The Skinny Northwest September 2015 by The Skinny

BOOK NOW: 0161 832 1111 MANchesteracademy.net THE WILDHEARTS

PERFORMING P.H.U.Q. IN ITS ENTIRETY FRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER

PEACE

FORMERLY THE MDH

THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER

WALK OFF THE EARTH FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER

HAWKTOBERFEST 2015: HAWKWIND + RUTS DC SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER

DOORS 4.30PM / SHOW 5PM

ALVVAYS

THURSDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER

PARADISE LOST

WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER

STEREO MC’S

HUNTER HAYES - LET’S BE CRAZIER UK TOUR

BUZZCOCKS

BEAR’S DEN

+ URIZEN SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

+ MARION +GOLDBLADE SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER

TUESDAY 6TH OCTOBER DOORS 4PM

MIGUEL

SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER

GARY NUMAN

A “JOY DIVISION” CELEBRATION PERFORMING UNKNOWN PLEASURES & CLOSER AND FEATURING AN OPENING SET OF NEW ORDER MATERIAL + EL TEN ELEVEN FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER

FROM THE JAM + THE UNDERTONES + THE BEAT DOORS 4PM

SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

THURSDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

EVILE

THE SWORD

GAZ COOMBES

JOLANGA

ELIZA AND THE BEAR

FEATURING HELLS BELLS, BLACK ROSE AND STATE OF QUO FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER

THE ICICLE WORKS SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER

UNPLUGGED FOR AUTISM THURSDAY 15TH OCTOBER

PROTOJE

FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER

+ FALSE ADVERTISING + LITTLE ILLUSION MACHINE + WE SIGNAL FIRE SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER

EXTRACTION FESTIVAL FT: [SPUNGE]

HOFFMAESTRO

WHEATUS

SCOTT WEILAND & THE WILDABOUTS

XENTRIX

AGAINST THE CURRENT

SKINDRED

BATTLES

RALEIGH RITCHIE

DELAIN

BLITZ KIDS

REEL BIG FISH

RAINTOWN

INSANE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP: LIVE FOREVER

WOLFSBANE

HEAVEN 17

SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER

+ CROSSFAITH SATURDAY 7TH NOVEMBER

GARBAGE - 20 YEARS QUEER FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER

THE WEDDING PRESENT

+ THE VASELINES + CINERAMA + EMMA POLLOCK DOORS 6PM SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER

FUSE ODG

MONDAY 16TH NOVEMBER

HAPPY MONDAYS

THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER

MEGADOG: DREADZONE + EAT STATIC + SYSTEM 7

+ DJ MICHAEL DOG + MC TBAG + VJ’S PEEKA & EEFEE DOORS 9PM - 4AM SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER

FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS TUESDAY 24TH NOVEMBER

A TRIBUTE TO MANCH25STER FT:

THE CLONE ROSES - THE OASIS EXPERIENCE THESE SMITHS - TRUE ORDER

PLUS SPECIAL GUEST DJ PHIL BECKETT (STONE ROSES TOUR DJ) DOORS 7PM - 12AM FRIDAY 4TH DECEMBER

NEW MODEL ARMY

THURSDAY 22ND OCTOBER SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER MONDAY 26TH OCTOBER

FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER

SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER

THIRD EYE BLIND

THURSDAY 5TH NOVEMBER

YELAWOLF

FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER

IMPERICON NEVER SAY DIE! TOUR 2015 FT: THE AMITY AFFLICTION + DEFEATER + BEING AS AN OCEAN + CRUEL HAND + FIT FOR A KING + BURNING DOWN ALASKA MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER

SATURDAY 10TH OCTOBER

AMBER RUN

FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER

DARLIA

THURSDAY 5TH NOVEMBER

FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER

NORTHSIDE

WEDNESDAY 14TH OCTOBER

DOORS 6.30PM

SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER

SEPULTURA - 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR TUESDAY 17TH NOVEMBER

SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER

THE WOODENTOPS PERFORM ‘GIANT’

HIATUS KAIYOTE

LUCY ROSE

MOTIONLESS IN WHITE

MONDAY 19TH OCTOBER

SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER

DAN BAIRD & HOMEMADE SIN

THE LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS

SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER

SATURDAY 28TH NOVEMBER

Y&T

MATT BERRY AND THE MAYPOLES

TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER

WEDNESDAY 2ND NOVEMBER

GRAVEYARD

THE ZOMBIES

WEDNESDAY 9TH DECEMBER

THURSDAY 5TH NOVEMBER

THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER

THE PARLOTONES FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER

PERIPHERY

+ VEIL OF MAYA SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER

LEAVES EYES

KATZENJAMMER

SATURDAY 7TH NOVEMBER

SUNDAY 15TH NOVEMBER

TRACER

THE DARKNESS - BLAST OF OUR KIND TOUR

THE FRATELLIS

MONDAY 16TH NOVEMBER

JESUS JONES

KREPT & KONAN

MY LIFE STORY

THURSDAY 19TH NOVEMBER

facebook.com/manchesteracademy

FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER

SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER

+ THE DUB PISTOLS + GUN + TV SMITH DOORS 4.30PM / SHOW 5PM SATURDAY 5TH DECEMBER THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER

+ VOLUMES + THE ACACIA STRAIN + HELLIONS WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER

SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER

CRADLE OF FILTH

THURSDAY 22ND OCTOBER

FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER

ENSLAVED

BLACKBERRY SMOKE FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER

HAYSEED DIXIE NORTHLANE

+ ACID REIGN + SHRAPNEL SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER

SUNDAY 18TH OCTOBER

THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER

+ WHITMORE + PHINIUS GAGE + FIGHTS & FIRES + RED LIGHT REBELS FRIDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER

SATURDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER POSTPONED FROM 27TH SEPTEMBER 2014 - ORIGINAL TICKETS REMAIN VALID

WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

GZA – ‘LIQUID SWORDS’ 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

MACHINAE SUPREMACY

WEDNESDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER

CLASSIC ROCK TRIBUTE TOUR

PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT

LA GUNS’ TRACII GUNS

WEDNESDAY 7TH OCTOBER THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER

SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER

+ LOUISE DISTRAS SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER

GEORGE THE POET

WEDNESDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER

MOSTLY AUTUMN

SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER

THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE

+ JERAMIAH FERRARI FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER

BOYCE AVENUE FRIDAY 9TH OCTOBER

FORMERLY THE CELLAR

FORMERLY THE HOP & GRAPE

@manchesteracademy

THURSDAY 12TH NOVEMBER FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER

MANCHESTER ACADEMY PRESENTS SWEET BILLY PILGRIM WEDNESDAY 2ND SEPTEMBER

BITERS

THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER

FOR UP TO DATE LISTINGS VISIT MANChesteracademy.net

P.22 Company of Elders

P.34 Ant Hamblyn

P.49 Helena Hauff

September 2015

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 30, September 2015 ÂŠ 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 22,710 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.

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

Lauren Strain Jamie Dunn Simon Jay Catling Dave Kerr Sacha Waldron Holly Rimmer-Tagoe Daniel Jones John Stansfield Kate Pasola Alexandra Fiddes Jamie Faulkner John Donaghy Alecia Marshall Paul Mitchell

Production Production Manager Designer Sub Editor Editorial Assistant

Amy Minto Thom Isom Kristian Doyle Will Fitzpatrick

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Sigrid Schmeisser

General Manager

Kyla Hall

Editor-in-Chief Chief Operating Officer Publisher

Rosamund West Lara Moloney Sophie Kyle

Printed on 100% recycled paper

Contents

THE SKINNY

Photo: Katja Ruge

P.16 Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Contents Up Front 06

Chat & Opinion: Welcome to the magazine; Find fine dining philosophy in What Are You Having For Lunch?; last minute news with Stop the Presses; plus Spot the Difference, Shot of the Month and more freakily accurate foresight from BALLS.

08 Heads Up: Step one: turn to page 8. Step two: peruse comprehensive cultural calendar. Step three: go do loads of exciting stuff. See, we even give you instructions.

Lifestyle 31

Travel: The grim reality of home, after the a once in a lifetime adventure = living with the travel hangover.

Deviance: On the troubles of acne, the power of concealer, and the rise of free bleeding.

Features 10

We get prepped for Liverpool Psych Fest by picking the brains of Sacred Bones manager Taylor Brode; with some of the finest records of the year under their belts, she gives us the lowdown on the Brooklyn label’s history and ethos.

With new mini-LP Another One ready to roll, indie eccentric Mac DeMarco discusses selling his shoes and inviting his fans round for BBQs.

New Order’s Stephen Morris gives us the lowdown on the sparkling electro-pop of Music Complete.

We meet the cast of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – “The Citizen Kane of teen cancer tearjerkers.”

Didn’t make it to the Edinburgh Festival? No worry, Liverpool Comedy Festival has plenty of Fringe alumnus in its lineup along with some established names and mint-fresh local talent.

As Terry Pratchett’s final book reaches shelves this month, The Skinny looks back at an author who managed to unite literature aficionados and fantasy fans alike

20 Rising Euro-lit star Oscar Coop-Phane

We catch up with Manchester poetry collective Stirred Poetry about new writing, equality and speaking out; plus we speak to someone who fell for acting at 60 thanks to Royal Exchange’s Company of Elders

Art: Reviews of Constellations at Tate Liverpool and the Whitworth’s M+ Sigg Collection: Chinese art, 1970s to now.

Film: A very Scottish Macbeth, plus Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and The Messenger feature in this round-up of the month’s cinematic treats.

Tom Kwei tells us about the release of his spoken-word-based drama series

Are we going through a renaissance in British film? We poll our film writers to find the best British films of this decade. So far.

Glaswegian virtuoso C Duncan tells us about labours of love and his fondness for turning “gibberish” into art.

September 2015

Clubs: Hamburg-based DJ Helena Hauff reveals eight of her favourite tracks and we put five questions to Glenn Astro, plus all of September’s clubbing highlights.

no signs of dimming on new album Sun Coming Down.

Music: We take in Deerhoof and Rolo Tomassi live; new releases from Julia Holter, Battles, Kurt Vile and dozens more; plus a word with the minds behind Dublin's Girl Band.

Tech: We ask the question: is social media changing the way we think?

30 Ought’s hyperactive hive mind shows

Food & Drink: Our annual Food and Drink Survey is back for a third year, plus reviews of Liverpool tapas joint Neon Jamon and Ariana, one of the jewels of Rusholme’s Curry Mile.

White Noise approaches its 500th episode, techno baron Dave Clarke explains the similarities between EDM and Isis.

Showcase: Ant Hamblyn explores participation and the performance of viewing through technological encounters with sculptural objects and installations. Dive into his work.

Review

advises us to “never trust a writer.” We couldn’t possibly comment.

Robert Sheehan is no stranger to the supernatural – we ask whether his silver tongue ever gets him into trouble.

Fashion: Liverpool graduate FernRebekah Bywater tells us about taking inspiration from the built environment to create her sharp, structured womenswear.

DVD: New releases for classic movies, as Pickup on South Street and My Darling Clementine hit the shelves and we get the lowdown on month-long cinema celebration Scalarama. Books: Book Highlights this month include readings by Margaret Atwood, Richard Dawkins and the return of Verbose; plus reviews including Bukowski and Murakami. Comedy: Fresh from his solo show comeback, Hot Water impresario Paul Smith goes under our comedy spotlight. Competitions: Win a chance to see Akram Khan’s spectacular Kaash at The Lowry and tickets to Anthony Horowitz’s appearance at Manchester Central Library for a Manchester Literature Festival preview.

Listings: Immerse yourself in this list of cultural shindigs and happenings, lovingly compiled as our gift to you.

Out back: Slayer’s Tom Araya on the thrash titans’ uneasy relationship with fame and the rocky road to recording Repentless.

25+26 camp

and

furnacE

blade

SEPT

factory

baltic

2015

DISTRICT

triangle,

liverpool

SPIRITUALIZED

FACTORY FLOOr. THE HEADS. HOOKWORMS. BLANCK MASS. DESTRUCTION UNIT. K-X-P. THE HOLYDRUG COUPLE. INDIAN JEWELRY. JACCO GARDNER. JANE WEAVER. CARLTON MELTON. Artist

Residence

ANTON

NEWCOMBE.

KAREN GWYER. DENGUE FEVER. FEVER THE GHOST. LUMERIANS. BLACK DEVIL DISCO CLUB. tess parks + anton Newcombe. GALA DROP. sun araw. SACRED BONES RECORDS VS B Y M RECORDS. hocus focus...10 years of finders keepers records. CARDINAL FUZZ SONIC ATTACK. PLUS A FURTHER WORLD OF COMMISSIONS, CURATIONS, INSTALLATIONS + AUDIOVISUAL EXPLORATIONS... TICKETS + ACCOMMODaTiON PACKAGES AVAILABLE FROM SEETICKETS.COM PROBE RECORDS (LIVERPOOL) PICCADILLY RECORDS (MANCHESTER) + JUMBO RECORDS (LEEDS)

The Skinny September_2015.qxp_Layout 1 26/08/2015 16:27 Page 1

Stevie Nieve Plays Elvis Costello

Liverpool’s Newest Venue

MUSIC ROOM Music Room is a small, friendly and informal venue which will open its doors this October. Music Room is a home for emerging Liverpool artists, a new space for city festival events and a place to try out new things. Have a drink at the bar, grab a bite to eat and come and enjoy! Highlights announced so far include;

Saturday 10 October –

Seckou Keita: 22 Strings Monday 26 October –

9Bach

Thursday 5 November –

Rob Vincent & Gary Edward Jones Sunday 22 November –

Tom Robinson Friday 4 December –

I Am Kloot’s John Bramwell Saturday 5 December

Box Office liverpoolphil.com 0151 709 3789

Contents

o the end of this editor’s letter is usually where I stick all my exhortations for you to either come to things or do things, but to switch it up this month I’m going to stick them at the front, yes, right here, right now, are you ready?! First up: We’re excited to have teamed up with Trof to present four of the most energetic emerging acts in the North right now at a reyt good gig at The Deaf Institute on Friday 25 September. You should come because the bill comprises hypnotic psych-rockers Weirds, smart DIY outfit False Advertising and thrilling Manchester fuzz-poppers Fruit Bomb (plus secret special guests to be announced on the run-up to the show), and because tickets are a dirty cheap £3, that’s three pounds, in advance via DICE (dice.fm). You can also pick up a copy of The Skinny Student Handbook there, if you are either a new or returning student, or even if you’re neither but you just can’t get enough of The Skinny and fancy reading a sort of miniature A5 glossy Skinny as well as your monthly massive papery Skinny. (This one.) Second up: It is, disgustingly, that time of year again already where we ask you to cast your votes in The Skinny Food and Drink Survey. This year we’re opening up the voting to Leeds, too, for all you lovely readers based there (hello, almost-hometown!), as it would just be downright unfair to leave you out. So from your favourite cafe to cure a hangover in, to the hidden gem you might take a date to, and from the best greasy chippy to, oh, I don’t know, one of those thirdwave coffee shops-cum-zoological garden with an artisanal bubble tea makers’ on the side, wander over to theskinny.co.uk/food to have your say in some or all of the eight exciting categories available. So, to the issue at hand. Participation seems to be key to this month’s edition, from outfits like feminist literary collective Stirred Poetry to the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Company of Elders happy to welcome new recruits, to this month’s Showcase artist Ant Hamlyn’s interactive installations (which respond to spectators’ social media activity), to slacker pop’s current posterboy Mac DeMarco inviting listeners to his new album Another One round to his place for a cuppa. Speaking of Music, the section is a good ’un this issue with the return of dance heavyweights New Order, spiky Montreal progressives Ought and our suitably trippy cover illustration backed up by a spread on the upcoming edition of Liverpool Psych Fest, or Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia for, erm, long. Sacred Bones Records’ manager Taylor Brode tells us

about the nascence of a label that has come to play an influential role in the contemporary psych renaissance (and who’re bringing a clutch of great acts including The Holydrug Couple and Blanck Mass to this year’s fest), and we pick five unmissable acts to catch over the weekend of 25-26 Sep. And speaking of festivals, we’re also pleased to be partnering Sensoria in Sheffield, which combines thought-provoking musical artists such as Laraaji, Factory Floor and Bo Ningen with an experimental film programme (check our Film Events and Festival Watch columns for more); as well as, in Manchester, the sophomore Humanities in Public programme, which brings the academic research of Manchester Metropolitan University into the public domain through engaging and unusual events. HiP kicks off at the end of this month – this is just a heads up for now, but we’ll be going into more depth on aspects of the series in upcoming issues. Comedy gets its own festival this month, too – because it’s not like the biggest comedy festival in the world just happened, or anything – with Liverpool Comedy Festival bringing an expertly curated array of acts big and small to venues across the city, some fresh from the Fringe; turn to page 18 for our selections. Finally, it’s Manchester Literature Festival next month, too, so expect another bumper Books edition, rather like this one, in October. As ever, there’s a ton more besides, but no editor wants to push the word count. A final word for our Food and Drink editor, Jamie Faulkner, to whom we bid farewell this issue as he moves on to pastures new, after two years at the helm of The Skinny’s grub and grog enterprise. Thank you Jamie, and good luck! To the rest of you, ’til next time; like our stubborn wanderlusting Travel writer, we advise you cling to the last dregs of summer before it capitulates, wimpering, sputtering, ohyeahwaititsalreadygone. [Lauren Strain] ON THE COVER: We asked illustrator YVETTE EARL to "express the psychedelic experience through colour and shape!" And she sure did.

The October Issue: Out 6 Oct

Kagoule

Recovering in bed after a heavy session, Kagoule's Cai Burns describes Nottingham’s musical architecture, the knock-on effect of the newly built Rough Trade and how his band came to be signed by the city's premier heavy

Photo: Mark Leary

Editorial

metal label. Plus we’ll have lots of coverage of Manchester Literature Festival, and we’ll be previewing HOME’s major new in-house production, The Oresteia (Ted Hughes’ adaptation of Aeschylus’ epic drama).

Spot the Difference

This month’s Spot the Difference was inspired by real events that took place during the harrowing days of the Edinburgh Fringe. Can you tell the difference between these two hot dogs? If you think you’ve got a hunch, head along to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and tell us your thoughts. The funniest and most inventive answer will win a copy of The Well by

Catherine Chanter, courtesy of those lovely folk at Canongate. Competition closes midnight Thursday 1 Oct. 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. The winner will receive the ticket by email. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny. co.uk/about/terms-and-conditions

About Yvette: “Residing right up North in Carlisle with my three cats (can’t wait to show them the cover!), trainer collection and mountain of clothing. Big love for shapes and colour.” behance.net/yvetteearl

Online Only Eyes to the website

everything in between: theskinny.co.uk/comedy theskinny.co.uk/theatre

We’ve got loads of stuff on a million film festivals! theskinny.co.uk/film

Glasgow five-piece WHITE are a far more colourful band than the moniker might suggest. We find out how they gelled: theskinny.co.uk/music

We’ve got one bazillion gajillion reviews from the Edinburgh Fringe, from comedy to theatre and

Robots who watch you sleep. theskinny.co.uk/tech

Chat

www.jockmooney.com

We’ve got lots of reportage from the Edinburgh International Book Festival! theskinny.co.uk/books

THE SKINNY

Manchester Metropolitan University have revealed two programmes in the 2015-16 season of their Humanities in Public project. WAR will run between October and December, with highlights including an appearance by Council for At-Risk Academics executive director Stephen Wordsworth, while Gothic Manchester â&#x20AC;&#x201C; running between 22-31 Oct â&#x20AC;&#x201C; includes an exhibition and series of events at the John Rylands Library on Deansgate. More details at hssr.mmu.ac.uk. The Skinny have teamed up with The Deaf Institute for a super special gig on 25 Sep at the Manchester venue, featuring hypnotic psych-rockers Weirds, smart DIY outfit False Advertising and thrilling Manchester fuzz-poppers Fruit Bomb, alongside very special guests to be announced, plus DJs. Advance tickets are a steal at just ÂŁ3 from dice.fm. Come! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also thrilled to reveal that the winner of The Skinny Short Film Competition 2015 is CAUSTIC GULP by filmmaker Bryan M Ferguson. After a brilliant response to this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition, with over 100 emerging filmmakers from across the UK submitting work, Ferguson's striking and stylish short was chosen from a shortlist of 13 films by our judging panel, which included Glasgow Short Film Festival director Matt Lloyd, producer Rosie Crerar, filmmaker and critic Mark Cousins and The Skinnyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film editor Jamie Dunn. Watch the winning entry at theskinny.co.uk/film/short_film_competition. Leeds and the Northwest! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been beavering away at two Student Handbooks to coincide with the return of all you students out there this month! Our essential Northwest and Leeds student guides â&#x20AC;&#x201C; free, of course â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will be available from many of our usual distribution points from September, or you can come say hi and grab them from us in person at the Royal Northern College of Music Freshers Fayre (15 Sep) and the Freshers Fiesta at the University of Salford (25 Sep). Announcing a new Leeds-based singles club: Come Play With Me promise to showcase a mix of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new and more established artists in seven-inch split vinyl form. The first in the series features former Sky Larkin vocalist and current Sleater-Kinney touring member Katie Harkin, as well as Cinerama, who feature members of The Wedding Present. More info at cpwm.co.

Shot of the Month Deerhoof at Gorilla 24 Aug by Michael Barrow

After a successful first event, Deep Hedonia present Broadcast #2 at Liverpool Small Cinema on 9 Oct. Celebrating the collaborations of filmmakers and musicians around the Northwest with a collection of music videos and shorts set to new compositions, the night will also feature live performances from Black Corsea and Germanager. Deep Hedonia are looking for contributions from NW based producers, musicians, bands and filmmakers for the event. Send your videos to info@deephedonia.com. Manchester Literature Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, returning between 12-25 Oct with another typically strong billing of some of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest wordsmiths, poets and prose writers. Highlights include Simon Armitage reading from his new book Walking Away at Central Library (22 Oct), singer-songwriter Kathryn Williams performing her latest album in full at the HallĂŠ St Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s church (17 Oct) and Tim Key presenting an evening of fiction and poetry at the Burgess Foundation (17 Oct). See more at manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk. Curatorial unit The Exhibition Centre for the Life and Use of Books launch their next phase with an exhibition and gig from WE (Pil & Galia Kollectiv; â&#x20AC;&#x153;shrill synth grooves, bizarre guitar melodies, cartoon drumrolls and saxâ&#x20AC;?) and Manchester artist Onion Widow on 3 Oct at Fredâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ale House in Levenshulme. The evening is a tidy ÂŁ5 on the door (ÂŁ3 unwaged). More details at kollectiv.co.uk. Sound and Music are inviting composers to once again tell them about the professionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s realities in their second annual survey. 466 composers completed last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survey, highlighting low commission fees and the state of working conditions for professional composers. One year on, Sound and Music want to find out whether the situation is better or worse. You can find the survey at tfaforms.com/373832.

BALLS. with Mystic Mark ARIES After six months planning, number crunching and theory, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re finally ready to construct the prototype of your time travel machine. Staying late at work, it takes hours to carefully winch photocopier A upside down onto photocopier B so their scanning plates are in contact. Then, after putting on a helmet and goggles in case you break the universe, you take a deep breath and press â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;SCANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on both simultaneously.

TAURUS The only shoulder you have to cry on is the hard shoulder of the motorway.

GEMINI Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ridiculous that in this day and age we still refer to female human beings as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Worm-Men.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This despite the clear fact that ladies are hardly anything like worms. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about time you apologised to the Worm-Man in your life, for all the times you made a sexist compliment and told her how good you thought she was for the soil.

CANCER Stop searching. The meaning of life was figured out by a single-celled amoeba 3.5 billion years ago. Since then every evolutionary step forward has been a process of forgetting that singular, nightmarish truth.

Fruit Bomb will play at The Deaf Institute 25 Sep

CAUSTIC GULP, winner of The Skinny Short Film award 2015

September 2015

LEO In September you astrally project out of your body and across the infinite vastness of space only to discover that there is no fucking Wi-Fi. VIRGO After swimming with dolphins youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re alarmed to find a plastic tag attached to your ankle with cryptic characters printed all over it. LIBRA Getting bitten almost as soon as the zombie apocalypse starts is a massive disappointment, since this is real life and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no ability to respawn.

Thus you spend most of September as a ghost, hovering after your embarrassing zombie body, awkwardly apologising to the still-living people itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chasing around who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even hear your ghostly moans attempt to explain that you â&#x20AC;&#x153;wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t normally do thisâ&#x20AC;? and that you â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even like brains.â&#x20AC;? SCORPIO Last month you went to Lourdes to beg for a miracle to cure you of the flu. After God granted your wish, this month you return to rid yourself of the hepatitis C you picked up while bathing in the diseaseridden holy waters.

SAGITTARIUS After dying in a boring accident, you become the first recipient of a new Smart Coffinâ&#x201E;˘. Linked to social media feeds, the casket spins when prompted by news updates about events that would have annoyed you if still alive, from pet peeves to political leanings and sports preferences. As updates like these appear on your feed your friends find comfort knowing that in the cold earth beneath their feet your decomposing corpse is revolving like a skeleton in a salad spinner.

CAPRICORN At work you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand the meaning of the word failure, or oblong, or the meanings of any of the words for that matter. AQUARIUS After a heavy night drinking you wake up in a fox den with your pants around your ankles holding a positive pregnancy test clutched in your vice-like grip.

PISCES People just seem to want something from you all the time, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food, water or access to sunlight. Sometimes gets you questioning whether they are your real friends at all, or merely prisoners you keep trapped in your basement.

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Chat

Originally a lo-fi oddity project by Boston-born musician Luke Temple, Here We Go Magic have spent the past six years growing into a devilishly inventive pop group. Their forthcoming studio LP, Be Small, is their most realised yet, a kaleidoscopic delight of intricate grooves and melody. Soup Kitchen, Manchester, 7pm, £9

Here We Go Magic

Liverpool Small Cinema

Sun 6 Sep

Mon 7 Sep

Tue 8 Sep

Wed 9 Sep

Theatre company Ard Knox unsurprisingly don't hold back when it comes to taking on bleakly direct writing such as Karen Woods's Bagheads, which sees a heroin addict's family come to terms with his life and their part in his downfall. The Lowry: Quays Theatre, Salford, until 7 Sep, from £10.50

One of the more critically acclaimed films at this year's Sundance Film Festival comes to FACT. Dope, director Rick Famuyiwa's subversive coming-of-age misadventure comedy, sees three high school “90s hip-hop geeks” finding themelves mixed up in drug trafficking. FACT, Liverpool, until 10 Sep, prices vary

Latest Box of Tricks play Narvik sees new songs by playwright Lizzie Nunnery, based around the tale of a Liverpudlian man and a Scandinavian woman pulled together by the horrors of war, in a tale of love, guilt, heroism and betrayal. Everyman Playhouse Studio, Liverpool, until 19 Sep, from £10

Undoubtedly the commercial success story of the psych revival, Australians Tame Impala have ironically made their greatest leap with an album of deftly orchestrated pop music. Currents, released earlier this year, has songwriting nous in spades, making up for what it lacks in brain-frazzling wig outs. Olympia, Liverpool, 6.30pm, £18.50

Bagheads

Dope

Narvik

Tame Impala

Sun 13 Sep

Mon 14 Sep

Tue 15 Sep

Wed 16 Sep

Whitelock’s lays claim to the title of Leeds’ Oldest Pub, having been founded in 1715, which means this year they're marking a somewhat important anniversary. Having thrown a beer festival last month, the ale house continues its celebrations with a special banquet, featuring food with links right back to the roots of its heritage. Whitelock's, Leeds, 6pm, £30

The Manchester Food and Drink Festival returns on 10 Sep, with one of its standout events, the 100 Greatest Manchester Beers Fest, opening today. Running from festival hub Albert Square all week, expect to see beers from the likes of local brewers Cloudwater, Runaway and Alphabet, among dozens of others. Albert Square, Manchester, until 20 Sep, Free

The mesmerising Northeastern folk troubadour Richard Dawson heads out on another journey around the UK over autumn, joined this time by Georgian saz (a long-neck lute) artist Asiq Nargile. Dawson is justly still riding high off the back of acclaim for his phenomenal recent album, Nothing Important. Islington Mill, Salford, 7.30pm, £9

Quickly becoming one of the most respected Russian pianists of his generation, Denis Kozhukhin returns to Liverpool for the first time since 2013 to play Debussy's Three Preludes from Book I as well as extracts from Beethoven Sonatas 17 and 14. St George's Hall, Liverpool, 7.30pm, £25

Manchester Food and Drink Festival

Richard Dawson

Denis Kozhukhin

Whitelock’s

Mon 21 Sep

Tue 22 Sep

Wed 23 Sep

Thu 24 Sep

New theatre at The King's Arms, as The Promise focuses on the 1942 winter siege of Leningrad, with three teenagers thrown together in the midst of it all, helping each other to get through the turmoil. The King's Arms, Salford, until 24 Sep, £10 (£8)

A former Chortle Student Comedy Award finalist, Matt Richardson comes to XS Malarkey tonight a little older but not perhaps wiser or, thankfully, any less sharp. Richardson builds his strongly anecdotal repertoire around strong central gags and everyday observations. XS Malarkey, Manchester, 7pm, £5 (£3)

Inaugural Royal Shakespeare Company Poet in Residence Malika Booker is joined by similarly acclaimed writers Rachel Mars and Yusra Warsama for a literary treat in Sex in the Afternoon, which sees the three women share their poetry and prose, exploring and exposing sex in all its glory and complexity. Contact, Manchester, 8pm, £10 (£6)

One half of Fuck Buttons and signed to Chicago's Sacred Bones for his last album, Blanck Mass makes a stop off to prep his glitchy ambientronica before a weekend at Liverpool Psych Fest. His second LP, Dumb Flesh, is a firm favourite among The Skinny's music editorial staff. The Deaf Institute, Manchester, 7.30pm, £10

Matt Richardson

The Promise

Rachel Mars

Thu 1 Oct

Texan lo-fi pop imagineer Sun Araw is one of dozens of psych-orientated artists making UK stops during this fortnight (see Sep 25 for why); the Not Not Fun/Drag City artist brings his woozily melodic sounds to Leeds finest DIY space for the first time. Wharf Chambers, Leeds, 7.30pm, £8

Ambient guru Laraaji comes to Sheffield’s brilliant cross-arts festival, Sensoria, with his Peace Garden – a yoga workshop combined with deep listening and a performance from the American musician on electronic zither, mbire, gong, chimes and vocals. Check out the rest of the programme at 2015.sensoria.org.uk. Arnold Freeman Hall, Merlin Theatre, Sheffield, 6pm, £8

Warp-signed Julie Campbell, aka Lonelady, plays her biggest hometown headlining show to date tonight. She'll be bringing the taut muscularity of her post-punk creations to the stage in ongoing support of her 2015 LP, Hinterland, a minimal yet driving piece of futurist pop. Gorilla, Manchester, 7.30pm, £10

Sun Araw

Chat

Laraaji

Photo: Liam Ricketts

Wed 30 Sep

Photo: Alisa Ludinshina

Tue 29 Sep

Blanck Mass

Lonelady

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Photo: Shawn Brackbill

September truly is the month for easy pants, with both Manchester and Liverpool Food and Drink Festival hosting their annual gorge-a-thon. Your third eye gets a good feed this month too, with the return of Liverpool Psych Fest.

Scalarama launches tonight, marking the beginning of a month-long series of film screenings, film group gatherings and more city-wide. Among other things, tonight sees programmers face off in a film jam, with short film makers given five minutes each to impress. Small Cinema, Liverpool, 6.30pm, Free

Photo: Beth Chalmers

Compiled by: Simon Jay Catling

Wed 2 Sep

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

Heads Up

Tue 1 Sep

The fourth annual Leeds International Beer Festival celebrates not just the city's recent boozy resurgence but its culinary advances, too. Alongside hundreds of beers and ciders, there'll be a delicious street food market with local favourites Bundobust and Dough Boys among those involved. Leeds Town Hall, Leeds, until 6 Sep, prices vary

New group show Clam Jam features work made by emerging local female artists. The playfully titled show hopes to uncover work that is gendered through construction, material and mass rather than through open dialogue with the body or gender construct. The Royal Standard, Liverpool, until 1 Nov, Free

Three years since launching as "a club by comedy lovers for comedy lovers," Group Therapy's list of bookings reads like a who's who of comedy greatness from our time. From Josie Long to David Cross, they’ve consistently mixed big names with local talent. Celebrate their third birthday tonight with headliner Adam Buxton! Gorilla, Manchester, 7pm, £12 (£10)

Leeds International Beer Festival

Adam Buxton

Chloe McClellan - Flag of Black

Fri 11 Sep

Sat 12 Sep

Fresh to Manchester but a familiar face elsewhere, tonight sees Factory Floor drumming piston Gabriel Gurnsey launch his new club night, Body Clock, having recently relocated from London. Joining him live for the inaugural party are fellow DFA signings Shift Work. Hype. Soup Kitchen, Manchester, 11pm, £10

Manchester Museum has been busy re-purposing its entire top floor to re-open to the public as The Study, a new creative learning space, with bespoke high-tech furniture, an exhibition gallery, daily events, an aquaponics installation, a study centre for in-depth academic research and access to the whole of the museum's collection. Manchester Museum, ongoing, Free

New HOME exhibition I must first apologise... sees Beirut-based artists Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige explore the history of online spam and scamming, through film, sculpture, photography and installation. The pair have worked together for 15 years as filmmakers and artists. HOME, Manchester, until 1 Nov, Free

Gabriel Gurnsey

Photo: Alexander Bell

Thu 10 Sep

I must first apologise… A letter can always reach its destination

Nyaba L. Ouedraogo - The Phantoms of the Congo River

Fri 18 Sep

Sat 19 Sep

Sun 20 Sep

Drone supremo William Basinski makes an ultra-rare stop off in Liverpool. Basinski will be taking part in Art Assembly's Saisonscape series, working material around the idea of the autumn season for their third quarterly instalment of the programme. He'll be joined by local Liverpool experimentalist Kepla. The Kazimier, Liverpool, 7.30pm, £11.50

Abandon Normal Devices head to the beautiful Grizedale Forest for their annual festival. Turning the forest into a temporary laboratory for filmmakers, artists, technologists, philosophers and scientists, the festival encourages exploration of the secret infrastructure of the forest and nature's processes. Grizedale Forest, Lake District, until 20 Sep, prices vary

The Liverpool Food and Drink Festival returns to host another weekend of the tastiest dishes from nearby and beyond. Among the regional big hitters like Almost Famous and Lucha Libre, it's well worth checking out the likes of Maray and Tatton Brewery. Sefton Park, Liverpool, until 20 Sep, prices vary

Alan Carr and Dave Spikey are among the headliners at this year's Liverpool Comedy Festival (starting 17 Sep), but it's at 81 Renshaw Street where you'll likely stumble upon hilarious new discoveries. Kate Smurthwaite could be one, with her strongly feminist comedy never shy on laughs. 81 Renshaw Street, Liverpool, 7pm, £5

William Basinski

Photo: J.Kierzkowski

Thu 17 Sep

Isabella Rossellini - Green Porno

Liverpool Food and Drink Festival

Kate Smurthwaite

Sun 27 Sep

Mon 28 Sep

Liverpool Psych Fest presents another mind-melting two days of cross-genre music, from the legendary slowcore psych of veterans Spiritualized to the proto-punk motorik of Hookworms. (Camp and Furnace/ District, Liverpool, ‘til 26 Sep). Stuck in Manc? Come to The Skinny gig at The Deaf Institute, with Weirds, Fruit Bomb and more! £3 from dice.fm

Returning for its fifth instalment, Art Battle offers street artists a chance to get involved for the first time after finally finding a venue willing to allow the use of spray cans. The rules remain the same: ten artists have 30 minutes to create a finished piece in front of an audience. AWOL Studios, Manchester, 7pm, £10

A chance to catch the much underrated Finnish krautrock-influenced disco band K-X-P, who've gradually moved their sound away from brow-furrowing kosmische to more dancefloor-friendly euphoria. Don't believe us? Check out their recent banger Ra from latest album III, Part 1. Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 7.30pm, Free

Two of the UK's most creative chefs, Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully come to Manchester to celebrate the release of NOPI, the book behind their groundbreaking London restaurant of the same name, which mixes Yotam's Middle Eastern flavours with Ramael's Asian culinary heritage. The Royal Exchange, Manchester, 7.30pm, £10 (£8)

Art Battle

K-X-P

Photo: Chris Butler

Sat 26 Sep

Photo: Sol Nicol

Fri 25 Sep

Spiritualized

Ottolenghi and Scully

Sat 3 Oct

Sun 4 Oct

Mon 5 Oct

As The Kazimier heads into the home stretch before closing, some of the promoters most synonymous with the venue are beginning to say their goodbyes. Abandon Silence host the first of three of their own farewells tonight, with the renowned party starters guaranteed to bring the house down. The Kazimier, Liverpool, 10pm, From £12

Having pretty much taken Sheffield, the Banana Hill crew set their sights on Manchester around a year ago; they celebrate their first anniversary in the Northwest with a typically formidable lineup, including the mighty Quantic headlining. Soup Kitchen, Manchester, 11pm, £12

For a Liverpool Irish Festival preview, the organisers team up with Mellowtone to present Sea Legs, a live union between Aghagallon folk songwriter Ciaran Lavery and minimal electronic composer Ryan Vail, the pair inspired by maritime life and the coastal surroundings of Donegal. Leaf, Liverpool, 8pm, £7

A choreographic piece, I Loved You and I Loved You is based around the life of a young Welsh composer called Morfydd Owen, who lived almost 100 years ago. The piece takes on her rise from humble beginnings as well as her mysterious death aged just 26. The Lowry Studio, Salford, until 6 Oct, from £10

Sea Legs

I Loved You and I Loved You

September 2015

Banana Hill

Photo: Liam Taylor

Fri 2 Oct

Abandon Silence

Photo: Rob Greig

Sat 5 Sep

Photo: Villa Arson

Fri 4 Sep

Chat

Photo: Andy Hinton

Thu 3 Sep

S RE AT U

Skeleton Dance With some of the greatest records of 2015 under their belts, and ahead of Liverpool Psych Fest (where they’ve co-curated a stage with Chile’s BYM label), we chat with Sacred Bones Records’ general manager Taylor Brode Interview: Will Fitzpatrick

“I

can’t imagine that I would ever be interested in doing something else as a career,” Taylor Brode tells us. It’s a familiar expression in the music industry, as common from the mouths of pouting indie rock hopefuls as from doe-eyed X Factor auditionees. Though intended to convey a mixture of romanticism, determination and focus, it almost always betrays the pie-in-the-sky hopelessness upon which dreams of fame and fortune are built – a lack of experience clouded, sometimes wilfully, by blind hope that the reality of ambition is neither intangible as clouds nor delicate as bubbles. And yet when Brode utters those words, they sound perfectly straightforward; completely reasonable. Then again, her role as general manager of Brooklyn’s Sacred Bones Records is one where dreams and ideals have to be wedded to pragmatism – where romance has to be tempered by practicality without losing its sheen. “This is what I love to do,” she continues. “I love working with bands and finding out about new music, and just helping bands realise their goals.” That balance, it would appear, is in good health, which is presumably just one of the factors behind the renowned and increasingly respected indie label’s meteoric rise over the past eight years… but back up a minute. Let’s start earlier. Sacred Bones was founded in 2007 by Caleb Braaten, an employee of Williamsburg’s Academy Records, who simply wanted to release an EP by his friends and reissue some curate’s eggs from the 80s heyday of British post-punk. Even as a youngster, he had always been surrounded by records. “His friends’ parents owned a store – they

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still do – called Twist and Shout, in Denver,” explains Brode cheerfully, with the knowledgeable air of someone well-versed in their own history. “He got into music from working there when he was younger, and he’s been a lifelong record collector. His taste is really wide, he likes a lot of post-punk and darker music, but also a lot of jazz and soul music and rap music… pretty broad.”

“We really try to have a community – a lot of our artists work together on releases or just become friends... That’s really special to us” Taylor Brode

This open approach served Braaten well when he moved to New York over a decade ago, and began to immerse himself in Brooklyn’s notoriously hip music scene. “The first record that he ever put out was a seven-inch by this band called The Hunt, who were just good friends of

his. He started a label to do that and also to do some reissues. It was mostly a New York-based label, and the bands were from here – people he’d met in the shop. Blank Dogs was the first 12-inch he ever put out, and that was [Captured Tracks boss] Mike Sniper’s band. They worked at Academy together, so that’s kind of how that came up.” Food for thought is offered to anyone who imagines that starting a label – even in such a cultural metropolis – might be a glamorous pursuit. “He started the label in the basement of Academy, and he did two, three years there. I moved here in 2010 [having worked previously for Chicago’s legendary Touch and Go stable, the effortlessly professional Brode is no stranger to the industry] so we both worked in their basement for about two years. We moved into our office in 2012; we didn’t have internet and there were rats in the basement, no windows… it was truly a basement for a long time. But we have a proper office now with phones and stuff…!” Since those humble beginnings, the label has relocated (along with Academy) to Green Point, slightly further to the north of Brooklyn than their Billyburg origins. It’s also become one of the most widely respected indie labels in North America – a tastemaker label in the mould of Sub Pop, Homestead or even Touch and Go, covering a wide base of genres from the glistening electronic pitter-patter of Blanck Mass to Jenny Hval’s deconstructivist, gender-freeing pop to Destruction Unit’s sandstorm-buffeted hardcore to… well, you get the picture. Did the label always have designs on such eclecticism, we wonder? Brode pauses to consider. “I think it was more just what was going on in Brooklyn;

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I don’t think [Braaten] started the label with the intention of it just being one genre. We’ve done folk records and a lot of psych records, and experimental, and noise… we try to keep it open.” And yet it feels like there has been a consistent strand of darkness in the label’s output. “We don’t like to box ourselves in as being goth or dark or anything. People sort of attach that to us. I think a lot of it is because of Zola Jesus; we did all of her early records, and a lot of her coverage at the time was comparing her to Siouxsie, so I think we kind of got lumped in with that genre. It’s not really what we consider ourselves. “You know The Men? Leave Home, the first record we did with them, sounds really different than the stuff they put out after; they got a lot more into country and folk and blues. They were sort of like a hardcore band at the beginning, but they really evolved over the four records we’ve done with them. We’ve had opportunities to work on stuff like that before but we’ve passed; we veer more towards the avant-garde, or edgy, weirder stuff.” For all this wilful diversity, however, Sacred Bones have always been drawn towards the concept of visual uniformity: the vast majority of their sleeves bear a simple design concept created specifically to draw regular listeners to new projects. The significance of this straightforward notion is not lost on Brode. “It’s really important!” she exclaims. “Basically all of our full-length LPs carry a template, so they have the record label logo on the front, and then the album title, and all the tracks listed on the front of the record. Caleb designed that format with our graphic designer David Correll – he really wanted

THE SKINNY

Photo: Sam Huddleston

Blanck Mass will play at Liverpool Psych Fest 2015

“We’re really excited about the bands at Psych Fest” Taylor Brode

Are indie labels of that ilk important, then, in terms of defining eras or places? “Yeah, absolutely! It’s a document of what’s happening at the time – I mean, that’s literally what the word ‘record’ means. But I don’t think Caleb ever intended for it to just be that, you know? We have bands now from all over the globe, which is amazing.” Indeed, it seems the process of bringing acts into the Sacred Bones fold is a shared task: “When we’re looking for new bands, we’ll ask our bands who they like, and we pay a lot of attention to who they’re touring with. We really try to have a community and a lot of our artists work together on releases or just become friends and hang out and do shows together. That’s really special to us.”

Get Psyched

That community has since extended to BYM Records, an independent label based in Santiago, Chile, who share elements of their roster with Sacred Bones – specifically trancetinged krautrockers Föllakzoid and the motorik dreampop of The Holydrug Couple. “It’s their friends’ label,” Brode tells us enthusiastically. “I think two of them are in this band called La Hell Gang, who are amazing – they were touring with Föllakzoid and Holydrug Couple in the United States a couple of years ago, so we hung out with them. They’re really sweet guys and we’re mutual fans of each other.” This shared love has even extended to one of the highlights of late September, as the two labels jointly curate a stage at the hotly anticipated Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia. Placing the likes of Blanck Mass and Destruction Unit alongside South American wonders such as The Ganjas’ stoned fuzz brilliance and the epic Chicos de Nazca, it’s sure to be one of Psych Fest’s greatest spectacles thus far. Brode admits that, as this interview takes place, the two labels “haven’t gotten too far into the particulars” of how this joint curation will work, but is looking forward to her first experience of the festival. “We’re gonna try to do some limitedrun merch, maybe some T-shirts or something,” she says, “and I think we’re gonna try to do a record just for Psych Fest… Most of it was really just arranged through the Psych Fest guys. We didn’t really know what BYM were planning and I don’t know if they knew what we were planning. But we’re really excited about the bands that will be there for sure, and meeting the Liverpool guys should be really cool.” In the meantime, Sacred Bones has its own schedule to stick to, with Destruction Unit’s new LP (“A very aggressive punk record. It’s also very weird”) foremost on the horizon. We raise the subject of the label’s continued evolution, and Brode’s enthusiasm remains in place. “We’re just gonna keep doing what we do. I don’t expect us to be very rich any time soon… but you know, that’s the state of the music industry; it’s really tough with the way things are rapidly changing.” With all those obstacles in the way, how does a label maintain its enthusiasm? Hang on, this is where we came in: “Caleb and I both feel like this is our number one passion,” Brode states firmly. “I don’t see it changing any time soon. This is the one for me.”

Off to Liverpool Psych Fest? Still sorting your Altered Hours from your Zhods? Worry not – here’s five of the lineup’s best to get you started Words: Will Fitzpatrick

Pinkshinyultrablast

Destruction Unit This is where it gets loud. Something of an anomaly for Psych Fest, Arizona’s Destruction Unit draw as much from the driving rush of 80s hardcore and the bleakness of minimalist post-punk as they do from droning, spacey chaos. Locking into repetitive grooves, punctured by furious squalls of feedback and ear-drenching explosions of sound, they’re a viscerally exhausting experience, but one helluva good time. Essentially, if the idea of The Dicks smashing up Joy Division records in the eye of a hurricane appeals to you, then Sacred Bones’ noisiest sons are the band you’ve been waiting for.

Sacred Bones Records and BYM Records bring Blanck Mass, Destruction Unit, The Holydrug Couple, Chicos de Nazca, Vuelveteloca, and The Ganjas to Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia sacredbonesrecords.com

The Holydrug Couple at Liverpool Psych Fest 2014

September 2015

Photo: Stuart Moulding

Noveller Sarah Lipstate’s music is almost painfully beautiful. Sculpting vast, expansive tundras of sound from hypnotic ambient passages, she effortlessly weaves together the softest of electronic hums with the most savage of guitar textures, somehow managing to temper the harshness without losing its power. A former collaborator of both Rhys Chatham and Glenn Branca, Lipstate is primarily a filmmaker: the essence of these factoids is apparent in her skilful ear for cinematic composition, as she maps out rich landscapes with the deftest of simple touches. Reminiscent of Windy & Carl at their most blissed-out, Noveller’s fine art is undoubtedly one of Psych Fest’s best secrets. Strange Collective One of the local acts on this year’s lineup, Strange Collective’s star has risen quickly thanks to a fine ear for an off-kilter melody and a tendency to blast out oddball garage rock like their lives depended on it. Pitched somewhere between the searing blast of Thee Oh Sees and the caterwauling clang of Black Lips, and with a resolute sense of the outré, they’re a kick in the balls

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of Liverpool’s famed history for psych-pop: a grittier, more frazzled version of rock’n’roll than Merseybeat could have possibly seen on the horizon. Not to be missed. Bonnacons of Doom Volume. Exhilaration. Sensory overload. There’s three things you can look forward to for starters from this shadowy bunch of Mersey noisemakers. And ‘noise’ is the watchword: gargantuan roars of the stuff will knock you sideways as they veer between atonal drone, discordant electronic chaos and motoric lunacy, all piled together amidst thunderous riffs. This is molten heaviosity at its most graceful – versatile enough to survive collaboration with Liverpool Cathedral choir, yet packing a muscular punch that’s guaranteed to leave you reeling. Fillings will rattle, foundations will quake and an awful lot of people are going to emerge shaken yet enraptured. Pinkshinyultrablast St Petersburg’s Pinkshinyultrablast are a revelation. Harnessing the reverb-drenched fug of shoegaze and welding it to the shimmering soundscapes of The Cure’s masterpiece Disintegration, they reframe modern psych as something more than merely drone and repetition: this is immersive pop that glistens and pulls you in, even as its far-away melodies keep you at arm’s length. Elements of Slowdive, Chapterhouse and the Cocteau Twins intersperse with compositional textures to demonstrate a real mastery of their art – a star on the rise, showing no indication of slowing its ascent. In need of a new favourite band? Here’s your solution. Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia takes place at Camp and Furnace, Blade Factory and District on 25-26 Sep liverpoolpsychfest.com

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Photo: Alexander Bell

to have our records be instantly recognisable, so you could look at something and know it was a Sacred Bones record. It was inspired by the Factory Records stuff, and Impulse Jazz. We really tried to make it coherent, so our listeners could trust our taste and take a chance on a band they don’t know because they recognise it from being on the label.” This format is a little more flexible for bands who’ve stayed with the label for more than two records, but it begs the question of whether anyone has been reluctant to go along with the theme. Brode laughs. “There’s been a couple of bands that don’t love it, but you know, it’s sort of part of our deal. So I think bands know when they sign with us. We’re pretty upfront about it and if bands don’t want to do it, we don’t do their records. But that’s really only happened one or two times at the most.” In terms of the US labels we mentioned earlier, are Sacred Bones conscious of being part of that lineage? “I think we are now. We’re in our eighth year and things are pretty different from when we started. We’re getting to work with a lot of artists and filmmakers who really influenced us, David Lynch being the forerunner there [Sacred Bones reissued the soundtrack to Lynch’s uber-surreal debut, Eraserhead]. We really count that as a blessing and not something we try to take that for granted.”

