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THE K’S
FOR EVERYTHING WARRINGTON MUSIC • July 2019 • f re e
The k’s -
what’s next for Glass town’s finest PLUS! • Inside LiveBar the town’s newest venue We speak to Ex Slydigs frontman about Standin’ Man Also everything you need to know about RivFest
WELCOME
July 2019
Thanks for joining us again! What an exciting start to the year the Warrington music scene has had in 2019.
Not only did we put some of our faviurite bands in small initmate shows but we then also had two great weekends in the form of the Warrington Music Festival and SJM’s Neighbourhood Weekender. The town is demonstrating it can be a real event destination and we are seeing how important live music can be to the local economy. Returning to the magazine are cover stars, The K’s who are having an exciting year having joined up with Alan McGee. He signed Oasis don’t you know! Thank you to everyone who picked up a copy of Issue 1. It means so much to have your support. Lee Harman, Editor
WArringtonMusic@gmail.com
[WAM] Magazine would be impossible with the help of our advertisers. We don’t receive any external funding so every penny goes towards supporting local musicians Want to advertise in our next issue? Get in touch now WArringtonMusic@gmail.com
11.
CONTENTS 04
[WAM Festival
07
Strangers
08
The K’s
10
Joe Hatton
11
32 Tens The Winachi Tribe
12 16
Hollow Vandals The Lotts
17
Dean Fairhurst
18
RivFest
19
Callum Bate
22
Tuff Gong
23
Sound Of Warrington Playlist
24
Warrington Music Festival
27
[WAM] Exposure
28
LiveBar: Music Venue
29
Olly Thornton
30
[WAM] Introducing
31
Neighbourhood Weekender
33
Kim Jennett
34
Review: A Capable Man
14
Man & The Echo
28. 31. 33.
facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
37
Single Review roundup
38
Gig Guide
Editor: Lee Harman Contributors: Chris Gibson, Mike Massey, Joe Hatton, Jade Woods, Henry Buchanan, Teah Richardson, Mal Keenan, James Little, Lees Johnson & Charlotte Davies. Photographers: Jon Lingwood, Robbie Evans & Matt Price. Special thanks to: Mike Massey, Michael Grainger, Andrew Ditchfield, Radka Dolinska & Jon Lingwood. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of WArringtonMusic.co.uk. Any contrbutions expressed are the views of the contributor themselves and not those necessarily of the editor or any person. associated with WArrington Music [WAM].
[WAM] MAGazine| 3
[WAM] FESTIVAL
ALMOST 1000 ATTEND [WAM] FESTVAL Whilst hundreds more watched it live & online! Announced in November, the March festival saw five shows over three weeks broadcast live online and featured some of the best local artists
At [WAM] we don’t need an excuse to celebrate intimate grassroot music venues which are the breeding ground for fantastic talent. Which is good as that is what the first year of [WAM] Festival was all about.
The Tea Street Band 15/03/19 Cult Liverpool band were just one of twenty bands and artists to perform for [WAM]
For the likes of Man & The Echo and The Winachi Tribe, it was the first time they had played at The Auction Rooms since it was known as WA1, having long outgrown the Legh Street venue. But these were not any just any shows, each night was filmed with multiple cameras and with a live stream going out on the Facebook page, it meant that we could invite the world to join us us for some of the best music from the area. Thanks to the guys at ADB Live, we were about to put in a sound and lighting rig in to rival the Parr Hall!
[WAM] MAGazine| 4
WArringtonMusic.co.uk
THIS IS [WAM] After selling out the Palmyra Square venue in March 2018, I was keen to do something different and create our own version of the old iTunes Festival, without the million pound budget of course! What we did end up with are videos that perfectly capture the feeling of being up close and personal with some of the best bands around. Many of the acts have helped secure further shows and festival slots using these videos and/or given bands an opportunity to reach new fans across the country at a time where they may had not gigged any further than Manchester or Liverpool so far yet. We’re not quite sure what the future holds for [WAM] Festival. We just about broke even and five show dates is an awful lot in what was suppose to be a inital two week period, after having to reschedule a show due to circumstances out of our control.
