse came up about a year ago. Initially, we wanted to provide a soundtrack that would suit both the happy hour and the after-hour. I love to play the warm-up at my own clubnight called Root Down in Freiburg, and this compilation is pretty much the musical spirit there until about midnight. Each and every tune certainly took a while to fish out and finally approve. Do you have a personal favourite track on the record? I have quite a few favourites on there. Obviously Maurice Fulton’s sublime remix for Alice Smith’s Love Endeavour is a big rarity. The original vinyl 12” is apparently getting really pricey on eBay and Discogs. We’ve re-mastered the track specifically for this compilation, and the pretty good news is that it sounds pretty good. I love that Moonstarr tune as well, and played it last night in a vineyard open-air sunset setting round my shores and it was in perfect harmony with that moment! Of course, they are all my carefully chosen babies. You also produce music under various aliases – A Forest Mighty Black, Trüby Trio, etc. When did you start making music, and how has your sound developed over the years? I started with Bernd Kunz as A Forest Mighty

Black in 1994, then the Trüby Trio came up in 1997 when we did quite a few remixes and some of our own productions together. More recently, I’ve hooked up with Danilo Plessow (Motor City Drum Ensemble) and he helped to produce the tunes under the name Rainer Trueby. Then, with Marlow, I have been collaborating since 2012 and we have done a few remixes together and finally made one original tune which will be released on his album for Sonar Kollektiv soon. Back in the day, we were definitely more sample-based. A clever sample combination could end up sounding like a 90s track, although it is much easier these days to make a good track due to technical progression.

“Each and every tune certainly took a while to fish out and finally approve” Rainer Trüby

How did you meet Danilo, and what is your working relationship like with him? I met Danilo around 2003 in a club in our shared hometown, Stuttgart. He was pretty young back then, but already into the music and producing tracks under the name Inverse Cinematics. I always liked his productions, so finally, in 2009,

CLUBS

we joined forces and made two EPs and a couple of remixes together. Unfortunately, I’m not a big technical guy with regards to production, so I’m dependent on dear friends like Danilo and Marlow who bring in their gear and we work out a tune together. Danilo moved to Holland a couple of years ago, but my plan is to visit him there later this year to jam on some new tunes. Who else do you rate as a genuine up-and-coming young talent? I have been really getting into the productions of Glenn Astro lately, and also Max Graef... his style and his way of using obscure funk and jazz samples and combining them with a techno kick sounds pretty fresh to me. Another talent to watch is a young man from Italy called Corrado Bucci. He has been doing an EP for Rebirth Records called Open Your Eyes, which has been big for me lately. Watch out for a collaboration from Bucci and Trueby, called Truccy, coming soon! Finally, what do you think this new venture into slo-mo house says about where you are as a person right now? Haha, yes, slowly but surely I’m finding myself among the veteran DJs. About ten years back, I definitely played more uptempo – 125 bpm was pretty normal for house back then; these days I hardly ever reach that speed. Now I find that there is so much energy below 120 in so many current productions... that means there are a lot of great slousers to sift through and, as I get older, I definitely feel more at ease wading through those slower territories. Slouse: Fishing in Slower Territories is released 5 Sep via Compost Records

Feature

My Pregnancy Experience Unexpected news in a pregnancy unearths some well-buried prejudices

Words: Jessica Walsh Illustration: Alessandra Genualdo

The Bisexual Myth One of these things is not like the others: unicorns, fairies, bisexuality Words: Conori Bell-Bhuiyan Illustration: Zuzanna Kwiecien

’ve come to understand that there is this odd myth about bisexuality: that it doesn’t exist. That nobody is actually bisexual. That bisexual people are either gay and won’t admit it, or (more commonly with girls) straight and just going through some promiscuous experimental stage. I have nothing against promiscuous experimental girls, but I’m coming to resent the assumptions people make whenever I use the word ‘bisexual’ to describe myself. A while back, my girlfriend and I were at a small party in a bar, and instantly managed to be noticed and honed in on by the only other lesbian couple in the bar, a rather drunk late-40s pair who engaged us in an enthusiastic conversation about how far gay rights have come and how lucky our generation is. All good and lovely, but really, we were just trying to get a quiet drink, not hear a lecture on how lucky we are. Anyway, at some point in the conversation my girlfriend corrected one of the other couple by pointing out that I’m “not gay, she’s bisexual.” Both other women looked instantly affronted and one made a comment about how easy it is to be confused about these kinds of things.

e were utterly convinced the foetus inside my uterus was male. We had a ‘feeling,’ compounded by dreams and old wives’ tales, and decided that we need not bother to agree on any female names. This was going to be the first boy and the family name would continue. The cycle of female offspring would be broken. We asked the sonographer to check several times at the 20-week ultrasound scan when she announced she could see a vulva, and after ten minutes of zooming in on her genitals, we were finally convinced. ‘Yup, it’s a girl.’ After trying for a successful pregnancy for many years, it was a thrilling experience to get this far and be told that everything was well. Empowered by the fact my once-barren soil was now fertile, I was fulfilling what, biologically speaking, I had been born to do. Realistically, it really didn’t matter what gender the child would be, ‘so long as they are healthy’ my husband kept reassuring me, while remaining honest that it was a shame he wasn’t getting the little boy we thought we were expecting. I chastised myself for the sinking feeling I felt in my stomach, knowing I was having a girl. I hated having any negative feelings about this little miracle. ‘Why am I not overjoyed?’ I asked myself – and more importantly, ‘Why am I so concerned with its gender?’ Lesson 1: no matter how liberal I believe I am, I have deep-rooted gender stereotypes. It was fear that summoned these feelings to the surface. A deep-seated hypersensitivity to the many things my daughter will have to be afraid of when she enters this mortal world. A world that, based on my own experiences and understanding of life as a female, presents a whole host of challenges and risks that boys don’t have to encounter in the same way. Suddenly we were in a minefield. How could

Lifestyle

we safeguard her? How could we nurture her to be an empowered person and not a manipulation of this media-led society? Is it okay to encourage her to experiment with different gender-defined toys and games? How will our own ideas about gender affect her self-perception? Most importantly, would it be appropriate for her to inherit the atticful of Star Wars toys?

“No matter how liberal I believe I am, I have deep-rooted gender stereotypes” Lesson 2: parents have predefined, stereotypical, gender-specific roles. Within these roles, the male adopts a less active parenting role. We greeted our bundle of joy into the world a month earlier than planned due to complications with amniotic fluid. My husband, adorned in fetching green scrubs, was with me throughout the entire Caesarean. “That’s more than most men of my generation would ever have done,” my mother reminds me, pointing out that the role of men in the pregnancy, birthing and parenting process has changed considerably in just one generation. He would not have had it any other way. From conception to birth and beyond, he was

to play an equal and integral role in parenting. Perhaps born of a desire to ‘provide’ what his own father failed to, more likely it came from his belief that it is his duty and honour to be involved in the upbringing of a new human life. Why then, throughout the maternity experience, had he been allowed to feel like he had to conform to a predefined gender-specific parenting role? He tells me how, in his opinion, while the focus of care lies correctly with the mother and child, an inherent sexism exists towards men and is allowed to perpetuate because of the culture within maternity services. “It was small quips, comments and gestures by females, both professionals, friends and family,” he tells me. “Being told that I would have to ‘pull my weight’ in the house ‘for a change’ or that I would have to resist carnal urges and ‘keep my hands off’ my wife’s engorged breasts. Yes, they were in jest, and they did not mean any harm, but they were wrong to say these things, and in doing so they only served to drive the wedge in the already large gap between gender-specific parenting roles.” “When I reflect on our maternity experience, I get a sense of a sisterhood of women,” he says. “A sense of a club that I cannot ever fully join because I cannot carry and birth a child. Consequently, I am treated differently when it comes to the maternity experience. With only two weeks of paternity leave available to me, it was necessary for me to take holiday leave in order to support my family and enjoy my newborn. If both parents are equally important, why should this be the case?” While the birth of our daughter is the single happiest moment of my life, what I was expecting would be the most feminist experience of my life turned out to be one of the most prejudiced and stereotypical. Are we not born equal?

DEVIANCE

I don’t at all like the implication that I’m confused about my sexuality. I’m not confused in the slightest – if I was gay, I’d say I was gay. However, I’m not. I’m bisexual, and if there’s anything I’m confused about, it’s the perpetual myth that this is a less valid sexual orientation than hetero- or homosexuality. Or the myth that bisexual is just another term for an ‘experimental phase,’ that it makes me less likely to be in serious relationships, or that I’ll eventually settle down with a nice man. That’s not how it works. Perhaps the thing that annoyed me most is that two woman who’d seen progress made in gay rights and were clearly (and rightfully) proud of that could be so instantly dismissive of my own sexuality. They should be the first to accept others who aren’t the norm.

THE SKINNY

Memories of a Recent Past One writer remembers his time with the Yazidis of Kurdistan and travelling Syria, recalling a region of hospitality and beauty before the current turmoil

fter we stop travelling and settle down for a little while, we carry around all the memories and stories, and we have to restrain ourselves from starting every sentence with ‘Y’know, when I was in...’ But aside from the past, we also start to worry about what’s happening in those countries right now. At the time of writing, there are thousands of refugees scraping survival off the side of a mountain in Sinjar province in northern Iraq. These are the people of the Yazidi religion. These are innocents fleeing and dying in the face of persecutors utilising a so-called banner of God. These are human beings, harried, raped and crucified by soulless and vicious bastards. I wonder if these are people that I have met. In March 2010 I travelled through the Kurdish Autonomous Region (KAR) of Iraq; I wrote about it in these pages at the time. Even in 2010 it was nigh on impossible to go into the ‘Arab’ parts of Iraq, so I never got anywhere near the sites of these atrocities. At the time of writing, the US and France are sending military aid to the Kurds and the UK is open to the possibility. Geopolitics is not my game and we all know what often happens when we arm groups to counter current threats, but the relative stability of Iraqi Kurdistan is something worth fighting for. There is a shrine in the KAR called Lalish. It is the spot where it is believed that the most venerated figure in the Yazidi religion, Melek Taus, descended to Earth. It is a series of shrines and tombs nestled in a cool, green valley and it is a focus of faith, pilgrimage, and community. Families from the surrounding villages, the KAR, all over northern Iraq, and from the small global diaspora, go there to pray and play and picnic. I really enjoyed my short time there; it was interesting and peaceful and fun and, more than anything, it was just lovely. The men smoked, laughed and complained. The teenagers posed and strode about, flashed mobiles and spoke loudly. Kids ran about the paths and bushes, cackling in their games as their mothers bellowed at them and cleaned them while chatting and laughing on the blankets. Outside the entrance to the shrines, peacocks (being holy to the Yazidi, as Melek Taus resembled their form) strutted around their pens ignoring all the clapping and cooing children. The entrance to the shrine is marked by a wooden black snake running up one side of the door and it is forbidden to step on the threshold. The shrine is functionally a series of caves and pools that has been worked on and stabilised for at least a thousand years. The smooth and worn stones are always slick and it is easy to lose your footing.

September 2014

The smell is thick, damp and musty. It is not as grand as St. Peter’s Square or the Western Wall or the Great Mosque of Mecca, but it is intimate and natural and if meaning can be found in those places, it can certainly be found here. Me and some travel buddies had caught a lift to the town nearest the shrine where we had been taken in for the night by some friendly lads. They gave us fruit and Danish beer and we had a fun night talking and laughing. They drove us to the shrine, waited for us, took us to meet the Baba Sheikh (the Yazidi religious leader), and then drove us to a town on the Turkish border. We thanked them and said goodbye and said we’d keep in touch. We didn’t. At least I didn’t. Are they dead? Are they still there, those young lads and their families? The children scampering around the hills: where are they? I don’t know if

the wailing faces of petrified infants that I see on the news were babes-in-arms in Lalish on that pretty March day. On the same trip in 2010, I came across the Turkish border while heading straight for Aleppo. The first thing that struck me about the dictatorship was all the posters extolling the virtues of Assad. I expect that many have been ripped down and many have been replaced by shiny political reinforcements in the neverending battle to control hearts and minds. I bought rosewater hookah tobacco for a friend in the Aleppo souk. It was one of the first and greatest treasures to be razed away from the occupying rebels by the government forces. All those spices, fruits, kitchen parts, oils, perfumes, watches, knives and lines of tinsel and masks lying under the UNESCOprotected rubble. I spent a few dusk hours listening to a classical youth orchestra in the Aleppo Citadel. The holdfast stood in the heart of the city, strong against crusaders, colonists and peasants. A few shells made short work of the great stone door. All those arrow slits looking out over the ancient city were used by government snipers as they picked off careless rebels and civilians.

“I wonder if these are people that I have met” Away from the cities, some of the happiest memories of my life are exploring and scrambling around two Syrian Crusader castles. Krak des Chevaliers is the more famous and the better

maintained. High atop a range of hills, the walls are a sun bleached statement of defiance that was impregnable for years and only broken by siege and surrender. Smoke rose over the Krak in 2012 and our best understanding is that a wall and a tower have been ripped down. I loved Qal’at Salah al-Din even more, spending hours tiptoeing along ramparts, rummaging in the undergrowth and climbing up broken towers, totally unsupervised and undisturbed by unconcerned and sunshy guards. It was some of the most fun I’ve had in my adult life. Who knows. Perhaps the damage it has sustained from shells and mortars and prolonged gun battles adds to the atmosphere. In four months in the Middle East, the best kebab I’ve ever had was in Damascus. I spent one evening bar hopping in the very cool Damascene Christian Quarter with some folk from the hostel. We got chatting to two Kurds in a small park and we mentioned that it was one of our birthdays. They disappeared and turned up half an hour later with two slabs of Efes beer and a birthday cake. The Christian quarter endured unscathed under the professed multi-faith protection of the government, but has since fallen victim to suicide bombs. Another Christian community as old as any in Europe is conducting an exodus. Time, more recent travels, and literal distance inevitably separates us from reports of atrocities in places that deeply affected us. Lalish is worth saving and worth visiting. The castles, mosques, monasteries and bars of Syria are worth saving and worth visiting. Every person I spoke to there is worth remembering and worrying about. I can’t truly grieve for every place in turmoil that I’ve ever been to. But there are places that have changed me that have been grievously hurt. And I will return when I can. Because the experience is worth the grief.

Citadel of Salah Ed-Din

TRAVEL

Lifestyle

Photo: David Holt

Krak des Chevaliers

Photo: Franco Pecchio

Mark Z. Danielewski

Words: Ally McLeod

Rusty Can

Hat Dude

Lewis Loughman L

ewis Loughman graduated from the University of Salford in 2014 with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design.

“I love The Simpsons, Popeye, Halloween, creepy stuff, shamelessly fake clothing and any thing crude/juvenile. “I studied illustration at the University of Salford and graduated this summer. I really enjoyed my time at university, I met some great people but it also left me feeling a little lost, I don’t think I really knew what I was doing up until the last few weeks of the final year. The general consensus seems to be that you are pushed towards selling yourself to these design firms and agencies but as an illustrator that mainly likes to draw demonic cartoon characters and crooked penises that’s not really going to happen. So your only other option is to go freelance or set up your own design firm. Problem is this isn’t something that is really addressed when you’re at uni like in the form of some structured lesson, so what you have to do is seek out those people that are doing it and pick their brains. I noticed all my life I have collected these messed up toys and tees, so why not just make my own? That’s what I love so why do anything else, right? That’s how I decided to go for it and set up House of Evil. “I have been lucky in the sense that I’ve got to meet and work with a lot of awesome talented folk. I have had the pleasure of working

with Intern magazine on a comic strip that can be seen in their beautiful second issue. I’m also in the process of moving into a new studio with Harrison Edwards (illustrator extraordinaire) and Christopher Scanlon (vinyl and signage wizard), two awesome fellows to have around, check them out. “Anyways back to House of Evil, it’s a clothing and toy company I started up this year but it’s something I have had in mind for quite some time. I have always had this obsession with bootleg toys, t-shirts and other collectables, y’know the kind you see on dodgy markets, in pound shops and souvenir stalls on holiday? Yeah that stuff is just what I’ve always been drawn to. “So I’ve decided to make that kinda stuff my day job, I have a couple of new graphic tees coming out in the next few weeks and will be producing more clothing, action figures, zines, prints and collectables in the coming weeks, months, years and decades. It all has a dark sense of humour to it and heavy influences from bootlegging and popular culture. I basically just love to make funny parodies of stuff and draw the kind of things that weird out your family members and boring friends.” www.houseofevil.co.uk www.house-of-evil.tumblr.com @_houseofevil Burn Bacon

SHOWCASE

THE SKINNY

Bricking it

Symbols & Samurais

Collage #1

September 2014

SHOWCASE

THE SKINNY

Back to the Food Survey Launching our second annual Food and Drink Survey! Tell us where you like to chow down an’ that, though we can’t promise to keep your best kept secrets under wraps – or indeed in wraps – for much longer...

Words: Jamie Faulkner Illustration: Caroline Dowsett

Food News As music festival season dies down the foodie equivalent ramps up with Liverpool and Manchester's annual food and drink festivals bringing TV chefs and tasty treats to the Northwest Words: Anna Tully

ummer is over. G&Ts on the balcony be gone! Swimming gear finds its rightful place at the back of the wardrobe and livers enjoy a breather from the constant barrage of music festivals that lasted all summer long. So let’s welcome in September with a couple of… oh, festivals. But food’s our focus this time round. From 19-21 Sep, Sefton Park plays host to Liverpool Food and Drink Festival, with appearances from sleb chefs du jour Tom Kerridge, aka the man who made pub grub posh, and king of salads Yotam Ottolenghi. Expect plenty of food stalls selling their wares: whether it’s artisanal pomegranate seed suppliers to nationwide noodle chains, there’ll be plenty to please the budding gastronome. Manchester shan’t be left out of the action with the annual Manchester Food and Drink Festival taking place from the 18-29 Sep. As ever, the main focus is around the festival hub in Albert Square – but it’s the MFDF’s Big Indie Wine Fest where we think the best fun is to be had on 26 and 27 Sep, over at the New Century House. For £12, you can keep your glass filled with regional suppliers of man’s best friend. Enjoy the hangover!

ight guys, here’s the tl;dr. It’s time for The Skinny’s second annual reader’s Food and Drink Survey! For the initiated and people who aren’t perplexed by internet slang (tl;dr means ‘too long; didn’t read,’ by the way), that’s... all you really need to know. We want you to vote for your favourite food and drink establishments in Liverpool and Manchester (yes, you can go further, just keep it within the Northwest). You’ll be able to do it on our site at theskinny.co.uk/food and we’ll be giving you gentle reminders from now until the polls close. For those who are new to the magazine and surveys and food and drink and words, here’s the why, what and how: We hold this survey because we want to know what you think. It’s all well and good your trusted Food and Drink editor (that’s me!) harping on about chicken shacks, back-alley bánh mis, and filmic dive bars, but if Trip Advisor and Yelp have taught us anything, people just love to see lists, aggregated votes, and star ratings. And they don’t want to listen to one hypercritical voice (that’s me!) when there’s a conveyor belt of opinion out there. The first year went really well. You cast hundreds of votes for hundreds of establishments across the Northwest. Most we’d heard of, some we hadn’t; there were indie newcomers and regional behemoths; there were serious responses and plenty of not so serious ones. Some people even used the Best Place for a First Date as a chance to recount their most awkward forays into love (and subsequent marriage). Not

September 2014

that we’re complaining. Please keep doing this: it makes counting the votes a much more pleasant experience.

“Some people even used the Best Place for a First Date category as a chance to recount their most awkward forays into love” As well as it went, we’ve decided to change things slightly this year. It’s going to be more streamlined, with a few less categories so that you can save precious time, because we’ve found that choosing where you like to eat and drink ain’t easy, whether you’re a well-heeled food blogger or a vegan coeliac with three kids. We’ve knocked it down to eight and taken out all the confusing world food categories. You’ll have a chance to tell us the joints that make your hangovers more bearable, brew your favourite ales and get you

fed when you’re racing against the clock. And much more. Unlike the aforementioned review sites, however, you don’t really need to give us your opinion or some sort of mini-review (although by all means do, see comment above re: counting votes). You just need to put down the name of your chosen establishment and its location and we tot them all up. Last time around it was all about the stars of BBC’s Restaurant Wars, Manchester House and The French, and the restaurant exchange between Manchester and Liverpool, with successful homegrown businesses like Almost Famous, Lucha Libre and Moose Coffee spreading their roots. In 2014 we’ve seen a swathe of openings. The likes of Paul Askew, Simon Rimmer and Steven Burgess have graced Merseyside with fresh new dining options. Manchester may have lost some established and popular boozers, but the newcomers have more than redressed the balance, especially in the Northern Quarter, which continues to redefine the word saturated. And the street food scene has been going from strength to strength. But what’s important is up to you. So get voting, dear readers! We know there are more important votes making the headlines at the moment, but they don’t involve food now do they? Vote! To do so, head to theskinny.co.uk/food And follow #NWFoodSurvey on Twitter for all the action and arguments

FOOD AND DRINK

Manchester Food and Drink

And if wine is, indeed, your bezzie, then you’ll be glad to hear your palate will be sated with the arrival of Salut Wines, over on Cooper Street in Manchester city centre. Opened at the end of August, you’ll be guaranteed a decent glass here, with 42 different types to choose from (thanks to some fancy-pants technology). Need further motivation to visit? Salut are also a living wage employer so you can feel warm inside while sipping your 50ml of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. If, however, you’re more grain than grape, then fear not – back in Liverpool and new to Seel Street, Grove Beer Tap & Grill is offering up 12 beer lines featuring some more typical offerings (Brooklyn lager, Timmermans cherry) and some less so (we’ve got our eye on Flying Dog’s Easy IPA). Food’s yet to be set in stone but expect partnerships with Manchester’s Beat Street gang and the Albion bakehouse. Get those stretchy pre-summer trousers back on!

Lifestyle

Breaking Grounds With rare guests, a specially commissioned blend and – hopefully – even a few short films, organiser Hannah Davies thinks Cup North will be a different kind of coffee festival

’m in The Beagle, Chorlton, talking, a bit too loudly perhaps, about bad coffee. I can almost taste the freeze-dried Nescafé granules dissolving on my tongue, the scorched grounds and overly milky flat whites. My interlocutor – yes, this isn’t some ranting soliloquy to beer-drinking Chorltonites – is Hannah Davies, who is in the middle of organising Cup North, a two-day coffee festival that aims to break new ground in the North. Unless you frequent specialist coffee shops or take a more DIY approach at home with an Aeropress or Chemex, good coffee isn’t all that easy to find. Restaurants are always keen to talk up their local, organic produce and source the best wine, bars create expansive cocktail lists, but the coffee gets neglected. It shouldn’t: on so many occasions coffee ends a meal in literally bitter disappointment. Coffee festivals are, perhaps, part of the solution. Is that Cup North’s role? To promote and grow the scene? For Davies, the aim is twofold: “In the North of England there’s a great coffee scene but we didn’t have any event like this in Manchester,” she says. “It’s a chance to bring everyone together in the region and beyond. Also, it’s a chance to educate – we are getting there! – making people realise what a good quality cup of coffee is, being able to showcase that.” If the fundraising is any indicator, the desire is there on the public’s part, and presumably not only for the influx of hot beverages. At the time of writing, 97 backers had pledged £909 over the £5000 target on Kickstarter, much of which is being channelled into hosting Tamper Tantrum, who Davies tells me are the TED Talks of the coffee world. Run by two of the most well-regarded

Lifestyle

Interview: Jamie Faulkner Illustration: Alex T. Frazer

people in coffee – Steve Leighton of Has Bean Coffee and three-time Irish barista champion Colin Harmon of Dublin’s 3FE – it was set up to “ruffle feathers” and create an archive of coffeerelated videos.

“In the North of England there’s a great coffee scene but we didn’t have any event like this. It’s a chance to bring everyone together” Hannah Davies

Even Square Mile, the east London coffee roasters, have agreed to take part in the festival, which we’re assured is something of a coup given their apparent aversion to coffee festivals. “They just don’t usually do this kind of thing,” says Davies. “I haven’t even had the opportunity yet to ask them why they picked us!” However, she speculates that it’s because the event isn’t profit-driven or commercially-minded but aims to take an interactive, creative look at coffee.

It will fit the evolving Manchester coffee scene, too. In the last year or so we’ve seen Caffeine & Co and Grindsmith either branching out or upscaling, with North Tea Power holding down the fort in the Northern Quarter. And new roasters have been popping up – the city now has a grand total of four (Ancoats Coffee, Coffee Circle, ManCoCo and Passion Fruit), with one of Cup North’s objectives being to show Mancunians that there are places on their doorstep roasting and selling quality coffee. “It’s about knowing how to access it,” Davies says. “People might think the only coffee they can get is on the supermarket shelf and don’t necessarily know that they can go online and choose coffee based on the origin and the flavours. We’re pushing the Manchester roasters, all four of them have got together to make a collaborative blend especially for the festival, which is really exciting.” For any pedants out there, this is not, technically, the first coffee festival to grace the city: there was Chorlton Coffee Festival before it, which Davies helped organise. Though it gave her invaluable practical experience, she thinks the scope for Cup North is much greater: “The whole theme of that festival was to celebrate cafe culture and to link that with businesses local to Chorlton. Cup North is totally different: we’re inviting all these businesses to come and take part in what you might consider a trade show, but we want to move away from that model, people standing around bored handing out business cards. Every business that’s involved is doing something different and creative with that space.” And Davies’ experience with coffee amounts to more than organising one previous festival;

FOOD AND DRINK

she’s been working in the industry for years, first as a barista, then as a trainer. “When I finished uni I got a job for Coffee Union [a small chain of coffee shops in Livepool], working with Sam Tawil who now owns Bold Street Coffee. And at that time James Hoffmann [Square Mile] had won the World Barista Championship and there was a real feeling of aspiration. We were really geeky and Sam taught me loads; then I came to Manchester and started working for Broderick’s Love Coffee, but then I wanted to move away from retail and ended up becoming a trainer manager at Bewley’s Coffee.” Her background makes her only too aware that even coffee lovers don’t have the desire to be caffeinated for hours on end – so, to add to the talks, cuppings and competitions, the festival will feature a range of food and beer options. All this is organised by the debutante street-food collective Grub, run by Jason Bailey. When Davies and I chat, the festival is some way off so all the details aren’t ironed out, but they’re hoping to have different areas rather than suffer from the “coffee and pastries syndrome” (a syndrome I’ve invented) like some over-amped breakfast meeting: “You know the spaces in art galleries where there’s a film that loops around and around in a blacked-out area? Well, we want to show a few of the good short films about coffee throughout the day.” Cup North isn’t going to put the nail in bad coffee’s coffin just yet – but it’s bought the hammer. Cup North Coffee Festival, Greengate, Salford, 1-2 Nov, tickets on sale at cupnorth.co.uk @CupNorth www.cupnorth.co.uk

THE SKINNY

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September 2014

Levanter

rrrrr

Tapas that gives the Spanish a run for their money

Yardbird

rrrrr

Like a Men’s Health version of fried chicken

’m in Liverpool and there’s a hurricane a-coming. Or so the locals are saying. The hatches are well and truly battened. I’m sitting in Mad Hatter’s brew tap as the metal shutters concertina in the gale and volleys of rain smack the panes, distracting me from an enticing half of 7% pale ale. Abysmal weather but I know I need to leave soon. The beer has whetted my appetite and a shortish distance from the Baltic Triangle, on the cusp of Chinatown, there’s a fried chicken joint I’ve been eyeing up. Plus, Mad Hat Brew Tap don’t do food. The fried chicken joint in question is Yardbird. It’s the newest venture by Rob Gutmann, a man who cut his entrepreneurial teeth in Albert Dock during the 90s and went on to succeed in the Ropewalks with Korova and Alma de Cuba. More recently, he opened the Americana-tinged dive bar Motel on Fleet Street. And Yardbird is in some ways an extension of the latter only with more natural light and a different menu: there’s artwork from illustrator David Baddeley, including the desert scene staples of cacti and the bovine cranium, and a neon sign declaring “diner from another planet.” Maybe I should have taken this as an omen, because if I have a problem with Yardbird it’s that the food jars with my idea(l) of what Americanstyle fried chicken should be. From a place that boasts bottles of Frank’s Hot Sauce, doughnuts, milkshake machines, and burgers named Rooster Cogburn, I expected things, well, the Deep South way. That means chicken on the bone (yes, we’ll

Lifestyle

leave wings aside for a second), thighs and legs with a heavily seasoned flour-based coating. I order the ‘Biggie Smalls fat-assed fried salty chicken’ and it arrives, strips of lean breast coated in breadcrumbs. Hardly fat-assed. In their defence, I’d been presumptuous. That’s obviously not what they’re going for. This is like the Men’s Health version of fricken. Not that it’s bad: for the record, it’s very good. Breast is tough to keep moist but they manage it, and the accompanying gravy is, to borrow an appropriate expression, finger lickin’ good, almost worthy of the rarefied stuff at Allen’s Fried Chicken. The breadcrumbed chicken strips suit the Yard Burger much better too, though my partner balks at the inclusion of Swiss cheese. To something with actual bones: a side of eight wings (four Korean salt’n’peppa, four Frank’s cayenne – the waitress helpfully recommends going half and half) is nearer the mark. A crisp crust and salty tang mean they have the hallmarks of your standard fried chicken, though they also have a dryness that suggests double-frying – and not in the good twice-cooked Chinese pork belly way. The raisins and pine nuts in the well-sauced red cabbage slaw are very welcome; the chips and gravy are borderline addictive. Betraying calorific abandon, we end up ordering a peanut butter glazed chocolate doughnut and a milkshake laced with cherry vodka. The doughnut isn’t chocolate (no small oversight) but the milkshake is rich and boozy, supplementing the beers we’ve had nicely. We’d opted for a half each of Portland Brewing’s passable lager and IPA (a staff member rather honestly turns me away from the house beer). A request can sum it up: start doing thigh and leg. Surely, it’ll help your margins.