Mac Yourself at Home About to play his biggest UK dates yet in support of new mini-LP Another One, indie oddball Mac DeMarco chats to us about finding new ways to connect with fans and giving a little something back to the community

Photo: Coley Brown

Interview: Andrew Gordon

ac DeMarco wants to make you coffee. In a parting message at the end of his latest release Another One, the Canadian songwriter plainly states his home address in Queens, NY, and invites listeners to “stop on by” for a cup of joe. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” he admits. “I’ve had about 15 or 20 people come over so far because the album was leaked a couple of days ago, so yeah, I don’t know how to feel about that yet.” A rash impulse maybe, but it’s an entirely characteristic move from a known prankster who carries himself with the sort of down-to-earth demeanour and unpretentious goofiness that confounds the traditional rockstar/fan hierarchy. For starters, DeMarco is (to put it bluntly) uncommonly transparent about his personal life. Spend any amount of time searching him on YouTube and before long you’re going to see him naked, probably while using the toilet. His own channel is full of homespun comedy shorts that offer a fairly unfiltered view into his everyday life, most featuring close friends and family. Since his girlfriend, Keira, began joining him on stage for crowd favourite Still Together their relationship has been prime fan-fiction material on Tumblr, and even his mum’s been interviewed by the press after he jokingly directed fans to her Facebook account. More than a pathological oversharer though, DeMarco is hugely appreciative of his fans. For a man already known to spend hours after gigs shaking hands and posing for selfies, inviting fans round for a chit-chat seems a natural next step. “I love the people,” he says sincerely. “Everyone that’s come over has been really nice. You’ve got to be a freak to want to come all the way over here and a lot the kids are really young,

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but it’s cool. If they want to come hang, it’s totally fine with me. I mean, I invited them so I’ve got to reap what I sow.” For DeMarco, friendly and approachable was just the way he always knew musicians to be. “I lived in Edmonton, Alberta, which is in the middle of Canada, way up north. Bands don’t come there. And if they did they’d play, like, a giant place. For me growing up, the bands I really idolised were the local bands, so I got to meet them and after going to, like, two of their shows I was friends with all of them.”

“If they want to come hang, it’s totally fine with me” Mac DeMarco

But can he really expect audiences to buy the average-Joe shtick now he’s selling out shows in New York and London months in advance? Certainly some of the venues on this month’s tour don’t lend themselves to intimate rapport with the crowd he enjoyed as recently as 2013, when he played the likes of Manchester’s Roadhouse. Audience participation was already levelling up at The Arches in Glasgow last year, where the security team (though just “trying to do their job”) left little to doubt about the distinction between the performer and the punters.

“That place was a little sketchy with the security guards and stuff,” he remembers. “Right as we were beginning to play there were security guards standing at the barrier, shining their flashlights in kids’ faces and shit and we’re like, ‘man, just relax.’ Usually they just come up for a sec, or someone just wants to crowd surf – no big deal. It’s just a show, that’s what happens at shows. But if kids are just trying to get over a barrier and some big burly guy with a ponytail puts him in a headlock it’s like, ‘Get a grip man, c’mon! These kids are paying to be here, it’s supposed to be a good vibe, relax!’” While the dynamic of his live show will inevitably be transformed again this time around, long-term fans can rest assured that Another One is business as usual. This is still DeMarco in his bedroom recording all the parts himself, wonky beat-up guitars intact. Furthermore, he claims it’s the most candid he’s been on record. “The new songs are probably the most personal songs that I’ve ever written. I feel like they fit together the best.” That being said, listeners shouldn’t get too hung up on their lyrical sentiment. “They’re all love songs, all different styles and ways to feel about love. They may mean something to me but the nature of love songs and the nature of pop music is that it doesn’t matter. With Salad Days it was kind of like, ‘Oh, this song’s about this and this song’s about that. Here’s my life, check it out!’ But this one’s kind of like, ‘Don’t worry about it, just do what you can with these songs if you want to.’” Though far from constituting a complete sonic overhaul, keys play a bigger role on the recording. While he has used synthesisers in the past, DeMarco’s recently taken to playing them like pianos, a learning process that’s also

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shaken up his songwriting. “It’s kinda like just starting from scratch again. It’s easier to be creative too because you’re not like, ‘I like to go to this chord because it’s the sixth major chord in this key or whatever.’ I don’t know where that is. I have no fucking idea with chord shapes or variations or anything. But as you keep doing it that way you learn.” His guitar solos are also more flamboyant, apparently the upshot of recently kindled affection for rock’s least glamorous guitar god. “I think I fell in love with the Grateful Dead the last couple years,” he explains. “My friend Chad plays in this band the Meatbodies; we went on tour with them and there was this one weekend where we were staying in our drummer’s cabin out in the mountains. We were all jamming and he got really drunk and he asked, ‘What scales do you use?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know... pentatonic, major scales?’” Chad suggested he try out Mixolydian mode, a jazzy sounding scale favoured by the Dead’s scraggly lead guitarist. “It sounds like Jerry Garcia. So I tried that and got hooked immediately and now any opportunity I have to play in Mixolydian mode I’m just like ‘Yeauuh!’” Whatever DeMarco’s muse, it’s working. Regardless of what you want to call it – “I’m calling it an EP because it’s getting so confusing,” he says, but his label prefers ‘mini-LP’ – Another One marks his third substantial release in as many years. As if that wasn’t enough, he’s just topped it off with a free download of instrumentals on his Bandcamp page. “Everyone’s calling it the BBQ soundtrack but it’s just nine songs I recorded last week and felt like sharing with people. When it works, it works, I guess.” The BBQ in question was a food-bank drive DeMarco hosted in Brooklyn where he cooked fans hotdogs in exchange for donations. The Skinny wonders whether he might continue to leverage his growing cachet for charitable causes? “Maybe? The only time I’ve ever done it is when I thought it’d be funny to sell my shoes on the internet and I was like, ‘I can’t justify keeping the money from that, that’s too fucking stupid.’” His annihilated Vans fetched a handsome $21,100, but the bidder didn’t follow through and DeMarco ended up footing half the bill himself. “The charity got a lot of publicity, so regardless of whether the kid fucked me over it doesn’t really matter.” Both the shoes and the BBQ are just further examples of how DeMarco casually eludes cliches of rockstar self-righteousness, his humble sense of social responsibility a far cry from the saviour complexes of would-be Christ figures like Bono. “It’s kinda like – what am I going to do, go out there and sell hotdogs? So I thought I might as well do a food-bank drive – you gotta give back to the neighbourhood every once in a while, you know.” This generosity comes across in Another One’s lyrics, too. “Is it wrong to think my love could really help you out?” he asks on No Other Heart, promising to “put the sparkle right back in your eye.” Without Me, on the other hand, finds him reconciling with an old flame, wishing them the best and hoping they’ll “find love tomorrow.” Still, there’s only so long even Mac DeMarco can play the gracious host to a living room full of strange teenagers, even if they also happen to be his biggest fans. “I do have to get a little bit better at being like, ‘OK guys, you’ve been here for three hours already, it’s time to go.’” Another One is out now on Captured Tracks. Mac DeMarco plays Manchester Albert Hall on 12 Sep @msldemarco

THE SKINNY

Beacons Metro

Leeds Schedule — Autumn 2015 Acts Confirmed so far:

Everything Everything Clark / Daniel Avery / East India Youth / Factory Floor Portico / Titus Andronicus / The Wytches Acid Mothers Temple / Beaty Heart / Bo Ningen / Boxed In / Braids Calvin Johnson (Beat Happening/K Recs) / Christian Löffler / Darkstar Dornik / Ex Hex / Ghost Culture / Gnod / Golden Teacher / Jaakko Eino Kalevi / King Midas Sound + Fennesz / Kagoule / LA Priest Lonelady / Micachu and The Shapes / Mick Jenkins / Mura Masa Nao / Palace / Ralph Lawson / Real Lies / Rejjie Snow / Slug / Spring King Sun Araw / Telegram / TRAAMS / Tuff Love / Ultimate Painting U.S Girls / Willis Earl Beal / Wolf People Abattoir Blues / Actor / Alfie Connor / Baby Strange / Beach Baby / Best Friends / Beverley Bloody Knees / Calls Landing / Cattle / Chaika / Corey Bowen / Crushed Beaks Dixon Avenue Basement Jams / Empty Blue / Fake Laugh / Favela / Feature / Fehm / Finnmark Fist City / Forever Cult / Francis Lung / Galaxians / Game_Program / The Garden / Get Inuit Girls Names / Goodbye Chanel / Grumbling Fur / Hannah Lou Clark / Jon K / Kins / Krystal Klear Lazy Day / Mothers / Nai Harvest / Nimmo / The Orielles / The Parrors / Pixx / Polo / Pretty Lighting / Royce Wood Jr / Sauna Youth / Tristan Da Cunha / Trudy / Virginia Wing / Volte Face Weirds / Woven Skull / XAM

+ Beacons Metro Manchester Featuring: Mac Demarco & More at the Albert Hall

Beacons Metro Season Pass ON SALE NOW Ticket Upgrades also available. For ticket info & dates please visit: www.beaconsmetro.com Leeds venues: Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall & more

RNCM

MILAPFEST Indian Music Concerts in Liverpool & Manchester

Thurs 24th Sept • £15 adv

Thu 01 Oct

Peace + Splashh + Yak

SIMPLY DYLAN

Sat 26th Sept • £15 adv

Sur Sangam Manchester - Saturday 19 September 2015 Liverpool - Saturday 26 September 2015 An afternoon of beautiful Indian music from three incredibly skilled and creative artists. Pandit Ranajit Sengupta is renowned for his energy and incredible skill on the sarod, a fret-less stringed instrument producing deep, rich tones. Shirin Sengupta, a versatile ‘Khayal’ singer, joins Ranajit with her soaring vocals as she incorporates soulful musicality and free-flowing improvisation within raga music. They are accompanied by virtuoso percussionist Kousic Sen on the tabla and Rekesh Chauhan on harmonium. Tabla Tarana Manchester - Saturday 24 October 2015 Liverpool - Saturday 31 October 2015 An Indian percussion concert celebrating the music of one of the UK’s most admired musicians. Kousic Sen is a tabla player whose intense and energetic performances add a new dimension to the traditional concert experience. In this unique concert, the tabla takes centre-stage, where it’s normally seen as an accompanying instrument. Kousic is joined by one of the most phenomenal artists of India, Pandit Ramesh Misra, a master and legend of the beautiful Sarangi. Ramprapanna Bhattacharya & Kousic Sen Manchester - Sunday 29 November 2015 Liverpool - Saturday 28 November 2015 An afternoon of beautiful Indian music from two incredibly skilled and creative artists. A prime disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan and Ustad Amir Khan, Ramprapanna Bhattacharaya is renowned for his captivating, energetic and vibrant sitar performances. As a next generation sitar virtuoso, he is representative of the younger generation of the Etawah Gharana. He will be accompanied by the Internationally renowned Tabla Maestro, Kousic Sen. Liverpool Venue:

The Capstone Theatre, 17 Shaw Street, Liverpool L6 1HP

Manchester Venue:

The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3WS.

The Icicle Works The Burlesque Ball

Fri 09 Oct

Fri 2nd Oct • £19.50 adv

NAMVULA

Starsailor Greatest Hits Tour

Thu 15 Oct

Fri 9th Oct • £7 adv

COLIN TOWNS MASK ORCHESTRA

Blossoms + Declan McKenna Tues 13th Oct • £25 adv

Rich Homie Quan

Fri 16 Oct

POWERPLANT

Thurs 15th Oct • £25 adv

Ride

Sat 17 & Sun 18 Oct

DONOVAN

Thurs 15th Oct • £12 adv

Swim Deep

Sat 24 Oct

Mon 19th Oct • £13.50 adv

The Shires

JOSS ARNOTT DANCE FEAT EVELYN GLENNIE

Thurs 22nd Oct • £12.50 adv

Tue 27 Oct

Spector + Spring King

THE TIGER LILLIES

Sun 1st Nov • £25 adv

Thu 29 Oct

Fish - Farewell to Childhood

BELLA HARDY

Fri 6th Nov • £12 adv

Sat 31 Oct

The Sunshine Underground

RNCM BIG BAND TAKE THE ‘A’ TRAIN

Sat 7th Nov • £15 adv

Lucy Rose + Flyte + C Duncan

Wed 04 Nov

Tues 10th Nov • £17.50 adv

The Fratellis

TOM ROBINSON & BAND

Thurs 12th Nov • £19 adv

Sun 08 Nov

Joey Bada$$

Fri 13th Nov • £28.50 adv

KRZYSZTOF URBANSKI & URBAN JAZZ SOCIETY

Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches

Wed 11 Nov

Happy Mondays

LEROY JONES, IAN SHAW & LIZZIE BALL

25th Anniversary Tour

Thurs 19th Nov • £20 adv

Public Service Broadcasting

Sat 21st Nov • £14 adv

Fri 20 Nov

Reverend & The Makers Mon 23rd Nov • £10 adv

Chad Valley + Oslo Parks Tues 24th Nov • £13.50 adv

Slaves

Wed 25th Nov • £19.50 adv

The Wailers Performing the album Legend in its entirety

Sat 28th Nov • £8 adv

WONDERLAND Mon 23 Nov

MERCURY REV Tue 24 Nov

LE PASSION DE JEANNE D’ARC (1928) SCREENING WITH LIVE SCORE Sat 28 Nov

The Sherlocks

KAIROS 4TET

Sat 28th Nov • £10 adv

Wed 02 – Sat 12 Dec

The Hummingbirds Tues 1st Dec • £15 adv

RNCM OPERA KURT WEILL’S STREET SCENE

Fri 11th Dec • £25 adv Sat 12th Dec • SOLD OUT

Echo & The Bunnymen Thurs 4th Feb 2016 • £20 adv

Bowling For Soup Wed 9th Mar 2016 • £22 adv

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

150818_indianMusic_advert_skinny_100.indd 1

EVAN CHRISTOPHER’S DJANGO À LA CRÉOLE

Over 18s only

Courtney Barnett

www.milapfest.com

Wed 07 Oct

Sat 26th Sept • £24 adv

BOX OFFICE 0161 907 5555 www.rncm.ac.uk RNCM, 124 OXFORD RD, MANCHESTER, M13 9RD

28/08/2015 08:49

THE SKINNY RNCM Skinny Ad Sept 15 .indd 1

27/08/2015 12:55

New Skin for the Old Ceremony A couple of years ago it seemed like New Order were no more. Yet here they are in 2015, with a recalibrated lineup and an entirely new album – Music Complete – about to be released. The Skinny discusses presences, absences and techniques with founding member Stephen Morris

Interview: Colm McAuliffe

“B

loody hell, I wasn’t expecting to be reminded of that!” To be fair, New Order’s Stephen Morris has a number of reasons to be exasperated. The band are on the cusp of releasing Music Complete, their first album of entirely new work in ten years, yet the presence of absence haunts everything New Order do. First it was the inextricable spectre of Ian Curtis, then it was the sudden death of manager Rob Gretton in 1999 and now it is the palpable figure of bassist Peter Hook, who left the band under some incredibly acrimonious circumstances in 2007. But none of these are the reasons behind Morris’s sudden incredulity when The Skinny speaks to him at his Macclesfield home. In fact, the affable drummer is talking about Baywatch and the rather unlikely video the band shot with Hasselhoff and co for the Regret single, on a Los Angeles beach, over 20 years ago. “That was a very, very strange time to be in New Order,” he remembers. “There was so much going on in and around the band at the time – the closing of the Haçienda, the closing of Factory Records, trying to get money to make Republic… and being on bloody Baywatch!” As we reminisce over the Salford pioneers’ entire career, Morris is at pains to make it clear that Music Complete isn’t a celebratory lap of honour, or the work of a band simply coasting. “Every record we make has been a case of us making the best out of it,” he says. “And with this record, we probably had to work that bit harder because we were working with Tom [Chapman, the current bassist], and also Gillian [Gilbert] decided to return to the band. And you know, it has worked out really well.” It may or may not be a coincidence that Morris has to interrupt our conversation to sort out a brief family issue when conversation turns to Hooky’s absence. The apparently terminal breakdown in their relationship has been well documented elsewhere and often appeared to teeter on the edge of becoming a tabloid soap opera, full of vitriol, quickly hashed-out autobiographies and a seemingly endless stream of he-said, he-said bickering. Nevertheless, Music Complete is the first New Order album minus Hooky’s unmistakable bass lines and the first single from the album, the relatively conventional-sounding Restless, sounded like a band trying to recreate their best moments and not really succeeding in creating anything other than an efficient lesson in New Order-by-numbers. But this is a misnomer. Elsewhere, Music Complete is an album almost entirely ruled by synthesisers. And despite Restless, it’s not an ersatz, nostalgia-fuelled perambulation through vintage synth-pop; the album actually sounds incredibly vibrant, sensuous and defiantly dance floor-oriented. Even Bernard Sumner sounds like he’s enjoying himself on some of the tracks – listen to the Barry White-style vocal rumblings (reminiscent of Fine Time from 1989 classic Technique) on Tutti Frutti and the almost sleazy electro-funk of People on the High Line and Plastic. For the most part, it’s an album of sparkling, hi-fi, urgent electronic pop. Of course, this is aided and abetted by the presence of Chemical Brother Tom Rowlands, who produced a number of tracks, and Stuart Price, who added his shimmering sheen to Superheated. And these aren’t the only high-profile collaborations. Brandon Flowers lends his vocals to Superheated and Elly Jackson of La Roux is present on backing vocals on a number of tracks. Most interesting is the appearance of a certain

September 2015

Stooge – a poem, written by Sumner, is recited by Iggy Pop on the brooding Stray Dogs. “Well, I’d love to say that Iggy Pop hammered down our door,” laughs Morris, “demanding to be on the next New Order album but in reality, Bernard was busy at a festival, being all the things that a singer in a band does, and he encountered Iggy Pop at some point and things developed from there.” Considering New Order are now a five-piece with members swapping instruments at will, one wonders whether there was any competition for space on Music Complete. “Phil [Cunningham] actually hates playing keyboards,” reveals Morris, “so it was great to have Gillian back in the studio! But the band is definitely more versatile now, which provides us with a lot more freedom.” While the band’s lyrics have always been so cryptic as to entirely disappear down linguistic cul-de-sacs, the likes of Plastic and People on the High Line on the new album are begging to be interpreted, with their swipes at unnamed persons and their propensity for, shall we say, ‘unreasonable’ behaviour. “I honestly don’t think any of the lyrics on the album were written about any one person in particular,” counters Morris. “I mean, they could have been, but I don’t think so. But that’s all Bernard; we just wait for him while he writes his lyrics in the same way he has always done – staying up all night in a darkened room with a bottle of wine. The lyrics always appear the following morning!” Music Complete is a very accessible album. While Morris dismisses the notion that the title suggests a New Order swansong (“it actually came from Bernard initially wanting to call it

‘Musique concrète,’” he says), most of the songs on the album are stylistically similar, all emerging from the same raging discotheque. In terms of the band’s discography, Music Complete’s closest twin is undeniably Technique. “Everybody is saying that to us!” he exclaims. “And I can kinda see where they were coming from but it was completely unintentional. We certainly weren’t in the frame of mind to record an Ibizastyle album but now that people are mentioning it so much maybe we should head back to the Balearics to record something new. It would be an interesting experiment! And we could make a comedown album afterwards…”

“I’d love to say that Iggy Pop hammered down our door, demanding to be on the next New Order album” Stephen Morris

In fact, the album was recorded entirely over the winters of 2013 and 2014 (“Probably because the kids were at school,”

MUSIC

opines Morris) yet is unequivocally upbeat and positive throughout. “We definitely took a different approach to the composition of the songs on Music Complete,” he admits. “I started messing around with synthesisers early on and creating various beats and all sorts of electronic sounds. Whereas before we used to begin with the guitar riffs and take things from there.” Morris admits that the hybrid of flesh and electronics patented by the likes of Factory Floor and DFA were an influence on the album, and also highlights Heidelberg krautrock veterans Guru Guru. “I was definitely listening to a lot of them during the album. And Young Fathers – my daughter’s band [Hot Vestry] recently played with them. But perhaps their influence isn’t so obvious on Music Complete…” This irreverence is typical of New Order; there are very few bands who have attained such an astounding mythological status – they have already been portrayed in film on two separate occasions – yet simultaneously appear to eschew performing similar acts of anointment on themselves. And it’s rather fitting that Music Complete is out on Mute, that totemic symbol of synth-pop futurism. Perhaps the title of the album really is fitting – New Order have changed and adapted, yet still managed to come full circle to create one of the best dance albums of their career. Music Complete is released via Mute on 25 Sep. New Order play Liverpool Olympia on 21 Nov and curate The Warehouse Project, Manchester, on 5-6 Dec neworder.com

Feature

Death by Arthouse A YA weepy centred on a terminally ill teen might have some reaching for the sick bucket, but Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, dubbed “the Citizen Kane of teen cancer tearjerkers” by one US critic, is a different breed. We meet its talented young cast

iewers with qualms that Me and Earl and the Dying Girl may turn out to be merely another best-selling YA novel-to-film tearjerker will be surprised by the film’s insightful focus on a decidedly nonsexual boy-girl relationship.“If this was a touching, romantic love story,” says teenage protagonist Greg (Project X star Thomas Mann) in droll voiceover, “suddenly we’d be furiously making out with the fire of a thousand suns, but this isn’t...” Busy escaping the social hell that is high school with his best friend and “co-worker,” Earl (impressive newcomer RJ Cyler), Greg is unexpectedly forced by his mother to spend time with Rachel (Manchesterraised Olivia Cooke), a classmate diagnosed with cancer. Thanks to Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s dynamic direction – demonstrating the influence of Martin Scorsese, whom he previously worked for as a personal assistant – and the irresistibly hip, sarcastic wit of its dialogue, Me and Earl... provides painfully honest laughs along with more fragile, dramatic moments. The film also serves as a delightful paean to filmmaking, with its abundance of savvy movie references, and even some films-within-film, as Greg and Earl churn out quirky, homemade parodies of Criterion classics, like 400 Bros, The Seven Seals and A Sockwork Orange. On a warm afternoon in London, The Skinny heads to the swanky Soho Hotel to delve into death, teenage angst, and classic movies with Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’s young and talented cast. The Skinny: What was it like working with Alfonso Gomez-Rejon? Thomas Mann: It was one of the most collaborative experiences I’ve ever had with a director. I felt very safe with him. Olivia Cooke: Sometimes Alfonso was so moved, he couldn’t bring himself to say ‘cut’. RJ Cyler: If there’s a scene where you need to be emotional, and he sees that you’re in too deep, he knows how to bring you back out.

Feature

Interview: Christine Cocotte

Olivia, how did you prepare to play a teenager who has stage-four leukaemia? OC: I went and met a girl at the UCLA Children’s Hospital who had the same leukaemia as Rachel had. We talked about pop culture and her likes and dislikes. You don’t suddenly become this cancerous object, you’ve still got your personality and have still got yourself – which is what I took on with Rachel. I didn’t ever want her to be seen as a victim or a tragic character. There’s a crucial moment when Greg emphasises that his relationship with Rachel is not romantic. If it had been a love story, how would it have changed the film’s dynamic? OC: I think it would have become less profound and more self-serving. RJC: Or just like any other teen movie. TM: It would have been less believable. The movies put this pressure on kids to think that if they’re not in a romantic relationship, they’re inadequate. OC: That shouldn’t be the focus when you’re growing up. Some critics view Earl as the stereotypical “black friend” whose function is to help the white protagonist grow. RJ, do you feel that, in this sense, your role was at all limited? RJC: No, not really. In real life, none of my friends come from the same background. I don’t get why people say it’s a stereotypical role when it’s just true and honest. You never know who’s going to help you grow in life. Throughout the whole story, Greg and Earl learn from each other. I don’t see my role as just a black kid helping his best friend to become a man, or none of that bullshit. The thing is, all three of them learn from each other. TM: I was always so surprised when I saw that. It’s about Greg’s life, and this was his best friend – why did it have to be weird? People are fishing. How is Me and Earl... different from the recent slew of young adult films that deal with death, like The Fault in Our Stars and Restless? TM: I never think about it in terms of other YA movies. There’s like three war or boxing movies a year...

OC: Or intergalactic adventure movies. TM: I liked the script because it felt different from any other coming-of-age movie I’d read, in its tone and approach.

“Movies put this pressure on kids to think that if they’re not in a romantic relationship, they’re inadequate” Thomas Mann

Are you surprised at how viewers have interpreted the film? TM: Here’s one thing I think people take way too seriously: that they’re supposed to be on Greg’s side. I like that he’s a selfish teenager, and that the movie is about someone who isn’t so noble. But people put so much stock in him that they start to hate him, and hate the movie because they see it through his eyes. But it’s not necessarily that Rachel is just this burden to him. Earl isn’t just his co-worker. All these kids are just these groups he puts them in. That’s all Greg, and it’s up to you to realise that Greg is wrong about everything. He thinks the world is about him, but it’s not. OC: I think people are really spoon-fed the content that comes out these days. No one’s given the opportunity to work things out for themselves. So when you do get a main character who is not reliable, then people just get really confused and leave the cinema not really getting it.

FILM

Greg refers to everyone in his high school in terms of specific groups, like jocks, geeks, goths, etc. Was your own teenage experience similar to his? TM: That’s the thing I didn’t identify with. I think it’s much more fluid than that. It says more about Greg than anyone else. His life is mediated through movies, and he has to make sense of this chaos to protect himself. I went to a huge high school where everyone was friends. There were cliques to some extent, but people were never just one thing. OC: Oh God, no. Especially in England. You don’t really get to have a sense of identity here as much as in America. You’re in uniforms, and it’s quite strict. At the school I went to, I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup or dye my hair. I remember people saying, ‘Cherish this, these are going to be the best years of your life,’ and thinking, God, my life is going to be so shit. RJC: I loved high school. It was like popularity was handed down to me from my dad, who was the best dancer when he was young. Greg and Earl hilariously remake a lot of arthouse classics. But aren’t most of the film references a bit too sophisticated and esoteric for a teenage audience? TM: Yes! But it says a lot about Greg’s father, and the movies he´s passed down to Greg. It’s more interesting than them watching typical movies like Pulp Fiction or Fight Club. It gives the film a special flavour and a timeless quality – and also allowed us to use all these great scores. Which particular film remake is your favourite? RJC: 2:58 p.m. Cowboy! OC: Burden of Screams. Just because Thomas’s impression is so hilarious. And Peeping Tom, with the plunger coming towards you... TM: Burden of Screams was probably the most fun to make, just because it was out in the park with kids running around screaming in a German accent. It was a great time. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is released 4 Sep by Fox Searchlight

THE SKINNY

Date

Event

Location

12 October

CARA

GMLT6

14 October

A Field in England

No 70

21 October

Battle of Thermopylae

GMLT7

28 October

The Sun King and Holy War

No 70

5 - 11 November

World War 1 commemoration exhibition

Holden Café Space

6- 7 November

World War 1 Conference

MMU

12 November

PHOTOBOMB presentation

No 70

12 November

BODY/CAM workshop

Holden Café Space

13 November

Activist Journalism presentation

No 70

13th - 20th Nov

PHOTOBOMB exhibition

Holden Café Space

25th November

In Place of War

No 70

9th December

Iran and The West

GMLT5

September 2015

Feastival of Comedy It’s nearly time for the Liverpool Comedy Festival, a ready-made if flimsy excuse to use words like plethora and smorgasbord here’s a cornucopia of talent on offer at Liverpool Comedy Festival this year, which makes it hard to guess what you might like, sat there with your individual sense of humour as you are. It’s probably worth your while to actually visit LCF’s website, if you’re so difficult to please. But cool your heels awhile before you do that, and read about three acts chosen arbitrarily from the veritable banquet of standup available. All three picks are held in the diminutive 81 Renshaw Street, an inauspicious place that might not look as though it’s home to some of the best shows of the festival. It’s an intimate venue – one that can feel packed solid with two dozen people, and heaving with three – which often makes for greater rapport with the audience. As the old saying goes, nine giddy idiots in a bunk bed almost always have more fun than two shy nuns in a canyon. Festival organiser Sam Avery is responsible for booking the lineup at 81 Renshaw, and it echoes his wider vision. “It’s important to reflect the entire spectrum of comedic performers out there,” he says. “The big names are fantastic, but spending 60 minutes in the close company of acts who aren’t on television for whatever reason is a pretty exciting prospect.” Avery’s enthusiastic about the home-grown comics in this year’s lineup – “we have probably the most exciting crop of local talent we’ve seen in about a decade, and want to provide them with a space to flourish” – and he’s taken great pains to blend the natives with those from much further afield.

Three to see: Kate Smurthwaite Do you watch Question Time? You’ll probably like hearing people make jokes about that sort of thing, then. One such person is Kate Smurthwaite (who, if nominative determinism applied, should be managing a tiny brewery). Smurthwaite has played in Liverpool twice before, she recollects: “When the Labour Party conference was in town and I was part of a show

organised by political types, and once as part of the women’s Reclaim the Night after-party… this will be the first time I’ve done a show open to anyone who wants to come. I’m looking forward to that.” Smurthwaite is one of the most politically minded acts on the circuit, with all sorts of accomplishments already under her belt, as well as her own style: “the sort of comedy that makes you think as well as laugh – if people like that sort of thing, they’ll have a great time.” She’s also rather kindly spent a month at the Edinburgh Fringe practising this year’s show, The Wrong Sort of Feminist, to get it ready for her all-important Liverpool date. “By the end I’m itching to tour it. I’ve got various dates scheduled around the country and it’s great to be adding Liverpool to the tour list for the first time.” If you desire to laugh solely at “choice and freedom, the feminist movement, the treatment of asylum seekers in Britain, Couples Come Dine with Me and edible pants,” then this is potentially the only gig for you. But that’s what you get for being so oddly specific in what you’re prepared to laugh at.

“Liverpool was the first city where I ran at a heckler with a bin” Liam Pickford

Liam Pickford

Feature

Kate Smurthwaite

Rob Thomas Should you desire your comedy bellowed at you in an angry fashion, then local lad Rob Thomas is happy to oblige in Working Class Zero (Hour Contract). Thomas is one of the proudest Scousers you could ever meet, and probably spends a great deal of his day job as a cabbie loudly professing that fact to cowering tourists.

This is his first ever solo show, so he says it means a lot to him to be doing it in his home town, not least for the opportunity to yell his comedy at some familiar faces. “When you’re a Scouser [playing] in Liverpool, you get the sense that you’re all a part of something. Even if that something is just our own sense of being boss. The crowd are almost always willing someone local to do well. Also, no one wants to look like a divvy in front of their mum, so hopefully that will push me to work harder. Though it never did in school.” His first hour -long show is typically autobiographical, and a large part of it features how (as a bright working-class kid) he was thrust into a posh school at 11, but never felt as though he belonged in either world: “The show’s really about the effect that’s had on me. I’ve developed a bit of a working-class chip on my shoulder, but given the opportunities I had, I feel a bit false for having it.“ Possessing what one might kindly describe as an insistent tone, Thomas’s style is that of a man with an angry, boiling rage always lurking just underneath his not-at-all-calm demeanour. He can also be found belligerently screaming for half of a double header with the wonderful and equally local Kate Tracey, in We Used to Be Fit!

Photo: Debs Marsden

Interview: Debs Marsden

Liam Pickford If you like your comedy more prone to bouts of capriciousness, there’s only one real choice: Liam Pickford, with Seaside Cock Novelties. “I wanted to call it An Exercise in Utter Futility, but was advised that this would put off people called Darren and Marie. So I picked three words I rendered mildly amusing then put them together. My set is like that. Like Twat Meccano.” With the frame of a man built to carry hods (but a severe disinclination to do so), he has a

COMEDY

delightful ability to pluck words from the ether. He can appear baleful while wallowing in the failings of mankind; then, the room is suddenly filled with florid absurdity. Running the gamut between ramshackle and brilliant, he’s truly unpredictable. “I’ve got a bit better at maintaining a veneer of competence. Then it cracks like eggs and I cry. My target is five walkouts: probably two couples, nullified by familiarity and their one pal who’s a ‘character.’ They have no use for my teachings. It’d be like furnishing rabbits with calculators. Tragic and useless.” This is the first time that Pickford, who was just named runner up at this year’s Chortle Student Comedy Awards, has brought a show to the festival, and he has a great fondness for the city in his own unique way: “It was the first city where I ran at a heckler with a bin. You can’t buy memories like that. And why should you?” It’s a fondness that he is sure will be reciprocated: “I expect to be carried aloft along Bold Street on the anaemic shoulders of my army of the damned. That or the usual seven hipsters who turn up and go, ‘You’ve gotta see him. He doesn’t mean it!’ But I do mean it. I really mean it.” A similar breadth of styles can be found at every venue, as all the clubs in the city have worked tirelessly to present fantastic bills during the festival. Whatever your favourite flavour, there’s something for everyone’s taste at the buffet table. There’s probably even a gluten-free option. And with prices for the pockets of pauper or prince, there’s little excuse not to feast on the… ‘really big selection of food’ before you. Liverpool Comedy Festival takes place 17 Sep–4 Oct across various venues. See thecomedytrust.com/comedy-festival for full lineup info

THE SKINNY

The Incomparable Mr Pratchett As Terry Pratchett’s final book reaches shelves this month, The Skinny looks back at an author who managed to unite literature aficionados and fantasy fans alike Words: Sean Hutchings Illustration: Camille Smithwick

n 15 March 2015, Terry Pratchett died after a long and heroically public illness. This is still hard to take in. It seemed that his literary exultations – be it the Discworld series, his collaborations with other writers, his non-fiction or his sci-fi – were streaming from a near infinite source. There was never not a new Pratchett book, he was never not a presence for many of us readers of a certain age, and the knowledge that he had slipped away and would write no more was like being told Christmas had been cancelled. Some people struggle with such finality. Readers of fantasy fiction certainly do. Pratchett’s writing life was hugely industrious; he famously referred to the onset of Alzheimer’s as a mere inconvenient ‘embuggerance’ to his work. Even death itself has only stemmed the flow, with The Long Utopia arriving on shelves in June this year. But the laws of physics apply even to metaphors, and the momentum has finally come to rest; this month The Shepherd’s Crown will be published and there will be no more Discworld novels. This will be book 41 in the series, which by anyone’s standards is a decent run, and yet we can’t help but feel that it’s not enough.

“Pratchett holds up a series of funhouse mirrors to our world” Pratchett was notable for his diversity, even when based in the same fantasy world. He occupies that special branch of post-war British comedy that utilises the absurdist and satirical to address questions more existential than the immediate material may suggest. This is in no small part why Pratchett and Douglas Adams are so often compared – one using fantasy as a lens, the other using science fiction. Even the opening introductions to their worlds are rather similar in their establishing-shot prose: ‘Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy...’ (Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.) ‘In a distant and second hand set of dimensions, on an astral plane that was never meant to fly…’ (Pratchett, The Colour of Magic.) It seems a disservice to both to pigeonhole them simply as two sides of the same coin, yet Pratchett is often compared to other writers who use parody and amplification in their landscapes to address contemporary concerns. Vonnegut, Wodehouse, Adams. You can play this game all day. But why is Pratchett unique? Why does he stand out? In no uncertain terms, it is due to his scope. You would be hard pressed to find another writer who explored so many different and eclectic themes within the same fantastic landscape and lifetimes of recurring characters. Alright, Iain M Banks comes in a close second, but nothing on the size of Pratchett.

September 2015

Not long after Pratchett took Death’s arm, his daughter Rhianna announced what readers had expected. She would not continue the Discworld series, nor would she authorise continuations by other creative types. The reaction was unusual for a fandom. Rather than foot stamping, the overwhelming response seemed to be of solemn and respectful agreement. A quiet sense of “yes, that’s for the best” prevailed. So why are readers OK with Discworld coming to an end with its creator, when other bodies of work, like Adams’ adventures of Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect, were picked up after years of agonising? Part of it has to do with how Adams died; he was spirited away suddenly at a relatively young age, while Pratchett had been ill for quite some time and his own ending was anticipated – some of his books are dedicated to the idea of coming to terms with death and the inevitable passing away. But, arguably more pressingly, the Discworld, in its second-hand dimensions, had existed long before The Colour of Magic and will continue long after The Shepherd’s Crown. With Discworld Pratchett created a timeless world that at the same time developed along with our own. What started out as a parody of clichés became a universal sounding board in which everything was up for debate and scrutiny, parody and exposure. The fantasy setting only allowed for a malleability of approach. The subjects addressed are titanic and innocuous, profound and mundane, as the inhabitants of the Disc try to find their place in a universe that doesn’t make all that much sense and where more often than not the one voice of reason is the leaden tones of Death himself (who is also rather confused by everybody else). The volumes are neat and accessible but never formulaic, clever but never obnoxious, true but never preachy, and eminently quotable. If there isn’t one already, a volume of Pratchett truisms, quotes and utterances needs to be made; it would rival Confucius any day. The Discworld holds up a series of funhouse mirrors to our world and allows us a myriad of distorted, raucous reflections. And at the same time they are funny. Not Douglas Adams funny. Not PG Wodehouse funny. They’re Pratchett funny, with a unique dry wit that is always as hilarious as it is true. Pratchett’s great victory as a writer, as a philosopher and as a person is that his works are a kaleidoscopic web of the most human thought, feeling and emotion expressed through magic, wizardry and absurdity. What he succeeded in doing was creating a point of view, like a latterday and Socratic Aesop, presenting fables and parables for the things that concern our real world and are timeless in their application. They belong to the ages now. In that great pantheon of genre writers, Pratchett takes pride of place and will remain as relevant and as funny and as true, regardless of whether or not the stories are continued. The Discworld and its arena of thought hasn’t disappeared. Death is a pretty definitive end to anything, but what matter? There is always time for another last minute. And the turtle is still flying. The final book in the Discworld series, The Shepherd’s Crown, is out now, published by Penguin Random House, RRP £20

BOOKS

Feature

Feeling So Bohemian A hip young voice of European literature, Oscar Coop-Phane serves up substance alongside his style. Here he talks about new novel Tomorrow, Berlin and the dark experiences which birthed it – binge and bust hedonism on the Berlin club scene

ith tousled, foppish hair, pushed frequently from his face, a dagger tattoo peering out from his left sleeve and inked star rising from his collar, Oscar Coop-Phane looks every bit the Bohemian. Although, as he cocks his head towards his webcam, any affected cool is countered by a warm smile. He is the award-winning author of two novels to tickle the underbelly of his adopted cities, Paris and Berlin. Yet, when he – as one might expect – lights a cigarette, the smoke exhaled from his window disperses into the Brussels night. His current home. A city very different to those two European capitals of counter culture, and one wonders how this change of scene will influence his writing. “I have a daughter, I’m married, so I have a completely different life here,” he says, comparing Belgium to those old stomping grounds. “I don’t know if it’s the way I live now or because of the city, but I think Brussels is more quiet and calm. And I need that now.” There is an inescapable cultural chasm between this new home and Paris’s Left Bank, key setting for debut novel Zenith Hotel. It’s a great little book, that adjective offered without condescension – it is after all a mere 83 pages. In many ways a collection of individual portraits; disparate lives crossing over the central point of ageing prostitute Nanou. Where many writers might use cafés or bars for this critical function, Oscar chooses person over place. “I was really fascinated by prostitution and also how those girls or boys live with it... I was interested more with customers than prostitution. And it was also kind of fun for me to write as if I was an old woman who is prostituting herself… this writing challenge.” Characters are drawn, to a large extent, from his everyday world. They have taken afterhours confession at the bars he has worked behind – opening themselves up to spill the secrets of their lives, as drinkers do. “I use their stories unscrupulously,” he confided in interview some years back, warning to “Never confide in a guy who writes.” This pool of inspiration is one he must drink from. “Because I don’t have a lot of imagination,” he admits today, candidly. “… So I have to work like this, you know? I’m very impressed by writers who can invent everything, but for me it’s not working like this.” This binds his prose to reality, yet forms the amusing image of Oscar – if his star continues to rise, with international fame and all its trappings – still, through creative necessity, working shifts in the local boozer. “Now it’s only one night per week, so yeah, I like it,” he says. “But, to be super honest, if I don’t need money I won’t work in bars.” Then, seemingly endorsing the Bukowski method. “You can go there to be a customer. It’s working the same [for his writing] and it’s easier. And you can drink.” Either side of the bar, there remains a need to be connected to these truths. To the barflies and the lushes, “…what we usually call losers.” Oscar suggests. “But the idea was not to say ‘this is a loser.’ I wanted to be tender with those people, because I am one of them.” While he may have rolled and swayed alongside them, raised his arms to the air during damaging sessions on Berlin’s club scene, this self-deprecation borders on outright deceit. He is an achiever. He started young. “In fact I started writing when I was a kid. But I start to do only that when I’m 19,” Oscar confirms in his French tailored English. “A few jobs also to earn money of course.” This early commitment to the craft suggests the carefree pluck of youth, or perhaps simply the act of throwing life’s dice. Of course, “First of all.” Oscar admits. “But it was so cool also, you know?” he then questions. “To

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be as free? I was working a little bit… but in fact reading and writing.” The pause, that Gallic shrug. “… and smoking cigarettes also, so yeah, it was complete freedom. I had a moped and it was great. After one year I think, OK, I love this life.”

“Maybe I wanted to be hurt, so I was looking for that” Oscar Coop-Phane

…Of coffee and cigarettes and bikes and bars – classic motifs in both Zenith Hotel and the newly translated Tomorrow, Berlin. Elements loosely in line with the dead and largely forgotten French writers he reveres. Eugène Dabit, Louis Calaferte, Raymond Guérin, Georges Hyvernaud, Henri Calet and Charles-Louis Philippe. “I think the most famous one is Emmanuel Bove, maybe the greatest one… born 1898 and died in 1945. I don’t know if it’s translated into English. It’s completely amazing and very simple, very real also. Always the story of a guy who’s asking for money from guys in bars. It’s not, like, huge stories, but it’s real life.” But that was yesterday, and looking forward? Tomorrow, Berlin. An intimate sketch of three lives: Armand, Tobias, Franz. Boys who are alternately struggling, striving, then barely surviving in a world of hard sex and hard drugs – of drinking, dropping, snorting, fucking. The murky edge of the Berlin club scene; extended weekends lubri-

cated with illicit chemicals and bodily fluids. And of course, true to Oscar’s process, “if you don’t live anything you won’t have anything to write.” So, he bore witness, he indulged. “I used to live in Berlin when I was 20, 21. I think I moved there because…I still don’t really know…” he ponders. “Maybe I wanted to be hurt, so I was looking for that.” Which – to borrow from Burroughs, another traveller across life’s darker limits – begs the question of his philosophy of drug use as it relates to artistic endeavour. Especially in light of the author biog on his publisher’s website, which suggests that Berlin was ‘where he spent a year writing, reading Proust and toasting his neurons on the techno scene.’ “So, yeah, I took it very strong,” he says. “I was like, OK I can party a little bit… I wanted the dark part, you know? I was looking for that and so that’s why I’m talking about it in the book.” Tomorrow, Berlin is a diminutive epic – while an increase on Zenith, it's still only 172 pages long. Creatively though, it is a leap, as if Zenith Hotel was written in training for this display of supreme confidence in brevity. He aligns his word count with that supposed lack of imagination. Yet it achieves, when required, the cold detachment of early Easton Ellis, rather than the souring rancour of Houellebecq or Celine, with whom he is occasionally compared. This jaded separation is hard to associate with one so young. Still only 26, but “Yeah… because of my childhood I had to grow up very young. I moved from my mother’s place when I was 16 and so had to earn money and stuff. I was thrown into real life kind of young.” He opened this interview by suggesting of Tomorrow, Berlin that “It’s kind of weird to speak

BOOKS

Interview: Alan Bett

about it, because I feel like I’m so far from it now.” Later adding that he “didn’t want to write about this scene, about techno, because I was really into 50s and 60s writers. More like Zenith Hotel, coffees and cigarettes and stuff. So I thought I can’t talk about techno in the book, but it was too present in my mind.” But hedonism is no modern movement, especially in Berlin. Switch up clothes and chemicals and much the same was witnessed during the sexual decadence of the Weimar period. “It [hedonism] can be universal and timeless…” Oscar realised. “I wanted to write about those three guys and people lost in the city. It’s in Berlin but it could be anywhere else, in the 50s or the 19th century.” Yet his own era of hedonism ended early. “After a year [in Berlin] you’re like, I can live there and dance for 10 more years and one day it will stop… it was easy for me… I didn’t build my life there.” So, he moved towards a more balanced scene, his wife and daughter and Brussels. Where he now sits; smiling, smoking. Obviously, as before, the reality will feed onto the page. “I’m trying to write now, not happy stuff, but to be more…” A search for words, but this time none are found. “…Because a few times when I’m meeting people they’re like, you look so joyful compared to your books… It’s easier to write about melancholy and sadness and stuff like this… it’s easier to say, I’m so sad. Because there’s this romantic thing...” To prove this point, that Gallic shrug once more. “... very French maybe.” Tomorrow, Berlin is out on 17 Sep, published by Arcadia, RRP £9.99 arcadiabooks.co.uk

THE SKINNY

The Sick Sense In The Messenger, motor-mouth Misfits actor Robert Sheehan plays an unwashed weirdo who can speak to the dead. For director David Blair, he was the obvious choice. When we meet Sheehan in Edinburgh, he’s shoeless and ready to bare his soul Interview: George Sully

“I

’ve taken to not wearing shoes as much as I possibly can. Which is difficult, because, you know, the sock absorbs the foot sweat. If you’re wearing no shoes, and you’re driving a car or whatever, and your foot starts to slide off the accelerator – that’s bad! That’s too much sweat. Need to wear Maxi Pads on the soles of my feet. Maybe we should talk about that? I have a new invention...” Robert Sheehan is full of ideas, for better or worse. But we’re not here to plan out a new Dragon’s Den pitch; the tall Irishman, barefoot and sporting a fresh tan in an opulent hotel conference room, sits down with The Skinny to discuss his latest film, The Messenger, before its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. If anyone’s seen the hit Channel 4 superpower series Misfits, his excitable, charming scamp Nathan isn’t a far cry from the real deal. We try and get the man back on track. “The Messenger is about a young man who is being plagued by the recently dead,” he explains. “People who have died violently are coming to him and plaguing him to pass on messages to their recently bereaved. He’s the only one that can see these people, or interact with them in any way, so the effect of this is him showing up to funerals – he’s a dirty-type character, a bit homeless-lookin’ – trying to tell the bereaved about their dead, about this message, and obviously you couldn’t think of anything more obnoxious if you’re on the other side of that. So he ends up just being beaten up and cast further and further out.” There is a thriller plot in the film, too: a high-profile journalist dies under suspicious circumstances, and Sheehan’s grubby Jack becomes reluctantly embroiled in the case thanks to his otherworldly gift. But this narrative plays second fiddle to Sheehan, whose compelling, dynamic performance is the movie’s chief draw. “The whole thing about the character is that he’s entirely within this reality,” he explains. “So he’s a normal guy and the way he accepts these dead people coming to him is in a very humdrum, normal way: ‘Ah for fuck’s sake. I’ve seen this all

September 2015

before. It’s just gonna end in tears. Why don’t you just fuck off to heaven and leave me alone?’ It’s a really normalised approach to this supernatural thing that’s happening to him. I think he’s very human in that way.” This isn’t Sheehan’s first time working with Scottish director David Blair, whose prior work includes BAFTA-winning BBC series The Street. “Lord Blair – Master Blair – Overlord Blair, as I call him – I had worked with him about four years ago on a TV thing for the BBC, a thing called Accused, and then he got his hands on [The Messenger] script. He became attached and he said, ‘You know who’d be good for this fella? Weirdo, showin’ up at funerals, smells – get Sheehan.’”

“One thing that becomes important as an actor is relevance – that affects your choices” Robert Sheehan

What’s Blair like to work with? “Ah, he’s dynamite. He’s like a dynamo on set. There were long, long conversations, off set and then on set, about how not to make [Jack] mad to the audience. As soon as the audience thinks he’s insane then it just becomes way less interesting. So the idea was to keep the audience liking him; I mean, it’s difficult, certainly on the page, to like the guy. He’s doing unlikeable stuff in a very unlikeable way, constantly. There were endless debates about how to pull those two things off, and David was funny, ’cause he’d go, ‘You can’t look at him,’ about the guy who’s dead. ‘As soon

as you look in his eyes, you’re mad.’ I’m like, ‘That’s not true!’ and then a huge, endless debate would happen.” As well as keeping viewers on side, despite his intrusive, self-destructive behaviour, the actor also pulls off a convincing northern accent. Has he had dialect coaching? “No. I’d worked in the accent, or the general northern English accent before, so I had a bit of a head start. And if any accent thing comes up I just sort of go into the accent as early as possible, and then stay in it until the film’s over. People go, ‘It’s so hard to do an accent.’ It’s not really, as long as you just accept that you can’t have your own voice for the whole time – which is a tough thing to accept.” Casting Sheehan, an Irishman, despite the film’s location, is testament to his versatility. “David’s lovely in the sense that he puts those sorts of choices in the hands of the actors. I suppose there’s an element of trust, so he said, ‘Where are you gonna be from?’ And I said, ‘I’m gonna be from northern England.’ “Actually, the year previous, we were gonna shoot the film, and it was gonna be in Edinburgh.” Could he do a Scottish accent for us? “...Nuh.” But he is a fan of the Scottish capital. “I feel like Edinburgh is the Galway of Scotland. Because it’s the same thing: in Ireland they call Galway ‘the graveyard of ambition,’ but that just means that people go there and never leave, because they forgot all about what they wanted to do in the first place, because they were so seduced by the loveliness of Galway. It’s a good thing; it does sound pejorative, but it’s a nice graveyard full of ambitious people who can’t remember what they were ambitious about, drinking cans down by the docks. “I used to live there for two years,” he adds. Conversation inevitably turns to Misfits, and its impact on his career. “One thing that becomes important as an actor is relevance – that affects your choices. Like, you know when someone says, ‘Ah yeah, I really love that actor, but what are they doing now? They’ve not done anything for years!’ And usually that’s not true.

