Winter 2019 (When We Were still going to gigs)
TheZineUK story most recent chapter went up to the end of September 2019:
Autumn 019 Front Cover Art by Tyler Challenger of The Novus
Then, the postmodern fairytale soon became the post modern scary tale - a never ending Halloween that we are living and adapting through, increasingly, at the time of starting this chapter (Summer 2020) Our story has landed on Earth Mk2. It’s an often cowardly run, but braver every day people’s new world. Our cast of stars definitely enhance it.
October 2019
The Camden Mix Up raised £ for Rock n Roll Rescue
Tues 1st October 2019 Modernist rockers, The Velvet Hands begin their (sold out) headline This Feeling tour around the UK at The Road House in East London. Repping TheZineUK, I’m down the front gasping the pocket of oxygene in packed hot madness.
UT ! O D L SO
Tonight, a tidal wave of raw sounds are crashing on shore(ditch) from Cornwall starting with Stanley Duke and The Kindred Spirits.
The Rezner (top) are a razor sharp hit, in main support, well showy. The Velvet Hands play beyond “the UK Strokes” comparisons to transport the packed crowd to virtual heyday 60s Cavern Club and 70s CBGBs with a 21st Century punk riot mosh and stage invaded sing along headline set… It’s an exhilarating night which flies by! Velvet Hands drummer, Louis (and myself, Caffy) join Redley of The Rezner dripping blood and sporting plasters when the house lights come on(!)- Fckn brilliant tour kick off, This Feeling, 90s Mike, Red Stripe and all The Zone Rangers that buzz this hive!
Thursday 3rd October 2019, Amersham Arms, I catch Menstrual Cramps and - pictured - Killdren playing live before Fat White Family’s DJ set at The Old Blue Last Beer launch. Their set was wickedly raucous fun!
I’d not caught Killdren before and am magnetised by parallel dimension Doris Day as punk on squat-party riot beats of presence.
3rd October 2019, Menstrual Cramps at Amersham Arms, FWF DJ set
A band who you could trust to run the country, ten times better than what passes for “government�, these days. They are less scary and definitely much more entertaining. A no holds barred power-punk set.
New Cross, New Cross, so good they named it twice… back at Amersham Arms a couple of days later for The Deptford Mix-Up
(Children Of The State with Andy Winters)
Saturday 5th October 2019, Amersham Arms, New Cross
Music mates from across Britain and Ireland meet up to play on and off stage at Kick Out The Jams/Rotor Video’s event: The Deptford Mix-Up - as ever, raising funds. Tonight for our friends, Musicians Against Homelessness
Sean O B shaking The Deptford Mix-Up, October 5th 2019
MESS - star shaped shimmy. The Deptford Mix-Up, Oct 5 2019
Children Of The State surreal/superb. The Deptford Mix-Up, 5th October
The C33s in town from Manchester, making new friends at The Deptford Mix-Up, Saturday 5th October 2019 in Amersham Arms, New Cross.
‌Hugely rated headliners, SONS, are up for from Brighton, doing the same!
Thursday October 10th 2019
What a sparking line up: bis and LIINES and Bugeye all rocking one fiercely fun-filled fab femme fronted frolic. As a thread through this tale it was not only a thrill to hear new songs from the Bugeye album which was going to be released in Summer 2020, but the amount of people who were there at early doors to catch their set. Lots of friends were glowing, inside and out - on and off stage at the Bostom Music Room in Tufnell Park.
It’s almost Bugeye o’clock, down the front of the stage!
Friday 11th October 2019 I’d had an amazingly uplifting evening; disco-punk rocking with a wide smile to Bugeye. The venue was really busy to catch them opening a well crafted bill. Thank you SO MUCH for the ticket. It was just what I needed. I didn’t dream that it felt extra special (and the band captured images of the crowd on their socials). We got preview glimpses into just how essential their 2020 album of new songs was going to sound. Producer, Paul Tipler, was there and I don’t blame him for grinning! I had an early-ish night after, as I’d booked a dawn-o–WTF-o-clock cheap coach ticket to Manchester, so that I could afford to stay in a hotel and take a mini-break. Self employed skint luxury treat from me to me. I found out formidable music journalist, Tommy Udo, had died. I kept dis-believing (still, actually) as the morning sky cried along the motorway. Then, as we neared Manchester, the overheard word was that a geez had gone stabby-frenzy in the town centre. Later, walking from the station, past a stunned Arndale Centre, a nice lady kindly ate my over-large cheese butty. I felt like a chef. We both hoped she could get off the street soon. Cold nights closing in. I appreciate I am lucky to have relative good health, food to eat, shelter and an abundance of good times/tunes. Tonight I had telly and a comfy hotel room, too.