If you liked Levanter, try: Lunya, Liverpool Veeno, Manchester Pinchjos, Manchester Levanter, 10 Square Street, Ramsbottom, BL0 9BE @LevanterFoods

Photo: Jamie Faulkner

Photos: Bacononthebeech.com

Morcilla & Goosnargh Egg

here’s a certain amount of trepidation involved in visiting a British tapas restaurant only days after returning from Barcelona. Some might even say the very idea is reckless. Like hitting Maccy D’s after the Fat Duck. How could it possibly live up to anywhere in Spain? And if it doesn’t, isn’t it all some weird Pyrrhic victory? Well, truth be told, there are a lot of places hawking average tapas in Barca. You only need to look at La Rambla. Bravas sauce from a jar, oil-sodden calamari. And further truth be told, this is probably the best time to judge how close to (or, indeed, far away) we are from the Platonic ideal of Spanish tapas. It is with these thoughts bouncing around my head that I merge on to the M66 en route to Ramsbottom and Levanter, three compañeros in tow. Word on the grapevine is that the place is pretty good. Run by husband and wife Ian and Fiona Botham, it started life as a market stall before graduating to the more steadfast manifestation a short walk from the high street. Hanging hams, barrels for tables, and good ol’ filament light bulbs. I’d stuck my head in the door last time I was in Rammy and grabbed some pricey Gran Capirete sherry vinegar and ogled a veritable mountain of vac-packed chorizo and morcilla. And I can recall seeing these guys at Manchester Food and Drink Festival selling such wares and cooking a giant paella some years back, but for whatever reason I snubbed them. More fool me. Time to make up for it, then. The menu makes for quick reading. Internal thumbs up. It does help that I’ve already pored over it on Twitter, noting, with pleasant surprise, that they have boldly eschewed patatas bravas. One of our group is a pescetarian, so we do the honourable thing and order close to every non-mammalian dish on the menu. For all that, the Goosnargh egg with wild mushrooms,

aromatic with thyme and bathed in oil, and the tomato salad, which the waiter claims has eight different types of tomato (I think he exaggerated: we counted six), are rich and meaty. A scallop on a bed of sofrito with Serrano ham is perfectly cooked. Deep fried aubergine (polenta-coated?) with honey is one to add to the recreate-at-home list and the Malaga fried fish is exactly what you’d expect. Only the gambas pil pil fall short; the oil overwhelms this time. Next, a few things with pig and sheep flesh. The lamb cutlets with salsa verde are the favourites, sliced so thin it’s a feat to keep them pink as they are. The Serrano ham and Manchego croquetas are decent but ever so slightly denser than the best examples in Spain. There are other dishes but you get the picture. Everything is good to very good. And with the heat the kitchen’s giving off I’m surprised the chefs, by which I mean Ian, are still standing, and not simply puddles of perspiration. The only real disappointment? They’d run out of the chicken wings with ajillo, the thought of which had been enough to make me press that little bit harder on the accelerator. My companions compliment the wine. I, the driver, have supped one Er Boquerón beer made with sea water that is not as saline as you’d think. The sherry selection is good too: I sniff a manzanilla and an Amontillado that seem to go down well. It’s funny, Levanter is one of the names for a wind that blows in the western Mediterranean, around Gibraltar. And, to make a ham-fisted analogy, the place really is a breath of fresh air for tapas, at least in and around Manchester. It even gives a few places in Spain a run for their money. [Jamie Faulkner]

In response to Nas, who said in his paean to fried chicken “don’t know what part of you I love best, your legs or your breast”: it’s the legs. I am a leg man. But there’s no way I’m walking down to Chesters Fried Chicken for a drumstick in this weather. [Jamie Faulkner]

FOOD AND DRINK

If you liked Yardbird, try: The Beagle, Manchester Motel, Liverpool Almost Famous, Manchester and Liverpool Yardbird, 60 Berry Street, Liverpool, L1 9DU @YardbirdsRgo

THE SKINNY

Festival Watch

Gig Highlights In Liverpool the sound in Camp & Furnace will be loud and heady for the return of Psych Fest, while Manchester hosts the likes of the superb Honeyblood and First Aid Kit

Words: Joe Goggins and Laura Swift

The last hurrah

Words: Laura Swift

sound of scrunched empty peanut wrappers to create textured rhythms; eyeballing individuals in claustrophobic pub crowds, and unspooling the limpid, lupine howls of Ambiguity into the vast space of Peel Hall. His is always a unique, mesmeric, almost too unflinchingly intimate show – and those in Manchester can see him at, of all places, Manchester Climbing Centre on the 21 Sep, performing at this show with the Juice Vocal Ensemble. Wow. Patrick Wolf makes a sole Northwest appearance at Liverpool Scandinavian Church – the Peter Pan of the naughties makes a habit of playing in churches, but there is absolutely no better setting for his signature brand of wide-eyed mysticism. Though he has a hugely varied back catalogue – every fan has their favourite ‘era’ of the young pop auteur, from the stormblasted, introspective days of Wind in the Wires to the low-budget glitterball pomp of the Accident & Emergency tour – he is consistently, simultaneously one of our most consummate and raw performers; lately he’s been riding high on the tails of a sort of ‘best-of’ album, Sundark & Riverlight, and still only just gone 30. Elsewhere, the highly

Do Not Miss Owls The Deaf Institute, 17 Sep

t really has been quite the year for fans of the Kinsella family. For the uninitiated, brothers Mike and Tim and cousin Nate represent a genuine dynasty of emo and indie rock in their native Illinois, with Mike the singer and songwriter in the short-lived but hugely influential American Football, and Tim playing a key part in the likes of Joan of Arc, Cap’n Jazz, and Owls. This year, not only have American Football reformed for select 15th-anniversary shows in the US – hopefully, they’ll be able to pencil in a handful across the pond before too long – but Owls, a band featuring both Mike and Tim and trading off of similar math-rock-tinged emo to American Football, have

September 2014

t’s pretty much official. Festival season is over. It’s likely that this column, muddied, maladjusted and marble-less, will creak off into retirement from next month – but until then, my faithfuls, one last bender. Festival No. 6 (5-7 Sep) is probably the most accessible for those of you looking for a final lost weekend. Set in the hallucinatory Italianate village of Portmeirion, dreamed up in the 1920s by architect Clough Williams-Ellis (and the set of 60s TV series The Prisoner, from whose main character, known only by a number, the festival takes its name), this big-boutique weekend balances its highly civilised main-bill offering with a sly ‘clubs’ programme – a three-hour set from Michael Mayer and a live one from Nordic king of the airwaves Todd Terje among the highlights, plus the ever reliable Justin Robertson. Don’t miss Jon Hopkins, either, especially if he brings his outsize luminescent ball pit. To coincide with the Manchester Honeyblood Contemporary art fair, Golden Lab Records are opening up their studios on 26 Sep for their rated SOHN performs in the intimate confines of Underground Art & Music Festival, showcasing the work of all the folk who use and make excitThe Kazimier on the 18 Sep (or Manchester folk can catch him the night before at Gorilla, 17 Sep). ing things in their space. Live music from Human Heads, Chalaque and The Piss Superstition puncMost notable, though, is the superb lineup at tuates an exhibition featuring Lab head honcho Camp & Furnace for the Liverpool International Nick Mitchell, Detroit artist Thelonius Bone, Festival of Psychedelia on 26 and 27 Sep: the Hannah Mort, and more. Golden Lab have been likes of Goat, Allah-Las, The Besnard Lakes, digging up and supporting the truly leftfield and September Girls and Thought Forms are just defiant in dark, heavy and experimental music for some picks of an excellent bunch. many years now, remaining fiercely DIY and deBack in Manchester, Albert Hall is fast befined; we understand this is the first time they’ve coming one of the city’s most beloved venues, opened their doors in this manner, so go down lending itself beautifully to the likes of Wild and investigate. Beasts, Neutral Milk Hotel and Beirut already The jolly Ramsbottom Festival (19-21 Sep) this year, and there’s another couple of must-see is a family friendly affair but the Saturday offers shows lined up for late September, too: Ryan a decent trio at the top of the bill in the form of Adams brings his new, self-titled solo album British Sea Power, Doves’ Jimi Goodwin playto Peter Street on 24 Sep, before The Horrors ing solo, and chirpy Glasgow lot Admiral Fallow. appear three nights later on 27 Sep – expect a Folk aficionados will want to stick around for the slew of tracks from latest album Luminous as well as classics from Primary Colours and Skying. Sunday and Irish heart-stealer Cara Dillon, who Alternatively, you could head to the Deaf Institute may well be joined by husband and brother of that same night to check out Woman’s Hour, who Seth, Sam Lakeman. Liverpool International Festival of won rave reviews for debut album Conversations Psychedelia – or Psych Fest for short – brings earlier this summer. the month to a close in scything, searing, strungout style; the lineup brings unto the fold of Camp & Furnace and the Blade Factory an international who’s who of mind-melding magi (Goat, Suuns), as well as lesser-known acts (Younghusband, Barberos, Plank!) who, such is the joy of Psych Fest, are able to really go hell for leather on a big stage to a rapt, dedicated audience. For further reading, you can check out our interviews with the guys behind the event’s distinctive visual identity on page 26, and find a chat with the shamanistic, hypnotic Grumbling Fur online. Photo: Haydn Rydings

estival season usually leaves the summer months resembling a little bit of a wasteland for local gigs – September, traditionally, is the month that sees things begin to whir back into life. There’s often a hangover effect, though; it’s not usually until the end of the month that the gig calendar really begins to pick up. This time around, however, Liverpool and Manchester are getting back into the swing of things impressively quickly. We advise kicking things off with Perfume Genius at Band on the Wall on 2 Sep; Seattle’s Mike Hadreas is making a peculiarly-timed visit to these shores, with new record Too Bright not out for a few weeks yet, but expect previews of cuts from that brilliantly dark new effort as well as classic, stripped-back confessionals from his first two full-lengths. If you’re in the market for low-key, painfully honest singer-songwriters, you could do much worse than check out Angel Olsen bringing her magnificent Burn Your Fire for No Witness LP to Gorilla – a show upgraded from The Deaf Institute – on 23 Sep, following a sold-out show at Soup Kitchen earlier this year. After a period of some confusion, which saw her show announced, apparently scrapped, and then confirmed as back on again, Jenny Lewis’s gig at the Ruby Lounge – originally slated for 7 Sep – will now be taking place at The Ritz on 12 Sep. She’s just dropped her first full solo record in six years, the brilliantly poppy The Voyager, and will bring her new six-piece band along to run through cuts from that record, Rilo Kiley classics and a handful of tracks from her collaboration with The Watson Twins, Rabbit Fur Coat. The following weekend, this month’s theme of superb all-female gigs continues with a couple of couples: hotly-tipped Glaswegian duo Honeyblood play Soup Kitchen on 19 Sep, and their Swedish counterparts First Aid Kit – out in support of third LP Stay Gold – have sold out an appearance at the Albert Hall the following evening. There’s a host of special gigs in Liverpool this month – Kylie Minogue at the Echo Arena on 24 Sep is just the beginning (no, seriously). If you’ve ever seen – or indeed, if you’ve never seen – David Thomas Broughton, then make a beeline to MelloMello on 19 Sep for his first appearance in the city for five years. Broughton’s shows are the best kind of unpredictable, his wry, somnambulist persona amusing and uncompromising in equal measure; over the last few years, we’ve seen him wander the crowd at Levenshulme’s Klondkye Bowls Club, looping the

Festival No. 6, Portmeirion, Wales, 5-7 Sep, weekend from £160, day tickets from £50, www.festivalno6.com

Owls

released Two, their first full-length in 13 years. They’re now set to make their UK debut, with a slew of dates lined up for September – including one at Manchester’s Deaf Institute on 17 Sep. This is a gig that the band’s die-hard following

never thought they’d get to see; it’s just as well, then, that the new album is mighty good, and should lend itself nicely to live performance on a tour that looks sure to be a one-off. [Joe Goggins]

MUSIC

Manchester Contemporary Underground Art & Music Festival, Golden Lab Studios, St. Werburgh’s Road, Chorlton (search ‘Golden Lab Studios’ on Facebook), 26 Sep, 10am-5.30pm, free Ramsbottom Festival, Ramsbottom Cricket Club, 19-21 Sep, £66 adult weekend, day tickets from £24, www.ramsbottomfestival.com Liverpool Psych Fest, Camp & Furnace and Blade Factory, Liverpool, 26-27 Sep, £50 weekend, £25 Friday £30 Saturday, www.liverpoolpsychfest.com

Preview

Sat 27th Sep • £16 adv

The Pierces

Fri 3rd Oct • £9 adv

The Big Cheese Tour ft. Lonely The Brave + Marmozets + Allusondrugs Sat 4th Oct • £18 adv

Goodgreef Xtra Hard - 10 Year Celebration ft. Darren Styles + Re-Style + Alex Kidd + Andy Whitby + Mark EG Sun 5th Oct • £15 adv

Supersuckers

Fri 10th Oct • £14 adv

Kids In Glass Houses Sat 11th Oct • £15 adv

ICW

(Insane Championship Wrestling): I Am The Walrus Thurs 16th Oct • £15 adv

Clean Bandit + Years & Years

Fri 17th Oct • £16 adv

Maverick Sabre Thurs 23rd Oct • £25 adv

Boomtown Rats Ratlife UK Tour

Fri 24th Oct • £9.50 adv

Lucius

Tues 28th Oct • £11 adv

Little Comets

Thurs 30th Oct • £16.50 adv

Wild Beasts

Fri 31st Oct • £28.50 adv

UB40

Tues 4th Nov • £16.50 adv

The War On Drugs + Steve Gunn

Weds 5th Nov • £17.50 adv

Band Of Skulls + Bo Ningen

Thurs 6th Nov • £11 adv

The Shires & Ward Thomas

Fri 14th Nov • £13 adv

Mallory Knox

+ Frnkiero andthe Cellabration Sun 16th Nov • £20 adv

Alabama 3

Sat 29th Nov • £10 adv

The Hummingbirds Mon 1st Dec • £18.50 adv

Professor Green Sat 6th Dec • £20 adv

The Enemy & The Twang Tues 9th Dec • £19.50 adv

Gogol Bordello Sat 13th Dec

Catfish And The Bottlemen Sat 20th Dec • £18 adv

Cast

THE SKINNY

Ready to Bloom With a long-awaited debut solo LP featuring First Aid Kit’s Klara Söderberg finally out, Mancunian songwriter Jo Rose ponders whether he’s a singer-songwriter or folk artist

Interview: Simon Jay Catling Photography: Lucy Ridges

in the line ‘in a passing car, I heard the chorus in the bars: “Hallelujah.” I heard them in the street, singing all of their hymns.’ In this sense, Spurs reflects devotional music, the characters presented either striving for the ultimate or reacting to the epic; in either case there’s upper limit sought within the songs. “Another Name for Mercy is based on the idea of someone leaving a very oppressively religious space, and that line you mentioned is this character denouncing the idea of religious imagery, yet still allowing it to come into the song,” Rose establishes. “Look at someone like Nick Cave; he’s not particularly religious but he understands the power of such imagery… not that I’m saying I’m as good a songwriter as Nick Cave!” Against all that is the album’s wonderfully abrupt end. Mary’s Dress is the saddest song on the record, the main character attending the funeral of his partner; it swells on a melancholic verse, an actual meeting of humanity with the afterlife after eight tracks of attempting to reach the beyond. Then there’s the black punchline, ‘what am I gonna do with all these things I’ve brought for you, and all this fucking furniture?’ After a record lyrically searching for the epic, this sole swearword speaks the loudest, a coarse direct expression in an album of eloquence. “All these songs are dramatically reaching for something, and that line’s so brutally material,” Rose smiles proudly. “It’s almost banal.” The delicacy and timing of Rose’s delivery is such that he renders even album collaborators as distinguished as First Aid Kit’s Klara Söderberg and Canadian songwriter Gabriel Minnikin as mere supporting cast. The Swedish folk singer adds wistful harmonies on several tracks while Minnikin adds further guitar, banjo and backing vocals, recorded in a small studio in Halifax. They’re among a cast of nine who helped realise the album, initially penned and performed in local bars and basements over a period of five Jo Rose years, into the deceptively deep arrangements that make up the delicate folds of its finished version. Söderberg’s involvement came af“I was more or less raised on country, roots and bluegrass; my parents would play it in the car ter Rose supported First Aid Kit at The Deaf Institute, the pair becoming huge fans of each all the time so I assimilated a lot of it,” says Rose by way of explaining his current guise. “I suppose other’s work, while he counts Minnikin and the rest as firm friends as well as fantastic musicians. the music I was listening to for Fear of Music was “But it’s been an odd record to work on because that sort of rebellious stuff you listen to for the they were all the songs I wanted to throw away,” sake of it – though it’s not something I’ve ever stopped listening to. I mean it was really fun, be- he reflects. “I’d lived with some of these songs ing in a band with all that bravado; but I’ve always for four years so this was almost a case of turning them into something complete in order to been interested in making something more subabandon them.” tle and considered.” Rose then returns to another Bird on a Wire Spurs itself bleeds back into Rose’s childhood in many ways, not just in the prairie-striding quote. “[Cohen] is saying how he wrote these songs a long time ago and now he’s in a position sway of country-inflected tracks like Balcony where he has to get up and parrot himself and Doors and Another Name for Mercy, but also the how strange that is – and he’s right, it is. When I way in which the music he listened to has rewrote King of Your Blue Eyes, for example, I had sulted in an Americanised bent in his own voice, something he’s wholly comfortable about. “I don’t this idea of the world that you had to shrink away from difference until you found this kind of unity; feel that’s something that’s radically inauthennow I listen to it and I think it’s this obscene tic,” he explains. “I learnt to sing from American father figure who’s shouting all these impossible singers and you can see that through history – I ideas at me! But I still love it…”. There’s the feelmean Mick Jagger learnt to sing from American ing that, finally, after years of living with Spurs blues musicians.” closely, he’s in-effect giving it away by putting it Then there’s his frequent use of religious out there. “I’m looking forward to that though,” imagery, partly a by-product of growing up with he says, smiling warmly. “I’m looking forward to a strongly Catholic background on one side of seeing how it gets on; it’s almost like it’s not mine his family and New Age influences on the other. anymore, but I’m still going to be going round Neither are stances he aligns himself with, but speaking on behalf of it.” lyrics such as ‘if God was on the scene as the countryside rolled indifferently by, every plant Playing Manchester Mono on 13 Sep. Spurs is available and tree would’ve caught fire’ suggest a fascinadigitally now tion on some level with religion, as well as the www.facebook.com/jothomasrose gentle extraction of the divine from the mundane space not being your own, and of you having to go in as a performer or a guest is something I really like the idea of.” It seems strange to say for a debut release by a hitherto largely unknown artist, but Rose’s first solo LP, Spurs, has been a long time coming. Still only in his mid-twenties, he’s been performing in the public eye for around a decade, including being signed to a major record label, touring with the Manic Street Preachers, and recording with Radiohead and Stone Roses producer John Leckie before being dropped out the other end of the industry machine. This all came as frontman of Fear of Music, the sort of bratty rock fourpiece weaned on Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and Radiohead, whose bubblegum rock racket was a sucker for teenagers living in the death throes of nearly half a century during which making a din was still an act of anti-parent rebellion. The group were only in their mid-teens when they were signed, and though Rose’s transformation from a The Bends-era Thom Yorke-lite to a beautifully poetic, reflective storyteller has developed naturally with age, it’s still a change that, on the outside, is the sort to have cynics trawling YouTube to smugly point out his past.

“It’s been an odd record to work on because they were all the songs I wanted to throw away”

“I

t’s not that I get uncomfortable when people call me a singer-songwriter – I am. But there’s a stigma attached to it, like I should be coming out and singing these lyrics that are rousing and totally autobiographical, when actually what I really love about music is the element of performance.” Jo Rose sits opposite The Skinny in the back room of a typically sedate Chorlton bar, de rigueur craft ales on tap, regulars bobbing in and out of the rain, some with dogs who receive a warmer greeting than their owners. Rose’s Mancunian intonations mix with a trace of Irish ancestry to form a softly-spoken burr that doesn’t initially reveal its origins, as he quietly but assuredly deals with the two gaping pigeonholes that befall a solo musician with an acoustic guitar and a set of lyrics always freshly inked on his brain. “It’s similar to the idea of being called a folk artist,” he continues. “There can be this

September 2014

perception that a folk artist will make these profound statements that everyone gets behind, but actually there are some characters that I adopt in my songs that I think I totally mistrust!” It’s not that Rose is averse to such heart-on-sleeve storytelling – influences from Neil Young to Gillian Welch, Gram Parsons to Ryan Adams, artists who’ve all bared their soul, are eagerly rattled off – but for him, writing lyrics and performing is something akin to acting. It doesn’t lessen the sense of engagement between the artist and his subjects, or make the vessels he creates to carry them any less authentic, while it also allows for a greater fluidity within the musical world that he’s created, offering a series of peepholes into it that go beyond the eyes of the first person. “There’s this Leonard Cohen quote, where he says, ‘sometimes you enter the song and it’s no problem at all, you feel welcome there; other times you’re rapping at the door and everybody knows it,’” Rose comments. “That idea of this

MUSIC

Preview

Album of the Month Death From Above 1979 The Physical World Fiction/Last Gang, 8 Sep

rrrrr

Trainwreck 1979, the lead single that ended Death From Above’s ten year recording hiatus last month, was almost custom built to engineer well-worn review phrases such as ‘immediately feels as if no time has passed.’ That’s not a slight on the Toronto-based duo, more an acknowledgment that they deal with some basic, primal, frills-free noise architecture. Like an accomplished chef given eggs, milk and flour, DFA can effortlessly take their rudimentary ingredients and cook up a storm of pancakes, Yorkshire puddings and ear-bleeding, punk-rock riffage you can shake your booty to.

Interpol

El Pintor [Soft Limit, 8 Sep]

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If opener and lead single All the Rage Back Home doesn’t hook from the off, fear not. Like much of this fifth album from the newly trim trio, bassist Carlos Dengler having now departed, it’s a grower. And for the devoted who prefer their Interpol in classic mould, it’s not all, um, doom and gloom – after the diversions of 2010’s Interpol, El Pintor finds more room for guitarist Daniel Kessler’s trademark nervy, switchback riffs. With the headline writers still focusing on who’s out rather than in (singer Paul Banks fills in for Dengler on bass), El Pintor could easily have given the naysayers their wish. But Interpol return from extended hiatus revived, Banks’ falsetto on My Blue Supreme and Tidal Wave giving El Pintor a welcome soulfulness; its bustling vitality tracing a line back to 2002’s Turn on the Bright Lights. Expansive and texturally advanced, and arguably their strongest outing since that lauded debut, this is a welcome second coming. [Gary Kaill] Playing Manchester Albert Hall on 8 Feb 2015 interpolnyc.com

However, that analogy isn’t as accurate as it is terrible; there’s some progression and refinement at work throughout The Physical World for sure. Tone-changing middle-eights and rousing codas on the likes of Trainwreck, and Right On, Frankenstein add some variety while the title track finale is practically a prog freakout in comparison to all before it. And while production is still of course as you’d expect, both Jesse Keeler and Sebastien Grainger seem happier to strip back to their more poppy undercoat with centrepiece duo Crystal Ball and White Is Red. The Physical World is a secondary salvo that hits its mark with aplomb – let’s hope Death From Above’s next shot isn’t so long in loading up. [Darren Carle] Playing Manchester Gorilla on 21 Oct deathfromabove1979.com

David Thomas Broughton & Juice Voice Ensemble Sliding the Same Way [Song By Toad Records, 22 Sep]

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It’s hard to feel totally at ease during Sliding the Same Way. Maybe it’s due to lyrics like 'I killed a man with a broken glass' in the opening song – a confession sung first in David Thomas Broughton’s sepulchral croon, then repeated in the light choral tones of collaborators Juice Voice Ensemble. Or maybe it’s because the semi-improvised music never quite settles into a familiar shape, instead staying fluid, strange and wholly distinctive throughout. The various players’ malleable larynxes create an array of unusual textures and effects – whistling birdsong, staccato groans, spectral arias, beatboxed coughs – and it’s easy to forget that most of what’s heard was performed a cappella in a single take, accompanied only by Broughton’s plucked six-string. Fifty-one minutes is a long time to sustain such curious witchery, and the aesthetic flags on some of the album’s longer tracks; in all other regards, however, this is an unorthodox beauty. [Chris Buckle]

Dorian Concept

Joined Ends [Ninja Tune, 22 Sep]

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It’s been a five year wait for a new full-length album by gifted Austrian producer Dorian Concept. He’s released some club-oriented, delightfully skewed beats along the way, not least the sublime 2011 EP Her Tears Taste Like Pears. He’s performed with the Cinematic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall, and remixed artists such as Cid Rim, Leatherette, and Nosaj Thing. Joined Ends is a confident step forward from all of this work, incorporating lush analogue synths, fuzzed-out vocal performances, and subtle, nuanced control over melody. It’s hard to fault, or to pick highlights from, although Mint’s Daedelus-like, sinuous rhythm and lush organic tones are particularly exquisite, and the sparse, shimmering garage of Draft Concept, redolent of Martyn’s artful take on post-dubstep, enchants. Varied, textured, gorgeously produced, and with a light and airy sense of space, it’s a beautiful work, communicating a sense of craftmanship from its opening riff to its final beat. [Bram E. Gieben] ninjatune.net/artist/dorian-concept

Goat

Ital

Homeboy Sandman

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Commune [Rocket Recordings, 22 Sep] This mysterious Swedish collective certainly got chins-a-wagging in 2012, thanks to the sheer scope of their all-action psych-rock. This second LP picks up where debut World Music left off, picking purposefully at the same threads of pulsating hypno-groove. Caught unawares, you might mistake the San Francisco vibes of To Travel The Path Within for pure retro pop, yet amidst Commune’s wired and wonderful textures, it feels infinitely more complex than that. Listen long enough and this record will do strange things to your mind – the Eastern-tinged guitar motifs of opener Talk To Gods don’t really alter much throughout the course of the song, but towards the last of its six minutes, they seem to unravel chaotically, strapping onto your synapses and pulling them down into the heart of the groove. By the time Gathering Of Ancient Tribes rolls around, they’re bordering on the transcendental – enigmatic, ebullient music that feels like its best secrets are buried tantalisingly within. [Will Fitzpatrick] Playing Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia on 27 Sep goatsweden.blogspot.com

Endgame [Planet Mu, 8 Sep] People were only just about getting to grips with Ital’s matrix-weaving series of EPs when he dropped his debut full-length for Planet Mu in 2012, a manically-warped take on house that stretched the genre’s conventions and structures beyond simple subversion, into a dark realm full of half-transmissions and intermingling sound nuggets. We should now know what to expect from the New York producer, but Endgame is a delicious listen of catacombs and unforeseen exit points nonetheless. Rooted around more rigid techno structures, there’s a dusty feel to Endgame, the relentlessly discomforting tremor of Whispers In The Dark and the asphyxiating atmosphere of Beacon billow with mushroom particle clouds on the impact of each beat, illuminated only by half-light. The record emerges into the shimmering light of day on a couple of occasions – on the chiming hiend of the title-track, and the panorama of Dancing – but quickly returns to its quietly discordant rattle and hum. [Simon Jay Catling] planet.mu/artists/ital

Hallways [Stones Throw, 1 Sep] With production handled by DJ Spinna, Jonwayne, a clutch of emerging beatmakers, and a fantastic contribution from minimalist composer Josef Van Wissem, Homeboy Sandman’s second full-length album for Stones Throw has enough complex, witty wordplay and dizzyingly experimental beat-work to satisfy any alternative hip-hop fan. Lead single America, The Beautiful, produced by Jonwayne, packs a devastating satirical lyric both laugh-out-loud funny and searingly insightful. The surreal, minimal Loads features a brilliant guest verse from Blu over a stripped beat. Activity’s lurching double-time raps and over-clocked string samples are as infectious as they are challenging. An almost perfect marriage between the more ambitious, lyrics-focused artistry of East Coast hip-hop and the pioneering beat-work of the West Coast, this album is a strong argument for Homeboy Sandman’s increasing significance as a writer – an heirin-waiting to vocabulary-rich artists like Aesop Rock, but with a stoned, deceptively throwaway delivery like Madlib. [Bram E. Gieben] stonesthrow.com/homeboysandman

Alt-J

This Is All Yours [Infectious Music, 22 Sep]

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Leeds quirk-rockers Alt-J must somehow follow 2012’s Mercury Prize-winning debut An Awesome Wave. This Is All Yours is a band looking its own hype in the eye, exhibiting both innovation and continuity. Where AAW hurried to establish its weirdness, carried by Joe Newman’s inimitable husky whine, TIAY’s idiosyncracies are less brazen. The now-trio (bassist and co-founder Gwil Sainsbury split early 2014) still deal in eastern folk and multifarious percussion, but this time couched in a more considered sonic topology. Ancient imperial Japanese capital Nara informs a song cycle, while an interlude track of medieval panpipes (Garden of England) heralds the misty Choice Kingdom; regality among John Hurt references. Barely faltering (incongruous MOR outing Left Hand Free is a shame), there’s more at play here than yet another ‘indie’ record seeking acceptance through gimmicky hooks. [George Sully] Playing Manchester Apollo on 19-20 Sep altjband.com

Martin Carr

Love Inks

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The Breaks [Tapete Records, 29 Sep] Two decades since the UK alt scene was trampled by the bovver boots of Britpop, fondness for the era grows apace. Thankfully, nostalgia appears to have kept its head, with more lobbying for the return of, say, Ride than the mid-table likes of Kingmaker. And as for The Boo Radleys? Initially bench-warmers for the burgeoning scene, they eventually hit paydirt with fourth album Wake Up! and its airwave-chomping single Wake Up Boo! The suspicion that their return would inspire polite interest rather than hysteria, though, is an unfair reflection of the continuing Scouse nous of leader Martin Carr. Equally at home with documenting domestic intimacies ('The day’s first kiss feels like a fist' – Mainstream) as it is celebrity culture (Senseless Apprentice), The Breaks is a modest but heartfelt work. It’s typified by the closing title track, a considered and compassionate coda whose 'If the breaks don’t come, we’ll just get by without them' refrain is universal and true. [Gary Kaill] twitter.com/martin_carr

Exi [Republic of Music, 8 Sep] …In which the Austin trio further refine their minimalist sound to yet more sombre proportions. Where jangling guitars once nagged and prodded atop simplistic electronics, here single chords hang heavy and suggestively between phrases, leaving Sherry LeBlanc’s gentle sighs to carry the melody. These hushed textures initially obliterate each track’s distinguishing features, until you’re hooked by an emotive sophistication generated almost entirely by space and nuance. As ever with Love Inks, it’s difficult not to think of Young Marble Giants when the indie veterans’ ideas are co-opted so efficiently, but to reduce the younger band to post-punk pilferers is to denigrate their knack for excellent songs. 'Give me a break / Give me your lungs hollowed out,' goes opener Shoot 100 Panes Of Glass, where subtle character sketches lend morose beauty to a compelling hook. Meanwhile Kevin Dehan’s subtly-deployed basslines lend propulsion to the sterling title track; bewitching brilliance for lamplit nights alone. [Will Fitzpatrick] loveinks.com

Review

RECORDS

THE SKINNY

Perfume Genius

Half Japanese

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Too Bright [Turnstile, 22 Sep] Promises that Portishead’s Adrian Utley has helped Mike Hadreas turn his sound on its head for his third record may be a little exaggerated – but not by much. It’s still that effortlessly histrionic tumble and soar vocal of his that grabs the headlines on Too Bright, but it has to compete with an overcast atmosphere and a turbulence beyond the fragile sorrow of his earlier work. My Body and Grid are striking in their ominous army-summoning drum thunder – PJ Harvey’s drummer John Parish is again involved – and perforating electronic shards that pull the tracks towards a flashing chaos. Lead single Queen is a defiant retaliation against his former gay panic, Hadreas sneering “no family is safe, when I sashay” with a new found scorn. Something’s changed within the vocal trapeze artist, and though No Good is a return to a more brittle familiarity, there’s a hard spine to Too Bright hitherto unseen. [Simon Jay Catling]

sleepmakeswaves

Overjoyed [Joyful Noise, 1 Sep] Oh, Jad Fair! A true rival to Guided By Voices’ Robert Pollard in the (mind-bogglingly) prolific indie veteran stakes, he’s also a testament to the power of unschooled and unfettered imagination, having penned scores of lo-fi classics without being bothered by such trivialities as learning how to tune a guitar. Overjoyed is the first album released under the Half Japanese moniker since 2001’s Hello, and guess what? It’s great. A sense of optimistic romance dominates. “Don’t let your time pass you by,” he advises a lover during The Time Is Now, but such is the urgency of his wide-eyed delivery that it feels like he’s addressing each and every one of us. One for the world’s bedsits, all in all, but no less powerful for that – noisepop nuggets like We Are Sure and Our Love come doused with an inescapable joie de vivre, certain to burrow its way into the hearts of true believers everywhere. [Will Fitzpatrick]

Love of Cartography [Bird’s Robe Records, 1 Sep]

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Sleepmakeswaves’ post-rock re-imaginings have always been underscored by a winning paradox: music without words it might be, but it revels in a heightened language, a dense musicality. They eschew vocals but the Australian four piece have much to say, and Love of Cartography (beautifully self-aware) gives voice to their complex designs like never before. As with their 2013 debut, performance (breathtaking interplay) and composition (far-reaching) dovetail to devastating effect. Emergent has shades of horror maestros Goblin. Great Northern breaks free on an uncharacteristically loose groove. Throughout, standard rock formatting gets given short shrift. It would be something, particularly with Mogwai flirting with mainstream acceptance and Slowdive returning to collective hosannas, to see this fearless outfit break out of a narrow scene. [Gary Kaill] sleepmakeswaves.com

Simian Mobile Disco

Pulled Apart By Horses

Vessel

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Whorl [Anti-, 8 Sep]

Opening with two lush, beatless atmospheric tracks, Whorl feels like a very different incarnation of Simian Mobile Disco from the outset. Abandoning computers entirely, and recording huge swathes of the album in live performances beneath the Californian desert sky, they have discovered an entirely new sound, drawing on cosmic synth and Italo tropes, lacing them with gorgeous slow-motion techno (Sun Dogs), half-step garage (Hypnick Jerk), brightlycoloured, lurching synth-funk (Dervish), and low-slung, ethereal house (Calyx). This subtler, more measured approach eschews some of the rhythmic complexity of previous albums, and it’s hard to pick a track that could serve as a DJ-friendly lead single. But the journey’s the thing, and even in the more textural, ambient passaged of Whorl, there is a restrained yet adventurous sensibility at play. Nodding to classic synth music’s origins while never descending into pastiche or retromania, Whorl feels like a bold new direction for the duo. [Bram E. Gieben]

Blood [Best of the Best, 1 Sep] Pulled Apart By Horses have been successfully welding grimy blues rock to post punk sensibilities for some time. Third album Blood might not win over a new army, but those already tracking the Leeds band’s progress should certainly approve. Their trademark sludgy guitars, occasional sweet melodies and Tom Hudson’s piercing howl are all present and correct. On Bag of Snakes you can almost feel the sweat flicking off a bundle of hair in front of you at one of their raucous shows, but it’s the full-on racket of You Want It and Skull Noir where they’re at their strongest. That’s not to say Blood is all brawn and nae brains though – the hooks from Hello Men and Grim Deal will burrow into your consciousness and take some shifting. Reference points include The Jesus Lizard and Queens of the Stone Age at their most abrasive, and while no new ground is broken here, this is angry thrash done rather well. [Stu Lewis] pulledapartbyhorses.com

simianmobiledisco.co.uk

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An album that begins with 12 seconds of almost unbearably tense silence, clashing, arrhythmic drum hits, drilling, and industrial noise will inevitably be called uncompromising, but Vessel’s austere, often challenging Punish, Honey is also sensual. The feral pounding of Red Sex, with its sinuously pitch-bent sirens, is redolent of a snake charmer’s dance. Drowned In Water and Light slowly unfolds graceful, funereal synths and warped tones, like a moth unfurling new wings. There is ferocity in Euoi, and the cacophonous climax of Akin to Coal; Anima’s urgent, complex techno is buried under a VHS haze, de-rezzed to perfection. DPM’s rattling, over-clocked electro leaves you gasping for more, while Black Leaves and Fallen Branches powerfully evokes its title, like a graveside snapshot. Vessel’s second full-length album once again showcases his masterful sound design, but where Order of Noise was guided by dub and techno, this feels like new ground being broken. [Bram E. Gieben] tri-anglerecords.com

Nehruviandoom

Nehruviandoom (Sound of the Son) [Lex, 22 Sep]

Punish, Honey [Tri-Angle, 15 Sep]

Spider Bags

Tricky

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Frozen Letter [Merge, 8 Sep]

Adrian Thaws [False Idols, 8 Sep]

The pairing of up-and-coming rap sensation Bishop Nehru and metal-faced veteran MF Doom might seem a strange one – Nehru’s been championed by big mainstream rap stars like Kendrick Lamar and Nas, while Doom remains the people’s champion of leftfield, abstract hiphop. Often Doom’s pairings with other rappers result in his best work – his tightly-constructed, effervescently weird imagery and triple-laced, complex rhyme patterns are a perfect companion for Nehru’s effortlessly slick, polished flow. There are plenty of highlights, from the cartoonish beats of Coming For You, laced with brightly-coloured threats from Nehru, to the spaced-out pop-funk and surreal couplets from Doom on Disastrous. If the album has a flaw, it’s that Doom does not appear as a vocalist as frequently as you might hope – several tracks pair his skittish, schizophrenic productions with Nehru’s smooth flow, and his absence is felt. The duo leaves the listener wanting much more, which is no bad thing. [Bram E. Gieben]

Those bursts of skin-searing fuzz should do it: exhilarating heat courtesy of Dan McGee’s guitar, raising the temperature just enough to fry everything in its path. They’re handily layered across mouth-watering slices of prime garage rock, perfectly balanced on the line between worldly stoicism and righteous snot – so North Carolina’s Spider Bags can find space for Walking Bubble’s ruminatory sadguy strums amongst herky-jerky dance numbers like Japanese Vacation, and the rhythm remains unruptured. They’re not bad at this, you know. The heads-down rumble of We Got Problems is the one moment where everything locks down to a furious caterwaul, as a guest solo from Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan wails away heroically; meanwhile, opener Back With You Again In The World builds from paint-peeling shuffles to a sax break that glows like The E Street Band drowning in toxic paint. “I’ll always be honest with you,” Dan intones through the chaos, and you believe him. [Will Fitzpatrick]