FILM

You’d think as an actor you’d go, ‘God, I’d hate people to think that about me.’ But I think that’s a really corrupting thought. “That’s the thing about doing a show that had relevance; popularity equalling relevance, equals fame to some extent, and so really what you mean is you want to stay in the minds of people, in a fame way. And that’s toxic, to try and follow a career in that way. So I try to remove that entirely from the equation. But at the same time, Misfits, for me, was stumbling into a show that was really popular... it has done great things for my career.” We highlight the supernatural similarities between Misfits’ Nathan (who is immortal) and The Messenger’s Jack. “No, that was coincidence. Both of them are just idiots in their own way. The whole supernatural thing I think is a smokescreen for the fact it’s just two fuckin’ arseholes doing their thing.” They’re also both talkers, a trait common to many of his roles. Though we already have plenty of evidence, we ask if he’s as chatty in reality. “Yeah, I think so. I find it important to be able to get your point across.” Has this ever gotten him in hot water? There’s a sharp intake of breath: “Yeah, absolutely. Oh God, I just remembered one thing... I can’t... I just remembered a story that could have been quite befitting subscribers to The Skinny, but I can’t tell it, because it’s too bad!” Oh? “No, I just upset someone once, for saying the wrong thing. But no, I do think it’s important to be able to get your point across. I think [with] most of the conflicts in this world... the base cause is because the person isn’t getting their point across properly, and there’s miscommunication. All of a sudden someone’s been bottled, your wife is screaming, she’s just stabbed a fella with her stiletto, and you’ve been barred from that pub for life...” Something we can all relate to. “That was the story, basically,” Sheehan adds, unnecessarily. The Messenger is released 18 Sep by Metrodome

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Elder Stateswoman Theatre can be empowering – whatever your age. We meet Brenda Hickey, who found a new lease of life after retirement when she joined the Royal Exchange’s Company of Elders Interview: Andrew Anderson

Making a Stir Manchester poetry collective Stirred Poetry discuss new writing, equality and speaking out Words: Alice Horne Illustration: Clio Isadora

“T

his is the thing: the poetry scene seems more equal than other arts sometimes, but there are still inequalities. And if you are an event host, and most of your audience is men, and most of the people performing are men, you have a problem and you need to address it,” Anna Percy tells The Skinny, in the Northern Quarter’s newly renovated bar Common. Percy is one quarter of Stirred, Manchester’s feminist poetry night, and as if to make this even clearer, she is wearing a necklace that spells out that still controversial f-word. The poetry night is run by Percy, co-founder Rebecca Audra Smith, Lenni Sanders and their (comparatively) new recruit Jasmine Chatfield. Stirred dubs itself ‘a women’s poetry night where women and men are encouraged to read pro-women, feminist poetry.’ But actually using the word ‘feminist’ is not something the group has always agreed on. “I can’t remember becoming a feminist. I grew up with a mother who was a writer and a feminist … whereas you didn’t actually identify as a feminist when you started,” Percy says. “I think that our brand of feminism is, yeah we’re hardline about violence against women and misrepresentation about women, but we’re also funny and sexy. We talk about sex a lot.” Smith agrees: “I definitely feel like women owning their own bodies and their own pleasure is something that is talked about more on our stage.” “I mean, we have a cheer every time someone uses the word cunt in a positive way,” Percy adds. This is all part of the group’s mission to create a safe space for new voices and new writing to be heard. “I feel like men are more socialised to try new things and to speak out, so [Stirred] is an extra step towards newcomers who are women,” says Chatfield.

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One of the ways Stirred does this is by running a writing workshop each month, which focuses on the theme of the next Stirred event. This month, it’s American jazz legend Billie Holiday. “Having the theme gives people the chance to discover these amazing women who are kind of forgotten in some way, or just not noticed,” says Smith. “[With] Billie Holiday, she’s a survivor and she’s such a powerful role model.” Overall, things are going well for the group: they’re approaching their fifth birthday, they’ve recently expanded from a pair to a quartet, and they’re consistently filling up their poetry nights. There has been a lot of speculation about why the poetry scene, particularly in Manchester, has taken off in recent years, but for Stirred the answer is clear. “We’ve found our home,” explains Percy, by which she means their venue, the Three Minute Theatre. 3MT is hidden away in Afflecks Palace and is quickly becoming a hub for spoken word, while also fostering a ton of creative talent. In fact, it’s so busy that Stirred have already had to plan their nights into next year. “It’s actually our space when we’re there,” says Smith. “So it’s a really effective space for us to just claim, which is amazing.” “I think that’s about it,” Percy muses. “The future is good. Because there is always going to be more poetry, and Stirred is continuing for another year, come what may… and I look forward to more people getting involved with it, because people are starting to get it.”

hen we ask Brenda Hickey what she gets from theatre she answers without hesitation. “I’ve learned to live again,” she says, “and remembered what it’s like to have fun, to be proud of what I am achieving and to feel empowered.” Hickey is a member of the Royal Exchange’s Company of Elders, a group of amateur actors that trains and performs at the Manchester theatre. They’ve taken part in a number of Exchange productions, most recently Flicker and the Flying Books, which was part of the Manchester Children’s Book Festival back in June and July. Flicker... saw the Elders join forces with the Exchange’s Young Company for an imaginative romp packed with storytelling, silliness and plenty of paper props. “It was really well received, and got a lot of interest on Twitter,” says Flicker... director Andy Barry, who also leads the Elders project. “Audiences said how energised the elders were, how equal it felt and how well they worked as an ensemble.” “The older and younger generations in my experience have so much to give each other,” adds Hickey. “In all my life I never had a best friend until I was in a performance called My Young and Foolish Heart at the Exchange and met little Kayley. We became inseparable, even though she was 12 and I was 64.” Inspiring moments like this are what keeps Hickey coming back and, under a new ‘Champions’ programme, she is now helping Barry spread the word of their work even further. “The idea is that Champions like Brenda go out with myself and lead workshops in the community, as a way to recruit new people,” says Barry. “They’ll have the chance to lead sessions, developing a new set of skills.” The company currently meets once a week, receiving workshops from both Barry and other professionals involved with the

Exchange, whether that be a movement session from Exchange associate artist Benji Reid or a puppeteering class from Little Shop of Horrors’ CJ Johnson. There are also monthly taster sessions that allow people to see what it’s all about before signing up. “It’s about building skills, pushing the boundaries and challenging the stereotypes of ageing,” says Barry, who has led the company since it was formed in January 2014. “We want to broaden the access that non-professionals have to work with professionals – that is a big part of what the Exchange is working on at the moment.” They’re not the only theatre to have seen the value in engaging older people. Both the Bolton Octagon and the Oldham Coliseum have similar schemes, while other arts organisations like the Manchester Camerata are in the process of establishing their own equivalents. “As well as the benefits for the older people it benefits us too: it gives us contact with a different generation, and helps us better represent them on stage,” explains Barry. “It’s definitely a two-way conversation.” It has certainly had a huge impact on Hickey. As with many of the Elders, she had never so much as looked at a stage, let alone acted on one, before she retired. The victim of two abusive marriages, her life before theatre was, she says, “Being a performing monkey for other people, being ridiculed, abused and made to feel worthless and useless. “My life has changed out of all recognition since I became involved with the theatre and acting. I became stronger, more confident and I have discovered so many personal hidden talents. I was reborn at 60. I haven’t retired: my life has only just begun.” To find out more about the Company of Elders get in touch with Andy Barry; contact details can be found at royalexchange.co.uk/elders-company

Stirred Poetry’s Billie Holiday event will be held on Mon 28 Sep at the 3MT, Manchester, 7.30pm (suggested donation £1-2) The writing workshop will be held on Wed 23 Sep at Kim by the Sea, Hulme, 5-7pm (suggested donation £1-2) stirredpoetry.wordpress.com

BOOKS / THEATRE

THE SKINNY

Exploring contemporary feminism Sirens Fri 2 & Sat 3 October Best Ensemble - 2014 Stage Awards We are the weaker sex. We’re sirens. And the stage is ours.

La Merda Thu 5 & Fri 6 November Writing Excellence, Acting Excellence - 2012 Fringe Awards Silvia Gallerano reveals her revolting secrets. 18+ A Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and English Touring Theatre co-production

THE ODYSSEY: MISSING PRESUMED DEAD BY SIMON ARMITAGE DIREC TED BY NICK BAGNALL

The Revenger’s Tragedy Thu 19 - Sat 21 November A radical reworking of Middleton’s 17th century classic. NO to submission. NO to revenge.

Multibuy offer Fri 25 Sep to Sat 17 Oct Box Office 0151 709 4776 everymanplayhouse.com

September 2015

Thanks to the City of Liverpool for its financial support

Buy tickets for 2 or more shows and get £5 off each ticket* *Terms and conditions apply. See website for details.

thelowry.com/drama | 0843 208 6000

Manic depression stopped me from playing to the point of getting rid of my guitar to pay for somewhere to live. Help Musicians UK got me back on my feet. I dread to think where I would be without them. We helped Matt when a crisis stopped him from performing. Can we help you? helpmusicians.org.uk 020 7239 9100 Backing musicians throughout their careers. Registered charity 228089.

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21/08/2015 16:59:00

THE SKINNY

Protective Custody Never short of a controversial opinion, Dave Clarke has influenced everyone from Daft Punk to post-punk torchbearers The Soft Moon. We journey out to Dublin for the 500th episode celebration of White Noise, his legendary, agenda-setting radio show

hen The Skinny arrives in Dublin, seemingly half of the population is descending upon Croke Park to see a certain stadium-filling ginger songwriter. Along with a more modestly sized, sensibly minded crowd, we make our way southwards towards the Academy, which is playing host to local legend Sunil Sharpe, long-time Berghain resident Marcel Fengler and the man we’re here to see, the ‘baron of techno’ himself, Dave Clarke. It’s a fearsome lineup and should make for a special night by anyone’s standards, but there are still niggling doubts; thanks to archaic licensing laws and its comparatively small size, clubbing in Dublin can sometimes be a frustrating affair. “Are there 10,000 people out there yet?” Clarke jokingly asks the promoter. As Sharpe warms up a small and scattered crowd with some rugged, off-kilter floor pounders, the baron is aware that this event might not reach the same giddy heights as one of his sell-out ADE parties. Yet the outspoken DJ has repeatedly chosen to grace the city over the years, and given that his radio show White Noise is broadcast over RTE’s 2FM, it seems appropriate for its 500th edition to be celebrated here. As we speak to Clarke, his choice of Dublin over, say, London or Glasgow begins to make sense – it’s as deliberately contrary as everything he does in music. He may reside in Amsterdam – favoured by many DJs for its liberal atmosphere and close proximity to the rest of the Continent – but Clarke is the antithesis of your faceless, big-room tech house merchant, equally happy to discuss the vagaries of the Labour leadership contest as his studio setup. Still informed by his first musical passion, punk, Clarke is surely one of the few artists left who can truly get away with using the anarchy sign. There’s a certain DIY ethos to everything he does, from his hip-hop-influenced mixing technique to the serious legwork that goes into producing each weekly edition of White Noise. “There’s a 95% chance that each week has different music,” he tells us. It’s a more impressive figure when you consider that so few hype tracks make it past Clarke’s meticulous bullshit

September 2015

Interview: Tom Short

detector. “If it comes with a press attachment saying ‘this is killing it in Ibiza right now,’ I’ll listen out of politeness but…” Much of the show’s content comes from young artists sending Clarke tracks via email or through a Dropbox on his website. He may not be the only DJ to promote complete newcomers, citing Laurent Garnier as another key example, but all this research is a serious commitment, with an average of two gigabytes of music arriving in his inbox every two weeks. “Divide that by MP3 quality and that’s a lot of music!” Does this relentless pursuit of novelty come at a cost? A true veteran of the scene, Clarke is far better placed to comment on this issue than the current crop of DJs who grew up with broadband. White Noise began as a show called Technology in the late 90s, which Clarke eventually had to abandon due to his demanding production commitments and the sheer time involved in using vinyl. A subsequent explosion of creativity and sharing may have allowed him to start White Noise and keep it relevant, but the baron has reservations about dance music’s attention deficit. “The scene is moving so quickly that there isn’t that big tune anymore. That six-to-nine-month waiting period with vinyl – where everybody would be chasing it – doesn’t happen. Now it’s so vast and so quick that only my end-of-year shows feature tracks that I played earlier in the year.” White Noise may be the source of new sounds for many but it also stays defiantly outside current trends, championing electro as much as the bruising techno for which Clarke is most widely known. After the post-millennial electroclash blip, the former has remained very much off the radar for the average listener. Ever the technological determinist, Clarke is pragmatic about why this happened. “To hear electro in the club, you need to have an amazing soundsystem. A lot of people use sidechaining in this tech house shite, instead of proper programming and EQing, whereas electro requires large amounts of bass.” He’s pleased to note that the genre still has a firm foothold over the channel, where his name is held with special

reverence. “A lot of good electro is coming out of France, weirdly. I saw the Hacker recently and he said, ‘You’re one of the few DJs who still plays electro and gives us all hope.’” And in the UK? “You have Andy Bass Agenda doing an amazing job with his electro releases. There’s another guy called Mazzula. Listen to White Noise, that’s my get-out clause!”

“The whole vibe in Ibiza is basically Margaret Thatcher” Dave Clarke

Just as electro’s fortunes have been forced back underground, it has been difficult to miss the upsurge of interest in techno in recent years, with a new wave of young producers filling out clubs and reaching mainstream festival crowds. For many this might be something to celebrate, but Clarke goes reassuringly off-message. “The crowd in the UK has become less powerful because of the way certain promoters are in certain cities. They’ll put one techno person on, and then someone who has nothing to do with it. It has kind of destroyed techno in some ways.” Inevitably, conversation turns to that favourite musical whipping boy of our times, EDM, whose pernicious influence undoubtedly contributes to the UK’s and US’s increasingly familiar festival lineups. Rather than simply slamming our less informed American cousins, which is the knee-jerk response of most DJs, Clarke gets right to the heart of the issue. “What most upsets me about EDM is that they’ve completely forgotten the roots,” he suggests. “People like Hawtin, people like Guetta, in a way they are kind of like Isis in Palmyra, destroying everything that came before to suit their own needs.

CLUBS

That’s probably an ironic statement coming from someone like me who’s a punk, which is always about destroying. But that’s about destroying the establishment, things that don’t make society fair and correct.” Clarke’s way with a provocative soundbite is legendary (“the whole vibe in Ibiza is basically Margaret Thatcher” is another gem from this particular conversation), but sadly the headlines have often neglected the reasonable arguments behind his fiery invective. He is surprisingly moderate about Ten Walls, whose homophobic comments led to uproar and condemnation from all corners of the internet. “I think he’s his own person, he’s grown up in his own environment, he’s surrounded by people that are of a different time and culture to the rest of Europe, and his views which I haven’t read, are obviously wrong. But perhaps people should judge him a little bit less harshly. These people that are coming down really hard on him, they’re still going to Russia. I don’t go to Russia, because of Sochi, because they are anti-gay, because of human rights abuses.” There’s undoubtedly something unsettling about the way in which blanket social media shaming can disguise the bigotry that goes on unnoticed all the time, especially in corporate dance culture, The Skinny suggests. Clarke nods. “It’s almost to show that they’re correct but if you scratch beneath the surface, they’re the same, just a little bit more au fait with Twitter etiquette.” Besides his pleasingly unfiltered contributions to political debate, the baron is well known for his forays into other genres, recently producing a gleefully twisted version of The Soft Moon’s Wrong, along with stellar remixes for A Place to Bury Strangers and the now defunct Amazing Snakeheads, to name only his most recent beneficiaries. “I love all types of music, I follow it as much as I can. The Soft Moon I got recommended to me by a guy in a record shop. I saw them and enjoyed it, and went out for a whisky with them afterwards, and it turned out they’re fans.” Clarke constantly name checks a variety of artists: “I like Scout Niblett, obviously PJ Harvey, Tindersticks, the new Beck album I was blown away by,” and he recently recorded a show discussing his impressive classical influences (Janácek, Smetana, Vaughan Williams) on the Belgian radio station Klara. His time spent working in a classical music shop was instructive, though ironically it also introduced him to early house tracks. “We’d get all these 12-inches in and I’d take them as my wages, Evil Eddie, Jolly Roger…” If there’s a common thread between all this paradoxically difficult but dynamic music it’s Clarke’s quest for perfectionism, which has prevented him from producing for six years. “It took me so long to get my studio to the point where I was happy with it. Personal circumstance dictated a change of my life. It took six or seven years to rebuild a new studio to the point where I was happy with it. And technology changed. I had to become a systems administrator, knocking my Mac into shape!” Now doling out high-quality remixes at an impressive rate, with a number of original tracks on the horizon from Unsubscribe, his project with Mr Jones, the baron once more seems unstoppable. As the finally packed-out venue laps up his set of machine-tooled bangers, it’s gratifying to see his tireless enthusiasm rewarded. Dave Clarke Presents: A White Noise Retrospective is out now daveclarke.com

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What They Said One of our team of Art scribes, Tom Kwei chats to us ahead of the release of his spoken-word based drama series, which showcases new writing talent while shedding light on what’s often thought of as a fairly niche scene

“N

ot wanting to sound bitter but it’s always the spark fades, like park glades in winter… so I want you to be my ex…” a character called Jay tells the audience in the pilot episode of new drama series What They Said. Jay is speaking about how he always seems to get on better with his girlfriends after they break up. The words, and the funny, honest, lyrical nature of the story Jay is telling may sound familiar – in fact they have been performed before, not by Jay, but by spoken-word poet Tom Kwei who has been active for several years on the Northwest and West Midlands’ thriving spoken-word poetry scenes. Working with actors mainly from Manchester, Kwei has been putting together a new series of half-hour drama-style episodes about, and featuring at its heart, the performance of new poetry and prose. The series will begin to be released on YouTube over the coming year. Audiences are well used to comedians combining standup with sitcom-like sketches; think Art of Jerry Seinfeld, Louis CK, Sarah Silverman or, more recently, the storm that is Amy Schumer. The popularity of these can be huge, catapulting standup stars to international fame, syndication and the wealth that comes with it. Spoken-word poetry? Not so much. Writers and literary performers are more often than not the ones being sent up on our screens; we’re thinking of things like Toni and Candace’s confessional journaling workshop in Portlandia, the overearnest poetry of Kat in 10 Things I Hate About You or Freddie Prinze Jr’s hacky-sack performance (complete with spacey performance-art soundtrack) in She’s All That. These are clichés for sure but the clichés do endure and this is further emphasised with the seeming absence of spoken-word performance on our televisions. Late 90s programmes and documentaries such as Slam, SlamNation or 2002’s Def Poetry all tended to focus on the New York or wider US scene and, to this writer’s knowledge, there is nothing similar currently airing on mainstream TV. It is not surprising then that YouTube has

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become the destination of choice for those interested in either getting their stuff out there or watching each other’s performance. Here in the UK, the spoken-word scene is small but vibrant, seeming to exist as a niche within our cultural landscape and receiving little or no coverage from mainstream press or media. Spoken-word nights are increasingly well attended and popular in the Northwest. Evidently, the night set up by Kieren King and Ella Gainsborough, is about to celebrate its second birthday and has been filling out the Eagle Inn in Salford every second Monday. The event is also committed to recording the performances it presents; each performer is given the option to post a video of their performance on YouTube – the channel has become a bit of an archive and guide to the local spoken-word scene and provides a platform, especially for emerging performers, to get their work out there. Kwei’s series, however, further pushes public exposure for the poets and actors and gives a platform for new talent in the region. It seems a pretty unique concept. “The project began about two years ago,” says Kwei. “I perform a lot myself, both in Birmingham and Manchester, but I started thinking about the idea for the show particularly in Birmingham where I was going to more events at the tail-end of uni, spending more time watching people on stage and getting to know them or watching them off-stage – the scene is quite insular and there are only about two nights on every month. I had always written more script-style stuff and one night the idea for a spoken word drama just clicked. Myself and my writing partner Adam Goodyear just went to the pub and started chatting about it.” Kwei’s idea was for a show that would be not quite sitcom and not quite documentary – “I didn’t want it to be either,” he says. “The poetry is the main focus of the show and how the poets, or the characters of the poets in the show, communicate with each other. All the stuff you see in between and at the beginning and end of the show are things

Interview: Sacha Waldron Illustration: Nick Booton

that would usually happen on event nights; each episode is a bit of a window into a night in the real world but also plays on the idea of the insularity of the scene, a bit like The Royle Family – where you never really see beyond the house, or even beyond the living room. My director and right-hand man is Sam Whiles, an old friend who works primarily for Beatfreeks, a West Midlandsbased spoken-word organisation. The process is very much collaborative, with both of us plotting out story and character prior to myself writing the poems for each episode and him planning the shots. I really feel his cinematic sensibilities help the show rise above merely footage of people pretending to be poets, to a genuine, engaging visual experience – with each character approached differently through the camera in reflection of their varied styles.”

“It’s really important that it’s visual. You capture things you can’t get just from the audio” Tom Kwei

The idea of playing on the cliché of the characters you would find in the real-life spokenword scene is important to the script. “Yes, well, the main character, Jay, is based on, or is, me… or the clichéd parts of me,” says Kwei. “I’m certainly not a rare ‘character’ on the scene… other characters include Wills, who is sort of over the top, an ornate post-actor… then we have a political character that you seem to often find on the Birmingham scene – who always seems to

ART

be writing about power structures, lambasting newspapers, talking about why you shouldn’t buy bottled water. We play up some of the stereotypes because any serial drama or HBO series has some fixed roles – there’s always a villain, a romance, cliff-hangers, etc. We’ve plotted out the whole season of What They Said and those narratives are important. We also intend for the cast of characters to shift season by season, almost like Skins or True Detective. That in itself is, in some ways, a reflection of the scene itself.” And where is he getting his actors? Are they spoken-word poets themselves? “Not necessarily,” says Kwei. “It’s super low budget but we were lucky to get some really good actors who we auditioned in Manchester.” Is it important, The Skinny asks Kwei, that this be a visual thing – could it work as easily as a podcast? “No, it’s really important that it is visual,” he says. “You capture things you can’t get just from the audio – the awkwardness of a smoking break or the hush of the crowd – but also the looks and visual drama that is occurring. It is definitely a TV show in regards to its episodic storytelling that primarily uses poetry rather than just dialogue. For me, it’s the nexus between the binge-watching culture of Netflix and the modern poetry scene.” For Kwei also, the series has been an important catalyst for new writing. “There are some of the poems that I had written and performed at events and videos previously as part of the show,” he says, “but there are a lot, about 13, written specifically for the show and that will be performed by various characters. The process has genuinely been a positive one for my writing. Spoken word is so much about showing and being yourself that being able to inhabit other voices in the same way was liberating. There is no guitar or character to hide behind up on the stage, and that fragility and openness is something that I feel is conveyed within the show.” The first episode of What They Said is now on YouTube. Follow @WTS_Poetry for more information and updates

THE SKINNY

LIVERPOOL’S INTERNATIONAL ARTS VENUE

MANCHESTER LITER ATURE FESTIVAL 2015

WHAT’S ON www.thecapstonetheatre.com Autumn Season 2015

01 I Oct £14

Matthew Halsall and the Gondwana Orchestra

12—25 OCTOBER

14 I Oct £12.50 (£9 con)

Romeo and Juliet Manchester Literature Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary with an extra special programme featuring Margaret Atwood, Melvyn Bragg, Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, Carol Ann Duffy, Sarah Hall, Joanne Harris, Robert Harris, Anthony Horowitz, Paul Mason, Andrew O’Hagan, Mai Al-Nakib, Sunjeev Sahota, Elif Shafak, Tracey Thorn, Kathryn Williams, Jeanette Winterson and many more.

20 I Oct £11.50

Stephen Hough

For the full Festival programme visit www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk @mcrlitfest #MLF15 #10yearsyoung

23 I Oct £11.50

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September 2015

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Roller Trio 27 I Oct £12.50 (£9.50 con)

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Julian Argüelles Tetra BOX OFFICE 0844 8000 410 www.ticketquarter.co.uk TicketQuarter Handling Fee of £2.25 per order applies when booking online or by phone. Call charges apply. There is no Handling Fee when buying tickets with cash from the TicketQuarter Box Office, Queens Square Centre, Liverpool L1 1RG.

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Under the Skin

Attack the Block

The Selfish Giant

British Cinema: A New Dawn To mark the publication of New British Cinema: from Submarine to 12 Years a Slave, we polled The Skinny’s film writers to ascertain their finest British films of the century so far

hat comes to your mind when you think 'British Cinema'? Do you picture a dour room with characters indulging in bittersweet conversations while drinking tea (the Mike Leigh mode), or some unemployed ne'er-do-well getting beat up and trodden into the dirt by our corrupt social hierarchy (the Ken Loach mode), or perhaps you imagine a country manor/boarding school/royal palace/well-off London borough with beautiful rich people trying to overcome easily surmountable odds (all the rest)? If so, you're not alone. But you'd also be wrong. The recently published film book New British Cinema: from Submarine to 12 Years a Slave, by Jason Wood (director of film at HOME, Manchester) and Ian Haydn Smith (editor of Curzon Magazine), is a vital reminder that British cinema has been blossoming over the last decade. The book takes the form of 24 in-depth interviews with a diverse range of UK filmmakers who have been active over the last five years or so, from internationallyrenowned heavyweights like Steve McQueen, Joanna Hogg and Jonathan Glazer, to less well-known but no-less exciting talents like Sally El Hosaini (My Brother The Devil), Ben Rivers (Two Years at Sea), and filmmaking duo Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy (Helen). We took the book's release as an opportunity to poll our own writers to find The Skinny’s favourite British films of the same period (2010-2015). Are we living through a golden age of British cinema? We'll let the quality and diversity of the films below speak for themselves. 1. UNDER THE SKIN (JONATHAN GLAZER, 2013) It begins with a pinprick of light amidst the darkness of the unfeeling void. The coronas of some astral flare converge in an orchestra of motion and sound. Under the Skin launches into a Roegian orbit from there; a haunting, deeply affecting work of resonant, exposition-free science fiction. The inscrutable Scarlett Johansson is iconic, Jonathan Glazer's vision peerless. [Ben Nicholson] 2. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (LYNNE RAMSAY, 2012) The opening scenes of a milling, red-covered

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crowd are both a foreboding nod to the event that will shatter Eva's world into an irreparable mound of broken pieces and a yearning glance at the happy life it stole from her forever. Chronology collapses into itself as the story of a high school massacre is told from the frayed perspective of the shooter's mother, weaving past and future together as her fractured mind strives to understand how things went so horrifically wrong. [Ross McIndoe]

“New British Cinema is a vital reminder that British cinema has been blossoming over the last decade” 3. 12 YEARS A SLAVE (STEVE MCQUEEN, 2013) 12 Years a Slave is the crowning opus to date of Steve McQueen, one of British cinema’s most exciting new visionaries of the last decade. A film where even the sound design is drenched with palpable, haunting sorrow and horror, it offers not just an essential look at man’s mistreatment of man and the rawest cinematic depiction of the tyrannies of slavery to date, but also a continuation of McQueen’s keen interest in themes of suffering and spiritual transcendence (see Hunger and Shame). [Josh Slater-Williams] 4. BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO (PETER STRICKLAND, 2012) In Peter Strickland’s tenebrous investigation into the roots of fear Toby Jones plays Gilderoy, a British sound technician working on an Italian giallo. As production progresses, he becomes

increasingly troubled by the on-screen horror, with Strickland using sound to punctuate the darkest recesses of the viewers subconscious. An examination into relationship between a filmmaker’s desire to scare and an audience’s appetite to be frightened, Berberian Sound Studio is a audible rorschach test for the viewer’s own fears and anxieties. [Patrick Gamble] 5. KILL LIST (BEN WHEATLEY, 2011) Ben Wheatley’s arthouse-realist horror is The Wicker Man for the post-Iraq war world. Much of the action in this nasty ‘one last job’ hit-man film takes place in a mundane modern Britain, shot beautifully but laced with such a suffocating threat of violence that it echoes in your subconscious long after the surreal ending. It's a lasting resonance that Kill List is expressing something dark about modern life we could all do with listening to. [Danny Scott] 6. THE SELFISH GIANT (CLIO BARNARD, 2013) Social realism fans; be assured that while Ken Loach’s star waned over recent years, his work breathed life into a worthy successor. Clio Barnard frames both image and emotion to perfection in her full feature debut – from mist shrouded Bradford moors, dominated by an impending power station as conflicting as Kennard’s cruise missiles in Constable’s Haywain, to the touching relationship between two underprivileged boys, played by untrained actors unencumbered by anything as vulgar as technique. [Alan Bett] 7. THE DEEP BLUE SEA (TERENCE DAVIES, 2011) Terence Davies built his reputation through openly autobiographical films like Distant Voices, Still Lives, but 2011’s The Deep Blue Sea proves he can be just as personal, probing and poignant when adapting the work of others. “Beware of passion,” warns one character to the sad, tormented Hester (played with heart-rending vulnerability by a never-better Rachel Weisz), on the grounds that “it always leads to something ugly”. Not always: here, in the hands of Davies, it leads to indelible, melancholic beauty.

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8. TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY (THOMAS ALFREDSON, 2011) A film about being a spy, more than about spying itself. Amid a cadre of British acting talent, Gary Oldman is exceptional as the appositely unexceptional George Smiley in Thomas Alfredson’s slick Le Carré adaptation. Subtlety trumps bombast and the labyrinthine plot is parcelled out with immaculate precision and exquisitely balanced tension – falsehood turns the screw at every moment. [BN] 9. ATTACK THE BLOCK (JOE CORNISH, 2011) If John Carpenter made a youths-meet-aliens film for Amblin and set it in Brixton, it might look something like Attack the Block. Joe Cornish’s sole directorial effort to date is a superb blend of well-choreographed action, pointed social conscience, memorable set-pieces and creature design, terrific performances, and biting wit. With this, Dredd and The Raid, the tower block action movie has had a significant presence this half-decade, but in gang leader protagonist Moses (future Star Wars lead John Boyega), Cornish offers up a new B-movie icon that sets his film apart from the pack. [JS-W] 10. THE WORLD’S END (EDGAR WRIGHT, 2013) Five old friends attempt to reclaim their youth on a 12-pub crawl in their sleepy hometown, but the reunion is hampered by the fact their pitiful leader (Simon Pegg), once the charismatic party prince at high school, is currently on AA’s 12-step programme. Oh, and the town’s residents have been replaced by blue-blooded alien robots. Wright creates a looney comedy that has more to say about depression and Britain's creeping totalitarianism than any gritty issues movie. Rarely has a filmmaker pulled off pairing existential dread with laugh-a-minute ebullience. [Jamie Dunn] New British Cinema: from Submarine to 12 Years a Slave by Jason Wood and Ian Haydn Smith is out now, published by Faber & Faber Read our writers’ personal top tens at theskinny.co.uk/film

THE SKINNY

From Bedroom to Box Office We chat with Glaswegian virtuoso C Duncan about turning a one-man, one-year labour of love into an arresting, unmissable live act

ou wouldn’t have thought 150 people – seated, balancing drinks, applauders seemingly of the staid fingers-to-palm variety – could make this much noise. But some in C Duncan’s audience in Glasgow’s Centre for Contemporary Arts have both feet in the air as they explode out of their seats to bring the beaming architect of Architect, Duncan’s arresting full-length debut, back for an encore. He returns with a little wave, a boyish smile, and steals all our windpipes for a few minutes of snowflake silence during I’ll Be Gone By Winter. Wherever he will be this winter, we hope we’re in earshot. Seven hours earlier Duncan steps off sunny Sauchiehall Street into the CCA atrium, having parked the band van, just now back from a show in Leeds, wearing a green and white button-up, a smattering of road-stubble, and an air of just barely credulous happiness with his new life, changed so much in the weeks leading up to Architect’s release just a few days before. He’s gone from waiting tables four days a week to gigging every night: The Lexington in London, Somerset House with Belle & Sebastian, the Latitude festival, then Bristol, Salford, Leeds, and now back home to Glasgow – though not for long. The driving’s tiring, he says, but each audience still stands out. “It’s weird,” he suggests, sitting in the CCA café, one arm on the table and the other over his chairback, “watching people going to the box office, picking up tickets to see you. “Why didn’t you give up working in cafés sooner?” he wonders now, with a laugh. The past few months he was promoting his album, building a band, and readying himself for the road, but he still wanted to keep his flat in Glasgow, to be able

September 2015

Interview: Aidan Ryan

to pay for pints and shows. Now it’s pints and shows nonstop, and instead of collecting tips he’s collecting the road stories exclusive to touring musicians. And plenty of fans. A multi-instrumentalist and the son of classical musicians, with a degree from Glasgow’s Conservatoire and ensemble and choir composition credits already under his belt, Duncan laboured on Architect for over a year, alone, in his bedroom, layering his voice into harmonies, approximating snare sounds with wire brushes on the back of his desk chair, layering synths, guitars, handclaps. “It was me just using whatever stuff I had in my bedroom,” he says. “All my spare time I just spent doing that; I had real highs and lows, because obviously I was kind of isolated for a year.” He talks about tweaking, working the intricacies of his pieces; inspired, he says, by the sort of subtle alterations in repeated patterns that he loves in contemporary classical music and in Glasgow’s architecture. “It gives you so much freedom to play,” he says – demoing on his own, off a studio’s expensive clock; but bringing such a lonely year long labour to a live setting – and such intricate, precisely orchestrated, many-layered sounds to a four-piece band – seemed a massive challenge. But he constructed a band piece by piece, testing his sets onstage much the way he’d layered his original recordings. “I don’t know how it came together... it just has.” The songs “were very very different to begin with. Just because we didn’t know what to do,” Duncan says. The quartet – Duncan, Finn McCardel on keys, Lluis Solervicens on bass, Glynn Forrest on drums – have come closer to the sound of the album (and Duncan still seems a bit surprised),

but the songs we hear live are more reinvention than reproduction. The album’s opener Say bursts out of an audible stillness, a soundspace like the resonant insides of a cathedral floating somewhere around Kepler 186-f. This doesn’t seem as powerful live, at the start of Duncan’s Friday night show, but quickly the bass and bass drum start a pulse that gives Say a second engine, throbbing behind Duncan’s melody. Suddenly it’s a foot-tapper. With live drums Silence and Air takes on a new, even unsettling urgency; and the extraordinary track Garden becomes, as his closer, a song you might dial up to blast on your car stereo.

“I don’t know how it came together... it just has” C Duncan

One might expect obsessive compulsive, even dictatorial behaviour from a musician who spent over a year sorting through files of individual drum hits to construct an album so breezily masterful that the word “perfect,” applied to it, doesn’t raise any cynical eyebrows. If that alone makes one a perfectionist, then Duncan qualifies. But he’s no control freak, conversational in-person and loose onstage, tuning his guitar during And I, trusting the band to carry it for a few bars when plenty of other performers would have stopped and started over. His work is as much the result of the

MUSIC

composer’s solitary concentration as of happy accidents: in each song some seed of intent flowers in chance discovery. “Whenever I start I’ve always got a very clear idea of… themes for the song, but not necessarily the mood, and then I start recording and then I find something,” he says. “It’s very much an ongoing thing.” This even includes “gibberish” – he cites the Cocteau Twins as an influence. “I love the idea of having words that kind of almost sound like things, you make up meanings to go with it.” Though he doesn’t think much of himself as a lyricist, it’s clear that Duncan used a dash of jabberwocky-style melopoeia to great effect: it’s all part of the overall composition. So are his striking paintings, aerial views of Glasgow framing car parks and overlapping motorways. He pairs each song with a different painting, projecting them behind the band, and the media interilluminate each other. The paintings, with all indications of messy human habitation abstracted into clean geometry, remind one of the unusual sense of perspective in Duncan’s songs, which can sometimes give ‘architect’ near-deific dimensions: these aren’t pieces rooted in the heat and dust of earthly troubles. It’s strange music to come from Glasgow, where the beautiful casts its gaze on the sordid, caryatids looking down on broken Buckfast bottles glittering greenly. Architect often seems to come at it all from about 85 degrees. “I wrote my first song on piano when I was 10 because I wanted to see if I could write music and how my melody would sound if I harmonised it,” Duncan writes, a few days later. “Since then I have always had a need, I guess, to make music. I feel happiest when making music and a bit lost and useless when I’m not writing or don’t have a project on the go.” It helps make sense of Architect: it’s less about Duncan working through emotions and “situations” than exploring the music as music, less interested in what things are than in the way they are, the way the world’s patterns in colour, shape, sound, and percussion repeat and change – and move us. Because it’s not emotionless: it is emotion, distilled to movement in sound. It’s clear on the lullaby Castle Walls, with harmonies to wet the driest tear ducts. There’s a similar moment in Novices as he plays it live to us at the CCA: when it’s over you can hear in the stillness that we don’t want to clap, for the first time that night. We don’t want to believe that it’s over. But the night does end, after I’ll Be Gone By Winter; a woman in the second row says “I feel privileged… I’m an emotional wreck.” Duncan is moving fast into a growing career and a flowering reputation. He’s still keen to return to contemporary classical at some point, maybe even pursue a PhD (“I’m always going to be on the edge,” he says – though he might just be describing his pop) but now he has fans who’d mourn even a temporary absence – the way fans howl when he announces his “last song.” He’s already demoing for his second album and hopes to be done by the end of the year, getting into the studio (with session players, this time) at the start of 2016. He mentions a string quartet – at which the mind goes rabid to hear how Architect might sound with a full orchestra – but right now it’s just an idea, “not set in stone,” he says. The metaphor’s apt: masonry’s his thing, anyway. Architect is out now on Fat Cat. Playing in support of Lucy Rose at Leeds University Union, 1 Nov, and at Liverpool O2 Academy, 7 Nov fat-cat.co.uk/site/artists/c-duncan

Feature

On the Ricochet Ought’s Tim Darcy describes the strange hive mind and shared psyche of Montreal’s hotly tipped post-punk band

Photo: Hera Chan

Interview: Katie Hawthorne

ught know how to keep it tight. The Montreal-based four-piece sound at times as if they’re improvising, on the verge of imploding… only to unite in some kind of glorious, seamless “cosmic sense,” as vocalist and guitarist Tim Darcy describes. Are the band simply superhumanly adept at finding order in chaos, or is there more to it? “Well, I can’t rule it out as a stunt,” Darcy admits, with a laugh. “I’ve said before that people will start clueing into the trick we have: taking two ideas and just smushing them together, and somehow they make… sense.” The way Darcy describes it, Ought find this “cosmic” order by virtue of the band’s extraordinary dynamic. “It’s sort of as if… there’s four people holding on to a pen, trying to draw something. It’s like your interpersonal relationship is the creative relationship, in a way.” The four pairs of hands, alongside Darcy’s, belong to Matt May on keys, Ben Stidworthy on bass, and Tim Keen on drums and the odd bit of violin. The group, based in Canada, hold Australian and American passports between them, and their shared psyche is part and parcel of living and working in such close proximity to each other: the band’s debut record was written and rehearsed in their shared apartment. That first full length, More Than Any Other Day, was released in 2014 on famed Montreal label Constellation (home to Godspeed You! Black Emperor) and established the group as the foremost wave-riders of contemporary postpunk, laced with undeniable pop sensibilities. It drew them innumerable comparisons to the dynamics of Sonic Youth and the Fall, but Darcy’s keen to refute these potential “answers” in favour of a greater consideration of the question of influence. He muses, “I have trouble answering that question. So I’ve been thinking about it more in relation to… when I approach making something, I think about what is the thing that I need to get out. That’s often… that’s always what my writing is.” Lyrically, Darcy’s writing on the band’s follow-up record, Sun Coming Down, is even more opaque: broad, everyman lyricism which attacks contemporary apathy with a savage tongue.

Feature

On Beautiful Blue Sky, Darcy chants, “What is that… sensation? How’s the church? How’s the job? How’s the family? Beautiful weather today, beautiful weather today…” before concluding, “I’m no longer afraid to die, because that is all that I have left.” Sardonic delivery and impeccably jaunty guitar work make light of these Nietzschean undertones, tapping into all-toohuman anxieties without necessarily plunging the depths. The (almost) title track, Sun’s Coming Down proclaims, “I am talking outta my ass, because my heart is not open.” It’s unclear if the statement’s an admission or an indirect accusation, but as the track slowly deconstructs, unravelling and fraying, Darcy’s vocals take on the tone of a left-field indie preacher, ordering his congregation into line.

“I generally defer to my mother on all aspects related to my music career” Tim Darcy

Returning to his earlier analogy, he explains: “So… with four people holding this pen, there’s so much trust that has to happen there, allowing other people to use this creative outlet for what they need to get out. You know that someone really wants to push it in a certain direction, and it’s maybe not exactly where you’d have taken it, but there’s this collective high by witnessing this person get out something that they really need to get out. Vicariousness? And it’s so exciting to play these songs live because there’s a very direct, personal connection… but also this external, communal relationship. I couldn’t play one of these songs alone on the acoustic guitar and get that feeling.” Put this way, Ought sounds like the creation of some kind of hive mind: the productive

tension between individual fulfilment and collective reward results in a distinctive, atmospheric quality to their songcraft which certainly feels cathartic. Sun Coming Down feels a bolstered, robust embodiment of this shared headspace: a quality more ephemeral than simple sophomore confidence, it’s symptomatic of Ought’s decision to let the music take the lead. “One thing we were talking about a lot [with this record] is that if a song wants to be loud and fast, just let it go there. If a song is quieter, more open, let it go there. To not have things hang in the middle.” It certainly sounds this way, too. Where tracks like Passionate Turn bubble and simmer, taut and restrained, opener Men for Miles trips and rolls, culminating in an elbows-out riot of competitive, climbing riffs as Darcy demands, “Will you look me in the eye?” In the making, Sun Coming Down turned out to be the complete antithesis of their previous release. Where their debut was written with a “pretty slow creation pace,” as the band finished school and worked day jobs, this time around the band wrote and recorded the whole record in just two months. Darcy describes the process as “kind of magical in how it came together.” He explains: “There’s been this… interior/exterior thing happening. With the last record, we played so many shows, played the songs so many times before we even recorded them. By the time we were with Constellation, we were pretty sure that the songs were, like… OK. But with the new one, we made it in a vacuum. Straight from being holed up in this jam space, we played two local shows and went straight into the studio.” This reclusive approach resulted in one or two slightly unstable live shows at the start of the band’s frankly ridiculous touring schedule. On the road since April, Ought will hit UK shores in October having played their new record almost every day, in what Darcy dubs “a kind of early finish line; it’s… mentally closer to home.” He reports that when the band performed at Sasquatch festival in Washington, early May, they opened with a new track they were “so excited about it. But a) people were like, ‘What is this?’ And b) it was only our third time ever playing it

MUSIC

live, so… we were like, ‘OK, that was a mistake!’ But now the singles are out and the record’s announced, there’s no real ‘what’s happening here?’ reactions. It’s been about kneading in a few new ones to each set.” The band have a reputation for an outstanding live show, crackling with electricity. Thankfully, given their outrageously long summer on the road, Darcy’s confident that they’ll maintain that energy: “It’s more than enjoyment, I mean, the four of us could hang out anywhere. It’s about feeling fulfilled, in a certain sense, and maybe there’s an immediacy that happens more in the live shows than it does on record. I generally defer to my mother on all aspects related to my music career. She really likes the band, and I think it’s genuine because she wouldn’t lie. But she says, yeah, [the record] needs another listen. It’s a deeper listen. Not to compare it on a basis of superficiality, but I think that yeah, maybe you need to be tuned in.” This acute awareness, or “tuning in,” is a common theme when listening to Darcy describe his band. He returns again to the question of artistic influence, musing that “it’s a question which bridges the fan/artist boundary, which is just so blurred. So many people are making music, and surrounded by music. But, let’s just say that I didn’t make any music at all,” he hypothesises. “I hear Sonic Youth, and just as pure fan, I feel really moved… Whatever your art does for you, something has entered my consciousness because of it. And I’m going to think about things, or think about this music, and maybe I’ll write something, or maybe it’ll just… become a special thing for me. Maybe there’s a question of, ‘did this band have a similar experience to me?’ Or, ‘were they also in love with this thing that I’m in love with, and I’m just witnessing the ricochet?’” When you think about it, there’s a simple logic in Darcy’s blurring of internal influences and external catharsis – perhaps we’re all just witnessing the ricochet. Ought play Manchester The Deaf Institute, on 2 Sep. Sun Coming Down is released on 18 Sep via Constellation cstrecords.com/ought

THE SKINNY

LI FE

The Travel Hangover

ST Y LE

After months on the road savouring the high of long-term travel, how does one begin to treat the hangover that ensues postadventure? It’s the ugly side of long-term travel, the comedown…

see her. She’s lying under my bed. Dusty. Dormant. Depressed. In my 6am haze I dress for work, desperately trying to look anywhere but directly at her. If she catches me looking, she’ll know. She’ll know I feel it too. Dusty. Dormant. Depressed. I throw the bedcover strategically across the mattress, so it drapes down and hinders Backpack’s view of me from beneath the bed; out of sight, out of mind. At least, for the next hour… I wait for the bus, busily checking my emails to start the working day. I skim through on autopilot, answering client demands and quickly deleting enticing promotions from EasyJet: fly London to Istanbul from just £49. If only I still lived in London at the centre of the backpacker world, where far off exotic destinations were just £49 away. And buses ran on time. I’ve been back in Sydney, trudging through reality with a full-time job and a rental agreement, for 15 months now; my world adventure sitting starkly in the past. I should have been satisfied with the ten months I spent drinking and partying my way across the European continent with my significant other. I should have been grateful for the 16 months we spent enjoying tea and scones in my adopted English home, while we worked to squirrel away our pounds. The following six months we spent trekking through the Middle East and Asia certainly should have sated my appetite for travel. But alas, standing at the bus stop on a humid Friday morning, I couldn’t help but sympathise with starving Oliver asking ‘please Sir, I want some more.’ As my bus approaches, I reach into my pocket in search of money. I pull out an old Air Asia boarding pass and I sigh heavily. Wanderlust has gripped me again. Being on the road is like a drug. It gives you a high that only others who have been there can relate to. The freedom of snubbing societal expectations of settling down, progressing financially and joining the rat race, is empowering.

September 2015

Words: Kate Morling Illustration: Mouni Feddag

You find your senses sharpen and intensify and you are intoxicated by the full spectrum of the world you now experience. The saris that surround you display colours no H&M store can rival. The Chinese silk scarf you drape gently around your shoulders is so soft you can’t stop rubbing it repetitively like a Glastonbury pill-popper. And the smell emanating from that pile of camel shit is so intense it’s distracting you from the Great Pyramid. Who needs acid when you can travel? You have switched off the autopilot and are in full manual control of your life; every moment is a soul-changing one. Your memories are sharp. Hell, you can describe the taste of every meal you’ve eaten since you hit the road, in poetic detail. As I ride the bus to work, I can’t remember what I had for breakfast. I sigh heavily again. If travel is a drug, I’m on a comedown desperately seeking my next hit to stave off the full effects of approaching reality. Or maybe it’s too late. Maybe I’ve already entered withdrawals. I struggle through the final workday of the week, thankful for the weekend that approaches. I sit at my desk between clients scrolling through Pinterest and adding to my ever-growing Pinboard ‘Travel Wish List.’ This isn’t a new pastime. It’s an obsession which developed on my last trip and highlights the depth of my addiction; I was already planning my next trip before the high of the last had begun to subside. I scroll through the pictures of faraway lands, mentally taking note of how many of the destinations I have already visited, as if they are Pokemon and my task is to catch them all. Mt Fitzroy, Argentina – pin. Samarkand, Uzbekistan – pin. Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Iceland – pin. What’s missing in my life that makes me want to run from it? I have everything I could need here in Australia: family, friends, wealth, sun, a bed without bugs. What drives me to leave

it all behind to sleep on the floor of a Kashmiri family who speak no English, vomiting rice for three days straight because my stomach has higher expectations of hygiene than perhaps they are accustomed to? Maybe I’m not running away from anything. Maybe I’m running to something. Myself? Or someone I want to be. I’ve played lots of characters in my 28 years: ballerina, straight-A student, head-banging metal head, Sporty Spice. But I always felt I was pretending. None of those characters are really who I want to be. Of all of them, traveller is the first costume that feels like it might actually fit, and yet is baggy enough under the arms to allow for growth.

“If travel is a drug, I’m on a comedown desperately seeking my next hit” Or maybe it’s less romanticised than that. Maybe I’m just running to authentic homemade curries and an endless holiday where Mondayitis doesn’t exist. My screensaver begins to scroll and pulls me from my daydream. As I watch my beloved travel photos roll gently across the screen, I realise over an hour of the day has escaped me. Another hour of reality lost to dreams of being elsewhere. On the road, time slows down. There is no work week to race through, or term time spent knuckling down. The hours are spent creating

TRAVEL

vivid memories of back alleyway falafel houses, full of the smell of mint tea, incense and dust. Looking back, every experience I have collected has taught me something. The Jordanian taxi driver who drove us free of charge to our hostel when our airport pick-up didn’t show, despite my scepticism and reluctance to accept his genuine offer for fear of being ripped off, taught me that I’m too cynical. I always assume the worst. Not only did he follow through without asking for a penny, but he did it with a ‘welcome to Jordan’ smile and an offer to buy us a traditional cardamom-infused coffee on the way. I want to be trusting. Eating sandwiches at a Chinese bus stop, next to a girl eating chicken feet, taught me what it’s like to feel different; to be separated by language, appearance and choice of dietary staples. I want to be to accepting. The Aussie-filled pubs of Thailand taught me that at 2am after eight beers, four shots and a box of Cheezles, I’m really not as worldly and sophisticated as I sometimes think I am. I’m just another drunk Australian with cheese powder on my fingers. Also, I suck at Connect Four drinking games. The Ladyboys working Thailand’s bars do not suck at Connect Four drinking games. I want to be sober. The work week ends and I feel inexplicably unfulfilled and unchallenged. My heart isn’t in this life I have created here, it’s far too busy being gripped by wanderlust and a dream that I could be someone better. I want to understand the world outside of my own. I want to keep exploring my flaws and building new strengths. I want to experience all the smells and tastes and sounds the world has to offer. I want to not have to go to work on Monday. I scroll through Pinterest as I ride the bus home to my dusty old pal, Backpack, when I stumble across a poignant meme: ‘You don’t hate Mondays, you hate your life.’ Point taken, Pinterest. So I decide to change it. Google search: Expedia.

Lifestyle

Original Skin Deviance questions the gendered perspectives surrounding acne, making a feminist appeal for the choice to conceal Words: Kate Pasola

arlier this summer, on the morning of my graduation, I misplaced my make-up bag. A creeping curiosity developed into waves of fear that I’d left it on the train the evening before. By 8am I was unsystematically launching objects around my bedroom in a state of anxiety, wearing only Spanx and an ineffective pore strip. As much as that sounds like an endearing montage in a Bridget Jones prequel, I assure you it was not. I’ve got acne. If you were to locate the average hue of my face on a Dulux colour chart, I’m closest to Caribbean Coral. But I’ve acquired a handsome range of foundations and concealers, and have learned that eating avocados reduces the inflammation to around a Raspberry Bellini. It’s far from the end of the world on days when my perspective is intact. That said, no matter how much perspective I scraped together that morning in my ransacked room, the genesis of a panic attack was unavoidable. When I finally uncovered the shiny pouch in a suitcase pocket (always the last place, eh?), I slathered the cool foundation onto my skin and wondered why I felt quite so relieved. It wasn’t until the ceremony – when I clocked all the acneic male grads who were merrily clinking champagne glasses in front of each other’s dappled complexions – that I wondered whether I was going about this whole acne thing wrong. If the boys don’t have to rely on skin-coloured paste for a sense of validity, why should I? But here’s the thing – humans are always going to be mildly repulsed by stuff like acne. Spots are interpreted as sign that there’s something nonstandard about your health, even if it’s something as inconsequential as a little too much testosterone. At its most basic, makeup conceals the spots that the closed-minded might associate with immaturity or hygiene. It levels the playing ground for acne sufferers. At its cleverest, make-up lends a pointed jaw or widened eye that could seal the deal in an important social interaction. There’s a ton of patronising narratives that regard use of make-up as unfeminist, ‘false advertising,’ or a symptom of gaping insecurity needing patched up by Harry Styles and co. It’s useful to remember that they’re a crock of bollocks. 21st-century Western men don’t cover imperfections as frequently and comprehensively as women, and therefore aren’t burdened with an expectation to do so. But that means they also don’t really have the option to cash in on it when they wake up with visage à la tomate, either. Make-up is associated with femininity, so of course it isn’t seen as the powerful, clever and artful use of resources that it is. The answer? Paint your face if it truly, honestly makes you feel good. Sure, the busybodies might tell you it’s best to look ‘natural,’ but, to quote Calvin Klein, it takes make-up to look natural, doesn’t it?