Saturday 12th October 2019
Kid Kapichi, Childcare, Squid, Avalanche Party, Witch Fever the wish list felt endless (and was, mostly, just wishes, in the end) but it sounds like reeeally goooood times were had by ALL!
#MusicTourism #NBHD19 #Manchester
12th October: So much musical treasure. I knew Neighbourhood Festival was a hot ticket from Sandy K. Moz’s excellent photography reportage of previous events, so I was chuffed to finally get here and catch a fraction of the action. Some properly spunky performances included a wow-some Nova Twins matinee shake down at the Deaf Institute - for me, it was “long time no see” this essential duo. I also kept busy wearing my Tour Manager’s hat. NBHD was an engaged and thrilled experience (and the bands were well looked after by our SJM rep..
More wish list from our live tweeting. It’s ace to see Katie Owen, (our DJ for The Music People Party 2017), on the festival bill… She makes this lady “dance” like a daddy, does lovely Katie!
Our story had caught Isle Of Hadn’ Coach Party over the Wight’s summer at Kick Out The Jams shows - The Brighton Mix Up (three day festival) in May and The Camden Mix Up in July. On Saturday October 12th, they went down a properly cheered treat at Neighbourhood Festival’s Revolution stage. They’ve come on a step, yet again already, it felt. The band describe themselves as “beige indie”. I think their sound has a tingle of heyday 4AD Records bands.
First time catching Glasgow’s Heavy Rapids - they noisily repped the city with a dynamic style. (Summer 2020 note: It looks like they are gone, according to their twitter, and thanks to the pandemic, have been unable to stage a farewell gig. So in that case, this was also my last time catching them play live.) The true stories of documenting under the radar rock n roll includes a wealth of plot twists. A lot will have changed for most of the names in this chapter, alone. We couldn’t have imagined where the stories we started telling in Spring 2014 would go. What happens next?
Argh, it’s been too long!
After a few gonna-happen -onshow-day behind the scenes things (and the usual mini drams/ accidental comedy sketches) are sorted, I grab some chill ‘n’ beer time, during a change over, and catch up with some locally based, familiar friendly faces.
The C33s - Neighbourhood Festival, 12th October 2019, Manchester.
12th October; Expecting to play an opening or early slot at Neighbourhood, MOSES find that they are the finale live set for their stage. They bring the party to any size audience - and do so again at the fittingly named Revolution.
MOSES and photographer, Mike Rădulescu - Manchester, 12 October 2019.
17th October - The Camden Mix-Up - DEUX FURIEUSES LP launch
Thursday 17 October. Another red flag date for tKick Out The Jams rolling extravaganza, (sponsored by Rotor Videos). Influential political rockers, DEUX FURIEUSES launch their second album - ‘My War Is Your War’ - to a packed and decidely buzzing Dublin Castle.
Vas and Ros photographed by Dan Donovan.
Thanks Kat Five for letting me “pap”! Many creative and performer peers were out in passionate force, yet again. An inspiration of documenting under radar rocking in a wealth of raucous but inclusive community. Tonight was another “Moment” headlined with dynamic art rock heat by DEUX FURIEUSES with strong support from DUTCH MUSTARD, HAPPYMESS and TIGER MIMIC. An inclusive politico pure party feel for all that came. There was even cake! The Camden Mix-Up mixed up nicely, yet again! Extra thank you hug from me to Anita Maj! x
Thursday 17th October 2019 - Tiger Mimic entertain The Camden Mix-Up with sharp Moulin Rouge Rock.