Adrian Thaws is, of course, Tricky’s real name. But don’t expect this album to reveal anything new about the Knowle West boy. Rather, Adrian Thaws is undeniably Tricky with all his trademark feverish whispers and ominous storytelling but it’s also his most cogent and focused album in years. Taking the unabashed hunger and rawness of last year’s False Idols, Adrian Thaws is a strikingly immediate, often abrasive album, which traverses the club and electronic influences over the course of his career. Sounding sleekly modern rather than desperately modish, Tricky’s lyrical flourishes, touching upon political unrest (“My Palestine baby, I go to Gaza because it’s really love I’m after”) and vituperative ripostes (“Why don’t you… go and get fucked” repeats the chorus of Why Don’t You) can run a little glib, but the album shines amid the breathless female-male vocal interplay of I Had A Dream, the minimalist synth basslines and electro flourishes on lead single Nicotine Dream and the bare-faced swagger of Lonnie Listen. [Colm McAuliffe]

nehruviandoom.lexrecords.com

mergerecords.com/spider-bags

trickysite.com

The Vaselines

Robert Plant

V For Vaselines [Rosary Music, 29 Sep]

Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar [Nonesuch, 8 Sep]

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With their second album in five years, Kurt Cobain’s one-time “favourite songwriters in the whole world” can now claim to actually be more prolific than when they were first around in the late 80s. Frances McKee and Eugene Kelly haven’t yet felt the need to shift their sound on during this relative purple patch though – but when your songwriting chops are as effortlessly breezy as on V For Vaselines, why would you? An album as edgy as a boiled egg, but as warmly comforting as your favourite shaggy jumper, tracks like The Lonely L.P. and Inky Lies’ playful vocal interchanges exemplify an endearingly infectious, succinct set of uplifting indie-pop anti-anthemia. Earth Is Speeding adds some lyrical urgency to proceedings, “moving too fast but it all seems so slow,” says McKee, offering a rare hint of the middle-aged duo struggling with the pace of the 21st century; for the most though, The Vaselines seem pretty at home nearly 30 years after first forming. [Simon Jay Catling]

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“The whole impetus of my life as a singer has to be driven by a good brotherhood,” says Robert Plant of his new album. Recorded with current touring set-up The Sensational Space Shifters it is, in his own words, “African trance meets Zep.” Much of Lullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar is uncompromisingly true to that folk heritage: Little Maggie is a hot desert throb, a bustle of djembe drums and upright bass. It has little in common with the restless roving that has characterised Plant’s recent work of late and yet, certainly when the electric guitars set Embrace Another Fall alight, it’s easy to trace a line to the psychedelic undertones of Led Zeppelin III or Physical Graffitti. Throughout, you marvel at the man’s continuing hunger. With so many of his peers content to piss their riches, and their talent, up the wall, Lullaby… illustrates why there’s still little reason to point Percy at the porcelain. [Gary Kaill] robertplant.com

The Top Five 1 2 3 4 5

Death From Above 1979

The Physical World

Perfume Genius

Too Bright

Goat

Commune

Homeboy Sandman

Hallways

Robert Plant

Lullaby and... The Ceaseless Roar

thevaselines.co.uk

September 2014

RECORDS

Review

Fat White Family

Lately, he’s developed a habit of trailing tidbits of early single Taste (now reworked as All I Need), rrrrr teasing the white-eyed, flat-mouthed “taste it; Friday kiss me again” refrain through the whole set Mother Nature loves a good festival cliché. but never dropping it. Early evening, though, he Playing on Beacons’ only outdoor stage, Kult breaks with tradition and gives a baying Beacons Country open up the suitably panoramic repeawhat they’re after; later, a gauzy Roman Flügel to-rock of recent single Trembling Moon mid-set pays homage to his predecessor by sending his – just as the heavens open and thunder makes own All I Need remix out to the night. the ground shake. It’s something surely not lost [Lauren Strain] on Yousif Al-Karaghouli, a frontman with a penNightfall for King Creosote is a gentler afchant for viewing the world through a subversive- fair; we spot a sea-creature-headed couple lit up ly poetic spectrum. Trembling Moon is among a beneath a jellyfish umbrella, appropriately swayraft of newer songs from the collective that point ing to Cargill’s fishwife-romance of “I’m the finest to a more restrained, poised, anthemic sound, catch you’ll ever land” – then, a polka shanty with and it’s a potentially fruitful development to cello and accordion. With his shuffling Scottish Al-Karaghouli’s songwriting. As a group, though, drawl, Kenny Anderson is a starry-eyed choice to they still judder the senses hardest when going at close the outdoor Argyll stage – a collaborative it full-tilt, the likes of Amongst the Dead Forever Super-8 film rolls above his head, showing himself surging to near-outage as the six onstage lock as a playful raconteur making Cluedo references into an unceasing groove. [Simon Jay Catling] in You’ve No Clue Do You. As he croons through As Daphni, Caribou’s Dan Snaith is becoming A Month of Firsts, it’s relaxing just to ease out of a formidable force; in the Resident Advisor tent, the crowd, warm the hands, and observe how the he works old-school samba through hard cuts city does indeed look better through the rearand Bunny Mack to feral response. Unexpectedly, view mirror. [Chris Ogden] at the one hour mark he feeds in the warm, cauterised chords of his band’s latest, Can’t Do Saturday Without You; the ripple of recognition as it pass- Punk’s the term to use for Hookworms now es through the crowd is an uprush you’d bottle. more than ever, the bite they’ve always posThe track was, of course, engineered for precisely sessed within their blurring textures and motorik this effect, a sunset-ready synthpad ballad that developing great gnashing jaws. One particularly paws the membrane between mush and melanshort, sharp burst of a new song exemplifies this cholia – but actually experiencing it for the first perfectly – its the nearest they’ve come yet to time, in the environment for which it was writthe corrosive proto-punk of The Modern Lovers ten, is genuinely moving. Where Snaith guides, and 80s hardcore influences they’ve always however, Daniel Avery possesses. The last year cited. Respite only really comes once during a of touring Drone Logic and playing lean-bodied, raucous 45 minutes, with the ebb and flow of mean-minded back to backs with Erol Alkan The Correspondent; drummer JN pulls back his has resulted in a flawless act of glass-cut acid, hole-punching patterns and allows the sweepsutured and soldered with surgical precision. ing washes of organ and guitar to cascade over Heslaker Farm, Skipton, 7-10 Aug

him. For the rest, Hookworms give the sense that they’re starting to relish their increasing ability to cause a human pile-up. Some hours later, the physicality of ExEaster Island Head is entirely the opposite – they start from nothing and build pieces, as opposed to starting with everything and taking elements away. The Into the Woods stage is a restful getaway from the climactics out in the fields; dozens of people stretch out on the carpet or crash on sofas as the Liverpool trio take to the stage. Based around the use of mallets on prepared electric guitars laid flat, with a further percussionist behind them, they consistently surprise in the dexterity of sound they manage to coax out of such a minimalist setup – the switch of rhythms from the glottal to the languid has a bodily effect, moments of tension rising and evaporating within the torso. It isn’t the barnstorming end to a festival Saturday night some would choose, but there’s little else that comes close to this level of immersion all weekend. [SJC] Sunday The booking of Planet Mu’s John Wizards proves a doozy for woozy Sunday heads, as the Cape Town sextet’s aerated tropicalia turns a stage that’s largely been dedicated to sawn-off punk and bloodlusty psych all weekend into an oasis of calm. From last year’s debut album, a rippling Lusaka by Night – sweet as pineapple crush – and the citrus synths of Jamieo are particular winners, eliciting beatific sighs from a crowd punchdrunk with fatigue. It’s not all chill, though: the agit-pop of Limpop stirs a small frenzy, hitching things up to Shangaan electro speed, while iYongwe’s relay race of guitar, keys and handclaps runs to a calypso finish. Though their LP turned up in a bunch of best of 2013 lists, it still feels like they should be reaching a bigger audience;

Daphni

Review

MUSIC

judging by the number of revelatory little experiences going on in this small corner of Skipton, the word should start to spread further. [LS] Speedy Ortiz specialise in the sort of knotty melodies and passive-aggressive quip rock that The OC’s Seth Cohen would’ve loved. In between cuts of their recent Real Hair EP, Sadie Dupuis and drummer Mike Falcone produce a few groans from the crowd as they wisecrack about the cold: “Feels like a chilled gazpacho out there,” Falcone laughs, before they rumble their way through Indoor Soccer. When they try out a new song, it’s a slower, more traditional waltz, suggesting that they’re distancing themselves from the wilfully oblique discord of last year’s album Major Arcana – but Plough is an incendiary ending. As Dupuis shows off a stronger snarl than ever, it seems she’s sharpening her claws – but also learning when to lower them. [CO] So it comes to Eagulls to finish proceedings, the local lads-done-good with their Partisan Records deal and Letterman performance. There’s only a hardcore few left in the Noisey tent, but, if anything, the reaction to the fivepiece’s hardcore-tipped post-punk is even more intense than for Fat White Family beforehand. One delirious punter clambers up the central pillar and divebombs back into the crowd below, others crowdsurf towards the stage, occasionally making it. Eagulls themselves aren’t the animalistic live creatures of old; months of touring have woven the group tightly so that the bitter, bone-gnawing anxiety of Nerve Endings and Hollow Visions are slickly delivered. They retain a malevolence that chimes perfectly with the surrounding setting, though; this final battle of attrition amid nature’s howl a suitable final party for the end of times. [SJC]

Beacons Festival 2014

THE SKINNY

Photos: Sam Huddleston

Beacons Festival 2014

Daniel Avery

Get Up, Stand Up

WOZNIAK, Edinburgh post-rock collective from the fair streets of Edinburgh, Wozniak revel in ethereal fragility amid the power of crushing volume: true beauty from unfettered chaos. They are Sarah Cuthbert-Kerr, John Sinclair, James Urquhart & Simon Cuthbert-Kerr We stand for making loud noise with walls of feedback. We stand for keeping going until there’s nothing more to give. We stand for the power of noise to take you outside of yourself and provide a release, to evoke feelings and reactions and to let yourself get lost in the chaos. We stand for being part of a community of people who feel the same way, and for supporting those who are doing the same thing. We have to communicate what’s inside us. The sound of Wozniak is the

Photo: David P Scott

HALFRICAN, Glasgow he ragged rush of primal garage rock with two fingers to the mainstream. Glasgow’s Halfrican want the world, and they don’t care whether it feels the same. They are Sancho Büna, Choi Paul & Jet Jackson The group stands for true independence. Sounds like a very clichéd value but with that comes confidence, and that breeds a more authentic artist – and in the run-up to the Scottish election, the idea of confidence is applicable to a country as well. Halfrican was always meant to be an escape from Glasgow’s twee grey skies and damp air, however endearing and inspiring they can be. It began as a solo recording project, and quickly became a fully functioning band with the quick realisation that the influences and inspirations of the people involved were unlike anything

combined influences and ideas of the different band members, brought together and expressed through our shared outlook. We don’t have a lot of lyrics, so we need to build our songs around a particular idea or reaction or mood using dynamics, momentum and noise. A lot of our songs are suggestive of moods rather than expressing things directly, but that doesn’t mean they’re vague – there are very tangible feelings of rage and sorrow in the songs. We’ve found that we’ve been able to connect with people who recognise their own sense of the world in our sound, and it’s exhibited in virtually everything the band does. There’s an element of DIY to the band – we put on our own gigs and that gives us the chance to play with bands we like, and we’ve played for some brilliant promoters who work tirelessly to give bands exposure. It might sound simplistic, but we really want people to continue to like what we do, and we hope that we can play with more great people in different places. We’re just about to start recording our debut album – hopefully that will be a fully realised statement of Wozniak’s sound.

Photo: Elinor Jones

Words: Will Fitzpatrick

wozniak.bandcamp.com

that was happening anywhere. The principle of a unique independent spirit is present in every aspect of Halfrican – looks, sound, licks. We take inspiration from the classic aspects of teams, bands and gangs, but the ‘click’ cannot be faked. We share an unrelenting thirst to better ourselves and to continually move onwards, whilst also being cautious not to leave anything behind. We are outsiders as a band and as individuals within the Glasgow music scene – each of us has burned a lot of bridges, and it makes it all even more dangerous and exciting. We never set out to get in anyone’s face; we’re just us. A united front is the best weapon against people who try to be difficult, or who are (just by nature) pricks. Of course anything different and independent will face opposition, and it’s something you have to be ready to face if you truly believe the status quo is shite – and you want to make a change. In an ideal world this philosophy and fearlessness would translate to everyone, the result being that people would be a lot more satisfied with their lives. halfrican.bandcamp.com

playing those riffs to other people in other sweaty rooms across the country. It’s fun and we want people to enjoy the same level of fun that we do. Often people struggle with the idea that we can be serious about the music we make but not so much about our image, or the way we come across through all the ancillary stuff. It’s always been a part of what we do, to have ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY, Liverpool a sense of humour about things but in a way that ll molten riffs and lurching time signatures, isn’t just slapstick and stupid; there’s always Liverpool trio Alpha Male Tea Party recently a more sinister edge to it, especially our song unveiled their latest album Droids – a veritatitles. It can be frustrating when people pick up ble weapon of math destruction. They are Tom on the garish nature of our image more than our Peters, Greg Chapman & Ben Griffiths creative output and use it as a way to paint us Really, truthfully and honestly we stand for negatively, but really that’s just what we do. We absolutely nothing. And that’s kind of the point – just get on with it and call them dicks while we’re not everything you do in life has to have meaning driving around in our family hatchbacks. Music is or subtext or agenda. We started Alpha Male Tea as much about personality as it is songs and for Party because we wanted to do something that us portraying ourselves through what we do, as was ours, free from any stereotypical ideals of punishingly pretentious as that sounds, is comwhat being in a band is and ultimately to create pletely central to it all. something that is completely honest and without alphamaleteaparty.bandcamp.com pretension, unlike this paragraph. None of us are under any illusion that we’re the most creative/ innovative band going, we just like playing riffs in a sweaty room together and, more recently,

Photo: Elinor Jones

Photo: David P Scott

Celebrating rebellious individuals, we asked four rising UK bands of various persuasions: what do you stand for?

ILL, Manchester anchester’s own ILL serve up art-damaged noisepop with heart and smarts. Provocative, prescient and proudly feminist; and thrillingly discordant racket for your sick pleasure. They are Whitney Bluzma, Helen Shanahan, Fiona Ledgard & Sadie Noble We believe in being ourselves. We believe in creativity, experimentation and expression. We’re DIY; we won’t tolerate being told what to do. We produce our own recordings, make our own music videos and our own artwork. We believe in the power of subversion and disobedience. We believe in equality. We stand with queer and trans people. We own every aspect of what we do. Too often the dominant culture sidelines the people who don’t fit neatly into it. When you kick against that hegemony and express yourself truthfully, you have a voice. Society needs to have

dissent and diversity in order for people to be truly free. We make a noise. A loud noise. There’s a lot of energy at our gigs. Our erstwhile percussionist Rosanne Robertson brought a lot of unconventional instruments to us: contact mics on vibrators, bomb shells, toys. That playful irreverence continues to inspire us. ILL can’t be pigeonholed into any genre. We’ll jump from a piano song about pinching Granny’s pills, to a full on noise jam, to a metal meltdown about meat. There’s total freedom. It’s frustrating when people assume that because we’re an all female band, we don’t know what we’re doing, and patronise us. We get asked suspicious questions – “Do you hate men?”, “Are you a lesbian sex cult?” We mercilessly poke fun at these prejudices. We are fortunate to be able to say and do these things, to make songs criticising government, patriarchy, religious bigotry. We can be queer, loud, proud women. Globally, people risk arrest, imprisonment and even death for speaking up about these issues. In an ideal world, everybody would be free to love, sing, shout, scream and go around naked if they wanted to. And sound technicians would stop telling us what a decibel is. weareill.bandcamp.com

The Dr. Martens #STANDFORSOMETHING campaign represents people of different ages, backgrounds, occupations and personalities. Share your Docs style and what you stand for using the hashtag #STANDFORSOMETHING

September 2014

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THE SKINNY

Sands of Time With Whorl, Simian Mobile Disco feel they’ve recorded their most honest album yet – the result of restricting themselves, getting older, and, y’know, going out to Joshua Tree to record it. Honest, then, and a touch psychedelic...

n a drizzly, stuffy night in July, hundreds of revellers – well-dressed lads, stag and hen dos and the odd leftover student – patiently file into the vast hangar of Manchester’s Gorilla club for a DJ set from Simian Mobile Disco. Half-filling the club, they bop and flex along to a warm-up set of deep house with the occasional acid flourish. Meanwhile, in a cramped green room feet above the decks, James Ford and Jas Shaw sip tinnies and discuss their upcoming fourth album proper as SMD, Whorl. Improvised, wholly instrumental and unwaveringly spaced out, it’s perhaps not the album their audience tonight might have expected. Nor is it necessarily the one they might want. “We feel like we’ve changed a lot. But is it a good strategy as a band to change a lot?” wonders the ever-affable Ford who, in another world, is the production guru for Florence, the Arctics, and other critically acclaimed crossover groups. “I do feel there’s been a distinct progression. But it depends, have people have been paying attention between 2007 and now?” Shaw is equally good-humoured and utterly direct. “What we’ve done is fucked off our entire studio to go to the desert to avoid doing vocals,” he explains. “And it’s hard to understate, just how much it could not have come out as OK. A few weeks before the gigs, we had nothing. We would reload tracks we’d recorded the previous day and it’d sound like complete gibberish.” Whorl, an enigmatic-sounding term for a single 360-degree revolution, neatly follows SMD’s last full-length, Unpatterns, and does indeed bring the sound of the band full circle – and then some. Recorded entirely in three live takes, two in the remote California desert close to the famous Joshua Tree, Whorl sees Ford and Shaw strip back their equipment and aesthetic with absorbing results. “We have stripped it down, but to two very complicated little boxes,” explains Ford of the

album’s conception. “We had a very defined set of parameters, and we’ve never made anything so prescriptive before. So the kick drum and the bass is the same through the whole album, and so on. It takes away choice.” It might seem odd for producers as prolific and technically well-versed as SMD to actively want to deprive themselves of options, but their reasoning is succinct and entirely artistically logical. “We didn’t even want to do a live show at the beginning,” admits Ford. “But we’ve been touring the old live rig round a lot, and it got to the point where we got good at turning something that went wrong into something worthwhile. You can’t fake it. We were getting close to this point.”

“What we’ve done is fucked off our entire studio to go to the desert” Jas Shaw

“On this record, much has been made of the rig. To a certain extent the rig almost defined it. But we’ve always dicked around with modular synths,” Shaw explains, reaffirming what anyone who’s ever seen SMD’s flexible and ever-increasingly live show will attest. “The ‘no computer’ thing became kind of a big deal,” adds Ford. “Not looking at a screen, having a real sequencer, makes you feel differently about your music.” Much of the press pushing Whorl will undoubtedly focus on the ‘psychedelic’ elements of the LP, and understandably so. As well as its

Interview: John Thorp

recording, during which SMD’s delicate gear was literally balanced on a prehistoric set of rocks in one of the most fabled spots on earth, there are the track titles: Jam Side Up, Iron Henge, Sun Dogs and Dervish, to name a few. Beginning at a languid, earthy pace, the LP eventually blossoms into a chugging, acidic groove that nonetheless merely flirts with the dancefloor. It is very English – somewhat paranoid as well as dreamy – and went down very well with the regional druids during a recent performance at Green Man Festival, deep within the Brecon Beacons. “We’re huge fans of Broadcast, and I think it’s referencing similar stuff like old psychedelia, the early electronic pioneers,” explains Shaw. “I think that was a particularly interesting time of music, as everything was so new. There was no standard way of doing things.” Other reference points include the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and its icon, Delia Derbyshire, as well as the likes of Raymond Scott and early Warp – particularly important in both members’ musical heritage. Nonetheless, just as they’ve ultimately evaded their electro-pop label, Shaw is keen not to carve any genre tags into Whorl. “The more I think about the term psychedelia, the more meaningless it is. It’s so broad…Yeah, it’s waffle.” Partially inspired by Pink Floyd’s cultish and curious Live at Pompeii, in which the band perform at the Roman ruins of the title while bereft of an audience, Ford and Shaw had both visited Joshua Tree in the past – and embraced Pioneertown, a studio set for Westerns, constructed during the 1940s and now doubling up as a real community. It was swiftly selected as a stimulating spot for their planned live recording – but what the duo would play was, at this stage, less clear, and what the locals would make of it, even less so. “The gig itself was a really weird mix,” recalls a chuckling Shaw. “In the day, it was just locals,

and when we were soundchecking, I heard some bikers describing us as video game music.” Ford nails the initial atmosphere with slightly more precision: “It was a definite ‘be in a proper band or fuck off’ vibe.” Promo footage from the recording reveals the duo’s atmospheric show taking place isolated in the scorching afternoon heat, as well as throughout a dusty, windswept evening. A notso-reluctantly grooving elderly cowgirl is joined by a visiting crowd of curious, more rave-inclined guests from the West Coast. Both technically and figuratively, it’s several thousand miles away from Fabric, or even the most outlandish of European festivals that SMD have so successfully frequented for nearly a decade. Is this the idea? Complete escapism? “Well, we were almost going to do it under a different name. To draw parameters,” admits Shaw. “But I sort of feel just ‘fuck it,’ at this stage,” adds Ford. “It’s the most honestly ‘us’ album we’ve made, without trying to second guess anyone else. On the others, we perhaps made a few concessions, perhaps a vocal here or there…” A wry laugh between the pair prompts memories of Temporary Pleasure, the follow up to their sleeper hit debut, Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release. A pop-oriented bonanza, it contains, in the words of Ford, “some of our best, and some of our not-so-best work,” slathering the painstakingly tuned synths over verses from indie royalty such as Jamie Lidell, Beth Ditto and Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor. “Temporary Pleasure ran away with itself in a similar style to this record. We were really excitable, we had nine vocals, which was just an example of our sort of ‘produceriness,’ trying to doing service to all of those guests. And the classic mistake was we made was losing a bit of our own personality in the process,” reveals Ford. Five years later and there is no loss of personality throughout Whorl, and, tellingly, no discernible vocals either. Having worked and experimented together for so long, there’s an evident, mellow understanding between Ford and Shaw that must only inspire confidence in collaboration. “I think we’re getting older, and maybe what we want out of music is changing. Perhaps the party side of us has dissipated,” ponders Ford, who has previously been videoed comatose beside a pool at P Diddy’s mansion. Continuing to perfect their techno output in between albums, SMD have collaborated on singles with the likes of Roman Flügel and Bicep for their own Delicacies imprint. “I think the dance material works best as 12 inches, rather than as a full album,” adds Shaw, who feels the label satisfyingly scratches the ‘dancefloor itch.’ Taking to the decks and scratching said itch with minimal fanfare, SMD plunge headlong into a slab of offbeat techno that eventually morphs into chunkier house, satisfying both their newer generation of fans and the casual Saturday-night masses. Before 2014 is out, the pair will take up residency in London’s XOYO each Saturday, playing alongside a variety of personally selected guests. “I feel like we’ve always done our own thing, and sometimes we’ve been with the tide and also, against it,” reckons Shaw. Showcasing the band in their boldest and most creative form yet, Whorl is the sound of the duo fully grasping a complete new set of powers. Whorl is out 9 Sep via Anti-. Playing Unknown Croatia festival 8-12 Sep, London Union Chapel 9 Sep www.simianmobiledisco.com

September 2014

CLUBS

Preview

DJ Chart: Steve O’Sullivan After a long-awaited return to the techno fold, the Mosaic boss assembles eight slabs that define his craft Interview: Daniel Jones

teve O’Sullivan has been a busy bee this year. Not content with fostering three instalments of his Mosaic Split Series – Part Four, featuring solid efforts from Nail and Annie Errez, landed last month – the progenitor of dubbed-out techno on British soil is also set to revive his kinship with Ben Sims for the opening gambit of a new, tougher-sounding ‘Red Label’ series. Both drops signal a statement of intent from O’Sullivan, to take Mosaic to another level following a near tenyear hiatus. There are also whispers of a forthcoming string of EPs for Sushitech, so it seems that there’s plenty more in the pipeline to appease any Bluespirit enthusiasts out there. In the meantime, why not viddy these hard-hitting selections plucked straight from the horse’s mouth – giddy up.

Joey Anderson – Sorcery [Dekmantel] The album – After Hours – has been out for a while now, but it’s still well worth a mention. A lot of music these days can seem to lack a bit of soul and individuality but this one really works. It reminds me in places of the classic Luke Slater and Carl Craig LPs of the 90s with its use of well-worn Detroit techno techniques and sounds. That’s not to say that this is just a retro fix; it’s quality from start to finish, and one that I can see myself still listening to in years to come. Great stuff.

Delta Funktionen – Silhouette (Marcel Dettmann remix) [Delsin] A superb remix from Marcel on one of the most consistent labels around – Delsin. As someone who is known for his dub techno, I guess I shouldn’t really say that most of it sends me to sleep... but I guess I just have! Not much in this Floorplan – Never Grow Old (Re-Plant) [M-Plant] genre really inspires as it’s incredibly derivative, Robert Hood revamps two great cuts from last but there are, thankfully, a few standout guys year’s fantastic Floorplan LP as only he can. This who are pushing the sound forward. I really love guy is the master of true minimal techno and what Marcel has done here, I could easily have it has maintained a level of quality control and on repeat all day. relevance over the last 20-plus years that most producers could only dream of. Fair to say, I’m a Steve Bicknell – Track 3 [Cosmic] big fan! One of the great underground heroes of UK techno returns with a four-track EP in typically dark

and trippy style. Another master of the hypnotic minimal sound, and this is a great example.

house with a real UK edge… it doesn’t do much, but sometimes the best tracks don’t have to.

Annie Errez – Auguste [Mosaic] You can’t do a chart without some shameless self-promotion, so here we go… this tune is on the most recent Mosaic release, and is an absolute belter. Having stopped the label for almost ten years, I decided I wanted to do things differently second time around and showcase new producers alongside the more established. This track is one of Annie’s two contributions to the fourth instalment in the series. It has everything that I love about music that crosses the techno and house divide – heavy raw drums, solid bass and a simplicity that avoids all the clichés that most music in the genre relies upon.

Nitzer Ebb – Shame [Mute] Taken from a bit of an oldie that I hadn’t listened to for a couple of years until recently. Touches of techno, EBM and industrial are thrown into the mix and it’s one of my all-time favourites. Some of the singles work better in their longer remixed form but, as a package this is classic and, dare I say it, timeless stuff.

Bobby O’Donnell – Red [Strobewax] Leeds-based imprint Strobewax are definitely a label to watch. Their three releases to date have been great examples of how to build upon the sound of the past, and I would’ve happily taken them all for Mosaic, which I guess says how much I love their stuff. Bobby O’Donnell’s track Red is the bomb on this EP for me – techno-infused

Prince Far-I – Coming In from the Rock [Trojan] This is what I put on when the wife is out and it’s time to turn up the sub… it takes me back to when I was young and discovering dub for the first time. I think the first track of his I heard was Bedward the Flying Preacher, which kinda blew me away when I first heard it. For the newcomer to his sound this one may not be the most instant of albums, but there’s something about it that always makes me come back even after all these years. www.soundcloud.com/stephenos1

Clubbing Highlights Studentdom returns this month, bringing with it a heap of promoters vying for a slice of that well-earned loan – just don’t spunk it all on traffic light parties Words: Jack Burns Illustration: Thom Isom

he month clicks into gear with Tom Boogizm bringing the heat below Soup Kitchen on 6 Sep. Boogizm is a son of Manchester’s incredible DJ culture, bred from the belly of musically diverse nights like Eyes Down. A five-hour session offers him just about enough time to dig deep into his intimidatingly large record collection. Free before 12, so it pays to get down early. A week later at the same venue sees the long-awaited return of the aforementioned Eyes Down following a nine-year extended hiatus (13 Sep, £7). Residents Jon K and Kelvin Brown have welcomed the likes of Moodymann, Pepe Bradock and ?uestlove over the years, and have since dipped their toes into other creative waters – Kelvin is now an award-winning filmmaker in his own right. This is a one-off event, fuelled by people power, and certainly not one to miss. Over in Liverpool, Hustle host part deux of their birthday bash by bringing in Belgian badman San Soda for a night of revelry at Magnet (13 Sep, £13). He’s joined on the night by Sebastian Döring – aka Lovebirds – another talented producer. If that doesn’t tickle your chin then why not head over to see the lads at Less Effect ship in French Fries on the same night (24 Kitchen St, £6). He’s part of the YoungGunz crew and one of the new breed of DJs storming out of France with

Preview

a keen eye on all things tropical and bass-y. Back in Manny, Axel Boman comes to Sankeys on 19 Sep, with £10 earlybirds still up for grabs. Boman has recently been teaming up with John Talabot on the circuit, but here’s a chance to catch the man alongside less illustrious Sidney Charles and Darius Syrossian. Expect ‘forward-thinking’ debates on the differences between ‘tech’ and ‘minimal.’ Another shout, for fewer quids, is Youandewan down in the Josh Brooks sweatbox (19 Sep, £6). The following day – 20 Sep – at Gorilla sees the first in a series of five Super Weird Happenings as summer shifts to autumn (the others taking place in Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool and London). It’s an unusual eight-hour event, which takes in talk, live art, visuals, photography, a Blind Arcade performance, and a three-hour Greg Wilson DJ set for the finale. All for £10. Plenty of choice again though, with Pariah b2b Tessela b2b Kowton looking to tear Josh Brooks a new one – a tenner, again. There’s also the inimitable James.T.Cotton at Islington Mill, who you may know from his mindbending productions as Dabrye and JTC – yep, you guessed it, ten shnebs. Zutekh vs Tpot hold their final shindig of the summer at South, by getting in the quality pairing of DJ Tennis and Nail on 21 Sep. DJ Tennis has

been serving up beats since the late 80s, and has a background in theatre and movie soundtracks to boot; whereas Nail has just recently released a single on part four of the Mosaic Split Series – such credentials warrant a fairly hefty £15 entry. Fast forward to 26 Sep and there’s another tough choice to make. Mancunia’s finest, Garth Be, brings the goods for Tom Boogizm’s night – Boogizm – over at Corbieres. (Garth was kind enough to donate a mix to our podcast series a few months back, have a listen.) Elsewhere, fledgling purveyors of night-time grooves Dog Eat

CLUBS

Dog bring in Freerotation mainstay Jane Fitz for a whopping six-hour sesh at the intimate Q Cavern. No frills, all thrills for this one, and well worth a fiver. Or, if you’re on the other side of the M62 then go catch Truss take over Cold Blooded for a warehouse party that promises to get very messy – location TBA (26 Sep, £3 before 12, £5 after). That’s all folks – remember to leave no stone unturned... and no turn unstoned. Ticket prices are advance unless otherwise specified; some events may be more on the door

THE SKINNY

Gego. Line as Object

Object Recognition: Mishka Henner and David Oates

Henry Moore Institute, Leeds

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Sale Waterside Arts Centre

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In 1966, Gego famously wrote, ‘There is no danger for me to get stuck, because with each line I draw, hundreds more wait to be drawn.’ This indicates the fanaticism with which Gego engaged with the line – not as something to be drawn on paper, but as an ‘object to play with.’ Her aversion to line as a traditional draughtsperson’s tool is clear from the first series we encounter, Drawing without Paper. Gego began making these in 1976, incorporating leftover materials from her sculptural practice – steel and wire to ceramic lettered beads – creating wall-hanging structures. Continuing over 12 years, early works formally mimic a sheet of paper but soon break out of rectangular boundaries. The line as something to be released also appears in a concentration of works on paper throughout the Upper Sculpture Galleries. Among starkly beautiful lithographs and ink drawings, artist book Autobiography of a Line (1965) depicts a line wresting liberation from the page. As well as being freed, Gego’s line lived, evident in the many small wire-based sculptures named ‘bichos’ (bug), or ‘bichitos’ (small bug), that seem like live creatures ready to scuttle away. Resistant to classification, Gego also eschewed sculpture as a genre, stating ‘Sculpture, three-dimensional forms of solid materials. Never what I do!’ The more sculptural, using Gego’s definition, of the works here is her early Vibration

September 2014

Dibujo sin papel 79/2 (1979)

in Black (1957), a dollop of thick black-painted aluminium lines swirling, connected and suspended from the ceiling. Although consisting of lines, their colour and thickness render the work more substantial than those which dominate the exhibition: the Reticulárea (1975). These net-like structures made with interconnecting threads of wire and steel create organic forms, and in archival images the linear sculptures really do seem like nets, with people interacting with them in a manner more in common with images of Palle Nielsen’s play environments. Here, Reticulárea is hung like a tapestry rather than a net spread in many dimensions; judicious lighting casts layer upon layer of intricate shadowy lines, giving an illusion of depth. In the main gallery, grouped icosidodecahedrons float politely. These contrast with more lively and unpredictable entities, like Reticulárea Wall Appliqué (1969), which appears to literally grow out of the gallery walls. With over 80 works, this show provides a good introduction to Gego’s practice through four decades, including remarkable late works of weaved photographs, which demand close viewing. As the artist’s first solo show in the UK it is certainly worth a visit. [Eleanor Clayton] Runs until 19 Oct. Open Tue-Sun, 11am-5.30pm

Photo: Tony Knox

Thirty Seconds Staring at the Moon

‘There is no truth,’ Flaubert once wrote, ‘only perception.’ Exploring David Oates and Mishka Henner’s intriguing exhibition Object Recognition, this notion seems apt, with a varied showcase of seven ‘tests’ designed and conducted by Oates and Henner as assessments of their own personal vision. Thirty Seconds Looking at the Mona Lisa is the highlight. Two identical portraits of the icon hang side by side, both illuminated only by surface pockets of light. These ‘gaze points’ were measured while each artist stared at the painting – a process made possible by the utilisation of eye-tracking software at the University of Salford’s School of Health Sciences. The absorbing splashes of illumination reflect Oates and Henner’s visual exploration during their 30 seconds viewing time. It is not only the personal differences that are interesting; there are further implications of seeing something so familiar now partly obscured, forcing a backwards retreat into the fragility of long-term memory. This work, as well as its companion Thirty Seconds Staring at the Moon, forges a richly compelling synthesis between the experimental thought behind the tests and the art they explore and consequently create. In the latter work, a complex plotting of expanding dots across duplicate moons demonstrates not only Henner and Oates’ optical investigations, but also forms an oddly captivating thatch of harsh shapes, which appears

