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June listings live JUNE LIVE LISTINGS FRI 03 THE STAIRS ——————————————————————————————————— SAT 04 GROUP THERAPY COMEDY CLUB:
JOHN ROBINS
——————————————————————————————————— WED 08 SUNNY D COMEDY NIGHT W/
DAVE BAPTISTE & SPECIAL GUESTS
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AMERICAN PIE, OLD SCHOOL, DAZED & CONFUSED
——————————————————————————————————— THU 30 VICTOR WOOTEN ——————————————————————————————————— JUNE CLUB LISTINGS SAT 04
HOT WUK — THE HEATWAVE (BASHMENT/ DANCEHALL) 11PM - £10/12
——————————————————————————————————— WED 08 LORD OF THE TINGS
THU 02
GROUP THERAPY EDINBURGH BEFORE:
PAUL FOOT & JOHN ROBBINS FRI 03 THIS IS THE KIT SAT 04 MALCOLM MIDDLETON SUN 05 BEN WATT BAND FEAT. BERNARD BUTLER TUE 07 LUKE CHRISTOPHER WED 08 NICHOLAS ALLBROOK THU 09
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FREE B4 11PM
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(HIP HOP/ RNB) 11PM - £3/5
£12/8PM SAT 11 GIRLS ON FILM
——————————————————————————————————— SAT 11 AFTERLIFE:
METROPOLIS PRESENT PREDITAH
(GRIME) 11PM - £9.50/12.99/14.99
——————————————————————————————————— SUN 12 AFTERLIFE:
SANCTION PRESENT AMINE EDGE & DANCE (BASS/ HOUSE) 11PM - £15/17.50/20
——————————————————————————————————— SAT 25 NORTHERN SOUL & MOTOWN EVENING
THU 16 ENGLAND VS WALES EURO 16’ THU 16
29.JUN BECK .......................................................
CARL DONNELLY & ANDREW O’NEILL FRI 17 VOODOO BLOOD MON 20 ENGLAND VS SLOVAKIA EURO 16’ TUE 21 KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS WED 22 CAR SEAT HEADREST THU 23
28.SEP MODERAT .......................................................
GROUP THERAPY EDINBURGH BEFORE:
GROUP THERAPY EDINBURGH BEFORE:
FIN TAYLOR & SARAH KENDALL FRI 24 HONEYFEET SAT 25 CLEFT TUE 28 CW STONEEKING WED 29 ED HARCOURT
club
£4.50/10PM FRI 10 NASHVILLE NIGHTS
——————————————————————————————————— FRI 10 JUICY
10.JUN DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE .......................................................
(MODERN COUNTRY)
(80S DANCE POP OF THE HIGHEST ORDER)
FREE B4 11PM
£4.50/10PM
WWW.THISISGORILLA.COM
29.SEP THE KILLS ....................................................... 07.OCT BUZZCOCKS 40 ....................................................... 08.OCT WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD ....................................................... 11.OCT JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW ....................................................... 12.OCT GOO GOO DOLLS ....................................................... 21.OCT BAND OF SKULLS ....................................................... 23.OCT WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE ....................................................... 28.OCT JOHN CARPENTER ....................................................... 29.OCT JOHN CARPENTER ....................................................... 03.NOV BIRDY .......................................................
FRI 17 GOO: STONE ROSES SPECIAL (INDIE, BRITPOP & GRUNGE)
FREE B4 11PM
£4.50/10PM SAT 18 GIRLS ON FILM
(80S DANCE POP OF THE HIGHEST ORDER)
FREE B4 11PM
04.NOV BEAR’S DEN ....................................................... 18.NOV WILCO ....................................................... 19.NOV DINOSAUR JR ....................................................... 30.NOV AGNES OBEL .......................................................
£4.50/10PM FRI 24 UPTOWN
25.FEB THE DIVINE COMEDY .......................................................
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CLUBS:
(DISCO, BOOGIE AND WEDDING JAMS)
(80S DANCE POP OF THE HIGHEST ORDER)
FREE B4 11PM
£4.50/10PM WEEKLY — TUESDAYS: GOLD TEETH : 10PM THURSDAY BAR SESSIONS FROM: BOPHELONG, SPACE IS THE PLACE, BANANA HILL AND MORE 6PM – MIDNIGHT
11.JUN AFTERLIFE: APE W/ CHASE & STATUS + MORE ....................................................... 12.JUN AFTERLIFE: KALUKI W/ JAMIE JONES, EATS EVERYTHING ....................................................... 02.JUL
FAC 51 THE HACIENDA W/ DERRICK MAY, A GUY CALLED GERALD + MORE!
WEEKLY TUESDAYS:
11PM - £5/7
———————————————————————————————————
07.JUL BAND OF HORSES .......................................................
OPENING HOURS MON — SUN : 4PM — LATE BURGERS, CRAFT BEER & COCKTAILS HAPPY HOUR 4PM — 7PM THE DEAF INSTITUTE 135 GROSVENOR STREET. MANCHESTER. M1 7HE WWW.THEDEAFINSTITUTE.CO.UK
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ALBERTHALLMANCHESTER.COM f: /ALBERTHALLMANCHESTER t: /ALBERTHALLMCR
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4
Contents
Editorial Northwest Editor Film & Deputy Editor Events Editor Music Editor Art Editor Books Editor Clubs Editor Comedy Editor Deviance Editor Fashion Editor Food Editor Theatre Editor Travel Editor
Lauren Strain Jamie Dunn Jess Hardiman Dave Kerr Sacha Waldron Holly Rimmer-Tagoe Daniel Jones John Stansfield Kate Pasola Alexandra Fiddes Lauren Phillips Jennifer Chamberlain Paul Mitchell
Production Production Manager Designer Subeditor Editorial Assistant
Amy Minto Thom Isom Kristian Doyle Will Fitzpatrick
Sales Sales & Digital Marketing Analyst Sales Executive
Caroline Harleaux Issy Patience Mat Parry
Lead Designer
Sigrid Schmeisser
General Manager
Kyla Hall
Editor-in-Chief Publisher
Rosamund West Sophie Kyle
THE SKINNY
Contents Up Front 06
Chat & Opinion: Get your fix of last-minute news! Learn what the future holds, courtesy of Mystic Mark’s BALLS! And check out the other amazing things you can read online at theskinny.co.uk!
24
What’s the link between chicken wings and immortality? Dan Boeckner explains as we discuss the triumphant return of Wolf Parade.
25
With her new book Animal already on the shelves, comedian Sara Pascoe talks sexual evolution and education as she takes her show of the same name on tour.
08 Heads Up: Since we’re all trying to
ignore the alarming fact that we’ve reached the halfway point of the year already, why not distract yourself with some important news about lovely cultural happenings? There you go, much better.
Lifestyle
26
Food & Drink: We get the lowdown on the North’s lively coffee scene with the folk behind new book Coffee Shop: North. Plus, a look at how we’re currently consuming food shows, including a rundown of our fave online food series.
28
Showcase: This month’s art spread looks back at a decade of The Royal Standard, Liverpool’s much-loved artistrun space.
Features
10
12
15
You know David Cross as Tobias Fünke from Arrested Development, but what about his standup comedy? We talk to him about his new show, Making America Great Again!, and America’s other great “blowhard”, Donald J Trump. Nearly a decade since her band’s split, The Long Blondes’ Kate Jackson returns with her solo debut. She tells us why the time was right to start making music again. Parquet Courts divided opinion with last year’s experimental diversion – here Austin Brown tells us about pushing for progress with this year’s sublime Human Performance.
16
California-based artist Lila de Magalhaes, one of 17 artists showcased in new touring exhibition Tall Tales, chats to us while dealing with her leaking mermaids.
18
Outdoor theatre. In the Northwest. What could go wrong? We can guarantee you some great shows, from open-air Shakespeare to books coming to life in botanical gardens, but not necessarily great weather. Take a brolly.
19
Director Matteo Garrone talks fairy tales ahead of the release of his film Tale of Tales.
Travel: A traveller who visited a Bangkok
30 ping pong show considers the brutal implications of the Thai sex trade.
31
Review
33
21
22
23
Eva Husson chats about her frank debut feature, Bang Gang, which is concerned with teen attitudes to sex in the Snapchat age. Just don’t call it Kids with millennials.
Music: We chill with Kindness and his favourite records (note: contains lots of Missy Elliott); hear all about the newtalent programme at this year’s Africa Oyé festival; and review the last month in gigs and rekkids. Clubs: Production wizard François K
40 gives us a tantalising glimpse into his
innermost musical joys; Kickflip Mike runs down the mix he kindly recorded for us ahead of a new EP and date at Gottwood festival; plus, all your clubbing highlights.
42
Art: Our pick of the best exhibitions in the region for the month ahead; plus, our Art ed reports from a lovely trip to the Lake District for its commissions programme, Lakes Ignite.
44
Film: Reviews include Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in The Nice Guys and possibly the last ever Studio Ghibli film, When Marnie Was There.
45
DVD & Books: One-shot wonder Victoria comes to DVD and Blu-ray, and we review Stuart Cosgrove’s look into the enigmatic Northern Soul music scene.
20 Chino Moreno of legendary band
Deftones meditates on their new album, Gore, creative tension, and why eschewing populism has served the Sacramento survivors well.
Deviance: From censoring nipples to ignoring reports of violent misogyny – a look at how Facebook is failing feminism.
Graphic novels are redrawing our image of the Middle East. We investigate why so many authors are turning to this medium to tell their stories.
46 Comedy & Theatre: newbie comics
Two remarkable tales: Wolfgang Bauer went undercover with Syrian refugees, while Jürgen Todenhöfer negotiated a dubious promise of safety from the Islamic State.
47
Competitions: Win weekend tickets to Beat-Herder and some free pints to accompany the August bank holiday.
48
Listings: What’s on, where, in June. It’s as easy as that.
June 2016
Shaved Dog tell us what make them bark, while we check out the debut show at new venue Invisible Wind Factory (aka the Kaz 2.0).
Contents
5
H
ello dear reader, May I draw your attention to theskinny.co.uk? It’s full of great stuff, and we’ve got loads of big plans for it over the coming weeks – so much so, in fact, that we’ll be concentrating on it fully over the summer. The next few weeks online will bring you more timely, interactive and conversation-starting journalism – and we’ll be back in print in September as The Skinny North, an expanded publication covering Leeds as well as Liverpool and Manchester. Exciting! At theskinny.co.uk you can find an indispensible guide to the vibrant arts scenes of these three awesome cities, comprehensive events listings, invigorating opinion and debate, and – of course – the kind of local-focused but broad-horizoned cultural commentary you’ve come to expect from The Skinny. You’ll want to sign up for The Zap – our weekly mailout rounding up the unmissable events in the region every Thursday. You’ll find our What’s On site is pretty helpful in planning those days off, nights out and seemingly endless bank holidays (not that we’re complaining); and, if you’re a student or about to be one, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out online and in print for our annual Student Handbooks. Published in Yorkshire and the Northwest, they provide the ultimate crash course in how to get the most out of your new home, without having to spend months pootling around the kitchen at really shit parties. As we refocus our energies on these digital projects and more, we are looking forward to bringing you a bigger and even better print edition in September – and are keen to hear your comments, suggestions and innermost dreams. You can join the conversation on Facebook (@ theskinnymag) and Twitter (@theskinnynw), follow our range of inspiring/absurd Instagram takeovers (@theskinnymag), or even drop me a line the old-fashioned way on lauren@theskinny. co.uk if you’d like to offer any feedback. For now, a quick look at just some of what’s in this sheaf of paper: You might have noticed that there is, on our cover, a man with more than one devil on his shoulder. That man is star comedian David Cross,
who you may know best for his show-stealing turn as Tobias Fünke in Arrested Development but who, in his standup sets, is one of America’s most eloquent and outspoken funnymen working today. As he brings his new hour-long show, Making America Great Again!, to the UK, our Comedy editor calls him to talk about the perplexing US presidential race and the perhaps hasty decision to name his new material after Trump’s campaign slogan. Elsewhere, Books speaks to two journalists who offer extreme close-up views of the Syrian refugee crisis and the terror of Islamic State, and considers why many writers are turning to the graphic novel form to portray life in the Middle East. In Film, directors Eva Husson and Matteo Garrone discuss the making of two distinctly modern tales; Art meets Brazilian maker Lila de Magalhaes, who tells us about her most treasured painting of a little white lion; Showcase looks back at ten years of Liverpool’s premier artist-run space, The Royal Standard; and Theatre offers a rundown of some of the region’s best outdoor productions so you can get the hell outside. Finally, if you enjoy the fantastic art that fills these pages, why not come and find The Skinny stall at the Summer Arts Market in Liverpool St. George’s Hall on 25 and 26 June, where six illustrators who contribute to the magazine will be selling their wares. They’ll be joining more than 100 other artists and makers from the region for the twice-annual fair, which offers everything from screen prints and design pieces to jewellery and one-off gifts. We’d love to have a chat! In the meantime – see you at theskinny. co.uk, and in print in the autumn. [Lauren Strain]
jockmooney.com
Editorial
Online Only Eyes to the website Our Film editor got taken on a snazzy trip to Helsinki to find out more about Finland’s filmmaking scene - read all about it. He’ll also be reporting from Edinburgh International Film Festival: theskinny.co.uk/film Listen to Skinned #14, our latest DJ mix, from Kickflip Mike, and Luke Vibert’s selection of fave albums: theskinny.co.uk/clubs
ON THE COVER: David Cross, by Camille Smithwick. Camille Smithwick draws, paints and sculpts while moaning and watching for fireballs. cammys.co.uk facebook.com/colouringclub
Shot of the Month
himHallows at Sounds from the Other City, 1 May by Alexander Bell
Chat
We’ll be out talent-spotting around the region’s degree shows over the coming weeks - see who’s floated our boat at theskinny.co.uk/art
Spot the Difference
TWO JELLYFISH Ah, the mighty jellyfish. Gliding through our oceans, these non-polyp forms are graceful and often deadly creatures; the transparent killers of the sea. On land, they look like discarded rubber pants, vulnerable to inattentive joggers and kids with sticks. Pathetic. That’s what you get for not having bones. But above you can see two jellies in their natural habitats being wobbly OGs.
6
Our guides to living abroad continue, with insider’s tips on Melbourne, Delhi and HongKong: theskinny.co.uk/travel
Those with marine biology degrees or just really sharp eyesight might spot a very distinct difference between the two creatures above, however. Can you shed some light on the problem?
Or maybe you just want to throw some shade our way ’cause this edition of Spot the Difference is reminding you of that time a lifeguard had to urinate on your leg? Either way, please illuminate us by heading to theskinny.co.uk/competitions to let us know your findings. The best or funniest answer wins a copy of I'm Not Scared by Niccolò Ammaniti, courtesy of our pals at Canongate. Competition closes at midnight on Sun 26 June. 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
THE SKINNY
Foxdog Studios will perform at Shiny New Festival
#SFTOCSkinny: the winning photo, by Hayley Suviste
The Horsfall crowdfunding campaign Award-winning mental health charity 42nd Street has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a new creative programme, The Horsfall, which seeks to promote wellbeing and social change through art and nature. Inspired by an artistic experiment founded by Thomas C Horsfall in the late 19th century, in which Ancoats Art Museum was filled with artworks, performances and even live birds to create unique opportunities for the disenfranchised, The Horsfall will launch with a project linking to the Rochdale Canal, an immersive theatre installation and more. Head to crowdfunder. co.uk/the-horsfall-space to get involved. Queen of the Track zine party In celebration of their latest issue, Queen of the Track zine host their first summer-goth party, Witch Beach, on 17 June. DJs including Boko!Boko! founder Tash_LC alongside Queen of the Track residents Faux Queens and Alectronik will take to 24 Kitchen Street for a femme/queer/trans friendly night. As always, dress the fuck up! Friday 17 June, 10pmlate, 24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool, ÂŁ3/ÂŁ5, queenofthetrackzine.tumblr.com The Skinny at the Summer Arts Market We’re excited to unveil the illustrators who’ll be showcasing and selling their work on our stall at Liverpool’s fourth annual Summer Arts Market. Coming to St. George’s Hall on 25 June are Josie Sommer, Jess Ebsworth and Emma Brown Owl, before Holly Bagnall, Lottie Pencheon and Anthony Jaycott all strut their stuff on 26 June. Come and pick up a gift, and a print or two for yourself‌ summerartsmarket.com Liverpool Arab Arts Festival announces second wave of artists LAAF is back next month between 15-24 July (yep, they’ve tacked on an extra day for us, the dolls) to explore the theme of ‘Undocumented’, launching with a two-night run of Queens of Syria, an extraordinary multimedia theatre piece created and performed by Syrian refugees. Elsewhere the programme also features Hassan Abdulrazzak’s latest play, Love, Bombs & Apples; a screening of indie doc Speed Sisters, which details the first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East, and much more – check out the full line-up at arabartsfestival.com.
June 2016
#SFTOCSkinny: the winner! At this year's Sounds from the Other City festival, we asked you to share your photos of the day with the hashtag #SFTOCSkinny to be in with a chance of winning a big bundle of prizes. We had an amazing 300+ entries, painting a picture of SFTOC in all its glorious creativity and weirdness! From a shortlist of 30 photos, the festival team chose their favourite five snaps that capture the spirit of SFTOC – including one overall winner (pictured). Congrats, @hayleysuviste, who won a bevvy of goodies kindly donated by the festival's promoters and friends, including a record player from GPO Retro, two passes to Sounds from the Other City 2017, lots of gig tickets, vinyl and a tote bag. Until next year! soundsfromtheothercity.com The Lantern Theatre closes with Shiny New Festival The Lantern Theatre’s Shiny New Festival returns for a fifth year this July, and will mark the Lantern’s final event at its Blundell Street home following the news that the space will soon be closing its doors. Luckily, though, this year sees an extended Shiny New run of 10 days from 1524 July, thanks to an influx of applications from comedians eager to showcase their Edinburgh previews. Along with comedy from the likes of Andrew Hunter Murray and Fern Brady, the festival will also have a dedicated programme of theatre, with productions from SeeGold Productions, Teatro Pomodoro and others. lanterntheatreliverpool.co.uk Liverpool Book Art exhibition and fair Liverpool is braced to host the world’s only contemporary book art exhibition for Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, featuring artists’ books by international artists spanning every material imaginable – from driftwood to seaweed paper – at Liverpool Central Library, 4-21 July. The accompanying fair will take place 8-9 July, with pieces by around 40 artists up for sale and prices starting from just a couple o’ quid. More info at liverpoolbookart.com. Bido Lito x Domino exhibition at Bold Street Coffee Bido Lito magazine are teaming up with Domino Publishing for A Portrait of British Songwriting, a photography and audio exhibition at Bold Street Coffee. Created by interview-photography specialists Wolf & Diva (aka photographer Rachel King and interviewer Rachael Castell), the show features established and rising names from various pockets of music, including Bill Ryder-Jones, Kate Tempest, Steve Mason, Jon Hopkins, Oli Bayston and others. Runs 8 July-7 August. boldstreetcoffee.co.uk
BALLS. with Mystic Mark
ARIES This month your flatmates bring up the issue of you flushing your empty beer cans down the toilet. After a heated exchange, culminating in them drawing you detailed diagrams on how both toilets and the refuse collection infrastructure work, you are forced into a compromise, agreeing you’ll at least try to refrain from doing it on weekdays, but only if they stop storing all their bloody food in the fridge.
TAURUS Having sex on a train is worth two wanks in a helicopter. Mark it off on your score sheet.
GEMINI After suffering from coughing fits for the best part of six weeks you finally cave in to advice from friends and butt chug a bottle of cough medicine. Although it doesn’t seem to work for your cough, you do rid yourself of your fits of dry, tickly farts. Your days of putting your hand over your arse when farting to prevent the spread of germs are over.
CANCER The Bullingdon Club visit your local foodbank, ostensibly to deliver a single can of Tesco Value baked beans, sniggering and guffawing as they do so. The staff accept it warily and add it to the inventory before turning to see the floppy-haired leader defecate noisily on the counter prior to the group running off tittering into the night brandishing bottles of Bollinger Special CuvĂŠe.
LEO This month you sue the council for that chlamydia you got from the park toilet glory hole they had neglected to plaster over. VIRGO Poo comes out of top celebs like Kylie Minogue and James Bond on a regular basis. LIBRA It’s lovely to think that tattoo you just got will one day decorate your bloated corpse.
SCORPIO This month you are uncovered as one of Britain’s most notorious paedophile-philes. After a police raid on your home your hard-drives, containing over 50,000 graphic mugshots of paedophiles, are found. The headlines shock the public, with allegations that you lurked outside the school gates to get a glimpse of the paedophiles waiting outside the school gates, wanking at them from the bushes, chanting your now-infamous motto: “The hunter has become the hunted.�
SAGITTARIUS Your newborn looks a lot like you. Small and fat with a fat, bald, bloodcovered head, scrunched up toothless grin and confused, barely-sentient gaze, unable to even make out shapes while it shits itself twice a day, crying because it can’t locate a pair of tits.
CAPRICORN You keep picking the small scab on your face until the entire face itself is one huge scab. If you keep it up you’ll achieve full body scab coverage by the end of the year and earn the glory of entering the Guinness Book of Records. You can do it.
AQUARIUS This month you hand out leaflets on the high street detailing your conspiracy theory that the SEA LEVEL RISES AREN’T CAUSED BY THE MELTING ICECAPS AS THE ILLUMINATI SHILLS AT NASA WANT YOU TO BELIEVE, BUT ARE INSTEAD CAUSED BY THE OUT OF CONTROL GROWTH OF FISH PUBES.
PISCES Taking out your sex robot’s anal cavity you bang a load more processor chips and RAM up there. That way, while not being used for its primary purpose, the robot can perform menial, yet equally important tasks like accounting. Your personal assistant-slash-bangbot.
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We’re officially into summer territory, which in true Great British fashion means garden parties, festivals and flimsy plastic pint cups of beer – alongside all the usual cultural happenings that the North has to throw at us, of course.
Proving that life on the road doesn’t have to mean room service extortion or meal deals eaten with a hotel teaspoon, George Egg heads to Liverpool with his Anarchist Cook show, an Edinburgh Fringe favourite showing you how to make pancakes on the iron, scrambled eggs in the kettle and more. Life skills as well as LOLs. Unity Theatre, Liverpool, 8pm, £12-£14
Manchester Bierfest fires up today for all of your al fresco guzzling needs, providing another excuse to go and drink beer in Albert Square, a space that comes into its element as the summer evenings kick in. If you’re a bit further out, Stockport’s Beer and Cider Festival is also bringing the booze at the same time. Albert Square, Manchester, until Sun 5 Jun, times vary, Free
Manchester Bierfest
George Egg
Mon 6 Jun
Tue 7 Jun
On the last day of Southport Food and Drink Festival, munch your way through the likes of Mio Pizza, What’s Your Beef, Gourmet Grill, Wingbox, Woody’s Rustic Pizza, Bobby’s Bangers, The Cheesecake Emporium, Crepe Lucette, Red Star Brewery and Kandoo Coffee. Victoria Park, Southport, Fri 3-Sun 5 Jun, times vary, Free
It’s time to check out Manchester Histories Festival as it enters its last week with a walking tour of Mancunian architecture, the second day of the Belle Vue Roadshow at Gorton Monastery, the opening of Stories of Sacrifice (an exhibition exploring Muslim soldiers during WWI) – and that’s just today. Various venues, Manchester, until Sun 12 Jun, times and prices vary
Manchester Metropolitan University’s Humanities in Public festival enters its third phase under the theme of ‘World’ – and taking on perhaps the most contentious dinner party no-no is Faith in the World, an evening of discussion from ministers, lecturers and novelists exploring exactly what so many of us refuse to talk about. Manchester Cathedral, 6.30pm, Free
Southport Food and Drink Festival
Manchester Histories Festival
Photo: Manchester ArchivesPlus
Sun 5 Jun
Faith in the World
Sun 12 Jun
Mon 13 Jun
Tue 14 Jun
It’s the last day of the seventh Wirral Open Studios, which sees artists living or working in the region invite the public to visit their workshops, studios and display spaces. It’s a good chance to have a chinwag with these interesting types the North’s arts scene would be nothing without. Various venues, Wirral, Sat 11-Sun 12 Jun, times vary, Free
As part of Manchester Beer Week, long-forgotten beers from Manchester’s past will return from the dead as breweries Blackjack, Squawk, Tickety Brew and Beer Nouveau recreate brews from as far back as 1903. Beer historian Ron Pattinson will be knocking around to speak about the beers. The Smithfield Tavern, Manchester, 6pm, Free
Longstanding psych favourites The Brian Jonestown Massacre hit the stage once more, proving they’re still going strong after more than 25 years in the game. Leeds, you can get your fix at Stylus on Mon 13 Jun, too. O2 Academy, Liverpool, 7pm, £16
Marianthi Lainas, showing at Wirral Open Studios
Sun 19 Jun
Sefton Park gets its dancing shoes on for Africa Oyé, everyone’s favourite celebration of Africa and its diasporic communities that draws in tens of thousands of people each year. For 2016 you’ve got Pat Thomas & Kwashibu Area Band, Mbongwana Star, Sona Jobarteh, Randy Valentine, Ifa Band, Akala and others on the main stage to look forward to. Sefton Park, Liverpool, until Sun 19 Jun, 12.30pm, Free
The beloved Kazimier proper may be gone, but this month marks four years since a derelict car park became its well-loved drinking den – a milestone that won’t go forgotten with the Kazimier Garden Birthday Weekend. Milking it a bit maybe, but when that means two days of live music, DJs and good times, who are we to argue? Kazimier Garden, Liverpool, Thu 16-Sun 19 Jun, times vary, Free
Photo: Michael Sheerin
Sat 18 Jun
Africa Oyé
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Manchester Beer Week
The Kazimier Garden
Sat 25 Jun
A Congolese outfit from Kinshasa, Mbongwana Star have been busy racking up much critical acclaim since the release of their debut album, From Kinshasa, last year. Catch them this month before a hectic festival season snaps them up. Band on the Wall, Manchester, 7.30pm, £14
Hebden Bridge Arts Festival (an offshoot of the wider Yorkshire Festival) launches today, celebrating the culturally buzzing town with Saint Etienne (playing the Trades Club), writer and broadcaster Simon Armitage, folkstress Kate Rusby and a programme of exciting exhibitions and installations. Various venues, Hebden Bridge, until Sun 3 Jul, times and prices vary
Don’t forget The Skinny will be at this year’s Summer Arts Market, camping out with our own stall of illustrators' work while rubbing shoulders with other creative goodness from more than 100 of the region’s artists, designers and makers. Come gizza wave! St George’s Hall, Liverpool, until Sun 26 Jun, 10am, £2
Mbongwana Star
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Simon Armitage
Photo: Paul Wolfgang Webster
Fri 24 Jun
Photo: Florent de La Tullaye
Thu 23 Jun
Jess Ebsworth, showing at Summer Arts Market
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Illustration: Melissa Murphy
Compiled by: Jess Hardiman
Wed 1 Jun
Photo: Sam Huddleston
Heads Up
Tue 31 May
Sat 4 Jun
Fancy harnessing the longer days by cramming a 13-hour party into one of them? House of Wax are throwing a vinyl-only day and night Hidden Forest party this month, with dub don Mala, British-Ghanaian singer, songwriter, DJ and producer Andrew Ashong, L.I.E.S Records boss Ron Morelli and more. Hidden, Manchester, 3pm, £10-£20
Leading exponent of African cassette culture Awesome Tapes From Africa is a record label and blog from the mind of Brian Shimkovitz, who has been unearthing rare Tsonga disco, Ethio-soul and more for 10 years now – though this month sees his first bash in Leeds. The HiFi Club, Leeds, 11pm, £8-£10
It’s time for a whole weekend of outdoorsy drinking, dining and dancing as the Baltic Garden Party launches 24 Kitchen Street’s new garden space, complete with guest DJs, street food, craft beers and cocktails. Saturday keeps things electronic while Sunday takes the more laid-back avenues of funk, soul, Afro and Latin. 24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool, until Sun 5 Jun, 2pm, £5-£10
Awesome Tapes From Africa
24 Kitchen Street
Andrew Ashong
Thu 9 Jun
Fri 10 Jun
Sat 11 Jun
Studio Ghibli’s 1991 nostalgic masterpiece Only Yesterday gets the big screen treatment this month, as part of FACT’s season dedicated to the Japanese anime powerhouse. One for jaded twentysomethings wondering where all the time went. FACT Picturehouse, Liverpool, 6pm, £6-£9.50
With four days of festivities between June and July – the first two taking place this weekend – X&Y Festival is a two-pronged music festival. Lap up the sounds of The Jackobins, Honne and others this weekend, and look ahead to Beans on Toast next month. Sefton Park Palm House, Liverpool, Thu 9-Fri 10 Jun, Thu 8 & Sun 10 Jul, 6pm, £14.50-£49.50
The North’s favourite reggae festival Positive Vibration returns to Constellations for a weekend of live music, dub sound systems, food, drink, record fairs and a reggae poster exhibition, held up by huge names including Mad Professor, Trojan Sound System and Don Letts. Constellations, Liverpool, until Sat 11 Jun, times vary, £8
Whether you fancy donning your wellies for Parklife or not, the Afterlife afterparties are nothing to be sneered at. Saturday draws to a close with Preditah, Lauren Lo Sung and others, while things conclude nicely on Sunday with Jamie Jones, Eats Everything and more across the many participating venues. Various venues, Manchester, until Sun 12 Jun, times and prices vary
Mad Professor
Hidden will host two Afterlife Gregparties Wilson
Only Yesterday
The Jackobins
Photo: Niall Lea
Wed 8 Jun
Fri 17 Jun
NYC rockers Parquet Courts are out touring their latest album, Human Performance, which this ’ere magazine awarded a sturdy four stars upon its release. It seems to be less hard work than the not altogether successful experimentation of 2015 EP Monastic Living, so it'll be good to see the boys heading back in the direction we love. Invisible Wind Factory, Liverpool, 7.30pm, £12.50
It’s Liverpool’s turn to sup on some mighty fine brews, as the fourth Liverpool Craft Beer Expo swoops in. With more than 250 craft keg beers, 50 cask ales and 40 ciders to choose from, Northern favourites to look out for include Magic Rock, Summer Wine, Thornbridge, Quantum and Buxton breweries. Constellations, Liverpool, until Sun 19 Jun, times vary, £10.50-£12
Sharon Campbell and Lauren Sagar's The Chandelier of Lost Earrings comes to Rochdale today as part of Tall Tales, a national touring programme of compelling, playful works by 17 international women artists. Made entirely of lone earrings that have lost their other half, the piece is a sight to behold. Touchstones, Rochdale, until Sat 3 Sep, usual opening hours, Free
Parquet Courts
Liverpool Craft Beer Expo
Illustration: Dom Kelly
Thu 16 Jun
Photo: Stuart Moulding
Wed 15 Jun
The Chandelier of Lost Earrings
Mon 20 Jun
Tue 21 Jun
Wed 22 Jun
Back down into the basement den of laughs we trundle, ready for another round of Dead Cat Comedy Club’s MACE (Manchester’s Alternative Comedy Emporium) – this time with Joz Norris, Jenny Collier and Sean Morley joining host Red Redmond. Kosmonaut, Manchester, 8pm, £5
Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor goes it alone with his brand new EP, Piano, which sees him tinkle those ivories for a stripped-back solo show of covers, new songs and re-worked versions of his own stuff, joined by nothing but his own voice. International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, 7.30pm, £12
Portland’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra stop by, still riding high on the commercial success of last summer’s third album, Multi-Love, though hopefully also arriving armed with the sharply written gems of their earlier days like Ffunny Friends and From the Sun. Arts Club, Liverpool, 7pm, £15
Jenny Collier
Alexis Taylor
Sun 26 Jun
Mon 27 Jun
Inspired by current exhibition No Quiet Place at The Tetley, The Tetley Weekender is a new micro-festival that takes noise as a starting point, unfurling into experimental sound art, live music, a set from Trestle Records and more. The Tetley, Leeds, until Sun 26 Jun, 11am, Free
Witness the finest of Manchester’s rising talent with Chetham’s Piano Leavers’ Concert, which sees the famed music school give its senior pianists the stage for a finale befitting of their skills. You can also catch the graduating flautists on Wed 22 Jun. Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester, 7pm, £5-£6 The Tetley
June 2016
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Piano Leavers’ Concert
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Photo: Geoff Brokate
Fri 3 Jun
Photo: Stuart Moulding
Thu 2 Jun
Hot Cross Fun You may know him as Tobias Fünke from Arrested Development or for his work with Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk, but how well do you know David Cross as a standup comedian? As he brings his new show Making America Great Again! to the UK, he tells us it’s not all about Trump. Honest Interview: John Stansfield Illustrations: Camille Smithwick
A
s we come to the end of our transatlantic chat with US comedian David Cross, he is quick to add in a qualifier for those who may wish to see his latest show: “I do want to impress upon people that despite the nature of this conversation, which I was very happy to have, the evening is certainly more than just talking about politics.” For the man primarily known as Arrested Development’s blundering, closeted actor Tobias Fünke, it’s important that the audience go to his shows with no preconceptions. A tough ask, when for the past ten years the zeitgeist has viewed him as the self-applicated ‘Blue Man’ from Mitch Hurwitz’s dizzyingly brilliant dissection of the true American family, and more recently for his outing as the disaster-attracting Todd Margaret (in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret). But this is David Cross the standup, and if you’re unfamiliar with his acerbic charm then it might jar with your idea of the man in denim cut-offs suffering from the ‘never nude’ affliction. Cross’s standup is almost impossible to categorise, and his work may be shocking to
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some who are used to seeing him in the sanitised world of network television. His insightful view of a world already gone to hell is a refreshing blast of vitriolic verisimilitude that allows the audience to let their guard down – sometimes with the help of short sketches and even an inspired song or two, such as the faux Italian number he belts out at the beginning of his seminal standup special The Pride Is Back from 1999. A better opening gambit at a comedy show you will struggle to find. In his ‘comeback’ of sorts, in 2010’s Bigger and Blackerer, he employed a child actor to pretend he was Cross and then walk off stage disgusted by someone filming his show, as well as a sign-language interpreter taking liberties with his own jokes. These short skits seamlessly rolled into the overall show and harked back to Cross’s work on 90s TV series Mr Show with regular collaborator Bob Odenkirk (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul). It was a sketch show in which the sketches never seemed to end, just careen wildly into the next. The new standup show came about due to unfortunate circumstances, when Cross had to take time off from his busy schedule because of
shoulder surgery, which put him out of action for a good few months with rigorous physiotherapy. While most of us might take this as an opportunity to catch up on box sets and overeat, Cross used the ‘spare’ time to craft the most extensive tour he’s undertaken yet. After playing more than 80 dates in the States, he comes to Europe this month for a handful of performances before heading to Canada for another short run, leading up to the prestigious Just for Laughs festival in Montreal. “I knew I was going to be in one place and unable to work on other things,” he says, “so I thought, I’ll put [together] all this material I have lying around, I’ll put together a tour and I’ll do that. So that’s what I did.” Just as Cross is quick to point out that the new show isn’t all politics, he’s also keen to let us know that there are none of the aforementioned skits and sketches this time: “It’s pretty much just me, no cute little tricks or anything like that.” Still, calling the tour Making America Great Again! – a clear swipe at presidential nominee Donald J Trump (that feels horrendous to write, by the way) and his ‘Make America Great Again’
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campaign slogan – might be a little misleading for an audience expecting a counterpoint to the annoying orange of American politics. The title was born of a kind of serendipity, as Cross explains: “The booking agent said he needed a title and everything I’d think of was just too pretentious or silly. So I kept blowing it off and then he called me and said, look, I need something by the end of the day.”
“Making America Great Again! is pretty much just me, no cute little tricks or anything like that” David Cross
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Against the clock, Cross was inspired by the man who has barely been off the television since he first announced the then-ludicrous notion that he would run for the highest office in the Western world. “I think CNN was on in the house and they had Trump and I was like, oh, I’ll just call it ‘Making America Great Again!’” It’s undeniably an arresting title, though; did he fear ‘the Donald’ lawyering up for copyright infringement? “There were a number of people who were like, oh shit, I don’t want to get sued because you know he’s really litigious, and the first thing I said was, he’s just taking Reagan’s [slogan].”
“I don’t believe Trump gives a shit about America at all” David Cross
The ascent of Trump as a possible frontrunner for president (a recent poll had him leading Hillary Clinton 46% to 44% – the remaining 10% one assumes just went ahead and killed themselves after hearing the question) was an initially ridiculous idea that is fast becoming a reality, watched with white knuckles around the
world. “It’s as fascinating and scary and serious to us as it is to y’all, that’s for sure,” Cross says. The fate of America has always been viewed with keen interest by the British public, with the old adage that when America sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. Surely when America Trumps, the rest of the world will get dysentery: “It’ll probably be much worse than that.” “The one thing that’s permeated this whole thing is that, since the beginning when he declared his candidacy, we were all, oh he’ll never get anything,’’ Cross says, dismissive in his measured Georgian drawl. “Even a month ago people were like, he’ll never be president, and now they’re not so sure. Mainly because Hillary is such a weak, nationally reviled character.” Indeed, it’s not just Trump who comes in for a tongue-lashing from Cross’s notoriously brutal wit. “Just look at [Clinton’s] record. Read what she said, her position on things and then how’s she’s changed, when she’s changed, the way she’s changed,” he continues. “You don’t get a sense that it’s from the heart or from the gut. It’s more from the brain.” Cross does, however, admit that in this scenario the former secretary of state is the lesser of two evils. “As much as I really dislike Clinton, and this is way before she was a candidate – I have expressed my dislike of her and why I don’t trust her – [...] she is leaps and bounds ahead as a presidential candidate than Trump.”
A difference between Trump’s and Cross’s use of ‘Make America Great Again’ is that Cross seems to genuinely care about his country, whereas Trump, he feels, has nothing but his own best interest at heart. “First of all, I don’t think it’s about America at all,” he says [of the slogan]. “Of all the massive lies he’s sold and the shit that he’s shovelled that people are buying, the greatest one is that he’s pro-America. I don’t think he gives a shit as long as he’s doing OK, as long as his business and his brand are doing OK.” This leads to a pretty stark realisation for Cross: “I mean, even somebody like George [W] Bush, you could say that he wanted the best for America. We may disagree vehemently on what that thing was but you got the sense that in his heart, in his gut, he wanted the best for America and he thought that was the best way to go about it. I don’t believe [Trump] gives a shit about America at all. I truly don’t.” Did Cross ever think he’d lament for the days of George W Bush? “That is a bit of a shocker… I don’t think I’ll ever feel sorry for him. But I just mean, to go that far backwards from Bush... you thought he was the nadir, the lowest point.” Now that Trump pretty much has the nomination, the GOP have been quick to rally behind their new (anti)hero. “Now they’re all just falling in line with a guy they said just weeks ago was basically the devil incarnate and that he’s just an awful dumb piece of shit,” Cross says. “He’s an anti-intellectual thug and he’s literally worse than Bush intellectually and now we’re watching them all fall over themselves to kiss his ring, and
June 2016
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it just shows you how craven and venal and awful and soulless these people are. And that’s really been the saddest part of all this.” There is one man who gives Cross a little bit of hope, and he comes in the form of a 74-yearold Jewish social democrat from Brooklyn. “Oh I’m a big Bernie Sanders supporter – if nothing else it’s been really good that he’s pulled Hillary to the left,” Cross says. “It’s frustrating because I think a lot of his programmes or his ideas would resonate with those people voting for Trump but they’re...” – he strains to find the least offensive term – “...not that bright, and they just hear the dismissive stuff and think, ‘Communist!’” Cross is familiar with the work of Sanders’ counterpart on this side of the Atlantic, young upstart Jeremy Corbyn: “I’ve got a subscription to Private Eye, so I’m well aware of him. And I’m just sort of a political person by nature and curious and interested and fascinated.” At the end of our conversation there is the repeated disclaimer that “this is not a political show” – it’s just difficult, you suspect, when you’re as impassioned and intuitive as David Cross not to get carried away by the matters of the day. Today, those matters might be dominated by a certain perma-tanned comic-book villain – but if there’s one voice you should listen to on what it takes to make America great again, it’s that of the comedian, not the joke. David Cross: Making America Great Again!, Manchester Academy, 18 Jun, and Leeds O2 Academy, 23 Jun davidcrosstour2016.com
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All the Right Moves Nearly a decade after The Long Blondes split, Kate Jackson’s solo debut is an accomplished and ambitious furthering of her artistic vision. She tells us why the time was right to start making music again Interview: Gary Kaill
“I
’m fine but very tired. We’ve been driving back to Suffolk in between shows – we’ve not been staying over. I’m the driver and we didn’t get back until about 3am last night, so...” Kate Jackson laughs and well she might. But rather than nervous exhaustion, her buoyant mood is surely due to something else entirely. Speaking to The Skinny from her home in Bury St Edmunds, the former Long Blondes singer has much to celebrate. Just 24 hours since the release of her tremendous debut British Road Movies, and part way through a short run of dates to promote the album, Jackson’s critical stock is as high as it ever was: reviews have been entirely – and hugely – positive. “It’s been wonderful,” she says. “It’s more than I could ever have hoped for. I wasn’t expecting this. I was kind of expecting people to go, ‘Oh, it’s her from The Long Blondes, good record...’ and that would be it, but actually people seem to be genuinely excited to have me back. The record’s getting some great reviews and people are really getting it – really getting the track listing, the narrative, the concept, the artwork: how everything works together. I’m so happy and proud of it.” Produced by Bernard Butler and featuring his playing throughout, British Road Movies is a savvy stylistic shift away from Jackson’s work with The Long Blondes: a much more catholic set than the advanced indie of Someone to Drive You Home and the electro-influenced Century. “Yeah, a lot of that is coming from mine and Bernard’s personal musical tastes,” says Jackson. “I was only used to writing with Dorian [Cox] in The Long Blondes and we had a certain sound that the five of us made. We tried to vary it on the second album because we were listening to quite lot of Italian disco and upbeat pop at that time, whereas the first one was more of a straight up indie pop album.” “So when The Long Blondes finished, I was thinking about writing on my own but I’m not a musician. I couldn’t sit down with an acoustic guitar or at a piano and start writing a song. I need to write in collaboration with somebody else. So I went to Rough Trade and spoke to them and I said to them, ‘Look, I’d really, really like to write with Bernard Butler.’ I’ve always admired him, Suede were my favourite band as a teenager and I knew that they managed him. I didn’t know that he would say yes, but fortunately he did and we got on very well. It’s resulted in this quite eclectic record but I think it hangs together on Bernard’s guitar playing, Bernard’s production and my vocal and the lyrics. It does work.” It does, work, no doubt, and credit to Butler, whose continuing collaborative endeavours work on the basis of a shared vision rather than typical muso-for-hire contracting. “Yes, he is very good at that,” agrees Jackson. “He brings ideas out of you that you might not even
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know are there. But he does it in a very subtle way. I’d say that 80% of the time when we wrote together, something good would come out of it. The demos for Wonder Feeling and Metropolis were made on the first day, in our first writing session, or was it the second? But we had a real chemistry, I think, which is quite a difficult thing to find. I’ve done lots of writing sessions with other people since then and it’s never been quite as good.”