Thursday 17th October 2019, kookypop energetics, Happymess at The Camden Mix Up
Thursday 17th October 2019 - sonic scorchers, Dutch Mustard at The Camden Mix-Up
17th October 2019. Thankfully, a wealth of credible photographers captured DEUX FURIEUSES headline set. I’ll just add that Ros and Vas were greeted like the crowd of the packed Dublin Castle FELT how special tonight was. Because this was the case. A home grown rock intensity that mean a lot to their fans. A driving set then gave way to after-party vibes (and cake!), plus funds raised for Rock n Roll Rescue by Kick Out The Jams, sponsors, Rotor Videos and The Camden Mix Up Crowd. DEUX WINS = win win!
Smiley & The Underclass, Another year of picking up no end (100+!) of gigs and festival slots. All achieved through DIY hard effort and astonished, deserved high, reputation without an agent. Playing UK, Europe and Japan (October 2019 tour, finale gig pictured) included. You need to get your arse to at least one of their gigs - and find out why. Trust.
24 October 2019, Nadia Javed of The Tuts live on Sky News discussing abuse within the music industry. “A number of women including myself are being sued for speaking out against a man.� They formed #solidaritynotsilence to crowd fund their legal fees. On a personal note, The Tuts are one of the bands in TheZineUK doc that should be visible on music TV. In 2019 alone they played Brixton Academy three times. Twice while on tour with The Specials, and again with Bikini Kill. A beloved independent, unsigned working class female, 3-tone phenomenom.
#NewerWave of #Uniqulture increasingly evident in the deliciously diverse DIY scenes and anti scenes that make the #FertileEnvironment of this documenting art for life to imitate.
November 2019
Hallows! Saturday 1st November 2019,
Cool cats return to Amersham Arms in London’s (here be dragons) South for The Deptford Mix-Up. Multi music-world tasker, Sonja is, additionally, cute welcome kitty AND purrfect compere this evening. It’s time to Kick Out The Jams, again!
#ArtBeat Flyer/Poster: Amber Owen
My so-called “photography” just didn’t cut it, this evening, but luckily I made some film clips because this was one of the finest evenings out (on the grassroots music circuit that Music Venue Trust is there for). The show was opened by the night-sky velvet vocals of Caiine. End Of The Trail Creative stars are blazing an actual trail. New Cross is in the South East London borough of Lewisham, where Caiine was born and this evening is her 21st birthday! She celebrated with an enchanting , entrancing performance in an entire line up of credibly sharp sets. The Deptford Mix-Up, 1st November was bewitched.
Thursday 15th November Dizzy Lizzy Presents First Anniversary gig at Nambucca. Pic; Tikz of Natural Mystery Museum photographed by Robyn Skinner.
← Tamsin of Couples Dizzy Lizzy Presents 14th November 2019, Nambucca Photo: Robyn Skinner The following night → 15th November 2019, Werkhaus I’m off out to play at a fab new night by multi tasking music mover, Charlie Ashcroft; Somebody Told Me. A sussed, inviting line up, it was cool but was still club-vibrations-friendly. I really dig what Sahera Walker is doing with this enticing space on Brick Lane. Add them both to your #MusicTourism bucket list.
19th November 2019 “What does a performer go through when they step on stage? An examination of music & mental health” Chris Hawkins (BBC Radio 6Music) with one of the BBC Radio 4/BBC Sounds programme interviewees. Marcus of The Pagans S.O.H. Twitterpic; @ChrisHawkinsUK
#WildeLifeAwards
November 2019: The backdrop of our dramas unfolding and weaving, is far from the giggles, gigs and love. It was mundane, grey and scary. We were weeks away from an “election” that would determine what happened to “The Many”, our NHS and our collective future with propaganda as media and division as it’s enabler.
Music is (REAL) life.
