LIGHTNIGHT ILLUMINATES LIVERPOOL ART: MANCHESTER MANCHESTER A AFTER ART: FTER HOURS HOUR DARREN CULL CULLEN DARREN EN FILM: MYROSLAV DISPATCHES FROM THE ARTHOUSE FILM: SLABOSHPYTSKIY ONT CÉLINE SCIAMMA GIRLHOOD FRANÇOIS OZON ON CHRIST
TWIN PEAKS
THEATRE: THE FUNFAIR MUSIC: BLANCK MASS COMEDY: DERREN EARTH VS THE BU GBROWN
KIRI PRITCHARD-MCLEAN
FASHION: THE NICCI THEATRE: F JAMES UNF MUSIC: BLANCK HAPPY COMEDY: DERRENMASS BROWN KIRI MEALS PRITCH THE BUG VS EARTH FASHION: NICCI JA BOOKS: JOHN DORAN CLUBS: RON TRENT
WRITING ON THE WALL
LUV*JAM
REMEMBERING THE ROADHOUSE
BOOK NOW: 0161 832 1111 MANchesteracademy.net BOYZ II MEN
FUSE ODG
GAZ COOMBES
LETHAL BIZZLE
TYLER, THE CREATOR
HAPPY MONDAYS
DELAIN
RALEIGH RITCHIE
WEDNESDAY 13TH MAY
NEW MODEL ARMY
HEAVEN 17
DAN BAIRD & HOMEMADE SIN
SATURDAY 9TH MAY
MONDAY 16TH NOVEMBER FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER
TYLER OAKLEY’S SLUMBER PARTY SATURDAY 16TH MAY
THURSDAY 8TH OCTOBER
SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER
SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER
+ THE DUB PISTOLS + GUN + TV SMITH SATURDAY 5TH DECEMBER
SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER
SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER
SEATED SHOW
ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN
MY LIFE STORY
SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER
+ INSPIRAL CARPETS
+ POP WILL EAT ITSELF + GANG OF FOUR + HURRICANE #1 + THE PRIMITIVES + THE HIGH + EAT + DIESEL PARK WEST + MILLTOWN BROTHERS + ECHOBELLY + THE WOODENTOPS + MARK MORRIS + BOB GIGANTIC INDIE ALL DAYER DOORS 1.30PM SATURDAY 23RD MAY
LEGENDS OF REGGAE: KEN BOOTHE + CHAKA DEMUS AND PLIERS + LEROY SIBBLES + GYPTIAN + QUEEN IFRICA FRIDAY 29TH MAY - £30
FM – HEROES & VILLAINS TOUR + ROMEO’S DAUGHTER + NO HOT ASHES
BLACK GRAPE
FRIDAY 15TH MAY
JP COOPER
FUTURE ISLANDS
TUESDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER
THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER
HAWKTOBERFEST 2015: HAWKWIND DOORS 4.30PM / SHOW DOORS 4PM
CIRCA WAVES
A “JOY DIVISION” CELEBRATION PERFORMING UNKNOWN PLEASURES & CLOSER AND FEATURING AN OPENING SET OF NEW ORDER MATERIAL FRIDAY 30TH OCTOBER
FROM THE JAM + THE UNDERTONES + THE BEAT + LOUISE DISTRAS SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER
DOORS 4PM
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE TUESDAY 3RD NOVEMBER
THE WEDDING PRESENT
+ THE VASELINES + CINERAMA + EMMA POLLOCK SATURDAY 14TH NOVEMBER DOORS 6PM
MEGADOG: DREADZONE + EAT STATIC + SYSTEM 7
+ DJ MICHAEL DOG + MC TBAG + VJ’S PEEKA & EEFEE SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER DOORS 9PM - 4AM
OZRIC TENTACLES
EXODUS
FRIDAY 22ND MAY
+ MANTIS MASH
HUNTER HAYES MONDAY 25TH MAY
THURSDAY 2ND JULY
YOUNG GUNS
BLOSSOMS
FRIDAY 29TH MAY
+ NOTHING BUT THIEVES FRIDAY 5TH JUNE
SNAKECHARMER
BAD MANNERS
JD MCPHERSON
BLEACHERS
SATURDAY 13TH JUNE
SATURDAY 4TH JULY
WEDNESDAY 17TH JUNE
MONDAY 6TH JULY
THE MOVIELIFE
JASON & THE SCORCHERS WEDNESDAY 22ND JULY
BIG SEAN
PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT
THURSDAY 21ST MAY
BLEED FROM WITHIN
SATURDAY 20TH JUNE
WEDNESDAY 14TH OCTOBER
INDIANA
FRIDAY 8TH MAY
+ SURVAY SAYS WEDNESDAY 20TH MAY
FRIDAY 26TH JUNE
+ FORT HOPE + ONLY RIVALS FRIDAY 29TH MAY
PEACE
GOLDFINGER
JACE EVERETT
FINCH
TUESDAY 15TH & WEDNESDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER
JACK GARRATT
THURSDAY 25TH JUNE
SUNDAY 24TH MAY
TRAILER PARK BOYS LIVE
CODY SIMPSON
+ BILLIE BLACK TUESDAY 19TH MAY
+ THE MEMBRANES + RICHARD DAWSON
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SATURDAY 6TH JUNE
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FORMERLY THE HOP & GRAPE
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FRIDAY 8TH MAY
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+ RUTS DC SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER
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SATURDAY 25TH JULY
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WEDNESDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER
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MONDAY 3RD AUGUST
FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER
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THE SUGARHILL GANG PLUS GRANDMASTER’S FURIOUS FIVE
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THURSDAY 5TH NOVEMBER
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EXTRACTION FESTIVAL: [SPUNGE]
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ENSLAVED
EVILE
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SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER
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THE TUBES
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ONLY REAL
SUNDAY 3RD MAY
LAZY HABITS
THURSDAY 7TH MAY
FOR UP TO DATE LISTINGS VISIT MANChesteracademy.net
saturday may 23 Manchester academy
*
*
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Acoustic Set
Photo: Simon Bray
P.31 Nicci James
P.53 Kiri Pritchard-McLean
P.49 Carol Bove - ‘Heraclitus’ (detail, 2014)
May 2015
I N D E P E N D E N T
C U LT U R A L
J O U R N A L I S M
Issue 26, May 2015 © Radge Media Ltd. Get in touch: E: hiya@theskinny.co.uk T: 0161 833 3124 P: The Skinny, Second Floor, Swan Buildings, 20 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JW The Skinny is distributing 22,710 copies across Liverpool and Manchester, a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business are available. Get in touch to find out more.
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Editorial Northwest Editor Film & Deputy Editor Events Editor Music Editor Art Editor Books Editor Clubs Editor Comedy Editor Deviance Editor Fashion Editor Food Editor Tech Editor Theatre Editor Travel Editor
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Printed on 100% recycled paper
4
Contents
THE SKINNY
Photo: Steve Ullathorne
P.12 Welcome HOME
Contents Up Front 06
Chat & Opinion: An introduction to the magazine, with Stop the Presses’ last minute news; Jock Mooney’s cartoon column What Are You Having for Lunch?; Spot the Difference comparing some unicorns; Shot of the Month; and BALLS’ chillingly accurate astrological predictions.
08 Heads Up: Manoeuvre your way through one month and two bank holiday weekends’ worth of culture with our daily highlights.
Features 10
12
16
Get prepped for two epic nights of nocturnal cultural shenanigans with our Art editor’s crack guides to Liverpool’s LightNight and Manchester After Hours. Multi-arts venue HOME is finally here: Jason Wood, HOME’s new artistic director of film (page 12), and Simon Stephens, the Stopfordian playwright delivering opening theatre production The Funfair (page 15), reveal why this major new development might just cement Manchester as the most vibrant city for the arts in the country right now. After touring the world and soundtracking a thousand summer festivals, Django Django are back with sophomore album Born Under Saturn. We ask drummer Dave Maclean: do you believe in ghosts?
18
Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy's The Tribe has no spoken dialogue, but that doesn't stop it from making a provocatively loud statement.
19
Two of Europe’s great modern filmmakers (France’s François Ozon and Germany’s Christian Petzold) deliver thrillers (The New Girlfriend and Phoenix ) riffing on Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
21
22
25
Master illusionist Derren Brown reveals the secret of his powers of the mind: LOLs. Céline Sciamma discusses her tender and tough coming-of-age film Girlhood, which deals with issues of race in the poor Paris suburbs; and, ahead of Liverpool’s Writing on the Wall festival, we consider race in literature and diversity in publishing. Music critic John Doran tells us how he saved some of his harshest reviews for his own life in the form of his Vice column Menk, which has led to his debut book, Jolly Lad.
Lifestyle 30
Deviance: A look at the legal differences between a civil partnership and a marriage.
31
Fashion: Think we’ll all be wearing velour onesies in the future? Men’s knitwear specialist Nicci James has different ideas. She tells us how her new range is inspired by spaceships and childhood.
32
35
Review 39
47
49
29
Fan of live music but have an aversion to Portaloos? You’ll want to check out our guide to the best of the UK’s Indoor Festivals. Chicago’s Ron Trent discusses the death of a mentor, musical inspirations and why EDM really grinds his gears.
May 2015
Music: Happy Meals tell us how they ended up spending New Year’s Eve in Moscow; we have a summit of sorts with The Bug and Earth's Dylan Carlson ahead of their Supersonic show; and there’re new LPs from Blanck Mass, Rozi Plain and METZ. Clubs: As the much-loved Roadhouse closes its doors for the final time, owner Kate Mountain is quizzed on the ins and outs of the decision; while purveyor of British folklore Luv*Jam tells us about his Legend of Gelert project and Vince Watson recommends some rekkids.
JUNE 01 EARTH
THE KAZIMIER W/ BAM!BAM!BAM!
03 GIANT SAND
MAY 01 CALEXICO
ST. GEORGE’S HALL CONCERT ROOM
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL
W/ LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC
04 MOON DUO
+ PRE-PARTY W/ PINKSHINYULTRABLAST
THE KAZIMIER
05 EINDHOVEN 06 PSYCH LAB
DE EFFENAAR, EINDHOVEN
19 LOOP THE KAZIMIER
09 TOPS
W/ I LOVE LIVE EVENTS
LEAF
13 JOHN JOSEPH BRILL STUDIO 2, PARR ST
17 JAD FAIR & NORMAN BLAKE LEAF
28 THE SAINTS THE KAZIMIER
25 GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS SEPTEMBER 25 L’POOL INTERNATIONAL 26 FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA CAMP AND FURNACE
NOVEMBER 26 THIS IS THE KIT LEAF
TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE: SEETICKETS / EVENTIM / TICKETLINE IN PERSON: PROBE RECORDS (SCHOOL LN) & Page THE BRINK (PARR ST) Oye-126x155-advert:Layout 1 20/4/15 15:37 1 FOLLOW ON TWITTER: @HARVEST_SUN @LPOOLPSYCHFEST
Art: What do Italian architect Carlo Scarpa and contemporary Brooklynbased sculptor Carol Bove have in common? No, it’s not the Carlo and Carol thing.
50
Film: Kristen Stewart shows her acting chops opposite Juliette Binoche in Clouds of Sils Maria, and Sion Sono’s candy-coloured rap-battle musical, Tokyo Tribe, hits the big screen.
51
Film & DVD: We delve back into the strange world of Twin Peaks ahead of Salford University’s conference; plus, reviews of Michael Mann’s noir debut, Thief, and Paul Schrader’s misunderstood art-horror Cat People, on Blu-Ray.
52
Books: New fiction from Sarah Hall (The Wolf Border) and a short story collection from Vicki Jarrett impress:, plus all your local literary event highlights, including a, um, Dead Poets’ Death Match.
53
Comedy: An unsettling pattern begins to reveal itself as Kiri Pritchard-McLean follows in last month’s Spotlighter Tom Little’s footsteps, claiming she’d be fine kicking a cow in a fight…
We talk to Blanck Mass aka Fuck
28
Food & Drink: Our Food ed takes us on a foodie’s tour of Thailand; we also check out some places to eat closer to home, namely Altrincham’s Market House and Crazy Pedro's Part-Time Pizza Parlour.
THE KAZIMIER W/ EVOL
THE SHIPPING FORECAST
26 Buttons’ Benjamin John Power about
new album Dumb Flesh, out this month.
Showcase: In honour of the upcoming general election, we devote our centre spread to the challenging work of Darren Cullen.
APRIL 30 JAMES HOLDEN (LIVE)
54
Competitions: WIN THINGS!!! Namely, tickets to Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival and weekend passes to HOME’s ¡Viva! Mexican Weekender.
55
Listings: Attend all of this! (Or, if you insist on sleeping, the highlighted stuff at least.)
63
Out back: Thurston Moore humbly presents “the five fucking greatest records in the world.”
2015
SATURDAY 20 & SUNDAY 21 JUNE Sefton Park, Liverpool
12:30pm – 9:30pm both days FREE admission
For further festival information visit africaoye.com Twitter #africaoye facebook/africaoye
Contents
5
Editorial
W
e don’t know what’s gotten into the water but it seems there’s a deep seam of psychedelic activity running right through this issue, fresh for the mining: dim the lights, place some candles in strategic karmic positions and wade in. As Django Django’s Dave Maclean claims that the band’s new album, Born Under Saturn, is inspired by “mythology and outer space… the solar system,” so menswear designer Nicci James creates futuristic pieces for “the explorer of the near future” – who, if she gets her way, will be wearing a fusion of tweeds and knits informed by “sci-fi predictions from early 1950s comics.” Trust us, they look rad (though we’re not sure how well they’ll cope with the apocalypse.) Elsewhere, drone don Dylan Carlson of Earth and Kevin Martin aka The Bug have a meeting of minds ahead of their appearance at Supersonic, a festival full of explorations of the blurred states between reality and transcendence, and Film takes a look at the unbending influence of David Lynch’s spooky as all hell Twin Peaks. Speaking of, our Film editor really brings it this issue, packing us to the rafters with interviews with leading lights in the European arthouse: Ukraine’s Myroslav Slaboshpitsky discusses his startling silent drama The Tribe; two established auteurs, France’s François Ozon and Germany’s Christian Petzold, explain how Hitchcock’s Vertigo informed their new films (The New Girlfriend and Phoenix, respectively), and French filmmaker Céline Sciamma tells of her conviction in making Girlhood, a film that offers a stirring and much-needed new perspective on feminine power in cinema: “It’s the first time that a film with an all-black teen cast was made in France, so it’s gotten quite a bit of attention,” she says. Headlining Film this issue, however, is a detailed chat with the new artistic director of film at HOME, Jason Wood, who reveals a refreshingly ambitious plan for the new multi-arts centre, which brings together the recently closed Cornerhouse and Library Theatre under one roof and, after a good couple of years of anticipation finally says hello to the Northwest with a jubilant ‘HOMEwarming’ across the weekend of 21-25 May. That’s joined by our Theatre editor’s interview with playwright Simon Stephens, who, under
the eye of energetic new director of theatre Walter Meierjohann, has updated Kasimir and Karoline as The Funfair. They are both terribly excited about what the opening of HOME can mean for the staging of challenging and enlightening work across both mediums in Manchester and the Northwest at large, and their enthusiasm is catching; look out in future issues for our take on their Art programme, too. Welcome, HOME. Finally, providing a positive counterpoint to the stress of the general election – hey, turn to page 32 for some fine political comment – is the prospect of both Liverpool and Manchester filling their skies, streets and venues with glorious, colourful light for the upcoming Museums at Night celebrations; marked in Liverpool by the gigantic, jubilant LightNight festival, and in Manchester by the newly burgeoning Manchester After Hours programme. Our Art editor has put together an exhaustive guide to both to help you wind your way through the evenings; turn to pages 10-11 and get out your best red pen to do some lovely circling with. Oh, and try not to fall into our cover, a sneak peak of artist Andy McKeown’s new work Kaleidoscopic Disturbance 175, which will be projected onto the ceiling of Liverpool Anglican Cathedral between 9.30-11.30pm on LightNight, turning the building’s arches into an experiment in hypnosis. In this new work, best enjoyed lying down (bring a mat or cushion), McKeown has used elements of the Cathedral’s stained glass to inform his trippy vision – thus tying our psychedelic theme, and my waffling on said theme, up nicely. [Lauren Strain] ON THE COVER: Kaleidoscopic Disturbance 175, by Andy McKeown After formal training in photography and ceramic sculpture earlier in his career, Andy McKeown predominantly works with new-media, animation and programming to create participatory light works. Passionate about ‘people powered light’ McKeown’s work ranges from small interactive workshops to large-scale projections. He has worked nationally and internationally throughout his 50 year career. www.andymckeown.com
Spot the Difference
Ah, the noble unicorn. You may have previously seen these fabulous beasts described as ‘mythical’, despite their mentions in ancient texts by learned scribes such as Pliny the Younger and Ctesias of Cnidas, not to mention certain translations of the Bible. All to be taken very literally, obviously, and as you can see we’ve managed to obtain irrefutable pictorial proof of their existence. Look closer at these two near-identical images, however, and you may notice that something is amiss.
some animals you'd like us to spot the difference between, email them to pics@theskinny.co.uk
If you suspect your visual acumen is sharp enough to spot the almost-imperceptible difference, head to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and outline your findings in full. You could win a copy of Mr Holmes by Mitch Cullin, courtesy of our ever-lovin’ pals at Canongate.
Leftie is worrying about what dastardly plan Cyril Sneer is about to hatch. Righty is trying to hump a many legged caterpillar. -R
The one on the left is buzzin about his/ her new jumper. The one on the right is buzzin about. - JS One is a hard working worker bee (from a hard working family), the other is obviously a benefitscrounging immigrant. - SG
Competition closes midnight Sun 31 May. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms-and-conditions
The bee on the left is rejoicing to the sound of 'Flying Without Wings'. The one on the right however is immune to the loud threats issued by a flower angry at the pilfering of its nectar. - DF
BEST IN SHOW: DOG V BEE Here are just a few of our favourite responses to our March issue's bee conundrum. If you've
Both dangerous beasts, but the pee of the furrier one stings more. No seriously, trust me on this one... -J
www.jockmooney.com
Shot of the Month
Gazelle Twin, FACT, 9 Apr by Stuart Moulding
6
Chat
THE SKINNY
To mark two years of publishing in Liverpool and Manchester, we invited some friends of the mag to the Hold Fast for a birthday bash. A big thank you to Jameson Irish Whiskey for keeping our glasses filled and to Bake O Rama for taking similar care of our bellies (what cakes!). Big thanks, too, to DJs Night Fantasy and Banana Hill (pictured, thrilled with sweets), who kept minds and bodies moving all night. See you all again in 12 months! The Whitworth have launched Whitworth Young Contemporaries, a new programme put together by young people for young people, allowing them the opportunity to experience the gallery in a new way. The first ‘WYC Presents‌’, a free art social event promoting Manchester’s young artistic talent in live music, art and performance, takes place 11 Jun. More announcements are due soon. Keep up to date with ‘WYC on Twitter (@WhitworthYC).
We’re marking our calendar for the fifth Long Division Festival, which takes place 12-14 Jun in Wakefield. British Sea Power headline on Friday; Saturday sees over 80 bands perform, including Ash, Pulled Apart by Horses and Fat White Family; while on Sunday you can be part of the crowd as The Ainsley Band cut a live album. For tickets, head to longdivisionfestival.co.uk. Make sure to make it to Cactus in Liverpool for their latest exhibition, a solo show by Charlie Godet Thomas. Titled In Comes the Good Air, Out Goes the Bad Air, In Comes the Good Air, it comes highly recommended by our Art editor. Until 17 May. Head to cactusgallery.co.uk for further info. Promoters of music heavy and forward thinking, Fat Out Till You Pass Out are to take over Salford’s Islington Mill venue space for a twoyear programming residency. They’ll officially launch their programme with The Burrow, a week’s worth of events from 12 Jun, featuring collaborations with acts and collectives such as James Blackshaw, Dan Deacon, Now Wave,
The June Issue: Out 2 June
Banana Hill - stoked at our 2nd birthday party
Gesamtkunstwerk, Grey Lantern and Muto, as well as visual artists Jermyn MTK and Tasha Whittle. Visit fatout.co.uk for more details. To celebrate the spirit of Sounds from the Other City (3 May) we’re looking for your photos that Capture the Spirit of Sounds and there’s an amazing prize for the favourite shot! To enter, all you have to do is share your snaps from the day on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #SFTOCSkinny. The favourite photo will win a goody bag stuffed with amazing prizes like a pair of tickets to SFTOC 2016, three pairs of tickets to any Islington Mill shows of your choice, two tickets to a Now Wave show of your choice and much more besides. Head to theskinny.co.uk/festivals/ uk-festivals for more. We’re delighted to announce that DJ Edu and Esa Williams will be the main stage DJ’s heading to Africa OyÊ this year. OyÊ veterans, both are masters of their craft. DJ Edu, considered by
with Mystic Mark ARIES Uranus slides back into your sign in May, leaving an immense skidmark all the way across the night sky.
TAURUS When you die this month, God takes you to one side and explains that all the anguish and suffering you endured during your brief fling on the surface of the planet was merely foreplay for the neverending ordeal he has planned for your afterlife.
Listen Up Philip
celebrating the 20th anniversary of the reputed Dark Horse Poetry magazine, and talking to artist Anthony Schrag about his epic artworkjourney walking to Venice from Glasgow for the Biennale.
Online Only
Your favourite agony uncle, Fred Fletch, spends some time hanging out on casual sex message boards, asking strangers for pictures of their ducks. Chaos ensues. www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy
May 2015
GEMINI Your dog’s dreams finally come true this month when he finally gets fucked by a giant leg. CANCER Your diet of crisps isn’t the healthiest in the world. Try mixing up the beef and cheese flavours with some carrot or vegetable soup flavour crisps.
LEO Your relationship may have lost its spark, but your shamanic marriage advisor suggests you simply use occult possession magick to reignite your sex life, summoning Asag the Unjust to joyride your husband’s earthly flesh vessel for a steamy night of inter-realm swinging. At first you assume you’ve been conned with a placebo, until you hear some promising crunching noises and look up to see your husband’s head rotate 360 degrees. He gazes at you with smouldering pupil-less eyes, barks erotic phrases at you in Latin and barfs a writhing mixture of lube and hornets onto your crotch in preparation for the crawling-up-thewalls, sacrilegious bang-fest about to take place.
Eyes to the website Books catch up with avuncular polymath Stuart Cosgrove about his new book Detroit ’67, which explores the most significant 365 days in the history of soul; they also sit down with Scotland’s literary grand master, James Kelman, who reflects on class and culture ahead of the release of short story collection Lean Tales. www.theskinny.co.uk/books
Once again reminding us that psychedelic music can be more than flower power and sweaty dudes with wah pedals, Liverpool Psych Fest (25-26 Sep) have announced more names to their 2015 bill. Heading to the Baltic Triangle this September will be the likes of Hookworms, The Heads, Karen Gwyer and Indian Jewelry. The festival also adds an additional performance space, with District – a converted manufacturing facility – joining the existing complex of warehouses across Camp and Furnace, and the Blade Factory. Tickets are on sale now, £50, from LiverpoolPsychFest.com.
BALLS.
Keep an eye out for our next issue, which comes out on Tuesday 2 June. Marking the start of the summer, we'll have an interview with director Alex Ross Perry on his new film Listen Up Philip, which stars Jason Schwartzman. Online, we'll be
many to be the leading DJ name in Afrobeats, has played a major role in fuelling the love of African music in Europe, while Esa, an integral part of the Auntie Flo live setup, spans everything from deep melodic house to machine funk. Africa OyĂŠ takes place 20-21 Jun, Sefton Park, Liverpool. See africaoye.com for the full lineup.
Glasgow-based artist Graham Fagen chats to our sister paper about his new body of work, set to be exhibited in the 2015 Venice Biennale. www.theskinny.co.uk/art Film speak to deadpan master Roy Andersson, who discusses A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, his latest absurdist take on the human condition. www.theskinny.co.uk/film As the Tramway in Glasgow embarks on a six week celebration of dance, our sister paper track down Louise Ahl of Ultimate Dancer and Laurynas Žakevicius of Low Air Urban Dance to discuss their craft. www.theskinny.co.uk/theatre
VIRGO You get your bell end caught in the door of the microwave.
LIBRA Your rollerskates become haunted this month by the ghost of a seven year old girl who is fucking awful at rollerskating.
SCORPIO You don’t want to have your heart broken again, so you inject concrete into your arteries in the hope the substance will turn your heart into a solid, unbreakable block.
SAGITTARIUS Recent studies estimate that humans lose around half an hour of the waking day to blinking, which inspires you to invent a face-mounted camera that takes a snap every time you blink so you never miss a moment. But that night, while checking back the moments you blinked through, you blink and have to then check the photos where you blinked only to blink again.
CAPRICORN Bored in lapland, Santa orders his elves to carve his wife a boob job out of bits of leftover wood.
AQUARIUS This month you get a flap put in the side of your cat so that you can let any small animals it eats out safely and humanely. PISCES In May, cryogenically freezing your tumour-riddled body becomes a better option than trusting the Tories’ plans for the NHS. You place £10 in the bank and hope to reemerge in 100 years time with enough money accumulated through interest to pay for the first phase of your treatment.
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Chat
7
Photo: Sam Huddleston
Our very own Food ed, Jamie Faulkner, will be putting his taste buds to good use to help judge who’s King of the Grill at the upcoming Grillstock (30-31 May). It’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Head across to Albert Square to judge who’s got the best BBQ in town for yourself. More details at grillstock.co.uk.
Touring in support of her new album, Friends, deeply personal songwriter Rozi Plain comes to The Castle on the other side of a breakup and a bleak period in her life – which led to much of the inspiration for the new record. The Castle Hotel, Manchester, 7.30pm, £7
Making his directorial debut with Hinterland, Harry McQueen comes to the newly opened HOME to take part in a Q&A after a screening of the acclaimed film, a warm tale of old friendships rekindled and human connection. HOME, Manchester, 6.20pm, £8.50
A strikingly good lineup at the recently established MACE comedy club night in Kosmonaut's basement sees Canadian comic Mae Martin headline proceedings. Fast becoming an underground fave at Edinburgh each year, Martin thrives on the tangential, often bouncing off her audience any which way. Kosmonaut, Manchester, 8pm, £5
Hinterland
Mae Martin
Wed 6 May
Thu 7 May
There was some division in the critical ranks when Iceage frontman Elias Bender Rønnenfelt came back on last year's Plowing into the Field of Love crooning like a Scandinavian Nick Cave; live, though, the Danish punks still pack a ferocious punch, their shows frequently anarchic. Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 7.30pm, £8
Celebrating the ability of a single artist to captivate and inspire a room, Contact's Flying Solo Festival crosses practices from music to dance, theatre and comedy within its five-day programme, the highlight of which could perhaps be the by-turns brutally honest and totally hilarious Jackie Hagan. Contact, Manchester, 5-9 May, prices vary
After a flurry of activity between 2010 and 2013, including three albums and three EPs, it's been quieter of late for the Ghostly International-signed Shigeto; the panoramically minded producer is back on the road again, however, promising more atmospheric, dancefloorready soundscapes. Constellations, Liverpool, 9pm, from £6
The inaugural Leeds Indie Food Festival has rounded up pretty much all of the independent food-and-drink movers and shakers within the city for a three-week, multi-venue festival of gluttony. Highlights include collabs by The Man Behind the Curtain with Laynes Brunch, and Northern Monk with Grub and Grog Supper Club. Various venues, Leeds, 7-24 May, prices vary
Jackie Hagan
Iceage
Shigeto
Photo: Anthony Cianna
Tue 5 May
Photo: Lee Baxter
Mon 4 May
Leeds Indie Food Festival
Wed 13 May
Thu 14 May
A heart-on-sleeve play focusing on the issue of female genital mutilation, Rites, created by Olivier Award-winning director Cora Bissett and Mancunian theatre-maker Yusra Warsama, is based on interviews with those facing pressures on different sides of the fence regarding this deep-rooted cultural practice. Contact, Manchester, 12-14 May, £14 (£8)
Frequently one of our favourite regional comics, Will Setchell was working on new material late last year and continues to trade in personal tales from his youth in an attempt to stave off the inevitable onset of adulthood. Matchbox Comedy Club at the Lantern Theare, Liverpool, 8pm, £3
Given we've countlessly been turned away by galleries for trying to nosh down original watercolours and whatnot, it's a delight that The Great Edible Art Show is not just about food, it's also made out of the stuff – and once it's done you can come back and eat it! Leeds Gallery, 10am, Free
Rites
Photo: Farrows Creative
Tue 12 May
Will Setchell
The Great Edible Art Show
Wed 20 May
Thu 21 May
Whisky-soaked blues rock outfit Murder by Death are now seven albums in, but the Indiana-formed five-piece are showing no let-up in their gruffly delivered storytelling. They tour in support of latest record Big Dark Love, another slice of darkly tipped roots music. The Deaf Institute, Manchester, 7.30pm, £10
You can't help but feel that if Mew came from Iceland they'd be seen in a whole different light over here; nevertheless, the Danish cinematic rock group have done alright for themselves over 20-plus years and five albums together. They play tonight in support of their excellent sixth LP, + - (Plus Minus). The Ritz, Manchester, 7pm, £19.50
When turn-of-the-90s shoegazers Swervedriver returned in March with I Wasn't Born to Lose You, their first record since 1998, they'd done away with much of the abrasion that originally set them apart from their peers; live, though, you suspect that their devotion to the decibel hasn't gone quite the same way. O2 Academy, Liverpool, 7pm, £15
The HOME Warming Weekend is the big official hello to everyone, following months of anticipation for the new arts and theatre hub. The world premiere of Simon Stephens' The Funfair and the debut UK screening of the Michael Fassbender-starring Slow West are among the opening events. HOME, Manchester, 21-25 May, prices vary
Murder by Death
Mew
Photo: Marco Polous
Tue 19 May
Photo: Greg Whitaker
Mon 18 May
The Funfair
Swervedriver
Thu 28 May
This month's Comedy Showcase star Kiri Pritchard-McLean has long been a favourite around the Manchester scene; she's playing several times this month, in fact, but we've picked this date given it comes courtesy of the equally reliable and excellent promoters XS Malarkey. The Pub/Zoo, Manchester, 7pm, £5 (£3)
A bewitching concoction of techno, krautrock and more equatorial-leaning sounds, the music of Glaswegians Golden Teacher defies easy categorisation – not that that really matters when you're sweating buckets and hurling limbs on the dancefloor in front of them. The Mill couldn't be a better setting for this intoxicating party. Islington Mill, Salford, 7.30pm, £8
Students from LIPA take inspiration from the classic musical West Side Story to update the tale with Westside, which sees the setting move to the modern day but the focus remain, as ever, on two rival gangs and a pair of star-crossed lovers. LIPA, Liverpool, 28-29 May, £8 (£3)
Kiri Pritchard-McLean
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Golden Teacher
Photo: Alexander Bell
Wed 27 May
Photo: Barry Mello
Tue 26 May
LIPA
THE SKINNY
Photo: Tom Joy
Rozi Plain
Photo: Matt Andrews
If you like music, cities and walking around a lot between venues, then May is for you, with no less than four urban festivals taking place this month (including Sounds from the Other City). The region’s comedians are also starting to come out of the woodwork as preparations for Edinburgh begin in earnest.
Thu 30 Apr
Photo: Graeme Cooper
Compiled by: Simon Jay Catling
Wed 29 Apr
Photo: Simon J Evans.
Heads Up
Tue 28 Apr
Liverpool Art Fair
Menace Beach
Pound for pound one of the best all-day festivals in the country? We reckon so; Sounds from the Other City descends on Salford's Chapel Street once again with its usual array of outsider oddities and hyped up-and-comers, ranging from LA Priest to Shit and Shine. Plus: check the #SFTOCSkinny hashtag on Twitter to find out about a special competition... Various venues, Salford, 2pm, £20
Sounds from the Other City
Fri 8 May
Sat 9 May
Sun 10 May
Mon 11 May
A techno veteran with a difference, in his early days Ben Sims was inspired by reggae, funk, disco, electro and hip-hop. Since then, though, he's spent more than 20 years bossing the techno world, with appearances at Berghain, full-length LPs and remix action with the likes of Jeff Mills and Adam Beyer on his CV. 24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool, 9pm, £8
Another meandyou., another typically sterling headliner, as Finders Keepers' Sean Canty – one half of sonic explorers Demdike Stare – takes to the decks promising a no doubt realm-stretching selection of records. He'll be joined by the reliable club night co-founders themselves, Herron and Andrew Lyster. Soup Kitchen, Manchester, 11pm, £5
That she's appeared on the likes of Mock the Week and Comedy Roadshow tells only part of Zoe Lyons' comedic talents; now a firm regular on the UK comedy circuit, she's sharp, witty and brilliantly observational. The Lowry Studio, Salford, 8pm, from £10
Quirky comedy collective Quippodrome make their maiden voyage into the centre of Manchester after wowing audiences out in the suburbs. Expect songs, characters, video and all manner of strange stuff as the four-strong sketch group make themselves at home in the Northern Quarter. Gullivers, Manchester, 7.30pm, £4
Ben Sims
Zoe Lyons
Sean Canty
Quippodrome
Sun 17 May
Open Culture's city-wide LightNight throws open Liverpool’s doors for an overwhelmingly diverse array of after-hours screenings, exhibitions, performances, tours and debates. Among highlights to look out for are DJ duo Faux Queens at the Open Eye Gallery, and Deep Hedonia's curated night at St George's Hall. Various venues, Liverpool, 4pm, most events are free vary
Open Eye Gallery presents the first of three open exhibitions this year in Open 1. On show is work from the likes of Billy Macrae, who has revisited locations of protest during the last G20 meeting in London and uses ‘re-photography’ to contrast ideas of the romantic past with the gritty present. Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, until 23 Aug, Free
The Liverpool Youth Philharmonic Orchestra get to have a go in the resplendent Philharmonic Hall tonight, with a particularly delicious selection of compositions ranging from Enescu's Rumanian Rhapsody in D Major No. 2 to Johann Strauss II's By the Beautiful Blue Danube. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 7.30pm, £9 (£6)
Richard Ross - Juvenile in Justice (2012)
Photo: Joanna Dudderidge
Sat 16 May
Photo: Pete Carr
Fri 15 May
LightNight
Liverpool Youth Philharmonic Orchestra
Sat 23 May
Sun 24 May
Mon 25 May
Dot to Dot's annual weekender of next big musical things moves to the Northern Quarter from Oxford Road this year, meaning much shorter treks between venues to catch the likes of The Wytches, Fat White Family and our personal picks, Cymbals Eat Guitars. Various venues, Manchester, 22-24 May, 11am, £25
For those who've still not had enough walking/venue/ music interface action this month, Liverpool's Sound City gets into full swing today, with veteran psychedelia collective The Flaming Lips bringing their typically colourful live show to the Mersey docks. Various venues, Liverpool, 22-24 May, prices vary
Nils Frahm Has Lost His Mind, so goes the title of what could be the contemporary pianist's last tour in some time; if it is, he's picked an apt spot for his Manchester date, the Albert Hall mirroring his own balance of bombast and intimacy. Do not miss. Albert Hall, Manchester, 7pm, £20
Our Skinny brothers and sisters up north had been chewing our ear off about Young Fathers long before critical acclaim came their way. The irony is that new record White People Are Black People Too – slipped out amidst the post-Mercury furore – is probably even better than the one that won them it. Gorilla, Manchester, 7.30pm, £10
The Flaming Lips
Nils Frahm
Photo: Nick Bojdo
Fri 22 May
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Young Fathers
Sat 30 May
Sun 31 May
Mon 1 Jun
Making his directorial debut with Hinterland, Harry McQueen comes to the newly opened HOME to take part in a Q&A after a screening of the acclaimed film, a warm tale of old friendships rekindled and human connection. HOME, Manchester, 6.20pm, £TBC
The legendary Grandmaster Flash headlines this year's city-square sized carvery, Grillstock – which means that he'll not only be performing but also have the chance to feast on goods from around a dozen food vendors, including last year's Bristol Grillstock champions Bunch of Swines. Or take part in an eating competition. Should he wish. Albert Square, Manchester, 30-31 May, prices vary
This year's INPRINT Festival promises to be the biggest yet, as co-founders Holly Gleave and Emily BriseldenWaters pull together the region's finest illustrators, graphic designers and screen printers for a celebration of print art that punters can buy or simply marvel at. Camp and Furnace, Liverpool, noon, Free
For more than 25 years, Dylan Carlson's Earth have been one of the most singular metal bands around, blending pioneering foundations in drone metal with more recent turns into jazz and folk in their second incarnation. They're truly inspirers of many, imitators of none. The Kazimier, Liverpool, 7.30pm, £12.50
Grillstock
Inprint
May 2015
Photo: Charlotte Levy
Fri 29 May
Fest Live: International Showcase
Photo: Alexander Bell
Besides a jaunt to the Town Hall to see art-pop troupe Dutch Uncles, the Beckett is where you'll want to be for this year's Live at Leeds, featuring as it does Menace Beach, Eagulls, Hookworms and headliner Thurston Moore. Cor. Various venues, Leeds, 1- 4 May, prices vary
Earth
Chat
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Photo: Mark McNulty
With a manifesto of providing 'affordable art for all,' the Liverpool Art Fair brings together some of the region's most talented artists and sets buying prices from a reasonable £20, making it a perfect day out for both the first-time buyer and seasoned pro. The Gallery, Liverpool, 1-4 May, Free
Photo: John Graham
Sun 3 May
Photo: Clyde Petersen
Sat 2 May
Photo: Richard Manning
Fri 1 May
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The World in the Evening Our cities come alive under cover of dark this month, as Liverpool’s muchloved one-night festival LightNight is joined by the fledgling Manchester After Hours. Across these pages, our Art editor guides you through both programmes Interview: Sacha Waldron
Prem Sahib - Taking Turns (2014)
Andy McKeown’s Kaleidoscopic Disturbance 175, part of LightNight 2015
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here is a particular magic in seeing museums and galleries open at night. Spaces that might seem a little austere during the day have a more playful, private view-y vibe, creating a sense of occasion for performance, music, films and talks. There has been an explosion of night-time museum activities recently, and a new sense of informality and openness about cultural institutions and how and when they invite visitors through their doors. This welcoming attitude can sometimes extend beyond the evening’s activities; museum sleepovers, for example, have become crazily popular (the one offered by the Natural History Museum in London sells out months in advance), and social events such as dinners or even dating events (I guess you do that before the sleepover) are also now the norm. I once worked on the catering team at a dinner in Tate Modern where a company had paid a ridiculous sum to have their dinner table situated under the abdomen of Louise Bourgeois’ monumental steel spider, Maman, in the Turbine Hall. Very weird situation to serve dinner in; every time you put a plate down it felt like the spider was going to birth out a million little horrific metal spider babies. Museums at Night is a biannual festival that invites visitors into cultural institutions across the UK twice a year, in May and October. The May iteration actually ties into the wider European campaign, La Nuit Des Musées, which attracts more than two million visitors annually to over 3400 museums and cultural institutions across Europe and also falls close to 18 May, International Museums Day. Museums at Night comes to the Northwest on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 May, with Manchester After Hours (a newbie) and Liverpool Light Night, the latter now in its sixth year. Both events offer a vast and rather overwhelming array of events and exhibitions to choose from; with this in mind we have put together our Skinny highlights, and spoken to some of the people involved. Wear some sensible shoes and put your game face on. This is going to be a marathon…
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Our guide: Manchester After Hours, Thursday 14 May Manchester kicks off the night-time activities with the majority of arts organisations in the city taking part under the theme of ‘odd couplings,’ programmed by cultural diarists Creative Tourist. Of the larger spaces, The Whitworth, which just – and deservedly – won Northwest building of the year, presents Paint and Performance, an evening exploring the relationship between painting and performance in collaboration with the BBC. Expect live musical scores, participatory workshops and a performance drawing from Naomi Kendrick in response to improvised sound from David Birchall and Dan Bridgwood-Hill (6-9pm, free). The cafe, a glass rectangle that looks out over the park, is pretty nice, so this might be a perfect first stop for a cup of coffee/glass of wine before the evening ahead – if there isn’t too much of a queue. Over at Manchester Art Gallery, meanwhile, a group of students from Manchester Metropolitan University’s Department of Interactive Arts operating under the name Broke Collective will take over the space with drawing, collage, sculpture, quilt-making and conversation inspired by the gallery’s exhibitions (6-9pm, free). Quite a bit of Manchester After Hours is music-related. Hey! Manchester are offering secret tours of Chetham’s Library, with musicians such as Rioghnach Connolly and Ellis Davies of Honeyfeet, Josephine, Bird to Beast and Nancy Elizabeth giving one-off acoustic gigs in the nooks and crannies of this historic building. There are two tours, which are two hours long, with only 50 spaces available on each and tickets are already sold out – but it is possible to add your name to the waiting list at Creative Tourist; keep your fingers crossed (5.30pm & 8pm, free). Some things that aren’t sold out: Debt Records will be in residence at Central Library (5.30-7.30pm, free), and will be inviting visitors to see how a record is put together, from set-up
to final performance, as musicians from the label’s roster take part in an open recording of a specially commissioned song by Louis Barabbas and Felix Hagan based on Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway (it’s the novel’s 90th anniversary). You can just drop in to this one, so combine it with a visit to Islington Mill’s project in the library downstairs, where they will be showcasing some of the diverse record labels based at the Mill and debuting some new performances and commissions (5.30-7.30pm, also free).
“There is a particular magic in seeing museums and galleries open at night” If you’re in this area, be sure to pop in to OBJECT / A gallery located in the Friends Meeting House on Mount Street for a new photographic and video exhibition from Tina Hage, The Place Here (open ’til 9pm). Over at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Video Jam will be taking over for the evening and working with the museum’s archives, uncovering footage and making new moving image work. Films by Sarah Hill and Mary Stark will be screened amid the looms, engines and spinning mules of the museum’s Textiles Gallery, with specially created live music from The Aleph, Miles Halpin and Jack Sheen. There are two performances, at 7-8pm and 9-10pm (free). Your next stop should be the Northern Quarter. Unit X will be taking over Federation House for its annual showcase of emerging talent from Manchester School of Art (6-9pm, free), and over at the Centre for Chinese Contemporary
ART
Art, artist Li Binyuan will be staging his performance Deathless Love from 7pm (free), which sees the artist breaking hundreds of hammers within his exhibition Social Behaviours. You can also head to Fred Aldous on Lever Street for a night of creative collaborations, photo booth mugshots, Risograph zines and live painting (6-8pm, free). If cross-stitch is your thing, then Matt and Phreds on Tib Street will be holding a stitch and embroidery workshop with cocktails and pizza (6-8pm, free). After the workshop, a partner event will run at Comme Ca Art on Edge Street in the form of a burlesque showcase with Cherie Bebe (6-9pm, free). Both of these events are ticketed – call 0161 839 7187 to book. A finale to the night in the Northern Quarter will be Hit the Streets, a performance on top of the NCP multi-storey car park on Church Street with musicians, choirs, street performers and brass bands. Drinks and food will also be on offer and the whole thing kicks off at 9pm. You never know, it actually might not rain. If that’s not your thing then Manchester After Hours’ official afterparty will be held at Islington Mill with DJ sets from Brain Machine Radio, Michael Holland and David McLean, plus two debut collaborations between Horrid and Composition, and Rachel Goodyear and Sam Weaver. This, again, starts from 9pm. And, yes, it’s free! So now you’re probably exhausted. But there is actually so much more to see and do on the night. Head to Creative Tourist for full event listings and heaps that we haven’t mentioned here. Our guide: Liverpool LightNight, Friday 15 May Taking over Liverpool for the evening on Friday 15 May, this year’s LightNight brings more than 100 venues and events across the city together under the theme ‘Looking to the New World.’
THE SKINNY
May 2015
memory. This year also sees LIPA’s first inclusion in the LightNight celebrations: Follow the Moth will take place in LIPA’s gardens on Mount Street, wherein a giant cocoon and projections will take visitors on a magical journey through the eyes of a moth and finish with a light show in the windows of LIPA’s building on Hope Street, showcasing the work of the students. The light show will take place every 15mins from 9-10.15pm (free).
“When you’re little, night-time is when your imagination comes to life in the darkness... I think that echoes through in later life” Christina Grogan
A particular highlight will be the launch of 2015’s LOOK photography festival (running 15-31 May). This year’s theme is ‘Exchange,’ celebrating the dialogue between three subjects often overlooked in photography: women, migration and memory. The festival rounds up current photography exhibitions in the city (for example, the excellent Tony Ray-Jones/Martin Parr exhibition at the Walker, open ’til 10pm on
LightNight) as well as opening a whole host of new ones. Our pick of the bunch is Helen Sear, currently installing her exhibition at the Venice Biennale representing Wales, with the exhibition I Love You Daucus Carota at the Victoria Gallery & Museum (5-10pm). Sear’s flower heads play on the temporality of life and the legacy of art and photography in the Victorian Age. We also recommend the new exhibition at Open Eye Gallery, Open 1, which features work grouped around the theme of ‘social portraiture’ (4-10pm). All these shows are free. With so much to see just for LOOK/15 we asked Emma Smith, executive director of LOOK, what would be on her agenda for the evening. “My own journey will [take in] the unveiling of Women in the City, our open call exhibition that I am unimaginably excited about,” she says. “The public’s interpretation of the brief has been witty, thoughtful and imaginative and with entries from and representing women across the globe it has exceeded expectation. “I’ll then be hitting Warp Liverpool, where we have four shows (two international and two local) in a space commissioned just for LOOK/15. Here we’ll be showing Exchange: a Group Show, with work from Hugh Baird, the Texas Photographic Society and City of Liverpool College, alongside a solo show of Jona Frank’s The Modern Kids. From there, I’ll be stopping at Open Eye Gallery for their Open 1 show before heading over to Tate Liverpool for our installation feature of the evening, featuring Anna Fox and Yousef, before finishing the night up at Constellations for Michael James O’Brien’s Girlfriend and Disco Glitter Love.” Sounds pretty busy! “If my night weren’t already mapped out, I would probably be looking at the work LJMU are doing with optics, stopping by the Bluecoat and calling in to see some shorts at A Small Cinema.”
Manchester After Hours, various venues, Thursday 14 May, 5pm-late creativetourist.com LightNight, various venues, Liverpool, Friday 15 May, 4pm-late lightnightliverpool.co.uk
Li Binyuan’s Deathless Love, part of Manchester After Hours 2015
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Photo: Mia Forrest
“LightNight is important because there’s just so much happening here in Liverpool,” says Christina Grogan, of LightNight organisers Open Culture. “There is such a broad mix of artists creating work. The festival is a true reflection of the art scene in Liverpool as it is a city-wide collaboration open to everyone – individual artists, independents and collectives working alongside major art galleries and organisations. We could never include absolutely everything but it shows what we can do when we all come together. “We don’t usually get the chance to explore museums or heritage buildings at night-time, so it feels special – like you’re not really supposed to be there,” Grogan adds. “Because of that I think as an audience member you are more open to the experience. When you’re little, night-time is when you’re supposed to be asleep in bed, when your imagination comes to life in the darkness and when everything feels more mysterious and magical, and I think that echoes through in later life.” LightNight starts at 4pm and to get the full evening experience it’s worth planning to start right on time. To get a handle on what you want to see, a good idea would be to order the guide (it’s only £5 and helps to raise funds for the event and future events) from lightnightliverpool.co.uk or visit the LightNight festival hub at LJMU Rodney House on Mount Pleasant on the evening itself (open from 4pm). If you have younger members in your party, a good starting point could be the Miniclick collage workshop at Tate Liverpool (4-9pm, free) which will take inspiration from the brilliant György Kepes exhibition (ground floor gallery, free), and create collages based on his work. The finished collages will be published in a newspaper over the weekend and be distributed across the city. It would have been super to see Tate Liverpool open their current exhibitions, Leonora Carrington and Cathy Wilkes, for free tonight but alas it will still cost you £8 (£6 concessions) with a last entry at 8pm. These shows, however, are well worth a look and if you’re heading down this way it’s also worth noting that the Tate Cafe have a LightNight happy hour between 5-9pm, with two cocktails for £8. If you’re up at the festival hub on Mount Pleasant, check out some of the students’ offerings, in particular the LJMU Screen School Degree show (LJMU Redmonds Building, free), demonstrating the film, performance and reportage talent from this year’s cohort. The show starts at 4pm (and runs ’til 9) so could also be a good place to start your LightNight and will feature live performances, pop up drama and film shorts. Look out for film studies student Drew Hyland with his documentary on British wrestling and short thriller feature on sleep deprivation, and media production student Lois Frost’s prototype website that captures family
Photo: Pete Carr
Sound Battle at LightNight 2014
For those who haven’t visited A Small Cinema on Victoria Street yet, LightNight is the perfect opportunity. The cinema will be running a screening project, One Minute Volume 8, by artist-filmmaker Kerry Baldry composed of films all under 60 seconds long. “The idea,” says Baldry, “originally started for a screening in the gallery space at my studio when I was living in Manchester. The One Minutes are an eclectic mix of approaches, techniques, media and processes all having one thing in common – that they have been edited within the time limit of 60 seconds – and the programmes include artists at varying stages of their careers including established artists such as last year’s Turner prize winner Laure Prouvost through to recent graduates.” The programme will last for 50 minutes and starts at 4pm, being repeated throughout the evening until 11pm (free, donations appreciated). Later on in the evening, head over to the Anglican Cathedral for artist Andy McKeown’s Kaleidoscopic Disturbance 175. The installation, says McKeown, “is made up of a series of fragments from the cathedral’s stained glass, mixed and blended live to create a continuously changing kaleidoscopic ceiling to the tower and will be best viewed lying on the floor. There is also a soundscape, ‘mechanisms’, that will run between choir performances – a mix of analogue, hybrid and digital synths and samples creating an underlying soft drone that drifts throughout the space. I will be mixing the kaleidoscopic installation from the projection point and chatting to the audience as it develops.” Visitors are encouraged to bring their own mat or cushion and settle in as the installation unfolds. It’s always a bit of a treat to see contemporary art in the Cathedral and this one, especially so late at night (it runs 9.30-11.30pm, and is – yes – free!), should provide a perfect ending before you go on to whichever LightNight afterparty of your choosing. So, where do you end up on such an artpacked, wine-imbibing, hopefully balmy May night? Well. Our recommendation would be to head back down to Open Eye Gallery. The Faux Queens will be DJing 8-10pm and the gallery will also be holding a lantern making workshop (4-7pm), before launching the lanterns (9-11pm) on the nearby canal. Then you can head off to the official LOOK/15 aftershow party at Constellations on Greenland Street, where there’ll be entertainment and dancing 9pm-2am with sets from LA producer and artist Baron Von Luxxury and London-based duo House of Disco (all o’ that’s free, with donations on the door for the LOOK/15 party). Then: sleep. For a really long time.