“I was only used to writing with Dorian; we had a certain sound that the five of us made” Kate Jackson
Aside from its compelling narrative and thirst for melody, British Road Movies showcases the Jackson voice in a way her previous recordings only hinted at. Testing her range with real courage sees her emerge as a genuinely accomplished singer. Did the personal nature of the songs help with that? “Yeah, definitely. Songs like Velvet Sofa and 16 Years are very personal. On this record, I wrote all the lyrics, whereas with The Long Blondes, Dorian wrote most of the lyrics and I wrote one or two songs on each album. It was very much Dorian’s band, so I didn’t always get to write a narrative from my point of view. But on this record, I did, and I could explore things that had actually happened to me.” “So, for example, 16 Years is a song about friendship, a song about my best friend, Erica, who I’ve known now for 25 years. But there was a period in our lives where we lost touch for a few years while she went to university in London and I went up to Sheffield. And when we met up again, she’d had a really hard time and I realised that she was a completely different person. A lot of stuff had happened and I felt awful, and I swore that I’d never lose her again. So it’s about that, really. I had to stop myself crying it when I was singing it live yesterday. So, yes, I’m glad to hear that comes across in the way it’s sung, as well.” 16 Years is a stirring spoken word piece with a nod to classic girl groups, but also a hint of Debbie Harry’s The End of the Run from her Def, Dumb & Blonde album. “Yeah! Lovely. Brilliant, brilliant song. Love it.” With a lyric sheet that deserves proper investigation, much of the album shares that same
visual dynamic. No surprise, perhaps, as Jackson makes her primary living these days from painting (her work adorns the album cover and inner sleeve.) “Yes, well that’s the point in some ways. Bernard’s got this very cinematic production sound anyway and I do write visually. I do see in images rather than words, a lot of the time. When Bernard and I were writing, he would come up with a piece of music and he might play it over and over again. I would be sitting there listening to it and the images were coming to me from the music he was playing. And I was writing them down almost in a stream of consciousness.” “Homeward Bound is, basically, a poem about the Suffolk landscape and driving through it, because that was what that guitar riff evoked in me when he played it. And that was a very immediate thing. I edited it a little bit, but not very much, really.” Homeward Bound’s roaring guitar riff is classic Suede – Jackson allowed him one, right? “Yeah! Well, there’s a great story about that riff and the guitar he played it on. I don’t know if I should tell you.” Too late. “Well, that guitar riff was written on a guitar that was given to him by Johnny Marr, who is his guitar hero. And he was playing it, just strumming away, and he
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came up with that riff and he said, ‘Oh, I always play good stuff on this guitar because it’s Johnny Marr’s guitar.’ He’ll hate me for telling you that.” As we wind up, Jackson reflects on the practical difficulties of being based in East Anglia and having to plan gigs around her backing band’s full-time jobs (The Wrong Moves are, ostensibly, Horse Party, an excellent guitar act in their own right and deserving of broader acclaim). But she’s excited about the coming months: “My focus is on this record now and I’ll record an EP of new songs with The Wrong Moves in the summer. I’ve got a real backlog of songs, so I’m keen to get as many recorded as possible.” We finish by pondering a recent Twitter comment where somebody had reckoned that the worst thing about being in a band was surely having to go out every night. Jackson laughs but dismisses it as someone who’s been there, done that. “Oh, I don’t think that’s the worst thing about being in a band. Trust me!” Kate Jackson and The Wrong Moves play The Picturehouse Social, Sheffield on 5 Jun. British Road Movies is out now via Hoo Ha Records katejackson.co.uk
THE SKINNY
Birmingham Repertory Theatre, in association with Ramps On The Moon, presents
RNCM Thu 02 Jun MARTIN & ELIZA CARTHY Sat 04 Jun RNCM SESSION ORCHESTRA
by Nikolai Gogol | Adapted by David Harrower
Sat 11 Jun JULIAN ARGÜELLES TETRA Wed 22 Jun COLIN CURRIE Fri 24 and Sat 25 Jun RNCM BIG BAND & SINGERS TOO DARN HOT
“HILARIOUS” “DON’T MISS IT” “FANTASTIC” “VERY FUNNY” What’s On Stage
The Stage
The Reviews Hub
Birmingham Mail
Wed 1 Jun to Sat 11 Jun LIVERPOOL
Tickets £24 - £9.50*
*A £2 transaction fee applies to all non-cash payments. Box Office 0151 709 4776 Ticket prices are subject to change. For current prices please visit our website or contact the Box Office. everymanplayhouse.com Oye-126x155-advert:Layout 1 26/4/16 17:35 Page 1
WED 18 MAY
7pm
THU 19 MAY
7pm
SPRING KING EMMA POLLOCK SAT 21 MAY
2pm
MICHAEL SUTTHAKORN (IN AID OF TEENAGE CANCER TRUST)
TUE 24 MAY
7pm
WED 25 MAY
7pm
WED 25 MAY
7pm
THU 26 MAY
7pm
SUN 29 MAY
7pm
WED 1 JUNE
10pm · 18+
THU 2 JUNE
7pm SOLD
WE CAME AS ROMANS & MISS MAY I AS IT IS
BEN WATT BAND FEAT. BERNARD BUTLER
Fri 01 Jul FRITZ LANG’S METROPOLIS FILM SCREENING WITH LIVE ORGAN SCORE
BEN CAPLAN & THE CASUAL SMOKERS
Wed 20 Jul SUN KIL MOON
GOLDTEETH SUMMER CARNIVAL
Sat 23 Jul
MANCHESTER JAZZ FESTIVAL
THOMAS DE POURQUERY: SUPERSONIC PLAY SUN RA (UK PREMIÈRE) Tue 26 Jul
MANCHESTER JAZZ FESTIVAL
THE IMPOSSIBLE GENTLEMEN Wed 27 Jul
MANCHESTER JAZZ FESTIVAL
IRWIN MITCHELL MJF ORIGINALS 2016 BEN COTTRELL: NEW SEEING (WORLD PREMIÈRE)
Wed 31 Aug SAM BEAM & JESCA HOOP Mon 12 Sep JIMMY WEBB Sat 22 Oct GONDWANA RECORDS PRESENTS MATTHEW HALSALL & THE GONDWANA ORCHESTRA Tue 01 Nov AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM
HANDS LIKE HOUSES
SAT 4 JUNE
7pm
WAVE WEEKEND TUE 7 JUNE 7pm
NORMA JEAN MON 20 JUNE
7pm
BOYSETSFIRE TUE 21 JUNE
7pm
WED 22 JUNE
7pm
NAPOLEON UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA SAT 25 JUNE
10pm · 18+
DJ PREMIER FRI 15 JULY
7pm
SPACE & STEPHEN LANDSTAFF + SATIN BEIGE TUE 19 JULY 7pm
AREA 11 SUN 17 JULY
7pm
RAGING SPEEDHORN TUE 9 AUG 7pm
BIG D & THE KIDS TABLES WED 10 AUG 7pm
SARA BETH & GLEN MITCHELL TUE 6 SEPT
7pm
THU 8 SEPT
7pm
BROKEN BRASS ENSEMBLE ELEANOR FRIEDBURGER THU 15 SEPT
7pm
THE SHERLOCKS
Tue 08 Nov SETH LAKEMAN
SAT 17 SEPT
Wed 09 Nov IAN HUNTER & THE RANT BAND
WED 28 SEPT
Fri 18 Nov BILLY BRAGG & JOE HENRY
OUT
SUNDARA KHARMA
7pm
MOON HOOCH (RESCHEDULED FROM 31 MAY) 7pm
JAKE QUICKENDEN SAT 1 OCT
7pm
ELVANA - THE WORLD’S FINEST ELVIS FRONTED TRIBUTE TO NIRVANA
MON 11 JULY at 7pm
africaoye
June 2016
BOX OFFICE 0161 907 5555 www.rncm.ac.uk RNCM, 124 OXFORD RD, MANCHESTER, M13 9RD
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Celebrating the final year work from across Visual Arts, Graphic Design, Fashion: Image Making and Styling, Interior Design and Photography. The opening night will also feature live bands and performances, with food and drinks provided by Soup Kitchen.
10 June – 17 June 2016 Preview: 9 June 2016, 5:30-9:00pm
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GISELLE THE ICONIC BALLET, REIMAGINED
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WORLD PREMIERE 27 SEP – 1 OCT
Book now ballet.org.uk
Dancer: Tamara Rojo. Photo © Jason Bell. Art Direction and design: Charlotte Wilkinson Studio.
AKRAM KHAN’S
THE SKINNY
Evolve or Die After ambitious experiments and “vitriolic” reviews, Parquet Courts aren’t about your approval. Austin Brown tells The Skinny about the band’s push for progress Interview: Katie Hawthorne
‘N
othing lasts but nearly everything lingers in life,’ sings Andrew Savage, sagely, on Parquet Courts’ recent single Berlin Got Blurry. That wisdom certainly holds true for reputations. Since the New York band’s album Light Up Gold took off in 2013, a ‘slacker’ genre tag and comparisons to Pavement have lingered with the persistence of a particularly pungent whiff. Usually a Malkmus-endorsed Pavement reference is a wonderful thing; the only problem is that Parquet Courts find their influences by looking forwards, not back. In a 2014 interview with The Skinny, co-vocalist and guitarist Austin Brown spoke of the band – himself, brothers Andrew and Max Savage, and Sean Yeaton – as taking “more deliberate” steps to throw off any prescriptive expectations from fans or critics. Later that year, a brief name change to Parkay Quarts for an album experiment titled Content Nausea provoked the NME to ask, “Who are [they], and what have they done with the real Parquet Courts?” More recently still, the band released two records in the space of six months. Between the divisive EP Monastic Living (November 2015) and their most commercially successful album to date, Human Performance (April 2016), Parquet Courts have taken affirmative action in “putting those expectations to bed.” Revisiting these questions of representation, Brown remains admirably patient. “We never try to describe ourselves in a way that means we have a mission statement,” he explains, steadily. “Or, to have like, an ultimate version of Parquet Courts that means we define ourselves in certain terms, or release certain kinds of records – we’ve done all kinds of songs and records! But for me, that makes it interesting.” He firmly reiterates that the band have never been interested in “deliberately trying to confuse people, or making any kind of statement.” They work within a simple brief: “We try to stay interesting, we just try to make sure that each song, each record we write is developing and evolving, and moving in a certain direction. Maybe they could just call us a good… or even great, interesting band! With good songs! That’s how I’d liked to be described.” When the Monastic Living EP dropped with little warning last November, it was received with excitement – which rapidly boiled over
June 2016
into a steamy serving of disapproval. A scathing Pitchfork review (“wordless... also tuneless”) became the go-to judgement on the largely instrumental, aggressively ambient record. Brown hesitates slightly when the conversation turns to the EP, with understandable caution. “We really didn’t consider that it would be reviewed, honestly,” he says. “We didn’t really make it under the impression that people would be… upset. “We were trying to clean the slate a little. Do some experiments, have fun. We like music that is instrumental and droney and noisy. I felt that people that like the same kind of music that we do, or like the same bands that we do would get it, and be into it?” Brown laughs, a lot. “But what we found was that it drew a really interesting line in between the fairweather indie rock fans and people who maybe understand us on a deeper level. I really appreciate [Monastic Living] for that reason, because I thought it was hilarious when people hated it. It wasn’t some grand statement – it was something we made that we liked, and we felt was right in our wheelhouse. But when people hated it I realised that it was actually important. The vitriol that was written about that record is really what defines it as a success for me.” It’s easy to see how a listener expecting more of the same band that made Light Up Gold, or the early 2014 follow-up, Sunbathing Animal, would have found it a turbulent change in atmosphere. Parquet Courts’ earlier releases are punk in ethos, with brutal but immediate interplay between raw guitar lines and observational, blunt vocal delivery. Tough in spirit, but still moreish in delivery, they offer a considerable contrast to Monastic Living’s lack of discernable hooks. But, as a snapshot of the band’s sonic experiments and considerable ambition, the EP stands firm as a valuable, important milestone. What’s more, Monastic Living’s crowd-splitter isn’t as removed from Human Performance’s commercial success as some fans would have you believe: it was recorded in many of the same studio sessions. The band’s fifth LP took an entire year to write and record, a task of a whole different stature than their usual couple-ofweeks process, and as Brown describes it, that decision was entirely intentional. “We’ve learned how to write a Parquet Courts song. And how to write a Parquet Courts
record.” Brown pauses, for comedic effect. “And I think a lot of other bands have learned how to write a Parquet Courts song, too! I’ve heard a few that are getting a little too close for comfort. But it’s hard to know what the next step to take is. It’s not easy, going into the studio and saying, ‘Alright, we’ll write a new kind of song.’ We wanted to evolve the sound of the group. We wanted to not repeat ourselves. We took the amount of time that we did because we were trying to do something new. Through time, you gain perspective.”
“It’s not easy, going into the studio and saying, ‘Alright, we’ll write a new kind of song’” Austin Brown
The end result of all that time and space is Parquet Courts’ most melodic, most ambitious record to date. A discussion of identity, human behaviours and the transience of New York City told through spaghetti western balladry, echoing soundscapes, experimental percussion and savvy, spoken-word rock’n’roll, Human Performance rings with the sound of a band firmly avoiding their own expectations. As Brown remembers, “It was all about understanding that it’s okay not to be comfortable with the kind of song that you’re making. So many songs we’d record, and it was like, ‘I like it… but it doesn’t sound like us.’ But when the record was done, I was like, ‘Okay, this sounds like us on a different trip’ – but it still sounds like Parquet Courts.” Asking Brown which songs felt particularly dangerous results in a list comprising nearly half of the album: “Dust, and Captive of the Sun. One Man, No City. It’s Gonna Happen. Already Dead… Steady on my Mind! Yeah, these are all songs that have a very different kind of instrumentation, and it was risky to go with them – for me that became very important. I think we realised that
MUSIC
you can be clear with the lyrics, and not miss the point of the song.” Human Performance portrays the many faces of New York, from the serious subject matter of Two Dead Cops to the comedic frustration of a favourite take-out having closed shop on I Was Just Here. Rather than examining the city, though, it takes a closer look at the humans swarming its streets. With such a title, it seems obvious to ask if the band are avid people watchers? Brown laughs. “Weeelll... you’re not wrong! A human performance is something that people do every day. It’s about a person performing as human – the way that you perform the act of being yourself, and the way that you perform for other people because you want to be perceived a certain way. Sometimes you believe you’re acting sincere, but maybe noone believes you? You can start to question a lot of things… Who am I? I’m not the person they’re telling me I am, I’m not the asshole they’re seeing… so how do I act good? You can find it on a song like One Man, No City – what am I, if I’m not my home and what I surround myself with? Where do I belong, if I don’t feel like I belong at home?” Sometimes such acute self-scrutiny results in introspection; in Parquet Courts it manifests as formidable, brilliant ambition. “You know, when we first started the band our goal was to write and record a record, have that record released on a label – release it ourselves, and go on a tour we booked ourselves. We did that. That was Light Up Gold.” Brown pauses for breath. “Our most recent goal was to spend a year making a record, and have it be a different kind of record, and have it be more successful than our previous records. We did that. Continuing to evolve the group, to stay interesting – to ourselves, most of all, but ideally to other people listening… that’s really it. I wish I could say that we hope to write a classic record; I don’t know if that’s really possible, but, I mean, that’s what’s always in the back of my mind. But in the forefront of my mind? It’s just about moving forward.” Playing Invisible Wind Factory, Liverpool on 15 Jun; The Wardrobe, Leeds on 17 Jun and Gorilla, Manchester on 18 Jun. Human Performance is out now via Rough Trade parquetcourts.wordpress.com
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Wait, What Happened to the Mermaids? A new touring exhibition, Tall Tales, showcases 17 artists whose work has a playful edge. With a love of mermaids, lions and risky installations, California-based artist Lila de Magalhaes certainly lives up to the brief
uring installation of the Tall Tales exhibition at the Freud Museum, London, Lila de Magalhaes, a graduate of Glasgow School of Art and now based in LA, spent a lot of time on the phone to the curators discussing the problems of water. More specifically, leakage. One of her works, two small clay mermaids contained within a water-filled plastic bag, were due to be installed directly above Sigmund Freud’s office – the one furnished with the famous couch and desk used in his psychoanalysis. “They were a bit freaked out,” says De Magalhaes. “I installed a similar piece recently and there was always a hole in the bag, somewhere always a tiny hole. After those conversations I kept on thinking I could potentially flood Freud’s study – everything just turned so symbolic and I became obsessed with the idea of these mermaids and this water penetrating the very place where he did all his work and formulated his thoughts. The work is so female, you know, if it had happened it would have been a cheeky wink – kind of like, ha ha, I got you!” Thankfully for all concerned, the water and the mermaids have stayed in the bag. Freud’s ancient wooden statuette of a Chinese sage remains unbothered by these fishy, genital-free seductresses for another day. De Magalhaes is just one of 17 artists whose work was on show at the Freud Museum (with offsite work at Swiss Cottage Gallery and the Tavistock Clinic) during April and May as part of touring exhibition Tall Tales, which continues its journey North at the start of July, arriving at Touchstones, Rochdale, on the 3rd and then moving on to Glasgow Women’s Library for October. The exhibition/project comes from curatorial duo Helen and Elizabeth Wewiora, operating under the title Wewiora Projects, with the intention of showcasing “women artists” who employ a “playful use of storytelling in the making of their work.” A diverse set of artists has been collected together with some work created during
dedicated Tall Tales residencies. Ruth Barker spent a period of time working with the Freud Museum and its collections. The resulting performance, using items such as Anna Freud’s jewellery, was staged in the Freud’s family dining room in April. London-based Beth Collar undertook her residency with the Glasgow Women’s Library and the resulting sculptural work explores the politics of the female frown, or furrowed brow, in contemporary and historical imagery. Barker has also devised a new performance which will act as the inauguration or blessing ritual for the newly opened Glasgow Women’s Library gallery in October. Elsewhere in the exhibition we find screaming-faced totem poles, beefcakey men posing on the beach, and shavings of a grandfather’s beard. Each work has a story that can be unravelled; visual clues for a wider web of narratives. One of the most interesting aspects of touring exhibitions is the ability to experience and re-contextualise certain works within different environments over a relatively short space of time. The Touchstones leg of the tour is particularly interesting as the gallery is, perhaps, the tour’s least known venue nationally and relatively quiet about its commitment to the collecting and displaying of work by female artists. During the Tall Tales exhibition period another, longerrunning show, Women Artists: From 1861 to 2015, showcases the art gallery’s long interest in how gender has played a role in the production of art. This question, for me, seems central to Tall Tales. The exhibition blurb describes the show distinctly as one of “women artists” which, of course, comes with particular connotations to do with style, medium and a certain art-historical narrative. It would be easy to frame the artists’ work in the show in this context but I’m not sure that is entirely helpful. Tall Tales is also simply a group show that includes 17 artists making work, unsurprisingly, from a female perspective. “It’s a minefield, really tricky,” says De Magalhaes. “A friend asked me recently what I thought about the term ‘female artist’ but
Lila de Magalhaes - Lady and the Lion
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Alison Erika Forde - Shame Pole
I certainly don’t make it my agenda to make work about woman. That being said, I make work about things that personally interest me and I happen to be female. I’m really drawn to things that are seen as feminine because, for me, they seem to be a little scarier, more uncomfortable and sensual.” The mermaid motif, then, seems fitting. “I think a lot of my work looks at behaviour, and what kind of line [there is] between human and animal and of learned behaviour,” De Magalhaes says. “There are these ideas of following certain impulse[s] or sensuality. I’m not particularly talking about gender in terms of sensuality, it’s not really based on distinctions of male or female or even autobiographical. “I was excited to be in a show with Laure Prouvost because she represents a lot of those things that I’m trying to express and explore, like pleasure or trying to recreate a sensation visually. She’s kind of a little contemporary hero of mine.
“There’s always a hole in the bag, somewhere always a tiny hole...” Lila de Magalhaes
Photo: Liz Wewiora
D
“What interests me about the idea of the mermaid is that it’s so loaded,” she continues. “Obviously it’s half human, half animal, but then there’s something very super-sexual about them. You know, from watching The Little Mermaid as a kid – Ariel has this stunning shape and her tits are out or whatever but then there’s no genitals. Then looking back at ideas of the mermaid as this siren, seductress – so dangerous and so attractive. There is so much going on with that idea, but then” – she laughs – “at the end of the day my mermaids are just these small objects in a plastic bag.” The mythology, or story, in the mermaid narrative and the idea of how you express sensuality are also key to De Magalhaes’ other work on display as part of Tall Tales, Same Together (The Lady and the Lion). This framed oil pastel drawing depicts a white lion being cradled by a woman, based on De Magalhaes’ favourite artworks. “The lion was a very romantic homage to my favourite piece of art by Terry Bowden,” she says. “I bought it in Oakland at Creative Growth, which is a place where people with disabilities make and exhibit their work. They are really well known in the field of outsider art, actually the guy that
ART
runs The Museum of Everything bought their entire archive. The quality is so good. When we visited, there was this lion in their gallery show and I became really obsessed with it. I was becoming, as happens sometimes, kind of disillusioned with art and then the power the lion had on me reinforced some sort of belief that an image can have such an effect on someone. I kept on calling the gallery and asking them if it was still available and eventually my friends said, please just buy the lion so you can stop talking about it!” De Magalhaes owned the lion, but somehow that wasn’t enough. “It’s like when you see something and you just want to feel what it’s like to make that thing. I guess that’s how you start making art – when you’re younger it’s, oh, that’s a beautiful crown, I want to make my own, and then at art school you start copying Old Masters.” The girl in the picture isn’t the artist herself. “It’s not really a self-portrait,” she says. “It doesn’t look like me but in some ways I’m inserting myself into the original artwork – holding the thing I love and wanting to be close to it. “Another interesting thing for me is that it doesn’t feel like contemporary art, it’s a little high-school – not very cool at all. Like it’s made by a hobby or thrift store artist. There is something very uncomfortable about the materiality of it. I feel like it might make other people looking at it a little uncomfortable too, and that’s always a good sign. It’s a way to be a little provocative without going all-out in a specific way, for example with violence or sex. Just a little irritant somehow, existing in quite an unrestful place. I like that. “I think I’m always trying to not let things get in the way of my work, even the things I learned in art school. I’m trying to free myself from a lot of things I thought I should be as an artist and how I should work.” Living in LA, De Magalhaes unfortunately won’t get to see how her work shifts and changes as the Tall Tales exhibition rolls on – “I’m following it online, which is really unsatisfying!” she laughs – but she is super busy working on other projects in the US, with an upcoming exhibition on a beach in San Diego (“I’m making a kind of still life from wax fruits, the idea is that they will be getting sunburned on the beach”) and intentions to further explore her relationship with the white lion. “He’s becoming this mythological figure in my work,” she says, “but I don’t want to let it become too fantastical. He needs to be brought back to reality. Maybe he needs to be brushing my teeth.” Tall Tales runs from 2 July to 3 September at Touchstones Gallery and Museum, Rochdale talltalestouring.com | lilademagalhaes.com
THE SKINNY
Photo: Liz Wewiora
Interview: Sacha Waldron
Liverpool Biennial 2016
Re ember the futu e Festival of Contemporary Art 9 July – 16 October Free www.biennial.com
#Biennial2016 @biennial @liverpoolbiennial
A M Y
Liverpool Biennial is funded by Founding Supporter James Moores
C O N G DON’ S
THE
SHOW R OOM
09.06.16 – 28.08.16
Manchester Craft & Design Centre 17 Oak Street, Manchester M4 5JD Free launch event 09.06.16 with refreshments and music from resident DJ Ailsa McLaggan from Living Room Dance Club
June 2016
Images © Amy Congdon
craftanddesign.com #BiologicalAtelier
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Take It Outside There’s no need to stay stuck inside this summer with our guide to some of the best outdoor theatre and festivals over the coming months – from open-air Shakespeare, to books coming to life in botanical gardens...
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et’s face it, you don’t want to be stuck indoors in the summer – even in the wet and windy North. This means that theatre probably isn’t the first thing you think of when it comes to fun in the sun. Sandals, spade, bucket... theatre tickets? No thank you. But you’d be wrong, because never has there been more drama to enjoy outdoors and in unusual places than right now. Site-specific and outdoor work is in vogue, which means 2016 is the year when you can see Shakespeare and still get a sun tan. There’s all kinds of work on offer this season, from Stig of the Dump at the Open Air Theatre in Chester to David Walliams’ book Ratburger in a brand-new stage adaptation. And of course it wouldn’t be summer without festivals, so we’ve thrown a few of those into our guide for good measure. Enjoy! Much Ado About Nothing Where: Speke Hall, Liverpool When: 22 June, 7pm Why: The Lord Chamberlain’s Men specialise in outdoor shows, so where better to start than with their comic romp through Much Ado About Nothing, complete with Edwardian clothes? Should I compare thee to a summer’s day? No, but bring a picnic blanket to sit on and relax in the gardens of the sumptuous Speke Hall. tlcm.co.uk Ratburger Where: Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens, Manchester When: 29-31 July, 6.30pm (Saturday matinee 2pm) Why: When comedian David Walliams first turned his attention to children’s books, we were sceptical – it sounded like another celebrity cash-in *cough* Madonna *cough*. But it turns
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Feature
Words: Andrew Anderson Illustration: Ria Fell
out he’s actually rather good, as this adaptation of his bestseller Ratburger, produced by Heartbreak Productions, shows. It tells the tale of young animal fanatic Zoe and her adventures, complete with lots of gross bits. This one is worth watching whether you’re a young or old fan of Walliams’ work. heartbreakproductions.co.uk As You Like It & Stig of the Dump Where: Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Chester When: As You Like It: dates between 1 July-21 August, 2pm, 4.30pm, 7.30pm. Stig of the Dump: dates between 9 July-21 August, 2pm, 4.30pm Why: No, this isn’t the most bizarre double bill in history – we just couldn’t choose between Shakespeare and Stig. Of course, with this year marking a big Shakespeare anniversary (400 years since his death), there’s plenty of the Bard’s best bits on this summer, but this particular one features the favourite ‘All the world’s a stage’ monologue. And Stig of the Dump – what’s not to love about Clive King’s grubby caveman hero? grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk Greater Manchester Fringe Where: Various, Manchester When: 1-31 July Why: OK, OK, so some of this definitely isn’t outdoors, but it wouldn’t be a theatre-lovin’ summer without a fringe festival. Our advice: save yourself the trip to Edinburgh and take in all of the amazing theatre Manchester has to offer. Hot tips include Dan Wallace (aka Anna Phylactic) in Die Diana at Bandit Mugger & Thief; The Sketch Men: Attempted Jokes at Joshua Brooks; and Aspects of Ageing at the King’s Arms. greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk
The Ring Cycle Where: The Lowry, Salford When: Dates between 13-18 June, various times Why: If the last entry was cheating then this is definitely tenuous, but hear us out: while the location isn’t unusual, the content certainly is. When mixing with cultural bigwigs you’ll no longer need to pretend you’ve heard Wagner’s Ring Cycle in full (the musical equivalent to reading War and Peace without skipping a page). Not for those with a short attention span, and no – it isn’t just like the Bugs Bunny bit where Elmer Fudd sings ‘Kill the Wabbit’ along to Ride of the Valkyries. theringcycle.co.uk A Midsummer Night’s Dream Where: Chorlton Park, Manchester When: 18 June, 11am, 7.30pm Why: If ever a play were made for the great outdoors then it is this one. Kings and queens quarrel, Puck runs riot and puns aplenty are made in this comic classic produced by outdoor experts Plays in the Park. playsinthepark.co.uk Shiny New Festival Where: Lantern Theatre, Liverpool When: 15-24 July Why: Held at Liverpool’s fringe favourite, the Lantern Theatre, Shiny New Festival offers both theatre shows and standup. Highlights include comedian Harriet Dyer, who is amazing; Pond Wife (an eccentric reimagining of The Little Mermaid); and spy thriller The Communist Threat from Rusted Dust. Following the recent news that Lantern Theatre is on the move, this will be the last big event in the current venue and is set to be the best Shiny New Festival to date. thelanterntheatre.co.uk
THEATRE
Manchester Histories Festival Where: Various, Manchester When: 3-12 June Why: Sure, we all want to have a good time – but why not learn something while you’re at it? That’s exactly the spirit behind Manchester Histories Festival, which this year includes walks, talks, theatre and photography. LipService Theatre are doing a piece at Cross Street Chapel that looks promising, while local singing legend Jennifer Reid is performing ballads at Band on the Wall. manchesterhistories.co.uk
“2016 is the year when you can see Shakespeare and still get a sun tan” Declaration Where: The Lowry, Salford When: 23-24 June, 8pm Why: We’ve thrown this one in for those of you who are prone to sun burn and need to get back inside – and also because we couldn’t bear to leave off this list the incredible performer that is Sarah Emmott. Her powerful autobiographical piece takes the audience on a colourful and candid exploration of what ADHD is, and what it means for those who live with it. If the previews are anything to go by then it’s going to be great. thelowry.com/event/declaration Find more previews, reviews and interviews at theskinny. co.uk/theatre
THE SKINNY
The Princess and the Flea Italian director Matteo Garrone discusses his passion for reinventing fairy tales with a contemporary twist
T
ale of Tales features Salma Hayek devouring a bloody heart and Toby Jones nurturing a monstrous pet flea – probably not images you expect to see in a new fantasy film. But Tale of Tales isn’t your average Hollywood fairy tale. It’s directed by Italian filmmaker Matteo Garrone, who came to UK audiences’ attention with his thrilling Neapolitan crime drama Gomorrah. His next feature, Reality, a satirical take on the Italian version of Big Brother, took a different direction, exploring a man’s obsession with obtaining fame at all costs – it won Garrone the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2012. Tale of Tales, which marks Garrone’s English-language debut, shows the director’s versatility going in yet another new direction, presenting a fantastical, interwoven trio of grotesque, often humorous fairy tales. Garonne’s source material is a relatively unknown fairy tale collection written by 17thcentury Neapolitan aristo Giambattista Basile. The tales are a weird and wonderful blend of lesser-known and famous fables that have been passed down through the years and include versions of classics like Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel – beating the Brothers Grimm to the punch by 150 years. “The stories were so full of action and perfect for cinematic adaptation,” begins Garrone, who is talking to The Skinny over the phone from his home in Rome. “I was surprised, when I read Basile’s book, by the power of the stories and the visual possibilities.” Basile’s stories were introduced to Garrone by an artist friend and he felt that they were perfect for his next feature. The challenge was whittling down the 150-plus stories into a cohesive narrative. “We started developing the script with six or seven and then we decided to choose the point of view of women who are at different ages
June 2016
Interview: Joseph Walsh
[in life].” The women that Garrone is referring to are played by a stellar cast of actors from around the world including Salma Hayek, Shirley Henderson, Hayley Carmichael and newcomer Bebe Cave. The script being in the English language afforded the director a greater pool of talent to pick from, and also would allow him to get his work seen by a wider audience. He also managed to snag a worthy male cast, which includes the eclectic talents of Vincent Cassel (appropriately cast as a lothario king with dubious morals), Toby Jones (flea exit stage left) and John C Reilly.
“People often ask, ‘How is it possible for you to make a movie so different from your other films?’” Matteo Garrone
The film may be set in a magical kingdom far, far away, but the stories chime with many contemporary issues. Gender politics abound, as does a critique of society’s ongoing obsession with youth, stretching farther afield to universal themes of loss, longing and fear. For Garrone, this is where the appeal lay: he was able to explore contemporary problems within a fantastical setting but also hold on to the reality that
made them relatable to modern audiences. “What I like about these stories,” says Garrone, “is that the moral is sometimes utterly unpredictable. You never know how it’s going to end.” Garrone, like Basile, wanted to showcase the full range of human experiences, balancing the comic and tragic. “For me, it is how Basile mixed the grotesque aspects [of his stories] and, at the same time, manages to show the humanity of his characters.” Tale of Tales isn’t for the faint of heart and is as far from the family-friendly fare of Disney’s Frozen or Tangled as you can get. Garrone has retained the grisly nature of the original material because it inherently captures the broad reality of life, albeit presented in an extreme version. “Basile took tales that were popular in the medieval period, which explains why they are so dark because it was a violent world.” Actions in this world have horrible consequences, and human fallibility is everywhere. It is a world where princes are far from charming and old crones will stab their sister in the back for the chance of bedding a king. Garrone’s approach to the material wasn’t all that different from how he tackled Gomorrah and Reality, although he admits that viewers may not see the link so easily. “People often ask, ‘How is it possible for you to make a movie so different from your other films?’” he chuckles down the line. “I used to start from the observation of reality and then bring this reality into a fantastical dimension. For instance, Gomorrah was a type of dark fairy tale that talks about violence against kids. Reality starts like a fairy tale with a carriage that goes into a castle. In this movie, I began with fantastic and magical tales and tried to bring them a dimension of reality.” In other words, Garrone is wrestling with the same themes he has always wrestled with.
FILM
“Human problems and human conflict are universal and modern themes. When I made this movie, the setting was the 17th century but, for me, the themes are now. I shot it like it was a movie talking about me, and the people I know.” For Garrone, he’s more interested in the psychological journey that his characters are on, not their historical context. Basile wasn’t Garrone’s only source of inspiration. Within this collection of stories, he knew the potential of their inherent theatricality, and references how Italian author Italo Calvino saw Basile as the ‘Neapolitan Shakespeare.’ “As a writer of the 17th century, Basile is connected, in a way, to Shakespeare. The stories are very theatrical; you can feel the theatre behind it.” This sense of theatre was as important to Garonne as the inner journey of his characters. “We wanted to show audiences that what they are seeing is believable, but also, at the same time, is a type of theatrical, artificial representation.” While the dramatic element was key, Garrone is a visual director and he turned to his other passion, fine art, for inspiration. “If I had to name one inspiration it would be Goya,” he says. “The drawings of Los Caprichos were always in front of me in preparation for this movie, because I found in these pictures the soul of the tales of Basile – the supernatural dimension and its link to realism.” After discussing the various directions his work has gone in, we finish on where his next project will take him. “I would like to make another movie in this direction, but at the same time doing something different, keeping it connected to this experience.” Garrone is a director who always keeps us guessing. We look forward to seeing where his next flight of fancy takes us. Tale of Tales is released 17 Jun by Curzon/Artificial Eye
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Blood and Guts Deftones’ Chino Moreno meditates on creative tension, artistic accessibility and why eschewing populism has served the Sacramento survivors well
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reposterously, Deftones have been recording and playing together for 28 years. If you do the maths – bearing in mind that the three remaining original members, Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham, are all in their early to mid-40s – you come to realise that the shapeshifting mavericks were teenagers when they first started out. Normally, you’d talk about a band like this purely in terms of staying power; you’d talk about how remarkable it is that they’re still doing anything together, and marvel at the fact that so long in the spotlight hasn’t eroded personal and professional bonds. The thing is, it’s not just that Deftones are still going; it’s that, nearly three decades in, they have very much found yet another creative stride. How many other bands, this far in, can lay similar claim to being in the form of their lives? The Rolling Stones might be past their half-century, but they haven’t made a truly indispensable album in more than four decades. With the release of Gore, though, Sacramento’s premier purveyors of atmospheric metal have now cut three LPs since 2010, each of which you could present a compelling case for being the strongest they’ve ever produced. Out of turbulence (the band’s well-documented fall-out around the sessions for 2006 album Saturday Night Wrist, which they’ve long since overcome) and tragedy (bassist Chi Cheng’s 2008 car crash, long-term coma and subsequent death five years later), we find ourselves in the midst of Deftones’ most potent run of records. Early omens for Gore, though, seemed ominous, after guitarist Carpenter suggested in the press that it wasn’t the kind of record that he wanted to make. “I was like, ‘Motherfucker, those are some of your songs!’” laughs Moreno over a transatlantic phone line. “It took me a long time to get into his shit on this record, too, but that’s what I love about him; he questions everything, basically, and that’s a good trait. It drives me fucking crazy, sometimes, but it stops any of us from sliding towards complacency. It’s challenging, but it’s not what people have made it out to be.” Fresh tactics in the studio The ingrained belief among listeners has long been that Carpenter, a hulking, hirsute figure with an uncompromising approach to the volume dial, is very much the ‘metal’ guy in the band, and that Moreno, a man with considerably broader musical tastes and a style of delivery that can flip between sensual and savage in an instant, is the mellower, more melodic counterpoint to Carpenter’s appetite for sonic brutality. Somewhere in between, as the story goes, the creative magic happens. This might, The Skinny suggests, do a disservice to the rest of the group. “Definitely,” says Moreno. “It’s nowhere near as black and white as that yin and yang of
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‘I like this, he likes that.’ Everyone in this band brings their own ideas and opinions, and we all have different styles, and overall that makes this band the way it is. Sometimes we don’t see eye to eye in the studio – it’s not always easy – but at the end of the day, we’re not going to finish, let alone put out, even one song until we’re all into it. We’re all sitting here smiling at what we’ve accomplished, and I think we’re prouder of this record purely because it didn’t necessarily come easily. There’s a big payoff in that. If you’re doing a fucking jigsaw puzzle with a group of people, everybody’s going to have different ways of approaching it; one guy might like to do the corners first, and another might want to colour coordinate. That’s how we’ve always made music.” The band made considerable changes to their approach for Gore. Rather than hole themselves up for as long as it took to get the album finished, writing and recording sessions were sporadic out of necessity. “It’s harder for us to get together these days,” Moreno says, “because it’s not like it used to be, where I could walk down the street and step into the garage with those guys. At the same time, it came from trying to find a balance between making music and just living life. At this point, it’s not like we’re too stressed out; we don’t need to put a record out because our career depends on it. The more laid-back we were, the more I found myself excited to get back together – they were these great short bursts of energy. Get in, boom, get it down, and then get out again. We didn’t wear ourselves out living in a hotel for months on end, and I think we’ve earned the right not to, the right to be able to work at our own pace.” Still, just because they could didn’t necessarily mean that they should. Moreno himself is on record as suggesting that Deftones do their best work when they create quickly. “There was a little anxiety about taking our time with Gore, initially,” he explains, “but honestly, there’s still a lot of spontaneity, because we were never together for too long and we were just trying to capture the energy in the room. ‘Alright, we’re here for ten days, let’s work our asses off and make some noise together.’ It gave us the best of both worlds, because we’d go home and then revisit the material months later and we could reflect on it and refine it, but still retain that initial energy that we caught last time around. It helped us to put our best foot forward.” Moreno’s own role in the band has subtly expanded in recent years, and he plays more guitar on Gore than on any other Deftones record before it. He spent much of the downtime in between 2013’s Koi No Yokan and this particular LP recording and touring with his (considerably more serene) side project, Crosses, and in a recent Rolling Stone interview, he spoke beautifully of his enduring love for music – of how waking up in the morning and delving into new music
Photo: Frank Maddocks
Interview: Joe Goggins
transports him back to being a 12-year-old. His tastes and influences are broad, but when he writes for Deftones, they’re largely secondary to the inspiration that his bandmates provide.
“It’s like a fucking jigsaw puzzle; one guy might like to do the corners first, and another might want to colour co-ordinate. That’s how we’ve always made music” Chino Moreno
“There’s tons of things I love and listen to constantly, but the biggest thing that motivates me to do my part for the band, as the vocalist and lyricist, are the other guys, and the music that we’re all creating together. On an album like this – which we started making two years ago – it’s difficult to point to external influences anyway, because my tastes are always changing and evolving. Plus, the last time I did that, the last time I picked out a single name, was when we’d just started work on Gore. I was doing press and mentioned that I like Morrissey’s solo records, and suddenly everyone’s like, ‘Oh, the new Deftones is going to sound like Morrissey!’ I mean, come on. Obviously not – I don’t have that kind of talent!”
Gore: a return to critical acclaim Tonally, Gore is often a lighter record than either of its predecessors, which perhaps explains
MUSIC
Carpenter’s initial disenchantment with parts of it; Diamond Eyes had a raw aggression that constantly threatened to burst through the studio polish (and often succeeded), while Koi No Yokan was a moody affair, thick with tension. Gore often tempers its heaviness with prettiness; twinkling guitars sit alongside belligerent rhythm on Prayers/Triangles, while Hearts/Wires quietly simmers to a slow burn of a chorus. Moreno acknowledges that this doesn’t necessarily equate to an accessible listen. “I think this is one of the harder records of ours to get into. It’s so complex – I’ve heard these songs thousands of times, and I’m still noticing little subtleties here and there.” Even so, that hasn’t put off sections of the music press that, having given Deftones short shrift for years, finally seem to be paying attention again; the likes of Pitchfork’s interest has presumably been piqued by the band’s latterday critical success elsewhere. In fact, it seems that a much broader coalition of websites and publications are again embracing the band. Not that Moreno’s bothered, particularly. “Do people really go to somewhere like Pitchfork and think, ‘Oh, if they like it, it must be good?’ I mean, I know that’s how they view themselves, but honestly, whether they or anyone else chooses to review it, I don’t care. If anyone did say something great about it, my instinct would be to take it with a grain of salt and say it’s shit! “That said, I do understand that mentality, because we fucking hate a lot of shit too, you know? We try not to be too vocal about it, because if you haven’t got anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all, but when the five of us sit around together we’ll talk all kinds of shit about things we’re not into. We were having a conversation the other day about the fact that we’ve never played Coachella – we’ve never been asked. I’d love to play there, but there must be somebody there who feels like they’d lose cool points if they were to align themselves with us in any way. But, you know, what am I gonna do about it?” Gore is available now via Warner Bros. Deftones play The SSE Arena, London, on 3 Jun and Download Festival, Donington, on 11 Jun deftones.com
THE SKINNY
Naked Youth Eva Husson’s debut film Bang Gang concerns a group of high school kids who decide to start their own private orgy club. But don’t mistake this for Kids with millennials
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e’re speaking to Eva Husson on the day the world saw Justin Bieber’s penis. As we sit down to talk to the 39-year-old French filmmaker, paparazzi long-lens shots of the teen heartthrob going for a swim in the buff are currently sending Twitter into meltdown. “Nobody should care,” says Husson when we bring up the photos. “It’s his own world and why do we want to know these things, who he’s sleeping with or what he looks like naked?” The mention of these privacy-invading photographs and their proliferation on social media isn’t just idle gossip: they’re pertinent to the themes of Husson’s bold directorial debut, Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story). (If you haven’t guessed already, the parenthetical subtitle is ironic.) The film, based on a real incident in the US, follows a group of bored middle-class teens over a sweltering summer in the sleepy coastal town of Biarritz. As they laze around the spacious home of the group’s alpha male, Alex (Finnegan Oldfield), whose archaeologist mother is off in Morocco on a dig, George (Marilyn Lima), who’s recently slept with and been cheated on by Alex, ups the ante of a game of spin the bottle – “it’s like truth or dare with only dares” – in a foolhardy attempt to win back Alex’s affections. In the process she inadvertently invents the eponymous bang gang, no-holds-barred sex parties that take their peer group by storm. It begins as an intimate affair before social media turns them into a series of massive weekly orgies that would make Caligula blush. And being millennials, these parties wouldn’t really exist without someone witnessing it through their iPhone lens. As videos of George sleeping with multiple partners begin making their way onto YouTube, we’re back to Bieber territory. “The disappearance of intimacy is a major paradigm shift in terms of today’s teenagers,” says Husson, “and I think they will learn to deal with the world differently because of that, but I think to [older generations] it seems really sad for them.” This may sound like some sort of ‘youth of today’ lecture, but Husson is well aware that
June 2016
Interview: Jamie Dunn
teens dabbling in sex is nothing new. “A kid is a kid is a kid. I’m pretty sure that in ancient Rome kids were exploring. Pushing the boundary is the work of a teenager.” The context in which this experimentation takes place, however, is unique for each generation. The shadow of AIDS, for example, doesn’t hang over these Gen Y teens. As Alex says when George asks him to wear a condom: “Don’t worry, we’re not in the demographic.”
“I know what it feels like to be naked in front of a camera, and it’s not easy” Eva Husson
“I think death was definitely on everyone’s mind when you were having your first time in the 1990s,” notes Husson. “And I think it’s absolutely not in everyone’s mind now. They have, I think, at that age, a much harder time understanding that there will be consequences, things to go through if you take that specific door. But each generation has their own hardcore problems. For us it was AIDS, and I think for them now it’s having to deal with the learning process of how to become a young adult through an age where everything is exposed or can be exposed, and you can have very embarrassing videos or pictures of you running around online. I mean, thank god they didn’t have that in my day.” Given the film’s subject matter, it’s no surprise that Bang Gang has been compared to Kids, Larry Clark’s powderkeg study of the sex lives of a group of nihilistic teens in 90s New York. “I was a little bit afraid of that at first
because Larry Clark’s view is absolutely desperate and bleak, and mine, I think, goes in the other direction,” Husson says, although she can see why the comparisons are made. “I think what people mean is that thematically both are about a youth that seeks its own boundaries and limits, it’s just in a different world,” she says. “But really, when you think about it, you don’t have that many movies that talk about real kids, that go as far – maybe that’s what people mean.” Crucially, Husson doesn’t judge her characters: her point of view is more humane than Clark’s, more hopeful. “This was about getting as close as possible to their truth. It is in no way about penalising them. I really believe adolescence is a very plastic moment where you can bounce from it and recreate yourself and feel stronger – you’re not destroyed by it.” Another difference is in terms of the film’s gaze. While Husson isn’t coy when it comes to depicting the carnal beauty of these teen hedonists – both the sexes – her shots never feel voyeuristic or pornographic; unlike Clark, her camera isn’t leering. “That’s because I was an actress myself, maybe?” she suggests. “I know what it feels like to be naked in front of a camera, and it’s not easy. And it’s not easy for me [as director], actually.” The key, she says, was making each young actor think of their body as just another acting instrument. “I would tell them, ‘Acting is like dancing, and we’re going to do these choreographies and we’re going to rehearse them and we’re going to be at ease in the space,’ and once they were on set I told them to undress and just do the same thing.” The film feels dreamlike. It captures the haze of adolescence and that quality of time slowing down at those formative moments in life, the moments you realise are significant even as you’re living through them. “A lot of it is seeing the world through the characters’ eyes, what they perceive of reality, which is maybe why it has this dreamlike quality that you mention,” Hesson says. “I firmly believe that everything is about perception, there is no truth.” This is most pointed at four moments in the film
FILM
where the characters break the fourth wall to look at us directly, as if to say, “Is this really happening to me?” “These moments actually happen in real life,” notes Husson, “the moments when the rhythm of time is just insanely subjective, and I think filmmaking is the only art form that can talk about time correctly. That’s pretty much the obsession Antonioni had in L’Avventura when he showed this idea that it’s not just about telling a realist story, you could talk about perception as well in mainstream filmmaking. And I really like that.” Antonioni isn’t the only influence Husson wears on her sleeve. Bang Gang has the DNA of Sofia Coppola’s Virgin Suicides and Gus Van Sant’s Elephant running through its film grammar, to name two clear touchstones, but Husson’s film is no knockoff. Her shrewd use of time and perspective is very specific. “I do think the film doesn’t quite make sense as a whole,” she admits, “but it does leave you an impression as a whole. I’m convinced I’ve found things that work for me, and if they work for other people, great. If they don’t, I really don’t give a shit because I worked my ass off to get there.” The way Husson sees it, there are perfect films (or “round” films as she calls them) and messy films. She proudly puts Bang Gang in the latter category. “A lot of people can’t respond to this film because it strikes a certain note and not everybody is going to be responsive to that specific note, but that’s what I love about filmmaking, you know? Not everybody likes Gus Van Sant or Wong Kar-wai, some people find their films extremely boring.” Husson is clearly not one of those people: “I was ecstatic while watching [Van Sant’s] Gerry; it’s one of the movies that impacted me the most. But Gerry has a lot of defects – but the thing is, it doesn’t matter because you feel that you’ve been through something by watching it. That’s why I’m OK with defects as well because that’s what life is like, after all.” Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) is released 17 Jun by MetroDome
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Drawing the Line Why are so many authors who write about the Middle East turning to comics to tell their story?