ART

aggressively modern against the tender lunar flesh. Where Object Recognition falls down, then, is when the duo’s experiments are displayed with no introspection. Attempting to Strike a Target from Varying Distances, for example, presents sets of small bulls-eye targets that have been shot at from varying distances claiming to explore ‘the primal and predatory origins of seeing.’ Elsewhere, Correctives presents the spectacles and prescription lenses recommended for each artist by Salford University’s optometry department – but that’s it. Amid such thought-provoking work, it seems disappointing. Matching Colours to Objects and Concepts finds the artists’ attempts ‘to match colours from a set of British Standard swatches to familiar items and ideas.’ While pea soup evokes no surprise in the slight incongruity of tonal choice (green to slightly less green), the process becomes more effective when the artists match colours to more abstract concepts, such as pain remedy or the Soviet Union, essentially asking viewers to imagine our own tonal definitions. This piece really works because it feels interactive – something the exhibition, as a whole, lacks. Points of clarity are made but, ultimately, Object Recognition suffers from myopia of form and vision. [Tom Kwei] Runs until 20 Sep. Open Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm

Review

September Film Events In Liverpool, film fans are putting their noses on the line with a scratch-and-sniff screening of a John Waters classic, while GrimmFest brings a brace of horror previews to Manchester At Berkeley

At Berkeley

Director: Frederick Wiseman Released: 12 Sep Certificate: PG

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A Dangerous Game

Director: Anthony Baxter Starring: Donald Trump, Alec Baldwin Released: 12 Sep Certificate: PG

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Frederick Wiseman’s films are the purest examples of documentary filmmaking that it’s possible to find. There are no onscreen captions in his films, no music and no interviews; he simply sets up his camera and captures life with it. In At Berkeley Wiseman’s subject is ostensibly the University of California at Berkeley, allowing us to explore the campus from the perspective of both students and staff, but his real concern is something larger and more universally resonant. As board members struggle to cope with increasingly tight budgets, and students protest against cuts, the film highlights the uncertain future of public education in today’s economic climate, and asks what price we can place on something that is so integral to the future of so many. Hypnotically edited and intellectually stimulating, At Berkeley doesn’t feel a minute too long, even at four hours. Wiseman’s subtle artistry and insatiable curiosity has resulted in yet another masterwork, and it is further proof that he should be regarded as one of the world’s most vital filmmakers. [Philip Concannon]

In Anthony Baxter’s 2011 documentary You’ve Been Trumped, a group of residents of Aberdeenshire opposed Donald Trump and his attempts to transform a stretch of coastline into a luxury golf course. With A Dangerous Game, Baxter revisits the same residents – many of whom are still coping with the fallout – while examining the damaging impact of similar high-price golf resorts in various other countries. The filmmaker interviews a few frustrated activists and a handful of dismissive politicians along the way, but the highlight is a face-to-face showdown with Trump himself. The film bubbles over with anger, but it’s a little too righteous and onesided for its own good. Baxter presents us with some damning statistics (the Aberdeenshire course created fewer than 200 jobs when it was supposed to provide 6000), and the material he offers up makes for fascinating viewing. But the way Trump is vilified – though he’s not undeserving – is somewhat simplistic and reductive. Put simply, the issues at hand are more complicated than the picture would have us believe. [Stephen Carty]

A Most Wanted Man

Attila Marcel

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Director: Anton Corbijn Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright Released: 12 Sep Certificate: 15

Director: Sylvain Chomet Starring: Guillaume Gouix, Anne Le Ny, Bernadette Lafont Released: 5 Sep Certificate: 12A

Philip Seymour Hoffman dominates as German spy-master Gunther Bachmann in Anton Corbijn’s old-school espionage yarn. As is economically established, Bachmann is tracking Chechen Muslim refugee Issa (Erigoriy Dobrygin), who, upon his arrival in Hamburg, is soliciting the help of a human rights lawyer (Rachel McAdams) to claim an inheritance. Believed to have ties with radical Islam, his motives cause concern to the authorities. This is one of Hoffman’s final performances. It’s also one of his finest, taking a man who could have easily fallen into caricature – hard drinking, solitary, gruff – and constructing a believably flawed but stoic figure. The politics of the piece are equally well played, with Bachmann’s long-game approach to counter-terrorism coming into conflict with the gung-ho US operatives. Corbijn, though, never preaches. The elegance with which he attacks this quiet, contemplative tale about security and duty is as expected from his previous work; it may build gradually to its gut-punch finale, but gorgeously so. And you simply can’t take your eyes off the hulking antihero and the centre of it all. [Chris Fyvie]

The last few years have seen some of modern animation’s most acclaimed directors make forays into live action. Notably Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton made the jump from Pixar to, respectively, the Mission: Impossible franchise and John Carter. With Attila Marcel, Sylvain Chomet (The Illusionist) follows that same path, albeit with a fairly modest feature in his native France. Mute piano player Paul (Gouix) lives with his overprotective aunts and longs for his deceased parents, whose exact cause of death when he was an infant has eluded him for decades. He strikes up a friendship with kooky neighbour Madame Proust (Le Ny), whose drugged teas help him explore his memories, while some absurdist, mostly irritating comedy surrounds this main storyline. Attila Marcel admittedly avoids pummelling one with as much whimsy as the worst efforts of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, whose films it somewhat resembles in story and tone, but there’s not much here to really engage with; Chomet carries over little expressiveness from his animations to live action filmmaking. It’s never awful, but it’s always flat. [Josh Slater-Williams]

Finding Fela!

Maps to the Stars

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Director: Alex Gibney Starring: Fela Kuti Released: 5 Sep Certificate: 15 The documentaries that roll off the Alex Gibney production line tend to be at their best when the filmmaker is investigating a big story. Films like Mea Maxima Culpa, We Steal Secrets or Taxi to the Dark Side are assembled with a journalistic rigour and the rhythm of a great thriller, but Gibney’s attempts to document the lives of artists have proven less successful. Finding Fela! is as slick a piece of filmmaking as we have come to expect from Gibney, and it certainly manages to cover an admirable amount of ground, but this portrait of Fela Kuti only impresses in its breadth rather than its depth. As he cuts between a straightforward rendition of Fela Kuti’s eventful life and times and the creation of the Broadway musical Fela!, Gibney never seems entirely sure what the focus should be. Finding Fela! boasts some striking footage and terrific music, but it also feels baggy and inconclusive, and an object lesson in why singular, groundbreaking artists shouldn’t have their stories told in such conventional ways. [Philip Concannon]

Review

Words: Simon Bland

n Liverpool, the fun starts with a scratch-andsniff screening of John Waters’ Polyester at FACT (10 Sep). Known for pushing the boundaries of taste and culture, Waters’ black comedy took aim at the nose when it was released back in 1981, offering viewers scratch-and-sniff cards for an immersive (and smelly) experience. Now 33 years later you’ll be able to view Polyester just as Waters’ intended, complete with cards boasting pizza, glue and erm, ‘natural gas’ smells, among others. Does that idea stink? Then perhaps a glimpse inside the life and career of musician Nick Cave at the very same venue would smell better. On 17 Sep, 20,000 Days on Earth offers an introspective guided tour into one of music’s most mysterious and alluring characters, led by the man himself. After the screening Cave joins the crowd for a live satellite Q&A, providing the complete experience. In Manchester, it’s never too early for a bit of Halloween fun – just ask the guys at GrimmFest. They kick things off this month with a mini-preview season to get northern horror fans in the macabre mood for their annual October event. First up, it’s over to Manchester’s Dancehouse Theatre for the world premiere of British zombie-ghost story Devil’s Tower (10 Sep) starring Emmerdale’s Roxanne Pallett and Kevin Smith’s hetero life-mate, Jason Mewes. This splatterfest follows two friends who stumble upon an evil secret in their tower block home and must do battle with the undead to set things straight. Meanwhile, the self-professed ‘Scotland referendum horror’ White Settlers makes multiple appearances throughout the month (15-18 Sep) for four equally special screenings. This rural nightmare stars The Tudors’ Lee Williams and The Woman’s Pollyanna McIntosh as a very unwanted couple who wish they hadn’t relocated to bonny Scotland. Grimm promise special guests each night and even throw in a few giveaways, but sadly you’ll have to bring your own Irn-Bru.

Director: David Cronenberg Starring: Evan Bird, Robert Pattinson, Julianne Moore Released: 26 Sep Certificate: 18

Maps to the Stars is not a coherent whole, but rather an assemblage of sadistic caricatures of various Hollywood types – the washed-up and neurotic former star (Moore), the too-much-too-soon pre-teen brat superstar (Bird), the chauffeur who longs to act (Pattinson), etc. We’re meant to be disgusted by their shallowness, selfishness, avarice, but it’s difficult, because the whole thing rarely rises above in-jokey parody, and we hardly ever care enough about the characters to feel anything at all. There’re a few attempts at pathos, but really it’s a film that deals in almost absolute irony, and it’s terrifying for it. Not terrifying in the usual Cronenbergian sense, but terrifying in that a director of Cronenberg’s ability actually believes such a film is worth making, has something human to impart. Because, finally, it isn’t, and it doesn’t. The irony’s corrosive all right, but what else is it doing here other than corroding? What are we left with by the satire’s end? Nothing but a few good jokes. [Kristian Doyle]

FILM

The Breakfast Club

And finally, Shermer High is transported to Manchester Central Library as John Hughes’ angsty classic The Breakfast Club is booked in for one more day of detention (16 Sep). Not only does Hughes’ second film showcase the late writer/director firing on all cylinders but it’s also widely regarded as one of the seminal movies of the 80s. Re-live the frustration, confusion and awkward humour of adolescence in Central Library’s newly refurbished performance space for one night only. Jocks, geeks, freaks, outcasts, princesses, neo-maxi-zoom-dweebies – all are welcome.

THE SKINNY

Shivers

Night of the Comet

Bad Neighbours

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Director: David Cronenberg Starring: Vlasta Vrana, Joe Silver Released: 29 Sep Certificate: 18

Shivers, which introduced David Cronenberg to the world stage, was at one point renamed They Came from Within. But the original title is much more apt: if its nastiness, nihilism, and depravity don’t give you at least one shuddering chill down your spine, you’d best get your head checked. The film’s set in a modern (for 1975) Montreal apartment complex where slug-like parasites are unleashed on unsuspecting residents. The quasi-comical conceit turns queasy when they quickly spread in a literal orgy of frenzied sexual carnage – mostly in the form of assault, although once everyone has been infected it’s pretty much a sex zombie free-for-all. Cronenberg doesn’t just wallow in sleaze, however: he also cynically rebukes the naïveity of 60s-style ‘free love’ through perverse parody. When total freedom from societal restraint gives way to biological enslavement, the brainless bugs have won. [Michelle Devereaux]

Director: Thom Eberhardt Starring: Sharon Farrell, Michael Bowen Released: 22 Sep Certificate: 15 Fans of 80s cheese will likely eat up Night of the Comet with a gag-worthy spoon. With its B-movie horror aesthetic, campy Valley Girl dialogue, and shopping montage set to Girls Just Want to Have Fun, the film veritably screams “1984” (in the fun, non-Orwellian sense). Set in LA following the titular comet’s cataclysmic brush with Earth, the film follows Regina, her ditsy sister, and fellow survivor Hector as they fight off the zombified denizens who escaped fullon obliteration. ‘Reg’ is a rare breed in a genre film: smart, capable, unapologetically sexual, and self-possessed. And the movie’s positive representation of ‘otherness’ (including the Hispanic Hector) would shame many made in 2014. Comet is much more of a comedy anyway, mixed with a dash of sci-fi conspiracy and Tromastyle schlock. Its style is cheesy and dated, sure, but its outlook is surprisingly forward-thinking. [Michelle Devereaux]

Director: Nicholas Stoller Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron Released: 8 Sep Certificate: 15 What do you do if the neighbours won’t keep the noise down? New parents Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are faced with this problem in Nicholas Stoller’s latest comedy, as their quiet suburban life is upset when a party-loving fraternity moves in next door. The couple soon find themselves waging war with frat president Teddy (Efron) and his booze-chugging brotherhood. The main problem with the various pranks that follow is that they generate few laughs. There are one or two amusing lines (“He looks like something a gay guy designed in a laboratory!” states Mac after seeing Teddy), but in general the improv-heavy exchanges are hit-and-miss. While Efron is perfectly cast as the unfeasibly chiselled frat king, the film’s most interesting thread — Teddy’s dawning realisation that his post-college prospects aren’t great — is the element that receives the least attention. [Stephen Carty]

Madame DuBarry

300: Rise of an Empire

Benny & Jolene

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Director: Ernst Lubitsch Starring: Pola Negri, Emil Jannings Released: 22 Sep Certificate: PG “I think it’s outrageous that the king is carrying out his affairs of state here in his mistress’s pleasure palace.” With this gem from 1919, Ernst Lubitsch found the cloak of historical accuracy enough to mask his salacious tendencies before a prudish public. Madame DuBarry is a lavish, bedroom-bound epic which created such a demand for German cinema that nervous Hollywood studios promptly set about courting the director and his star Pola Negri, lest their product would be sidelined without the pair’s involvement. Madame DuBarry shows the young Lubitsch as an artist of great range and points toward his later, better-known achievements. In Negri, meanwhile, we find an electrifying screen presence on par with Louise Brooks and perhaps even Marilyn Monroe. The movie’s sexual politics may be of their time, but, as Negri exchanges favours with Emil Jannings’ smirking King Louis XV, it’s clear that a primitive magic is taking place. [Lewis Porteous]

BOOK OF THE MONTH H is for Hawk

Director: Noam Murro Starring: Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green Released: 29 Sep Certificate: 15 Part prequel, part sidequel (parallelquel?) and part sequel, this belated follow-up to 300 takes place before, during and after the events of Zack Snyder’s 2007 epic. It details how previous antagonist Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) became a towering god-king, but the focus is an ongoing sea battle between the Athenian fleet and the Persian navy. Leading the former is Themistocles (Stapleton), a war hero who attempts to hold off Xerxes’ vast armada until the forces of Greece unite. What follows is an orgy of hacking and slashing. Incoming director Murro adopts the same hyper-real visual style as Snyder, not to mention techniques like slow motion and speed ramping. But the imagery and fight sequences feel more derivative than distinctive, while Stapleton doesn’t possess the same commanding presence as the previous film’s lead, Gerard Butler. Still, the film is worth watching for Eva Green, who devours everyone in her path as Xerxes’ ferocious second-in-command. [Stephen Carty]

Lunch Poems

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By Paul Cronin

The Causal Angel

By Hannu Rajaniemi

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Out now, published by Vintage, RRP £8.99

Nowhere near as irritating as the following description suggests, this ultra-low-budget indie teen movie is a cautionary tale of sacrifice and compromise. The titular Benny and Jolene are young folk musicians touted for mainstream crossover success, having inadvertently acquired a pushy manager, spacedout roadie and gormless PR guru. With pressure applied to them from all directions, the duo spend 80 minutes struggling to retain their integrity, a revolving cast of grotesques showing up to bellow things like “grow up and get your tits out!” Despite its pedestrian premise, the film’s gentle disillusionment feels particularly insightful, writer/director Jamie Adams steering clear of tired music-biz clichés in favour of sharp characterisation. As the will they/won’t they leads, Charlotte Ritchie and Craig Roberts have charm to burn and a nice line in improvised banter. The product of theirs and Adams’ labours may be somewhat slight, but it’s also very lovely indeed. [Lewis Porteous]

Werner Herzog – A Guide for the Perplexed

By Frank O’Hara

By Helen Macdonald

Already hailed as a classic of the genre, H is for Hawk is a rich blend of memoir, biography and natural history. Broken by the grief of her father’s death, Helen becomes obsessed with fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming a falconer. As a child she reads everything about falconry, including T.H. White’s The Goshawk, in which he struggles and mostly fails to train the bird. Despite the trauma and cruelty of White’s experience, she buys a goshawk and retreats inside the intense relationship of taming such a wild and ferocious thing. ‘It is not a biography of Terence Hanbury White,’ writes Helen, ‘but White is part of my story all the same. I have to write about him because he was there.’ As Helen develops a deeper relationship with the hawk, so her connection to White deepens, too. The book is thick with White’s life, as well as Helen’s, the two struggles connected by the hawk, by their enchantment with the trickiest of birds of prey to tame. The prose is energetic, fast-moving, and dappled with metaphors drawn from the natural world. For the most part this style is fresh and surprising, but at times it can feel a little overwritten. Helen’s skill, however, is to cover so much beneath the camouflage of ‘nature writing’ – with perceptive, far-reaching and rather beautiful results. [Galen O’Hanlon]

Director: Jamie Adams Starring: Charlotte Ritchie, Craig Roberts Released: 15 Sep Certificate: 15

Hard to believe half a century’s passed since the publication of Frank O’Hara’s Lunch Poems – so named because most of the book was written following the poet’s lunch-hour walks around midtown Manhattan – because its voice is in almost every way contemporary: worldly, ironic, sceptical, occasionally flip; but also sad, in a way that’s complex and under-the-surface and which maybe has something to do with the loss of transcendent belief. But like too many of our own generation’s most talented writers, O’Hara lets himself float along on irony’s tide a little too often. When he swims against the current, though, there’s an awkwardly beautiful human struggle going on, a coming-to-terms with life and its conflicts that’s wholly at odds with his reputation as a gossipy dilettante concerned only with the frivolities of his insular New York art-world milieu. For the 50th anniversary edition, City Lights have included a short preface by John Ashbery and a generous sample of the correspondence between O’Hara and the book’s editor, Lawrence Ferlinghetti. [Jim Troeltsch] Out now, published by City Lights, RRP £5.99

As one might expect from a 493-page conversation with the filmmaker Werner Herzog, the most explosive moments come in the form of confrontations with his cultural bedfellow and bête noir, the late actor Klaus Kinski. It’s a shame, then, when he dispels the well-worn myth of directing him at gunpoint during Fitzcarraldo, as it makes a glorious and accurate metaphor. Kinski was a histrionic man for whom the camera was always running as he sashayed around the jungle in tailored fatigues by YSL. Herzog’s danger existed in reality, behind the lens – a promise to shoot Kinski if he abandoned set. These pages speak his Teutonic drawl so clearly — there is no quickening of pace even as he drops in the most extreme detail, contradicting his dismissal of his and Kinski’s love/ hate relationship with the admission that ‘at one point I did seriously plan to firebomb him in his home.’ Their relationship spices the mix of this book rather than overpowers it and there is much more of interest, including rogue theories on guerrilla filmmaking in reference to his maverick works. This can be an unwieldy tome and difficult to navigate. Cronin asks the right questions and edits well but subject headings are loose and it meanders as conversations do, which makes this awkward as a reference resource. A Guide for the Perplexed is more an opportunity to uncover gems of insight and moments of madness, a gaze into the abyss. [Alan Bett]

With The Quantum Thief, Hannu Rajaniemi set a new standard for science fiction that dared to imagine a post-human future. With its sequel, The Fractal Prince, he successfully built on his narrative foundations to add a greater depth to his characters – not least the gentleman thief Jean le Flambeur – and an added strength to his ideas. So it’s something of a relief to report that the trilogy’s conclusion, The Causal Angel, doesn’t disappoint. Following closely on after the cataclysmic events that brought the second book to a close, Rajaniemi expertly shapes a novel that, while requiring concentration and a good memory, continually rewards with its ideas, imagery and heart-felt tale of one man’s determination to do the right thing in order to remain true to who he once was. Certainly The Causal Angel can feel a daunting read – jumping into this novel is certainly not recommended without having read the first two – in part thanks to Rajaniemi’s continued strict adherence to ‘show, don’t tell.’ Yet the succinctness of his prose and the thrillingly bizarre breadth of his ideas remain true delights and, perhaps best of all, he gives us something that is a genuinely satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. [Paul Cockburn] Out now, published by Gollancz, RRP £20.00

Out now, published by Faber & Faber Film, RRP £30.00

September 2014

DVD / BOOKS

Review

Venue of the Month: The Lucy Davis Vaults Down the dark, dark stairs there was a dark, dark cellar... Words: Alecia Marshall Illustration: Will Berry

anchester and Salford are home to some terrific theatre spaces, a testimony to both cities’ versatility and imagination – but what if we told you the latest theatrical offerings could be found underneath a pub in a subterranean maze of interconnecting vaults and crepuscular corners? Would you fancy it? When descending the stone steps of the newly crowned Lucy Davis Vaults, slippery with dew and grime, the setting feels more befitting of an 18th-century gothic novel than a contemporary performance space – and yet, as a breadcrumb trail of floor lanterns reveals the bones of the vaults, low-ceilinged and antiquated, it is clear that the theatre scene here has a stirring new string to its bow. The vaults are situated beneath The King’s Arms, a traditional Salford boozer that also

boasts an enviable reputation as a successful fringe venue. Housing an 80-seat theatre, adaptable snug and 30-seat studio above the bar (which serves a variety of guest ales and a mean beef burger), the pub now provides a fourth flexible performance area capable of holding up to 40 people. Though news to us, the existence of the vaults has been known for some time. According to current landlord Zena Barrie (who co-runs the pub with Beautiful South member Paul Heaton) it has taken two long years and eight brimming skips to clear the underground caverns thus far – and there is still a way to go. Home to decades of flotsam, the magnitude of the vaults may not be realised until a further eight skips are filled, though in their current state Barrie believes there are nine workable spaces in total.

Named after the pub’s first landlady – who is believed to have doubled as a madam – the vaults have a colourful past that includes a stint as a Victorian knocking shop, and although their initial function remains uncertain, their future is in safe hands. Though serving primarily as a functioning theatre space – with mention of a potential film club – the naturally eerie atmosphere of the vaults will not be ignored. With plans to host mediums and psychics, séances and tarot readings, The King’s Arms intends to expose its visitors to a taste of the supernatural – and in what better setting? Popular too will be performances of a sitespecific nature. Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter christened the venue as the closing production of this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe Festival and proved a thrilling experience. In a

well-executed performance from Ramshackle Theatre, the play’s high tension and claustrophobic nature (as well as the classic Pinter pause) lent itself to the intimacy of the vault, the proximity between audience member and performer minute. It may not be the ideal venue for those who have issues with personal space or prefer to experience their theatre from the plush comfort of a padded chair a safe distance from the stage, but The Lucy Davis Vaults is sure to prove a popular venue and a valuable addition to the Northwest scene. To see the forthcoming programme for The Lucy Davis Vaults visit www.kingsarmssalford.com If your company is interested in staging a performance at The Vaults contact Zena Barrie on kingsarmssalford@gmail.com

My Afternoon with Bruce Lee Not I, Footfalls and Rockaby

Beckett Trilogy: Not I, Footfalls and Rockaby The Lowry, 23-27 Sep

There are few who dare to approach a Samuel Beckett play and even fewer who do his work justice, yet Lisa Dwan has attracted critical acclaim for her performance of not one, but three of his lesser-performed plays: Not I, Footfalls and Rockaby. Originally staged in London’s Royal Court (where the trilogy sold out before its opening night), Dwan brings all three performances to The Lowry for the only northern performance in a three-date UK tour, promising a Beckett experience like no other. For those unfamiliar with Beckett’s work, Not I is an intense monologue, set in a pitchblack space lit by a single beam of light. A disembodied female mouth floats eight feet above the stage and delivers a stream of consciousness, spoken – as Beckett directed – at the speed of

Preview

thought. Dwan was tutored in the role by Billie Whitelaw, who originally performed the part in its 1973 UK premiere – personally coached by Beckett himself. Footfalls features the distant voice of ‘Mother,’ and May who paces back and forth like a metronome on a bare strip of floor; and Rockaby (probably the most famous of Beckett’s last works), explores loneliness in the guise of a prematurely old woman dressed in an evening gown, sitting on a wooden rocking chair that moves independently. In true Beckett style it is, of course, deliciously absurdist. Walter Asmus – Beckett’s longtime friend and collaborator – directs, and by doing so not only presents the work of the Nobel Prize winner but a glimmer of the man himself. A must-see for both Beckett fans and theatre lovers alike – though I would imagine they are one and the same. [Alecia Marshall] 23-27 Sep, £21-25

Page to Stage Festival Various venues, 13-27 Sep

Following the success of Manchester’s recent 24:7 festival, September sees Liverpool play host to a similar venture, showcasing eight examples of new writing as part of the aptly named Page to Stage Festival. A response to the discontinuation of Write Now Festival, Page to Stage aims to fill the void left by its predecessor, continuing to provide a platform not only for new writing but for local actors, directors and technicians to showcase their talents. Exciting enough it may seem, but Page to Stage has an ace up its sleeve. For six of its 14-day run, none other than the World Museum houses the festival, in a space virtually unknown to even the most discerning theatre-goer: the Treasure House Theatre. Hidden away on the first floor of the museum, unbeknownst to staff member and public alike, the 90-seat theatre was built as part of the

THEATRE

2005 refurbishment and has been largely underused – until now. Seven of the eight festival plays will be performed at the museum over the second week of the festival; the eighth being a site-specific piece based in a public house. The festival itself commences on 13 September at 81 Renshaw Street with performances of Second Chance Saloon (a collaborative piece by members of Merseyside Script Initiative) and Venus Rising (written by local playwright Ian Salmon). Spilling into The Pilgrim pub, the Bluecoat, Bold Street’s House, and the Lantern Theatre, the festival infiltrates Liverpool’s most competent fringe spaces. The Northwest is fast establishing a reputation as a hotbed for new writing, and hopefully Page to Stage Festival will prove another addition to a fruitful fringe scene. [Alecia Marshall] Liverpool’s Page to Stage Festival runs for two weeks from 13 Sep. Venues include The Treasure House Theatre, 81 Renshaw Street, The Pilgrim pub, the Bluecoat, Bold Street’s House and the Lantern Theatre. For more information visit www.pagetostage.org.uk

THE SKINNY

The Right to be Forgotten vs the Public Interest

Opinion: The right to be forgotten makes a strange exception of online life Words: Natasha Bissett Illustration: Emer Tumilty

he issue of the ‘right to be forgotten’ is a complete farce. As a result of EU bureaucrats trying to impose rights on the online world that do not exist in the real world, Google has been forced to play the part of a self-sabotaging censor. It makes the whole situation comically amateurish as Google wobbles between public interest and defending online reputations. The real world has no take-backs. There’s no Undo button hovering over your head. You can’t reload a past save. There is no time-travel. Life is linear and just keeps going, no matter how much you wish otherwise. In 2010, European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Viviane Reding said, in a Berkeley Journal of International Law article: ‘Internet users must have effective control of what they put online and be able to correct, withdraw or delete it at will.’ This was later expanded to remove outdated ‘irrelevant’ information from search engine results. The expectation that people have the right to modify past online content, uploaded by them or about them, is imposing something online that isn’t normal in the real world. So, why is there the same expectation that we can do this online? Critics have called the right to be forgotten

‘censorship,’ logistically ‘unworkable and wrong in principle,’ and ‘airbrushing’ the past. Google’s adherence to the Right to be Forgotten ruling and deletion of links from search results has spurred The Telegraph in particular to report when its stories are removed. Google tells it that a link will not appear in European Google searches. In response, news agencies are rehashing old news to keep their links alive, causing the so-called “Barbara Streisand Effect” (in reference to the singer inadvertently making the sale of her house newsworthy by trying to keep it a secret). And in a bizarre twist, Google has deleted the links to Telegraph articles which report the deletion of original articles. It’s a strange dance of delete, report, delete, report. Had Google not reported these deletions to the site owners, would they have even realised? Would anyone have cared? In the US, there’s also the issue of the freedom of the press and freedom of speech, enshrined in the Second Amendment, which holds that factual and newsworthy stories in the public interest are protected, even if it harms the subject. Stories in the public interest are stories and facts that it’s important for the public to know, because they may affect them now or in

the future. It’s a core tenet of credible journalism around the world. Google and Bing have upheld this principle of public interest while offering services to facilitate the removal of unwanted URLs from their search results. Both companies state that public interest content, such as scams, malpractice, crime and public conduct, may be retained even if requested for removal. Not surprisingly, reports have surfaced of people in the UK trying to wipe out public stains from their digital reputations, including a doctor and an ex-politician. By the end of July, Google had reportedly received over 90,000 requests from around the EU, amounting to over 320,000 URLs to be omitted from search results. Half of those requests were approved, 30% were rejected and 15% prompted requests for further information. But some of the more recent deletions have been related to people with criminal episodes in their past, like the woman jailed for running a prostitution ring, a drunk driver who crashed his car, or the arrest of terrorist suspects. There’s the argument for giving a second chance, especially to people who have gone through the

A Royal Court Theatre and Lisa Dwan production in association with Cusack Projects Ltd

Not I, Footfalls, Rockaby

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

By Samuel Beckett

A SERIES OF SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT AUTUMN

NORTHERN THE LIGHTS BEAUTIFUL WRITERS’ WARMTH CONFERENCE BY ADAM GILMOUR FEATURING WILL SELF

A WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE THEATRE COMMISSION

Saturday 25 October 10.15am – 4.30pm

Thursday 30 October – Saturday 1 November 8pm

For details of the full

September 2014

RACHAEL HOWARD RED WORK

POP UP GALLERY SHOP

NEW LARGE-SCALE TEXTILE EXHIBITION

THE SQUARE SHOPPING CENTRE, SALE

The Lauriston Gallery

Open Weds, Thurs, Fri & Sat 11am–5.30pm Late night opening Thursday until 8pm

Saturday 11 October – Saturday 31 January

Wednesday 26 November – Saturday 13 December

Tue 23 - Sat 27 September

‘An extraordinary hourlong experience... totally gripping... unforgettable.’ The Independent

Programme go to: watersideartscentre.co.uk

BOX OFFICE: 0161 912 5616 watersideartscentre.co.uk

justice system, but we can’t ignore the role that Google (and other search engines) play in the way we access information. It would be logistically cumbersome to update all the news stories about people accused, arrested or convicted of criminal activity, but I advocate common sense. Rather than request to have those links scrubbed from Google, what about instituting a better awareness of out-of-date links, or a kind of digital statute of limitation? Instead of occasionally showing a date next to a result, the results could specify how many days, months and years have passed since publication. Of course, there are these tools built into Google already, but they rely on the user inputting specific information and search criteria, and it seems that people are pretty lazy when it comes to the internet. Better yet, how about using a bit of common sense rather than making assumptions when Googling someone? Remember what they say: assumptions make an ass out of you and me. Give people the benefit of the doubt that they can change, remember that everyone makes mistakes, and consider that maybe the results were contextual.

thelowry.com/drama 0843 208 6010

Waterside Arts Centre 1 Waterside Plaza, Sale, Gtr Manchester M33 7ZF facebook.com/watersidearts

@watersidearts

TECH

Review

Win VIP guestlist to all Gothic Manchester events!

The Gothic Manchester Festival 2014 will feature readings from authors on the gothic dimensions of austerity politics, tours of the John Rylands Library and of the gothic splendours of the city, and even a vampire themed pub quiz and a phantasmagoric lantern show. Author Rosie Garland will both read from her new novel and speak of her alternative life as goth icon Rosie Lugosi, and the local Steampunk community will join in for a day of retro-tech delights. To be in with a chance of winning VIP guestlist places for two people to all the Gothic Manchester events, simply head along to theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and correctly answer the following question:

Which recent TV horror series pays tribute to the director and writer of White Zombie by naming characters after them? Is it: A) Hannibal B) Penny Dreadful C) In the Flesh Competition closes midnight Sun 28 Sep. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at www.theskinny.co.uk/ about/terms Gothic Manchester takes place 23-26 Oct. See website for more info: www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/hip/

GRUPO CORPO

DANCE CONSORTIUM PRESENTS

“It is the sheer physical virtuosity of the company that is so impressive”

THE GUARDIAN

FRI 17 & SAT 18 OCTOBER 2014 7.30pm Box office 0843 208 6000

Prices £24 - £18 (includes £2 booking fee) 54

COMPETITIONS

www.thelowry.com THE SKINNY

Manchester Music Tue 02 Sep STUART MCCALLUM

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

Cinematic Orchestra guitarist trying out new material in the realm of beats, electronica, classical orchestration and jazz. PERFUME GENIUS

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £11

Seattle-based musician Mike Hadreas (aka Perfume Genius) embarks on a mini tour of the UK and Europe – his emotive vocal delivery so intense and intimate it’s been known to induce a pindrop stillness in’t crowd. LIAM FINN

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £13

Continuing a solo career that’s comfortably moved him out of the shadow of his Crowded Housefronting dad, Liam Finn tours his third record The Nihilist.

THIS WILL DESTROY YOU (THOUGHT FORMS + LYMBYC SYSTYM)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £12

Texan instrumental post-rockers, often abbreviated to TWDY, built on twin guitars, bass, keyboard and drums.

ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES (THE LOST BROTHERS) GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £10

Sextet with a gospel neo-soul garage sound. ARE WE STRANGERS NOW?

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £6

Showcase event featuring some of the best up-and-coming musicians around. THIS IS ANTWERP MANSION (100 ONCES + YOUNG MOUNTAINS + ZILOV GAPS)

ANTWERP MANSION, 19:30–00:00, £3

A night of post-rock and mathrock.

Wed 03 Sep

NIGHT & DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (LUCKY T JACKSON + SHIMMERING SUNS + RAINS + DEJA VEGA) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £5

Four local artists get their chance to impress on the Night and Day stage. THE MANOUCHETONES

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

The latest collaboration between Micky Dunne and Karl Webb, performing a mixture of Reinhardt and Grappelli classics as a trio.

Fri 05 Sep

THE FELICE BROTHERS (HORSE THIEF)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £14.50

NYC five-piece formed by brothers James and Ian Felice, ready to take you on a mud-stomping folk journey, as is their way. BEN MONTAGUE

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £10

Tousle-haired acoustic singer/ songwriter blessed with an acute sense of melody. FREE GIG FRIDAY (THE MADDING CROWD + THE HIGH NINES)

THE BAY HORSE, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Another night of musical variety from another of The Bay Horse’s local guest promoters.

XFM FIRST FRIDAY (YOUNG KATO + NOTHING BUT THIEVES)

BAND ON THE WALL, 21:00–02:00, £6 EARLYBIRD (£8 THEREAFTER)

The return of the monthly live XFM showcase with Tim Cocker as Master of Ceremonies. UKEBOX

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

Five-piece ukulele ensemble, delivering fresh arrangements of anyone from The Beach Boys to beyonce. Part of Manchester Jazz Festival. STEVE KNIGHTLEY

THE LOWRY, 20:00–22:30, £18

Steve Knightley takes a break from his band Show of Hands to go it alone on a solo tour.