SERRATONE
PINK SHIRTS FOR PALE PEOPLE
FEZ
We are however incredibly proud to show how memorable live event music can be and that even though the capacities can be small, you should always think big. • Lee Harman Watch the full sets from all 20 bands and artists now on Youtube via: http://tiny.cc/WAMfestival
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KULA BAY The full Line up included: Man & The Echo, The Tea Street Band, The Winachi Tribe, Kula Bay, Serratone, Filthy Tricks, The Lotts, FEZ, The Bid, Olly Thornton & The Shirts, Pacific, La Scala, Hollow Vandals, Pink Shirts For Pale People, Silverfinger Singh, Alan Triggs, Junior Dayvis, Guerilla Skyz, Marc Culley & The Capitals.
[WAM] MAGazine| 5
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Photo: Urban Goals
STRANGERS
The Alternative Indie band have just released a 9 track mix tape bringing together two previously released singles and a smatterting of new tracks. Frontman Liam McGrath to tell us more. How long have you all known each other? How did you meet?
I met Sean (Bass) when we were about 14. We went to the same high school and both played in bands. We met our drummer Jamie in 2017 and came highly recommended by mutual friends.
How would you best describe your sound and influences?
I suppose it could be called alternative pop. Playing music from an early age means we’ve had plenty of time to explore different genres and I think this is reflected in the music we make. We love pop music so we always try to make what we do fairly accessible and memorable.
What is your songwriting process and how do tracks come together in the band? Usually I’ll come to the band with an idea be that just a guitar riff, loop or a more fully formed demo. There’s only three of us in a live situation but we treat the studio computer like a fourth member. It gives us the chance to layer things and create sounds that we couldn’t possibly create if we were just writing songs in the practice room.
Why did you go for a mixtape?
It came from a realisation that playing live wasn’t really doing anything for us. We decided that the best way to get ourselves out there was to just release a lot of music and try and get it to the biggest audience we could. We wanted to really push ourselves. I guess you could say we enjoyed the freedom of it being a mixtape. facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
Am I right in thinking you self recorded? Yes, we had a pretty clear end goal and knew what the themes of Midnight Driving were going to be, so it was really just about trying our best to achieve what we had in our heads within the time that we set ourselves to make it. It was the mixing process that took the longest.
What advice would you give to any artists who wanted to self record their music?
I’d say the equipment doesn’t matter as much as you think it does. From a musical stand point you need to be critical and objective. We were lucky we had musical friends who we could trust.
What’s the music scene like in Widnes?
To be honest there isn’t really a scene in Widnes, just 2 venues. It’s strange to be a band from here. Liverpool and Manchester have got such big unsigned music scenes and it can be challenging to be from in between them because we don’t quite fit in fully with either. We kind of embrace that.
Who have you been listening locally?
Our drummer Jamie is good mates with the lads from Kula Bay so they’re always on our radar. I’ve been enjoying a band from Chester called Hollywood Eyes, Shout out to Digital Garden Party from Runcorn, they’ve helped us a lot.
Name a song you wish you had written? Emerald Rush by Jon Hopkins. I wish I knew how to make the sounds he makes.
Midnight Driving is out now on all streaming sites. Strangers play at Friars Court, Saturday 13th July. [WAM] MAGazine| 7
THE K’S
the K’s are on fire It’s something you’re guaranteed to hear at any show where the Earlestown Indie quartet are playing, but having made their mark at Neighbourhood and selling out Manchester Academy 2 in January, how far can they go?
it! I think we always knew we’d have
his record obviously speaks for
a good turn out, but I don’t think
itself and when we got talking we
anyone was expecting that. The
all had the exact same ideas of
numbers were unbelievable, proba-
where we need to be and what
bly the most we’ve ever played to!”
direction to be going in. It’s a dream team”.