The day he left, the country had the biggest celebration of its entire history.
Words: Holly Rimmer-Tagoe
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ancing barefoot on a floor made of needles is likely a more palatable experience than being a newcomer to political debate regarding the countries of the Middle East. There are few discussions where positions are so pre-rehearsed and intractable, divisions so bitter and hostile to the opposing point of view, and emotions so fractured that any attempt to broach the subject for the first time will inevitably prompt a retreat to simpler issues – like, say, the democratic deficit created by illicit tax structures in a globalised world. This dilemma feeds into the work of writers who set their texts in the countries of the Middle East, and who embed the themes of their work in one of the most virulent geo-political subjects of our time. There is always the risk that writers will be accused of trading nuance for dogma, or of avoiding the realpolitik of the region altogether in favour of creating characters and plot. It’s not surprising, then, that so many writers are choosing graphic novels as the way to present their narratives set in the Middle East. Graphic novels like Joe Sacco’s Footnotes in Gaza (2009) and Leila Abdelrazaq’s Baddawi (2015) have helped to hurl comics into the literary-critical mainstream by showing that comic books are able to express hugely complex issues such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and aren’t the sole reserve of PVC capes and star-spangled tights. Benefits of the form The comic book form provides snapshots and short sequences, avoids the need for lengthy diatribes about historical background, and is also highly selective by nature. The writer has to choose which limited images and dialogue are vital to the story’s progression and should be framed. At the same time, the illusion of simplicity provides a useful tool of deception for drawing in readers who might otherwise run in the opposite direction when confronted with a lengthy novel about the politics of the Middle East. The decision to use the comic book form to indirectly tackle the affairs of the Middle East is also a subversive choice. The majority of Western readers are familiar with comics through the world of American superheroes: throughout the 20th century, we have seen mutants and heroes with superhuman abilities trawl the pop culture screen and page in every variety imaginable. These superhero creations are often portrayed as the last defenders of prescribed American values in a dangerous, threatening world (even if the method is sometimes dubious). Superman is a defender of justice,
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attacking lynch mobs and wife beaters, while Batman utilises his corporate wealth to tackle corruption in Gotham City’s police department. Illustrating a demolished Palestinian home in the Gaza strip in the same medium in which the patriotic figure of Captain America wages war on his enemies is a potent statement in itself. The subversive possibilities of graphic novels At a time when America and its allies are engaged in military interventions in the Middle East, depicting a young girl growing up in the Islamic Republic of Iran using the same format that has been associated with such staple characters of American pop culture as the martial, hyper-masculine Thor serves to undercut the idea of a clash of civilisations. This is what Marjane Satrapi does in her much-lauded comic Persepolis (2000). A young Satrapi speaks in the same snappy ripostes and speech bubbles while dancing to punk rock music and partying, in the same kind of action shots that you would expect to find in a host of comics portraying the lives of adolescent Americans – although the tangles of public life in post-revolution Iran are very different. In Palestine (2001), journalist Joe Sacco draws himself as a reluctant, aloof outsider with ‘a rule of thumb’ to ‘avoid groups of teenaged boys,’ who is often found at the corner of the frame wondering how he’s ended up strolling the streets of Ramallah. He’s persistently panicking and perspiring at the constant threat of violence and aerial bombs as a result of the First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising, in the West Bank in late 1991 and early 1992. Among the desolate images of barbed fences and the abundant stories of brutality and torture, Sacco’s detailed, monochrome drawings also show Palestinians playfully bartering about the quality of their tomatoes, and children playing in the puddles of the comic’s most striking, sprawling image of a refugee camp in the Gaza strip (‘Refugeeland’). Sacco never allows you to hide behind a familiar screen of despair, where the people involved are simply rendered as vehicles of human suffering rather than fully realised people with a sense of humour, hope and the shadings of everyday life. Graphic novels can redraw and reimagine our imaginings of a place that we’ve never seen before. Anyone glancing at the news on a daily basis, even uninterestedly, will find it easy to conjure up the images of murderous beheadings, displaced refugees and oppressive dictators that dominate the newsreel coverage of the Middle East. As a visual form, comics are proving
Marjane Satrapi - Persepolis
a useful counterpoint to these pictures by show- Afghanistan during the Soviet war. The dising us images that we never get to see: of par- 42 tant horrors of war are made personal through Lefèvre’s experience, and the intricacies of ties, dancing and laughter. foreign policy become digestible through the striking images of the book.
“Graphic novels can redraw our imaginings of a place that we’ve never seen before”
Graphic novels and the Middle East: some titles to start with Neil Gaiman, The Sandman #50: Ramadan (1993) The Sandman #50 looks at the city of Baghdad and parallels the myth of its exotic and mysterious character (magic carpets and harems) with the bombed city of the Gulf War. The comic knowingly interrogates how mythology surrounding the Middle East has seeped heavily into our consciousness and continues to affect how we think about the region. Emmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre and Frédéric Lemercier, The Photographer: Into War-torn Afghanistan with Doctors without Borders (2003) This comic focuses on Lefèvre’s journey to
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Joe Sacco, Palestine (2001), Footnotes in Gaza (2009) and Journalism (2012) It would be remiss of any list of this type to skip over the work of Joe Sacco. His pioneering work is a mish-mash of memoir, journalism and narrative, and results in a highly accessible and transfixing – as well as distressing and violent – exploration of realities, from deprivation in the Gaza strip to the soldiers involved in the Iraq war. You definitely won’t regret reading Sacco’s work.
West Bank Stories: The Graphic Novel (2010), edited by Rebecca Cox As part of a scheme launched by Project Hope, young people from Palestine have created a collection of comic book stories in their own words. It’s common to see stories about the area written by Anglo-American journalists where the Palestinian people become mere subjects, but this graphic novel allows them to be authors of their own work and speak in their own voice. Readers may be interested in an upcoming event at the Bluecoat exploring stories based in contemporary Morocco. The Djinn in the Skull: Stories from hidden Morocco (The Bluecoat, Liverpool, 17 Jul, 3.30pm, free) is part of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, which runs 16-24 July arabartsfestival.com
THE SKINNY
Immersed in Danger We talk to two journalists who walked into the lion’s den: Wolfgang Bauer went undercover to share the journey of Syrian refugees fleeing the terror of war, while Jürgen Todenhöfer confronted that terror, spending ten days as a guest of the Islamic State
Interview: Alan Bett
“I
asked a judge, ‘Will there be an amputation or an execution in the next few days?’ And the judge said ‘No… because our amputations have been such a deterrent that nobody’s stealing anymore.’ Then, at this moment this German terrorist said, ‘Oh, if you want to film that I’ll arrange it, I’ll do it myself. Our prisons are full of people. An amputation or a beheading? As you like.’” Jürgen Todenhöfer was in the Islamic State, shielded by a single sheet of paper – one signed and stamped by the office of the Caliph. A guarantee ‘of safety for the German journalist Jürgen Todenhöfer, so that he can travel safely in the territories of the Islamic State with his worldly goods and his travelling companions.’ It was a promise negotiated over six months, yet a group who behead journalists make promises few reporters would test in practice. “I was thinking about this problem – if I would come back alive,” admits the 75-yearold Todenhöfer; author, politician and former judge in his native Germany. “They published the guarantee on the internet as a state, so as a state they would have [incurred] huge damage if they had beheaded me.” He conveys these thoughts over the phone to The Skinny, matterof-factly, as if discussing just another technicality of the journey he and his photographer son, Frédéric, embarked upon in 2014, to spend ten days with ISIS – as reported in his new book My Journey into the Heart of Terror. “They kept their promise, we came back alive.” Setting off on an equally significant journey that same year, journalist Wolfgang Bauer hoped for the same outcome. He and his photographer, Stanislav Krupar, had constructed false identities as English-language teachers from the Caucasus region of Russia. They were in Egypt, their departure point for being trafficked across the ocean into Europe, to experience first-hand the journey on which 1,500 people drown each year. That specific danger was relegated, however, beneath slipping from character. “In the beginning we feared most the time on the boats,” Bauer admits, Skyping in from a safe middle-class home in rural Germany, “because of the claustrophobic situation, and because of my colleague and his camera and iPhone, that somebody would notice that he takes pictures. Our scariest imagining [was] that the smugglers would just throw us to the ocean because they would have assumed that we were agents from the CIA, from Mossad, from European Border Protection.” Bauer shrugs. “You have to stay in character, absolutely. You’re an actor, acting for your life.” His performance bore feature-length reports, published in the German newspaper Die Zeit, and now compiled into the devastating book Crossing the Sea with Syrians on the Exodus to Europe. So what do these dangerous, immersive experiences offer that traditional reporting cannot? “I think it’s difficult for any media to report correctly because you cannot go there [to ISIScontrolled territory],” explains Todenhöfer in his instance. “The propaganda videos have nothing to do with the reality of Mosul. I can’t criticise the journalist who says, ‘I don’t want to take the risk to go to the Islamic state,’ so we have a problem.” Without his journalistic offering we must choose between myopic external reports or ISIS propaganda. “For example, in the videos you always see those masked fighters on convoys with machine guns, but this is show,” says Todenhöfer. “In the real life of Mosul you never see that.” His is a rare insight into “how they tick, how these people think. What is their reasoning?”
June 2016
Jürgen Todenhöfer
As an experienced international reporter, Bauer’s reasoning is immersed in logic as much as aspiration; a logic which starkly highlights the plight of Syrian refugees. “In Aleppo you can’t protect yourself because of all the bombing,” he says. “Which is the reason why so many people prefer the boat. It’s much more dangerous to work in Aleppo than to accompany refugees crossing the ocean.”
“You have to stay in character, absolutely. You’re an actor, acting for your life” Wolfgang Bauer His book itself is an immersive experience, the reader inhabiting the role of refugee, empathising in a way that is impossible through mere statistics. Tragically, it is easier for European readers to comprehend this journey when undertaken by a German journalist, just as Hollywood generally views Third World suffering through a western lens. “If you just interview refugees who make it successfully to Europe, it has a different effect on people because it’s not first-hand experience,” admits Bauer. “It’s drawn by people from different cultural backgrounds, from places you don’t know. If you go as a reporter on behalf of all the others in your home country and you see it with your own eyes, then it has a much stronger effect on your readers. You had so many interviews with the refugees, and I’ve seen an increasing lack of understanding from the German population.” His first-hand experiences meant that Bauer could draw out the characters of the refugees on the page. He could humanise the statistics.
“Yeah, it’s the soul of the genre,” he says. “You put all the figures and statistics away and you focus on one specific life with all the contradictions that belong to an individual in biography. And that makes it closer to us because figures don’t mean anything to anybody.” In September 2014 a boat of 500 refugees was rammed by smugglers following a dispute. It sank. Nearly all the men women and children on board drowned in the Mediterranean. Bauer knew one of these 500 personally, a man who had brought him clean clothing while he was in an Egyptian jail after a failed crossing. This single life resonates far more than a faceless 500. “That’s the reason why I do features,” says Bauer. “Features bring people who don’t know each other, and who are separated by thousands of kilometres, as close as possible by language.” Historically, conflict reporters had carte blanche, until overstepping the mark in Vietnam by reporting the truth. Michael Herr, in his peerless Dispatches, recounts encounters with the generals who understood that the media was the primary battlefield; who would say, ‘My Marines are winning this war, and you people are losing it for us in your papers.’ While in the Islamic State, untethered access proved to be Todenhöfer’s challenge, one he decided to confront head on. “If you go with the Americans as an embedded journalist you see just one thing,” he says, critical of this form of journalism. “The thing they want to show you. Here it was different.” But there remained a requirement to confirm roles and relationships with his armed charges. Especially with the mysterious driver, who they began to sense was more than he initially appeared to be. “This masked driver, who I think was Jihadi John, I realised that he wanted to dominate us. In the first moments, in the first hours you have to show that you won’t accept this, otherwise you’ve lost.” This sparked tense and potentially deadly confrontations, with Todenhöfer demanding freedom to report. Yet on the whole his subjects felt there was little to hide. “They told me, ‘If you say we are brutal, that’s correct. If you say that we kill people,
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that we are beheading people, that we enslave people, you can write this because it’s true.’ Brutality is their USP. They said of course you can write this.” The accusation related to his open reporting is that it offers a platform for ISIS’ views and beliefs, especially as the book publishes largely unedited Q&A sessions with the terrorist Abu Qatada and a Jihadist Salim. These and similar accusations have earned Todenhöfer death threats from all sides of the political spectrum – many online – and an expertly tied hangman’s noose was left at the door to his office. “No, I didn’t give them a platform,” Todenhöfer quickly retorts when our conversation moves in this direction. “If you say that we shouldn’t have the possibility to show horrible things, you could stop most TV information every evening. You would only have 20% left.” ‘If you want to find the truth you must speak to both sides,’ he claims in the introduction to his book. His actions speak as loudly as those words, having met with members of Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and even with the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad. “I spoke with him several times… and I was tagged a friend of dictators. Then I met ISIS and they said I’m a friend of the terrorists. They have to take a decision. Am I a friend of a dictator or his worst enemies, the terrorists?” Both his and Bauer’s brave and unique journalistic works navigate a minefield of moral and theoretical issues. Yet their reasoning remains unadulterated. “When you go into a hospital,” states Todenhöfer, “you forget the big words about war. You see dying rebels, you see suffering civilians, you see suffering soldiers. We should do whatever we can to stop wars and to find other solutions. To see what war is really, you [need to] see the hospitals in these war zones.” Wolfgang Bauer’s book concludes, simply, ‘Have mercy.’ My Journey into the Heart of Terror is out now, published by Greystone Books Crossing the Sea with Syrians on the Exodus to Europe is out now, published by & Other Stories
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Recall of the Wild As Wolf Parade return from hiatus with a new EP and their first live shows in five years, Dan Boeckner gives us the lowdown on reunions, ghost hunting and immortality Interview: Will Fitzpatrick
t’s an overstated point in music that certain bands or records are ‘timeless’. It’s usually little more than a deferential acknowledgement of their classic status in received pop wisdom, or at worst an aggressive attempt to talk up their importance. But surely it’s a more accurate description of the acts who never quite fit into any era. The ones whose music feels bound to whenever you first heard it, rather than being weighed down by the trendy tropes or production techniques of their time. Wolf Parade are one such band. When they first emerged in the midst of the post-OC indie explosion, they had little in common with the noises made by contemporaries and labelmates like The Shins or, at the noisier end of the alt rock spectrum, the similarly named Wolf Eyes. Their music is cold yet warm-blooded; constantly tripping up the listener with deceptively complex puzzles that only reveal themselves over the course of time. And now, following a period of hiatus that began in early 2011, they’re back, refreshed and renewed. We speak to guitarist and vocalist Dan Boeckner down a crackling phone line, fresh from loading into Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom for a five-night residency. The night before, the band filmed a performance for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and this month they’ll head to Europe for more shows ahead of a more expansive tour of the US and Canada. It’s an indication of the hectic schedule Wolf Parade have always thrown themselves into, not least because of Boeckner’s and fellow frontman Spencer Krug’s litany of side projects. For now, however, we want to know about how it feels to be reunited, particularly in the wake of their recent secret shows at unlikely venues in Vancouver Island, under the name of Del Scorcho. “It was pretty funny to play such notable locales as Cobble Hill, Nanaimo and Powell River,” he says. “We played a community centre; we played a very small bar that was having a chicken wing night… It was kinda nice to get thrown into that. We figured if we can pull it off in that environment then we can do it anywhere. The owner was sceptical at first because he did not know Wolf Parade, but at the end of the night, he said, ‘That’s the best Thursday night we’ve had in 33 years!’ I think they’re gonna name a chicken wing after us.” He laughs. “I feel like this is success, y’know? A chicken wing in a small pub. I can retire now.” Originally based in Montreal, Wolf Parade (competed by drummer Arlen Thompson and multi-instrumentalist Dante DeCaro) originally burst into the public eye in a blur of web-built hype in 2004, and swiftly signed to Seattle’s legendary Sub Pop label. Debut LP Apologies to the Queen Mary subsequently appeared to a strong critical reception the following year, as a dedicated fanbase grew steadily. Their next two albums (2008’s dense, proggy At Mount Zoomer
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Photo: Shawn McDonald
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and 2010’s strident Expo 86) gave new reasons to fall in love with a band seemingly hellbent on developing their craft rather than furthering their careers. Eventually, and inevitably, they ran out of steam. “We decided we were going on hiatus in 2011,” Boeckner remembers, “in Maidstone, UK – we didn’t have the money to stay in London. We had a band meeting and it was like, ‘Probably time to take a break, everybody’s pretty tired.’ “I think the constant touring had started to strain relationships in the band. Not in the way that we were fighting with each other, we never got to that point. Wolf Parade is this sort of Marxist collective, where we all have to be emotionally connected to make it work. The potential for us to start fighting and eventually not be friends… it was gonna happen if we kept going. Also we didn’t want to start sucking!”
“I think they’re gonna name a chicken wing after us” Dan Boeckner
And was the time off beneficial? You could say that. The tirelessly prolific Krug had already released four albums with his Sunset Rubdown project during Wolf Parade’s lifetime, also working with the bands Frog Eyes and Swan Lake before exploring his own grand vision in the guise of Moonface from 2010 onwards. Boeckner, meanwhile, played with Handsome Furs before teaming up with Spoon’s Britt Daniel to form Divine Fits. To keep 2016 appropriately busy, April saw the release of the first album by his new band, Operators. They’re no slouches, that’s for sure. “I got to devote a lot of time to travelling to places people don’t usually go on tour,” Boeckner remembers, “like Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, and Spencer got to do the same
with Sunset Rubdown. I learned a lot about songwriting in the intervening years. We both just kind of honed our craft, and probably learned to take it a little bit easier on the road.” Were they previously hedonistic on tour? “It was pretty hedonistic up until the Expo 86 tour. At the time we released that record, it reached some excessive heights. But it wasn’t really like excess of drugs or anything. Whenever the band was on tour, it seemed like something insane would happen – we would find ourselves in these surreal situations that were 50% our fault, 50% sort of blind luck. “Actually, I’ll be honest, that is still happening. During that last run of shows, a series of events brought us to drinking with a bunch of friends in an abandoned diner at a haunted hotel, and then breaking into the top floor of said hotel, wandering around, looking for ghosts.” In a sense, we suggest, that must have seemed like a pretty good metaphor for returning to an old band. “That’s true,” he says, “except I’d like to think the attic of Wolf Parade is full of good things, and not rooms full of broken furniture.” Their return has also meant another trip to the studio, and the resultant EP4 is a solid collection of twisted glam-pop curios that feel very much like Wolf Parade have picked up where they left off. “I think that’s the thing with this band,” agrees Boeckner. “The sound of the band only happens when the four of us are in a room together. We didn’t really overthink it; we didn’t sit down and plan what the record was gonna sound like. We just thought, ‘Let’s write songs together in a room and see what happens.’” Appropriately – and happily – it sounds like a group of old school friends meeting up for the first time in years, and falling back into their old character roles. “Yeah! I totally agree with that. Even just our personal interactions – when we did this mini-tour… this is gonna sound totally stupid, but the band has always really enjoyed dumb, surreal jokes; stupid in-jokes… We rented this van and the display was like an LCD screen. Every time you opened the door, there’d just be this floating geometrical mess of cubes, so we started riffing on this joke that we were watching
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a television show called Cubes. The car alarm was the soundtrack, and then we started doing the voiceover… It was just really nice. I was like, ‘Oh, we’re still idiots!’” Again, he laughs. “Like you said, we get back together and maybe it doesn’t matter how much we’ve progressed intellectually or emotionally, it’s still Wolf Parade at the end of the day. And there’s something comforting about that.” Were there any fears that it might not work out after five years apart? “Oh yeah, totally! If it was bad, we were just gonna shitcan the whole thing. The whole thing was predicated on having new music. If we didn’t come up with at least six songs then these shows would not have happened.” So if everything goes well, are there plans for the band to continue beyond these gigs? “We’re doing a year’s worth of shows and then we’re making a record in the winter. We’re doing a full-length and then we’ll tour that in 2017 – yeah, we’re back together! And it feels pretty fucking good. But at the same time, Spencer’s got two Moonface records coming out in the next 18 months, and I’ll have another Operators album in 2017, so we’re just gonna be really busy.” Has the reunion changed Boeckner’s perceptions of what Wolf Parade is? “You know, I’ll be honest. My perspective on Wolf Parade in 2011 was very narrow, and I think inaccurate. I didn’t have enough distance from it. Spending five years away and watching people come to the shows, or write us when we were coming back, it really solidified something for me about this band. We were always kind of a weird band and we were very difficult in a lot of ways for Sub Pop. But having people write to us through social media, that’s put the band in a really nice context for me. It makes me proud of what we did, and proud of us now.” And if nothing else, there’s always the chicken wing thing. “Fuckin’ A, man!” Boeckner laughs one last time. “Immortalised as a chicken wing!” Well, quite. Truly timeless. The Apologies to the Queen Mary reissue is out now via Sub Pop. Wolf Parade’s EP4 is also available as a self-release. The band play two nights at London Scala on 14-15 Jun wolfparade.com
THE SKINNY
Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Sex Sara Pascoe picked up an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination in 2014 for a show themed on sexual evolutionary history. Now she’s written a book on the same theme
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that. They often [made] these huge sweeping statements that didn’t include a huge portion of our society. It kind of baffled me that often there wasn’t even a question mark.” Pascoe presents her life story as many of us see our own: sometimes as if through a camera lens, often through dialogue, mostly as part of a narrative heavily affected by our expectations and views on the world. By setting these pieces of autobiography alongside the research she presents, Pascoe gives us concrete and relatable ways of accessing that research and seeing how it affects our lives, both consciously and subconsciously. We learn about pair-bonding and oxytocin release through her tales of loves lost and found, and then look at how dodgy science is used to justify infidelity or obsession. Any autobiography can delve into a writer’s inner secrets, and here Pascoe talks in detail about her experience of abortion: “I’ve never talked about it in standup because it isn’t something that I already had an angle on. But when I knew I would be writing about the female body and how it works, one of the first things that came to my mind was, well, I got pregnant and I felt very betrayed by my body.” With time to look back and analyse her own life, Pascoe presents us with a rounded picture of growing up in a highly sexualised world full of expectations of how people should act. “I knew I wanted to write about hating my mum’s boyfriends and that process of looking at an adult and really judging them, and then becoming an adult and understanding my mum.” It would be easy to get lost in either the personal or scientific detail of such topics, but Pascoe manages to interweave her different aims in a way that amplifies them all. The science is interesting because it affects our lives in such serious ways; the autobiography is honest and often dark, but doesn’t feel like an over-share because Pascoe herself has managed to see the ridiculousness of so much of it and turned it partially into comedy.
Keeping the book accessible while still being informative was her top priority: “I thought if I can’t explain this in real life, it can’t go into the book. It has to be a lay-person’s book, because there are other books that are written by scientists and have that information in them. The balance I had to have was how much would be too much information if I was expecting a 15-year-old girl to read this, or a 15-year-old boy. My idea was that it could be a sex education book.”
“Just because something’s instinctual doesn’t mean we can’t change it” Sara Pascoe
Teenager or not, judging from the amount of misinformation banded around, we could all use a bit more – and more accurate – sex education. Pascoe notes of her own upbringing: “I didn’t have the internet when I was 15 or 16, so my research was restricted to those books you get about periods and basic sex education.” The UK government’s recent rejection of compulsory sex ed in schools has potentially hampered our knowledge once again, and where these classes are still taught they are often focused on the mechanical, physical aspects, and otherwise are found wanting. “They don’t teach you about emotions, and they don’t teach you the difficult bits of sex. Children and young people can have really specific knowledge about the extremes of sexual behaviour [thanks to porn], but haven’t heard much conversation about how much the emotions can hurt.”
For the most part, Animal the book aims to educate and pose questions, not preach. The show is similarly reflective, focusing on empathy and our capacity to care about things outside ourselves. “The underlying question is how to be good,” she tells us, “so has our evolution meant that we are selfish and self-interested, and we won’t ever really care about climate change?” Empathy is another consequence of us ignoring or repressing our basic instincts – this time overwhelmingly for the better. “I think it’s like a muscle,” Pascoe explains, since there are many instincts, like selfishness, which aren’t seen in such a good light these days. “Those things actually, in terms of evolution, are very healthy things that have kept you alive, but now you don’t need them in the same way as your ancestors did.” We can tip that seesaw over with our consciousness and intelligence, she explains: “You can work, I think, like a muscle, and train yourself to do different things.” Armed with information as unbiased as possible and with the knowledge that we have power over our in-built desires, we can embrace our sexual instincts and reject our selfish ones. As Terry Pratchett once put it, humans need to be allowed to be ‘the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.’ We can keep learning and updating our expectations of other people, as is already happening in some parts of society: “People who are teenagers now,” says Pascoe, “really grasp the idea of gender fluidity and sexual fluidity much more than my generation.” Overall, despite discussions of neurotransmitters, morning sickness and consent, we can come away from Sara Pascoe’s Animal with a feeling of hope. Sara Pascoe: Animal is at the Leadmill, Sheffield, 8 Jun; Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, 9 Jun; City Varieties, Leeds, 11 Jun; The Lowry, Salford, 25 Jun and Harrogate Theatre, 30 Jun
Animal by Sara Pascoe is out now, published by Faber sarapascoe.com
Photo: Ed Moore
t base we are all nothing but mammals, but we’ve learned to pretend that we’re not. Through thousands of years of development in our customs, norms and laws, we’ve chosen which animal instincts to repress and which to embrace. This distinction is one that writer and comedian Sara Pascoe has had to consider for her new show, Animal, and debut book of the same name. “I think with all of them there is a seesaw between consciousness and instinctual drive,” she says. “We can’t really use instinct to excuse anything, because we have another mechanism going on – just because something’s instinctual doesn’t mean we can’t change it.” Time and again as a species, we prove this, for better and for worse: we diet, we refrain from hitting people even when they annoy us, and we construct complex legal and social systems to try to stop people having sex. This sexual instinct has baffling implications throughout our lives: after all, with us humans it’s not a simple matter of reproduction; engaging in the nopants dance can be just for fun. Both the science and the emotions of sex get a good going-over in Pascoe’s book, and it’s a panoramic vision: the blood, the babies, the insecurities, the crimes, the consequences and even a couple of intimate hand-drawn diagrams are within its pages. Animal combines autobiography and anthropology with keen analysis and comedy. Pascoe introduces us to ideas on sex and genetics which were accepted as true and without question for years, only to then blow them out of the water with our old friend rationality. Throughout history, writers and researchers of a particular race, gender and sexual orientation made discoveries which mostly reinforced their existing worldview, and which in turn could be solidified in law. “Sometimes you kind of have to read between the lines,” Pascoe says, on these kinds of biases, “A lot of times in the book I was going, ‘Obviously, this means heterosexual people, not all people.’ Other books weren’t doing
Interview: Jenni Ajderian
June 2016
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Food News
Full of Beans As part of our ongoing ‘Pioneers’ series that looks to champion the doers, thinkers and makers behind the region’s burgeoning food and drink scene, we talk to the folk responsible for Coffee Shop: North, a new book chronicling the North’s coffee scene Interview: James Dawson
June! That’s officially summer, donchaknow? Fitting, then, that it’s a month packed with beer-related antics, from a bigger, better brewery to the latest from Indy Man Beer Con Words: Lauren Phillips and Jess Hardiman Manchester Beer Week Manchester Beer Week marks a big moment for the city’s burgeoning beer scene. Unlike other events, it’s set across multiple venues throughout the city, with a host of events, tours and tastings all aimed at celebrating brewing and pub culture. Highlights include a ticket launch party for this year’s Indy Man Beer Con and a chance to sample some of the city’s historical beers, revived from extinction exclusively for the festival. Various venues, Manchester, 10-19 June @mcrbeerweek Liverpool Craft Beer Expo You can then keep the party going over at Liverpool’s Craft Beer Expo. Celebrating its fourth year, the festival aims to bring together ground-breaking breweries from the UK, Europe and beyond. The selection of beers is beyond impressive – over 250 keg beers, and 40+ ciders – but there’s also a tidy food menu and a strong music line-up to boot. Constellations, Greenland Street, Liverpool, 16-19 June, £10.50-£12 (tickets via Eventbrite)
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ll chain coffee shops look alike; each independent is independent in its own way. That the distinction between the two is often presented only as a choice between supporting local or big business shows a disregard for the importance of aesthetics in selecting where we consume food and drink. But talk to those who are part of the culture around coffee shops, and they will tell you that the evils of Starbucks owe as much to each shop’s sameness and stylistic mundanity as being a dreaded ‘multinational’. Graphic designer Dan Saul Pilgrim curated the recently published Coffee Shop: North book as a way of showcasing the variety of independent coffee shops around the North of England. He visited 23 shops in Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Hull, York, Newcastle and Harrogate alongside photographer and collaborator Justin Slee. “The reason why I picked the coffee shops featured in the book is that there’s a real visual mix; they all have their own aesthetic and they all draw different people depending on their customers’ preferred style,” Pilgrim explains. “Whether you like a Scandinavian-style clean, minimal-looking shop or a more ornate, higher-end shop, there’s a lot of choice there that draws different people in. They each have their own identity, even down to the differing typography of their signs.” Like many freelancers, 24-year-old Pilgrim’s preferred place to work is coffee shops. He developed the idea for the book through his experiences of working and socialising in the Northern coffee scene, feeling that it deserved to be celebrated in print. As well as photographs of staff, customers, and the shops’ interiors and exteriors, the book features 13 essays from collaborators focusing on different aspects of Northern cafe culture, each accompanied by illustrations. “I think there’s more density and character to the eight cities I chose as opposed to London,
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where there’s a coffee shop on every high street,” Pilgrim says. “In the North there are more unique shops. In Harrogate for example, there are only three independent coffee shops but they are some of the best in the country, and they all approach coffee in a different way. “I think more people are starting to become aware of what makes a good cup of coffee and moving away from high street chains, either for ethical reasons or for the quality of the product.”
“There are more unique shops in the North. In Harrogate, there are only three independent coffee shops but they are some of the best in the country” Dan Saul Pilgrim
Whether it’s to sit near the window watching passersby or under a certain light fitting, there’s a reason we have our favourite seat in a coffee shop. You only need to check Instagram to find hundreds of pictures of cups of coffee and cafe culture, and to see that the aesthetic beauty of a coffee shop is an important part of the coffee-drinking experience. In addition to photographs of the shops, coffee and equipment, Coffee Shop: North showcases the communities who frequent the shops.
A former barista himself, Pilgrim places particular emphasis on the importance of a shop’s workers in creating its style and the experience. “People forget that, for the owners and baristas, it’s not just a job – usually the people who work in coffee shops are cultured in art and music, design and fashion and it’s not a coincidence that these are things that tie together in cafe culture,” he says. It’s also no coincidence that Pilgrim is currently based in Leeds, where the coffee scene is enjoying a resurgence. May’s Leeds Indie Food festival ran the ‘Leeds Coffee Social’, bringing together the city’s indie coffee shops for a collaborative celebration of its scene. Dave Olejnik, the owner of Laynes Espresso – one of the Leeds coffee shops featured in the book – has seen the scene grow around his shop since it opened five years ago. Olejnik emphasises the importance of independent owners influencing the style and culture of their shop. “Every independent shop is owned by somebody with an idea of what looks good, and every decent shop owner will have their stamp to put on it,” he says. “There’s definitely an aesthetic in my shop. People recognise the branding and they associate the colour on the outside and the style inside with our look, which makes it stand out.” Holly Bowman, who as director of Leeds’ North Star coffee shop wrote an essay for the book about her journey through the independent coffee scene, stresses how a shop’s vibe can help bring people into the scene. “I think the style of a shop is what sets a place apart today and draws people in,” she says. “It’s not the be-all and end-all because, ultimately, it’s about the taste of the coffee itself, but I do think a shop’s unique aesthetic is an important access point for people getting into speciality coffee.” Coffee Shop: North is available now at coffeeshopnorth. co.uk, selected independent coffee shops and independent bookshops
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Home brewing tekkers and a new venue for Idle Hands Since coffee greats Idle Hands departed their temporary space on Piccadilly approach, life become a little bit darker for train commuters. But the team are back in action this month with a new temporary spot in barbershop Mr Beardmore. Keenos can get another coffee fix via their upcoming workshop at Trove, where you can flex your coffee palette and get the lowdown on home-brewing techniques. Trove, 1032 Stockport Rd, Manchester, 12 June, £25 (tickets via trovefoods.co.uk) New openings in Manchester Chorlton has itself a new French-inspired boozer, Man Bites Frog, with the suitably mismatched furniture to have you believe you’re sinking an Armagnac alongside your cheery grandmère, as well as an outside courtyard poised for outdoor silent cinema screenings (open now, Barlow Moor Road). Meanwhile, the imminent opening of Red Door is particularly poignant given the recent passing of Living Ventures boss Tim Bacon – especially when it’s housed in the Deansgate building where it all began for him (opens 9 Jun, Deansgate). New openings in Liverpool Indie café Lovelock’s is now open on Old Haymarket, harnessing a distinctly homely, approachable vibe via locally roasted Merseyside coffee, a stunning green tiled counter and simple, affordable sarnies and bagels. New openings in Leeds A concept bar that reinvents itself every quarter, The Hedonist Project is taking summer by the horns with Trader Dan’s Surf Shack, a beach bar that’ll help us feel the sunshine even if the weather outside won’t play ball (launches 30 Jun, Lower Briggate). For the latest bar and restaurant openings, news and events guides, head to theskinny.co.uk/food
THE SKINNY
From Harben to Hipster: How TV chefs went 3D
Words: Martin Guttridge-Hewitt Illustration: Jess Ebsworth
We delve into the brave new world of food video, where personality is king and a canine sidekick is your ticket to stardom
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ccording to author and general truthspeaker Douglas Adams, the world is normal when you’re born. Everything that’s invented between your turning 15 and 35 is new and exciting, and anything that comes along after that time is against the natural order of things. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy author wasn’t talking about TV chefs (as far as we know), but he may as well have been. A young, and in some instances, untrained digital guard has, over the last decade or so, revolutionised what we expect from food on screen. They make cooler, shorter, more direct cooking shows that are broadcast online. Your average TV viewer might not necessarily ‘get’ them, but legions of online fans do. Basically, the old landscape of cookery shows has been devoured by a newer model. Whether this is good or not may boil down to your age, but one thing’s hard to deny – things have changed a lot in the last few years. This revolution is partly down to time, timing and usefulness. Our attention spans have never been shorter, and there has never been so much to watch across hundreds of TV channels and millions of websites, not to mention the never-ending visual buffet that is social media. At the same time, we’ve never been busier – probably because we have so much stuff to watch. So who wants a 30-minute cooking lesson, or to spend ten minutes learning how to make something out of bits already in the fridge? Life was very different back in the 1940s when our first proper TV epicure was introduced. God only knows what that man Philip Harben, with his staunch Britishness, would have to say about someone like Matty Matheson, the Toronto chef and star of VICE’s food video channel Munchies. One of the new breed’s archetypal players, Matheson’s lack of RP might be balanced out by his talent and flair for ‘kitchen stuff’, but we’re not sure how Matty’s tattoos would go down on Harben’s cunningly titled show Cookery. Although refined over the years, Harben’s formality set a blueprint for food on TV that has hardly changed since. Professional foodies as expert hosts and tutors, audience doubling up as students, television’s staged atmosphere putting distance between the two. We may learn their traits – Gordon’s the angry one, Heston is the experimenter, Hugh partakes in earthy pursuits, and Nigella has a highly suggestive nature – but we never really get to ‘know’ them. Even Jamie ‘Open Book’ Oliver, whose breakthrough television show The Naked Chef was arguably a precursor to the ‘online approach’, isn’t someone we feel would ever really be our friend. Things are different for the contemporary crop. Matheson invites us into his home and life on a regular basis, or at least the parts he wants us to see. Elsewhere, Sorted Food’s ‘four lads in a kitchen’ claim over 1.5 million YouTube subscribers with a heart-on-the-sleeve stance. They are not restaurateurs or chefs, and it’s no secret that only one of the quartet has any previous culinary experience at all. They could easily be us; we could be peers. For want of a better word, it’s more ‘real’, or at least we perceive that to be the case. Bitchin’ Kitchen’s Nadia G takes the idea further. The Canadian comedian specialises in pairing recipes with life’s big events; post-onenight-stand breakfasts, the perfect dinner for break-ups. In doing so she alludes to having these experiences herself, rather than living a hermetically sealed ‘on telly’ existence. She
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becomes almost three-dimensional, and suddenly you’re cooking with an honest (if somewhat full-on) sister. Vegan Black Metal Chef, Regular Ordinary Swedish Meal Time, Epic Meal Time, Cupcake Jemma – the list goes on. In each case there’s food on the menu, but also dollops of personality and a sense of stepping into someone’s world, as they come into ours via laptop, tablet or phone – all somehow more intimate than the television. Perhaps it’s the connection we all subconsciously (if incorrectly) make between digital content and DIY ethics that creates this feeling of a two-way relationship; maybe it’s the fact that this new breed of hosts are proper characters. Whether those characters are real or not is apparently irrelevant.
“There’s plenty of food on the menu, but also dollops of personality and a sense of stepping into someone’s world” Even the most insane example fits this model. Japan’s Cooking with Dog features a female chef, known as Chef, and a little dog, Francis. Francis ‘narrates’ (via a guy speaking in English with a fake French accent), while his human co-host cooks. Occasionally the dog falls off the work counter or the woman makes it look like the dog is rolling out pastry, but on the whole it’s that simple. The anonymous Chef has a Twitter and Facebook feed dominated by pictures of her with food in different places. She’s a real person who exists, doing things and visiting destinations that her audience can be a part of. The whole
format – cute canine and silent skilled epicure tirelessly toiling while a strange man narrates – is like stepping into an alternate reality dreamed up by hungry Studio Ghibli animators. A (surreal) universe has been shown to us and it’s possible to dive right in if that universe
represents or at least speaks to us. From tattooed chefs with beards to ladies with canine companions, anyone can host their own food show. It’s their combination of personality and individualism that gets us hooked, and that’s before we even find out what’s on the menu.
Our Favourite Food Web Series From charismatic hosts to chefs accompanied by dogs, six of our favourite online food series... How To… with Matty Matheson Covered in tattoos and rarely seen without a trucker cap, Matheson is best described as a ‘big sweary Canadian.’ Matty’s ‘How To’ videos for Vice’s Munchies channel see him explain his dishes in the manner of a cool (if slightly terrifying) uncle. Start with his recipe for ‘Cheeto Macaroni Cheese’ – Matty spends a good chunk of the runtime in the bath, then uses a block of cheese as a puppet. Food, eh? What’s it like? Dining on a Dime Eater and New York Times columnist Lucas Peterson speaks multiple languages, knows everything there is to know about food, and gets on like a house on fire with everyone he meets. You should want to slap him, but you don’t; he has ‘charisma,’ we believe it’s called. Dining on a Dime visits food trucks, backstreet eateries and small restaurants across the US, showing off the incredible (and incredibly cheap) food on offer if you only know where to look. And now you do. You Suck at Cooking A show that combines genuine instruction with top-notch piss-taking, You Suck at Cooking features snarky advice from a pair of disembodied hands. The trick is to take the actual advice with a grain of salt, and learn from the overall themes of the show. In this case, that means making sure your salsa has a good mix of ingredients, but not mixing your salad with a power drill.
FOOD AND DRINK
Words: Peter Simpson
Cooking with Dog Never has a three word pitch been more accurate. The web phenomenon couldn’t be simpler; a chef cooks, while a dog sits nearby. Will the dog do anything? Almost certainly not. Is this all a joke? Nope, this is a serious cookery show. Will you all go and watch an episode now? Of course you will – it’s called Cooking with Dog. Food Lab Science time! The Food Lab series takes kitchen problems we all face – ‘Why has my hollandaise split?’ ‘Why can’t I cook a steak?’ – and looks for scientific answers that make use of the electrical gadgets you never use. Follow their advice and you’ll be making suspiciously good food in no time, leaving a trail of kitchen equipment in your wake. Fuck, That’s Delicious Rapper Action Bronson bounds around the world eating, smoking, swearing and performing in Fuck, That’s Delicious. As telly ideas go, ‘big man go travel’ is one of the oldest in the book, but this is all about the delivery. It’s basically a modern-day foodie version of Whicker’s World, only with more weed-smoking and big sandwiches – and you don’t get that from your precious Hairy Bikers, do you?
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The Royal Standard is 10! T
he Royal Standard was established in 2006 by four Liverpoolbased artists in response to the need for a new artist-led organisation. Currently occupying two buildings in the northern limits of Liverpool’s city centre, The Royal Standard has established itself as a dynamic hub of contemporary artistic practice. It has 40 studios – as well as project spaces – and two distinctive gallery spaces. Activities operate around a shifting programme of events ranging from curated shows to residencies and studio exchanges, group critiques and conferences, all feeding into a dynamic initiative which seeks to both showcase and expand diverse contemporary arts practice. 2016 sees the tenth year of The Royal Standard, and the summer programme is geared towards celebration of this. A six-week exhibition boasts the work of 22 retrospective artists, all showing recent work and new commissions, including names such as David Blandy, Celia Hempton and Jess Flood Paddock. This will underpin other revelries such as a tenth birthday party, a charity auction and open studios event, and a symposium on artist-led activity. This year will also see a period of growth as The Royal Standard transitions into its second decade. Moving into the future, the organisation continues to pioneer emerging contemporary practice and offer artists a supportive creative platform. Happy Birthday, The Royal Standard!
DEADPAN (2010 exhibition)
The Royal Standard celebrates its tenth birthday with a party in the gallery on 3 June, 8pm-3am A retrospective exhibition, 10 Years of the Royal Standard, opens on 30 July and runs until 11 September The Royal Standard, Unit 3, Vauxhall Business Centre, 131 Vauxhall Road, Liverpool Open Fri, Sat and Sun 10am-5pm the-royal-standard.com Ane Hjort Guttu - Freedom Requires Free People (2011)
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SHOWCASE
THE SKINNY
Photo: Rob Battersby
Clam Jam (2015 exhibition)
Lewk Wilmshurst - work from Top Bantz (2016 exhibition)
June 2016
SHOWCASE
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Photo: Auto Italia Photo: Tim Herbert
Lindsey Mendick - work from Blind Date (2016 exhibition)
Photo: Rob Battersby
Auto Italia (2015 exhibition)
An Honest Insight into Thailand’s Sex Industry One traveller discovers the shocking reality of a Bangkok ping pong show
Words: Izzy Gray Illustration: Sarah Bissell
W
ith a sharp snap the tuk-tuk turned left, taking us away from the neon lights of Patpong and into the depths of an unlit alley. We had stopped outside a building which, on first glance, gave little away. You could have been forgiven for thinking it was a disused factory, had it not been for the tell-tale gasps of music which escaped as the door opened and closed. A throng of men guarded the door, swigging from unmarked bottles and smoking fat cigars. They stared at us knowingly. How had we ended up here? I wondered as the cold – so rarely felt in Bangkok – seemed now embedded beneath my skin. Just an hour before, we had been sipping cocktails on Khao San Road, laughing as we were goaded on by the touts determined to sell us tickets to a night of cheap thrills in the city’s infamous red light district. “Remember our faces!” I had joked to a police officer as we boarded the tuk-tuk, finally giving in. It didn’t seem so funny now, and I pleaded with our driver to turn back. With his somewhat selective English skills kicking in, he placed a hand on my shoulder and steered me into the building. There we were met by a burly man, wearing a thick, leather jacket. He eyed us up and down before stretching out his palm. “500 Baht,” was his command. It was much more than had been agreed. We entered the theatre, a cavernous room, where the smell of stale sweat hung in the air and red lights flickered tellingly above. Scantily-clad bar girls circled around the punters like swarms of bees; oblivious to our hesitation, they led us straight to the edge of the circular stage, before thrusting lukewarm glasses of prosecco into our hands. I very much doubted they were complimentary, and yet I had bigger things to worry about; we had been placed in the front row. Right, as they say, in the firing line. “This was not part of the agreement...” I hissed to my friend as the lights began to dim. There was no time for a witty response. Music – cheap 90s house – began to fill the air. A Thai girl entered, unannounced, and took her place on the stage. Dressed only in a G-string, she wrapped her hand around the pole which pierced the heart of the stage like an arrow and began swaying her hips to the music. With a surprisingly swift move, she lifted herself up on to the pole and circled it, before lowering herself, snakelike, to the ground. Her hand slid slowly down the length of her body. She removed her underwear, exposing a deep, purple scar which ran the length of her midriff. It went unnoticed by the crowd. Another girl entered, proudly displaying a balloon in one hand and a dart in another. “You don’t think…” I began, before being interrupted by an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen! Would you like to see a magic trick?” “Oh dear god, no…” I pleaded, as the balloon was handed to a member of the audience, and the dart to the nude girl. She lay down on the floor before bringing her knees to her chest. The dart disappeared from view. “Surely she can’t…” A loud POP! resounded through the room, and I was proved wrong. A stunned silence, and then the crowd roared into life, swelling with delight and baying for more. Over the next 20 minutes, darts were fired, strings of handkerchiefs were drawn, and of course, ping-pong balls soared through the air.