Keeping It Reel Ahead of HOME’s grand launch, we pick the brains of new artistic director of film Jason Wood, who reveals his ambitions for the cinema programme at the freshly minted arts venue Interview: Jamie Dunn Photography: Simon Bray
“I
look like Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast crossed with Moby… Any bald man, basically… Mark Strong?” This is how Jason Wood, new artistic director of film at the soon-to-be-opened HOME, describes himself by email ahead of this interview so that The Skinny could spot him in the throng of Manchester’s Gorilla. It proves a handy self-portrait; amid the hipster quiffs and top knots, he stands out like Yul Brynner in a Magnificent Seven lineup. Wood arrived in Manchester a few months ago to take up his post at the freshly minted multi-arts venue – which opens officially over the second bank holiday in May with a ‘HOMEwarming Weekend’ – after two decades of working in London in various aspects of the film industry. He’s made films (documentaries on Krzysztof Kieslowski, Hal Hartley, Atom Egoyan), written film books (on road movies, on filmmakers like Wim Wenders and Nick Broomfield, and on British, American and Mexican cinema), and worked as an exhibitor and a distributor. The possibilities offered by a new venue with big ambitions is what brought him north. “With HOME, you get the sense that they want to play films that are going to challenge and stimulate,” Wood tells us. “And to do that you sometimes have to realise that not everything you’re going to play will be a huge financial success, and that doesn’t seem to be a barrier to them. As a curator, that’s really, really liberating.” Within minutes of talking to Wood, who speaks in rapid south London parlance, it’s clear that the city itself was also a big draw. First off, there’s the fact that he’s a vinyl nut (“the record shops here are terrific,” he beams) but, more importantly, he sees a cultural community willing to take a gamble on adventurous programming. “Manchester feels exciting in a way that London just doesn’t anymore,” he says. “London has become very risk-averse in terms of its cinema, whereas Manchester seems to really want to take chances and be provocative. That’s very exciting as somebody who’s interested in a very wide sense of film culture.” Given that he’ll be sharing the space with two other art forms – theatre and visual arts – HOME also offers a particularly unique arena in which to
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investigate and explore a broad film culture. “One of the really interesting things as a film curator is that [films] do kind of talk to other films.” As a recent example, he cites Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice, which riffed on countless gumshoe pictures, most potently Robert Altman’s whimsical The Long Goodbye. At HOME, Wood hopes that the visual art, theatre and film programmes can work in similar dialogue. “We’re going to be constantly making reference to what each discipline is doing,” he says. “There will be a number of times across the year where this is much more overt [such as the multi-platform ¡Viva! festival planned for next year], and sometimes it might be so low-key you’re not even going to notice it, but there’s always going to be that element to what we do.” Examples of some of these more low-key dialogues are a programme of Weimar cinema (think Lang, Lubitsch, and Murnau) that will chime with the Weimer-influenced theatre production Golem, which 1927 will present at HOME in October, and screenings of Orson Welles’ The Trial and Steven Soderbergh’s Kafka (“a really underrated film,” says Wood) to coincide with Kafka’s Monkey in June.
“We’ll be able to screen virtually anything” Jason Wood
While the programming potential at HOME is wide open, Wood is very clear on what he’s keen to avoid: namely, repetition. “What BFI Southbank does is great, but I think, as a curator, the idea of just representing films by Godard and Truffaut and Hitchcock and all the greats… the films are obviously terrific, but it’s been done.” Wood is more interested in shining a torch in areas of world cinema that are rarely explored. In terms of retrospectives, he wants to seek out those lesser-spotted filmmakers instead of screening the same old stalwarts whose films dominate the art-house circuit. And when
it comes to contemporary cinema, he’ll be looking further afield than what’s on general release. “I want HOME to present works that ordinarily might not get seen within the UK. There are so many great films that don’t make it out of festivals full stop. They might come to the London Film Festival or they might come to Edinburgh, but they don’t really get shown outside of that festival format. One of the things I want to try and do is create a forum for films that slip between the cracks.” He has countless ideas for future programmes, he tells us, but there is one artist he’s desperate to showcase early on in his tenure: American hero of the avant garde, James Benning – “one of our great filmmakers,” says Wood. An observational documentarian obsessed with formal rigour and structure, Benning is little known outside of cinephile circles. In many other venues he’d be a hard sell. “I can think of very few other places in the UK that would allow a curator to do [a Benning season]. And that’s one of the great attractions about HOME: it really is a blank piece of paper.” Another reason Benning doesn’t feature often on UK screens is technical: he’s committed to filming on celluloid and the vast majority of his work is only available on 35mm. “A lot of the new-build cinemas have got rid of 35mm because the projection spaces are so small,” he says. HOME’s five cinemas, however, have the capacity
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to screen from 35mm, and it’s going to open up a lot of programming options. “We’re also going to be able to screen 16mm,” Wood says, “and obviously there’ll be 4K digital projectors – we’ll be able to screen virtually anything.” What’s most obvious during our conversation is Wood’s unyielding devotion to cinema. “Film has just always been the most important thing in my life really,” he says, “and I’m still incredibly enthusiastic about it. I’m still discovering new things.” He read film at university and proudly reveals he was among the first in the UK to study film at A Level, but it was his older brother who really got him hooked, introducing him to mavericks like Werner Herzog and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Then, as a teen, he would spend his Saturdays traipsing across London, taking in several repertory screenings at the various sticky-floored flea pits that flourished in the city in the 80s, venues like The Metro, which he later programmed for, and the legendary Scala. “You could go in in the morning and watch a film by Renoir, then catch an Altman double bill, then go and watch [the then banned] A Clockwork Orange at the Scala.” Those salad days are gone, sadly, but with Wood’s ambitions for film at HOME, Manchester film fans look set for a similarly vibrant film education. The HOMEwarming Weekend takes place 21-25 May – for full details of the lineup, head to homemcr.org
THE SKINNY
DOT TO DOT 10TH BIRTHDAY! BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND
SAIN T RAYMO N D
RAE MORRIS / SWIM DEEP HUDSON TAYLOR / BEST COAST FAT WHITE FAMILY / THE WYTCHES PRIDES / LAURA DOGGETT HONEYBLOOD / HINDS / JOSEF SALVAT
Alexander Whitley Dance Company
The Measures Taken / The Grit in the Oyster Tue 19 May
“See what could be the next big thing” Time Out
ALEX BUREY / ALFIE CONNOR / THE AMAZONS APRIL TOWERS / CAIROBI / CYMBALS EAT GUITARS DELAMERE / FLESH / FRANCISCO THE MAN THE GRISWOLDS / HOLY HOLY / THE HOTELIER LAUREL / LITTLE MAY / MAN MADE / MENACE BEACH MODEL AEROPLANES / NEON WALTZ OSCAR & THE WOLF / PIXEL FIX RACING GLACIERS / REMI / THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT SINGLE MOTHERS / SUGARMEN / TEI SHI / VANT VÉRITÉ / VITAMIN / WALKING ON CARS PLUS MANY MORE STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED
MANCHESTER / FRIDAY 22ND MAY F B .CO M / D OT TO D OT F E S T I VA L • # D 2 D F E S T DOTTODOTFESTIVAL.CO.UK • ALT-TICKETS.CO.UK IN ASSOCIATION WITH SCRUFF OF THE NECK, ACOUSTICA, INDIE REHAB
thelowry.com/dance | 0843 208 6010
May 2015
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Plastic Figurines
300-1
Wed 6 & Thu 7 May
Sat 16 May
êêêê The Guardian
A moving, funny new play about how autism affects families
A schoolboy re-enacts the film 300 to the ghosts of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon.
Thrill Me
Spring Reign
Fri 8 & Sat 9 May
Tue 19 & Wed 20 May
Multi-award-winning new musical based on notorious true crime events in 1920s Chicago.
Caught in the crossfire of the Syrian civil war, two British journalists find sanctuary in Aleppo.
Different is Dangerous
The 56
Thu 14 May
Sat 23 May
From hijabs and segregation to Coronation Street and TuPac; multiculturalism in a modern city.
This unique show is a truthful retelling of stories of those involved in the Bradford City Fire.
So It Goes
Lands of Glass
Fri 15 May
Sun 28 May
êêêêêThe Times êêêêThe Telegraph Exploring the light & dark of grief A remarkable glass orchestra in a playful, personal show. invites you to town like no other.
thelowry.com/studio
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THE SKINNY
Love in Troubled Times HOME opens its new 500-seater theatre with The Funfair, an update of Ödön von Horváth’s 1930s masterpiece of German theatre, Kasimir and Karoline. Stopfordian playwright Simon Stephens tells us why his version is written for today’s Manchester
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danger or mystery or something I don’t quite understand and that is great!” It is difficult to imagine Stephens finding anything daunting. Marianne Elliott once demanded he write her a play. His directorial pals include Katie Mitchell, Sarah Frankcom and Ramin Gray. He is a man in demand – and for HOME’s artistic director of theatre, Walter Meierjohann, the man to open the new £25 million venue’s theatre programme.
“There’s nothing wrong with being a bit daunted by a space – it evokes the possibility of danger and mystery” Simon Stephens
“When Walter approached me I was so busy that I was set to tell him I was unable to take any more work – ‘I’m sorry to let you down but I just can’t.’ And then he told me he wanted to do Kasimir and Karoline. What could I say?” It is a play that few will have heard of and yet its original plot seems oddly familiar despite its origins in 1930s Germany. Jobs are scarce and the country is in debt. Plagued with self-doubt, Horváth’s protagonist vies for a sense of worth in an unjust society, his struggle starkly lit against the chaotic backdrop of a funfair. He is unemployed, disenchanted and in love. But can he be all three? Kasimir and Karoline shows a couple falling apart amid the energy, madness and cruel romance of its heightened setting. Stephens’ enthusiasm for the project is palpable. It is a play he has known for a long time – 15 years in fact – and he readily confesses to
it being one of his favourites. “It is an extraordinary play,” he promises, “and I have rewritten it for Manchester.” It is a timely gift. Inspired by the insidious popularity of radical politics, Stephens confesses to spending the past three years attempting to write a play about UKIP. He admits to finding the task difficult, and yet “inadvertently, accidently and unconsciously” The Funfair has allowed him to write that play, containing a pertinent political undertone that vibrates with a distinct and important contemporary relevance. “It feels as though I have taken Hovárth’s initial text and found that every sentence is an attempt to make sense of an England in which Nigel Farage is an increasingly prominent political figure. This is a play that feels like it was written for today’s England and there is a spirit to it that is absolutely written for Manchester.” It is not the first time the city has found
Photo: Simon Bray
hirty minutes after our scheduled meeting time, The Skinny is introduced to Simon Stephens. We are told – though not by Stephens himself – that the morning’s rehearsals have overrun, biting into everybody’s lunch break and that Stephens is in need of a sandwich. He can eat while he talks; would we mind? An overrunning rehearsal often points to one of two scenarios: things are taking longer than expected or the company is in full swing; creative juices are flowing. In the case of the former, it would be dangerous to deny a man his sandwich. Luckily, our delayed meeting appears to be the fault of the latter. “It is brilliant in there,” enthuses Stockport born Stephens, whose northern accent triumphs over years of east London living. “We have the most brilliant company – a cast of really young actors who are just fantastic. It is a tremendously energetic room and a real privilege to be back in Manchester.” An Olivier-winning playwright whose adaptation of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time garnered international acclaim, Stephens is one of Britain’s most celebrated dramatists. He is also responsible for the opening play in Manchester’s super new venue HOME: a radical retelling of Odön von Horváth’s 1930s darkly political whirlwind Kasimir and Karoline. In a nod to its vibrant setting, Stephens’ version is to be titled The Funfair. Seizing his sandwich, he begins to talk of a model box showing from the day before. It is an exciting moment in any pre-production schedule, but for Stephens there is an added kick: The Funfair is to be performed in a brand new theatre – a theatre that Stephens has yet to set foot in. “Usually you can contextualise the design having seen work in that theatre before,” he says, “but I was looking at this model box thinking, I have no idea what this theatre actually feels or looks or sounds like – that is thrilling.” An untouched 500-seat theatre in the heart of Manchester demands attention and Stephens does admit to feeling slightly daunted by its unfamiliarity. He does not, however, view this as a negative: “There’s nothing wrong with being a bit daunted by a space – it evokes the possibility of
Interview: Alecia Marshall
May 2015
THEATRE
itself at the heart of Stephens’ work. Harper Regan depicts the struggles of an ordinary 41-year-old as she visits her dying father in Stockport, while Punk Rock follows a group of students at a Stockport private school during their A Level mock exams. Port is set in Stockport. On the Shore of the Wide World is set in Stockport. It appears Stephens has been writing for Manchester for a very long time. It is, of course, his home. I suggest there is something intricate and circular (if not a touch sentimental) about a new Simon Stephens play opening a new Manchester theatre: a theatre that calls itself HOME. Does the situation evoke a sense of return, a homecoming of sorts? At first, Stephens questions whether the notion is worth taking too seriously: “What it is to be at home?” he muses through a mouthful of sandwich. “Part of me thinks that home is where my kids are – and that is east London.” “However,” he continues, picking over his words carefully, “it is undeniable that when I arrive at Piccadilly Station or when I am kicking around the areas of Stockport in which I was brought up, there is something in my muscles’ memory that resonates. There is a familiarity and nostalgia between us for sure.” It is an interesting use of the pronoun “us”. For Stephens, Manchester is clearly an old friend, though he is quick to acknowledge that it is a changing city; a city that is, in his own words, “on the cusp of making the most exciting theatre in Britain.” It is unarguable that the addition of venues such as HOME and The Factory are about to shake up the Manchester arts scene and yet Stephens appears most animated when describing the unique strength of the city’s fringe ecosystem. “There is a generation of young writers, directors and artists who can’t afford to live in London anymore and a lot of them are coming to Manchester. The level of creativity, energy and imagination in Mancunian theatre in the next five years has the potential to be quite extraordinary.” Watch this space. The Funfair runs 14 May-13 Jun at HOME, Manchester homemcr.org
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The Life We Know Interview: Katie Hawthorne Photography: Kat Gollock
Space-age second album Born Under Saturn sees Django Django on riotous, mystical form. Dave Maclean talks planets, poltergeists and percussion
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he cover art for Django Django’s new album, Born Under Saturn, is of a statue named The Sluggard. Stretching his arms, yawning wide, with his bronzed genitalia tastefully covered by a superimposed piece of plastic fruit, the 19th-century work finds itself the poster boy for the London-based band’s spiritual new take on their musical output. Dave Maclean, the band’s drummer and producer, gleefully explains that it all “came about by accident,” that “there’s just all these connections with stuff that I’m into. Mythology and outer space… the solar system.” Legend has it that those born under specific conjunctions of Saturn are predisposed to melancholia, genius and insanity – and, as a consequence, could have the perfect temperament for artistic creation. In an apt twist of fate, Maclean stumbled across the phrase in a Stratford charity shop: “There was this book called Born Under Saturn, and I just immediately thought, ‘I need to read that.’ I thought it would be something to do with mythology or maybe cults, but it turned out to be an academic thesis on the birth of art, from Italian craft to what makes a person an artist, what their mindset is. We nicked the title because it all just seemed kind of connected to the statue, as well. If you’re born under Saturn it can be said that you’re lazy, or maybe idle in some way.” This persuasion for the arts and the otherworldly shouldn’t really come as a surprise, though. Maclean met bandmates Vincent Jeff (vocals, guitar), Jimmy Dixon (bass) and Tommy Grace (synths) while studying at Edinburgh College of Art, and their leftfield art-pop sensibilities have always had a touch of the uncanny about them. Born Under Saturn is the group’s sophomore album, following 2012’s self-titled debut which propelled them on to worldwide tours, huge festival billings, pop charts, FIFA soundtracks and numerous best-of-the-year lists. As debuts go, theirs was stellar. The new record’s been three years in the making, but as Maclean puts it, it’s felt anything but a lengthy process: “It’s always funny when people say we’ve been away for ages, because it just felt like the opposite to us. Touring permanently, are people sick of us? There’s an element of people wanting everything, wanting a live band to tour in every corner of the globe, wanting them to write and record. You just have to kind of concentrate on one thing at a time.” Culminating a massive two years with a headline set on Edinburgh’s Princes
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Street for Hogmanay 2013, the band felt it was time “to draw a line” and get back to the studio. And that’s where they’ve been since. The result is a second album of giant proportions. Where debut Django Django carved a name for the band as party-starters, purveyors of baffling rhythm patterns designed to affect your feet and heartbeat, Born Under Saturn picks up the baton with gusto. Yet lead single First Light is a deceptively chilled first impression of an otherwise riotous 61 minutes. Maclean laughs, “it was just the first track we finished that stayed with us as a favourite. It just bubbles away and does its thing. We thought it was a good kind of... easing back in.” But by contrast, take a track like Reflections. In now typical Django fashion, it opens with an urgent, driving beat and fills out almost imperceptibly, all dance-influenced chords and builds, as Maclean describes, in a definite “house direction.” Yet, the peak is chronicled by a loose, loungey horn section – an emphatic turn from the predictable path of “a Radio 1 house banger.”
“There’s just all these connections with stuff that I’m into. Mythology and outer space… the solar system”
This restraint, or perhaps lack thereof, is explained further by Maclean’s own eclectic background. While a student in Edinburgh, preDjangos, he was part of a “dancehall, reggae kind of sound system, I’d make rhythm beats for the MC. I always imagined I’d end up being a hip-hop producer, or maybe acid house. That’s the kind of stuff I was tampering with. But then, when I heard Vinnie [Jeff]’s stuff, it reminded me of the 50s rock’n’roll that I was into. Now the two worlds of those things have sort of ended up… colliding, a bit.” The result of this planetary collision is hard to pin down: Born Under Saturn is a shapeshifter of a record, transforming from Shake and Tremble – a brash bone-shaker with a shadow of the sinister about it – to an ethereal, prophetic kind of tone on a track like High Moon. It definitely sounds as if the band’s propensity for the spooky has seeped in somewhere… or is that just superstitious guesswork? Maclean laughs. “I mean, maybe me more than the others, but we’re all interested in that kind of stuff. There’s something about synthesisers that automatically sounds kind of sci-fi, and we’re all really into Joe Meek’s productions. He was fascinated with mixing, with what was, at the time, brand
new technologies – synths, tape loops, stuff like that, but with the traditional kind of Buddy Holly style rock’n’roll too. A bizarre mix, but that kind of thing ended up being the soundtrack to a lot of TV and film, sci-fi stuff. Even in dub and reggae the effects they use are all kind of… Star Trek-y and weird. I collect a lot of film soundtracks, and, er, effects records with all sorts of odd noises on them…” The only problem with this magpielike mindset for the weird and wonderful is that, when it comes to recreating their music live, the band “just keep making it harder” for themselves. He explains that the band, during the recording process, “were a bit like kids in a sweet shop. Going in a studio and there’s loads of synthesisers. We just get them all out, use them all! But then, we don’t own these synthesisers, so how are we going to do it live?” Describing the process of prepping a song to play live as a kind of “reverse-engineering,” he reflects that it’s probably for the best: “We do want a live set to be different from the record. Give people a surprise when they come and see us. The tracks do tend to keep evolving. Keep adding bits, work out a better ending… It’s a good thing. You don’t stay stagnant that way.”It seems, then, that Django Django work best with an odd mix of mystery and pragmatism in the air. These contradictions are neatly encapsulated by the band’s Twitter feed – for the most part manned by Maclean – which is a mixture of purposeful, passionate political opinion and open calls for first-hand experiences with mischievous spirits. How can a band juggle a predisposition for the ghostly with a pointed interest in George Osborne’s latest misdemeanours? “My mum actually has a go at me about the things I tweet. She says, ‘You can’t use that language!’ But yeah, someone sent me a YouTube video of someone claiming that they had a poltergeist. I just started thinking, I mean, obviously this could be a hoax, but has anybody actually ever… does it happen? Is it always a hoax? I just don’t know. There’s definitely something unexplained. I don’t presume to know if there’s a God, or an afterlife, or spirits or anything. Even if it’s just about the human psyche? Maybe what’s lurking in our own consciousness is interesting enough.” Playing Manchester Cathedral on 23 May. Born Under Saturn is released on 4 May via Because Music djangodjango.co.uk
Dave Maclean
The band are careful not to shoot themselves in the foot, he says – “we don’t want to be genre-based, it’s not really what we’re about.” These are perhaps unsurprising words from a band who so plainly delight in borrowing from and blending genre. He expands: “I mean, we do listen to a lot of different music. Some people say, ‘Oh, that rhythm’s quite dancehall,’ or ‘Oh, that guitar is… whatever.’ But it’s not really like we’re consciously sitting there like, ‘let’s make a wacky mish-mash!’ I wouldn’t want that at all. It’s more that you let things bleed in where they’re necessary… actually, I think we’re quite restrained in our influences!”
MUSIC
THE SKINNY
RNCM Skinny quarter May 15.pdf
1
22/04/2015
12:20
FRI 1 MAY
JACK ROCKS THE ROAD TO THE GREAT ESCAPE
FT. LONELY THE BRAVE & SEAWITCHES
SAT 2 MAY & SUN 3 MAY
FURY FEST
SATURDAY: MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK SUNDAY: MAN OVERBOARD & TRASH TALK. ALSO CONFIRMED: MOOSE BLOOD, ASTROID BOYS, ROAM, BLOOD YOUTH (EX CLIMATES), BOSTON MANOR, TRASHBOAT, WASTER, MILESTONES, PLEASE HEAD NORTH, BEARING LOSS
SUN 3 MAY
CIRCUS
TUES 5 MAY
ARCANE ROOTS
WEDS 6 MAY
INME
FRI 8 MAY
LZY
FRI 15 MAY
LUCY SPRAGGAN
SAT 16 MAY
URBAN VOODOO MACHINE
SUN 17 MAY
THEATRE OF HATE
MON 18 MAY
WE ARE THE OCEAN
WEDS 20 MAY
PITY SEX & CREEPOID
SAT 23 MAY
DUBABUSE FT. DUBATEERS
SAT 23 MAY
THE UKRANIANS
THURS 28 MAY
C
M
Y
CM
Music is amazing. There’s some metaphysical comfort where it allows you to be isolated and alone while telling you that you are not alone.
MY
CY
CMY
Wayne Coyne, The Flaming Lips
K
DAR WILLIAMS
THURS 4 JUNE
ITCHY FEET
FRI 12 JUNE
KIDS ON BRIDGES
SAT 13 JUNE
WAVE WEEKENDER
TUES 23 JUNE
REBELUTION
SAT 4 JULY
GOLDIE LOOKIN CHAIN
SAT 11 JULY
X&Y FESTIVAL FT. HUDSON TAYLOR
TUES 14 JULY
BA (Hons) Music BA (Hons) Music Production BA (Hons) Popular Music BA (Hons) Musical Theatre BA (Hons) Media, Music and Sound
MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS TUES 15 SEPT
THE POLYPHONIC SPREE
MON 5 OCT
GUN
For further information visit:
edgehill.ac.uk/music
FRI 16 OCT
THE SMITH INDEED
SAT 24 OCT
GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB
THURS 12 NOV
BERNIE TORMÉ
SAT 5 DEC
Search Edge HIll
IAN PROWSE & AMSTERDAM
May 2014
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Louder than Words Three impressive films arrive from across the channel this month: two established auteurs bring fascinating dramas riffing on Hitchcock’s Vertigo, while newcomer Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy delivers a blistering original that makes a loud statement despite having no spoken dialogue
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ait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothing yet!” When Al Jolson startled cinemagoers with that epochal line in 1927’s The Jazz Singer, he didn’t know how prophetic his words would be. In the decades that have elapsed since sound entered the movies, the chatter has been near-constant. Whether through spoken dialogue or voiceover, subtitled or dubbed, the sound of people talking has become such an integral part of the cinema experience that its occasional absence can have a bracing effect. Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s The Tribe is a film in which we don’t hear a single word uttered, and yet its characters never stop communicating with each other. The entire film is populated by deaf actors whose lingua franca is Ukrainian sign language and none of what they say is translated for viewers, so unless you’re part of the small subset of people who can understand their gestures, you’ll need to find other means to decipher this story. The result is a unique and surprisingly riveting experience. During a screening at last year’s London Film Festival, a festival riddled by bad audience behaviour (people chatting, texting, eating their bodyweight in popcorn), those in attendance were transfixed, focusing intently on gestures and body language; the things we take for granted in conventional films suddenly becoming the key to our comprehension. “I’m very glad to hear that!” Slaboshpytskiy exclaims when he hears of this festival experience; and this experience is far from a unique one. “The shooting of the film was divided between autumn and winter, and we had a little gap between these two seasons,” he recalls. “The last scene that was filmed in autumn ends when the guys are drinking in an amusement park, and when we had a break I watched about 40-45 minutes of the footage we had shot. It’s strange, because even though I wrote the script and I was on set every day as the director, I still felt that the movie
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somehow gripped me and surprised me! The majority of audiences have had the same gripping reaction to it so I think we have succeeded in something.” So what is the secret of The Tribe’s success? Slaboshpytskiy had dreamed of making some kind of modern silent movie for 20 years, and he was determined to do so as a completely contemporary work, without the 1920s-style affectation of films like The Artist or Blancanieves. Inspired by years spent observing children at a school for the deaf that was situated near his own school, the director eventually developed his ideas into a short film called Deafness, which acted as a vital trial run. “I decided to test this storytelling style to see how it works in practice, because it’s one thing for an idea to work in your head and it’s another thing for that idea to work in reality,” says Slaboshpytskiy. “In addition, while I was making Deafness I got to know many members of that community in Ukraine, and that was a very significant help when the time came to make this movie.” While The Tribe’s entire cast is deaf, it’s important to note that this is not a film about being deaf. It is a coming-of-age tale, a love story, a tragedy and portrait of gang culture, and while the characters’ lack of hearing adds dramatic weight to a number of scenes, this essentially remains an archetypal tale that the director could have made using actors from any background. “It’s kind of an obvious story,” Slaboshpytskiy admits, “but I am slightly limited in telling the story because there is no verbal dialogue, and to make sure the audience can understand it and relate to it we had to use some conventional episodes. For example, when a new person joins a school there will definitely be some kind of initiation situation, and people already know that. The ordinary viewer has a cinematographic memory because they have seen lots of movies, and it helps them follow the story.”
“It’s one thing for an idea to work in your head and it’s another thing for that idea to work in reality” Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy
There are surely a couple of other reasons why viewers are getting drawn so completely into this story, notably Slaboshpytskiy’s brilliant filmmaking craft, including a series of superbly orchestrated long takes and potent, skilfully heightened sound design, and the astonishing performances that he draws from his inexperienced ensemble. “That was a lot of fun, actually,” the director says with a smile when asked how he prepared his young actors for some arduous and challenging sequences. “We put everyone on a monthly payroll and we arranged for them to stay in flats, even the ones who lived in Kiev, because we wanted to take them out of their usual environment and circumstances,” he explains. “Aside from the fact that I had to use an interpreter, there is really no difference between deaf actors and non-deaf actors. We would rehearse scenes for six days and when we were satisfied we would shoot it on the seventh day. It was actually a lot of fun for them because you don’t have to do anything strenuous except for [the] running and fighting [scenes]. They had their own flat, they were being driven around by car, there are always assistants around and best
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Interview: Philip Concannon Illustrations: Mouni Feddag
of all nobody was nagging them for smoking, so for them it was just a very awesome experience.” Slaboshpytskiy did face some obstacles when preparing the cast for some of The Tribe’s more provocative content, however. When his leading female actor Yana Novikova was hesitant to take part in an explicit sex scene with co-star Grigoriy Fesenko, he turned to cinema for inspiration, with the performance of Adèle Exarchopoulos in Blue Is the Warmest Colour emboldening the young actress and filling her head with dreams of Cannes. Those dreams were realised last year when she accompanied Slaboshpytskiy to the festival and saw him collect the Grand Prize in Critics’ Week. Just before our interview ends, Slaboshpytskiy recalls a fond memory from his time promoting the film. “After the film premiere in Russia I had a Skype conference with the audience and one deaf woman told me through an interpreter that she had always watched movies with an audience that was able to hear, and through emotions and body language she could kind of guess what takes place, but this time she was the only person in the audience who fully understood what was going on!” he says with a laugh. “She was very grateful for this experience and that meant a lot to me.” Slaboshpytskiy talks with a somewhat bemused air when recounting these stories, as The Tribe’s ability to reach audiences around the world continues to take him by surprise. But it’s clear that he is rightfully proud of what he has achieved and that he particularly cherishes the bond that formed between him and his cast during the making of the film. “You know, compared to the regular industrial standards of filmmaking, the way we made this movie was an absolute mess,” he says, “but in all those long months of rehearsals and shooting, in a way we became a kind of tribe ourselves.” The Tribe is released on 15 May by Metrodome
THE SKINNY
Genre-bender François Ozon’s new film, The New Girlfriend, is another of the French provocateur’s playful studies of genre and gender. We find out what makes this mischievous filmmaker tick Interview: Jamie Dunn
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Mistaken Identity The collaboration between German director Christian Petzold and Nina Hoss, his go-to leading lady, has proved one of the most artistically fruitful in contemporary cinema. Petzold discusses their latest film, Phoenix Interview: Patrick Gamble
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espite making his debut 15 years ago, with The State I Am In, and being widely considered the most talented director of post-1989 Germany, Christian Petzold remains relatively unknown outside his native country. But all that’s about to change with the release of his latest film, Phoenix, a Hitchcockian thriller set in post-war Berlin. Petzold’s characters often find themselves in situations in which they must conceal a secret; they’re usually alienated, alone and struggling to escape Germany. For Petzold, it’s his nation’s default mode. “We have no songs in Germany,” he tells us. “The Nazis ruined them all. The only songs we have are pop songs from the 60s, but all these songs are about leaving Germany and how we’re all lonely. I think this desire to go away is very deep within the German soul.” In Phoenix, Petzold’s frequent collaborator Nina Hoss plays Nelly, a disfigured concentration camp survivor who, after major facial reconstruction, returns to Berlin. She learns that her husband, Johnny, might have had something to do with her arrest, but when she finally locates him she’s shocked to discover he doesn’t seem to recognise her. He does, however, notice Nelly shares a striking resemblance to his late wife and proposes that she pretends to be her so they can divide her fortune. For some, the thought of not recognising your spouse is inconceivable. Ronald Zehrfeld, the actor who plays Johnny, was certainly unconvinced, but his director was resolute. “Each morning Ronald would say to me, ‘I must recognise her,’ and I said to him, ‘No!’” Petzold explains. “First of all you are guilty, secondly she is dead and you killed her! Many of my friends are lawyers... they always say the same thing: all the people who are guilty sitting in jail waiting for their verdict, these people hold on to the belief that they’re not guilty. They’re telling stories and tales to themselves all the time and they end up believing them.” With Phoenix, Petzold looks to examine the immediate ramifications of guilt that were prevalent in Germany, yet unlike other studies of
May 2015
post-war reparations he’s far more interested in the psychological repercussions. “When I was a student I read a lot of Freud,” he says. “I found it interesting when Freud said a traumatised person has to repeat the trauma. At first they need to remember the trauma, then repeat the trauma and then finally to destroy the trauma. It’s a little bit like the story of West Germany. You repeat a little bit, then you destroy it, then you can be free, without any guilt.” Phoenix’s meditation on guilt and sexual politics, combined with Johnny’s avaricious endeavour to transform Nelly into the woman she used to be, has led many critics to make comparisons with Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, which Petzold sees as a mixed blessing. To Petzold, a self-proclaimed fan of Hitchcock’s oeuvre, Phoenix is a film about female subjectivity as opposed to male subjectivity. Throughout his films, a female point of view has always been his default perspective and this preference means he’s developed a difficult relationship with Hitchcock’s masterpiece. “Kim Novak was intended as a substitute for Marilyn Monroe. The studios tried to create them like a laboratory, like mad scientists do. In our movie there’s no Kim Novak, no Marilyn Monroe and there’s no male subjectivity. I don’t want to see that again, this perverted male movie. Vertigo is one of my favourite films but sometimes I hate it.” Phoenix is Petzold and Nina Hoss’s sixth collaboration; he describes her involvement as an integral part of his creative process. “When I’m writing a script or planning a movie I’m like an architect who is designing a model of the house he’s going to build. In these models you always insert these little people. Nina is one of the people, except when she’s working she looks up at me and she’ll say, ‘What are you doing?’ Actually, when I work I’m a little bit like Johnny in the film. I give the actress costumes and make-up and say how they have to dance and how they have to move. But, like in Phoenix, after 45 minutes Nelly starts to become the director and I think this explains how we work.”
’m the perv,” says François Ozon with an impish smile. Those who know the French filmmaker’s work might be thinking to themselves, “Tell us something we don’t already know!” From his saucy debut, Sitcom, a Buñuelian satire in which a bourgeois family embrace their inner sexual deviance, to last year’s Young & Beautiful, an enigmatic study of a teenage call girl, Ozon has been making some of the most playfully provocative films in modern cinema. The enfant terrible, still fresh-faced at 47, isn’t discussing his reputation as a director, however. He’s referring to his cameo in his new film, The New Girlfriend, where he plays a cinema patron with wandering hands, who touches up David (Romain Duris), a recent widower who’s test driving his female alter-ego, Virginia, during a trip to the pictures. Ozon, having never appeared on screen himself, wasn’t sure he could pull off the scene, so he shot it twice: once with himself, and once with a professional actor in the role. Watching the two versions back-toback, the performance to go with was clear. “My editor said, ‘Romain is much better when he’s acting with you.’ And I realised it was true, so we kept my take. I asked Romain, ‘Why were you better with me?’ and he said, ‘Because you were really going for it – the other actor was afraid to really touch me.’ So I was a good actor,” he says with a sly chuckle. This cheeky director’s cameo is just the first of many nods in the direction of Alfred Hitchcock. We follow Claire (Anaïs Demoustier) as she discovers David, the husband of her deceased best friend, has taken to dressing up in his dead spouse’s clothes. Initially, it appears David’s cross-dressing is a way of bringing his wife back to life, although we suspect this isn’t his first time in garters. Whatever the reason, Claire is enlivened by having her BFF resurrected. “I love the idea in Vertigo of trying to bring back to life an old love – and that’s really the idea here,” Ozon says, referring to Hitchcock’s 1958 masterpiece. Given Claire is the one pulling
the strings, it’s with her the director most identifies. “Claire’s playing with her doll. She’s the one helping the man to become a woman. As a director, that’s my job: to transform Romain Duris into an actress.” Despite Duris’s slight frame and pretty features, this was no mean feat. “The idea in the film was not to make Romain the perfect woman; he’s what he is.” What did appeal to Ozon about Duris was his energy. “He was like a child, and that’s what I wanted from the film. I wanted someone who could have fun with the scenes between Virginia and Claire.” In fact, Duris felt more comfortable performing as his character’s female side. “It’s easier to play [Virginia] because you have the costumes, you have the wig,” he says. “But very often Romain would say to me, ‘Who is David? What do I do?’” The secret to unlocking the character, Ozon explains, was to realise this was a film about freedom: “The freedom to become yourself, to find your own identity and maybe to escape the gender that society and your family want you to be.” This is typical Ozon: in his movies, gender and sexuality are often in flux. Ozon slips from genre to genre with a similar fluidity. To guess what he might tackle next on his circuitous filmmaking path is like throwing a dice. He’s given most genres a try: thrillers (Swimming Pool), tragic dramas (Under the Sand), camp melodramas (Potiche), comic chamber pieces (Water Drops on Burning Rocks). “I’m open to many things,” says the writer-director. “I’m not sure that I would be able to make a western or a science fiction movie, but I like to play with genres.” Even while watching his films, Ozon’s genre is hard to pin down. His dramas easily slip into comedy while his candyfloss confections come wrapped in barbed wire. The New Girlfriend may be based on a Ruth Rendell potboiler, but Ozon seamlessly skips between tragedy and farce, erotic thriller and sex comedy. “Just call this a trans-genre movie,” he chuckles. The New Girlfriend is released 22 May by Metrodome
Phoenix is released 8 May by Soda Pictures
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THE SKINNY
Magic and Its Secret Weapon As he prepares to tour his new show, Miracle, master illusionist Derren Brown talks to The Skinny about comedy and its use in magic
bonafide psychic plays a major Edinburgh venue. She’s talking to the dead; she’s reading minds; she’s seeing ghosts. She, presumably, doesn’t tell her audience how she manages any of these amazing feats. Few psychics ever will, and very few will actively encourage their audience to laugh at or question what’s happening onstage. Fortunately, Derren Brown is not a psychic. “People who are interested in what I do would be sceptical of any claims of real magic or supernatural abilities,” says Brown. “There’s a kind of balance in enjoying the half-world of belief that I encourage.” This half-world of belief involves watching a man reel off your phone number from across the room, or answer a question about a family pet he’s never seen, all the while knowing that it’s trickery. Over the last 13 years of stage and TV shows, Brown has developed two distinct personas. While po-faced on his TV specials, the enigmatic performer takes on a more comedic role when he’s onstage for two and a half hours. “The fun part of the stage show for me is the fact that it has to be funnier and hit a lot of other kinds of notes,” he says. “People aren’t expecting the show to be funny, and that’s a real bonus for me. I’m in awe of people that do standup, but it’s kind of a nice way of having it as a freebie, because it’s unexpected.” It’s clear that comedy was never the primary aim of the production – so did comedy come out of nowhere, or was it added in consciously? “Very consciously,” Brown affirms. “When people laugh they relax and they’re off guard, so it has its uses from a magical point of view. There’s a lot that you can cover by making a joke just before [the trick], especially if you’ve built up a bit of tension, because people for that moment just sort of gloss over and stop paying attention.” Throwing in the odd joke, and stalling for time with seemingly effortless patter with the audience, also goes some way to remind us that we are here for entertainment, not to just stare in wide-eyed wonder at a genie in a fetching waistcoat. “I’m building up more obvious tension than a comedian would because of the nature of what I’m doing, so puncturing that with an element of release is even more important,” Brown explains. “Otherwise there’s only so much you can take.” An enormous amount of research goes into each of Brown’s shows, whether it’s into the history of his own art or the tricks used in someone else’s. He has an uncanny way of slipping something serious in among the baffling sleightof-mind tricks that keep everyone watching. Previous shows, onstage and off, have focused on cold reading, explored troubling ideas such as how easy it is to torture someone when they can’t identify you, or conjured spectacles such as ‘possessed’ clockwork dolls. His last stage show, Infamous, took a similarly pensive tack, and, along with the mind-reading, this year’s Miracle is set to explore Stoic philosophy and the theory of happiness. Magic, of course, isn’t usually a platform for philosophical musing. Or, to put it bluntly: “It’s a fraudulent route to making yourself look amazing.” But Brown is interested in more than ‘looking amazing.’ “The magician tends to create an interesting persona around themselves, which can become a bit tiresome, and then everybody starts to take the piss and magicians start to become these slightly ludicrous figures,” he says. “People know they’re being tricked, so the
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seriousness with which a lot of magicians treat themselves can be a bit foolish.” The Derren Brown we see onstage doesn’t take himself or his act too seriously. He often tells us we’re being tricked, and giggles at himself when everything appears to have gone tits up. He eggs on our scepticism and picks holes in his own techniques, showing how easy it is to pick holes in other performers too. What he takes more seriously is the effect his techniques can have on his audience, and what this might say about people generally. “I try and do shows now that have a kind of message to them, maybe because it’s quite a big investment making shows and I want to do something that feels worthwhile. Essentially, though, it’s about drama. “Teller [of American magic duo Penn and Teller] has spoken about how if you’re a magician and you click your fingers and something amazing happens, there’s no drama to that – that’s like a god figure who can whimsically make things happen. What interests us in drama is a hero struggling through a journey and learning things along the way and so on. So when I was first doing TV I tried to take that on board in terms of what I was doing, and put more emphasis on the process, so it didn’t feel too whimsical.
“When people laugh they relax and they’re off guard, so it has its uses from a magical point of view” Derren Brown
“What I’ve tried to do over the last few years is to preserve drama, and move the focus onto a member of the public to do extraordinary things. That’s inherently much more interesting than a person saying, ‘Look at me, I’m so clever, I can read your mind.’ I can still use my world and my skills and so on to facilitate that but it’s no longer about me, and I think that’s more interesting.” In this particular show, it’s not all about his theatre audience, either: “Every night I ask people to tweet in any word they like, and something happens onstage that, fingers crossed, makes that extraordinary as opposed to just a bunch of words.” At the end of each show, one lucky Twitter follower is told they have read an audience member’s mind – from perhaps miles away, and without ever knowing they were doing it. A trick, again, which, in the context and the drama of the show, suspends our disbelief. There’s another kind of laughter that pervades every stage show Brown has done – the laughter of complete bafflement. In 2007’s An Evening of Wonders, Brown seemingly transports from one end of the stage to another, reappearing from the wings in a gorilla suit. The trick is a simple one – watch the scene back once and you’ll spot it – but the reaction on that first view is one of the biggest of the night because of our hoodwinked expectations. There are gasps, even
Photo: Seamus Ryan
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Interview: Jenni Ajderian
the odd scream, and more than a few guffaws of laughter. The big reveal feels like a punchline, and the reaction of shocked laughter is rife throughout the rest of the show too. Even without an actual joke, we’re often reduced to nervous giggling when we realise we’ve been had, once again. Looking back – way back – ‘fear grinning’ has been documented in macaques and chimpanzees, signalling that a less dominant member of the group doesn’t want a disagreement to escalate. The grin and the laughter are all about reassuring everyone that it’s all a joke. Seen in this light, with its roots in dominance and avoiding conflict, laughter is even more at home in a show that involves misdirection, altered states of mind and the apparent ease of making an adult human lose control of their own body. While people acknowledge Brown’s abilities, it’s sometimes done with a worried twinge. The amount of control one man can have over so many others could be frightening – one review by Planet Ivy describes the experience as being ‘so confused that you resort to violence.’ With shows on television, we’re given a reassuring end-screen notice that everyone has been successfully de-programmed, shop owners have
COMEDY
been reimbursed, and all that stuff destroyed in that guy’s house was replaced in full. And after that, everyone changes the channel and tells themselves it was just a TV show. In Brown’s stage shows, however, we need a different kind of reassurance. “Originally the second half was very serious but sort of bizarre,” Brown says of Miracle. “It was asking a lot from the audience to sort of come with me on a journey, and we realised that in order to make that work it was very important to let people know that it was fine and safe and I hadn’t gone mad. Putting jokes in was hugely important and totally allowed the second half to work.” Many of Brown’s tricks come with a disclaimer. In his live shows he often goes halfway to explaining how something is done, ridiculing those who claim to actually talk to the dead, read minds, see ghosts – before he appears to do just that. As long as there are laughs along the way, and we know it’s all a show, that we’re only being tricked, comedy seems to reassure us that this is a monkey fight with no bloodshed. Not real blood, anyway. Derren Brown: Miracle plays Liverpool Empire, 15-20 Jun derrenbrown.co.uk
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Girl Power Despite their similar titles, Girlhood is not a female version of Richard Linklater’s recent coming-of-ager. Director Céline Sciamma’s take on adolescence is far less cosy, but just as emotionally resonant Interview: Jamie Dunn
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Echo Chamber Liverpool’s annual literary festival Writing on the Wall takes over the city this month with events focusing on the Harlem Renaissance, race riots and multicultural England. Our Books editor considers race in literature and diversity in publishing Words: Holly Rimmer-Tagoe Illustration: Marcus Oakley
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he issue of racial diversity is once more at the forefront of cultural debate: from Lenny Henry’s ongoing campaign to increase the number of black and minority ethnic (BME) workers in the television industry, to the #allwhiteoscars trend that dominated the response to this year’s Oscar nominations. While such debate is more pressing in the TV and film industries, where the absence of diversity is visible and evident, the demand for a wider variety of voices in the book industry seems markedly quieter and is often softly swept under the carpet. After all, isn’t literature all about the universal human experiences of love, strife and loss? Such a sentiment might be true if the ability to transgress narrative and genre was truly universal. In his modernist-inspired novel-within-a-novel Erasure, Percival Everett’s protagonist, Thelonious Ellison, is dismayed to find his novel in the African American Studies section of the bookstore; the book is actually an obscure adaptation of a Greek tragedy. Everett goes on to comically dismantle the pervasiveness of the ‘ghetto narrative’ when the protagonist’s satirical work My Pafology – where matricide and “fine-ass bitches” meet poor spelling – becomes a runaway bestseller. It is not that narratives about the slave trade or inner-city life shouldn’t exist, but that such stories have largely come to represent the only black experience in literature. Publishing is a reactionary market; the success of a book quickly leads to hundreds of copycat replicas, many of them making no attempt to disguise their repetitive nature. Publishing is also an industry in flux, with an increasing turn to digital texts and the growth of niche publishers. A 2007 survey by DIPNet (Diversity
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in Publishing Network) found that, UK-wide, only 3% of workers at director level and 4% of editorial staff in publishing come from a BME background. It is no surprise, then, that a lack of diversity at the boardroom and commissioning level impacts on the literary product. Non-white stories will continue to be marginalised until publishing houses properly reflect Britain’s diverse communities. ‘Black literature’ is a stupidly simplistic term; it suggests that all literature by black writers is somehow the same, that black writers are only capable of writing in a particular style or genre and that all black people have a similar story to tell. In her brilliant TED Talk The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie describes how, as a child brought up in Nigeria, her first attempts at writing always involved apples, characters with blue eyes and snow – the sun and mangoes of Nigeria were strangely absent – simply because she read British and American children’s books. It was only when Ngozi discovered the African books of Camara Laye and Chinua Achebe that she realised people who looked like her could exist in books and that literature is not confined to a single story to be repeated ad nauseam. Allowing different stories to be told and a wider variety of voices to be heard is not a simple moral imperative, but an appeal for ingenuity and imagination. Leaping into unfamiliar territory with a character we may, or may not, like is the undertaking we accept every time we pick up a book. The journey is all the better when the protagonist is someone we haven’t met before.
onsider the coming-of-age movie for a second. What titles flash before your eyes? Chances are there’ll be a fair few US films, names like Rebel Without a Cause, American Graffiti and Rushmore. But practically every filmmaking nation has a classic of teen turmoil, from Mexico (Y Tu Mamá También) to Australia (Flirting ), Senegal (Touki Bouki) to here in the UK (Kes). What’s lacking from the above list? To put it bluntly: women. Female stories are limited in all corners of film culture, but they’re particularly outnumbered in the coming-of-age genre. Praise be, then, for French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, who seems to be on a one-woman mission to redress the balance. Her 2006 debut, Water Lilies, was concerned with the sexual awakening of a group of teenage girls. Its follow up, 2001’s Tomboy, considered the body and identity issues of an androgynous ten-year-old. Her latest, Girlhood, centres on 16-year-old misfit Marieme (Karidja Touré), a shy black girl from a poor Paris suburb who comes out of her shell when she’s initiated into the mini-sisterhood of three streetwise firecrackers, who like fighting as much as they like dressing up and dancing to Rihanna. Director Sciamma’s inspiration came from observing similar female cliques as she walked around her hometown. “I would pass by these groups of girls on the streets of Paris. They had this great energy and charisma, with style, and a solidarity,” she says. “I really wanted to look at them – that’s a good starting point for a movie.” She realised the irony, though, that in her profession these girl gangs were never looked at. “Black girls in French cinema are totally invisible, they don’t exist. I figured OK, I have the intimate urge to look at them and there’s also a collective urge to do so, so I decided to go for it.” Go for it she does. Like the girls at the heart of the story, the film is bold and brawling. It opens with a clashing of bodies as Marieme kicks ass on the field playing American football, and these clashes continue throughout – with rival girl gangs, her controlling older brother and the other men on the estate who want their women
to be obedient, demure. “In France we’ve been told for six to seven years now [in the media] that girls are getting violent, and I wondered if this was true or not.” She did some research and found it to be moonshine. “There have always been violent women, we just don’t talk about it. We don’t talk about the women who fought in the French Revolution and took the Bastille – we don’t because they are strong figures and they would inspire women to be activists.” Girlhood is littered with these stirring images of feminine power, but the film is at its most potent when it focuses on the intensity of teenage female friendships. Sciamma puts this quality down to the alchemy of the casting. “We had to pick strong individuals but also we had to find the right group, so we picked four girls who already had some chemistry, and then we really workshopped for two weeks before shooting.” Sciamma reveals that she was also part of this group. “We would play games, we would sing and dance, we would just create some past between us, memories for that group. It was about getting to know each other, and also initiating the girls to the rules of the cinema – that is, to show them that it’s all about the present.” While her two previous films were well received, Girlhood’s added racial dimension is likely to bring it to a wider audience. “It’s the first time that a film with an all-black teen cast was made in France, so it’s gotten quite a bit of attention,” she says. “One movie can’t change it all but it can put the question out there.” Sciamma’s trump card is that she doesn’t stress morality for any of Marieme’s choices; by the end of the film her destiny is uncertain but still hopeful. “The fact that life is still ahead of her, that makes the audience kind of responsible for her in a way. If you’re optimistic you might think she’s going to be OK. If you’re not that optimistic you might be worried. But this world is ours and we can make something happen. That’s basically the message of the movie – let’s look after each other.” Girlhood is released 8 May by StudioCanal
Writing on the Wall, Liverpool, Fri 1 May-Thu 28 May, times and locations vary, writingonthewall.org.uk
BOOKS / FILM
THE SKINNY
Last Orders One of the finest music critics of the past 20 years, some of John Doran’s most scathing reviews would come to be about himself, in a series of columns that led to his debut book, Jolly Lad he trouble with being a music journalist is that eventually you’ll stick around long enough to end up answering exactly the sort of questions you’ve spent years volleying towards various beleaguered musicians. John Doran’s been realising this quite a lot of late; as he prepares for the release of his debut book, Jolly Lad, and accompanying tour with Norwegian experimental metal musician Årabrot, he admits, “I’m so fucking conscious about how pompous doing these interviews makes me sound,” over the phone to The Skinny. For anyone familiar with the music writing of Doran, co-founder in 2008 of music website The Quietus, freelance writer for Vice, Metal Hammer as well as many others and, to our notice, one of the finest music critics of the past two decades, such reticence might come as a surprise. Unafraid to rain down critical blows in an era of almost uniform positivity, Doran’s tone, be it startlingly personal (search out musings on Richard Dawson or Aidan Moffat’s L. Pierre project) or a withering takedown of one of indie’s latest young dreams, is, at its most stinging, akin to sending an armoured tank into battle, swatting off those happy to hand out a good review for the quiet life. Menk, Doran’s regular column for Vice, was a departure, though. Commissioned initially to write about anything but music, he began to turn inwards, pulling off the scabs of his life’s wounds and laying bare a stark vulnerability. Recent recollections of adjusting to new fatherhood sat side by side with admissions of long-term alcohol addiction, habitual drug use and severe depression, played out amidst austere late-80s northern factories, seedy pub backrooms and decaying housing estates. These stories would form the framework of Jolly Lad, structured as a series of short stories that are by turns bleak, angry, hopeful and frequently imbued with black humour. The crux? Doran’s recognition and subsequent fight against his addiction – predominantly to alcohol. “I remember disconsolately thinking after two months of not drinking, ‘Why did it have to be me?! I fucking love drinking so much!’” he ruefully laughs. “Which is so stupid because obviously that’s the whole point of alcoholism isn’t it? It’s always people like me.” Doran has allied himself with becoming a dad and the rejuvenating power of music in a battle that’s seen him kick the booze and ultimately taken him away from a past that’s involved dropping out of university at Hull after a term, struggling to hold onto various shift work positions, lurching between various cockroachinfested Withnail & I abodes and drinking his way through a position on Fleet Street before finding music journalism. If that suggests a conveniently neat narrative of redemption, the reality is a little different. “If I’d known what writing this book was going to be like, I wouldn’t have done it. It was one of the worst experiences of my life,” Doran says matter-of-factly, laying bare the harsh truth that ‘beating addiction’ shouldn’t be confused with leaving it completely behind. “I was having problems with a painkiller addiction and had just come off anti-depressants around it,” he says. “Even when doing the column I found that through these rambunctious, funny stories the façade was cracking, I just started finding it really depressing. You’re maintaining a subterfuge with a column, though; with a book you go over it 30, 40, 50 times, and what you’re left with is the extent to which you’ve been lying to yourself for years.”