2019 is set to be a memorable year for The K’s because not only did
Conscious that their energy
they make their national television
on stage is one of their biggest
Formed in 2017 by childhood
debut on Soccer AM but they will
strengths they are determined to
friends Jamie Boyle (vocals &
be flying over to Croatia and Serbia
translate this to their next singles.
guitar) and Dexter Baker (Bass)
to play their first European
they would soon be joined by Ryan
Festivals amongst a ton of UK dates.
Breslin (guitar) and then Jordan
“Alan has helped us get our live sound down on record. I think
Holden (drums) in 2018. The band
There to guide them will be none
most would agree that we’re
have conquered every target they
other than the man who
definitely at our best when playing
have set out for themselves and
‘discovered’ Oasis, Alan McGee.
live but we were yet to reciprocate
after having one of the biggest
Signing to his Creation23 label in
that on record.. but on the newest
crowds over on the Viola Beach
April, the band were soon heading
single, we’ve absolutely nailed it.
stage at Neighbourhood Weekender
down to London to record their
If we do say so ourselves”.
this year despite an early afternoon
next single ‘Aurora’ and the B-Side
stage time, they were a group on
which is on course for release in
Balancing music around their day
everyone’s lips.
September. Speaking exclusively to
jobs, the band might be humble
[WAM], frontman Jamie explained
but with almost 1.4 million streams
For guitarist Ryan it was a moment
it was an easy decision in the end:
of their first three singles (over a
to remember. “It was quality wasn’t
“We had a few people interested but
million and counting for their huge
[WAM] MAGazine| 8
WArringtonMusic.co.uk
THE K’S
TOP 5’S - ALBUMS
The K’s performing at Neighbourhood Weekender, May 2019 - Jon Lingwood
debut single ‘Sarajevo’), prove they
JAMIE BOYLE
some of their own are doing so well.
VOCALS & GUITARS
there is always a travelling army of
“We are just enjoying the ride and
fans who follow them wherever they
believe in what we do and people are
All Mod Cons (The Jam)
play to sing the words back to them.
jumping on it with us, which is great.
have a knack for writing a song and
It’s stepping up all the time, and we
Up The Bracket (The Libertines) Favourite Worst Nightmare (Arctic Monkeys)
A strong hometown crowd is vital
are taking it in our stride as it comes
to upcoming artists and they benefit
really, the buzz is catching fire and
from big support network in
we’re in it for the long haul!”
London Calling (The Clash)
be from here” says Jamie.
We asked the band what they would
“Everywhere we go when we’re
consider to be a “success” for The K’s
home people are always asking us
and what would be a failure. Keeping
Definitely Maybe (Oasis)
how everything’s going and what
things casual Jamie exclaimed
we’ve got coming up”.
“Where do you start! It means all
Newton-Le-Willows. “We’re proud to
different things to different people! I think a success would be making it onto The Simpsons. I’d be happy with that. A failure would be not making it on the show”. After conquering Manchester, Europe is next and after that
n n 23 label owners Ala Signing with Creatio il. Apr in k bac er tch Mcgee and Simon Fle
anything is possible, they are proof
Ahead of the bands arrival and as we
shadows of two of the biggest music
were setting things up for our cover
scenes in the north west.
that things can grow in the huge
photoshoot in ‘The Griffin’ one of the market town’s many pubs, regulars
Viva La K’s, you ain’t seen nothing
were keen to tell us about the first
yet world. • Lee Harman
time they watched the band as they cut their teeth playing pubs and clubs
Find the band at Kendal Calling and Y
in the area and how proud that
Not Music Festivals (both 25-28th July)
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All feature photos by Jon Lingwood.