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Lifestyle
Throughout it all, I scanned the audience, desperately trying to establish their reactions; some, like us, looked genuinely shocked. Others were disturbingly calm, their minds numbed by a mixture of alcohol and life experience.
“A night at a pingpong bar, it seems, has become as much a rite of passage as riding an elephant through the jungle or drinking Mai Tais on Haad Rin Beach” Finally, the act came to an end. The girl came to her feet and took a bow. It was as though she had just pulled a rabbit from a hat. Sensing the opportunity, we grabbed our bags and attempted to make a speedy exit. Our path was blocked by a buxom bargirl, who promptly redirected us to our seats. The show, it seemed, was not over yet. A voice echoed through the hall: “Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome our very special guest, Mr Dong!” Mr Dong?! Who the hell is Mr Dong? I didn’t have to wait long to find out. Mr Dong
entered the room, wearing only a smug grin and a back-to-front baseball cap. My mind went into overdrive as I began wondering what tricks might be included in his repertoire. Please don’t let there be darts… There were no darts. In fact, Mr Dong was not there to perform any tricks at all. He was there for one thing and one thing only. Without so much as a ‘how-do-you-do?’, he positioned himself over the ping-pong starlette and began thrusting away, all to the tune – I kid you not – of Britney Spears I’m Not a Girl (Not Yet a Woman). The cold feeling I had experienced in the street began to wash over me again. This all felt so wrong. I longed so badly to run away. I wanted to wash my eyes out and burn my clothes and pretend that the night was nothing other than a bad dream. And yet I was rooted to the spot. As I looked around the room, I began to wonder how many people, like us, had been lured into coming. I wondered whether anyone was truly enjoying the experience and if so, why. This wasn’t art. It wasn’t entertainment. As Mr Dong continued his ‘act’, the girl hung her head, her face hidden by a wall of dark hair. I longed for her to look up, to catch my eye as if somehow she might be able to read my mind and know that I was sorry; sorry to be there; sorry that this place existed; sorry that her life for whatever reason had led her to be up on that stage, her body a mere rag doll to the situation. She didn’t look up. The helplessness I felt in that moment is hard to explain and has stayed with me ever since. The sad truth, and I think I knew it even then, is that what we witnessed that night was a mere drop in the ocean when it comes to Bangkok and the corruption of its sex industry. By law, ping-pong shows are actually illegal in Thailand. They fall well outwith the country’s seemingly strict ‘obscenity’ laws. Somehow,
TRAVEL
though, they are still tolerated. Because there is such little regulation over the issue, it’s impossible to know how many there are across the country. You only have to walk a few hundred metres through backpacking havens such as Khao San Road, however, to get an idea of the scale of the problem, and to see how easy it is to get swept up in the experience. Despite their evident popularity, it seems that little is being done to regulate the venues, or to ensure the safety of the girls who work there. Many are trafficked in from poorer neighboring countries like Laos and Cambodia on the promise of a decent wage; in reality, few earn more than £100 a month. What worries me more, however, is the blasé attitude that travellers have towards the shows. A night at a ping-pong bar, it seems, has become as much a rite of passage as riding an elephant through the jungle or drinking Mai Tais on Haad Rin Beach. Most of the backpackers we met across the country had either been to a show or knew somebody who had, and their stories, by comparison, made ours seem as tame as a night in with the grandparents. I’ll never forget the night that I listened to a coked-up Aussie describe in detail how he watched as a woman produced a succession of live bats from her nether regions. Of course, it could have been the drugs talking; worryingly though, it could just as easily have been true. The physical risks these women are putting their bodies through are vast, the scars insurmountable. As travellers we cannot change the way Thailand’s officials choose to handle the problem, but we can control our contribution to it. My advice is simple; stay far, far away… …and never, under any circumstances, play Britney Spears in my presence. theskinny.co.uk/travel
THE SKINNY
How Facebook Is Failing Feminism From censoring nipples to ignoring reports of violent misogyny, Facebook’s policies are bad news for feminism
Words: Kate Pasola Illustration: Verónica Grech
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t’s 7pm on a Thursday night and you’re really bloody tired. You’ve spent the whole day passing for a functioning human to a moderately successful degree, and now you’re in the mood to relieve your little brain of if its duties for an hour or so. You’re in the kitchen, pan of penne on the boil, absent-mindedly scrolling down reams of newsfeed. Maybe you’re looking out for an unnecessary hype article about an impending wasabi sauce shortage. Or perhaps you’re in the mood for a Vine of a stupid fucking penguin being inexplicably reunited with a Labrador after 16 years spent estranged. Even just a face-swap between Donald Trump and a portion of scrambled egg would do – that sort of thing. And you’re sure you’ll find it; mind-numbing chic is Facebook’s forte, after all. And then it happens. You see something you definitely didn’t sign up for, festering away in your newsfeed, awaiting your discomfited attention. Not again. Not tonight. Not straight after work, before you’ve even opened your pesto. Depending on your friend-list bigot-culling skills, the post in question could range from the exasperatingly ignorant to the traumatically misogynistic. A racist status about Nicki Minaj’s arse. A slut-shamey meme comparing Kim Kardashian to Princess Diana. A horrific GIF trivialising domestic violence under the guise of ‘dark comedy’. A joke encouraging anal rape. Do you click ‘report’ and grapple with Facebook’s frustratingly vague reporting procedures? Or do you cast it to the back of your mind and crack on with that of bowl of pasta, throwing on a little extra pity-cheddar to mitigate your blaring disappointment in the human race? It’s a toughie, for sure. I used to be a serial reporter. That tragic Lad Bible post erring its way onto my feed due to a misguided algorithm? Report. A transphobic rant from some dude I only keep as an online acquaintance because HuffPost guilt-tripped me into surrounding myself with ‘diverse political opinions’? Report. Katie Hopkins on Beyoncé’s Lemonade? Report, report, report, report. Like the act of searching through a misplaced wallet for the owner’s contact details or scowling at a stranger for kicking a dog, using Facebook’s report function used to feel like a tiny deed I could do to help change my immediate environment for the better. Perhaps they’d get a notification, I’d naively think, or a warning – something that’d finally challenge their hatred and force them to be better. Facebook’s report function – where it all goes wrong But more recently it began to dawn on me that almost everything I reported was falling on willingly deaf ears. With every report I filed, Facebook would respond, robotically thanking me for my input and notifying me that the rape jokes, the slut-shaming, the advocating of violence against my gender didn’t violate ‘community standards.’ Those GIFs and memes and comments and posts would live merrily on, without a single other human knowing that Facebook had the opportunity to remove hateful, discriminatory content and had enthusiastically abstained. Every. Single. Damned. Time. And, of course, with a single Google search, I realised I wasn’t alone in my frustration. In 2013, the EverydaySexism project launched a campaign to put pressure on Facebook to reconsider its tolerance of content that advocates rape and gender-based violence. A relatively successful effort, the campaign bombarded advertisers like
June 2016
Dove cosmetics, demanding that they suspend their accounts with Facebook until the social networking giant took action. In what must have seemed like a landslide victory in May 2013, Facebook responded to the campaign via a post on their ‘Facebook Safety’ page.
“A racist status about Nicki Minaj’s arse. A joke encouraging anal rape. Do you click ‘report’?” Hypocrisy: ‘free speech’ and nipple censorship The statement, signed by Facebook’s VP of Global Public Policy, Marne Levine, pacified the debate momentarily, quite brazenly citing ‘free speech’ and the difficulties involved in defining ‘hate speech’ as their reason for openly giving the thumbs-up to offensive, sexist and hateful posts. And, though the statement dedicates a fair few paragraphs to defending Facebook’s policies of ‘openness,’ ‘connectedness’ and anti-censorship, neglected to address their ongoing censoring of the female body. The company currently exerts a disproportionate amount of effort removing images of
breastfeeding mothers and post-mastectomy breasts from the site. That in mind, using ‘free speech’ to checkmate feminist activism is more than a little hypocritical. A lack of progress It’s been three years since Facebook’s response to EverydaySexism’s campaign, and very little has changed. Recently, I posted about the problem in (somewhat ironically) a Facebook feminist community called Cuntry Living, made up of over 13,000 Facebook users. Hundreds of feminists responded expressively, sharing stories, screenshots and frustrations which I’ve begun to compile in an online blog called Facebook Likes This. “The extent to which this is possible for Facebook is based on obscurity,” one administrator of the group commented. “They can do what they like because it’s really difficult for individuals to hold them accountable – they provide no reasoning for rejections.” Use of underpaid, ‘outsourced’ content moderators Another user pointed out that the problem lies in a place far darker than sheer ignorance or hypocrisy. Responding to reports and moderating content is a gargantuan task for any largely populated site, and one which, according to interviews and research carried out by Wired, is often assigned to labourers in developing areas of the Philippines and India for paltry salaries. Sometimes these workers are not subjected to appropriate background checks, and the traumatic elements of a working day spent watching gory, pornographic and terrorising images aren’t factored into the employee’s workload. Not only is this gruesome news for human rights, fair trade and data protection, but
DEVIANCE
it explains how certain reported content might just slip through the net, depending on context. It’s conceivable that when you’re assigned the task of stripping a giant networking site of beheadings, revenge porn and animal murder, a sexist slur could, unfortunately, appear low on the list of moderator priorities. But, if these moderation conditions are true for the likes of Facebook, they are not an excuse for ignoring the demands of women who’ve had enough. Greater, more culturally nuanced moderation systems are needed, and the dedicated labourers should be given thorough training and salaries that reflect the emotionally, intellectually and philosophically exhausting task of scrubbing the floors of Facebook. Sounds expensive, sure, but let’s not forget that Facebook boasts the back-pocket dollars to try and buy out Snapchat for 3 billion dollars. It’s a leading multinational company with the time to automate personalised photo collages for each of its users, to integrate colossal banks of GIFs into conversations, to unroll software that allows users to track every movement of their friends. They can afford to do better than this. And, what’s more, a virtual environment with more users than any country on Earth should feel a responsibility to do better than this. Female-identifying people make up half of Facebook’s usership, and overlooking this fact is a dangerous move. We forget, mindlessly scrolling and desperately sighing, that we’re able to revoke the site’s access to our lives at any time, granted that we’re able to summon the willpower to click ‘deactivate.’ But the longer demands for an environment less hostile to women are ignored, the more tempting it feels to click that button, opting out of Zuckerberg’s 1.65 billion-strong ‘global community’ for good.
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PLUS SPECIAL GUESTS 1 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y T O U R
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Soul II Soul
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Illustration: Studio Monik
THE SKINNY
RE V
Festival Watch
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The UK's biggest free festival of African music and culture, Africa Oyé, returns to Sefton Park this June. Artistic director Paul Duhaney tells us more about 'Oyé Introduces', a strand of the programme showcasing local talent Interview: Lauren Strain
Molly Nilsson
Gig Highlights
RIMKA
The balmy summer evenings that we, in theory, should soon get will go perfectly with shimmering Scandi pop from Molly Nilsson, reggae festival Positive Vibration and upbeat genre-crossing sounds from the Max Graef Band
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Words: Jess Hardiman Manchester Swedish songstress and driving force behind DIY label Dark Skies Association, Molly Nilsson brings our month to a heady, evocative start with a show at Gullivers on 9 Jun, where she’ll be putting her gently anthemic, assuredly off-kilter twist on classic Scandi pop. Poet, beat-thrower, agitator and allround firebrand Saul Williams returns to the Northwest (backed by the formidable Thavius Beck) after Liverpool snagged his only appearance in the region a few months back. This time he’ll be at Band on the Wall on 21 Jun in tow with Martyr Loser King, his new new multi-platform project comprising album, graphic novel and film. Meanwhile, Alexis Taylor has been busy working on a new solo EP, Piano, which sees the Hot Chip frontman wind down from the hyperactivity of his (still prevailing) dancing days for covers, new songs and reimaginations of his own material via the contrasting sparsity of the piano and his own voice. He’ll be tinkling those ivories at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation on 21 Jun for an intimate – and, no doubt, sold out – gig. Critically acclaimed Congolese outfit Mbongwana Star stop by Band on the Wall on 23 Jun, just over a year since the release of their critically-acclaimed debut, From Kinshasa – and just before a busy festival season trailing their unique fusion sound, which combines traditional Congolese rhythms with European influences. After we caught Glaswegian synthpop duo Happy Meals at last month’s Sounds from the Other City Festival, we’re also feeling fairly indebted to suggest you do the same yourself as they head to Soup Kitchen on 24 Jun. Brilliant stuff. And, finally, Anthony Gonzalez-fronted French electronic outfit M83 take to O2 Ritz on 26 Jun, fresh from the April release of their seventh album, Junk. Liverpool Returning with the first output under his own solo moniker in seven years, Summer of ’13,
June 2016
Scotsman and pioneer of Glasgow’s 1990s indie folk days (as one half of Arab Strap) Malcolm Middleton plays Leaf on 3 Jun. With his latest work packed with influences of electronica and produced by Miaoux Miaoux, it may not be what you expect... The Saturday session of the Baltic Garden Party – 24 Kitchen Street’s nod to both the start of summer and their new garden space – may have sold out, but being the good folk that they are, they’re putting on an extra shindig on Sun 5 Jun, joined by Manchester’s hip-hop maestros The Mouse Outfit. It won’t be long before you hear that inimitable deep thud of dub sound systems, as the city’s favourite reggae festival, Positive Vibration, rolls into town once more, taking over Constellations on 10 and 11 Jun for a two-day party jammed full with great energy from Mad Professor, Trojan Sound System and Don Letts. The month then draws to an impressive climax via the double-pronged mastery of Immix Ensemble and Ex-Easter Island Head at The Bluecoat on 24 Jun, returning to the site of the latter’s first collaboration to revise and extend it into a new feature-length piece, Extended Collaborative Works.
Do Not Miss Max Graef Band Soup Kitchen, 10 Jun
I
t’s the dextrous touch with which DJ and producer Max Graef pushes both genres and limits that has made him a firm favourite of his native Berlin and far beyond, having already packed the first half of his 20s with a string of releases on his own label, as well as on Detroit Swindle’s Heist Recordings. This love for embracing all corners of music in his chameleonic bosom comes into its element this month, as he steps out from behind the turntables and onto the stage, bass in hand, with his eponymous five-piece band to play a funk, soul and classic jazz-infused set.
frica Oyé festival has to be one of Liverpool’s best-loved yearly fixtures, bringing some of the most infectious music coming from Africa and its diasporic communities to a usually sunny Sefton Park every June. The event’s community feel, vibrant live music and DJ line-up and eclectic mix of stalls, food and activities make it a fun day out for all ages, whether you want to chill out in the Trenchtown area or keep things going as long as possible with regular selector Esa Williams. Since 2015, the long-running festival has bolstered its bill with the ‘Oyé Introduces’ strand, presenting a number of emerging acts from the Liverpool and Northwest scene. Last year saw seven-piece band Pieces of a Man open the main stage on the Saturday as a suitably neo-soul prelude to headliner Omar, while rapper and lyricist Merki Waters kicked off proceedings on Sunday with his production-led social commentary. This year, four artists have been chosen for ‘Introduces’: Senegalese musician Mamadou Diaw and his group, The Super Libidor Band, who specialise in an intoxicating style of music that combines jazz, funk and Senegalese Mbalax (a popular dance music whose rhythm is derived from the local sabar instrument); Liverpool’s XamVolo, who counts Erykah Badu and Miguel among his influences as well as gospel; RIMKA, also of Senegalese heritage with some Mbalax influence and a unique sound led by Karim Mbaye; and last but not least, UK-based reggae artist Sherii Ven Dyer, who will support Randy Valentine. We caught up with the festival’s artistic director, Paul Duhaney, to find out more about this year’s fresh talent. The Skinny: ‘Oyé Introduces’ was new to Africa Oyé in 2015. What was the impetus behind including this aspect of the programme? Paul Duhaney: “We’ve showcased international artists for many years at Oyé now, and every year local acts ask if they can play, or they recommended other local artists. Our mission is to showcase artistic excellence from Africa and the diaspora – across the globe – and this was a way of incorporating the masses of talent we have here in Liverpool and the Northwest.” Why is it important to have the ‘Oyé Introduces’ strand? “In short, to showcase the emerging artists of tomorrow. It’s wonderful to be able to include local and regional artists on the bill, making it even more diverse for our audience. It’s also a
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fantastic opportunity for these acts to perform on a line-up alongside international artists, helping their career progression and giving them a great spotlight.” What have last year’s Oyé Introduces artists gone on to do? “Merki Waters has been busy on lots of things; he even went on to be involved in the MOBOs, and is working hard on his Lab Music Foundation, which has been providing services to meet the need and demands of underprivileged local urban acts in Liverpool. “Pieces of a Man have been gigging across the country, supporting Snarky Puppy’s Cory Henry and raising their profile.” What brought this year’s artists to your attention, and what do you find particularly interesting about the work they are making? “Mamadou has been plying his trade in and around Liverpool for years and really is a fantastic performer, as well as a big fan and supporter of the festival. I’m so glad he now has the opportunity to play on the main stage and can’t wait to see his set. “Karim (RIMKA) is another Liverpool-based act – an amazing drummer, who’s played with the likes of Baaba Maal, Pape and Cheikh, and Ismael Lo. RIMKA is the first band he has led and I’ve no doubt they’re going to kick the festival off with a real energy. “XamVolo’s star is really on the rise. If you’re into your soul music you’ll have seen his name on the circuit. As soon as I saw him perform live I knew he’d be a great addition to the line-up. He’ll be one of those ‘we saw him here first’ kind of acts. “And when it comes to Sherii Ven Dyer, she may not be Northwest-based, but she’s a really exciting emerging act based in the UK and it also seemed like a good opportunity to showcase a female reggae artist in a male dominated genre.” What connections do they share with other artists on the bill? “Mainly for this year, it seems to be West Africa! With Mamadou and his Mbalax influences and RIMKA rooted in Senegalese Sabar drumming, [and] Sona Jobarteh is coming from Gambia. But I would say it’s simply their fine talent that means they belong on the main stage line-up for this year.” Africa Oyé, Sefton Park, Liverpool, 18-19 Jun, free africaoye.com
Review
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Welcome to clashfinder hell. Sounds from the Other City returns with its largest, most ambitious bill to date and as ever, the Salford festival takes over the city’s Chapel Street and its environs with a lovingly curated programme of music and performance art. By the time the organisers issue stage times, you’ve already resigned yourself to heavy losses: seeing everything you want to see is an impossibility. Still, with an everexpanding list of local and national promoters and labels adding their distinct flavours to the event, even unthinking pin-sticking would surely pay dividends. Is there anything on the UK music calendar that offers such ridiculous value for – whisper it – £20? Roll on 2017. “Hello, we’re the soft rock band Hot Shorts. That was our first song and now we’re going to play it again.” And they do just that as they open proceedings on the SFTOC.TV stage. Lara Williams swaps lead vocals for drums and Chris Killen steps up for a second run through I Don’t Want To Do My Job Anymore. Maddening, right? Actually, no. They may underplay it (“Here’s, um, another one…”) but the Manchester four-piece easily convert a cold, wet (and stone-cold sober) crowd into a sea of smiles. It’s all very silly but
there’s nothing slacker about how they toy with the components of 90s college rock. Is it a joke? Clearly – but it’s a good one and when it feels like you’re in on the joke, who cares? “Here’s a song about rain…” deadpans a skeleton costume-wearing Emily Noakes as Tacocat set about the afternoon crowd on the Hey! Manchester stage in the rarefied surroundings of St Philip’s Church. No wonder the Seattle four-piece feel at home: outside, it’s throwing it down, as it has been for weeks. And the likes of Bridge to Hawaii and Dana Katherine Scully are the perfect – if ultimately futile – antidote. Still, their fizz-bomb punk pop is a wiry, jittery blast, and Salford folds and swoons. “Let’s just take five minutes to think about absolutely fucking nothing.” John Doran begins his spoken word performance at The King’s Arms with an invitation to go deep: close your eyes and connect. As the techno two-piece Chrononautz build a backdrop of pulsing beats, Doran revisits his excellent Jolly Lad memoir. He unpicks the startling truisms of a 70s working-class childhood. “There was so much violence when I was young,” he recalls. It’s an unflinching confessional and it makes for a confrontational but connective performance. A full house is rapt. Local improvisational troupe Locean follow Doran but the atmosphere becomes properly
Gwenno
Hot Shorts
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Review
Photo: Alexander Bell
Tacocat
Photo: Alexander Bell
Laura Cannell
charged when Ill arrive. Their crowd spills down the stairs and they deliver an explosive half hour that rattles the walls and lobs a series of pithy provocations at your tired sensibilities. They were always a prospect and a distraction but, ultimately, they’ve become a properly accomplished live act. There’s a Riot Grrrl energy amidst the tumult but there’s more on show than mere rhetoric: Ill have character and tunes aplenty. During Slithering Lizards, an epic, twitchy, tempo-switching discourse, they toy with the song and play off each other like old hands. There’s no escape from Ill: stepping on a rattlesnake would be more relaxing. Laura Cannell’s Beneath Swooping Talons saw the fiddle player’s reworking of early-music forms find favour with a large and appreciate audience. The shadowy staging provided by Fat Out and Café Oto at Islington Mill makes for a wholly immersive experience. A few faint hearts slip away but Cannell’s set works as a focused whole and those who stay connected are rewarded, and she exits to a warm reception. Britain are the unexpected jewel on the Heavenly Records and Friends stage at First Chop Brewing Arm. The Preston duo have attracted gushing notices for the past year despite a frustratingly low profile and no official release as yet. As such, everyone in attendance almost chances upon them. No matter: a dash of serendipity is good for the soul, even though, stumbling into the makeshift venue after they’ve begun and wincing as a nattering crowd threatens to drown them out, Joey Cobb and Katie Drew appear to be on a hiding to nothing. Gradually, their stark beats and spiralling melodies take hold and people – for the most part – fall for
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them as they should. A less dreamy Beach House? Close, but still a million miles away. The White Hotel presents ‘Salford and Gomorrah’ upstairs at The Old Pint Pot and Parade deliver one of the day’s many minor triumphs. Manchester songwriter Nick Townley steps aside from – amongst other things – playing keyboards in Hartheim, to front his own unique vision as part of this all-day sequence. Accompanied by Becky Power, he plays a stripped-down set, alternating between guitar and keyboards. The pair arrive wearing masks that are part Eyes Wide Shut orgy, part masquerade ball, and the pretence fits Townley’s crafty stage management, not least his decision to conduct all between-song chat in a French accent. Still, the songs are effortlessly melodic and shine with an oddball soul. Best of all is Laughing: a dead ringer for early, solo Jeff Buckley. More, please. The last time Gwenno played to an audience this size ’round these parts, she was supplying girl group harmonies with The Pipettes. But these days, it’s her own emerging vision that has a rammed St Phil’s flooding out of the pews. Her largely Welsh-language debut, Y Dydd Olaf, saw her emerge as a watchful and compelling commentator. A stirring concept piece, its heady synth-pop is bolstered tonight by the addition of live bass and drums. Chwyldro is a brooding whirl – this is pop as light as a cloud but heavy with intrigue. Euphoric flurries punctuate a riveting set. Last year, in these hallowed environs, a triumphant Jane Weaver finally, deservedly, saw her star ascend. Only a fool would bet against Gwenno gaining a similar – and equally deserved – foothold. [Gary Kaill]
THE SKINNY
Photo: Alexander Bell
Salford, 1 May
Photo: Alexander Bell
Sounds from the Other City
Manchester Cathedral, 13 May
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Natasha Khan doesn’t do concept albums by halves. Brighton’s most mystical singer-songwriter has always enjoyed conjuring tales, and after a few quiet years she has emerged with her fourth Bat for Lashes album, The Bride. Fittingly for an album about matrimony gone wrong, Khan embraces the silly and serious spirit of weddings at this preview show in a sombre Manchester Cathedral. “Are you ready for a dark wedding?” she asks, opening with The Bride’s music box opener, I Do. Running through most of The Bride’s track listing, Khan guides the crowd through each song’s story in the cathedral’s candlelight. From the funereal single of In God’s House to the electronic patter of Sunday Love, the album’s folk
Cate Le Bon Gorilla, 23 May
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Just minutes after this remarkable, head-spinning show, Cate Le Bon is left nonplussed by the strangest kind of half-compliment when one of her Twitter followers tells her she used to hate her “faux Nico voice.” Ever modest, she rises above: “Huh? It’s just my voice.” Exactly. Heaven forbid artists as unique as Le Bon dare present themselves as they actually are. Hey, Adele – you sound a bit like Etta James! Kids – lay off the weirdos, eh? Le Bon’s Manchester hardcore offers a more edifying response by far, packing the venue to the rafters and zoning deeply into the singer’s singular vision. With the recent, crazy-beautiful Crab Day, Le Bon dug beneath the freaky
lilt ends on a note of hope with I Will Love Again. Khan is remarkably chipper tonight, confessing her nerves as she falters during spare piano ballad If I Knew, and it seems that The Bride’s songs will be more direct than we’ve grown used to. Khan eventually rewards our patience by giving us the hits as Laura’s lingering piano line receives a rapturous reception. Looking to fulfil her fantasy of being ‘a really bad wedding band’, Khan even covers The Carpenters’ It’s Only Just Begun and chucks a bouquet over her head for the crowd to catch. From the strength of old favourites Horse and I, the wild west stomp of Sleep Alone, and Daniel – which closes the night – it’s clear that The Bride’s songs will need time to develop the same haunting weight. Still, it’s always heartening to see an artist this wedded to their ideas. [Chris Ogden]
firmament of breakthrough Mug Museum and uncovered a seam of left-field guitar pop that confirmed her as a unique and compelling figure. Tonight, she picks adroitly from her increasingly rich repertoire. Opener Crab Day and I’m a Dirty Attic come alive. “This night drives me wild...ah row, you say?” she breathes on the latter: a sensual dialogue. Manchester folds. Mug Museum high-spots Are You With Me Now? and No God both glow in the care of Le Bon’s excellent touring band. Sisters’ drawn-out coda is a down-the-rabbit-hole jam but, as ever, it stops on a sixpence. Telepathy? Probably. She plays us out with a dreamy take on Richard Hell’s aching paean to understanding and truth, Time. Oh, and just in case – the voice? Sensational. [Gary Kaill]
Emma Pollock
Emma Pollock
Soup Kitchen, 13 May
Cate Le Bon
Photo: Beth Smith
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“I’ll try not to talk too much tonight,” says Emma Pollock before she’s even played a note. “More time for, you know, the actual songs.” Generous in performance and an engaging storyteller, Pollock is suddenly part musician, part raconteur. Thankfully, she reneges entirely on her initial promise, and her frequent annotations frame and colour her set. Backed by her excellent threepiece band, the ex-Delgado showcases recent career high In Search of Harperfield – she opens, as on the album, with Cannot Keep a Secret and Don’t Make Me Wait – alongside a handful of back-catalogue gems (I Could Be a Saint and a tender, solo House on the Hill). Alabaster and Old Ghosts beguile and bewitch.
Tim Hecker
Academy 3, 16 May
Cate Le Bon
June 2016
Photo: Beth Smith
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Tim Hecker’s eighth album, Love Streams, encouraged widespread acclaim on its release back in March; the Canadian maestro’s masterful ambient music has perhaps become more accessible than ever, partly due to the ghostly contribution of the Icelandic Choir Ensemble. Deprived of their spectral voices on stage, tonight shows Hecker reverting to type, lulling the Academy 3 into his synthscapes and causing us to lapse into a fever dream. Hecker has never been one for fanfare, sneaking on stage obscured by darkness and three elevated beams, starting to play before anyone realises that he’s even there. Identifying individual tracks during one of his sets isn’t as vital as noticing your experience of mood and time shifting gradually. As Hecker’s futuristic drones
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She reworks Intermission minus its original strings (“It’s lovely to take a song and make it move”) and responds to the warm affection of a switched-on Friday night crowd. The voice, as ever, is a smoky, soulful wonder. Before a chilling Clemency (“I will clip your wings while sleeping / If you venture home again”), Pollock ponders the personal histories that fire her songs, and their deeper meaning: “Sometimes songs aren’t about something that happened. They’re about retribution, revenge. Times when all you want to do is come home.” She frowns as if she’s been unclear. No need. In Search of Harperfield, as compelling an account of shared lives and the illusion of memory as 2016 has yet delivered, connects via its rangy eloquence. And it’s entirely fitting that its creator has stories to tell about her stories. [Gary Kaill] build and the crowd accustom to the harshly filtered modulations of scraps of sound, it’s like disappearing into a hazy, unsettling realm. Hecker eventually settles on a snatch of twinkly melody, the three elevated beams revealing themselves as still blue lights. The atmosphere in the room is strangely airless as it fills with intrusive pinball noises, mangled guitar noodling and flecks of horn trying to make their way through the muffled rush of noise. Everyone seems anaesthetised, frozen in their own hallucinations. We’ve been under for an hour when Hecker decides to ease us out with a flash of purple light, briefly waving to the crowd before making his exit. The procedure is complete, and we find ourselves waking not entirely sure of what just happened but feeling that something, imperceptibly, has changed. [Chris Ogden]
Review
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Photo: Mark Prime
Bat for Lashes
Album of the Month Minor Victories
Minor Victories [Play It Again Sam, 3 Jun]
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Considering the attention around what is after all a debut album – something to do with the identity of the protagonists, we’re guessing – Minor Victories is surprisingly and deceptively slow-burning, its many cadences revealing themselves over a number of listens. Not in a Mogwai fashion (nor Slowdive, nor Editors for that matter); instead, each strand, every icy shard of synth and pedal-blasted guitar arrive submerged – almost restrained – Rachel Goswell’s vocals fern-like in the breeze. Pieced together over a number of months by Editors guitarist Justin Lockey and his brother James, Stuart Braithwaite and Goswell
contributing remotely, it’s a record that speaks of collectivism but also distance. Opener Give Up The Ghost begins slowly, cultivating atmosphere beneath its contorted drum-beat and brooding synth chords. A Hundred Ropes reclines across its retro pulses seductively, whilst Folk Arp drifts in a shoegaze sheen, Goswell sounding vulnerable and delicate. With additional assistance from James Graham (Scattered Ashes) and Mark Kozelek (For You Always), Minor Victories is frequently beautiful, and it’s the subtle application of the abrasive (on tracks such as Out To Sea) where this project really comes into its own; a few listens in, and captivation becomes its own reward. [Duncan Harman] minor-victories.com
Big Deal
SUMAC
PAWS
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Say Yes [FatCat, 10 Jun]
What One Becomes [Thrill Jockey, 10 Jun]
After a disasterous home robbery in 2014, the band lost a laptop containing the record’s demos and were forced to re-write from scratch, losing their label in the process. It feels trite to spin a silver-lining story, but a fraught, focussed tension is stitched into every seam – Say Yes is an assertive, cathartic shout of independence. An understandably grittier attitude drives even the most understated of tracks, but blows full force on Avalanche: Alice Costello’s vocals let rip, piercing the gloom, countered by a super glam guitar solo of Bond-theme proportions. 2013’s June Gloom was a dazed take on all-consuming romance, and Say Yes sees those rose-tinted specs crunched underfoot: ‘I won’t tell you / that everything works out,’ the duo warn, vocals twinned, on the title track. Almost-ballads Idyllwild and Lux offer razorsharp examples of the band’s newly developed dramatic muscle, but it’s when Big Deal turn in a legitimately sky-scraping indie anthem on V.I.T.R.I.O.L. that you know for sure this band have serious guts. [Katie Hawthorne]
Having released one of 2016’s most ethereally beautiful albums in the form of Mamiffer’s The World Unseen, former Isis dude Aaron Turner crops up again with one of its heaviest. And boy, do we mean heavy. The five mini-epics that make up What One Becomes are absolute spine-crushers; real hole-in-the-surface-of-the-earth stuff, and their density and duration make for a punishing listen. You’d think Turner’s guttural roar plus the unrelenting darkness of the music might be overpowering, but there’s subtle textures at play here too – Rigid Man’s switches suddenly from blood’n’thunder to a wash of sensual, near-ambient tonality, lending exhilarating release to its inevitable return to the sounds of iron fists and tumbling walls. Meanwhile, Clutch of Oblivion’s locked-groove riffing even manages to sound hopeful before heroically falling in on itself. There’s real heart buried underneath SUMAC’s furious, deafening bleakness; it can just feel like a serious excavation job to locate it. [Will Fitzpatrick]
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facebook.com/SUMACBAND
No Grace [FatCat, 17 Jun] Funny that a band like PAWS can sound so of their time and yet so far removed from it. On one hand their brand of pop-punk sounds positively archaic compared to the anodyne hi-jinx of Neck Deep et al; on the other you can tie their indie-centric sounds to the 90s-referencing powerpop of, say, Cheap Girls or Beach Slang. By this third album they’ve pretty much mastered their craft too – their bass-propelled fuzz zips entertainingly by, with a sterling production job from Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus amplifying the sunny melodicism of Gild The Lily and Gone So Long. So far so modern-punk-by-numbers, of course. What makes No Grace feel most like a breezy treat is its fatalistic slant, as Phillip Taylor’s lyrics weigh up life’s daily struggles before concluding that they’re just not worth the worry. “We are all impermanent,” he sings, summing up bands and people alike, and the sense of joyous relief is instantly contagious. [Will Fitzpatrick] wehavepaws.com
Moonface and Siinai
Necro Deathmort
Mitski
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My Best Human Face [Jagjaguwar, 3 Jun]
The Capsule [Rocket Recordings, 3 Jun]
First there was Wolf Parade’s unexpected return, with a flurry of gigs added to the calendar and an EP of new material to boot. Now another of Spencer Krug’s many musical alliances is resurrected in the form of My Best Human Face; a second full-length collaboration with Finnish act Siinai that quickly reaffirms the partnership’s potency. Though Siinai are given equal billing this time out (Moonface and..., not Moonface with... as on predecessor Heartbreaking Bravery), Krug still seems to hold creative sway, most transparently when heard corralling his bandmates into a revved-up rerecording of City Wrecker (from his 2014 solo EP of the same name). That said, the impact of songs like The Nightclub Artiste owe as much to their sweeping instrumentation as to Krug’s typically resonant lyrics and vulnerable vocals, making this a two-way artistic exchange in which everyone wins, musicians and listeners alike. [Chris Buckle]
To the extent that any Necro Deathmort release arrives a little pre-scripted – with a moniker such as theirs you know you’re not in for a summery pop workout – the London duo’s inky-fingered, bats-under-the-nightdress electronica feels curiously introverted on The Capsule. Positioned somewhere between 90s industrial and retrofuture soundtrack, eschewing beats and guitars for waves of frigid synth and mal-illuminated contours (“We wanted this record to have a cryptic, alien quality,” confirms co-conspirator Matthew Rozeik), the eight tracks create a tension that’s never fully exploited, each distended, portentous chord tending to work in isolation rather than reaching towards a climax. It’s a pity, because there are plenty of strong ideas in the mix – not to mention skeins of claustrophobic intent – but, like a horror flick that looks good but never really scares, The Capsule remains a concept crying out for a narrative. [Duncan Harman]
moonface.ca
facebook.com/necrodeathmort
Puberty 2 [Dead Oceans, 17 Jun]
Puberty’s a time of peak emotions but it’s also one of chronic navel-gazing, making it dangerous territory for musicians. Fortunately, Puberty 2 is the rare breed that evokes all the angst and drama of adolescence but also its sublime passion. Featuring crunchy guitars, squeals of feedback and masterful melodicism, comparisons to Pinkerton are inevitable, but there’s more nuance and maturity at work here. For one thing, Best American Girl issues a sharp corrective to the dubious orientalist fantasy voiced on Weezer’s classic: Mitski (of American-Japanese descent) expresses the difficulty of fitting in when your difference is constantly reflected back at you, with a combined ferocity and tenderness that’s simply heartbreaking. Then there’s the production, full of deft hiccups and quirks. Crack Baby’s queasy key change is a prime example, turning a hook already destined for greatness into something downright devastating. [Andrew Gordon]
Weaves
Papier Tigre
Psychic Ills
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Weaves [Memphis Industries, 17 Jun] Weaves smashed a hole in the wall of Toronto’s DIY scene in 2014 with an EP of sweet’n’sour pop-rock gems, and have spent the intervening months on a nearconstant tour. Vocalist Jasmin Burke claims to compose ideas on her iPhone, and although this first record’s been in the works for several years, not one second of Weaves feels overthought. Tuck in for bountiful, weirdo distortions, whip-smart riffs and generous portions of tumbling, rambling breakdowns that almost – almost – end in disaster. Weaves can flick between breezy, cute pop hits to tight-fisted punk snarlers in the blink of an eyeball, and the record’s best tracks are a combination of both: Two Oceans is a thumping, brassy outburst of drunk sentiment and late-night loneliness: ‘Please tell me about yourself? / You’re looking sweet with your... slices of pizza.’ Weaves are flying so, so close to the sun and they want you to feel the burn, too. [Katie Hawthorne]
The Screw [Function, 17 Jun] Riveting Nantes trio Papier Tigre have been pedaling their post-hardcore chops for ten years now, and from Fugazi to Faraquet, their fourth album feeds on the cerebral twitches of latter-day Dischord Records with gusto. There’s a serrated funk that props up their gleeful caterwauling, and a hella good time it is too – in a clenched-teeth sorta way. Mood Trials catches ‘em at their most tense, with Eric Pasquereau’s wiry bon mots taking root in an addictively spacious groove, while elsewhere they wrench fearsome scree from their guitars and tease us with electro-pop synthery amidst undulating discoball spasms. On centerpiece A Matter of Minutes, a mechanistic, single-note beat flickers like flames in a gale over the course of nine challenging minutes. In fact, so dizzying are the twists and turns of The Screw that it seems a shame to tie it down to mere genre: ‘excellent’ does the job just as well. [Will Fitzpatrick] papiertigre.com
Inner Journey Out [Sacred Bones, 3 Jun] For all that somebody has forgotten to affix the warning ‘This is NOT a Spiritualized record’ to the album’s artwork – the Farfissa organ, the gospel flourishes, the languid, almost horizontal vocals straight out of the Jason Pierce guide to stagecraft – Inner Journey Out is not pastiche. While the New York duo have always sounded somewhat selfmedicated, their songcraft travels far beyond druggy introspection – never more so on I Don’t Mind, its hazy undercurrents swirling, Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval providing vocal uplift alongside the pedal steel guitar. Elsewhere there’s a discernible country influence, Coca-Cola Blues road-weary, opener Back to You floating amidst Mojave textures. Jazz cadences pop up too in the psychedelic cloak of Ra Wah Wah; in other words, perhaps a wee bit too derivative for some. Still, there’s enough here to trigger intrigue should you make the effort. [Duncan Harman] psychicills.com
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RECORDS
THE SKINNY
Deerhoof
The Mystery Lights
Margaret Glaspy
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The Magic [Polyvinyl, 24 Jun] So you’re one of your generation’s most hypercreative and hard-to-pin-down acts, riding a hot streak that lasts well over half of your 22-year existence. Why not try to compress that creativity into a seven-day blur of writing and recording? Works for Deerhoof. Whether soaking up dizzying, kaleidoscopic noisepop with ragged chunks of R'n'B or simply encasing gnarly riffs in supersweet bubblegum, The Magic is yet another triumph. If the band’s two previous full-lengths twisted their rapid-fire experimental pop into evermore idiosyncratic shapes, these 15 songs see them following Charles Shaar Murray’s suggestion that The Clash should’ve been locked in a garage with the motor running. Except the exhaust endlessly pumps out Pop Rocks and Coke, and the band are too busy setting off firecrackers to notice. Too much? How’s this: they’re weird and wonderful. They sound like no-one but themselves, and they’re still getting better. [Will Fitzpatrick]
The Mystery [Lights Wick, 24 Jun] Positives: expertly played, genuinely soulful and more grooves than Sandanista! on vinyl. Negatives: we’ve been here before. And haven’t we just? The New York-based garage act display sharp legacy chops, for sure, but more and more the raw power of late 60s rock’n’roll feels like an all-too-easy stopping off point for the next generation. Is that The Mystery Lights’ fault? Well, no (it’s probably The Black Keys’ – let’s blame them anyway). The allure of an unprocessed, unspoilt scene is hard to deny. History, after all, is there not to be gawped at, but to be toyed with and explored. And the songs are solid enough, particularly Candlelight (a dead ringer for The Sonics) and Follow Me Home, which has the swagger and punch of Van Morrison’s Them. If that whole milieu is to your taste, definitely worth seeking out. [Gary Kaill]
Those of us who’ve followed Glaspy’s development these past few years via a series of self-produced live YouTube performances might find her long-awaited major label debut something of a jolt. Dirtying up her clean, soulful guitar pop is a move as brave as it is smart: Emotion and Math is powered by guts and guile. Glaspy’s lyrical eye is unflinching and much of this record documents stark self-doubt alongside a series of dead-eye recriminations. ‘I’ve been sitting silent because I thought you liked me quiet,’ she sings on Pins and Needles. On the towering title track, she’s ‘shivering in an ice-cold bath of emotion and math.’ These songs are raw and beautiful. Glaspy’s voice is roughened, tremulous and hypnotic. Her guitar playing is characterful and advanced. Be sure to leave a space on those end-of-year lists. [Gary Kaill]
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margaretglaspy.bandcamp.com
DJ Shadow
The Mountain Will Fall [Mass Appeal, 24 Jun]
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Two decades on from the immortal Endtroducing, Josh ‘DJ Shadow’ Davis remains a shape-shifting enigma, determined to throw us off the scent. Accordingly, The Mountain Will Fall’s lead single – a Run the Jewels-featuring boom-bap explosion called Nobody Speak – is rendered sheer misdirection in the context of its textured and disorienting parent album. Having delivered what he recently dubbed his “goodbye letter” to sampling with 2011’s The Less You Know, the Better, Shadow’s new Ableton game chimes more with HudMo’s neon fantasies and Death Grips’ darkest speaker-bursting bass explorations. Long-time followers will still find plenty to praise, from a playful spar with Nils Frahm on Bergschrund to Ghost Town’s devastating reminder that our maestro can contemporise the mood of a track like Stem any old time he likes. The methods have changed but Shadow’s unorthodox sense of rhythm remains reassuringly familiar. [Dave Kerr] djshadow.com
Emotion and Math [ATO, 17 Jun]
Amber Arcades
THROWS
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Fading Lines [Heavenly, 3 Jun]
THROWS [Full Time Hobby, 10 Jun]
Dutch musician Annelotte de Graaf releases her debut album as Amber Arcades. And it is dreamy. Pinch yourself before faded, silky hooks and sun-bleached vocals lull you into a false sense of dozy serenity; there’s an ironclad core within these clouds, and de Graaf navigates the potentially turbulant skies of dreampop with a firm hand. A legal aide in human rights law by day, and a supremely focused songwriter by night, de Graaf assembled a crack team of studio band mates (inc. Real Estate drummer Jackson Pollis and famed punk producer Ben Greenwood) to record an album as determined as it is dizzying. Give in to Fading Lines’ understated dreamworld and drown in the title track’s pushing, persuasive guitars, the old-fashioned romance of Perpetuum Mobile or the woozy storytelling borrowed from Teen Dream-era Beach House on I Will Follow. Single Right Now is intimate euphoria, and the record’s stripped-back closer White Fuzz is perfectly pitched, bitter-sweet melancholia. Blissful, elegant records like this do not come about by chance. [Katie Hawthorne]
Reykjavík-based duo Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders arrive with warm-hearted indie rock designed to thaw your cold, cold heart. The former Tunng associates take a genre-spanning approach, inspired by their studio’s view onto the city’s industrial harbour. Songs of self-improvement, silence and changing sheets are illustrated by frosty natural imagery, choral vocals, strummed ballads and some serious, ambitious theatrics. The melodrama barometer spikes high on mid-record break-up track Sun Gun, and High Pressure Front steadily becomes increasingly, impressively glam as their vocals pitch high; ‘No-one told me this would be so hard.’ Bask takes an unexpectedly thumping, industrial turn and there are moments of proper brilliance in the sparse dramatics of Knife and Learn Something. The spoken-word closer Under the Ice – an eerie tale of wintery metamorphosis, albatrosses and nudity – is a step dangerously close to the edge, but the orchestral backing is cinematic enough to round out this record of overblown emotion and chilling natural phenomena. [Katie Hawthorne]
amberarcades.net
facebook.com/wearethrows
The Kills
Ash & Ice [Domino, 3 Jun]
Rick Redbeard
Robert Coyne & Jaki Liebezeit
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Awake Unto [Chemikal Underground, 17 Jun]
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I Still Have This Dream [Meyer Records, 3 Jun]
Five years can be an eternity when it comes to what we feed into our ears; that which sounded daring and inventive quickly grows passé when vogue starts looking elsewhere. Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince may have hinted at a radical departure from 2011’s Blood Pressures – a hand injury forcing Hince to play guitar in a completely different way – yet the predictable scuzziness behind Ash & Ice reinforces the impression that The Kills are merely slumming it at the sleazy end of the spectrum. The sound may be a little fuller, the bleary angst more reflective, yet even singles Doing It to Death and Heart of a Dog suggest that we’ve travelled this way before. Far more successful is when the duo leave trope behind; the sly urgency of Siberian Nights; the 3am cabaret of piano-led ballad That Love, Mosshart a web of dispassion. Such moments however are all-too infrequent, and while this isn’t a bad album, it does feel like a safe one (which is perhaps even worse). [Duncan Harman]
In some ways, Rick Redbeard’s second solo album is a neat bridge between his debut and his more fleshed-out work with The Phantom Band. No Selfish Heart was stark and elegant, a world away from the often rollicking output of the Phantoms. Awake Unto, on the other hand, ventures boldly into folk-rock territory more than once: neither of the full-blooded Golden Age and In My Wake would seem out of place on Strange Friend, while the 50stinged The Night is All Ours strays further still from the beaten path. But it’s when Redbeard’s clear-as-a-bell voice is allowed to resonate boldly through the reverb and the subtle strings that this record finds its finest moments. Unfound, the Field Years and Yuki Onna are a haunting, ethereal trio, while the gothic What Fine People is one of the finest in his canon. The plaintive air of the debut remains, but is elevated by the occasional harmony and wheeze of reed. [Finbarr Bermingham]
The third collaboration between alt-folk doyen Coyne and the revered Can percussionist is deliberately gentle and low key, each acoustic trail leafy, every drumbeat emphasising the space such stark metronomy bequeaths. It’s not an especially immediate listen – and it certainly isn’t incendiary – but that’s very much the point, Coyne’s vocal delivery is a warm filter through which his frequently playful lyrics (‘I am the Cockney mystic, I take the biscuit, and I’m healing your cat tonight’) arrive. Ball of Light skips across the oohs of its backing vocal, Tough to Love leans towards melancholia without ever coming close to wallowing, while the duet representing the title track glides with an intimate, introspective tenderness. Liebezeit’s percussion (as always) represents the monochromatic backdrop across which colour is draped, and although I Still Have This Dream won’t blow socks off, its subtle mischief speaks of a vernal confidence. [Duncan Harman]
thekills.tv
chemikal.co.uk
meyerrecords.com
Peter J Smyth
Mourn
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Black Smoke [God Unknown, 3 Jun] Having gifted us the fearsome Magnetic Seasons already this year with Mugstar, it’s a pleasant surprise to find Smyth's solo album stands in stark contrast – a collection of soft folk sketches powered by fingerpicked acoustic guitars and interspersed with electronic mutterings that prick the serene atmosphere with hints of menace. Lyrically switching between impressionistic imagery and plaintive bursts of word-associative outpourings, it touches on themes from selling out (Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is) to nature’s uncanny knack of providing the perfect metaphor in trying times (Red Missiles). But it’s the instrumental Joan that perfectly encapsulates the album’s addictive melancholy, with sparse piano notes drizzled over an enticingly graceful framework. There are moments when fragility threatens to spill over into uncertainty, but Smyth needn’t sound so worried. Black Smoke is engaging and absorbing. [Will Fitzpatrick]
June 2016
Ha, Ha, He. [Captured Tracks, 3 Jun] There are moments on Ha, Ha, He. – the youthful Catalonian quartet’s sophomore LP – when there’s a distinct impression of listening to several House of Love tracks played at the same time. Which is no bad thing; short and snappy it may be – its 12 tracks are done and dusted within half an hour – yet the band still manage to cultivate dramatic intent amidst the jangly guitars and posturing hooks. This is, in essence, a photogenic record, forming patterns from anger but also vibrancy. Opening with spiky instrumental Flee, its overture feel leads us down ill-lit corridors as the core of the album is revealed, Carla Pérez Vas’ vocals fleeting and indistinct, the musical Americanisms contextual (I Am A Chicken in particular wearing its Pixies influence with pride). The highlight: Irrational Friend, a frenzy of shouted aggression above hanging riffs – it’s material such as this that hints strongly at a promising future. [Duncan Harman]
The Top Five 1 2 3
Minor Victories Minor Victories
Amber Arcades
Fading Lines
DJ Shadow
The Mountain Will Fall
4
Deerhoof
5
Rick Redbeard
The Magic
Awake Unto
facebook.com/ohmourn
RECORDS
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a little less precise and Scandinavian to her songwriting, and I remember saying, ‘This is literally the weirdest thing I could imagine you singing on.’ Joakim’s a good friend of mine, and this remix is a really good example of someone finding what was already euphoric about the song, and taking it up another couple of notches.