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Doran’s path into drinking was as unremarkable as any kid’s growing up in a backwater town – in his case Rainhill, near St Helens, formerly home to a huge lunatic asylum, the grounds of which he was a frequent curious visitor. On a couple of drinks at a mate’s house one evening he writes, ‘things in exterior life seemed to become time-stretched and then broke away from me in ragged chunks.’ From then on he was hooked, ‘constantly drunk between the ages of 15 until 37.’ Escapism could’ve been a part of it, from a Catholic upbringing or depression that dropped on him during his teens (linked in the book variously to watching terrifying 80s nuclear war drama Threads, his once beloved Simple Minds selling their soul on The Breakfast Club soundtrack, and equally formative icon Adam Ant’s eschewing of his Dandy Highwayman persona at Live Aid). Doran ponders this but says, “I used to think ‘Oh I’ve ended up like this because my dad’s suffered from depression, or because I got badly beaten up once as a child, or had a really bad drug experience as a teenager,’ but that’s just the wallpaper. I think I’d have ended up an alcoholic anyway.” Doran’s careful to affix A Jolly Lad as more than seeing the light through street gutter tales though. “There’s a quote from German playwright Frank Wedekind that goes ‘Any fool can have bad luck; the art consists in knowing how to exploit it,’” he laughs, and though the medium of 260-odd pages is for him a new one, Doran again proves his chops through several devices that leave the reader in a disorientated state that never feels like it quite meets up with time’s linearity. Several alcoholic blackouts punctuate his stories, while perspectives of living in Hull,
Welwyn Garden City and Manchester during the 80s and 90s could transfer to any post-Thatcher northern working-class community. Together with frequent hallucinations – the lengthiest, involving him going on a Forrest Gump-style walk around the coastline of the UK, would prove the inspiration for his forthcoming tour – it leaves the narrative working as its own psychedelic trip, not totally unmoored from reality, but certainly where reality is viewed through a prism.
“If I’d known what writing this book was going to be like, I wouldn’t have done it. It was one of the worst experiences of my life” John Doran
“I guess I’m interested in these violent liminal zones between this life and someplace else,” Doran posits. “The blackouts that an alkie suffers are more like a little death than an orgasm in my book. These unrecoverable, superdense blanks in the middle of your life, like little
bubbles of death in your existence. It’s the same every time you go under the surgeon’s knife or get kicked unconscious; it’s like a run up for the real thing but also a weirdly dark psychedelic event. You’re standing – or lying down probably – with your face pressed up to a membrane that separates you from another realm that you have no chance of understanding.” Music is unsurprisingly a constant, but chapters on U2, Bobbie Gillespie or the late 80s St Helens punk scene (he recalls one band playing stood facing a TV on stage so that they wouldn’t miss the football) aren’t the namedrops of a Nick Kent memoir, they’re more to reflect on his own personal stasis. Indeed, what’s more striking is an apparent desire to question what constitutes as ‘normal’ – from shoe-frying neighbours and retired corporals unable to let it go, to drug dealers and musicians with post-review rage, Jolly Lad is littered with socially perceived oddities. “Mental health’s all over the place isn’t it?” he says. “You can get a downgrade to an ‘eccentric’ if you’re posh, whereas I think people are much quicker to label you mad if you’re working class.” Doran’s rehabilitation goes on. It’d be disingenuous to him to say he’s ‘on the up’, or ‘over the worst of it,’ but he can admit, “I’m not mad compared to a lot people... although you know, I spent time at university thinking I was dead, and if a clock or something went off I’d think ‘that’s just a machine keeping me alive while I’m in this coma.’” Jolly Lad, published by Strange Attractor, is out on 1 Jun. John Doran performs alongside Årabrot at Star & Garter, Manchester on 2 May, The Kazimier, Liverpool on 18 May and Islington Mill, Salford, on 31 May
Photo: Al Overdrive
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Interview: Simon Jay Catling
BOOKS
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Flesh and Bone The bucolic daydream of Blanck Mass’s eponymous debut has slipped into an exhilarating kind of nightmare with follow-up Dumb Flesh. Benjamin John Power takes time out to talk about isolation and contradiction
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enjamin John Power is “super happy.” The man who makes up one half of cosmic electronic crusaders Fuck Buttons and operates under his own amorphous Blanck Mass guise has just relocated to the Scottish countryside. Power is opining about the beautiful scenery, settling down there with his wife, even the educational standard of the local schools. At the same time, he is ostensibly talking to us about the decrepit nature of the human body, the flaws in our genetic make-up that will ultimately usurp us and how we’re all just “walking lumps of sentient flesh.” Such contradictions pepper our conversation regarding Power’s forthcoming album, Dumb Flesh. Stylistically, this is worlds away from the ambient calm of his initial solo release outing as Blanck Mass in 2010 and subsequent White Math EP. An artistic volte-face up there with the best of them; the woozy, ethereal and often lush orchestration of his debut has largely evaporated, leaving propulsive, grimy shards of dystopian sci-fi-inflected anti-anthems in its wake. “I think I’d need some kind of psychoanalysis to try and figure out exactly why this album became what it is,” says Power of the radical overhaul. Such unintentional elusiveness continues as he attempts to make sense of which, if any, external influences might have helped shape the project’s current direction. “It sounds clichéd but I really wasn’t paying attention to pop culture whatsoever while I was making Dumb Flesh,” he says. “I feel like I’m really behind and I don’t know what’s going on outside of my own world. Obviously things will creep into your psyche without you even realising it, but it would be very, very hard for me to pinpoint them.” In a way, it’s a dynamic example of the themes at the album’s heart. “It’s about the human form and the inefficiencies that we deal with as human beings and, ultimately, the decay we become at the end of that,” Power sums up somewhat gloomily. “A lot happened to me during the recording of this album – there was a realisation about the body and how we’re really not as perfect as we might perceive being when we’re somewhat younger.” However, this is not just a lament about the process of ageing, but about a wider set of
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issues facing our species that have been fermenting in Power’s mind. “Obviously ageing is encompassed by the overall themes, but I think it’s about the fact that things are gradually getting worse,” he elaborates. “I’m not here to tell anybody how to look after themselves – I stick to a vegan diet but then I smoke as well, which some might see as a contradiction of sorts. Unfortunately a characteristic trait of human beings is that we are creatures of habit and we are prone to addiction. Maybe these are all evolved traits that we’ve inherited.” Articulating these thoughts with what is essentially an instrumental album, Power has concocted a startling mix of monolithic white noise, hard-edged electronica and unrecognisable looped vocal snippets. Dumb Flesh is a record that never fails to surprise and yet, despite its subject matter, it manages to balance its darker edges with a more hopeful atmosphere as it progresses. Power may talk despairingly of the human condition, but his music seems to say otherwise. “This album is a soundtrack to everybody’s individual script,” Power concedes when asked about listener ownership. “For the people who have invested in my music so far, it’s something of an insult to tell them what they should be thinking about when they’re listening to it. What right do I have to do that? Then again, that might seem like a double standard given that there is a very strong narrative to Dumb Flesh. Even with naming tracks you’re pushing someone towards an aesthetic, but it’s a necessary evil for the ease of organisation, which, again, is something very human.” With his myriad contradictions building up, it’s easier to understand where the music that Power makes comes from. It seems prudent to wonder whether this frustration with the corporeal, organic world is the reason for his working within the broad genre of electronica. “I think so, but I’ve always tried to impose my own sensibilities upon these machines,” he says regarding the tools of his trade. “I don’t like to think that the machine plays the player – which I hear happening a lot. I didn’t have the first idea about the equipment I was using when I first started and even now when I get a new piece of kit, I don’t read the manual. It’s maybe a lack
Interview: Darren Carle
of patience, another human trait that I have, and maybe it’s a bit naïve, but it’s an honest approach to writing, which I think gives the outcome a lot more character.” If Power’s character is what he injects his music with then, as Blanck Mass, he’s certainly showing us different sides of it. In keeping with his stated “individual script” we’ll think of his eponymous debut as a meditative, nostalgic paean, whereas White Math was a more hedonistic affair. In that sense, Dumb Flesh falls somewhere in between; more concerned with body than mind perhaps, yet still contemplative but wider ranging in its outlook.
“I don’t like to think that the machine plays the player” Benjamin John Power
“Blanck Mass is me 100 percent down the line,” Power assures us of the tonal variety the project encompasses. “With Fuck Buttons, you’re getting 100 per cent of the combination of Andy and myself – I don’t like to see it as 50 per cent Andy and fifty per cent me, it’s 100 per cent of our relationship. The difficulty with working on your own is that you get so wrapped up in your own little world that it’s very difficult to have a clear perspective. But on the flipside, you’ve got no one else to answer to, so you can do whatever the fuck you like.” Even a cursory listen to Dumb Flesh makes it abundantly clear that Power is beholden to no one, being so off-kilter and unlike much else you’ll likely hear this year. However, Power’s assertion that he cut the album as a solitary figure is a tiny bit misleading. “Well, my two sounding boards that I had, just as people to speak to, were Kevin Martin [aka The Bug] and Andrew Weatherall,” he confides. “With Andrew, he has this sixth sense for how I structure my writing process. He’ll know how I built up a certain track which gives him a great position to advise me on things. One really important lesson I learned
MUSIC
from him was that you need to give yourself a little bit of space now and again. You really need perspective to be able to operate solo.” Having also learned certain production techniques from Weatherall’s work with Fuck Buttons’ second album, Tarot Sport, both Power and bandmate Andrew Hung stepped behind the mixing desk for 2013’s formidable follow-up, Slow Focus. With that experience in hand, it was logical for Power to continue in this vein with Dumb Flesh. “There’s three different versions of the album,” he says of his grinding to create the definitive take. “I think I’ve grown so much as a producer within that time, listening back to the earlier versions now. It’s not something tangible that I can put my finger on that makes them inferior, though, it’s just when you operate on feeling, it’s sometimes hard to figure out what the problem is.” Power admits that with so much going on in isolation, and with his attention given to every conceivable detail of writing and production, he could have ended up tinkering with Dumb Flesh forevermore. Thankfully he managed to draw the line under the rendition we now have, bound for release on Brooklyn’s unimpeachable Sacred Bones label this May. As we speak, though, Power has already moved on from the record itself as attention turns to taking Blanck Mass back out on to the live circuit, including a headlining slot on The Skinny’s stage at Electric Fields in Drumlanrig, Dumfriesshire, this August (where he’ll be in the righteous company of the likes of Vessels, East India Youth and underground post-rock super-ensemble Outblinker, whose debut Power is gearing up to produce in summer). “You’ve kind of made my day, actually,” he says when we confirm his placing on the bill. “Hopefully Dumb Flesh will make the live set a little bit more fiery. There’s going to be a lot more rhythm involved than there was before, with a strong aesthetic that I hope is going to be replicated in a visual sense somehow. Overall, it’s definitely going to be in a heavier place.” Dumb Flesh is released on 11 May via Sacred Bones. Blanck Mass plays Tramlines, Sheffield on 24-26 Jul; Electric Fields, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire, on 29 Aug and Liverpool Psych Fest on 25-26 Sep blanckmass.bandcamp.com
THE SKINNY
Is there actually a difference between ‘festivals’ and ‘all-dayers’? Probably best not to concern ourselves with such trivialities, especially when there are folk out there organising things like Manchester’s Columns (or C O L U M N S, if we’re back on the trivialities thing). Canadian electro-wonders Purity Ring sit proudly atop the bill, with the murky magnificence of Ghostpoet and Braids’ shimmering dreampop adding to the splendid surroundings of Manchester Cathedral: a solid lineup, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Basically, as bank holiday weekends go, there are infinitely worse ways to spend your time… which is a faintly understated way of saying ‘it’ll be dead good.’ Tickets £20: facebook.com/columnsfestival
Words: Will Fitzpatrick
DOT TO DOT
22-24 May LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY
Sounds from the Other City 2014
Seemingly doomed to be misrepresented forever as a nearby extension of Manchester, Salford makes a righteous claim for its own identity with this annual celebration of DIY culture. With various venues playing host to some of the country’s best new bands, 2015’s showing features Brighton’s noisy tykes Cold Pumas and capital post-punkas Groves. And we don’t use the word ‘unmissable’ lightly, but honest, there’s also a downright unmissable collaboration between mallet-drone texturalists Ex-Easter Island Head and members of the BBC Philharmonic, so keep your diary updated. Oh, and you’ll want to check the #SFTOCSkinny hashtag on Twitter to find out about a special competition... Tickets £20: soundsfromtheothercity.com
22-24 May MANCHESTER PSYCH FEST
Photo: Daniel Harris
The Flaming Lips
Mobile festivals: now there’s a concept. Dot to Dot first took place in a clutch of Nottingham venues back in 2005, but has since grown to include Bristol and Manchester, with the same core lineup travelling between the three cities over three days. This year the whole thing’s headlined by rising starlet Saint Raymond, with sunny popsters Best Coast and riff monsters The Wytches also on hand to bring the ruckus, but we’d politely suggest that the additional stages full of local flavour are more than worthy of your time – Manchester features post-punk she-wolves PINS and the glistening imagination of Rae Christian, and that’s really no bad thing whatsoever. Tickets £25: dottodotfestival.co.uk
MELTDOWN
Now firmly ensconced in Liverpool’s consciousness as the major music event of the year, Sound City marks a major turning point in its development this year – leaving city centre venues behind, 2015 sees the festival relocate to a new home at Bramley-Moore Dock. The existing dockland architecture will play a major part in the new site alongside a variety of tents, pop-ups and big tops. Oh yes, and there’re bands too: The Flaming Lips bring their unique stagecraft to Merseyside for the first time in 15 years, while Glasgow indie stalwarts Belle & Sebastian will close out the festival accompanied by a full orchestra. Not too shabby. Day wristbands £35, weekend wristbands £65: liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk
REBELLION
6-9 Aug
Taking place by the side of the River Thames, in the glorious surrounds of London’s Southbank Centre, Meltdown is a spectacular celebration of music, art, film and performance. Or, to put it another way, there’s loads going on here. With lineups devised by special guest curators – previously including the likes of Scott Walker, Ornette Coleman and Patti Smith – there’s always a vast array of phenomenal acts on display, ranging from the rightly revered to the oblique-but-brilliant (sample from 2014’s programme: Grandmaster Flash, Neneh Cherry and Max Richter). Scant details thus far, but this year’s affair is helmed by ex-Talking Head David Byrne, whose famously esoteric tastes should be enough to have you salivating at the prospect (eurgh, use a tissue please). Tickets details tbc: southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/festivals-series/david-byrnes-meltdown
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OUT OF SPITE
Photo: Sam Huddleston
If the recent resurgence of drone music has been good for anything, it’s events like this: two days dedicated to exploring the extremities of sound and expanding our collective understanding of consciousness through experimental rock music. Or, to look at it another way, a load of bands play riffs dead loud in a converted warehouse space, and it’s dead good. Set in the heart of Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle, a redeveloped industrial district, Psych Fest has improved year on year, and while early announcements like Menace Beach, Evil Blizzard and Hey Colossus are pretty exciting, the addition of Jason Pierce’s Spiritualized suggests the 2015 showing could be the best one yet. Tickets £50: liverpoolpsychfest.com
MUSIC
A self-described ‘punk rock and keg festival,’ Out of Spite enters its 15th year with yet another sterling lineup. Pulled from the great and good of the DIY scene, there’re noise and melody in abundance: reformed post-hardcore legends Spy Versus Spy should send pulses soaring, while Norway’s own Beezewax return with their elegant blend of college rock and emo stylings. If we were really doling out tips, we’d also tap our noses mysteriously before gesturing towards the brilliance of Shield Your Eyes, Former Cell Mates and Tokyo veterans Does It Float, but ultimately this is a great chance to soak up modern punk’s posi attitude in the Brudenell Social Club – quite possibly the UK’s best venue. Aceness guaranteed. Tickets £22: outofspitefest.tumblr.com
ATP 2.0: NIGHTMARE 25-26 Sep BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Goat at Liverpool Psych Fest 2014
7-8 Aug
Out of Spite
It doesn’t seem like a decade has passed since the UK’s biggest punk festival upped sticks from its Morecambe home and relocated to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. It’s proven to be a recipe for success, however: once seen as a refuge for pierced fifty-somethings in leathers to catch the nth lineup of wellworn travellers like The Damned or UK Subs, Rebellion has expanded to include younger, fresher recruits from around the world, adding hardcore, ska, folk, hip-hop, glam and more to their repertoire, and feeling somewhat refreshed for it. Not that any of this should detract from any primal urges to yelp along to New Rose at the top of your voice, obviously. Weekend tickets £140 until 30 Apr, £150 after: rebellionfestivals.com
LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA
Neneh Cherry
A smaller scale event than the similarly titled weekender just down the M62, but no less special: promising ‘12 hours of live psychedelia, visuals and DJs,’ Manchester Psych Fest sees the drone legions taking over the Northern Quarter’s legendary Night & Day Café for a compact but enviable bill. San Diego’s Crocodiles deal in fuzz-coated über-jangles and The Lucid Dream wander the furthest reaches of territory explored by Spacemen 3. Meanwhile, reformed freakbeatniks July do their irresistible, inimitable thing and some super-secret surprise special guests open proceedings with blown minds high on the agenda. Can’t wait ’til September for your annual dose of cosmic sounds? This should see you through. Early bird tickets £11: facebook.com/manchesterpsychedelicfest
Misfits
17-28 Aug
13 Jun
Toy at Manchester Psych Fest 2014
Photo: Stuart Moulding
PINS
Photo: Alexander Bell
Ghostpoet
3 May
Photo: Sam Huddleston
The penultimate instalment of our 2015 festival guide. Like the idea of a carefully curated festival, but not the outdoor type? Here’s your solution
SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER CITY
2 May
27-29 Nov
Blanck Mass
Some feared the end for the UK wing of All Tomorrow’s Parties, following the last-minute cancellation of 2014’s ill-fated Jabberwocky shindig. But no! Snatching new life from the jaws of death, the leftfield promoters return to their holiday camp format at a new location in Prestatyn, north Wales. It’s still early days in terms of announcements – Robert Hampson’s drone veterans Loop, Detroit proto-punks Death and delightfully offbeat Canadian quartet Ought are among the first names on the bill – but if there’s any festival this year where you’re likely to find yourself playing winner-stays-on air hockey against one half of Fuck Buttons, this is surely it. Tickets various: atpfestival.com
THE SKINNY
Photo: Sam Huddleston
COLUMNS
Photo: Michael Barrow
Indoor UK Festivals 2015
Student of a Golden Era Chicago’s Ron Trent speaks about his musical education, his reaction to the death of mentor Frankie Knuckles and the state of modern DJ culture
“I
’m one of these people that like to take experiences, synthesise them, and turn them into music.” This simple philosophy has served Chicago’s Ron Trent well over the years. From his formative early experiences within a lively scene in his hometown, to his involvement in various projects today, the house legend has always lived and breathed music. His devotion to the craft has produced a colossal back catalogue of classic work, released through revered labels such as Cajual, Peacefrog and his own Prescription imprint, and he continues to tour the world as one of the most esteemed deep house DJs around. Frequently characterised by warmth and melody and always brimming with soul, Trent’s work is a clear reflection of his desire to stay true to a particular vibe. Speaking to us from his temporary studio space in Berlin, Trent sees the burgeoning scene in the German capital as reflecting the buzz in the US when his tastes were first developing as a youngster. “It kind of reminds me of New York City a bit in the early stages,” he says. “During the developmental years in the late 70s and early 80s, downtown New York was poppin’. With me being a student of that era and that culture, it reminds me of the energy then.” What’s instantly clear from speaking to Trent is how his work has always been shaped by that influential age, when his father was involved in the record business in Chicago. “Radio was different in the 70s,” he reflects. “It was way better. You had DJs that were selecting the music themselves. It was a different attitude towards hearing new stuff, versus hearing the same thing over and over again nowadays. That’s pretty much the status quo nowadays in music culture on the radio, but there was a different flavour back then.” Whether you were around for it or not, it’s hard to dispute the importance of a period Trent jovially refers to as the “wonder years”, particularly as so much of the music he and his contemporaries grew up with is still finding devoted audiences today – acts like James Brown, Herb Alpert, Donny Hathaway and Roy Ayers were all big influences on Trent, and certain sounds were constants in his musical education. For him, these are acts that are still “monumental” now. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long before Trent became involved in music himself, playing drums and later being exposed to DJing by an older cousin. His father had been part of the generation of DJs who played one record after another without blending, though Ron soon mastered the emerging art of mixing; “making the records talk to each other.” His interest in music wasn’t limited to simply playing the work of others, though. “I was always curious about the creation of records,” he adds. “When I got the opportunity to start using drum machines and things of that nature in the mid-80s, I liked the idea that I could create my own music and play it. It added a whole other dimension to what I was doing and I just dove in.” Having taken that leap towards production, Trent quickly found himself in the enviable position of having a massive hit with his first release. He recalls being most proud of the title track from the Afterlife EP, but it was B-side Altered States which really took hold in clubs at first and its impact was crucial. During the years that followed, Trent continued to hone his craft, showing a knack for forming fruitful partnerships along the way – perhaps most apparent in his collaborations with Chez Damier, with whom he
May 2015
Interview: Ronan Martin
eventually co-founded the seminal Prescription label, releasing their own tracks alongside the likes of Peven Everett, Roy Davis Jr, Romanthony and Abacus. This development properly established a deeper and distinctly more musical form of house than the classic Chicago “boom boom kind of tracks” coming from the likes of Cajmere, who worked out of the office upstairs from Chez and Trent, and who helped them out with distribution early on. “Prescription was based on a lot of ideas,” he says when asked where the motivation for the outlet came from. “I can’t really put it into a Reader’s Digest version – it would almost be a fucking book! “The main thing was to put out a certain quality of instrumental, mind-provoking music. If we did something, it had to be meaningful, but it was also part of a theme. It was like a Native American way of prescribing medicine – a spiritual prescription. Whether it’s herbs, or some kind of spiritual incantation, it has to be something that evokes healing or power. Of course, everybody else took it however they wanted to take it. If they wanted to take it as representing a drug or some shit, then that’s their thing. But the essence of where we were coming from was based on a spiritual, shamanistic idea.”
“EDM is just fucking noise” Ron Trent
Nowadays – having taken a different direction from Chez Damier in the mid-90s – Trent primarily focuses on his other outlets, Electric Blue and Future Vision. The former has largely been a vehicle for his own productions – still characterised by a rich and expressive sound – while the latter has served to introduce a number of newer artists who reflect the kind of vibe Trent has always strived to put out. He talks of his mentorship of Trinidadian Deep and enjoying throwing ideas back and forth with other like-minded artists. “I appreciate watching that process – seeing people being able to grow and express themselves. That’s a beautiful thing. “I think that like spirits attract each other, so that’s how I do A&R. If it’s meant to be, it happens. I don’t really go trying to canvass this and canvass that. If you’re on the right path, then other paths will cross – those that are supposed to cross.” Trent’s mentoring of other acts seems to complete the cycle in terms of his own career in music, which he has always spoke of in terms of being a student – of earlier eras and of older teachers. One of those he frequently cites is the late Frankie Knuckles, who passed away in March of last year, leaving many in the Chicago house scene and the wider music world mourning the loss of one of the genre’s original icons. His passing prompted Trent to release 7th Heaven, a soaring 11-minute track intended as a tribute to the energy of Knuckles’ work. “Outside of my father, Frankie was probably one of the most influential people in my musical development,” he says without hesitation. “He was somebody I looked up to as a young up-and-coming DJ and producer in Chicago – in terms of his level of influence, professionalism and the energy that he brought to Chicago. Later I became someone he ushered into the business. It was because of him and David Morales playing the record that Altered States developed
legs. By him getting behind it the way he did, it opened doors. So there are no words or anything I can use to thank him other than just being true to what I began in the first place. It was a way of coming to peace with it. I spent the first couple of days crying every time I thought about it. But out of that mourning process came a beautiful piece of music.” Alongside his production work and running the labels, Trent still impresses as a DJ and his approach hasn’t changed much after several decades behind the turntables. “I follow an older ethos or mentality,” he says. “When DJing became popular, people were more concentrated on the attention that you could get versus the actual craft itself, and I come from a different place. I was attracted to the art. I’m not going to speak for everyone, but you can tell who’s attracted to the art and who’s not, you know what I mean? There lies the difference.” Given the history of seminal music emerging from places like Detroit, Chicago and New York, it must be frustrating for Trent to see the explosion of the EDM scene, whose US enthusiasts seem to have no knowledge of the music that came from their own back yard in the 80s and 90s. “Yeah, there’s a disconnect,” says Trent. “If
CLUBS
you listen to the EDM stuff, it’s really just a whole bunch of noises in a pattern. Listen to it [he imitates a tuneless bleeping noise with his mouth]. It’s just fucking noise – energy noises and drum rolls that never end.” He laughs. “It’s almost like a hyped-up version of video games.” Thankfully, regardless of where the priorities of the wider music world are positioned, Trent remains committed to developing his own sound, and that of those he introduces through his labels, in a way that is consistent with the ethos of a golden age in music. That is not to say his sound will remain the same – his recent collaborative project with Jerome Sydenham and Aybee as SAT showcased a more robust technoleaning style, and there has always been room for variation in his work. What will always persist is that commitment to doing things a certain way and putting the work before anything else. With plans to establish more sub-labels and continue his work developing other acts in the coming years, can we assume he will remain busy for the foreseeable future? “Oh yeah, no question, man,” he declares. “The music never stops.” Ron Trent appears at Electric Frog and Pressure Riverside Festival, Glasgow, 30 May, and Found Festival, London, 13 Jun
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LE Y ST FE LI
Trying to Be Civil In an opposite-sex relationship and fancy a civil partnership? Tough luck. Here’s why you should be furious, and what campaigning couple Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan are doing about it Interview: Kate Pasola Illustration: Alessandra Genualdo
O
nce upon a time, I got dumped within my first month of university. I became a heartbroken shambles, sobbing undesirably into my ex's school hoodie (it was emblazoned with his surname and hadn't left my torso for a large proportion of Freshers’ – probably a gesture of my unyielding commitment.) Then, my older sister – a dreamboat feminist and my platinum-haired icon – performed an intervention. She allowed me to spill apocalyptic tears over spaghetti bolognaise and Earl Grey, before asking smoothly if I'd ever heard of Simone DeBeauvoir… or Judith Butler? ...Virginia Woolf? Sensing she was in elementary feminist territory, she popped a copy of Caitlin Moran's How to Be A Woman under my arm the next morning and instructed me to go home and read. A week later, my dumper encountered a bout of break-up regret. Meanwhile, I turned my phone on silent and felt a tiny feminist phoenix flap its wings, asking me why the fresh hell I'd been wearing his surname on my back for the past month. ...Cue an omnibus of feminist epiphanies, utterly perplexing to my parents. Why was I so disparaging of Snog Marry Avoid nowadays? Why must I argue with relatives at garden parties about nipples? But the tip of the feministberg was my declaration that I'd only ever get married for the legal rights and tax breaks. And, of course, so I could intoxicate everyone I know and have the opportunity to hire an Elvis impersonator. My mother was disgraced by my disregard for matrimonial tradition. That was when I realised – no matter how fruitfully you transform the patriarchal institution of marriage into a feminestival of equality, there's always explaining to be done. Explaining to the father-in-law why I didn't change my surname to his. Explaining to my dad why I won't let him ‘give me away.’ Explaining to the Elvis impersonator my rewriting of the line “you may now kiss your bride.” I want something else. I want a civil partnership. Legalised in 2004 as a form of partnership open to same-sex couples, civil partnerships are a blank canvas stripped of expectation and patriarchal norms. Couples are considered partners, not husband and wife. Both parents of the parties are acknowledged on the certificate, rather than writing women out of history since the beginning of time. There's no obligation to utter any sort of sacred words unless you choose to, it's just a matter of signing on the dotted line. And about surnames? In marriage, if a husband wants to take his wife's name, it's more of a costly and lengthy process. With civil partnerships, you can just pick the best name (or play rock paper scissors), and be done with it – at no extra cost. The catch? They're not available to opposite-sex couples. Yet. And that's where Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan come into the equation. The couple have adopted the cause from the Peter Tatchell Foundation, who originally campaigned for it alongside the battle for same-sex marriage. When the same-sex marriage was finally legalised in 2004, opposite-sex civil partnerships were left behind. Tatchell implored the government to gauge public interest for new legislation; in 2012, Cameron submitted. Rebecca and
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Lifestyle
Charles told me that the consultation found 78,556 people in support of updated legalisation – 61% of respondents. So why didn't things change? Oddly, the government asked the question once again in 2014. “Only 8,082 people were opposed to extending civil partnerships. But since this constituted 76%, the government used these figures to justify doing nothing... This seemed wrong to us. So we decided to act,” Rebecca and Charles told me. “Opening civil partnerships to all, regardless of sexual orientation, is the right thing to do. It would uphold the principle that everyone is equal under the law and it would benefit those couples, families and children who are currently without legal rights and protections.”
“Civil partnerships are a blank canvas stripped of patriarchal norms. The catch? They’re not open to opposite-sex couples. Yet” But why do the Tories have such beef with opposite-sex partnerships? David Cameron has been quoted and requoted on his frets that new legislature might undermine traditional marriages. Does he have a point? Rebecca and Charles don't think so; “Giving opposite-sex couples that same choice would not undermine marriage; rather, it would strengthen it, elevating marriage to a real choice rather than a route to attain legal rights.” They also told me that in countries such as the Netherlands, where an equivalent to oppositesex civil partnerships exist, the majority of couples continue to opt for the traditional option anyway. That in mind, it's hard to understand why Cameron's perspective is so precious. I decided to email Nicky Morgan, Minister for Women and Equalities for a second opinion. Sadly I only received a response from her assistant, Luke Tryle. He dryly confirmed no changes were in the pipeline, as quoted from an unspecified ‘Conservative Spokesperson.’ Even Luke didn't fancy getting involved. So what's the plan? “We expect a ruling on the legality of the government's unequal system of access to civil partnerships sometime in autumn 2015. After that, the matter will go to Parliament, which will have to act in line with the court's ruling. In the meantime, we are assembling evidence to strengthen the case, gathering more petition signatures and further funding for our legal costs.” The couple hold high hopes, as the current situation seems pretty much an indefensible violation of human rights. According to expert Prof. Robert Wintemute, the European Convention on
Human Rights requires that the government shows ‘particularly convincing and weighty’ reasons for maintaining the current status quo, especially now that same-sex couples may marry. “This is a heavy burden of proof, which the Government will find very hard to meet.” Promising, but there's still work to be done. So how can supporters contribute their efforts? Rebecca and Charles would prefer that the government was persuaded to do the right thing,
DEVIANCE
rather than be forced to do so by the courts. “Please sign our petition, donate to our legal fund, and write to your MP to demand change if you support the principle that everybody should be equal before the law.” Do you? I do. The petition can be found at change.org/ civilpartnershipsforall, and donations can be made via gofundme.com/civilpartnerships
THE SKINNY
Gods and Monsters Menswear designer Nicci James creates knits inspired by spaceships and childhood – and now works in the “factory of the future”
E
ven before graduating from the Manchester School of Art in 2014, it was clear that menswear designer Nicci James would conquer space and time. Her work was showcased at Graduate Fashion Week in London, and even won her a design award in Ningbo, China. After this tour de force, James tells The Skinny, she moved on to Knyttan, a small knitwear label in London – “or the Big Smoke, as my brother calls it.” “Knyttan are an amazing company; their concept has excited me since I first found out about them back in November,” she says, her background as a designer specialising in knitwear shining through when she enthusiastically describes Knyttan’s design process. “They use Stoll machinery that exists in factories all over the world, and have created new software that allows them to produce individually customisable knitwear that the customer can interact with. This means that you can design your own unique piece of beautiful, high-quality knitwear that hasn’t come off a production line, but from Knyttan’s completely transparent factory of the future.” The future also plays a role in James’ celebrated graduate collection called spaceAGE heritage. James says the range was designed for “the explorer of an alternate future,” mixing “scifi predictions from 1950s comics, early Everest expeditions, sci-fi landscapes and traditional British tweed.” Asked how one translates tweeds into something new, James explains what about
May 2015
Interview: Leonie Wolters
the woolly weaves caught her eye. “It was the traditional tweed patterns that I manipulate. I used a dogtooth and a herringbone, playing with scale and colour to produce something nostalgically futuristic.”
“I asked the children at my old primary school to draw what the future would look like, and they came back with the most fantastical pictures” Nicci James
Apart from this clever marriage of two seemingly opposite notions, James included a real and personal element of nostalgia. “One wonderful source of inspiration for this
collection was my trip into my old primary school. I showed the children some pictures and asked them to draw what the future would look like, and they came back with the most fantastical pictures of monsters and spaceships. The lines in their drawings were so uninhibited and charming that I took these straight through into my collection as embroidery.” With the show over, the prize won and the job landed, James has some time to reflect on her achievements so far. “There is truly nothing that compares to seeing your hard work shown like that on the catwalk. It is such an emotional experience.” Apart from that, James highlights the importance of having the support of a known force in fashion. “Harris Tweed sponsored part of my final collection, donating authentic tweed for my use. I later found out that I was using some of the same fabric as in one of Vivienne Westwood’s previous collections after seeing it in one of the stores… It was a surreal moment to see it, and it be a beautiful womenswear coat rather than my men’s trousers!” All these ideas from the past make one wonder: what in her own past brought James’ ideas to grace catwalks across the globe? “Growing up, my mum was always encouraging me to do practical things and we often did little bits of sewing for the teddies.” Her mum’s career as a florist brought James into close contact with the aesthetic side of life from an early age. “She always made a huge effort to dress the house up for
FASHION
special occasions like my birthday and still does! Christmas takes a very long time to decorate but it is always so beautiful and wonderful – decorating with her is such a special thing.” The move into fashion was not always an obvious one for James, who confesses to sometimes hating clothes (“...which is, I suppose, why I prefer to design in the menswear realm”). And yet fashion is where she happily finds herself after doing her art foundation at a community college in her native Liverpool, and a BA in Manchester. When asked about her choice of schools she says: “I didn’t plan to stay at home originally; I had great plans of moving to London to study when I was first applying to university. In retrospect, staying in the Northwest has allowed me to grow at my own pace, away from the ultrasonic speed of London, and prove that I can push myself and produce really great work without the ‘London’ badge.” The Northwest will miss Nicci James, who already has a lot of perspective to offer onto the world of fashion. For now, she is enjoying gaining experience at Knyttan, but we will surely hear from her again. “There is a small dream that I am nurturing of one day doing a master’s and entering that creative freedom of producing a full collection, and perhaps one day I will achieve that dream. One thing I have learnt is that that it is OK to take things at your own pace and enjoy the journey, so that is what I am doing.” niccijames.co.uk
Lifestyle
31
Darren Cullen
D
arren Cullen is a self-unemployed artist, writer and occasional musician from Leeds who once studied at Glasgow School of Art and now subsists on various forms of potato products in that London. You may also know him as co-writer of The Skinny’s Mystic Mark column or the drummer in that old band Shitdisco. He likes to make work about things he hates. You can generally find most of this work online:
spellingmistakescostlives.com twitter.com/darren_cullen facebook.com/spellingmistakescostlives instagram.com/spellingmistakescostlives
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SHOWCASE
THE SKINNY
May 2015
SHOWCASE
33
The Skinny Abroad Armed with a 2009 Rough Guide and a frankly embarrassing Thai vocabulary, we embark on a three-week whistle-stop tour of Thailand and present our top picks
Food News
Words: Jamie Faulkner
Birthdays and new beginnings this month as Bold Street Coffee turns five, Common gets a makeover, and Spinningfields’ The Kitchens project begins
T
Words: Anna Tully
golden-brown garlic cloves, and a spicy – and not just ‘tourist spicy’ – papaya salad. And seek out P’Aor – it’s tricky to locate – for a rich, creamy take on Tom Yum Koong that ensures it’s the busiest place on the block. Looking for something closer to home? Get yourself to Rocket for an exceptional cold brew or flat white. Failing that, the condensed milk iced coffees you’ll find on most streets are a quick fix. After many over-diluted cocktails elsewhere, we hit upon quality mixology at both Lady Brett and Hyde & Seek. WTF, though, are hands down winners for their whisky cocktails. From Bangkok we go to Krabi. The south’s provincial capital and stopover for island-bound visitors, it has an unjustified reputation for paltry food options. However, the night market and the weekend “walking street” market turn up some impressive traders. The latter has such diverse offerings as fried ice cream, squid salad and Japanese takoyaki. Walking out of town, you’ll find the leafy retreat of Ruen Mai, which serves up an exemplary fried butterfish and sour mango salad.
Massaman and Roti
May 2015
“The weekend ‘walking street’ market turns up such diverse offerings as fried ice cream and squid salad” Ko Lanta, our next stop, is no culinary hotbed. Succumbing to the demands – perceived or real – of tourists, most places have heavily Westernised menus. It’s also a testament to how somewhere surrounded by fecund oceans can mostly fail to serve up good seafood. A scooter ride across to the Old Town and we happen upon a Muslim cafe called Sunnee Place, where the peanut-heavy massaman and the oily roti – not to mention the welcoming hosts – are enough to warrant a second cross-island trip. A genuine find, as is a no-English-name noodle place on the Long Beach main road that does a superb pork and wonton soup. Look for a chef with a baseball cap. Later, up north in Chiang Mai, we mostly take our cues from Andy Ricker, an American chef and certified Thailand fanatic, whose Pok Pok restaurants have achieved legendary status. He recommends SP Chicken for their legendary spit-roast chicken; it doesn’t disappoint, oozing garlic and tender as they come. We make it to the much-lauded Lam Duan Khao Soi for khao soi, an intense, meaty coconut-curry topped with crispy noodles and served with a side of shallots and pickled mustard greens. In no way is it possible to do justice to the breadth of Thai cuisine in so few words and with such a fleeting experience. This is a mere teaser, but one that should have you Googling “flights to Bangkok.”
FOOD AND DRINK
ay. Ah, spring has finally sprung. At the time of writing, we’re predicted to endure a three-month heatwave, but being the British grumps that we are, by the time we’ve gone to print, we’re probably all far too sweaty to spend any longer in the sun – let’s encourage you back inside so you can try Common’s new menu: the oh-so-hip Manchester bar has had a refurb after ten years of trading, resulting in an oh-so-veryScandi finish. The menu is more revamp than revolution: they’ve kept a few classics (burgers, chilli cheese fries, the Reuben), but also introduced a rather virtuous breakfast menu (vanilla ricotta & glazed pears, smashed avo, Turkish eggs) as well as some posher lunchy/dinner bits: KFC (that’s Korean fried chicken, obvz), roast hake with charred cauliflower, and beetroot-cured salmon. Over in Liverpool, another city centre stalwart is celebrating a significant birthday: Bold Street Coffee turns five on 9 May and promises beer, bands, coffee (of course) and, er, avocados. They’ll be constructing a gallery of pics for the occasion so if you’ve any memories captured in 2D form send them over to joni@boldstreetcoffee.co.uk.
Leeds Feast
While we’re Merseyside-way, Crosby restaurant Albina (formerly Albion – damn those pesky copyright lawyers in London!) has been hosting themed dinners, usually on the second Tuesday of the month. Menus tend to be both decadent and unusual, so Hamlet knows what they’ll come up with for The Food of William Shakespeare on 12 May; a pound of flesh perhaps? If all this excitement in the Northwest can’t fill yer foodie boots, may we recommend a jaunt over to Leeds? From 7-24 May, Leeds Indie Food Festival shows us just how exciting gastronomic events can be: top picks include a lecture on seasonal eating by history professor Iona McCleery (it’s not all stuffing yer gobs!) and a beer tasting with February’s featured beer experts, Cloudwater Brew. The event culminates in Leeds Feast, a beer tent and street food market (it’s outside, I know – don’t worry, we’ll get back inside soon), with lots of Northwest faves trading, including Mumma Schnitzel, Yakumama and Arepa!Arepa!Arepa! And last but not least, if Leeds is too far and you prefer being INside – so cyclical, we know – don’t forget six Manchester food traders will be moving into Spinningfields on 21 May for ‘The Kitchens’, a 12-month residency where the ‘winner’ will receive long-term mentoring and future investment. Boring office lunchtimes be gone!