Lifestyle

Free Bleeding In the aftermath of Kiran Gandhi’s controversial London Marathon, we take a look at why shame-free menstruation is about much more than making strangers uncomfortable Words: Rianna Walcott Illustration: Amy Wiggin

’m a firm believer in personal liberty. I say ‘you do you’ on average around ten times per day, and so long as those actions of ‘doing you’ don’t harm anyone else I say go forth. As such, the controversy surrounding menstruation and what people do during their period confuses me. There has been a real vehement opposition against the emerging phenomenon of ‘free bleeding,’ which is the choice to not wear a sanitary product like a pad or tampon during your cycle, and instead to just bleed on and prosper. This emergent trend was spurred by the recent actions of Kiran Gandhi, who ran the last London Marathon sans tampon in order to raise awareness for women who don’t have access to sanitary products. It was also an attempt to transform menstruation from a taboo topic to a subject of real-life conversation. It worked. The response to Kiran’s actions, both positive and negative, has been tremendous, and certainly highlighted the existing stigma around menstruation. What I found most surprising was my own response of immediate disgust. I wondered about her comfort, shied away from looking at pictures of her, thought about how inconsiderate it was to the other runners. Thing is, it isn’t inconsiderate to anyone else, is it? She’s not bleeding on anyone, after all. And if you don’t like the look of it, you are of course under no obligation to stare at her crotch. Kiran also made the decision to free bleed partly because the thought of running 26 miles with a tampon in didn’t particularly appeal. That seems fair enough to me. As someone who actively avoids most physical activity, I should probably take a seat instead of dictating how someone else should conduct themselves while running a marathon. On their period. While simultaneously trying to dismantle institutionalised inequality.

Public response was largely divided into two camps, those who supported the gesture as her personal freedom to run the race in the way she felt comfortable, and those of both genders who condemned it as ‘gross,’ ‘attention-seeking’ and ‘unhygienic,’

“You are of course under no obligation to stare at her crotch” Interestingly, there were also plenty of statements from women denying that they had ever felt ‘period-shamed,’ and refuting the need for an awareness-promoting gesture. That one made me a little cross. Just as when successful, westernised women proclaim how we ‘don’t need feminism,’ it seems to malign the negative experiences of so many women. Whether you agree with the way it was done or not, we cannot deny a need for awareness. If this is our response to those who are able to wear sanitary products and choose otherwise, then what is to become of the homeless woman who has no access to sanitary products? Or for women in rural parts of developing countries who can’t afford sanitary products? Access to relatively cheap sanitary products is a privilege in the western world, and we really showed our hand through this visceral reaction to a person who didn’t wear one for a brief moment in time. The taboo around menstruation goes deeper than just finding it a bit gross when physically con-

DEVIANCE

fronted with it. There is also a socially limiting aspect to menstruation, where it is used to periodshame individuals. The propensity to blame female actions on their bodily functions is still prevalent – and also really grim. Just take Donald Trump’s recent comments on Megyn Kelly following the GOP debate: “There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.” Kelly’s ability to interrogate and be assertive – something that would have been impressive in a man – is trivialised due to her femininity. It’s a worry that no matter how successful you may be, as a woman you can always be reduced to this element. Feelings, behaviour and way of thinking, all invalidated as ‘just premenstrual.’ We are socialised to be ashamed of our periods; taught to hide them, taught to slip pads from the hidden pocket in our bags then sidle to the bathroom, and for god’s sake don’t whine about it. I can’t help but wonder why we are silent about and punished for something that half of the world suffers through? In her piece If Men Could Menstruate, Gloria Steinem succinctly shows the irrational logic of period-shaming: “If women are supposed to be less rational and more emotional at the beginning of our menstrual cycle when the female hormone is at its lowest level, then why isn’t it logical to say that, in those few days, women behave the most like the way men behave all month long?” And so we return to free bleeding. Honestly, as far as your period goes, do what makes you comfortable, not what makes the rest of the world comfortable. But do remember that the ability to choose not to wear a sanitary product is a privilege that many people still don’t have.

THE SKINNY

Spatial Awareness Liverpool graduate Fern-Rebekah Bywater takes inspiration from the built environment to create her sharp, structured womenswear. She tells us about using weird materials, the future of fashion, and how she hopes people feel when they see her designs

t’s a space many young people are familiar with: after graduating from university, there is hopefully a reasonably secluded basement or attic at mum and dad’s, which can contain the wholly reinvented postgraduate you. Recent Liverpool John Moores University Fashion Design graduate Fern-Rebekah Bywater traded a Liverpool student flat for her parental homestead in Northampton, but, unlike some, she doesn’t display any signs of millennial lethargia. Her architecturally inspired graduate collection was very well received, and she has since landed an internship with a London-based personal styling business. Perhaps Bywater could give other basement-dwellers some much-needed advice. “I think it’s extremely tricky to go from three years of independence to moving back in with your parents,” she says. “I’m fortunate to have a really close relationship with my family and my brother, who has also just returned home after completing his Architecture MA in Edinburgh. So despite it being a shock, I have gotten used to it. As for advice, just remember your goals; it’s important not to get too comfortable and to still push for what you worked hard for at uni.” Those goals? Bywater’s current dream is to become a womenswear designer at a brand such as Céline, Acne or The Kooples. It also seems that spending time with family isn’t Bywater’s worst nightmare, as they played a pivotal role in her artistic education. “As children, my brother and I would go to an art class with my granny,” she explains. “I think it is her we get our creative streak from. We would go to stately home grounds on days out, and I felt like a real artist because the whole class would have easels. I’d love to see the work I did then!” The stately homes led Bywater to consider the buildings around her as a source of inspiration in

September 2015

years to come – her graduate collection, Spatial Configurations, relies heavily on cues from the built environment. As its starting point, Bywater used the stark lines of work by Nasreen Mohamedi and Piet Mondrian recently exhibited at the Tate Liverpool. “When people used to ask what the vibe of the collection was I’d say, ‘You know when you stand in the shadow of a building and feel cold? I want people to feel like that when they watch the show’ – it made perfect sense to me at the time.”

“I can’t wait to see fashion in 50 years... I believe we’ll be logging on to the computer, buying a garment and 3D-printing it out at home!”

and translucent silicone.” Materials are crucial in her process: “I do a lot of sampling and really enjoy exploring new fabrics and developing texture through print or fabric manipulation. I often have a material in my head before I start designing what will be made out of it.” Using techniques such as screen printing, devoré and digital printing, Bywater then turns her raw materials into finished garments. “I spent a lot of time in the print rooms in final year developing freehand painted fabric,” she tells us.”It might have looked unplanned but to pull that off it needed to be really considered.” Bywater knows well the painstaking work that goes into making something look purposely accidental, and reflects on the potential ease

Interview: Leonie Wolters of creating garments in the future: “I can’t wait to see fashion in 50 years and I really hope I’ll still be working in it. I believe we’ll be logging on to the computer, buying a garment and 3D printing it out at home!” Already, innovative technologies play a large role in Bywater’s work. “I love pushing the boundaries with non-fashion fabrics and really enjoyed working with silicone in my collection,” she says. “It was ordered from some industrial website in metre sheets and I don’t even really know what its true purpose was. If I could expand on my collection with more outrageous ideas, I would take this further into accessories and shoes. There is more room for craziness there. I do wish ready-to-wear fashion would be more like that, but you would never walk down the street in something like that, or very few would. So in terms of becoming a successful designer things have to be considered for wearable reasons.” Pondering the construction of unrealistic shoes must have affected the way Bywater looks at the cold, hard realism of the high street: “Absolutely, I pick the garments apart from their button choice to the stitching, to the lack of lining. Obviously, I praise them too and look at designer pieces and envy their finishing. I love to see what the shops are choosing to make pieces from and their quality in comparison to the price – sometimes it’s quite shocking!” The same gap between dreams and reality plays a role in day-to-day-dressing. Bywater loves Instagram powerhouse Susie Lau’s colourful, layered style, but confesses to some diametrically opposed, hard-to-shake tendencies. “I think every fashion student is guilty of wearing too much black, I definitely do. I have an obsession with pinstripe at the moment and I absolutely love the way people dress in Berlin, in particular at [legendary Berlin club] Berghain. On the Sunday I was there, I was lucky enough to get inside and everyone’s style was unique but somehow the same, the majority all in black with a pair of Docs or trainers, the odd heeled boot but no heels. It’s such a vivid memory because I remember thinking I’d never seen so many well-dressed people in one room!” Hopefully, Bywater will indeed spend the next 50 years or more considering different dreams, and turning them into solid shapes and structures that women like to wear. @fern_rebekah

Fern-Rebekah Bywater

This feeling that Bywater hopes to evoke with her range of womenswear has its physical counterpart in austere colours, sharp folds and lines, and materials that are crying out to be fondled. “I used architectural shapes to create an industrial aesthetic,” she says. “It was a design mix of textured wool, painted leathers

FASHION

Lifestyle

State of Play (2014)

SHOWCASE

THE SKINNY

The Basketball Hole Punch (2015)

Ant Hamlyn O

riginally from Northampton, Ant Hamlyn now lives and works in Liverpool having completed his degree in Fine Art at Liverpool Hope University. “My work explores participation and the performance of viewing through technological encounters with sculptural objects and installations. Contextually underpinned by a fascination for all things arcade-esque, a combination of traditional handmade craft and digital media allows my work to fluctuate between both the static and the kinetic. I find [that] trying to make eye-catching, inviting work enables me to appeal to a wider audience and through this I try to explore both concepts of viewer experience and the physical act of making simultaneously. A lot of my influence comes from the 1960s Minimalists, particularly the way in which they explored how the viewer would navigate and experience the sculptures within a space; viewing would become an act. I like that notion and like to think of my work as a performance by the viewer, where the made object plays a part in that performance.

“I am currently developing a large-scale installation at FACT Liverpool, for a major show in December. The piece looks at how social media can allow us to live in an idealised world and can be used as a tool for boosting our own self-worth. I have developed an inflating orb within the FACTLab space inside the gallery on Wood Street. The orb will be suspended above the audience and will grow in size and remain inflated if it is liked through Facebook, tweeted about or hashtagged via Instagram. If the orb is ignored, over time it will subtly deflate and fade into the background of our lives. The orb exists in real time and runs parallel with human life. Its significance is entirely dependent upon its viewers. “The work, titled The Boost Project, will be live at FACT from December 2015. “I am also very excited to be part of this year’s neo:artprize final exhibition.” The Boost Project , Dec 2015-Feb 2016, FACT, Liverpool, fact.co.uk The neo:art prize is at neo:gallery27, The Market Place, Bolton, 27 Aug-1 Nov anthamlyn.co.uk

September 2015

Putt (2014)

SHOWCASE

AUTUMN 2015

Dance AT THE LOWRY A world of dance and circus this Autumn

M Book for 2 or more selected shows and save £5 per ticket!

Birmingham Royal Ballet

Rambert

SWAN LAKE

DARK ARTERIES

WED 23 – SAT 26 SEPTEMBER

WED 30 SEPTEMBER – FRI 2 OCTOBER

Sweetshop Revolution

I LOVED YOU AND I LOVED YOU

KAASH

MON 5 & TUE 6 OCTOBER

TUE 6 & WED 7 OCTOBER

Akram Khan Company

A Sadler’s Wells/ Russell Maliphant Company production

KAPA HAKA TALE

UPON AWAKENING

CONCEAL | REVEAL

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO

TUE 20 OCTOBER

WED 18 NOVEMBER

THU 22 OCTOBER

FRI 6 & SAT 7 NOVEMBER

Fallen Angels Corey Baker Dance

Ockham’s Razor

Barely Methodical Troupe (UK)

Flamenco Edition Presents

balletLORENT

TIPPING POINT

BROMANCE

CÁDIZ

SNOW WHITE

WED 11 - SAT 14 NOVEMBER

TUE 24 & WED 25 NOVEMBER

THU 26 & FRI 27 NOVEMBER

SAT 5 & SUN 6 DECEMBER

For the full season and to book tickets visit thelowry.com/dance | 0843 208 6010 The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ

FOOD & DRINK

Lifestyle

Food News After the summer (?!) why not relax with... a couple of food festivals (wait a minute!) Words: Jamie Faulkner

irst up, Manchester Food and Drink Festival returns for another year (10–21 Sep). Of particular note in the suitably diverse events programme are: Trove’s breadmaking masterclass; Simon Rogan’s ‘Week Gastronomique,’ where chefs from his portfolio of successful restaurants (think l’Enclume and Fera) will be taking over the kitchen at The French; and, in another takeover, homelessness charity Mustard Tree welcomes four chefs, including Robert Owen Brown and David Gale, into their kitchen for a series of special menus, cooked solely with donated ingredients. foodanddrinkfestival.com While we’re on the topic of responsible foodism, the Can Cook street food truck has been raising awareness of food poverty around Liverpool this summer. It had a simple premise: buy a meal from them and they’d give a meal to someone struggling to feed themselves. They’ve ‘sold’ 2500 meals thus far, and keep an eye out for their Kitchen BBQ coming later this year. cancook.co.uk

Eat the Vote For the third time we’re asking you to cast your votes for your foodie faves – here’s the lowdown on how to take part in our annual Food and Drink Survey

here are certain points in the calendar that help to punctuate the year and keep your internal clock ticking over. You know the ones – New Year, Valentine’s, Easter, the start of summer, the end of summer, the re-emergence of winter before autumn’s happened. Well, we’re in one of those moments right now folks, so brace yourselves. Yes, it’s sort-of-not-the-summer-anymore (wait, when was the summer?) but before the weather turns into an endless shambles and everyone starts banging on about Christmas, and that can only mean one thing – for the third year, we need you to do your democratic yet delicious duty, and to name your favourite food and drink venues in The Skinny Food and Drink Survey. Much like the changing of the seasons, we swear this point comes around earlier every year, and that’s really a mark of your appetite for naming your favourite places to eat and drink. Last year, we pounded the emails and braved the spreadsheets to tally up thousands of your choices to create a snapshot of food and drink in the region in 2015. You can of course go through all last year’s results at theskinny.co.uk, but here are the cliffnotes – there are lots of lovely places to eat and drink across the North, and a good pun never goes amiss. The categories in this year’s survey are much the same as they were last year, but in case you’ve forgotten in the intervening nine months due to ‘having other things on,’ or you just plain weren’t paying any attention last time, we’ll recap. First thing’s first, this is an open survey. We want you to tell us the places you like, not pick one of the places from a list of places we like.

September 2015

Words: Peter Simpson Illustration: Mica Warren

There are literally thousands of you, and we want your opinions, no matter how bizarre or wrong they may be. We want you to name your favourite pub – everyone’s got one, be it a spit-and-sawdust dive that’s all out of sawdust, a happy place where everybody knows your name, or a trendy boozer that reminds you of the living room you wished you were heading back to when you finish your pint. Is your favourite pub dog-friendly? Is it friendly-friendly? Is it disguised as something else, such as a Dickensian butcher’s or a giant mound of sand? We’ll respect your choice, no matter what it is, so let us know.

“We need you to do your democratic yet delicious duty” We also want to know which of the umpteen in your fair city is your favourite cafe, and while we appreciate that modern cafe culture really does run the gamut in terms of food, drink and decor, we will need you to pick just the one. We’d also like you to let us know which is your favourite food newcomer in your city from the last 12 months – the only criteria for this one is age, so whether you really liked a new cafe, brewery, or a freshly popped popup, give it a shout-out. You’re also relatively free when it comes to naming your favourite date place, constrained

only by the usual boundaries of your own sheepishness. Whether you like to take your dates, spouses and significant others to a lovely restaurant, a dainty cafe, or a hole-in-the-wall takeaway is none of our business – you’re the judges round here, and we want your input. We will, however, actually read the answers, so keep it clean. We’re also looking for your tips for the best places to grab the best food on-the-go; your favourite local beer and the name of the people who made it; the pick of the best food shops, emporiums and bottle merchants in your locale; and your pick of the international food on offer from the North’s incredible choice of eateries. If one part of this Survey sums up our reasons for braving the spreadsheets year after year, it’s this last question. It’s a doozy – ‘name your favourite venue out of all the venues that make food from all over the world, and do it now!’ – and a bit of a tough choice to make, but when we combine hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of tough choices, we end up with an expertly curated list of five venues which reflect the true scope of northern food. Curated, that is, by you lot. You’ve done us proud in the past, and we hope you’ll do so again. Voting’s open at theskinny.co.uk/food until the end of November, so if nothing else, you have the ideal excuse to hit up all your favourite cafes, bars and restaurants over the next few months. ‘Don’t worry guys,’ you’ll tell your confused friends as you dash from venue to venue with your notepad, ‘it’s for a thing… now pass me a slice of that pizza.’ Keep up the good work folks, you’ll make it to the real winter no bother. Head to theskinny.co.uk/food to get voting!

FOOD & DRINK

Liverpool Food and Drink Festival

Despite a thriving food scene, Liverpool Food and Drink Festival gets only two days (19– 20 Sep). But it’s cramming it full of chefs many of us love to hatewatch, like Valentine Warner and Rachel Khoo (OK, maybe that’s just me). Y’know, likeable, well intentioned, middle-class-seeming and really good cooks (bastards!). And there’s a Curry Clinic, which sounds like something you’d go to after attempting the Phaal challenge at Brick Lane Curry House. liverpoolfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk Talking of curry, the guys from Rusholme fave Mughli – well technically their restaurant group, Zanna – have acquired the Northern Quarter’s Superstore, where they will be teaming up with the aforementioned David Gale and serving a “globally-inspired menu.” So, maybe, curry; maybe Mexican. superstore-manchester. co.uk Because we can’t neglect booze entirely, for those into their wine – or not, even – Dan Harwood is at Liverpool’s Launch 22 (4 Sep) trying to rekindle or just kindle the public’s appreciation of Bordeaux wine. No Bullshit Wine Tasting happens to be a free tasting – and Bordeaux wine ain’t cheap – so we’d snap up our places pretty sharpish. Did we mention it’s free? (Tickets: Eventbrite). @danharwoodwine And, lest you forget, our annual Food and Drink Survey is now open: vote for your favourite places across the region in a variety of not-toolimiting categories. Or not, as is your democratic right. But we’d love it if you did. theskinny. co.uk/food

Lifestyle

Ariana

caraway. They’re the salt-fermented kind whose kick comes more from lactic acid than vinegar. The kind you can pick at throughout a meal. Our Food and Drink editor discovers an understat- Our other starter, a flatbread topped with raded and overlooked purveyor of the best in Persian ish, walnuts, parsley, mint and feta, speaks of a cuisine on Rusholme's curry mile kitchen that cares about what it sends out. Not a limp leaf or a broken kernel in sight; all freshly Anyone who has spent enough time in Rusholme washed, glistening on a blistered naan. No artiknows that the Curry Mile is something of a misfice, no radical preparation methods, just wellnomer. You’re more likely to find a chicken burger selected ingredients. My kind of place. meal deal, bargain shawarma or pimped-up milkIt all bodes well for mains: Gourmeh Bamieh, shake these days than you are a good curry. a stew of lamb and okra, and Shirin Palaw, one of And among all the drag’s myriad offerings, four speciality rice dishes, this particular version it’s the Middle Eastern restaurants that rewith carrots and candied orange peel – though ally shine. Steaming Kabuli pulao, studded with the barberry or morello cherry versions sounded raisins, the glossy grains of rice hiding tender equally appetising. The rice is almost impossibly chunks of bone-on lamb. Plump Kobeda kebabs, tender, fragrant with saffron, practically eclipsoozing rendered fat coloured yellow from turmer- ing the grilled chicken it sits next to. The stew ic. Flashes of colour from mixed mezze, piled high has all the richness of a lamb curry you’d find with fattoush and tomato-y potato salad. But the elsewhere on the Mile, only without the aromatic likes of Afghan Cuisine and Al Jazeera, while excel- spices, depending rather on the deep savourilent, have limited menus. ness of tomato-based sauce and the earthy, Specialising in Persian and Afghan cuisine, vegetal tang of okra for its flavour. Hearty stuff, Ariana offers a little bit more. By which I mean which leaves us struggling for breath. they have a dedicated starters section and three When the bill comes, I’m reminded of how vegetarian mains (don’t fret, there’s hummus and much I miss living in Rusholme. What amounts to baba ghanoush, albeit under different names). four dishes, plus drinks, with enough leftovers All this in an environment that positively screams to cobble together another meal, for just shy traditional and family run; homely, dated decor of £25. Or enough change from £30 for a tip and that fits snugly in between the formica drudgery a dessert stop-off at Moonlight. They’re giving of Chicken Cottage and the moodily-lit modernity Chorlton’s Jasmine a run for their money; if someof Mughli. one asked me which one to save in some weird Anyway, never mind the pros and cons of in- restaurant version of Sophie’s Choice, I wouldn’t terior design; you only really care about the food, know what to do. right? Anticipating a rich meal to come we order Ariana’s Facebook is a digital treasure trove a portion of house pickles. It’s a diversion tactic, of Middle Eastern recipes and meal-prep photos. too, that gives us a few minutes to get our head If you think you can recreate them and improve around a menu full of items we vaguely recognise on Ariana, be my guest. Literally. [Jamie Faulkner] and can barely pronounce. We stall further, ordering a couple of cans of Rubicon. One thing to If you liked Ariana, try: be aware of: you can’t order or bring booze here. Bakchich, Liverpool But that shouldn’t really be too much of an ordeal Jasmine, Manchester if you’re a Rusholme regular. Afghan Cuisine, Manchester The pickles arrive – cauliflower, carrot and Ariana, 113 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester, M14 5AN cucumber – in a pickling liquor heavy on herbal

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Common Neon Jamon

Neon Jamon

pretty quickly. By the time his ribs arrive, he’s beginning to struggle, but powers through. The ribs come in a delightfully messy sauce Much-loved Liverpudlian tapas joint Neon Jamon (a bad choice for any bearded diners out there) moves to a new location, and we find out it's every and fall away from the bone with ease. They are bit as good my partner’s favourite dish. Neon Jamon is a Cava bar, and is reputed for Neon Jamon on Smithdown Place has quite a fan its selection. Normally I’m a red wine drinker and, club, including none other than Samuel L Jackson. although they do have a good selection of reds, it Its food is so well-loved in fact, that later in this is a case of when in Rome... year they’re opening a second venue, on Berry I don’t ordinarily enjoy the dryness of most Street, in the city centre. sparkling wines, which I tell the waitress, and she We ventured over to the original location for recommends the demi-sec. It’s a brilliant choice. a late Sunday lunch and were able to get a table For a girl who doesn’t enjoy sparkling wine I manwithout booking; somewhat fortunate seeing as age to polish off four glasses. we once attempted a walk-in on a Sunday and had Although we are both more than sated, the to face a 50-minute wait. dessert menu looks incredibly tempting: churros We receive a very warm welcome from the and chocolate dipping sauce, crema Catalana. staff and this friendly welcome is extended We end up ordering from the specials menu: ginthroughout our meal. Our waitress is polite, and-tonic sorbet. It is gorgeous, very boozy and chatty and knows the menu inside out. perfect alongside the Cava. “You really should try the straw fries and The waitress tells us that the chef makes eggs, they’re what people go away talking about,” it himself: he has a side-business making she tells us. Well, that’s a good enough recomice cream and supplies to Neon Jamon. How mendation for me and I order them. I also choose entrepreneurial. the sautéed mushrooms and the tomato, chilli We chat away to the chef after our meal. and mint salad. He asks us what we ordered and I gush about My partner orders the hamburguesa – the deliciousness of the sautéed mushrooms. mini veal and beef hamburgers with a pink and “Yes, they’re one of my favourites, they go really green peppercorn sauce – the straw fries and well with the spinach, pine-nuts and raisins,” eggs, and Iberico pork ribs in membrillo and he says. sherry vinegar. I make a mental note to try this combination Yes, we order two portions of the straw next time, because there will most certainly be a fries and eggs. I don’t like to share my food. next time. And I’m glad we do: two perfectly poached eggs If you haven’t been you need to make a visit sit wobbling atop a pile of fries, sprinkled with – and do it quick so you can say, “Oh Neon Jamon? paprika; a gentle jab with a fork sends the sunYeah, I’ve been into their food since before they shine-yellow yolk running across the fries. came to the city centre.” [Claire Reid] It’s a perfect match. But, for me, the star of the meal is the sauIf you liked Neon Jamon, try: téed mushrooms; without exaggeration, they are Levanter, Ramsbottom the tastiest mushrooms I’ve ever had and – being Lunya, Liverpool and Manchester a non-meat eater – I’ve had enough mushrooms La Bandera, Manchester to know. The sauce is creamy and soaks deliNeon Jamon, 12 Smithdown Pl, Liverpool, L15 9EH ciously into the sourdough bread. @neonjamon My partner evidently enjoys his hamburguesas and polishes off the straw fries and eggs

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Lifestyle

FOOD AND DRINK

Ariana

THE SKINNY

W RE

Festival Watch Photo: Tom Humphreys

Samuel Kerridge

Festival season is nearly over, but it’s going out with a bang rather than a whimper False Advertising

Words: Dylan James

Gig Highlights Behold! The month of psych is here, with Liverpool Psych Fest dominating proceedings, plus Fuzz, Richard Dawson and William Basinski

eptember may well be the month of 18-yearolds learning what it is to throw up on the pavement of a new city, but for us here the first month of autumn has become synonymous with the suspicious must, driving repetition and mind-mulching experimentation of psychedelia. With all due respect to 60s tokers Hawkwind (Manchester Academy, 3 Oct), we’re talking about Liverpool Psych Fest, which this year expands to add District to the Camp and Furnace, and once again pulls apart the strands of psychedelic music, from the pulverising techno of Factory Floor to the garage rock-influenced Hookworms and woozy balladry of veterans Spiritualized, while Chicago and Chilean labels Sacred Bones and BYM will be teaming up on a showcase. Give your third eye its kicks on 25 and 26 Sep. For those of you already planning to go and fearfully awaiting the inevitable clashfinder, then the good news is that plenty of the lineup will be making an extended jaunt to the Northwest, giving Manchester a chance to catch Fuck Buttons man Blanck Mass (The Deaf Institute, 24 Sep), while both Manchester and Leeds can see lo-fi pop producer Sun Araw (Soup Kitchen, 27 Sep, and Wharf Chambers, 29 Sep) and Russian shoegazers Pinkshinyultrablast (Night and Day, 29 Sep and the Brudenell Social Club, 1 Oct). Mancunians don’t even need to head to Psych Fest to get your fill of groove-laden mind messing this month. For a dronier take on things there’s locals Desmadrados Soldados De Ventura (Soup Kitchen, 21 Sep), ostensibly a local super group of sorts, with recent Marc Riley-endorsed songwriter Irma Vep, Kiran Leonard live drummer Andrew Cheetham and Sex Hands’ Dylan Hughes among those in Golden Lab Records head honcho Nick Mitchell’s outfit — in fact, Irma Vep also supports the haunting, strummed soundscapes of the Thrill Jockey-signed Circuit des Yeux at the Eagle Inn in Salford (1 Oct). For those yearning for something a little more instantaneous within the psych spectrum, meanwhile, the prolific Ty Segall brings his motley crew of bong-huffers Fuzz to Manchester and Leeds for another whirl around their Black Sabbath-esque riffs (Gorilla, 1 Sep, and Brudenell Social Club, 3 Sep) while at the poppier end of things the supreme Unknown Mortal Orchestra return to the country, still basking in the afterglow of the reception for their shimmering third record Multi-Love (The Ritz, 25 Oct, and Brudenell Social Club, 29 Oct). In Liverpool, meanwhile, Invada Records founder and Portishead member Geoff Barrow brings his motorik-inspired rhythm troupe Beak> to The Kazimier (3 Sep), the group true masters of the sustainment and release of tension within their rhythm. Respected jazz and avant-garde label Denovali Records have two artists in Liverpool this month — and on the same bill! What a boon.

Review

Words: William Gunn

Oneirogen — the moniker of Mario Diaz de Leon — comes to Liverpool fresh from a residency at The Stone in New York, and his cinematic synthesized sprawl is coupled by Moon Zero’s maximalist drone. What we’re really excited about on this bill though is the first Liverpool date for Dawn Ray’d, featuring members of the much missed Liverpool screamos We Came Out Like Tigers (The Kazimier, 29 Sep). Heaviness in a different form comes from Samuel Kerridge down the M62 in Manchester a few days earlier, the industrial techno maestro bringing the punishing new material released earlier this year on his own label Contort to Soup Kitchen’s grimey basement (25 Sep). It’s been some year for Julie Campbell, aka Lonelady: the Manchester-based solo artist has enjoyed plenty of acclaim for the steely glint of her post-punk inflected second album Hinterland on Warp, and she’ll be playing her biggest hometown show to date at Gorilla (1 Oct). Before then, though, there’s a special Central Library show in Liverpool (12 Sep), as part of Get it Loud in the Libraries, which has previously seen the likes of Young Fathers and East India Youth play among the books. Two artists follow each other across Salford and Liverpool in the middle of the month, with the ever-stunning Northeast folk wordsmith Richard Dawson calling in at Islington Mill (15 Sep) and then The Kazimier (16 Sep). After a sell-out tour in February, this time he’s bringing acclaimed Georgian folk saz artist (the saz is sort of like a long-necked lute) Asiq Nargile with him.

Following the pair at both venues just one night after is drone maestro William Basinski. With his four-strong series of Disintegration Loops albums still some of very finest contributions to the ambient canon, Basinski appears as part of the Saisonscape tour, and will perform music befitting the autumn season. What else is there to tell you about? Too much, frankly, so we’ll keep it brief. A pair of potential next American songwriting greats tour together, with Stephen Steinbrink (signed to Manchester-based Melodic Records in the UK, no less) and Julie Byrne, whose 2014 debut LP Rooms with Walls and Windows was an understated delight, playing both Manchester (Eagle Inn, 11 Oct) and Liverpool (Leaf, 12 Oct). A songwriter of a wholly different hue in the form of Nadine Shah caps her own very successful year in Manchester (Gorilla, 30 Sep), the Tynesideborn artist incredibly adept at pulling apart the fabric of her undeniably pop-driven songs, without losing any of their immediacy. A couple of damn fine rock troupes from North America to tell you about, too: Calgary post-punks Ought, who speak to us on page 30, play Manchester’s Deaf Institute (2 Sep), while at the same venue just six days later, Los Angeles garage rockers Girlpool make a welcome return (they also play Leeds at the Brudenell on 10 Oct). All this and we can only just about squeeze in South Bronx no wave legends ESG, with Glaswegians Golden Teacher supporting them at what’s sure to be a mighty party in The Kazimier (27 Sep).

Do Not Miss Trof and The Skinny present Weirds, False Advertising, Fruit Bomb + very special guests The Deaf Institute, 25 Sep

e remember starting at university, standing helpless as a tide of flyers, posters and other promotional paraphernalia came crashing towards us — sure, you want to go out, meet people and get to know the best of your new home, but where do you start? Well, handily enough The Skinny and The Deaf Institute have teamed up for a super special gig featuring some of our favourite emerging bands from the region, playing at a venue that we suspect you’ll come to know as a second home over the forthcoming year. Leeds-based hypnotic psych-rockers Weirds, smart DIY outfit False Advertising and thrilling Manchester fuzz-poppers Fruit Bomb will take to the stage alongside very special guests to be announced, plus DJs — and advance tickets are a ruddy steal at just £3, thanks to our ticketing partners, DICE.

It’s a chance to see Manchester’s False Advertising before everyone else starts talking about them, with their brash debut LP out a couple of weeks later. Manchester’s Fruit Bomb, too, will be showing off a new release – Goin’ Home, the followup single to this year’s excitedly received Normcore Girlfriend, all loose, carefree vox and citrusy jangle. Leeds’ Weirds, meanwhile, can boast Hookworms man and Suburban Home producer MJ on their single credits. Weirds will be bringing the noise, their first clutch of releases having offered up sabre-tooth riffs and acid-sharp grunge. Check out their current 7”, Off the Hook/Heavy Rain, out now on Too Pure Singles Club, to see what we mean. Be sure to keep an eye out for the announcement of those special guests too — you won’t be disappointed. [William Gunn]

MUSIC

cross in Sheffield, Sensoria (25 Sep-3 Oct, sensoria.org.uk) returns for its eighth edition with a genre-spanning programme of music, film and digital happenings. The fest opens with a party soundtracked by DJ Yoda and his audio-visual feast ‘A History of Hip Hop’, while other highlights include a show featuring Factory Floor and Lonelady, and Tim Burgess serving up “dam fine coffee” at his Tim Peaks Diner. This live event sees Burgess inviting the likes of Paddy Considine, who’ll be performing with his band Riding the Low, to the stage as well as author and DJ Dave Haslam. Sensoria also offers the perfect opportunity to check out Steel City’s new blood, with Faerground Accidents, Baba Naga, Blood Sport, Carmen Ghia and the Hotrods all popping up during the festival. The magical coastal village of Portmeirion opens its gates once more for Festival No. 6 (3-6 Sep, festivalnumber6.com), three days of arts, music and spoken word. Music highlights include Glasgow janglers Belle & Sebastian and the iconic enigma that is Grace Jones, as well as the likes of Young Fathers, Hookworms, Metronomy and Everything Everything. Dutch Uncles, meanwhile, are curating a woodland spectacular, and DJ Harvey (yes, we said dee jay), Optimo and Andrew Weatherall are among those manning the decks. There’s also an impressive range of food, markets, comedy and book/poetry readings too. Plus there’s that truly spectacular setting. You’ll get a similarly fun and friendly atmosphere at Ramsbottom Festival (18-20 Sep, ramsbottomfestival.com). Saturday night is the pick of the weekend, with indie-punk stalwarts Idlewild and experimental pop outfit The Go! Team headlining, while sunday ends with the perfect festival sing-along band, The Proclaimers. All together now, “And I would walk…” If you’re after something a bit more banging, Mint Festival (19-20 Sep, mintfestival.co.uk) has you covered. The lineup includes house pioneer Jamie Jones, the ‘producer’s producer’ Duke Dumont, British-Japanese DJ Maya Jane Coles, and the man recently proclaimed as “the world’s number one DJ”, Seth Troxler. If you can’t have a party with those lot supplying the soundtrack, you’re beyond help. Bringing the month – and the summer season – to a close in strung-out style is Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia (25-26 Sep, liverpoolpsychfest.com). Taking place in Camp and Furnace, Blade Factory and District, revitalised warehouses of Liverpool’s once-decaying Baltic Triangle, the globe-trotting lineup includes Dutch wizard Jacco Gardner, Chilean duo The Holydrug Couple, Arizonan noise addicts Destruction Unit, Finnish electronic trio K-X-P, and Los Angeles six-piece Dengue Fever, as well those from nearer to home, like Bristol face-melters The Heads, Nottingham’s DIY sonic alchemists The Cult of Dom Keller, and Skinny faves Hookworms. Get ready to leave earth behind and launch into space.

THE SKINNY

Gorilla, 20 Aug

Arthur Russell's Instrumentals

Arthur Russell’s Instrumentals The Kazimier, 11 Aug

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If you’ve spent the past few years regularly attending gigs or clubs in Liverpool then chances are you would have heard the different sides of Arthur Russell, his classic outsider house cuts receiving regular rotation in beer gardens, or heard one of the city’s numerous acts citing his avant-pop compositions as inspiration. There’s an air of reverence amongst the crowd tonight, a rare silence as the band enter the stage, only to be endearingly undermined by bandleader Peter Gordon’s forgettable Beatles quip. This deceptively sets the tone for the night; despite the impressive CVs of each member of the band (including Liverpool favourite Rhys Chatham and the legendary trombonist Peter Zummo), the opening moments of Arthur’s Instrumentals are effervescent and joyful, a big band covered Neu!. Arthur had been noted as a

Photo: Brian Sayle

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big fan of Muzak; that should be taken as a compliment. The beauty of the music of Arthur Russell is that you could feel a cross-pollination of styles, elements of musique concrete in disco, or aquatic dub in his solo ballads. And so with Instrumentals his compositions run the gamut of influences, from the Beach Boys to bossa nova, new wave to minimalism, nimbly dovetailing the ebb and flow of the performance, climaxing paradoxically to Zummo’s forlorn and moving solo. As silence is once again held up in the air and snatched into a ripple of applause, the band swiftly shift gear and accelerate to its finale. The night ends with a rapturous and slightly surreal rendition of Is It All Over My Face?, with Zummo’s chinos gracefully swaying to the beat, Chatham exuberantly clapping and Gavin Russom’s soaring falsetto, their enthusiasm transcending age. [Jon Davies]

Rolo Tomassi return to Manchester as support to The Fall of Troy but a full house is in place early, and it’s only the relative politeness of the circle pit – picture the Pathetic Sharks trying to start a mosh – that spoils the illusion. Wandering in unaware, you’d mistake them for headliners. They’re given half an hour, which is ludicrous and criminal, but they make every second, every stop-start switchback tempo change, count. Recently released fourth album Grievances forms the spine of their seven-song set; the only concession to the stage-front hardcore is a crunching Ex Luna Scienta. From the moon, knowledge. For a band whose breathless musicality and unbounded invention sees them tossed too readily in with the mathcore humdrum, it’s that cerebral side that so often

The Ex

Islington Mill, 23 Aug

Deerhoof

Gorilla, 24 Aug

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In the world of experimental rock, where some bands seem compelled to take themselves very seriously, Deerhoof’s calling card has always been Fun. And for whatever reason, they seem to be in a place of unprecedented giddy abandon. Opening with Paradise Girls – a self-referential ode to “smart girls who play the bass guitar” – it’s clear the stripped back, leaner approach taken on latest album La Isla Bonita has brought out the harder, thrashier, unhinged version of the band. During Exit Only, all power chords and fuzz pedals, bassist and singer Satomi Matsuzaki high kicks in time with the thrusting riffs while guitarist Ed Rodriguez seems to channel his inner metalhead, his long black hair plastered to his face with sweat, coaxing squeals from his day-glo pink guitar.

September 2015

The heavier songs and displays of hard-rock prowess are also intercut with other new tracks displaying completely different moods, such as the beautiful and shimmering Mirror Monster. But what really makes Deerhoof such an extraordinary live prospect is their mind-bending ability to stretch time when improvising around their set song structures, as on audience favourite There’s That Grin. Greg Saunier seems able to cram more beats into each bar than should be possible, as the band collectively turn on a dime, switching up texture and feel, somehow arriving at the same place all together. During the encore, Matsuzaki attempts to teach the audience refrains about pandas, bamboo and ducks, encouraging us to take risks if unsure – proving that, rather than staying aloof in their coolness, Deerhoof are never happier than when sharing the great pleasure of performance. [Edward Bottomley]

Photo: Michael Barrow

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Deerhoof

trumps their brute physicality. Grievances is their most compelling collection yet: an explosive battery of words (taut, literate observation) and music (lyrical, melodic passages ever more to the fore). Their onstage ferocity is something to behold. They tear chunks out of opener Chandelier Shiver and relent only for a tender (relatively) Opalescent. Eva Spence keeps her singing mic on its stand and her screaming mic in her hand. She has the stage presence of a nuke. There are loud boos when she announces Stage Knives as their last track but cheers when she confirms they’ll be back in their own right in November, and they exit to sustained applause. They’re still a wonder, Rolo Tomassi; still that unlikely, intoxicating, marriage of artistry and bullet-to-the-head brutality. But they’ve never been this vital. Long may they roar. [Gary Kaill]

As soon as the current incarnation of Dutch anarcho-punks The Ex take to the stage with their repetitive, earthy, Captain Beefheart-esque avant-boogie, the rhythms seem to head straight to the hips of a number of the assembled “punks of a certain age.” Taking the appearance of a group of art teachers on their summer break, The Ex tonight channel the fundamentals of their musical identity, combining layers of scratchy, Minutemen-style guitars with Katherina Bornefeld’s unusually melodic approach to drumming, and relative new starter Arnold de Boer’s minimal and impressionistic vocals. Bornefeld steps out from behind the drum kit to provide ancient-sounding melodies as step-in lead singer on From The Top Of My Lungs,

Luna

Gorilla, 3 Aug

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“You all been across the road to The Ritz to check out Bad Religion? No? Not one of you?” Dean Wareham offers a rueful shake of the head. There was a time, you suspect, when both he and his faithful (here tonight in both number and boisterous good humour) would have shrivelled to dust if they’d dared even enter the same postcode as the punk veterans, but the return of the indie pop big cheese at the helm of perhaps his most celebrated outfit (Galaxie 500 notwithstanding) is cause for breaking out the earplugs rather than the daffodils. Luna? Twee? Sorry, mate – can’t hear ya. The spidery Velvets guitar lines and shuffling beats that colour their recorded output make way onstage for volume and clout: guitarist Sean Eden, drummer Lee Wall and Britta Phillips (bassist and Wareham’s wife and long-term cocomposer) pack a hefty wallop. As they tease

MUSIC

Photo: George Heaton

Rolo Tomassi

Photo: George Heaton

Rolo Tomassi

adding more to the shamanic tone. The greatest audience response, however, comes when the layers of guitars are stripped back, each motif given space to breathe, as on the sinuous That’s Not a Virus, where de Boer’s abstract word collages are allowed to become all the more vivid as he bellows out, “The first woman to watch TV, she died!” A more mournful and foreboding tone is struck on Soon All The Cities Will Have The Same Exodus, de Boer fearfully describing a dystopian future of homogenous urban planning. But before such a horrendous prophecy is fulfilled, The Ex offer the satisfyingly hulking and churning riffs in a finale of Maybe I Was The Pilot, along with the hope that we can at least enjoy a few more sweaty Sunday nights like this one. [Edward Bottomley]

diamonds from the back catalogue (Malibu Love Nest, Pup Tent, an heroic 23 Minutes in Brussels), their free-wheeling bonhomie allows for a couple of off-script detours as requests pour in. “Yeah, we could probably manage that,” laughs Wareham as Eden gives him serious eyebrows. Wareham shrugs; the band doesn’t falter. Eden takes the lead on a glorious Still At Home. They blaze through Friendly Advice. The second half is frenzied but the atmosphere is charged from the off. A closing Sweet Child O’ Mine is played (correctly) straight: slowed down and reduced to burning devotional, it’s a sharp companion piece to their other established cover, a gutsy reading of Beat Happening’s Indian Summer. Following that ‘farewell’ tour a decade ago, what a joy to have them back fighting fit. ‘Luna reunion’ might be a bugger to get your tongue around but this is one comeback that’s oh so easy to swallow. [Gary Kaill]

Review

28-34 HIGH ST, NORTHERN QUARTER, MANCHESTER, M4 1QB

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SHOWS…

AUG 27: THE WINACHI TRIBE ‘TIME FOR LOVE’ EP LAUNCH

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SEPT 2: SWEET BILLY PILGRIM

SEPT 3: CLASSIC SLUM present CUZ (featuring MIKE WATT - MINUTEMEN / FIREHOSE / STOOGES & SAM DOOK - THE GO! TEAM) + guests POP.HYSTERIA. VICTIM + FIGHTING SEPT 4: NU METAL MELTDOWN featuring STIFF BIZKIT (A TRIBUTE TO NU METAL ICONS LIMP BIZKIT) + STEAL THIS BAND (A TRIBUTE SYSTEM OF A DOWN) + TONEDEF (A TRIBUTE TO DEFTONES) SEPT 5: HARD ROCK HEAVEN featuring DEP LEPPARD + MOTLEY CREW UK + SUBHUMAN RACE + WILD THORN SEPT 11: CLASSIC SLUM present CUD ‘THE ASQUARIUS TOUR’ + guests BONE-BOX + JAMES HOLT SEPT 12: YOUNG KATO + guests FOR THE GIRL + AS ELEPHANTS ARE + BARRON SEPT 13: CLASSIC SLUM present BROTHER & BONES SEPT 18: SASHA McVEIGH + guests THE CAINS + LOVELESS EFFECT SEPT 19: LOVE GRAVEL & ANOTHER DEAD HERO EP LAUNCH SEPT 21: RAT BOY + guests FLESH + ZIBRA SEPT 24: EPIC RAP BATTLES OF HISTORY SEPT 25: THE CHORDS UK (featuring CHRIS POPE) + guests THE SPEED OF SOUND + THE TRANSMITTERS

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APART + THE AIDEN PRYOR BAND

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EVERY LAST FRIDAY I 11PM I £3 ADV + NUS / £2 LIST - TEXT HIPHOP TO 0161 850 5003 A HIP-HOP TIME MACHINE. THIS IS THE SOUND OF A CITY AT THAT MOMENT. WITH DJ’S LEE MAJORS + DJ A-UP + AGENT J + BEDOS (IN THE LOOP).

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EVERY LAST SATURDAY BI-MONTHLY I 11PM I £4 ADV OVER 4 HOURS OF NON-STOP GARBAGE. “THE WORST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE.” A PROPER PARTY - CHEAP ENTRY, CHEAP DRINKS, AND THE MOST WONDERFUL PARTY TUNES EVER PLAYED AT YER AUNTY’S 3RD WEDDING. LEAVE YOUR CREDIBILITY AT HOME, SAY IT PLAIN AND SAY IT PROUD - THIS THING IS ABSOLUTE SH…

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FRI 23 OCT I 11PM I £5 EARLY BIRD / £7 ADV DUB SMUGGLERS 1ST EVENT OF THEIR SERIES AT THE RUBY LOUNGE WITH FULL SOUND SYSTEM - FEATURING KENNY KNOTS // MUNGO’S HIFI // STALAWA // CAMPEEZI // KUNTRI RANKS // RED EYE HIFI FT. RIDER SHAFIQUE // DUB SMUGGLERS SOUND SYSTEM ALL POWERED OFF 8 SCOOPS ACROSS 2 STACKS..!

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AND OVER THE COUNTER AT THE SUPERB PICCADILLY RECORDS, OLDHAM ST, MANCHESTER

THE SKINNY

Album of the Month

Julia Holter

Have You In My Wilderness [Domino, 25 Sep]

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It’s a pertinent circumstance that Julia Holter’s plush new album arrives just in time for the passing of summer and the slow-crawl in to the darker months, for it’s filled with such shaded natural wonder that it could only really find its true form in the more secluded days of autumn. Her fourth full-length release, Have You In My Wilderness is the moment that Holter adds sparkling clarity to her work, which has often treaded more knowingly ambiguous paths. Lead single Feel You is testament to this; a beautifully understated meeting of voice and sentiment filled with the kind of subtle magic that simply can’t be faked.