SUBHUMAN RACE (A TRIBUTE TO SKID ROW) (HELL TO PAY + SPANDEX RISING)

THE RITZ, 19:00–22:30, £5

Skid Row tribute band.

THE LIGHTNING THIEVES

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 12:30–13:30, FREE

Electric fiddle and harpsichord duo who combine with the apparent effect of “putting a rocket engine in a Morris Minor.” AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH ART GARFUNKEL

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £SOLD OUT

LIZZIE JANE

Back with her sixth full-length LP, the Boston singer/songwriter continues on her delicately restless journey through folk, pop and shoegaze.

Self-proclaimed “ginger enthusiast” singer songwriter from Manchester who plays a selfstyled brand of ‘Honest Pop’.

KRAAK, 19:00–22:00, £7

21 year-old rap prodigy drops into Kraak with support from FADER, Noisey and XXL ringing in his ears.

A double header of doom heaviness here with further decibel-pushing support from British sludge group Ghold.

Thu 04 Sep

KRAAK, 19:30–23:00, £4

SMOKEY BLUE GRASS

TROF NQ, 21:00–01:00, FREE

An evening of live music and DJs spanning folk, Americana, rhythm and blues. MARLEY CHINGUS

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

Liverpool-based jazz quartet, making waves on the Northwest jazz scene since 2008.

MUSIC MATTERS (TIGER OF PLUTO + ARCADIA + PROJECT ALBIN + ACCEPTING APRIL) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6

Local live showcase. THE BLUE DAWNS

GULLIVERS, 20:00–23:00, £5

York-based blues rockers formerly known as The Likely Lads. AFTERHOURS: OXJAM TAKEOVER

MANCHESTER MUSEUM, 17:30–21:00, FREE

Oxjam take over the Manchester Museum in the run up to their big October weekender.

YOB + PALLBEARER (GHOLD)

ROADHOUSE, 19:00–22:30, £13

NO HOT ASHES

Three-piece from Manchester adding a bit of funk to their indie rock.

Sat 06 Sep

SPEAKEASY BOOTLEG BAND

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

Hailing from New Orleans, this tin pan alley three piece bring the sounds of the turn of the 20thcentury to the Northwest. Part of Manchester Jazz Festival. BOX SOCIAL II (BLOOD SPORT + MARTHA + BROKEN ARM + MORE)

THE KLONDYKE CLUB, 14:00 - 0:00, £8

Grey Lantern and Bad Uncle team up for another all-dayer of rock heavy and eclectic live music, DJs, record stalls and more. THE LOST 37 (ZILOV GAPS + THE UNASSISTED + THE FRONT)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:30, £5

Local Mancunians claiming a wide range of influences but who’d probably be happy enough to be classed neatly as a mix of punk and rock ‘n’ roll. TOM BROWNE AND KENI BURKE

THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £27

Non-stop funk and soul classics from two veterans of the genre.

THE DAVE LUVIN GROUP

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

The Kansas City transplant presents his reflection of living in Salford for four years, in collaboration with three Salford University music graduates. STEVEN JAMES ADAMS

TAKK, 19:30–22:30, £7

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

NIGHT & DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (THE JACKS + THE JELLYFISH + PLASTIC HOUSE + HOUSING PROJECT HILL)

PINSTRIPE PIGEON BAND

A seven-strong pop force from Preston whose popularity is starting to spread beyond the Lancashire town.

LOUIS BARABBAS & THE BEDLAM SIX (SNOWAPPLE) BAND ON THE WALL, 20:00–23:00, £8

The prolific Debt Records songwriter and his six-piece deliver their familiarly twisted dirty folk tales of lust and loathing.

Sun 07 Sep FELDSPAR

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–23:00, £5

Five-piece folksters dealing in heartache and bitterness – because what else would folk be about? LISA STANSFIELD

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £27.50

25 years after her breakthrough number one hit single All Around The World, the Rochdale-born singer returns in support of her first album for a decade.

Mon 08 Sep JAZZ JAM

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

Monday night jazz jam, all abilities welcome. PETE MOLINARI BAND

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £10

THE GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £10

THE ACID

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £10

Grammy nominated DJ Adam Freeland teams up with Steve Nalepa and Australian producer Ry X for this fresh new project.

Tue 09 Sep PHARRELL WILLIAMS

PHONES 4U ARENA, 19:30–23:00, FROM £35

Producer, N*E*R*D man and pal of Robin Thicke tours. VELODY & THE BASEMENT BLUES BAND

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

An appreciation of the old time clubs of Harlem via Velody &amp; The Basement Blues Band, who mix golden era swing and blues tune with 80’s pop. KATE MILLER HEIDKE

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8.50

Clasically-trained singer Kate Miller Heidke brings her mighty sonorous pipes to the Deaf Institute. OURZONE FOUND TOUR (AS IT IS + LIKE TORCHES)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, FREE

As It Is headline the latest Ourzone-sponsored punk tour.

Wed 10 Sep GRUFF RHYS

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:30, SOLD OUT

The Super Furry Animals man takes to the road in support of his latest multi-format American Interior project, promising power presentations, tales of exploration and maybe a few songs. A NIGHT OF QUEEN WITH THE BOHEMIANS

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:30, £18.70

Queen tribute.

September 2014

Bristol-based five-piece known for making shimmery pop sounds that go well with cold cider and a sunny day. Or, y’know, beer and dark clouds.

Front man of the Broken Family Band goes solo in support of his new album House Music – out on The State 51 Conspiracy.

Sean Lennon (yeah, that one) and his partner Charlotte Kemp Muhl continue to make a pretty good fist of things with their collaborative project, having recently toured with The Flaming Lips and Tame Impala.

GYMNAST

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £5

GOLDLINK

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:30–23:00, £10

BRIDIE JACKSON & THE ARBOUR BRIDGEWATER HALL, 12:30–13:30, FREE

Founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show, Willie Watson tours on his own playing American folk staples such as Midnight Special and Mexican Cowboy.

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–23:00, FREE

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £10

MARISSA NADLER

WILLIE WATSON

Half of the legendary Simon & Garfunkel and a seminal performer in his own right, Art Garfunkel revisits the highlights of his career in this special show.

Indiana-hailing rap chap, known to his mammy as Fredrick Tipton.

FREDDIE GIBBS

Making his name on The X Factor way back in 2006, Ray Quinn has gone on to achieve plenty in, err, reality TV, having won both Dancing On Ice and Champion of Champions Dancing On Ice. He can still sing though don’t worry.

Chatham-born young singer/ songwriter who’s already received his official note of praise from a certain Mr Bruce Springsteen.

The woozy local pop of Gymnast draws comparisons with Wild Beasts in the eyes of some; come see for yourself as they launch debut album Wild Fleet.

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £12.50

RAY QUINN THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:00, FROM £25.30

COASTS SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–23:00, £8

Thu 11 Sep

Harmony-led arrangements based around folk, blues, jazz, baroque and gospel. BOB BLAKELEY

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £20

Following his run on reality contest The Voice, Stockport’s Bob Blakeley performs in support of his debut LP Performance. EDGUY

SOUND CONTROL, 18:00–22:00, £16

German giants call in to the UK in support of their ninth studio album Age Of The Joker. BLOODY KNEES (AVIDA DOLLARS + POLEDO + MISTOA POLTSA)

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–02:00, £4

Cambridge-based skate-punks with a new EP out on the highly respected Dog Knight Productions with a suitably raucous supporting line-up for this fresher’s week special.

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £5

LITTLE SPARROW + NATALIE MCCOOL

ALBERT LEE AND HOGAN’S HEROES

A joint headline show featuring a pair of burgeoning Northwestbased singer songwriters. Manchester’s Little Sparrow is joined by LIPA graduate Natalie McCool.

Four local artists get their chance to impress on the Night and Day stage. WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–22:30, £20

The double Grammy Awardwinning guitarist returns to the UK with his live band in tow, having worked with everyone from Dolly Parton to Eric Clapton in his time. THE HALLÉ AND KINSHASA SYMPHONY AND CHOIR

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £12

The Hallé; host the wonderful Kinshasa Symphony and Choir from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who are making their first ever visit to the UK having been formed in the mid-1990s. 7 PIECES OF SILVER

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

A group dedicated to the jazz composer Horace Silver, playing cuts from across his career dating back to the 1950’s.

Fri 12 Sep

THIS FEELING (TOKOLOSH + OUR FOLD + THENORTHSTAND + THIS FEELING + FOREVER DJS)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £5

The London rock’n’roll night takes a trip north with a selection of live bands taking to the stage. RAHEEM DEVAUGHN (DJ GILES THORPE)

BAND ON THE WALL, 20:00–23:00, £15 EARLYBIRD (£17 THEREAFTER)

Three-time Grammy nominee and No-Yo collaborator brings his new album A Place Called Loveland to the live setting. JENNY LEWIS

THE RITZ, 19:30–23:00, £15

The Rilo Kiley co-founder tours in support of her new solo record The Voyager – a record that took five years to make.

CATE LE BON (H. HAWKLINE + KIRAN LEONARD)

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £10

Welsh singer/songwriter with a rich vocal style, genteel warmth and a fine line in lightly-weird alternative folk. FREE GIG FRIDAY (INDIA MILL + URBAN EMPIRE + SYSTEMATICS)

THE BAY HORSE, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Another night of musical variety from another of The Bay Horse’s local guest promoters. THE MAGIC NUMBERS

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15

The sibling four-piece roll on with their inoffensive brand of indie-pop. DARK HORSES

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–23:00, £7

SACRED TRINITY CHURCH, 20:00–22:30, £8

Sat 13 Sep LUKE SITAL-SINGH

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £9

Promising young London singer/ songwriter with an innate ability to capture the raw emotion of a moment in song. MANCHESKA

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

Eight-piece ska band fronted by a four-strong horn section and eight vocalists, playing originals, rare gems and some Jamaican classics thrown in for good measure.

XFM XPOSURE PRESENTS: BENJAMIN BOOKER (BROWN BROGUES + MAN MADE + DJ JOHN KENNEDY)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–23:00, £8

New regular promoting partnership between SJM and national new music hotbed Xfm. DEMONS (GROVES + RHYS BLOODJOY)

KRAAK, 19:00–22:00, £5

New label and promoters Sister9 present a noisy triple-bill headlined by psych merchants Demons. CARLTON MAIN FRICKLEY COLLIERY BAND

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 12:00–13:00, FROM £11 (FESTIVAL TICKETS FROM £31)

Part of the Great Northern Brass Festival.

THE NATIONAL YOUTH BRASS BAND OF GREAT BRITAIN

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 16:15–17:15, FROM £13 (FESTIVAL TICKETS FROM £31)

Part of the Great Northern Brass Festival.

BLACK DYKE BAND (BRIGHOUSE & RASTRICK BAND + FODEN’S BAND)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:15–20:15, FROM £13 (FESTIVAL TICKETS FROM £31)

Part of the Great Northern Brass Festival. INTRODUCINGLIVE RECREATES DISCOVERY

BAND ON THE WALL, 20:00–23:00, £12 EARLYBIRD (£14 THEREAFTER)

IntroducingLive continue their live trawl through some of recent history’s greatest albums, this time recreating Daft Punk’s Discovery. THE RETAINERS (FILTHY SKINT + + WE SIGNAL FIRE + VAL & TOM)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £7

Four-act local unsigned bill.

Gizeh Records present the reflective ambience of Fieldhead, an artist that delights in tape hiss, geography, bleak landscapes and decaying analogue loops.

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £6

BREAKING BANDS & DS PROMOTIONS PRESENTS (THE FOURTH CIRCLE + PORTER’S FORCES + SAMUEL SETH + RANDOLPH SWAIN + ANNIE MUSIC) FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–00:00, £4

Local band showcase every second Saturday of the month, run by bands for bands.

Sun 14 Sep THE SATURDAYS

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £27.50

The pop five-piece tour in support of their greatest hits album – has it really been that long?

OPUS ONE CONCERTS: PROKOFIEV, SIBELIUS + MUSSORGSKY BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £11

The seasonal opening by The Hallé; featuring some of the orchestras favourite classical works. ZELKOVA QUARTET

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:10–14:30, £9.50 (£7.50)

The quartet perform Haydn and Ravel.

SOUND CONTROL, 14:00–22:30, £20

CHAMBER MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE (GREG MORTON + PAUL ABBOT)

WILD CLUB

Featuring a première of Indefinite Articles by Paul Abbott – a performance for double bass and vocals.

All day rock event set to push the stamina of your index and little finger to the limit. THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8

Infectious electro-pop from New York.

Mon 15 Sep NEW ORLEANS JAM

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

A new monthly jam session, celebrating the big band music of New Orleans.

Tue 16 Sep GYPSIES OF BOHEMIA

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Britney Spears, Beyoncé; and Iron Maiden get the new gypsy jazz treatment in this toe-tapping performance. WHITE MANNA

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £8

Californian psych-heads who tend to go for the more pummelling approach to cyclical guitar-based repetition.

Wed 17 Sep FAT WHITE FAMILY

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £8.50

Increasingly notorious grot-pop troupe from London fond of the occasional on-stage strip. STUART MCCALLUM

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

Cinematic Orchestra guitarist trying out new material in the realm of beats, electronica, classical orchestration and jazz. SOHN

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £5

CHRIS WOOD

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

The English folk musician often finds himself compared to Fairport Convention’s Richard Thompson, which is no bad pigeonhole to sit in at all.

Fri 19 Sep THROWING MUSES

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–23:00, £20

Cult American alternative rockers fronted by Kristen Hersh. RAE MORRIS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–22:30, £9

Young Blackpool singer/songwriter singing mostly about love ‘n’ stuff, as you do. HONEYBLOOD

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:15, £7

The Scottish garage rock duo hit the road in support of their debut LP. ALT-J

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The Mercury-winning keyboard shortcut enthusiasts tour in support of their sure-to-be-massive second LP. Go wild. MOHAWK RADIO

THE DANCEHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £7

Four-piece aiming to provide memorable live performances like the legendary rock gods of old. Will this be one such performance? Maybe. FREE GIG FRIDAY (THE ROOTZ + FIERCE MORGAN)

DJ YODA PRESENTS: BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS BAND ON THE WALL, 21:00–02:00, £10 EARLYBIRD (£12 THEREAFTER)

DJ Yoda presents the results of a five-day intensive residency at Band On The Wall with 13 musicians, vocalists, songwriters and artists as well as members of The Mouse Outfit, Shlomo and Rex Domino.

THE JOINT (TINTED LENSE + COMMON TREE FROGS + KORSAIRS + BLACK TOOTH)

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £6

Five-act local unsigned bill.

Sat 20 Sep

FIRST AID KIT (JO ROSE)

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The Swedish folk sister duo tour in support of their latest LP, Stay Gold, joyously steeped in their trademark American woodsy folk and blues.

WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS (FATHERSON)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £10

More rolling drums, big guitars and massive effing finales from the WWPJ gang as they get back on the touring circuit as part of their sprawling new programme of live dates. ALT-J

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £22

The Mercury-winning keyboard shortcut enthusiasts tour in support of their sure-to-be-massive second LP. Go wild. EXIT CALM

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £8.50

Alternative four-piece hailing from South Yorkshire, awash with psychedelic influences and drawing comparisons to early My Bloody Valentine. DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON

MANCHESTER CLIMBING CENTRE, 19:30–22:30, £10

The ever-mercurial multi-instrumentalist and singer steps out for another improvisatory turn.

THE INCA BABIES (A WITNESS + THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:30, £8

4AD-signed producer and multiinstrumentalist who can’t resist dropping in a catchy vocal hook.

Another night of musical variety from another of The Bay Horse’s local guest promoters.

Original Inca Babies front man Harry Stafford resurrects the 1980s Mancunian post-punkers with the help of Goldblade drummer Rob Haynes and A Witness bassist Vince Hunt.

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 14:15–17:15, FROM £11

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–23:00, £7.50

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £18

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £12

OPUS ONE CONCERTS: PROKOFIEV, SIBELIUS + MUSSORGSKY

FALLOW CAFE, 10:00–18:00, FREE

THE BAND OF THE KING’S DIVISION

Five-act local unsigned bill.

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–23:00, £5

MEDROCK FESTIVAL (THE DEAD XIII + PAVILIONS + A JOKERS RAGE + IODINE SKY + MORE)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 14:15–15:15, FROM £12 (FESTIVAL TICKETS FROM £31)

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

FIELDHEAD (CHARLES-ERIC CHARRIER)

The Anglo-Irish outfit weave sheer musical magic from seemingly minimal elements: two flutes, a guitar and a bodhran. Part of Celtic Connections.

The seasonal opening by The Hallé; featuring some of the orchestras favourite classical works.

A MOUTH FULL OF MATCHES (PHINEAS GAGE + DESOLATE + HORIZON + THE FACILITY)

Manchester native, Paul Farr known for touring with the likes of Lily Allen and Corinne Bailey-Rae, joined by bandmates John Ellis, Neil Fairclough and Luke Flowers.

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–22:30, £14 (£7)

The first night of the Great Northern Brass Arts Festival!

Brighton-based gloom merchants probably best described as ‘motorik kraut’. THE PAUL FARR BAND

FLOOK

FALLOWFAIR 2014: FRESHERS SPECIAL

Free bash to welcome the freshers to Fallowfield, with live acts, street food, workshops and independent stalls taking over Landcross Road. THE BURNING HELL

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £7

Canadian folk artist Mathias Kom returns to the UK with a full band in tow for this latest round of Burning Hell shows. OWLS (DOCTRINES)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £12

For all Tim Kinsella’s done in his career, few projects have been mightier than Owls. Just as well the four-piece are back together then and touring in support of new material.

Thu 18 Sep AZEALIA BANKS

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £19

The American singer/rapper/songwriter hits UK soil, with odds still out on her debut LP seeing the light of day in time. PRESTON REED

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £13.50

Acoustic guitarist whose playing goes far beyond simply plucking out a melody. SMOKEY BLUE GRASS

TROF NQ, 21:00–01:00, FREE

An evening of live music and DJs spanning folk, Americana, rhythm and blues. THE TOM SEALS BAND

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Talented young pianist from Liverpool, touring with his debut album, Ace.

THE BAY HORSE, 21:00–01:00, FREE

SLEAFORD MODS (EVIL BLIZZARD + THE CERAMIC HOBS)

Punk electronics and spoken word hip-hop fusion from the Nottingham-hailing duo, touring in support of their latest album, Austerity Dogs, released on the Harbinger Sound label. KEVIN MORBY

KRAAK, 19:30–22:30, £7

Woods bassist and Babies front man Kevin Morby adds a third end – err, if that’s possible – to his burning candle by touring his solo debut LP Harlem River. SOUZA WINDS

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 12:30–13:30, FREE

JAMES RHODES

Pianist Rhodes and his trademark ‘stand-up’ style comes to the RNCM, with selections from Chopin providing the meat of the evening.

PARTHA BOSE & SHIV SHANKAR RAY

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:00–14:30, £12 (£10)

Contemporary Hindustani classical music from internationallyrespect sitarist Partha Bose and tabla player Shiv Shankar Ray. MANCHESTER CAMERATA: NICOLA BENEDETTI

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £13

Free recital in the Bridgewater Hall foyer.

Violinist Nicola Bendetti plays Vivaldi, aided by the Camerata’s young musicians.

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £15.00

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

IGUDESMAN & JOO: BIG NIGHTMARE MUSIC

Musical comedy mixing up famous classical pieces with best-selling folk and pop songs – try ‘From Mozart With Love’ to get the idea.

DANNY OLIVER’S MICHAEL JACKSON ETERNITY

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:00, FROM £19.25

Michael Jackson tribute artist joined by a member of the barely memorable girl group The Honeyz. ME VS HERO

THE DUB JAZZ SOUNDSYSTEM

Does what it says on the tin, which sounds mighty appetising to us. Someone grab the can opener.

THE SLOW READERS CLUB (THE REVEURS + HEY SHOLAY + MORNING PILGRIMS)

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:00–22:30, £7

Electro/indie outfit from Manchester, churning out everything from catchy upbeat indie tunes to introspective ballads.

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £7

MCR SCENEWIPE’S ALL KILLER ALL DAYER (PINK TEENS + THEN THICKENS + SEX HANDS + MORE)

CHARLIE COOPER & THE CC’S

The cheeky local scene documenters return with a typically rollicking line-up of garage rock and oddball pop fun.

Pop punk group tour an album that front man Sam Thompson claimed nearly ended them. MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

The vocalist returns with her eight-piece band. BEARTOOTH

ROADHOUSE, 19:00–22:30, £8

Fast and heavy riffs courtesy of Columbus five-piece Beartooth. GLASS CAVES (RIVAL JOY)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £6

A blend of alternative rock and indie rock. Rock seems to be the theme there.

SOUP KITCHEN, 13:00–21:00, £8

MCR SCENEWIPE’S ALL KILLER ALL DAYER (DAVE OF MUTILATION + DESMADRADOS SOLDADOS DE VENTURA + ALDOUS RH + HORRID) KRAAK, 21:00–03:00, £8

Part two of the all-dayer. The cheeky local scene documenters return with a typically rollicking line-up of garage rock and oddball pop fun.

Listings

Manchester Music SOUL GARDEN (GILES THORPE + OWEN D + MARK CRAWFORD)

OPUS ONE CONCERTS: PROKOFIEV, SIBELIUS + MUSSORGSKY

BAND ON THE WALL, 23:00–03:00, £10

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £11

New skool soul night playing modern soul and contemporary RnB with a splash of reggae and some soul classics too. MARY JOANNA & THE SOUTHERN ELECTRKK

TIGER LOUNGE, 20:00–04:00, £5

The niece of Steve Coogan – which admittedly doesn’t give much away about her musical prowess – plays in support of her new single Wasted, backed by a band made up of members of The Fall, Twisted Wheel, Paris Angels and Interstella.

ABANDON: BAND IN A BREWERY ( BLACK SONIC REVOLVER + HOT VESTRY + DEVIL IN MY BONES + MORE)

FIRST CHOP BREWING ARM, 17:00–01:00, £5

An end of summer party featuring food, acoustic acts, bands and DJs in the unique surroundings of a brewery operating out of a railway arch in sunny Salford.

Sun 21 Sep THE PIERCES

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £16

Alabama-born alternative folk sister duo, seemingly raised on a diet of Joni Mitchell and Simon and Garfunkel. NIK KERSHAW

THE LOWRY, 20:00–22:30, £20

The multi-platinum selling artist is celebrating the 30th year of his first chart success, Human Racing. Congratulations, Nik. THE 1975

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £19.00

The local indie rockers play four nights at the Apollo through September.

The seasonal opening by The Hallé; featuring some of the orchestras favourite classical works. DAVIDO

THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, FROM £20

MTV Africa Music Award-winning afro-beat hit maker back in the UK. CLAIRE MARTIN

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £20

The OBE jazz vocalist tours with the Brighton-based Montpellier Quartet. THE BIG BAND WITH FIVE STAR SWING

STORYTIME FESTIVAL ANTWERP MANSION, 18:00–03:00, £3

A celebration of experimental music, performance poetry, art and visuals. SOUL JAM

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

A monthly soul jam session. GRANT NICHOLAS

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £15

Feeder man goes solo. One can only speculate as to what music listening device his tour bus might contain. MOSCOW TRANSPORT (BLOOMS + BRITAIN)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £3

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:00, FROM £15.40

Indie pop for fans of Foals apparently. Which is good because we like Foals.

SHARON CORR (JOHN GAUGHAN)

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–22:30, £14

Expect all the classics, from Glenn Miller to Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £17.50

It’s only one of multi-million selling Irish group The Corrs!

Mon 22 Sep THE 1975

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £19

The local indie rockers play four nights at the Apollo through September. JAWS (FICKLE FRIENDS + BRAWLERS)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £8

Brummy four-piece making carefree, breezy music. And not a shark in sight. EZRA FURMAN

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £10

Gaining increasing mileage on national radio, Ezra Furman’s star continues to rise; touring in support of new record Day of the Dog, he’s certainly having his. NEW CITY KINGS

SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–22:30, £5

Alternative outfit hailing from Essex, touring with their debut EP, Change.

THE ROSSI QUARTET

Made up of past and present members of The Hallé The Rossi Quartet perform works by Mozart, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky.

Tue 23 Sep THE MOONS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £8

Northampton-based foursome, trading in psychedelic garage-pop beats, infused with a bit of indie and soul for good measure. KESTON COBBLERS CLUB

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £7.50

Kent-hailing, toe-tapping, indiefolk five-piece – favourites on BBC 6 Music and winners of the Rebel Playlist. ANGEL OLSEN

GORILLA, 19:30–22:30, £10

Always popular in the Northwest, Jagjaguwar’s Angel Olsen returns following her sold out out show earlier in the year.

CHASTITY BROWN

JOLIE HOLLAND

THE DUNWELLS (CITY OF LIGHTS)

WOMAN’S HOUR

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £8 EARLYBIRD (£10 THEREAFTER)

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:15, £10

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–23:00, £10

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £9

JOEL GION (BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE)

LUST FOR YOUTH

The Brians Jonestown Massacre’s own Bez steps out on his own to prove he’s more than just the group’s tambourinist. Here’s hoping it’s better than Domino Bones.

Minneapolis-based banjo-playin’ soul singer, melding bits of soul, jazz and rootsy Americana into her mix. THE SUNSHINE BROTHERS

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

Jazz trio playing a heady mix of jazz, blues, funk and soul. Staple jazz originals plus tunes by Tom Waits, Ray Charles and even the Stone Roses. ANATHEMA

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £16

The prog rockers from Liverpool tour their most critically-acclaimed album to date, in the form of the sprawling Distant Satellites.

Wed 24 Sep RYAN ADAMS

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The ever-prolific alternative country superstar tours in support of his fourteenth LP – not bad for someone still the right side of 40. YANN TIERSEN

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, 19:00–23:00, £22.50

The collaborative French musician emerges from behind a wall of vintage synths and electric guitars in tour of his eighth album. KYLA BROX

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

UK-based blues and soul singer/ songwriter, redefining her sound as a duo performance, joined by Danny Blomeley on guitar. WAYNE HUSSEY

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £15

Lead singer of The Missions and Sisters of Mercy guitarist goes it alone.

AN EVENING WITH ANDY CAIRNS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:30–23:00, £10

The Therapy? Singer and guitarist drops in on a special solo tour playing new material and most likely the odd fan-favourite too.

A Jools Holland tribute act led by Angelina Jolie? Not even close – she is of course one of the founding members of The Be Good Tanyas.

Thu 25 Sep DRAGONFORCE

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £SOLDOUT

They of the incredibly hard song to pull off on Guitar Hero.

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

SPRING KING (MISTOA POLTSA + PINK RICK)

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £TBC

VANCE JOY

The Australian folk-pop artist continues to ride the wave of her debut LP. NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6

Tarek Musa-fronted local lo-fi pop punk outfit. SPEAR OF DESTINY ‘31 (DAVID R BLACK)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £16

Dark rock outfit founded in 1983 by singer and songwriter Kirk Brandon and bassist Stan Stammers, on the road celebrating 30 years and counting. MS LAURYN HILL

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, FROM £35

Hoping to put the turbulence of recent years behind her, the former Fugees singer hits the road again. PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT

THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £24

Former New Order and Joy Division bloke reliving his glory years. LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBOZO

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £20

The legendary choral group join forces with choreographer Mark Baldwin to celebrate 20 years of democracy in South Africa. PIANO 4 HANDS

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 13:10–14:00, FREE

The International duo play Poulenc, John McCabe and Dai Fujikura across two pianos. CAFE LOUNGE: SING-ALONG-AGOLDEN GARTER

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 18:00–20:00, £12 (£10)

MODERN BASEBALL

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £8

Witty indie-pop from the Philadelphia-based four-piece. RESOLUTION 88

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Funk collective taking inspiration from the likes of Herbie Hancock; the Headhunters. GOSSLING

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:15, £8

The Australian folk-meets-pop singer/songwriter hits town in support of her debut LP, Harvest of Gold.

VINNY PECULIAR (GREG OLDFIELD + STEVE O’DONOGHUE)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–00:00, £6.50

The Salford-based singer songwriter plays songs from his new album Northern Composure. LIFESIGNS

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £12 EARLYBIRD (£14 THEREAFTER)

Modern prog rock band indebted to the likes of Focus and King Crimson. THEM BONES (LOS PECADORES)

THE BAY HORSE, 20:00–23:00, £4

An explosive dose of hoodoo punk blues from the mighty lungs of Throw Them Bones with support coming from surf rockers Los Pecadores.

Fri 26 Sep THE 1975

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £19

The local indie rockers play four nights at the Apollo through September. WATSKY

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £11

The San Franciscoan hip-hop chap does his slam poetry thing. FREE GIG FRIDAY (BEATKEEPERS)

THE BAY HORSE, 21:00–01:00, FREE

Another night of musical variety from another of The Bay Horse’s local guest promoters.

Listings

MATT AND PHRED’S MARDI GRAS SPECIAL

The Nightcreatures, a six person New Orleans Jazz ensemble lead the way for a night of Mardi gras mambos and second line grooves, with a parade around the Northern Quarter also on the cards.

A sing-along evening remembering The Golden Garter Night Club in Wythenshawe.

Folk rock bunch hailing from Leeds, made up of brothers Joseph and David Dunwell and cousins Robert Clayton and Jonny Lamb. Part of No Mean City Festival.

FAMY

London-based pals of former “heavy pop” group WU LYF and not much less grandiose for it. SNUFF (STAY CLEAN JOLENE + MR SHIRAZ)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £12

Returning country rockers enjoying a new lease of life after last year’s 5-4-3-2-1-Perhaps? - their first album in nearly a decade. KYLIE MINOGUE

The Secretly Canadian-signed four-piece from London continue their steady ascent, in the form of playing atop the Deaf Institute’s viewing-friendly high stage. SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £7

Sacred Bones signings with an eye for a glimmering synth pop hook. BBC PHILHARMONIC: BEETHOVEN EXPLORED

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £10

Highlights from the great composer’s canon, which tonight includes Symphony No. 4 and Symphony No. 9. BAND OF HOLY JOY

TIGER LOUNGE, 20:00–02:00, £6

Initially using an array of junk shop instruments to create something loosely-termed as urban folk music, Band of Holy Joy now operate using violins, guitars and visuals - and can count the author Irvine Welsh among their biggest fans. KING 810

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £9

PHONES 4U ARENA, 19:30–23:00, FROM £40

The Michigan metal unit take to the road in celebration of their latest LP, Memoirs of a Murderer.

THE FRAY

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7

No introductions needed here – it’s only ruddy Kylie! MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20

Big earnest soft rock outfit writing big earnest soft rock songs for big crowds of earnest soft rock lovers. TRIO ISIMSIZ

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 12:30–13:30, FREE

Guildhall School of Music & Drama-formed trio, who can count BBC Young Musician finalists and European Concert Hall Rising Stars in their line-up. THE ENGLISH INTERNATIONAL CONCERT SERIES

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £12

The first of the season opens with Bach’s Mass in B Minor. THE JOHN STEEL SINGERS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–02:00, £5

Harmonious Brisbane troupe appearing as part of the Kalopsia club night. DARKEST ERA

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £8

Celtic metal outfit fusing twin guitar heavy metal styles with the darker side of Irish folklore. CARL VERHEYEN BAND

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £13 EARLYBIRD (£15 THEREAFTER)

The Supertramp legend calls in to play material from his own substantial solo back catalogue and hopefully the odd surprise. NICHOLAS MCDONALD (CATFISH + JOSH TAYLOR + CALLUM JACKSON)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15

The X Factor runner-up from 2013 goes on tour.

Sat 27 Sep THE HORRORS

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The resurgent krautrock-inspired Londoners return in support of their new LP, Luminous, bridging the gap between rock, goth and punk theatrics as only they know how. THE 1975

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £19

The local indie rockers play four nights at the Apollo through September.

THE VIRGINMARYS (TAX THE HEART + CROBOT) THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £12

Macclesfield-born rock trio with their sights set on America, drawing on influences including Nirvana, Mudhoney and Screaming Trees. DARLIA (GENGAHR)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:30, £8

Blackpool boys done good bringing their hard-lined rock music to the masses. DREAMER

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

Eight-piece fun and soul outfit based in Manchester, playing a selection of 70s funk alongside more modern material. RUFUS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £8.50

Aussie trio blending electro pop with Balearic-style house to suitably pleasing effect.

JULY TALK

Canadian indie-rock ensemble led by the twin singing talents of Peter Dreimanis and Leah Fay. KINGS ARMS FESTIVAL 2014

THE KING’S ARMS, 12:00–00:00, £10 WEEKEND

Two-day line-up of music, theatre and comedy, with the line-up being kept to the organisers’ chests until the day. Previous headlines have included Paul Heaton and Cherry Ghost though, so expect some quality on show. FLY53: BLOSSOMS

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT

Try to ignore their description of being “a mosaic five piece” and focus instead on their pop nous mixed with psychedelic blurriness. VILLIERS (JADE ANN + PRESIDENT RAY-GUN)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £5

Lancashire trio influenced by the likes of Echo & The Bunnymen and Visage. CARJACK MALLONE (PALE GREEN THINGS)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8

Mon 29 Sep

LEWIS WATSON (AMBER RUN + ANDREAS MOE)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–23:00, £11

Fledgling young Oxford singer/ songwriter, best known for his stripped-down YouTube take on Tracy Chapmans Fast Car. MONDAY RECITAL SERIES

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 13:15–14:15, FREE

Schumann and Damase are given an airing in the latest of the RNCM’s lunchtime concert series. KATHRYN STOTT AND MARTIN ROSCOE

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £25

The pianists perform works by Rachmaninov, Mozart, Debussy and Grainger. GYPSY

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

The first ever gypsy jam session at Matt Phred’s! Led by violinist Matt Holborn. JUNGLE BROTHERS (IN THE LOOP + KARMIC EVOLUTION)

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £18 EARLYBIRD (£20 THEREAFTER)

The veteran hip hop group best known for the ground-breaking Straight Out The Jungle, released in 1988.