Lifestyle
35
Photo: Tom Joy
Krabi Night Market
Photo: Anna Tully
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Photo: Anna Tully
hailand. They call it the Land of Smiles but I’d suggest a subtle name change: the Land of Smiles Induced by Eating Delicious Food. Sure to catch on, that. Like a solid, dependable Food and Drink editor, I don’t head abroad for much else other than the food. Call me myopic, misled or plain moronic, but I can’t think of a better way to get a feel for a place. So, no, there was no witnessing projectiles flying from nether regions or attending full-moon parties, just a culinary coming-ofage story. First, Bangkok. The Big Mango. A place where you can get a meal for a pound at pavement level or pay English prices for cocktails 20 stories up in a sky bar. Where tiny street food carts compete with air-conditioned mega-malls that boast high-class sushi bars and liquid nitrogen ice cream parlours. We experience the fine dining side of the city at Nahm, estimating that we could have eaten well for a couple of weeks for the price of the tasting menu. Those concerns are somewhat moot once we’ve had a grin-inducing coconut and turmeric curry of blue swimmer crab and the duck noodle soup with young coconut and Thai basil. Likewise the food at Bo Lan is nigh on faultless: a salad of Songkla Lake prawns is a thing of beauty. These are two extravagant anomalies in an otherwise budget-conscious trip; the formality of the service at both places seems very much at odds with the Thai notion of sanuk. The street food is so ubiquitous, and the city so massive, that it’d be hard to make a dent in a few years, never mind days. Thanon Convent in Silom is flanked by reputable stalls all day long: look out for duck’s tongue kebabs and lime leaf-garnished fried chicken. If you’re ever near Victory Monument, seek out a nameless boat noodle joint at the very top of Phaya Thai Road. They serve a heady broth thickened with a generous ladle of pig’s blood and various bits of the animal – it’s about the porkiest thing you can imagine. It ends up looking quite similar to the river water beneath the restaurant, but for 20 baht it’s hard to complain. Eating in Bangkok feels most “authentic” when you’re sat roadside on shitty plastic chairs or perched on the curb, eating off skewers and soiling yourself with chilli sauce. But restaurants are affordable and frequently superior, too: go to Soi Polo Fried Chicken for fried chicken – what else? – served with a mound of chewy,
Crazy Pedro’s Part-Time Pizza Parlour, Manchester
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What happens when you open a pizza-by-the-slice joint above a popular late-night bar? Separated from the man buns and French Bulldogs of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Crazy Pedro’s Part-Time Pizza Parlour (try saying that after a few margaritas) finds itself sandwiched between MOJO and Liars Club, just a stone’s throw from the affluent Spinningfields and iconic Deansgate. It’s a compact venue that offers a unique range of pizza slices and tequilabased drinks. The brainchild of Lyndon Higginson, Pedro started life as a mere doodle, eventually becoming the Warhol-esque creation with cobalt complexion and hot-pink moustache that adorns the front of the business. The product of an evening of mescal and pizza mixology, Pedro found himself needing not only a company, but a venue, with the end result a sort of Frankenstein’s lab for pizza. By the slice or by the whole, the offerings are schizophrenic, from the Wacko Jacko (pepperoni, jerk chicken, pineapple, cashew nuts) all the way through to their ‘world famous’ hotdog pizza: this pizza parlour doesn’t need to, nor does it try to, compete with your cardboard takeouts in their cardboard boxes. On a nocturnal visit, we are crammed in amongst the industry professionals, as the venue fills with late-night bar staff seeking carbicide at 2am (Crazy Pedro’s serve pizza until 4am). With a whiff of mescal in the air, we slurp concoctions of drinks that look like glitter-rolled unicorn deposits, everything garnished with sprinkles or tuck shop sweets. The peach and black pepper frozen margarita is something that your bluerinse grandma might turn her nose up at, but is decidedly moreish. Admittedly, drinking from those American ‘beer pong’ cups may not be for everyone, but if you like your cocktails served with a monocle, you’re best off heading to one of
the nine-to-five briefcase haunts nearby. Here you’ll find the kind of bastardised flavours that are guaranteed to raise a few eyebrows among purists: after all, where else in Manchester can you find a nacho-laden pizza that drips in sour cream and guacamole? Decoration-wise, Pedro’s is an eclectic time warp of Americana. Who needs wallpaper anyway? The walls are plastered with retro pizza adverts – a brave move, perhaps, advertising the likes of Pizza Hut, but these lot are no real competition to young Pedro. The Parlour retains the kind of rustic charm that has been lost by the corporate chains, and the Michael Jackson/ET skateboard hanging on the wall and scrawled chalkboard puns pave the way for a unique experience. Pedro’s is the kind of place where the staff bellow your order across the crowded room and you self-serve on giant wooden boards. Food flops around on branded paper plates and you find yourself using a small forest of paper napkins to mop up your inevitable mess. (Gargantuan portions have us asking for our slices to be sliced and downsized to more manageable chunks.) As the drinks flow, the Sicilian chef Enrico is hard at work developing his 100% authentic sauces and bases; he’s a Jekyll and Hyde of flavours who is more than happy to hear the input of the clientele. The whole visit is like an LSD trip from Fear and Loathing, or a Chuck Palahniuk book. Sugarloaded meat-sweats ask you to question your perceptions of reality; and the only things done by halves here are the pizzas. Grab a cup, grab a partner and grab a slice of their fried-chickenand-waffle pizza. [Tom Chapman]
Market House
If you liked Crazy Pedro’s, try: American Pizza Slice, Liverpool Slice, Manchester Ply, Manchester Crazy Pedro’s Part-Time Pizza Parlour, 55-57 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BQ @CrazyPedros
Market House, Altrincham
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Our Food and Drink ed discovers a market hall that's making a serious case for the best place to eat in the Northwest
Crazy Pedro’s
36
Lifestyle
Altrincham had never really been on my gastronomic GPS. In fact, the closest to Alty I’d got until recently was one of the Drunken Butcher’s supperclubs in nearby Sale. It can be just that little bit too awkward to get to from Levenshulme, where we live; I recall getting stranded – having missed the last bus home – and forking out the best part of £30 for taxi fare. But all that has changed of late. I’ve discovered Market House, which brings together some of the region’s most talented food and drink traders under one roof. I say discovered, it’s more “have been arsed to go and see what the fuss was about.” Now I can’t get enough of the place. If your only experience of a food hall is at the top of an escalator on Market Street, then ready yourself for a culture shock. So that you know what to expect: it’s very firmly middle class. Expect the children – and puppies (yes, this is great dog-watching territory) – to be better dressed than you. If you so desire, it’s the kind of place where you can get a glass of Prosecco, a delicate sea bass and salad, or buy a tweed blanket in the winter. In short, a semi-affluent person’s idea of a wholesome day out. The main draw here is Honest Crust. Blistered and head-turning, their pizzas are the best I’ve had in the country – actually, make that anywhere; their margherita is a lesson in perfectly-executed simplicity. A pizza sandwich – made from fresh dough shaped into a roll and popped in the raging hot oven – stuffed with cool mozzarella has me thinking “why is this not more of a thing?” It’s hard to make a mis-step: a pistachio and fennel sausage with a pinch of chilli flakes is equally as good. There’s Tender Cow, the new-ish venture from the guys behind the immensely popular
FOOD AND DRINK
Mumma Schnitzel, whose grass-fed steaks I’m yet to try. Word on the grapevine is Great North Pie Co and Wolfhouse Kitchen are excellent too. And Sam Joseph’s impeccable chocolaterie is about as good a dessert option as you could want. Supplying alcoholic refreshment are Blackjack Beers’ Jack in the Box and Reserve Wines. The former stock bottles, and cask and kegged ales from their own range as well as from other well-vetted UK brewers like Wild Beer and Weird Beard. If the former’s Ninkazi is on, get it: the champagne yeast fermentation and New Zealand hops make for a lively, complex beer. At 9% ABV, you’ll want a side of something edible to stave off inebriation. Reserve’s wine expertise brooks no criticism and the staff will happily recommend a wine to match your food choice. Visiting in February, I felt a little sorry for the outdoor traders. But come the warmer months their lot is sure to improve. South America-inspired Yakumama, all hats and gloves and hunched shoulders, put on a brave face. Their piping-hot vegan spring rolls – soft and savoury with tofu and oyster mushroom – and beef empanadas are enough to banish the chill temporarily. Madame Francoise’s crepes and galettes are a welcome addition; a Marmite and cheese galette makes a brilliant cultural hybrid. On a recent trip, Cafe Horchata were doing their first ever event: their tortas – generously-filled Mexican sandwiches – layer on the flavour, with a veggie version just trumping the chipotle chicken. My only real lament is that, for now at least, there’s nowhere else quite like it anywhere in Manchester. But, hey, it gives me an excuse to go to Altrincham. [Jamie Faulkner] If you liked Market House, try: Camp and Furnace, Liverpool Levenshulme Market, Manchester Belgrave Canteen, Leeds Market House, Greenwood, Altrincham, WA14 1SA @MarketHouseAlty
THE SKINNY
Ablett House Book NOW
Visit our SHOW FLAT 2 Great Crosshall Street, Liverpool, L3 2AF abletthouse@thestudenthousingcompany.com 0151 214 3370 www.thestudenthousingcompany.com
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THERUBYLOUNGE.COM H @THERUBYLOUNGE H @CLASSICSLUM H CLASSICSLUM.COM
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APRIL 25: CLASSIC SLUM present REN HARVIEU + guests THE GOAT ROPER RODEO BAND @ THE DEAF INSTITUTE APRIL 29: CLASSIC SLUM present FIRES (featuring KARIMA FRANCIS) + guests HEIR
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+ DIALECTS + BAREFOOT BEWARE
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JUNE 2: THE LAFONTAINS JUNE 5: VOODOO ROCK MANCHESTER presents HARD ROCK HEAVEN featuring GUNS 2 ROSES + POIZON + TOXIC TWINS + MOTLEY CREW UK JUNE 6: SKA FACE + guests 5FT FEZ
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STOCKPORT
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PUMP UP THE JAM
EVERY LAST FRIDAY I 11PM I £4 OTD BACK 2 THE 90’S FROM THE HOWLING RHYTHM TEAM. EXPECT HUGE 90’S NUMBERS, SPANNING DANCE, HACIENDA GROOVE, AND A DASH OF HIPHOP.
ULTIMATE ANTHEMS
EVERY LAST SATURDAY BI-MONTHLY I 10.30PM I £6 ADV THE UPTEMPO SISTER NIGHT TO ULTIMATE POWER: NEW SONGS, BUT THE SAME PRINCIPLES: EVERY SONG YOU NEVER HEAR AT ANY OTHER CLUB NIGHT. EVERY SONG YOU CAN PUNCH THE AIR TO RELENTLESSLY, WHILST HUGGING A STRANGER AND SCREAMING THE CHORUS TILL YOUR LUNGS GIVE OUT. NOTHING BUT ANTHEMS ALL NIGHT LONG THAT YOU NEVER HEAR ANYWHERE ELSE: MASSIVE TUNES, SINGALONG CHORUSES AND A EUPHORIC ATMOSPHERE.
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38
THE SKINNY
RE V
Festival Watch
IE W
It’s May! May the force to stand up most of the day watching at least 11 bands and traversing an equivalent number of miles be with you. Yes, it’s time for all of the all-dayers
e looked ahead to Live at Leeds (2 May) last issue, selecting Joanna Gruesome, Dutch Uncles and LoneLady – but if you’ve got the energy to keep gunning on through the bank holiday weekend, you’ll want our top tips for Sounds from the Other City (3 May), won’t you? The genius of the Salford festival, packing promoters – be they the sort more used to the Apollo and The Ritz, or upstairs at Fuel – into the bars, churches and spaces of Chapel Street, leaves a brilliant lack of uniformity, and a completely diverse bill that simply wouldn’t have happened under any form of central booking plan. It also means it can be a bit of a minefield working out who to go and see, but we recommend you try to catch: Shit and Shine’s mangled mix of hip-hop-inspired beats, industrial abrasion and kraut repetition; a likely remarkable collaboration between Ex-Easter Island Head and the BBC Philharmonic Ensemble; the morph-suit wearing, double drum-kit beating Barberos; Finders Keepers’ beguiling Jane Weaver, and ex-Late of the Pier member Sam Dust, aka LA Priest. Oh, and hey – if you’re going, give the #SFTOCSkinny hashtag a follow on Twitter. We’re running a competition where, if you share your photos of the day with said hashtag, you could win a pretty amazing goody bag stuffed with tickets and records donated by the festival’s assembled promoters, from Now Wave to Hey! Manchester and Gizeh Records. At the other end of the month, Dot to Dot takes over Manchester’s Northern Quarter on 22 May with a roster of bright young things. It’s very much a talent-spotting festival, always with a bubbly and enthusiastic atmosphere (probably because of all that young blood), so keep your ears peeled (ew, ow) for the next big thing. Our picks tend towards the loud, from the acid-tinged, 90sinspired indie rock of Cymbals Eat Guitars to Leeds grunge-pop unit Menace Beach, with a dash of Tei Shi’s explorative Argentinian pop. More than an all-dayer, Liverpool’s industry showcase and festival Sound City (22-24 May) offers an increasingly overwhelming array of talks and panels as part of its conference programme, as well as gigs – and also enjoys a new location this year, down on the docks like. Swans, Fucked Up, the Thurston Moore Band and – again – Cymbals Eat Guitars will be keeping our ears weeping (happily). If there sounds to be a lot of, well, pavement involved in all of the above, why not lose your mind at The Lost Carnival? We’re promised that, over the weekend of 22-25 May, Burrs Country Park in Bury will be overrun with psychedelic happenings, Balkan-folk influenced music, and ‘a giant, walking Pan-Galactic Circus Beast,’ otherwise known as the Marie Celestial – which will be heading off to Glasto shortly after. Live at Leeds, 2 May, £27.50, liveatleeds.com Sounds from the Other City, Salford, 3 May, £20, soundsfromtheothercity.co.uk Dot to Dot, Manchester, 22 May, £25, dottodotfestival.co.uk Sound City, Liverpool Docklands, 22-24 May, threeday wristband (live music programme only) £65, liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk The Lost Carnival, Burrs Country Park, Bury, Manchester, 22-25 May, £10, thelostcarnival.org.uk
May 2015
Jane Weaver
Golden Teacher
Gig Highlights It’s a month of one-offs, with Douglas Dare and Earth in Liverpool, and Mew in Manchester. It's also the longest month ever; have fun budgeting to be able to manage all these gems
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s though to illustrate the hole it will leave in Liverpool’s music scene when it closes its doors on New Year’s Day 2016, The Kazimier boasts a calendar this month that takes in everything from art-school trained voodoo-rockers Golden Teacher, to the decibel-detonating deep space of Earth, and an evening of disquieting memoir from writer John Doran. While Earth’s appearance is remarkable for its rarity – more on that shortly – it’s Quietus editor Doran’s event that is most unusual, a pairing of his unshrinking prose from new book Jolly Lad with textures and punctuation from Norwegian experimental metal musician Kjetil Nernes (aka Årabrot). Doran previewed the concept in Salford with sonic botherers H.U.M and Gnod last winter and now looks set to attain full weird in what is described as “an evening of spoken word and music with readings and incantations concerning murder, black holes, ghosts and regional bus time tables.” In other words, right up our street. Perhaps literally. The Liverpool appearance (18 May) is part of a quite staggering 40-show, 31-date tour that also takes in two Manchester-vicinity dates – 2 May at The Star & Garter with guests 10 Mouth Electron, ILL and 2KoiKarp, and 31 May at Islington Mill, again with Gnod – and the Outlaws Yacht Club in Leeds (25 May). Doran spoke to our Simon about Jolly Lad – an affecting and viciously funny/sad meditation on alcohol addiction, becoming a father and the redemptive power of music – on page 25; give it a read. Earth’s Dylan Carlson is another of our guests this issue, in conversation (on p43) with The Bug ahead of their first ever, yet long-inthe-offing appearance as a duo at Supersonic Festival. However, if you’re not planning a trip to Birmingham and/or you’d prefer to see Earth in their lonesome majesty, then the scorched drone veterans – who’ve clocked up a hulking quarter-century together – play their only other UK date on this tour at The Kaz on 1 Jun. Also celebrating an (almost) anniversary, sultry Tex-Mex collective Calexico mark 20 years-ish with two proper classy gigs in two Halls – the Manchester Albert (30 Apr) and the Liverpool Philharmonic (1 May), to be precise. Their smudged Americana and Tejano folk fusion should provide the ideal soundtrack to a balmy
spring night, weather gods permitting; and if it’s chucking it down, they’ll transport you to a perpetual desert dawn nevertheless. Speaking of toasts, the Erased Tapes label have had much to jubilate about over the last year or so – as Nils Frahm’s star continues to rise (see our Do Not Miss pick, below), one of their newer prodigies and LIPA grad Douglas Dare heads out on tour to premiere some new tracks ahead of recording the follow-up to debut album Whelm later this year. His autumnal vocals and skittish, glitched piano translate nicely to humid spring evenings; catch him at Blade Factory (in Camp and Furnace) on 2 May. Fans of Dare’s gold-leafed songwriting may also enjoy Danish prog-poppers Mew, whose delicate vox, courtesy of frontman Jonas Bjerre, and finely iced patinas of guitar, strings and synth have enchanted a discerning, devoted audience for 20 years. Join them at The Ritz on 19 May and wonder why they still aren’t bigger than they are (alternatively: treasure the fact they never became Muse). Further cerebral but somewhat heavier enlightenment may be reached – again, in the surrounds of the Kaz – with a live set from Border Community’s resident wizard James Holden on 30 Apr.
Words: Elle Rockwell
Nearly done, and a reminder that, while you probably know the score with Young Fathers by now, if you’ve still not caught them, they’re at Leeds Brudenell Social Club on 22 May, Manchester’s Gorilla on 25 May and The Kazimier on 7 Jun – events for which we’ll unapologetically plagiarise what we said about them in our Do Not Miss spot a couple of months back... “We have no shame in saying that we want to be huge,” the band’s Graham ‘G’ Hastings told The Skinny in January last year; and with new album White Men Are Black Men Too now out, the Edinburgh hiphop trio – also comprising Alloysious Massaquoi and Kayus Bankole – look set to finally make good on that promise. Expect to hear cuts from first LP Dead in all its neon-fuzzed, steadily rousing glory, as well as the new material. Finally, if none of the above have provided you with the sweat-addled freakout you need, three options: Golden Teacher (The Kazimier, 21 May; Islington Mill 27 May), Iceage (Night & Day, 2 May), and, hell, Tyler, the Creator (Manchester Academy, 13 May).
Do Not Miss Nils Frahm Albert Hall, Manchester, 24 May
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very exciting press release landed in the inbox of The Skinny staff before we went to print detailing the layout of Nils Frahm’s new stage setup for his upcoming tour. You may laugh, but you ain’t seen this shit – there are like 19 pianos hanging out onstage. OK, so maybe not 19, but there’s a custom made wind organ, a grand, Nils’ own-design upright (called Una Corda), and a Mellotron. As the statement says, “Bringing all these instruments and prototypes on tour is by any means pretty insane. The chance that everything works all the time is close to zero.” Reason for the tour’s naming, ‘Nils Frahm Has Lost His Mind,’ perhaps? Acclaim for the Berlin-based pianist and Erased Tapes artist scaled dizzying heights
MUSIC
last year with the progression of his staggering Spaces tour, which took in the Barbican. In Manchester this May, he upgrades – in size, at least – from last October’s RNCM date to the Albert Hall, where the aesthetic beauty of the building will surely match the majesty of his sound, even if there’s likely no surpassing the RNCM’s sonics. Whatever the outcome of his many new experiments – new instruments, new material (he’s intending to use the new live configuration to road test unheard pieces and develop them as he goes), we’ll be with him all the way – as well as his sound engineer, sitting patiently with a soldering iron at the side of the stage. (True story.) [Elle Rockwell]
Review
39
Photo: Alexander Bell
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Photo: Priti Shikotra
Words: Laura Swift and Simon Jay Catling
Album of the Month Blanck Mass
Dumb Flesh [Sacred Bones, 12 May]
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If 2012’s White Math EP wrong-footed those tuned into Benjamin John Power's evolving brand of cerebral electronica, they might want to check their balance before approaching Dumb Flesh, his second album proper under the Blanck Mass moniker. Shifting beyond the dreamlike haze of his eponymous debut, this is an at times propulsive, often fractured and ultimately towering work of cutting-edge production, obsessively evoking themes of gothic science fiction. Yet despite the underlying dystopian narrative, it's also a record flush with subtle revelations and its fair share of banging techno tunes. “There has to be some kind of underlying melody,” Power recently told us. “It's something that I can't really operate
Colin Stetson & Sarah Neufeld Never Were the Way She Was [Constellation, 27 Apr]
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without.” The evidence of this is scattered liberally throughout Dumb Flesh, with early track Dead Format building from an existential howl into an apocalyptic rave, or the giddy Double Cross spilling forth from the off with a certain buoyancy that marks this as a wholly different machine from parent outfit Fuck Buttons. It's a volte-face of staggering ambition, and while newcomers and long-term listeners alike can expect to be bowled over, Power himself sounds rock solid on his feet here. [Darren Carle] Blanck Mass plays The Skinny stage at Electric Fields, Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire on 29 Aug. Also playing Tramlines, Sheffield, 24-26 Jul and Liverpool Psych Fest 25-26 Sep blanckmass.bandcamp.com
Faith No More
Rozi Plain
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Sol Invictus [Reclamation/Ipecac, 18 May]
Friend [Lost Map Records, 4 May]
Saxophonist Colin Stetson and violinist Sarah Neufeld, known as much for their prolific collaborations (see: Tom Waits, Bon Iver, Arcade Fire) as their solo enterprises, join forces here for the first time. And in doing so, both leave behind the stark, austere loneliness of previous solo works for something fleshier. Never Were the Way She Was is still minimalism in the extreme, with protracted periods of repeated motifs. But the two instruments complement each other beautifully, arriving at a sum that vastly exceeds its parts. Neufeld's violin offers an elegant counterpoint to the more jagged, aggressive baritones of Stetson's saxophone. It's an enigmatic and often foreboding record. And the Dark Hug of Time, with its distant vocal wailing and foundation-wobbling ripples of bass, feels like a terrifying daydream; while the album's title track is like an angry, pared-down version of Arvo Pärt's Fratres. Which is to say, it's brilliant. [John Nugent]
Hell-bent on reaching higher than before (rather than pissing on their life's work), trust these perennial non-conformists to creep back in to the fray with a lofty album title that conjures the same smirking self-awareness that always made them dangerous. “We've served you well, now we're comin’ back,” Mike Patton rasps on the ecstatic Matador, essentially levitating out of the coffin in his white suit to ride the clichés of renewal, pulling it off more convincingly than most. Faith No More's self-proclaimed “Second Coming” is given weight by Sol Invictus – “The Unconquered Sun” – a 40-minute trip driven by charisma, invention and Patton's characteristic tracheal terrorism. Close your eyes and stick pins in the tracklist for highlights; Superhero stumbles through the door like a demented sequel to Epic, their age-old hit, while Separation Anxiety is a convincing update on the sort of juddering thrash-funk they made their own with Angel Dust. Passionate, hungry and still hearteningly uncompromising; this is the real thing. [Dave Kerr]
Emotional – rather than sonic – clout is its energy source, and Rozi Plain's third album connects at a level beyond mere volume and muscle. The opening Actually sets a scene whispered but devastating: “It will be reported to be a tumultuous year…” Arrangements are thrillingly sparse – shuffling percussion, needlepoint acoustic guitar, vintage synth. Plain sings, as ever with a keen sense of wonder, but this time around she inhabits a freer, warmer world. The sleepyhead vibe of Best Team, replete with epic, abovethe-clouds middle eight, as with much here, masks a sharply focused vision. Aided by a supporting cast that includes Serafina Steer and Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, Friend's ten songs are slim but far from slight and Plain emerges as a distinct and sophisticated songwriter. Repeated listenings reveal its homespun charm. Shot through with elements of folk and psychedelia, its timing is spot on: it feels like the coming of spring. [Gary Kaill]
cstrecords.com
fnm.com
roziplain.co.uk
The Tallest Man on Earth
Joanna Gruesome
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Peanut Butter [Fortuna POP!, 11 May}
Dark Bird Is Home [Dead Oceans, 11 May] A shimmering influx of Scandinavian countryinfluenced singers – that's First Aid Kit and the like – have graced the international stage of recent. Who knows where the fascination or the perfected accents came from; either way Kristian Matsson can still claim to have been one of the mighty at the crest of it all, debuting with 2008’s Shallow Grave. Fourth album in and he continues to bring eversentimental anthems to his songbook, albeit with a voice that's dropped a tone or two as of late – no stress, it's still adorable. With his biggest sound yet he's added a full-on Sigur Rósstyle backing to the mix. It works for opener Fields of Our Home but elsewhere his vocal talents can sometimes drown in the happy-clappyness: steering this material into a strict verse/chorus format doesn't always totally translate. That first album had it right: Matsson really needs no more than his voice and guitar to prove himself. [Luisa Brown]
Cardiff's finest mess returns with another 21 minutes of explosive noisepop. Not much to show for two years’ work, you might think, but J-Gro get more right across this action-packed second offering than most bands do throughout entire careers. Short-fused opener Last Year sets the tone, slamming into an incendiary chorus, with Owen Williams and Alanna McArdle's dual murmurs a superbly soft yin to the band's raging punk yang. Williams claims this record is lyrically more obtuse than predecessor Weird Sister, but when vocals are buried this deep in deafening fuzz, we'll have to take his word for it. Instead thrill to the chest-swelling refrain of Psykick Espionage and a seriously addictive arrangement of Black Terror‘s Separate Bedrooms – voluminous magic poised equidistant between cuddlecore and hardcore. Crunchy, smooth, whatever: Peanut Butter is a refreshing antidote to indie rock's traditional sophomore slump. [Will Fitzpatrick]
Playing Manchester Albert Hall on 23 Oct thetallestmanonearth.com
Playing Islington Mill, Salford, on 18 Sep and Live at Leeds on 2 May joannagruesome.bandcamp.com
METZ
Doomtree
II [Sub Pop, 4 May] rrrrr
All Hands [Doomtree Records, 4 May]
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“I got my own nation,” goes the hook from All Hands’ second track, an appropriate rallying cry for a seven-piece rap ensemble that's as much its own cult as it is a recording project. Minnesota's idiosyncratic Doomtree continue to operate on a wavelength all their own on their third record, delivering 13 pulverising tracks that mine everything from EDM to pop-punk in aid of maximising their anthemic potential. Their populist-leaning beats secure the group a broad appeal despite their predilection for regional in-jokes, abstract metaphors and anorak pop culture references – the sort of specialised knowledge essential to any enthusiast community. Quite what Doomtree have to offer prospective inductees isn't so clear, however; while confidently massing a riotous campaign, All Hands never quite pinpoints a definitive target for its vitriol: “I've been lookin’ for someone to blame,” admits Sims on .38 Airweight, to which P.O.S. responds, “I've been thinkin’ ‘bout motives/I've been runnin’ in place.” [Andrew Gordon]
40
Review
When METZ kicked down the doors of a complacent post-hardcore scene in 2012, they were touted in some quarters as another ‘new Nirvana’ – mainly as they are a trio who deal in devastating riffs, and they signed to Sub Pop. But with II, we can finally drop that claim for good. The Toronto group haven't hired Butch Vig, or given their second album any polish, but have instead ramped up the intensity of their debut and kept straight ahead on a rather scary-looking road which has led to them being hailed as one of North America's finest touring rock bands in recent years. Spit You Out could be the best example yet of the sort of nerve-shredding, paranoia-inducing power they possess, which is just kept in line by a killer hook. Kicking a Can of Worms proves they can pull back from the edge if required, before another powerdrill bass riff sends your heart racing. Social anxiety has rarely sounded this thrilling. [Chris McCall] facebook.com/metz
Touring the UK extensively April-June. Playing The Castle, Manchester on 28 Apr; and Liverpool Cavern Club on 4 Jun
Prurient
Frozen Niagara Falls [Profound Lore, 18 May]
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As with the rest of Prurient's unforgiving discography, Frozen Niagara Falls is an assault on the senses with barely a moment of respite, however in what has been described as Dominick Fernow's “magnum opus,” the suffocation lies not just in the noise but the emotionally battered destruction within. Amid the scatter of gunfire of Myths of Building Bridges, the dystopian soliloquy of Shoulders of Summerstones, and the John Carpenter-esque synthesis lies a ditchwater destitution, like a distress call from a war-torn country. Album centrepiece Greenpoint encapsulates the dystopian journey of the album best; a lonesome guitar galvanising silt and muck into a pulsating techno rhythm only to disintegrate, allowing a plaintive voice to remind the listener that ‘you don't want to hurt anyone’, all the while electrostatic feedback constantly stabs and slices in the background. Frozen Niagara Falls digs beyond human emotion into a dizzying journey of large-scale disaster. [Jon Davies] prurient.bandcamp.com
Django Django
Born Under Saturn [Because Music, 4 May]
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It's serendipitous, really. Just as the sun threatens to show its face Django Django return with a roaring, resoundingly summer-vibed record. In measures weird, rooted and transcendent, Born Under Saturn is an extraterrestrial kind of pop beast – here to guarantee you enjoy the ride, but ultimately mysterious in its movements. The Edinburghformed four-piece have definitely got something a little spooky afoot this time. Space-age synths open High Moon, and Shake and Tremble comes on thumping and ominous, unfurling into waves of hazy psychedelia. Closing track Life We Know is all creepy “outlines of past lives” by lyric, but floor-filling foot-stomping escapism in body. Django Django's self-titled first effort proved that they're masterful party planners, and in 2015’s incarnation every click and stomp has hip-shaking purpose. Bells, whistles, brass, choral backing vocals – Born Under Saturn's got it all, and in its determination to get you on your feet, we've got a record that feels like August's come early. [Katie Hawthorne] Playing Manchester Cathedral on 23 May djangodjango.co.uk
RECORDS
THE SKINNY
Tyondai Braxton
Ava Luna
My Morning Jacket
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HIVE1 [Nonesuch, 11 May]
Infinite House [Western Vinyl, 4 May]
The Waterfall [ATO, 4 May]
It's no secret that former Battles member Tyondai Braxton is one of the most talented musicians around today, but as displayed on the bloated and indulgent Central Market that isn't always beneficial. Thank goodness his new collection, HIVE1, is so clinical, near utilitarian in its approach. Using his highly acclaimed ensemble performances from the past 12 months as a starting point HIVE1 has the impression of a variety of ideas conversing, heading into impossible tangents only to agree with each other in a roundabout way. The constant shift of textures, from the swarming microcosms showcased in K2 and Outpost to the crisp, clubby Amlochley, pace the whole record fantastically while able to create and dismantle worlds of their own. The finale, Scout1, reassembles the album and gives it the percussive treatment, concluding one of the most exhilarating minimalist albums of recent memory. [Jon Davies]
There's a thin line between having catholic tastes and a predilection for dicking about. You say eclectic, I say make your fucking mind up. Certain chin strokers of the hipster blogosphere love Ava Luna, but then they would. Ever more, our beards and our Portlandia box sets leave us ever further from knowing who we are and where we've come from, and we laud the ludicrous just in case. Infinite House, the Brooklyn ‘nervous soul’ (puh-lease) collective's third album, cares little for identity as it goes genre-hopping like an over-indulged child. From the spoken word Steve Polyester to the clipped funk of Company (think Jamiroquai rather than Chic), Infinite House dispenses with integrity, songcraft, and, most importantly, soul. By the time Black Dog and Billz arrive – both baffling, horrible guitar workouts – the game's up. Noodling on this scale should really attract a custodial sentence. [Gary Kaill]
On The Waterfall, Jim James sounds like a man at ease. My Morning Jacket's first record in four years returns the veteran Kentuckians to their midnoughties best: where Circuital could sound forced, and James’ proggy urges had infiltrated their music to the point where one more freewheeling guitar solo would have invoked the spirit of Rick Wakeman, Believe and Like a River are lighter, simpler and relentlessly upbeat. There's barely an ounce of fat on show as the record veers between the band's country rawk roots, revelling in dashes of blues on In Its Infancy and the delicately finger-picked Get the Point. The Waterfall will rightly go down as a high point in My Morning Jacket's output; an album to restore some faith in the somewhat directionless Americana genre, but above all, it's a hugely enjoyable ten songs where Jim James’ voice soars to heights this band haven't been in nearly a decade. [Stu Lewis]
tyondaibraxton.com
avaluna.bandcamp.com
mymorningjacket.com
Du Blonde
Welcome Back to Milk [Mute, 18 May]
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Beth Jeans Houghton's transformation from screwy troubadour to her new alter ego is surely standard issue music career car crash, right? Think again: Du Blonde is a triumph on nearly every level and her new MO (in short – loud guitars, rage) is a blast. Hunter is tremendous, a hefty soul ballad whose classic form, you suspect, could quench the mainstream's current thirst for originals re-fitted with modern production slicks. When she steps it down on this and the Orbison-esque Black Magic, it's no surprise to learn that Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos is on production duties. As on his recent work with New Jersey chanteuse Nicole Atkins, his unfussy arrangements give his charge room to breathe. In Du Blonde's case, fire. When, on Four in the Morning, she roars, “Shut the fuck up and let me bore you / I'm not sure I adore you,” it's a potent reminder that watching a hungry artist at play remains one of life's great joys. [Gary Kaill] Playing Leeds Brudenell Social Club on 5 Jun and Manchester Deaf Institute on 9 Jun dublonde.co.uk
Jackson Scott
Prefuse 73
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Rivington Não Rio [Temporary Residence Ltd, 12 May]
Sunshine Redux [Bloodmoss Records, 4 May] Jackson Scott's debut album, Melbourne, had been knocking around online for months before Fat Possum gave it a full release in 2013. With reviews ranging from ‘a winning introduction’ to ‘pointless,’ his hazily lo-fi bedroom pop called to mind Bradford Cox and Phil Elverum – at least until an oblivious Scott admitted this was not, in fact, the context of his influences. Follow-up Sunshine Redux explores his sound further, blending sunspot-flecked guitar riffs with simple, stoned melodies; offkilter blues with hypnagogic lucidity. When he's good – Ripe for Love's dizzying six-minute sprawl, the druggy goo of PRPLMTV – he's very good indeed, with tempos lurching like a Syd Barrett record left on a radiator. By contrast, Pacify fails to scale the same heights, languishing in dizzied psych production whilst also being distinctly forgettable. Scott is far from without his charms, and there's a certain joy to be found in simple melodies so gleefully obscured by sonic debris. A little tidying wouldn't go amiss, mind. [Will Fitzpatrick]
Four years since Scott Herren's last release under any of his multiple guises, and it appears he has enjoyed his thinking time. Returning to the very essence of sampling he became known for, Rivington Não Rio refuses to let groove dictate the flow; beats, bursts and melodies are blended down by an electronic furriness which in many ways dictates the lead. It's only his Excusing 140 Jabs Interlude (feat. Milo & Busdriver) that flashes back to Herren's R'n'B affections, lyrics hilariously mismatching the comparatively gentler beauty of the record: “Use my little finger to spread shit on far-fetched items.” With gritty synth, Infrared (featuring Chicagoan songwriter Sam Dew) tidally pulls you in and out of gigantic waves of vibration, migrating between easy listening and abstraction – Herren reinstates his talent for reframing the harshest sounds to something smooth and compatible. While every track is not a revelation, it still takes some sorcery to stretch spectrums of texture and space as far as Prefuse 73. [Luisa Brown] prefuse73.com
The Fall
Mac McCaughan
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Sub-Lingual Tablet [Cherry Red, 25 May]
God Damn
Non-Believers [Merge, 4 May]
Vultures [One Little Indian, 11 May]
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These are relatively stable times for The Fall, with guitarist Pete Greenway and bassist Dave Spurr having clocked up an impressive nine years’ service in a group where some have lasted only one gig. But Prestwich's most curmudgeonly band leader still doesn't sound happy. “How bad are English musicians?” Mark E Smith asks, more than once, on Auto Chip 14-15. This could be just another example of MES provocation, but he then makes a disdainful remark about royalty payments on Fibre Book Troll – a title inspired by a wellknown social media website. Fall fans groan whenever a new LP is hailed as a ‘return to form,’ but this – their 31st – is easily the best since 2007’s Reformation Post TLC. The group have written the sort of sharp garage rock nuggets that Smith is now best suited to, and he responds in kind – delivering clear vocals (by his standards) and plenty of the characteristic snarling that keeps us coming back. [Chris McCall]
If you're seeking the buzzsaw powerpop that Mac McCaughan perfected across Superchunk's quarter-century career, this may disappoint you. Only briefly, mind: the first full release under the Merge chief's own name, Non-Believers retains his freewheeling melodicism but replaces squall and velocity with light synth touches and a wistful sense of space. There are still earworms a-plenty – Barely There and Box Batteries provide further proof of his knack for instant, perky choruses – but this time they're gentler, and no worse off for that. Skilfully balanced against the mortal themes of recent ’Chunk opus I Hate Music, Mystery Flu and Wet Leaves find him back in the midst of teenage romance, articulating directionless intensity with a youthful fervour that belies his 47 years. Indeed, these songs of love, cars and suburbs evoke a middle-class American adolescence with such eloquent warmth that you may end up confusing it for your own – masterful pop craftsmanship at its absolute best. [Will Fitzpatrick]
Even if you're not convinced of Wolverhamptonbased hard rock duo God Damn's outstanding technical ability by the first slew on torrential drum fills on When the Wind Blows, there's no getting past the tsunami that is the title track's opening bars – demonstrating a rapid, pummeling furiousity, it's likely earned the band a devoted following on the local club circuit. The thrill of such showmanship doesn't translate to record, however and while there are occasional moments of dynamite among these tracks, God Damn too often substitute craftsmanship for a sheer brute force that isn't enough to sustain interest levels for the duration of their debut. While the bluesy chug of Horus and the leftfield chord progression on the aforementioned Vultures hint at distinctiveness God Damn might yet accomplish, their first effort is a fairly anonymous album that will likely appeal to fans of Queens of the Stone Age without offering them a whole lot new. [Andrew Gordon]
thefall.org
mergerecords.com/mac-mccaughan
Playing Liverpool Sound City on 23 May | goddamntheband.com
Mew
And So I Watch You from Afar
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+ - [Play It Again Sam, 27 Apr]
Heirs [Sargent House, 4 May]
Danish alt-rock dreamboats Mew return with an ode to the album format; a labour of love that navigates its emotional peaks and troughs with the precision of a captain's eye for the stars. Jonas Bjerre and co reunite with ex-bassist Johan Wohlert, and sound nothing short of thrilled about it: a balancing act of candied vocals and crunchy, full-bodied percussion, + - (Plus Minus) is a softer record than many in their 18-year-spanning catalogue, but by no means is it less urgent. Lead single Witness is a journey on the grandest of scales, hugely satisfying in its anthemic strides, but with the lightest of touches given to elegant, intricate detailing. Making Friends is balladeering at its best, mapped out by horizon-spanning guitar work. Mid-album, Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack joins the adventure, adding his trademark angularities to My Complications. Mew haven't lost their claws, rather gilded them with fresh, glittering accuracy. [Katie Hawthorne]
The last few years have seen a glut of so-called ‘post-rock’ bands finding synths down the back of their respective sofas and attempting to redirect their sound towards the dancefloor. Vessels and PVT have succeeded to some degree, and it's a trick Belfast's And So I Watch You from Afar pulled off with 2013’s All Hail Bright Futures. So it's interesting that their fourth album is all about the guitar again. That's not to say that this is a step back. Far from it; the jaunty feel remains and trademark chanted vocals have morphed into a more conventional vocal arrangement on People Not Sleeping and These Secret Kings I Know, pitched up on typically crunchy riffs. Elsewhere, A Beacon, A Compass, An Anchor crackles with boundless energy. Heirs neatly summarises everything And So I Watch You from Afar have created so far – moody and glowering but with an increasingly sunny outlook. A compelling experience from top to bottom. [Stu Lewis]
Playing Manchester Ritz on 19 May plusminus.mewsite.com
asiwyfa.bandcamp.com
May 2015
RECORDS
The Top Five 1 2 3 4 5
Blanck Mass Dumb Flesh
Faith No More
Sol Invictus
Django Django
Born Under Saturn
Tyondai Braxton
HIVE1
Rozi Plain
Friend
Review
41
From Russia with Love Long-term partners and now musical collaborators, Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook, aka Happy Meals, look beyond their roots with their brand of minimalist European disco. It’s already proved a hit in Moscow. Now it’s the turn of Supersonic festival
Interview: Chris McCall
Photo: Vito Andreoni
of Stereolab or Goldfrapp, than sky-scraping riff merchants. “I can’t speak for them, but they’ve all expressed that they’ve really liked it,” insists Cook. “Happy Meals has come on shuffle on the iPod in the car a few times, and there have been no complaints. All of our music tastes in The Cosmic Dead are very eclectic – it’s not too farfetched, really, that the rest of the guys like it.” The first Happy Meals tracks that would eventually surface on mini-album Apéro were formed at Glasgow’s Green Door studio, a crucible for many of the city’s musicians. “We went into Green Door kind of on a whim really – Suzie had some recording time as part of a workshop she was doing, so we went in together and started making music. We hadn’t picked up any instruments, but we had song names, and a kind of idea of how we would do it. Some of the songs were written around an abstract idea rather than a structure.” “I think because we have been together for so long, we have a lot of different ideas,” Rodden chimes in. “The atmosphere of the Green Door is fantastic – Stu and Emily who run it, you can play the same thing over and over again for hours and they’ll still be into it, or you can cut things short and they’ll give you constructive criticism as well.” With additional touches added at home in Glasgow, Apéro was released in November last year on Night School Records to positive reviews. It’s a confident first statement that suggests even better things can be expected from them. With an experienced synth player like Cook on board, nailing down a tune was unlikely to ever be an issue, but it’s Rodden’s French lyrics and pure voice that mark them out as something different. Given that she teaches the language for a living, her mastery of it is unsurprising. “When we were in London I overheard somebody saying, ‘Oh, it’s a French band that’s on next,’” she smiles. “I’ve sung in French before, but it’s the first time I’ve properly written lyrics in the language. We were just jamming, and I just started singing in French. I find I can express myself a lot better in it.” recreational pursuits in common. “Their music When asked if it was deliberate decision to scene is very segregated from mainstream soadopt a more European sound, Cook suggests ciety, more so than the UK,” he continues. “It’s it was more of an organic process between two actually very similar to Glasgow, in terms of the people who already knew each other inside out. people you meet, and the sort of music people “When we started the band, we didn’t set out listen to. I asked a friend out there what kind to make a type of music – it just became easy to of music people like in Moscow, and he told me share those abstract ideas between the two of us ‘noisy techno kind of stuff,’ and reeled off a few because we are so close. You can just say a few labels, and one of them was Opal Tapes – Steven words, or a sentence, and then take something Fisher, who runs the label, mastered our album. You go to the clubs here and people are listening from that.” The couple are already planning to record to the same kind of stuff. But in Moscow, there’s more tracks, hopefully in Rodden’s newly adopta segregation from mainstream society, which ed home of Orkney, where she moved to teach is good in some ways, as it’s a little bit freer, and last year. While it involves fairly regular weekend untamed.” trips back south to Glasgow, she is clearly in love There are of course downsides to being with the place and its incredible history. “There a promoter in a country led by Vladimir Putin. are burial tombs all over the islands, and some “They put on a lot of Russian stuff, but they also bring in a lot of artists from outside the country,” of them haven’t even been opened. I’ve become a says Rodden. “But with the crash of the ruble it’s bit of a broken record as when I come down I rave about it!” made it so much more difficult for them, having Next on the Happy Meals agenda is an apto pay for visas and flights.” pearance at next month’s Supersonic festival Rodden and Cook got together at high in Birmingham, an event known for attracting school eight years ago, but it was only in 2014 inventive and sometimes challenging musical that they finally worked together on the project talent for the benefit of a curious and appreciathat would become Happy Meals. Cook is no stranger to the stage or studio, recording materi- tive audience. Having already won over Muscovite al as Mother Ganga (in Rodden’s flat no less), and partygoers in a cold climate, a summer trip to as one quarter of Glaswegian psychedelic rockers the Midlands should pose the duo no significant The Cosmic Dead. While the latter revel in brand- problems. ing themselves ‘Scotland’s foremost Hawkwind Happy Meals play Supersonic, Birmingham, 11-14 Jun tribute band,’ Happy Meals are a rather different nightschoolrecords.com/introducing-happy-meals prospect – more sultry synthpop, in the mould
I
t is New Year’s Eve in Moscow and a party is in full swing. Russian men dressed in ski suits dance on the frozen ground, seemingly oblivious to the minus-22 degree temperature. On a makeshift stage housed in a tourist information booth, a new synthpop duo are playing an addictive line of minimalist European disco. The vocalist sings in fluent French. Those unfamiliar with the group may presume they are from Paris, or perhaps Brussels. In fact, Happy Meals originally hail from Dumfries and Galloway, and are now based in Glasgow. The story of how Suzanne Rodden and her partner Lewis Cook ended up seeing in the bells in the Russian capital – despite only beginning to make music together last year – involves an international love of “noisy techno” and a dash of Scotland’s most infamous fortified wine. When The Skinny meets the couple at Glasgow’s Flying Duck venue, ahead of the final show of their spring European tour, it’s easy to think of them as battle-hardened veterans of the continental music scene. But their eastern adventure was actually their first gig outside of the central belt. “Before this tour, we had only played three cities before – Glasgow, Edinburgh and Moscow,” explains Cook. “I did a release under a secret alias on a Russian label, and the promoters got in touch with me, heard about Happy Meals, and asked us to go out and play.” Their hosts were not entirely unfamiliar with Scottish culture. “They specifically asked us to bring across Buckfast,” Rodden adds. “I
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think they had a friend who had been to Scotland before, and he asked for it. When we were in the airport, we had picked up this beautiful whisky, Scapa, which I know from Orkney – it’s normally like 80 quid for a 70cl bottle – and we got it 50 quid for a litre. So when we were in Russia we were passing around Buckfast as well as this high-end Orcadian whisky.”
“We were jamming, and I just started singing in French. I find I can express myself a lot better in it” Suzanne Rodden
“They like a lot of drugs out there,” deadpans Cook. “Speed is their drug of choice. Buckfast seemed to complement that.” Muscovites may share a fondness for drink and proscribed substances with many Glaswegians, but Happy Meals found the two places also have other, more wholesome
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THE SKINNY
The Insect World A meeting of minds that has been in the offing for some time, Supersonic Festival finally unites Kevin Martin aka The Bug and Earth’s Dylan Carlson onstage next month. We reached the two for a summit of sorts
Interview: Simon Jay Catling
“I
remember hearing Earth 2 around the time of release, and just thinking ‘what the fuck is this?’ I had no idea,” crackles Kevin Martin’s voice across the internet, still thick with a Dorset accent that’s survived years living in London and now Berlin. On another connection from Seattle, Dylan Carlson breaks his hitherto attentive silence to howl with laughter. Hearing a reaction to Earth’s 1993 opus, which pioneered what would become doom metal, isn’t new. “But if I’m honest, a lot of the music I cherish most leaves me unsure if I love it or hate it first time round,” the ever-forthcoming producer and multi-instrumentalist also known as The Bug presses on. “Then it pulls me back and I’m magnetised to it. That’s really true of Earth’s music.” After more than 20 years of fate working round the clock, Carlson and Martin are set to cement a collaboration that started last winter with the release of Ninja Tune 12” Cold/Boa by performing live together at June’s Supersonic Festival. It’s “a perfect opportunity” as far as Martin is concerned, while Carlson is looking forward to finally being in the same time zone as Martin, having worked on their studio collaboration over the internet following a hook-up by mutual friend and album cover artist Simon Fowler. “The way Kevin uses beats, if you’re not paying attention they do these little rhythmic turn arounds,” Carlson reflects, speaking slowly and methodically on putting his tracks down. “He organises space in a really interesting way. I remember the first time I started playing and I was thinking ‘oh here’s the beat’, and then it made this subtle shift and it suddenly felt very odd.” The parallels in both their ethos and respective careers are numerous. As Carlson was stepping outside the exploding Seattle grunge scene at the turn of the 90s by furrowing a darker, repetitious progressive sound, so Martin was similarly re-examining rock’s once-thoughtclosed frontier and creating his own outsider scene with noise rock band God and hosting DIY shows for Napalm Death, Godflesh and others. Martin and Carlson’s views on volume as being central to their process are obvious; yet both too have constantly sought to redefine what it is they do with it. The Earth of the 21st century is much changed from its 90s counterpart, much as Martin pushed The Bug fully clear from the dubstep connotations the project had picked up on 2008’s London Zoo, with last year’s thunderous, insular Angels and Devils. “With that record
May 2015
I was really aware that I wanted to keep honing my own craft away from everyone,” he agrees. “The musicians I respect most – and Dylan’s certainly in that area – are people who’ve found a sound that’s reflective of their personality and reflects them. I can recognise Earth tracks almost instantly and I would hope people would feel the same about Bug tracks. The real challenge for me in electronic music is how you personalise those machines.” “That’s one thing I feel in common with Kevin,” Carlson chips in. “We’ve both been sort of, to use the old phrase, the red-headed stepchildren of whatever realm of music we’re part of.” For Martin, Earth had been on his radar since his days as a Wire magazine critic in the early 90s. Carlson, though, fully became aware of Martin under his King Midas Sound project, when they supported Om at London’s Scala in 2012. Carlson has since gone on to write favourably about Angels and Devils for the magazine Electronic Beats, and enthuses on its “numinous quality and timelessness, rare in a lot of electronic music” to us this afternoon; but it’s perhaps the dubbier sounds of KMS that reveal some key shared sensibilities between the duo, with Martin pointing out that Earth’s use of space between the notes is something that speaks to him as a dub fan. “I share a great respect for dub,” Carlson replies. “That repetition and space, but also the willingness to use whatever was in front of them to create something interesting. Lee Perry’s studio was like a four-track and a space echo.” As much as The Bug and Earth have somehow always seemed meant-to-be, however, there are certain ironies in their coming together. Carlson’s mentions of Hendrix – like the 60s icon, he also tunes down a half-step – and his dropping a line by Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore about not playing too much bring out Martin’s oft-repeated teenage hatred of guitars, or at least of those for whom technique ruled over emotion. “As a young kid, Hendrix was like the devil to me,” he admits to more laughter. “It’s taken me a long time to figure out guitars – and metal too, funnily enough. For me, metal records are so often ruined by vocals or guitars that are played too much, or horrible theatrics. When it’s whittled down to the purest tone or personalised intent that’s when it works. It’s why I like Earth, Godflesh and early Swans.”
“We’ve both been the red-headed step-children of whatever realm of music we’re part of” Dylan Carlson
Five more to see at Supersonic Holly Herndon Few artists are currently exploring humanity’s increasingly blurred lines between the ‘real world’ and our online existence with more insight than Holly Herndon. Effectively turning her voice into data on debut LP Movement, several tracks from forthcoming record Platform seek to humanise the laptop, celebrating its capacity for memory storage while worrying about its use as a weapon of mass surveillance. Tennessee-born Herndon started out in Berlin’s minimal techno scene, but she’s long traversed that to become an increasingly important social commentator for our times.
Liturgy Though rising through the US black metal scene, the group have never shied away from criticising the genre, while their music has constantly sought to expand beyond the paradigms they were lumped with. As latest album The Ark Work proves though, they’re now at a point where placing them in the context of black metal is to do a disservice to the grandiose, skyscraping work that they’re now pulling together, delivered with a knowingness in the bombast that prevents it from ever becoming too much. Apostille Recalling something of the late 70s Steel City industrialism of Cabaret Voltaire and The Future, Apostille, the moniker of Glaswegian Michael Kasparis, recently released debut LP Powerless on his own Night School Records. Anyone who’s ever picked up anything from the label, be it the solo cosmos folk of The Space Lady or Portuguese duo Yong Yong’s comedown R’n’B jams, will recognise a similarly left of centre wooziness in Apostille’s music. They partly obscure the fierce delivery of Apostille’s cold waveindebted songs, which live push Kasparis more towards punk anarchism. Happy Meals Another Night School signing, the duo of Suzanne Rodden and Lewis Cook approach synth-pop from a much warmer perspective than their label boss. Formed not much more than a year ago, Happy Meals share a sensibility with many on Night School in that their music gives the initial impression of being quite skeletal in structure; yet there’s a hazy ambience that wallows in the space between their spindly synth lines. The pair look more to mainland Europe and disco, meanwhile, for an overall sound that feels entrenched more in late-night reverie than punkshow ferocity. Sex Swing An unholy union between members of Liverpool psych stalwarts Mugstar, Part Chimp’s Tim Cedar and Dethscalator’s Dan Chandler, Sex Swing bring a thrilling sonic malevolence with them. Possessing all the fuzzed up weirdness, mindbending repetition and textural fire that you’d expect from such a collaboration, the newly formed group truly sound like a mutated progression from their various previous projects. The Bug vs Earth’s Dylan Carlson perform at Supersonic Festival, Birmingham, taking place 11-14 Jun supersonicfestival.com
The Bug
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Photo: Morisa Tamaki
Dylan Carlson
It’s what makes it so fascinating that the pair have wound up on the same page; what Martin has added over the years to the minimalism and intent learned from post-punk and noise rock, Carlson has distilled from behind the more overt styles of the likes of Todd Rundgren and Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, to meet somewhere in the middle. For both, the quest to continue to explore remains fierce too; “I think drugs become a quest to have that feeling,” says Carlson, briefly referencing his well-documented substance struggles of the 90s. “It was that desire to always have that feeling that music gave me. Unfortunately the human body is not meant to feel that way all the time. But music should be mind-altering and affect you, otherwise it’s not… I think it’s funny when all my friends are like ‘oh I’ve got this song stuck in my head,’ because I don’t even hear like pop music. It just passes through me and nothing sticks.” That those at Supersonic will feel every frequency of sound that two such titans emit is in little doubt. “Hey, Kevin,” Carlson quips as we sign-off, “should I bring earplugs?”