Girl Band

Holding Hands With Jamie [Rough Trade, 25 Sep]

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Having checked that yes, this is an album – and not a cake made by hyper-active children with every conceivable ingredient thrown somewhere in the general direction of the oven – this Dublin quartet’s highly anticipated debut isn’t easily forgotten. Or even straightforward to categorise; the adjectives it attracts (abrasive, counterintuitive) are insufficient when detailing the ferocious, freeform mess of antagonistic brutalism. Recorded in just three days on the back of a stateside jaunt, this is sentiment pinging between shards of non-sequitur pain and Arab Strap-esque minutiae, lead single Paul a sly blitz of build and bruise, Fucking Butter obsessing over chocolate spread. And throughout, above scuzzy bass and obtuse percussion, Dara Kiely rants and wails with the cathartic honesty of Birthday Party-era Nick Cave, Alan Duggan wielding guitar as if a blowtorch. Such mess doesn’t always hang together, but when it does, Holding Hands With Jamie is either the greatest thing you’ll hear all year, or will give you a migraine; quite possibly both. [Duncan Harman]

While it’s the album’s faint elegance that makes the most abiding impression, Holter still fills Wilderness with wonderfully plush arrangements. Lucette Stranded on the Island casts an icy glow, as dramatic as it is expansive, while Vasquez blossoms with anomalous instrumental meanderings, a wholly cinematic diversion from the principle tone. If all that came before was Julia steadily journeying somewhat under the radar, then Have You In My Wilderness is the moment she steps out of the shrouded realms and in to the bright light of the day. Uninhibited, focused and majestically crafted, she’s simply never sounded more vital. [Tom Johnson] juliashammasholter.com

Low

Kurt Vile

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Ones and Sixes [Sub Pop, 11 Sep] Feel that? It’s floating in between the aeons that pass between chords. It’s the haunting harmonies that shiver from the lips of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. It tingles, chills and soothes in equal measure. It’s the essence of Duluth veterans Low, and it remains a truly remarkable force. Ones and Sixes weaves together the strongest elements of their 22-year career – from slowcore sparseness to wiry post-punk to glorious sadrock – and while the results feel as mournfully doomladen as ever, they still tingle the spine like no-one else. Lies is beautiful and bruising, while the softly menacing Gentle takes a solid pummelling from gargantuan drum hits. Then there’s No Comprende, a skeletal murmur built on hissing mechanistic beats and muted guitar chugs – suddenly, everything drops to an aching crawl, while their ever-allusive (never explicit) lyrics draw on sentiments of poignancy, dischord and loss. Never rushed, never cheery; simply masters of their craft. [Will Fitzpatrick] chairkickers.com

b’lieve I’m goin down [Matador, 25 Sep] Perhaps the natural meeting point between the gloomy Smoke Ring For My Halo and 2013’s more robust Wakin On A Pretty Daze, b’lieve I’m goin down finds Kurt Vile on suitably languid form, slowly spitting out a series of confessions and self-realised truisms for more than hour. That this familiar template still manages to sound so completely compelling is testament to both the malleable nature of his craft and the skill with which it’s delivered. Lead track Pretty Pimpin is something of a misdirect; that whimsical smirk is soon replaced with the more downbeat ruminations that we’ve come expect. Bad Omen is a surprisingly fanciful, sub-three minute ditty while That’s Life, Tho is Vile at his reflective best; a distinctly striking moment of dogged acceptance. It’s in the minor deviations where this record thrives, however, and on the captivating closer Wild Imagination, which drifts on for six meticulous minutes, Vile shows flashes of a new face that will keep you captivated for far longer. [Tom Johnson] kurtvile.com

girlband.ie

Battles

Deradoorian

La Di Da Di [Warp, 18 Sep]

Dope Body

The Expanding Flower Planet [Anticon, Out now]

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Kunk [Drag City, Out now]

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Shorn of Gloss Drop’s guest stars, Battles are on their tod this time, and fun as it is, album number three is left wanting for focus. You could never doubt the furious amount of energy and pace throughout La Di Da Di – there remain some serious ants in the collective pants of this band – but it’s lacking some of the texture and cohesion they made their name with. Still, there are occasions (like opening track The Yabba, a bonkers rock opera in about eight movements) that hint at their old esoteric sparkle. What’s missing, bluntly put, is another band member. Singers were never the focus for a band this ruthlessly out there (the chorus to their debut single Atlas, barely audible through electronic tampering, went: “the singer is a crook”) but it was a key anchor, something to hang the glorious noisy mess around. Just one extra layer might lift tracks like Summer Simmer out of self-indulgence and into a brilliance we know they possess. [John Nugent]

True to its title, the debut LP from ex-Dirty Projectors member Angel Deradoorian is the proverbial grower. Give it time and its slithering creations of entangled percussion and ping-pong vocals will unfurl before your ears, peeling a little further back with each listen to reveal secret pleasures within. Ranging from krautrock to the paganistic indie of Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear, Deradoorian’s arrangements are both wild and precise, understated and yet prone to suddenly explode. Take Violet Minded, which sounds like a chirpy chamber pop number until its vocal erupts into a multi-tracked choir of one, like a time lapse of rhododendrons bursting open. Or there’s Grow, which turns from a sultry acoustic guitar strummer into a psychedelic flute freakout. Exhilarating, hypnotic and sometimes even danceable, there’s no shaking this record off once it takes root. [Andrew Gordon]

“I think we’re getting more mature as songwriters.” That was Dope Body drummer David Jacober late last year, talking to The Skinny shortly after the release of the acclaimed Lifer. Album number four from the Baltimore four piece offers little reason to argue. Pieced together from songs birthed during the Lifer sessions, Kunk is testament to both their work ethic and their quality control. All of the developing Dope Body components are present: Jacober and bassist John Jones’ jackhammer backbeat; the twitch and rasp of Zachary Utz’s guitar; Andrew Laumann, in and out of the mix as ever but starting to emerge as a compelling and authoritative vocalist. From the trigger beats and scraping loops of Casual to the Bowie-aping Goon Line (think Fame re-tooled by Fugazi); from the psyche sway of Doom to the epic, closing Void, Kunk posits Dope Body’s unflinching world view into a set of agit observationals. [Gary Kaill]

bttls.com

facebook.com/deradoorian

dopebody.tumblr.com

Le Butcherettes

Chvrches

Beirut

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A Raw Youth [Ipecac Recordings, 18 Sep]

Every Open Eye [Virgin, 25 Sep]

No No No [4AD, 11 Sep]

Shards of ‘80s synth (My Malley; Witchless C Spot). Grungy, pre-millennial attitude (They Fuck You Over; The Hitchhiker). Scuzzy, sidewalk bass (pretty much every track). All this, and there’s a discernible retro feel to the Tex-Mex garage punks’ third long player, Teri Gender Bender prowling the space between alluring frontwoman and politicised focal point with élan. Yet there’s no over-reliance upon formula behind A Raw Youth, and whilst comparisons with Yeah Yeah Yeahs are as relevant as they are lazy, the musical landscape the trio cross features enough twists and feints to throw the complacent off the scent. Produced by Omar Rodríguez-López, formerly of The Mars Volta, and featuring guest turns from John Frusciante and Iggy Pop (the latter – La Uva – a curious and caustic slab of atonality), this is a ballsy, confident proposition, and whilst Gender Bender’s lyrics frequently deal with difficult subjects and dispossessed narratives, there’s zero sense of audience being hectored. [Duncan Harman]

For all the careful egalitarianism of Chvrches’ 2013 debut, the Glasgow three-piece’s second fulllength shows their synthpop becoming braver and brighter, owing in no small part to the growing charisma of lead vocalist Lauren Mayberry. From the stumbling, sparkling opener Never Ending Circles to Keep You On My Side’s galloping Eurodance throb, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty’s electronics are more sweeping than before, while Mayberry remains a warm and dignified pop lyricist, whether cutting an ex down powerfully in the skyscraping Leave A Trace or leading the empowering call of Make Them Gold in its anthemic 80s pomp. Split by the Doherty-led Italo disco-flecked outlier High Enough to Carry You Over, Every Open Eye’s second half sees the band continuing to build on the foundations laid on Bones. ‘I believe in telling myself to think forward,’ Mayberry aches in Down Side of Me’s RnBinflected thump. Rest assured Chvrches are keeping those expectant eyes in sight. [Chris Ogden]

Few make the little appear big (and the big sound intimate) as elegantly as Zach Condon. Now back within the 4AD fold and recorded over a two week period in a snowbound New York, the first Beirut LP since 2011’s The Rip Tide represents yet another example of how he artfully meshes contradictory forces into simple and intuitive patterns. It’s not just that the lazy summer musicality of No No No belies inclement weather; this is all home vs homesick. Together yet alone. Strung out amidst languid peels of brass (At Once; Perth), graceful 70’s-style piano (August Holland), and Condon’s silky, lost and found tenor (every track except instrumental As Needed, which wouldn’t have been out of place had it concluded Pet Sounds), the beauty is soft, and fragile, but also fleet of foot, and highly engaging with it. “If we don’t go now, we won’t get very far. Don’t know the first thing about who you are,” as Zach sings on the title track. The contused sentiment, eloquently put. [Duncan Harman]

lebutcherettes.net

chvrch.es

beirutband.com

September 2015

RECORDS

Review

Nicolas Godin

Sealings

Contrepont [Because Music, 18 Sep]

The Cesarians

I’m A Bastard Faux [Discx / Italian Beach Babes, 18 Sep]

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Quite mad and all the better for it, the solo debut from the Air man is a dizzying journey down the rabbit hole of his crazed imagination. Contrepont plays with the notion of musical counterpoint (the complex art of combining independent melodic lines), adds a piece of music by Johann Sebastian Bach to the foundation of each of its eight tracks, and emerges as a collection of elegant, genre-mashing pop. Along for the ride: Connan Mockasin, Brazil’s Marcelo Camelo, and co-writer and Bach specialist Vincent Taurellle. It’s a wayward conceit that might just flop in less capable hands but Contrepont is never less than self-effacing: weighty but great fun throughout. It’s a soulful work whose deep heritage and classical leanings are a bracing remove from Godin’s largely electronic history. In other words, don’t be afraid: its Bach is worse than its byte. [Gary Kaill]

Moody, minimalist, mal-illuminated… well yes, we may have travel-led this way before. Yet however derivative such disenfranchised narratives can appear, there’s something about this Brighton trio’s uncompromisingly-titled debut LP. Whether deploying banshee guitar or broo-ding synth, drum machine or live percussion, each track works as a counterpoint to the disengaged drawl of each vocal. Transient Curse is Vienna by Ultravox relocated to an industrial estate on the outskirts of town; The Ultras is all dry ice and discombobulation, whilst Psychic Gobshite sounds exactly like a track called Psychic Gobshite should. In other words, there’s little startlingly original to I’m A Bastard, and the production may at times be a little iffy, but oh my – it’s fun. [Duncan Harman]

facebook.com/nicolasgodinmusic

awesomeghost.tumblr.com

Pure White Speed [NYAT/Genepool, 11 Sep]

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Modern life desperately needs agit-pop. Something to shoot holes in perceived wisdom. Get it wrong, however, and you can end up with a mess like Pure White Speed. It’s not an experience lacking in energy and in frontman Charlie Finke there’s posture aplenty, the horn section bouncing off piano-driven rhythms, adding all sorts of crafty punctuation. Yet from opener Meltdown onwards, gibberish is sprouted as if profound polemic, reminding us that Earl Brutus did this type of thing with far more panache 20 years ago. Both Woman and She Said deal with gender politics with ham fists, Blunted and Creation Theory sound like several different songs bolted awkwardly together, whilst Manquake segues into a piss-take of Beck’s Loser for no other reason than (presumably) they know the chords. At its sharpest, agit-pop kicks against the pricks; Pure White Speed only manages to kick its own shins. [Duncan Harman] thecesarians.com

Darkstar

Slim Twig

Foam Island [Warp, 25 Sep]

Thank You For Stickin’ With Twig [DFA Records, 4 Sep]

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The cold landscapes of Darkstar’s work have always been permeated with glimmers of humanity. James Buttery’s vocals on North flickered like snatches of breath amidst all the factory smoke, while 2013’s News From Nowhere’s pastoral charms were borne out during a period of monastic seclusion in the Yorkshire countryside. Foam Island’s jittery beats sound decidedly London influenced, but it has a sweeping, state-of-the-nation feel. Songs are punctuated by fragments of interviews conducted with young people in West Yorkshire during the General Election. Each segment is largely well executed, with the duo’s queasy constructions lending even mundane observations a solemn intensity, and the guiding principle of Aiden Whalley’s gorgeous croon could quite easily lead the group into chart territory on several tracks. Combining their earlier fascination with interlocking beats with a new maturity and pop savoir-faire, this is a reconciliation of Darkstar’s teeming musical impulses. [Tom Short] Playing Headrow House, Leeds on 29 Oct | darkstar.ws

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Glen Hansard

Didn’t He Ramble [Anti-Records, 18 Sep]

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Slim Twig’s first new material since signing to DFA is a cheeky middle finger to the popular canon. Literally: after he’s done chastising Beatles fanatics and poking fun at the Rolling Stones, Twig hashes out a gloriously overwrought rendition of Serge Gainsbourg’s Cannabis – itself a skit on the egregiously overplayed Pachelbel’s Canon. Complete with a textbook false ending, hammy drum fills and a saxophone duet, it’s a fitting climax to a kitschy, indulgent album that’s charming despite itself and pegs Twig as a modern day Captain Beefheart. Still, there’s limited value in pastiche for pastiche’s sake and thankfully Twig aims for more, though it’s not always clear what. While Fog of Sex, with it’s refrain “nothing’s set in stone”, is a straightforward and agreeable breakdown of gender fluidity, Red Roll Red Roll is a purported tribute to the notorious Steubenville high school sex scandal that’s hard to parse and feels a little too cursory. Even so, his intent is good natured and remains so throughout. [Andrew Gordon]

Glen Hansard’s second has recorded with The Frames and The Swell Season before – and even won an Academy Award for the soundtrack to Irish heartstringtugger Once, in which he also starred. All of this goes some way to explain why Didn’t He Ramble feels so comfortable, so familiar: Hansard clearly knows what he likes, and he’s gotten extremely good at putting that down on record. There are few surprises here. Predictable in structure, in carefully crafted nostalgia and even in rhyme scheme, the album apes those dusty roads of Springsteen and co. without changing the game. It doesn’t really matter, though, because Hansard’s earnest delivery and the occasional big band burst of brass is truly heartwarming. Produced by Thomas Bartlett (The National, Sufjan Stevens), on slow-burners like McCormack’s Wall there’s a real weathered melancholia, of wintery nights of storytelling, lost loves and halfdrunk pints. On a scale of sentimentality from zero to rom com, you can pin tracks like Wedding Ring and Lowly Deserter at the very top – but sometimes that’s just what you need. [Katie Hawthorne]

slimtwig.blogspot.com

glenhansardmusic.com

Yo La Tengo

Ane Brun

Stuff Like That There [Matador, Out now]

When I’m Free [Balloon Ranger Recordings, 4 Sep]

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Shannon and the Clams

Gone by the Dawn [Hardly Art, 11 Sep]

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Yo La Tengo’s sound has always been defined by the feelings they evoke: intimacy. Wistful sighs. Warmth. This is a quieter, less action-packed affair than some of their fuzzier, more experimental records, but the band feels refreshed thanks to founding guitarist Dave Schramm’s return to the fold, adding his Duane Eddy twang to some countrified shuffles. As with 1990’s Fakebook, Stuff Like That There is largely comprised of covers (Hank Williams, The Parliaments, etc), reworkings of old favourites (an amiable strum through 1997’s Deeper into Movies) and a handful of new’uns. It’s pleasantly cohesive overall, but a (perhaps unavoidable) odds’n’sods vibe makes this feel somewhat less essential than some of their more expansive projects. Still, when they can whisper Friday I’m In Love so beautifully, or channel doo-wop as charmingly as they do on The Cosmic Rays’ Somebody’s In Love, it’s impossible not to feel allured by YLT’s blissful comfort zone. [Will Fitzpatrick]

Last heard belting out elated guest vocals on Dr. Kucho! and Gregor Salto’s house hit Can’t Stop Playing (Makes Me High), Norwegian songwriter Ane Brun returns to more familiar stylistic climes for her latest, plaintive long-player. Like predecessor It All Starts with One (indeed, like much of her discography), When I’m Free is a brooding, introspective album that places Brun’s voice front and centre – and for good reason. Her singing has always impressed, and this might be her finest 45 minutes to date; never showy, yet always arresting. The songwriting isn’t always as lustrous, with a gloomy default setting in parts of the latter half that’s difficult to warm to. But when Brun hits her mark, it’s quite something; in particular, the emotional and melodic clarity of Hanging sets a high bar, later matched by the busy percussion of Directions and the elegantly heartfelt pleas of Miss You More. [Chris Buckle]

If breaking up is so very hard to do, then Gone by the Dawn finds early garage rock revivalists Shannon and the Clams gathered around the jukebox, drowning their sorrows with every item on the cocktail menu. And because it’s still 1962 somewhere, there’s plenty of doo-wop references, Telstar keys and Cramps-style rockola amidst the upfront emotion, Shannon Shaw’s barfly vocals (on stand-outs Corvette and Point of Being Right) summoning weary, amore-soaked evocation. The problem of course is that the ’62 aesthetic only takes us so far, and while this is a record loaded with quirky touches, covocalist Cody Blanchard a manic counterpoint to Shaw’s louche presence, much of the musical dressing-up suggests that we’ve been here before, slipping precariously close to cabaret territory. Live, the band are a blast of vibrancy and humour; on disc – and despite the candour – it all feels a little predictable, a little niche; time called on cocktail hour. [Duncan Harman]

yolatengo.com

anebrun.com

shannonandtheclams.com

Willis Earl Beal

Noctunes [Tender Loving Empire, Out now]

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EP Reviews Seamus Fogarty

Ducks and Drakes EP [Lost Map, 4 Sep]

Ubre Blanca

The Sadist EP [Giallo Disco, 25 Sep]

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To describe Willis Earl Beal’s latest record is to do so in a fervent whisper, an awed hush – no sudden movements please, as this would threaten to unsettle the hauntingly delicate, ambient foundations of Noctunes. Improbably simple, Noctunes exhibits power in its most muted moments. Resolutely downtempo, the 12 tracks spin a soft web of ominous strings, spartan keys,and solemn synths. An exercise in eclectic minimalism, Like A Box draws in dark techno beats, whilst Survive melds oriental lilts with mild electronic drums, releasing Beal from his previous pigeonhole as a lo-fi bluesman. Here, the singer-songwriter’s voice rarely announces itself above the register of golden-hued hymn, but though Noctunes trades in simple lyricism, there’s intense emotional gravitas in every carefully weighted note. Fluid and unassumingly, Noctunes slips through the clutches of catergorsiation and stands alone as a uniquely beautiful, confrontingly original release. [Claire Francis]

There’s nothing hurried or harried about Seamus Fogarty’s music, as Ducks and Drakes favourably attests. The EP’s title track opens with its protagonist lying back and contemplating the summer sky, and the atmosphere only grows more pleasingly placid from there, with found sounds and field recordings helping to evoke all manner of fleeting remembrances and fugitive feelings. Each track is beguiling in its own right, but the ten-minute long A Mile Beneath the Broken Heart of London Town warrants special mention for the way it draws together all of Fogarty’s best qualities: lyrics that spin stories from the smallest of details, song structures that freely meander without getting lost, and production that balances the rough with the smooth beautifully. [Chris Buckle]

Sinister, portentous, unsettling… From the artwork’s red skull to each isolated synth motif, the John Carpenter/Claudio Simonetti trappings of the Glasgow duo’s third EP are as inescapable as they are deliberate. Yet this is no mere facsimile of (or even homage to) the horror soundtracks of yore, but a starting point through which mood is teased and tilted. The title track – all ten-plus minutes of it – is a study in how delicate shafts of icy misgiving can be revealed in stages, the mid-point introduction of live percussion adding to the number of corners behind which danger may be lurking. The Quarry and Invocation both unfurl in dancier territory whilst never losing sight of the overall narrative, while Fear of God and Saeta summon even more claustrophobic angles, like Wendy Carlos covering King Crimson. This closely aligned to genre tropes, and The Sadist doesn’t dazzle with upfront originality. But neither does it need to; fear and groove are their own reward. [Duncan Harman]

facebook.com/willisearlbeal

seamusfogarty.com

ubreblanca.tumblr.com

Review

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RECORDS

THE SKINNY

Ought

Dâm-Funk

Foals

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Sun Coming Down [Constellation, 18 Sep] Slipping breezily from improv-infused chaos into tightly woven riffs, the Montreal-based four piece tease at sounding as if they’ve lost their way, only to press on the gas and reveal that they had a map the whole time. Last year’s debut More Than Any Other Day received emphatic praise for vocalist Tim Darcy’s socially acute lyricism and the band’s seemingly psychic intuition, and Sun Coming Down sees these qualities amplified. Written and recorded in just two months, the band’s essence has distilled and it manifests in their newly relaxed grip on the wheel. Loose and taut in equal measure, Sun Coming Down roars and whispers but never does it hit too hard. Intelligent, concise and fully in control – even when they sound in exuberant, entangled disarray. [Katie Hawthorne] cstrecords.com/ought

Invite the Light [Stones Throw, 4 Sep] Funk’s been outlawed. No one’s quite sure how it went down – some blame Mark Ronson – but fear not; L.A.’s grooviest keytar shaman Dâm-Funk is here to save the day, one hand clap at a time. It’s not just a genre at stake; for Damon Riddick, funk is a state of being, a semi-spiritual lifeline of positive energy for navigating the daily grind. By the final chorus of radiant lead single We Continue, you’ll be convinced too. There’s loose narrative to the album, which at its peak finds our hero in a blistering car chase scored by old-school Sega sound effects, but the overriding takeaway is good vibes and lots of them. Be it the sparkling synth lines and soulful harmonies of its rousing second side or the nimble fingered turn from bass maestro Flea on early standout Floating on Air, Invite the Light makes the sun that bit warmer and the day bit brighter. [Andrew Gordon]

What Went Down’s title track makes no bones about Foal’s intentions for album number four – seething with a thundering, caustic might that makes the distant Cassius feel like candy floss in comparison. The group’s trademark intricate guitar work remains a dominant feature – Birch Tree and Night Swimmers exhibit a characteristic plinking interplay of notes – but elsewhere this is a record fleshed out by a glowering intensity. Snake Oil is where Foals flex their muscle and push into new territory, crafting a libidinous vehemence with bold, brassy bass runs and garage drumbeats, while curtain call A Knife In The Ocean is perhaps the album’s most ambitious moment; a yearning epic of distortion, feedback and echoed waves of guitar. Foals’ latest cleaves closely to the melodic narrative arc set by 2013’s pivotal Holy Fire, but sets itself subtly apart with its insidious, atmospheric chill. [Claire Francis]

stonesthrow.com/damfunk

foals.co.uk

Jerusalem In My Heart

Slayer

If He Dies, If If If If If If [Constellation, 7 Sep]

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What Went Down [Transgressive, 28 Aug]

Carbs

Repentless [Nuclear Blast, 11 Sep]

Joyous Material Failure [Save As Collective, 11 Sep]

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The key to this riveting, unsettling record is there in the sleeve notes: “Original rear cover photograph taken by Trevor Horgan on 16 July 2014 during another Israeli offensive on Gaza, seconds before Ahed, Ismail, Mohammed and Zakaria Bakr were killed by Israeli Navy shelling while playing on an empty beach.” Young boys, running in the sand, blissfully unaware of their fate. Not that Radwan Ghazi Moumneh needs to provide such overt context for his second album in his Jerusalem In My Heart guise. His adventures continue on this hook-up with visual artist and filmmaker Charles-André Coderre and, it is a sombre and haunting work. Moumneh’s voice (a beautiful, limitless instrument) and his buzuk (the lute-type instrument similar to the Greek bouzouki) playing underpin his flexing of Arab traditions. At its best – as on the closing Zasmar Sa7ar, where voice, buzuk, the sound of ocean waves and drone backing combine – it delivers a heady and oddly plaintive euphoria. [Gary Kaill]

Given how much upheaval there’s been for the band in the six years since their last full-length, World Painted Blood, it’s surprising how much – on the face of it at least – Repentless represents business as usual for Slayer. The death of Jeff Hannemann in 2013 should ostensibly have left a creative void within the band, whilst the acrimonious departure of drummer Dave Lombardo the same year forced Kerry King and Tom Araya to readjust to playing with Paul Bostaph, who’s apparently shaken off the injury problems that forced his original departure in 2001. Repentless, initially, comes off as classic Slayer – furious riffery and breakneck pace characterising the likes of Take Control and Cast the First Stone – but dig a little bit deeper and it’s clear that the creative responsibilities have shifted primarily to King, who has subtly retooled the band in his own image more than ever before. The result largely stifles the introduction of fresh ideas, but does at least ensure that long-time fans will be happy. [Joe Goggins]

cstrecords.com/jerusalem-in-my-heart

slayer.net

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Jonnie (Common) and James (Conquering Animal Sound) come together to celebrate the daily disappointments of modern life. Chronicling the highs and lows of pizza comfort binges, how Margaret Thatcher helped ruin ice cream, and the supposed ease of learning kung fu from action film slow-mo, all over a pallet of weird-ass collected sounds, Joyous Material Failure is rooted in pop culture and cemented with sticky, slouchy electronica. Each track is founded upon the sound of faulty machine or accidental mechanical breakdown, and there’s a dizzying, off-kilter spin to what could be otherwise-familiar constructs. The duo’s deconstruction of Instagram-era insecurities results in some genuine belly laughs, but sometimes veers dangerously close to ‘chillaxing on my trike’ territory; Carbs tread an intentionally wobbly line between taking the piss, and piss-take. This energy makes for a slightly awkward home listen, but will no doubt translate brilliantly live. Carbs’ anxiety-sprinkled Mr Whippy is best enjoyed with pals. [Katie Hawthorne] facebook.com/carbsinjection

Helena Hauff

Iron Maiden

Mike Krol

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Discreet Desires [Werkdiscs, 4 Sep]

Book of Souls [Parlophone, 4 Sep]

Helena Hauff has a reputation for pummeling dancefloors with her jagged, hardware-oriented techno, so it’s little surprise that her first full length effort for the Actress-helmed Werkdiscs is an intense listen. Hauff’s jarring combination of bright chiptune leads, somber synth strings and the caustic drive of early industrial acts like DAF is among the most distinctive sounds you’re likely to hear in a club this year, and given the raw energy of tracks like L’Homme Mort, chances are you will. Make no mistake, this is music best suited to sweaty underground lockers where its visceral qualities take precedence. Individually, a number of the tracks make strong impressions – like Tryst, a hyperactive flight through pinging laser that takes a sinister turn halfway in – but digested as a whole, their mechanical repetition and minimal melodic nuance becomes a little wearying. In the right mix though, something here could make your night. [Andrew Gordon]

Never mind the quality, feel the width. For Iron Maiden – three lead guitarists strong, and time-served purveyors of XXL stage spectacle and ever-increasing average song length – size is everything. Book of Souls clocks in at 92 minutes. Only Maiden would play for that long and still find an excuse for added time. But this sixteenth studio album from the metal veterans sizzles with a youthful vitality. Who’d have thought that their most ambitious, work would take three decades to arrive? But, as evidenced by 2006’s A Matter of Life and Death and its 2010 follow-up The Final Frontier, late period Maiden bears little relation to their NWOBHM beginnings. The much-vaunted 18 minute, piano-led Empire of the Clouds (one of two Bruce Dickinson solo compositions) is genuinely staggering but there are heavy thrills throughout. Anchored by both its intelligence and its musicality, Book of Souls delights in scoffing at genre expectations. It’s very metal and very, very good. [Gary Kaill]

werkdiscs.com/helena-hauff

ironmaiden.com

Golden Void

New Order

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Berkana [Thrill Jockey, 18 Sep]

Music Complete [Mute, 25 Sep]

How big are your riffs? In the case of Bay Area quartet Golden Void, the answer is delivered without apology; all seven tracks comprising Berkana hark back to a time when song wasn’t song unless hung from meaty hooks in a stoner rock butcher’s shop. The guitars are fleshy, the bass a buzz of gravel, Isiah Mitchell’s vocals full of earnest thrust. Whereas little is scrimped when it comes to mood or musical detail, there’s a seam of flaccidity underpinning events, both Burbank’s Dream and Astral Plane (with its soporific lyrics) struggling under the weight of those hefty riffs. Events take a smoother ride elsewhere, the strung-out California-isms of I’ve Been Down and the sunset vibes of finale Storm and Feather both suggesting a nuanced record may dwell beneath the bluster, unafraid to explore measured, psychedelic fringes. Yet even here there’s a propensity to reach for hackneyed melodic statement from time to time; it’s rock that curiously feels out of shape. [Duncan Harman]

For those unconvinced by Music Complete’s safe lead single Restless; fear not. The spiralling dancepop musing on consumer culture sounds robust and expansive as a scene-setting album opener, but it’s swiftly overshadowed. New Order – ft. a returned Gillian Gilbert and definitely no Peter Hook – come out synths blazing on Singularity. And, just when you think you’ve got this tenth record pegged, Tutti Frutti’s heated, sticky inflections provide a double-take. With Elly Jackson of La Roux on chorus duties, and the Manchester Camerata on strings, prepare for a euphoric, Euro-inspired night on the tiles. Then there’s eerie mid-album gem Stray Dog: a brooding, existential lecture from Iggy Pop. But it’s on hard-hitting house-spiked numbers that they really show their royalty; Unlearn This Heartache stuffs you into the underbelly of electronica, a harsh, apocalyptical soundscape that only this band could make blindly danceable. [Katie Hawthorne]

goldenvoidtj.bandcamp.com

neworder.com

September 2015

RECORDS

Turkey [Merge, 4 Sep] Judge Mike Krol as much for what he isn’t as for what he is. After eight blasts of searing fuzzpop, this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it album switches gear to a sweetly reflective piano instrumental – which then abruptly ends with a mutter of “I didn’t sign up for this shit.” A chuckle follows, and the record promptly finishes. Neat. As to what he is… well, he’s a snot-nosed kid who hit the wrong side of 30 and responded by kicking out some serious jams, motherfucker. This Is The News is a goofy, pedal-to-the-metal love song, all dumbass chords and irresistible velocity. He comes close to getting wistful on the yearning rush of Less Than Together, wherein a scarcely-specified figure from his past gets a belated goodbye, but ‘wistful’, frankly, is more of what Mike Krol isn’t. So what is Turkey? It’s 18 minutes of stoopid, frantic, thrilling garage rock fun in the Jay Reatard mould. And frankly, it rules. [Will Fitzpatrick] mikekrol.bandcamp.com

The Top Five 1

Julia Holter

Ought Sun Coming Down

Kurt Vile b’lieve I’m goin down

Dope Body

Have You In My Wilderness 2 Deradoorian The Expanding Flower Planet

Kunk

Review

The Girls of Summer Dublin’s Girl Band are not a girl band. Nor are they a rock band, or even a neogrunge band. So what exactly fires the foursome’s fearless cacophony of clamour and bedlam? The Skinny meets guitarist Daniel Fox to ask the question

Interview: Colm McAuliffe

irl Band are a band steeped in dichotomies. Firstly, nominative determinism does not apply to these four Dublin males who, after a series of justly lauded EPs (peaking with their magnificent, marauding ‘cover’ of Blawan’s Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage), have re-emerged with their debut album on Rough Trade, Holding Hands With Jamie (more of this enigmatic title later). Secondly, the band plumb decidedly old depths of hardcore degradation. Guitarist – and album engineer Daniel Fox – is extremely keen to eschew any mindless journo types (ahem) attaching any ‘rock’ tropes to the band’s sound but as much as he insists that they are not channeling the decomposing, self-abasing spirits of Rembrandt Pussyhorse-era Butthole Surfers or the narcoleptic fuzz of early 90s grunge, the band appear to exist within some timeframe hither the two, mired in mania-inducing sonic frequencies and infantile squalls masquerading as vocals. Furthermore, it’s even more disconcerting to speak with Fox, when he reveals himself to be an incredibly genial and pleasant interviewee, a stark contrast to the feral unpredictability unleashed on record. Holding Hands With Jamie is an album in a constant state of consternation and distress. It’s a mire of discursive madness; albeit deliberate rather than entirely imprudent. “It’s still pretty naturalistic in terms of production,” reflects Fox, “but we’ve still put a lot of effort into making the album sound really good without it appearing to be ‘big’ and ‘huge’ – just focusing more on what we sound like in a live setting.”

“There were a lot of Nirvana comparisons. I can maybe see this in retrospect” Daniel Fox

Ah – the live setting. Girl Band are, frankly, incredible live, permanently on the cusp of total whiteout and euphoric degradation. “But it’s not completely like our live show,” insists Fox. “All the songs, bar maybe two, were played live a lot already but it’s not completely rigid. On the album, we’re more capturing the energy and exploring the depth of what we do. On stage, you’re at the mercy of the room you’re in.” Yet behind all the loose talk of experimentation and sheer sonic devilment, Girl Band possess a quality arguably lacking in many of their, shall we say, more self-conscious peers: an absurdist, utterly Irish sense of humour. The nine tracks on Holding Hands With Jamie are replete with incomprehensible lyrics and screams and, most significantly, baffling song titles. The standout track is entitled Fucking Butter. Elsewhere, Pears For Lunch sounds like a vintage desktop PC struggling to boot up before collapsing in a heap of its own obsolescence. And album closer The Witch Doctor is in a constant race with itself, singer

Review

Dara Kiely not seemingly bothered to maintain pace with the cyclical guitar noises, instead preferring to chant in concussed fashion while an inelegant chaos rages around his increasingly enfeebled groans. At its very best, Holding Hands With Jamie sounds like a hoard of acid-munchers on a rollercoaster. But no Brian Eno-style Oblique Strategies were used in its construction; the band are living and breathing autoschediastics. “A lot of stuff comes from offhand remarks,” Fox explains, ”or just from us joking around and things seeming to end up in the lyrics. Fucking Butter was a throwaway comment about biscuits, or something. Dara can be kind of cryptic with his words – definitely, all the goofy food references are his.” It’s tempting to interpret the cacophonous howls of Girl Band as a riposte to the disastrous political climate from which they emerged; the band are young enough to have been born as Ireland transformed from Europe’s most underdeveloped economy into the Celtic Tiger beast of the late 1990s, before collapsing amid a series of horrific fiscal infidelities. However, Fox is slow to ascribe any significant political undercurrents to the band’s activities. “Well, Ireland can have a small-town syndrome of people releasing things

there and then just playing Dublin, Cork, Galway, Belfast and then doing it all over again. That’s cool if you want to do it but it’s not what we want to do. Population-wise, it’s a pretty small place. Even if you play the different smaller towns in the country, you get to know everyone really quickly. And I don’t just wanna play for my mates every couple of weeks.” Was there any specific local scene or bands whom Girl Band aligned themselves with? “We all came from pretty diverse groups ourselves but there was a band called Turning Down Sex whom we were really into: a noisy, math rock sort of band.” There’s that dirty word again – ‘rock’. Fox is at pains to point out the fact that Girl Band are not a rock band, certainly not an ersatz 90s rock band. “When we put out the first EP,” he says, “there were a lot of Nirvana comparisons. I can maybe see this in retrospect but I don’t think it sounds like it’s from that era. We like bands from the 90s but I don’t think it’s as ‘rock’ as those bands were.” So, Daniel, this is your chance to set the record straight! What would be a more accurate description of where you guys are coming from? Surely Girl Band don’t exist in a hermetically-

MUSIC

sealed vacuum? “Ah, I don’t know”, he laughs. “It’s kind of hard to define yourself. I actually don’t think we’re too concerned with setting the record straight about our sound because I don’t think we know exactly what we’re doing. It’s a pretty diverse range of influences. It’s not concrete. It’s very much the four of us in the room hashing it out. We jam it out a bit and start arranging and essentially write our own parts. But the record has been done a while and it’s nice listening back to it again after a few months – especially as I’m no longer listening to it from an engineering point of view. I just listen to it now as a bunch of songs.” Finally, we leave the vital question until the very end. Who is Jamie and – more importantly – who is he holding hands with? Fox is quite candid in his answer. “Jamie worked on all our records and he was in school with me and Dara. Holding Hands With Jamie was a joke title for my would-be solo balladeer album because there’s been this long rumour that me and Jamie are in love with each other. And it’s kinda half true…” Holding Hands With Jamie is released on 25 Sep via Rough Trade girlband.ie

THE SKINNY

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I N D E P E N D E N T

September 2015

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J O U R N A L I S M

Illustration: www.verbals-picks.com

Clubbing Highlights Forget summer – it barely showed up anyway. Autumn’s a season you can rely on, and here it comes, right on time. Ladies and gentlemen: September!

nna Wintour goes all out in September and it’s possibly one of the best months to get your vogue on too, not least if you’re new to your city (hello students!) and looking to be schooled in one of the North’s best clubbing scenes. Even if you’re a seasoned raver, you’d be a fool to miss legendary Eastern Bloc Records 30th anniversary extravaganza on 5 Sep over at Manchester’s Band on the Wall, guaranteed to give freshers a High Fidelity-style education in genre across two rooms with vinyl-only DJs, such as resident Kerrie, playing everything from house, techno and DnB to funk, soul, disco and jazz for a mere £5. Don’t worry about the early start; this is Manchester’s only nightclub boasting a carpeted area, so even though Anna wouldn’t agree, you can definitely take your shoes off. Over in Liverpool, District is waving goodbye to a questionable British summer with the third and final RUBIX Summer Party of 2015. Make out like you’re all civilised in the garden before proceeding over to the warehouse to begin the inevitable descent into carnage. Mark Fanciulli will guide you along the way with support from Sam Neicho and the residents (£8/£12). If you missed the August Bank Holiday grand opening of Hidden at DownTex Mill, then fear not, 12 Sep sees the breathtaking warehouse open its doors for another very special party with Magic Mountain High, aka Move D and Juju & Jordash, bringing hardware synthesisers, drum machines and a touch of improvisation to their set, with a stellar support of DJs from some of Manchester’s

Review

best club nights including LoveDose, PlayitDown and Stretford Dogs Club (£10). In Liverpool it’s all a bit quiet, so if you want a quality night you’d best hop on a train to Manny and make sure your Google Maps is working in order to find this gem of a venue. The following week it’s all about grime, which you should have a degree in by now, unless of course you’ve been in detention for like ever. 18 Sep sees Liverpool’s Hot Plate celebrate their first birthday at 24 Kitchen Street (£10-£14) with a live set from East London’s Roll Deep MC Flowdan, and Manchester’s Zed Bias, joined by his Madd Again outfit comprising Specialist Moss, Killa Benz & Trigga, currently enjoying a renaissance thanks to their bangin’ tune Move, Skank & Wine out on Swing Ting. Playing dancehall, garage and of course grime at Manchester’s Soup Kitchen this record label’s night is always worth a look in and falls on the 19th this month (£5). If sound clashes are your thing the Iration Steppas take over Liverpool’s Kazimier on the same evening for what’s set to be a very lively event, with the group boasting one of the best sound systems in the world (£11). However, if you’re more of a house cat, over at Salfords’s Islington Mill Saturday sees High Hoops return for an all-day party with Berlin’s Cinthie showcasing the sound of her label, Beste Modus, with support from Swoose b2b Crombyas and Manchester stalwart Oldboy, known also as Joy Social, among others (£8/£10). Take some Kleenex because this is

Words: Kamila Rymajdo Illustration: Liam Woodruff another long ’un and the Mill’s toilets aren’t always replenished in good time. Keen midweek clubbers have a new night to cut their teeth on with house, garage and techno outfit Tektu, taking up a weekly Tuesday residency at Manchester’s Joshua Brooks beginning on the 22nd. Ever reminding punters of their Void sound system, this establishment is a must for anyone getting to know the city’s night life for the first time, and the party’s guaranteed to be quality given its association with Mvson and its positive track record down in Birmingham. Over in Liverpool a collective prayer must have been answered as Elijah & Skilliam’s Jamz club night begins a residency at 24 Kitchen Street welcoming Butterz’ Flava D on the 23rd for the bargainous price of £6, though by the time you’re reading this it’s probably too late to swoop in for the early birds; while the very stylish Shipping Forecast is hosting The Guilty Party on the 24th with Waze & Odyssey and Lewis Boardman headlining for a solid £10. Back in Manchester, if you’re after a feast for all senses, there’s an audiovisual experience for the taking at the Northern Quarter’s newest club, Texture, on 25 Sep, where Hyperdub’s Cooly G and Flow-fi’s Maximus MMC will be headlining for The Whispering Digital (£5/£7), bringing a UK Funky flavour to the event; while the beauty of Manchester’s best underground club night, LoveDose, is that they throw parties to fit all sizes, and rumour has it they’ll be curating an outdoor popup affair for their most loyal

CLUBS

supporters on this very evening too. If you’re lucky enough to get an invite, make sure you’re in attendance as these are the most exciting parties going. Also on 25 Sep, 303 celebrate their first excursion to Josh Brooks by bringing in UK techno stalwart Surgeon to mark the occasion (£10). This unlikely Brummie has been at the cutting edge of the industrial scene since 1994 and will no doubt tear the place a new one by the time 4am rolls around. In the unlikely event you’re still alive the following night, and furthermore want to punish yourself by partying en masse, Seth Troxler and Jackmaster are playing the CIRCUS birthday night at Liverpool’s Arts Club, where they’ll be joined by Yousef, Richy Ahmed, Hector, Tom Trago, Lewis Boardman and more (£20/22.50) – which is a better bet than trying to catch them at the sold-out-in-five-minutes opening weekend of the Warehouse Project on Manchester’s Store Street. September leaves the best ’til last in the form of another Jamz midweek soiree over at Manchester’s Soup Kitchen, where grime legend D Double E will be joining the promoters for what’s set to be a night to write home about, as the duo continue to dominate the programmes of the North’s best venues (£8). But if somehow you manage to miss all of the above, fear not; thanks to recently re-celebrated Tony Wilson we’re now all 24-hour party people and it all begins again come the first of October.

THE SKINNY

DJ Chart: Helena Hauff

Hailing from Hamburg, Hauff is obsessed with riveting EBM, avant-garde electro and general psychosis. Here are eight of her favourite tracks

elena Hauff’s formative years as a DJ were spent in the shadow of Hamburg Fischmarkt, inside the much-lauded Golden Pudel club, under her own Birds & Other Instruments banner. Over the past five years the party has been graced by a veritable who’s who of mechanical experimentalism from all walks of life – Robert Turman, I-F and Luke Eargoggle to name a small handful. On the production side, her first release came back in 2013 – a three-track EP on Werkdiscs – but she’s since made in-roads on a range of left-of-centre labels, such as Lux Rec, Solar One and Panzerkreuz. Now, the time has come for her debut LP which, at ten tracks long, is the fullest musical synopsis of Hauff’s mind on record. This is machine music more pulsing sinew than polished sheen.

weirdness about this one in particular.

Privacy – New Wake Trace [Lobster Theremin] This is a new favourite of mine off Privacy’s Hypertext EP. It’s exactly the kind of jacking stuff that I’m into. Privacy is one of my favourite producers and DJs at the moment.

Morphology – Manmade Woman [Abstract Forms] This got released on Abstract Forms – like the Gosub one – which is one of my favourite electro labels. The label head, Deixis, also runs a sub label called Abstract Acid as well, and it’s just as good. Love this track though...

Mr Fingers – Washing Machine [Trax] This old classic always surprises me ’cause it still sounds so fresh. I remember playing this for the first time on a loud club soundsystem and it sounded so fucking good. Africans With Mainframes – Can U Hear Me Now? [Crème Organization] I’m a huge Jamal Moss fan; everything he puts out is just amazing. Love the rawness and

Unit Moebius – Beat That Perculator [Acid Planet] These guys from The Hague are probably my favourite electronic band of all time. This track, like a lot of their stuff, is simple and brutal! Elec Pt.1 – Waiting For Armageddon [Bunker] This came out on Bunker the label, which is actually run by one of the Unit Moebius guys. I’m very much into psychotic music and this one by Andreas Gehm really does it for me. Gosub – Red Desert [Abstract Forms] Electro is the music that always makes me wanna dance, and this track by Gosub makes me want to do just that.

Arpanet – Infinite Density [Record Makers] Drexciya and everything Drexciyan is just my thing. I really can’t imagine anything more beautiful than their music and this is a great example of that sound. Helena Hauff’s A Tape is out now via Handmade Birds handmadebirds.com

Five Questions for Glenn Astro Off the back of his evocative first fulllength LP, Essen’s own boy offers up a few tidbits on his sampling aesthetic Interview: Daniel Jones

e last spoke to Glenn Astro around the release of an EP with IMYRMIND for Box Aus Holz, when he took us on a journey via some of his favourite LPs. Hot on the heels of his own debut LP, Throwback, he sits down to explain his approach to sampling. The album itself crackles and bumps along nicely from track to track, recalling the golden age of trip-hop while adding further fuel to the modern jazzy house bonfire still burning in Berlin. The record has flown quietly under the radar to some extent, and it’s difficult not to think that the title, Throwback, here he doesn’t do it any favours. It isn’t a simple pastiche of bygone times; it’s an entirely relevant scrapbook by today’s terms and clearly pulled together with love, sweat and beers. The Skinny: Talk us through your standard approach when you sit down to work on a new track... Glenn Astro: Well, I have my rituals like using certain gear and stuff; but it’s also a lot of trial and error. A lot of times when I wire my gear the wrong way or accidentally skip the needle while I’m sampling I get very useful errors and this really helps to bring a track to life. How does specific hardware/software fit in with your sampling process? I don’t really have all that expensive and super vintage gear. I do own a couple of cheaper synths though, and program them myself. The MS2000 from Korg, for example, is a really great and versatile synth. Only downer is it’s only four voices polyphone. I make the most of my MPC and software because it would be terribly close-minded to just use one. They both have their advantages. I do all my arrangements on the computer, for example, and still don’t know how to use the

September 2015

CLUBS

song mode in my MPC! The hands-on feel you get from the MPC is still unbeatable though when it comes to putting together a beat. I really used a lot of different records for this album, but I’d say jazz records might be the most used sounds for the sampling process. Like they say, ‘Jazz is the teacher; soul is the preacher.’ What are some vital tips/tricks that you’ve picked up over the years? Like I said, I think it’s important to keep the mistakes, they might come in handy at some point. Keep the dirt. Also making the most of the pitch wheel, obviously. There’re a fair few collaborations with Max Graef on the record, too; what are your individual strengths when working as a pair? It’s really hard to say... I think Max is definitely very strong on the instrument side because of his band background. He’s very good at picking up stuff and transferring it, plus he’s extremely fast with Logic! Honestly, I don’t really know what my own strengths are. I know my way around my gear pretty good by now, but that’s not really a strength. I think we connect on a lot of the same levels and know what the other would like to hear or not. Which track are you most pleased with on the new record, and why? Still Shining, definitely. Can’t really explain why, but it’s just very different to the rest of the tracks on the album. I guess that’s a direction I want to go towards further. Maybe slowing down on the whole house stuff I’ve been doing extensively the last few years. Glenn Astro’s debut LP, Throwback, is available now on Tartelet Records tartelet-records.com

Review

Digital Witnesses We live in a densely media saturated environment, unlike anything previously seen in human history. Yet we are only just beginning to understand how these changes might be affecting us. It is time to ask: is social media changing the way we think?

Words: Michael Shea

ast year a group of researchers at Cornell University made headlines around the world when it was revealed that they had manipulated the accounts of 689,000 Facebook users in order to study “emotional contagion” in social networks. In the experiment users’ news feeds were altered to display either mostly positive or mostly negative content. Their results suggest that emotions expressed in Facebook posts have a considerable effect on the emotional state of the user, constituting “evidence for massive scale contagion via social networks.” Many were understandably outraged that such an experiment had been conducted without the participants’ informed consent. But dubious ethics aside, the main finding, that emotions expressed by others on Facebook can profoundly influence the user’s own emotional state, begs the question: to what extent is social media changing the way we think? Another recent Facebook study by psychologists at the University of Michigan looked at the impact of Facebook use on the mood (or “subjective well-being”) of young adults. They found that increased Facebook use correlated with a negative shift in reported life satisfaction, not only on a day-by-day basis, but even at points within a single day. While the notion that social media use might affect the user’s emotional state may seem obvious to some, less clear is the extent to which social media influences cognitive function. In The Organized Mind neuroscientist Daniel Levitin argues that the sheer volume of information each of us has to deal with is inhibiting our ability to think clearly: “Every status update you read on Facebook, every Tweet or text message you get from a friend, is competing for resources in your brain with important things like whether to put your savings in stocks or bonds, where you left your passport, or how best to reconcile with a close friend you just had an argument with.” Your mind has a finite amount of energy and this can easily be used up deleting emails or updating social media rather than focusing on the things you really need to think about. Levitin describes the manner in which social media can alter users’ brain chemistry. The act of clicking “like” on a social media platform releases dopamine making the user feel a sense of accomplishment. Each time a user checks a social media update they feel more socially connected and are rewarded by a shot of feelgood chemicals released in the brain. If this sounds like a description of drug addiction, the similarities are not accidental. Levitin argues that compulsively checking e-mail and social media “constitute a neural addiction.” In the UK the notion of social media addiction is still considered more of a bad habit than a medical condition; however, internet addiction has already been declared a public health crisis in China and South Korea. These are also the two countries where much of the pioneering research into how internet use affects human thought and memory is currently taking place. An experiment at Sichuan University Hospital in China used MRI imaging to look at the brains of adolescents diagnosed with Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). The results showed that the participants with IAD had multiple structural changes in the brain, including significant loss of grey matter. These results suggest that internet addiction may literally cause brain

Review

damage, as the reduction in grey matter correlated with the length of time each participant had been suffering with IAD.

“Much of thought and memory is now externalised through the use of social media” The negative impact on cognitive function which may be caused by excessive social media use has been termed “digital dementia,” as its main symptoms, such as memory loss and distortion, are similar to those suffering from senile dementia. As such a young medium, it still remains to be seen how the internet will influence the cognitive function of lifelong internet users. These findings are certainly alarming; however, it is important to take them with a pinch of salt. In the early years of television there were various experts warning that the new medium

might warp viewers’ minds, making them stupid or violent. There was similar hysteria directed towards video games in the latter part of the 20th century (remember when Grand Theft Auto was going to create a generation of sociopaths?) Yet it has been demonstrated that while watching television the brain enters a dreamlike suggestible state. There are various examples of mass hysteria and even psychosis being triggered by events in film and television. So the notion that what you spend your time looking at will affect your thoughts should not be dismissed altogether. In her famous Lost in a Shopping Mall experiment, Elizabeth Loftus, one of the world’s leading experts on memory malleability, demonstrated that with a little coaching it is easy to make an individual remember something that had not actually happened. In the experiment participants had three genuine incidents from their childhood described to them as well as one fake, an anecdote about once having been lost in a shopping mall. Approximately a quarter of the participants claimed to remember the false memory and when asked which of the four incidents had been invented incorrectly chose one of the genuine events. Based on this experiment, Loftus concluded that there should be no doubt that memory can be altered via suggestion.