RYAN BRESLIN
LEAD GUITAR Exile On Main Street (The Rolling Stones) The Kids Are Alright (The Who) The Stone Roses (The Stone Roses) What’s The Story (Morning Glory) (Oasis) Youth and Young Manhood (Kings of Leon) [WAM] MAGazine| 9
JOE HATTON Working as a musician is a wonderful and fulfilling job. It can always be incredibly taxing. In 2014, a leading charity found that 60 percent of musicians had struggled with their mental health . We spoke to Joe about a few ways of looking after yourself and how to start breaking down some of the stigma that could be stopping you, or someone you know from taking the first steps to healing. On paper it’s a dream, which can make it very difficult to understand how and why a lot of musicians suffer with mental health problems. Issues are all too prominent and often overlooked or swept under the table by ourselves and our peers. While it’s true that more modern outlooks are accepting of mental health problems, there is still a hefty amount of stigma surrounding the issue. Before I perform the track ‘Make It Happen’ I say a few words about mental health and how important it is to talk to each other and to talk to one of us if you have no one to talk to. I do this because recently I discovered a whole new way (for me) of dealing with my own
depression and anxiety. All this stemmed from one conversation about how I was feeling. I would like to share a few things that I’ve Learnt. Talk To Someone. The first step you can take is to talk about it. Whether that’s to a friend, a family member, a doctor or a helpline. It’s liberating and can bring a sense of achievement and is a gateway to finding options on how you can tackle issues you may be facing. Talking to your GP can be especially helpful as they can help in many ways and guide you towards many other options. Self Care. The simple things can become a major chore when you’re feeling low, hygiene, hydration and eating can be difficult to maintain. These things are important to your well being and are a positive step to improving your day, though it is okay to have a day off. Remember that you are important and need to look after your self. A First Aid Kit. This is something that I recently discovered and helps me out a great deal. Firstly you make a list of things that are important to your mental health, Have this list of things printed or drawn up in a pleasing way as a friendly, daily reminder to yourself of the things you can do to help. Be Proud. You work hard to get where you want to go. Your achievements are worthwhile, no matter how small. Accept yourself and try not to let other peoples opinions grab your attention. They are entitled to their opinion, it doesn’t define who you are.
While these are only some of the very first steps to taking back control of mental health and removing the stigma related to it, the more we learn about the subject and the more we can talk about it, the less of a hold problems have over us and our peers. Yes, the problems will always be out there, and thoughts and feelings will not just disappear. But if we are comfortable supporting each other and can be open about how these things are affecting us, then we can be stronger together.
[WAM] MAGazine| 10
Joe is the frontman of The Bid and can also be found performing as a solo artist across town, find out more at facebook.com/joehattonmusic
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32 TENS
Very few bands can lay claim to playing in front of 3000 people at their peak let alone on their debut gig but that is exactly how 32 Tens announced their arrival... When they took to the stage at Rivfest ‘17, just two months after forming the band it would have been hard to believe that gig was the result of only 8 weeks rehearsals, however any scepticism is very quickly kicked into touch when you experience anything they have done since and how naturally it comes to them.
That natural connection stems from good friends Max Vickers (vocals & guitar) and Sam Glancy (guitar) who have been friends since primary school and have performed together on and off for a number of years outside of their well documented solo endeavours. Combine one strong pairing with another in Roy Muscutt (bass) and Danny Hall (drums) and you get a huge sound that draws you in on numerous levels from four talents that compliment each other perfectly. After exploding on the scene, 32 Tens hit the studio and by the end of 2017 they had 3 singles out in quick succession. Their close bond and a fair bit of rehearsal certainly paid off as amazingly all 3 tracks were done in one take in a single day with one of those tracks ‘Lost’ since going on to have over 1 million streams on Spotify. More studio time in 2018 produced 5 more singles and gave us some of their strongest tracks yet with varying styles. ‘Escape Artist’ stands out as a relatable emotional journey that builds to a chorus that makes even the emptiest of souls feel something whereas facebook.com/WArringtonMusic facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
‘So Nah’ will have you bouncing with a bass line that you can’t get out of your head for weeks. The common theme throughout every track though are the strong lyrics delivered in the unmistakable tone that comes from Max. Having a level of control where just a slight change of pitch and speed of delivery can turn a song from heartbreak to happy in an instant has lent itself well and gives a different vibe to each song. In fact you could say with confidence that if you compiled an LP from their 9 songs to date you would be hard pressed to think of many better debut albums. Studio time has definitely outweighed gigs over the last year but if you are lucky enough to catch them you will see that the passion isn’t just within the songs, it is evident from each of the guys that they give their all at every gig. More gigs are on the cards for this year including a headline show at E.B.G.B’s in Liverpool, Saturday 21st September but there is still plenty of new music planned with a few new songs already in the bag. It’s pretty exciting to see what’s next for 32 Tens, the quality of what they have produced so far and seeing how laid back and natural that has come to them signals something big ahead and we can’t wait to see it. • Mike Massey Find out more about the band via facebook.com/32tens [WAM] MAGazine| 11
THE WINACHI TRIBE
The ‘Tribe are showing no signs of slowing down in 2019.