Liverpool Music Tue 02 Sep

OUT OF THE BEDROOM: OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH JOHNNY SANDS

LEAF, 20:30–22:30, FREE

Liverpool’s reigning King of acoustic presents a weekly open mic night. PARRJAZZ (MARTIN SMITH+ STEPHANE METREAUX)

FREDERIKS, 20:30–23:00, FREE

KRAAK, 19:00–22:00, £6

The weekly jazz showcase night pitches up in a new home on Hope Street.

THIS IS ANTWERP MANSION (MOUNTAINS UNDER OCEANS + HALO TORA + ZILOV GAPS)

Wed 03 Sep

Local rock gigging circuit mainstays.

ANTWERP MANSION, 20:00–23:00, £3

A night of post-rock and mathrock. JOCKTOBER FEST

THE HORSE AND JOCKEY, 12:00–00:00, FREE

A day of live music and kid’s activities, alongside stocks of beers and a bustling farmers market as The Horse and Jockey collaborate with sponsors Green Field Brewery and Three B’s Brewery.

Sun 28 Sep THE JIM JONES REVUE

SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–23:00, £15

A final farewell tour for the muchloved bare bones rock’n’rollers. WIZKID

THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £20

MOBO-winning Nigerian producer and songwriter who can boast over one million followers on Twitter. His music’s alright too. KINGS ARMS FESTIVAL 2014

THE KING’S ARMS, 12:00–00:00, £10 WEEKEND

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:00–22:30, £45

Mmm. Raz. Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter rarely seen without a hat on. MUMS WELCOME CONCERT

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 17:00–19:30, £10.50

Welcome concert for new students featuring selections from Elgar.

PARR STREET ACOUSTIC SESSIONS

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, FREE

Parr Street Studios shine a light on local talent with an acoustic night. GETINTOTHIS RELAUNCH (STRANGE COLLECTIVE + QUEEN MAUD + LO FIVE + DROHNE + MORE)

THE KAZIMIER, 7PM, FREE

The long-running Merseyside music blog celebrates going fully independent with a free party, including some of their favourite current music picks and a host of friends from the region.

Thu 04 Sep

DEAD HEDGE TRIO RESIDENCY

MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

A trio from Liverpool, throwing jazz, psychedelic rock and Afrobeat into the melting pot and coming up with something kinda groovy with an improvised vibe.

Fri 05 Sep

THE COSMIC DEAD (MIND MOUNTAIN)

MELLOMELLO, 20:00–23:00, £5

Garage-tinged psych from Glasgow. 2014 SUMMER RECITALS

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL, 08:00–18:00, FREE

A guest organist each Saturday afternoon.

UPSURGE! (RANGOON SONS + JONNY ANDREW + INTOXICATED + THE SHED SPIDERS + MORE)

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £9

Local unsigned showcase. SYNDROME SESSIONS 2.2: HOLLY HERNDON

24 KITCHEN STREET, 20:00–23:00, £5

The Syndrome Sessions continue a stunning 2014 programme with a special live performance by forward-thinking RVNG Intl. electronica producer and artist Holly Herndon. Support from Deep Hedonia’s Blackberry Broadcast and the Hive Collective’s Engineering Joy.

THE SKINNY

Liverpool Music Sat 06 Sep PEARL JEM

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £10

Pearl Jam tribute act.

LIVERPOOL ACOUSTIC AFTERNOON (VELLAMO) VIEW TWO GALLERY, 13:00–16:00, FREE

An afternoon of chilled acoustic music in the relaxed setting of the View Two Gallery featuring the launch of the Liverpool Acoustic Songwriting Challenge 2014. SILENT SLEEP (THE SWAPSIES + BEACH SKULLS)

LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £5

Silent Sleep give a taste of the songs from their second LP, and are joined by two of their favourite local bands, The Swapsies and Beach Skulls. NEW POWER SOUL CLUB

STUDIO 2, 19:00–02:00, FREE

London-based session band, playing anything from 70s classics to modern hits.

THE USUAL CROWD (SOCIO + PADDY CLEGG)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

Local triple bill.

2014 SUMMER RECITALS (L. LYNDON JONES) LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL, 08:00–18:00, FREE

A guest organist each Saturday afternoon. DREAMING OF KATE

EPSTEIN THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £15

Kate Bush tribute act. THE BLUE DAWNS

BUMPER, 20:00–23:00, £5

York-based blues rockers formerly known as The Likely Lads.

SOHN THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–23:00, £12

4AD-signed producer and multiinstrumentalist who can’t resist dropping in a catchy vocal hook. EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

Liverpool Acoustic presents Liverpool indie four-piece The Mono LPs who break cover from a recent stint in recording.

TOM SEALS

Thu 18 Sep

23 FAKE STREET

Wirral indie-rockers.

STUDIO 2, 19:00–02:00, FREE

Talented young pianist from Liverpool.

THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–23:00, £6

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £5

Sun 21 Sep

THE WICKED WHISPERS

Liverpudlian quintet led by local singer/songwriter Mike Murphy, influenced by the folk and psychedelia movements of the late 60s. 2014 SUMMER RECITALS (RICHARD WALSH)

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL, 08:00–18:00, FREE

A guest organist each Saturday afternoon. BUCKLE TONGUE

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £6

Ellesmere Port group play a special show to mark the launch of new EP A King In All Of Us. SHIMMERING SUNS (CHARLIE CAMPBELL)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

Four-piece combining elements of shoegaze, grunge and rock ‘n’ roll. JAPANESE SCREAM

STUDIO 2, 19:00–02:00, FREE

Local four-piece previewing material from their forthcoming debut EP. THE REAL THING

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–23:00, £21

Sun 14 Sep

PATRICK WOLF

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL, 19:00–21:00, £17

Special outing from the experimental London singer/songwriter and his kit-bag of electro-pop gems, based around the usual gamut of piano, tenor guitar, harp, viola, kantale, Theremin and electronics.

Tue 09 Sep

OUT OF THE BEDROOM: OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH JOHNNY SANDS

LEAF, 20:30–22:30, FREE

Liverpool’s reigning King of acoustic presents a weekly open mic night. EARTH, WIND AND FIRE

ECHO ARENA, 19:30–23:00, £52

America’s seventh top-selling musical group of all time, with more than 90 million LP sales to their name, show no sign of let-up 45 years into their career. PARRJAZZ (JULIET KELLY’S SPELLBOUND STORIES)

FREDERIKS, 20:30–23:00, FREE

The weekly jazz showcase night pitches up in a new home on Hope Street.

RAVIOLI ME AWAY (BIG BODY SQUAD + ASHGROUND)

GUITARS AND OTHER MACHINES

THE KAZIMIER GARDEN, 14:00–17:00, FREE

Neil Campbell, Carl Bowery and Gordon Ross play the music of Steve Reich and Philip Glass, alongside some original compositions.

Mon 15 Sep

AN EVENING WITH JULIAN COPE

UNITY THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £6

The Teardrop Explodes front man and psychedelic wanderer joins Lee Brackstone of Faber Social to discuss his latest book.

Liverpool’s reigning King of acoustic presents a weekly open mic night.

PARRJAZZ (THE ANGRY MEN ALBUM LAUNCH)

FREDERIKS, 20:30–23:00, FREE

The weekly jazz showcase night pitches up in a new home on Hope Street. NATURAL CHILD

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:45, £5

Nashville-hailing young rock’n’roll scamps out and airing their latest LP, Dancin’ With Wolves. Part of No Mean City Festival.

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15

Wed 17 Sep

JESUS JONES

Promising young London singer/ songwriter with an innate ability to capture the raw emotion of a moment in song.

The five-piece tour their record Doubt, more than 20 years after they first did it. PENGUINS MEAT (THE SHAKING SENSATIONS + BLUNTED EDGE)

MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Free rock ‘n’ roll courtesy of Penguins Meat.

Fri 12 Sep

A NIGHT OF QUEEN WITH THE BOHEMIANS

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–23:00, £17.50

Queen tribute.

DEFINITELY MIGHTBE

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £10

Oasis tribute.

September 2014

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £10

Dutch industrial metalheads with people called names like Therion69 and Snowflame in their line-up. TALONS

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 20:00–23:00, £6.50

Six-piece instrumental band from Hereford signed to the righteous Big Scary Monsters label. LAURA JAMES + LITTLE SPARROW

LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £5

Co-headlining show courtesy of Mellowtone, with multi-instrumentalist and loopsmith Laura James joined by Little Sparrow’s BBC 6music-backed acoustic folk.

Fri 19 Sep

THE MOONS (STEVE PILGRIM + THE RED SUNS)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £8

Northampton-based foursome, trading in psychedelic garage-pop beats, infused with a bit of indie and soul for good measure.

THE MELLOMELLO JAZZ COLLECTIVE

MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

MelloMello’s jazz collective return, serving up a free evening of stomping jazz and swing fusion. DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON (CHIZ TURNROSS + MIKEY KENNY + IN ATOMS + HARESS)

MELLOMELLO, 20:00–00:00, £4

The ever-mercurial multi-instrumentalist and singer steps out for another improvisatory turn. THE WALL OF FLOYD

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £18

Pop-rock fun.

Thu 11 Sep

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £17

DEADCELL

LEAF, 20:30–22:30, FREE

OUT OF THE BEDROOM: OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH JOHNNY SANDS

The music director and composer leads an evening of theatre, film and installation scores.

The sibling four-piece roll on with their inoffensive brand of indie-pop.

Young local singer songwriter whose lyrics cut through politics and crime, love and loss.

Pink Floyd tribute.

ANDY FRIZELL & THE THEATRE ORCHESTRA

THE MAGIC NUMBERS

LOUIS BERRY

Tue 16 Sep

MELLOMELLO, 20:00–23:00, 80P

Jazzy, post-pop/punk/hip/funk outfit with added sass.

AN EVENING WITH THE FIREFLYS

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:30, £6 (£20 FAMILY TICKET)

Sat 13 Sep

MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL, 13:00–14:00, FREE

Mon 08 Sep

ST GEORGE’S HALL, 19:30–22:30, £25

Multi-venue Liverpool music festival in aid of the Whitechapel Centre and Basement Advisory Centre’s help for the homeless organisations. Taking place at The Brink, The Lomax, The Magnet, The Baltic Social and The Albert Dark Lane.

Four-piece alt rock lot from Runcorn, built on the songwriting prowess of frontman, Lee Wylding.

Sun 07 Sep

THE LIVERPOOL SHANTY KINGS

ESCHER QUARTET

VARIOUS VENUES, 15:00–23:00, £DONATIONS

The quartet perform selections from the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Berg.

The Real Thing return with their mix of sweet soul music and disco.

Traditional shanty singing.

THE MONO LPS (JESSE TERRY + PAUL STRAWS) LEAF, 19:30–23:00, £4

HOPE FEST (THE WESTERN PROMISE + PATH UNKNOWN + AMAZING KAPPA + MORE)

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–21:30, £10 (£8)

LUKE SITAL-SINGH

THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–23:00, £8

INKBEAT

24 KITCHEN STREET, 20:00–02:00, £6 (£4)

Live drawing and music as dancers L’ensemble de Fantôme move, perform and pose while being painted on by street artists, the soundtrack for the evening being provided by kitsch-pop artist Sana, Audio Voyager and Dogspocket. ANNA CORCORAN

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £10

The Liverpool Music Awards Female Artist Of The Year nominee plays in support of her new single.

BUNK BED (ROOM FOR RENT + SPIRAL)

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

HOPE FEST (THE SOUL RAYS + COUSIN AVI + THE MONO LPS + MORE)

VARIOUS VENUES, 17:00–00:00, £DONATIONS

Sat 20 Sep BLIND MONK TRIO

THE LIVERPOOL SHANTY KINGS

MUSEUM OF LIVERPOOL, 13:00–14:00, FREE

Traditional shanty singing.

PHILIP JECK & LOL SARGENT: VINYL REQUIEM (REPLAYED)

THE BLUECOAT, 14:30–17:00, £6 (£4)

A re-visiting of the acclaimed 1993 collaboration which involved 180 record players as well as film and slide projections – Jeck will be playing live with he film in what he views as a swansong to analogue music. PHILIP JECK & LOL SARGENT: VINYL REQUIEM (REPLAYED)

THE BLUECOAT, 19:30–22:00, £6 (£4)

STUDIO 2, 17:00–21:00, FREE

Enjoy an afternoon of music with the Liverpool-based singer/ songwriter, playing a mixture of originals and covers.

HOPE FEST (BLACK SEASONS + TJ & MURPHY + THE SCIENCE OF THE LAMPS + MORE)

VARIOUS VENUES, 15:00–23:00, £DONATIONS

New flavours of dixieland jazz, blues and swing.

LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA (SUUNS + ALLAH-LAS + THE BESNARD LAKES + WOLF PEOPLE + MORE) CAMP AND FURNACE, 12:00–04:00, £25 (WEEKEND £50)

The largest mind-expanding rock festival in the Northwest returns with an international line-up ready to leave earth behind and launch into space.

THE GOOD FRIDAY PROJECT (EIGHTEEN NIGHTMARE AT THE LUX + MAMMA FREEDOM) THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

Gothabilly from London.

Contemporary Hindustani classical music from internationallyrespect sitarist Partha Bose and tabla player Shiv Shankar Ray. BLACK MOTH

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £7

The Leeds based heavy garage rockers take to the UK in support of their second record Condemned To Hope.

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £13

ARCANE ADDICTION

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

Five-piece metal bunch residing in Liverpool, accustomed to sharing the stage with the likes of Heart of a Coward and Silent Screams, and stepping out on their own following the release of their debut single, Deceiver.

HIGHER GROUND

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. DJ DA FUNK

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

Thu 04 Sep

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

STUDIO 2, 19:00–02:00, PRICES VARY

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop.

CACTUS DJS

Monthly rock’n’roll club night hosted by Two Weeks Running.

ALGEBRA BLESSETT (ESCO WILLIAMS)

SHAKEDOWN

The US Billboard-charting RnB singer drops in for a special set, with support from Liverpool buzz talent Esco Williams.

DJ Da Funk taking over the decks for a night of hip-hop, funk and dubstep sounds.

MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area.

THE ATLANTIC QUARTET

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–23:00, £18

Bourbon Soaked Gypsy Blues Bop ‘n’ Stroll.

Wed 03 Sep

TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Ormskirk-based indie four-piece.

SOME TIME TODAY

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

Ambient-orchestral jazz.

THE URBAN VOODOO MACHINE

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours.

A modern day jukebox where you pick the tunes.

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours.

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–23:00, £20

Sat 27 Sep

STUDENT HOUSE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

SPOTIFRIDAY

Residents Stuart Richards and Joshua Goddard guide us through the mid-week slump, navigating motown, ska and rock’n’roll as they go.

THE BRINDLEY’S BIG BIRTHDAY BASH (STAN BOARDMAN)

The Brindley celebrates its tenth anniversary with comedian Stan Boardman headlining.

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 17:00–22:00, FREE

THE CHRISTIANS

The Ferry Across The Mersey hit makers return ahead of their new album.

Sun 28 Sep

THE ROYAL JACKS (SCARLETT EMBERS + SILVER BULLETS + THE VISITORS)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

The latest local live music showcase from Fusion.

THE BIG BAND WITH 5 STAR SWING

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:30, £15

Swing along with songs from Glenn Miller, Sinatra, Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Jazz & Blues.

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house.

DJ SI FORESTERIO

PACEMAKER

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

PUMP UP THE JAM

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £TBC

All your favourite hits from the 90s in one glorious evening. FULL BEAM

ROADHOUSE, 23:00–03:00, £5

Post-summer party by the Full Beam crew featuring Glowing Palms of Ruf Kutz and Resonance FM fame. STRETCH (DAN SOULSMITH)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

Fri 05 Sep

Disco, funk and more disco.

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, £1

KOSMONAUT, 21:00–02:00, FREE

MELTING POT

A new Friday-nighter offering up smooth soul and elevating disco. VOODOO

THE RITZ, 23:00–03:30, £2

Under 18’s rock club with two floors of everything rock

FRONTIER FRIDAYS (DANCE LADY DANCE + CITTA SOUL NUOVA)

A selection of the region’s local spinners drop into Kosmonaut every Friday night to put their own imprint on the bar across two floors.

DARLIA (GENGHAHR)

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £8

PARRJAZZ (THE PAUL FARR BAND)

FREDERIKS, 20:30–23:00, FREE

The weekly jazz showcase night pitches up in a new home on Hope Street.

Wed 24 Sep KOBRA AND THE LOTUS

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £7.50

SPRING KING

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

No introductions needed here – it’s only ruddy Kylie!

The legendary guitarist from seminal prog rockers Yes embarks on a special solo concert that will feature plenty of the band’s classics old and new.

THE SPEAKEASY BOOTLEG BAND

MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

PARTHA BOSE & SHIV SHANKAR RAY

THE CAPSTONE, 13:00–14:00, FREE

Tue 02 Sep

Blackpool boys done good bringing their hard-lined rock music to the masses.

Tarek Musa-fronted local lo-fi pop punk outfit.

STEVE HOWE

PERRI & NEIL QUARTET

THE CAPSTONE, 19:30–22:30, £10 (£8)

Jazz, folk and progressive rock quartet, drawing on free improvisation and r’n’b influences.

The largest mind-expanding rock festival in the Northwest returns with an international line-up ready to leave earth behind and launch into space.

Guest DJs on the decks, bringing you music from the past, present, and well, future.

LEAF, 20:30–22:30, FREE

Local four-piece rock ‘n’ roll types.

THE CAPSTONE, 19:30–23:00, £20

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £8

Brummy four-piece making carefree, breezy music. And not a shark in sight.

CAMP AND FURNACE, 12:00–04:00, £30 (WEEKEND £50)

WELL FUTURE

Liverpool’s reigning King of acoustic presents a weekly open mic night.

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:00–22:30, £6

Another quality acoustic line-up courtesy of The Songbook Sessions.

JAWS (FICKLE FRIENDS)

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

OUT OF THE BEDROOM: OPEN MIC NIGHT WITH JOHNNY SANDS

SPARE ROOM (PYRO)

STE WILLIAMS (GLUE MOON + WOBBLY HEARTS + BEXI BLUE + KATIE MCLOUGHLIN)

Fri 26 Sep

Manchester Clubs

Tue 23 Sep

Canadian heavy metal band led by vocalist and songwriter Kobra Paige.

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

A night of free rock ‘n’ roll.

LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA (GOAT + WOODS + SLEEP SUN + GRUMBLING FUR + MORE)

MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Three Northwest musicians putting a fresh spin on the classic, chordless jazz trio format.

PARDON US (THE CHERRYPOPS) MELLOMELLO, 21:00–00:00, FREE

KYLIE MINOGUE

ECHO ARENA, 19:30–23:00, FROM £40

Thu 25 Sep OYSTERBAND

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–23:00, £18

English electric folk bunch, formed in Canterbury in 1976. GRANT NICHOLAS

EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £15

Feeder man goes solo. One can only speculate as to what music listening device his tour bus might contain. THE BYZANTINES (THE NATIVE KINGS + THE CASTELLERS)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

Five-piece bringing their own brand of electronic-tinged indie rock all the way over from Adelaide.

Listings

Manchester Clubs DIG DEEP MCR PRESENTS LUVSTUFF

STUDENT HOUSE

SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £8

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

FRONTIER FRIDAYS (JOHN LOVELESS)

Wed 10 Sep

A selection of the region’s local spinners drop into Kosmonaut every Friday night to put their own imprint on the bar across two floors.

Signed to the infamous house duo Tough Loves label Get Twisted Luvstuff bring dirty house beats alongside a host of local and resident DJs.

Sat 06 Sep REMAKE REMODEL

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £5 (£3)

A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans. FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Mancunian nightclub institution delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours. HIGHER GROUND

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

Residents Stuart Richards and Joshua Goddard guide us through the mid-week slump, navigating motown, ska and rock’n’roll as they go.

Thu 11 Sep SHAKEDOWN

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

WHOSAIDWHAT?

DJ Da Funk taking over the decks for a night of hip-hop, funk and dubstep sounds.

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon.

Regular Saturday-nighter, packed with disco, house and funk, with a dash of hip-hop and reggae for good measure. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. BEATS, BATS & BEERS (BAGGY)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

Mark Webster and his chums play their take on soul, boogie, funk and alternative pop treasures, providing ample soundtrack to your beer-fuelled ping pong session. DJ DA FUNK

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. HIGH JINX (STUART RICHARDS)

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER MIDNIGHT)

CACTUS DJS

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. CRATE DIGGERS OF THE WORLD UNITE (BEATS BOUTIQUE)

KOSMONAUT, 18:00–01:00, FREE

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £6

JUICY BAR SESSIONS

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£1 AFTER 10PM)

The Juicy crew continue their takeover of the whole of Manchester, with their new bar sessions showcasing their favourite funk, soul and hip-hop jams. WITCH*UNT WAREHOUSE (MIGHTY MOUSE + WILL TRAMP! + DEUCE)

1 PRIMROSE STREET, 23:00–04:00, £8

Female fronted club night throwing a special warehouse event to kick off its autumn season of parties. RAPTURE (DJ BLONDIE + DJ ZOE MCVEIGH + DJ HAZEL + RACHEL WHATEVER + CURLY AND JAE POLLO)

BANGKOK BAR, 20:00–06:00, £4

Featuring all of your guilty pleasures, including Motown, 70’s disco and 80’s pop, riot grrl, indie and rock and 90s dance anthems. NSPCC MOTOWN SPECIAL

FALLOW CAFE, 21:00–02:00, £5

Charity club night in aid of the children’s charity.

Sun 07 Sep

ZUTEKH VS TPOT: ONE RECORDS

SOUTH, 15:00–00:00, £10

The penultimate summer party featuring One Records Adam Shelton.

Tue 09 Sep GOLD TEETH

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.

MELTING POT

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, £1

A new Friday-nighter offering up smooth soul and elevating disco. SLAM (QUAIL)

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £8

TRANSMISSION FUNK

House, techno and bass from the Transmission Funk residents, with special guests including Hypercolour and Idle Hands' Alex Coulton. PUMPING IRON

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Mixed-bag night of nu cosmic Italio, vintage avant garde disco and lo-fi rhythmic punk funk. SPOTIFRIDAY

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 17:00–22:00, FREE

A modern day jukebox where you pick the tunes. TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. DJ DA FUNK

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. WAX SESSIONS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Vinyl-only set from Lucky T Jackson’s Josh, spinning the likes of Otis Redding and The Kinks. JUICY: SUMMER JAMS

GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, £5 (£3)

All party, no bullshit night of everything from classic hip-hop to disco and funk. TRIBAL SESSIONS: MARTINEZ BROTHERS (DARIUS SYROSSIAN + JOZEF K)

SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10

The first Tribal Sessions of the season sees the Martinez Brothers joined by residents Darius Syrossian and Jozef K

KEEP STEPPIN (PETER JAY + MARTIN BREW)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

Deep disco and house.

Listings

FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Mancunian nightclub institution delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. RELAPSE (OPTIV)

SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £8.50

With his latest LP out on Virus Recordings, Optiv drops in to help Relapse resident Sub:Conscious celebrate the night becoming another year older. WHOSAIDWHAT?

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Regular Saturday-nighter, packed with disco, house and funk, with a dash of hip-hop and reggae for good measure.

BOP LOCAL (CLINT BOON + TOM O’TOOLE + KAREN CLARKE)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 4:00, £5

The Girls On Film celebrate turning two with a silent disco in the Deaf Institute music hall, featuring all the retro party tunes you’ve come to know and love.

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50

Monthly club night tribute to 90s indie expect Pulp, Nirvana, Suede, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies and more.

Fri 12 Sep

SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £12

GIRLS ON FILM SECOND BIRTHDAY

GOO

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Soma’s Slam dip south of the border for a three hour set of hard-hitting techno.

The final ever Tangled! Underworld’s Darren Emerson, Hybrid and Dub Pistols are on hand to ensure that the long-running night goes out with a bang.

Sat 13 Sep

Kosmonaut’s weekly vinyl-only bar sessions curated by local record enthusiast and guru Pasta Paul, with residents Pica-Sounds joined by special guests each week.

Underdog resident Stuart Richard serves up a healthy mix of old skool hip-hop, house, bashment and bass. TANGLED 21ST BIRTHDAY

KOSMONAUT, 21:00–02:00, FREE

FRIENDS IN COMMON

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. THE KLONDYKE CLUB, 20:30–01:00, £5

Suburban club night, Bop Local bring Clint Boon among other guest DJs to Levenshulme’s favourite bowls club for a night of revelry. VIVA WARRIORS (STEVE LAWLER + CASSY + NICK CURLY + SYSTEM 2)

SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10

Veteran DJ Steve Lawler brings his ViVA Warriors session back from Ibiza for the Autumn. BEATS, BATS & BEERS (BUCKY)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

Mark Webster and his chums play their take on soul, boogie, funk and alternative pop treasures, providing ample soundtrack to your beer-fuelled ping pong session. POP CURIOUS?

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £15

The American pop vocalist and host of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Michelle Visage headlines the latest Pop Curious? club night. ANTICS (TRAMPOLENE + KING KARTEL + YOUNG MYTHS + BETE)

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–03:00, £5

Trampolene headline the latest Antic capers. DJ DA FUNK

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. HIGH JINX (STUART RICHARDS)

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER MIDNIGHT)

Underdog resident Stuart Richard serves up a healthy mix of old skool hip-hop, house, bashment and bass.

CELESTA PRESENTS: COYU + MAR-T

GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, FROM £10

Manchester debuts for Suara Label founder Coyu and Amnesia Ibiza Resident Mar-T.

EYES DOWN (JON K + KELVIN BROWN)

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £7

A one-off comeback for the muchloved forward thinking electronic night, following a campaign by its regulars. JUICY BAR SESSIONS

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£1 AFTER 10PM)

The Juicy crew continue their takeover of the whole of Manchester, with their new bar sessions showcasing their favourite funk, soul and hip-hop jams.

TAHITA BULMER (NYC) (LUCY IRONMONGER + ELEKTRA ROSE + KOOL THING COLLECTIVE + WITCH*UNT & ECLECTICA DJS) VANILLA BAR, 23:00–04:00, £4

The Eclectica Project and club night Witch*unt team up for a femalefronted electro-techno special featuring Tahita Bulmer from NYC on the decks, supported by Meat Free’s Lucy Ironmonger, Elektra Rose and more.

Tue 16 Sep GOLD TEETH

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’. STUDENT HOUSE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours. DISCO TILL DAWN

ANTWERP MANSION, 19:00–03:00, £2

What could be better than a night dedicated to the groove of the 70’s Disco scene? DJ’s across both floors of the mansion, live performances of everything from fire-grinding to stilt walking and a good dosage of rhythm.

Wed 17 Sep HIGHER GROUND

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

Residents Stuart Richards and Joshua Goddard guide us through the mid-week slump, navigating motown, ska and rock’n’roll as they go.

Thu 18 Sep MURKAGE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. SHAKEDOWN

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

DJ Da Funk taking over the decks for a night of hip-hop, funk and dubstep sounds. CACTUS DJS

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. CRATE DIGGERS OF THE WORLD UNITE (PICCADILLY RECORDS)

KOSMONAUT, 18:00–01:00, FREE

Kosmonaut’s weekly vinyl-only bar sessions curated by local record enthusiast and guru Pasta Paul, with residents Pica-Sounds joined by special guests each week.

Fri 19 Sep MELTING POT

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, £1

A new Friday-nighter offering up smooth soul and elevating disco. WELL FUTURE

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Guest DJs on the decks, bringing you music from the past, present, and well, future. SPOTIFRIDAY

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 17:00–22:00, FREE

A modern day jukebox where you pick the tunes. TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. ELECTRIC JUG

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

New club night on the scene, serving up the best of the 60s, ranging from psych and ska to britpop and funk. BOOMBOX (DAVID DUNNE + KID BLAST)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

David Dunne and Andy Daniels embark on a trip through the 90s, taking in anything from hip hop to house to classic pop.

DJ DA FUNK

JUICY BAR SESSIONS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£1 AFTER 10PM)

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. M.A.N.D.Y (NEUX YEUX + MATTER)

GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, EARLYBIRDS £8 (£10 THEREAFTER)

A four hour set from the Get Physical duo.

TRIBAL SESSIONS: AXEL BOMAN (SHLOMI ABER + DARIUS SYROSSIAN + JOZEF K) SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10

A house-flavoured Tribal Sessions featuring Shlomi Aber, fresh from his recent Essential Mix with Greg Vickers. FRONTIER FRIDAYS (NOW WAVE)

KOSMONAUT, 21:00–02:00, FREE

A selection of the region’s local spinners drop into Kosmonaut every Friday night to put their own imprint on the bar across two floors.

GOLDEN EGG: ETV SPECIAL (THE GREEN POOKI + CHEECH + FOURTWENTY) FALLOW CAFE, 22:00–03:00, £TBC

The grass roots hip-hop co-op take over Fallow monthly, mixing up rising tourists with undiscovered local gems.

Sat 20 Sep UPSIDE DOWN

FALLOW CAFE, 22:00–02:00, £2

Disco, funk, soul and motown. SELECTIVE HEARING

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 4:00, £10

A back-to-back marathon for Selective Hearing's return to Joshua Brooks with resident Bam on supporting duties. FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Mancunian nightclub institution delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. WHOSAIDWHAT?

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Regular Saturday-nighter, packed with disco, house and funk, with a dash of hip-hop and reggae for good measure. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. BEATS, BATS & BEERS (BAGGY)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

Mark Webster and his chums play their take on soul, boogie, funk and alternative pop treasures, providing ample soundtrack to your beer-fuelled ping pong session. HOWLING RHYTHM

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £4

The 60s soul and Motown-centric night returns for another outing, serving up even more Northern soul and funk courtesy of the Howling Rhythm residents. DJ DA FUNK

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. HIGH JINX (STUART RICHARDS)

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER MIDNIGHT)

Underdog resident Stuart Richard serves up a healthy mix of old skool hip-hop, house, bashment and bass. BARE BONES

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £5

Three floor club night touting indie/electro, classic rock’n’roll and punk/rock. SUPER WEIRD HAPPENING (GREG WILSON + BLIND ARCADE)

GORILLA, 20:00–04:00, £10

Manc oldies Kermit (y’know, from Black Grape) and DJ Greg Wilson headline the first of five Super Weird Happenings.

Fri 26 Sep WELL FUTURE

The Juicy crew continue their takeover of the whole of Manchester, with their new bar sessions showcasing their favourite funk, soul and hip-hop jams.

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Sun 21 Sep

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 4:00, £12

HAXAN

COMMON, 16:00–00:00, FREE

Michael Holland and Boomkat’s Conor, dishing up radiophonic disco and film score techno. ZUTEKH VS TPOT: THE CLOSING PARTY

SOUTH, 15:00–00:00, £15

DJ Tennis, Nail and more join the Zutekh vs Tpot crew for their final summer party.

Mon 22 Sep ELIJAH & SKILLIAM

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 3:00, £5

Grime special from Elijan & Skiliam with a selection of the finest Manchester spinners in support.

Tue 23 Sep GOLD TEETH

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’. NEIGHBOURHOODS

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 3:00, £3

Finally a night in Manchester chancing it with live acts playing at club hours; Neighbourhoods welcomes Kult Country to the basement for its debut event, with new residents including John Loveless on the ones and twos. STUDENT HOUSE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours. FLYIN’ EASY (JOE IN OHIO)

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–02:00, FREE

Soul, deep jazz and heavy funk from the Flyin’ Easy Soul Club.

Wed 24 Sep HIGHER GROUND

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

Residents Stuart Richards and Joshua Goddard guide us through the mid-week slump, navigating motown, ska and rock’n’roll as they go. LORD OF THE TINGS

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

From London to Manchester, The Random Rave Project&rsquo;s brilliantly monikered Lord of the Tings brings you the darkest in Grime, Trap, Bassline, garage and UK funky.&nbsp;

Thu 25 Sep MURKAGE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. SOMETHING EVERYTHING

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 4:00, £6

Crossing the Pennines from Leeds, Something Everything throws in a bit of everything, which tonight includes Rinse FM's Roska and NTS Radio regular Moxie. SHAKEDOWN

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 23:00–04:00, FREE

DJ Da Funk taking over the decks for a night of hip-hop, funk and dubstep sounds. CACTUS DJS

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. CRATE DIGGERS OF THE WORLD UNITE (SSR BAR SESSIONS)

KOSMONAUT, 18:00–01:00, FREE

Kosmonaut’s weekly vinyl-only bar sessions curated by local record enthusiast and guru Pasta Paul, with residents Pica-Sounds joined by special guests each week.

Guest DJs on the decks, bringing you music from the past, present, and well, future. LONE

R & S Records special as the label celebrate 30 years in the business with three of its freshest new talents, including an extended headline set from Lone. SPOTIFRIDAY

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 17:00–22:00, FREE

A modern day jukebox where you pick the tunes. UPTOWN

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

A new night landing at Deaf, offering up the best in disco, funk, boogie and party classics. TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. DJ DA FUNK

DJ DA FUNK BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. HIGH JINX (STUART RICHARDS)

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 23:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER MIDNIGHT)

Underdog resident Stuart Richard serves up a healthy mix of old skool hip-hop, house, bashment and bass.

WELCOME TO THE WAREHOUSE (SETH TROXLER + CARL CRAIG + TALE OF US + JACKMASTER + BEN UFO & PEARSON SOUND + MORE) STORE STREET, 18:00–05:00, £SOLD OUT

The Warehouse Project returns to the venue that made them, their first night back at Store Street featuring Seth Troxler, Carl Craig, Jackmaster and many more. JUICY BAR SESSIONS

TROF NQ, 21:00–03:00, FREE (£1 AFTER 10PM)

The Juicy crew continue their takeover of the whole of Manchester, with their new bar sessions showcasing their favourite funk, soul and hip-hop jams.

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

CRAIG CHARLES FUNK N SOUL CLUB (FEDERATION OF THE DISCO PIMP)

DJ SI FORESTERIO

Craig Charles returns with his monthly staple, this time with the Scottish modern funk group Ferderation of the Disco Pimp on hand to provide the live jams

An eclectic mix of genres, with DJ Da Funk bringing a seamless blend of house, hip hop and dubstep sounds until the smaller hours. WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. GOLD TEETH SPECIAL

GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, £5

Gold Teeth get ready to welcome back the students.

SASHA (DARIUS SYROSSIAN + JOZEF K + WINTERSON)

BAND ON THE WALL, 21:00–02:00, £14 EARLYBIRD (£16 THEREAFTER)

Mon 29 Sep TRAPPED AUDIO

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00 - 3:00, £6

Grime stalwart Royal T helps Trapped Audio get their first party of the season to a flyer..

SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10

The pioneering Welsh DJ drops into Sankeys still very much at the top of his game. SAUCE 1ST BIRTHDAY (LINKWOOD + DAVE OWEN + ASHER JONES)

KRAAK, 23:00–04:00, £6

The clubnight celebrates its year milestone with the organic house of Linkwood aka DJ and producer Nick Moore. PING PONG CLUB

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

The original Manchester Ping Pong Club makes its debut at Twenty Twenty Two’s new paddle and ball arena.

FRONTIER FRIDAYS (FRAMEWORKS)

KOSMONAUT, 21:00–02:00, FREE

A selection of the region’s local spinners drop into Kosmonaut every Friday night to put their own imprint on the bar across two floors.

Sat 27 Sep POP

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50

Pop classics in the music hall and glitzy girly disco in the main bar all of which is designed to keep you dancing all night. FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Mancunian nightclub institution delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective.

Liverpool Clubs Tue 02 Sep DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 11PM)

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

Wed 03 Sep KILL YOUR TV

BUMPER, 22:30–05:00, £2

An anything-goes affair think indie, punk, ska, new wave, electro and more. SPOTIFY WEDNESDAYS

LEAF, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Come and indulge in some of your favourite tracks every Wednesdays, old and new, via the most contemporary of all the world’s jukeboxes, Spotify.

Thu 04 Sep TIME SQUARE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP!

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights.

WHOSAIDWHAT?

BUMPER, 20:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

CLINT BOON

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Regular Saturday-nighter, packed with disco, house and funk, with a dash of hip-hop and reggae for good measure. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–02:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

SUPER RAD

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

Fri 05 Sep TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks.

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, £TBC

AMINE EDGE & DANCE (SIRUS HOOD + STUFF + SION)

An all French affair as the explosive house duo share the night with some fellow DJs from across the Channel. BEATS, BATS & BEERS (LUKE SOLOMON)

TWENTY TWENTY TWO, 16:00–03:00, FREE

Mark Webster and his chums play their take on soul, boogie, funk and alternative pop treasures, providing ample soundtrack to your beer-fuelled ping pong session.

DJ CHRIS “SHOWBIZ” CONNOR & FRANCIS VOLANTE

Everything from chart and commercial tracks to RnB.

Sat 06 Sep RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–05:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

THE SKINNY

Liverpool Clubs BEDLAM SATURDAY

OUT OF THIS WORLD

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, FREE

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. MODU:LAR (JULIAN PEREZ + JACK WICKHAM)

THE MAGNET , 23:00–07:00, £10 EARLYBIRD (£12 THEREAFTER)

Aiming to broaden the horizons of an already burgeoning electronic music scene, MODU:LAR pitch up with their latest event - welcoming a man who’s played everywhere from Panorama Bar in Berlin to London’s Fuse, in Julian Perez. OUT OF THIS WORLD

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, FREE

Following their recent relaunch, Chameleon Bar presents an out of this world Saturday night, with guest and resident DJs taking care of the sounds. SATOSHI TAOMIIE

WILLIAMSON TUNNELS, 21:00–04:00, EARLYBIRD £10 (£12 THEREAFTER)

Promoters 303 return to the Williamson Tunnels with Japanese house pioneer Satoshi Tomiie. TOMSON

THE MAGNET , 22:00–07:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 3AM)

The Freerange, Huddtraxx and Morris Audio music maker drops in for this mammoth party. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Tue 09 Sep DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 11PM)

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

Wed 10 Sep KILL YOUR TV

BUMPER, 22:30–05:00, £2

An anything-goes affair:think indie, punk, ska, new wave, electro and more. SPOTIFY WEDNESDAYS

LEAF, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Come and indulge in some of your favourite tracks every Wednesdays, old and new, via the most contemporary of all the world jukeboxes, Spotify.

Thu 11 Sep TIME SQUARE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP!

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. SUPER RAD

BUMPER, 20:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

Following their recent relaunch, Chameleon Bar presents an out of this world Saturday night, with guest and resident DJs taking care of the sounds.

HUSTLE B’DAY PART 2 (SAN SODA + LOVERBIRDS)

THE MAGNET , 23:00–07:00, £7 EARLYBIRD (PRICES VARY THEREAFTER)

Belgium house producers San Soda and Defected Records’ Loverbirds join the Hustle residents for the continuation of their second birthday celebrations. FRENCH FRIES

24 KITCHEN STREET, 22:00–03:00, £6

Liverpool dance music collective Less Effect present the leftfield production maestro, his work encompassing a strong dance floor focus and a disdain for being easily pigeonholeable. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Tue 16 Sep DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 11PM)

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

Wed 17 Sep KILL YOUR TV

BUMPER, 22:30–05:00, £2

An anything-goes affair think indie, punk, ska, new wave, electro and more. SPOTIFY WEDNESDAYS

LEAF, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Come and indulge in some of your favourite tracks every Wednesdays, old and new, via the most contemporary of all the world jukeboxes, Spotify.

Thu 18 Sep TIME SQUARE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP!

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. SUPER RAD

BUMPER, 20:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

Fri 19 Sep TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. DJ CHRIS “SHOWBIZ” CONNOR & FRANCIS VOLANTE

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

Everything from chart and commercial tracks to RnB.

Fri 12 Sep

Sat 20 Sep

TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. DJ BIG EFFIGY

THE KAZIMIER GARDEN, 19:00–00:00, £2

Rhythm selection from the beat whirling, techno swirling, neoelectro prog stepper. DJ CHRIS “SHOWBIZ” CONNOR & FRANCIS VOLANTE

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, £TBC

Everything from chart and commercial tracks to RnB.

Sat 13 Sep RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–05:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM SATURDAY

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, £TBC

RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–05:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM SATURDAY

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. OUT OF THIS WORLD

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, FREE

Following their recent relaunch, Chameleon Bar presents an out of this world Saturday night, with guest and resident DJs taking care of the sounds. AL KENT

THE MAGNET , 22:00–07:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 3AM)

House and disco from the Million Dollar Disco head honcho. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Sun 21 Sep ROASTED

CAMP AND FURNACE, 18:00–23:30, FREE

Theatre Manchester

Sunday afternoon DJ session to soothe the pre-Monday blues.

Contact

Tue 23 Sep

Bringing some of the talents of the Fringe to Manchester, Contact Compacts presents six short 15 minute plays from Northwesterns who made the trip north in August.

DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE (£4 AFTER 11PM)

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

Wed 24 Sep KILL YOUR TV

BUMPER, 22:30–05:00, £2

An anything-goes affair think indie, punk, ska, new wave, electro and more. SPOTIFY WEDNESDAYS

LEAF, 20:00–00:00, FREE

Come and indulge in some of your favourite tracks every Wednesdays, old and new, via the most contemporary of all the world's jukeboxes, Spotify.

Thu 25 Sep TIME SQUARE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP!

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. SUPER RAD

BUMPER, 20:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

Fri 26 Sep FIESTA BOMBARDA

THE KAZIMIER, 19:00–03:00, £7

The everisland bunch return with their latest carnival event, this time taking it to the Kazimier with the usual cacophony of music, visuals and performances. TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. DJ CHRIS “SHOWBIZ” CONNOR & FRANCIS VOLANTE

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, £TBC

Everything from chart and commercial tracks to RnB. PEOPLES BALEARIC DISCO PRESENTS NICKY SIANO

THE BALTIC SOCIAL, 21:00–02:00, £15

Former co-owner of the legendary club The Gallery in New York, and able to launch the careers of the likes of Grace Jones and Loleatta Holloway as well as working with Frankie Knuckles and Arthur Russell, Nicky Siano drops in for some disco magic.

Sat 27 Sep RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–05:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM SATURDAY

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. OUT OF THIS WORLD

CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–04:00, FREE

CONTACT COMPACTS

25–27 SEP, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £5

Great Northern Playhouse GREAT NORTHERN PLAYHOUSE LAUNCH

8 SEP, 7.30PM, £20

New pop-up theatre project based in Deansgate promising 15 weeks of programming, starting with Sherlock Holmes: A Working Hypothesis

Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama AWAY FROM HOME

19 SEP, 20 SEP, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, £5.50

Things somewhat unsurprisingly change for male escort Kyle when he’s hired by a Premiership footballer.

Octagon Theatre JOURNEY’S END

4 SEP – 4 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Based on RC Sherriff’s own experience of the First World War, Journey’s End is a classic war play, written from the perspective of a soldier intimately acquainted with the nightmare of life in the trenches.

Opera House THE FULL MONTY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 11 SEP AND 4 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

New stage adaptation of the BAFTA award-winning film about six steelworkers with nothing to lose, well, except their clothes. APRIL IN PARIS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 3 APR AND 6 SEP, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

A couple whose marriage is on shaky foundations win a holiday to Paris in a magazine competition, where together they bicker their way through the sights, cuisine and sleazy underbelly of Paris... and quite possibly fall a little back in love.

Palace Theatre JERSEY BOYS

4 SEP – 4 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FROM £21.90

Jersey Boys tells the story of multiple-bucketload selling group The Four Seasons, from their beginnings to their extended run along the hit parade.

Royal Exchange Theatre HAMLET

11 SEP – 18 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FROM £15

Maxine Peake takes on the title role of this Shakespeare classic, with Claire Benedict, Gillian Bevan and Jodie McNee also among those starring.

Royal Northern College of Music MADAME X

Following their recent relaunch, Chameleon Bar presents an out of this world Saturday night, with guest and resident DJs taking care of the sounds.

25 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12

THE MAGNET , 22:00–07:00, FREE (£3 AFTER 3AM)

The Dancehouse

RONNIE HEREL

House, disco and boogie set from the BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

A new Tim Benjamin opera inspired by Handel and Jacobean revenge drama; the story focuses on a young immigrant couple, impoverished and beaten down. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

4–6 SEP, TIMES VARY, £15

The acclaimed Musical Youth UK Company present their take on the Andrew Lloyd Webber favourite. BARBARA SHARPLES INTERNATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHIC AWARD 2014

27 SEP, 7:30PM – 11:00PM, £10

Some of the region’s aspiring dance talent compete for a £1000 cash prize.

The King’s Arms SYMBIOSIS

21 SEP, 7:00PM – 8:00PM, £6 (4)

Performance art piece featuring music and choreography, as part of FLOW Festival. THE ALPHABET GIRL

2–7 SEP, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Shortlisted for the P2S Festival, Liverpool, this new play stretches from wartime slums to the swinging 60’s and the here and now, its central character on the search for Mr Right and discovering what it is that makes her tick. DIDN’T I SEE YOU RUNNING NAKED?

3–7 SEP, NOT 6, TIMES VARY, £8 (£6)

One man play about a teenager’s coming of age in a number of psychiatric units around the Northwest. SAME AS IT EVER WAS

9–11 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £6

Comedy focused on rising young political star Rachel and local radio favourite Michelle. The pair have not met since school but clash when Rachel is given a chance of a public address on Michelle’s station. MOTHER’S BLOOMERS (MOTHER’S RUIN)

12 SEP, 8:30PM – 10:00PM, £5 (£4)

A night of Queer artistry as six different artists present new and in-progress works. PACT (BROTHERHOOD)

Family fun in which two crafty robbers plot to steal the farmer’s prize cow. Surely the tiny ladybird can’t stop them? SIMON CALLOW IN THE MAN JESUS

10–11 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:30PM, FROM £19

One of Britain’s best-known stage actors looks at the life of “the man called Jesus” in this fast-moving trawl through some of the New Testament’s better-known moments. AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MURDER ON AIR

16–20 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £23

Three gripping radio thrillers from the Queen of Crime, with two special guest stars joining the players on stage.

The Plaza Stockport

RHYTHM OF THE DANCE

2 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

Celebration of Irish dance, featuring 30 dancers, a traditional full Irish band and the dashing Young Irish Tenors. MILKSHAKE! LIVE

6–7 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £11.75

Children-friendly musical featuring the Milkshake gang.

Victoria Baths ROMEO AND JULIET

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 10 SEP AND 4 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Ahead of the launch of the HOME theatre in 2015, the team behind it offer a production of one of Bill Shakespeare’s most famous plays.

20 SEP, 6:00PM – 7:00PM, £3.00

Waterside Arts Centre

GAMES OF WAR

26–27 SEP, TIMES VARY, £10

Thought-provoking piece as part of FLOW Festival that questions preconceived notions of masculinity. 20 SEP, 7:30PM – 8:30PM, £6 (£4)

High energy performance as part of FLOW Festival that challenges perceptions of war and what we choose to believe about the subject.

The Lowry

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

TUG

Enter a world of incidental and unexpected performance around the Bridgewater Canal towpath with a wild, innovative performance trip on a contemporary showboat.

Z Arts

THE WIND AND THE SUN

6 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Classic fairytale re-told by choreographer David Bintley and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Two-person circus theatre show based on the original fable by Aesop. Two rival siblings battle the elements in a competition to prove their strength.

20 SEP, 6:30PM – 10:00PM, £TBC

18 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 24 SEP AND 27 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £19

FLOW SALFORD SNIPPETS

Four competing theatre companies present their work as part of Flow Festival.

THE FREEDOM OF FREEWILL

A comic take on loss, love and loneliness as part of Flow Festival.

Choreographed by Z Arts Ryan Hartson, The Freedom of Freewill offers challenging theatrics and stimulating physicality which is unified alongside intricate digital projection and sound. Where will your fight for freedom take you?

23–27 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £19

28 SEP, TIMES VARY, £8 (£6)

I WISH YOU WERE HERE

20 SEP, 8:30PM – 10:00PM, £10

NOT I, FOOTFALLS AND ROCKABY

One-woman Samuel Beckett trilogy by Lisa Dwan, after a sell-out run at the Royal Court recently. HELEN

29–30 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £15

A contemporary twist on the famous classics tale Helen of Troy, presented by aod. Turning Ancient Gree dramas into modern adaptation is very much their thing.

The Lowry Studio

DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS

Family capers with some feathery fun. PANDORAS BOX

13 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12

Set in Lagos, Nigeria, Pandoras Box focuses on a British-Nigerian mother in turmoil over whether to leave her only child there or whether to bring him back to the UK.

The Lowry: Lyric Theatre WAR HORSE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2 SEP AND 20 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £18

War Horse continues to tour the UK, telling the story of Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, adapted from Michael Morpurgo’s novel. You may as well just start weeping now...

The Lowry: Quays Theatre SIDS SHOW

Cbeebies favourite Sid Sloane takes you on a voyage of discovery under the sea.

Liverpool Theatre LOSERVILLE 19–20 SEP, 6:30PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)

A musical based on the album Welcome To Loserville by the mercifully oft-forgotten pop rockers Son of Dork. LAST TRAIN TO AUSCHWITZ

25–27 SEP, 6:30PM – 10:30PM, £14 (£12)

An unsurprisingly harrowing tale of a group of women’s journey into hell as they find themselves in the terrifying Nazi war camp with barely any hope of survival.

Everyman Theatre THE KITE RUNNER

8–13 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

Matthew Spangler presents a re-working of the epic novel by Khaled Hosseini – a tale spanning cultures and continents, telling the story of two motherless boys in Kabul and an event that will tear their worlds apart.

Liverpool Empire

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

1–6 SEP, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Farcical comedy based on Carlo Goldoni’s The Servent Of Two Masters based around the character of loveable chancer Francis Henshall. WICKED

16 SEP – 11 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

The captivating and oft-sold out musical, telling the story of how the two witches of Oz came to be known as good and bad, through song ‘n’ all that. LORD OF THE FLIES

10–13 SEP, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Matthew Bourne’s adaptation of Lord of the Flies, choreographed by Olivier prize-nominated Scott Ambler and starring New Adventures dancers from Glasgow.

MelloMello A COSMIC CAPER

23 SEP, 8:00PM – 11:00PM, £3

An evening of intergalactic performance inspired by the Science Fiction Theatre of Ken Campbell. A fusion of surreal visual art, puppetry, magick and music.

Royal Court Theatre NOISES OFF

5 SEP – 4 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, £12

Theatre production concerning Larry, who works at the Suitcase Station and finds himself on an adventure when one of the suitcases he’s looking after goes missing...

The Stephen Fry and RSC-backed comedy is brought to the stage, cramming in all the drama found backstage at an am-dram show – will the actors even manage to make it out by the time the curtain’s been drawn open?

Various venues

The Bluecoat

23 - 27 SEP, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

5 SEP, 2:00PM – 3:00PM, £7 (£5)

THE SECRET LIFE OF SUITCASES

PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ

US dance production featuring famous song and dance moments of Fred Astaire and the golden age of Hollywood. All singing! All dancing!

FLEETING MOMENTS

Family friendly performance of dance, music and story telling – accessible to people living with dementia.

The Brindley LES MISERABLES

7 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £5.50

14 SEP, 2:00PM – 3:00PM, FROM £10

September 2014

WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD 3–7 SEP, TIMES VARY, £14

Liverpool Theatre Epstein Theatre CHRISTOPHER CARESS

12 SEP, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £15

The hypnotist attempts to lull the gullible into doing his bidding. A VARIETY SPECTACULAR

13 SEP, 6:30PM – 9:00PM, £8.50

An good old fashioned variety show with everything from comedy and musical theatre to dance on the bill. MATA HARI IN 8 BULLETS

14 SEP, 7:00PM – 10:30PM, £20 (£15)

Award-winning chanteuse Onalea Gilbertson portrays the life of exotic dancer and courtesan Mata Hari, whose career took her from aristocrat bedrooms to World War trenches.

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 29 AUG AND 6 SEP, TIMES VARY, £15

Youth group CODYS Productions present their take on the classic French 19th century-set hit musical. BILLY & WALLY’S BIG VARIETY SHOW

11 SEP, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £17.50

A classic variety show with everything from music to comedy and theatre. THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

16–20 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £13

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic thriller, adapted and dramatised by Tim Kelly and presented by the Centenary Theatre Company.

The Capstone

THE HEART OF EVERTON’S BADGE

28 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8

Football play following two lads who delve deep into a hallowed Everton lock-up on the search of buried treasure, and find themselves exploring the ghosts of the club’s past on the way.

The Lantern Theatre LOVESONG

4–5 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £9 (£8)

Screenwriter Abi Morgan’s unique intertwining of a couple in their 20s, with the same man and woman a lifetime later, inspired by a T.S. Eliot poem. BILLY, THE MONSTER AND ME!

6 SEP, TIMES VARY, £8.50

An interactive family show following Billy on the day he finds a monster in his bedroom, and his family are too busy to play. BOBBY AND TWENK

8–9 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:30PM, £7.50 (£6.50)

Comedy from the mind of Everyman Young Writers program graduate Brian S Charity about a pair of TV crime detectives on the hunt for a missing child before it’s too late - or until the series ends. BROKEN BISCUITS

11–12 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10.50 (£8.50)

A tale of two best friends whose friendship has spanned over 20 years until Rita’s son James took a fatal bullet in Afghanistan saving Maggie’s son Paul. SHAKERS

19–20 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10.50 (£8.50)

Trap Door return after their successful play Bouncers to present a new tale set in a swanky 1980’s cocktail bar, the lives of the rich and hip seen through the eyes of the waitresses who work there. UNITED WE STAND

24 SEP – 11 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12.50 (£10.50)

Townsend Productions adaptation of a real life story set around the industrial strikes of the 1970’s in the UK, and the subsequent trial of 24 workers from North Wales by the government in 1973.

Unity Theatre MIND THE GAP

30 APR, 1 MAY, 11 SEP, 12 SEP, 13 SEP, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Nina and her fellow passengers are trapped on a London tube carriage, Ella Carmen Greenhill, Rachel Worsley and Joe Ward Munrow invite you to immerse yourself in the experience as their stories begin to unravel. THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

18 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:30PM, £12 (£10)

A jaunt back to the 1940s in this stunningly visual piece of theatre – returning to the cold huts of Station X at Bletchley Park to explore the lives of the men and women who quietly changed the course of our history. THE JUDGEMENT OF HAKIM

19–20 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)

Andrew Sherlock’s shocking drama explores the lengths people will go to to discover the truth, exploring torture, both physical and psychological, and indoctrination methods. ROSE OF JUNE

23–24 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)

A play exploring how grief affects those who have lost and those who are about to lose, influenced by the research of Swiss-American Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross IMPROPLAY

26 SEP, 9:00PM – 10:00PM, £5

A two-act play created and directed right in front of the audience’s eyes. Anything could happen! Although some acting going on is probably the most likely outcome.

THE HEART OF EVERTONS’ BADGE

19 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8

Football play following two lads who delve deep into a hallowed Everton lock-up on the search of buried treasure, and find themselves exploring the ghosts of the club’s past on the way.

Listings

Comedy Manchester Tue 02 Sep

XS MALARKEY (DOMINIC WOODWARD + ANDY WATSON + SARAH CASSIDY + BISHA ALI + MC TOBY HADOKE)

PUB/ZOO, 19:30–23:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans. THE WORST COMEDY NIGHT IN SALFORD

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:00, FREE

Keeping expectations low with this night of open mic stand up, opening up the stage to anyone willing to give it go.

Thu 04 Sep THE JANOSKIANS

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £23

Virally-popular Australian comedy band pulling pranks like Jackass never happened. SHAM BODIE (TAYLOR AND THE MASON + DANNY SUTCLIFFE + CASSIE ATKINSON + MORE)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–23:00, £5

Sham Bodie returns with another rib-tickling evening of music and sketch show comedy, featuring the intriguingly-named game Smug Bullseye. STAND UP THURSDAY (STEVE HARRIS + PAUL THORNE + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.

Fri 05 Sep

LAUGH LOCAL (WILL FRANKEN + DUNCAN OAKLEY + NICKY WILKINSON + MC JULIAN MOORHOUSE) CHORLTON IRISH CLUB, 18:30–23:00, £10

Comedy comes to the suburbs as the folk behind Bop Local present an evening of comedy, with Justin Moorhouse leading the flock. THE BEST IN STAND UP (JOHN WARBURTON + TOBY HADOKE + PAUL THORNE + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Sat 06 Sep TOM STADE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £17

The free-thinking philosopher returns to ponder timeless questions and reflect upon life’s choices and decisions, such as whether you made the right choice buying a ticket for tonight. THE BEST IN STAND UP (STEVE HARRIS + PAUL THORNE + ALEX BOARDMAN + ANDY ASKINS + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ALEX BOARDMAN + PAUL THORNE + STEVE HARRIS + ANDY ASKINS + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Sun 07 Sep TOM STADE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £17

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £6

A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice. SARA PASCOE + SAM GORE (MC TONY BASSETT)

THE OLD MONKEY, 19:30–22:30, £5

Trapdoor Comedy present a juicy double-header, with Mock The Week and QI panellist Sara Pascoe joined by FHM Stand Up Hero Sam Gore.&nbsp;

Mon 08 Sep

SARA PASCOE + CARL HUTCHINSON

THE RAILWAY INN, 19:30–22:30, £5

Mock The Week and QI panellist Sara Pascoe is joined by Magners Pub Comedian of the Year nominee Carl Hutchinson for a Trapdoor Comedy double-header.

Tue 09 Sep

XS MALARKEY (CARIL HUTCHINSON + DANIEL KENNEDY + STEPHANIE LAING + MC TOBY HADOKE) PUB/ZOO, 19:30–23:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.

JAKE HURWITZ, AMIR BLUMENFELD AND STREETER SEIDELL

THE LOWRY, 19:00–20:30, £15

Hurwitz and Blumenfeld bring their advice podcast If I Were You to the stage, with Streeter Seidell also on hand for a stand-up/sketch show. JAKE HURWITZ, AMIR BLUMENFELD AND STREETER SEIDELL

THE LOWRY, 21:00–22:30, £15

Hurwitz and Blumenfeld bring their advice podcast If I Were You to the stage, with Streeter Seidell also on hand for a stand-up/sketch show.

Thu 11 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (PIERRE HOLLINS + MICK FERRY + MC MANDY KNIGHT)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.

Fri 12 Sep

THE BEST IN STAND UP (SEAN MEO + GORDAN SOUTHERN + PIERRE HOLLINS + MC MANDY KNIGHT) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Sat 13 Sep PETE FIRMAN

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £16

The star of BBC1’s The Magicians and a man fond of a good cameo elsewhere within the corporation, Pete Firman drops in for a dose of crowd-pleasing comedy and magic.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (SEAN MEO + GORDAN SOUTHERN + PIERRE HOLLINS + MC MANDY KNIGHT) THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (SEAN MEO + GORDAN SOUTHERN + PIERRE HOLLINS + MC MANDY KNIGHT)

Thu 18 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + ANDY ASKINS + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.

Fri 19 Sep

GEINS FAMILY GIFT SHOP – VOLUME 1

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £10

New comedy sketch trio pitching dark and absurd humour.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (CAREY MARX + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MARKUS BIRDMAN + ANDY ASKINS + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. ROBIN INCE IS (IN AND) OUT OF HIS MIND

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, 20:00–22:00, £10

The comic and science enthusiast presents another in his line of unhinged stand-up lectures this time turning his attention to the mind, looking at the last 100 years of psychiatry, psychology and brain dabblings.

Sat 20 Sep COMEDYSPORTZ

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 18:30–21:00, £7 (£5)

Comedy improv show with two teams battling it out for the biggest laughs, serving up sketches, songs and scenes with audience participation playing a key role in the development.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (CAREY MARX + ANDY ASKINS + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MARKUS BIRDMAN + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (CARE MARX + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MARKUS BIRDMAN + ANDY ASKINS + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE) THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Sun 21 Sep JAMES ACASTER

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, FROM £11

The two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show nominee comes to the Lowry with his show Recognise, promising another evening of riotous storytelling and awkward physicality. EDDIE IZZARD

OPERA HOUSE, 19:30–22:30, FROM £31.90

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

One of the few opportunities to catch the acclaimed comedian doing his stand-up thing in the UK in 2014.

Sun 14 Sep

Mon 22 Sep

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £20

CHRIS MARTIN

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:30, £12

After years supporting the likes of Milton Jones, Jack Whitehall and Russell Kane, Chris Martin finally steps out on his own headlining tour. DANNY BHOY

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £16

The up and coming young Scottish comedian drops in with a new set of rib ticklers. NEW STUFF (MC TOBY HADOKE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £3

AXIS OF AWESOME

ACADEMY 2, 7.30PM, £16.50

Australian musical comedy act that always proves a mega-hit at the Edinburgh Fringe.”

Tue 23 Sep

XS MALARKEY (MCNEIL & PAMPHILON + WILL SETCHELL + RIC DAVENPORT + NICHOLAS BANKS + MC TOBY HADOKE)

PUB/ZOO, 19:30–23:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.

A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice.

Wed 24 Sep

Tue 16 Sep

“I’m a fucking national treasure!” went his buzzer on an episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks – hard to disagree really. Fry tours in support of his new memoirs.

XS MALARKEY (YIANNA AGISILAOU + SIMON FEILDER + CHRIS TAVNER + WILL HUTCHBY + MC TOBY HADOKE) PUB/ZOO, 19:30–23:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans. THE WORST COMEDY NIGHT IN SALFORD

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:00, FREE

Keeping expectations low with this night of open mic stand up, opening up the stage to anyone willing to give it go.

STEPHEN FRY: MORE FOOL ME

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £29.50

VIKKI STONE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £11

The award-winning comedian presents her new show Instrumental, in which she’s managed to amass 20 musical instruments in the hope that she might be able to play them.

Thu 25 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (PHIL NICHOL + OLA + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

Listings

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.

Fri 26 Sep PAUL CHOWDHRY

THE DANCEHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £14

The Lafta award winner returns with his biggest tour to date, named PC’s World –- something he definitely is not. THE BEST IN STAND UP (MARLON DAVIS + JOHN FOTHERGILL + OLA + PHIL NICHOL + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Sat 27 Sep

HARDEEP SINGH KOHLI: HARDEEP IS YOUR LOVE

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–22:30, £12 (£10)

The broadcaster, writer and Celebrity Masterchef finalist takes his latest show on the road, with extra points for a puntastic title, obvs.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (OLA + PHIL NICHOL + MARLON DAVIS + JOHN FOTHERGILL + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. THE BEST IN STAND UP (JOHN FOTHERGILL + OLA + MARLON DAVIS + PHIL NICHOL + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £20

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Sun 28 Sep

THE MARPLE BRIDGE COMEDY CLUB (STEVE ROYLE + TUDUR OWEN + KATIE MULGREW + MC ROB ROUSE) NORFOLK ARMS, 19:30–22:30, £10

A trio of some of the comedy circuit’s most active talents, linked up seamlessly by MC Rob Rouse. SKETCHOLE

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £10

Comedy sketch fun from the latest Northwest talent. SHITS & GIGGLES

ANTWERP MANSION, 19:30–22:30, £5

Antwerp Mansion’s monthly comedy night, with occasional TV comedy panel show man Romesh Ranganathan filling September’s headlining spot. NEW STUFF (MC TOBY HADOKE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £3

A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice.

Mon 29 Sep MICHAEL PALIN

OPERA HOUSE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £33.40

Two-part stage show from the Monty Python comedian and travel enthusiast looking back at his lengthy career. SIDEKICK COMEDY (KATE MCCABE + COLIN MANFORD + NINA GILLIGAN + CHRIS MCILROY)

VIA, 19:30–22:00, £2

A monthly comedy gig offering an alternative to the usual comedy nights, offering a new take on the template with a nerdy-cool vibe.

Liverpool Comedy Wed 03 Sep

THE LAUGHTER FACTOR (MC PAUL SMITH)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £5 (£3)

A monthly event giving comics the chance to try out new material before the weekend shows – it helps if you think of yourself as a comedic guinea pig.

Thu 04 Sep

JONNY AWSUM (PHILBERTO + BOBBY MAIR + MC DAVID LONGLEY)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

Fri 05 Sep

JONNY AWSUM (PHILBERTO + STE PORTER + MC DAVID LONGLEY)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

Liverpool Comedy SEYMOUR MACE (ROB HEENEY + DAVE WILLIAMS + MC CHRIS CAIRNS) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £15

Sun 14 Sep

Thu 25 Sep

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £3 (£1.50)

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £14

TESTING THE WATER (MC PAUL SMITH)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Chris Cairns.

Wed 17 Sep

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £8 (£4)

EVERYMAN THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £15

BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.

Sat 06 Sep

KEITHER CARTER PRESENTS: NIGE (PHILBERTO + STE PORTER + MC DAVID LONGLEY) COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £18

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

ROB HEENEY (SEYMOUR MACE + DAVE WILLIAMS + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Chris Cairns.

BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£5)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.

Sun 07 Sep

TESTING THE WATER (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £3 (£1.50)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

Wed 10 Sep

ANT & DEC’S TAKEAWAY ON TOUR

ECHO ARENA, 19:30–22:00, FROM £25

Former Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts and Irish dancers Riverdance join the Geordie duo as they take their Saturday-night TV shenanigans on the road. BEAT THE GONG

COMEDY CENTRAL, 19:45–22:00, £5

An open mic night for up and coming comics to test their wit!

Thu 11 Sep

GEORGE EGG (WILL DUGGAN + PETER BRUSH + MC KATIE MULGREW)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

Fri 12 Sep

GEORGE EGG (VIKKI STONE + STEPHEN BUGEJA + MC KATIE MULGREW)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

JOHN FOTHERGILL (JAMES DOWDESWELL + CAIMH MCDONNELL + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £15

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Neil Fitzmaurice. BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £8 (£4)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.

Sat 13 Sep

GEORGE EGG (VIKKI STONE + STEPHEN BUGEJA + MC KATIE MULGREW)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £18

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

CAIMH MCDONNELL (JOHN FOTHERGILL + JAMES DOWDESWELL + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Neil Fitzmaurice. BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£5)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.

RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLD

Comedian and mental health campaigner, Ruby Wax brings her Sane New World show to Liverpool blending her comic wit with Oxford University learnin’.

Thu 18 Sep

SMUG ROBERTS (IAN SMITH + PETER MCCOLE + MC SULLY O’SULLIVAN)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone. PAUL SINHA

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:30, £12

Stand-up comedy from the former Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee.

Fri 19 Sep

SMUG ROBERTS (STEVE GRIBBIN + JOEL DOMMETT + MC SULLY O’SULLIVAN) COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone. MARKUS BIRDMAN (JOHN LYNN + CRAIG MURRAY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £15

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Chris Cairns.

BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £8 (£4)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.

Sat 20 Sep

SMUG ROBERTS (STEVE GRIBBIN + JOEL DOMMETT + MC SULLY O’SULLIVAN) COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £18

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

CRAIG MURRAY (MARKUS BIRDMAN + JOHN LYNN + MC CHRIS CAIRNS) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Chris Cairns.

BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£5)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.

Sun 21 Sep

TESTING THE WATER (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £3 (£1.50)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

Tue 23 Sep

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: MIKE OSBOURNE: SCHRODINGE’S T**T / CHE BURNLEY: T.C.B. (TAKING CARE OF BLACKNESS)

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–23:00, £4

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Wed 24 Sep BEAT THE GONG

COMEDY CENTRAL, 19:45–22:00, £5

An open mic night for up and coming comics to test their wit!

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: ROYAL COURT VARIETY LUNCH CLUB

ROYAL COURT THEATRE, 12:30–14:30, £TBC

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival, featuring a variety of comedians, actors and entertainers. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: EXTREME FOOLS

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–23:00, £4

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival, a night of extreme and alternative comedy. JASON MANFORD

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–23:00, £22.50

The Manchester television comic, stand-up and all-round cheeky chappie does his solo thing.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: BRIDGET CHRISTIE: A BIC FOR HER

The self-aware British comic riffs on why Bic think women need special biros to write with, among other things. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. BENNY BOOT (PHIL ELLIS + HAYLEY ELLIS + MC RAY PEACOCK)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: TIM BRADBURY & FRIENDS

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–23:00, £4

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival offering a night of fun and frolics courtesy of Bradbury and friends. PAUL SMITH

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £6 (£3)

The Hot Water resident undertakes his second solo show, titled Good Person?

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: FOUR CANDLES COMEDY CLUB

THE BIERKELLER BAVARIAN BAR, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: BILL WOOLLAND: COMEDY DAD

81 RENSHAW STREET, 12:00–14:00, £5

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. Hilarious stories and tales of the eventful life as a Dad and comedian.