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Or merely awed? Either way, for the first hour Manchester is respectful rather than rapturous. rrrrr The set motors towards the present via the past Tonight, during a crushing Mladic, the epic (Moya) and the future (two new pieces). By the foundation stone of 2012’s ‘comeback’ album time the dread beat of Peasantry or ‘Light! Inside ’Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, Godspeed You! of Light!’ leads into a set-closing performance Black Emperor offer the audience a sliver of con- in full of new album Asunder, Sweet and Other text aside their instrumental, narrative schema. Distress, the room is fully charged. On many ‘Out of Order.’ ‘Fear.’ ‘Fuck America.’ Seemingly levels a brutalising experience, the end in sight random phrases, they appear as graffiti, on typed verges on sweet relief. pages and on industrial signage within looped, Eschewing stage lighting completely, the monochrome back projections; dreamlike, jitMontreal collective remain a unique and disotery, lo-def footage that marries both the horror rienting spectacle. No words: they come, they and beauty of industrial decay and of snowbound, play, they leave. And with a stage set-up that unknown cities. Picture the video tape from The smacks of rehearsal room – two band members Ring, only not quite so light-hearted. sit with their backs to the audience throughout – They enter as casually as you like, violinist a Godspeed You! Black Emperor live show serves Sophie Trudeau leading the current eight-strong as a shocking dismantling of the norm. This is touring party into customary opener Hope no rock gig: this is performance art in extremis. Drone. A full house is rapt but appears cowed. [Gary Kaill]
Out of Body: Gazelle Twin + Carla Mackinnon FACT, 9 Apr
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Puberty, a rite of passage that hopefully everyone traverses relatively unscathed, is an awkward process, but a necessary one. It’s trying, and usually failing, to find out who you are before being able to take on the main stage of living. Awkward discomfort is of particular interest to composer and artist Gazelle Twin, but is also emblematic of her performance tonight. With two albums under her belt, most recently 2014’s highly acclaimed Unflesh, you’d think she’d be confident in her presentation by now; however, Gazelle Twin provides much bluster and little delivery. There’s an air of cynicism in her tastefully crafted A/V set with filmmaker Carla Mackinnon, where ‘visceral’ and ‘challenging’ are descriptors
used as an aim rather than an achievement. The Jan Švankmajer-inspired body horror flows too heavy-handedly in the visuals; alongside the clumsy denotations of corporeal anxiety and vocal lead ‘tension,’ the detachment to the performance is further compounded by the struggle for attention between the film and her contrived presence. As Gazelle Twin creeps off stage only to return out of character for a Q&A session, it’s clear that this is an artist with a strong vision for this project. But therein lies the problem: Gazelle Twin seems like a distant and overprecise project instead of an utterance; a think tank consensus of experimental music and performance. With every gesture too laboured, too worried about offending the placid audience, Gazelle Twin must grow out of simply being clever in order to be convincing. [Jon Davies]
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Photo: Nick Bojdo
Gazelle Twin + Carla Mackinnon
Photo: Stuart Moulding
Albert Hall, 17 Apr
Courtney Barnett
Barnett and her bare-bones band – just a drummer and bass player for backing – take a decidrrrrr edly no-nonsense approach to her debut record, “We had the best meal of the tour so far.” That Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just nugget of between-song stage chatter isn’t the Sit, which charted at a respectable number only way in which Courtney Barnett flags up what 16 last week. Pedestrian at Best and Elevator a peculiar little venue Gorilla is; while the resOperator are suitably abrasive, early cut History taurant facing out onto Whitworth Street West Eraser zips past at breakneck pace, and even the is becoming increasingly bourgeois, the venue in usually subdued Depreston seems to take on a the back – under the railway arch, stage wall lined touch more aggression live. The great triumph with old electronics – feels ever more like a good of Barnett’s recorded work to date is the razorold-fashioned rock club, especially tonight. sharp wit that permeates her lyrics, but live, it’s Taking the stage in front of a white sheet the ramshackle, rough-around-the-edges nature that’s wrapped around in such a fashion that of the compositions that comes to the fore, and they almost appear to be playing inside a tent, the results are thrilling. [Joe Goggins]
Hartheim
Soup Kitchen, 8 Apr
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Hartheim are awash with contradiction. Defined as much by what they are not as by what they are, every note, every grievous lyric (“Your god has so much to answer for...”), and every jitter and twitch of Mike Emerson’s Saint Vitus’ dance, seem designed to affront. Bar guitarist Gaz Devreede’s blacker-than-black get-up, any casual observer would clock the jeans and T-shirts and lump them in with the indie mainstream. But the Manchester five-piece are anything but; the setup is orthodox (vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keys) while the execution certainly isn’t. Devreede’s chiming arpeggios and Nick Townley’s Korg fills give their arrangements a brooding elegance. Tonally, they shift from solemn to raging to rhapsodic. The sound tonight is colossal but
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Hartheim have no anthems – a sliver of sinister, ever present, ensures as much. Even at their most relatable (the unflinching examination of break-up that is When Did Your Last Rose Die?), there is little in the way of succour. Hartheim’s mirror on the world is bleak and unrelenting. For this debut headline performance, they breathe fire like never before. Local poet Lauren Bolger joins them for a blazing spoken-word intro. Electro duo Akranes lift and expand Duality, a song whose multi-hook, stop-start dynamic is, for now, a new high. You fear for Emerson, who commits to Father, the Son so deeply you wonder if he’ll ever make it back. But this is a performance fraught with danger, and it confirms the arrival of a new and unique voice, a voice that says: we’re ready. A voice that asks: are you? [Gary Kaill] Courtney Barnett
MUSIC
THE SKINNY
Photo: Sam Huddleston
Hartheim
Photo: Alexander Bell
Gorilla, 3 Apr
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May 2015
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The End of Our Road One of Manchester’s best-loved venues, The Roadhouse, will close its doors for the final time in June – we catch up with owner Kate Mountain to discuss the ins and outs of the decision their website boasting a list of over 250 acts that have played the venue. However, in true salt-ofthe-earth style, those big names aren’t necessarily what make Kate Mountain beam with pride on reflection of her 16 years in club ownership. In March last year her business partner and co-owner of the Roadhouse, Steve Lloyd, sadly passed away after being diagnosed with cancer. The whole venue’s crew simultaneously dealt with their own grief and continued to work hard for the following few days, all while accommodating an influx of Steve’s grieving friends. “That was probably my proudest moment, but it I think it was also the least favourite moment of my life. In terms of my favourite moments, I remember when one of the staff gave another member of staff’s rucksack to a cloakroom customer instead of their own, containing a rather large amount of weed – priceless. Or the time when a punter ran away with £30 in an impromptu theft and on the same day slipped it back under the door attached to a note penned with guilt. The honesty!”
“No nightclub should last forever” Kate Mountain
During their reign as club owners, Mountain and Lloyd also had their fair share of what-thehell-were-we-thinking? moments too: “I think the Hellfire club may have been a dubious decision. A queer fetish night. We all tried to style it out but none of us were quite prepared for what we got! There’s also the tale of the Carling 24-Hour session. We were the first show of the day; I Am Kloot went on stage at 8am or earlier, after a 4am load in and after we had all been drinking the night before until late. The only way through was to carry on drinking and their show was brilliant, considering, but then XFM who were broadcasting from the club asked me to do a live interview! Fear sobered me up instantly. In general, music venues have had to start becoming much more professional these days.”
Underachievers at The Roadhouse
May 2015
Photo: Graham C99
f you’re a resident of Manchester, you’ve probably heard that the Roadhouse is closing in June. As venues go, the dark, dingy and slightly grotty basement setting has achieved local legendary status over the past 15 years by hosting all manner of gigs, parties and general debauchery. We spoke to current proprietor Kate Mountain to discuss the ins and outs of the decision, the highs and lows of her time in charge, and to find out what’s next for 8 Newton Street. “I was general manager back in 1999,” explains Mountain. “My boss at the time, John MacBeath, had filed for bankruptcy and handed the staff his two weeks’ notice. I had no plans or ambition to work anywhere else. But I also knew the venue had a lot of promise.” With potential in her sights and no intention of seeking employment elsewhere, Mountain signed for the venue’s lease alongside Steve Lloyd, who had the required trade references. With that, the building was now theirs. Little did they know that one signature would pave the way for one of the UK’s finest independent music venues for years to come. While the recent news of its closure has provoked a degree of mourning among regular patrons, let’s treat this as an opportunity to capture the essence of what made the Roadhouse such a unique and special venue for music fans far and wide. As Mountain herself says, “No nightclub should last forever.” Let’s start with Elbow. The Mercury Prizewinning band from Ramsbottom spent many of their formative years at the Roadhouse. “The boys were part of the furniture back then,” says Mountain when quizzed on witnessing their meteoric rise. “We worked and played together for several years and most of my staff were musicians so very little special attention was paid.” It’s no shock to hear that a band of such stature weren’t given any special treatment. A major factor in the Roadhouse’s success was its down-to-earth attitude coupled with a discernible family vibe – qualities rarely seen in the modern-day world of super-venues running on corporate sponsors. Ironic, then, that a lot of bands who once graced the Roadhouse’s humble stage now headline plush arenas worldwide: Coldplay, Biffy Clyro and Muse, to name a few. This is something the venue is evidently and rightfully proud of,
Hoya:Hoya at The Roadhouse
Photo: Kirsty Maguire
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Interview: Lance Xavier Holden
Maybe so, but it’s stories like these that are the essence of what will be missed about the Roadhouse. A venue that isn’t afraid to show off its chips and scratches, but still brings in the punters, is a rare commodity these days. Mountain is right, times are a-changing; so, is there still room for an intimate, rough-aroundthe-edges music space in 2015? Admittedly, she confesses that people are looking for “newer, fresher environments with nicer toilets.” The level of competition has certainly increased in Manchester; with the likes of the Deaf Institute, Islington Mill and Twenty Twenty Two all either opening or going through refurbs in the last eight years, things are far more difficult at 8 Newton Street than they were when she became boss. On a slightly sad note, increased pressure from city-centre dwellers in new luxury flats, bursting to complain as soon as music is audible after 11pm, were also becoming a huge obstacle. You only have to look at the debate surrounding the Night & Day for evidence of how detrimental this can be. It’s the very prospect of luxury flats that edged Mountain closer to her decision: “I expect in the not too distant future my building will be developed into flats, which has been one of the contributing reasons to decide to close now.” So, what are the other reasons why the Roadhouse has come to meet its end? “I’m 42 years old and while I will never tire of being a hostess I do now require a slightly
CLUBS
different clientele. I remember the original owner John MacBeath, in his late 40s, complaining that he felt old when he used to come in to the club and I never understood why. You can only educate so many seasons of freshers in how to behave in a nightclub without eventually wanting to do them some damage, so before that happens I need a change!” By the end of this year, Mountain will rehome a new restaurant venture from Aumbry's Mary-Ellen McTague into the existing space at the Roadhouse, with the ultimate dream of owning and running a cabaret/supper club, the type of club popular in the early 20th century. But while the booze and sweat makes way for quail soup and goose liver there’s still a month of musical proceedings to send the setting off in style. This includes one last Electric Chair, Revolver and a few more Hoya:Hoyas. There’s also a fund-raiser on 27 May for the late Steve Lloyd, which will be soundtracked by Jimi Goodwin, and to wrap things up there will be an invite-only affair which only ends when the last one stops standing. Check out the remaining calendar dates for more details. No doubt into the early hours of 1 Jun, feet will dance, barrels will be drained and tears will be shed, but once its doors shut let’s use the legacy of Roadhouse as a blueprint of how to keep music venues true and honest – it’s the only way to ensure Manchester keeps on producing word-beating bands and hosting word-class talent.
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Skinned: Luv*Jam In the latest of our Skinned DJ mixes, purveyor of British folklore Andrew Cole aka Luv*Jam sculls through the tropics over the course of two splendid hours Interview: Daniel Jones
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Guest Selector: Vince Watson The man of many names shares nine favourite LPs from his record collection
Minnie Riperton – Les Fleurs: The Minnie Riperton Anthology [Stateside, 2001] This is one of the best compilations – if not the best – of any artist’s music career. Every track is a winner, every track has been sampled a million times and every track just has that awesome feeling about it. The kind of tracks you wish you had written yourself. A true timeless classic. Jean Michel Jarre – Equinoxe [Disques Dreyfus, 1978] This was the album that really captured the essence of chord building and layering my music on many levels. Its predecessor, Oxygène, was awesome, but this took the ‘techno’ elements to a new place and told a very pure ‘underground’ story. A beautiful journey into melody and melancholy. The Police – Reggatta de Blanc [A&M, 1979] This was the first album I actually ever heard. My mum had the cassette in her Mini and we used to listen to it non-stop along with Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. I preferred this album as it had the jazz bassline, amazing chords and brilliant drumming. They were so far ahead of their time. Innovators. Underground Resistance – Revolution for Change [Network Records, 1992] Sometimes an album comes along at the right time... this was it. I was moody, young, lost in music and needing direction in 1992 and Revolution for Change was perfect. Even the title inspired me at the time. It all seemed to fit. Aggression, acid, amazing chords, beautiful
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album start to finish. So many haven’t even heard this which is a real shame. A definite building block. Rhythim is Rhythim – Relics: A Transmat Compilation [Buzz Records, 1992] I had so many test pressings, and US import Transmat and Buzz Records all had canvas covers and proper art; they were real ‘products, start to finish.’ All the extra unheard tracks were just so good, unlike most things out there at the time, and totally inspirational for, due to the fact they were all recorded live, which I really loved. I still made music like that myself until 2005. Black Dog Productions – Bytes [Warp, 1993] The UK has so many amazing electronica labels, but Bytes was the start of so many great tracks that followed it. BDP and all the related artists were true pioneers, and still are today, in the form of Plaid. This was and still is my favourite Black Dog project. Not to be confused with the relaunched Black Dog around these days, of course.
The Skinny: What can you tell us about your Legend of Gelert project and its origins? Andrew Cole: I am just fascinated by historical folklore, ancient myths and factual history too, hence Crow Castle Cuts, which then stemmed onto Blind Jacks Journey and now The Legend of Gelert. It’s weird as I was awful at history in school, but I do love a look into the archives now. I don’t have a track on the first record, but Fredick Carlsson, Johan Hansson and somebody named BOB do! Have you got anything in the pipeline for 2015 for your own productions? We are working on a remix for Acasual for a Blind Jacks special 10” and another remix for
Causa on Tusk Gold. At the moment, there’s a We Play House EP, Freerange 200 EP and a feature on Cocktail D’amore’s fifth anniversary album. Coming up there’s some unique production work on the LOG project, a Gottwax RSD EP and a few other bits under way. Does this spell a hiatus for Blind Jacks Journey? Apart from the cheeky 10” above, yes, possibly! There’s no rules, but originally it was a follow-on from Crow Castle Cuts. Blind Jacks was only ever meant to be four releases to mark the poignant marks in John Metcalf’s life (Blind Jack). But it was just too good to end, hence [12” compilation series] The Return Tripp! It may reappear in the future, who knows, but for now, it’s on to the next compelling series. I’m working on 3000.2 today as it goes! Some great new artists to reveal soon. A man who declares a composition of 58% rabbit, 16.1% hedgehog, 4% squirrel, 3.7% fox, 3.4% badger, 1.6% rat, 1% deer, 1% stoat, weasel, polecat and mink leaves 11.2% unaccounted for. Are we safe to assume the rest is human? Haha, I’m basically obsessed with percentages; I’m no mathematician, but I do love a decimal point! 11.2 – a possible name for a future track! Tell us a bit about the mix. I just gathered a load of my favourite vinyls and figured how to gel them together... I wanted the mix to be a journey from the slow tropical numbers to full on party beasts! As you know I do love my four-hour mixes, so it was a challenge to squeeze it down to two, but fun – enjoy! Check out the mix at theskinny.co.uk/clubs/dj-charts Luv*Jam plays Gottwood festival 11–14 Jun. For more info on tickets and travel: gottwood.co.uk
Carl Craig – More Songs About Food and Revolutionary Art [Planet E, 1997] One of the best techno albums from Detroit. In an era that had much competition and lots of artists really pushing things, Carl pops up with this and blows everyone away. An incredible example of Detroit techno, and very much in the purist category, but such an iconic record that even today it sounds fresh and exciting. Plaid – Not for Threes [Warp, 1997] When Black Dog split, I really hoped that Plaid would carry on where they left off, and after a few years this was the album I had been waiting for. Even today, I still play a long edited version of OJ (which was only on the vinyl, I think). It’s got such a variety of genres and types of sounds; it really showcases how talented the two of them are. Vince Watson’s Eminescence EP is out now on Yoruba Records. Look out for projects for Cocoon, Ovum, Planet E and Poker Flat in 2015
CLUBS
Gottwood Festival
THE SKINNY
Photo: Stephanie Rae
Herbie Hancock – Head Hunters [Sony, 1973] I wasn’t raised around jazz music, my father was a folk musician, so when I first heard Chameleon it totally intrigued me. I loved the organised chaos it seemed to have, compared to the strict folk music I heard on peace camps. This changed everything for me from a young age, I knew I was following a different musical path from my father.
ndrew Cole is one of the most dauntless curators going. Following on from his work with Crow Castle Cuts and Blind Jacks Journey, his new stable draws inspiration from another fabled narrative – the legend of Gelert. It’s an intriguing slice of Welsh mythology: the Gelert in question is a legendary dog, canine companion of Prince Llywelyn the Great. The story goes that the prince returned from hunting one day to find his newborn child missing, his cradle overturned and Gelert with a bloodsmeared mouth. Believing that the child has been savaged, Llywelyn draws a whack-off sword and slays the pooch without a second thought. Upon hearing Gelert’s dying yelp, the prince also hears the baby crying and finds him unharmed, underneath the cradle along with the carcass of a dead wolf that had attacked the child and had been killed by Gelert. Feeling like a turd after his mistake, Llewelyn vows never to smile again. Back to the present, Cole has been gracious enough to put together the eighth instalment of our Skinned series... and it’s an absolute doozy. Fans of Ali Renault, Roman Flugel and Deep88 – probably the ghost of Llywelyn, too – will be hard-pressed not to show a tooth or two. Head over to theskinny.co.uk/clubs/dj-charts to listen.
Carol Bove / Carlo Scarpa
Li Binyuan: Social Behaviours
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Carlo Scarpa Vitrine (1956) with Twenty Laboratory Tests for the Brion Tomb (1969-78)
has been cut-away at one end revealing a skeletal structure of I-beams underneath. Or, when circling Crescita, a ziggurat-like structure built from cubes, it reveals its precious gold-leaf details. Two of Bove’s own works, Coral Sculpture (2008) and Heraclitus (2014), in Gallery 1, use incongruous natural and man-made elements such as a peacock feather, a shell, coral, a bronze cube and some twisted junk metal, held aloft by steel stands that cradle and suspend each object, demanding that we take notice of their individual qualities. Though they exist somewhere between scientific specimen, detritus and sculptural object, Bove (like an artist-alchemist) has transformed these fairly ordinary things into beautiful and covetable assemblages. One of the standout works in the exhibition is a Scarpa vitrine, filled with his designs for details of the Brion Tomb, arguably his architectural masterpiece. Ziggurat motifs and circular apertures abound in his prototypes for keys and candlestick holders. Akin to an alphabet of forms – this is a revelatory work that shows how he achieved an architectural poetry through the use of fragments, and in this work his kinship with Bove becomes clear – the pleasure truly is in the detail. [Holly Grange] Until 12 Jul henry-moore.org/hmi/exhibitions/carol-bove-carlo-scarpa
Social Behaviours is Li Binyuan’s first solo exhibition in the UK and it certainly makes an impact. The majority of the Beijing-based artist’s work centres on video and performance, with key components being Li Binyuan’s own body and the use of low-tech camera equipment or phones to record his videos. His work hovers on the boundaries between performance, intervention and documentation and this is highlighted by the fact that many of his actions take place in urban spaces, sometimes directly interacting with members of the public. Long Jump is the first work the visitor encounters and it seems deceptively simple. Over two split screens, the artist attempts to jump between two high traffic bollards but it is only on realising the distance between them (nearly two and a half metres) that it becomes more obvious how daring a challenge this is. As the sequence runs, Li Binyuan clearly becomes more tired, slipping at times from the bollards. The way the video is installed is also interesting: visitors enter the rest of the exhibition through a gap between the two screens, passing between the bollards much like the other traffic in the video. Signal is a particularly mesmerising work, again split across two screens. In the foreground, a thumb flicks at a cigarette lighter, causing it to splutter into flame, while in the background a city night scene spreads out. It takes a moment before the viewer spots a flash of light from the top of a tall building; then the question begins to form – is the lighter responding to the other light or a precursor to it? The answer never becomes quite clear, giving a delightful ambiguity to the scene.
Li Binyuan - Deathless Love
Resonate, presented on a smaller screen, shows the artist jumping in response to the tremors of a train passing over a viaduct behind, without ever turning to see the cause. In contrast, cause and effect are changed in Exercise 47mins, in which the artist appears to breathe wind into a tree. This plays beautifully with perspective, as the artist appears much larger than the tree, with almost godlike powers. Two screens, side by side, form the work entitled Link in which Li Binyuan cartwheels across the same bridge in two different seasons: spring and winter. Again, there is a sense of joy in celebrating his body and its movements, but the connection between the action and location does not feel as strong as in other works. The final artwork does not fully exist yet. A concrete pad, made by the artist, sits in the gallery waiting for Li Binyuan himself to appear on 14 May at 7pm to perform Deathless Love, a recreation of a previous performance where the artist smashes hundreds of hammers, rendering them functionless, as the audience looks on. The physical and durational endurance of this performance raises questions of what artistic production is and can potentially be. [Neil Dymond-Green] Until 31 May cfcca.org.uk/exhibition/li-binyuan
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Northern Greats: Summer in the Square This month, we take a quick break from meeting the residents of the Great Northern to check back in with its programmers, Future Artists, who had so many summer events to tell us about they needed a whole column
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he masterminds behind programming the Great Northern Warehouse both inside and out, Future Artists have, after a successful 2014, been allowed to continue their curatorship into 2015, moulding the space in ways that frequently surprise and delight. As they’re now looking ahead to summer, they got in touch to fill us in on their forthcoming plans. The Skinny: Having been awarded an extension to your time at the Great Northern, what lessons have you taken from last year and put into action this year? Future Artists: Last year was all about making the Great Northern Warehouse a destination for experiencing ‘real’ Manchester culture, across food, drink and art. Being given the chance to continue building an audience for this is fantastic. Each week we get busier and busier, and to be recognised for making it happen is great. Let’s talk about your plans for the summer: one of the main focuses is the outside square in front of the Great Northern. What do you like about this space? It’s going to be the go-to destination this
May 2015
summer. All our bars and restaurants have amazing outside spaces and the amphitheatre is a sun trap – we host large-scale events on this square, too. We’re sponsoring both Manchester Day Parade, which is a celebration of Manchester people, and Manchester International Festival, so they’ll be here; we’ll also be hosting a range of health and lifestyle activities from yoga to military fitness. There’s going to be lots happening. Have you taken inspiration from anywhere or anyone in particular while planning your summer programme? The inspiration comes from the fact that we’re like a mini village, with communities both on-site and passing through daily. The amphitheatre is a great place to relax in the summer for free; we respect this zen space and want to welcome everyone in. Can you tell us a bit more about Manchester Day Parade (14 June)? We wanted to make sure that the Parade had a central hub in the city. Last year they created a giant game of snakes and ladders in the amphitheatre and had a dance-off outside Lucha Libre.
This year’s theme is ‘Game On’, so expect games for all the family, and art happenings beyond that. It’s all about making sure that Manchester has a space for spontaneity. You also have plans for the summer solstice on 21 June; what can we expect there? Rumour has it that the Warehouse is built on energy lines, and so, like Stonehenge, we welcome the longest day of the year and connect to the earth via yoga and spiritual awakening. Pop down, watch the sunrise and get involved. We’ve been enjoying catching up with different residents of the Great Northern over the last few issues, including Grindsmith coffee. Who else can we look forward to hearing from over the next few months? And who might join them? Breakout is an escape room game that has popped up with us; B.EAT STREET is opening up as an events space; Cocktails in the City (14-15 May) is coming to the Great Northern too. We’re also in the early stages of doing something with the mews area, which is a big open plan street on-site.
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What else can we experience at the Great Northern that’s unique to the city? Central Working are hosting artists every month in a pop up gallery, and the Almost Famous terrace will be live all summer so you can get your burger fix in the sun. Events-wise, keep checking our website. And, finally, if you had to summarise in just a few words: what can people expect from a Future Artists event this summer? We’re here to make you feel good and make you happy. Full listings for summer in the square can be found at thegreatnorthern.com | @gnwarehouse
Review
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Photo: Mia Forrest
What do the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa (1906– 78) and the contemporary Brooklyn-based sculptor Carol Bove have in common? The answer: quite a lot, really. So much so, that this exhibition at the Henry Moore Institute feels more like a collaboration or conversation between two living artists, rather than a co-option of a historical artist’s work. Bove’s approach of ‘making room for other people’s’ artwork within her own is something she terms ‘forced collaboration.’ The end goal, she says, is to create environments that optimise the viewing of other artists’ work. Here, the elements are so neatly woven together that it becomes almost impossible to tell where one artist’s work ends and another’s begins. Scarpa’s work remains relatively unknown in the UK outside of the world of architecture. He was perhaps the first proponent of an additive approach to architecture – fusing newly built elements with pre-existing structures. A number of vitrines Scarpa designed in the late 1950s are exhibited, empty of their contents – their inclusion a provocation to consider them sculpture in their own right. The craftsmanship is undeniable, glass plates are held by pressure alone with no bolts or screws and the carpentry is testament to the skills of the Venetian craftsmen Scarpa worked with. The crux of the exhibition is a large installation in Gallery 2, for which Scarpa’s 1968 Venice Biennale installation, Ambiente (‘Environment’), serves as physical and thematic anchor. In their new setting, all of Scarpa’s sculptures are given their own support designed by Bove and form a series of moments, masterfully orchestrated. Colours, forms and materials induce a subtle rhythm as you walk around its stage-like platform. There is a sense of variety within harmony and of repetition punctuated by moments of surprise, like when you notice that the base-plinth
CFCCA
Photo: Augustin Ochsenreiter
Henry Moore Institute, Leeds
Film Event Highlights There’s sci-fi galore at FACT, HOME opens its doors with a brace of live scores and Grimm Up North take us on an epic journey back to Middle Earth Words: Simon Bland
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ure, it may be getting sunnier but who needs sunshine and all that ‘real life’ malarkey when there’s so much to catch at the cinema? Let’s start with Liverpool’s FACT. Their Sci-Fi Season boasts two space-age greats, with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey (7 May) and Christopher Nolan’s 2014 wormhole epic Interstellar (20 May). The former offers a sterile glimpse into an unrealised future, which raised eyebrows when it was released back in 1968. The latter takes a fantastic yet sobering look into our troubled present, asking where we’ve been and where we’ll go next. Both test our understanding of humanity and both look great on the big screen. Also at FACT, you’ll find Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan (3 May) and 1932’s Freaks (24 May) as part of their Vintage Sunday Screenings, as well as the great music doc The Devil and Daniel Johnston (13 May), which explores the bipolar career of its titular troubled star. Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Small Cinema hosts a handful of exciting events – however, if we had to pick favourites, we’d suggest the local premiere of media corruption doc The Fourth Estate with director Q&A (9 May) and Cheap Thrills’ presentation of schlocky Brit-horror The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (27 May). The perfect highbrow-lowbrow cocktail.
Girlhood
The Tribe
Tokyo Tribe
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Director: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy Starring: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy Released: 15 May Certificate: 18
Back in Manchester, Cornerhouse settles into its new home at HOME with two cinematic events on its opening weekend. Hungarian director Pál Fejös’s New York City romance Lonesome gets the live-score treatment courtesy of Dutch Uncles’ bassist Robin Richards on 24 May, while Manc songstress Josephine brings a live multimedia performance to North West Film Archive footage on 25 May. Both events form part of the venue’s inaugural season and set the tone for the fun that’s sure to be had there in 2015. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Serenity, Joss Whedon’s big screen bookend to his ill-fated 2002 space opera series, Firefly. To celebrate, Manchester’s Grimm Up North team are hosting a special anniversary screening at the Odeon Printworks (12 May) where fancy dress is encouraged and shiny prizes are available. Then it’s off to Middle Earth for an epic back-to-back screening of Peter Jackson’s extended Lord of the Rings trilogy (30 May). One for die hard fans, this 1pm to 1am Grimm screening takes place at Z-Film Studios in East Didsbury and the ticket price includes enough food, drink and lembas bread to keep you going throughout. If ever there was one screening to rule them all, this is undoubtedly it.
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Director: Sion Sono Starring: Ryôhei Suzuki, Young Dais, Riki Takeuchii Released: 22 May Certificate: 18
The Tribe, Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s devastating ensemble piece, is told entirely in Ukrainian sign language, with no dialogue and no subtitles. Rather than being intimidating or impenetrable, this remarkable film clues viewers in on how to watch it almost immediately, relying on context, body language and incident. Taking place in a school for the deaf and beginning with the point of view of new kid Sergey (Grigory Fesenko), what one might think is going to be a tender story of teenage adjustment soon becomes a chronicle of a vicious underground gang, and the passions and loyalties within. Unfolding as a series of ever-graver surprise turns rendered in haunting long takes, The Tribe recalls such classic school-kid shockers as Lord of the Flies and Gus Van Sant’s Elephant. Slaboshpytskiy has made a film with a unique hook but one that doesn’t rely on gimmickry – underneath its method is a substantive emotional compendium that’s passionately, hypnotically shattering. [Ian Mantgani]
Bringing ‘slammin’ beats from the ass-end of hell,’ Sion Sono’s manga adaptation Tokyo Tribe is a hysterical hybrid of The Warriors, Yakuza movies and Escape from New York, spliced with video games Jet Set Radio and Streets of Rage and a dash of Scott Pilgrim. Also, it’s a candy-coloured rap-battle musical where maybe 15% of the dialogue isn’t sung or grunted to some kind of beat. So in that sense it’s like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg but with added beatboxing, tanks, Clockwork Orange-riffing human furniture and virgin sacrifices to Satan. Fun for all the family. For those willing to fully embrace the two hours of constant extreme but tight formalism, which can admittedly be exhausting on occasion, Sono’s delirious oddity of gang warfare and renewed hope offers a phantasmagoric world unlike much else visualised in live-action cinema. There’s one real bugbear, though: there are a few too many references, depicted or uttered, to sexual violence aimed at women, which sits uncomfortably alongside the film’s more cartoonish brutality elsewhere. [Josh Slater-Williams]
Girlhood
A Funny Kind of Love
Director: Céline Sciamma Starring: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh Released: 8 May Certificate: 15
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2001: A Space Odyssey
Timbuktu
The inaccurate English retitling of Céline Sciamma’s Bande de filles has led some to draw comparisons with Boyhood, but where Richard Linklater’s film was a generalised account of growing up, Girlhood is much more complex and specific in its exploration of race, gender and class. All of Sciamma’s films have concerned young women struggling to find their identity, and Girlhood focuses on a black teenager from the Parisian suburbs who reinvents herself and finds both friendship and trouble when she is inducted into a girl gang. This may be a less perfectly formed picture than Sciamma’s Tomboy but it’s also a more ambitious one, and the director’s most visually accomplished work to date, with sharp images and a potent use of colour throughout. But the film’s biggest strength lies in Sciamma’s magic touch with young actresses: the cast of first-timers give uniformly excellent performances, with Karidja Touré and Assa Sylla in particular showing a real star quality. [Philip Concannon]
Director: Josh Lawson Starring: Josh Lawson, Bojana Novakovic, Damon Herriman Released: 8 May Certificate: N/C 18+
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Josh Lawson’s sexual comedy starts boldly: with the image of a naked foot approached slowly by a protruding tongue. This toe-sucking episode marks the beginning of a journey through the bedroom lives of a suburban neighbourhood. Along the way we encounter roleplaying fetishism, acquire the terms ‘dacryphilia’ and ‘somnophilia’ for our sexual vocabularies, explore the challenges of calling a sex line in sign language and investigate the conundrum of the rape fantasy. This could all be easy ammo for a raunchy comedy with the aim of sniggering at all things sexual, but what’s most refreshing about A Funny Kind of Love (its – better – international title is The Little Death) is the humanising way it draws its characters as fully realised, perfectly ‘regular’ people with particular preferences in bed. In almost every case, the discovery of their kink is as much of a surprise to them as it is to anyone else, and the humour comes from the disconnect between the prudish veneer of their everyday suburbia and the desires hiding underneath it. And boy, does it come hard. [Ross McIndoe]
Timbuktu
Clouds of Sils Maria
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Director: Abderrahmane Sissako Starring: Fatoumata Diawara, Abel Jafri, Hichem Yacoubi Released: 29 May Certificate: 12A One of the many memorable sequences in Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu depicts a group of teenage boys playing football without a ball, as ball games have been outlawed by the jihadist regime, some of whom were earlier seen debating the merits of Zidane and Messi. In such moments, Sissako brilliantly highlights the absurdities and contradictions of these zealous attitudes for comic effect, but he also depicts with lucid anger the suffering faced by ordinary people whose lives are destroyed by the Sharia law imposed upon them. A beautiful interlude showing a group of friends playing music in their home is followed by a harsh punishment being administered to them; a woman who declines a marriage proposal is taken into wedlock by force; a child is left alone to face a future we cannot imagine. Shot with a brilliant eye for composition by Sofian El Fani, Timbuktu is an essential work; it’s a vital plea for understanding, compassion and peace that is marked by a deep wisdom and humanity. [Philip Concannon]
FILM
Director: Olivier Assayas Starring: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz Released: 15 May Certificate: 15 In her youth, Maria Enders (Binoche) made her name in Maloja Snake, a play in which a young woman seduces her boss – an older woman – and drives her to suicide. Now, years later and in a new production, she’s recast as the older woman opposite a rehab-regular tabloid starlet (Moretz). Enders retreats to the Alpine town of Sils Maria with her assistant (Stewart) to prepare for the role and reflect on the concept of power. Twilight star Stewart recently told The Hollywood Reporter that a film like this “would never be greenlit” in the States: “It’s two women sitting in a room basically talking about being women and movies and their lives and their perspectives,” she said, “and it never really cuts away from that.” She’s absolutely right. Oliver Assayas’s film is about women, which should be no great cause for celebration as it’s also exciting and unashamedly intellectual, but when many films still can’t even pass the Bechdel test, Clouds of Sils Maria feels like a revelation. [David McGinty]
THE SKINNY
Bad Land: Road to Fury
Satyricon
Thief
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Director: Jake Paltrow Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Michael Shannon Released: 4 May Certificate: 15 Originally titled Young Ones for its US release, Bad Land: Road to Fury has seemingly received a name change in an attempt to capitalise on the hype surrounding the forthcoming Mad Max: Fury Road. Despite the presence of that film’s co-star Nicholas Hoult, plus desert vistas and a post-apocalyptic setting where a fleeting water supply is a key plot point, Jake Paltrow’s sci-fi western has little in common with the Mad Max series. It actually resembles, of all things, the sprawling 1956 land epic Giant. There’s a definite ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach to storytelling, which produces momentarily arresting visual touches here and there. The problem is that the film is in perpetual fast-forward mode (and particularly overzealous with dissolve cuts), speeding through all its flash and developments, never slowing down to allow any of its beats to have meaning, or any of its characters to be interesting. [Josh Slater-Williams]
Director: Federico Fellini Starring: Martin Potter, Hiram Keller Released: Out now Certificate: 18 Set in Rome during Nero’s reign, Satyricon’s loose story follows a young man (Potter) as he fights to retain the affection of his lover. We watch as he attends the dinner party of a rich man, is captured by pirates and kidnaps a hermaphrodite demigod. If this sounds surreal, that’s because it is, and the film makes zero concessions to comprehensibility; the audio even placed out of sync with the footage to increase the viewer’s sense of alienation. It’s a carnivalesque journey through a decadent society on the verge of collapse, one that speaks to the film’s present – a politically and sexually liberated late 60s Europe – as much as Italy’s past. The overblown nature of the piece renders it dated, yet the film’s twisted visual aesthetic and narrative sense of the bizarre would echo in the work of those later masters of the surreal, Lynch and Herzog. [Sam Lewis]
Director: Michael Mann Starring: James Caan, Tuesday Weld Released: 1 Jun Certificate: 15 One last big job and then he’s out for good. Frank (Caan) is a master jewel thief operating under the same illusion as the gangsters, dealers and hitmen of a thousand films before him, and its a story we know far too well to ever think that it can end well. Ultimately, they’ll either pull him back in or wipe him out. Thief wears its genre as a badge of honour from the very first scene. It opens at night in a dank back alley, rusted fire escapes creeping up the sides of dilapidated apartment buildings and rain pouring down. With its noirish, crime-flick intentions announced loud and clear, the rest of the film is free to revel in Michael Mann’s slick camerawork and Caan’s formidable charisma. Finished off with a pulsating electronic soundtrack courtesy of Tangerine Dream, the full effect is darkly hypnotic and very, very cool. [Ross McIndoe]
Day of Anger
Society
Cat People
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Director: Tonino Valerii Starring: Lee Van Cleef, Giuliano Gemma Released: Out now Certificate: 12 Lee Van Cleef followed The Good, the Bad and the Ugly with this similarly tough spaghetti western. Van Cleef (as Frank) marches his spare strut and coyote stare into the town of Clifton, where he tutors Guilano Gemma’s bullied yet hulkingly handsome Scott in the ways of gunslinging. Unfolding as a series of numbered lessons (“Lesson number four – don’t get between a gun and its target!”), it transitions to Scott getting strident with power and Frank drunk on it, creating conflicted loyalties and a showdown. The developmental beats and sweaty close-ups are routine, but there’s a muscularity and focus to Day of Anger that make its power dynamics and violent turns clear, direct and engaging. Meanwhile, director Tonino Valerii’s stylistic flourishes – a gunshot framed between a man’s legs; a shotgun duel arranged like a horseback game of chicken; a rousing, twanging Riz Ortolani score – are inventive enough to be noteworthy. [Ian Mantgani]
Director: Brian Yuzna Starring: Billy Warlock, Evan Richards Released: 8 Jun Certificate: 18
Society is part of the long tradition of horror as social commentary. Initially, however, Brian Yuzna’s 1989 debut, with its flat cinematography and wooden performances, doesn’t look much to write home about. It’s set within an upper-class Beverly Hills community and follows an all-American high school jock (future Baywatch hunk Warlock) who’s feeling alienated from his rich peers and family. Catch it while channel-hopping and you might mistake it for a glossy teen soap. But beneath the whiff of TV movie cheesiness there’s a political fury that makes Yuzna’s picture irresistible. This bubbling rage explodes in a debauched finale that makes recent social satires like The Wolf of Wall Street and Spring Breakers look quaint. The stomach-churning make-up effects, by the appropriately-titled Screaming Mad George, could be ripped from a Cronenberg picture. With the general election fresh in our minds, Society ’s crudely effective evisceration of the elite classes feels even more potent. [Jamie Dunn]
Director: Paul Schrader Starring: Nastassja Kinski, John Heard Released: 25 May Certificate: 18 Made between his milestones American Gigolo and Mishima, Paul Schrader’s Cat People is a blend of the more commercially minded concerns of the former and the stylistically experimental features of the latter. Like The Thing, its Universal stablemate from 1982, Schrader’s film is a very loose remake of a beloved thriller, and one that’s only become more interesting with age. Paced more like a mood-focused art film than overt scarefest, it’s so imbued with Schrader’s key themes in his directing and screenwriting work (sex, obsession, violent destinies, and Bresson nods) that it almost feels like an artist mythologising his own hangups through the framework of fantasy fiction. Goofy at times and structurally questionable (the electric Nastassja Kinski’s full plight of being a leopard lady isn’t explained until nearly 90 minutes in), Cat People, an icy art-horror that opens with what’s aesthetically a 2001 homage scored by Giorgio Moroder, nonetheless has a hypnotising quality. [Josh Slater-Williams]
It’s been 23 years since Twin Peaks was cancelled, but such is its influence it feels like it’s never been away. With recent talk of new episodes and an upcoming conference devoted to the series, we delve back inside its surreal world Interview: Steve Timms
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he idea of millions of people tuning in to watch a weekly television show at the same time and on the same channel seems oddly quaint in an era of Netflix and DVD box sets. But in the autumn of 1990, that’s exactly what happened when Twin Peaks arrived in Britain, six months after its American debut. The show was a collaboration between filmmaker David Lynch and TV scriptwriter Mark Frost, veteran of Hill Street Blues. The engine of its plot is the investigation into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) led by idiosyncratic FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan). As with much of Lynch’s other work, notably Blue Velvet, Peaks explores the disparity between the surface of small-town respectability and the seedier aspects lurking beneath. “In a town like Twin Peaks,” ran the show’s tagline, “nobody is innocent.” The most popular shows on American TV at the time were ALF, Saved by the Bell, Murder She Wrote and the gruesomely sentimental Cosby Show; Twin Peaks landed like a psychedelic bomb. And though it only lasted two series, it was that rare beast: a game changer and a pop
May 2015
Prints by Richard Beymer - Fire Walk With Me 20th Anniversary Twin Peaks exhibition at Copro Gallery
culture phenomenon. The serial dramas that came directly afterwards – Northern Exposure; Wild Palms; Eerie, Indiana – shared a healthy dose of the Peaks DNA. And it’s not much of a leap to imagine Agent Cooper sharing an office with Fox Mulder of The X-Files (David Duchovny appeared in three Peaks episodes as transgender agent Denise Bryson). Bates Motel, currently showing on the Universal Channel, plays like an alternate reality version of the show. “I think Twin Peaks got into the cultural water supply pretty much instantly,” says film critic Danny Leigh, who recently celebrated the show in a Radio 4 documentary. “Since then, it’s been easier to name the TV shows that that weren’t somehow in its debt than those that were.” This month, Peaks’ cultural legacy is examined further at media conference I’ll See You Again in 25 Years: The Return of Twin Peaks and the Generations of Cult TV. Its organiser, Kirsty Fairclough-Isaacs, senior lecturer in media and performance at Salford University, suggests why the show is so relevant to academics: “Twin Peaks has served as a blueprint for what has become known as ‘quality television,’ due to its
high production values, narrative complexity and auteur-driven status,” she says. “Its influence on later US TV drama productions such as The Sopranos, Breaking Bad and House of Cards among others is evident.” The show was cancelled in 1992 amid interference from its network, ABC; the final episode remains an unresolved cliffhanger. “The network cancelled the show for the usual prosaic reason of ratings but part of me thinks they did the world a favour by killing it when it still seemed so vital,” suggests Leigh. “There’s a terrible parallel reality where it limps on until 1998 with no real input from Lynch, and half the original cast having been written out.” Our love affair with the show was rekindled last year when American channel Showtime announced they’d commissioned a new nine-episode series, with Lynch and Frost back on board. With the scripts already written, excitement was at fever pitch. Then in April, Lynch dropped a tweet that quickly went viral, stating that he was walking away following a dispute over money. His timing could have been better. After all, Salford University’s conference is subtitled ‘The
DVD / FILM
Return of Twin Peaks.’ But Fairclough-Isaacs is of the mindset that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. “I think that Lynch’s decision will make the conference even more necessary and engaging,” she says. Leigh adds: “I’ve got nothing but a hunch to bear it out, but I wonder if his heart isn’t in the thing for reasons that for once aren’t to do with idiot executives… I’m sure a third season will be diverting and entertaining and fun, but if we want something to mean what the original meant to us, maybe we’d be better off hoping for an entirely new show.” In the meantime, there’s always Bates Motel and M. Night Shyamalan’s reportedly Peaksinspired Wayward Pines to fill the void. Whether a third series of Twin Peaks happens or doesn’t, the influence of Lynch and Frost’s masterpiece lives on. I’ll See You Again in 25 Years: The Return of Twin Peaks and the Generations of Cult TV, takes place 21–22 May at MediaCityUK See website for full details: salford.ac.uk/news/ill-see-you-again-in-25-years-thereturn-of-twin-peaks-and-generations-of-cult-tv
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Photo: Sam Howzit
Back to the Place Beyond the Pines
Book Highlights Liverpool celebrates its port city heritage with a cultural festival dedicated to the transatlantic, while dead poets return to battle it out in Salford
Salena Godden, who appears at Writing on the Wall festival
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ommunity writing organisation Writing on the Wall (WoW) hosts its annual festival this May, promising a diverse programme of spoken word, theatre, film, discussion and debate. This year, the festival takes on Liverpool’s transatlantic literary heritage with the theme of American Dreams, coinciding with the city’s seven-week celebration of the historic Cunard Shipping Line’s 175th anniversary. Among the festival’s highlights, see illustrator, scriptwriter and editor Tim Quinn at Marvel Mayhem: Unmasking the Real Superheroes, a panel discussion exploring the links between UK and American graphic novels. Having worked for British classics including The Beano and The Dandy as well as a number of Marvel Comics titles in the US, Quinn is joined by prolific comic book artists Charlie Adlard and Emma Vieceli at Liverpool Central Library on 16 May. Elsewhere, immerse yourself in the cultural and artistic explosion of the Harlem Renaissance
BOOK OF THE MONTH The Wolf Border
on 9 May at WoW’s Strictly Harlem event. A day of 1920s-inspired activities culminates in an evening of spoken word and music, with special guests including celebrated British writer and broadcaster Lemn Sissay and spoken word poet Salena Godden. Meanwhile, hip-hop gets a distinctly literary twist in Salford this month at the Dead Poets’ Death Match. Former Peterborough teacher Mark Grist and rapper MC Mixy revive a selection of famous dead poets to battle against each other, challenging stereotypes of both poetry and rap. Head to The Lowry on 27 May to hear literature’s greats like you’ve never heard them before. Literature and the visual arts leave reality behind at The Speaking Trumpet, hosted by Tate Liverpool on 16 May. Hear readings of fantastical new writing inspired by Britishborn Mexican painter and novelist Leonora Carrington, whose surrealist work is currently on
display at the gallery. Readers include short story writer and critic Ailsa Cox and James Byrne, a translator, poet and editor of Liverpool-based poetry magazine The Wolf. If you’re more interested in the factual than the fantastical, two celebrated non-fiction writers will be in discussion across the Northwest this month. Bestselling military historian Antony Beevor comes to Manchester on 26 May with his latest book on the Second World War, Ardennes 1944. Beevor’s impressive record of titles has not only won him several prizes, but has also landed him with a potential five-year prison sentence in Russia for his criticisms of the Red Army. This is not history for the faint-hearted. For a few more trolls than troopers, Jon Ronson brings his An Evening of Public Shaming tour to several venues across the region, coinciding with the publication of his much anticipated book So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed. The journalist and author behind The Men Who
Trigger Warning
Gun Baby Gun
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By Neil Gaiman
By Iain Overton
By Sarah Hall
Stare at Goats, Ronson explores the renaissance of public shaming in an age where a misjudged tweet lost New York publicist Justine Sacco her job in the space of an 11-hour flight to Cape Town. Chronic over-sharers, be warned. Marvel Mayhem: Unmasking the Real Superheroes, Liverpool Central Library, Sat 16 May, 3pm, £6 (£3), writingonthewall.org.uk Strictly Harlem: Harlem Nights & After Party, The Black-E, Liverpool, Sat 9 May, 7.30pm, £10 (£6) writingonthewall.org.uk Dead Poets’ Death Match, The Lowry, Salford, Wed 27 May, 8pm, £11-£12.50, thelowry.com The Speaking Trumpet, Tate Liverpool, Sat 16 May, 2pm, free, tate.org.uk Antony Beevor: Ardennes 1944, St Ann’s Church, Manchester, Tue 26 May, 7pm, £5, antonybeevor.com An Evening of Public Shaming Tour, The Met, Bury, Fri 22 May, 8pm, £16 (£14), themet.biz/e2286; The Citadel, St Helens, Sat 23 May, 7pm, £15, citadel.org.uk; Central Library, Liverpool, Sun 24 May, 1.30pm, £8 (£4), writingonthewall.org.uk
Don’t Try This at Home
By Angela Readman
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Rachel Caine moves back to Cumbria after a decade spent protecting wolves on an Idaho reservation. Thomas Pennington – an earl – owns lots of the Lake District and is determined to reintroduce the grey wolf into the English countryside. Rachel runs the project, against a background of political and personal tumult: Scottish independence, the death of her mother, the unplanned birth of her child, hot sex with a vet. Sarah Hall’s fourth novel is a masterly thing, with characters so real they live like people inside your head. Hall captures Rachel’s emotional complexity with economy and precision, exploring grand themes of motherhood, power and wildness. The prose is mesmerising – from the expert detail of a handbrake croaking into position, to the description of the wolves moving like grey fire over the hills. Rachel behaves like a real person: rough round the edges, unresolved. She’s kickass, for sure, but she’s never idealised. Through her, Hall examines the ways in which commitment creeps up on a life – instinctual motherhood, the modern relationship and the emotional forest of a fractured family. None of that really gets to how good this book is. This reviewer had to stop in the street to finish a chapter, before the working day could begin. Only Hilary Mantel and Alice Munro have similar powers of storytelling. [Galen O’Hanlon] Out now, published by Faber & Faber, RRP £17.99
Neil Gaiman’s latest publication is a collection of fanciful stories and poems designed to rivet and excite the reader with tales of transdimensional prisons, the denizens of 221b Baker Street and strange happenings in rural England – all of which are short, effortless to read and designed to make you feel a little uneasy. The stories in the collection don’t attempt to break new literary ground, but instead focus upon the arousal of the reader’s pressure points – their triggers. This manner of jolting the reader with rather disturbing content is what warrants the collection’s title of Trigger Warning. A phrase derived from the blogosphere, used originally to alert the reader to potentially disquieting content, Gaiman reappropriates the meaning to befit his belief that we ‘each have our little triggers.’ However, in a collection of fantastical but certainly not obscene material, the emergence of anything that will truly disturb the reader seems an unlikely prospect. The writing is greatly informed by the notion that our reality is, in fact, only a veil waiting to be pulled back to reveal a world brimming with hobgoblins and hell hounds. Each text can be read as a standalone piece of fiction, although fans of the author’s work will be rewarded with reference to – and, in some cases, resurrection of – beloved past creations. Those unacquainted with the author’s catalogue of work will doubtless appreciate his imagination and wit, especially in his efforts to air ideas that all too often remain undiscussed. [Joe Ramsden]
Investigative journalist Iain Overton’s first book is presented as a biography of ‘the gun,’ charting its life historically and geographically. Overton is Director of Investigations at Action on Armed Violence, a London-based charity whose aim ‘is to reduce harm and rebuild lives affected by armed violence.’ So though Gun Baby Gun is often dispassionate and aims at nuance, its central conclusion – that we live in a world awash with guns, the consequences of which are largely bleak – is well embedded from the start. That being the case, Overton’s work would have been stronger had he dispensed with the conceit of balance and instead directly taken on ‘the gun’ and the various ills it creates or at least exacerbates. In this model he might have taken his cue from a book like Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow – about racial bias in the US justice system – that states its grievance and righteously, expertly makes the case for change. Overton is a decent writer, though. He has a journalist’s eye for blending anecdote and statistics in service of a broader narrative. Gun Baby Gun covers a great deal of ground, touching on Salvadoran gang violence, Israel’s settlements in the West Bank and the American gun lobby. Its scope is admirable, though it’s a book that reiterates a series of violent truths rather than revealing new ones. [Angus Sutherland] Out now, published by Canongate, RRP £18.99
What if one summer your mum was Elvis? What if you met yourself in the future and you were homeless? What if you were born with the face of a dog, or became a witch’s apprentice? Angela Readman’s collection of short stories Don’t Try This At Home is surreal, fantastical and carefully everyday. Readman, also a published poet, builds these small worlds with care and efficiency. Short, rhythmic sentences create tangible and down to earth settings for remarkable developments. In many of these tales, the narrator will be a child trying to get to grips with the adult world. For these children, the prospect of adulthood can be simultaneously dizzying with possibilities and frustrating with limitations. Your mum can fall in love with another woman and transform overnight into the hip-swivelling, velvet-voiced legend of the chip shop, and then be brought crashing to earth by the small-mindedness around her. Transformation unites these stories. Although they’re most often set in everyday situations, magic seems to infuse these worlds. Yet the reader may never be totally clear on whether these are genuine miracles or acts of the mind. Often we seem to be witnesses to terrified people using their imagination to protect themselves from the unspeakably banal horrors of their reality. Either way, this is an enchantingly absurd marriage of the ordinary and extraordinary. [Chris Lynch] Out 5 May, published by & Other Stories, RRP £10.00
Out now, published by Headline, RRP £18.99
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THE SKINNY
Photo: Justin Westover
Words: Alice Horne
Spotlight: Kiri Pritchard-McLean The silent member of Gein’s Family Giftshop is no fan of gong shows Interview: John Stansfield echnically Kiri Pritchard-McLean already featured under the spotlight here at The Skinny, but only as the ‘silent member’ of sketch quartet Gein’s Family Giftshop. We thought it was time we let the ‘Jeremy Dyson’ of the group speak her mind, for it is a wonderful place made up of serial killers (she co-hosts an amazing podcast called All Killa No Filla with Rachel Fairburn), antimeninism and a bolshiness to rival any comic on the scene. Her dark humour permeates Gein’s sketches and is on show when she takes to the stage solo, calling out the world on its masses of bullshit. Well, someone had to. First gig: “The Comedy Store, King Gong. I was terrified. Mick Ferry was MC and the guy before me was gonged off, and people started to make sheep noises as he left the stage because he had curly hair. Mick then said: ‘From now on, we’re kicking people off with the noise of the animal they look like.’ I turned to my friend and said, ‘I’m about to get oinked off the stage.’ It was OK in the end; I got my five minutes. Only four of us did, out of the 28 people on.” Best gig: “Every time I do our gig in London (Suspiciously
May 2015
Cheap Comedy), I get mad nervous before I go on because it’s really busy and the lineups are off the chain. I do the usual: convince myself that I’m not good enough to be there or do comedy at all. Then I go on stage and it turns into the best gig of the year so far.” Worst gig: “The second time I did King Gong, it was a bearpit. From my first joke I had two stag parties standing on their feet, screaming at the card holders to kick me off. I got to the five minutes but it was a hollow victory. It’s not why I do comedy and I decided I wouldn’t do any more gong shows.” Circuit favourites in the Northwest: “Gein’s, obvs. Kate McCabe is ace and a good egg. Headliner-wise, I can always watch Dan Nightingale and Mick Ferry. There’s too many, we’re really spoilt here for great comics.” Best heckle: “I think heckles aren’t that great in general. I know people think it’s a part of the experience but they’re the same people who think getting spiked is part of going out. I accidentally heckled someone once, a comic went on stage and said, ‘I’m from Gloucester, anyone know what
Photo: Steve Ullathorne
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it’s famous for?’ I shouted out, ‘Fred and Rose.’ Apparently it’s cheese.” What would you be doing if you weren’t doing standup? “Christ knows, probably be back in Wales hating myself and the two kids I’d had out of boredom.” If you were on death row, what would your last meal be? And why are you on death row? “Well, as last meals go, I reckon Gacy nailed it. Twelve fried shrimp, a bucket of KFC, original recipe of course, fries and a pound of strawberries. I’d like to go down for something noble, like assassinating all the members of [well known Manchester letting agency] who conspired to steal our deposit when we moved out. I’ve not forgotten you guys.”