After spending much of last year splitting their time between the UK and West Coast USA, August will once again see the band flying out to the states to spend time finishing off their eagerly awaited album with Producer John X (David Bowie / Rolling Stones) at ‘Earthstar Creation Centre’ in Venice Beach, California. “The album is like Dark Side of the Moon, the funk version! We’re really excited to get this record out there” front man Liam Croker tells us excitedly. In fact, the enthusiasm is contagious. Packed out festival shows in Warrington were treated to never before heard tracks such as ‘Acclimatise’ and momentum is building for the six-piece who recently finished a couple of dates with ‘Grandmaster’ Melle Mel & Scorpio and The Sugarhill Gang in Manchester & Leeds as part of the 40 year anniversary of ‘Rappers Delight’. “Warrington is always good for us, I feel like we’ve kinda gone full circle. We had to get away from the town for a few years and learn our craft so it’s been nice over the last 18 months to play a number of shows back in the town. It’s always close to heart”. On the other side of the pond, August 4th will see an exclusive ‘Winachi Tribe Soundsystem’ show at one of Hollywood’s most iconic establishments, The Cat & Fiddle [WAM] MAGazine| 12
where Liam & co will be digging deep into their record collection with live percussion from Inder Goldfinger, not one to miss! It’s certainly a city that has been kind to them that they love. One of the their highlights last year was a support slot with The Charlatans’ at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles as part of two tours on the West Coast so bound to be a special show. May 2019 saw the latest release from the Funk -Rock Collective, ‘Parasites Paradise’. A global collaboration saw Jamaican royalty ‘I Kong’, arguably the most talked about Reggae artist in China providing vocals, released on the newly relaunched Chinese label ‘Handshake Records’. Equal parts, rhythm, rasta, and rave. The two artists fuse together to create a huge sounding track. Then there’s been the teasing of a big Summer collaboration with Italian fashion brand, Pantofola d’oro which is tied in with next single ‘Funky But Chic’, for which a music video currently in production. One thing for certain, the Tribe is strong. • Lee Harman Find out more now via facebook.com/thewinachitribe Selected future UK Festivals ahead Twisted Village Festival, Winchester 18/08 Madchester, BEC ArenaManchester 05/10 WArringtonMusic.co.uk
FILTHY TRICKS ‘RUN THE RIVER - EP’ Out Now Available to stream or buy on all major platforms
Upcoming Shows:
LoungeFest, Warrington - 26.07.19
Below The Bridge Festival, Manchester - 28.07.19
Music / Merch / Events at:
WWW.FILTHYTRICKS.CO.UK
facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
FILTHY TRICKS
[WAM] MAGazine| 13
HOLLOW VANDALS
Priestley College has a brilliant record as a starting ground for brilliant young musicians, going on to be part of Warrington’s Music tapestry. This year has been no exception as Hollow Vandals who are all currently students there are fast becoming a well known name for music lovers. The band consists of James Broad (Rhythm Guitar/ Vocals), Cian Brown (Bass/ Vocals) , Liam Fraser (Drums) and Mischigan Taylor (Lead Guitar), they create catchy and well structured songs to get you up and dancing. In an age of pop music, they stand out with their original grunge rock songs. Their first year was spent playing local gigs in well known venues around Warrington, but one venue they always came back to was Old Town House. With the help of the owners Jen & Gaz, the band was able to gain a following of people who otherwise would never of heard of them. With the news of Old Town House shutting down, Hollow Vandals did one last gig to say goodbye, ending with a song written for the pub, ‘Old Town Flat’. After only being together for a year, the band recorded two songs; ‘Halfway to the Moon’ and ‘Soma’, releasing them as a double A side in January 2019. Soon after the release, the song Halfway to the Moon reached over 1000 streams on Spotify and Hollow Vandals gained listeners outside of Warrington. With these new fans Hollow Vandals are soon to have their first gig in Manchester, headlining Aatma on August 3rd. [WAM] MAGazine| 14
The band would soon return to Catalyst Studios to produce their first EP; ‘Turn it down… I Can’t Think’. For the release, the band headlined a gig at The Lounge where they had the support of another Priestley band, La Scala. Both bands playing together created a great atmosphere for the fans and overall, a great way to showcase the four track EP.