Photo: Pooneh Ghana
6. Earth, Wind & Fire – Runnin’ I work with a bass player who’s a huge fan, he’s always pushing them on me. I’m slowly coming around to it. I get the hits, and I get the musicianship, and as a group they are incredible. When Frankie Knuckles died, people were putting up links to all these old school soul and funk tracks, stuff that doesn’t necessarily have a constant 4/4 beat, but it was all in this danceable zone, which is what Earth Wind & Fire were doing. Having sections that were one tempo, one kind of groove, and then it switches suddenly and it’s something else completely.
Under the Influence: Kindness
8. Green Mamba – Busiku Bwanduuma Another Joakim link! A museum in Paris invited the two of us to DJ one of their afternoon family sessions with music from their archive – we had full access to all of their CDs, tapes and vinyl. This is one of hundreds of tracks that made it to my final playlist for the day.
Before Kindness – aka producer, musician and collaborator extraordinaire Adam Bainbridge – returns to the UK for a string of DJ dates, he hits shuffle on his arsenal and talks us through the first ten tracks, Missy Elliott trilogy and all
1. Keith Frank ft Lil Boosie – Haterz I remember being in Louisiana, working with Solange Knowles. We were going to a rodeo that evening where there would be local Zydeco bands playing, and I remember just quickly trying to teach myself the basics, who was who – and I came across this track. It sounds somewhat old school because of the accordion, but then you have this guest verse from Lil Boosie, and hearing a well-known rapper on this arrangement is interesting to me. People love this hook, as well. It has a similarity to ska almost, but it’s just really compelling; you couldn’t stay still. 2. Missy Elliott – Red Lights (demo) So I think we should roll all the Missy tracks into one… there’s a lot of Missy on my laptop. I recently interviewed Tweet, who works a lot with Missy, and I also worked with Jimmy Douglass who was Missy and Timbaland’s engineer for a long time. He home mixed [Kindness’ second album] Otherness. Jimmy would have been one of the engineers on these [demo] sessions, too, and it’s just amazing
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to see that she has her innate talents on display so early on. It’s just been refined, and taken to a place where it really connects with a huge audience. 3. Missy Elliott – Izzy Izzy Ahh I would see these Timbaland records at the store where I lived – we’re talking mid-90s, and I think people were a little more snobbish about straightup R’n’B, at least in Peterborough. Hip-hop and R’n’B instrumentals would be stocked, but they weren’t getting that many cuts in. It was only when Missy hugely crossed over into the mainstream that you could actually listen to and buy it. She’s just always been someone you can’t help but be inspired by, especially in terms of diversity of sound, all of these different eras of progression, the longevity of her career… I can’t think of many people that are making solid hits 20 years into their careers. 4. Missy Elliott – Throw Your Hands Up ft Lil’ Kim We’re looking at these leaps, from ’94, ’97, and then this Lil’ Kim interlude is 1999. I think
7. Jay Sean – Maybe (Sunship Remix) This is just me loving all UK garage. Jay Sean is also an example of a British artist who comes from an Asian background, and maybe wasn’t sure he was getting the breaks he wanted in the UK, so came to the States. I was lumped in with a UK indie underground, because I have long hair and was in the same shows as Ariel Pink. As soon as it was apparent I wasn’t being ironic about a love of funk and soul, and R’n’B, and not just British black music but an American black music heritage, I think the UK music press was somewhat confused. I do work more in the States now, and there isn’t any part of the music world here that would work in those genres ironically.
Missy, Tim and the journey that whole group – the Basement Crew – made is just really inspiring. I have so much respect for Missy as a woman in the industry, and people forget that she is also a producer, at the same time as being an artist and bringing other artists along with her... and that visual aspect she always has. And just generally being an amazing person! Did you see the viral poem that was going around? The poet’s theme was how empowered Missy made her feel. Missy saw it, and turned up at the poet’s house the next day. You can just sense that there’s a real generosity there, and a willingness to share talents. 5. Kindness – Who Do You Love ft Robyn (Joakim Remix) It’s lucky for me this wasn’t more embarrassing! Robyn and I ended up playing this track to [legendary producers] Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, and because of the off-kilter nature of the beat on the original – everything’s a little bit wonky – I remember Terry raising an eyebrow, saying, ‘You do make things difficult.’ I hadn’t worked with someone who was as high profile as Robyn before; she hadn’t worked with someone so left of centre. I wanted to see if I could bring something
MUSIC
9. Touch and Go – Ecstasy, Passion & Pain ft Barbara Roy Featuring Barbara Roy. She founded the group, she ought to be getting the credit! This is also the song that the [JX track] Son of a Gun sample is from, which I guess most British people knew before the disco record. There’s another amazing version of this song by Danny Krivit, which just loops that opening with the piano and the hi-hat for a really long time! That, to me, is the most exciting part of the song, this drawn out intro, just quietly building… I don’t want to sound old-fashioned or nostalgic, but we’re kind of losing that in this weird postEDM era. 10. Naoya Matsuoka – Watermelon Dandies Record shopping in Japan can be a bit of a headfuck, especially since every sleeve looks amazing, and the music’s invariably good too. I think I came across this LP in a YouTube wormhole of 80s jazz-influenced funk. What I never realised until last night is how similar it is to Bernard Wright’s song Who Do You Love. I wonder if it may have been a direct influence? kindness.es
THE SKINNY
June 2016
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Skinned #14: Kickflip Mike Bushy-tailed Berliner Joschka Seibt, aka Kickflip Mike, steps up for our mix series ahead of a new EP and date at Gottwood – hot stuff all round Interview: Daniel Jones
J
oschka Seibt has been putting out quality productions for the past few years, mainly in tandem with good mates milling around Oye Records in Berlin. Now on the verge of a slick four-track EP out this month as well as a tantalising live appearance at Gottwood with the Max Graef Band, Seibt offers up a tight hour of house for our mix series and spills the beans on his transition from drums to MPC... and back to drums. The Skinny: So you’ve recently taken up the role of drummer in the Max Graef Band – when did you first start banging pots and pans? Joschka Seibt: I started playing the drums when I was 13 years old. I must have had lessons for about one and a half years but then stopped playing for some reason. My interest was still there but other stuff was getting more important to me back then. When we formed the band in 2015 I hadn’t played drums for eight years so it was pretty hard to get comfortable again around the drum set. I still have a lot of practice ahead to get where I want to be.
at Julius’s place. Four weeks later the record was done. I showed Emil [Muff Deep] the EP and he loved it straight away. So we decided to put it out together. How did you first hook up with Julius and what’s your musical relationship like? When we did the Three Turtles jam I was really surprised how natural it felt. I prepared a groove and he just played over it. Easy as that. As we were in the studio for three weeks we discovered minor complications. Sometimes it was quite hard to connect the bass and guitar sound with the MPC drums. But we worked through it. I see myself as more of a producer right now than a drummer. So there was a natural understanding between me as a producer and him on the bass/ guitar. I was really happy to try out new stuff. As I can’t even read notes it was cool to have such an amazing player like Julius who can just hear a chord and play a bassline straight away. When I’m producing myself I always have to search for the right note for about half an hour!
Any particular rudiments you like to practise? I’m practising a lot of technical stuff at home these days. So I’m doing paradiddles, single strokes and all the other exercises. I’ve got a little metronome at home and a pad to work on timing. That’s the main focus.
Are you looking forward to playing Gottwood this year with the band? Really looking forward to it! I’d never heard of the festival until a couple of weeks ago but I’ve heard amazing things about it. We will also do an improv session a day after our gig, I think. Glenn Astro is also coming so it’s a little family trip!
Which drummer(s) do you admire the most and why? Currently it’s definitely Yussef Dayes. I mean that guy is on another level. He makes everything look so easy and has an incredible sense for timing and tempo. I have to admit that I don’t have a lot of knowledge about drumming. I know that there are legends like Tony Williams but I’m not into the scene too much... I was too young to gain any knowledge back in the days when I was going to the drum lessons.
What other projects are you currently working on? Currently the focus is on the Max Graef Band. We’ve got a big tour coming up in June/July. So we have to practise a lot. Besides that I don’t really have the time or energy to produce other stuff right now. We are in our band room nearly every day and after a five-hour jazzrock session my head is always empty. Saying that, I managed to produce another EP a couple of weeks ago which is not quite done yet…
Does your sense of rhythm translate easily from a real kit to drum machines/MPC? I think it definitely helps as you have more sense for rhythm, especially when Max [Graef] and me are playing our live set. I’m doing a lot with the MPC and the feel for rhythm and groove definitely helps a lot when I’m producing. I always try to make the groove in my productions as organic as possible. So I’m playing a lot of drums live with my MPC and then recording it into Logic. I think it’s really important to not always make a 4/4 kick and a clap on the 2 and 4. Of course that’s not for everyone, but for me it’s an essential method to produce music.
What would you like to improve or get better at, music-wise? I’d like to improve everything, basically. From being more precise to being better at keeping the tempo. Most important for me right now is to get more confident while playing. I think that it’s really important to not play with any insecurity. You can always hear that and it’s really bad for the feeling... It should always be about having fun when you are playing music.
You’ve got a new EP out on Tartelet soon with Julius Conrad. How did that come about? A couple of months ago Julius called me, I hadn’t seen him for a year or so. He asked me about doing a jam together. So he came to my place and I prepared some drums for the MPC and he brought his guitar and bass. Then we jammed for two hours and the track Three Turtles was created. We really liked the working flow so we decided to do more tracks and build a little studio
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Can you tell us a little bit about the mix you’ve recorded for us? I recorded the mix at home with my turntables. As I recently only did jazz or Brazilian-style mixes I was really in the mood to make a proper house mix as I hadn’t recorded one at home before. These are my current favourite house tunes strung together. Kickflip Mike plays with the Max Graef Band at Gottwood festival, Anglesey, Wales, 9-12 Jun. His new EP with Julius Conrad is out this month on Tartelet Listen to Kickflip Mike’s Skinned mix at theskinny.co.uk/clubs
CLUBS
THE SKINNY
Guest Selector: François K DJ, producer, engineer and all-round studio wizard François Kevorkian gives a tantalising glimpse into his innermost musical joys
Jimi Hendrix – The Cry of Love [Track Records, 1971] This posthumous collection of songs shows where Hendrix was headed; many of these are slightly unfinished but it gives the listener a good sense of where Hendrix’s unmatched musical prowess was going. Definitely in a soulful direction, and incorporating more orchestration than his previous studio efforts. Soft Machine – Soft Machine Vol. I & II [Probe, 1970] These two albums paint a remarkable picture; they are a unique blend of sophisticated music-making, with a jazzy approach and a great, zany sense of humour. They were remarkably ahead of their time, and remain eminently listenable, something of a benchmark for the music that followed from the many bands that took up this ‘Canterbury’ sound. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On [Tamla, 1971] Impossible to avoid once I’d heard this lyrical and poignant call to consciousness. Also, in my mind it represents a significant step because it lifts Motown up from being a mere hit-making machine to producing socially conscious music that elevates the mind. The album became a rallying point for the many who
were questioning the way things were happening in America in those years, and is still just as relevant today. Miles Davis – Bitches Brew [Columbia, 1970] Shocked jazz reviewers didn’t quite know what to make of Bitches Brew, and Miles sure had some instinct about setting the course of this band in particular for some uncharted destinations. As such, it captivated many of us because it represented (and still does) an artist’s uncompromising quest for new musical vistas, and boldly forging ahead with great success where no one had dared to before with the use of electrified instruments. Herbie Hancock – Thrust [Columbia, 1974] When I first heard this back in 1975 it represented a ‘funk manifesto’ of sorts. Here was the prototype for a new approach that was blending jazz and funky rhythms in a way that truly made sense. The song Butterfly in particular is a composition of astounding cosmic depth that I never tire of listening to. Augustus Pablo – Original Rockers [Greensleeves, 1979] Truly expressing some of the best vibes that Kingston, Jamaica, was producing at
that time, this album is actually in part a collection of dubs from other artist releases that Pablo produced. But they certainly stand on their own as masterpieces of the early roots sound, with just the right amount of experimental spacey attitude and delightful eternal melodies. Black Uhuru – The Dub Factor [Island, 1983] This completely took me over as soon as I heard it. The band’s playing was of course peerless, but it’s the advanced integration of all these tracks into a long seamless musical journey that made it truly stand out, as well as the use of effects to turn them into completely new pieces. Head and shoulders above so much that came out at that time or since. Maurizio – Maurizio [Maurizio, 1997] Here we have the template and instructions for dub techno and much that followed it, in its purest, unadulterated form. But it also has a potent minimalist groove, an inner swing that many have often tried to imitate but never quite managed to. It remains just as tantalising, mysterious and hypnotic today, almost 20 years on.
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92 [Apollo, 1992] I was so deeply immersed in these dreamy layers of electronic textures, and this record has inspired me countless times, probably changed the way I think about electronic music altogether. Very forward-thinking back then, still relevant today. Kraftwerk – Computer World [Kling Klang, 1981] Obvious choice, but something that seems to have influenced so much once we all heard it. It could be argued that techno and electro wouldn’t be the same if this hadn’t been released. Its poetic view of technology and the band’s use of simple but timeless and catchy melodies remain unmatched. Flying Lotus – Los Angeles [Warp, 2008] It’s been difficult to think of recent works that have the sort of impact I am always on the lookout for. Something that can put me in a ‘dream state’ while I listen, and with enough of a wild and psychedelic quality that I will want to come back to it again and again. This album gets better the more I listen to it, as more hidden gems reveal themselves. François K joins Mr. Scruff for Keep It Unreal’s 17th birthday party at Old Granada Studios, Manchester, 3 Jun
Clubbing Highlights Get your dancing shoes on, Junebugs Words: Andrea Brito Illustration: Amy Minto Manchester The month begins on 2 Jun with an Eglo Records takeover at Soup Kitchen, which includes Steve Spacek, FunkinEven and Alexander Nut for a great price (£8). There’s also Mala and Ron Morelli over at Hidden for a day and night party (£12.50). The following day it’s a special Keep It Unreal with Mr Scruff and incredible record engineer François K at Old Granada Studios (£20). This is in celebration of Keep It Unreal’s 17th birthday – opa! There’s also another birthday that day with El Diablo’s Social Club celebrating their 13th year on the circuit with Selvagem at Soup Kitchen (£8). On the same night it’s the Dimensions pre-party at Hidden, which welcomes Auntie Flo and Kiwi brothers Chaos in the CBD to mark the occasion (£10). Or you can see junglist sensation Congo Natty take over Antwerp Mansion (£8.50). On 4 Jun Selective Hearing welcome the hypnotic techno of Rrose to Soup Kitchen for an intimate show that also involves Reflec and Hadgud (£13). Back to Hidden on 7 Jun and there’s a huge lineup with Move D, Jon Rust, Hunee and Will Tramp! on display for the final instalment of Lost in Space (£23). Then there’s Max Graef Band on 10 Jun at Soup Kitchen (£8), a special live appearance featuring the Berliner and friends – including Kickflip Mike – followed by Kontra-Musik’s 10th birthday with TM404 and Ulf Eriksson (£10) straight after.
June 2016
On to the next weekend and you have Banana Hill with Jayda G, Cervo and JVC at Soup Kitchen on 17 Jun (£3). And if you’re not planning your weekend (or bank account) around The Stone Roses, then check out Candi Staton playing live the following day at Old Granada Studios for Craig Charles’ Funk & Soul Club (£27.50). To close the month in Manchester, Ruf Dug, Martin Loose Cuts and Edward play a carefully curated night at Hidden on 25 Jun (£8). Liverpool In Liverpool, Fiesta Bombarda welcome Norman Jay MBE to celebrate their 4th birthday in style at Grand Central Hall on 3 Jun (£18). Abandon Silence team up with Dimensions for a nice-looking day and night pre-party at Constellations on 4 Jun, featuring Dan Shake, Alexander Nut and Byron the Aquarius (£10). Over at Buyers Club Music on 5 Jun the wonderful Francis Inferno Orchestra is on show for Upstairs With... supported by residents (£5). The following weekend on 10 Jun there is a BYOB rooftop party courtesy of Meine Nacht, who bring in Mall Grab for the occasion (secret location, £15). Then the weekend after that on 18 Jun it’s the Africe Oyé after party at New Bird Street Warehouse (£1). And a there’s a big one to close the month in Liverpool with one of the best to ever do it: DJ Premier at Arts Club on 25 Jun (£18). Everybody spread love. theskinny.co.uk/clubs
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Art Highlights: Rogue, robots and degree shows It’s degree show-a-geddon this month, with displays of students’ work opening here, there and everywhere. Amid all the talent-spotting, you can also catch exhibitions from little robots, recent grads and some of the art world’s biggest names
never been seen out of their BM home. While you’re there, reacquaint yourself with the Lady Lever’s excellent Pre-Raphaelite collection (it makes a nice accompaniment to the Walker’s current major Pre-Raph show, which ends 5 Jun), and FYI, the downstairs cafe does some damn good soup and a reasonable glass of wine. Manchester: Adventures in sci-art Head over to The Koffee Pot for some sci-art from recent Manchester School of Art graduate Cat Scott (until 22 Jun). The artist/designer is presenting new digital designs based on the colliding and merging of dark matter and how we can represent abstract ideas of black holes. You can also eat some nice grilled cheese while you ponder these universal questions. If you like to be followed around a gallery by a strange little robot then you have just a few days left to catch The Imitation Game at Manchester Art Gallery (ends 5 Jun), which includes a super video by Tove Kjellmark, Naked (2009), in which a cute robotic furry panda has an operation to remove all of its skin. If you can’t make the exhibition, watch it on Vimeo and prepare to be a little heartbroken.
Irene Barberis - Illuminating Configurations
Liverpool: big names and big laughs There’s lots going on in Liverpool right now pre-Biennial season, from classic figures such as Francis Bacon and Picasso to regional photography, digital experimentation and an art market where you can pick up some affordable taxidermy. There is still time to catch the Double Act: Art and Comedy exhibition at the Bluecoat (ends 19 June) before it moves on to MAC in Belfast. There are also several events running alongside the show that seem to be well worth catching: Harry Meadley will be giving an artist’s talk-cum-standup routine on 1 June (6-7pm), Frances Greenfield (creator of That Comedy Blog) is leading a tour of the show on 4 June (2-3pm), and then, as a last hurrah, there will be a book launch and panel discussion between artists Gemma Marmalade and Mel Brimfield and curators Mark Durden and David Campbell on 8 June (6-8pm), with performances by David Sherry. Two big shows have just opened at Tate Liverpool: Francis Bacon with his dark and moody portraiture that, in a brilliant way, always seems to look like meat and depression, and also a first major retrospective of Austrian artist Maria Lassnig. Tate and Liverpool Small Cinema will be holding a discussion and screening around Lassnig’s work on 8 June (6.30-8pm).
are shaping technology and how technology is shaping us. Apparently there will be prototype products, infographics, film, interactive exhibits and a giant collaborative drawing machine if you are that way inclined. In photography, there are just a few days left to catch Open Eye’s group exhibition exploring how we gather and make meaning of our experiences, Open 2: Pieces of You (ends 5 Jun), and there is a call-out from LOOK Festival which will be staging an exhibition on the occasion of 2016’s Liverpool Pride. They have put a call out for photographs that best express your Liverpool icons, your LGBT lives, participation in past Prides and your place within the city of Liverpool. To participate and submit your images by 10 June head to lookphotofestival.com/ exhibitions/liverpool-icons.
Interactive shows Head over to the FACT Connects space between 17-25 June for a new pop-up exhibition, Designing Digital Now, presented by The Creative Exchange. This one explores how we
Picasso on the Wirral Over the Mersey, the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight opens Picasso Linocuts from the British Museum on 24 June. There are three suites of prints on show and some of them have
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Rogue Studios celebrates 15 years As part of Manchester Histories Festival, Rogue Studios will be staging an exhibition of 12 artists responding to the history of their gaff, Crusader Mill (2016 is the last year of Rogue Studios in this particular building). The launch is on 4 June (1-3pm) with performances by Nicola Dale, Joe Hancock and Mary Stark alongside footage from the North West Film Archive and a screening of Manchester filmmakers Gravel and Sugar’s The Art of Work. The exhibition runs until 12 June. Tram it to Bury Closing soon is Bury Sculpture Centre’s exhibition of Dutch artist Auke de Vries, a leading figure in public art in the Netherlands. His work has a light Tinguely feel and even his sculptures and maquettes look like drawings. The show ends 4 June. Two new exhibitions have also just opened in the art gallery: Contemporary Australian Drawing, which brings together 84 artists’ work, and Illuminating configurations : re forming the line; edges, splats and cuts (good title),
Words: Sacha Waldron
an exhibition from Irene Barberis. Both those shows run until 13 August. Highlights elsewhere HOME has just celebrated its first anniversary alongside its main gallery exhibition, Imitation of Life: Melodrama and Race in the 21st Century, which explores the performance of racial politics in a digital world and is on until 3 July. You can also find Designs for Living: Claire Dorsett and Cherry Tenneson, an exhibition in the Granada Galleries and around HOME’s public spaces, until 12 June. At Touchstones Rochdale, a couple of projects/shows are closing on 11 June that are worth a look-in. Hannah Leighton-Boyce has created a sound-work based on the museum’s collection of historic hand tools, and you can also see the work of five artist/makers in the Jerwood Makers Open, which awards grants to emerging talents in applied art and craft to realise significant new projects. Last but not least: Degree shows! Manchester School of Art degree shows run from 11 to 26 June (Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm). You can download a handy map of the shows from art.mmu.ac.uk/degreeshow to help navigate the multiple sites. The Salford degree shows will be running at the Allerton campus from 10 to 17 June (excluding 12 Jun), 10am-4.30pm. salford.ac.uk/ create2016 The Liverpool School of Art and Design degree shows run until 10 June at the John Lennon Art and Design building and are open weekdays 10am-6pm and weekends 12-6pm. Guided tours (meet in the foyer) are available weekdays at 11am and 3pm. ljmu.ac.uk The Wirral Met degree shows are open until 5 June at The Williamson Art Gallery and Museum in Birkenhead (Wed-Sun 10am-5pm, closed Mon and Tue, williamsonartgallery.org/ whats-on), and Leeds College of Art presents the work of its BA (Hons) students under the title ‘Made Here’ between 11-16 June at the Blenheim Walk and Vernon Street spaces (varying times: check leeds-art.ac.uk for more details). Find more previews and exhibition reviews at theskinny.co.uk/art
Local goods At the end of the month, Open Culture will be staging their fourth annual Summer Arts Market at St George’s Hall on the weekend of 25 and 26 June (10am-5pm). More than 130 artists, makers and designers will be taking over the grand space and the aim is to offer unique, delightful and affordable products – from taxidermy to tea, photography and jewellery – and keep the money local.
Thom Isom - Pieces of You publication
ART
THE SKINNY
Photo: Zoe Dawes
Charles Monkhouse - Seven Nocturnal Rainbows
On the Water
During a visit to the Lake District for this year’s Lakes Ignite programme, our Art editor discovers flickering rainbow bridges, 700 types of water and creepy sculptures playing hide-and-seek. She reflects on a festival that deserves a future
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he view from Brantwood, former home of writer, artist and social reformer John Ruskin, looks down towards Coniston Water and across the lake to The Old Man, a fell which, at the time of my visit, is unseasonably covered with snow. I have made my way through Ruskin’s gardens, from the wild laboratory of the Professor’s Garden where Ruskin conducted experiments with plants and flowers, down through the ‘ZigZaggy’, a tiered plot based on Dante’s seven deadly sins. The sun is beginning to set and people are gathering in the meadow by the lake below. Out on the water a small boat is leaving tiny dots of light attached to small sticks in its wake. As the number of lights increases, they create a mass which glows rainbow on the water. This is the first night of Seven Nocturnal Rainbows, a site-specific temporary sculpture created by Charles Monkhouse for 2016’s Lakes Ignite programme. The work takes JMW Turner’s famous 1798 landscape of a rainbow over Buttermere Lake as its starting point, but rather than suggesting something in the air, the 250 LED lights seem to be emerging from beneath – much like phosphorescent algae disturbed on the surface of the water. As the sunlight fades to black night, the mountains disappear and the lights on the lake grow in vibrancy. The installation is unexpectedly beautiful, and made a little magical by the fact that people of all ages have congregated after dark by the shores of the lake to see it. There is a slight festival vibe; you just need a hot dog and a flask of tea to ward off the cold while the rainbow flickers on the lake like a bonfire. Art for the Lakes (and land) This is now the second edition of Lakes Ignite. The format is roughly the same as 2015, with artists being invited through an open call to propose site-specific (or perhaps landscape-specific) projects for the Lake District. Last year saw a group of artists brought together to create Point to Point, an audio guide that took visitors on a sensory journey along one of the famous Wainwright walks across Walla Crag. Combining storytelling, poetry and music, the guide could (and still can) be downloaded from the Lakes Ignite website. Another key commission was Steve Messam’s PaperBridge, a bridge that people could walk across, spanning a little river near Patterdale and constructed of red paper – the same paper used for the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Both these works invited audiences to experience them while being immersed in the Lakes landscape, and Lakes Ignite 2016 expresses the same intention. Headed up by Aileen McEvoy, who is also involved in Macclesfield’s Barnaby Festival (17-26 June), the theme chosen for this year’s Lakes Ignite is, imaginatively, ‘water’ (the festival is
June 2016
actually sponsored by United Utilities). However, the water theme has taken on a rather more poignant and politicised context given the recent extensive flooding in the Cumbria area. Driving around, you can see that many properties still have sandbags protecting them, and a key section of road – the A591, which connects Grasmere and Keswick – was almost completely washed away by Storm Desmond and remained shut until the end of May, disrupting movement in the area at a key time in the Lake District’s tourist season. Cumbria working as one The Lakes Ignite festival seeks to present a series of outdoor-based commissions, or ‘art experiences’, but it also – and perhaps more importantly – draws together and promotes other cultural activity that already exists in the area. If you have ever visited you will probably be well versed in the quality of Cumbria’s heritage offer, most notably Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage, the Beatrix Potter Museum or Blackwell Arts & Crafts House. The visual art or contemporary offer is, perhaps, less well known (although saying that, Grizedale Arts in Coniston is arguably one of the most interesting and progressive contemporary art organisations in the country – they are, however, notably absent from this Ignite programme). Collecting all this activity under one umbrella or ‘offer’ for cultural audiences, and also promoting a sense of joined-up thinking between cultural organisations and touristic amenities such as transportation and accommodation across the whole district, is what the festival is all about. It aims towards providing a united front for potential visitors, and also towards fixing the Lake District in public consciousness as more of a player within the arts landscape of the UK. There are three main commissions, or experiences, this year. Alongside Seven Nocturnal Rainbows, Museum of Water from artist Amy Sharrocks is presented with the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. Sharrocks first installed the museum in the basement of London’s Somerset House and it is composed of more than 700 samples received in a call-out from the artist for the public to send her “precious samples of water”. Everything from baby tears or water from the Venice Grand Canal to 129,000-year-old Antarctic glacier water is included, all accompanied by little labels telling you the story of that particular sample. In early May, visitors were able to visit the Museum at Wray Castle Boathouse, Windermere, donate their own particular choice of water sample, and drink from the free tap-water bar (yes, ha ha). Sharrocks chose one of the Cumbrian samples as the final entry to the Museum, and the work was complete. Although Sharrocks has closed the UK collection and will continue to tour and use it for research, she is
currently building an alternative collection in the Netherlands and is spending time there visiting different locations, gathering further samples over the coming years. The third and final commission comes from digital artist Joseph Connor, who led two instalments of his ‘21st Century Landscape Art Class’ in mid-May. As a reaction to the idea that we consume landscapes more than we actively respond to them, Connor teaches the basic principles of landscape painting as well as the features of the ArtRage app, and invites participants to go into the Lakes landscape and create. (One missed opportunity here, however, seems to be not promoting the aforementioned Point to Point, one of the 2015 commissions, which as noted earlier is still available to download. This work doesn’t really have a shelf life and could have been re-invigorated as part of the 2016 programme.)
“As the sunlight fades, the mountains disappear and the lights on the lake grow...” Beyond the commissions: more to discover Highlights from the rest of the programme which are still open to view include the rather great Laura Ford exhibition Seen and Unseen, shown across two sites, Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Blackwell House. Installed beautifully in Abbot Hall, an arts and crafts house, Ford’s creepy sculptural figures lurk in corners or play out unsettling narratives within the space; ninja cat-rat figures stalk the lawn outside the house and a small girl sits on a wall, head in hands, crying, with her back to the lake and mountains. (This exhibition runs until 25 June.) Blackwell House, meanwhile, is showing a selection of Ford’s prints and works on paper until 4 September. Back at Brantwood, there is a small but nicely formed show from artist-designer Stuart Walker entitled Design for Life: Radical Objects for Sustainability (running until 6 June), which conceptually explores a conversation between Walker’s own practice, sustainability, nature and Ruskin’s work. Among the other nice discoveries from my specific trip to the festival was the sculpture trail at Grizedale Forest. Artists have been invited into Grizedale since the late 70s to create
ART
Words: Sacha Waldron
sculpture which then remains to sink back into the forest itself. After being quite informal about their programme for many years, Grizedale Arts have announced a major new programme of contemporary commissions and projects involving artists such as Tania Kovats and, again, Laura Ford. You can walk/cycle a number of trails around the existing works and have both quite touristy, family-day-outy experiences or something quite special and solitary. You can also then go to Go Ape, which looks like non-art super fun. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed the Heaton Cooper Studio, which is not only a really lovely art supply shop but also a print shop and gallery. Currently on show is an exhibition of landscape artist Alfred Heaton Cooper who, along with his family, obsessively painted the Lakes landscape and other landscapes around Europe as an artist and early travel guide illustrator. A highlight is his meticulously annotated sketchbooks and postcards but also the realisation of how you attempt to express a feeling, atmosphere or sense of place in a time when people did not have access to the wealth of world imagery we do today. This show is on until 12 June. So, there is a lot to still see, despite the festival’s particular experiences having come to an end. The whole Lakes Ignite festival, even only in its second year, is also coming to an end, which seems a little daft. This is because the consortium ‘Lakes Culture’, a partnership set up between a number of organisations and other festivals in the area, gained its funding from the Arts Council England and VisitEngland ‘Cultural Destinations’ project. This awarded £3 million to ten destinations across the UK to develop their cultural partnership-working and touristicfocused offer. The allocated money only covered two editions of the Lakes Ignite festival, and the organisation will go into evaluation mode later this year with no 2017 festival currently planned. This seems a shame. Projects and festivals of this scale need time to percolate and settle into their own skin, and improve and learn from themselves through different approaches and experiments. Other initiatives have come and gone in Cumbria over the years, each intending to promote this idea of mutual support between venues and activity, and it must be frustrating for those involved to have to keep starting, in some ways, from scratch. You can only hope that the legacy of Lakes Ignite will be clearer aims and an increased drive to create a sustainable model for culturally specific collaboration in the Lake District. Laura Ford: Seen and Unseen, Blackwell Arts & Crafts House (until 4 Sep) and Abbot Hall Art Gallery (until 25 Jun) Stuart Walker: Design for Life: Radical Objects for Sustainability, Brantwood, Coniston, until 6 Jun Alfred Heaton Cooper: From Fells to Fjords, Heaton Cooper Studio & Gallery, Grasmere, until 12 Jun Lakes Ignite ran 30 Apr-22 May | lakesculture.co.uk
Review
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Film Event Highlights This month offers a witty Whit Weekender, a night with Danish firebrand Nicolas Winding Refn and possibly the last ever film from Studio Ghibli Words: Simon Bland
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his month’s movie fun starts in Manchester, as HOME invites director Nicolas Winding Refn down for a very special preview and postscreening Q&A of his new one, The Neon Demon (2 Jun). Cool, right? Next you should head to Liverpool, as FACT bring the sunny disposition of summer indoors with a Studio Ghibli season. Witchy tale Kiki’s Delivery Service (1 Jun) gets the ball rolling, followed by rural drama Only Yesterday (8 Jun), the powerful Princess Mononoke (22 Jun) and the studio’s quintessential fantasy epic Spirited Away (29 Jun). Plonked right in the middle of the season is Ghibli’s latest, the emotional When Marnie Was There (10 Jun). Here’s hoping it’s not their last, as has been reported. Shock-doc filmmaker and outspoken talent Michael Moore returns to screens this month too with Where to Invade Next, a film that asks the US to look to other nations for some homeimprovement tips. Head to FACT and HOME and you’ll get more Moore with a post-screening satellite Q&A (10 Jun) beamed straight from the director’s appearance at the Sheffield Doc/Fest.
The Nice Guys
Suburra
When Marnie Was There
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Director: Stefano Sollima Starring: Pierfrancesco Favino, Elio Germano Released: 24 Jun Certificate: 18
Liverpool’s Small Cinema has a trio of events worth putting in your diary this June as well. The animated films of Austrian artist Maria Lassnig get the big-screen treatment in their original 16mm format and with a post-screening Q&A inspecting female representation and the body’s relationship with machines (8 Jun) thrown on top. Next up, Bertrand Tavernier’s Death Watch (9 Jun) predicts a dystopian future that’s eerily reminiscent of the one we actually live in, while From Liverpool with Love: Love Story celebrates the music of local musician Arthur Lee and the band Love (25 Jun). Football fan? Get yourself to The Dancehouse in Manchester for a special screening of The Boys in Blue: Manchester City FC on Film (9 Jun), a celebration of – you guessed it – Man City, on film. HOME, meanwhile, celebrate the release of Whit Stillman’s new one, Love & Friendship, with their Whit Weekender (3-5 Jun), showcasing a selection of the director’s back catalogue. Expect cuts like The Last Days of Disco (3 Jun), Damsels in Distress (4 Jun) and Barcelona (5 Jun). You’ll also find HOME commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death with some modern-day reimaginings of the Bard’s best, including Polanski’s Macbeth (14 Jun) and Gus Van Sant’s lose take on Henry IV, My Own Private Idaho (17 Jun). Thou art spoiled for choice.
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Review
Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi Starring: (English voice cast) Hailee Steinfeld, Kiernan Shipka Released: 10 Jun Certificate: U
Taking its name from the Suburra quarter in ancient Rome – a place populated with taverns and brothels where criminals and politicians met to conduct business – this stylish crime thriller aims to show just how little has changed in the city in the intervening years. It’s 2011 and Italy is on the brink of economic collapse. With an initially disparate and convoluted narrative, taking in a slimy politician, a gypsy loan shark, one amoral PR manager, an ambitious local gang boss and the Mafia, Suburra drops the viewer directly into a miasma of corruption with little preamble. Perhaps too much material for one film to properly cover – it will likely thrive as the ten-part series soon to be adapted by Netflix – it nevertheless remains compelling throughout thanks to shimmering nocturnal cinematography, intense performances from a solid cast and an ominous soundtrack by French band M83. [Michael Jaconelli]
When Marnie Was There is being billed as the final in-house film from animation giant Studio Ghibli. A European co-production, The Red Turtle, has just premiered at Cannes but Marnie is, for the foreseeable future, the last full feature to come entirely from the Japanese studio. The previous Ghibli film from director Hiromasa Yonebayashi was Arrietty, based on Mary Norton’s The Borrowers, and Marnie is similarly based on the work of a late English author who wrote for children, this time Joan G. Robinson. A far cry from the fanciful set-pieces of Spirited Away, this tale still flirts with the fantastical – even the Gothic – with its story of a troubled adolescent becoming obsessed with an abandoned mansion and the similarly aged girl who lives there; a girl who may be a spirit from decades past. If this is indeed a farewell for the studio, it’s fitting that this modest, bittersweet treat is so concerned with deriving strength from the past. [Josh Slater-Williams]
The Nice Guys
Tale of Tales
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Director: Shane Black Starring: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice Released: 3 Jun Certificate: 15
The Neon Demon
When Marnie Was There
Director: Matteo Garrone Starring: Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel, Toby Jones Released: 17 Jun Certificate: 15
Although he directed Iron Man 3 in 2013, it has been over a decade since the last true Shane Black film – 2005’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – and The Nice Guys wastes no time in reminding us what we’ve been missing. The first hour of the film finds Black on peak form, delivering all of the wisecracking dialogue and sudden explosions of violence that we could hope for, as deadbeat private eye Holland March (Gosling) and gruff bruiser Jackson Healy (Crowe) are reluctantly united in the hunt for a missing porn star. The second half is less satisfying, with the increasingly slapdash and murky plotting becoming more of a problem, but Black recovers with a climactic sequence of escalating slapstick action, and the actors are always a treat. Crowe and a particularly hilarious Gosling haven’t been this engaging or energised on screen in years, while teenager Angourie Rice is a real find as Gosling’s character’s daughter. The film might be called The Nice Guys, but it’s the nice girl who gives Black’s trademark darkly comic perspective a crucial moral centre. [Philip Concannon]
Once upon a time, fairy tales were sinister allegories of dogma-like wisdom preaching lessons in morality. Sadly, today they’re best remembered in a more anaesthetised form as animated family films. With Tale of Tales, Italian director Matteo Garrone looks to re-appropriate the genre, creating a triptych of lurid fables of blood-curdling violence that would never make it past the Disney censors. Drawing its influence from the 17th-century Neapolitan fairy tales of Giambattista Basile and boasting the type of baroque production design Italian cinema was once famous for, Tale of Tales sees the rulers of three neighbouring kingdoms tested by magic. Despite abandoning the heightened social-realism of Gomorrah and Reality for a world of ogres, soothsayers and gigantic fleas, Garrone’s gloriously mad excursion into this magical realm is rife with pertinent lessons about inequality, patriarchy and society’s growing obsession with youth and beauty. A phantasmagoria of magic and wonder, Tale of Tales casts a strange yet seductive spell that audiences will be powerless to resist. [Patrick Gamble]
Where You’re Meant to Be
Cemetery of Splendour
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Director: Paul Fegan Starring: Aidan Moffat, Sheila Stewart Released: 17 Jun Certificate: 15
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul Starring: Jenjira Pongpas, Banlop Lomnoi Released: 17 Jun Certificate: TBC
Paul Fegan’s soulful documentary follows former Arab Strap frontman Aidan Moffat as he tours a set of contemporary ballads based on old folk songs around Scotland, and on the road he faces off against famed traditional folk singer Sheila Stewart. Clocking in at a mere 76 minutes, Where You’re Meant to Be’s lively style and bawdy songs could easily have resulted in a far slighter work had it not been for Stewart’s presence as antagonist. As it stands however, Stewart, whose death post-filming provides Fegan and Moffat with a poignant focal point, looms large as she fiercely defends the lyrical integrity of the songs she has been singing since childhood. Should these songs be preserved intact, passed down from generation to generation? Or can we adapt them to resonate with new generations and might this actually be necessary to ensure their survival? Moffat is endearing and game throughout (he happily dresses up in chain mail and suggestively toys with a plush Nessie), providing the film with a lilting, selfreflective narration that nimbly explores these questions of custodianship. [Tom Grieve]
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Apichatpong Weerasethakul has by now established himself as one of the world’s pre-eminent filmmakers, but the unsung hero in his work is Jenjira Pongpas, the actress with the wry expression and uneven gait who has appeared in four of his features. She gives her most moving performance yet in Cemetery of Splendour as a nurse treating soldiers stricken by a mysterious sleeping sickness, and being drawn to one slumbering man in particular. As ever in Weerasethakul’s films, the past and the present have a habit of overlapping, with both the spiritual and corporeal worlds existing side by side. When Jen is visited by the ghosts of two princesses or taken on a tour of a palace that no longer stands, she doesn’t bat an eyelid, and neither does the audience, so immersed are we in the world Weerasethakul has created. His films look, sound and feel like nothing else; the stillness and inviting beauty of his frames exert a hypnotic pull. If Cemetery of Splendour is to be the last film the director makes in Thailand, he is saying goodbye with a masterpiece. [Philip Concannon]
THE SKINNY
The Firm
The Last Command
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Director: Alan Clarke Starring: Gary Oldman, Lesley Manville, Phil Davis Released: Out now Certificate: 18
Since his untimely death in 1990 at the age of 54, Alan Clarke has been something of a perennially underrated figure in the landscape of British cinema history, perhaps partially because the majority of his work was made for television. Thanks to the efforts of a massive restoration project, the BFI has made the complete collection of Clarke’s BBC output available via Blu-ray box set, with 1989’s The Firm, perhaps the most famous of this lot outside of Scum, also getting a separate release of its own. At the centre of Clarke’s portrait of hooliganism and men failing to outgrow violent fantasies is one of Gary Oldman’s finest performances as the ferocious Bex, who projects outward respectability (nice house, estate agent job, seemingly stable family) under which lurks a barely suppressed creature of fragile masculinity and senseless rage; fighting not for an actual cause of note, just for the ‘buzz’. Clarke is very keen to emphasise that the sport of football actually has nothing to do with the tribal sparring, as memorably and chillingly hammered home by one Steve ‘Phil Mitchell’ McFadden in an almost fourth-wall breaking finale: ‘If they stop it at football, we’ll go to boxing, we’ll go to snooker, we’ll go to darts...’ DVD Extras: As this individual release of The Firm is essentially a replication of one disc from the BFI’s big box set, the package also features a few special features unrelated to the film’s making. Chief among these is Clarke’s haunting Elephant from the same year. An undeniable influence on Gus Van Sant’s Columbine massacre drama of the same name, it depicts a series of abrupt murders in Northern Ireland with no clue as to exactly who is responsible, and is virtually wordless for its entire 39-minute runtime; a succession of brutal killings depicted with Kubrickian Steadicam. Danny Boyle and Mark Kermode provide a commentary for Elephant, while among a pair of commentaries for The Firm is one with Gary Oldman for Clarke’s previously unreleased director’s cut. [Josh Slater-Williams]
BOOK OF THE MONTH
DVD Extras: Having already been presented by Criterion alongside two other silent classics from Sternberg, this Masters of Cinema issue encourages viewers to consider The Last Command an important work in its own right. The print is consistently clear, if worn in places, while all bonus content is informative and engaging. At the very least, questions relating to the plausibility of an elderly man afflicted with PTSD finding his way to Hollywood are soon put paid by the suggestion that these experiences really happened to an acquaintance of cinema great Ernst Lubitsch. [Lewis Porteous]
The Girls
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Emma Cline’s much-anticipated debut shows its hand immediately: ‘They herd everyone into the living room. The moment the frightened people understand the sweet dailiness of their lives is already gone.’ But there is no mystery to track in The Girls and little to spoil. 14-year-old Evie Boyd’s clear-sighted narration, her chilling account of the California summer of 1969, eventually reveals the grotesque details of its pivotal act of violence. Cline’s real achievement is not so much the dread-filled journey to the book’s harrowing climax, however, but her vividly drawn central character and how she stumbles from invisible, impressionable bystander to unwitting accomplice. Evie is an atypically ordinary American teenager, forgotten by her parents, misunderstood by her friends and eager to infiltrate the drifting band of the title. This tight group (‘sleek and thoughtless as sharks breaching the water’) are led by the fearless Suzanne and in thrall to their talismanic leader Russell. Their squalid existence at a remote woodland camp is Branch Davidian with a film of gothic grime. Cline is excellent at capturing the complex negotiations and compromises of girlhood and the unfathomable damage caused by weak men when they select their prey with ruthless precision. The Girls is a horror story for our times, a gripping and richly poetic account of young lives needlessly abused and snuffed out. Its ambition and its reach are immense. [Gary Kaill] Out 16 June, published by Vintage, RRP £12.99
June 2016
Once an internationally famous star, Emil Jannings’ filmography is tainted by his subsequent complicity in the Nazi propaganda machine. Audiences always delighted in his ability to convey defeat and abject humiliation, but his roles seem like premonitions in hindsight. The Last Command casts him as Grand Duke Sergius Alexander, cousin of a dethroned Tsar and former commander of his armies, now living out his exile as an extra in Hollywood. Feebly embodying a discredited, outdated ideology, the character is quintessential Jannings. We watch him arrive trembling on a film set where he endures abuse at the hands of crew and fellow extras, before a lengthy flashback finds him clinging to his old way life in revolutionary Russia. Director Josef von Sternberg shies away from making any kind of political statement here, instead presenting us with a melodramatic character study. While the Duke is capable of brutality, his unbridled patriotism is enough to impress even the most committed Bolshevik. “From now on you are my prisoner of war,” he tells one such opponent, “and my prisoner of love.” She melts into in his arms. When defeat comes later in the film, it is as a force beyond anyone’s control. Though the action moves in a predictable direction, Jannings’ anguished breakdown makes for a compelling pay-off.