TECH

Our memory is far more suggestible than most people would like to admit. A photograph can be used to make an individual remember an event that didn’t actually take place. This leads to the uncomfortable question of what happens now that we are living in more densely media saturated environment than ever before. Much of thought and memory is now externalised through the use of social media. Consider what happens when a couple ends their relationship on social media, and suddenly some years’ worth of photographs disappears from the jilted party’s timeline. We have the power to edit our individual and collective memories in ways that have only recently become possible. If something as simple as being told a story can cause a person create a false memory then it is reasonable to assume that social media, which presents an entire library of authentic and inauthentic images, will change the way we think and remember. These issues are only just beginning to be properly explored. No-one knows for sure what the long term impact of social media on our emotions, memories and even our cognitive function is going to be. It is worthwhile examining our own chaotic, disorganised thoughts and memories so that we might begin to understand how social media is changing the way we think. theskinny.co.uk/tech

THE SKINNY

Tate Liverpool

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Some of the biggest of names in the art world from the past 89 years: Peter Blake, Louise Bourgeois, Marcel Duchamp, Nam June Paik, Eduardo Paolozzi, and Grayson Perry (to name just a few) are among the 150 works making up the latest Tate Liverpool collection re-hang, DLA Piper series: Constellations, which seeks to create an environment that allows the viewer to make connections and observe relationships between individual artworks. So what connections are to be made? The scope is massive, and diverse. On a whole the exhibition is an observation of life; of politics, cultural shifts, confrontations of sexuality and gender, identity crisis and celebrity iconography. The sheer volume, however, often distracts from the individual works – which does, perhaps, highlight the stronger stand-out works on display. Pierre Huyghe’s One Million Kingdoms (2001), a digital animation that follows a manga character, Annlee, as she walks alone through a continuously transforming moon-like landscape, is narrated by digitally edited recordings, combining Neil Armstrong’s transmissions from the Apollo 11 mission and extracts from Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1864). The work merges the line between fact and fiction, science and science fiction with a visual boldness, with the glowing electronic blue of a computerised dream, contrasting massively with the rest of the exhibition, which is primarily made up of sculptural and wall-based artwork. Another stand-out is Gillian Wearing’s I’m desperate (1992-3); a large-scale colour photograph of a well-dressed man holding a sign that reads ‘I’m desperate’ and warrants attention due to its raw simplicity and honesty. Wearing’s work is part of the Joseph Beuys constellation, which focuses on ideas of a ‘post-war

Louise Bourgeois - Mamelles (1991, cast 2001)

psyche,’ and social change in democratisation which, in my view, is the part of the exhibition that is most confused and uninteresting, with an over-use of ready-mades and found objects, and with works mounted on plinths through the centre of the gallery. Around the corner, however, we enter Cindy Sherman’s constellation with Grayson Perry’s Aspects of Myself (2001) – a particularly personal earthenware vase, which contrasts strongly against its surroundings. The vase illustrates the artist’s personality through drawings of people (the largest of whom is a woman bound and gagged looking directly at the viewer), cars and other objects, including a house in the shape of an erect penis. The work critiques social boundaries in the context of the personal and the artist; addressing ideas of sexuality, gender and class, it adds to the narrative of Perry’s transvestite alter ego, Claire. The task for visitors to Constellations is to discover individual works within the overwhelming and sometimes overcrowded whole. Touching upon issues and concepts that are increasingly relevant to our contemporary lifestyle, from celebrity to sexuality, it is the themes that we can most relate to that make the show worth the visit. Through Constellations we see a history of critique and opinion that has grown and transformed over the past century. [Kyle Nathan Brown] DLA Piper Series: Constellations is the new permanent collections display exhibition. Ongoing tate.org.uk

Photo: The Easton Foundation

Constellations (DLA Piper Series)

The M+ Sigg Collection: Chinese art from the 1970s to now Whitworth Art Gallery

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I’m looking at a vast monochromatic screen print, Untitled (Three Leaders) (1989), a trio of figures with a familiar and foreboding Chairman Mao at the centre. Mao brandishes his Little Red Book with a smile, a publication formed of his own quotations that members of the Chinese Communist party were ‘encouraged’ to carry. My phone vibrates in my pocket with a news notification; Ai Weiwei, the artist responsible for this work, has just been granted a six-month visa to allow entry to the UK, just in time for his Royal Academy exhibition opening mid-September. In some respects Ai Weiwei has become a shorthand for the realities of suppressed and ‘criminal’ artists restricted by the oppression of a Leninist single-party state, a kind of political poster boy. The eighty works that form the M+ Sigg Collection exhibition come from Swiss collector Uli Sigg, who has amassed the largest collection of Chinese contemporary art in the world. His collections, controversially, will form the basis of the M+ museum of visual culture, opening in Hong Kong in 2019, with the Whitworth exhibition being the only opportunity to see these works in the UK before that event. Opposite the Ai Weiwei canvas we see the 1984 works of Wang Peng, arguably the first Chinese performance artist: 84-ink-5 and 84-photo (1-12), nude body-prints in ink and the photographic documentation of their making. When these were created, installations and performances in art galleries were criminal offences and dissident activity, seen as representative of the evils of capitalism, and the body prints were made in secret and hidden for many years. In the same gallery is a small paint box owned by artist

Weng Fen - On the Wall – Shenzhen (1) (2002)

Zheng Ziyan, a member of the No Name Group. Members of the group adopted these small boxes as they were easily concealed or could be disguised as a copy of Mao’s Little Red Book. In the Cultural Revolution artists were banned from painting without government approval and these boxes allowed the group to continue with their work without suspicion. Elsewhere, a toilet roll in a vitrine, Umustbestrong (2004-2005) by Liang Yuanwei, contemplates determination and discipline in the face of turbulent political adversity. Using a typewriter, the artist painstakingly types the repeated title onto the entire length of the fragile toilet roll, seeming to encapsulate the efforts that Chinese artists have endured: careful and clandestine approaches, gallant and exhaustive methods. Of course, it’s hard to capture 40 years of art history in any exhibition, but the Whitworth have managed to demonstrate an attentive and conscientious look at the importance of Chinese art without falling back on platitudes. We see more familiar proponents such as Zhang Huan and his Family Tree (2000) and of course Ai Weiwei with the monumental Still Life (19952000), laboriously composed of lines of Neolithic axe-heads, but these are not without context. The true triumph of this exhibition is its ability to open further discourse, to present and question an important passage of art history with refined grace, unpatronising and fastidious. [Matthew Retallick] Runs until 20 Sep, Free whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

ADVERTISING FEATURE

Northern Greats: Trapped Up North The trend for escape room games continues unabated with the Great Northern Warehouse’s new horror attraction. Its creator helps us understand the appeal of getting locked inside a room and scared half to death

n one of three horror-themed rooms – Jigsaw, Quarantine, or Cabin Fever – visitors to the Trapped Up North attraction at the Great Northern Warehouse are locked away in small teams, with an hour to break out. Who knows their fate if they don’t manage? We picked the brains of Richard Cottier – House of the Dead's ‘Director of Evil’ and horror expert – for all the gory details. The Skinny: ‘Director of Evil’ is a pretty groovy job title to have. Tell us about your role and how House of the Dead Ltd was established? Richard Cottier: Yes, it’s a fantastic job title. It looks great on business cards and goes down particularly well when phoning the bank. My role encompasses all areas of the business, from creating the stories behind and the journeys through Trapped Up North to overseeing the marketing and sales and producing the show. But in a nutshell, I ensure that there is the right amount of mischief in everything we do. I was lucky enough to be working as a creative designer on an international theme park project – while there I brought together a team of industry professionals to look at this crazy idea to create a horror-based business. My fellow directors Paul Jamieson and Sally Duguid

September 2015

came on board with a simple goal of bringing the very best in haunted entertainment to the UK. What’s the inspiration behind the Trapped Up North attraction? Trapped Up North was created because we believed that there was a gap in the market; currently there are some fantastic escape room experiences available, however we wanted to create an immersive environment – put our guests into their own horror movie so they pit their wits against our puzzles and the story of each room. In Jigsaw, you are at the mercy of an escaped serial killer; in Cabin Fever, you took a wrong turn and are trying to escape the evil clutches of the forest folk; in Quarantine, you are our last hope in the fight to prevent the zombie apocalypse. How did Trapped Up North come to be housed in the Great Northern Warehouse? We set our sights on Manchester because it has an amazing alternative culture scene, plenty of people who like a challenge, and an established escape room audience. We chose the Great Northern Warehouse due to a number of factors – fantastic access, great visitor facilities including parking, and it is surrounded by plenty of other leisure businesses including the

Richard Cottier, 'Director of Evil'

AMC cinema, B.Eat Street and All Star Lanes. The Great Northern has a fantastic attitude to independent business, which makes popping up at the venue for six months an easy process. The management team have given us every assistance required to help make our event a success.

Trapped Up North is their first escape room experience. Our Halloween attraction, House of the Dead, is also selling well and sessions are beginning to sell out, which is brilliant news. To book Trapped Up North or House of the Dead, visit the website: houseofthedead.com thegreatnorthern.com | @gnwarehouse

Trapped Up North is set to run at the Great Northern Warehouse until 23 December. What has been the interest so far? We have had an amazing response and what has surprised us the most is the amount of customers who have come to try one experience and then returned to beat the others too. Feedback has shown that for many of our customers,

ART

Review

Film Event Highlights There’s a flurry of repertory screenings this month thanks to Scalarama’s month-long cinephilic celebrations, as well as the return of Sheffield’s Sensoria and the Northwest’s premiere horror festival, Grimmfest Words: Simon Bland

calarama’s epic lineup leads the way this month, hosting a variety of events in spaces all across the UK. For us Northerners, the fun kicks off at Liverpool’s Small Cinema with the Scalarama Launch and Film Jam (1 Sep). Here you’ll be able to meet the festival organisers and fill your diaries with all the screenings you definitely don’t want to miss – and with more films on offer than this puny film column can handle, you’re bound to have a hard time whittling down your list. Will you catch Liverpool Small Cinema’s mad scientist double bill, featuring Eyes Without a Face and The Skin I Live In (6 Sep)? What about the Godfather of Gore twosome at Manchester’s Hold Fast bar (8 Sep), where schlock doc Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore screens before trashy trailer compilation The Best of Sex and Violence? Speaking of rough and ready rarities, Kinorama’s Viva VHS! (10 Sep) invites Scalarama-ers down to Manchester’s Three Minute Theatre to rewind to the 90s for some once-controversial underground shorts. Each will be shown using original bruised and battered VHS screeners for extra fuzzy fun. Manchester’s Apotheca also gets in on the Scalarama fun with a tongue-in-cheek creature feature double bill boasting lo-fi spoof Mutantis (a UK premiere) and Ed Wood’s classic Bride of the Monster (17 Sep). Liverpool’s FACT has an Ed too, with Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands (27 Sep) adding some pastel-coloured relief in this rare 70mm screening. It’s not long before things turn dark again, however, with William Friedkin’s 1978 thriller, Sorcerer, at Islington Mill (22 Sep), and even darker at HOME, with a showing of Pasolini’s disturbing anti-fascist statement, Salò (12 Sep), screening from 35mm.

Edward Scissorhands

All this grittiness blends nicely into Grimmfest 2015, which features the UK premieres of Henry Rollins’ He Never Died, sci-fi noir Synchronicity and body horror Excess Flesh all showing between 1-4 October at Manchester Printworks. Got all that? Good. Despite this wealth of local screenings, there’s also a good reason to take a trip across the Pennines this month: top notch film and music celebration Sensoria (25 Sep-3 Oct). The Sheffield festival’s cinema lineup is particularly enticing. The most road trip-worthy screening has to be the UK premiere of B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989, a vibrant doc that recreates the music and art scene of West Berlin during its punky 80s heyday (25 Sep). Or why not just go across for the whole shebang? Head to sensoria.org.uk for more details.

Review

Macbeth

Dope

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

A Girl at My Door

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Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Starring: Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, Jon Bernthal Released: 4 Sep Certificate: 12A

Director: July Jung Starring: Bae Doona, Kim Sae-ron, Song Sae-byeok Released: 18 Sep Certificate: 18

While escaping the social hell that is high school with his best friend and ‘co-worker’ Earl (RJ Cyler), our lead protagonist Greg (Thomas Mann) unexpectedly finds himself forced by his mother (Connie Britton) to spend time with a classmate diagnosed with cancer (Olivia Cooke). But thanks to Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s dynamic direction – marked by the influence of Martin Scorsese, who he previously worked for as a personal assistant – and the irresistibly hip, sarcastic wit of its dialogue, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl provides plenty of painfully honest laughs along with more fragile, profound moments in its exploration of a refreshingly nonsexual malefemale relationship. This Sundance 2015 Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award winner is also a delightful homage to filmmaking itself, including plenty of savvy film references, and even films-within-a-film, as Greg and Earl churn out quirky, home-made parodies of Criterion classics like 400 Bros, A Sockwork Orange and Burden of Screams. Just never mind that the average teenager’s probably never heard of Herzog. [Christine Cocotte]

This could so easily have been fluffed in less careful hands. Fortunately, writer-director July Jung has a delicate touch, melding a weighty, challenging story with wonderful performances. The resulting picture, thrumming with love, desire and violence, is excellent. Young-nam (Bae Doona), the newly instated police chief in a small South Korean coastal town, has been transferred from Seoul on an obscure count of misconduct. She quickly finds herself allied with young Do-hee (Kim Sae-ron) against the girl’s drunk and violent stepfather, Yong-ha (Song Sae-byeok). But Young-nam is a drinker too, downing rice wine she’s decanted into water bottles. And Do-hee shows increasing guile as she vies to escape her oppressive domestic circumstances. So though Yong-ha is certainly the villain, his step daugther and her protector show dark little flickers as they try to end his reign. There’s a definite seam of melodrama running right through A Girl at My Door. But Jung works with such clarity, and Bae and Kim are so strong, that the end product feels so very sharp. [Angus Sutherland]

Closed Curtain

Dope

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Director: Jafar Panahi, Kambuzia Partovi Starring: Kambuzia Partovi, Maryam Moqadam, Jafar Panahi Released: 4 Sep Certificate: 12A

Director: Rick Famuyiwa Starring: Shameik Moore, Kiersey Clemons, Tony Revolori Released: 4 Sep Certificate: 15

Jafar Panahi’s semi-documentary This Is Not a Film visualised and articulated his plight after a draconian sentence from the Iranian government (regarding political activism) saw him forced to live under house arrest, barred from leaving Iran, and officially banned from making films for two decades. Nonetheless, Closed Curtain is the second feature he’s made since, through elaborate loopholes. Rather than using his Tehran apartment as last time, Panahi’s vacation home provides the setting here for what initially seems like a very different film. We start with a middle-aged writer cooped up in the house, curtains closed, in hiding with his dog after the government bans the creatures from the streets. Their solitude is short-lived, though, as mysterious intruders soon enter. There’s a pleasingly surreal melancholy to where the film goes, and then it all turns quite meta indeed as Panahi enters as himself. While that initial moment provides a very visceral stir, where proceedings go from there make Closed Curtain feel like a meandering rehash of the prior (not a) film. [Josh Slater-Williams]

In Rick Famuyiwa’s subversive coming-of-age misadventure comedy, three high school “90s hip-hop geeks” get mixed up in drug trafficking and learn some lessons along the way. Though exec-produced by Pharrell Williams, it’s not what you think – there’s real heart here. And caps must be doffed to the doe-eyed lead Malcolm (Shameik Moore) and his friend Diggy (Kiersey Clemons), both effortlessly charming big-screen debuts. With John Hughes cited as direct inspiration, the misfit narrative is tastefully painted, and though potted with familiar tropes, these slingshot the action with directorial nous. It’s an otherwise fresh romp, and the premise – geeks sell drugs at school – might anticipate something cringeworthy (goofy Snapchat deals with drug emojis?), but when there’s talk of Tor networks and Bitcoin you realise Famuyiwa’s done his homework. A smart bag of references, to both modern meme culture and bygone music and movies, Dope is neither pastiche nor misty-eyed nostalgia. In one telling exchange, A$AP Rocky’s character tells our protagonist, “The 90s also gave us Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer and the Fresh Prince.” Word. It’s time for a new era. [George Sully]

The Messenger

Macbeth

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Director: David Blair Starring: Robert Sheehan, Lily Cole, Tamzin Merchant Released: 18 Sep Certificate: 15 Though pitched as a supernatural thriller, The Messenger dwells more on its protagonist’s own troubled life than the conspiracy he uncovers, but that’s more of a correction than a criticism. Don’t expect pacy thrills; the plot – prominent journalist’s mysterious death sparks media intrigue, yada yada – serves as an effective vehicle for Robert Sheehan’s smartly imagined Jack and his burdensome ability to speak with the deceased. Unlike 2010’s Biutiful, where Javier Bardem’s similar gift takes a back seat, Sheehan’s grubby, snarky Jack is plagued nigh-on constantly by anxious ghosts eager to pass on a final message, thus providing the BAFTAnominated Misfits star plenty of opportunities for well-aimed backchat and deadpan repartee. Flashbacks substantiate some pathos, and intermittent snatches of conversation provide further insight into his condition. The story unravels predictably enough, and the supporting cast keep the wheels turning (David O’Hara as the sturdy, antagonising policeman; Lily Cole as the concerned but dispossessed older sis), but the message you’ll be most keen to spread after The Messenger ’s credits roll will be about its dynamic lead performance. [George Sully]

FILM

Director: Justin Kurzel Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, David Thewlis Released: 2 Oct Certificate: 15 In spite of its Irish-German and French leads, Justin Kurzel’s adaptation is a very Scottish Macbeth. Filmed in large part on Skye, this martial take on Shakespeare’s trip north of the border grows out of the Hebridean island’s bleak and beautiful landscape. Though it occasionally threatens to upstage the young Australian director’s cast – who seem under-egged at times – the mountainous backdrop largely acts as an able foil to magnificent performances. Fassbender, as Macbeth, is bristling and demented in equal measure; Cotillard, as Lady Macbeth, is creepy and enthralling. Paddy Considine turns in a decent Banquo, with Sean Harris’s MacDuff lending grizzly support. There’re Scottish flags flying in the cast’s lower orders: witches Seylan Baxter and newcomer Lynn Kennedy linger well, spurring things along with the right amount of eerie enjoyment. Kurzel mostly operates at the brooding, simmering end of the emotional spectrum, but sometimes you just want to see things at full tilt. That said, the film’s climax adds plenty of ballast to the quieter writhing of its opening acts. [Angus Sutherland]

THE SKINNY

My Darling Clementine

Pressure

Eat Drink Man Woman

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Director: John Ford Starring: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell Released: Out now Certificate: U John Ford’s take on the Gunfight at the OK Corral was one of the first of his string of Westerns in the sound era and has a legendary cast including Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp, Victor Mature as Doc Holliday, Walter Brennan as the patriarch of the villainous Canton clan and Cathy Downs as Clementine, whose elegant presence Holliday has run away from in shame and which Earp is beguiled by. Ford doesn’t emphasise the melodrama of showdown or unrequited romance so much as meditate on the lyrical spaces in between the plot points. My Darling Clementine is simple in its storytelling while transcendent as a poem of rhythms, bonds and values; it establishes heartfelt relationships, interrupts them through brutal violence and poignantly builds a grand statement of the Old West as a landscape yearning to be civilised. It’s a story of ties that bind, bullets that shatter and grace that heals. [Ian Mantgani]

Cruel Story of Youth

Director: Nagisa Oshima Starring: Miyuki Kuwano, Yasuke Kawazu Released: Out now Certificate: 15

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‘Cruel’ is the operative word in the title of Nagisa Oshima’s second feature – one of three he turned out in quick succession in 1960. This rapid workflow didn’t curb the quality of the finished article: a cynical tale of wayward youth presented with a suitable degree of directorial maturity. As you’d expect with Oshima, sex, violence and the interconnectedness of the two are key themes, though their onscreen exploration thankfully stops short of the controversial excesses of many of his later works. Still, what’s there is provocative enough, charting an emotionally and physically abusive relationship between two disenfranchised students living in post-war Tokyo; an affair that begins with attempted sexual assault and deteriorates from there. It all adds up to a fairly pitiless portrait of apathy, alienation, generational discord and rife misogyny; not exactly an enjoyable watch, then, but a fascinating one both for fans of Oshima and the Japanese New Wave more broadly. [Chris Buckle]

Director: Ron Scalpello Starring: Danny Huston, Matthew Goode Released: Out now Certificate: 15 It’s just as well for director Ron Scalpello that last year’s Black Sea flopped. Had Kevin MacDonald’s submarine thriller found an audience, Pressure would likely have sunk without a trace. Instead, it proved a minor hit with festival audiences inclined to regard it as a piece of bravura filmmaking rather than a pale imitation. Pressure tells the story of four oil ship crew members who find themselves stranded at the bottom of the ocean after carrying out repairs on a pipeline. Unable to radio for help and with oxygen supplies diminishing, the men must act fast to save themselves. The claustrophobic confines of the underwater vessel in which most of the action takes place are suited to feelings of panic and suspense, but writers Alan McKenna and Paul Staheli over-egg things with a po-faced script. Elegiac dream sequences sit uneasily beside cornball dialogue, with character development treated as an irrelevant afterthought. [Lewis Porteous]

Director: Ang Lee Starring: Sihung Lung, Chien-lien Wu Released: Out now Certificate: 15 The final chapter in Ang Lee’s ‘Father Knows Best’ trilogy completes the director’s tenderly ironic chronicle of the compromise between tradition and modernity in Taiwan. A richly textured comedy about the tensions across two generations of a Confucian family, Eat Drink Man Woman typifies the filial focus of Lee’s early work. Sihung Lung, the recurring father figure of Lee’s trilogy, plays Master Chu, a widowed chef renowned for his traditional Chinese cooking. Even though he has lost his sense of taste, Chu works tirelessly to prepare the elaborate banquets that bring his three unmarried daughters under the same roof. Each of the daughters is struggling to find love in a world that moves at a different pace to that of their father, and communication across the family is chiefly performed at the dinner table, with Chu’s culinary skills giving this emotionally authentic portrait of shifting values a warm and sensual touch. [Patrick Gamble]

Pickup on South Street

La Grande Bouffe

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Director: Samuel Fuller Starring: Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Thelma Ritter, Richard Kiley, Murvyn Vye Released: Out now Certificate: PG Sam Fuller’s punchy New York noir Pickup on South Street is lean and mean, yet also contains a curiously jovial quality to its portrait of post-war scavengers getting mixed up with Commies and coppers. With the delicious chemistry of bickering leads Richard Widmark and Jean Peters, it almost feels like a spiky romantic comedy got stuck in one of the 1950s’ bleakest visions of humanity – a beating heart alongside a cold soul. And it somehow all works magnificently. Peters is a Commie agent’s patsy, unwittingly transporting a microfilm of military secrets. Widmark is the crafty pickpocket who pinches her purse and sets off a chain of events that spells disaster for them, the government agents who were on her tail, the secret Red ex-boyfriend (Richard Kiley) who did her wrong, and Thelma Ritter’s weary, Shakespearean stool pigeon. Few films are as entertaining a rush as this propulsive 80-minute whirlwind. [Josh Slater-Williams]

Director: Marco Ferreri Starring: Andréa Ferréol, Marcello Mastroianni, Michel Piccoli Released: Out now Certificate: 18 Reviled upon its release in 1973, La Grande Bouffe now stands as one of sidelined auteur Marco Ferrari’s most palatable works. Of course, the tale of French high-society figureheads literally eating themselves to death within the confines of a secluded mansion is conducive to a generous amount of gross-out gastrointestinal set pieces. What’s remarkable, though, is the restraint shown by the director and his star-studded cast, who manage to simultaneously captivate and disgust. Like the best surrealist cinema, the film is directed with an assured hand and presents the bizarre in as formal a setting as possible, as if it were utterly prosaic. The suspension of disbelief required to accept the characters’ course of action mirrors the process through which society perpetuates inequality and class division. The corrosive, nihilistic ugliness of excessive wealth and consumer culture has never been quite so damningly exposed. [Lewis Porteous]

Fill the Land with Cinema We look ahead to Scalarama, the annual festival that brings together the UK’s film clubs and indie exhibitors for a month of cinema celebration Interview: Jamie Dunn Eyes Without a Face, part of Liverpool Small Cinema’s mad scientist double bill (6 Sep)

calarama simultaneously looks back and looks forward. It was initially conceived in honour of the Scala cinema, a London repertory theatre renowned in cinephile circles for its eclectic programming, where the classiest of European arthouse film would rub shoulders with the trashiest – zombie-movie allnighters, biker films, Roger Corman knockoffs, and the odd porn movie (hardcore sex comedy Thundercrack! was a Scala stalwart). Despite it selling its last ticket stub over two decades ago, London-based cinephiles kept the old fleapit close to their hearts. “There wasn’t a anniversary or anything, but there were enough people bringing the Scala up in conversation – its programming and its atmosphere – that we knew we could do something interesting,” says Scalarama co-founder Michael Pierce. What was most innovative about the festival was its form: it harnessed the energies of existing film clubs, film societies, festivals, pop-up cinemas and other indie film exhibitors to create a wide-reaching season inspired by the rep cinema.

September 2015

Since this nostalgic, London-centric inaugural edition in 2011, called Scala Forever, Scalarama has evolved into a month-long, UK-wide celebration of cinema. “The thing that stuck from those early events is that there’s so much going on – and not just in London, there are great film clubs across the whole of the UK,” explains Pierce. The Scala cinema remains the festival’s touchstone, and its anything-goes attitude to programming informs Scalarama’s philosophy, but the festival is also imagining cinema’s future in the age of film-on-demand and illegal downloads. “It’s not so much the big screen and hi-tech cinemas that are important,” suggests Pierce. This has been anti-piracy campaigners’ chief tactics for encouraging people to swap their HD TVs for the big screen. “I think it’s the element of watching things together,” he continues, “how that shapes people’s appreciation, not just of the films but of the venue and being with other people enjoying something or debating something.” Pierce understands the temptation of watching movies alone on your laptop, and

he’s been slowly weaning himself off doing just that. “I hope that the more people are able to watch films by themselves, the more they’ll start to miss that communal aspect.” As Scalarama has grown, it’s gained more clout with distributors. The festival has become an attractive arena in which to launch some movies. “Because we had lots of different film clubs involved, we’ve been able to bargain with the distributors to convince them if there is a DVD company interested in releasing something straight to DVD, they could – in September at least – do so at a lower risk by making it available to clubs and societies taking part in Scalarama.” The distributors’ enthusiastic response to working with indie film clubs has convinced Pierce that they’re pretty simpatico. “I’ve begun to realise that the attitude and make-up of the distributors are very similar to the independent film clubs: there’s a lot of passion behind them. For example, Second Run DVD exist because they really want the films to be seen rather than thinking of a massive commercial venture, which is a similar ethos.”

DVD / FILM

Pierce also highlights the importance of curation. Anyone who’s spent hours trawling Netflix for a decent film to watch will likely agree. “You still need people to open up cinema,” he reckons. “To say, ‘You might never have heard of this, it’s not easily found online, but here’s a really good film.’” It’s not about lofty cultural gatekeepers: it’s about enthusiasts passing on their love for watching movies. “When you talk to people who really enjoy cinema they usually have an experience of going to a cinema and seeing something that just blew their mind, and there are some people who haven’t had that moment yet, but it’s those personal touches that help elicit that response.” Pierce’s message is clear. Seek out your local Scalarama screenings and have your mind blown. Scalarama runs throughout Sep in various cities and venues across the UK For our picks of the Scalarama events, check our Film Event Highlights on page 52 For the full Scalarama programme, go to scalarama-2015. screeningfilm.com

Review

Book Highlights This month the literary scene takes itself up a gear, mirroring that old September feeling of summer passing, holidays ending and obligations gathering. Gather your books and head back to school...

anchester’s biggest date on the literary calendar finally arrives as Margaret Atwood takes to the stage at the Royal Exchange on 27 Sep. Widely known for her bestselling titles The Handmaid’s Tale, The Blind Assassin and the MaddAddam trilogy, Atwood will be in conversation with broadcaster and critic Erica Wagner discussing her latest novel, The Heart Goes Last. Once again she explores the realms of a not-too-distant-future dystopia, flipping society as we know it on its head with law-abiding citizens locked up and the lawless allowed to roam free. Meanwhile, young lovers Charmaine and Stan sign up for a social experiment that descends into a nightmare of conformity, mistrust, guilt and sexual desire. You can look forward to controversial and revolutionary insight from this notably outspoken heavyweight author. On the very same night, Bad Language hosts Molly Naylor (creator of BBC Radio 4’s Whenever I Get Blown Up I Think of You) and John Osborne (creator of sell-out theatre show John Peel’s

BOOK OF THE MONTH On Writing

By Charles Bukowski

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‘I am a dangerous man when turned loose with a typewriter,’ wrote Charles Bukowski in late 1960. But he was only just getting going: the letters collected here show the dangerous intensity of the following four decades of writing. He’s a loner, holed up in tiny Los Angeles apartments, starting to write poetry at 35 having spent ten years of his life in the depths of unproductive and near-fatal alcoholism. Resolutely disconnected, he loathes almost all contemporary poetry and dislikes the Beats (‘they were too selfpromotional and the drugs gave them all wooden dicks or turned them into cunts’). Here we see him pouring forth all his wild energy: revelling in being a ‘Dirty Old Man’ of American letters. He’s quick, funny, and makes no effort to hide anything. The letters are every bit as spunky as his work elsewhere: a ballsy lowlife set free and calling out the bullshit wherever he looks. His voice fills your head, sentences all loose with beer and life and a sense of getting to the heart of it all. You can hear the battering of the typewriter as he goes – he has one setting, whether writing to close friends, enemies, editors, or big famous writers. The pace of the man is incredible: ‘I’ve gulped down damn near a full bottle in 15 minutes, chilled white. Have to, it gets warm so fast.’ [Galen O’Hanlon] Out now, published by Canongate, RRP £14.99

Shed) at Gullivers for the Manchester leg of their joint inaugural poetry tour. The pair came together after both having sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe to showcase a selection of their best material, which comprises of a mix of accessible, lyrical, life-affirming poetry with universal appeal. Richard Dawkins, voted by Prospect magazine as the ‘World’s Top Thinker,’ will be paying a visit to the Lowry in Manchester (14 Sep) and the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool (15 Sep). Dawkins will discuss his new memoir, Brief Candle in the Dark, disclosing further details about his personal history and the influences that have shaped his life and intellectual development. Love him or loathe him, this should prove to be a fascinating evening that helps us understand the world’s most famous atheist and the author of some of the most audacious books of the 20th century. Elsewhere, Verbose is back after a summer break. Its new open-mic season kicks off on 28

Review

Sep with a stellar lineup of headliners from the creative writing department at the University of Manchester. This month sees special performances from lecturers Ian McGuire, John McAuliffe and Geoff Ryman at Fallow Cafe. A great event for students to see what stuff their mentors are made of! And finally, Gladstone’s Library, Flintshire, welcomes a host of internationally renowned writers, creatives and thinkers for the third instalment of its literary festival, Gladfest. Over 20 talks and workshops will be taking place across the three-day literary festival, which boasts a packed programme of history, politics, fiction and contemporary culture. This year features a line-up of writers ready to challenge and enthral their audience. Festival highlights include talks from Michel Faber (The Crimson Petal and the

Wind/Pinball: Two Novels

A Portable Shelter By Kirsty Logan

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By Haruki Murakami

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Referred to by Murakami as his kitchen-table novels, Hear the Wind Sing and its follow-up, Pinball, mark the humble beginnings of a literary giant. Back then he would come home after closing up the bar he owned and ran with his wife, to sit up late, writing at his kitchen table. In the decades that have followed, Murakami has produced a formidable number of works, ranging from slender novellas to hefty tomes, some of which loosely connect to the characters found in his début works and all of which have stayed true to and nurtured their hypnotic blend of modern-day reality and dream-like strangeness. The protagonist of both novels is the typical, most likely semi-autobiographical young man of Murakami prose – easygoing, a little adrift, socially detached and able to remain unruffled by the inexplicable things that occasionally befall him. Wind finds him in college, home for the summer to hang out with his old friend the Rat as the two of them haunt the local bar and wonder about life. Pinball catches up with him three years later, running his own translation company and living with the identical twin girls who appeared in his bed one evening. From the very beginning, it seems, Murakami has had the ability to make a story in which nothing happens seem completely irresistible. And to make almost any degree of bizarreness seem completely natural. [Ross McIndoe] Out now, published by Harvill Secker, RRP £16.99

Margaret Atwood

White, The Book of Strange New Things), Patrick Gale ( A Place Called Winter, Notes from an Exhibition) and Jessie Burton (The Miniaturist). A passion for books, writing, culture, and ideas is all you will need. Margaret Atwood, The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, Sun 27 Sep, 3pm, £12 (£10), manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk Molly Naylor and John Osborne Debut Poetry Tour, Gullivers, Manchester, Sun 27 Sep, 7.30pm, £6.60 My Life in Science: An evening with Richard Dawkins, The Lowry, Manchester, Mon 14 Sep, 8pm, £16, thelowry.com; and The Epstein Theatre, Liverpool, Tue 15 Sep, 12.30pm, £15.50, epsteinliverpool.co.uk Verbose, Fallow Café, Manchester, Mon 28 Sep, 7.30pm, Free, verbosemcr.wordpress.com Gladfest, Gladstone’s Library, Flintshire, Fri 4–Sun 6 Sep, times vary, £10 (£6), gladfest.co.uk

Waiting for the Past

by Les Murray

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A collection of skilfully written short stories in which the beauty of imagination meets the inevitable harshness of life, A Portable Shelter is the latest literary offering from Kirsty Logan, author of The Gracekeepers and The Rental Heart and Other Fairy Tales. In the peaceful coastal surroundings of their cottage in the north of Scotland, Liska and Ruth spend their time telling stories to their unborn baby and sharing both memories and life lessons. Their passionate voices intertwine to introduce figures from their past. The narrative transitions are sometimes obscure yet meaningful and often emotional. Domestic werewolves, wicked witches, bears and dragons are just a few of the characters populating a world of the fantastic, yet one imbued with memory, pure reality and, occasionally, the sadness of life experience. Bittersweet, nostalgic and often sublime, these appear to be fragments of life more than happy-ending fairy tales. ‘Truths wrapped up in stories’; that is the precious gift the parentsto-be are offering to their future child. Logan blends themes of mythology, symbolism, family, loss and change in these tales, each one accompanied by an illustration from award-winning artist Liz Myhill. Selected for its undeniable literary merit, A Portable Shelter was produced with the assistance of Creative Scotland’s Dr Gavin Wallace Fellowship, which aims to promote talented writers and literary organisations in Scotland. [Vanessa Piras]

The poems in this collection are a slow read, requiring moments of meditation in order to collect the careful meaning of Murray’s words, but sumptuously satisfying for the patient reader. The canvas of Murray’s poems is his native New South Wales, its agricultural life as well as political landscape, and – as the title suggests – his memories. Throughout the collection, Murray invokes latent images from his classroom (English as a Second Language), his childhood (Child Logic) and his ‘deathless younger self’ (Self and Dream Self), folding each vignette into the tightly framed lens he uses to scrutinise the modern world. The pages abound with glimpses of the poet’s past, many of which are not only amusing but resounding, as they avoid the usual pitfalls of parochial literature with an enjoyably wry commentary. The language of the collection is occasionally exclusionary; what may eventually be a rewarding allusion, or an adept piece of wordplay for the investigative reader, appears on the page as something akin to the product of an over-zealous wordsmith. As a result, some poems suffer from a sense of obscurity – however, while initially arcane, they invite the reader to revisit them with promise of new meaning, and Murray investigates the worthiness of allusive obscurity in the piece I Wrote a Little Haiku with brilliant self-awareness. It is Murray’s understanding of himself and his attempt to understand the lives of others that makes this collection compelling. [Joe Ramsden]

Out now, published by The Association for Scottish Literary Studies, RRP £9.95

Out now, published by Carcanet Press, RRP £9.99

BOOKS

THE SKINNY

Photo: Jean Malek

Words: Emma Nuttall

Spotlight: Paul Smith The Hot Water Comedy compere talks Gandhi, geese and crumbling in front of acting royalty Interview: Debs Marsden

aul Smith has been performing for ten years, and has had something of an intriguing career trajectory. He was plucked from relative obscurity early on to appear in a TV series pitting different generations of comics against one another, which was an experience he truly hated. Retreating to his hometown of Liverpool to lick his self-inflicted wounds, he cut back dramatically on gigs further afield, and has helped build a tiny empire as the regular compere at Hot Water Comedy (his second home). He’s recently begun staging solo shows at the club, and the success of these is a testament to how much he’s valued by regular visitors there. Smith’s affability is immediately disarming. Blessed with warmth and charm, he has the ability to turn the rowdiest of mobs into enthusiastic but well-behaved crowds and make it look effortless. He’s also a master of storytelling; even the smallest of anecdotes are told with a well-woven narrative and knowing self-deprecation. Graced with a naturally gregarious disposition and with a wealth of material to draw from, he’s quite simply one of the best MCs Liverpool has to offer. And Liverpool is happy to keep him. Accolades: “Err… None really. I won a best new act in Liverpool in 2006, but the semi-final of So You

Think You’re Funny and the final of Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year are the best I managed in big comps. Never did well in them. Nerves always got the better of me.” Influences: “I’ve probably been influenced by hundreds of comics over the years, so to pick out individuals is hard. Chris Cairns definitely had a big impact when I started out, so he deserves a mention. I always looked up to Toby Hadoke; he influenced me a lot. Not in style (he’s very political, I’m far from it), but I always aspired to have his ease on stage.” Best gig: “My first ever solo show in Liverpool. I honestly thought nobody would turn up, but we sold out. I had never played a gig where people had specifically come to see me: usually you have to win a crowd over, but this gig was amazing from the moment I walked on. Plus my mum was there, which was very validating.” Worst gig: “So You Think You’re Funny semi-final. Eleven hours by coach to experience my first ever death, in front of a packed room in Edinburgh at midnight. I crumbled horribly, and my one

searing memory is of looking into the crowd and seeing the face of an actress from Babylon 5 shaking her head at me in pity. Harsh criticism indeed. That really hurt.” Best heckle: “Recently, Tez Ilyas was talking about just finishing Ramadan. He asked if anyone else had, to which a woman – with no intention of humour or malice – replied: “I’ve been doing Weight Watchers.” That made me laugh for ages.” Aspirations: “As I get older I realise I just want fun gigs and little stress. I like to learn new things, and spend time with my family. I’m a simple man. No world domination for me.” What would you be doing if you weren’t doing standup? “Something equally useless but a lot less fun. I would almost certainly hate my life without it.”

If you could be haunted by anyone, who would it be and why? “Gandhi. I think he would be quiet.” What’s the largest animal you think you could beat in a fight? No weapons. “I’ve given this more thought than any other question. A goose.” If you lived in medieval times what would you do for a living? “Jester, obviously. Although I would love to be Master of Coin.” Question from past Spotlighter Tom Little: What’s the stupidest thing you’ve had to go to hospital for? “The birth of my son. I wasn’t even needed.” Hot Water runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Holiday Inn, Lime Street, Liverpool hotwatercomedy.co.uk

TOBY JONES PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH GLORIOUS MANAGEMENT PROUDLY PRESENT….

‘MASTERWORKS IN PROGRESS’ The star of BBC3’s

‘UNCLE’ &

‘HEAVY ENTERTAINMENT’

“Pretty f*cking amazing....a true comedy daredevil” - Time Out “A genuinely unique comedy brain.” - The Guardian

The List Chortle

Friday 16th October

Sunday 18th October

MANCHESTER

LEEDS

THE DANCEHOUSE

THE WARDROBE

ALL TICKETS £12.50 (SUBJECT TO BOOKING FEE WHERE APPLICABLE)

September 2015

COMEDY

Review

Win tickets to see Anthony Horowitz at Manchester Literature Festival!

Photo: Jean Louis Fernandez

Win tickets to Akram Khan’s Kaash at The Lowry!

Back with a five-strong cast of international performers, Akram Khan presents a gripping revival of Kaash (6&7 Oct, The Lowry, Salford), his first ever full-length work, which focuses on immense physicality and impressive precision. The Daily Telegraph called it “Epic, deeply focused and grandly beautiful.” “Hindu Gods, black holes, Indian time cycles, tablas, creation and destruction” were the starting points for this work. Kaash (Hindi for ‘if only’) continued Akram Khan’s quest to build bridges between the worlds of contemporary dance and the Indian classical dance form Kathak. There are two performances at The Lowry. To win two tickets to a performance of your choice,

simply head across to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question: Akram Khan choreographed a prominent section of which huge international event? a) The 2014 Oscars b) The 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony c) Dismaland Competition closes midnight Sunday 27 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. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms-and-conditions

Anthony Horowitz

As his new James Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, hits the shelves, Anthony Horowitz comes to Manchester Literature Festival on 9 Sep to discuss the legacy of Ian Fleming, the challenges of posthumous collaboration and what makes 007 such an enduring character. Partly inspired by a never-used television treatment that Fleming wrote, Trigger Mortis sees our hero enter the high-octane world of motor racing – matching wits with deranged adversary Jai Seung Sin and his old friend Pussy Galore. One of the country’s most prolific and versatile writers, Horowitz has written more than 40 books, including Sherlock Holmes novel The House of Silk and the bestselling series about teenage spy Alex Rider.

This MLF event is chaired by author and comedian Viv Groskop, and is a must-see for fans of Bond and Horowitz alike. To win a pair of tickets to MLF’s Anthony Horowitz’s event at Central Library on 9 Sep, simply head across to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question: What is the title of Anthony Horowitz's new James Bond novel? a) Rigor Mortis b) Trigger Mortis c) Skyfell Competition closes midnight Monday 7 Sep. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 24 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms-and-conditions

15-25 October 2015 10 days of music, arts, food and drink celebrating the diversity and spirit of contemporary Irish and Liverpool culture... African-Irish hip-hop handpicked by Snoop Dogg • Stealing Sheep, Immix ensemble and live dance commission with Liverpool Music Week • Craft beer expo • Folk and electronica • Whiskey tasting with Irish Distillers • Academy award-winning films and animations • Premières and preview screenings Multi-award winning authors and poets • Augmented reality dystopian art Good Vibrations with Terri Hooley: idealist, radical, rebel in conversation and DJ set • Free family fun ...and a whole heap more!

Tickets now on sale via www.liverpoolirishfestival.com facebook.com/LivIrishFest @LivIrishFest

COMPETITIONS

THE SKINNY

Manchester Music Tue 01 Sep

STUART MCCALLUM RESIDENCY

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

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

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

Ty Segall does Black Sabbathy riffs which is totally fine with us.

Wed 02 Sep SWEET BILLY PILGRIM

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £11

The former Mercury Prizenominees play new material from their latest album Motorcade Amnesiacs.

JONNY CRAIG

KING’S ARMS FESTIVAL 2015

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £10

THE KING’S ARMS, 17:00–23:00, £15

The former Ghost Runner on Third frontman embarks on a solo project with an r’n’b/pop vibe. PER VAN SEE

FALLOW CAFE, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

EP launch for the German singersongwriter. JIM ADKINS

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:00–22:00, £17.50

Jimmy Eat World’s frontman Jim Adkins visits Manchester for an intimate acoustic performance as part of his first ever solo tour. AN EVENING WITH COLE PAGE

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, £20

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £12

After a two year absence, Cole Page is returning to Manchester with a brand new show featuring some brand new arrangements.

HERE WE GO MAGIC

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

OUGHT

Montreal post-punk lot who flickered to life in 2011, holed up in a shared apartment that doubled as their rehearsal space. SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £9

New York indie-rock troupe formed by core members Luke Temple, Michael Bloch and Peter Hale in 2008. THE DESLONDES

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £8

New Orleans group mining from the rich history of American music.

Thu 03 Sep

VINNY PECULIAR

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £6

KING’S ARMS FESTIVAL 2015

THE KING’S ARMS, 17:00–23:00, £15

The King’s Arms annual weekend of music and comedy, with line-up details often kept secret until the day, and the likes of The Farm, Paul Heaton and Cherry Ghost among past guests. ROCHDALE FEEL GOOD FESTIVAL

VARIOUS, 08:00–23:00, PRICES VARY

Collaborative musical experiment of Mike Watt and Sam Dook.

Former big-haired indie lads Toploader are among the music acts at Rochdale’s two-day music, food and drinkathon. Full details at rochdale.gov.uk.

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £13

Sat 05 Sep

CUZ

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £9

PAUL SMITH & THE IMITATIONS

The Maximo Park frontman brings his new solo record to a live setting. THE GRAEME WILSON QUARTET

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

Formed to play the music of saxophonist Wilson, who moved to Newcastle after a long stint on the Scottish jazz scene including Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra. BRUISING

FALLOW CAFE, 19:30–23:00, £4

A new music showcase, with Leeds lo-fi rockers Bruising heading across the Pennines to headline. THE MEAT PUPPETS

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £11

The veteran rock group, best known for mid-80’s classic Up On The Sun, head back out on the road with new material in tow. JOHNNY SLY (MINUTE TAKER + HAMES)

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:30, £7

A cultured Thursday evening in Salford curated by Scruff of the Neck and hosted by Johnny Sly. Expect the unexpected in an evening of intent listening.

Fri 04 Sep

CUD (BONE-BOX + JAMES HOLT)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £14

Longstanding Leeds-based indie-rockers on the go since their formation in 1986. THE BLUESWATER

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

Rockin’ Edinburgh 11-piece, resplendent with an old-school R’n’B vibe and a three-horn brass section. NORTHCOTE

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £8

Solo project by big-voiced singersongwriter Matt Goud. MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £20

The mighty all-female Motown legends play a set of (some of their many, many) hits. Hopefully in sequins. ROB FALSINI

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £10

London-based folk/pop singer/ songwriter who’s no stranger to busking. AFFAIRS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6

Manchester locals Affairs bring their indie rock music to Night & Day Cafe.

September 2015

LARKINS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £6

With their name taken from the poet Philip Larkin, the new Manchester group celebrate the launch of their new EP.

Mon 07 Sep

Leeds-based five-piece navigating 80s post punk soundscapes since February 2013.

LAURA OAKES (CLAYDON CONNOR)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £5

The songwriter tours in support of her brand new EP. NILE & SUFFOCATION

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:30, £18

1993-formed rockers return with their fifth album and new live show. JURASSIC 5

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £25

Perhaps the most revered hip-hop crew of the 90s tour the hits, making five emcees sound like one (aka bow down).

Tue 08 Sep FUTURE ISLANDS

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

The mighty Maryland outfit do their badass new-wave pop thing, with funk-inflected lead singer Sam Herring likely growling his way through the set. GIRLPOOL

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8

LA-based indie duo made up of high-school friends Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker.

MARK PRINGLE’S MOVEABLE FEAST

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

A group led by award-winning jazz pianist Mark Pringle. Heavily inspired by time spent studying in Paris in 2013, the music draws on multiple cultural influences. WILL HODGE (GARY QUINN)

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7

Nashville country singer.

SOUND CONTROL, 18:45–23:00, £5

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7

Heavy Blues rock from Blackburn outfit. KIERAN FEST PARTY NIGHT (LIAM FROST + DÉJÀ VEGA + JO ROSE + NEV COTTEE)

CHORLTON IRISH CLUB, 19:00–01:00, £10 (£5)

Local songwriters including Jo Rose and Liam Frost perform at this event to raise money for Manchester Charity 42nd Street, which helps young people with stress. NATHAN GRISDALE

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £12

A new tour for the viral pop singer known to pretty much no-one as ‘Grizzly Nat Grisdale’. KING’S ARMS FESTIVAL 2015

THE KING’S ARMS, 17:00–23:00, £15

VARIOUS, 08:00–23:00, PRICES VARY

Former big-haired indie lads Toploader are among the music acts at Rochdale’s two-day music, food and drinkathon. Full details at rochdale.gov.uk.

Sun 06 Sep

THE HALLÉ (PRICELESS CLASSICS)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 18:00–21:00, £SOLD OUT

The Hallé’s Autumn schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon as well as more contemporary works. JUNGLE BROTHERS

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £14

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

ALVVAYS

The King’s Arms annual weekend of music and comedy, with line-up details often kept secret until the day, and the likes of The Farm, Paul Heaton and Cherry Ghost among past guests.

KYLA BROX

SKY VALLEY MISTRESS (THE VOLTS + CASSETTE + CANTAR SEMPER )

He supported Jools Holland aged just 15, now the songwriter is all grown up and headlining shows himself. Aw. MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £12

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

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

TOM MANN SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £11

CHASING DRAGONS

Leeds-based post-hardcore types return with new EP Checkmate in tow. HOUNDSTOOTH

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £7

Electric folk troupe led by singer Katie Bernstein.

Wed 09 Sep ODDISEE

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

American rapper and producer, know to his mammy as Amir Mohamed el Khalifa. TAME IMPALA

OLYMPIA, 18:30-23:00, £18.50

Alternative rock project of Aussie chap Kevin Parker and chums, known for their psychedelic and groove-laden melodic rock soundscapes. DRINKS

SOUP KITCHEN, 20:00–22:30, £10

Fledgling project of Cate Le Bon and Tim Presley, who insist it’s a solo project, not a collaboration (go figure). BRAKES

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £12

Brighton four-piece featuring former British Sea Power keyboardist Eamon Hamilton. THE POLYPHONIC SPREE

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £17.50

Choral symphonic rock outfit hailing from Dallas, Texas, usually made up of a 10-person multi instrumentalist choir, celebrating their 15th anniversary. RICHARD THOMPSON

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, FROM £25

The unassuming elder-statesman brings his acoustic and electric guitar virtuosity our way.

Thu 10 Sep

THE CHRIS KING ROBINSON BAND

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

The iTunes Blue chart topper comes to Manchester. WAND

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £10

Los Angeles-based psych-rock quartet our touring their second LP Golem.

Canadian indie-pop darlings still riding high on the release of their self-titled debut LP. AUTOBAHN

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £6

BRAND NEW

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

Laid-back, Long Island rock quartet formed in a New York basement back in 2000. BLAKE

GREAT NORTHERN BRASS ARTS FESTIVAL BRIDGEWATER HALL, 12:00–22:00, PRICES VARY

A full day of some of the finest brass music existing in the UK and beyond. Full details at bridgewater-hall.co.uk.

BEACONS METRO: MAC DEMARCO

ALBERT HALL, 15:00–23:00, £20

Slacker rock multi-instrumentalist and artist hailing from Canada, formerly known as Makeout Videotape. MOSTLY AUTUMN

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £15

The prolific prog-folk group continue to be just that, with another UK tour.

AN EVENING WITH KING CRIMSON

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, FROM £37.50

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

The London-formed rock troupe return to active duty in what is now their 8th incarnation.

Fri 11 Sep

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £23

The Brit Award-winning harmonisers hit the road. BEN NOKE

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £7

Piano-driven soul and jazz influenced pop with Noke performing in support of his new EP. SOUL TUBES

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

Performing soul and funk from Franklin to Wonder. THE LUCID DREAM

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £5

Four-piece psychedelic rock from that mecca of all things third-eye revealing, Carlisle. LIFE IN FILM

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:00–22:00, £8

London-based indie-pop quartet touring on the back of their new EP, Needles & Pins – the title single of which you can currently download via their Soundcloud, for gratis. DOG FASHION DISCO + PSYCHOSTICK

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £12

Double headlining show featuring two acts inspired by the likes of Weird Al and Pantera. HINDER

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £14

NATHAN CARTER

Twinkly-eyed young Irish country singer. HALO TORA

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:30, £6

Glasgow-based ensemble blending rock sounds into something fresh and interesting via soaring dual lead vocals and three part harmonies, guitars and piano. LONELADY

CENTRAL LIBRARY, 20:00-23:00, £8

Mancunian post-punk songwriter (aka Julie Campbell) continues to plug back in after a few years off the grid, in support of her funkinflected effort Hinterland.

Sun 13 Sep BROTHER & BONES

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £10

Blues-meets-folk-meets-rock quintet moving from the delicate to the, well... let’s just say they’ve got two drummers. MACHINAE SUPREMACY

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £15

Swedish band combining heavy metal, power metal and alternative rock with chiptunes. Good luck with that.

Ten years on from their debut LP Extreme Behavior, the multimillion selling rockers head out on another UK tour.

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £15

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £17.50

THE UKULELE ORCHESTRA

STEREO MC’S

Acid House-era baggy types continue to tread the boards, still most famous for songs like Connected.

AN EVENING WITH KING CRIMSON

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, FROM £37.50

The London-formed rock troupe return to active duty in what is now their 8th incarnation. NATHAN CARTER

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £23

Twinkly-eyed young Irish country singer.

STEPHEN STEINBRINK (JULIE BYRNE)

EAGLE INN, 19:30–23:00, £7

The American songwriter has ties to our fair region, having released music on local label Melodic last year. TODD TERJE

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, 19:00–00:00, £25

Norwegian DJ pioneer &ndash; and one of modern disco’s brightest stars &ndash; Todd Terje comes to the Cathedral.

Sat 12 Sep

YOUNG KATO (FOR THE GIRL + AS ELEPHANTS ARE + BARRON)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £8

Breakthrough indie-pop lot hailing from Cheltenham and Birmingham. SOUL RAYS

TRACII GUNS

The Hollywood rock’n’roll veteran comes to the UK.

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £21

The all-plucking orchestra take on another massive tour.

Mon 14 Sep GREAT LAKE SWIMMERS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £11

Canadian outfit riding along on the melodic folk-rock songs of singer/ songwriter Tony Dekker. JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD (FRUIT BOMB + PEACE AND LOVE BARBERSHOP MUHAMMAD ALI)

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £11

The Nashville-based psychedelic garage-popsters bring their wares Edinburgh-way. INME

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

Essex rock quartet chock with the emo drum syncopation and Bullet For My Valentine guitars that we’ve come to expect, touring once again. JETHRO TULL

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £32

Ian Anderson pays tribute to his own prog rock pioneers with renditions and re-worked takes of classic ‘Tull songs.

Tue 15 Sep

TRANSCENSION (DAVIS WHITFIELD + NIMROD SPEAKS) BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £10

Local lad rockers still doing their post-Oasis thing.

Transcension is a new group formed by fiery Canadian drummer Franklin Kiermyer and soulful UK saxophonist Nat Birchall, drawn together by the similarities in their respective approaches, the two musicians have joined forces in this special collaboration.

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6

ISLINGTON MILL, 19:30–23:00, £9

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

Liverpool ten-piece funk band all about the groove. ORPHAN BOY

SOUND CONTROL, 18:00–02:00, £8

LA SHARK

London-based ensemble tourng in support of their debut LP, Imaginary Music.