COMEDY
What’s the largest animal you think you could beat in a fight? No weapons. “I’ve beaten a cow, in a way. Raised on a farm, I was always getting chased or attacked by something. I managed to outrun a furious cow so I’ll take that as a win. Sure, she had a bad leg but I was ten so I think we’re even.” If you lived in medieval times what would you do for a living? “Sell my boil-ridden vagina to make ends meet...?” Question from past Spotlighter Adam Rowe: Why do you even bother? “Because if comics like me gave up, all that would be left is comics like you and no one wants that.” You can catch Kiri at The King’s Arms, Salford, 4 May; Korova Arts Café, Preston, 8 May; Frog & Bucket, Manchester, 18 May; XS Malarkey at The Pub/Zoo, Manchester, 26 May; and Manford’s Comedy Club at PRYZM, Leeds, 29 and 30 May
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Win a pair of passes Win a pair of tickets to to the ¡Viva! Mexican Supersonic Festival! Weekender!
Gazelle Twin will play at Supersonic Festival
La Jaula de oro
Manchester’s annual Spanish and Latin American Film Festival, ¡Viva!, makes its debut at HOME, the city’s brand new arts centre, with a long weekend across 18-22 June celebrating the very best in new Mexican cinema. Presented in partnership with IMCINE (Instituto Méxicano de Cinematografía) and the British Council, the Mexican Weekender will feature a specially curated selection of films and events that bring a flavour of Mexico to Manchester. To find out more, go to homemcr.org/event/ viva-presents-new-mexican-cinema For your chance to win a pair of passes for the weekend, simply head across to www.theskinny. co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question:
Who directed cult Mexican hit Amores Perros? a) Alejandro González Iñárritu b) Gael García Bernal c) Alfonso Cuarón Competition closes midnight Sunday 31 May. The winner and their companion must be aged 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. The winner will need to pick up their passes from HOME’s box office. The pass includes tickets for every film featured in the ¡Viva! Mexican Weekender but does not include special events nor opening/closing galas. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms-and-conditions homemcr.org
Supersonic (11-14 Jun), an internationally renowned experimental music and arts festival, returns to the heart of post-industrial Birmingham with another event teeming with genre-bending sound and performance.
For your chance to win a pair of Supersonic tickets for Fri 12 and Sat 13 June, plus a goody bag, simply head across to www.theskinny.co.uk/ competitions and correctly answer the following question:
This year’s unmissable lineup includes The Bug vs Dylan Carlson of Earth, Holly Herndon, The Pop Group, Liturgy, Gazelle Twin (pictured), Will Gregory Moog Ensemble, Liima (featuring Efterklang and Tatu Rönkko), Eternal Tapestry, Six Organs of Admittance, Richard Dawson, The Memory Band, Afework Nigussie, Slow Magic, Rhodri Davies, Flamingods, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Happy Meals, Tomaga, Slow Magic, Apostille, Ravioli Me Away, Selvhenter, Sex Swing, Woven Skull and Circuit des Yeux. Expect supersonic thrives in the spirit of adventure and discovery.
Which one of the following acts performed at the first Supersonic in 2003? a) Fugazi b) LCD Soundsystem c) Godspeed You! Black Emperor Competition closes midnight Sunday 31 May. 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-and-conditions supersonicfestival.com
The Daily Telegraph, Time Out, The Guardian, The Independent
The Royal Court Theatre presents
by Nick Payne | Directed by Michael Longhurst
Tue 9 – Sat 13 June
0843 208 6000 | thelowry.com/drama
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Review
COMPETITIONS
THE SKINNY
Manchester Music Tue 28 Apr
MIKE AND THE MECHANICS
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £32
Genesis founding member Mike Rutherford and his new generation of ‘The Mechanics’ take to the road to play the hits. SKINNY LISTER
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–22:30, £10
London-based folk group, fronted by Dan Heptinstall and Lorna Thomas, delivering a reliably foot stomping show. BY THE RIVERS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7
The Leicester six-piece fond of crafting “real music” since their 2010 inception. DOODLE QUARTET
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 18:30–21:00, FREE
A fun evening of Klezmar music, dating from the beginning of the 1920’s. MANU DELAGO HANDMADE
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £8
Manu Delago shot to fame after uploading a video of himself playing the hang, a UFO-like hand-played sound sculpture, to YouTube. Four-million hits and counting, folks... FRENZAL RHOMB
SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £15
90’s formed irreverent Australian punks still going strong more than 20 years later.
Wed 29 Apr WIRE
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £15
Experimental post-punk mainstays formed way back in 1976 by Colin Newman. AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £12.50
Belfast-based punk-rock ensemble. Also winners of our creepiest band name award that we just made up. ASTROID BOYS
SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £7
Hip hop, metal, dubstep collective from Cardiff, mashing up their combined influences with MCs Benji and Traxx leading the way. THE DISTRICTS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £10
Pennsylvanian band of young things who caused a rocky roots stir at last year’s SXSW. CHARLEY PRIDE
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £37
The Mississippi country singer/ songwriter does his time-honoured thing. THE UNIVERSITY RENAISSANCE SINGERS AND THE MANCHESTER BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 19:30–22:00, £TBC
Classical collaboration featuring a mixture of baroque performances. PIANO RECITAL PRIZE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:00–22:00, £7
Students from the RNCM School of Keyboard Studies compete for a grand prize. FIRES
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £7
New Blackpool band formed by the acclaimed singer songwriter Karima Francis.
LIVE LIFE (NEURO BLISS + LOFTT + BROLLY) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £4
Live electronica music showcase. DAVE MACKAY GROUP
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £5
Singer songwriter type. KARIN PARK
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30-22:15, £8
The haunting singer and performer heads out on her Apocalypse Pop tour. MISC CONSTRUCT
KRAAK, 19:00–00:00, FREE
An evening of audio visual fun to celebrate the release of new EP Construct.
Thu 30 Apr UGLY DUCKLING
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £12.50
Classic Long Beach hip-hop ensemble whom we will forever love for their witty ditty, Meatshake (‘Meat to the shizzake’, etc).
May 2015
CALEXICO
THE JUGGERNAUT LOVE BAND
ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £18
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:30, £5
The Arizona-based indie-rock duo approach their 20th year, after first coming together as part of the band Giant Sand. AMBER RUN
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £8
Rising young Nottingham quintet of the soft folk-rock variety. FLYING LOTUS
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 20:30–02:00, £20
Brainfeeder label boss and universally-acclaimed producer, also known as Steven Ellison. MARY BLACK
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £27.50
The Irish songstress embarks on her last ever tour of the UK, navigating traditional and modern Irish music with charm and grace. STEPHEN HOUGH
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, FROM £14
One of 20 living Polymaths, RNCM alumnus Stephen Hough returns to the College. BERNARD FANNING
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £17.50
Singer songwriter best known for his stint fronting Australian rockers Powderfinger.
Fri 01 May OUR FOLD
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7
Indie rock four-piece from Bolton. BLACK LIGHTS
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:15, £10
Local lads delivering electrotinged indie anthems that you can all sing-along back to them – should you wish. THE CASTAWAYS
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:30, £5
Macclesfield-based seven-piece band, bringing the old school sounds of the Caribbean to the stage. AL STEWART
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £28.50
The longstanding folk singer/ songwriter performs his 1970 LP, Year Of The Cat, live and in its entirety. GUM TAKES TOOTH
ISLINGTON MILL, 19:30–23:00, £TBC
The abrasive London noise lot return to the Mill. CAVAN MORAN
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £5
Mancunian folk musician and front man of These Eyes Are Cameras takes to the stage solo. RNCM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £15
The resident Symphony Orchestra tackle Berlioz and Prokofiev. DUB FX
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £15
Former Twitch band member, who built his subsequent solo career busking on the streets with a loop station. C.W. STONEKING
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £17.50
The Australian-born singer/songwriter known for his roundabout take on early jazz and blues. YAK (THE MOON)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £6
Psych pop types, one of whom used to play in Peace for a bit. A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
THE HORSE AND JOCKEY, 19:30–23:00, £35
The Manchester Opera Ensemble sing a variety of arrangements from famous operas and theatre musicals.
Sat 02 May ICEAGE
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £10
Copenhagen-based post-punk foursome of noise, bringing back the visceral thrill of 1976. MAN OVERBOARD
SOUND CONTROL, 13:30–22:00, £15
New Jersey pop-punk quintet, formed by childhood buddies Nik Bruzzese and Wayne Wildrick.
Aiming to bring love to a nation under the control of some seriously unfunky dudes, The Juggernaut Love Band have been tearing up the North East music scene since 2009 and bring the love to Manc. DUSTIN KENSRUE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:00–22:00, £18.50
Orange County vocalist and rhythm guitarist, best known as founder of rock quartet Thrice. YOU’RE SMILING NOW BUT WE’LL ALL TURN INTO DEMONS (DEAD SEA APES + JUNGFRAU)
KRAAK, 19:00–22:15, £5
A triple header of psychedelic rock.
Sun 03 May
GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 15:00–17:00, FROM £16.50
Guests The Jiving Lindy Hoppers perform some Glenn Miller classics, plus some Sinatra for good measure. PENTATONIX
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £18.50
Vocal quintet from Arlington, Texas, presenting a instrumentfree brand of electronic pop.
SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER CITY 2015
VARIOUS VENUES, 14:00–03:00, £20
Everyone's favourite grassroots festival returns for its eleventh year: LA Priest, Cold Pumas, Zun Zun Egui and Shit and Shine are among the headliners. THE TWISTED DOLLS
THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–23:00, £5
The Manchester blues rockers return home as part of their UK tour. CRYSTAL CHORDS LADIES BARBERSHOP HARMONY CLUB
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £15
Crystal Chords celebrates 35 years of barbershop harmony. SIXTY MINUTE MAN
SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £6
Six-piece indie rock band formed in the backstreets of Manchester and Salford who are into all your usual suspects.
Mon 04 May INME
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £12
Essex rock quartet chock with the emo drum syncopation and Bullet For My Valentine guitars that we’ve come to expect, touring on the back of their fifth LP. ALBERT LEE AND HOGAN’S HEROES
THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 20:00–22:30, FROM £26.40
The double Grammy Awardwinning guitarist returns to the UK with his live band in tow, having worked with everyone from Dolly Parton to Eric Clapton in his time. IMPERICON FESTIVAL 2015 (THE GHOST INSIDE + WHITECHAPEL + DEEZ NUTS + ADEPT)
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 13:00–23:00, £27
All day heavy metal festival, with organisers Impericon building on their succession of sold out German dates and expanding to four more cities throughout Europe. BBC RADIO 3 YOUNG ARTISTS’ DAY
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, FREE
Some of the UK’s finest young musicians come together for a special concert.
Tue 05 May TWIN ATLANTIC
ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £12.50
The Glasgow alternative rock fourpiece do their Brit-rock thing, built on stabbing guitars and vocalist Sam McTrusty’s distinctive style. RODRIGUEZ
O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £35
After years in the wilderness the Mexican-American folk musician continues his return to the stage, in no small part due to the film Searching for Sugar Man. NORDIC GIANTS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8.50
Mysterious Brighton-based post-rock duo who perform to a backdrop of oft-dark short films.
DARLIA MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £9
Blackpool boys done good bringing their hard-lined rock music to the masses. SONS OF BILL
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £11
Young American rock outfit from Virginia, touring on the back of their second LP, Sirens. RARESCALE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £6
Contemporary chamber music ensemble now 12 years old and gaining international recognition. THE REBIRTH (DJ ANDREA TROUT)
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £13
Los Angeles-based septet built on an organic blend of new and traditional soul, hip-hop, jazz and funk.
Wed 06 May
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY + DIALECTS + BEARFOOT BEWARE)
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £6
Luxembourgish four-piece making indie/math rock flecked with synthetic and electronic elements.
HIGH HAZELS (JORDAN ALLEN + THE GILDINGS)
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £5
Sheffield band call in to Manchester basking in the success of their self-titled debut album.
Thu 07 May ALCEST
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 18:30–22:00, £14
Otherworldly French project created by Niege (also of Amesoeurs, Peste Noire and Forgotten Woods), taking its inspiration from a faraway fantasy world of his childhood dreams. STORNOWAY
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £14
Alternative indie-folk band hailing from Oxford, built on the crystalline vocals of Brian Briggs and Jon Quin’s delicate arrangements. THE HALLÉ (IVES + HELEN GRIME + WALTON)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11
The Hallé’s spring schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. HAPPYNESS
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £8
London-based trio still enjoying the benefits of debut LP Weird Little Birthday. SET IT OFF
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £10
Florida-based orchestral pop rock fivesome out on their spring break tour. MAGMA
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £19.50
French rockers now 45 years into their career. LAZY HABITS
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £8
Brass infused hip-hop troupe touring in support of second album The Atrocity Exhibition. SEUN KUTI AND EGYPT 80
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £16
The youngest sun of afrobeat legend Fela Kuti.
Fri 08 May TEMPLEBYS
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Contemporary soul and funk five-piece hailing from Preston, formed on the dancefloor during a Craig Charles club set at the Kendal Calling festival in 2009. OFF WITH THEIR HEADS
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £10
Minneapolis-based punk-rock ensemble, currently touring their new LP, Home. CODY SIMPSON
THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £18.50
Young Australian pop singer/ songwriter who was discovered on YouTube at the tender age of 13. JARROD LAWSON (PIECES OF A MAN)
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £12
Soulful singer songwriter.
QUATUOR DANEL EVENING CONCERT
MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 19:30–21:30, FROM £3
David Fanning and Richard Whalley join the Quatuor Danel to take on Shostakovich, among others.
BBC PHILHARMONIC (BEETHOVEN’S FIDELIO) BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10
The BBC Philharmonic’s spring schedule sees Auntie’s finest orchestra explore classical mainstays and more leftfield compositions. CRAZY P
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–23:00, £13
The UK disco veterans continue to mix it with the freshest sounds some 20-odd years after forming. OPERATIVE
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–04:00, £4 (£3)
The latest instalment of the audio visual electronic music party. THE ONCE
GULLIVERS, 19:30–23:00, £7
Canadian trio treading the line between folk, roots and indie. S CLUB 7
WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE?... THIS IS! (LES BOF + THE SPEED OF SOUND) THE KING’S ARMS, 21:00–02:00, £10 (£6)
The latest WTA? Night, which promises to reject corporate pop and revel in true independence. SUCH GOLD
SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £10
Melodic hardcore punk group from New York with a host of releases across some of America’s more respected underground labels. MOSS (OPIUM LORD + CAINA)
ROADHOUSE, 19:00–22:30, £8.50
Heavy triple header headed up by Hampshire funeral doom merchants Moss.
LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES (CACTUS KNIFE + GROVES) SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:00, £10
Alabama rock’n’rollers led by Lee Bains.
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £35
THE FREEZING FOG (AGGRESSIVE PERFECTOR + ZEALOUS DOXY + MICHAEL CLAPHAM + HEALTH SCARE)
NCO SOLOISTS
One-off return by cult Manchester-based DIY band The Freezing Fog.
The pop sevensome (definitely a word) return with their first tour in ten years, if anyone cares? BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FREE
Soloists from the Northern Chamber Orchestra peform Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence. MANCHESTER WIND ORCHESTRA
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £6
A new ensemble launched just over a year ago. SIINAI (KYOGEN)
THE STAR AND GARTER, 19:00–23:00, £5
Sun 10 May JUDIE TZUKE
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, £18
The English singer/songwriter showcases songs from her new album, alongside classics spanning a three decade career.
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £6
KATZENJAMMER (GABBY YOUNG AND OTHER ANIMALS)
TOBIAS JESSO JR.
All-female Norwegian quartet whose musical style is a fusion of pop/rock and country-folk.
Epic soundscapes from the Finnish textural electronic band. NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT
Vancouver artist who’s been picking up plaudits since his early demos and has finally got his debut LP, Goon, all sorted and out into the world. BONES
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £13.50
LULU
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, FROM £28.50
It’s Lulu! And she’s on her first solo tour in over 10 years, playing all her classics.
JOSHUA BROOKS, 19:30–23:00, FREE
KATE SIMMONS PRODUCTIONS WITH THE SOUNDSCAPE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
FEATURE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 20:00–22:00, £10
The Manchester duo celebrate the launch of their debut EP. KRAAK, 19:30–22:30, £6
Intellidrone unpop punk band from London who released their first EP ‘Memory’ on Cazenove Tapes, then released their acclaimed ‘Culture of the Copy’ EP on Tye Die Tapes.
Dancers from KSDance Ltd join forces with musicians from the RNCM in a creative collaboration. K FLAY
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–23:00, £6
Sat 09 May
Mixing hip-hop and indie, K Flay still riding the success of debut album Life Is A Dog.
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 19:30–22:30, £20
Mon 11 May
FAIRPORT CONVENTION
The longtime British folk-rockers draw on classic songs old and new. ARCANE ROOTS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £9
Surrey-based rockers pushing the genre in some fresh and unexpected ways. THE LAST CARNIVAL
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–23:00, £10
More pumping melodies and driving guitar from the energetic rock five-piece, if you can handle it. FM
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £17.50
Rock’n’roll noisemakers formed back in 1984, out celebrating 30+ years of being. THE HALLÉ (A RUSSIAN SPECTACULAR)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11
The Hallé’s spring schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. COLIBRA (ANOTHER DEAD HERO)
THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £7
Progressive alternative metal five-piece, blending varied influences into one cohesive sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of Tool and Mastodon. CHARLIE COOPER & THE CC’S
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
The vocalist returns with her eight-piece band. GINGER WILDHEART
THE DANCEHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £20
The Wildhearts mainman plays a solo set, promising to ‘take the fucking roof off’, which is nice. BOYZ II MEN
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £32
One of the greatest pop groups of all time descend on Manchester Academy to belt out some of the biggest hits from their 60 millionselling back catalogue.
PAPER AEROPLANES
KRAAK, 19:00–23:00, £12.50
Acoustic alternative folkies from Wales, led by vocalist and songwriter Sarah Howells. FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £10
Sunderland-based indie rockers led by Frankie Francis. NEW CITY KINGS
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £9
Rock trio hailing from Essex, fresh from touring with McBusted, the poor swines.
Tue 12 May
FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS
SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £9
London-based rockers who describe their sound as ‘death pop’, taking their name from the 1967 comedy horror film they grew up watching. TWENTY ONE PILOTS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £13.50
Ohio-born synthpop duo on the Fueled by Ramen roster. LALAH HATHAWAY (DJ GILES THORPE)
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £15.50
Contemporary r’n’b-meets-jazz soulstress, also known as the sprog of late American singer/songwriter Donny Hathaway. ROISIN MURPHY
GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £20
She has history with Manchester, having moved here when she was 12, but Roisin Murphy is best known as vocalist of late 90’s favourites Moloko.
Wed 13 May MASKED INTRUDER
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £8
Four melodious felons in ski masks with rap sheets, matching converse and a moderate supply of catchy tunes.
THE HALLÉ (GLINKA + BEETHOVEN + RACHMANINOV)
BILLY OCEAN THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £26
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 14:15–16:45, FROM £11
Grammy award-winning global superstar, shot to fame after his performance at Live Aid in 1985 reached an estimated 1.9 billion people.
TYLER, THE CREATOR
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £10
The Hallé’s spring schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20
Californian rapper and record producer, rarely seen without a baseball cap. Obv. EWERT AND THE DRAGONS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £8
Estonian four-piece known for their quirky pop songs. RNCM JAZZ COLLECTIVE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £10
The college’s jazz collective play a set of popular classics. SAVANT (FURY 161 + EXTINGUISH HAIR)
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £5 (£3)
The local rockers return for a farewell to the Roadhouse. VENNART (CHARLIE BARNES)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:15, £11
The former Oceansize front man and Biffy Clyro touring member tours his new project, with a debut solo LP on the way.
Thu 14 May
THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND
SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–23:00, £8
Still partying like nu-rave never went away, the Shrewsbury-viaLeeds group return to Sound Control for an acoustic performance. MIKE PETERS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £15
The frontman of Welsh band The Alarm continues his solo quest. TOM BAXTER
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £14
Suffolk-born, London-based singer/songwriter building his sound on his masterful guitar-playing and raw, confessional lyrics. LUCY SPRAGGAN
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £14.50
Little Lucy Spraggan, of X Factor fame, now a fully fledged touring musician making ‘flop’ – that’s folk meets hip-hop for the uninitiated. THE HALLÉ (GLINKA + BEETHOVEN + RACHMANINOV)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11
The Hallé’s spring schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. J COLE
MANCHESTER ARENA, 17:30–22:30, FROM £30.50
American hip hop artist, tours his latest album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive. THEATRE OF HATE
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £15
Previously disbanded 80s postpunk unit, now putting in the odd live appearance with Kirk Brandon at the helm and various new members. JESSE MALIN
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £12
New York singer/songwriter who began playing live at the tender age of twelve, in seminal hardcore band Heart Attack. SUN CLUB
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:30, £6
Up-and-coming Baltimore popsters of the melodic indie-rock variety. CELTIC FIDDLE FESTIVAL
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–22:30, £15
Three fiddlers from Ireland, Quebec and Brittany come together for a celebration of traditional celtic music. With fiddles. THINGUMABOB AND THE THINGAMAJIGS (PUBLIC SECTOR + THE HOUSE OF GLASS)
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £5
Good time music’ apparently. Just try to keep that grin off our face.
Fri 15 May
SLEAFORD MODS
Punk electronics and spoken word hip-hop fusion from the Nottingham-hailing duo, touring in support of their latest album, Divide and Exit – released on the Harbinger Sound label. NIZLOPI
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–22:30, £15
Folky hip-hop duo, made up of John Parker on double bass and beat box, and Luke Concannon on vocals and guitar. BLACK RIVERS
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £12.50
The brothers behind Manc outfit Doves (aka Jez and Andy Williams) regrouped as a new duo. BBC PHILHARMONIC (YAN PASCAL TORTELIER + OLIVIER CHARLIER)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10
The BBC Philharmonic’s spring schedule sees Auntie’s finest orchestra explore classical mainstays and more leftfield compositions. CHRIS DE BURGH
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £40
The insufferable crooner simply refuses to stop. When he can charge over £40 a pop who can blame him. SOUL RAYS
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Liverpool ten-piece funk band all about the groove. NEW VINYL
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £3
Wakefield indie group who once sold more copies of their debut single than a new Oasis track in the same week (um, in their local HMV.)
Sat 16 May EDDI READER
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £22.50
Reader weaves her velvety vocal palette around a selection of traditional and contemporary songs, including tracks from her new EP Back the Dogs. ALABAMA SHAKES
O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £19.50
Brittany Howard-fronted blues rockers responsible for the earworm that is Hold On. MARK KNOPFLER
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £45
The Dire Straits guitarist plays tracks from his new LP, accompanied by his live band. KYLA BROX
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
UK-based blues and soul singer/ songwriter, redefining her sound as a duo performance, joined by Danny Blomeley on guitar.
MANCHESTER CAMERATA (FINALE, FILTER & FIGARO)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11
Giving the classical canon a modern twist. THE LOST 37
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £7
Local Mancunians claiming a wide range of influences but who’d probably be happy enough to be classed neatly as a mix of punk and rock ‘n’ roll.
NORTH WEST CALLING (THE EXPLOITED + THE DAMNED + ANGELIC UPSTARTS + UK SUBS + MORE) THE RITZ, 12:00–22:00, £26
Collection of gnarly old punk dudes with increasingly fewer founding members between them. SWERVEDRIVER
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £15
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £15
The resurgent Oxford quartet hit the road, with Adam Franklin’s gift for penning hypnotic, widescreen rock’n’roll all well and in place.
TOYAH WILCOX
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £10.50
PANIC ROOM
Alternative rock of the awardwinning variety, served up with a distinctly sultry edge. WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–22:30, £18
80s icon Toyah Wilcox performs a selection of songs from her career acoustically.
OLIVIA CHANEY
The English singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist plays a set on piano, guitar, harmonium and vocals. DANNY MAHON
SOUND CONTROL, 20:00–03:00, £8
Local singer songwriter once much-hyped.
Listings
55
Manchester Music ONE UNIQUE SIGNAL
DMA’S
KRAAK, 19:00–22:15, £4
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
The psych rockers return to the Northwest for the first time since last year’s Liverpool Psych Fest.
Sun 17 May DAVID FORD
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £12
Recently signed to Infectious Music, Sydney’s DMA’s enjoy a good hook and chorus, which is handy given that’s the bulk of what makes up pop music. MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £18
East Sussex singer/songwriter and former Easyworld frontman, touring on the back of his fourth solo LP.
The uncompromising genre magpie tours in support of her eleventh record.
THE DANCEHOUSE, 19:30–23:00, £17.50
Wed 20 May
LAU (ELLA THE BIRD)
The award-winning Scottish folk trio, made up of Kris Drever, Martin Green and Aidan O’Rourke. GEMMA HAYES
GORILLA, 19:00–23:00, £15
The Irish singer/songwriter plays a stripped-back set, blending folk, progressive rock and electronica in one happy whole. THE HALLÉ (GLINKA + BEETHOVEN + RACHMANINOV)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11
The Hallé’s spring schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. F.L.O.B MUSIC SHOWCASE
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 19:00–00:00, £5
Fresh Loaf of Bread present another host of home-grown talent. FLECK: ACM + JOE SNAPE
INTERNATIONAL ANTHONY BURGESS FOUNDATION, 19:00–22:00, £TBC
Centred around a new large-scale work by Joe Snape for small ensemble, ACM also features new works by Michael Cutting, Vitalija Glovackyte and commissions from local guest musicians, in an exploration of musical storytelling. THE HOT SARDINES
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £20
The Sardines come to the RNCM, steeped in hot jazz and full of gypsy swing.
Mon 18 May THE NIGHTINGALES
KRAAK, 19:00–22:15, £8
The Birmingham-formed postpunk outfit get back on the live circuit. BRYAN FERRY
PALACE THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, FROM £39.90
The Roxy Music frontman takes to the road, cooler than ever after featuring on Todd Terje’s magnificent cover of Johnny and Mary. MURDER BY DEATH
MATT CARDLE
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £23
X-Factor winner done good(ish), now on album number three of his career. STEVE GUNN
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £10
New York-based guitarist and songwriter out touring his latest LP Way Out Weather. GOLDFINGER
MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £12.50
Long-running ska punk band still going, well, not strong exactly, but still going.
Thu 21 May BLOOD BROTHERS
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £18
The favourited musical tale of separated-at-birth twins who grow up on opposite sides of the tracks. THE TAPESTRY
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £5
Manchester pop quartet, influenced by the likes of Pixies and Neil Young. THE HALLÉ (JANACEK + SHOSTAKOVICH + BRITTEN)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11
The Hallé’s spring schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. INDIANA
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–23:00, £11
Nottingham singer/songwriter Laura Henson, better known as her stage name, Indiana. TAKE THAT
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds. STICKY FINGERS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £7
Don’t let the terrible name put you off, these whiskey-soaked rockers from across the Atlantic are rad!
Australian reggae/indie fusion outfit who win extra points for having a kitten on the front of their new LP Land of Pleasure.
Tue 19 May
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £9
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £10
JACK GARRATT
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:00–23:00, £8
London-based singer songwriter starting to rise up the ladder towards a meagre amount of fame. MEW (ALL WE ARE)
THE RITZ, 19:00–23:00, £19.50
Danish trio known for their experimental otherworldliness, with lead singer/whiner Jonas Bjerre at the helm. ALEXANDER WHITLEY
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £15
The British choreographer presents new work The Measures Taken. SHAMIR
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £8
LA songwriter who’s becoming the latest Youtube sensation, with nearly a million hits for recent single On The Regular. JAYA THE CAT
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £10
A blend of reggae, ska and punk rock, dosed with dub and dance hall beats. Alright guys, chill on those genres. AS IT IS + THE WILD LIFE
SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £10
Co-headline tour from Brightonvia-Minneapolis pop-rockers As It Is and Californian acoustic duo This Wild Life.
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Listings
SEINABO SEY (LION BABE)
Swedish/Gambian artist, inspired by traditional Senegalese and Gambian music. CHETHAM’S SHOWCASE
CHETHAM’S SCHOOL OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £10 (£8)
Outstanding student soloists from across the music department perform special concerts that profile the next generation of musicians.
Fri 22 May OZRIC TENTACLES
MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:30–23:00, £15
The psychedelic space rockers take to the UK armed with a 28-strong back catalogue of albums, celebrating 30+ years of music-making. MAYBE FRANK
THE KINGS ARMS, 8:00PM – 11:00PM, £4
Acoustic duo.
WALK THE MOON
GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £12
The Cincinnati lyrical indie lot cherrypick tracks from their new LP Talking Is Hard. STREET DREAMS
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £10
DOT TO DOT 2015 (SAINT RAYMOND + RAE MORRIS + CYMBALS EAT GUITARS + MENACE BEACH + MORE) VARIOUS VENUES, 12:00–03:00, £25
The multi-venue all-day festival pitches up for another year, this time in the Northern Quarter, with Saint Raymond and Rae Morris among the headliners. TAKE THAT
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds. JOHN BARROWMAN
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £25
Barrowman in singing mode. Approach with caution. THE HOT BOTZ BRASS BAND
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Halloween special by the sonically and visually striking brass band. BAYSIDE
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £12
NY punk rockers tour in support of the deluxe reissue of their cult album, um, Cult. TUXEDO
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £13
A special disco funk set courtesy of the Stones Throw Records duo.
Sat 23 May RIDE
ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £25
English rock outfit out riding the wave of their reunion, playing their first batch of shows in 20 years. THEA GILMORE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 20:00–22:00, FROM £19.50
The folky singer/songwriter celebrates the release of her 15th LP Regardless. In the Pleasance Theatre. FRANNY EUBANK’S THE BLUES
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
A one-man blues explosion, Franny plays harmonica and sings the original Chicago blues. DOLDRUMS (ILL)
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £6.50
Canada’s latest electronic sensations combine anthemic indie rock and techno-influenced improv electronics to suitably bloody lovely effect. LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £14
Five northern blokes in flat caps singing songs about the wonders of modern day life. JAMES ARTHUR
THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £20
The 2012 X-Factor winner now tumbling down the rungs of the pop world. THE 56
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £12
Emotional play focusing on the tragic events of the Bradford City fire in 1985, which caused the death of 56 football fans in its blaze.
CYMANDE (DJ ANY MADHATTER)
BAND ON THE WALL, 20:00–23:00, FROM £20
Nearly 40 years after splitting, British funk pioneers Cymande are back! All the original members reunite for this special show. ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (INSPIRAL CARPETS + POP WILL EAT ITSELF + GANG OF FOUR + MORE)
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 13:30–23:00, £29
Still fronted by original member Ian McCulloch, the longstanding Liverpudlian rockers continue to do their thing. TAKE THAT
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds. DAVE MCCABE
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £12.50
Urban music showcase with a killer line-up.
Former Zutons frontman going it alone.
ISLINGTON MILL, 19:30–23:30, £3
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:00–15:00, £12 (£10)
VIDEO JAM
Have Video Jam been going long enough to hold a ‘classic’ VJ evening? Probably. The audio visual collaborators return to where it all started.
REKESH CHAUHAN + KOUSIC SEN
The pianist and tabla players unite.
WAYNE MARSHALL
DON MCLEAN
WOVENWAR (AS LIONS)
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £12
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £33.50
SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–23:00, £12
The organist appears as part of the regular International Concert Series. EUREKA MACHINES
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £8
The Leeds-based pop-rockers take to the road to air their new LP Brain Waves. RNCM PIANO RECITAL SERIES (JEAN-EFFLAM BAVOUZET)
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, FROM £14
Bavouzet performs material including compositions by Debussy and Boulez. PHIFE DAWG
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £13
The 5 Foot Assasin, best known for his stint in A Tribe Called Quest, comes to Manchester. ENSEMBLE MARKET PARTY
THE ANGEL PUB, 12:00–19:00, PRICES VARY
Annabel Fraser (Hupendi Musiki Wangu), Rick Nicholls (Brain Machine Radio) and Michael Holland (Haxan Presents) are among the DJs for this record and craft fair to celebrate the onset of summer (we hope.)
Sun 24 May SHREYA GHOSHAL
O2 APOLLO, 19:30–23:00, FROM £25
The award-winning Indian playback singer takes the the road for a UK-wide tour. JP COOPER
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–23:00, £10
The Mancunian singer-songwriter continues his steady ascent. NILS FRAHM
ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £20
Berlin-based contemporary composer touring in support of recent live LP Solo. WILL HAVEN
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £10
Californian noise metal outfit, out celebrating the release of their (honestly titled) latest LP Open The Mind To Discomfort. M&P’S BANK HOLIDAY SPECIAL (THE NIGHTCREATURES)
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 20:00–00:00, FREE
Matt and Phred’s faves The Nightcreatures lead the bank holiday weekend celebrations. ANDREA GIBSON
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–22:30, £14
The first winner of the Women’s World Poetry Slam returns in support of her fifth album Flower Boy. LONESOME
HOME, 20:00–22:00, £11
Dutch Uncles man and composer Robin Richards performs a live score to Pal Fejos 1928 romance film Lonesome. EARTHLESS
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £10
The majestic acid rockers tread the boards again, scorching audiences with their brain-fried riffery. ENSEMBLE MARKET PARTY
THE ANGEL PUB, 12:00–19:00, PRICES VARY
Annabel Fraser (Hupendi Musiki Wangu), Rick Nicholls (Brain Machine Radio) and Michael Holland (Haxan Presents) are among the DJs for this record and craft fair to celebrate the onset of summer (we hope.)
Mon 25 May YOUNG FATHERS
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £10
The Scottish hip-hop trio return with their rather glorious line in DIY rap and synchronised dance moves. BENJAMIN CLEMENTINE
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 20:00–22:00, £15
London-born singer/songwriter of Ghanaian origins, who honed his craft while busking on the Paris metro. BILL LAURANCE PROJECT
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £13
Original member of Snarky Puppy and Grammy Award winning pianist Bill Laurance tours in support of iTunes Jazz chart-topping album Flint. TAKE THAT
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds.
Legendary folk singer/songwriter (aka ‘im wot wrote American Pie). LONESOME
HOME, 20:00–22:00, £11
Dutch Uncles man and composer Robin Richards performs a live score to Pal Fejos 1928 romance film Lonesome. CIRCA SURVIVE (RX BANDITS)
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £13.50
Co-headline set from American heavy metalers Wovenwar and London rockers As Lions. PROLAPSE (SEX HANDS + WARM WIDOW)
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £6
The 1991 formed cult punk band return, playing 16 years to the day of their last show. DESTROYERS
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £12
Philadelphia emo rockers with four albums under their belt return to the UK.
All-singing, all-dancing Balkan orgy.
O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, FROM £38.50
Fri 29 May
AN EVENING WITH TOTO
American rock unit nearing their 40th year of music-making.
Tue 26 May NEEDTOBREATHE
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £15
Charleston-based southern rockers led by guitarist and lyricist Bear Rinehart.
NIGHT & DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (WALL MARKET RACKETEERS + OMIT SLEEP + AVI DARKBLOOM) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £6
Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. TAKE THAT
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds. LEMURIA (DADS)
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £10
Buffalo-based trio two albums in, their most recent Pebble out on Bridge 9 Records.
DAVE LIEBMAN WITH THE VEIN TRIO
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £12
The saxophonist is joined by Swiss piano trio Vein for a special appearance.
Wed 27 May GALLOWS
SOUND CONTROL, 18:00–22:00, £14
Instead of flickering out after the departure of intimidating frontman Frank Carter, the Watfordbased hardcore punks rock on with the help of Black Lungs founder Wade MacNeil. ROOK & THE RAVENS
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £8
Alternative rock quintet from Manchester, making ballsy guitar pop sounds. EAST INDIA YOUTH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–23:00, £10
William Doyle’s one-man experimental soundscapes, built on vocal and instruments that wander down alleyways of electronica, techno, Krautrock and pop. GOLDEN TEACHER
ISLINGTON MILL, 20:00–01:00, £8
Silk Cut and Ultimate Thrush collab, equal parts playful, experimental and danceable taking cues from leftfield disco, acid house, electronic body music and various forms of African dance music. JIMI GOODWIN (TROJAN HORSE)
ROADHOUSE, 19:30–22:30, £17.50
The Doves frontman goes it alone again. THE UKRAINIANS
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–22:30, £11
Their name sounds like an ill-conceived WWE tag team, but these are in fact seven-piece folk rock band. BABES IN TOYLAND
GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £20
The reformed all-female American punk rockers time machine y’all back to the 90s with a set of classic hits. THE BEACH BOYS
O2 APOLLO, 20:00–23:00, FROM £38.50
FINCH
MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £17.50
The Californian post-hardcore lot continue to rage against the dying light of their career. MUDHONEY
THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £16.50
American grunge rock bunch, formed in Seattle from the ashes of Green River. TORCHE
SOUND CONTROL, 18:00–22:00, £12
Bridging pop and metal like no one else’d bloody dare, the Miami ensemble continue to realise their crazed, yet delicate balance between doom metal, grunge and power pop. MANCHESKA
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Eight-piece ska band fronted by a four-strong horn section and eight vocalists, playing originals, rare gems and some Jamaican classics thrown in for good measure. BLOSSOMS
MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £9
Manc mosaic-like five piece mixing pop nous with psychedelic blurriness, to everybody’s pleasure. HALF WAY HOME (THE NOVASONS + NO SUNLIGHT)
TAKE THAT
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds. INHEAVEN
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £5
One of those ‘hyped before they’ve played a show’ type bands, finally get round to playing some shows. EMIN
BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, £10
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds.
The Wrexham Symphony Orchestra British r’n’b ensemble of dubious musical merit, back after a stint on make their Bridgewater debut to ITV’s The Big Reunion, the joys. play this Mahler classic. MAIKA MAKOVSKI
INSTITUTO CERVANTES, 19:30–22:00, £TBC
Spanish songwriter and multiinstrumentalist.
Sun 31 May
ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £35
Perma-tanned sixties smoothie known for golden oldie hits like Release Me (And Let Me Love Again). Classic stuff, y’hear. NOSFERATU
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 20:00–22:00, £12
A screening of the horror classic, with live music provided by organist Darius Battiwalla.
Mon 01 Jun BRAND NEW
ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:00–22:00, £19.50
Laid-back, Long Island rock quartet formed back in 2000. MAROON 5
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £35
The LA quintet return to Liverpool as part of their Overexposed world tour – their words, not ours. LIAM FROST AND HIS BAND
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £11
SHAYSHAHN MACPHERSON
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £6 (£4)
The hip-hop violonist and spoken word artist comes across from Brooklyn. CALEXICO
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £18
The Arizona-based indie-rock duo approach their 20th year, after first coming together as part of the band Giant Sand. LONELY THE BRAVE (SEAWITCHES)
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £5
Self-described ‘epic-rock’ fourpiece from Cambridge. THE SUMS
DISTRICT, 19:30–01:00, £8
Formed in the backstreets of Liverpool, supposedly, The Sums celebrate the release of their second album, full of psychedelic sounds and textures. DIRTY FENCES (BAD MEDS)
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–23:00, £TBC
Volcom Records based NYC punks come to the UK.
Sat 02 May
MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK
ARTS CLUB, 16:00–22:00, £15 (£25 WEEKEND)
Minneapolis quintet of the alternative indie-rock variety play Commit This To Memory in full as part of Fury Fest.
Hailed as the UK’s answer to Bright Eyes, local boy Liam Frost blends DOUGLAS DARE delicious alt-folk melodies with heartfelt lyrics – all while navigat- BLADE FACTORY, 20:00–00:00, FROM £5 Compared to the likes of Elliot ing hefty subject matter. Smith and James Blake, Douglas Dare released his first EP on the much respected Erased Tapes label.
Liverpool Music
Tue 28 Apr THE TWILIGHT SAD
THE KAZIMIER, 19:00–22:00, £12
The Sad boys continue to tour their fourth LP, Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave – a synth-driven, gloomy gem that unfurls new riches with each listen. THE VAMPS
ECHO ARENA, 19:00–23:00, FROM £11
Acoustic-driven British pop unit led by singer Brad Simpson. PARRJAZZ (THE PAUL RILEY QUARTET)
TROIKA
THE KAZIMIER GARDEN, 20:00–23:00, FREE
London-based pianist Willie Fields plays everything from 1890’s Odessa to 1940’s New York style jazz sounds, aided by his band.
Sun 03 May BETH HART
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £25
American singer/songwriter who found fame with LA Song, which aired during the final season of the mighty Beverly Hills 90210. MAN OVERBOARD (TRASH TALK + HOSTAGE CALM + ROAM)
ARTS CLUB, 16:00–22:00, £15 (£25 WEEKEND)
New Jersey pop-punk quintet, formed by childhood buddies Nik Bruzzese and Wayne Wildrick.
Mon 04 May
Sat 30 May
Wed 29 Apr
MANU DELAGO HANDMADE
San Franciscan duo (aka Ripley Johnson and Sanae Yamada) built on lazily advancing solos and eccentric organ meanderings of loveliness.
TOM PAXTON
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 19:30–22:30, £27.50
The veteran US folk musician celebrates 50 years on the road by, well, going out on the road again. REACH OUT
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £1
A night of 60s sounds, with Motown and soul on the agenda thanks to Sound Control resident, Daniel Deighan. ALIAS KID
SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £8
The Manchester outfit bring their fusions of 60s style anthems up Scotland-way.
FREDERIKS, 20:30–23:00, FREE
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, FROM £6
Manu Delago shot to fame after uploading a video of himself playing the hang, a UFO-like hand-played sound sculpture, to YouTube. Four-million hits and counting, folks... MAHLER’S RESURRECTION
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £13
Sir Andrew Davis joins the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir to take on this tragic epic. HELSINKI
STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:45, £7
MOON DUO
THE KAZIMIER, 19:00–22:00, £10
Tue 05 May THE FULL ENGLISH
ST GEORGE’S HALL, 19:30–22:00, £22
Featuring Seth Lakeman, Martin Simpson and Bellowshead’s Sam Sweeney, the group perform songs from their eponymous album. AL STEWART
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £28.50
The longstanding folk singer/songwriter performs his 1970 LP, Year Of The Cat, live and in its entirety.
TAKE THAT
Side project of Babyshambles Drew McConnell, now back on the (mostly) straight and narrow.
MANCHESTER ARENA, 18:00–23:00, FROM £55
Thu 30 Apr
Surrey-based rockers pushing the genre in some fresh and unexpected ways.
THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–00:00, £13.50
Wed 06 May
Mark, Gary and Howard continue to pretend that Take That still exists without Jason and Robbie, the frauds.
The Los Angeles-based nu metalers bring the racket.