Young Soul Rebels: A Personal History of Northern Soul
By Emma Cline
Victoria
Director: Josef von Sternberg Starring: Emil Jannings, Evelyn Brent, William Powell Released: Out now Certificate: PG
Out now, published by Birlinn, RRP £14.99
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Single-take efforts always act as critic bait: ever since Goodfellas’ legendary wander up through the back door of the Copacabana, anything accomplished in a solitary tracking shot gets immediate buzz for the sheer logistical difficulty involved. Iñárritu imitated the technique to create the frenetic, unrelenting atmosphere of Birdman and, with Victoria, Sebastian Schipper can now boast of being one of the few directors to have shot his entire feature in a single continuous take, and one of even fewer to have done so to such staggering effect. The night begins with Laia Costa’s Victoria piling out of a Berlin club around four in the morning only to be swept into the birthday celebrations of four local guys. They surmount the language barrier between them through stilted English and drunken emotion, and the film’s unbroken style perfectly captures the spontaneity of a night out in the city, the waves of euphoria and the sudden bursts of aggression, the heartfelt friendships formed in minutes and the tumbling, expansive sense of the whole world opening up before you in the night. Around the halfway mark, the film takes a sudden and shocking turn that feels like the drunken imagining you have of how a night might spiral out of control as your taxi takes you safely home to crash out on the couch. For Victoria and her new friends, though, the rabbit hole is real and the film goes hurtling down it with the assurance to make the transition without stuttering, sliding into a new genre entirely with complete confidence. DVD Extras: A film made in such an ambitious way is why director’s commentaries exist and Schipper happily talks the viewer through the intense early morning shoot. As fascinating as the insights into such a gruelling and intricate production process are, the best thing about Victoria is that it doesn’t need them: the film itself is just an excellent piece of cinema. [Ross McIndoe]
For more DVD reviews, go to theskinny.co.uk/film/dvd-reviews
#UntitledTwo
Edited by: Michael Pedersen and Kevin Williamson
Three Craws
By James Yorkston
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By Stuart Cosgrove
A familiar voice for many, Stuart Cosgrove looks into the enigmatic Northern Soul music scene in his latest book. From the musicians who echoed over the speakers, to the men and woman that danced all night in front of them, Young Soul Rebels charts in effortless detail the cosmic freedom that music provides. Aptly opening with an inspiring quote from Maya Angelou, Young Soul Rebels is an exhilarating education into the music scene and culture that somehow transformed Britain. From the Wigan Pier of George Orwell’s famous social commentary, to the ‘energetic scrum’ it became under the electricity of the Northern Soul scene, this book follows the rise of what would become the club scene in Britain, alongside youth growing into a commercial force to be reckoned with. Standing on the sweaty shoulders of this wasted youth is present day art and culture in Britain. As unstable a foundation as that may seem, its unexpected stability has fostered a soulful lineage that has defied the law, defied the charts and somehow defied time. You may just find yourself unable to resist making a playlist to accompany this book. In fact, it’s not so much a book as an LP with pages and pictures. Cosgrove gives Northern Soul the loud, upbeat voice it deserves. [Rosie Barron]
Director: Sebastian Schipper Starring: Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Franz Rogowski Released: Out now Certificate: 15
Neu! Reekie! – well, they’ve done it again. The sumptuous gold cover of #UntitledTwo is a gorgeous, shimmering temptation. Pause to admire the cover illustrations, read from the very beginning – or dip into it, flick through idly or assuredly until your eye is caught. There’s no wrong way to experience this book (or matching musical download of bands such as Hector Bizerk and White). Described in Kevin Williamson’s mission statement as ‘a selection of poetry that reflects our own curiosity about the world and everything in it’, #UntitledTwo takes you through politics, sex, death and washing machines. It’s like an evening in the pub with articulate friends. Jackie Kay has four poems in the collection, all attesting to her brilliance – the loving celebration of April Sunshine, the witty poniard of Extinction. A new favourite Helen Mort cuts to the core with Advice: ‘You can lead beautiful to water/ but you can’t let it drink’. Alight for a moment on Kathleen Jamie’s perfect, poignant Ben Lomond; sigh or smile in recognition at Polly Clark’s Hedgehog, ‘a living flinch’. Remember to exhale after Michael Pedersen’s Deep, deep down. At times touching, rallying, insightful, playful, funny and shrewd, #UntitledTwo is a triumph, where Michael Pedersen and Kevin Williamson prove once again their ability as curators and creators. If you did want to judge a book by its cover, judge this one. This anthology is gold. [Ceris Aston]
They say write what you know, and James Yorkston clearly understands the terrain of his debut novel Three Craws, set in the East Neuk of Fife. Biographical detail bleeds into his narrative of a young artist returning to rural origins and reuniting with a friend left behind, whose life remains inherently connected to the land. It’s a corner of the country that was home to the Fence Collective, to which Yorkston was of course attached. So you would expect his debut novel to adopt a certain musicality and the author plucks a fine melody here from phonetic Scots, unrecognisable from the lazy generic variety often found elsewhere. This work is filled with precise teuchter terminology: authentic and refreshing. Yet with any debut you expect error. While Yorkston’s two central characters are believable, their loyalties occasionally are not. The reader is a casual observer rather than closely intimate. The third ‘Craw’ – essentially the dramatic catalyst – is underused and undefined; noticeably further from Yorkston’s sphere of experience. Yet the tragicomic Three Craws rarely offers less than an enjoyable read, while providing comment on a modern generation’s relationship with their land and culture, and touching upon grander themes of friendship and belonging. Yorkston has a ready-made readership in his loyal musical fanbase, but his post-kailyard treatment of rural Scots’ lives deserves to be read beyond only them. [Alan Bett]
Out now, published by Neu! Reekie! and Polygon, RRP £12.99
Out now, published by Freight, RRP £9.99
DVD / BOOKS
Review
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Spotlight: Shaved Dog No, not poodles subjected to questionable topiary – just three comics from Liverpool. Still weird, though Interview: Jon Whiteley Illustration: Dogs
uccessful comedy collectives are a rare thing, with most comedy born from the kind of competitive roughhousing that makes friendly collaboration impossible. However, from the famously cut-throat Liverpool scene comes Shaved Dog: a group of three newbie comics already turning heads despite only having a slender six months of performances under their belts. Shaved Dog comprises Danny Bradley, Michael Burton and Shell Byron, who split into two acts: Yolav and Graham, a deconstructive act about a refugee comedian and his translator, and Ally Allerton, a character act that takes a skewed look at bipolar disorder. We caught up with Michael (aka Yolav) to talk us through what makes Shaved Dog bark. Influences: “Shit, there’s loads. All the usual alternative comedians such as Stewart Lee, Kevin Eldon, Alexei Sayle, Chris Morris and others of that ilk. Shell loves Rik Mayall, in fact she may still be in mourning for him. Also: theatre maverick Ken Campbell, The School of Night, Nina Conti, Maria Bamford. Essentially anyone who is doing something a little different.”
Last Supper
Unitarian Church
rrrrr
Last Supper is a dark satirical cabaret comedy about the end of the world. More of a performance dinner than a piece of theatre, Bearded Child invites you to “warm your cockles on the burning embers of your house.” The tone for the entire evening is hilariously bleak, and at times absurd, with nuclear detonation, consumerism and fracking as topics of conversation. Sometimes, in theatre, setting is everything, and when site-specific productions are done well, the results are spectacular. Performed in a church, the setting of Last Supper is fundamental in creating the lunacy and chaos of the piece. Stacks of books, topped with Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion no less, greet the audience on the way in, and from here on it all feels a bit... mischievous. A ‘homeless’ man enters and no one knows where to look. He pauses before beckoning the group and within minutes the actors have a selfaware and uneasy audience in the palm of their hands. Starting off as a promenade piece, the spectators-cum-diners are led through the church
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First gig: “All our first gigs went really well, in fact so well that it probably gave us false expectations. Mike and Danny performed [as] Yolav and Graham at the Legion of Doom’s farewell gig. The audience were really into their weird stuff and loved it. They even applauded an incomprehensible wordplay sketch. Shell’s first gig was at her work’s standup night, based around mental health. Her routine about all the funny things that happen when you try and kill yourself went down a treat.” Favourite venue: “Either [promoters] XS Malarkey in Manchester or Matchbox Comedy at the soon-to-be-knockeddown Lantern Theatre in Liverpool. Both brilliant stages to play on and the audiences really love their comedy, especially the weird stuff, which suits us fine.” If you were on death row, what would your last meal be? And why are you on death row? “I’d get really drunk on rum and coke and then have chips and cheese with mayonnaise. I’m not gonna change my routine just because I’m getting a lethal injection the next day. I have principles. Why am I there? I can’t remember, I was very drunk on rum and coke at the time.”
towards the banquet hall. Installations occupy corners and line the corridors of the route with creepy waiters leading the way. Nobody knows what is coming next, and everybody files along with giddy apprehension. A stunning cross-shaped candlelit table awaits, and the audience take their seats. Short pieces of theatre spring to life between courses, performed by two principal actors who take the roles of Adam- and Eve-type figures – only more neurotic. Hilarious, energetic and outrageous, the sketches are brilliantly performed and thoroughly entertaining. The writing is brave and daring but not superfluous. It taps into our deepest thoughts and our darkest humour: the Cards Against Humanity of theatre. Bearded Child’s decision to serve a threecourse meal deserves praise. Coordinating a full dinner service at the same time as putting on a show is no mean feat and, although the evening did feel a little disjointed at times, combining the elements of food and theatre brings Last Supper to life and creates a unique theatrical experience. [Jennifer Chamberlain] Find more reviews, previews and interviews at theskinny.co.uk/theatre
What’s the largest animal you think you could beat in a fight? No weapons. “I would at least hope to be able to kick the Christ out of a seagull. A seagull stole my lamb shawarma wrap the other day, just flew by and nicked it out my hand. I yelped. Everyone around laughed at me. So I’ve been fantasising about punching a seagull a lot recently.”
roles. Why understudy? Because you spend most of your time relaxing and then occasionally you jest. If people don’t like it you blame it on the main jester’s material.”
If you lived in medieval times what would you do for a living? “Court jester’s understudy, probably. Back then there was a lot more Arts Council funding to go around so there were many more understudy
Yolav and Graham play The Laughter Factor at The Slaughterhouse, Liverpool, 1 Jun; also appearing at Funny Looking Fringe as part of Liverpool Comedy Festival later in the year
Omphalos
productions there are strong pagan ritualistic overtones, and the message seemed to be this: we are all vessels for creativity and, without us, buildings such as these are simply empty shells. As a cohesive whole, the show – if it’s to tour the country as intended – still has some creases to be ironed out. While the design, direction and performance are high in quality, there are sections of Omphalos that drag. With a refinement of the audio composition and a little more attention to creating a clear narrative to the main performance, there’s no doubt that the show could be elevated to something that could be a jawdrop-inducing smash. It remains to be seen whether Omphalos will succeed in producing ‘Energy Eternal’ enough to transport the show to the next level, but based on the ingenuity and creative spirit demonstrated so far, we wait with bated breath for what comes next from this remarkable collective. [Jamie Otsa]
Question from past Spotlighter Top Joe: Do you prefer Russ Abbott or Les Dennis? “Our survey says… Russ Abbott.”
Ally Allerton plays Holiday Inn, Liverpool, 12 Jun as part of Hot Water Comedy’s Comedian of the Year competition
Photo: Amina Bihi
S
Invisible Wind Factory
rrrrr
The Invisible Wind Factory is in itself a work of art; a grand and solid building that once churned out the huge metal shafts that make up the wind turbines along the Mersey coastline. Lined with a patchwork of grubby windows that eke out a stream of grey light into what was once the workshop area, it’s a joy to see the building revitalised by some of the city’s brightest young minds. Drawing on bleak and avant-garde representations of Art Deco, the real star of the show’s opening section is the curious creation of the design team: a kaleidoscope of wacky junkyard contraptions cleverly woven into the imaginative backstory. The main spectacle of Omphalos is just that: a dizzying and, at times, visceral visual and aural assault on the senses that leaves a stunned audience in a state of complete bewilderment. As with many of the old Kazimier
COMEDY/ THEATRE
THE SKINNY
Win a pair of weekend tickets to Beat-Herder!
Beat-Herder is the jewel in the crown of Northern England's festival calendar. What sets this festival apart from all the rest – in addition to its entirely hand-made site and unpretentious atmosphere – is its wealth of musical diversity. This year Beat-Herder (15-17 July) will once again celebrate all genres of music, with a genuinely diverse line-up that features household names across rock, house, techno, dub, reggae, drum & bass, folk and indie – with even a spot of EDM and dubstep thrown in for good measure. Headliners include Primal Scream, Todd Terje and Booka Shade. Fancy dress is a must! HERD ’EM UP! Check out the full line-up at beatherder.co.uk. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of weekend tickets to the festival, simply head to
theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer this question: What is the name of the venue in the forest at Beat-Herder? a) The Woods b) Toil Trees c) Pretty Forest Competition closes midnight Sun 26 June. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/ terms Twitter: @beatherder Facebook: @the beat herder festival Website: beatherder.co.uk
Win beer! Sip and listen to great music acts this August Bank Holiday...
Budweiser Budvar Tankové Pivo has landed in Manchester at The Oast House in Spinningfields. The Oast House is the first Budweiser Budvar Tankové Pivo site outside of London. Translated as “tank beer”, the unpasteurised Tankové Pivo – which comes from the hallowed cellars of the brewery in the Czech Republic – is proving a big hit with the city’s drinkers. August Bank Holiday weekend is fast approaching and Sunday 28 August sees Spinfest, a free music festival showcasing local talent, take place in the courtyard outside The Oast House. It’s a perfect excuse for a few beers with friends! The Oast House and Budvar Budweiser are offering five lucky winners four free pints of Tankové Pivo to share with their friends to #celebratecitylife during Spinfest.
June 2016
To be in with a chance of winning, simply head to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer this question: In which country is Budweiser Budvar Tankové Pivo brewed? a) USA b) Czech Republic c) Germany Competition closes midnight Sun 31 July. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/ terms Twitter: @BudvarUK @TheOastHouseMcr
JUNE Saturday 18 MANCHESTER Academy Thursday 23 LEEDS O2 Academy TICKETS: DAVIDCROSSTOUR2016.COM / MYTICKET.CO.UK / SEETICKETS.COM
facebook.com/BudvarUK /The Oast House
M/OFFICIALDAVIDCROSS N/DAVIDCROSS P/DAVIDCROSS
Instagram: @budvaruk @theoasthousemcr
A Kilimanjaro & Perfect Strangers Comedy presentation
COMPETITIONS
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Manchester Music Tue 31 May COLD IN BERLIN
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £6
3 top bands, covering a doomgaze, dream punk dance element CHARLIE COOPER QUARTET
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
Vintage soul headed up the deep, husky tones of Charlie Cooper, who’s joined by a band that channels their inner Booker T and the MGs. MAJID JORDAN
GORILLA, FROM 19:00, £14
Canadian producing duo composed of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman, signed to OVO Sound. FOXTROTT (WAKE ISLAND + LA FOSTER)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £7
Aka self-taught singer, songwriter, producer and beat-maker MarieHélène Delorme. JJ GREY AND MOFRO
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £20
Soul, funk and blues jam band. ROBERT FORSTER
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:15, £15
Aussie singer-songwriter who specialises in catchy hooks and tasty, understated ballads.
Wed 01 Jun
STUART MCCALLUM RESIDENCY
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
Monthly experimental improv compositions from The Cinematic Orchestra’s Stuart McCallum.
NIGHT AND DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (EMPEROR PHUNK + THE FICTION COLLECTIVE + FLOOD MANUAL + THANDIWÉ) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. AIDAN KNIGHT
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £6
The Canadian troubadour tours in the wake of releasing his UK debut, Each Other.
Thu 02 Jun
THE FRIDGE HIP HOP NIGHT
THREE MINUTE THEATRE, 19:00–21:00, £8 - £10
An evening of performance from Manchester’s established and emerging artists, who are joined by a Dj and a screening of short film documentary, The Fridge, and an accompanying Q&A session.
MINNETONKA
FLESH (TOURIST ATTRACTIONS)
EAGLE INN, 19:30–22:30, £6
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £6
Combining Badalamenti-warm synths with spectral beats.
Fri 03 Jun
BUSTED (WHEATUS + EMMA BLACKERY)
MANCHESTER ARENA, 19:30–22:30, £37.50 - £41
The pop-punk trio embark on a reunion tour, marking a decade after Charlie buggered off. NEW YORK BRASS BAND
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
North Yorkshire’s only contemporary New Orleans-inspired brass band, featuring an eight-strong line-up of percussion, sax, trumpets, trombones and sousaphone. THIS IS THE KIT
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:15, £11
Musical project of Kate Stables and pals, layering primal and hushed electric textures onto songs of unaffected beauty. THE STAIRS
GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £15
90s Liverpool rock band channelling everything from cosmic psych, r’n’b and 60s West Coast garage. GUSTAVE TIGER
THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, £5
Hungarian art punk band based in Budapest.
CLEARGREEN + DANTEVILLES + SLY ANTICS + THE NIX + ROOSEVELT ROOM + THE CLARKS + ROSCO MCCABE
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 18:30–03:00, £8
A Mancunian masterclass in rock ‘n’ roll. FINGATHING
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £5 - £6
Instrumental nu-jazz/hip hop outfit hailing from Manchester, made up of a DJ, a classically trained double bass player and distinct cartoon visuals from Chris Drury. PRETTY ADDICTED
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £6
Goth dance music from London. SONIC BOOM SIX
MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–22:30, £9
Compelling Manc soundclash of punk-heavy, dancefloor-savvy beats mixing elements of reggae, jungle and ska with the rigorous commentary of hip-hop. BOB LOG III
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:30–22:30, £10
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
The one-man blues punk dynamo and slide guitar legend that is Bob Log III takes to the stage, most likely avec crash helmet.
NADIA REID
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £5
SMOOTH INDIGO JAZZ
Jazz band fronted by vocalist Carolina Garcia-Cox. THE PORTICO LIBRARY, 19:30–22:30, £7
A richness of voice; a depth of emotion; wisdom beyond her years; with brand new record entitled Listen To Formation, Look For the Signs. MARTIN AND ELIZA CARTHY
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–22:00, £15 - £18
50 years on from Martin Carthy’s debut album, and over 20 years since his daughter Eliza’s recording debut, the two team up for a live show. KOLO TAMAM (NATIVE PEOPLE + LITTLE GRIM + PALMSTRUCK)
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–22:30, £5
Ambient indie fused with folk and world music. TAV FALCO’S PANTHER BLUES (JAMES LEG + CREEPING HEAT)
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £12.50
Southern provocateurs promising equal parts early rock ‘n’ roll, deviant hill country blues and avant-garde art.
NIGHT AND DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (ROCKETSHOP FOREST + EDITS + ORRIE + JACK WOODWARD) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. THE MOUSE OUTFIT
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30-22:30, £10
Nine-piece Manc hip-hop juggernaut led by MCs Dr Syntax and Sparkz, fusing funk, soul and jazz into their mix.
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Listings
KARL WALSH AND THE HAPPY FUTURE
Local singer songwriter, signed to Factory Records by Tony Wilson with To Hell With Burgundy, back in t’day. LAURA J MARTIN
EAGLE INN, 19:30–22:30, £8
Liverpool songstress mining the darker, esoteric underbelly of folk.
Sat 04 Jun NORTH WEST CALLING
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, FROM 12:00, £24
All day punk-a-thon featuring veterans like Sham 69 and Cockney Rejects. MAMMA FREEDOM
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Manchester/New York natives with a penchant for moody, beat-laden funk, served up with soul-soaked lyrics. MALCOLM MIDDLETON (THE PICTISH TRAIL)
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:15, £10
Scottish-brogued miserablist, best known for his work with cult Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap. RNCM SESSION ORCHESTRA (RNCM SESSION ORCHESTRA)
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:00–21:30, £12
Local Manc band tapping into their city’s musical legacy with… some more Britpop. BLOODY KNEES
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £7
Cambridge-based skate-punks. NEW YORK TOURISTS + TRAMPOLENE (CRIMSONS + CROSSFIRE)
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:30–22:30, £7
An evening of live sounds from Blackburns New York Tourists, among others.
THE BINARY GIANT (JOHNNY SLY + JONNY WOODHEAD BAND + ELLYSSE MASON)
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £8
7-piece band from round ‘ere.
THE LION AND THE WOLF (HEART OF OAK + CHLOE HAWES + COLDER BONES)
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £3
The Lion and the Wolf, aaka Tom George, performs stirring acoustic songs as he touches base after his European tour. ONYX (SPHEREZ + TEKNEEK + SHAKEZPEARE + DR. G + DJ KONNY KON + DJ PRESSURE + DJ CEE GORDON)
VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, 19:00–22:00, £25
Hip hop duo Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr.
Sun 05 Jun
BEN WATT BAND FT. BERNARD BUTLER (MICHELE STODART)
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £16.50
After sixteen years in duo Everything But The Girl and a further ten at the helm of his award-winning electronic label Buzzin’ Fly, Ben Watt returns to his roots as a solo singer and songwriter. BERNADETTE PETERS
OPERA HOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £25 - £45
The triple Tony, triple Drama Desk and Golden Globe Award-winning champ of Broadway brings a solo concert our way. SEAFRET
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £9
Hailing from the small town of Bridlington, Jack Sedman and Harry Draper, AKA Seafret, have just released their debut album entitled Tell Me It’s Real. Acoustic soul-food that’s easy on the ears. STEVE VAI
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 19:00–23:00, £30
The famed guitarist hits the road with his Passion and Warfare 25th Anniversary Tour. SPUNGE
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £9
The ska punk veterans celebrate a scarcely believable 22 years of throwing a load of brass and woodwind on everything. SEAFRETS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:00–22:00, £9
Hailing from the small town of Bridlington, Jack Sedman and Harry Draper, AKA Seafret, have just released their debut album entitled Tell Me It’s Real. Acoustic soul-food that’s easy on the ears. AMANI LIVE
BAND ON THE WALL, 16:30-00:00, £5
Monthly contemporary African music event in BOTW's Picturehouse Bar, with live tunes, storytelling, spoken word, dance, visual art and food. DADDY LONG LEGS
EAGLE INN, 19:30–22:30, £8
NYC residing rock’n’blues trio deriving their moniker from their longlegged harmonica-blastin’ frontman.
Mon 06 Jun LACEY
SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–22:30, £7
Nottingham’s alt-rockers stop by as part of a big year for them, touring with Bowling for Soup and releasing new EP, I Don’t Owe the World a Thing.
The RNCM Session Orchestra continue to turn contemporary favourites into classical renditions.
Tue 07 Jun
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £10
The sounds of Mardi Gras right here in Manchester from the trio fronted by pianist Henry Botham, playing a mix of New Orleans classics, old time blues, traditional spirituals and original music.
THE CHIEF OF SEATTLE (FLORIN)
Single lauch bash for the five-piece indie folksters from Manchester.
HENRY BOTHAM’S MARDI GRAS TRIO
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
EPMD
TELEVISION
MUNICIPAL WASTE
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–23:00, £20
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–22:00, £23.50
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £15
NYC hip-hop duo made up of MCs Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. COASTS
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–22:30, £10
The Bristolian four piece bring their eponymous EP our way. THE COMMON LINNETS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £11
Former Dutch Eurovision entrants, now two albums in. RNCM NORTHERN SESSIONS
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
Local showcase featuring music from students of Royal Northern College of Music’s Popular Music degree programme.
MANCHESTER UNPLUGGED (EMERIE + RADIO IMPULSE + EMILY HALL + THE NAVETTES) GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £4 - £6
An evening of stripped-back sets from some of Manchester’s finest unsigned acts.
Wed 08 Jun NELLY
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 19:00–23:00, £28 - £90
Yep, that Texan rapper, who insisted on taking all his clothes off whenever he felt hot back in the early 2000s. THE PEAS
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
Upbeat, multi-talented duo playing using everything from kazoos and mouth trumpets to beat box and vocal synthesiser. NICHOLAS ALLBROOK
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:00, £12
The Pond frontman and former touring member of Tame Impala heads our way ahead of his second album, Pure Gardiya. MATMOS (SOME TRUTHS)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £12
Conceptual electronics duo out tourig their new album, Ultimate Care II. WEIRD DREAMS (SAN ECHO)
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–22:30, £6
Nom de plume of Paris-based multi-instrumentalist Doran Edwards.
Thu 09 Jun SKELTR
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
An eclectic mix of future soul, funk, drum ‘n’ bass , improv and more. LADY SINGS THE BLUES
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–00:00, £14 - £15
The music of Billie Holiday performed chronologically through the 1930s, 40s and 50s, featuring six of the top British Jazz Awardwinning musicians. BIG DEAL
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £8
Big Deal portray the gamut of romantic and sexual longings with the honesty, poise, melodic nous and a musical maturity that doesn’t forsake youthful vitality. VAULTS (ROSIE LOWE + MIAMIGO + IV ROX)
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, FREE
A trio who describe themselves as an introspective electronica, whose single One Last Night hit the big time after featuring on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack. RNCM NORTHERN SESSIONS
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
Local showcase featuring music from students of Royal Northern College of Music’s Popular Music degree programme. MOLLY NILSSON (APOSTILLE + LIBERATION)
GULLIVERS, 19:30-22:30, £9
Swedish songstress, and driving force behind the Dark Skies Association DIY label, bringing the nostalgic pop vibes with a suitably evocative style.
Fri 10 Jun
DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE
ALBERT HALL, 19:00–22:00, £25 - £30
Following his recent release Anthologies, part-poet, partmusician, part-comedian and all-genius Dr John Cooper Clarke treats us to his talents.
Influential rock band from the US-of-A – part of the 70s New York rock scene along with Blondie, The Ramones and Talking Heads – taking to the stage to perform their debut LP, Marquee Moon, live and in its entirety. DURHAM UNIVERSITY BIG BAND
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:00, £5
One of the UK’s most prestigious university big bands parade their diverse range of classic and contemporary jazz. NASHVILLE NIGHTS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 20:00–02:00, £12
Crossover thrash outfit from Richmond, Virginia.
SAM CRAIGHAN (CRIMSONS + FLOOD MANUAL)
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:00–22:00, £4
CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL CLUB (CANDI STATON)
NIGHT AND DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (HALF TONNE SON + PHRE THE EON + HORSECLOCK + CHARLIE POTATOES)
OLD GRANADA STUDIOS, 20:00–00:00, £27.50
NASHVILLE IN CONCERT
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:00–22:00, £27.50 - £45
The stars of TV show Nashville perform a mix of hits from the series and original material. LADYHAWKE
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £14
Tue 14 Jun
CRAIG OGDEN
Australian-born classical guitarist who’s performed with the London Symphony among others. MAX GRAEF BAND
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £8
Funk, soul and classic jazz-loving sextet fronted by the titular Berlin producer. JAKE SIMS
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–22:00, £14
Stereo Kicks prettyboy, who you may recognise after the band was knocked out of X Factor before even really being in it. JORDAN DRINKWATER (DAVE GORMAN + LIZZIE JANE)
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £7
EP launch party of Pretty Soon, which sees Jordan perform live with a full band for the first time ever. THE SENIORS
EAGLE INN, 19:00–22:00, £4
Indie folk band aiming to touch the heart, soul and dancing feet with the single launch for This Synthetic Life.
Sat 11 Jun
FRANNY EUBANKS BLUES BAND
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Fuelled by the blues of Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson. YUNG (CHURCH PARTY)
FALLOW CAFE, 19:00–22:00, £4
Rock outfit from Aarhus, with support from Savage Mansion and American Clay.
JULIAN ARGUELLES: TETRA (JULIAN ARGÜELLES, KIT DOWNES, SAM LASSERSON, JAMES MADDREN)
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–21:45, £15 - £18
The jazz saxophonist performs with his current quartet Tetra, which brings together the cream of Britain’s young, contemporary jazz talent. HORSEBEACH
SOUP KITCHEN, 16:30–19:30, £TBC
The hazy lo-fi dream pop locals currently doing preeetty well for ‘emselves. MICHAEL MALARKEY
SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–22:00, £12.50
Actor and singer, who you might recognise from The Vampire Diaries series. If you’re into that kinda thing.
LOUIE LOUIE (BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE + CULTURES + THE CLAREMONTS)
THE DIRTY BOMB
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
CHERIE BABE’S BURLESQUE REVUE
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 19:00–00:00, £8 - £10
Live cabaret entertainment, music and burlesque featuring performers from across the North West. BEACH SLANG
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £8
American punk rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who formed in 2013.
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. WILD NOTHING
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £10
The Virginia dream-pop project of musician Jack Tatum tours in support of 2016 album Life of Pause. LYERR (ADELPHI + NOVUSTORY + GARDENBACK)
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £6
Rising Manc four-piece.
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–23:00, £8
Singer-songwriter and producer, whose previous credits include being backing vocalist for Damon Albarn and Mary J Blige, among others. PSYCHIC ILLS
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £11
Spawned from electronic-centered home recording experiments, the NYC quartet continue to explore a variety of musical terrain, honed by plenty of time on the road. NIGHT AND DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (THE SUSPECTS + ALESSA’S NOWHERE + THE SECOND SYSTEM) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. PHRONESIS
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £16.50
Scandi-British jazz trio featuring musicians from Denmark, the UK and Sweden/Norway. THE PETE WILLIAMS BAND (VINNY PECULIAR)
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £10 - £12
Pete Williams returns to Manchester after 32 shows as special guest on The Proclaimers’ UK tour at the end of last year. DONNA LEWIS
THE LONGCUT: 10 YEARS OF CALL AND RESPONSE (K-X-P)
Playing their debut album in its entirety, the Mancunion rock outfit are joined on stage by friends and collaborators old and new, selected DJs and a full audio visual experience to accompany the set. THE CASTAWAYS
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Ska, rocksteady, reggae and jazz from the Mel Howard-led group. VOODOO BLOOD (MASK OF BEES + IODINE SKY + TO KILL A CIRCUS)
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:15, £8
New Manchester rock quartet. THE VIRGINMARYS
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–22:30, £12.50
Macclesfield-born rock trio with their sights set on America, drawing on influences including Nirvana, Mudhoney and Screaming Trees. AVEC SANS (VILLIERS + ZOO)
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 19:30–22:30, £7
London-based duo, who were on the up after their electro cover of Bon Iver’s track Perth hit the number one slot on Hypemachine, touring in support of their debut abum, Heartbreak Hi. ELECTRIC JUG
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, £4
THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:30, £22
Serving up the best of the 60s, ranging from psych and rock ‘n’ roll to britpop and soul.
Wed 15 Jun
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £10
The Welsh singer-songwriter launches her new album, Brand New Day, with a tour. TREMBLING BELLS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £10
Ever-adored five piece lineup, fronted by the entrancing Lavinia Blackwall. BARRY MANILOW
MANCHESTER ARENA, 19:30–22:30, £19.75 - £100.75
THE BREATH
Composed of guitarist Stuart McCallum, his fellow Cinematic Orchestra alumni, John Ellis and Luke Flowers, and Honeyfeet’s Ríoghnach Connolly.
Sat 18 Jun DREAMER
A final tour from Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning artist Barry Manilow, with special guest saxophonist Dave Koz.
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
MONO, 20:00–23:00, £DONATIONS
JACK PACK
MA POLAINE’S GREAT DECLINE
Beth Packer and Clinton Hough follow their debut album with a third EP, Small Town Talk, performing with double bass, accordion, harmonic, electric and acoustic guitar and foot percussion for their live show. IAMX
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £14
Returning after a three year hiatus.
Sun 12 Jun
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–22:30, £6
FEDERAL CHARM (GORILLA RIOT + WINTERGREEN)
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £10
Co-headline tour.
Fri 17 Jun
ALA.NI
Solo music project of Sneaker Pimps’ Chris Corner.
Manchester quartet spanning all your favourite classic rock ‘n’ roll influences.
GECKO + LEWIS BOOTLE
Intrumental funk four-piece from near Liverpool.
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–22:30, £8
Half-British/half-Portuguese rock ‘n’ roll band.
BAND ON THE WALL, 20:00–23:00, £15
Formed in 2008 out of a desire to play music that appealed to the feet as much as to the ears, the Hackney Colliery Band is east London’s unique take on the brass band.
Mon 13 Jun
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £11
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–00:00, £7 - £18
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND (DJ JOE W)
Lively group of young jazz musicians, with composer and pianist Misha Gray at the helm.
Performing after a slot at this year’s Dot to Dot Festival.
The introverted New Zealander delights with her 80s-inflected pop grooves and propelling bass beats.
WALKING ON CARS
MISHA GRAY AND HIS PREHISTORIC JAZZ QUINTET
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £3
A big ol’ country music party - the UK’s only one, too, would you believe. Young pop-meets-rock scamps hailing from the delightfully named Dingle, in Ireland.
Thu 16 Jun
NARWHALS
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–22:30, £5
NIGHT AND DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (DAIV + SLYVETTE + NO TALK + CORELLA) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. OLGA BELL
EAGLE INN, 19:30–22:30, £6
Raised in Alaska, born in Moscow, based in Brooklyn, Olga Bell is a New England Conservatory graduate who went on to pursue a career in electronic composition.
Eight-piece fun and soul outfit based in Manchester, playing a selection of 70s funk alongside more modern material.
A special edition of the beloved regular club night from Craig Charles, featuring none other than Young Hearts Run Free and You Got the Love diva, Candi Staton. SHOSIN + DIRTY VERTEBRAE + PEDANT + LOS VENCIDOS
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £4
An evening of punk, rock, reggae, noise and ska. MERZ + JULIAN SARTORIUS
EAGLE INN, 19:00–22:00, £TBC
British experimental pop musician, aka Conrad Lambert, who’s joined by Swiss drummer and sound artist Julian Sartorius.
Sun 19 Jun
RNCM POPULAR MUSIC DEGREE STUDENTS
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 19:00–00:00, £2 - £3
A monthly showcase featuring four to five bands throughout the evening. KING HARVEST AND THE WEIGHT
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:00–22:00, £7
An alternative rock band who cite Thin Lizzy, Tom Petty and The Band as primary influences, as well as contemporaries like Rilo Kiley and Wilco.
REFUGEES WELCOME FEST (STEVE IGNORANT’S SLICE OF LIFE + MUNCIE GIRLS + DARKO + JOLIETTE + PETROL GIRLS + BILLY LIAR + THROWING STUFF + WADEYE + RELICS)
SOUND CONTROL, 17:00–22:30, £8
Punk concert raising money and awareness for the Manchester branch of Reugee Action. DARREN HAYMAN
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £10
Performing his new album, Thankful Villages, the first of a three-volume project.
Mon 20 Jun PSYBLINGS
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £3 - £4
Local five-piece psych/noise rock outfit, whose sound comes with dashes of blues rock, psych rock and punk.
Tue 21 Jun PAUL FARR TRIO
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE
Manchester native, Paul Farr – known for touring with the likes of Lily Allen and Corinne Bailey-Rae – joined by a reduced backing line-up. KID CONGO AND THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £12.50
Batshit, bubblegum and bonkers garage and psychedelia. ALEXIS TAYLOR
INTERNATIONAL ANTHONY BURGESS FOUNDATION, 19:30–22:30, £12.50
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–22:00, £22.50 - £45
Hey! Manchester brings the Hot Chip frontman to Manchester for a solo piano show.
PARQUET COURTS
London-based singer/songwriter known for his highly successful EP, You, Your Cat and Me, produced at the bargain price of £800.
The swingers perform fresh from scoring a Top 10 hit album with their self-titled debut. GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT
Parquet Courts have a keen eye for the creation of clever, stimulating but moreish rock. New album Human Performance, released via Rough Trade boasts the playful poesy of Ought and escapist seashore riffs of Mac Demarco. See it live this June. BRAIDS (WORRIEDABOUTSATAN)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £9
Montreal-based art rockers, touring their third album, last year’s Deep in the Iris. THE DIVIDE (CAFE MISFITS + LEAF PETRIDES)
MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–22:30, £7
Mancunian rock with a youthful line-up.
FRANK HAMILTON
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £10
NIGHT AND DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (HARPER ROOTS + STORM HARBOUR + SUGARCAGE + PSYCHOMOTORS) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers.
SAUL WILLIAMS (DIZRAELI + YOUNG IDENTITY)
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £16.50
The incomparable poet, musician, actor and MC brings his multifaceted performance style to Band on the Wall. AN EVENING WITH TVAM (LAVENDER + DIRTY HEELS + CAESAR) GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £5
Alt rock types from Wigan. HEIR
EAGLE INN, 19:30–22:30, £3
Alt-pop five-piece from Leeds, whose recently-released debut EP led to a sell-out hometown gig.
THE SKINNY
Wed 22 Jun JEFF LYNNE’S ELO
MANCHESTER ARENA, 19:30–22:30, £50 - £110
A reincarnation of Electric Light Orchestra play through their classics and songs from new album Alone in the Universe. THE BOOGIE WILLIAMS TRIO
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE
Boogie Williams is joined by Alan ‘The Hat’ Whitham on bass and Richard Young on drums, playing soul jazz, boogie and 60s groove. CAR SEAT HEADREST
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £8
American indie rock band from Virginia, now based in Seattle with latest album, Teens of Denial. COLIN CURRIE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–21:30, £14 - £17
Daring solo percussionist, whose commitment to creating new work was recognised by the Royal Philharmonic Society with the 2015 Instrumentalist of the Year Award. THE COMET IS COMING (XAM)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–23:00, £8
Experimental cosmic funk inspired by everything from Sun Ra and Funkadelic to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–22:30, £18.50
Alabama sextet with a gospel neosoul garage sound.
MULL HISTORICAL SOCIETY (SORREN MACLEAN)
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £12
Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Colin MacIntyre re-embraces both the urban and his former alias, Mull Historical Society, as he releases seventh album, Dear Satellite.
Thu 23 Jun
LOVE REVISITED (NINE BLACK ALPS + PROTO IDIOT) THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £16
To mark the 10th anniversary of Arthur Lee’s passing, Love Revisited sees his longest serving band perform classic songs from Love’s first three albums. TY SEGALL & THE MUGGERS
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 19:00–22:00, £17.50
Ty Segull is a california-based garage rock revivalist whose most recent album, Mugger, heralds a stylistic move back toward noisier garage rock roots. RADIO BIRDMAN
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:30–22:30, £15
Australia’s finest punk pioneers, returning our way as part of a European tour. EARTHEATER
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £7
Alexandra Drewchin’s solo project which she describes as ‘medieval, cyborg and folk’.
VIBES WITH US (MANCHESTER HYPES + CAPO LEE + PROTON + KAY RICO + THE FORCE + SLAY + EZE)
SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–23:00, £10
The Vibez With Us showcase tour heads to Manchester. MBONGWANA STAR
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £14
Congolese outfit from Kinshasa, whose debut album, From Kinshasa, was a hit among the critics. BACK ROOM SESSIONS (MOLLY WARBURTON + JOHANNA ALBA + IZZIE WALSH)
SANTIGOLD
MCFLY
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 18:00–22:00, £17.99
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT
Miss Santi White brings it with a set of her trademark pick’n’mix art-pop, showcasing tracks from her new album, 99¢. 52 SKIDOO
Nobody’s too cool for McFly. Not even you. But they’ve sold out so you’ll be able to continue pretending you’re not arsed.
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Mon 27 Jun
Bringing back to life the forgotten era of the Speakeasy, Prohibition, Vaudeville, Tin Pan Alley, New York rent parties, Harlem Stride Piano and Hot Jazz. KURT VILE
GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £16
The Philadelphian chap and his merry band bring it with a set of accessible melodies cocked askew, marrying the introspection of the nocturnal stoner with the exploration of a troubadour frontiersman. RNCM BIG BAND AND SINGERS: TOO DARN HOT
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–22:00, £15 - £18
The in-house big band transport you back in time to the halcyon days of the Big Band era. HAPPY MEALS (CC DUST)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £5
Glasgow synthpop duo (and Skinny favourites). MCFLY
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT
Nobody’s too cool for McFly. Not even you. But they’ve sold out so you’ll be able to continue pretending you’re not arsed. CHANTEL MCGREGOR (THE BLACK CIRCLES)
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £14
Yorkshire singer/songwriter working her virtuoso guitar magic on the blues genre. CITY OF LIGHTS
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £6
Crafty Yorkshire tunesmiths influenced by Biffy Clyro, Coldplay and the like.
Sat 25 Jun
VICTOR BROX BLUES TRAIN (KYLA BROX)
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Once described by Jimi Hendrix no less as his favourite white blues singer, the Lancashire vocalist is joined on stage by his daughter. CLEFT (ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY + BODY HOUND)
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:15, £6
The turbo-prog two-piece bow out with their last show together, joined by many a pal to make it a good send-off. JUDITH SEPHUMA
THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 20:30–22:00, £15
South African multi award-winning jazz icon, performing live in Manchester following a successful show in Jazz Café, London, in March 2015. AUDACITY (THEE MIGHTEES + BLEACHED DJS)
FALLOW CAFE, 19:00–00:00, £7
KENNY G
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £42.50 - £47.50
Grammy Award-winning American saxophonist sporting a lot of hair. DON HENLEY
MANCHESTER ARENA, 20:00–23:00, £55 - £85
The multi award-winning artist, vocalist and songwriter performs songs spanning his entire career.
Liverpool Music Tue 31 May BRIAN WILSON
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £SOLD OUT
Beach Boys head honcho Brian Wilson heads out on a world tour to celebrate and perform their iconic album, Pet Sounds, joined by former bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin. MOON HOOCH (YOUTHLESS)
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £8
Peddlers of ‘cave music’, a jagged, raw take on house music featuring sax and drums, apparently.