RICHARD DAWSON + ASIQ NARGILE

Newcastle troubadour hailed for his skewed delivery, joined by Georgian folk musician Asiq Nargile.

W.A.S.P

THE WILDHEARTS

THE RITZ, 19:30–23:00, £20

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20

The LA hard rockers tour their first LP in six years, with Golgotha marking their 15th studio LP. UGLY KID JOE

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £15

80s-formed Californian rock troupe whose name is a riff on Pretty Boy Floyd. SOMETHING ANORAK

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £4

Scrappy Bristol based indie rock band comprising of two cousins. LAUREN HOUSLEY

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £5

The Manc chanteuse belts out the classics. LEMAR

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, £25

The Fame Academy (remember that?) alumni returns with new album The Letter.

Wed 16 Sep B. DOLAN

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £10

The American rapper and performance artist plays a solo set, sans regular partner in crime Scroobius Pip. SIMON MAYLOR + HILARY JAMES

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–22:00, £14 (£7)

A mix of folk, blues, swing and classical showstoppers. THE SWORD

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £14

Austin-hailing heavy metallers back in the UK for another tour. WILLIAM BASINSKI

ISLINGTON MILL, 19:30-23:00, £12

The drone legend appears as part of Saisonscape, performing work based around the seasons (that means Autumn for this one obviously).

Thu 17 Sep PETITE NOIR

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £8

Young South African muso and former member of electro-popsters Popskarr. ROSE KALLAL (AHRKH + WATER)

ISLINGTON MILL, 19:30–00:00, £5

New York visual and sound artist in Salford for one night only, performing a live modular synth set backed by multiple 16mm film loop projections. Go marvel. ACTION BRONSON

THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £18.50

The Queens rapper and former fire-flame gourmet chef (yes, really) raps about food’n’stuff. WHITE BOY

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £5

Ex-Janice Graham Band frontman Joe Jones returns with his new group. CRUSHED BEAKS

The British rock veterans head out on’t road, with Ginger reunited with his bandmates CJ and Ritch, alongside the return of Scott Sorry on bass, playing second LP P.H.U.Q. in its entirety. PINS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8

All-girl Mancunian quartet currently living out their love of the C86 sound.

Sun 20 Sep

Founded in 1980 by former students of the Franz Liszt Music Academy of Budapest. JOANNA GRUESOME

ISLINGTON MILL, 19:30–00:00, £8

The Fortuna PoP! signed indie-pop troupe give sophomore LP Peanut Butter the live treatment. BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME

GORILLA, 18:30–22:00, £17

The hardcore North Carolina crew bring their rollercoaster of metallic-rock Manchester-way. BUGZY MALONE

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £11

The 24 year-old rapper continues his rise as one of the UK’s most promising new artists. THE WEATHER STATION

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £7

The project of Canadian songwriter Tamara Lindeman; folk music based in classic elements of songcraft. RAMSBOTTOM FESTIVAL (THE WONDER STUFF + HOUDINI DAX + SUNDOWNERS + LOUIS BARABBAS AND THE BEDROOM SIX + MORE)

RAMSBOTTOM CRICKET CLUB, 17:00–21:00, PRICES VARY

The eclectic festival returns for its fifth year with headliners including Scottish veterans The Proclaimers and Idlewild. Info at ramsbottomfestival.com.

Sat 19 Sep

LOVE GRAVEL (ANOTHER DEAD HERO)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £7

Dark grunge band incorporating dirty riffs, multi-part harmonies and all things angsty. PUBLIC IMAGE LTD

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £26.50

Post punk outfit led by Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, re-formed in 2012 and now with a new album under their belts. DREAMER

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

An interesting fellow, Kukiz is both a Polish singer and activist, campaigning in his own country as the leader of the Kukiz Movement. GZA

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £18

The Wu-Tang Clan’s most potent lyrical swordsman, GZA (aka The Genius), heads to the UK for the usual dexterous assault of colourful wordplay. Bow down. PINEY GIR

EAGLE INN, 19:30–23:00, £6

American synth-pop singer/ songwriter born in Kansas, but based in London.

Fri 18 Sep

SASHA MCVEIGH (THE CAINS + LOVELESS EFFECT)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £10

British country singer/songwriter whose debut LP was Kickstarter funded.

GWENNO (H. HAWKLINE)

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £8

The former Pipette returns with some really rather excellent new material. THE BLUETONES (THE STANDARD LAMPS)

THE RITZ, 18:00–22:00, £21

The English indie-rock Brit Pop troupe return to the live stage. THE HALLÉ

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11

The Hallé’s Autumn schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon as well as more contemporary works. PANKAJ UDHAS

O2 APOLLO MANCHESTER, 19:00–23:00, FROM £25

The much-loved veteran ghazal singer comes to the UK on tour.

RAMSBOTTOM FESTIVAL (THE PROCLAIMERS + MOULETTES + MARC O’REILLY + SWEET BILLY PILGRIM + MORE) RAMSBOTTOM CRICKET CLUB, 12:00–22:00, PRICES VARY

The eclectic festival returns for its fifth year with headliners including Scottish veterans The Proclaimers and Idlewild. Info at ramsbottomfestival.com.

Mon 21 Sep RAT BOY

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £8

Young Essex musician making socially observant hip-hopmeets-rock. DESMADRADOS SOLDADOS DE VENTURA

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £5

The Manchester-based drone rock collective play a hometown show. BEN KHAN

GORILLA, 19:00–23:00, £8

Young London-based chappie making bold, modern pop with an elusive edge. MUSIQ SOULCHILD

THE RITZ, 18:00–22:00, FROM £25

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

The Philadelphia native brings his mix of soul, funk, rock, blues, jazz and hip-hop to UK shores.

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £46

WALTER LURE

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £14

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £25

THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, £10

BUDAPEST RAGTIME BAND

THE HALLÉ

KUKIZ

WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?...THIS IS! (NINA GERSTENBERGER + THE SPEED OF SOUND)

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

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11

The Hallé’s Autumn schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon as well as more contemporary works.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–04:00, £8

Single launch party for the Mancunian quartet, showcasing their penchant for catchy pop hooks on the night.

The latest WTA? Night, which promises to reject corporate pop and revel in true independence.

Punk guitarist, known for strumming for his own band the Waldos and also 70s legends the Heartbreakers.

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £5

Noisy pop trio signed to Matilda Records.

JOLANGA (FALSE ADVERTISING + MORE)

THE BEARDS

Fuzzy-faced folk from South Australia, responsible for such beard-loving anthems as If Your Dad Doesn’t Have a Beard, You’ve Got Two Mums... and ‘You Should Consider Having Sex With a Bearded Man’, which is nice.

CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH

Old-school rockin’ musical teamup of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash.

Tue 22 Sep TORRES

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £10

The singer/songwriter from Nashville takes to the stage. TOM BROSSEAU (JO ROSE)

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £8

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £8

North Dakota-born, LA-based singer/songwriter who learned acoustic guitar from his grandmother. D’aww.

SUR SANGAM

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £22.50

THE SHERLOCKS

Sheffield indie-rock unit made up of two sets of brothers. BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:00–15:00, £12 (£10)

Four Indian musicians come together for an afternoon of performance.

BBC PHILHARMONIC (ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

The BBC Philharmonic’s Autumn schedule sees Auntie’s finest orchestra explore classical mainstays and more leftfield compositions.

RAMSBOTTOM FESTIVAL (IDLEWILD + THE GO! TEAM + JOHN BRAMWELL + THE BLACK RIVERS + MORE)

RAMSBOTTOM CRICKET CLUB, 12:00–22:00, PRICES VARY

The eclectic festival returns for its fifth year with headliners including Scottish veterans The Proclaimers and Idlewild. Info at ramsbottomfestival.com.

NICOLA BENDETTI

One of the world’s most beloved classical violinists, returns to the Bridgewater Hall with a programme of music inspired by the spirit of Italy.

Wed 23 Sep BEN OTTEWELL

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £12.50

The Gomez singer and lead guitarist plays it solo, that unmistakable voice and talent for blistering guitar solos all well and in place. STATE CHAMPS

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £SOLD OUT

The pop punk revivalists – a chilling phrase if ever there was – head out on another major headline tour. THE HALLÉ

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 14:15–16:15, FROM £11

The Hallé’s Autumn schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon as well as more contemporary works.

Listings

Manchester Music Wed 23 Sep JAMES BAY

O2 APOLLO MANCHESTER, 19:00–23:00, £19.50

Long-haired British singer/songwriter currently having his merry way with the pop/rock template. LEON BRIDGES

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £14

Texas-hailing gospel and soul singer, out touring his debut LP Smooth Sailin.

Thu 24 Sep

BLANCK MASS (GABRIEL GURNSEY)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £10

The solo project of Fuck Buttons Benjamin Power comes to the Deaf Institute in support of his latest LP Dumb Flesh. ANNASTASIA BAKER

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

Gospel songstress who first came to attention on 2008’s The X Factor. RACHEL GOODYEAR

CONTACT THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £6 (£3)

The visual artist creates a live drawing installation that invites you to step onto the edge of a waking dream where images bubble up from the psyche only to distort and dissolve before they can be fully recollected. Live soundtrack by Sam Weaver. SLEAFORD MODS (STEVE IGNORANT’S SLICE OF LIFE + MARK WYNN)

THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £15

Punk electronics and spoken word hip-hop fusion from the Nottingham-hailing duo, touring in support of their latest album, Divide and Exit released on the Harbinger Sound label. DANKO JONES

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £12

RYAN KEEN NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7.50

25 year old singer songwriter from Devon England working on the follow up to his debut album Room For Light. NEW MOTION

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £6

English alternative pop foursome in possession of their debut EP. DR FEELGOOD

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–22:00, £16

The longstanding, no-holds-barred Essex rock’n’rollers continue to do what they do best – tour. WOLF ALICE

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £14

London four-piece fronted by Ellie Rowsell, making un-pigeonholeable folky rock with a distinctly poppy vibe. EXTRACTION FESTIVAL ([SPUNGE] + WHITMORE + PHINIUS GAGE)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 18:30–23:00, £10

[spunge] are headlining this. Says it all really.

Sat 26 Sep ALTAR FLOWERS

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 18:30–21:30, £5

Local four piece inspired by the likes of The Cure, Depeche Mode and Placebo. SWEET BABOO

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £10

North Wales singer/songwriter all sparkling melodies and deft lyrical turns. THE NIGHTCREATURES

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

Half blues, half brass band playing New Orleans inspired r’n’b, inspired by the HBO series, Treme, equally comfortable leading a parade as they are leading a jam session. RANDALPH SWAIN AND THE RED LIGHTS

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £3

Local album launch.

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA (JAAKKO EINO KALEVI) THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £14

Canadian rock trio led by singer/ guitarist Danko Jones, ably backed by John Calabrese and Rich Knox.

Portland-based three piece making alternative indie-rock with a healthy dose of electronic influence.

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, £23

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £15

TODD GORDAN & THE BACK TO BASIE ORCHESTRA

One of Britain’s most well-known jazz and swing singers, Todd Gordon returns with a new show complete with the 17-piece, award-winning Back to Basie big band. REBEKA

ANTWERP MANSION, 20:00–22:45, FROM £6

The Polish synth pop duo play in support of their debut album Hellada. JAMES BAY

O2 APOLLO MANCHESTER, 19:00–23:00, £19.50

Long-haired British singer/songwriter currently having his merry way with the pop/rock template. LUKE CONCANNON

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £5

The ex-singer of Nizlopi!

Fri 25 Sep

TROF AND THE SKINNY PRESENT: WEIRDS + FALSE ADVERTISING + FRUIT BOMB + SPECIAL GUESTS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 18:30-22:30, £3

A big The Skinny welcome to all students new and returning with a special gig featuring some of our favourite new bands (including special guests TBA) at The Deaf Institute in Manchester – all for £3 through Dice.fm. Not too shabby eh? THE CHORDS UK (THE SPEED OF SOUND + THE TRANSMITTERS)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £10

South East London Brit rockers formed in 1978 when singer/guitarist Billy Hassett and his bassist cousin, Martin Mason, advertised for musicians in the NME. THE LAZY RIVER JAZZ BAND

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

Dixieland swing music influenced by the sounds of the 20s, 30s and 40s. SAMUEL KERRIDGE (DWELLINGS)

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £8

The blistering industrial techno of Samuel Kerridge comes to Soup Kitchen. LOUIS BERRY

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £6

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

Listings

MANCHESTER CAMERATA (ESPAÑA )

Giving the classical canon a modern twist. EVILE

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £5

The flowing-locked Huddersfield thrash metal outfit bring the noise to Manchester.

Sun 27 Sep SUN ARAW

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £8

Austinite Cameron Stallones (aka Sun Araw) plays a dubby ethereal live AV set.

THE STRYPES (THE MIGHTY STEF)

THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £12.50

Young Irish R’n’B four-piece with a level of skill well beyond their years. FIVE STAR SWING BAND

DAVID GEST’S (I’VE HAD) THE TIME OF MY LIFE TOUR! THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:45–22:30, FROM £30.90

The oddball crams a load of past singing greats including members of The Righteous Brothers, Three Degrees and more into a big van and carts them round the UK on tour.

Tue 29 Sep ELI ‘PAPERBOY’ REED

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £12

Boston teen prodigy on’t road again. THE VIEW

GORILLA, 19:00–23:00, £14

The Dundee indie-pop scamps get back on the road, if anyone’s still bothered? PINKSHINYULTRABLAST

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £8

Hot on the success of their debut album ‘Everything Else Matters’ are Pinkshinyultrablast, a fivepiece band from Saint-Petersburg in Russia. GUSGUS (THE AGE OF GLASS)

THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £15.50

The Bjork, Sigur Ros and legends Depeche Mode remixers return. FLESH

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £5

Manc foursome who self-describe their thing as ‘snotpop’, which is nice. ALBERT LEE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £22.50

The country-rock veteran is joined by his backing band for potentially his last trip around UK shores.

Wed 30 Sep

TOM MCRAE (THE STANDING BAND)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £16.50

Essex-born singer/songwriter adept at imbuing his songwriting with his innermost worries and woes. PRETTY VICIOUS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £6

Fledgling Welsh rock foursome formed in 2014. NADINE SHAH

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £12

British born, by way of Norwegian and Pakistani parentage, vocalist and pianist – building her sound on her trademark gently tremulous textures and unique smoky intensity. MALLORY KNOX (SET IT OFF + THE XCERTS)

THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £14

Pop-meets-rock quintet named after Juliette Lewis’ psychopathic character in Natural Born Killers, in case you were wondering. LUKE FRIEND

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £12.50

The X-Factor reject heads out on a UK tour. Best look busy. PARADISE LOST 2015

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £16

Longstanding gothic metal-styled hellraisers, taking to the road once again in their decade in the game. WHEATUS

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £15

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

New York indie-popsters led by Brendan B. Brown and his heartfelt nasally drawl, forever defined by hit single Teenage Dirtbag.

ENSLAVED + GRAND MAGUS

Thu 01 Oct

Expect all the classics, from Glenn Miller to Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–23:00, £17

Double header of Scandinavian metal as two veterans of the scene double up for a riff fest.

Mon 28 Sep GABRIELLE APLIN

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £15

Experimental musician working her magic over the folk-pop template, all hints of choirs and twinkly noises. SUMMER CAMP

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £9

21st-century alt.pop band, Summercamp being their 80’s infused synthpop to Manchester. KULT (GABINET LOOSTER)

BE MY ENEMY (ALTER RED + DED. PIXEL)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £7

Phil Barry of Cubanate’s live band project, back doing what he does best: heavy guitar riffs, banging beats and squelching acidic synth basslines. PEACE

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15

Alternative indie up-and-comers who describe their sound as ‘music to fuck you in the heart’. SURFER BLOOD

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £8.50

The American alternative rock unit give their new LP 1000 Palms the live treatment.

THE RITZ, 18:00–23:00, £27.50

NECRO DEATHMORT + DEAD FADER (DWELLINGS)

TOVE STYRKE

London-based experimental metal duo made up of AJ Cookson and Matthew Rozeik.

Polish rockers formed in 1982 make their return to the UK. SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £9

A former Swedish Idol contestant, Styrke claims to combine the electronica of Robyn and the synth pop of Annie, which would be quite something.

ISLINGTON MILL, 20:00–00:00, £7

LONELADY

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £10

Mancunian post-punk songwriter (aka Julie Campbell) continues to plug back in after a few years off the grid, in support of her funkinflected effort Hinterland.

LADY LAMB

SPEAKEASY BOOTLEG BAND

RALEIGH RITCHIE

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £8

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

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £10

The Maine singer songwriter comes to the UK. BARENAKED LADIES (COLIN HAY)

THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £28

The longstanding Canadian rock quartet take to the road, allowing audiences nationwide to once again try and keep speed with the verse of One Week. JIM JONES AND THE RIGHTEOUS MIND

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £10

The fella from the Jim Jones Revue returns with a new combo in tow. HUNTER HAYES

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £16.50

The Grammy nominated country star stops by. KID WAVE

GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £7

The Lea Emmery-formed group with love from BBC 6music and Xfm recently signed to Heavenly Records. ELIZA AND THE BEAR

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £10

Five piece euphoric indie pop/rock lot hailing from London and featuring neither Eliza, nor indeed a bear.

Fri 02 Oct

WALK OFF THE EARTH

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £16.50

The Canadian rock outfit – best known for their cover of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know, during which they all shared one guitar – take some of their own material out on the road. MAMMA FREEDOM

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £7

Manchester/ New York natives with a penchant for moody, beat-laden funk, served up with soul-soaked lyrics. ALLIGATOR GUMBO

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

Leeds-based jazz musicians playing a mix of styles inspired by early jazz/swing music in New Orleans – which has surprisingly little to do with large reptilian-based stew. ATMOSPHERE

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £15

Hip-hop duo hailing from Minneapolis, consisting of rapper Slug and DJ/producer Ant. DR SYNTAX + PETE CANNON

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £6

The Banbury hip-hop artist brings his collaborative album Killer Combo! With producer Pete Cannon to the live stage. LADY MAISERY

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–22:00, £12

The, uhh, ‘diddling’ explorers showcase new material from their forthcoming album. LIFEHOUSE

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 18:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT

The Los Angeles hard rock trio come back to the UK, celebrating a decade together.

QUATUOR DANEL EVENING CONCERT

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 19:30–21:30, FROM £3

Pianist Alexander Melnikov joins the Quatuor Danel to take on Mozart, among others. JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:00–22:00, £20

British blues rock guitarist discovered as a 16 year-old by the Eurythmics Dave Stewart. HAYSEED DIXIE

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £17.50

US novelty metal legends playing a mixture of hard rock cover versions and original compositions.

Sat 03 Oct

HAWKTOBERFEST (HAWKWIND + THE RUTS DC + AMPLIFIER + PRIME SINISTER)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20

Veteran psych heads Hawkwind bring their annual all-dayer of tripped out guitar experimentation to the UK once again. RICH ROBINSON

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £20

The founding member of rock’n’rollers The Black Crowes plays a full-band solo set.

Hailing from New Orleans, this tin pan alley three piece bring the sounds of the turn of the 20thcentury to the Northwest.

THE LATE SESSIONS (THE UNDERGROUND YOUTH + LOLA COLT)

The Plan B-collaborating Columbia artist hits the road. CÔR GLANAETHWY

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £17.50

ISLINGTON MILL, 21:00–03:00, £10

Britain’s Got Talent finalists, the 160-plus strong Welsh choir group, hit the road.

SNARKY PUPPY

Mon 05 Oct

Late night psychedelic evening courtesy of Interstellar Overdrive. THE RITZ, 18:00–22:00, £21.50

JOE DRISCOLL & SEYOU KOUYATE

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £10

With a rotating schedule of some 25 players, the US-of A collective share their unique musical enthusiasm for jazz-funk and world music.

The unlikely duo tour their début offering, Faya, showing just what you can do when music is your only common language.

SOUND CONTROL, 18:00–22:00, £17.50

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £7

NO WARNING

Toronto hardcore punk band founded in the late 1990s, reunited just last year after a nine year break. MANCHESTER LESBIAN AND GAY CHORUS

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–22:00, £9

The Chorus celebrate their 15th year of existence, with the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus joining them for the evening. LETHAL BIZZLE

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £15

Hard-working London rapper whose recently enjoyed a return to the UK top 20 with singles The Drop and Rari WorkOut. THE HALLÉ

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11

The Hallé’s Autumn schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon as well as more contemporary works. ONE DIRECTION

MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £39.50

Fresh-faced X-Factor almostweres (as in, they lost), playing a two-night stint. Deep joy. STARSAILOR

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £19.50

Greatest hits set from the turn of the Millennium indie tear duct botherers. MAD ABOUT THE MUSICALS

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:00, FROM £24.20

Gareth Gates and Michael Courtney join forces for an evening of musical classics. XENTRIX

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

British thrash metalheads of the 80s. SPOCK’S BEARD

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 18:00–22:00, £22.50

LA prog rockers formed way back in’t 1992 by brothers Neal and Alan Morse. THE ROBERT CRAY BAND

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £29.50

GOD DAMN

Bluesy grunge trio hailing from The Black Country, citing the likes of The Melvins and Pixies as their influences MONICA HELDAL

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £5

Norwegian-based folk influenced artist. KIMBERLY ANNE

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £6

Self-described as acoustic pop married to indie. Thrillfest. MICHAEL KENNEDY MEMORIAL CONERT

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

A memorial to music critic and writer Michael Kennedy.

Liverpool Music Wed 02 Sep RANDOM HAND

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £8

The Keighley-based punk metal champs descend. SHEESHAM, LOTUS AND SON

THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:00, £9

Trio bringing to mind the Wild West, crusty old saloons and all.

Thu 03 Sep BEAK>

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £15

Bristol-based trio made up of Geoff Barrow (him from Portishead!), Matt Williams and Billy Fuller. THE MANFREDS

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:00, £19.50

Playing with their original front man Paul Jones, the band play through their old hits.

Fri 04 Sep GET THE BLESSING

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £11.50

Bristol-based post jazz/prog rock outfit and winners of the BBC Jazz Award 2008 for their debut album, All Is Yes. CUZ

ARTS CLUB, 19:30–22:00, £10

The American blues guitarist and singer returns to the UK with full band in tow, celebrating track after track of good-time blues.

Collaborative musical experiment of Mike Watt and Sam Dook.

Sun 04 Oct

A three piece punk rock band from Guildford who takes their influences from bands such as Alkaline Trio, Social Distortion and Nirvana.

BARRENCE WHITFIELD & THE SAVAGES

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £10

American soul-meets-r’n’b outfit led by vocalist Barrence Whitfield, recently taken under the wing of Bloodshot Records. JAKE MORLEY

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £8

More acoustic loveliness from the London singer/songwriter. PERFECT

THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £33

One of Poland’s all-time favourite rock bands come to the UK, nearly 40 years since their formation. THE BOHICAS

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £9

The Essex/London rock’n’roll foursome head out in support of their debut LP. CLIFF RICHARD

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:45–22:30, FROM £65

Celebrating his 75th birthday next year, Sir Cliff hits the road bringing his ridiculously long line of hits with him. ONE DIRECTION

MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £39.50

Fresh-faced X-Factor almostweres (as in, they lost), playing a two-night stint. Deep joy.

MISS VINCENT

MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 19:30–22:30, £TBC

RUBY TURNER

THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £20

The prolific songwriter and powerfully-lunged singer heads out on tour.

Sat 05 Sep THE DUALERS

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £10

Ska/reggae bunch hailing from Bromley, spreading their infectious cheer with a series of live outings. CUD

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £14

Longstanding Leeds-based indie-rockers on the go since their formation in 1986. ABOVE THE BEATEN TRACK

THE BLUECOAT, 12:00–22:00, FREE

Grass roots music festival Above the Beaten Track returns to the Bluecoat to shine a light on the city’s cultural underground, showcasing live music, DJs, artists, makers and audio-visual extravaganzas.

2015 SUMMER RECITALS (MICHAEL RHODES) LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL, 12:30–13:00, FREE

A guest organist each Saturday afternoon.

WSTR + TRASHBOAT + BEN BARLOW ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £7

Local showcase.

JOE LONGTHORNE

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:00, £22

The singer, impressionist and regular Royal Variety performer brings his latest show to The Brindley.

Sun 06 Sep FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £14

The Welsh emo stalwarts take to the road once again.

Tue 08 Sep RICHARD THOMPSON

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £25

The unassuming elder-statesman brings his acoustic and electric guitar virtuosity our way.

Wed 09 Sep SPARE SNARE

MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 19:00–23:00, £5

The John Peel favourites return to celebrate the 20th anniversary of debut LP Live At Home.

Thu 10 Sep MARK NICHOLS

LEAF, 20:00–23:00, FREE

Previously a support act to Nick Mulvey, the folk songwriter goes it alone on his own headline tour. NATHAN CARTER AND HIS BAND

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £22.50

Twinkly-eyed young Irish country singer. SECRET CIRCUS

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:45, FREE

Poetry, performance art, dance, music, and Burlesque! Don’t forget your feathers and top-hats.

Fri 11 Sep I SPEAK MACHINE

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £7

Collaboration between electronic composer/vocalist Tara Busch and science fiction/horror film maker Maf Lewis. JACK GRELLE

VIEW TWO GALLERY, 20:00–23:00, £6

A proud Missouri boy who sings his personal stories of the road and the people he has met along the way. A country, folk and honky tonk songwriter and performer. LA SHARK

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, £6.50

London-based ensemble tourng in support of their debut LP, Imaginary Music. BLAKE

ST HELENS THEATRE ROYAL, 19:30–22:00, £20

The Brit Award-winning harmonisers hit the road.

Sat 12 Sep

BLACK DIAMOND (CHADELICS)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £4

Local four-piece fond of catchy riffs and heavy breakdowns apparently. POLAR STATES

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £7

New band straight outta Toxteth who’ve already worked with Grammy Award-winning producers n’ the like.

Tue 15 Sep JAKE SHIMABUKURO

ST GEORGE’S HALL, 20:00–22:00, £27

The Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso comes to Liverpool. THE POLYPHONIC SPREE

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £17

Choral symphonic rock outfit hailing from Dallas, Texas, usually made up of a 10-person multi instrumentalist choir, celebrating their 15th anniversary.

Wed 16 Sep

RICHARD DAWSON + ASIQ NARGILE

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £10

Newcastle troubadour hailed for his skewed delivery, joined by Georgian folk musician Asiq Nargile. DENIZ KOZHUKHIN

ST GEORGE’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £25

The pianist plays Beethoven, Debussy, Berio and Bartok. ART GARFUNKEL

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £SOLD OUT

One half of the legendary Simon and Garfunkel and a seminal performer in his own right, Mr Garfunkel re-visits the highlights of his career as part of his sixdate September UK tour. TIR NA NOG

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £12.50

Alt folk outfit formed in 1970 by Leo O’Kelly and Sonny Condell, touring with their first studio album since 1973. MOULETTES

THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:00, £12

Alt-folk outfit hailing from the South East, making music together since their teenage years.

Thu 17 Sep STATE CHAMPS

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £12.50

The pop punk revivalists – a chilling phrase if ever there was – head out on another major headline tour. WILLIAM BASINSKI (KEPLA)

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £11.50

The drone legend appears as part of Saisonscape, performing work based around the seasons (that means Autumn for this one obviously). BULLETPROOF BOMB

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:30–22:30, £3

Sutton-based punk group. SWEET BABOO

LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £10

North Wales singer/songwriter all sparkling melodies and deft lyrical turns. BLACK RIVERS

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £12.50

The brothers behind Manc outfit Doves (aka Jez and Andy Williams) regrouped as a new duo. RACHEL YAMAGATA

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15

The US-of-A songstress returns to Scotland for a full band set. BATHYMETRY (AJHD)

ALOFT LIVERPOOL, 18:00–22:00, FREE

Local music magazine Bido Lito! host another of their free socials, showcasing their own handpicked ones to watch from the city, in one of its trendier hotels.

10 BANDS 10 MINUTES: BOY BANDS/GIRL BANDS (MARRIED TO THE SEA + BIG SAFARI + CITY PETS + PUZZLE)

Fri 18 Sep

THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–03:00, £5 (£3 AFTER 11PM)

Dave Wakeling – the singer, songwriter and guitarist behind 80s 2-tone outfit, The Beat – tours his band line-up, performing the hits of The Beat and General Public.

Ten bands take to the Kaz stage to deliver ten breakneck sets, this time covering bangers from girl and boy pop bands. STEPHEN STEINBRINK (JULIE BYRNE)

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, £6.50

The American songwriter has ties to our fair region, having released music on local label Melodic last year. BLACK DIAMOND

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

Local four-piece fond of catchy riffs and heavy breakdowns apparently. BLOWZABELLA

THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:00, £15 (£13)

Seven-piece influenced by traditional English and European dance music and folk music.

Sun 13 Sep

ST GEORGE’S RESIDENT ORCHESTRA

ST GEORGE’S HALL, 14:00–17:00, £10

THE ENGLISH BEAT STARRING DAVE WAKELING

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £18

RAT BOY

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, £8

Young Essex musician making socially observant hip-hopmeets-rock. ROB FALSINI

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £12.50 (£8.50)

London-based folk/pop singer/ songwriter who’s no stranger to busking. HOPE FEST

VARIOUS VENUES, 15:00–00:00, PRICES VARY

Multi-venue Liverpool music festival in aid of the Whitechapel Centre and Basement Advisory Centre’s help for the homeless organisations. Taking place across 15 Liverpool venues. Details at www.hopefest.org.uk.

The resident orchestra perform Mozart classics as part of an evening dubbed Towards the Romantics.

THE SKINNY

Liverpool Music Sat 19 Sep GALA CONCERT

ST GEORGE’S HALL, 15:00–17:30, £10

The Friends of St Georges present a Gala Concert to be held in the magnificent surroundings of the Concert Hall. THE ISRIGHTS

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

Birkenhead rockers head up a local bill. HOPE FEST

VARIOUS VENUES, 15:00–00:00, PRICES VARY

Sun 20 Sep CÔR GLANAETHWY

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £17.50

Britain’s Got Talent finalists, the 160-plus strong Welsh choir group, hit the road. HOPE FEST

VARIOUS VENUES, 15:00–00:00, PRICES VARY

Tue 22 Sep NIMMO

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:00–22:00, £5

London five-piece signed to Columbia Records. Going places basically.

Wed 23 Sep TELLISON

BUMPER, 19:00–23:30, £7

Fri 25 Sep

LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA

CAMP AND FURNACE, 15:00–04:00, PRICES VARY

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (SONGS FROM DISTANT LANDS) LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £14

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

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko, the Liverpool Phil plough through their Autumn season, bringing musical guests along for the ride through some classical greats alongside some more modern compositions.

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £14

Winsome electronic indie-pop group from Liverpool.

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (CLASSIC FM HALL OF FAME)

ETCHES (MOTHER + VENUS DEMILO)

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko, the Liverpool Phil plough through their Autumn season, bringing musical guests along for the ride through some classical greats alongside some more modern compositions.

Fri 02 Oct

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £8

Greatest hits set from the turn of the Millennium indie tear duct botherers.

SUGARKING

The unsigned rockers present their new EP Portrait of Mind.

Sat 26 Sep

FUSION (THE LOCAL DISTANCE + DAEZ + THE FRIGHT LINERS + ZONER + MORE) THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 13:30–23:00, £4

An all-dayer featuring a host of regionally-drawn talent. THE ICICLE WORKS

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15

Liverpudlian rockers from the same era that spawned Echo & The Bunnymen and The Teardrop Explodes. LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA

CAMP AND FURNACE, 13:00–04:00, PRICES VARY

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

THE CAPSTONE, 13:00–15:00, FREE

ALEXIS BLUE

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £4

Local indie types from New Brighton. STARSAILOR

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £19.50

MARTIN BARRE BAND

THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £20 (£18)

Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre brings his five-piece band with him.

Sat 03 Oct

BRUJAH (CONNAH EVANS)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £4

Barnsley indie three-piece come across to Liverpool, with support from local songwriter Connah Evans. BABY STRANGE

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:00–22:00, £7.50

Hyped Glasgow indie-punk crew with decidedly dark credentials, made up of brothers Connaire and Aidan McCann and singer Johnny Madden. CLIFF RICHARD

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:45–22:30, £SOLD OUT

West London trio built on drums, bass, cowbells, keyboards, two guitars, four vocals and one battered laptop. Amen.

Four Indian musicians come together for an afternoon of performance.

Celebrating his 75th birthday next year, Sir Cliff hits the road bringing his ridiculously long line of hits with him.

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, £6

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 11:00–13:00, £15

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, £12

REBEKA

The Polish synth pop duo play in support of their debut album Hellada.

Thu 24 Sep PEACE

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15

Alternative indie up-and-comers who describe their sound as ‘music to fuck you in the heart’, which is nice. KOSOTI

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £6

The folk rock five piece drop in as part of their first ever UK headline tour. ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (CLASSIC FM HALL OF FAME)

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £14

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (TIM LIHOREAU)

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko, the Liverpool Phil plough through their Autumn season, bringing musical guests along for the ride through some classical greats alongside some more modern compositions. MNOZIL BRASS

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £25

A mixture of brass and comedy courtesy of the Vienna-based ensemble. LOUIS BERRY

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £6

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

Sun 27 Sep

ESG (GOLDEN TEACHER)

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko, the Liverpool Phil plough through their Autumn season, bringing musical guests along for the ride through some classical greats alongside some more modern compositions.

Emerald, Sapphire & Gold come to Liverpool for a very rare live performance, the sisters one of the most cult acts of the past 30 years.

LIVERPOOL CATHEDRAL, 12:30–13:30, FREE

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:15–21:30, FROM £12

JOHN O’CONNELL

Liverpudlian folk musician, once part of the bluegrass and folk band, Groundpig, and now stepping out solo. NEW MOTION

STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:30, £6

English alternative pop foursome in possession of their debut EP. DR FEELGOOD

THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:00, £15

The longstanding, no-holds-barred Essex rock’n’rollers continue to do what they do best – tour. DANNY SCHMIDT (CARRY ELKIN)

THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £9

Named among the Chicago Tribune’s 50 Most Significant Songwriters in the Last 50 Years, in case you need reassuring of his ability. MARTIN BENNETT’S OLD GREEN RIVER BAND

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:00, £12

Six-piece folk types.

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £17.50

VICTORY IN EUROPE

A Gala concert celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Tue 29 Sep

ONEIROGEN + MOON ZERO

THE KAZIMIER, 19:00–22:00, £5

A night of ambient, drone and experimental manipulations from two Denovali Records signings.

Thu 01 Oct

MATTHEW HALSALL AND THE GONDWANA ORCHESTRA

THE CAPSTONE, 19:30–22:30, £14

Trumpeter, composer and arranger Matthew Halsall continues to work with his latest project, The Gondwana Orchestra. JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR

EPSTEIN THEATRE, 18:30–22:00, £20.50

British blues rock guitarist discovered as a 16 year-old by the Eurythmics Dave Stewart. EKATERINA LEKHINA

ST GEORGE’S HALL, 18:30–22:00, FROM £12

Grammy Award-winning Russian soprano Ekaterina Lekhina comes to town.

September 2015

REEVES GABRELS AND HIS IMAGINARY FRIENDS

Nashville-based power trio fronted by rock-guitar improviser Reeves Gabriels, who also writes and produces. MARTIN STEPHENSON AND THE DAINTEES

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £16

British rockers fusing elements of rockabilly, show tunes and rootsypop into their mix. LEFTFIELD

LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 19:00–23:00, £29

The dance culture pioneers show the young ‘uns how it’s done.

Sun 04 Oct

WE SHALL OVERCOME (CHOC ELECTRIQUE + ONLY CHILD + THREE MINUTE HERO + SHAMONA)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–02:00, £TBC

Big ole all-dayer featuring a host of local artists. SEA LEGS

LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £7

A live union between Aghagallon folk songwriter Ciaran Lavery and minimal electronic composer Ryan Vail, the pair inspired by maritime life and the coastal surroundings of Donegal. ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (ALPINE SYMPHONY)

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:30–17:00, FROM £14

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko, the Liverpool Phil plough through their Autumn season, bringing musical guests along for the ride through some classical greats alongside some more modern compositions.

Mon 05 Oct SQUEEZE

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £SOLD OUT

The longstanding new wave quintet get back on the live circuit for a special tour. GUN (BLACK DIAMOND)

ARTS CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £14

Rock’n’roll outfit formed by the Gizzi brothers in the mid-80s.

Manchester Clubs Thu 03 Sep

Fri 11 Sep

Fri 18 Sep

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, £7

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.

F//CK

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

Fri 04 Sep TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £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. HIGHER GROUND

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

The sounds of the 60s from Motown to rock ‘n’ roll. SLAM

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £12

Soma’s Slam (aka Stuart McMillan and Orde Meikle) journey to Manchester for a four-hour set of hard-hitting techno.

TRANSMISSION FUNK 1ST BIRTHDAY (ONEMAN) GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, FROM £10

Transmission Funk are back for their 1st Birthday bash with another party in Gorilla! Oneman and Kry Wolf will be taking to the decks for this one. FAC FRIDAY

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. JACOB COID

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

Rebel Music’s Jacob Coid supplies an unpredictable mix of his left-ofcentre collection, featuring Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop Dogg, Bowie to the Beastie Boys and anything in between.

Sat 05 Sep

SUBTERAN (DAVID GLASS)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, £5

After two successful resident showcases Subteran are back with their biggest event to date with special guest David Glass.

DRUMDUB (ANT TC1 + NORTHERN LIGHTS + MORE)

More heavy basslines and another big line up with some of drum and bass’s biggest names. TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £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. CRASH THE WEDDING

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4

Where the DJ is set to wedding reception tunes every. Single. Night.

GESAMTKUNSTWERK 15 (DANNY SAUL + TRIANGLE CUTS)

ISLINGTON MILL, 22:00–06:00, £5

The hard and heavy industrial techno-leaning night returns with another suitably skull crushing bill. JAMZ (WEN + SPOOKY + ELIJAH & SKILLIAM)

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £8

Another wild Jamz party. DEADBOLT

SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £4

A whole night of alternative revelry with a soundtrack of hardcore, pop punk and metal. FAC FRIDAY

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. JACOB COID

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

Rebel Music’s Jacob Coid supplies an unpredictable mix of his left-ofcentre collection, featuring Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop Dogg, Bowie to the Beastie Boys and anything in between.

Sat 12 Sep 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. MAGIC MOUNTAIN HIGH

HIDDEN, 22:00-04:00, £10

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Another huge party at the new Salford club space, with Move D and Juju & Jordash on the decks.

FEEL THE BOUNCE

The Eyes Down crew give their records another dusting off due to popular demand.

FUNKADEMIA

Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £12

Manchester Old Skool brand Feel The Beat launches its new event Feel The Bounce. Filled with the biggest bounce anthems and DJs known to man! FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. TIM WRIGHT

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

New Saturday resident bringing the dancefloor classics all night long. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

EYES DOWN

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £5

FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. TIM WRIGHT

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

HENGE (BACONHEAD + SHITWIFE + THE BLAH-DI-BLAHS)

1 PRIMROSE STREET, 22:00–04:00, £8

Live electronics out in Ancoats.

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

GOLD TEETH

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

Wed 16 Sep

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00-04:00, £10

Thu 17 Sep

New night of techno and exploratory electronic music courtesy of Factory Floor man Gabriel Gurnsey, who plays the first night with DFA signings Shift Work.

ELYSIUM (ENDOR + TAIM + MEDIATE)

SOUTH, 23:00–05:00, FROM £6

Elysium return with six headline DJs and a whole night of house music from around the UK. F//CK

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

F//CK

Another wild Jamz party.

The latest Carnivale-promoted club night. FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

FAC FRIDAY

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three.

THIRD EYE (A GUY CALLED GERALD)

SOUTH, 22:00–05:00, FROM £12

303 (SURGEON)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:00–04:00, FROM £10

TOP OF THE POPS

UPTOWN

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

VOLK (BORIS + CLERIC)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–05:00, FROM £8

The fourth instalment in a series of intimate, Berlin-influenced house and techno events held in various locations across the UK… 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. HOWLING RHYTHM

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £5

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. CINTHE SWOOSE + CROMBY JOY SOCIAL

ISLINGTON MILL, 14:00–00:00, FROM £8

High Hoops ten hour all day party with Cinthie, Swoose & Cromby, Joy Social, HiKu, Akaram and Jack McKeith. RELAPSE

SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £8

Relapse present another typically colossal night of drum & bass, jungle, breakcore and more. FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

TIM WRIGHT

New Saturday resident bringing the dancefloor classics all night long. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. THE JAM WITH DJTWINNY

FRED’S ALE HOUSE, 20:00–01:00, FREE

House, disco, re-edits, techno and slo-jams.

Tue 22 Sep GOLD TEETH

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

FAC FRIDAY

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. COOLY G + MAXIMUS MMC

HIDDEN 21:00–03:00, FROM £6

Hyperdub’s Cooly G is joined by Flow-Fi’s Maximus MMC for a full audio and visual experience. JACOB COID

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

Rebel Music’s Jacob Coid supplies an unpredictable mix of his left-ofcentre collection, featuring Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop Dogg, Bowie to the Beastie Boys and anything in between.

Sat 26 Sep 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. ULTIMATE ANTHEMS

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 22:00–03:00, £6

The sounds of the 60’s from Motown to rock ‘n’ roll. HORSE MEAT DISCO

THE RITZ, 22:30–04:30, £14

More mischief and disco mayhem from the long-running crew. FAC FRIDAY

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. JACOB COID

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

Rebel Music’s Jacob Coid supplies an unpredictable mix of his left-ofcentre collection, featuring Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop Dogg, Bowie to the Beastie Boys and anything in between.

Sat 03 Oct 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.

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

The Sheffield-cum-Manchester collective celebrate their first birthday by inviting back Quantic for a special DJ set.

FACTORY SATURDAYS

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. TIM WRIGHT

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

New Saturday resident bringing the dancefloor classics all night long. RUBIX CUBE

ANTWERP MANSION, 23:00–03:00, FROM £5

A night of 80s and 90s nostalgia as Rubix Cube throws a huge freshers week party. NICKY ROMERO

VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, 21:00–03:00, £TBC

The electro house producer, a tireless advocate of the EDM scene, takes to the decks. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon.

Sun 27 Sep

EVERYTHING EVERYTHING (DJ SET)

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 15:00–20:00, £TBC

Chill out to summer tunes courtesy of the Manchester experimental pop lot and enjoy refreshing summer drinks on the rooftop terrace.

Thu 24 Sep

Tue 29 Sep

Proudly one of the worst nights in Manchester, expect some of the worst tunes known to humankind.

HIGHER GROUND

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

BANANA HILL 1ST BIRTHDAY (QUANTIC + DJ SPOKO)

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £3 (£2)

TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £3

The sister of Ultimate Power with more of the same classic pop and rock ballads.

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’. ABSOLUTE SH**E PRESENT KERRONG - THE WORST ROCK NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE GUARANTEED

KOMODO (CURTIS GABRIEL)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, £6

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.

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

Sat 19 Sep

Fri 02 Oct

The D-Vine Sounds man Curtis Gabriel headlines the second Komodo night.

The best in disco, funk, boogie and party classics.

Rebel Music’s Jacob Coid supplies an unpredictable mix of his left-ofcentre collection, featuring Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop Dogg, Bowie to the Beastie Boys and anything in between.

F//CK

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £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.

Third Eye present a special acid house party headlined by Madchester veteran A Guy Called Gerald. JACOB COID

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, FROM £5

Varied night of bass, garage, grime, hip hop and house, still with probably the best club night name in Manchester.

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

303 presents a headline set from Surgeon.

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

LORD OF THE TINGS (SIR SPYRO + JAMMZ)

ANTWERP MANSION, 23:00–03:00, FROM £7

Fri 25 Sep

The second Inside Out at Soup Kitchen welcomes the Wild Oats man onto the decks.

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £SOLD OUT

Thu 01 Oct

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £6

INSIDE OUT (K15)

JAMZ (D DOUBLE E + ELIJAH & SKILLIAM)

KRAFTY KUTS (THE WHISPERING DJS + DJ DIRTY FREUD + FC RESIDENCIES + THE BEATNIK COLLECTIVE)

Krafty Kutz offers up a retrospective of breakbeat in their typical cut and paste style.

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

CLINT BOON

Wed 30 Sep

THE KOH TAO CARNIVAL

Monthly club night tribute to 90s indie – expect Pulp, Nirvana, Suede, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies and more.

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon.

Thu 10 Sep

BODY CLOCK

GOO

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, PRICES VARY

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound.

Tue 15 Sep

FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £3

New Saturday resident bringing the dancefloor classics all night long.

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. F//CK

TOP OF THE POPS

THE RITZ, 23:00–03:30, £5

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £12

LOWDOWN (DAVE CLARKE)

SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £12

More Lowdown fun, this time with Dave Clarke manning the decks. FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. TIM WRIGHT

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

New Saturday resident bringing the dancefloor classics all night long. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. IMPORT EXPORT

XOLO, 23:00–04:00, FROM £6

Launch night promising to showcase some of the most forward thinking and on point electronic music from across the globe. Fracture and Sam Binga are the first headliners, playing through XOLO’s Funktion One Soundsystem.

GOLD TEETH

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.

Listings

Liverpool Clubs Thu 03 Sep

Sat 12 Sep

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–05:00, £3

RAWKUS

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party. GOSSIP

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. VIBE THURSDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

Fri 04 Sep CATFACE

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE

New night at the notorious Bumper, where drawing whiskers on your face gets you free entry. GIRLS&BOYS

ARTS CLUB, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Britpop, northern soul, Motown, indie classics and more. AMBUSH!

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

RAGE

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

The Cure &amp; The Cause hit makers come to The Magnet for one of the club’s traditional early hours stretching parties.

UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

Tue 15 Sep DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)

RAWKUS

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party. GOSSIP

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

RUBIX SUMMER PARTY #3 (MARK FANCIULLI + SAM NEICHO + MORE)

DISTRICT, 19:30–04:00, £12

The bass music special heads to the District garden for its final limited capacity summer party. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers. REMINISCE FESTIVAL

SHERDLEY PARK, 14:00–23:00, FROM £55

DJs playing classic old skool anthems from 1988 to 1999 all day, with Tall Paul and Baby D among the headlining names.

Thu 10 Sep RAWKUS

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

New night at the notorious Bumper, where drawing whiskers on your face gets you free entry. AMBUSH!

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

DISCO GLITTER LOVE (DICKY TRISCO + PETE HE) CONSTELLATIONS, 21:00–03:00, £5

Disco Glitter Love returns with its continuing mission to explore sparkly new sounds, to seek out new life and new love, and to boldly disco where no one has discoed before. HOT PLATE (ZED BIAS + MADD AGAIN + FLOWDAN)

24 KITCHEN STREET, 22:00–04:00, FROM £10

Hot Plate celebrate their first birthday with The Bug collaborator Flowdan among the guests dropping in. TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Sat 19 Sep

VIBE THURSDAYS

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

Fri 11 Sep CATFACE

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE

New night at the notorious Bumper, where drawing whiskers on your face gets you free entry. GIRLS&BOYS

ARTS CLUB, 22:00–03:00, FREE

Britpop, northern soul, Motown, indie classics and more. AMBUSH!

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club. CORRUPTION

CONSTELLATIONS, 22:00–04:00, £10

Taboo Events presents Corruption bringing Bart Drumcode’s Bart Skils from Amsterdam to Liverpool for one night only. TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

Listings

RAWKUS

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party. GOSSIP

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. VIBE THURSDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

Fri 02 Oct

ABANDON SILENCE: FAREWELL TO THE KAZIMIER PT. 1

THE KAZIMIER, 22:00–04:00, £12

ARTS CLUB, 20:00–03:00, £TBC

The reliable club night begins its farewell to the venue with the first of three huge goodbye parties.

RAWKUS

New night at the notorious Bumper, where drawing whiskers on your face gets you free entry.

COLOURS

Launch party for the new student clubnight, bringing names both new and big in from the deep house world. THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

CATFACE

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE

AMBUSH!

Sat 03 Oct

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 22:00–03:00, £10

The Guilty Party return for student season with a mean looking double header.

Thu 01 Oct

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

CATFACE

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights.

THE GUILTY PARTY (WAZE & ODYSSEY + LEWIS BOARDMAN)

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party. GOSSIP

Thu 24 Sep

DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights.

VIBE THURSDAYS

Fri 18 Sep

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.

Elijah and Skilliam’s Jamz clubnight crosses the M62 to Liverpool hallelujah!

Pause returns to the hold after their Summer hiatus with their usual across the board music selection, from house to grime, disco to garage.

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

RAGE

BEDLAM

JAMZ (FLAVA D)

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 23:00–03:00, FROM £1

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party.

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–05:00, £3

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

PAUSE RETURNS: PART II

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

DIRTY ANTICS

BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)

Mon 14 Sep

Thu 17 Sep

FISH GO DEEP

Pause returns to the hold after their Summer hiatus with their usual across the board music selection, from house to grime, disco to garage.

24 KITCHEN STREET, 22:00-04:00, FROM £6

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

THE MAGNET , 23:30–07:00, FREE BEFORE 1AM (FROM £4 AFTER)

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 23:00–03:00, FROM £1

Wed 23 Sep

Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.

Sat 05 Sep

PAUSE RETURNS

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

TREND FRIDAYS

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

Tue 22 Sep

Tue 29 Sep

FIESTA BOMBARDA

THE KAZIMIER, 18:00–02:00, FROM £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. RAGE

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–05:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

GOSSIP

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

VIBE THURSDAYS

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

Fri 25 Sep CATFACE

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE

New night at the notorious Bumper, where drawing whiskers on your face gets you free entry. AMBUSH!

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club. TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

Sat 26 Sep

CIRCUS (SETH TROXLER + YOUSEF + JACKMASTER + LEWIS BOARDMAN + MORE) ARTS CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £22.50 (£20)

Circus resident Yousef is joined by Seth Troxler and more for a special birthday do. RAGE

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–05:00, £3

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. JOSH WINK

WILLIAMSON TUNNELS, 21:00–04:00, FROM £14

The legendary Philidephian DJ Josh Wink does his inimitable electronic dance thing underground in Liverpool. WORRIED ABOUT HENRY LAUNCH PART 1 (DILLINJA + CHIMPO)

THE WONDER POT (JIMMY EDGAR)

PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

Mon 21 Sep UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

DROME (ROB TISSERA + STU ALLAN + MC CYANIDE + DJ TRIX + MORE) O2 ACADEMY, 21:00–04:00, £15

Retro Trax present a huge all-nighter just in time for the students return to the city.