TAKE THAT
DAMAGE
The weekly jazz showcase night pitches up in a new home on Hope Street.
SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:15, £5
Thu 28 May
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15
The song writing sensation comes to the Band On The Wall, one of the brains behind Kylie’s Can’t Get You Out of My Head and One Direction’s Story of My Life.
COAL CHAMBER (SOIL + THE DEFILED + DOPE)
Liverpool-based five-piece mixing in everything from Funkadelic to Aphrodites Child and krautrock.
Fri 01 May
BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £15
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:00, £5
Local folksters head up a diverse bill.
The Beach Boys! Sort of...Mike Love and Bruce Johnston do their best without Brian Wilson et al. THE VRYLL SOCIETY
MAHLER SYMPHONY NO. 2: RESURRECTION
THE RITZ, 17:00–22:00, £20
SPEAKEASY BOOTLEG
MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5
Hailing from New Orleans, this tin pan alley three piece bring the sounds of the turn of the 20thcentury to the Northwest. COCO AND THE BUTTERFIELDS
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £10
Village folk types.
JAMES HOLDEN
The Border Community stalwart and progressive electronica bod performs live. THE XCERTS
THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:30–23:00, £7
Hard-riffing Scottish trio, whose impressive sound has been honed to perfection (i.e. they sound bloody massive live). SCARLETT
LEAF, 20:00–23:00, £5
The local rockers celebrate the launch of their new EP. MAHLER’S RESURRECTION
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £13
Sir Andrew Davis joins the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir to take on this tragic epic.
ARCANE ROOTS
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £10
INME (THE DIRTY YOUTH + ASHES)
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £12.50
Essex rock quartet chock with the emo drum syncopation and Bullet For My Valentine guitars that we’ve come to expect, touring on the back of their fifth LP. THE KENNEDYS
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:30, £8
Pop for grown-ups apparently. Which doesn’t sound like much fun.
Thu 07 May FOXYGEN
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £12.50
The incomprehensibly popular psych bandwagoneers call in with their latest LP.
THE SKINNY
Liverpool Music TCHAIKOVSKY BIRTHDAY SALUTE LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13
It’s Tchaikovsky’s birthday! Hooray! Celebrate with his Violin Concerto. SIINAI
THE KAZIMIER GARDEN, 19:00–23:00, FREE
Epic soundscapes from the Finnish textural electronic band. LISA KNAPP
THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–22:30, £10
Traditional songwriter whose latest EP evokes emotions that the different seasons can evoke.
Fri 08 May
MOBB DEEP (RODNEY P & DADDY SKITZ + DJ 279 + NO FAKIN)
O2 ACADEMY, 18:00–23:00, £26.50
The East Coast hip-hop duo take to the road for their 20th anniversary tour. SUNSET SONS
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £9
UK and Australia-straddling rockers out and touring their new EP. THE APPLES
THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–23:00, FROM £8
Nine-piece funk/jazz line-up hailing from Israel, formed amidst Southern Tel Aviv’s burgeoning underground scene – the band grew organically from jams, to parties, to gigs and finally, international tours. CHRIS DE BURGH
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £40
The insufferable crooner simply refuses to stop. When he can charge over £40 a pop who can blame him. THE HEARTS
STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:45, £5
South Wales band of buddies of the guitar rock persuasion. TIA MCGRAFF
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £10.50 (£8.50)
Canadian indie folk singer songwriter. THE CYBORGS
THE KAZIMIER GARDEN, 19:00–23:00, FREE
Italian cyborg-boogie duo, made up of O on the electric guitar and 1 simultaneously playing the drums and keyboard bass. THE FRANCEENS
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–23:00, £TBC
York-based garage rock trio cross the country with their typically raucous fare. ALTAN
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:30, £15
Traditional Irish music ensemble who’ve been playing together for over 25 years.
SOUTHPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (JAMES MORTON)
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:30, £12
Three days of some of the most renowned jazz musicians currently on the UK circuit.
Sat 09 May I AM KLOOT
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £18.50
Mancunian guitar bloke stalwarts, in much the same way that Elbow and Doves are. All Mercury nominees, but you couldn’t pick them out of a line-up could you. POLAR STATES
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £7
New band straight outta Toxteth who’ve already worked with Grammy Award-winning producers n’ the like. TOPS (GULF)
THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:30–23:00, £7.50
Montreal foursome, equal parts girls and guys, delivering a raw punk take on AM studio pop. OLLY MURS
ECHO ARENA, 19:30–23:00, FROM £33
The fresh-faced X-Factor almostwas (as in, he lost), proves that winning the thing means nothing (so long as you join up with a super powerful management and label team regardless.) ODD RIVAL
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 19:00–23:00, £TBC
London garage rock outfit fronted by brothers Patrick and Chris Smith. SOUTHPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (RIOT JAZZ BRASS BAND)
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:30, £12
Three days of some of the most renowned jazz musicians currently on the UK circuit.
May 2015
Sun 10 May EDDI READER
EPSTEIN THEATRE, 18:30–22:00, £23
Reader weaves her velvety vocal palette around a selection of traditional and contemporary songs, including tracks from her new EP Back the Dogs.
BEETHOVEN’S SEVENTH SYMPHONY
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:30–17:00, FROM £13
The Liverpool Phil performance Beethoven's seventh in all its resplendent glory.
SOUTHPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL (JOSHUA CAVANAGH-BRIERLEY) THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:00, £6
Three days of some of the most renowned jazz musicians currently on the UK circuit.
Mon 11 May THE POP GROUP
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £18
The Creeping Bent-signed combo tour their first LP in a staggering 35 years, Citizen Zombie. LULU
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £28.50
It’s Lulu! And she’s on her first solo tour in over 10 years, playing all her classics.
Wed 13 May
FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £9
London-based rockers who describe their sound as ‘death pop’, taking their name from the 1967 comedy horror film they grew up watching. THE FALL
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £22
Seminal 70s post-punk outfit from Manchester – led by the inimitable Mark E Smith with an otherwise interchangeable line-up. S CLUB 7
ECHO ARENA, 19:30–23:00, FROM £39
The pop sevensome (definitely a word) return with their first tour in ten years, if anyone cares? VIRTUOSO BRAHMS
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13
The Liverpool Phil perform Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 JOHN JOSEPH BRILL
STUDIO 2, 19:00–23:45, £4
JJB (not the sports store) makes his first headlining stopover in Liverpool.
Thu 14 May VIRTUOSO BRAHMS
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13
The Liverpool Phil perform Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 TOMMY SCOTT (EDGAR ‘SUMMERTYME’ JONES + EMILY PORTMAN + CHRIS ELLIOT) PALM HOUSE, 20:00–00:00, £10
Mellowtone team up with the Viper Label for a night of classic songwriting.
Fri 15 May THE WEAVE
THE CAPSTONE, 19:30–22:30, £11.50
THE URBAN VOODOO MACHINE ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10
Bourbon Soaked Gypsy Blues Bop ‘n’ Stroll. SPEAKEASY BOOTLEG BAND
THE KAZIMIER GARDEN, 19:00–23:00, FREE
Hailing from New Orleans, this tin pan alley three piece bring the sounds of the turn of the 20thcentury to the Northwest. BELLA HARDY
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:30, £14 (£12)
Acclaimed Peak District singer combining traditional styles and ballad forms into one poetic, fairytale-like whole.
Sun 17 May
FLECK: ACM + JOE SNAPE
METAL, 19:30–22:00, £5
Centred around a new large-scale work by Joe Snape for small ensemble, ACM also features new works by Michael Cutting, Vitalija Glovackyte and commissions from local guest musicians, in an exploration of musical storytelling. EN ROUTE TO MOZART
ST GEORGE’S HALL, 14:00–18:00, £10
The St. George’s Hall Resident Orchestra re-visit some of Mozart’s finest works. LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC YOUTH ORCHESTRA
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, £9
Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra take a journey through some of the world’s best-loved pieces. THEATRE OF HATE
ARTS CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £15
Previously disbanded 80s postpunk unit, now putting in the odd live appearance with Kirk Brandon at the helm and various new members.
Mon 18 May JOHN DORAN (ARABROT + BARBEROS)
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £6
The Quietus editor and impassioned cultural commentator reads extracts from his debut book The Jolly Lad, with sonic accompaniment from Scandivanian sonic explorer Arabrot, among others. TOM PAXTON
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £26.50
The veteran US folk musician celebrates 50 years on the road by, well, going out on the road again. WE ARE THE OCEAN
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £12.50
Essex-based rock quartet led by Liam Cromby and his catchy choruses.
Tue 19 May OZRIC TENTACLES
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15
The psychedelic space rockers take to the UK armed with a 28-strong back catalogue of albums, celebrating 30+ years of music-making. THE NIGHTINGALES (TED CHIPPINGTON)
THE MAGNET , 19:00–23:00, £11
An ensemble of established musicians from the Liverpool jazz scene, playing warm and melodious home-spun tunes.
The Birmingham-formed postpunk outfit get back on the live circuit.
ARTS CLUB, 18:30–22:00, £14.50
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £25
LUCY SPRAGGAN (KAL LAVELLE)
Little Lucy Spraggan, of X Factor fame, now a fully fledged touring musician making ‘flop’ – that’s folk meets hip-hop for the uninitiated. BIG NOTHING (YAWNING DOG)
MAGUIRE’S PIZZA BAR, 20:00–23:00, £TBC
90’s inspired fuzzed up local rockers play a hometown show.
Sat 16 May
AS IT IS + THIS WILD LIFE
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £10
JOHN BARROWMAN
Barrowman in singing mode. Approach with caution.
Wed 20 May SWERVEDRIVER
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15
The resurgent Oxford quartet hit the road, with Adam Franklin’s gift for penning hypnotic, widescreen rock’n’roll all well and in place. SON OF DAVE
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £10
Co-headline tour from Brightonvia-Minneapolis pop-rockers As It Is and Californian acoustic duo This Wild Life.
Canadian singer/songwriter and former Crash Test Dummies guitarist, otherwise known as Benjamin Darvill.
THE ATKINSON 16 MAY, TIMES VARY, £14 (£12)
ARTS CLUB, 20:00–23:00, £7
BELLA HARDY
Acclaimed Peak District singer combining traditional styles and ballad forms into one poetic, fairytale-like whole. LAU
EPSTEIN THEATRE, 19:00–22:30, £17.50
The award-winning Scottish folk trio, made up of Kris Drever, Martin Green and Aidan O’Rourke.
PITY SEX (CREEPOID)
Ann Arbor rockers signed to Run For Cover Records come to the UK.
Thu 21 May
GOLDEN TEACHER (GALAXIANS + GAME_PROGRAM) THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–01:00, £10
Silk Cut and Ultimate Thrush collab, equal parts playful, experimental and danceable taking cues from leftfield disco, acid house, electronic body music and various forms of African dance music. SIBELIUS’ SYMPHONIES
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13
Sibelius wrote a load of decent symphonies, here’s numbers five, six and seven. GORDIE MACKEEMAN AND HIS RHYTHM BOYS
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:30, £12
The Prince Edward Island group serve up old-time roots music.
Fri 22 May
LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2015 (THE VACCINES + RONI SIZE + SWANS + EVERYTHING EVERYTHING + MORE)
VARIOUS VENUES, 12:00–03:00, PRICES VARY
Moving down to the docks of the Mersey, Liverpool Sound City returns in 2015 bigger than ever, with The Vaccines (Fri), The Flaming Lips (Sat) and Belle and Sebastian (Sun) your weekend’s headliners. JAELO FLAMENCO
THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:30, £15 (£13)
A fusion of heart wrenching vocals, explosive footwork and virtuoso guitar playing.
Sat 23 May
LEAGUE OF WELLDOERS VARIETY BENEFIT SHOW
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:00–16:30, FROM £10.45
A variety show in aid of one of Liverpool’s oldest charities. DON MCLEAN
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £33.50
Legendary folk singer/songwriter (aka ‘im wot wrote American Pie).
BRYAN FERRY LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £35
The Roxy Music frontman takes to the road, cooler than ever after featuring on Todd Terje’s magnificent cover of Johnny and Mary. SOWETO CHOIR
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £15.50 (£10.50)
All singing all dancing fun from the African choir.
Wed 27 May
Sun 31 May HAZEL O’CONNOR
THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:30, £19
Cult movie star turned singer/ songwriter returns to the touring circuit with a full band to deliver a live show crammed with all the Breaking Glass hits.
Mon 01 Jun EARTH
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £12.50
THE LAFONTAINES
Tue 28 Apr
DJ set from the musical mastermind, known for mixing a junkshop bag of sounds and bringing his beats to life with squiggly, scribbled animations.
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £6
Motherwell outfit deftly combining portions of hip-hop, pop, rock and electro into one thumping melodic block of noise. SOWETO CHOIR
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £15.50 (£10.50)
GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50
All singing all dancing fun from the African choir.
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
Thu 28 May
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £5
THE SAINTS
DOUBLE DROP
THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–23:00, £12
The regular clubnight returns with everything from 90s, classics, dance and EDM.
INHEAVEN
Wed 29 Apr
On-and-off rock lot formed in 1976 in Australia. THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:30–23:00, £5
One of those ‘hyped before they’ve played a show’ type bands, finally get round to playing some shows.
DAR WILLIAMS (LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE)
ARTS CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £12
American singer/songwriter specializing in pop folk, captivating audiences since the early 90s. SOWETO CHOIR
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £15.50 (£10.50)
JUICY
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–03:00, £1.50
All party, no bullshit night of everything from classic hip-hop to disco and funk. BASSFACE
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £5
Bass music bangers all night long for students to lose their shit to.
Thu 30 Apr FULL MOON
SANKEYS, 22:00–03:00, £5
Running Wild present a Thai-style late night party.
DUBABUSE (DUBATEERS)
Fri 29 May
ZUTEKH (DIXON AVENUE BASEMENT JAMS)
LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2015 (THE FLAMING LIPS + THE THURSTON MOORE BAND + FUCKED UP + UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA + MORE) VARIOUS VENUES, 12:00–03:00, PRICES VARY
Moving down to the docks of the Mersey, Liverpool Sound City returns in 2015 bigger than ever, with The Vaccines (Fri), The Flaming Lips (Sat) and Belle and Sebastian (Sun) your weekend’s headliners.
Sun 24 May
CRAZY P (TENSNAKE + EWAN PEARSON + PSYCHEMAGIK + WEVAL + MORE) ST LUKE’S CHURCH (BOMBED OUT CHURCH), 13:00–06:00, FROM £21
The UK disco veterans continue to mix it with the freshest sounds some 20-odd years after forming.
LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY 2015 (BELLE AND SEBASTIAN + GAZ COOMBES + PEACE + THE CRIBS + MORE)
VARIOUS VENUES, 12:00–03:00, PRICES VARY
Moving down to the docks of the Mersey, Liverpool Sound City returns in 2015 bigger than ever, with The Vaccines (Fri), The Flaming Lips (Sat) and Belle and Sebastian (Sun) your weekend’s headliners.
Mon 25 May CHAS AND DAVE
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20
English pop-rock duo responsible for ‘rockney’ – a genre which blends pub singalongs with music hall influences and no-nonesense rock’n’roll.
Tue 26 May JAMES ARTHUR
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20
The 2012 X-Factor winner now tumbling down the rungs of the pop world. PAUL LEWIS
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, £25
The pianist performs Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas.
FUNKADEMIA
Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon.
House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents.
Dub, reggae and roots night.
GIRLS ON FILM
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50
Pink lady cocktails, disco balls, glitz and glamour – a monthly club night where you’re free to let your inner 80s child loose.
Manchester Clubs
Part piano recital, part fantasy lecture, Will Pickvance returns with his sell-out Edinburgh Fringe 2013 show of virtuosity, dissection and surreal humour.
Genre-spanning British ensemble mixing genres of blues, rock, Latin and folk.
ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:30, £8
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–04:00, £5 (£3)
A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans.
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £10
ANATOMY OF THE PIANO
ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10
THE UKRAINIANS
REMAKE REMODEL
Seattle’s drone godfather Dylan Carlson and his Earth chums make an all too rare UK visit, continuing to tour their tenth studio LP, Primitive and Deadly.
All singing all dancing fun from the African choir.
Their name sounds like an ill-conceived WWE tag team, but these are in fact seven-piece folk rock band.
Sat 02 May
WILLIE AND THE BANDITS
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:30, £8
MAROON 5
ECHO ARENA, 19:30–23:00, FROM £39
The LA quintet return to Liverpool as part of their Overexposed world tour – their words, not ours. PETRENKO’S ELGAR
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13
Conductor Vasily Petrenko guides the Liverpool Phil through Elgar’s first symphony. SOWETO CHOIR
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £15.50 (£10.50)
All singing all dancing fun from the African choir.
Sat 30 May DE LA SOUL
O2 ACADEMY, 21:00–02:00, £25
American hip-hop trio hailing from Long Island, New York, crafting their own genre-bending blend of alternative jazz rap since 1987. THE UNDERTONES
O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £20
Among the 568 bands who claim to be John Peel’s favourite band, The Undertones have more of a claim than most. Come see them play Teenage Kicks and the like. MARK POUTNEY
STUDIO 2, 18:30–23:45, £5
The local singer songwriter celebrates the launch of his second album Mark II (see what he did there?) SOWETO CHOIR
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:00–22:00, £15.50 (£10.50)
All singing all dancing fun from the African choir. BOP ENGLISH
DISTRICT, 19:30–23:00, £8
White Denim front man James Petralli takes a questionable new moniker as he hits the road with his solo record. WOODY MANN
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:30, £12
New Yorker plying his trade in American acoustic blues, roots and jazz.
MURKAGE
SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3
Fri 01 May
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £8
Dixon Avenue Basement Jams come to Manchester having made their name up in Glasgow. CHERRY
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £4
Celebrating all things naughty from the noughties, with a music policy that spans 2000’s pop and houseparty anthems. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3
Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. FRI251
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. VOODOO ROCK
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–04:00, £4
Alternative rock and metal night that’s been seen at Download and Sonisphere. FAM*
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3
Disco, funk, 80s and 90s. TOUGH LOVE
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, FROM £10
Covert present London duo Tough Love, who’ve been creating waves throughout the capital’s house scene. SHERWOOD & PINCH
BAND ON THE WALL, 21:00–03:00, FROM £8
Dub warriors Adrian Sherwood and Pinch team up to colossal effect.
ROAD TO IBIZA (DARIUS SYROSSIAN + SANTÉ + SIDNEY CHARLES) SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £10
Pretty sure you can’t get to Ibiza directly by road, but none of the revellers at South tonight’ll mind too much.
JUST SKANK 5TH BIRTHDAY (DIGITAL MYSTIKZ + COMPA + MORE)
JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:00–04:00, £12
Just Skank once again hi-jack the Void Soundsystem for another bass-heavy party.
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON
SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £5
MR SCRUFF KEEP IT UNREAL
BAND ON THE WALL, 22:00–03:00, £12
LOWDOWN (ALEX METRIC + RITON)
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £10
More Lowdown fun, this time with Alex Metric and Riton manning the decks. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. LIGHT BOXX
THE RITZ, 22:30–03:30, £4
New residency from the guys that brought you Rehab, Pout and Dyslexic. JAMZ MCR (FLAVA D)
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £6
Flava D returns to Manchester for the first time in a year. POP BUBBLE ROCK!
JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:30–04:00, £5
Get ready for an old skool prom, with the PBR house band playing cover songs in tuxedos and a photo studio and pizza parlour to-hand. WAFF
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, FROM £8
Live Wire return to Gorilla, to present the funkiness of Waff. FRIENDS AND FAMILY
ROADHOUSE, 23:00–04:00, £5
Friends and Family returns for a special kiss-off to the Roadhouse, featuring Jon K, Woody, Martin Brew and more. NINA KRAVIZ (COSMIN TRG + DE SLUWE VOS + CHAPPELL + SAMEED + MORE) SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £12
F//CK FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)
Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms. SOULJAM
MINT LOUNGE, 21:00–04:00, £TBC
The best in soul, funk and boogie. JAMES PRIESTLEY (HI KU)
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, FROM £3
The secretsundaze man headlines a Brooklyn & Beyond special.
Fri 08 May JUICY
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, FROM £3
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 2000’s pop and houseparty anthems. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3
Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. BREACH
SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, £10
The house music specialist (aka Ben Westbeech) brings the infectious blend of bass-heavy grooves, stripped back drums, and seductive vocal hooks. FRI251
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. HIGHER GROUND
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3
The sounds of the 60’s from Motown to rock ‘n’ roll.
COCHERA (P MONEY + LOGAN SAMBA + BUGZY MALONE) SOUTH, 22:30–05:00, £12
Cochera’s new garage, house and techno night celebrates its first birthday. OPERATIVE
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–04:00, £4 (£3)
The latest instalment of the audio visual electronic music party. I FEEL LOVE
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, £3
Purveyors of good times, rooted in Disco, moulded by House.
Hard hitting night of house headlined by a mighty four-hour Nina Kraviz set.
Sat 09 May
Sun 03 May
Monthly club night tribute to 90s indie – expect Pulp, Nirvana, Suede, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies and more.
JAMES ZABIELA
GORILLA, 23:00–04:00, FROM £15
Estate Events bring Born Electric head honcho and long-running We Love...Space resident James Zabiela to Gorilla. CLEAN BANDIT (DJ) (MIKE MAGO)
SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £15
The insufferable sods are mercifully reduced to DJing duties for an evening. INFLUENCE (JON DA SILVA + GREG FENTON)
BAND ON THE WALL, 22:00–03:00, FROM £6
Two of the most influential DJs on the Madchester clubbing scene come to Band On The Wall. GOOD GATHERINGS (LUIGI MADONNA)
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, £8
The Italian Drumcode and Analytic Trail stalwart drops into the basement.
Tue 05 May GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
Wed 06 May JUICY
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–03:00, £1.50
All party, no bullshit night of everything from classic hip-hop to disco and funk.
GOO
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50
FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON
SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £5
Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon.
OUSE (SHUBA SAN + 99 SOULS + ELI & FUR + MORE) SANKEYS, 23:00–05:00, £12
House heads Ouse return for another run. MAJEFA (AKIRA KAYOSA)
SOUND CONTROL, 22:00–04:00, £10
The veteran DJ Akira Kayosa performs a mammoth six hour set of trance, techno and everything in between. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. ANTICS (KID WAVE + BULLY)
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–03:00, £7
Stone Roses-likened Sulk headline the latest Antics shenanigans. LIGHT BOXX
THE RITZ, 22:30–03:30, £4
Thu 07 May
New residency from the guys that brought you Rehab, Pout and Dyslexic.
SANKEYS, 22:00–03:00, £5
BAND ON THE WALL, 22:00–03:00, FROM £8
FULL MOON
Running Wild present a Thai-style late night party. MURKAGE
SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3
House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents.
A RAFTERS REUNION!
The original jazz funk tastemakers Colin Curtis, John Grant and Hewan Clarke return, following their halcyon days in the late 70s and early 80s.
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THE SKINNY
Manchester Clubs VOID 004 JOSHUA BROOKS, 21:00–04:00, £8
Sinister Records first birthday bash.
Tue 12 May GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
Wed 13 May JUICY
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–03:00, £1.50
All party, no bullshit night of everything from classic hip-hop to disco and funk. HOT CHIP AFTERPARTY
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £7
After party for the delightful electro pop scamps.
Thu 14 May FULL MOON
SANKEYS, 22:00–03:00, £5
Running Wild present a Thai-style late night party. MURKAGE
SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3
House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)
Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms. DUB PHIZIX + STRATEGY’S WELL GOOD DO
MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–03:30, £6
Another huge Dub Phizix do for a cheaper price than a weekly travelcard.
Fri 15 May
HIGHLIFE (AUNTIE FLO + ANDREW H+P)
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, FROM £3
Music from across the globe, with resident Auntie Flo topping the bill. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3
Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. ELECTRIC JUG
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3
Serving up the best of the 60s, ranging from psych and ska to britpop and funk. FRI251
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. HIGH HOOPS (DJ SPRINKLES)
ROADHOUSE, 23:00–04:00, £15
LIGHT BOXX THE RITZ, 22:30–03:30, £4
New residency from the guys that brought you Rehab, Pout and Dyslexic.
SOUL GARDEN OLD SKOOL SPECIAL (GILES THORPE + RUSS RUSSELL + BASEZONE + RICK STAR) BAND ON THE WALL, 23:00–03:00, FROM £10
The traditionally new skool soul night goes back to the classics for this one-off special.
KALUKI + CIRCUS (MARCO CAROLA + YOUSEF) ALBERT HALL, 22:00–04:00, FROM £20
SOUTH, 23:00–05:00, £10
Sat 16 May FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON
SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £5
Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. BARE BONES
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50
Three floor club night touting indie/electro, classic rock’n’roll and punk/rock.
May 2015
JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:30–04:00, £6
Legendary Belgian DJ duo bringing four hours of genre-bending dark wave disco and house.
Tue 19 May GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
Thu 21 May FULL MOON
SANKEYS, 22:00–03:00, £5
Running Wild present a Thai-style late night party. MURKAGE
SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3
House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)
Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.
Fri 22 May UPTOWN
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3
The best in disco, funk, boogie and party classics. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3
Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. FRI251
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. COVERT WEEKENDER (ROGER SANCHEZ + PRES S:MAN + DAVID ZOWIE + MORE)
SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10
MUTE! CLOSING PARTY
JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:00–04:00, £5
Sat 23 May FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON
SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £5
Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. RELAPSE (ALIX PEREZ)
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £12
Relapse present another typically colossal night of drum & bass, jungle, breakcore and more. POP CURIOUS?
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–04:00, £6
The legendary pop night hosts a Eurovision special. FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. LIGHT BOXX
THE RITZ, 22:30–03:30, £4
New residency from the guys that brought you Rehab, Pout and Dyslexic.
POP
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50
The biggest hits from the last 40 years of popular music. FUNKADEMIA
MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON
SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £5
Disco kid, Tobias, Don-fu & more in association with Nupanda Records going along side the Komodo residents.
Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon.
Sun 24 May
A night of 60s sounds, with Motown and soul on the agenda thanks to Sound Control resident, Daniel Deighan.
WE PARTY ATTACKS (WE ATTACKS)
THE RITZ, 22:00–03:00, £10
The Covert crew celebrate the bank holiday weekend with a typically huge three-day line-up.
THE GLIMMERS
The final Mute! Night, expect house, tech house and techno.
Desolat’s Anthea and Flux Groove play the inaugural Switch night.
DISCO KID
JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:00–04:00, £10
SANKEYS, 23:00–05:00, FROM £10
SWITCH LAUNCH PARTY (ANTHEA + FLUX GROOVE)
The Covert crew celebrate the bank holiday weekend with a typically huge three-day line-up.
A hedonistic night headlined by DJ Sr Edu presented by Orange Nation.
The Covert crew celebrate the bank holiday weekend with a typically huge three-day line-up.
Two of the UK’s biggest party starters team up for a raucous do at Sankeys.
SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10
Kaluki and Circus collaborate to bring you Circus owner Yousef and the returning Marco Carola, following his stunning set last year.
The legendary DJ, producer and owner of Comatonse Recordings comes to Manchester for the first time. FAUX BASEMENT + ILLUMINATI
COVERT WEEKENDER (LOW STEPPA + DALE HOWARD + JUST JORGE)
Sat 30 May
COVERT WEEKENDER (CUFF + SION + TEKLA + MORE)
SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10
PATO WATSON (ANNABEL FRASER)
SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:30, FROM £5
The Sicario Music and LA Roma Records man drops in for a night of floor pumping madness. HOT CAKES
JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:30–04:00, FROM £7
Shaped and Riddim Culture present Hot Cakes with Deekline, Scratch Perverts, Jurassik, Final Conflict, and more.
Tue 26 May GOLD TEETH
THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50
REACH OUT
SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £1
FACTORY SATURDAYS
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound.
CRAIG CHARLES FUNK ‘N’ SOUL CLUB (TIRO LARK) BAND ON THE WALL, 21:00–03:00, FROM £14
DJ and actor Craig Charles will be manning the decks until 3am, playing his picks of funk and soul, with an array of guest spinners and live acts joining him. ULTIMATE ANTHEMS
THE RUBY LOUNGE, 23:00–04:00, £6
The sister of Ultimate Power with more of the same classic pop and rock ballads. LIGHT BOXX
THE RITZ, 22:30–03:30, £4
Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.
New residency from the guys that brought you Rehab, Pout and Dyslexic.
Thu 28 May
SANKEYS, 22:30–05:00, FROM £10
FULL MOON
SANKEYS, 22:00–03:00, £5
Running Wild present a Thai-style late night party. MURKAGE
SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3
House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. F//CK
FACTORY 251, 22:30–05:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)
Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.
Fri 29 May
SOUL:UTION (DOC SCOTT + SEBA + MARCUS INTALEX + BANE + MORE)
BAND ON THE WALL, 23:00–03:00, £10
Soul:ution returns with another night of electronica meets drum and bass. TOP OF THE POPS
MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3
Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs.
KERRI CHANDLER
A massive six-hour set from New Jersey house legend Kerry Chandler.
Mon 01 Jun FULL MOON
SANKEYS, 22:00–03:00, £5
Running Wild present a Thai-style late night party.
Liverpool Clubs Tue 28 Apr DIRTY ANTICS
BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)
Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.
PACEMAKER
NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 21:00–03:00, FREE
Monthly rock’n’roll club night hosted by Two Weeks Running. TRANSMISSION FUNK (DENSE + PIKA)
JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, £8
House, techno and bass from the Transmission Funk residents and a host of special guests.
LEGENDS OF REGGAE (KEN BOOTHE + CHAKADEMUS AND PLIERS + LEROY SIBBLES + GYPTIAN + MORE)
MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 21:00–02:00, £30
Some of reggae’s cult names convene for a night of good vibes.
Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.
Sat 02 May
BLESS THIS BEATOLOGY (DJ FOOD + DJ KIDDOLOGY)
O2 ACADEMY, 22:00–04:00, £12.50
The long-running DJ Food project, originally conceived by members of Coldcut, rumbles through the Academy. VENLO (NPLGNN + REFLEC)
CAMP AND FURNACE, 22:00–04:00, FROM £5
Brand new night in Liverpool, bringing the city not only some of the worlds finest techno. VINYL DEMAND (DJ MARK ARMSTRONG + PAUL BRADLEY + NIC KLASS)
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
For those who love to rave and misbehave. NOTORIOUS
ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £3
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3
Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. CHAMELEON SATURDAYS
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
Chameleon’s host of guest and resident DJs drop a diverse selection of tunery.
BETWEEN THE BORDERS, EPISODE 3 LAUNCH (MOGADISCO + MC FARHOOD + ANWAR ALI + RAMIN + MORE) 24 KITCHEN STREET, 14:00–02:00, £DONATIONS (£5 AFTER 7PM)
MogaDisco, they of the most excellent taste in Afro-beat, High Life and more from the continent of Africa, headline the third installment of Beyond The Borders, a celebration of music from around the globe performed by those currently living in Liverpool. PURE SATURDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC
Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.
LIPSTICK JUNGLE
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
For those who love to rave and misbehave. SHOT THERAPY!
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Two floors of alt rock, pop-punk, stadium rock, metal and chart music. VIBE THURSDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC
R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.
Fri 01 May
DERRICK CARTER (RAHAAN)
THE MAGNET , 23:00–08:00, £18
Heavyweights including Dave Clarke, Andrew Weatherall and Justin Robertson come together to help 303 celebrate two years of party starting.
CREAM (DUKE DUMONT + JAX JONES + AS I AM + KIWI + MORE) NATION, 18:00–06:00, £32.50
The long-running club night hosts another night of wall-to-wall DJ celebrity. CARL COX (YOUSEF + MIGUEL CAMPBELL + TUBE & BERGER + MORE)
ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:30, £20
The acid house and techno veteran plays a rather special set.
Tue 05 May DIRTY ANTICS
BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)
Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.
The Chicago house legend takes to the decks. We’ll do the screaming.
Wed 06 May
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £3
BUMPER, 11:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT
AFTER PARTY
Noise for the nocturnal, Bumper’s new Friday night. AMBUSH!
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC
Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.
SANKEYS, 23:00–06:00, FROM £12.50
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
CHAMELEON FRIDAYS
Get your weekend started with Chameleon’s host of resident and guest DJs.
POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD
All the hits from that dubiously halcyon time in the late 90’s early 00’s when the likes of Blink 182, New Found Glory and Hoobastank ruled the airwaves.  SHIGETO
CONSTELLATIONS, 21:00–03:00, FROM £6
The Ghostly International-signed producer heads back out on the road promising more of his atmospheric, dance-floor leaning textures.
CHAMELEON FRIDAYS
Young Turks bring some of their biggest heads to the Bombed Out Church for a special takeover presented by Freeze. RAGE
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3
Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. CHAMELEON SATURDAYS
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
Two floors of alt rock, pop-punk, stadium rock, metal and chart music.
Get your weekend started with Chameleon’s host of resident and guest DJs.
CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)
GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)
VIBE THURSDAYS
R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.
Fri 08 May AFTER PARTY
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £3
Noise for the nocturnal, Bumper’s new Friday night. AMBUSH!
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC
Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club. CHAMELEON FRIDAYS
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
BEN SIMS
Techno stalwart Ben Sims comes to 24KS, with remixes for the likes of Jeff Mills under his belt in more than 20 years of DJing and producing. TREND FRIDAYS
TREND FRIDAYS
Sat 16 May BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC
EASY TIGER
Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3
Sun 24 May
RAGE
Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. CHAMELEON SATURDAYS
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
Chameleon’s host of guest and resident DJs drop a diverse selection of tunery. PURE SATURDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC
Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.
Tue 19 May DIRTY ANTICS
Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.
Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.
Sat 09 May
Wed 20 May
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
BUMPER, 11:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT
House music all night long.
POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD
Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.
All the hits from that dubiously halcyon time in the late 90’s early 00’s when the likes of Blink 182, New Found Glory and Hoobastank ruled the airwaves. 
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
Thu 21 May
RAGE
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3
CHAMELEON SATURDAYS
Chameleon’s host of guest and resident DJs drop a diverse selection of tunery.
MELODIC DISTRACTION (ANDY HART + NIMINO + MAD VIBES COLLECTIVE + MORE) CONSTELLATIONS, 22:00–04:00, £7
PURE SATURDAYS
Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.
Tue 12 May DIRTY ANTICS
BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)
Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.
Wed 13 May POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD
BUMPER, 11:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT
All the hits from that dubiously halcyon time in the late 90’s early 00’s when the likes of Blink 182, New Found Glory and Hoobastank ruled the airwaves.
Thu 14 May
PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS
THE KAZIMIER, 20:00–01:00, £11.50
The cult LA-based independent hip-hop legends come to Liverpool still as sharp as ever. LIPSTICK JUNGLE
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
For those who love to rave and misbehave. SHOT THERAPY!
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Two floors of alt rock, pop-punk, stadium rock, metal and chart music. VIBE THURSDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC
R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.
PURE SATURDAYS
House music all night long.
BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)
EASY TIGER
BEDLAM
Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.
Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC
Sun 03 May
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC
ST LUKE’S CHURCH (BOMBED OUT CHURCH), 13:00–06:00, £30
Chameleon’s host of guest and resident DJs drop a diverse selection of tunery.
24 KITCHEN STREET, 21:00–04:00, £8
RAGE
AMBUSH!
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
SHOT THERAPY!
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
House music all night long.
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £3
Noise for the nocturnal, Bumper’s new Friday night.
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Feel good house music with additional special guests. EASY TIGER
AFTER PARTY
Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.
Get your weekend started with Chameleon’s host of resident and guest DJs.
THE MAGNET , 23:45–07:00, £5
Fri 15 May
All the 2000s hip hop, pop and r&b you could ask for.
CAMP AND FURNACE, 20:00–06:00, FROM £20
POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD
COHESION (ED RUSH + DOM & ROLAND + MAZTEK + TECHNICAL ITCH + MORE)
New drum and bass night courtesy of Cohesion, who get things off to an impressive start with Ed Rush on headlining duties.
TREND FRIDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)
LIPSTICK JUNGLE
BUMPER, 11:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Thu 30 Apr
SOUTH, 22:00–04:00, £10
Down To Funk get their grooves on with the aid of one Andrew Strong, who can count Theo Parrish as a fan — so much so that the legendary DJ added him to his label Sound Signature.
Thu 07 May
303 BIRTHDAY (DAVE CLARKE + ANDREW WEATHERALL + JUSTIN ROBERTSON + BILLY NASTY + MORE)
FRI251
Deep house night Glitch welcomes Hot Creations duo Cera Alba and Jey Kurmis.
CONSTELLATIONS, 22:00–04:00, £5
Wed 29 Apr
FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT
GLITCH (CERA ALBA + JEY KURMIS )
DOWN TO FUNK (ANDREW STRONG)
Jazzy house and sultry grooves, headlined by an extended set from Andy Hart (Voyage / Sleazy Beats Records).
All the hits from that dubiously halcyon time in the late 90’s early 00’s when the likes of Blink 182, New Found Glory and Hoobastank ruled the airwaves.
Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three.
Liverpool Clubs
YOUNG TURKS SHOWCASE (JAMIE XX + JOHN TALABOT + LORENZO SENNI + KOWTON + MORE)
LIPSTICK JUNGLE
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
HUSTLE X JOLT (MARK FARINA)
THE MAGNET , 14:00–08:00, £14
Yer man Mark Farina mixes up his preferred styles of jazzy Chicago house and San Fran influence for a Hustle and Jolt team-up.
MODU:LAR (YAYA + BROTHERS’ VIBE + SCOTT GRANT NERRAM + MORE) CONSTELLATIONS, 14:00–04:00, £12
The house and techno blending clubnight go outdoors by moving to Constellations in time for the summer.
Tue 26 May DIRTY ANTICS
BUMPER, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM (FROM £3 AFTER)
Messy Tuesday-nighter, bring your dirty shoes.
Wed 27 May POP PUNK’S NOT DEAD
BUMPER, 11:00–05:00, FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT
All the hits from that dubiously halcyon time in the late 90’s early 00’s when the likes of Blink 182, New Found Glory and Hoobastank ruled the airwaves.  GOSSIP
GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4
For those who love to rave and misbehave.
Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights.
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £5
Thu 28 May
SHOT THERAPY!
Two floors of alt rock, pop-punk, stadium rock, metal and chart music. VIBE THURSDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC
R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.
Fri 22 May
JEFF MILLS + BLAWAN (JEFF MILLS + BLAWAN) CAMP AND FURNACE, 21:00–04:00, FROM £18
Hard hitting double headlining bill courtesy of Waxx, with veteran Jeff Mills going head to head with London-based innovator Blawan. AFTER PARTY
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £3
Noise for the nocturnal, Bumper’s new Friday night.
LIPSTICK JUNGLE
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
For those who love to rave and misbehave. VIBE THURSDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 22:00–04:00, £TBC
R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.
Fri 29 May AFTER PARTY
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £3
Noise for the nocturnal, Bumper’s new Friday night. AMBUSH!
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC
Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club. CHAMELEON FRIDAYS
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC
Get your weekend started with Chameleon’s host of resident and guest DJs.
CHAMELEON FRIDAYS
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)
AMBUSH!
Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club. CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
Get your weekend started with Chameleon’s host of resident and guest DJs. TREND FRIDAYS
TREND FRIDAYS
Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.
Sat 30 May EASY TIGER
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)
House music all night long.
Sat 23 May
Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.
Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. EASY TIGER
BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, £TBC
House music all night long. DUBABUSE (DUBATEERS)
ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:30, £8
Dub, reggae and roots night.
RAGE
THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3
CHAMELEON SATURDAYS
CHAMELEON BAR, 19:00–03:30, FREE
Chameleon’s host of guest and resident DJs drop a diverse selection of tunery. BEDLAM
GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)
Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.
Listings
59
Theatre Manchester Burrs Country Park THE LOST CARNIVAL
22–25 MAY, 4:00PM – 8:00PM, £10
A three-day mass theatre event mixing circus, music and visual trickery.
Capitol Theatre
SANATORIUM UNDER THE SIGN OF THE HOUR GLASS
13–16 MAY, TIMES VARY, £8 (£5)
Weaving myth, fantasy, and reality, Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, is the final work of Polish writer Bruno Schulz.
Contact
THE VACUUM CLEANER
7-8 MAY, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, £9 (£5)
After 10 years as an outlaw and inpatient, artist activist The Vacuum Cleaner presents an autobiographical performance told through his psychiatric records, police intelligence files and corporate injunctions. Matinees available. RITES
VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 MAY AND 30 MAY, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY
Powerful production exploring the deep-rooted cultural practice of female genital mutilation, based on interviews with girls affected in Scotland and the UK, plus mothers, midwives, lawyers, police officers, teachers and health workers. Matinees available. HARRY SERIES 2
30 APR, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, FREE
The Manchester based comedy follows the trials and tribulations of young, unemployed Harry trying to find his way in the world. KEISHA THOMPSON
5–6 MAY, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, £10 (£6)
A coming of age story that explores beauty, gender anxieties and the taboo of body hair. CHRISTOPHER BRETT BAILEY
5–6 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £11 (£7)
A motor-mouthed collage of spoken word and storytelling. Tales of paranoia, young love and ultra-violence. CHERYL MARTIN
5–6 MAY, 9:00PM – 11:00PM, £10 (£6)
Poet and playwright Cheryl Martin tries to keep a warm heart in an icy white world, without losing her mind. LOUISE ORWIN
Octagon Theatre WE CAN BE HEROES
18 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)
A charming new production by Sometimes We Play, telling the story of two teenage boys and Mr Smith, a superhero with a canine sidekick, and his efforts to keep them from the clutches of a gang of older boys. LEN JOHNSON: THE FIGHTER
20-21 MAY, 7:30PM-10:00PM, £10 (£8)
The story of Manchester boxer and civil rights activist, Len Johnson, who was denied his opportunity to fight because of his colour.
THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF COMEDY (ABRIDGED) 27 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £14 (£12)
Having reduced pretty much everything Shakespeare’s ever done, the RSC tackle the history of comedy itself, cramming it all into a couple of hours.
DAVID HOYLE
Polemic, pathos, provocative politicking and high comedy from performance legend David Hoyle.
HOME
HOFESH SHECTER’S SUN
30 APR – 2 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £11
A new full-length contemporary dance piece by Hofesh Shechter, complete with full atmospheric score. THE FUNFAIR
14 MAY – 13 JUN, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
Simon Stephens’ new play, making its debut in the HOME theatre for the inaugural opening weekend. Matinees available. 5 SOLDIERS — THE BODY IS A FRONTLINE
29–30 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £15
Inspired by input from fortmer and still serving soldiers, this piece looks at the essentiality of the human body to war.
Instituto Cervantes
IN SEARCH OF THE DUENDE
15 MAY, 6:30PM – 10:00PM, £9 (£7)
A minimalist and sincere tribute to the style of flamenco.
60
Listings
THE MIKADO
VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 28 APR-2 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY
Gilbert & Sullivan play set in the town of Titipu with three little maids, two lovers, one executioner and absolutely no flirting. Matinee available (Sat.) TANGO SIEMPRE
30 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15
A journey into the heart of Tango Argentino dancing.
The Dancehouse NEW DAWN FADES
22 MAY, 8:00PM – 11:00PM, £17 (£15)
23 MAY, 7:30PM – 11:00PM, £8
Three old friends discover a book that promises the offer of secret youth. Sounds like a pain to us. Matinees available.
Opera House
DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
20–30 MAY, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £19.40
Two common swindlers attempt to con a millionaire heiress on the French Riviera; based on the classic comedy starring Sir Michael Caine and Steve Martin. THE DREAMBOYS
14 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £28.40
Glamour show courtesy of loads of oiled-up blokes possessing the most chiselled abs since we last looked round The Skinny office. Ahem. LORD OF THE DANCE: DANGEROUS GAME
28 APR – 10 MAY, NOT 3 MAY, 4 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY
Directed by Michael Flatley and featuring forty premium dancers, so says they. Matinees available.
Palace Theatre
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET
4–9 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £12.90
The Olivier Award-winning rock spectacular returns! Matinees also available. GODSPELL
19 MAY, TIMES 7:30PM-10:00PM, PRICES VARY
28 APR, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY
20 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:30PM, £15 (£10)
Royal Northern College of Music
1–23 MAY, NOT 4, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
8–9 MAY, 9:00PM – 11:00PM, £10 (£6)
A solo-duet created and performed by dancer and puppeteer Ester Natzijl. Matinees available.
A 13 year-old vampire never sees the light of day and drinks the blood of her human sister, until one day she tires of it all, and the world changes.
THE ANCIENT SECRET OF YOUTH AND THE FIVE TIBETANS
Rock out to songs like the international hit Day By Day Prepare Ye The Way, and Turn Back O Man. The parables of Jesus come humanly and hearteningly to life in this fresh look at a classic American musical.
ESTER NATZUIL
SPRING REIGN 19–20 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
A new play by actor/writer Brian Gorman, telling the story of how Joy Division got together and soon after became one of the most influential bands of our time.
A show about girls and guns, what it means to be a plot-device, what it means to be a hero, and what it means to watch. Expect gun-twirling, line-dancing, and Nancy Sinatra.
8–9 MAY, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, £10 (£6)
CUDDLES 19–23 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)
SEX IN SUBURBIA
Claire Sweeney stars in and co-writes in a new comedy about dating, men and finding Mr Right. Riveting, we’re sure. THE JUDY GARLAND
28–30 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £9.40
MOVE IT!
An evening of dance presented by evening class participants, taking in flamenco, ballet, jazz and more.
The King’s Arms THE CALL OF NATURE
18–24 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10
A story about a trainee Catholic priest, uncomfortable with what he’s been asked to teach. He probably should’ve done some reading up on the ol’ Catholicism perhaps. LEN JOHNSON: THE FIGHTER
11-13 MAY, 7:30PM-10:00PM, £8 (£6)
The story of Manchester boxer and civil rights activist, Len Johnson, who was denied his opportunity to fight because of his colour.
The Lowry Studio
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
11-13 MAY, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FROM £10
A semi-staged concert performance of the Gilbert and Sullivan’s favourite. LANDS OF GLASS
28 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
An adaptation of Alessandro Baricco’s imaginative novel. DIFFERENT IS DANGEROUS
14 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
A devised piece that explores multicultural life and the challenges of ethnicity, using a combination of headphone verbatim technique, and fictional monologues. THRILL ME: THE LEOPOLD & LOEB STORY
8-9 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £TBC
1–2 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)
MAYK-produced drama surrounding an orchestra who become trapped and then separated during a military coup in their home city. THE GHOST TRAIN
14 MAY – 20 JUN, NOT SUNDAYS, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15
A group of passengers are left stranded at a remote railway station, facing the prospect of a night in the waiting room...but are they alone? Matinee performances also available.
SISTER ACT
28 Apr-2 May, 7:15pm-9:30pm, Prices vary Theatrical re-telling of the hit movie, in full singalong glory with original music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken. Matinee performances also available. CIRCA – OPUS
SO IT GOES
An exploration into the light and dark sides of grief, in a deeply personal show by Lecoq-trained company On the Run. 16 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
A schoolboy re-enacts the macho homoerotic war film 300 in his bedroom with Wilfred Owen as his Homeric scribe.
SOMETHING THEN SOMETHING NOW
17 MAY, 7:00PM-10:00PM, PRICES VARY
An intimate evening of choreography starring the promising dancer Seeta Patel. PLASTIC FIGURINES
6-7 MAY, 8:00PM-10:00PM, PRICES VARY
The Box of Tricks theatre company present a play that explores the relationship between siblings with very different views on the world. NTS CONNECTIONS FESTIVAL
30 APR-3 MAY, TIMES VARY, £5
The National Theatre presents a series of performances by young actors, based on new plays written by ten amateur playwrights. Early performances also available.
Waterside Arts Centre
VIRGINIA IRONSIDE: GROWING OLD DISGRACEFULLY
21 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £12
When an agony aunt reaches 60 she can jump off a bridge or get on stage. Virginia explains why free drugs, fun funerals, sex (or better still no sex!) make this the best time of your life.
Liverpool Theatre Arts Club
THE MUSEUM OF THEATRE
29 APR, 7:00PM – 11:00PM, £5
Acrobatics and choreography to the music of Shostakovich.
A journey through the history of theatre itself courtesy of Linear Theatre.
26–30 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £25
Echo Arena
8–9 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, FROM £16
MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE CAR
The acclaimed choreographer’s much-lauded dance thriller returns, the familiar 19th century Spanish cigarette factory now a greasy garage diner in the 1960s. Matinee performances available.
The Lowry: Quays Theatre THE WOMAN IN BLACK
28 APR-2 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15
Stage adaptation of Susan Hill’s best-selling novel, combining the intensity of live theatre with a cinematic tension inspired by the world of film noir. Matinee performances also available. HE HAD HAIRY HANDS
15-18 MAY, 8:00PM-10:00PM, £16
Grotesque comedy from Kill the Beast Theatre Company and the Lowry Associate Artists, set in the sleepy town of Hemlock-Under-Lye where a supernatural killer is on the loose. THE SIEGE
13–14 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
Bleak production based on actual events that took place during the Siege of The Church of The Nativity in 2002, exploring PalestinianIsraeli conflict in the process. NTS CONNECTIONS FESTIVAL
3 MAY, 8.15PM-9.15PM, £3
The National Theatre presents a series of performances by young actors, based on new plays written by ten amateur playwrights. Early performances also available.