One thing for certain at a Hollow Vandals show is that they never fail to bring a lively crowd. Be it one of their slower songs like December or their mosh pit inducing songs such as ‘Leave Me Alone’, the crowd never stands still. Like many bands, this years Warrington Music Festival was their first as well as being their biggest audience yet. Warming up the crowd with the newly released song ’Stinkin’ Thinkin’, the precision and technicality of the songs they played shows how they have improved in the past year and with new songs such as ‘Boyle Avenue’ and ‘Odd socks’, acoustically covered on Radio Warrington recently, they show great promise for the future. • Jade Woods ‘Turn It Down..I Can’t Think’ is available to stream on Spotify now.
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[WAM] MAGazine| 15
THE LOTTS
Garage Rock band The Lotts have been making waves across the north west after recording at the legendary Rockfield Studios where Bohemian Rhapsody was produced. We didn’t plan to start a band, I did some demos over the summer break before I started college, Adam had a listen and told me that he liked them so later on down the line we decided to jam them out before really knew each other much. So it was me, Adam and Joel just playing these two songs one day in a practice room when our tutor Mike walks in and tells us that it sounded great so we decided to actually try and make a band out of it. We didn’t have a bassist so that’s when we roped in Jamie and nothing has changed much since. There wasn’t a plan to record at Rockfield. We went there on a college trip but our tutors said you might be able to record one song if you have time, turns out the engineers thought we sounded boss and ended up recording 14 demos which were later used for the ‘Out Of It’ EP. We didn’t expect much response from four tracks we put out. We just thought it would be a laugh if we could see our tunes on Spotify and Apple Music but we got some really good responses from it which we didn’t expect. We recently played at LiveBar in Warrington with IDLES frontman Joe who gave us praise on our EP and even some dude in Arkansas was trying to book us on some shows at Colleges over there after hearing it. The telephone mic is funny one to use on stage. A lot of bands I like use them like Coachwhips and The Traditional Fools so I decided to make my own but it was awful. I used it for a couple shows and it broke before we even started our set so I found this dude that just makes them online and I’ve been using the same one for shows since, people are just weirded out by it which is funny.
We worked with one of the best recording artists in the country and an engineer from the Royal Blood debut album and straight away they got our sound. They thought would be best to record live to make it sound as organic as possible and onto a fat tape machine they had there. The finished one take product is what’s on our debut EP and we have plans to go back there in the near future. • Henry Buchanan (Vocals/ Guitar) [WAM] MAGazine| 16
‘Out Of It’ the four-track EP is out now, on all reputable online stores and streaming sites.
WArringtonMusic.co.uk
Photo: Matt Price
The recording at Rockfield wasn’t what we expected, we like to think of ourselves as quite a DIY band as we used to do the most ghetto recordings and rehearsals so when we went back it was a massive shock to the system, we didn’t think they could make us sound how we wanted and would just over produce everything as previously we recorded our demos by putting a mic in the middle of the room and just crank everything and play.