JULIO BASHMORE (BONDAX + JAX JONES + MOONBOTS + MORE)

ARTS CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £16 (£14)

One of the biggest names on the UK house music scene (erm, that’d be Julio Bashmore) takes to the road for his autumn/winter 2013 tour. RAGE

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–05:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. MELODIC DISTRACTION

CONSTELLATIONS, 22:00–04:00, £8

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

BEDLAM

24 KITCHEN STREET, 23:00–04:00, FROM £10

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Multi-genre bass music parties bringing together established legends and forward thinking yunguns.

PURE SATURDAYS

TREND FRIDAYS

Jazzy house and sultry grooves, headlined by an extended set from German house duo Session Victim.

24 KITCHEN STREET, 23:00–04:00, FROM £8

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.

The otherworldly impresario, Jimmy Edgar makes his Liverpool debut.

THE KRAZYHOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Mon 28 Sep UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

PURE SATURDAYS

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Mon 05 Oct UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

Manchester Theatre Bury Met Theatre THE DOPPEL GANG

10 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8 (£6)

A new comedy play inspired by the legendary Marx Brothers as a group of entertainers battle to save a theatre from closure by masquerading as them during war-torn Britain.

Contact Theatre SEX IN THE AFTERNOON

23 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£6)

Join inaugural Royal Shakespeare Company Poet in Residence Malika Booker, performance maker and curator Rachel Mars and special guest Yusra Warsama as they explore and expose sex in all its glory and complexity.

Theatre Manchester

HETAIN PATEL 1–2 OCT, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £13 (£7)

Patel delves into American movie and homegrown TV culture to offer a personal and humorous take on identity shape-shifting. Through a playful synthesis of vocal and physical imitations, he conjures up film characters from his playground days.

HOME

DEAD DOG IN A SUITCASE (AND OTHER LOVE SONGS)

11–26 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15

Royal Exchange Theatre THE CRUCIBLE

18 SEP – 24 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FROM £16

Arthur Miller’s famous Tony Award-winning re-telling of the 1692 Salem witch trial hysteria, a powerful modern tragedy of one man’s search for self. Matinees also available.

Royal Northern College of Music RNCM

BARBARA SHARPLES INTERNATIONAL CHOREOGRAPHIC AWARD

A radical re-working of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, written by Carl Grose with music by Charles Hazlewood, and directed by Mike Shepherd – follow the twisted musical tale exploring moral issues of our time. Matinees also available.

26 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10

Joshua Brooks

Organised Chaos present new work following the relationship of Emma and Charlie, falling into each others ideological fantasies and unrealistic realities.

THE ROOM

28–30 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8 (£6)

This challenging interpretation of Pinter’s first play focuses on Rose, exploring the effects of Alzheimer’s and Dementia on an individual and how they find their way through a world they can no longer trust.

Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama THE BOX OF TRICKS

25 SEP, 7:00PM – 8:00PM, £5.50 (£3)

Intense drama written by Ric Brady and Stephen M Hornby: when Mike returns home for his estranged brother’s funeral, he is met with difficult realisations about his brother and the events that drove them apart.

O2 Apollo Manchester DARCY OAKE

18 SEP, 7:00PM – 10:30PM, FROM £19.50

The Britain’s Got Talent contestant and illusionist does his best to make you wonder what the hell is even real anymore.

Octagon Theatre THE FAMILY WAY

4 SEP – 3 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FROM £10.50

An intimate portrayal of life, family, and love in 1960s Bolton. A social comedy that illuminates the complex relationships within families, and the tender and precious ties that exist between parents and their children. THE LANCASHIRE BOYS

13 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FREE

A collaboration between four local writers who’ve been selected to produce four one-act plays that have been directed by emerging talent from BATS. SEEING RED

21–22 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FREE

New play that explores how even the simple act of choosing a bra can have devastating consequences for women in abusive relationships. THE BOGUS WOMAN

24 SEP 7:30PM-10:00PM, £10 (£8)

An African woman arrives in a strange country fleeing for her life, seeking safety and asylum. Despite having committed no crime she is indefinitely confined, interrogated, humiliated and abused. A play about immigration.

Opera House ANNIE

15–26 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15

Contemporary musical favourite telling the tale of little orphan Annie. Matinees also available.

Royal Exchange Studio SO HERE WE ARE

24 SEP – 10 OCT, NOT 27 SEP, 28 SEP, 4 OCT, 5 OCT, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, £12 (£10)

Playwright and actor Luke Norris takes a look at young lives cut short and presents a portrait of childhood friendships under strain in adult life.

Some of the region’s aspiring dance talent compete for a £1000 cash prize.

The King’s Arms LIGHTSPEED

1 OCT, 2 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £7 (£5)

1616

11 SEP, 18 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)

Post-graduate students from ALRA North present Oldham born Matthew Dunster’s adaptation of a classic novel. THE PROMISE

21–24 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)

Three teenagers are thrown together in war torn Russia. Not a musical about Girls Aloud’s greatest song. SCRIPTS ALOUD

28 SEP, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, £3

An evening of new short plays performed with script in hand. OBSIDIAN

1–2 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £7 (£5)

A new play written by Kate Burke. Two witches are forced to re-think everything they know about magic after a meeting with a newcomer.

The Lowry ROUNDABOUT

15–20 SEP, 11:00AM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

A temporary pop-up venue outside The Lowry, with a full schedule of new theatre, full details of which can be found at thelowry.com/ roundabout.

The Lowry Studio THE MERMAID IN THE GHERKIN JAR

13 SEP, 3:00PM – 4:00PM, FROM £7.50

Adapted by NorthernRose Physical Theatre Company from the original novel by Tony Seymour, a modern fairy tale based around Christopher, a boy with a disability trying to find his way in the world. 1pm performance also available. BORIS AND SERGEY’S VAUDEVILLIAN ADVENTURE

20 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12

Puppetry ‘bad boys’ come to The Lowry presenting a series of skits and short plays. THEN LEAP

24–25 SEP, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10

A story about attempting to let go, the holes we often dig for ourselves, the relationships we try and bury, and the beasts we can sometimes create when it feels like we have no choice. THE FUTURE

3 OCT, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12

HANDBAGGED 15–19 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £14.50

The smash hit West End show, which pits Queen Elizabeth II against Margaret Thatcher. Whoever wins, we lose. Matinees also available.

The Lowry: Quays Theatre BAGHEADS

6–7 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10.50

As heroin addict Shaun Cook lies comatose in hospital following a suicide attempt, his family come to terms with his life and their part in his downfall.

The Plaza Stockport

VERDI’S LA TRAVIATA

2 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £20.90

A Bolshoi Theatre soloist joins over 30 musicians and a live orchestra for this take on the Verdi classic.

Three Minute Theatre SHAKE IT UP BABY

18–19 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12.50

Suzan Holder’s new comedy play explores love, life and lonely hearts in Liverpool. Fifty-something Bev wants to find the man of her dreams, but will she just end up in the middle of a nightmare?

Liverpool Theatre 81 Renshaw Street

RAMBERT

Dance performance featuring four contrasting dance works performed by 22 dancers, accompanied by the Rambert orchestra. Matinees also available.

DICKENS ABRIDGED

23 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £15 (£13)

A high-speed comic journey through Dickens’ greatest hits, including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Bleak House in less than 60 seconds, A Tale of Two Cities, Nicholas Nickleby, Old Curiosity Shop, and, of course … A Christmas Carol.

The Brindley QUARTET

15-19 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £13 (£12)

Centenary Theatre Company presents a play about art, the eccentricities. Matinees also available. RENT

30-3 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £13 (£10)

Encore Productions present their take on Jonathan Larson’s ever-popular Tony and Pulitzer prize-winning musical. LEAVE HITLER TO ME LAD

17 SEP, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, £12 (£10)

1952 and young Brian is still waiting for the return of his war hero father and building a new life for himself in the process; the arrival of a glamorous new teenager turns his world upside down. Matinee available. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 4 SEP AND 12 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY

3 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)

BUNTY THE BOUNCER

18 SEP, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, £15 (£13)

Set in a Liverpool Nightclub this comedy tells the story of the hardest and probably only female bouncer in town, with Lynne Fitzgerald performing nine different roles.

Everyman Theatre

THE ODYSSEY: MISSING PRESUMED DEAD

25 SEP – 17 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

E and P Associate Director Nick Bagnall joins forces again with award-winning poet and author Simon Armitage for a tale about a high ranking government official on the run. Matinees available.

Liverpool Empire Theatre THE SOUND OF MUSIC

14–19 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10.25

Classic retelling of the von Trapp family tale, in full singalong glory. Matinee performances also available (Wed & Sat, 2.30pm).

Liverpool Playhouse NARVIK

8–19 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:45PM – 9:00PM, FROM £10

A new play featuring songs by Lizzie Nunnery about a love tale from across the North Sea.

Comic parody of the disco scene, with four bouncers playing 20 roles throughout the production, from giggly girls to lairy lads. Matinees also available. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

30 SEP-2 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10

A theatrical take on the classic novel.

Epstein Theatre

Hilarious riches to rags tales. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

The Lowry: Lyric Theatre The acclaimed Russian ballet company perform their own reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic love story. Matinees also available.

THE GREAT GATSBY

2 OCT, 3 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £14 (£12)

The acclaimed youth theatre group CODYS present their take on the Andrew Lloyd Webber favourite. Matinees also available.

ALASTAIR CLARK

Royal Court Theatre

23-26 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £13

The Atkinson

29 SEP, 9:00PM – 10:00PM, £5

Seven new dance works bringing dancers from Rambert together with talent from Leeds and Newcastle.

SWAN LAKE

Liverpool Theatre

BOUNCERS

3 OCT, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £15

St Helens Theatre Royal

CALL MR ROBESON

A journey through the life of the legendary singer and actor Paul Robeson and his downfall.

The Lantern Theatre HURRICANE HILL

2 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £6

A new show by director Chris Leicester, telling the story of a famous recluse, a stranger and what happens when we face our past. THE DOPPEL GANG

12 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8.50 (£6.50)

A new comedy play inspired by the legendary Marx Brothers as a group of entertainers battle to save a theatre from closure by masquerading as them during war-torn Britain. TWO PLAYS

25–26 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8.50 (£6.50)

Alsop Drama present two one Act plays, The Burglar’s Confession by Karen Macleod and All in One day by Sue Massey. MORE SCOUSE SADDAM

3 OCT, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £15.50 (£12.50)

Six decorators go to Baghdad to paint Saddam Hussain’s palace. what could go wrong? Matinee available.

Unity Theatre THE BOGUS WOMAN

2 OCT, 3 OCT, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

24 SEP – 3 OCT, NOT 27 SEP, 28 SEP, TIMES VARY, FROM £8

Putting us in the shoes of those whose job it is to enforce our rules, Anders Lustgarten looks behind the headlines of two strangers finding hope and connection where they least expect it. Matinees available.

ACORN ANTIQUES

24–26 SEP, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £13.50

Pilkington Musical Theatre Company follow on from last year’s show The Addams Family Musical with the Olivier Award winning hit musical Acorn Antiques, written by the legendary Victoria Wood.

THE SKINNY

Comedy

Manchester Tue 01 Sep

XS MALARKEY (DANNY PENSIVE + RICHARD MASSARA + MORE + MC TOBY HADOKE)

PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.

Thu 03 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (CHRISTIAN REILLY + IAN MOORE + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£8)

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk. THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (TON BURGESS + TOM SHORT + TOJU + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MC MARK OLVER)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.

Fri 04 Sep

THE BEST IN STAND UP (CHRISTIAN REILLY + IAN MOORE + ZOE LYONS + DAMIEN CLARK + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18 (£12)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (TONY BURGESS + MATT REES + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MC MARK OLVER) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ. THE JANOSKIANS

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

Fri 11 Sep

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ROB ROUSE + MIKE WILMOT + JUSTIN MOORHOUSE + CHRIS KENT + MC IMRAN YUSUF)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18 (£12)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (ALEX BOARDMAN + PIPPA EVANS + ROB ROUSE + MC PETE OTWAY)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ. TERRY CHRISTIAN

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–22:00, £14 (£12)

The outspoken Mancunian big mouth tries his hand at stand-up comedy.

Sat 12 Sep

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ROB ROUSE + MIKE WILMOT + JUSTIN MOORHOUSE + CHRIS KENT + MC IMRAN YUSUF)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ROB ROUSE + MIKE WILMOT + JUSTIN MOORHOUSE + CHRIS KENT + MC IMRAN YUSUF)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (ALEX BOARDMAN + PIPPA EVANS + ROB ROUSE + MC PETE OTWAY)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

JASPER CARROTT’S STAND UP & ROCK (THE BEV BEVAN BAND) THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:00, £27.50

The veteran comedian returns with Stand Up & Rock! A mixture of his comedy stylings and musical performances from guests including ELO’s Bev Bevan.

Thu 17 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (PHIL NICHOL + BEN NORRIS + MC ALUN COCHRANE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£8)

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk. THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (RORY O’HANLON + CHRISTIAN STEEL + LATEEF LOVEJOY + MARK NELSON + MC LOU CONRAN)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.

Fri 18 Sep

THE BEST IN STAND UP (PHIL NICHOL + BEN NORRIS + OLA + DOMINIC HOLLAND + MC ALUN COCHRANE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18 (£12)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (RORY O’HANLON + JAMES MEEHAN + MARK NELSON + MC LOU CONRAN)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (CHRISTIAN REILLY + IAN MOORE + ZOE LYONS + DAMIEN CLARK + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (TONY BURGESS + MATT REES + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MC MARK OLVER) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ. GROUP THERAPY 3RD BIRTHDAY SPECTACULAR

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £12 (£10)

The much-loved comedy promoters celebrate their third birthday in style, fresh off a recent run that’s seen David Cross, Josie Long and Tim Key among their recent headliners.

Tue 08 Sep

XS MALARKEY (TONY BURGESS + TEZ ILYAS + ROB COLEMAN + JOE SUTHERLAND + MC TOBY HADOKE)

PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.

Thu 10 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (ROB ROUSE + MIKE WILMOT + MC IMRAN YUSUF)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£8)

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk. THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (ALEX BOARDMAN + JOJO GEORGIOU + GRAHAM GORING + ROB ROUSE + MC PETE OTWAY)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.

September 2015

HAL CRUTTENDUN

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 16:00–18:00, FROM £9

As seen on The Royal Variety Performance, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and The Rob Brydon Show, Hal Cruttenden brings his usual brand of simultaneously warm and catty stand-up to the Northwest. FUNNY BONES

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:00, £12 (£10)

Join Tony Sutcliffe in this new comedy show based on his experiences of over 20 years as a first aid trainer.

Mon 14 Sep PAUL CHOWDHRY

THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 19:15–22:00, £15

Star of C4’s Stand Up for the Week returns with his latest show, presenting his hard-hitting, unique take on modern Britain.

Tue 15 Sep TRAILER PARK BOYS

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

The Canadian mockumentary trio bring the pranks once more, as part of their all-new Community Service Variety Show. XS MALARKEY (JOHN HASTINGS + TONY JAMESON + JONATHAN PAYLOR + NICK CRANSTON + MC TOBY HADOKE) PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.

Wed 16 Sep TRAILER PARK BOYS

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

The Canadian mockumentary trio bring the pranks once more, as part of their all-new Community Service Variety Show.

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ. GARY DELANEY (SEYMOUR MACE + GEIN’S FAMILY GIFTSHOP)

THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 19:45–22:30, £10

The writer and stand-up comic continues with his quest to tell as many jokes as possible, because apparently most shows simply don’t contain enough for his liking.

Sat 26 Sep

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ANDY ASKINS + ADAM BLOOM + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC DAVE WILLIAMS)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ANDY ASKINS + ADAM BLOOM + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC DAVE WILLIAMS)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians. DONALD ROBERTSON

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £10

Gary McNair plays Donald Robertson, as he weaves coming-of-age stories with a deconstruction of the darker side of stand-up comedy. THE QI PODCAST LIVE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £16

Join Dan Schreiber, Andrew Hunter Murray, James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski as they serve up their pick of bizarre, extraordinary and hilarious facts from the QI universe.

Fri 02 Oct

THE BEST IN STAND UP (JEFF INNOCENT + PAUL THORNE + JOSH HOWIE + RAYMOND & MR TIMPKINS + MC JASON COOK) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18 (£12)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Sat 03 Oct

Sat 19 Sep

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Sun 13 Sep The Manc stand-up comic and radio DJ takes his romp of a new show on tour.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (JOHN HASTINGS + ALLYSON JUNE SMITH + DAN NIGHTINGALE + MC MICK FERRY)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£8)

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Critically acclaimed Polish comedy group, Ani Mru-Mru, return to England with a brand new show called Skurcz.

Sat 05 Sep

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

STAND UP THURSDAY (JEFF INNOCENT + PAUL THORNE + MC JASON COOK)

THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 19:15–22:00, £22

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £16

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18 (£12)

Thu 01 Oct

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Virally-popular Australian comedy band pulling pranks like Jackass never happened. THE BEST IN STAND UP (CHRISTIAN REILLY + IAN MOORE + ZOE LYONS + DAMIEN CLARK + MC MICK FERRY)

THE BEST IN STAND UP (ANDY ASKINS + ADAM BLOOM + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC DAVE WILLIAMS)

BARREL OF LAUGHS (JOHN HASTINGS + ALLYSON JUNE SMITH + DAN NIGHTINGALE + MC MICK FERRY)

ANI MRU-MRU

THE BEST IN STAND UP (PHIL NICHOL + BEN NORRIS + OLA + DOMINIC HOLLAND + MC ALUN COCHRANE)

JUSTIN MOORHOUSE

Fri 25 Sep

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22 (£16)

THE BEST IN STAND UP (PHIL NICHOL + BEN NORRIS + OLA + DOMINIC HOLLAND + MC ALUN COCHRANE) THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

BARREL OF LAUGHS (RORY O’HANLON + JAMES MEEHAN + MARK NELSON + MC LOU CONRAN)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Tue 22 Sep

XS MALARKEY (MATT RICHARDSON + DAVID ELMS + BENJI WATERSTONES + ROB ROUSE + MC TOBY HADOKE) PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.

Thu 24 Sep

STAND UP THURSDAY (ANDY ASKINS + ADAM BLOOM + MC DAVE WILLIAMS)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£8)

Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.

THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (JOHN HASTINGS + ABIGOLIAH SCHAUMAN + TONY CARROLL + DAN NIGHTINGALE + MC MICK FERRY) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.

TRAPDOOR COMEDY (TONY LAW)

JOSHUA BROOKS, 19:00–22:00, £8

The multi award-winning Canadian nonsense-maker pitches up with his particularly addictive brand of silliness.

Sun 27 Sep JOE LYCETT

THE BEST IN STAND UP (JEFF INNOCENT + PAUL THORNE + JOSH HOWIE + RAYMOND & MR TIMPKINS + MC JASON COOK)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22 (£16)

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

THE BEST IN STAND UP (JEFF INNOCENT + PAUL THORNE + JOSH HOWIE + RAYMOND & MR TIMPKINS + MC JASON COOK)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22 (£16)

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, FROM £10

Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.

NINA CONTI

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Charming and fresh faced young thing, Joe Lycett brings the jokes. THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15.50

BAFTA-nominated filmmaker and ventriloquist presents a whole host of characters in a show that refuses to go as rehearsed.

Mon 28 Sep

SIDEKICK COMEDY (KATE MCCABE + ANDY WATSON + LYDIA BERNSMEIER-RULLOW + STEVE BUGEJA) VIA, 19:30–22:00, £2

Your friendly,monthly, neighbourhood comedy gig. All comedians are hero-approved. LIP SYNCIN’ BATTLE (MC TREVOR DWYER-LYNCH)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4 (£2)

Comics, guest celebrities and the general public all battle to become the best Lip Sync in the City. JOE LYCETT

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, FROM £10

Charming and fresh faced young thing, Joe Lycett brings the jokes.

Tue 29 Sep JOE LYCETT

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, FROM £10

Charming and fresh faced young thing, Joe Lycett brings the jokes. XS MALARKEY (BIRTHDAY SHOW)

PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

BARREL OF LAUGHS

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

BEST OF BUZZ COMEDY (DUNCAN OAKLEY + ALEX BOARDMAN + FRASCO FOOLS)

WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£10)

The Waterside’s regular comedy night, featuring one of the UK comedy circuit’s up and coming stars.

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £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 03 Sep

BLUE THURSDAY (ANDY ASKINS + ADAM STAUNTON + TOM LUCY + MC LOU CONRAN)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £17.50

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £14

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–22:00, £12

FRED MACAULEY

How is life for Fred since leaving BBC Radio Scotland after all these years? And why did he leave? The Scottish comedian appears on tour with nearly 30 years of laughs under his belt.

LAUGHTERHOUSE (QUINCY + CHRISTIAN SCHULTE-LOH + CHRIS CAIRNS + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDY ASKINS + KEVIN SHEPHERD + ADAM STAUNTON + MC LOU CONRAN) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

Sat 05 Sep

BOILING POINT (TONY CARROLL + TOM LITTLE + JOHN LYNN + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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. JOE LONGTHORNE

THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:00, £22

The singer, impressionist and regular Royal Variety performer brings his latest show to The Brindley.

LAUGH OUT LOUD COMEDY CLUB (ADAM BLOOM + ANDREW RYAN + PETER BRUSH) THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £15

A triple-header of comedy descends on the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club. LAUGHTERHOUSE (CHRISTIAN SCHULTE-LOH + QUINCY + CHRIS CAIRNS + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £17.50

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDY ASKINS + KEVIN SHEPHERD + ADAM STAUNTON + MC LOU CONRAN) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

Thu 10 Sep

BLUE THURSDAY (KEITH CARTER PRESENTS NIGE + MIKE NEWALL + ROBIN MORGAN + MC MARK OLVER)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

A mighty triple-header comes to Comedy Central for Liverpool Comedy Festival. MANFORD’S COMEDY CLUB

BOILING POINT (SAM AVERY + CHRIS NORTON WALKER + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC PAUL SMITH)

THE LAUGHTER FACTOR

Fri 04 Sep

The creators of the cult video series bring their mix of music and comedy to the live stage, featuring the most popular rap battles performed live with a DJ and full band, plus improvised comedy shenanigans and interactive songs.

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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.

Wed 02 Sep

Wed 30 Sep

EPIC RAP BATTLES OF HISTORY

BOILING POINT (TONY CARROLL + TOM LITTLE + JOHN LYNN + MC PAUL SMITH)

A selection of comedy acts handpicked by self-styled “fat Michael Owen” Jason Manford.

Comedy double bill.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £7

Liverpool

Liverpool Comedy

The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans with the Edinburgh Fringe on the horizon.

DAN NIGHTINGALE + VIKKI STONE

Comedy

A mighty triple-header comes to Comedy Central. HARDEEP SINGH KOHLI

The comedian, broadcaster, journalist and chef mixes classic and new comic tales.

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–22:00, £15

Sat 12 Sep

BOILING POINT (SAM AVERY + CHRIS NORTON WALKER + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (ROB DEERING + ANDREW RYAN + MC STE PORTER)

THE MAGNET , 20:30–22:30, £13.50

The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday. LAUGHTERHOUSE (DALISO CHAPONDA + JUSTIN MOORHOUSE + JOHN GORDILLO + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £17.50

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (KEITH CARTER PRESENTS NIGE + MIKE NEWALL + STEVE BUGEJA + MC MARK OLVER) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

Thu 17 Sep ANDY ZALTZMAN

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £12

One half of the global smash hit topical podcast The Bugle, Andy Zaltzman returns to take satirical commissions from you, the public. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: ALAN CARR

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:00, FROM £30

The chat show comic returns to his stand-up roots with a new show about life an’ that. BLUE THURSDAY (ANDREW BIRD + MARK NELSON + TOM LITTLE + MC CARL HUTCHINSON)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

A mighty triple-header comes to Comedy Central for Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Fri 18 Sep

BOILING POINT (PHIL CHAPMAN + JACK CAMPBELL + BOBBY MAIR + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: ALAN CARR

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:00, FROM £30

The chat show comic returns to his stand-up roots with a new show about life an’ that. JAKE MILLS

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Fri 11 Sep

He’s beaten depression and overcome a suicide attempt, now Jake Mills is dealing with the subject in the only way he knows how – poking fun at it and himself. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £15

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. LAUGHTERHOUSE (JUSTIN MOORHOUSE + JOHN GORDILLO + DALISO CHAPONDA + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (KEITH CARTER PRESENTS NIGE + MIKE NEWALL + STEVE BUGEJA + MC MARK OLVER) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

LAUGHTERHOUSE

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDREW BIRD + MARK NELSON + SCOTT BENNETT + MC CARL HUTCHINSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. ROSIE WILBY

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

The BBC Radio 4 regular revamps award-winning investigation into the science of attraction. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Sat 19 Sep JEREMY HARDY

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £14 (£5)

The former Perrier Comedy award winner and Radio 4 stalwart does his stand-up thing, hopefully touching on his adventures in tracing his family history as he goes. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

BOILING POINT (PHIL CHAPMAN + JACK CAMPBELL + BOBBY MAIR + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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. LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (MATT REES + ANDY ASKINS + MC TONY SIMPSON)

THE MAGNET , 20:30–22:30, £13.50

The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday. ROB THOMAS

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

He once beat the Guinness World Record for eating the most baked beans with a toothpick. He’ll probably be sticking to comedy tonight. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. MATCHBOX COMEDY CLUB

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £4 (£3)

A new monthly comedy night at the Lantern Theatre showcasing the finest talent in the Northwest. LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL: ALAN CARR

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:00, FROM £30

The chat show comic returns to his stand-up roots with a new show about life an’ that. LAUGHTERHOUSE (PHIL NICHOL + KEVIN DEWSBURY + MICK FERRY + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £17.50

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDREW BIRD + MARK NELSON + SCOTT BENNETT + MC CARL HUTCHINSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. MEL MOON

81 RENSHAW STREET, 17:00–18:00, £5

Moon seeks to make comedy for the heart wrenching tale of an incurable disease she picked up having given birth in 2010. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Sun 20 Sep JAMES ROSS

81 RENSHAW STREET, 17:00–18:00, £5

High-energy, left field stand-up for people who’ve read a book, without pictures, and enjoyed it. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. KATE SMURTHWAITE

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Left-wing political comedy from the all new unwilling poster child for free speech. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. BILL WOOLLAND

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–21:00, £5

Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. Hilarious stories and tales of the eventful life as a Dad and comedian. ROB COLEMAN

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

The comedian muses on his attempt to cross the Atlantic on a tiny boat. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Mon 21 Sep CRAPBATTLES

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

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. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. CHRIS RAMSEY

THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–22:00, £17.50

After being booted off the Soccer AM sofa, Chris Ramsay takes his musings on saying the wrong thing at the wrong time on the road.

Listings

Comedy

Liverpool

KATE TRACEY + ROB THOMAS 81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Solo shows from the two rising comedians. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. BEN POWELL

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

Elected local councillor aged 23, Powell was washed out of the system by 28. Now he’s cracking jokes about it. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Tue 22 Sep CHE BURNLEY

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (CHRIS TURNER + MICHAEL LEGGE + SAM AVERY + MC SULLY O’SULLIVAN) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. SLAUGHTERHOUSE LIVE!

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

The award-winning charactercabaret team return. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. LIAM PICKFORD

The outspoken rapper takes down some of popular culture’s biggest heroes. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

Sat 26 Sep

PETER MCCOLE

The local comedian mocks the search for happiness through love. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Wed 23 Sep STEVE GRIBBIN

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

Satirical songbird. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. SHAPPI KHORSANDI

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £14

As a girl, Shappi dreamed impossibly romantic dreams. She still does. But a love affair with a rock star? What on earth was she doing, thinking, in heaven’s name wearing? Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. CHRISTIAN REILLY

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Perrier/Chortle award-winning musical comedian makes sense of your universe. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. STEFFEN PEDDIE

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £6

Peddie answers your questions and helps you with your problems. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. EPIC RAP BATTLES OF HISTORY

THE KAZIMIER, 19:00–22:30, £17.50

Thu 24 Sep

GEIN’S FAMILY GIFTSHOP VOLUME 2

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominees and Chortle Award winners Gein’s Family Giftshop return with their second show. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

BLUE THURSDAY (CHRIS TURNER + MICHAEL LEGGE + JONATHAN ELSON + MC SULLY O’SULLIVAN) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, £15

A mighty triple-header comes to Comedy Central for Liverpool Comedy Festival. NEIL SHAWCROSS

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

Shawcross and the rest of the Northern Ar Souls present their farewell show. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Fri 25 Sep

BOILING POINT (DAVE JOHNS + DUNCAN OAKLEY + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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. LAUGHTERHOUSE (VINCE ATTA + TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + ANDREW STANLEY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Aiming to change your shit life for better or worse, Pickford appears as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. NINA CONTI

LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £16

BAFTA-nominated filmmaker and ventriloquist presents a whole host of characters in a show that refuses to go as rehearsed. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. BOILING POINT (JAY HAMPSON + DUNCAN OAKLEY + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (DAN NIGHTINGALE + FUNMBI OMOTAYO + MC KAREN BAYLEY)

THE MAGNET , 20:30–22:30, £13.50

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £6

Comedy rapper presents his latest show. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. CHEAP SHOW

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Cheap Show aims to find the humour in amongst the bric-abrac of charity shops, junk sales and Poundlands of the UK. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (GAVIN TAYLOR + MICHAEL LEGGE + SAM AVERY + MC SULLY O’SULLIVAN) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. FUNNY LOOKING LIVE

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

The official Liverpool Comedy Festival podcast. ADAM RUSHTON

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

The former Royal Navy man recalls tales of his time in service. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Sun 27 Sep ROB ROUSE

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:00–20:00, £7

The some-time 8 Out of 10 Cats, Dave’s One Night Stand and John Bishop’s Only Joking guest performs. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. PAULINE DANIELS

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, £15

Acclaimed as both a comedian and actress, the Liverpudlian returns home with her latest show. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. JAMES COOK

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

From Monopoly to Guess Who, Scrabble to Snakes and Ladders - James Cook has read the instructions on the back of the box and is ready to play. Won’t you join him? Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. TOM BINNS

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 21:00–22:00, £7

The New Age guru, psychic and medium returns. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. PAUL F TAYLOR

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. EXTRAORDINARY CABARET

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

A mixture of performances as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Hilarious riches to rags tales. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. THE LEGION OF DOOM

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

Plunging behind the sofa and navigating their way through a world of idiocy and mischief. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. ELIMINATION CHUCKLE CHAMBER

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–21:00, £3

Several acts battle it out in a free-for-all comedy tournament as they vie to win the Heavyweight Comedy Championship Belt.

Wed 30 Sep DAN NIGHTINGALE

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £7 (£5)

International comedian, Australasian socialite and circuit legend Dan Nightingale returns. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Thu 01 Oct DANIEL SLOSS

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £14.50 (£12)

The award-winning comedian and internationally acclaimed half-man-half-Xbox brings the laughs once more. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £17.50

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £15

Sat 03 Oct

ALASTAIR CLARK

A mighty triple-header comes to Comedy Central for Liverpool Comedy Festival.

LAUGHTERHOUSE (GARY DELANEY + TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + ANDREW STANLEY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (MATT RICHARDSON + JULIAN DEANE + TUDUR OWEN + MC DAVID LONGLEY)

Tue 29 Sep

BLUE THURSDAY (MATT RICHARDSON + JULIAN DEANE + JAMES VEITCH + MC DAVID LONGLEY)

Tired of being a penniless comedian Paul F Taylor has taken drastic action to turn himself into a humourless money-motivated workhorse. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Listings

TONY CARROLL

The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

Mon 28 Sep

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, £15

RAYMOND MEARNS

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

The stand-up circuit mainstay returns. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. COLIN CLOUD

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–21:00, £8 (£6)

In his brand new show Cloud will deduce everything about you and explain how he did it. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. SURVIVOR SERIES COMEDY

THE PILGRIM, 20:00–22:00, £5

Two teams of comedians go head to head in the hope of being the sole survivors. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. MICKEY SHARMA

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

A show about Sharma’s long-time ability to avoid karma. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Fri 02 Oct JOHN WILSON

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

The local funnyman returns with a new show. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. BOILING POINT

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £19.50

Multi award-winning comic and 8 out of 10 Cats team captain serves up a night of observational comedy.

LAUGHTERHOUSE (STEVE HARRIS + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + ADAM ROWE + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £15

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

HARRIET DYER

Sangry – sad and angry – standup comic shares her eccentric escapades that often leave folk questioning her mental health. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

BOILING POINT (MARTIN MOR + JAY HANDLEY + STEVE SHANYASKI + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £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.

Art

Manchester Castlefield Gallery TWELVE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 SEP AND 1 NOV, 1:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

Melanie Manchot’s major new multi channel video installation exploring the intimate stories, rituals, repetitions and ruptures of lives spent in addiction and recovery.

HOME

HOME PROJECTS: DR.ME

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 11 SEP AND 8 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

Work by design studio DR.ME, taken from their recent year-long project 365 Days of Collage which draws upon advertising ephemera, travel supplements, ethnographic magazines and material sourced from thrift stores. I MUST FIRST APOLOGISE…

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 12 SEP AND 1 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

The beardy comedian provides tales from the road for his latest show. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Major new exhibition from Beirutbased artists Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige exploring the history of online spam and scamming through film, sculpture, photography and installation.

THE MAGNET , 20:30–22:30, £13.50

MMU: Special Collections

MARTIN MOR

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 12:30–14:30, £6

LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (TOM STADE + CHRISTIAN SCHULTE LOH + MC BRENDAN RILEY)

The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.

LAUGH OUT LOUD COMEDY CLUB (MARTIN MOR + JOE BOR + BRENNAN REECE) THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £15

A triple-header of comedy descends on the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club.

LAUGHTERHOUSE (STEVE HARRIS + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + ADAM ROWE + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:00, £17.50

Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

ARE WE THERE YET? 150 YEARS OF PROGRESS TOWARDS EQUALITY

UNTIL 6 NOV, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition exploring the progress that has been made in the UK towards achieving equality, in terms of suffrage, gender, disability, sexuality and race, over the last 150 years.

Manchester Art Gallery BLACK ON BLACK

UNTIL 9 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition by 17 jewellery artists from 10 countries curated by Jo Bloxham. ABSENT PRESENCE

UNTIL 3 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Sun 04 Oct

Inspired by Exposed Painting Green Lake by contemporary artist Callum Innes, this new display of works from the gallery’s collection takes its inspiration from this painting, looking at how art captures a moment in time.

81 RENSHAW STREET, 19:00–20:00, £5

25 SEP – 10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

JOHN WILSON + FRIENDS

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, FREE

The club circuit veteran returns to Liverpool as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. PHIL WALKER

The former City Life Comedian of the Year examines his life and the world around him. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival. TERRY CHRISTIAN

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 20:00–22:00, £12

The outspoken Mancunian big mouth tries his hand at stand-up comedy. MEFJAM COMEDY

81 RENSHAW STREET, 21:00–22:00, £5

A Scouse tribute to all things Def Jam. Part of Liverpool Comedy Festival.

Manchester Art AWOL Studios ART BATTLE V

26 SEP, 19:00-22:00, £10

Turning art into a live spectator sport, painting gets all competitive as some of the city's most talented artists create a masterpiece in only 30 minutes – and you decide who stays for the grand final.

Bury Art Gallery and Museum MODERN HISTORY VOL. III

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 19 SEP AND 21 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

One of a series of contemporary art exhibitionsworking between Bureau and guest curator Lynda Morris.

AN EXHIBITION FOR MODERN LIVING

Matthew Darbyshire’s largest solo exhibition to date, including ten of his large-scale environments from the last decade and new sculptural works for the Gallery’s grand 19th century entrance hall.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre HATCHED: TWELVE HANDPICKED MAKERS, FRESH FROM THE BOX

10 SEP – 9 NOV, NOT SUNDAYS, 10:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE

An exhibition to mark the end of the Crafts Council’s six-month creative business development programme, Hatched features 12 of the North’s best emerging designer-makers, including ceramicists, jewellers, furniture makers and more.

Manchester Museum

DANCE OF THE BUTTERFLIES

UNTIL 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

New art work by one of Africa’s foremost contemporary artists Romuald Hazoumè. It features swarms of multicoloured ‘butterflies’ which will take over the Museum’s Living Worlds gallery.

National Football Museum

THE GREATER GAME: FOOTBALL & THE FIRST WORLD WAR

UNTIL 6 SEP, TIMES VARY, £1

Exhibition revealing the extraordinary story of football and footballers during the conflict, bringing together personal mementoes and first-hand accounts from the players, alongside rare objects from the museum’s collections.

Nexus Art Café CHRISTELLE VAILLANT

1 SEP – 31 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Large scale photographs of Manchester skylines. JADE HANLEY

Waterside Arts Centre R3VEAL

UNTIL 19 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

A group show showcasing new work by Bella May Leonard, Gianluca Mingolla and Kris Meyer after they all came through the CIT (Creative Industries Trafford) Mentoring Scheme.

Whitworth Art Gallery

THE M+ SIGG COLLECTION: CHINESE ART FROM THE 1970S TO NOW

UNTIL 20 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Eighty works and four decades of fast-moving art from China — one of the largest collections of Chinese in the UK.

1 SEP – 31 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Series of large framed collages of postcards drawn daily.

OBJECT / A SEA VIEW

Liverpool Art

UNTIL 19 SEP, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

A new solo show from artist Rick Copsey.

Old Granada Studios BUY ART FAIR

25–27 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

The largest art fair outside of London lands in Manchester offering artwork from over 500 artists for between £50 and £5000.

THE MANCHESTER CONTEMPORARY 2015

Arts Hub 47 OPEN EXHIBITION

5–27 SEP, NOT 7, 14, 21, TIMES VARY, FREE

The best of Arts Hub 47’s open call for new work, based around the theme Outside Looking In Or Inside Looking Out.

Cactus Gallery DOWN IN THE DUMPS

UNTIL 13 SEP, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

Bringing together art lovers and buyers with the best of critically engaged contemporary art from regular exhibitors and new additions, as well as offering guided tours and visitor programmes.

A new solo show by Doug Bowen, a recent BA at Leeds Metropolitan University. Bowen attempts to explore ideas around language, visual signifiers and perception across a variety of techniques, particularly focusing on the wider impact of simple gestures.

Paper Gallery

FACT

UNTIL 5 SEP, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

18 SEP – 22 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

25–27 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

EXPLORING PAPER

Vincent James presents a solo show around paper as part of the gallery’s artist-in-residence scheme. PAPER #24: THE SHADOW OF AN UNSEEN POWER

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 12 SEP AND 24 OCT, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

70 years ago the first Atomic Bomb was detonated at the Trinity Site in New Mexico. The Shadow of an Unseen Power is an exhibition of drawings informed by the artists personal experiences of antinuclear war activism growing up in Germany in the 1980s.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery THE NOW, THE NORTH

UNTIL 6 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

A selection of the artist Hugh Winterbottom’s interpretations of regional cities and towns, from Manchester to Stockport. CHAPEL STREET THROUGH THE KEYHOLE

UNTIL 27 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Depictions of the regeneration of Chapel Street and Salford Crescent for the past two years by Salford artist Anthony McCarthy. OUT OF THE ORDINARY

UNTIL 1 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

Highlighting ordinary objects in a photo-realist style was local artist Colin Burrows’ main style of painting. This retrospective exhibition brings these together with family portraits and several almost abstract paintings from his earlier career.

The International 3 SHADOW WORLDS | WRITERS’ ROOMS – FREUD’S HOUSE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 SEP AND 30 OCT, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

Brass Art’s new work forms the second chapter of an ongoing project which allows them to enter the domestic spaces that selected authors occupied. Next up: Sigmund Freud.

The Lowry EXTRAORDINARY

UNTIL 18 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

A collection of renowned visual artists including Bruce Nauman, Karina Smigla-Bobinski and Willi Dorner present a mixture of work that incorporates every day objects and the human body.

LESIONS IN THE LANDSCAPE

Artist Shona Illingworth investigates the effect the experience of amnesia and broken cultural memory has on individual and collective agency, identity and the capacity to imagine the future.

Huyton Central Library ASPIRE

UNTIL 5 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

A showcase of final project artwork by Art & Design students from Knowsley Community College.

Kirkby Gallery OUT OF THE ARCHIVE

UNTIL12 SEP, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

John Davies curates an exhibition of photography from the archive of the Open Eye Gallery.

Lady Lever Art Gallery PICTURING VENICE

UNTIL 27 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Featuring work by Turner, Sickert and Brangwyn, this exhibition explores the stylistic developments of European art between the mid 17th century and 20th century through representations of the Italian city.

Liverpool Cathedral SUMMER IN THE CITY

10 SEP – 3 OCT, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

See the entries from the annual photography competition on display.

Open Eye Gallery VUKANI/RISE

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 18 SEP AND 29 NOV, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE

South African photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholir explores gender, race and sexuality, particularly in relation to South African society and political landscape.

St George’s Hall MIKE MCCARTNEY LUVS ST GEORGE’S HALL

6 SEP – 18 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £2.50

The much-loved photographer uses St George’s Hall itself as the focus for his latest exhibition.

Tate Liverpool

JACKSON POLLOCK: BLIND SPOTS

UNTIL 18 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £10 (£7.50)

The largest collection of the influential US artist’s black pourings work to be exhibited in the UK, with the Tate Liverpool exploreing a lesser known element of Pollocks’ work. GLENN LIGON: ENCOUNTERS AND COLLISIONS

UNTIL18 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £10 (£7.50)

A collection of the American artist’s work, which relates to abstract expressionism and minimalist painting, remixing formal characteristics to highlight the cultural and social histories of the time, such as the civil rights movement.

The Atkinson ELEMENTAL

5 SEP – 15 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE

Two series of Antony Gormley drawings: Body & Light and North Light. The works evoke fleeting moments of illumination in the darkness of the body, the earth, the ocean or deep space.

The Bluecoat RESOURCE

UNTIL 27 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

Excellent looking group show featuring Clay Arlington, Maurice Carlin, Daniel Eatock and The Piracy Project among others, which takes inspiration from The Bluecoat’s 1927-founding manifesto, of being a place for the “diffusion of useful knowledge.”

The Gallery Liverpool ART EXHIBITION

25 SEP – 9 OCT, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of locally acclaimed artists who will be exhibiting an eclectic display of their work.

The Royal Standard CLAM JAM

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 SEP AND 1 NOV, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

Group show featuring work made by emerging female artists. The playful title hopes to uncover work that is gendered through construction, material and mass rather than through open dialogue with the body or gender construct.

Victoria Gallery and Museum THE AUDOBON GALLERY

UNTIL19 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Permanent gallery of wildlife artist and naturalist John James Audubon. GYPSY PORTRAITS

UNTIL 26 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A series of Fred Shaw’s photographic depictions of the gypsy community during his lifetime. I LOVE YOU DAUCUS CAROTA

UNTIL 26 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Flower heads and arrangements by artist Helen Sear. RETROSPECTIVE

UNTIL 31 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition celebrating the career of Liverpool fine artist Peter Corbett.

View Two Gallery

LIVERPOOL IN A NEW LIGHT

UNTIL 17 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Artist Dominic Burkhalter brings a brand new exhibition of Liverpoolbased landscapes created with oils, and all produced in 2015, to the View Two. The exhibition also includes a series of small sketches of the Liverpool city and country landscapes.

Walker Art Gallery REALITY

UNTIL 29 NOV, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Walter Sickert, Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, LS Lowry, George Shaw, Alison Watt and John Bratby are among the artists exhibited in this display which explores the role of painting within contemporary art.

THE SKINNY

The Last Word As Slayer defy the odds and return with Repentless, frontman Tom Araya candidly discusses the loss of Jeff Hanneman and Dave Lombardo, the breakdown of their relationship with Rick Rubin, and his uneasy relationship with the thrash titans’ legacy Interview: Joe Goggins

“I

never used to think about it, but these days, people are always throwing it in your face. I think it’s 34 years in the band, 32 since Hell Awaits, next year will be 30 since Reign in Blood; fuck, man. It’s crazy.” The last six or so years of Slayer’s career have been amongst their most turbulent; given their ever-present penchant for controversy, that’s saying something. In 2008, frontman Tom Araya shrouded the future of the band in doubt, apparently loath to continue roaring his way through the likes of Angel of Death and Raining Blood the older he got. Three years later, and just months before some of the biggest shows of their career alongside fellow thrash legends Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax as part of the Big Four tour, founding guitarist Jeff Hanneman contracted the gruesome skin disease necrotising fasciitis; he was forced to sit out both touring and studio commitments, and in 2013, he succumbed to alcoholism at the age of 49. That same year, drummer Dave Lombardo – another original member – departed in acrimonious and apparently financially-driven circumstances. With Araya and guitarist Kerry King – not known for always seeing eye-to-eye – the last men standing, the very future of one of metal’s great institutions was very much up in the air. They continued to tour, although hardly with abundant enthusiasm. “After 30 years, it’s stopped being fun in some ways,” Araya admits when we call him at his home in Texas. “It’s become this corporation; we have to tour, because people rely on us. There’s a lot of other people involved, and they all want their money.” Repentless, though – their first new full-length since World Painted Blood in 2009 – at least seems to signify the turning of a page for the band; the result is their most vital record in over a decade. ON THE CHANGE IN BAND DYNAMICS SINCE THE LOSS OF JEFF HANNEMAN... When Jeff passed, I was apprehensive. To me, the issue was, do we continue? The relationship between me and Jeff was very much a working one, where we could communicate, collaborate and make things sound cool in our eyes, whereas the one between me and Kerry was really different. I just knew we had to sit down and figure out if we could still do this – if this was going to be a good relationship or a rocky one. 30 years together is a long time, and you end up learning how to cope with each other – or at least deal with each other! After that length of time, you learn how people are and when you should just say, ‘Oh, whatever. That’s just him being him.’ That was easier when Jeff was around. ON HANNEMAN’S ENDURING INFLUENCE... As much as I think Kerry took control of the record, he tried to make it a rounded Slayer album by musically pinning together songs that, in some ways, were influenced by Jeff. I don’t want to use the word emulate, but at some points, he tried to come up with songs that would represent how Jeff wrote and the preference that he had for the heavy, slow stuff – especially on When the Stillness Comes and Pride in Prejudice. ON HANNEMAN’S UNEASY RELATIONSHIP WITH FAME AND DESIRE TO TELEPORT EVERYWHERE... At some point, he was over it. He didn’t want to be bothered, he didn’t want to deal with that. He was still a nice guy to people that he knew and

September 2015

ran into, but quietly, behind the scenes, he spent a lot of time on the bus – we both did, period. Jeff was always talking about teleporters: ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could just teleport onto the stage, play, and then teleport back home!’ I kept saying to him, ‘Well, do it, man! Find someone to develop it.’ ON DAVE LOMBARDO’S DEPARTURE... I’m just going to set the record straight on that. Dave agreed to sit in for a tour or two when Paul Bostaph left, so we drew up a contract for Dave, because that’s what you’ve got to do – make sure everybody’s taken care of, everybody’s happy. We came up with a simple agreement that lasted a while, and then we were in the process of trying to make it better for Dave, because after so many years of playing with us you figure, well, shit – we should redo this, we should figure out how we can make it better for Dave. We came up with a deal and he basically was getting everything he wanted, but it was a three-year term, and three years into that, we still hadn’t been able to get him to sign it. We had some obligations that came up and when you’re given an ultimatum or put on the spot, you have to do something, so we moved forward, and Dave got really upset. We went back to him again and told him that if he signed the deal, we could move forward with him, but he had other plans, so we made a phone call to him and ended it, because he was beginning to put us into a bad spot.

“Jeff was always talking about teleporters” Tom Araya

ON PAUL BOSTAPH’S RETURN... It’s funny; I remember Kerry talking about getting off the plane on tour, and we had all these people who’d been trying to text us, saying “have you seen what Dave has said? This is all over the internet!” And one of those messages was from Paul, saying, you know, ‘Hey!’ And I took that as a sign. Paul’s the only other drummer for this band, he’d replaced Dave before, and become kind of a fixture in his own right. We did several albums with him, and in fact, if he hadn’t left, he’d still be in the band. That was the level he was at with us. ON DASHED PLANS TO WORK WITH RICK RUBIN... When we got together to throw around some ideas a few years back, it was on the premise that we’d be working with Rubin, once he came up with the kind of agreement that we were hoping for. In the end, that never materialised. I wouldn’t say we were upset, but it was frustrating – ‘What’s the problem? Why isn’t he responding to us?’ By the time he finally did, we had other offers, because people had gotten wind of the fact that we were working towards another record. I was hoping that Rubin would want to really be a part of the album like he did with the first few – to sit in and really work closely with us – but he didn’t offer us that level of participation.

ON SLAYER’S RELATIONSHIP WITH METALLICA... They’re a bunch of fucking assholes! Nah, they’re great people; the band and everybody who works for them too. Those Big Four shows we did a few years ago were fucking amazing, and it helped that they were such nice guys, and that the opportunity was always there to sit down and talk with them. Everybody got along so well; the bands, the crews, it all gelled together. It’d be great if we could do that again as a world tour, because it would do well everywhere we went. That whole tour is basically a Metallica thing, even if it was billed as the four bands, so it’s their call, and I’m sure they have their reasons for why it stopped. I can tell you it’s not because of us! I’ll just leave it at that. They’ve got their reasons for why it hasn’t been brought up again, and I don’t blame them. I couldn’t thank them enough for giving us that opportunity, to do those fucking massive shows. They allowed us to be part of that, and it was really fucking cool. ON THREE DECADES ON THE ROAD CATCHING UP WITH HIS VOICE... It’s getting to the point where I need an extra day or two of rest sometimes. There’s been a few times where I didn’t want to go out and play because I’d rather sacrifice one show than an entire tour. When I do that – and there have been a few

MUSIC

shows cancelled because of my voice – I feel really bad. That’s not Slayer, that’s not cool. It’s not fair to all the people who bought tickets. Jeff kept his health problems to himself for the same reason – he didn’t like to let anybody down. ON SLAYER’S LEGACY AND HIS OWN STANDING IN METAL HISTORY... I’m humbled and embarrassed when people ask for my autograph, or when they ask for a picture of me, because I don’t see myself in that fashion – and I’m being sincere when I say that. I play bass and I sing for this band. That, to me, is gratifying enough, and that’s one of the reasons I don’t make myself as accessible any more. I don’t wear the Slayer hat very well these days. I used to be much better at that, and it was fun, but it isn’t any more. I didn’t start a band so that people would know who I was. I remember on one of the early road trips, our tour manager had us constantly doing interviews, and Jeff and I were like, ‘Fuck, we’re getting tired of doing all this press.’ His response was, ‘Well, you wanted to be a rock star!’ We stopped him in his tracks right there. We just wanted to play in a fucking band! Repentless is released on 11 Sep via Nuclear Blast. Playing Manchester O2 Apollo on 24 Nov and Leeds O2 Academy on 28 Nov slayer.net

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