The Plaza Stockport
GOOSED - THE BRADSHAWS
15 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £20.90
A night of film and theatre as part of Dementia Awareness Week.
THE 56
Emotional play focusing on the tragic events of the Bradford City fire in 1985, which caused the death of 56 football fans in its blaze.
300 TO 1
THE BULLET AND THE BRASS TROMBONE
Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prizewinning novel is given a live stage adaptation by Christopher Segel. Matinees available.
23 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
Royal Exchange Theatre With an election looming, and new political voices appearing, theatre writer Chris Thorpe and co examine the phenomenon of confirmation bias.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
19-23 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:30PM, FROM £16
Family comedy as the Bradshaw family hoodwink, lie and generally put each other in a right old pickle.
16 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
CONFIRMATION
The Lowry: Lyric Theatre
Chicago, 1924 and two wealthy college kids think they’ve got away with the perfect murder – but have they?
All the Judy Garland classics, from the hits of Meet Me In St. Louis to the Wizard of Oz. Matinees also available.
26-30 MAY, TIMES VARY, £12 (£10)
Gritty play centred around the bitter civil war taking place in Syria.
DOING DEMENTIA DIFFERENTLY
13 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £4.25
GAME OF SOULS
28 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £13.25
After meeting in a lesser part of Hell, two demons decide to play a game of chess using humans as pieces, during which, they try to alter the course of each pieces’ destiny. SISTER ACT
8 MAY, 8:00PM-9:15PM, PRICES VARY
Theatrical re-telling of the hit movie, in full singalong glory with original music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken. Matinee performances also available.
Three Minute Theatre
PARENTS WITHOUT CHILDREN
20–22 MAY, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, FROM £8
Teresa and Flynn lose their beautiful little Alice. Now she’s gone the 20-something beauty and her much older, richer man are questioning if they have any reason to remain together.
GODSPELL
9-10 MAY, 7:30PM-10:00PM, PRICES VARY
Rock out to songs like the international hit Day By Day Prepare Ye The Way, and Turn Back O Man. The parables of Jesus come humanly and hearteningly to life in this fresh look at a classic American musical.
Everyman Theatre
UNTIL THEY KICK US OUT
28–30 APR, TIMES VARY, FROM £5
Back by popular demand, YEP’s play looks at an entire generation being misrepresented. BEATING BERLUSCONI
21–23 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £12
Inspired play based on the barely believable story of one Liverpool FC fan and his quest to rediscover his belief in himself, his club, his city and his class. FYI, that’s a whole lotta rediscovery...
Liverpool Cathedral
THE LIVERPOOL PASSION PLAYS
9 MAY, 6:30PM – 7:30PM, £TBC
Using spaces of the cathedral, The Liverpool Passion Plays re-enact the events of the Holy Week, which contained far fewer chocolate eggs than recent years would have us believe.
Liverpool Empire SPAMALOT
11-16 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
Classic Monty Python tale telling the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Cue beautiful showgirls, cows and killer rabbits. Matinees available. CALAMITY JANE
5-9 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
Set in the Wild West outpost of Deadwood City in 1876, sharp shootin’ tomboy Calamity Jane tries to help the local saloon owner by promising to fetch a music hall star from Chicago – much singing ensues. Matinees available. BARNUM
19-23 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
Musical retelling of the life of Phineas T Barnum, the American showman/businessman remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Matinee performances also available. LORD OF THE DANCE: DANGEROUS GAME
28 APR – 10 MAY, NOT 3 MAY, 4 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY
Directed by Michael Flatley and featuring forty premium dancers, so says they. Matinees available.
Liverpool Playhouse KING LEAR
28 APR-2 MAY, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY
A raw version of the Shakespeare classic. Matinee performances available. Matinees available. PHOENIX DANCE THEATRE: MIXED PROGRAMME 2015
7 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10
A double bill by the must respected Christopher Bruce, including brand new work Shadows.
Theatre Liverpool
CONSTELLATIONS 19–23 MAY, TIMES VARY, FROM £12
A new play starring Louise Brealey and Joe Armstrong about free will and friendship. Matinees available. MADAME BUTTERFUL + PERPETUUM MOBILE
29–30 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:15PM, FROM £15
Northern Ballet perform two classic pieces of choreography in one evening.
Royal Court Theatre SHED
10 APR – 9 MAY, NOT SUNDAYS, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, PRICES VARY
Paul Broughton and Michael Starke have written and star in this great new bittersweet comedy about friendships, secrets and sheds. Matinees also available. NIGHT COLLAR
VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 15 MAY AND 13 JUN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
Alan Stocks stars as a cabbie cruising the streets looking for the next paying punter to brighten his night and fill up his wallet. But this is Liverpool so he is guaranteed to get more than he bargained for. Matinees available.
St Helens Theatre Royal LIFE THROUGH DANCE
23 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £23
Pasha Kovalev — him off Strictly Come Dancing — gets his groove on.
The Atkinson HE HAD HAIRY HANDS
15-16 MAY, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY
Grotesque comedy from Kill the Beast Theatre Company and the Lowry Associate Artists, set in the sleepy town of Hemlock-UnderLye where a supernatural killer is on the loose. ALTAN
8 MAY, 7:30PM-10:00PM, £15
Traditional Irish music ensemble who’ve been playing together for over 25 years.
The Bluecoat YOUNG PHYSICAL FEST
2–3 MAY, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A prelude to the main event later in the month, Young Physical Fest is a two-day celebration of burgeoning physical theatre talent. Physicalfest.com has more details.
The Brindley SOUTH PACIFIC
12-16 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £15
Reimagining of Rodgers and Hammersteins classic musical. Matinees available. OUR HOUSE
19-23 MAY, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £16
Musical comedy inspired by the music of Madness, telling a tender tale of life, love and heartbreak in mid-80s Camden Town. DIRTY DUSTING
AMERICAN SNAPSHOTS 19 MAY, 21 MAY, 23 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8 (£4)
Eight short plays in a row, including The Role of Dellaby by John J. Wooten and New York Actor by John Guare. Matinees available. WESTSIDE
28–30 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £6 (£3)
The LIPA students provide a modern update on the classic Broadway musical West Side Story. Matinees available.
Unity Theatre #TORYCORE
6 MAY, 9:30PM – 10:30PM, £12 (£10)
Lucy Ellinson, Chris Thorpe and Steve Lawson perform George Osborne’s 2012 budget speech in death metal band stylee, which pretty much sounds uh-mazing. Part of Behaviour Festival. DNA
18-20 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)
Story about a group of teenagers bonded by the combined bad deed. Matinees available. BACKSTAGE IN BISCUIT LAND
5 MAY, 8:30PM – 9:30PM, £12 (£10)
Two-woman solo show focused on tourettes, mixing comedy with puppetry and singing. CONFIRMATION
6 MAY, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £12
With an election looming, and new political voices appearing, theatre writer Chris Thorpe and co examine the phenomenon of confirmation bias. BIG SOCIETY THE MUSICAL
2 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £3
The long-awaited Liverpool premiere for this award-winning documentary is set against a Merseyside backdrop of austerity, focusing around a 40-year-old working with young offenders. A stirring tale of social politics and struggling to find a voice. INGLORIOUS INSINUATIONS OF INSANITY
12 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)
A rambunctious theatrical freefall taking us on a journey through the inner workings of one man’s depraved and flirtatiously outrageous mind. EARLY DAYS (OF A BETTER NATION)
8 MAY, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, PRICES VARY
Interactive theatre for a playing audience, exploring the possibilities of nationhood and democracy. TALES FROM THE BLUE ROOM
28 APR – 1 MAY, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £10 (£8)
Story of seven women who enrol in a writers workshop, and wind up fighting for the community centre it’s housed in. SHERIFF
The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts PINTER ONE-ACTS
18 MAY, 20 MAY, 22 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8 (£4)
The LIPA students perform two one-act plays by Nobel-prize winning playwright Harold Pinter – Party Time and Celebration. Matinees available.
STAND UP THURSDAY (PAUL THORNE + MIKE GUNN + MC DAVE WILLIAMS + MORE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12
Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.
Fri 01 May ANDREW O’NEILL
JOSHUA BROOKS, 19:00–22:00, £12
Another offering from Trapdoor Comedy Club this time sees sometime Never Mind The Buzzcocks panelist Andrew O’Neill drop in for a headlining slot. BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (PAUL THORNE + MIKE GUNN + GLENN WOOL + SCOTT CAPURRO + MC DAVE WILLIAMS) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. ANDREW LAWRENCE
THE DANCEHOUSE, 20:00–23:00, £14 (£12)
Most famous for attacking a load of comedians for making fun of UKIP, so, uhhh, yeah...
NORTHERN COMEDY CLUB (JOHN GORDILLO + STEVE DAY + BEN LAWES + RAYMOND MEARNS) CHORLTON IRISH CLUB, 18:30–22:00, £12 (£10)
Another regular night of assured laughs from the Northern Comedy Club.
Sat 02 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
JONNY & THE BAPTISTS
GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £10
8–9 MAY, 10:00PM – 12:00AM, £12 (£10)
Tmesis Theatre bring the very best and most established artists from all corners of the globe, with companies from Italy and Spain joining the UK performers for an celebration of physical theatre. More at physicalfest.com
A new play about slavery in 19th Century Barbados, combining sexual intrigue, piercing choral music and extreme racial tension
Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.
UNHEARD PARTY
Protest play by those under the age of 18 who are unable to vote.
12-15 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £10.50 (£8.50)
MUSCOVADO
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)
7 MAY, 7:00PM – 9:30PM, £5
Various Venues
30 APR, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, £9 (£7)
Thu 30 Apr
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
The Lantern Theatre A dark comedy about a local boozer with a cocktail of characters to get to grips with.
PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (PAUL THORNE + MIKE GUNN + GLENN WOOL + SCOTT CAPURRO + MC DAVE WILLIAMS)
Fresh, unexpected and provocative theatre created fresh from the major news stories of the week.
The UK musical comedians tackle the big issues of the 2015 general election in this special show.
TWO
Tue 28 Apr
XS MALARKEY (ANGELA BARNES + AIDEN STRANGEMAN + RACHEL FAIRBURN + SOPHIE WILLAN + MC TOBY HADOKE)
5 MAY, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)
24 MAY, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £21
Three cleaning ladies set up a telephone sex line. Innuendos ensue.
Manchester Comedy
PHYSICAL FEST
22–30 MAY, 6:00PM – 10:30PM, PRICES VARY
THE COMEDY STORE, TIMES VARY, £22
THE MAGNIFICENT 7 PART 2 (JOHN ROBERTSON + JOSHUA ROSS + MORE)
Group Therapy return with their second annual showcasing, hosting a range of cherry-picked comedians they reckon we should all start paying attention too. BEST OF BUZZ COMEDY (BILL WOOLLAND + ANDY WATSON + MIKE WILKINSON)
WATERSIDE ARTS CENTRE, 20:00–22:30, £12 (£10)
The Waterside’s regular comedy night, featuring one of the UK comedy circuit’s up and coming stars. LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS
THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:00, £3
Improv from the members of CszUK – using audience suggestions a comedian will tell a story based on this, followed by improvised sketches from a troupe of actors.
Sun 03 May
KING GONG (MC MICK FERRY)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £6
A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice.
THE SKINNY
Comedy
Manchester
NORTHERN COMEDY CLUB (JIM TAVARE + JOHN GORDILLO + DAVID JESUDASON + JUSTIN MOORHOUSE) THE HEATON SPORTS CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £7.50
Another regular night of assured laughs from the Northern Comedy Club. NORTHERN COMEDY CLUB (JOHN GORDILLO + JIM TAVARE + PAUL SAVAGE + ANDREW RYAN)
DIDSBURY CRICKET CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £7
Another regular night of assured laughs from the Northern Comedy Club.
Mon 04 May BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £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! GEIN’S FAMILY GIFTSHOPS’S BARGAIN BASEMENT
THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, FREE
New sketches and material drawing inspiration from misery and human suffering.
Tue 05 May
XS MALARKEY (THE BEST OF FOIL, ARMS AND HOGG + EDDIE FRENCH + THE LEGION OF DOOM + MC TOBY HADOKE) PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans.
Wed 06 May REGINALD D HUNTER
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £23
The boom-voiced comic continues with his uniquely non-secular approach to comedy.
Thu 07 May THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)
Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.
STAND UP THURSDAY (SEAN COLLINS + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH + MORE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12
Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.
COMEDY AT THE KINGS (RANDOLPH TEMPEST + STU WOODINGS + MEL MEDFORD + JONATHAN COLLINS + MORE) THE KING’S ARMS, 20:00–23:00, £3 (£2)
An evening of live stand up comedy and a cake raffle, what’s not to love?
Fri 08 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (SEAN COLLINS + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + THE NOISE NEXT DOOR + PAUL THORNE + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. SIMON MUNNERY
GORILLA, 19:30–22:00, £10
The e’er inventive Simon Munnery takes on perhaps his most imaginative comedy challenge yet – performing extracts of 19th-century Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, and making ‘em funny. QUEENS OF POP
SOUND CONTROL, 20:00–23:00, £10
Cutting pop satirists who found Youtube fame with their Atomic Kitten parody On The Coke Again.
May 2015
Sat 09 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (SEAN COLLINS + DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + THE NOISE NEXT DOOR + PAUL THORNE + MC TOM WRIGGLESWORTH) THE COMEDY STORE, TIMES VARY, £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. JACKIE HAGAN
CONTACT, 20:30–22:30, £9 (£5)
A show about recovering from leg amputation, finding your dad, falling in love and making friends with an old woman. NORTHERN COMEDY CLUB (VIKKI STONE + JAMES ALDERSON + MIKE BUBBINS + ROB RILEY)
ROYAL GEORGE, 20:00–22:00, £12 (£10)
Another regular night of assured laughs from the Northern Comedy Club.
Sun 10 May
NEW STUFF (MC TOBY HADOKE)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4
A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice. ZOE LYONS
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, FROM £10
One of the brightest female comic talents on the circuit, as seen on Mock the Week and Comedy Roadshow.
Mon 11 May BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £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! DARA O’BRIAIN
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £24
The favourited Irish funnyman hits the road with his first live tour in three years, Crowd Tickler.
Tue 12 May
XS MALARKEY (LARRY DEAN + TANIA EDWARDS + DEREK RYAN + OLIVER SYKES + MC TOBY HADOKE)
PUB/ZOO, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)
The rather ace comedy night continues with the usual Tuesday night shenanigans. DARA O’BRIAIN
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £24
The favourited Irish funnyman hits the road with his first live tour in three years, Crowd Tickler.
Wed 13 May
THE BEST IN STAND UP (TOM STADE + ALEX BOARDMAN + ADDY VAN DER BORGH + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC JOHN FOTHERGILL) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
Sat 16 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (TOM STADE + ALEX BOARDMAN + ADDY VAN DER BORGH + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC JOHN FOTHERGILL) THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. STEWART LEE
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £20
One of the country’s most respected comedians prepares new material for his new BBC2 series of Comedy Vehicle.
Sun 17 May
NEW COMEDIANS (MC ALEX BOARDMAN)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4
Up and comers trying out their stuff before hitting the circuit. RUBY WAX
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £16.50
Comedian and mental health campaigner, Ruby Wax brings her Sane New World show back on the road, blending her comic wit with Oxford University learnin’.
Mon 18 May BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £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! SIDEKICK COMEDY (KATE MCCABE + HARRIET DYER + SAM & TOM + DANIEL NICHOLAS + JENNIFER BANKS)
VIA, 19:30–22:30, £2
Your friendly,monthly, neighbourhood comedy gig. All comedians are hero-approved.
Wed 20 May MILTON JONES
THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 20:00–22:00, £26.40
The neurotic English comic takes to the road with another tour, rich with one-liners, and some pictures wot he drew specially.
Thu 21 May THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)
Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £24
STAND UP THURSDAY (ADAM BLOOM + PAUL SINHA + MC TOBY HADOKE + MORE)
Thu 14 May
Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.
DARA O’BRIAIN
The favourited Irish funnyman hits the road with his first live tour in three years, Crowd Tickler. THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)
Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians. STAND UP THURSDAY (TOM STADE + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC JOHN FOTHERGILL + MORE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12
Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.
Fri 15 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12
ALEX DUBUS
THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–22:00, £9 (£8)
Sat 23 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (ADAM BLOOM + JOSH HOWIE + PAUL SINHA + THE NOISE NEXT DOOR + MC TOBY HADOKE) THE COMEDY STORE, TIMES VARY, £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
Sun 24 May
THE BEST IN STAND UP (MICK FERRY + THE NOISE NEXT FOOR + MORE )
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £TBC
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians. PAUL MERTON’S IMPRO CHUMS
THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £22
Improvised comedic wonders of nature, taking audience suggestions and creating cascades of laughter. Hosted by that bloke off of Have I Got News For You. COMEDY FOR CHRISTIES
THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
NEW STUFF (MC TOBY HADOKE)
THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4
A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice. ROB DELANEY
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £TBC
The Catastrophe star goes out on tour around the UK, already dubbed the ‘Funniest Person on Twitter’ by Comedy Central. NORTHERN COMEDY CLUB (JOHN GORDILLO + NICK PAGE + GEORGE RIGDEN + ALUN COCHRANE)
ROYAL GEORGE, 19:30–22:00, £9 (£5)
Another regular night of assured laughs from the Northern Comedy Club.
JAMES ACASTER + HARRIET DYER
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:30, £10
Brilliant double bill featuring twotime Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee James Acaster and the hotly tipped Harriet Dyer.
Mon 25 May BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £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!
Wed 27 May
DEAD POETS DEATH MATCH
THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:30, FROM £11
Comedy rap battle royalty in the form of MC Mixy and Mark Grist come together in a night of rhyming hilarity.
Thu 28 May THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)
Start your weekend early at the Frog and Bucket with a host of top notch comedians.
STAND UP THURSDAY (STVE ROYLE + JOE LYCETT + MC ALISTAIR BARRIE + MORE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12
Cheat life and get that Friday feeling one day early with a night of comedic delight from some circuit funny folk.
Fri 29 May BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (STEVE ROYLE + ROB DEERING + JOE LYCETT + RICKY GROVER + MC ALISTAIR BARRIE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18
BARREL OF LAUGHS
THE BEST IN STAND UP (ADAM BLOOM + JOSH HOWIE + PAUL SINHA + THE NOISE NEXT DOOR + MC TOBY HADOKE)
All-female line-up of comics from the Laughing Cow bunch; a group that has helped the likes of Sarah Milllican and Jo Brand launch their careers.
Another regular night of assured laughs from the Northern Comedy Club.
High profile comedy night in support of the Christie Cancer Hospital.
Fri 22 May Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £7
THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £13
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
BARREL OF LAUGHS
LAUGHING COWS (BARBARA NICE + VIKKI STONE + NINA GILLIGAN + DOTTY WINTERS)
NORTHERN COMEDY CLUB (NICK PAGE + JOHN GORILLO + CHRIS WASHINGTON + ALEX BOARDMAN)
The English comedian/actor arrives with another fresh batch of poetic tales of travel and heartbreak – musing on UFOs, truckers, bean festivals and the Dutch as he goes.
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)
Sun 31 May
Sat 30 May THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)
Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.
THE BEST IN STAND UP (STEVE ROYLE + ROB DEERING + JOE LYCETT + RICKY GROVER + MC ALISTAIR BARRIE) THE COMEDY STORE, TIMES VARY, £22
Regular night of stand up with a line-up of five top circuit comedians.
NORFOLK ARMS, 19:30–22:00, £10
Mon 01 Jun BEAT THE FROG
THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £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!
Liverpool Comedy Thu 30 Apr
JUNIOR SIMPSON (VIKKI STONE + BEN LAWES + MC DANNY MCLOUGHLIN)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Comedy Liverpool DYLAN MORAN LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £25
Still much loved for 00s comedy sitcom Black Books, Mr Moran returns with a new show, as sharp-witted as ever. RUBBERBANDITS: CONTINENTAL FISTFIGHT
EVERYMAN THEATRE, 19:30–20:30, FROM £14
The plastic bag wearing music/ comedy duo bring their brand new musical to Liverpool.
LAUGH OUT LOUD COMEDY CLUB (DAVE JOHNS + JULIAN DEANE + FELICITY WARD)
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £15
A triple-header of comedy descends on the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club.
BOILING POINT (PETER OTWAY + TOM LITTLE + SULLY O’SULLIVAN + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Sun 03 May DARA O’BRIAIN
LIVERPOOL EMPIRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £26.90
The favourited Irish funnyman hits the road with his first live tour in three years, Crowd Tickler.
TESTING THE WATER (ROGER SWIFT + CHRIS HALL + MARK WHALLEY + DAVE RIVERS + MORE)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)
Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. RUBBERBANDITS: CONTINENTAL FISTFIGHT
EVERYMAN THEATRE, 19:30–20:30, FROM £14
The plastic bag wearing music/ comedy duo bring their brand new musical to Liverpool.
BOILING POINT (ADAM RUSHTON + FRAN GARRITY + SULLY O’SULLIVAN + MC PAUL SMITH)
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR, 19:30–22:30, £12
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.
Sat 09 May
JIMMY MCGHIE (MICHAEL LEGGE + ALEX EDELMAN + MC PETER OTWAY) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
SINK OR SWIM (DAVE RIVERS + PESHA-LILY + RICHARD ROSS + SAM POTTER + MORE)
LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£2)
A host of local comedians test their wits against the crowd, hoping to complete their set before the gong rings.
Wed 06 May
THE LAUGHTER FACTOR (MC PAUL SMITH)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £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.
LAUGHTERHOUSE LIVE (CHRIS RAMSEY + MICK MILLER + TOM STADE + MC CHRIS CAIRNS) LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £20
Laughterhouse Live bring a host of top quality comedians to the Phil, following the success of their Christmas special. BOILING POINT (IGNACIO LOPEZ + IAN LANE + DAVE WILLIAMS + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
REGINALD D HUNTER
LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:30, FROM £24
The boom-voiced comic continues with his uniquely non-secular approach to comedy.
TESTING THE WATER (CALLUM OAKLEY + MARK WILLIAMS + MARSHALL B ANDERSON + EDY HURST + MORE) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)
Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.
Tue 12 May
SINK OR SWIM (MIKE MILLING + DIMITRI BAKANOV + RED RICHARDSON + SCOTT MCGILL + MORE) LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£2)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Wed 13 May
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR, 19:30–22:30, £12
The e’er inventive Simon Munnery takes on perhaps his most imaginative comedy challenge yet – performing extracts of 19th-century Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, and making ‘em funny.
DAVE HADDINGHAM (CAIMH MCDONNELL + MC BRENDAN RILEY)
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.
Sat 02 May
JUNIOR SIMPSON (ADAM STAUNTON + MC KAREN BAYLEY + MORE)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
SOL BERNSTEIN (ROB ROUSE + DAVE JOHNS + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
SIMON MUNNERY
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £12 (£10)
Fri 08 May
JIMMY MCGHIE (MICHAEL LEGGE + ALEX EDELMAN + MC PETER OTWAY)
MATCHBOX COMEDY CLUB (WILL SETCHELL + SAM BRADY + MORE)
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £3
A new monthly comedy night at the Lantern Theatre showcasing the finest talent in the Northwest.
Thu 14 May
GARY DELANEY (ROB ROUSE + ARCHIE MADDOCKS + MC JIM SMALLMAN)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone. PAUL FOOT
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £12.50
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Rant-heavy comedian from Bucks, with a Guild of Connoisseurs, rather than fans – as you do.
CHRIS MCCAUSLAND (RICHARD MORTON + DAVE TWENTYMAN + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
GARY DELANEY (ROB ROUSE + BRENNAN REECE + MC JIM SMALLMAN)
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
BOILING POINT (ADAM ROWE + LIAM BOLTON + DAVE TWENTYMAN + MC FREDDY QUINNE)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way. MICKEY D (MICK FERRY + MC KAREN BAYLEY)
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR, 19:30–22:30, £12
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
Most famous for attacking a load of comedians for making fun of UKIP, so, uhhh, yeah...
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
Thu 07 May
JIMMY MCGHIE (MICHAEL LEGGE + MARK SIMMONS + MC PETER OTWAY)
ANDREW LAWRENCE
THE BRINDLEY, 20:00–22:00, £13
Sat 16 May
RICHARD MORTON (DAVE TWENTYMAN + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
A host of local comedians test their wits against the crowd, hoping to complete their set before the gong rings.
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
Sun 10 May
Tue 05 May
ROB ROUSE (SOL BERNSTEIN + DAVE JOHNS + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)
STEVE ROYLE (JULIAN DEANE + MC STEVE PORTER)
LIVERPOOL EMPIRE, 20:00–22:00, FROM £26.90
DARA O’BRIAIN
Fri 01 May
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Mon 04 May The favourited Irish funnyman hits the road with his first live tour in three years, Crowd Tickler.
JUNIOR SIMPSON (ADAM STAUNTON + MC DANNY MCLOUGHLIN + MORE)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
BOILING POINT (IGNACIO LOPEZ + ROB MULHOLLAND + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC PAUL SMITH)
PAUL SMITH (CRAIG MURRAY + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE + MORE)
Fri 15 May
GARY DELANEY (ROB ROUSE + BRENNAN REECE + MC JIM SMALLMAN)
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone. CRAIG MURRAY (PAUL SMITH + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE + MORE)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
BOILING POINT (ADAM ROWE + LIAM BOLTON + DAVE TWENTYMAN + MC PHIL CHAPMAN)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Sun 17 May COLIN SELL
THE BRINDLEY, 15:00–17:00, £14
The I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue funnyman takes to the stage. TESTING THE WATER (TOM SULLIVAN + IAN DUNN-BIRCH + JACK SHANIK + ANDREW WILLIAMS + MORE)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)
Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.
Tue 19 May
SINK OR SWIM (NIGEL NEEDHAM + JOE COLLETT + MC PAUL SMITH)
LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£2)
A host of local comedians test their wits against the crowd, hoping to complete their set before the gong rings.
Thu 21 May
TANYALEE DAVIS (DAVID HADDINGHAM + PETER BRUSH + MC PHIL ELLIS)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
Fri 22 May
TANYALEE DAVIS (DAVID HADDINGHAM + SAM AVERY + MC PHIL ELLIS)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone. TIFFANY STEVENSON (GAVIN WEBSTER + COLIN MANFORD + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. PHIL BUCKLEY
THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £8.50 (£7.50)
Phil Buckley’s never had a great idea, but it won’t stop him trying to teach you a thing or two.
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
Listings
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
Culture at Cervantes Your guide to this month’s highlights at the Cervantes Institute
Liverpool Comedy BOILING POINT (SCOTT GIBSON + LATEEF LOVEJOY + STEVE ROYLE + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way. CHRISTIAN SCHULTE-LOH (ADAM STAUNTON + MC JONATHON MAJOR)
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR, 19:30–22:30, £12
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.
Sat 23 May
TANYALEE DAVIS (DAVID HADDINGHAM + SAM AVERY + MC PHIL ELLIS)
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
GAVIN WEBSTER (TIFFANY STEVENSON + COLIN MANFORD + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. Maika Makovski
A
s warmer weather slowly approaches, where better to retire after a drink in the early evening sun than the Cervantes Institute, where you can keep the balmy Mediterranean dream alive with some flamenco, a film screening or a wine workshop? It’s a cinematic month, as a new contemporary film season kicks off on 13 May with movies every Wednesday thereafter until 3 June. The free screenings begin with Diamantes Negros (Black Diamonds), the story of two young boys who arrive in Spain from poverty in Mali having been persuaded to follow their dream of becoming football stars; the following weeks bring a collection of seemingly unconnected but diverting sketches (Gente en Sitios (People in Places)); La Herida (Wounded), about a young girl struggling with borderline personality disorder; and the tale of a teacher who, having used Beatles songs to teach his students English in 1966 Spain, sets out to meet John Lennon (Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados (Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed). Those wanting to go deeper may be interested in a series of cinema workshops running alongside the screenings, allowing participants to further explore the issues presented in the films. Having worked with the likes of PJ Harvey, Eels and Jim Barr of Portishead, Spanish singersongwriter Maika Makovski brings her many talents to the Institute on 30 May in a concert presented in collaboration with the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA). Hailing from Palma de Mallorca and of Macedonian and Andalucian descent, she began writing songs at age 12 – now 31, her vocals are peaty, her guitars gutsy and loose. Fans of Polly Jean and Courtney Barnett take note. Further musical delights are to be found in a special flamenco show on 15 May, with dancer Jairo Barrull, singer Melchior Campos and guitarist Ismael de Begoña giving a minimal performance that seeks to resurrect the purest essence of the art form, originating from Seville’s tablaos (stages). And finally, if you’ve stuck with us for news of that Spanish wine workshop, good things come to those who wait: learn how to select a good vintage, match it to your meal and get the best for your money across two evening sessions on 14 and 21 May. Appetisers and, of course, a few snifters of wine are included. After all that culture, a little cultivating of the palate can be excused. Instituto Cervantes, 326-330 Deansgate, Manchester
BOILING POINT (NEIL MCFARLANE + LOVDEV BARPAGA + STEVE ROYLE + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Sun 24 May DIRTY DUSTING
THE BRINDLEY, 19:30–22:00, £21
Three cleaning ladies set up a telephone sex line. Innuendos ensue.
TESTING THE WATER (PAUL MCGARRITY + DANIEL NICHOLAS + GAV HUMPHRIES + LAUREN PATTISON + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)
Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.
Tue 26 May
SINK OR SWIM (CHRIS STILES + MC PAUL SMITH)
LIVERPOOL GUILD OF STUDENTS, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£2)
A host of local comedians test their wits against the crowd, hoping to complete their set before the gong rings.
Wed 27 May ANATOMY OF THE PIANO
THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £10
BOILING POINT (TONY CARROLL + WES ZAHARUK + MC PAUL SMITH) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
SEAN PERCIVAL (WES ZAHARUK + MC BRENDAN RILEY)
LIVERPOOL COMEDY CELLAR, 19:30–22:30, £12
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
DUNCAN OAKLEY (SULLY O’SULLIVAN + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE + MORE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk. RICHARD HERRING
THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:30, £15
The thoughtful comedian ponders things like whether the term ‘cool comedian’ is an oxymoron, and whether’s he’s ever bettered a piece of slapstick he came up with aged 16. BOILING POINT (TONY CARROLL + WES ZAHARUK + MC PAUL SMITH)
HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)
New and established comics take to the stage (found upstairs at Holiday Inn, Lime Street), for an evening of chuckles with their resident compere leading the way.
Sun 31 May
COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR – HEAT 2 (LAUREN PATTISON + DAMIEN RYAN + HOWARD WALKER + PAUL IMRIE + MORE) HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)
The Hotwater Comedy Club’s quest to find the funniest comedian of the year.
Manchester Art 68 Whitworth Street VIEWPOINT
30 APR – 4 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE
Group show inspired by the dynamic perspectives and geometry of the modern world, reflecting its controversies, simultaneity, grids, constraints and it’s inconceivable infinity.
UNTIL 6 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
SO YOU THINK YOU’RE FUNNY? (MC CHRIS CAIRNS)
THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £5
The regular compere takes the headline spot for the night, bringing bags of charm and quick wit to the stage.
Fri 29 May
KEITH CARTER PRESENTS: NIGE (ROGER MONKHOUSE + YIANNI AGISLIAOU + MC MARTIN MOR) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
SULLY O’SULLIVAN (DUNCAN OAKLEY + MC NEIL FITZMAURIUCE + MORE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15
Triple headline show with a delightfully hilarious line-up of circuit funny-folk.
The International 3
THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL THINGS
WITHDRAW
UNTIL 6 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
New works by leading reportage illustrator George Butler explore the impact of British and US armed forces leaving Afghanistan. Butler’s past work has featured in media outlets across the world.
MMU Special Collections
WE WANT PEOPLE WHO CAN DRAW: INSTRUCTION AND DISSENT IN THE BRITISH ART SCHOOL
UNTIL 31 JUL, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE
This exhibition brings together manifestos and other forms of subversive literature that explore aspects of the history of British art schools since the Second World War, including items relating to The Slade School of Fine Art Women’s Group and more.
Manchester Art Gallery COTTON COUTURE
UNTIL 14 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
A collection of designer dresses and suits donated by the Cotton Board, a Manchester-based organisation tasked with increasing the use of cotton in couture to bump up cotton exports. NATURAL FORCES: ROMANTICISM & NATURE
UNTIL 12 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
A collection of early 1800s Romantic works focused on the idea of nature as a force.
Manchester Jewish Museum MADE IN MANCHESTER
UNTIL 29 MAY, TIMES VARY, £4.50 (£3.50)
Thu 28 May
Triple-headlining bill set to test your funny bone.
VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 22 MAY AND 26 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Imperial War Museum North
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18
CLEMENS WILHELM
The visual artist’s video Simulacra which was shot in Chinese amusement park Window of the World and observes the actions of Chinese tourists. LI BINYUAN: SOCIAL BEHAVIOURS
VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 10 APR AND 30 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Binyuan presents Social Behaviours, an exciting collection of solo works that range from sculpture to video-art to live-action pieces, expressed and performed through a number of public disturbances on Beijing’s social life.
Contact
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: CHANGE MY MIND
2 MAY, 11:00AM – 8:30PM, FREE
A performance research project, installation and opening that explores the impact of humanity’s capacity for change.
UNTIL 8 MAY, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE
HOME
Sat 30 May
KEITH CARTER PRESENTS: NIGE (ROGER MONKHOUSE + YIANNI AGISLIAOU + MC MARTIN MOR)
TRIAL / ERROR / ART
New group exhibition looking at the process of trial and error and the risks involved in attempting to create new things.
Inaugural HOME art exhibition, with a group show aiming to evoke feelings of love and loss in uncertain times.
Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art
COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15
Manchester
The Liverpool Comedy Cellar brings you the cream of stand up from the international comedy circuit every Saturday.
Part piano recital, part fantasy lecture, Will Pickvance returns with his sell-out Edinburgh Fringe 2013 show of virtuosity, dissection and surreal humour. KEITH CARTER PRESENTS: NIGE (YIANNI AGISLIAOU + VINCE ATTA + MC MARTIN MOR)
Art
The Holden Gallery
The first retrospective on Manchester-based artist, teacher and writer Emmanuel Levy for 30 years, highlighting his Northern heritage.
Manchester Museum
DANCE OF THE BUTTERFLIES
UNTIL 31 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
New art work by one of Africa’s foremost contemporary artists Romuald Hazoumè. It features swarms of multicoloured ‘butterflies’ which will take over the Museum’s Living Worlds gallery.
Paper Gallery PAPER #20: TOTALLER
UNTIL 30 MAY, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Exhibition 15” Deep Pan Stuffed Crust Portuguese Man O’ War (Totaller’s Studio) takes Le Mur de l’Atelier d’André Breton as its point of departure, reconstructing the Surrealist work through collage. PAPER #21: GENERATION LOSS
UNTIL 30 MAY, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
A new exhibition by Phil Hopkins and James Moore.
Salford Museum and Art Gallery ONE NEEDS MORE THAN PAINT
UNTIL 5 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
A celebration of the life and works of Manchester-born artist Harry Ousey. THE NOW, THE NORTH
2 MAY – 6 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE
A selection of the artist Hugh Winterbottom’s interpretations of regional cities and towns, from Manchester to Stockport.
THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD
UNTIL 29 MAY, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE
A group exhibition that celebrates the power of the modest gesture to communicate complex narratives about our relationships to ourselves, to one another and to the natural world.
The Portico Library
ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND
6–30 MAY, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE
New exhibition inspired by Alice In Wonderland, by artist Frances Broomfield.
Various Venues MANCHESTER AFTER HOURS
14–15 MAY, 4:00PM – 1:00AM, PRICES VARY
A host of events taking place in venues including Manchester Museum, Chetham’s School of Music, Central Library and many more. Head to creativetourist.com for more details. CHORLTON ARTS FESTIVAL
22–24 MAY, 12:00PM – 12:00AM, PRICES VARY
One of the Manchester suburbs finest festival returns for its 15th year, with a host of music, art, food and drink on offer.To Chorltonartsfestival.com for more.
Whitworth Art Gallery SARAH LUCAS
UNTIL 19 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
British sculptor known for her provocative pieces which challenge and subvert attitudes towards the body, gender and sexuality. CORNELIA PARKER
UNTIL 31 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE
The Exploding Shed takes pride of place in the much-lauded contemporary British artist. CAI GUO-QIANG
UNTIL 21 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE
Artist best known for his fireworks displays as part of the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, Guo-Qiang brings his experiments with gun powder to the Whitworth. THOMAS SCHÜTTE
UNTIL 19 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Print installation and etchings from the German artist, promising provocative reactions to recent global events and social trends.
Liverpool Art Arena Gallery
COLETTE LILLEY MINI RESIDENCY
7 MAY, 6:00PM – 9:00PM, FREE
The co-founder of the 104 Duke Street art space presents the result of her mini residency at Arena.
Camp and Furnace INPRINT FESTIVAL
31 MAY, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE
Pitching up with their biggest print fair yet, Liverpool’s INPRINT festival takes to the expansive Camp and Furnace with a hefty number of arty folk signed up to show off their wares, alongside a specially commissioned open call exhibition exploring pattern in print.
FACT
GROUP THERAPY: MENTAL DISTRESS IN A DIGITAL AGE
UNTIL17 MAY, TIMES VARY, FREE
Originating from FACT’s extensive work within mental health and wellbeing, the exhibition explores the complex relationship between technology, society, and mental health. SODA_JERK
6 MAY – 6 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE
Two-person art collective Soda_ Jerk come to FACT as part of the European Media Artist Residency Exchange, working with sampled material to construct rogue histories and counter-mythologies.
International Slavery Museum GEORGE OSODI: OIL BOOM, DELTA BURNS
UNTIL 1 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
ANCHOR EXHIBITION 15–24 MAY, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
Exhibition of work created by people suffering from dementia, as part of Dementia Awareness Week. LOST INDUSTRY
29 MAY – 14 JUN, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
Carmel College students respond to Nitrate, exploring the theme of lost industry and its relationship with Merseyside.
The Brindley ART FORMS IN NATURE
UNTIL 30 MAY, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE
A Hayward Touring exhibition which presents an original portfolio of 40 Karl Blossfeldt photogravures from 1932, entitled ‘Wundergarten der Natur’, edited by the artist and published in the year of his death.
Exhibition by internationallyrenowned Nigerian photographer George Osodi, who spent six years documenting the effects of the oil industry in the Niger Delta. Osodi’s aims are not to offend or incite guilt, but to inspire change.
The Gallery
Lady Lever Art Gallery
The Royal Standard
1 MAY – 27 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
UNTIL3 MAY, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE
PICTURING VENICE
Featuring work by Turner, Sickert and Brangwyn, this exhibition explores the stylistic developments of European art between the mid 17th century and 20th century through representations of the Italian city.
Liverpool Cathedral
STATIONS OF THE RESURRECTION
4–14 MAY, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
Taster exhibition by spiritual artist Rob Floyd.
LIVERPOOL ART FAIR
1-4 MAY, 11:00AM-6:00PM, FREE
The Liverpool Art Fair returns, offering affordable art from new and established artists alike, with almost 200 art works on display.
EXTERNAL MACHINES
An investigation into the tension between ideas of constriction and relief, whether they be theoretical, physical, self-imposed or out of necessity.
Various Venues LIGHTNIGHT LIVERPOOL
15–16 MAY, 4:00PM – 1:00AM, PRICES VARY
The city is taken over by an after hours series of events across many of its cultural institutions. Full details at lightnightliverpool. co.uk.
Open Eye Gallery Victoria Gallery and Museum OPEN 1 VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 16 MAY AND 23 AUG, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE
NORTH WEST AND BEYOND: JAMES HAMILTON HAY
Artists Billy Macrae, Deborah Kelly, Helen Marshall, Louis Quail, Richard Ross and Sonal Kantaria are the first to be featured in Open Eye Gallery’s first of three open-call exhibitions taking place over the next year.
An exhibition of drypoint prints by 19th century Merseyside etcher and painter, James Hamilton Hay, documenting his travels throughout the UK with his striking landscape prints.
Tate Liverpool
UNTIL 19 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
CATHY WILKES
UNTIL 31 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £8 (£6)
The largest display of work to date by the Turner Prize nominated artist, the Tate bring together more than a decade of Wilkes’ acclaimed work. GYÖRGY KEPES
UNTL 31 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
This is the first solo exhibition of the ground-breaking photography of artist, designer and educator György Kepes’ work in the UK. LEONORA CARRINGTON
UNTIL 31 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £8 (£6)
The exhibition explores the famous 20th century surrealist’s diverse creative practice, taking a selection of key paintings made throughout her career as its starting point.
The Bluecoat TRICIA PORTER: LIVERPOOL PHOTOGRAPHS 1972-74
UNTIL 5 JUL, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
UNTIL 29 AUG, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
THE AUDOBON GALLERY
Permanent gallery of wildlife artist and naturalist John James Audubon. BRITISH ART
UNTIL 30 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
Permanent collection including work by Joseph Wright of Derby.
Walker Art Gallery ONLY IN ENGLAND
UNTIL 7 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
An exhibition exploring the lasting influence of the British photographer Tony Ray-Jones on the development of British photography from the 1970s to the present day. NICOLAS POUSSIN’S ‘EXTREME UNCTION’
UNTIL 7 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE
An opportunity to see a masterpiece by one of the prominent French painters of the 17th century.
Capturing the life and times of Liverpool in the mid-70s.
TABITHA JUSSA: MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
UNTIL 5 JUL, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
The winner of the seventh annual Liverpool Art Prize presents her latest exhibition. XAVIER RIBAS: NITRATE
UNTIL 5 JUL, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
The first major solo exhibition in the UK by Barcelona-born photographer Xavier Ribas, which charts the history of nitrate extraction in the Chilean Atacama Desert. BLACK DANCE ARCHIVES EXHIBITION
27 APR – 10 MAY, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE
Celebrating the influence of British Black dance to dance development and cultural life in the UK.
manchester.cervantes.es/en
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Listings
THE SKINNY
Under the Influence: Thurston Moore From the blitzkrieg bop of 70s New York to hardcore fury in the Hollywood Hills, Sonic Youth’s founder humbly presents “the five fucking greatest records in the world!” t’s like Lou Reed said on Metal Machine Music, at the end of his liner notes he goes: “My week beats your year.” It’s such an antagonistic thing to say. My five records beat your thousand!
1. Ramones – Ramones [1976] Punk rock is what radicalised me when I moved to New York at the age of 19. Certainly the first album that I can remember being a bit of a life-changer would be this one, which I bought when it came out in ’76. It was really special for me because it was right when my father was in the hospital – right before he died of a brain tumour. I remember making these trips with my mother to this hospital which was about 45 minutes away from where I lived, in Newhaven, Connecticut. At one point we were coming back and stopped at a record store along the way. I saw that record, which had just been released, and was very curious about it. So my mother bought it for me and we went home, where we had lots of family – aunts and uncles – visiting because of this crisis that was going on. It wasn’t the best of atmospheres, but I remember putting this record on and everybody kinda just got up and started dancing to it. It brought this sort of joy into the room and everybody started smiling and laughing. I’ll never forget that – it was a very strange thing. This record has a beautiful memory attached to it just because of that. To me, they exemplified a break from the past; I’ve always loved that story of The Ramones playing at The Roundhouse, with all the punk rockers like Joe Strummer, Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten climbing through the window to hang out and watch them – thinking they were going to see this really strung out junkierock band puking onstage or something. What they saw instead was this precision powerhouse – well-rehearsed and super-focused attack. Joe Strummer said that changed everything; that idea of discipline, of coming out and being so good because you rehearse so much and you’re so together. There’s no mess. That meant a lot. If one important thing came out of the Ramones being the forefathers of punk rock, it was that exchange. 2. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme [1965] I didn’t know jazz music growing up – my father was a classical music enthusiast. He played classical music and that’s the music we had around the house – it was that or the rock’n’roll that me and my brother would bring in. So jazz was something I was not familiar with – it was really obscure to me – and I knew that people like James Chance and the Contortions was referencing jazz. I knew that Tom Verlaine would talk about Albert Ayler’s records. That sounded curious to me; so I would see these records in the store and they’d look like they were from another planet, as far as what I was dealing with. The two people who turned me on to it were Byron Coley – a music journalist who I became friends with in the 80s, who was a big jazz listener and collector – and Kim [Gordon], who listened to jazz growing up. Byron made me all these cassettes of classic jazz music – hundreds of hours – and then just by listening to these records at Kim’s parents’ house in Los Angeles in the 80s, the one record I was really drawn to was A Love Supreme by John Coltrane. That to me was what spirit music really was – the idea of wanting to make manifest
May 2015
the idea of what spirituality was in music or art. That was achieved in this recording. That was really affecting for me and it led me into this place where I did intensive research into jazz history… got so immersed in it I became like a complete freak about it and started collecting the recordings n a very big way and it sort of led to me into the avant-garde, obviously. It was really exciting and radical for me, to think about this music that has the same very personal value as punk rock did. 3. Tapper Zukie – Man Ah Warrior [1978] Three, I would say, is this record by reggae artist Tapper Zukie – it was on this label called Mer that was run by Patti Smith and Lenny Kay for a little bit. I bought it only because it was on Patti’s label. I’d never known too much reggae music at that point. I listened to Bob Marley and whatever but was never a superfan. But this record made me a superfanatic about reggae; everything about it was awesome. The front cover is this Robert Mapplethorpe photograph of a black, bald head and it’s beautiful and Penny Reel – who used to write for NME and stuff in the 70s, back when the NME was actually a readable newspaper – wrote the liner notes. I loved this record because it was so stark – it’s basically just a guitar making a kind of percussive clicking sound. Very simple notation. And this rasta vibration voice just intoning on top of it. Very stark and minimal; really a strange sounding record. I’d play it all the time over and over and it led me into investigating Jamaican reggae culture and how it went into ideas of otherworldliness, which I really liked. Man Ah Warrior was really important to me. 4. Sun Ra Arkestra – Strange Strings [1967] In a way this was a holy grail for people who collected Sun Ra records, of which I was one. Getting into avant-garde jazz certainly led me into Sun Ra. Then when I started finding out about the fact that he’d recorded so many records on his own labels – like El Saturn and Thoth, I started picking them up while we were touring around the United States. Like, how could somebody make 200 records? I’d be in all these little record stores unearthing these Sun Ra records. In those days they were pennies per pound. Now they’re impossible to find and trade for high value on the interweb. I met a record collector in Atlanta, Georgia, who had about 140 of ’em. So I said ‘what can I do for you to get all these records from you?’ I didn’t have any money to buy them. He said ‘well, there’s things I’m looking for like some Sonic Youth collectibles and other things.’ So I gave him all these Sonic Youth test pressings that I had signed and then I had this one record that Steve Albini gave me of a Big Black record that was encased in metal. A very limited edition that Steve made for friends, and I had one. I really didn’t want to get rid of it because it was this big, heavy, great thing at the time. This collector says ‘if you throw that in I’ll give you all of these Sun Ra records.’ I thought it was a fair trade. They’re both Chicago musicians… kinda makes sense. I loved this particular record though, Strange Strings was such a difficult Saturn record of Sun Ra’s to find. It’s treated really heavily with all this reverb and it’s definitely one of the more out there records that the Sun Ra Arkestra – the Astro-Infinity Arkestra – had issued.
Photo: Trent McMinn
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Interview: Dave Kerr
5. Black Flag – Damaged [1981] The record is Damaged, the band is Black Flag. For me, one of the greatest groups of all time. I was completely in love with ’em when I first started getting into underground hardcore records in the 80s. Sonic Youth had already been around for a little bit, and I kind of felt like – coming out of punk rock and getting into no wave and post-punk – certainly we were post-punk. Then all of a sudden these bands were showing up that were younger than us and they were only referencing day-one punk rock – stripping it down and making it more feral and primal. I was curious about it, so I remember buying the Circle Jerks’ first record, and the first Dischord seven-inches by Minor Threat and S.O.A., and then hearing about the singer from S.O.A. joining this group Black Flag, which I was aware of but I thought it might’ve just been some boneheaded thug punk stuff that I wasn’t interested in. But I was drawn towards it for different reasons – certainly the Raymond Pettibon drawing on the front of the Jealous Again 12-inch. I remember buying that and it sounded so nasty – the guitar sound was crude and wild and didn’t
MUSIC
have this refined aesthetic that I was getting into with, say, Scritti Politti! So it was this throwback, but it was a new kind of throwback. I kept going back to it and finding myself getting more and more into what the vocabulary of hardcore was until I became a convert. Black Flag’s Damaged was an essential text to it. It wasn’t the generic hardcore formula – it alluded to it but it was also blowing it out and going in different places. A very important record and a very important band because of how industrious they were in ignoring the typical industry standard of how you’re supposed to put a record out or tour. They created a new standard of activity. When Henry Rollins joined the band – listening to him sing on Damaged was curious, because it sounded really brutal; in a live context it was like blood spilling off the stage. Every time you’d see them, every night they’d come out, rip their skin open and flail themselves onstage. They would leave themselves and the audience wasted. Thurston Moore Band play Live at Leeds on 2 May and Liverpool Sound City on 23 May thurstonmoore.com
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