Fri 26 Sep

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: LAURENCE CLARK: MOMENTS OF INSTANT REGRET

UNITY THEATRE, 19:00–20:30, £10 (£8)

The comic attempts to explain a life of despicable deeds as part of the Liverpool Comedy Festival. BENNY BOOT (PHIL ELLIS + TOM TOAL + MC RAY PEACOCK)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £15

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.

PHIL NICHOL (PHIL CHAPMAN + MATT REED + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £15

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Neil Fitzmaurice. BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £8 (£4)

New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN’S RACIST, SEXIST COMEDY SHOW / GEIN’S FAMILY GIFT SHOP: VOLUME 1

81 RENSHAW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £5

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival featuring Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomers Gein’s Family Gift Shop.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: RED HOT COMEDY

RED HOT WORLD BUFFET, 20:30–23:00, FREE

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival at the popular Liverpool One eatery.

Sat 27 Sep

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: JAMES ACASTER: RECOGNISE

UNITY THEATRE, 18:00–20:00, £12

The two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show nominee performs his latest show Recognise, promising another evening of riotous storytelling and awkward physicality. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: SEAN HUGHES: PENGUIN

UNITY THEATRE, 20:30–23:00, £14

The Anglo-Irish comic tackles all nature of human foibles, taking in older brothers, The Human League and an Italian hooligan. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: COMEDY CELLAR

THE MAGNET , 20:30–23:00, £TBC

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. BENNY BOOT (PHIL ELLIS + TOM TOAL + MC RAY PEACOCK)

COMEDY CENTRAL, 18:00–22:00, £18

Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone. MATT REED (PHIL NICHOL + PHIL CHAPMAN + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50

BOILING POINT (MC PAUL SMITH) HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£5)

81 RENSHAW STREET, 17:00–19:00, £TBC

The stand-up poet appears as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: SAM HARLAND: WORST THINGS HAPPEN AT SEA / HAYLEY ELLIS: WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

81 RENSHAW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £5

Two hotly-tipped comics appear as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Sun 28 Sep

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: SWEET CHIN MUSIC COMEDY

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–23:00, £7

Musical theatre and comedy, headlined by Jollyboat as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. TESTING THE WATER (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £3 (£1.50)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: JOEL DOMMETT: FINDING EMO / SCOTT BENNETT: ABOUT A ROY

81 RENSHAW STREET, 17:00–19:00, £5

The BBC-backed Dommett and “ultimate Yorkshireman” Scott Bennett appear as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: STEVE GRIBBIN: PUNCH UP! / PETER MCCOLE: REBOOT

81 RENSHAW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £5

Politicised rib-ticklers from Gribbin and a disection of what it is to be a stand-up from McCole as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: TEE HEE IN THE PARK

WILLIAMSON SQUARE, 12:00–15:30, £TBC

Family fun day featuring comedy and music as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Mon 29 Sep

LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: STAND OUT FINAL

ROYAL COURT THEATRE, 20:30–23:00, £5

Who will be the young comic of the year? Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: I AM THE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–23:00, £8

Billy Kirkwood and Chris Brooker bring their pro-wrestling influenced sketches to Liverpool Comedy Festival. CRAP BATTLES (MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:30, £3 (£1.50)

Some of the region’s finest comics challenge each other to a battle of wit in the form of a series of rib-tickling rap battles.

Manchester Art Antwerp Mansion

EVOLUTION PROJECT – GENESIS CHAPTER

6–7 SEP, 10:00PM – 3:00AM, £3

Live visual and audio experience that travels through the journey of mankind with John Ov3rblast providing ambient drone overtones.

Art with a Heart Centre JOURNEY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 7 AUG AND 28 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition seeking to understand what it truly is to journey. BEE AWARE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 9 AUG AND 28 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A mixed media arts display raising awareness of the environmental issues faced by the decline of the bee population.

A triple-headlining night of comedy led by MC Neil Fitzmaurice. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: WACKY WOODY’S COMEDY MAGIC SHOW

ROYAL COURT THEATRE, 14:30–16:30, £5

Comedy magician appears as part of the festival.

THE SKINNY

Art

Manchester Bureau

TOWARDS MONUMENTAL SCULPTURE

25 AUG – 3 OCT, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

New exhibition by local artist Noel Clueit who utilises every day objects to explore authorship, reproduction and the relationship between reference material and the representation of objects.

Bury Art Gallery and Museum ASIA TRIENNIAL: SCINTILLA FROM OUR SUN

6 SEP–29 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Taiwanese artist Hsiao-Chi Tsai teams up with Japan’s Kimiya Yoshikawa on a sculptural exhibition exploring colour, shape and form dervied from post-industrial materials.

Castlefield Gallery

ASIA TRIENNIAL: HARDEEP PANDHAL

27 SEP–23 NOV, 1:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

Fictional characters and narratives arise from Hardeep Pandhal’s multi-disciplinary work, which balances trauma with laughter. LAUNCH PAD: LITERACY

5–14 SEP, NOT 8, 9, 1:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

A solo exhibition by the Duchamp and Beuys-inspired artist Martin Hamblen, whose work focuses on the process and the everyday. Literacy looks at how we read maps, interpret and remember borders, and the way lines are drawn in the sand.

Centre For Chinese Contemporary Art

CHRIS SHEN: FIRST STEP SHOWCASE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 10 MAY AND 13 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The Manchester-based artist takes over the CFCCA stairwell with his innovative project exploring our day to day relationship with technology, encouraging the viewer to consider the impact. NORMAL POOL LEVEL

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 3 JUL AND 6 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Spanish artist Jorge Manes Rubio presents an exhibition of work following a two-month residency in China, during which he explored the impact of the Yangtze River and its role in creating a disconnect between past and future. JORGE MAÑES RUBIO

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 3 JUL AND 6 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Seethway project founder Jorge Mañes Rubio presents the results of a two month=long residency spent in China. ASIA TRIENNIAL: BI RONGRONG

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2 AUG AND 1 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A three month residency as part of the Asia Triennial sees artist Bi Ronrong explore Manchester’s nature with the nature that it has built up around. Primarily a drawer, Bi Rongrong will also be incorporating photography into her artistic explorations.

Common

SAILING THROUGH THE TREES: CAROLINE DOWSETT + ALEX T. FRAZER

4 APR – 24 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

The latest exhibition to take over Common will see local illustrators and makers Caroline Dowsett and Alex T. Frazer tell the story of a man lost at sea and his heartbroken wife.

THE GRAVEHOUNDS OF BONE STREET

28 AUG – 1 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

From artist collective Skull Paradise - made up of illustrators and designers from Brighton, London and Leeds - comes a cartoon world of leather wearing, motorbike riding, bad attitude, degenerate street dogs.

September 2014

FLAGS FROM ANOTHER PLACE 25 SEP – 1 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

Aliyah Hussain’s Flags From Another Place focuses on an imagined visual identity for a fictitious world that may or may not be like Earth, using only the flags of each country as a form of expression of individuality for these potentially complex nations.

Contact

FUTURE FIRES: THE NEGATIVES

29 SEP – 19 DEC, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 10:00AM – 11:00PM, FREE

Photography exhibition courtesy of the Companions which attempts to shed light on the homeless situation in the UK. THE FUTURE: CONTEXT

29 SEP – 19 DEC, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 10:00AM – 11:00PM, FREE

REACTIONS14: VERTICAL ECHOES BY BILL FONTANA 16 MAY – 21 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Sound artist and composer Bill Fontana presents a specially commissioned installation, as part of the Imperial War Museum’s Reactions14 series, inviting artists to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

REACTIONS14: THE SLEEPING GREEN BETWEEN BY JENNIFER VICKERS

14 JUN – 21 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Textile artist Jennifer Vickers presents a specially commissioned quilt inspired by her connections to the past – part of the Imperial War Museum’s Reactions14 series, inviting artists to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

MMU: Special Collections

TIGERS, CATERPILLARS AND OTHER WILD THINGS: CHILDREN’S BOOKS IN THE 1960S

16 JUN – 5 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of much-loved children’s books of the 1960s, featuring well-known publishers such as Ladybird and Puffin, and authors and illustrators including Eric Carle, Roald Dahl, Alan Garner and Dr Seuss.

Manchester Art Gallery

SCULPTURAL FORMS: A CENTURY OF EXPERIMENT

13 MAR – 7 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

A series of individually designed typographic prints by The Future’s Lisa Mattocks, featuring commissions by Marina Abramovic, Quarantine’s Richard Gregory, Forced Entertainment’s Tim Etchells and more.

22 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Pakistan’s 2011 Sharjah Biennial Prize winner and Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year Imran Qureshi exhibits as part of the Asia Triennial.

A three part exhibition – split into The Human Condition, Abstraction and Transformations – exploring the boundaries between sculpture, craft and design, and the ways the form has been re-invented over the years.

Cornerhouse

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

19–14 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

GEMMA PARKER & LAYLA SAILOR

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 31 JUL AND 9 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Bonded by an interest in subverting the female form, artists Layla Sailor and Gemma Parker combine for this new exhibition. Sailor’s portraits focus on female imagery in politics and religion, Parker draws influence from transgender muse Grace Oni Smith. AUTOPORTRAITS IN LOVE-LIKE CONDITIONS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 6 SEP AND 2 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

A multi-disciplinary exhibition including mixed forms of media, Riza Shaheen’s new work is the result of 12 months spent in Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong and focuses on silent tales of love and the connections between people. VIRGIN WITH A MEMORY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 6 SEP AND 2 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

The first major solo exhibition by artist, filmmaker and writer Sophia Al-Maria takes it cue from her unfinishe first feature film, Beretta – rape-revenge thriller following mute heroine Suad who embarks on a killing spree, murdering men who harass her. SHAUNIE BARTON

11–14 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Shaunie Barton’s drawings come from the subconscious and find their way onto silk screen prints, embossed with geometric shapes – referencing nothing than the grey matter from which they are born.

Federation House FLAT_PAK

11 SEP, 7:30PM – 11:00PM, FREE

A live project providing a platform for discussion surrounding the curation of live art and performance and featuring local artists. OPEN STUDIOS

6 SEP, 2:00PM – 8:00PM, FREE

Castlefield Art Gallery throw the doors open to their new space to showcase the work of local artists, including Chris Chapman, Lisa Denyer, Holly Rowan Hesson, Saoirse Higgins, Julie Del’hopital, James Moss, Val Murray and Lynn Pilling.

Gallery of Costume SOMETHING BLUE

1 AUG – 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Eighteen wedding dresses, worn by mill workers to woman serving in the air force as well as art world figures Kathleen Soriano and Maria Balshaw, are exhibited in a celebration of bridal fashion over the past 100 years.

Imperial War Museum North

ASIA TRIENNIAL: IMRAN QURESHI

ASIA TRIENNIAL: ZARINA BHIMJI

Former Turner nominee Zarina Bhimji exhibits a photograph from her work Here was Uganda, as if in the vastness of India, 1999-2001.

ASIA TRIENNIAL: BASHIR MAKHOUL

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

COTTON COUTURE

A collection of designer dresses and suits donated by the Cotton Board, a Manchester-based organisation tasked with increasing the use of cotton in couture to bump up cotton exports.

Installation artist Bashir Makhloul explores the kinds of spaces that emerge in sites of conflict, from mock cities built for military training purposes to temporary settlements constructed for refugees.

NATURAL FORCES: ROMANTICISM & NATURE

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Jewellery exhibition by avantgarde contemporary jeweller and artist Bernhard Schobinger, who uses objects found and new to create his work.

ASIA TRIENNIAL: SHEZAD DAWOOD

Working across film, painting and sculpture, Shezad Dawood appropriates imagery relating to ancient magical systems and feminine cults in exhibition Babalon Rising. ASIA TRIENNIAL: ALINAH AZADEH

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A British artist of Iranian heritage, Azadeh’s exhibition Child’s Play is a sculptural installation that assesses revolution and displacement by conflict. ASIA TRIENNIAL: SOPHIE ERNST

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Dutch video artist concerned with political turmoil.

ASIA TRIENNIAL: SHAMSIA HASSANI

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Afghani street artist who’s graffiti is set to takeover the exterior of the Imperial War Museum throughout the Triennial. ASIA TRIENNIAL: NALINI MALANI

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Video artist inspired by writings by Christa Wolf and Rainer Maria Rilke, and concerned with the status of women in Indian society. ASIA TRIENNIAL: AMAN MOJADIDI

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Mojadidi is American-born but now lives in Kabul in Afghanistan, where he’s been credited with the resurgence in the turbulent city’s art scene. ASIA TRIENNIAL: DARK BORDER DEVELOPMENTS PRESENT POP-UP REPUBLICS

27 SEP–23 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Invited artists from the US, UK, Japan and Taiwan will – through their own practices – produce micro-nations capable of existing within a shipping container.

International Anthony Burgess Foundation BUTTERWORTH: THE USE AND ABUSE OF BOOKS

15 AUG – 4 SEP, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

Curated by writer and publisher Michael Butterworth and the Exhibition Centre, this exhibition spans Butterworth’s career from New Worlds, Corridor, banned publications, police raids and David Britton’s imprisonment with Savoy, to more recent work.

12–12 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

A collection of early 1800s Romantic works focused on the idea of nature as a force. THE RINGS OF SATURN

5 JUN – 19 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Manchester Craft and Design Centre ASIA TRIENNIAL: SWAGS AND TAILS

27 SEP–31 JAN, 10:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE

Textile artist Kashif Nadim Chaudry’s work draws on his journey finding an identity as a Britishborn, Pakistani, gay Muslim.

PAPER #16: THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THOUGHT

The Lowry

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 20 SEP AND 1 NOV, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

19 JUL – 12 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

The latest group exhibition from the Paper Gallery, featuring the work of Allan Bech, Jenny Core, Aly Helyer, Shinbo Hiroshi, Paraic Leahy, Sharon Leahy- Clark, Richard Meaghan, Hannah Wooll and Wen Wu.

People’s History Museum #SELFIE_SHOW-OFF

17 AUG – 9 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A variety of media is used to create abstract pieces that develop a matter of sub consciousness between artist Karol Kochanowski’s practice and the issue of contemporary world.

Rogue Artists Studios TWIN HEAT

20 SEP – 5 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

New artist label Caustic Coastal launch their first showcase with a collaborative exhibition between artists Russell Hill and Leonard Johansson.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery REINCARNATED RUBBISH

19 JUL – 2 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

Touring exhibition from artist Val Hunt, who takes discarded every day objects and re-configures them to create something new and beautiful.

The John Rylands Library ECHO AND NARCISSUS

11 AUG – 9 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Echo and Narcissus pays tribute to literary heroines through the ages in a series of photographs, mirrors and etchings.

HERE’S ONE WE MADE EARLIER

An exhibition bringing together 90 years of BBC Children’s broadcasting – from Children’s Hour in 1922 to our present day state of grubby fingers on interactive tablet screens – showcasing the programmes, characters and presenters of the past and present.

The Portico Library RICHARD FITTON

3–27 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

Solo exhibition by Oldham’s Richard Fitton, who paints in oils on board. Focusing on the study and feel of form, space and structure rather than representation, his work often strays into the abstract, with subjects ranging from landscape to portrait.

Touchstones

ASIA TRIENNIAL: SANCTUARY

26 SEP–28 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Working Class Movement Library

Dot Art

19–20 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of original illustrations and limited edition prints from the wide ranging career of satirical illustrator and cartoonist Phil Disley. From controversial political magazine covers to light-hearted topical cartoons, the Liverpool-based artist has gone worldwide with his often humour work.

THE QUIET BATH

Facade Theatre’s The Quiet Bath examines the lack of emphasis placed in a digital, clinical culture on being outdoors in naturally occurring environments - and the effect this has on the human psyche. Utilising the digital technology that cuts us off from the reality of our surroundings, as a way to enhance them, The Quiet Bath is an offer of a reflective moment to anyone who wants to stop, be present, be still.

Various venues ASIA TRIENNIAL: HARMONIOUS SOCIETY

26 SEP – 23 NOV, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

A collection of over 30 Chinese contemporary artists that responds to the Triennial’s theme of conflict and compassion.

Sanctuary draws on the fusion of artist Rosa Nguyen’s Vietnamese and French background and imbues her interest in Buddhist and Zen philosophies within her installations.

Liverpool Art

Twenty Twenty Two

24 Kitchen Street

COCKADOODLE: THE EROGENOUS ART OF MAURICE VELLEKOOP

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 15 AUG AND 13 SEP, 4:00PM – 11:00PM, FREE

The New Yorker and Voguefeatured Canadian artist makes his European solo exhibition debut, showcasing his contribution to illustration, underground comics and contemporary erotica.

Untitled Gallery THINKING OUT LOUD

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 23 AUG AND 20 SEP, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

New exhibition by Teesside University senior lecturer and artist Jo Hamill.

IN BETWEEN WALLS

22–24 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A multimedia exhibition exploring the relationship between architecture, history and how we evolve in between the walls of a city.

Arena Gallery MORE THAN OR EQUAL

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 11 SEP AND 28 SEP, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Part of the Liverpool Biennial.

POLITICAL FOOTBALL: ILLUSTRATIONS BY PHIL DISLEY

8 SEP – 24 OCT, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

Eggspace SOMEWHERE ELSE

4 JUL – 26 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

A group exhibition of painting, drawing, photography & printmaking as part of independents Liverpool Biennial.

Exhibition Research Centre LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL: TOTAL ART

7 JUL – 24 OCT, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A showcase of work by Liverpool artist Adrian Henri, shining a light on his work from the 60s and 70s – a highly collaborative and creative period of his life.

FACT

ELLIE HARRISON: EARLY WARNING SIGNS

9 MAY – 31 DEC, TIMES VARY, FREE

Touring exhibition of Harrison’s four signs that utilise brash marketing techniques to draw attention to climate change. LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL: SHARON LOCKHART

5 JUL – 26 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

The American artist and filmmaker presents a solo exhibition of new and existing work, including a new commission created for the Liverpool Biennial in which she explores the politics of labour and leisure.

Manchester Jewish Museum FOUR FOUR JEW: FOOTBALL, FANS AND FAITH

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 MAR AND 21 SEP, TIMES VARY, £3.95 (£2.95)

An exhibition exploring the ways Britain’s Jews have taken to the beautiful game, tracing football’s roots from the 19th century to the present day.

Museum of Science and Industry

COME CLOSER: WINNERS OF THE WELLCOME IMAGE AWARDS 2014

12 MAR – 7 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition of images from the Wellcome Image Awards 2014 – from an x-ray of a bat, to a cross section of a flower bud – showcasing the scientists, medical professionals and image makers traversing science and art. COLLIDER

23 MAY – 28 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £7 (£5)

An immersive experience, transporting visitors to the Large Hydron Collider located at the CERN facility in Switzerland, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the world’s leading particle physics lab.

Paper Gallery

PAPER #15: UNSTABLE GROUND

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2 AUG AND 13 SEP, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The Simon Woolham-curated exhibition considers how drawing methods are related to experiences of autobiographical memory, with artists interpreting the subject across a range of mediums.

FROM STREET TO TRENCH: A WORLD WAR THAT SHAPED A REGION

5 APR – 1 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition of over 200 objects, photographs, diaries, letters and artworks from the First World War, revealing the lives shaped by the conflict. Marking the centenary of WWI.

Listings

Art

Lady Lever Art Gallery

WE BUY WHITE ALBUMS

A collection of work by PreRaphaelite painter Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s, bringing together his numerous depictions of Jane Burden Morris – the wife of poet and designer William Morris and Rossett’s favoured model.

Liverpool 14 AUG – 15 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Part of Liverpool International Music Festival, this pop-up exhibition showcases New York-based artist Rutherford Chang’s obsession with buying copies of The Beatles’ White Album.

Gostins Building NOT DARK YET

5 JUL – 25 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Recent paintings over a four-year period from the local artist, presented to coincide with the Liverpool Biennial.

International Slavery Museum LAURA FACEY: THEIR SPIRITS...

31 JAN – 7 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Jamaican artist, Laura Facey presents an exhibition exploring the cruelty of slavery and the transcendent nature of the human spirit, with her 2006 piece, Their Spirits Gone Before Them sitting at the heart of the exhibition. BRUTAL EXPOSURE: THE CONGO

24 JAN – 7 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A distressing exhibition of photographs by missionary Alice Seeley Harris, documenting her time in the Congo and exploring the brutality experienced by the Congolese people in what was probably the first photographic campaign for human rights. LIBERTY BOUND

4–5 APR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition of artifacts from one of the most important archaeological finds of recent years, unveiling a recently discovered burial ground fro ‘liberated’ African’s in Rupert’s Valley, St Helena.

ROSSETTI’S OBSESSION

20 JUN – 21 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Liverpool Cathedral

SOUTH LIVERPOOL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY EXHIBITION

29 AUG – 7 SEP, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

The local photographic society return with a diverse exhibition of more than 300 prints and digital images. THE ADVENTURES OF FLAMEBOY

1–24 SEP, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

A series of abstract paintings from Guildford-born artist Barrie West that explore how events and incidents in our past influence our behaviour in the present. Well-known in the Northeast, this marks West’s first exhibition in Liverpool. BAND OF LIFE

3 JUL – 30 SEP, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Special memorial sculpture being exhibited in memory of the 96 fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough.

Liverpool One

11 COULEUR ADDITIVE LIVERPOOL ONE, LIVERPOOL. PARIS, 2014 26 JUL – 26 OCT, 1:00AM – 1:00AM, FREE

A new Dazzle commission from Carlos Cruz-Diez, who created The Dazzle Ship as part of the ongoing Liverpool Biennial. This new piece marks a continuation of the stylistic themes of his first Merseyside-based work, spanning Thomas Steers way.

Merseyside Maritime Museum

SAIL AWAY: LIVERPOOL SHIPPING POSTERS

16 MAY – 1 JAN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition charting the evolution and design development in shipping posters between 1888 and 1980.

Model TOMTOM

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 6 SEP AND 28 SEP, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

Assembling sculpture, painting, film, drawing, installation and various curatorial practices together in Liverpool by 10 of the most interesting Tom’s, TOMTOM examines and simultaneously exposes the profusion of artists with the name Tom operating in the UK today – because why not eh? COMBINES #4

24–28 SEP, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

An exercise in artistic process and intuition, the Combines series offers a Liverpool artist the chance to invite two further artists to collaborate with, picking one of their existing pieces and recontextualising it spontaneously.

Museum of Liverpool

APRIL ASHLEY: PORTRAIT OF A LADY

27–21 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A exhibition exploring the life of April Ashley, the Liverpool-born Vogue model and actress and one of the first people in the world to undergo gender reassignment surgery. FIRST WORLD WAR

23 JUL – 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A special display reflecting on Liverpool’s Home Front, exploring some lesser-known stories; did everyone rush to support the war effort? And were all women empowered by the experience? Just some of the questions asked and answered.

Open Eye Gallery

NOT ALL DOCUMENTS ARE RECORDS: PHOTOGRAPHING EXHIBITIONS AS AN ART FORM

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 JUL AND 31 OCT, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE

As part of the Liverpool Biennial 2014, curator Lorenzo Fusi presents an exhibition of work documenting three key international art platforms through the lens of a camera, asking questions if this practice can be elevated above documentation to art form.

Sudley House

20TH CENTURY CHIC: 100 YEARS OF WOMEN’S FASHION 10 MAY – 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A collection of 12 evening outfits spanning 1900 to 2000, charting the changing role of women in society throughout this period, and how these changes were reflected in the fashion of the time.

Tate Liverpool DLA PIPER SERIES: CONSTELLATIONS

2 JUN – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A NEEDLE WALKS INTO A HAYSTACK: CLAUDE PARENT 5 JUL – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Parent’s radical intervention transforms the Wolfson Gallery with ramps and slanted floors, creating a new platform for viewing the existing works housed at the Tate. Part of Liverpool Biennial 2014.

TATE COLLECTION: SPECIAL DISPLAY

5 JUL – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A new collection on display from the Tate’s collection, making links between the gallery space and the familiar interior of the home. Part of Liverpool Biennial 2014. DAZZLE SHIP

24 JUN – 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez presents a contemporary dazzle ship – a technique used throughout WWI and WWII to camouflage ships – dazzling The Edmund Gardner, situated in the dry dock adjacent to Albert Dock. Part of Liverpool Biennial 2014.

The Bluecoat

A NEEDLE WALKS INTO A HAYSTACK: JAMES MCNEILL WHISTLER

An exhibition displaying ‘trigger’ artworks surrounded by groups, or ‘constellations’, of artworks from the same period. With the first floor open you’ll be able to see five ‘trigger’ artworks from before 1960, from artists including Picasso and Pollock.

5 JUL – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

6 JUN – 5 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £10 (£7.50)

LOST IS FOUND THEORY

NASREEN MOHAMEDI

Paintings, drawings and photographs by celebrated Indian artist Nasreen Mohademi are set to go on display for her largest solo exhibition in the UK, introducing visitors to her varied practice within the modernist tradition. MONDRIAN AND HIS STUDIOS

6 JUN – 5 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £10 (£7.50)

Marking 70 years since his death, Tate Liverpool brings together a special exhibition of work by Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian, complete with a life size reconstruction of his Paris studio.

A collection of paintings, prints, drawings, sound, ephemera and key correspondences by American artist James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) exploring his varied practice and how he paved the way for abstract painting.

The Brink

4 JUL – 26 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

A series of old and new mixed media works from artist Leon Jakeman. MATCHBOX CITY

4 JUL – 26 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Site specific micro-city installations created by participants from the Whitechapel Centre – a service dealing with people affected by homelessness.

The Cornerstone Gallery TEN

7 JUL – 10 OCT, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 9:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The Cornerstone Gallery mark their tenth year with a special exhibition, showcasing some of the 200 artists who have seen their work up on the walls over the past ten years.

The Old Blind School

A NEEDLE WALKS INTO A HAYSTACK: GROUP SHOW

5 JUL – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

As part of Mai Abu ElDahab and Anthony Huberman’s Liverpool Biennial-curated A Needle Walks Into a Haystack, this group show involves 16 artists presenting new work, including Berlin-based sculptor Judith Hopf and Swiss and installation artist Marc Bauer.

The Reader Gallery

DEPICTIONS OF LAND AND SEA: BY CAROL MILLER AND JACKIE WAGG

5 SEP – 5 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Landscape scenery exhibition showcasing the work of local artists.

The Royal Standard

FRAMES OF REFERENCE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 22 AUG AND 26 SEP, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

Running concurrently alongside the Liverpool Biennial, this exhibition by sculptor and visual artist Sam Smith uses a selection of current and historic moving image formats to explore how objects can change when viewed through the cinematic lens.

HYDROZOAN

THE AUDOBON GALLERY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 27 SEP AND 25 OCT, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 11 OCT AND 19 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Liverpool Biennial fringe event by artist Joey Holder, who sees no object or substance in any fixed state - exploring this through different uses of technology, including computer program interfaces, screen savers and measuring devices.

The World Museum

BLOOMBERG NEW CONTEMPORARIES

20 SEP – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Championing final year students, graduates and artists ony year out of study, the Bloomberg New Contemporary exhibition is a regular in the Biennial calendar and a constant champion of burgeoning artistic talent worldwide.

Various venues LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL: THE COMPANION

19–21 SEP, 9:30PM – 11:00PM, FREE

A performance project conceived in collaboration with artist and writer Angie Keefer. Inspired by the ancient symposium form, performance pieces featuring a multitude of artists will take place around various venues www.biennial.com for more details.

Victoria Gallery and Museum

NORTH WEST AND BEYOND: JAMES HAMILTON HAY

Permanent gallery of wildlife artist and naturalist John James Audubon. BRITISH ART

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 JAN AND 30 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Permanent collection including work by Joseph Wright of Derby.

Walker Art Gallery

JOHN BATES AT JEAN VARON

13 MAY – 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A collection of 12 outfits from John Bates’ Jean Varon label go on display at the Walker Art Gallery, including a red velvet mini dress worn by Twiggy in a Vogue photo shoot in 1967. JOHN MOORES PAINTING PRIZE

5 JUL – 30 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The prestigious painting prize returns for another year, with an exhibition of work by the 52 shortlisted artists working across landscapes, portraits, abstract and sculptural works. See the full list of shortlisted artists here. AZTECS IN LIVERPOOL: MICHAEL NYMAN

5 JUL – 26 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Michael Nyman presents a two screen installation of still and moving images, including footage collected by Nyman over the past 20 years in Mexico, his newly adopted home. Part of Liverpool Biennial 2014.

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 22 APR AND 29 AUG, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition of drypoint prints by 19th century Merseyside etcher and painter, James Hamilton Hay, documenting his travels throughout the UK with his striking landscape prints. ART SHEDS

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 JUL AND 25 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Installation artist Susan Forsyth re-creates the sheds that first housed Liverpool’ School of Architecture and Applied Art in an exhibition run to celebrate the Biennial season in Liverpool.

RUN ALL OVER HEART DISEASE HAREWOOD HOUSE HALF MARATHON Sunday 8 February

FIGHT FOR EVERY HEARTBEAT bhf.org.uk

Listings

Under the Influence: Nick Oliveri Currently touring with Californian punk veterans BL’AST! while readying a hard-hitting new solo LP, Leave Me Alone, the rock world’s most prolific wildman retraces the soundtrack to his adolescence

hese are the records of my youth that I still think stand up today. I collect vinyl; I’ve had to sell some over the years and I’ve bought them back for way more than I should’ve paid, but at the end of the day you can’t really be a musician without music now, can you? 1. Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970) I always turn to Black Sabbath’s self-titled – their first. It’s probably the heaviest record I’ve heard to date – even though there are a lot of heavy records out there – really doomy stuff. But if you think about the time – the year – this came out. The inverted cross on the inlay card – it’s pretty wicked-looking. Everything about it – from the first chord you hear, the D flat – it’s just heavy. It can’t really be messed with. Kyuss learned a lot from Sabbath – you can hear it on Blues for the Red Sun. But then Sabbath are obviously a key factor in a lot of bands.

come. To think, I saw them when I was a kid with a band I find myself playing in now – BL’AST! – back in ‘88. BL’AST! opened up for them in Long Beach at Fender’s Ballroom. It’s all come full circle. Troops of Tomorrow is the record! 6. The Ramones – Road to Ruin (1978) It may seem kinda obvious to say it, but The Ramones are also one of my all-time favourites – I’ll have to go for Road to Ruin here. I know it’s not the first three, with Tommy on ‘em. Well, he produced it but Marky took over on drums. It’s still badass though. You can sing along with every song on there.

7. Roky Erickson – The Evil One (1980) Seek this out – every song on this album is like a horror movie. It’s pretty fantastic. He’s got a great voice and a pretty interesting approach to songwriting. Roky got dealt 2. AC/DC – Back in Black (1980) a bad hand when he was institutionalised and A soundtrack for me at first was given forced electroshock therapy, I can’t even AC/DC – Back in Black. I do like imagine the impact that must have had – there Highway to Hell and Bon Scott a was a point where he hadn’t put out a record for lot, but Brian Johnson’s a badass about 14 years, so it was pretty great to hear him too, no doubt about it. This first record with him record with Okkervil River a few years ago. He’s was just incredible. I remember smoking weed for playing live shows again too, which is a victory. the first time and that was on in the background at the party I was at. I don’t know if I actually got laid that night, but I think I did! Anyway, AC/ DC were usually playing during every great ‘first’ experience I ever had in my youth. 3. Motörhead – No Remorse (1984) I know it’s a greatest hits record but I think No Remorse – which had the four new songs at the time on it – is one of their most representative. I saw Motörhead for the first time on the Orgasmatron tour in the spring of ’87 and it was pretty amazing. I remember Cro-Mags opened up, it was just an insane experience for a child – I was 14 years old. Man, it was beyond everything you might imagine a rock show could be at that age, I was so in awe of it. They were larger than life. Having Phil Campbell play on my new record was a thrill – he’s a master. 4. Black Flag – My War (1984) When it comes to Black Flag? It’s My War for sure. This record’s just so pissed off and to the point. It’s another classic, and it’s still what I listen to if I need to get pumped up for a gig. The title track still sounds so furious and powerful – good on Chuck Dukowski for writing that one, just riffing on bass. I think what made that band work so well is that they were such different players to almost everything else that was known as punk rock at the time in the United States, and even today. I wish I was that calibre of player. They took such a unique approach to – literally – attacking their instruments. 5. The Exploited – Troops of Tomorrow (1982) The Exploited are great – one of my all-time favourites. I love that band and Wattie Buchan’s as charismatic a frontman as they

September 2014

“Slayer’s version of what metal could be was so different to what anyone else was thinking at the time; this was revolutionary” Nick Oliveri

8. Slayer – Reign in Blood (1986) I think this and the Sabbath record we spoke about are probably the best and heaviest of metal, in my opinion and in my heart. Slayer’s version of what metal could be was so different to what anyone else was thinking at the time; this was revolutionary. It’s innovative in every way, an onslaught of power and intelligent lyrical content. That record, from start to finish, it’s like getting your ass kicked and you’re on the ground saying ‘No more!’ But they’re still kicking you and you’re kind of stoked about it, like, ‘OK guys, cool – keep doing it.’ Brutal. They influenced so many bands. There are no barriers. And Dave Lombardo on drums? Just insane. 9. Subhumans – From the Cradle to the Grave (1984) Now, the title track for this is a 17-minute song that takes up the entire B-side. They have shorter tracks that last for a couple of minutes – sometimes less – but by this point they were just jamming. It’s still a pretty

flawless record. Musically, they were insane, and I love it. Lyrically, they’re on another plane too. 10. Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin (1968) The story I heard about this record – and you can kind of hear it – is that they were just recording their gig setlist live, from start to finish, in the studio. That’s pretty great. I don’t know if there are any guitar overdubs on there, I think Jimmy Page just goes with the lead while JPJ and John Bonham are holding it down on the bass and drums. I think it’s important to have that kind of power in a band, to just

MUSIC

go in and nail it live. That doesn’t seem to be the way things are done these days. I guess with computers you don’t have to. That approach influenced a lot of the bands I was fortunate enough to be a part of in my youth, like Kyuss – we would go into the studio playing live and looking each other in the eye and trying to get it down in a full take. For me, Led Zeppelin captures the way a rock record should be made. Man, I wish I could make a record like that but I don’t have the skills or the gear Jimmy has. Pretty fantastic. Leave Me Alone is released on 15 Sep via Schnitzel Records facebook.com/rexeverything666

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