Thursday 21st November 2019
‌and so here we are, again, packing out / rocking out The Dublin Castle for aces, Sick Love, Wynona Bleach, Hawxx and Madame So at The Camden MixUp for the charity, Rock n Roll Rescue
My bollocks-snap-shots aside, friends have taken now-framed images of the happiness and comradeship building at Kick Out The Jams socials sponsored by Rotor Videos). Interdependent newer wave is guitar blessed artists, industry, tech, crew and media of now and next reality. Sponsors and supporters keep coming on board where the cottage industry magick happens. TheZineUK was over five years of documenting by this show. 21st November was a start-to-end high calibre night of alternative rock’s spectrum at The Camden Mix-Up which roared off with the raw poetic punk thrust of Madame So →
Hawxx, The Camden Mix-Up, Thursday 21st November 2019
I’d first caught Hawxx a year earlier playing with Bugeye. Glam prog tinted grandeur they stand out with ballsy bluesy weighted rock sound. In fact, this evening was a variety show of audiowaves. Female fronted, too. Me? I also thought that everybody looked SO freaking good. In fact, November 2019 put the #FuturePicks as a travelling circus, DIY TV show of such performances, scenes and charisma into mind. That action got started in January 2020.
21st November 2019 - The Camden Mix-Up. The alternative pop power of Belfast’s Wynona Bleach packs a punch! It is mesmerising to watch bands develop in real time, whenever TheZineUK can catch another show.
21st November 2019. Sick Love at The Camden Mix-Up: Monefa Walker introduces a band to make you laugh, move yerself and join in! A rock-star shaped first London headline SHOW at the Dublin Castle by the Dublin band, who were launching their EP this evening.
22nd November The following night. TheZineUK’s Events Department (Rocklands ArtBeat) are playing the joker while throwing The Story Dice with extra symbols of hope - and staging a live music show. This is literally how a Love Pirate does event management. It’s worked, so far. Well, the mysterious “They” apparently say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”!
Feeling the gig promoter’s mix of pre-doors excitement and fear while Hive Mentality soundcheck at The Water Rats Theatre in Kings Cross.
The reality of how rock rolls; July’s Camden Mix-Up was headlined by MOSES. On the way to sound check they met Hive Mentality who came to the show. MOSES said they would play together. That night went so well that it was time to book MOSES’ first small venue headline tour but guitarist, Rory, decided to leave for his own projects. Then there was an extended soap opera behind the scenes completing the album, finding a new band member (and even completing the line up for this show) is far from dull. 22nd November 2019 was a throw of the dice. New thrillers, Hive Mentality were special guests, plus the brilliant Family Jools (half of whom couldn’t get the train from Bristol). Absolute troopers, drummer Euan and guitarist, singer, keys player, George (birthday boy) played a fantastic stripped down set. Massive cheers to our Kelly at End Of The Trail. In the end it turned into possibly one of the best shows that we have ever staged ourselves and led to very promising things (a sponsor, included) to start 2020. A (literally) roaring success. It was a spectacular “best-of-luck” from MOSES for Rory, too. They once took a break from the industry after a gig at The Water Rats in April 2018, then rebooted here with Rory and James, in July 2018. There there was something sweet about them headlining tonight.
Filmed interview with Victor of MOSES before the show
Hive Mentality are GO!
Friday 22nd November 2019, The Water Rats. It’s fair to say that Hive Mentality went down more than a treat. A rocked raw and engaging show.
Happy Birthday, George!
Family Jools, world class songs, The Water Rats, 22nd November 2019
M O S E S - Friday 22nd November 2019 at The Water Rats, Kings Cross.
Photography: Mike Rădulescu
November 2019 ended on a high A packed out, jump about, twist and shout at the sold out Bugeye gig at Paper Dress Vintage in Hackney on Friday 29th, to be precise. I have film clips of mates grinning like we are in a rock and roll playground’s bouncy castle. We seriously need our grassroots music venues for such medicine! This was another chance to get some live teasers from the band’s debut album of new songs written in 2019! And… the whole line up were top quality entertainment. The poster on the next page → Aah, the ‘Electric’ design colours. As The Cro Flies ArtBeat for the uplifting punk disco party that went down, inspired by Spring 2019’s sold out CroCroLand Festival. Band photography and release artwork by Julia Woolams at 31% Wool TheZineUK’s story comes on in leaps and bounds every chapter. It’s the artists, audiences, contributors and their supporters that make this happen. I am blessed/fascinated by witnessing it. (Caffy, Events/Diary)
The Tiger Queen and friends will return in the next chapter. I finished this one on Sunday July 12th 2020. I almost don’t want these beautiful souls to have to get through the December 2019 to now shitshow, but, (spoiler alert), they are freaking awesome and make so much difference - for the better. Share The Joy