Wed 01 Jun BC CAMPLIGHT
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £7
The Bella Union-signed songwriter completes his ascension from being down and out in Philadelphia to riding critical acclaim, for the skewed pop of 2015’s album, How to Die In The North. CORN POTATO STRING BAND
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–00:00, £9 - £11
Harmonious singing fiddlers, who have earned high praise in traditional American music, keeping old time fiddle and banjo music from a one-way trip to the dustbins of history. JOEL SAVOY, JESSE LEGE AND THE CAJUN COUNTRY REVIVAL
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, 20:00–23:00, £15
Sundara means ‘beautiful’ in Sanskrit, and this quartet live up to their blissful name with some epic and anthemic indie rock, gaining comparisons from Arcade Fire to Bruce Springsteen. OYA PAYA (OYA PAYA + TÏERNEY + THE MAGIC BEANS)
Fri 03 Jun
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–22:00, £15 - £18
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £10
THE BALTIC SOCIAL, 21:00–01:00, FREE
MALCOLM MIDDLETON
Scottish-brogued miserablist, best known for his work with cult Scottish indie rock band Arab Strap. COUSIN BUZZ (ARMS AT LAST + QUEEN ZEE AND THE SASSTONES + KATY MCGRATH)
Desert dwellers from Phoenix, Arizona, heading our way as part of their European tour.
The Cornish alt-rock outfit heads up North.
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, 20:00–23:00, £16
Fri 24 Jun GEORGE BENSON
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, £45 - £65
R’n’B and jazz-straddling musician whose career spans some five decades. BRANDY
O2 APOLLO MANCHESTER, 19:00–22:00, £27.50
The husky-voiced, mid-nineties/ early noughties r’n’b singer returns, no doubt to an excitable crowd of twenty-somethings reliving their misspent youth.
June 2016
Nobody’s too cool for McFly. Not even you. But they’ve sold out so you’ll be able to continue pretending you’re not arsed.
Sun 26 Jun M83
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 19:00–22:00, £18.50
French musician Anthony Gonzalez tours on the back of last year’s dreamy double disco opus, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. SINGING FOR CHRISTIES
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 15:00–00:00, £10.50 - £12.50
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 19:30–22:30, £3
SARAH JANE MORRIS AND ANTONIO FORCIONE
Sun 05 Jun FASCINATING RHYTHM
ST GEORGE’S HALL, 14:30–17:00, £15 - £16
Gala concert celebrating the golden era of the big bands. VÄRTTINÄ
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, 20:00–23:00, £15
Finnish folk group, which started out backin 1983 as a project from Sari and Mari Kassinen.
Mon 06 Jun WHEATUS
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £15
The teenage dirtbags hit up the Academy for an intimate club show before joining Busted on the Pigs Can Fly arena tour. CAKE & CLASSICAL: THE FRENCH CONNECTION
THE ATKINSON, 13:00–00:00, £11
Pianist Stephanie Howard joins forces with Dell’Arte’s wind quintet to perform Poulenc’s Sextet.
Tue 07 Jun NORMA JEAN
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £13
Atlanta’s post-hardcore giants make their usual racket; expect nowt less than sonic bedlam.
Wed 08 Jun
TOBY HAY (DAVID IAN ROBERTS)
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Contemporary folk baroque from the Welsh fingerstyle guitarist.
JORDAN ALLEN (LOIS WARRINGTON + THE WOOLS) BUYERS CLUB, 19:30–22:15, £5
SAMARIS
The electronic Icelandic trio take their new LP on a wee jaunt.
BRAWLER + BLACKHOLE (BAD ACID)
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–23:00, £5
Brawlers and Blackdole drop by as part of their Summer Fling tour.
Fri 10 Jun
BAD MANNERS (MAX SPLODGE)
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £20
More in the way of party ska hits, with the larger-than-life Buster Bloodvessel still gurning away at the helm for their 40th anniversary tour. POSITIVE VIBRATION
CONSTELLATIONS, 20:00–03:00, £10 - £12
Double-dayer in the garden, celebrating Jamaican music, food and culture. CLEFT (ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY + POLY-MATH)
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–23:00, £10
The turbo-prog two-piece bow out with their last show together, joined by many a pal to make it a good send-off.
Sat 04 Jun
Double-dayer in the garden, celebrating Jamaican music, food and culture.
THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–00:00, £4 - £5
Actor and singer, who you might recognise from The Vampire Diaries series. If you’re into that kinda thing.
Tue 14 Jun
BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE
ECHO ARENA, 18:30–22:30, £55 - £94.50
GUSTAVE TIGER (WEAREJELLYFISH)
Sat 11 Jun
The Zanzibar presents an evening of rising sounds from across the North.
STUDIO 2, 19:30–23:45, £12.50
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–23:00, £TBC
Hungarian art punk band based in Budapest.
The modern jazz vocalist and guitarist launch their collaborative album, Compared to What? FAR AWAY VOICES + THE VELLAS + RAISED BY WOLVES + BITTERS
MICHAEL MALARKEY
Anton Newcombe and his band dispatch the tunes with their usual relentless purpose.
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £7
SUNDARA KARMA
RNCM BIG BAND AND SINGERS: TOO DARN HOT
MCFLY
ARTS CLUB, 17:00–23:00, £7
Mon 13 Jun
One day mini festival showcasing young up-and-coming talent from Liverpool and the surrounding areas.
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT
THE FISH LIP SOUP BIG BAND
THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 20:00–23:00, £9.25
WAVE WEEKEND (LEAP OF FAITH + KADENCE + MORE)
Thu 09 Jun
DESTRUCTION UNIT (MUMS + GIRL SWEAT)
Performing music from the swing era in this fundraising concert for The Plaza.
The frontman of new wave popsters Adam and the Ants takes to the road with his Kings of the Wild Frontier tour.
Thu 02 Jun
An evening of free live music, every month at The Baltic Social.
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £10
Tue 31 May
ADAM ANT
Veritable supergroup of American roots musicians.
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £3
Gullivers’ new showcase series in the intimate back room.
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £28 - £37
The indie rocker (and pals) performs his first headline show in Liverpool.
Cali garage rockers Audacity play H&P after releasing their new Ty Segall-produced album, Hyper Vessels.
The in-house big band transport you back in time to the halcyon days of the Big Band era.
Liverpool Music
Manchester Clubs
POSITIVE VIBRATION
CONSTELLATIONS, 12:00–02:00, £10 - £12
DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE
LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 19:00–22:00, £28.50
Following his recent release Anthologies, part-poet, partmusician, part-comedian and all-genius Dr John Cooper Clarke treats us to his talents.
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £16
ELTON JOHN (FOY VANCE)
Good ol’ Elton plays a set of hits from his five decade career. Should keep him in flowers for a little longer, anyway.
Wed 15 Jun HUBERT MURRAY
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Irish troubadour melding folk, blues and bluegrass sounds. BEN FOLDS (YMUSIC)
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £25 - £41
Multi platinum-selling singersongwriter supports the release of his album, So There, with a special live show alongside NYC six-piece yMusic.
Thu 16 Jun BRITISH SUMMERTIME
ST GEORGE’S HALL, 19:30–22:30, £7 - £25
A programme of music for strings from the British greats. LONDON KLEZMER QUARTET
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–00:00, £10 - £12
Old and new melodies on fiddle, clarinet, accordion and double bass, delving deep into the celebratory and soulful music of Jewish Eastern Europe. KAREN MATHESON
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, 20:00–23:00, £15
The woman known as the voice of iconic Gaelic folk group Capercaillie plays a solo show at Queen’s Hall in support of her recent album Urran.
Fri 17 Jun BARRY MANILOW
ECHO ARENA, 19:30–22:30, £19.75 £100.75
A final tour from Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning artist Barry Manilow, with special guest saxophonist Dave Koz.
Sat 18 Jun
ROARING STAMPEDE + THE VINOGROOVES + TONY STEELE AND THE MASSACRE + THE HARRY FRANCISCO BAND
THE ZANZIBAR CLUB, 19:30–00:00, £4 - £5
The Zanzibar presents an evening of rising sounds from the North and beyond. THE AMBITION
EPSTEIN THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, £10 - £15
Local four-piece pop-rock outfit, returning after selling out their debut last year. AT THE MOVIES: CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF JOHN WILLIAMS
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £7 - £40
A celebration of one of cinema’s finest composers, spanning the sounds of ET, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and more. AFRICA OYÉ
SEFTON PARK, 12:30–20:30, FREE
Africa Oyé, the UK’s biggest free festival of African music and culture, returns to Sefton Park with an eclectic mix of artists, workshops, DJs and delicious food from around the world.
Sun 19 Jun BLACKBERRY SMOKE
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £17.50
Georgia-based rockers who have been together for more than a decade. DANCING IN THE STREETS
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £26.50 - £33.50
Singalong celebration of the music that came from the heart of Detroit.
AFRICA OYÉ
SEFTON PARK, 12:30–21:30, FREE
Africa Oyé, the UK’s biggest free festival of African music and culture, returns to Sefton Park with an eclectic mix of artists, workshops, DJs and delicious food from around the world.
Mon 20 Jun GEORGE BENSON
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, £45 - £70
GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50 - £5
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
INSIDE OUT (MARKUS STOCKHAUSEN + FLORIAN WEBER) ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC RNCM, 19:30–21:45, £15 - £18
R’n’B and jazz-straddling musician whose career spans some five decades.
Bringing together two of Europe’s finest improvising musicians, both of whom are classically-trained performers.
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £13.50
THE LIAR’S CLUB, 22:00–04:00, FREE
BOYSETSFIRE (POLAR)
Political post-hardcore six-piece from Delaware, making brainpummelling music for the past two decades.
Tue 21 Jun NAPOLEON
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £6
Intelligent, melody-driven hardcore from the Exeter quartet.
Wed 22 Jun
UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA (ALEX CAMERON) ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15
Portland-based three piece making alternative indie-rock with a healthy dose of electronic influence. STRING DEVOTIONS
ST GEORGE’S HALL, 19:30–22:30, £7 - £25
Joint Leader Thelma Handy and string players from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra come together for a summer evening of Mendelssohn and Grieg. THE LIL’ JIMMY REED BAND
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, 20:00–23:00, £14
One of the last of a generation of classic blues artists, whose music embodies a raw Louisiana blues tradition with roots in the poverty-stricken Deep South.
Thu 23 Jun MERRILL OSMOND
THE CAVERN LIVE LOUNGE, 20:00–00:00, £25
Lead singer of The Osmonds.
Fri 24 Jun
SHANTALA SUBRAMANYAM
THE CAPSTONE, 19:30–22:30, FREE
Special flute duet with violinist Akkarai S Sornalatha MARTYN JOSEPH
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–00:00, £14 - £16
The Welsh singer/songwriter does his acoustic folk thing.
Sat 25 Jun
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF MARIO LANZA
EPSTEIN THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, £14 - £17
A tribute to Mario Lanza by Victor Michael. Matinee performance also available. LOVE REVISITED
LEAF, 19:30–22:30, £16
To mark the 10th anniversary of Arthur Lee’s passing, Love Revisited sees his longest serving band perform classic songs from Love’s first three albums. STEFAN POP
ST GEORGE’S HALL, 19:30–22:30, £12 - £75
The singer performs as part of The Liverpool Opera: Four Seasons opera series. HEATWAVE
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC MUSIC ROOM, 20:00–23:00, £22.50
The slamming 70s/80s r’n’b outfit that kept the discotheques afloat with hit singles like Boogie Nights and Always and Forever.
Sun 26 Jun MAISON JOHNNY
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, FREE
An evening of live music from local names with Johnny Sands.
C.U NEXT TUESDAY
Weekly party of 80s anthems, 80s prices, lycra and disco drinks, with drinks deals for anyone in era-appropriate garms.
Wed 01 Jun JUICY
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–03:00, £1.50 - £3
All party, no bullshit night of everything from classic hip-hop to disco and funk.
Thu 02 Jun F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £0.99 - £5
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. STUART RICHARDS
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Everything from Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop, Bowie to the Beastie Boys - and everything in between. EGLO RECORDS (STEVE SPACEK + FUNKINEVEN + ALEXANDER NUT)
FRIDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
Catch DJs Lee Majors and Bad Osiris playing hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house in the main room, ably complementing the ping pong proceedings in the back. FIZZ FACE FRIDAY (DJ CLINT BOON)
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco. FIZZ FACE FRIDAY
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco. THE BEAT CHICS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, £3
Spinning the best records of the 60s.
BANANA HILL X DIMENSIONS (AUNTIE FLO + CHAOS IN THE CBD + JOSEY REBELLE + DIMENSIONS SOUNDSYSTEM + JOHN LOVELESS + CERVO AND JVC) HIDDEN, 22:00–04:00, £4 - £15
Two-room warehouse party with Dimensions festival. KEEP IT UNREAL 17TH BIRTHDAY (MR SCRUFF + FRANÇOIS K)
OLD GRANADA STUDIOS, 21:00–03:00, £20
Scruffy celebrates 17 years of his famed clubnight alongside special guest François K, for one night upgrading to Old Granada Studios with all the jazz, soul, techno, dub, disco, hip hop, Afrobeat, Latin, funk and electro you’ve come to love.
Sat 04 Jun REMAKE REMODEL
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £4
A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans. GIRLS ON FILM
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £3 - £6
Pink lady cocktails, disco balls, glitz and glamour – a club night where you’re free to let your inner 80s child loose. FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5 - £6
Eglo Records return to Manchester for a night of great tunes.
Mancunian nightclub institution – delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective.
HIDDEN, 15:00–04:00, £10 - £20
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £13
SOUP KITCHEN, 22:00–03:00, £5 - £10
HOUSE OF WAX HIDDEN FOREST PARTY (MALA + ANDREW ASHONG + RON MORRELL)
13-hour vinyl-only party to welcome the summer in, with headliners supported by CULT, Eastern Bloc Records, Euphony, Hi Ku, Ossia, Set One Twenty and Wet Play.
Fri 03 Jun YOU DIG?
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4
Funky music for funky people. CHERRY
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £4
Celebrating all things naughty from the noughties, with a music policy that spans 2000s pop and houseparty anthems. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £3 - £4
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. #FRI251
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. EL DIABLO’S SOCIAL CLUB (SELVAGEM)
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £5 - £8
The Mancunian underground party institution celebrates its 13th birthday. A QUEER REVUE! (HUSK + ILL + MANAGE A TROIS + LIINES)
BAND ON THE WALL, 23:00–03:00, £6
A Queer Revue! is a very special night of music, film, dance and drag, gathering together some of Manchester’s most outrageous and talent.
SELECTIVE HEARING (RROSE + REFLEC + HABGUD)
Another tempting line-up from the Selective Hearing crew. HOT WUK
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, £10 - £15
The Heatwave arrives in Manchester, just in time for summer. Expect to sweat. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. ETHER E
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, £1
Local resident Ether E plays a mix of funk, soul and disco. TIM WRIGHT
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Feel-good music via the avenues of house, garage, hip-hop, R ‘n’ B, funk, disco, soul and pop. SATURDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO
TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
Stylus, Klepto and guests take you through the sounds of hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house - and better yet, it’s free entry all night, meaning you can splash out a fiver for some ping pong. RELAPSE VS CRITICAL (EMPEROR + KASRA + FOREIGN CONCEPT + SERUM) SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £10
Relapse and Critcal team up (or go head to head, we suppose) for a ‘collaborative party monster’. DJ MATUSH (WARSAW SHORE)
MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 22:00–04:00, £10
The Polish house DJ and producer heads to Manchester.
Uplifting concert of contemporary choir anthems in aid of The Christie Hospital.
Listings
49
Manchester Clubs Mon 06 Jun QUIDS IN
FACTORY 251, 23:00–04:00, £1 - £2
Cheap as chips Monday student night, where the price of various drinks match the alluring entry fee (which rises to £2 after midnight, btw.)
Tue 07 Jun GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50 - £5
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’. C.U NEXT TUESDAY
THE LIAR’S CLUB, 22:00–04:00, FREE
Weekly party of 80s anthems, 80s prices, lycra and disco drinks, with drinks deals for anyone in era-appropriate garms.
Wed 08 Jun
LORD OF THE TINGS (CRAZY COUZINS + THE BUSY TWIST + ISAAC + ARCHITECT) GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, £3 - £10
Varied night of bass, garage, grime, hip hop and house, still with probably the best club night name in Manchester. EAT BEATS
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–03:00, £3
Promising everything from house, techno and future bass to dancehall, grime and future garage. LOVEDOUGH
VICTORIA WAREHOUSE, 22:00–03:00, £8
Marking the end of the student year with a big ol’ bash.
Thu 09 Jun DJ YODA
OLD GRANADA STUDIOS, 22:00–00:00, £12.50
The sampler extraordinaire performs a full AV show, this time with added Massonix, aka 808 State’s Graham Massey. F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £0.99 - £5
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. STUART RICHARDS
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Everything from Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop, Bowie to the Beastie Boys - and everything in between.
Fri 10 Jun JUICY
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, £3 - £5
All party, no bullshit night of everything from classic hip-hop to disco and funk. CHERRY
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £4
Celebrating all things naughty from the noughties, with a music policy that spans 2000s pop and houseparty anthems. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £3 - £4
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. #FRI251
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. BREAK STUFF
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 03:00–03:00, £3
Playing exactly the sort of music you’d expect from a night named after a Limp Bizkit song. ETHER E
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE
Local resident Ether E plays a mix of funk, soul and disco.
50
Listings
FRIDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
Catch DJs Lee Majors and Bad Osiris playing hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house in the main room, ably complementing the ping pong proceedings in the back. FIZZ FACE FRIDAY (DJ CLINT BOON)
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco. FIZZ FACE FRIDAY
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco. KONTRA-MUSIK’S 10TH BIRTHDAY
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £10
The illustrious Swedish house and techno label celebrates a decade in the game.
LIVELY UP YOURSELF (BARON TURBO CHARGE CREW + MR WOMBLE + THE MIGHTY BUSH BAND + JAHWAINE)
BAND ON THE WALL, 23:00–03:00, £6
Celebrating reggae and sound system culture.
Sat 11 Jun GIRLS ON FILM
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £3 - £6
Pink lady cocktails, disco balls, glitz and glamour – a club night where you’re free to let your inner 80s child loose. FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5 - £6
Mancunian nightclub institution – delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. AFTERLIFE
VARIOUS VENUES, 23:00–05:00, £PRICES VARY
The Parklife revellers descend on Manchester for the after parties across multiple venues including the Albert Hall, Antwerp Mansion, Soup Kitchen and the Ritz. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. ANTICS (PINS DJ SET)
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, £3
Cult indie, electronica, psychedelia, retro anthems and more from the Antics residents and guest DJs. TIM WRIGHT
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Feel-good music via the avenues of house, garage, hip-hop, R ‘n’ B, funk, disco, soul and pop. SATURDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO
TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
Stylus, Klepto and guests take you through the sounds of hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house - and better yet, it’s free entry all night, meaning you can splash out a fiver for some ping pong. OH BACCHANAL!
BAND ON THE WALL, 23:00–03:00, £6
Vibes-heavy carnival spanning bashment, Trinidad carnival anthems and such.
Sun 12 Jun AFTERLIFE
VARIOUS VENUES, 23:00–23:00, £PRICES VARY
The Parklife revellers descend on Manchester for the after parties across multiple venues including Albert Hall, Antwerp Mansion, Soup Kitchen and the Ritz.
AFTERLIFE: SANCTION (AMINE EDGE AND DANCE + LEE DRAKE + CALLE LEBRAUN+ GRANT MIZON)
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, £15 - £35
Keep the Parklife party going with the Afterlife series.
Mon 13 Jun QUIDS IN
FACTORY 251, 23:00–04:00, £1 - £2
Cheap as chips Monday student night, where the price of various drinks match the alluring entry fee (which rises to £2 after midnight, btw.)
Tue 14 Jun GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50 - £5
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’. C.U NEXT TUESDAY
THE LIAR’S CLUB, 22:00–04:00, FREE
Weekly party of 80s anthems, 80s prices, lycra and disco drinks, with drinks deals for anyone in era-appropriate garms.
Wed 15 Jun GOO
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE
Monthly club night tribute to 90s indie – expect Pulp, Nirvana, Suede, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies and more.
Thu 16 Jun F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £0.99 - £5
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. STUART RICHARDS
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Everything from Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop, Bowie to the Beastie Boys - and everything in between.
Fri 17 Jun
FRIDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50 - £5
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Weekly party of 80s anthems, 80s prices, lycra and disco drinks, with drinks deals for anyone in era-appropriate garms.
FIZZ FACE FRIDAY (DJ CLINT BOON)
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco. FIZZ FACE FRIDAY
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco.
Sat 18 Jun GIRLS ON FILM
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £3 - £6
Pink lady cocktails, disco balls, glitz and glamour – a club night where you’re free to let your inner 80s child loose. FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5 - £6
Mancunian nightclub institution – delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. SWING TING
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £5
The Swing Ting soundboys push their street and soundsystem music into summer. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. RUBIX CUBE
ANTWERP MANSION, 23:00–03:00, £1 - £5
A night of 80s and 90s nostalgia with an inflatable disco dome, pole dancing, space hoppers and other such retro-ness. THE HOUSE PARTY
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–03:00, £3
Make yourself at home with a club night featuring beds to jump on and wardrobes to rummage through.
O2 RITZ MANCHESTER, 22:30–03:30, £8
TOP OF THE POPS
Aftershow party for the Stone Roses concert, doubling the nostalgic vibes with stellar names of Manchester’s golden era.
ULTIMATE POWER
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £3 - £4
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. #FRI251
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. MAJEFA (KYAU AND ALBERT + STONEFACE AND TERMINAL + RONSKI SPEED + TOM RAINS)
SOUND CONTROL, 22:00–04:00, £10
A Euphoric label party focusing on the best decade of trance, between 1997 and 2007. BANANA HILL (JAYDA G + CERVO)
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £5 - £7
Open-minded party starters Banana Hill return to the Soup Kitchen basement.
SPACE CASSETTE (MONSTER ZOKU ONSOMB + HENGE + VHS HEAD)
TBC, 22:00–03:00, £10
Monsters Vs Aliens party as Space Cassette returns to a secret warehouse location for its fourth bash. THE HACIENDA (TODD TERRY + MARSHALL JEFFERSON + GRAEME PARK + MIKE PICKERING)
SANKEYS, 22:00–05:00, £12.50 - £20
Aftershow party for the Stone Roses concert, doubling the nostalgic vibes with stellar names of Manchester’s golden era.
GOLD TEETH
Catch DJs Lee Majors and Bad Osiris playing hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house in the main room, ably complementing the ping pong proceedings in the back.
THE HACIENDA (TODD TERRY + MARSHALL JEFFERSON + GRAEME PARK + MIKE PICKERING)
Club night sweeping the nation, offering up nothing but power ballads. It’s like one big communal karaoke night.
Tue 21 Jun
SANKEYS, 22:00–05:00, £12.50 - £20
TIM WRIGHT
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Feel-good music via the avenues of house, garage, hip-hop, R ‘n’ B, funk, disco, soul and pop. SATURDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO
TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
Stylus, Klepto and guests take you through the sounds of hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house - and better yet, it’s free entry all night, meaning you can splash out a fiver for some ping pong. POPULAR
FALLOW CAFE, 21:30–02:30, £0 - £2
Quarterly club night with DJs from Bad Uncle and Violent Femmes, serving up pure pop pleasure with no guilt and no irony.
Sun 19 Jun GOO
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE
Monthly club night tribute to 90s indie – expect Pulp, Nirvana, Suede, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies and more.
Mon 20 Jun QUIDS IN
FACTORY 251, 23:00–04:00, £1 - £2
Cheap as chips Monday student night, where the price of various drinks match the alluring entry fee (which rises to £2 after midnight, btw.)
METALHEADZ (GOLDIE + ANT TC1 + MC FLUX) ANTWERP MANSION, 22:00–04:00, £5 - £12
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
Worried About Henry, Fresh Creative and Grand Theft join forces to bring the most infamous label in drum ‘n’ bass to Manchester.
THE LIAR’S CLUB, 22:00–04:00, FREE
Sat 25 Jun
C.U NEXT TUESDAY
Thu 23 Jun REMAKE REMODEL
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £2 - £4
A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans. F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £0.99 - £5
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. STUART RICHARDS
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Everything from Dylan to Dre, the Strokes to Snoop, Bowie to the Beastie Boys - and everything in between.
BLACK BEE SOUL 4TH ANNIVERSARY
AATMA, 23:00–04:00, £3 - £5
Soul with a sting.
Fri 24 Jun UPTOWN
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3 - £5
The best in disco, funk, boogie and party classics. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £3 - £4
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. 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. #FRI251
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. PACEMAKER
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, £1
Rock ‘n’ roll club night playing all the usual staples. INSIDE OUT
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £TBC
Bringing together two of Europe’s finest improvising musicians, both of whom are classically-trained performers. GHETTO CHILD
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–03:00, £3
A celebration of all that’s good about disco, funk, soul and soulful house music, with a huge nod to the golden era of the 70s and 80s. FRIDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO
TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
GIRLS ON FILM
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £3 - £6
Pink lady cocktails, disco balls, glitz and glamour – a club night where you’re free to let your inner 80s child loose. FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5 - £6
Mancunian nightclub institution – delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. 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 SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by Funktion One Sound. OJ RECORDS DJS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, £1
Playing modern and vintage psychedelia, forgotten pop, and rhythm & blues gems. TEMPO (SY SEZ)
TEXTURE, 21:00–04:00, £8
Soulful house all night long. TIM WRIGHT
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Feel-good music via the avenues of house, garage, hip-hop, R ‘n’ B, funk, disco, soul and pop. SATURDAYS AT TWENTY TWENTY TWO
TWENTY TWENTY TWO 2022, 21:00–04:00, FREE
Stylus, Klepto and guests take you through the sounds of hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house - and better yet, it’s free entry all night, meaning you can splash out a fiver for some ping pong. SONIC SAHARA
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £TBC
Multi-genre party known for supporting for some of the North’s most compelling selectors and producers. ULTIMATE CHOICE (DAVID RIPPLES + GUMBO + PAUL OMAS)
THE WHISKEY JAR, 21:00–03:00, £5
Rare, gold standard soul, disco and funk.
Mon 27 Jun QUIDS IN
FACTORY 251, 23:00–04:00, £1 - £2
Cheap as chips Monday student night, where the price of various drinks match the alluring entry fee (which rises to £2 after midnight, btw.)
Liverpool Clubs Wed 01 Jun GOLD TEETH
SUMMER FESTIVAL
LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 12:00–00:00, FREE
Free all-dayer festival to celebrate the last day of exams for Liverpool’s students, with Bongo’s Bingo, DJs, live music from Riot Jazz and food stalls curated by Independent Liverpool. RAW
WILLIAMSON TUNNELS, 22:00-4:00, £SOLD OUT
One last party from Raw before summer kicks in.
AVANT GARDE (RECONDITE + ROBAG WRUHME + KRIS DAVIS)
THE GARAGE, 22:00-6:00, £SOLD OUT
The London oufit makes its way to Liverpool with headliner, Dystopian's Recondite.
NEWHAM GENERALS (J CUSH + HOT PLATE DJS)
24 KITCHEN STREET, 22:00-4:00, £8-£10
The Generals make their Kitchen Street debut for a night of grime.
Sat 4 Jun
ABANDON SILENCE X DIMENSIONS FESTIVAL (DAN SHAKE + ALEX NUT + BYRON THE AQUARIUS) CONSTELLATIONS, 14:00-4:00, £SOLD OUT
Abandon Silence team up with Dimensions for a huge day and night party. SOL RIO: HOUSE MASTERS
THE MAGNET, 22:30-6:00, £12-£15
Celebrating 25 years of Defected Records with Heller and Farley, renowned DJs of Weatherall's Boys Own collective. BALTIC GARDEN PARTY (MOUSE OUTFIT + MR THING + HARLEIGHBLU + MORE) 24 KITCHEN STREET, 14:00-23:00, £5-£10
Kitchen Street marks the beginning of summer and the opening of their new garden, with music, street food, DJs and more. BACKROOM
DISTRICT, 22:00-4:00, £15
New EDM night introducing some of the genre's best upcoming Liverpool-based DJs.
Sun 05 Jun
UPSTAIRS WITH… FRANCIS INFERNO ORCHESTRA (ANDREW HILL + JOEL CAREY + MILES GARRETT + MAURICE PULS + PIERS GARRETT + TOM LYE)
BUYERS CLUB, 23:00-4:00, £3-£7
Upstairs With…'s last party of the student year, with the Liverpool debut of Francis Inferno Orchestra. BALTIC GARDEN PARTY (MOUSE OUTFIT + MR THING + HARLEIGHBLU + MORE) 24 KITCHEN STREET, 14:00-23:00, £5-£10
Kitchen Street marks the beginning of summer and the opening of their new garden, with music, street food, DJs and more.
Wed 08 Jun MELE’S MANOR
Fri 10 Jun
The best in soul, funk and disco.
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
Thu 02 Jun
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco.
Revered clubnight Abandon Silence celebrates its 6th birthday with the final show of their 2015/16 season at Camp and Furnace.
SOULJAM
FIZZ FACE FRIDAY (DJ CLINT BOON)
FIZZ FACE FRIDAY
CAMP AND FURNACE, 22:00–04:00, £SOLD OUT
ARTS CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £3 - £5
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 17:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM
FAREWELL TO BEGINNINGS (MIDLAND + PARIAH + ANDREW HILL)
THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 23:00-3:00, £5-£7.50
Catch DJs Lee Majors and Bad Osiris playing hip hop, r’n’b, disco, garage and house in the main room, ably complementing the ping pong proceedings in the back.
Black Dog’s new weekly club night, which sees the end-of week thirst of Manchester’s 9-5ers quenched by £12 bottles/£3 glasses of Prosecco.
Liverpool Clubs
BUYERS CLUB, 23:00–03:00, £5
The popular night returns for its finale. MEINE NACHT (MALL GRAB + OR:LA + MATT CHAMPION + BEAUX) TBC, 20:00-3:00
Marking the end of uni with golden oldies from 1998-1996.
It'll be the BYOB (yep!) policy that'll get you down there, but Meine Nacht's rep as one of the world's best club nights that'll make you stay.
Fri 03 Jun
Fri 17 Jun
OH MY GOSH: OLD SKOOL PARTY
24 KITCHEN STREET, 22:00-3:00, £3-£5
FIESTA BOMBARDA’S 4TH BIRTHDAY CARNIVAL (NORMAN JAY + DUB PISTOLS + MORE)
GRAND CENTRAL HALL, 19:00–03:00, £12 - £18
Roaming carnival Fiesta Bombarda celebrates its fourth year with a suitably spirited line-up, plus performers, face paint and stunning set design.
DANNY TENAGLIA (DAVE SEAMAN + STEVE PARRY + STU HODSON + SAM LAMONT)
THE GARAGE, 22:00–06:00, £17.50 - £25
Known for his residencies in Tunnel and Paradise Garage in New York, Danny Tenaglia brings his euphoric early house sound to The Garage.
Sat 18 Jun
RELEASE (DIMITRI VANGELIS AND WYMAN + MERK AND KREMONT)
O2 ACADEMY, 22:00–04:00, £15 - £20
Third Party return to Liverpool with their biggest show to date. PULL UP TO THE BUMPER
BUMPER, 23:00–05:00, £TBC
Weekly Saturday party packed with pop and synth classics.
4MATION FREE SUMMER DAYTIME TERRACE PARTY THE ATTIC, 14:00–22:00, FREE
The 4Mation lot launch their summer terrace party series to capitalise on The Attic’s ace outside space.
Fri 24 Jun CATFACE
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE
Playful, feline night at the notorious Bumper, where drawing whiskers on your face gets you free entry. HALCYON (JEY KURMIS + LATMUN + MIA MENDI B2B METI MEMETI + FRASER ELLIOT B2B JORDAN MULLEN + JMAC )
CONSTELLATIONS, 22:00–04:00, £10 - £12
The launch of new night promising funky tech house from big, upcoming names along with a unique Latino vibe. WHERE’S ME JUMPER
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–00:00, £TBC
Danceable tunes from the realms of indie-pop, C86, post-punk, new wave and the like.
Sat 25 Jun DJ PREMIER
ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £18
Hip hop royalty heads to Liverpool as the Gang Starr producer jumps across the pond to see us.
Manchester Theatre Bury Market
UNEXPECTED ITEMS: TALES FROM BURY MARKET
18 JUN, 10:00AM – 4:30PM, £4 - £7
Contact’s immersive audio journey combining real life stories of stall holders with fiction, placing the audience at the heart of one of the biggest markets in the Northwest. Performances throughout the day.
Contact Theatre WORKS AHEAD: COMPACT EDITION
3 JUN, 5:00PM – 8:00PM, £2 - £4
Micro-performances in hidden spaces from Afreena Islam and Terri Donovan.
WORKS AHEAD: EVENING EDITION
3 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £3 - £6
Double bill from Top Joe and Lucy McCormick. THE SPINNING WHEEL
11 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £7 - £13
Celebrating artistic expression, political activism and intergenerational collaboration, Spinning Wheel remixes past and present in a fusion of storytelling, projection mapping, hip-hop, jazz and spoken word.
HOME
ON CORPORATION STREET
13-24 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £10 - £23
Marking the 20th anniversary of the Manchester bombing by the Provisional IRA, this production responds to the seismic event as past, present and future collide. Earlier and later performances available.
Hope Mill Theatre PARADE
1-11 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £14 - £20
Tony Award-winning musical featuring a rousing score by Jason Robert Brown, offering a moral lesson about the dangers of prejudice and ignorance by exploring the darkest corners of America’s history. SEX WITH A STRANGER
22-24 JUN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 - £12
Wonderhouse Theatre return with their second production, a contemporary play bringing together three lives in a whirl of uncertainty, boredom, loneliness and empty lust.
THE SKINNY
Theatre Manchester
The Lowry: Quays Theatre TWISTED TALES
5 JUN, 7:00PM – 12:00AM, £10
St George’s Hall THE TEMPEST
3-4 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £14
Part of St George’s Hall’s Where There’s a Will Season, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death.
The tale of football club fanaticism, young love, heady dreams and thwarted ambition in 1960s Mancunia, using archive media material and a backdrop of 60s hits.
SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME
Disability arts showcase hosted by Manchester poet Mike Garry, spanning devised theatre, poetry and dance.
27-30 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £23.90 - £39.90
LAILA: THE MUSICAL
The Atkinson
1-4 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £19 - £24
21 JUN, 6:30PM – 12:00AM, £10 - £14.50
Octagon Theatre
MAMMA MIA
SHALALALALEE 25 JUN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 - £12
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
3-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £12.50 - £29
Made famous by the stunning tap dancing routines and memorable music, this show-stopping musical will be performed in all of its technicolour glory with live music, dance and rain, of course. SOMEONE’S SONS
23-24 JUN, 2:00PM – 12:00AM, £5
A local play about the First World War. Part of the Reveal season at Octagon Theatre GET YOURSELF TOGETHER
17-18 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
A show about being ill and being fit for work, exploring explores the thin line between mental health as a clinical and a political issue. Part of the Reveal season at the Octagon Theatre. JOY UNSPEAKABLE
14-15 JUN, 6:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
Staged in an intimate local café, Joy Unspeakable is an up close and personal insight into the hidden world of bulimia. Part of the Octagon’s Reveal season. Earlier times available.
TWELVE MILES NORTH OF SHEFFIELD
15-16 JUN, 6:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
A touching comedy about family, friendship and trying your best. Part of the Reveal season at the Octagon Theatre. Earlier times available. YOU, ME AND THE GOALPOST
17-18 JUN, £5
Exploring community life in modern Britain through a day at the footie. Part of the Reveal Season at the Octagon Theatre. ANOTHER YALTA
18-25 JUN, 5:00PM – 12:00AM, £3
Exploring what you do when you can’t get someone out of your head… Earlier times available. MULTI STORY
20-22 JUN, 8:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
A brand new site-specific show set and performed at the top of the multi storey car park. Earlier times available. DOUBLE BILL: NOTHING’S THE SAME & THE OLD GLOVES HUNG THERE WAITING 20 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
Part of the Octagon’s Reveal season. DOWN BY THE RIVER
21 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
A reheased reading of a new hyperreal gothic comedy by Anna Clarkson. DOUBLE BILL: THE OLD GLOVES HUNG THERE WAITING & THE PROMISED LAND
22 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
Part of the Octagon’s Reveal season.
DOUBLE BILL: EVERGLOW & THE PROMISED LAND
23 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
Part of the Octagon’s Reveal season. ROUNDS
24-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £5
A new devised show based on true stories from junior doctors. Part of the Reveal season at Octagon Theatre.
Opera House
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S KING LEAR
1-4 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £18.15 - £54.65
Two-time Olivier Award nominee Michael Pennington stars in this production of the Shakespearean classic.
Palace Theatre Manchester Coming-of-age musical tale, riding along on the rock’n’roll classics of the early 60s. 1-4 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £15 - £54.50
One of the biggest grossing musicals of ever comes to the Northwest, featuring the songs of everyone’s favourite Swedish pop group, Abba.
Royal Exchange Studio BIRD
8-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £10 - £12
The world premiere of a stunning, poetic new play by Welsh playwright and winner of a judges’ award in the 2013 Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, Katherine Chandler. Matinees available.
Royal Exchange Theatre THE NIGHT WATCH
1-18 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £8 - £16
Olivier-nominated playwright Hattie Naylor brings to life Sarah Waters’ story of illicit love and everyday heroism set in the late 1940s. Matinee performances also available. ALL I WANT IS ONE NIGHT
BALLET BLACK: A TRIPLE BILL
19 JUN, 8:00PM – 12:00AM, £18 - £24
Ballet Black, a company for dancers of black and Asian descent, presents a trilogy of narrative and abstract dance pieces.
The Plaza Stockport THE NAKED TRUTH
22-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, PRICES VARY
Hit comedy play set in a pole dancing class, starring Vicki Michelle from Allo Allo and Faye Tozer from Steps, no less.
A NIGHT IN VENICE BY CANDLELIGHT
18 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £18.70 £20.35
Operatic extravaganza channelling all that glamour of Venetian masked balls, featuring the music of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini.
Delving into the life of cabaret sensation Suzy Solidor in the heady atmosphere of 1930s Paris. Saturday matinee available.
The Dancehouse Theatre
LIVE WIRE THEATRE PRESENTS HANDS UP FOR JONNY WILKINSON’S RIGHT BOOT
3 JUN, 8:00PM – 11:00PM, £6 - £9
Liverpool Theatre Epstein Theatre …AND THIS IS MY FRIEND MR LAUREL 21 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £16
One-man show set in the bedroom of a dying Oliver Hardy as his friend Laurel pays him a visit to recount their past success as a comedy duo. TREAD STUDENT SHOWCASE
26 JUN, 6:00PM – 10:00PM, £15
The King’s Arms
Everyman Theatre
TWO
A dark comedy about a local boozer, with over 14 characters played by two actors. SCRIPTS ALOUD
20 JUN, TIMES VARY, £5
An evening of new short plays performed with script in hand. FAMILY PLAY
26 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, PRICES VARY
Told through the eyes of an eight-year-old, Family Play reveals the comedy and tragedy that’s inevitable with all human relationships.
PSYCHOPATHY AND THE SINGLE GIRL
Tread’s annual student showcase.
GRAMOPHONE RAY GUN
16 JUN, 8:00PM – 12:00AM, £3
An evening of readings, alternating between the page, performance, language and text in the Everyman Bistro. A LOVELY WORD
13 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, FREE
An evening of poetry and spoken word in the Everyman Bistro.
Liverpool Empire Theatre AMERICAN IDIOT
31 MAY-25 JUN, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY
Controversial, psychological noir comedy about a Mancunian investigative journalist, Miss Anne Dry, as she becomes entangled with a series in murders in the city.
In an age where almost anything is prime fodder for musical-making, Green Day’s in on the action with American Idiot. Cast includes Newton Faulkner and Amelia Lily off of the X Factor.
11 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £8 - £10
1-18 JUN, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY
22-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £10
A LIFE WE LIVED
THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT
A dramatic love story set in a funeral parlour from award-winning playwright Matt Fox.
A frothy extravaganza featuring hits from the 40s and 50s. Matinees available.
The Lowry Studio
Liverpool Playhouse
DECLARATION
23-24 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:15PM, £10 - £12
A curious, colourful and candid exploration of ADHD, mental health and diagnosis from Manchester theatre company Art with Heart. RIGHTS OF PASSAGE
4-17 JUN, TIMES VARY, £10 - £12
OBSERVE THE SONS OF ULSTER MARCHING TOWARDS THE SOMME
13-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £9.50 - £28
Iconic war play by Frank McGuinness, in which the lives of eight ordinary men are changed entirely… Matinee performances also available.
An inspirational new play about the struggles and triumphs of lesbians and gay men who have fled to the UK from persecution.
Royal Court Theatre
The Lowry: Lyric Theatre
Comedy following the opening of the brand new Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Matinee performances also available.
21 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £17.50 £26.50
Alfred Hitchcock’s spy thriller hit; recreated for the stage. Matinees available.
The Brindley THE SORCERER
15-18 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £TBC
The Bentley Operatic Society present Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera.
THE MISSY MALONE AND FRIENDS BURLESQUE REVUE
25 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £20
An evening of cabaret performance with Missy Malone at the helm. THE NAKED TRUTH
22-25 JUN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, PRICES VARY
Hit comedy play set in a pole dancing class, starring Vicki Michelle from Allo Allo and Faye Tozer from Steps, no less.
The Lantern Theatre 15-19 JUN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £8
Dramatising one of those rugby moments no-one will ever forget…
16-17 JUN, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, £8 - £10
ROSSINI’S IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
Rossini’s most popular comedy that sees Figaro, the renowned Barber of Seville, use every trick in the book to outwit Dr Bartolo and ensure his master wins his chosen bride. Part of Glynebourne Festival.
SUTTY AND SWEEP
15-18 JUN, 7:30PM – 12:00AM, £15
THE 39 STEPS
June 2016
A new contemporary musical from the creators of the award-winning Brtain’s Got Bhangra, re-telling the greatest love story from the East. Matinee performances available.
THE ROYAL
17 JUN-16 JUL, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £13
Comedy by Christopher A. Sutcliffe following two old-style gangsters. THE LIMA SYNDROME
23-24 JUN, 7:45PM – 9:45PM, £8 - £10
New play by local writer Mark Murphy.
Unity Theatre ROSEACRE
14 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:00PM, £8 - £10
The story of an undercover police officer caught in a world of lies, betrayal and murder, inspired by Nordic noir thrillers such as The Killing and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. RAZ
10-11 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:00PM, £12 - £14
Jim Cartwright’s Fringe First award-winning rollercoaster of a night out in modern Britain. RIGHTS OF PASSAGE
4-17 JUN, TIMES VARY, £10 - £12
Comedy
Manchester Tue 31 May
XS MALARKEY (DAVID TRENT + PETER BRUSH + RICHARD MASSARA + SIMON CAINE) PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans. LIP SYNCIN’ BATTLE (MC TREVOR DWYER LYNCH)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 20:30–23:00, £3 - £6
Comics, guest celebrities and the general public all battle to become the best Lip Sync in the City.
Wed 01 Jun
BARKING TALES (LOU SANDERS + JACK BARRY + MC HARRIET DYER)
ZOMBIE SHACK, 19:00–22:00, £5
An evening of oddball comedy with compere Harriet Dyer at the helm, this time continuing the Edinburgh preview season with the brilliant Lou Sanders. THE ALTERNATIVE COMEDY TRIO (KEVIN ELDON + JOSIE LONG + SIMON MUNNERY)
THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £16 - £17.50
A combo of three of the most established, exciting, left-field comedians in the country.
Thu 02 Jun
STAND UP THURSDAY (STEPHEN GRANT + PETE JOHANSSON + MC JARRED CHRISTMAS)
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £8 - £12
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (LOU CONRAN + JACK CARROLL + JEFF INNOCENT)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £7 - £13
Watch four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks.
Fri 03 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (STEPHEN GRANT + PETE JOHANSSON +JIMMY MCGHIE + CHRIS MARTIN + MC JARRED CHRISTMAS)
An inspirational new play about the struggles and triumphs of lesbians and gay men who have fled to the UK from persecution.
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £12 - £18
7-8 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:00PM, £12 - £14
BARREL OF LAUGHS (LOU CONRAN + SEAN MEO + TOM LUCY + JEFF INNOCENT)
PREGGERS
Amy Golding explores the highs and lows, and the heart swells and heartbreaks, on the journey to create a new life. FORGET ME NOT
9 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:00PM, £10 - £12
After the death of his wife, retired police detective Jim smells a rat. He wants to solve one last murder... but he also has dementia. THE DIARY OF A HOUNSLOW GIRL
16 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:00PM, £12 - £14
A funny and provocative play showing the challenges of being brought up as a young woman in a traditional Muslim family alongside the temptations in and around London. IDENTITY CRISIS
22-24 JUN, 8:00PM – 9:30PM, £8 - £10
A journey from modelling to the big and small screens and beyond, traced through the voices of those who’ve contributed to the image of black women in the media. THEN, NOW AND NEON LIGHTS
25 JUN, 4:00PM – 7:00PM, £5
A frantically fun and comically dark show from Unity’s award-winning Youth Theatre.
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £13 - £19
LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:30, £3
Top comedians from ComedySportz base sketches on true stories, using suggestions from the audience to inspire the basis of the improv. GROUP THERAPY COMEDY CLUB (MARTIN CROSNER + GARRETT MILLERICK + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN) GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £10 - £12
Group Therapy returns to Gorilla armed with John Robins, and his acclaimed show, Speakeasy.
Sun 05 Jun KING GONG (MC JARRED CHRISTMAS)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–22:30, £4 - £6
A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice. LAFF TIL YA FART
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £7
Trevor Lynch presents the latest in a series of comedy nights, aptly titled Laff ‘til Ya Fart.
Mon 06 Jun BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £0 - £3
A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!
Tue 07 Jun
THE WORST COMEDY NIGHT IN SALFORD
THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Keeping expectations low with this night of open mic stand up, opening up the stage to anyone willing to give it go. XS MALARKEY (JAMES ACASTER + CHRIS BETTS + RUSSELL HICKS)
PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans. JACK EVANS: MELANCHOLY POONTANG
THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:30, £3
Jack Evans previews his Edinburgh show.
Wed 08 Jun BRIGHT CLUB MCR
THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, £5
Bright Club presents an evening of historically-themed stand-up comedy as part of Manchester Histories Festival.
Thu 09 Jun
STAND UP THURSDAY (NATHON CATON + MC IAN MOORE)
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late.
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
Sat 04 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (NATHON CATON + TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + MARKUS BIRDMAN + MC IAN MOORE)
THE BEST IN STAND UP (STEPHEN GRANT + PETE JOHANSSON +JIMMY MCGHIE + CHRIS MARTIN + MC JARRED CHRISTMAS)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (STEPHEN GRANT + PETE JOHANSSON +JIMMY MCGHIE + CHRIS MARTIN + MC JARRED CHRISTMAS)
THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
BARREL OF LAUGHS (LOU CONRAN + TOM LUCY + JEFF INNOCENT)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15 - £22
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late.
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £8 - £12
Fri 10 Jun
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £12 - £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. BARREL OF LAUGHS (RAY BRADSHAW + FIN TAYLOR + BENJI WATERSTONES + STEVE SHANYASKI)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £13 - £19
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late. SOPHIE WILLAN: ON RECORD
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–00:00, £10 - £12
The comedian and actor explores who she is today through the eyes of experts that have assessed her, with brutal honesty and raucous unpredictability.
Sat 11 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (NATHON CATON + TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + MARKUS BIRDMAN + MC IAN MOORE) THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (NATHON CATON + TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + MARKUS BIRDMAN + MC IAN MOORE)
THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. BARREL OF LAUGHS (RAY BRADSHAW + FIN TAYLOR + BENJI WATERSTONES + STEVE SHANYASKI)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15 - £22
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late. BEST OF BUZZ COMEDY (DANNY WARD + TOM WARD + PIERRE NOVELLIE)
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–00:00, £10 - £12
The Waterside’s regular comedy night, featuring one of the UK comedy circuit’s up and coming stars. BRENNAN REECE
THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, FREE
The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life with his Edinburgh preview. SOPHIE WILLAN: ON RECORD
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–00:00, £10 - £12
The comedian and actor explores who she is today through the eyes of experts that have assessed her, with brutal honesty and raucous unpredictability.
Sun 12 Jun NEW STUFF
THE COMEDY STORE, FROM 19:30, £4
Stand-up from fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – play nice. NEW STUFF (MC TOBY HADOKE)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–22:30, £2 - £4
Stand-up from fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – play nice. COMEDY COURSE SHOWCASE
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £3 - £5
12 graduates from the Frog and Bucket’s comedy course perform. JAMES VEITCH
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–00:00, £10 - £12
Ultimate troll James Veitch spent an entire year replying to scam and con emails, culminating in Dot Con, in which he investigates the nature of scamming and examines its role in our ever-connected world. Quirky, clever and worthy of your chuckles.
Mon 13 Jun BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £0 - £3
A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!
Tue 14 Jun
XS MALARKEY (JOHN HASTINGS + KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN + KEVIN DEWSBURY)
PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans. BRENNAN REECE
OCTAGON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £5
The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life with his Edinburgh preview.
EDINBURGH PREVIEW: DAN NICHOLAS, PETER FLEMING AND WILBUR BILB GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £PAY WHAT YOU WANT
Madcap stand-up from Dan Nicholas and hilariously tragic character comedy from So You Think That’s Funny? winners (and firm Skinny favourites) Tom Burgess and Sam Nicoresti, all strutting their Edinburgh preview stuff.
Thu 16 Jun
STAND UP THURSDAY (CHRISTIAN REILLY + PAUL THORNE + MC ALEX BOARDMAN)
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £8 - £12
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. GRUMPY OLD WOMEN
PALACE THEATRE MANCHESTER, 20:00–23:00, £29.15
Popular grumpy ladies Jenny Eclair, Susie Blake and Kate Robbins air their gripes, complete with a free nagging masterclass and a brief Zumba demonstration. BRENNAN REECE
OCTAGON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £5
The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life with his Edinburgh preview. THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (BARRY DODDS + JONNY AWSUM + GEORGE ZACH + CLAYTON JONES + DALISO CHAPONDA)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £7 - £13
Watch four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks.
Fri 17 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (IAN STONE + CHRISTIAN REILLY + ADDY VAN DER BORGH + PAUL MYREHAUG + MC ALEX BOARDMAN) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £12 - £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
BARREL OF LAUGHS (BARRY DODDS + JONNY AWSUM + WINDSOR + DALISO CHAPONDA) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £13 - £19
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late. JOE LYCETT
THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 20:00–20:00, £12 - £14
Charming and fresh faced young thing, Joe Lycett brings the jokes.
Sat 18 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (IAN STONE + CHRISTIAN REILLY + ADDY VAN DER BORGH + PAUL MYREHAUG + MC ALEX BOARDMAN) THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (IAN STONE + CHRISTIAN REILLY + ADDY VAN DER BORGH + PAUL MYREHAUG + MC ALEX BOARDMAN) THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
BARREL OF LAUGHS (BARRY DODDS + WINDSOR + DALISO CHAPONDA) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15 - £22
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late. DAVID CROSS
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £22.50
Wed 15 Jun
The Arrested Development funnyman brings his brilliant stand-up show to UK shores.
OCTAGON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £5
Sun 19 Jun
BRENNAN REECE
The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life with his Edinburgh preview.
NEW COMEDIANS (MC ALEX BOARDMAN)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–22:30, £2 - £4
Alex Boardman’s New Comedians series continues.
Listings
51
Manchester Comedy
CHORTLE PRESENTS FAST FRINGE! (JUSTIN MOORHOUSE + SCOTTISH FALSETTO SOCK PUPPET THEATRE + MORE)
CROFT AND PEARCE
Showcase of more than 20 comedy and variety acts, all performing three-minute extracts of the shows they’ll be taking to the Greater Manchester or Edinburgh Fringes.
Tue 31 May
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–00:00, £12 - £14
Wed 01 Jun
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–00:00, £10 - £12
Sketch comedy duo Hannah Croft and Fiona Pearce. KIAN ‘N’ JC: DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–22:00, £25
The obnoxious YouTube duo bring their hilaaarious prankster antics our way. Yeah, we’re busy that night too.
BENEFIT IN AID OF THE PSORIASIS ASSOCATION (GARY DELANEY + MC TOBY HADOKE)
PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
Raising funds and awareness for The Psoriasis Assocation.
Mon 20 Jun BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £0 - £3
A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!
Tue 21 Jun
THE WORST COMEDY NIGHT IN SALFORD
THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Keeping expectations low with this night of open mic stand up, opening up the stage to anyone willing to give it go. XS MALARKEY (NISH KUMAR + ANDY FIELD + DANIEL NICHOLAS)
PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £3 - £5
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.
Wed 22 Jun
THE DELIGHTFUL SAUSAGE (CHRIS CANTRILL + AMY GLEDHILL + JACK EVANS + BARNABY THOMPSON + EDY HURST + MORE)
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–22:30, £4
A surreal evening of free biscuits, alternative comedy, musical interludes, adventure, illustration and meat raffles at The Castle. You had us at free biscuits, let’s face it.
Thu 23 Jun
STAND UP THURSDAY (MICK FERRY + JARRED CHRISTMAS + MC JOHN MOLONEY) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £8 - £12
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. BRENNAN REECE
OCTAGON THEATRE, 20:00–23:00, £5
The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life with his Edinburgh preview. THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE (PETE OTWAY + ANDREW BIRD + ROBIN MORGAN + CAREY MARX)
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £7 - £13
Watch four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks.
Fri 24 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (PAUL SINHA + ZOE LYONS + JOHN WARBURTON + JARRED CHRISTMAS + MC JOHN MOLONEY) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–23:00, £12 - £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
BARREL OF LAUGHS (PETE OTWAY + ANDREW BIRD + BOBBY MAIR + CAREY MARX) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £13 - £19
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late.
THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £12 - £15
TIM FITZHIGHAM: THE GAMBLER
A show about the 10 greatest bets in history from the multi awardwinning comedian, adventurer and world record holder.
Sat 25 Jun
THE BEST IN STAND UP (PAUL SINHA + ZOE LYONS + JOHN WARBURTON + JARRED CHRISTMAS + MC JOHN MOLONEY) THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (PAUL SINHA + ZOE LYONS + JOHN WARBURTON + JARRED CHRISTMAS + MC JOHN MOLONEY) THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £16 - £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
BARREL OF LAUGHS (PETE OTWAY + ANDREW BIRD + BOBBY MAIR + CAREY MARX) THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £15 - £22
Pepper your weekend with laughs from four top class comics, sat comfortably at a table while enjoying your comedy with food and drinks, followed by Frog and Bucket’s classic cheesy disco until late. SARA PASCOE: ANIMAL
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–00:00, £13
Following the May release of her book of the same name, Sara Pascoe visits The Stand with Animal, a show featuring a mixture of ‘completely true’ stories about Tony Blair, Oedipus Rex and the wildlife of Lewisham. D.A.F.T. (SIR RANDOLPH TEMPEST + LEE FENWICK + KEITH CARTER + RED REDMOND)
THE DANCEHOUSE THEATRE, 20:30–23:00, £8
Comedy’s strangest and strongest acts come together for an evening of silliness hosted by Randolph Tempest (Phoenix Nights, Ideal, The Detectorists).
Sun 26 Jun
NEW STUFF (MC TOBY HADOKE)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–22:30, £2 - £4
Stand-up from fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – play nice. BANG! BANG!
GULLIVERS, 19:30–22:30, £3 - £5
Liverpool Comedy PAUL SINHA
THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–00:00, £12 - £14
London-based GP turned comic, known for his high pun concentration, which is always A-OK with us. NEW MATERIAL (JACK EVANS + CHRIS TAVENER + BRENNAN REECE + MC PAUL SMITH) THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Comedians test new stuff out in the Jacaranda basement, from anything that’s crossed their mind that day to the new shows they’ll be showcasing at Edinburgh. Free, too. THE LAUGHTER FACTOR (MC PHIL CHAPMAN)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £3 - £5
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.
ON BAR, 19:30–22:30, £0 - £2
Your friendly, monthly, neighbourhood comedy gig. All comedians are hero-approved. BRENNAN REECE
KOSMONAUT, 20:00–23:00, FREE
The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life with his Edinburgh preview.
Listings
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sun 05 Jun
NEW COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR (ADAM HUGHES + LIAM STONES + SIMON LOMAS + CHELSEA HART + BRYAN BEECH + MOSES ALI KHAN) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £1.50 - £3
Final of New Comedian of the Year 2016.
Mon 06 Jun
EDINBURGH PREVIEWS (CAIMH MCDONNELL + PAUL MCCAFFREY)
THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Good way to get in on all the Edinburgh hype without that hefty train journey up there.
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (JIMMY MCGHIE + ANDY ASKINS + LARRY DEAN + MC ALAN ANDERSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sun 12 Jun
NEW COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR (JACK RYAN-WOODHOUSE + CASH BOYLE + SCOTT LIVERSIDGE + JOHN MACDONALD + TOM BATES + ALLY ALLERTON ) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £1.50 - £3
Final of New Comedian of the Year 2016.
THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Fri 03 Jun
BOILING POINT (JEFF INNOCENT + PETER BRUSH + BOBBY MAIR + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (TANYALEE DAVIS + STEPHEN GRANT + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + TANYALEE DAVIS + STEPHEN GRANT + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ALEX BOARDMAN + FELICITY WARD + TOM TOAL + MC PETER OTWAY)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sat 04 Jun
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (EDDIE BRIMSON + VINCE ATTA + MC KAREN BAYLEY)
THE MAGNET , 20:30–23:30, £13.50
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar features the cream of the international comedy circuit “up close and personal” every Saturday and this week is no different.
LAUGH OUT LOUD COMEDY CLUB (BARRY CASTAGNOLA + GREG COOK + BRENNAN REECE)
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–00:00, £15 - £17.50
A triple-header of comedy descends on the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (STEPHEN GRANT + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + DALISO CHAPONDA + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
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COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
LAUGHTERHOUSE (SIMON KING + VINCE ATTA + STEVE HARRIS + MC PHIL CHAPMAN)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ALEX BOARDMAN + FELICITY WARD + JO D’ARCY + MC WILL DUGGAN)
Mon 27 Jun
SIDEKICK COMEDY (SOPHIE WILLAN + KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN + MC KATE MCCABE)
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ALEX BOARDMAN + FELICITY WARD + TOM TOAL + MC PETER OTWAY)
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
Mon 13 Jun
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Wed 08 Jun
BOILING POINT (JEFF INNOCENT + PETER BRUSH + BOBBY MAIR + MC PAUL SMITH)
BEAT THE FROG
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
LAUGHTERHOUSE (VINCE ATTA + STEVE HARRIS + SIMON KING)
Thu 02 Jun
Improv comedy for grown-upswith CSZ Manchester.
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £0 - £3
LAUGHTERHOUSE (DALISO CHAPONDA + STEPHEN GRANT + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
NEW MATERIAL (WILL DUGGAN + PETER OTWAY + AMY GLEDHILL + WENDY MASON + MC PAUL SMITH)
Comedians test new stuff out in the Jacaranda basement, from anything that’s crossed their mind that day to the new shows they’ll be showcasing at Edinburgh. Free, too.
Thu 09 Jun
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (JIMMY MCGHIE + ANDY ASKINS + HARRIET DYER + MC ALAN ANDERSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone. PATRICK MONAHAN
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–00:00, £12
High-energy gags of the funnyman’s Irish/Iranian/Teeside heritage, with his new show, The Disco Years.
Fri 10 Jun
BOILING POINT (STEVE SHANYASKI + ROB THOMAS + JEN BRISTER + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (STEVE HARRIS + VINCA ATTA + SIMON KING + MC PHIL CHAPMAN)
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (SIMON KING + VINCE ATTA + STEVE HARRIS + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (JIMMY MCGHIE + ANDY ASKINS + LARRY DEAN + MC ALAN ANDERSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sat 11 Jun
BOILING POINT (STEVE SHANYASKI + ROB THOMAS + JEN BRISTER + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (STEVE ROYLE + CAIMH MCDONNELL + MC BRENDAN RILEY)
THE MAGNET , 20:30–23:30, £13.50
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar features the cream of the international comedy circuit “up close and personal” every Saturday and this week is no different.
EDINBURGH PREVIEWS (JAMALI MASSIX)
Good way to get in on all the Edinburgh hype without that hefty train journey up there.
Wed 15 Jun
NEW MATERIAL (GARY DELANEY + CAIMH MCDONNELL + KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN + DALISO CHAPONDA + MC PAUL SMITH) THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Comedians test new stuff out in the Jacaranda basement, from anything that’s crossed their mind that day to the new shows they’ll be showcasing at Edinburgh. Free, too.
Thu 16 Jun TOM STADE
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £15 - £17
The free-thinking philosopher returns to ponder timeless questions and reflect upon life’s choices and decisions, imbued with his usual added mayhem.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (JONNY AWSUM + STEVE HARRIS + SAM GORE + MC SCOTT BENNETT) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone. MANFORD’S COMEDY CLUB (COLIN MANFORD + JULIAN DEANE + ROB MULLHOLLAND)
THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–23:00, £16
Jason Manford has carefully selected some of his favourite comedians to give you the best night out you’ve had for a long time.
Fri 17 Jun
BOILING POINT (RORY O’HANLON + ERICH MCELROY + STEVE DAY + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (GARY DELANEY + PAUL SINHA + JOHN GORDILLO + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (PAUL SINHA + JOHN GORDILLO + GARY DELANEY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (JONNY AWSUM + STEVE HARRIS + BRENNAN REECE + MC CARL HUTCHINSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sat 18 Jun
BOILING POINT (RORY O’HANLON + ERICH MCELROY + STEVE DAY + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (BARRY CASTAGNOLA + DALISO CHAPONDA + MC BRENDAN RILEY) THE MAGNET , 20:30–23:30, £13.50
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar features the cream of the international comedy circuit “up close and personal” every Saturday and this week is no different.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (JOHN GORDILLO + PAUL SINHA + GARY DELANEY + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (PAUL SINHA + JOHN GORDILLO + GARY DELANEY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + STEVE HARRIS + BRENNAN REECE + MC CARL HUTCHINSON) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sun 19 Jun
NEW COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR (TOM KEEGAN + MATT GIBSON + PETE SELWOOD + MATT GRICE + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £1.50 - £3
Final of New Comedian of the Year 2016.
Mon 20 Jun
EDINBURGH PREVIEWS (DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + ADAM ROWE)
THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Good way to get in on all the Edinburgh hype without that hefty train journey up there.
Wed 22 Jun
NEW MATERIAL (BRENNAN REECE + BEN BRIGGS + MC PAUL SMITH)
THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Comedians test new stuff out in the Jacaranda basement, from anything that’s crossed their mind that day to the new shows they’ll be showcasing at Edinburgh. Free, too.
Thu 23 Jun
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDREW BIRD + DALISO CHAPONDA + ROB MULHOLLAND + MC JESS FOSTEKEW) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Fri 24 Jun
BOILING POINT (CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + TONY COWARDS + MICHAEL FABBRI + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way. LAUGHTERHOUSE (PATRICK MONAHAN + MARKUS BIRDMAN + CHRISTIAN REILLY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. LAUGHTERHOUSE (MARKUS BIRDMAN + PATRICK MONAHAN + CHRISTIAN REILLY + MC STE PORTER)
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDREW BIRD + DALISO CHAPONDA + ALLYSON SMITH + MC JESS FOSTEKEW) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
Sat 25 Jun
BOILING POINT (CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + TONY COWARDS + MICHAEL FABBRI + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £10 - £15
New and established comics take to the stage, for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR (SEAN PERCIVAL + KEVIN DEWSBURY + MC BRENDAN RILEY)
THE MAGNET , 20:30–23:30, £13.50
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar features the cream of the international comedy circuit “up close and personal” every Saturday and this week is no different. LAUGHTERHOUSE (CHRISTIAN REILLY + PATRICK MONAHAN + MARKUS BIRDMAN + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LAUGHTERHOUSE (PATRICK MONAHAN + MARKUS BIRDMAN + CHRISTIAN REILLY + MC STE PORTER)
MATHEW STREET, 20:00–23:00, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CENTRAL (ANDREW BIRD + DALISO CHAPONDA + ALLYSON SMITH + MC JESS FOSTEKEW)
Art
Manchester 30 YEARS OF CFCCA: SUSAN PUI SAN LOK 3 JUN-3 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A new body of work titled RoCH Faans & Legends, featuring single and multichannel moving image works. 30 YEARS OF CFCCA: YU-CHEN WANG
24 JUN-31 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Retrospective exhibition exploring notions of memory and identity, past and future, fiction and reality through presentation of text, images, documentation and reenactment.
Common DONUT BOY
8 JUN-TBC, TIMES VARY, FREE
Playful new exhibition by Manchester’s resident funnyman and illustrator supremo David Bailey, which sees a series of drawings follow the titular Donut Boy through life.
Gallery of Costume
SCHIAPARELLI AND THIRTIES FASHION
UNTIL 23 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE
One of the most celebrated fashion designers of the middle twentieth century.
HOME
DESIGNS FOR LIVING
UNTIL 12 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
Claire Dorsett and Cherry Tenneson team up for an exhibition of new commissions, which poke at the structures, designs and information that we’re used to navigating daily.
Sun 26 Jun
UNTIL 3 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Regular triple headline show, with three comics lined up to tickle your funny bone.
IMITATION OF LIFE: MELODRAMA AND RACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Final of New Comedian of the Year 2016.
Looking at the role of racial politics in an evolving, digital world, with oral histories and verbatim storytelling drawn from theatre, cinema, painting and sculpture.
Mon 27 Jun
Islington Mill
NEW COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £1.50 - £3
EDINBURGH PREVIEWS (PETER BRUSH)
THE JACARANDA, 20:00–23:00, FREE
Good way to get in on all the Edinburgh hype without that hefty train journey up there.
Manchester Art Castlefield Gallery DIAGONAL NOISE
UNTIL 17 JUL, 1:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE
An exhibition featuring works by Tiago Duarte, Joke Van den Heuvel, Vijai Patchineelam, Adrien Tirtiaux, and Floris Vanhoof, timed to coincide with the EU referendum.
Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art 30 YEARS OF CFCCA
UNTIL 30 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
The CFCCA celebrates a landmark of three decades going strong with a six-month programme of exhibitions and events from the likes of Stanley Chow, Xu Bing, Cao Fei, Lee Mingwei, Tsang Kinwah and Susan Pui San Lok. 30 YEARS OF CFCCA: GORDON CHEUNG
UNTIL 19 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Gordon Cheung takes over the CFCCA’s Gallery 2 to help them celebrate their 30th anniversary, returning to the centre over a decade since he took part in their artist-in-residence programme Breathe in 2004, along with a 2008 exhibition.
NORTHWEST ZINEFEST
18 JUN, 11:30AM – 4:30PM, FREE
The great and the good of the Northwest zine community come together for a day of stalls, workshops and talks.
Manchester Art Gallery THE SEA FULL STOP
UNTIL 25 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE
Hondartza Fraga’s imaginary seascapes explore our understanding of the sea, and give the focus of a seascape back to the sea. MODERN JAPANESE DESIGN
UNTIL 15 JAN 17, TIMES VARY, FREE
Thirty two designers display over one hundred pieces in a dynamic display conveying the essence of the unique Japanese design ethos. THE IMITATION GAME
UNTIL 5 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Eight international artists come together to explore machines and the imitation of life, inspired by Alan Turing’s Turing Test (refer to the Cumberbatch film for an easy way in), devised to test a computer’s ability to imitate human thought. TO BE HUMAN
UNTIL 26 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
A selection of mid-20th-century portraits from Manchester Art Gallery’s permanent collection, exploring what it is to be human. FASHION AND FREEDOM
UNTIL 27 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE
Vivienne Westwood, Roksanda, Holly Fulton, J JS Lee, Emilia Wickstead and Sadie Williams unveil new pieces inspired by the impact of WWI on women’s lives and fashion, alongside wartime pieces from MAG’s costume collection and original short films.
THE SKINNY
Manchester Rogue Artists Craft and Design Studios PROGRESS Centre 4-12 JUN, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE BIOLOGICAL ATELIER: THE SHOWROOM
9 JUN-27 AUG, 10:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE
A glimpse into the future by designer and researcher Amy Congdon, who explores how biotechnology will change the design world with new materials and tools over the coming decades.
Manchester Museum
HUMANS IN ANCIENT BRITAIN: REDISCOVERING NEANDERTHALS
UNTIL 13 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Exploring how our closest relatives, the Neaderthals, were far from the grunting savages in animal skins that modern stereotype would have us believe. CLIMATE CONTROL
UNTIL 4 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A summer series of exhibitions and events confronting climate change in an engaging, creative way to explore how, while we may not be able to change the past, we can still change the future. TAKE ME BACK TO MANCHESTER
Group exhibition as part of Manchester Histories Festival, which sees Rogue members consider their building’s transitional state in light of its forthcoming development through installation, film, painting and performance.
Royal Exchange Theatre MANCHESTER. PROPER.
UNTIL 19 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
An art exhibition about Manchester for Manchester people, inspired by the stereotypes, the Mancunian mentality and the sardonic humour that resonates throughout the city.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery HEART & SOLD
UNTIL 5 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Touring visual arts exhibition from established and developing artists with Down syndrome, featuring everything from painting to photography to line drawing.
UNTIL 1 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
The Koffee Pot COLLIDE
UNTIL 22 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Solo exhibition from scientific artist and designer Cat Scott, whose new collection of digital designs represent the colliding and merging of dark matter, inspired by the recent detection of gravitational waves at LIGO. The exhibition launches with an evening of all things art and science on 20th May at 6pm, featuring a soundtrack of ambient and psych records played by Leeds DJ, James Heselwood.
The Lowry SYZYGY
UNTIL 17 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Young artist Katie Paterson unveils her largest solo exhibition to date, featuring new commissions alongside some of her well-known pieces to explore our place in the universe and Earth’s relationship with other celestial bodies. A DARK DAY IN SALFORD WITH THE SMITHS
UNTIL 5 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
A new exhibition of pieces by photographer Stephen Wright, who’s famous for that iconic shot of The Smiths outside Salford Lads Club, used for The Queen is Dead.
Manchester-based artist Oliver East, presents a series of illustrations inspired by the journey that an Asian elephant made in 1872, walking from Edinburgh to his new home in Belle Vue Zoo.
UNTIL 5 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
1996 WORLD CUP EXHIBITION
Marking 50 years on from England’s golden summer, with stories from the people who made the games, played the games and watched the games.
UNTIL 14 AUG, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Photography exhibition curated by leading documentary photographer, Ian Beesley, delving into how the working classes became heroic symbols of industry, before also being able to photograph themselves. THE LMS-PATRIOT PROJECT: RAIL AND REMEMBRANCE
UNTIL 5 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
An exhibition exploring the lives of those who worked on railways during WWI, as well as the LMSPatriot Project - the building of a new national memorial engine. LABOUR PAINS
27 JUN-31 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A display accompanying the conference hosted by The University of Sheffield on Thu 30 June, which will past and present tensions within the labour party. FROM THE SHADOWS OF WAR AND EMPIRE
25 JUN-17 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Serving up perspectives of colonised people in WWI, this exhibition explores the experience of people in the British West Indies, Nigeria, India and German and British East Africa to shed light on untold stories and hidden histories.
June 2016
The result of artist and musician Chris Butler and photographer Will Grundy’s four years spent flitting between Berlin and the UK, this exhibition uses musical and visual-based means to reflect on their experiences in the the vibrant German city.
REVOLUTIONARY TEXTILES 1910-1939
UNTIL 29 JAN 17, TIMES VARY, FREE
Exploring the outburst of creativity that took place against the backdrop of political tumult in the early decades of the 20th century, when textile design took off in new directions.
10 JUN-31 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE
Curated by Turner Prize-winner Elizabeth Price, this exhibition features 70 artists - from The Lumière Brothers to Andy Warhol.
Paper Gallery
GRAFTERS: INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY IN IMAGE AND WORD
BERLIN
UNTIL 3 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
IN A DREAM YOU SAW A WAY TO SURVIVE AND YOU WERE FULL OF JOY
25 JUN-31 JAN 17, TIMES VARY, FREE
People’s History Museum
An exhibition by Italian artist Nico Vascellari, who takes over the Whitworth’s Landscape Gallery with haunting installations, Bus de la Lum (hole of light) and Darvaza (door to hell), which interconnecto through light, shadow and soundtrack.
A Hayward Touring exhibition opening at the Whitworth, curated by Turner Prize-winning Elizabeth Price and featuring works from 70 artists including Constantin Brancusi, Edward Burra, Alice Channer and more.
What happens when computer games, meet the beautiful game.
Solo exhibition from Newcastlebased artist Narbi Price, who, in response to the 20th anniversary of the IRA bombing of Manchester, has created a series of new paintings on paper.
NICO VASCELLARI
UNTIL 18 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE
10 JUN-30 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE
PITCH TO PIXEL: THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL GAMING
CODEWORD
TIBOR REICH
UNTIL 1 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE
Retrospective celebrating the centenary of Tibor Reich, a pioneering post-war textile designer, who brought modernity into British textiles in the early-to-mid 20th century.
IN A DREAM YOU SAW A WAY TO SURVIVE AND YOU WERE FULL OF JOY
National Football Museum
2-25 JUN, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Whitworth Art Gallery
MY LIFE THROUGH MY LENS: GRAHAM NASH UNTIL 3 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
You may know Graham Nash from his Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young fame, but he’s also an internationally renowned photographer and digital imaging whizz. Included in this exhibition are shots of friends such as David Crosby, Joni Mitchell and others. SWINTON PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
UNTIL 10 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
The annual exhibition from Swinton and District Amateur Photographic Society, whose work captures natural history, pictorial, human life, record, still life studies and portraiture spanning a range of subject matter.
The Didsbury Parsonage Trust DRAWN IN TIME
12 JUN-3 JUL, 9:30AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Fourth exhibition from the Didsbury Drawing collective with works by 17 artists, whose pieces feature life drawings, among others.
The Font VIV
31 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE
New hand-screenprinted work by Jermyn (Moderate Realism) inspired by the world’s favourite punk fashion pioneer, Vivienne Westwood,
The Portico Library
MANCHESTER-BRAZIL: GÊ ORTHOF AND RAPHAEL FONSECA
UNTIL 29 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Brazilian contemporary artist Gê Orthof will be resident at the Portico’s free public gallery space in the run up to the Olympics, interacting with visitors and creating works responding to the collection.
Touchstones
WOMEN ARTISTS: FROM 1861 TO 2015 UNTIL 4 MAR 17, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A selection of art from Rochdale, celebrating its art gallery’s history of collecting work by women and tracing the role gender has played in the production of art, with pieces from Cornelia Parker, Henrietta Ward, Dorothea Sharp and others.
Waterside Arts Centre WATERSIDE OPEN
UNTIL 2 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Showcasing a range of high quality and contemporary art, craft and design from established and emerging artists, designers and makers from the North West and nationwide.
CIRCUIT WARP FESTIVAL
25-26 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
A warped weekend of art, music and the unexpected beneath the trees in Whitworth Park, celebrating the installation of a new sculpture by Turner Prize-nominated artist, Anya Gallaccio.
Liverpool Art Constellations THE ART OF REGGAE
UNTIL 15 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
A collection of 100 reggae-inspired posters designed by designers and illustrators from across the globe, celebrating the globalisation of and universal love for reggae culture and its positive message. Part of Positive Vibration Festival of Reggae.
Liverpool Art THE SIMPLICITY OF TRUTH UNTIL 12 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Pop-up exhibition by artist and theatre director Mark Storor, asking what it really means to be a man today and re-imagining masculinity through still and moving images and live performance.
Gostins Building NOT DARK YET...
UNTIL 15 OCT, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
New exhibition of paintings by artist Paul Mellor, exploring the idea of the painting medium in a digital age through influences including Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky.
Huyton Gallery CRAFTED
UNTIL 24 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE
Biennial show presenting work by makers in contemporary craft, design, sculpture and fine art, shown for the first time simultaneously across two Knowsley galleries.
International Slavery Museum BROKEN LIVES
UNTIL 11 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Photographs depicting the slavery that continues to exist in modern day India. AFRO SUPA HERO
UNTIL 11 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A celebration of the importance of role models and icons in combating discrimination, shown through London-born Jon Daniel’s personal collection of pop cultural heroes and heroines of the African diaspora, in the form of comics, games and action figures.
UNFOLD
A stunning sensory exhibition by acclaimed Japanese artist Ryoichi Kurokawa, taking visitors on a journey through space using visual and sonic environments to showcase the birth of stars.
ON THE WATERFRONT
UNTIL 19 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Exhibition exploring the rich history of the Albert Dock and the changing fortunes of the waterfront, the city and port of Liverpool. LUSITANIA: LIFE, LOSS, LEGACY
UNTIL 31 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Marking the centenary of the sinking of the Lusitania, telling the story of the ship while also considering the role of Liverpool’s liners in WWI. TITANIC AND LIVERPOOL: THE UNTOLD STORY
UNTIL TBC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Exploring Liverpool’s central role in the Titanic story, where real life stories of those who sailed on the ship are told through film footage, images, costumes and interactive elements.
3 JUN-7 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE
UNTIL OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
11 JUN-12 MAR 17, TIMES VARY, FREE
FIRST WORLD WAR: CHARITY AND LIVERPOOL’S HOME FRONT
Exploring the work of some of the charity organisations that formed during World War 1, giving muchneeded assistance to returning soliders and their families, as well as looking at how these charities function today.
Open Eye Gallery
OPEN 2: PIECES OF YOU
1-5 JUN, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE
The second in the Open series, featuring six rising artists: photographers Sam Hutchinson (Leeds), Peter Watkins (London) and Phoebe Kiely (Manchester), along with a collaboration by photographer Stephen Iles and sculptor Nicola Dale (Manchester).
Sudley House PUTTING ON THE GLITZ
1 JUN-31 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Dazzling 1930s evening gowns take centre stage in this exhibition, revealing how the glitz and glamour of Hollywood was reflected in the fashions of the period.
Kirkby Gallery CRAFTED
UNTIL 24 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE
11 JUN-29 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE
Affordable paintings and sculptures for sale by local residents Alan Edwards, David Allan and Peter Macaulay.
The Bluecoat
DOUBLE ACT: ART AND COMEDY
1-19 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Curators David Campbell and Mark Durden bring together artists from diverse cultural and political contexts to explore how comedy helps us shape meaning and negotiate life’s complexities.
The Brindley COMMON GROUND
UNTIL 11 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
An exhibition of works by Greg Fuller, Jason Hicklin and Tracy Hill, who re-interpret spaces along the Mersey Estuary to explore journeys and experiences of travelling on foot.
EYE FOR COLOUR
UNTIL 4 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Returning to World Museum for its 10th anniversary, Eye for Colour alerts the senses and stimulate the mind with hands-on exhibits and interactive displays exploring the ways in which colour shapes our world.
Museum of Liverpool
POPPIES: WOMEN AND WAR
UNTIL 5 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Lady Lever Art Gallery
Photographs of Liverpool childhood over time.
UNTIL 5 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
UNTIL 19 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
PICASSO LINOCUTS
THE LANDING: ALAN EDWARDS, DAVID ALLAN AND PETER MACAULAY PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURE
The World Museum
Exhibition featuring striking portraits of women whose lives have been affected by conflict, from the First World War to present day.
17 large linocut prints by Pablo Picasso, being displayed for the first time outside of the British Museum to showcase the progressive process that Picasso explored in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Highlights from a collection of Roman portraits, classical subjects and funerary sculptures that local landowner Henry Blundell of Ince Blundell Hall amassed in the late 18th Century.
A series of dramatic narrative photographs from two groups of secondary school students exploring ideas of body image.
Biennial show presenting work by makers in contemporary craft, design, sculpture and fine art, shown for the first time simultaneously across two Knowsley galleries.
REFLECTIONS
PANTHEON: ROMAN ART TREASURES FROM THE INCE BLUNDELL COLLECTION
BODY IMAGE
UNTIL TBC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
An exhibition of photography by internationally-acclaimed photographer George Osodi, who has spent over six years documenting the injustices of the Niger Delta, a region rich in natural resources and beauty.
An exhibition celebrating inspirational female artists who were first at something, with artworks by Dame Laura Knight, Elisabeth Frink and others.
18 JUN-16 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
OIL BOOM, DELTA BURNS
24 JUN-8 JAN 17, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
UNTIL 12 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Merseyside Maritime Museum
FIRST LADIES: PIONEERING FEMALE ARTISTS
Community display spanning photography, medals and other archive material marking the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, exploring the roles that Liverpudlian men and women played in this pivotal moment in history.
UNTIL TBC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
UNTIL 12 JUL, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
FACT
UNTIL 10 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
The Liverpool School of Art and Design 2016 transform the John Lennon Art and Design Building with original and contemporary art and design pieces from the final year students. Email lsad@ljmu.ac.uk or call 0151 904 1216 for more information.
UNTIL TBC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Project exploring the struggle of Merseyside’s black community to reach racial equality and social justice, taking you from post-war Britain through to the 1980s to tell the tales by voices were heard and those that were not.
dot-art Gallery
Group exhibition of local artists, showcasing a diverse range of experimental photography, from warped light forms to East Asia landscapes.
LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN 2016 DEGREE SHOW
1916 EASTER RISING: THE LIVERPOOL CONNECTION
CONTINUING THE JOURNEY
A community exhibition featuring painting, prints, ceramics and textiles, showcasing work created by people of all ages from across the Wirral.
EXPERIMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Liverpool John Moores University
GROWING UP IN THE CITY
UNTIL 25 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
ROMAN TREASURES OF CHESHIRE
The debut exhibition of two recently-discovered RomanoBritish Cheshire hoards - one, a group of Iron Age and Roman coins buried in mid-1st century AD, the other, Roman coins and jewellery buried in late-2nd century AD. REEL STORIES
UNTIL 1 JAN 17, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
As the UK’s most-filmed city outside of London, this exhibition shines the light on Liverpool’s cinematic history through around 40 original film posters from the 1950s and beyond.
Tate Liverpool ELLA KRUGLYANSKAYA
UNTIL 18 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Showcase collection of paintings from the Latvia-born, NYC-based artist, depicting women in unresolved, sometimes combative situations – marking her first solo exhibition in Europe. FRANCIS BACON: INVISIBLE ROOMS
UNTIL 18 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £9 - £12
The largest exhibition ever staged in the North of England of the work of Francis Bacon, presenting around 30 paintings from across his career alongside a group of rarely seen drawings and documents.
The Atkinson VICTORIAN DREAMERS
UNTIL 13 NOV, TIMES VARY, FREE
Drawn from The Atkinson’s own collection of Victorian art, this exhibition looks at the themes of travel, storytelling, the antique past and nature. LORD STREET: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
1 JUN-31 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Exhibition bringing together a wide range of material including archive photographs, architectural plans as well as costume and film, to explore the heritage of the water features, gardens, glass-topped verandas and architectural buildings.
Victoria Gallery and Museum KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
UNTIL 18 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Exhibition containing works from the Liverpool Medical Library and the Liverpool Athenaeum. HARD TO HANDLE
UNTIL 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
An exhibition exploring the development of hafted tools - y’know, stuff that’s attached to a handle of some kind, like an axe or hammer.
Walker Art Gallery
PRE-RAPHAELITES: BEAUTY AND REBELLION
UNTIL 5 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £5 - £7
A collection of over 120 paintings highlight Liverpool’s huge role in the Pre-Raphaelite movement, which helped establish the city’s reputation as Victorian art capital of the North. Expect works from Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Ford Madox Brown and more. TRANSFORMATION: ONE MAN’S CROSS-DRESSING WARDROBE
UNTIL 1 FEB 17, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A stunning collection of 16 garments from the collection of Peter Farrer, who has been cross-dressing since he was 14, with a particular focus on women’s period costume including evening dresses made between the 1930s and 1980s.
Listings
53
The Last Word: De La Soul Posdnuos reminisces on discovering rap in his youth, the secret to his group’s endurance and Kickstarting their first full album since 2004
Interview: Dave Kerr
song with Usher, one with Jill Scott, another with Little Dragon. I personally feel we’ve struck on some amazing moments here, particularly with David Byrne from Talking Heads. It has these moments that feel magical.” On abandoning record labels to embrace the Kickstarter age “We were like, ‘Let’s just give it straight to our fans who love us for the music we do and are willing to accept the fact that we’re trying to go against the machine, they’ll be there in our corner.’ We humbly thought we should be able to raise a certain amount of money, then we raised that amount within just a few hours. It’s truly a blessing.” On what to expect from a De La Soul live show in 2016 “Pretty much the fundamentals of what we’ve been blessed to learn from those who came before us – taking the temperature of the crowd and making sure they have as much fun as possible. Treat it more than just them coming to see a show but make them a part of it. We’ve always tried our best to do that. Obviously with us having new music coming up, we’d like to introduce people to some of that. We’re still figuring out a show that’s going to consist of more of the new music when the album drops because that has more of a live band feel. We’re hoping to put that together. But this June we’re going to premiere some of the tracks we can with Mase playing them. That mixed up with the classics, and of course it’s the De La Soul Is Dead anniversary... we’ve got to represent that.”
“I
t’s been a while, it’s been a while…” Kelvin ‘Posdnuos’ Mercer acknowledges that a confluence of paralysing circumstances have delayed De La Soul’s full-blown return to a more conventional album format for some time; label issues, sample clearances and not least their own perfectionism. Although the Long Island trio has toured extensively and recorded in numerous formats in the 12 years since hitting us with their last full studio LP (The Grind Date), he alludes to a certain hesitance to go all out. Until now. “I think we sometimes get stuck into trying to make something that might make us feel the way we did when we heard the first Stevie Wonder record,” he concedes. “We need to make room and just allow the fans or an objective listener to feel like that. I watched this documentary where Michael Jackson was saying every time he heard Thriller he’d think about things he could’ve done better. That’s how I look at my music; you continue to sculpt, but I understand my experience is different to the listener. We have so much music to give to you; we just need to start letting it out. Tonnes of stuff, man. It’s ridiculous. We’ve got to just... let it go.” From its humble beginnings as a high school group that quietly observed and later became a uniquely integral part of hip-hop culture’s global rise, the influence of De La Soul cannot be overstated. Nearly 30 years into a career where so many peers rose and fell along the way, their exhilarating live shows remain pure fire. Pos attributes a decision they made (a quarter of a century ago) to escape the zeitgeist and torch the values of the band’s earliest incarnation as the reason they’re still standing today. Here, he reflects on the journey...
54
Out back
On his motivation to pick up a microphone in the first place “I’ve always been into music; from growing up, standing next to my father who’d play his doo-wop records, Motown 45s and all these different labels. He was – and still is – an excellent singer. He’d sing in church and I’d try to mimic him, but I couldn’t sing well at all. When hip-hop came along – and this was our music – it was like breakdancing, everyone did it. I guess the people who were really good stayed at it. I always loved to write. I was into comic books; my favourite class in school was English, where I could write stories. So when rapping came along, I felt like, ‘hey, I can write pretty well’ – stories like Melle Mel, Grandmaster Flash or Kool Moe Dee were writing. “Me and Dave from De La were kind of closeted; we weren’t out in the park every week. By the time we came with De La Soul a lot of people were shocked; they didn’t know me for rhyming. They knew Mase for DJing. I really gravitated to it; writing and rhyming about things that weren’t necessarily in the timeline of where we were standing.” On the trio’s first full-length album release in 12 years “The new album is called And the Anonymous Nobody. It’s a really great record, man, I love it. I’m honestly not sure what it’ll do. Funnily enough, for me, that’s what’s so great about it. Previously with a record I’ve maybe had this feeling of ‘OK, so I know what this is going to do because it fits within this lane or fits with what’s going on.’ You can miscalculate. This time I’m not sure how the fans we’ve amassed over the years will take to every song, but I do feel like it’s quality music. There’s something here for everyone,
quite honestly. In that regard, I put it near 3 Feet High and Rising. We didn’t know what it was going to do. Like that first album, once again, I feel the same way. We have fans that came along during Stakes is High and a lot of times just want us to do rhymes and beats, then we have fans who have a lot of love for the older stuff and perhaps miss the playing around. This has a good balance of all of those aspects.”
“We have so much music to give to you; we just need to start letting it out” Posdnuos
On And the Anonymous Nobody’s unexpected guestlist “That, once again, is a big thing I love about this album. It would have been so easy to say, ‘Let’s put Common Sense, Talib Kweli and Mos Def on this record.’ We didn’t do that. Snoop’s on this one, 2 Chainz – nobody would have expected that, but when you hear the song you’ll get it. The idea there was: you’ve never seen 2 Chainz in this light. We always take care to marry the correct feel to each musician we choose to work with, so it doesn’t just come off as, ‘OK, we’re taking advantage of who this person is so we can sell some records.’ These are musicians who at the end of the day realise we’re all artists. In that realm alone, we can come into sync. So there’s a
MUSIC
On why De La Soul Is Dead gave life to De La Soul “It was an accomplished album in my mind. What we set out to do we did successfully. We planted the seed that we’re bigger than daisies and hippies, that we’re artists who want to continue to grow. The way we looked at it, death was an evolution from this plain to the next plain. It wasn’t a continuation of 3 Feet High and Rising. A lot of people at the time thought, ‘Well, there’s some great music on here but how could you depart from that?’ We meet people to this day who say, ‘We didn’t know if it was necessarily smart at the time, but here it is, we still see you standing when a lot of other loved and respected groups are no longer here.’ It was the right thing to do. That’s why De La Soul Is Dead remains important to us. We were leaving a place where we could’ve comfortably stayed. We left it because we understood that at some point that visual would die and overshadow our talent – that moment where it’s not cool to have dreads, dashikis and peace no more. We needed an edge. So we said, ‘De La Soul as you knew it is outta here.’ We departed from it, and that’s why we’re still standing.” On the possibility of De La Soul – The Movie “I feel like our lives are too boring! They’re not juicy enough to be on the screen. It’s funny though, I was talking to somebody about the N.W.A. film recently and they seemed shocked to hear that, within that movie we were there for a lot of that. A lot of the shows that you see in the movie, they were on the Nitro tour with us and LL Cool J. We were there when the cops tried to get ’em in Detroit. As regards a film about our lives as De La Soul? There’s not enough rock’n’roll, drugs and sex, y’know what I’m saying? Not enough!” And the Anonymous Nobody is released on 26 Aug via AOI Records wearedelasoul.com
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J O U R N A L I S M
@theskinnymag
Sale starts 31 May and ends 17 July 2016. All products subject to availability and price change. 75% off RRP. Cass Art Lowest Price Guarantee, terms and conditions apply, ask in store for details.