DEAN FAIRHURST Slydigs shocked fans in January 2019 in that they’d be going their separate ways. Wondering what might come next from frontman Dean Fairhurst, we didn’t have to wait long... “People have their own thoughts or stories how it ended” Dean told us when we went to see him in his rehearsal room; “But it’s a difficult industry, everybody knows that, we’d rather burn out than fade away...there came a time a lot of the buzz had come down after those big arena shows with The Who. We built up fans but it was the right time and I had desires to do something different. That would end up being ‘Standin’ Man’, with Peter Fleming back again behind the drumkit, it sees the pair explore a rock & roll sound thats certainly more psychedelic in places and in many ways, different from what many might expect from the musician. Early shows would see the band support American Rock band Low Cut Connie, on three dates across the country in June. Dean tells us that “things are running pretty quickly [considering the band were formed in March], but ultimately it’s about the songs so let’s hope we can nail them. We’re getting there”. “Peter is a great person to have with me when I’m writing. I booked these gigs before I even formed the band! I managed to talk my way into the gigs through lead singer [Adam], but I like putting myself under pressure”. Thankfully they went better that any shows should do really”.
Photo: Radka Dolinska – radkadolinska.co.uk / @Radkadolinska
Having toured the world with The Who, and been part of the ‘Industry’, Dean has seen it all but we were keen to know other than the opportunity to be on stage, what else he enjoyed about being a musician, which keeps him performing and writing. “I think the power of music and the effect it has on you spiritually, it gives hope to people, to artists and that desire to provide people with that hope is everything that I’ve ever wanted to do from the first time I ever heard Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix. The same sense you want everyone to look at you. Every artist has that ego, but it’s about understanding yourself ”. “With Standin’ Man I wanted to create something different”. Dean say: “When the concept came around, I didn’t want it going under my name and it gives me the freedom for it to mean anything or something else, once it gets on the stage. I’ve wrote a lot of acoustic tracks...but I still want to perform these playing raucous gigs with a thumping driving bass and guitars, coming off sweating and electrify an audience”. As for Slydigs, never say never, with Dean’s parting words being “Nobody loved Slydigs more than me, just wanted to try new pastures”. One thing is for certain, with Dean heading to the states to work on what will end up being the bands debut single, this is one musician who isn’t standing still. • Lee Harman To find outrrington moreMusic head to facebook.com/thestandinman facebook .com/WA
[WAM] MAGazine| 17
RIVFEST
It’s been announced that Rivfest will be returning this September and with details on the line up due imminently, we look ahead to the fourth year.
First conceived in 2016 following the tragic deaths of River Reeves and his Viola Beach band mates, Kris Leonard, Tomas Lowe, Jack Dakin and their manager Craig Tarry, River’s family and friends pulled the first festival together on the playing fields at Priestley College in under two weeks. More than 500 people came together for a memorable event and at that point Ben Dunne, River’s dad, knew that he wanted to keep his son’s memory alive through future investment in local emerging talent. This became the inspiration for the River Reeves Foundation providing bursaries to young artists wishing to pursue careers within the arts. Rivfest 17 took the original idea and ran with it. More than 2000 people saw Maxïmo Park and Billy Bragg headline but it was unexpected moments like Joe Hill from Serratone joining The Voice Uk winner Mo and 32tens on stage for an impromptu jam that really stole the show. One year on and Rivfest brought about a change for the festival seeing it move into Warrington town centre. The main stage was at the Parr Hall with fringe events taking place at 9 other local venues including Friars Court, The Lounge and The Auction Rooms. The move into the town centre brought a focus on emerging artists from across the North West. A showcase event at the Parr Hall on the eve of the main event put The Lottery Winners in the spotlight along with No Hot Ashes, The Bohos and Kula Bay.
many bands and artists that I wouldn’t normally come across. I want audiences at Rivfest to enjoy their favourite local artists but I want to provide the opportunity to discover a new favourite as well. Last year I was so pleased to bring The Mysterines to Friars. They almost blew the roof off and no-one in the audience really saw it coming. For a long time they were Liverpool’s best kept secret. going on to support Miles Kane and have become a regular feature on Steve Lamaq’s 6Music show. Likewise, No Hot Ashes are going from strength to strength and they are now headlining their own show at the Ritz in Manchester with their debut album ready for release. The Lottery Winners will play at Glastonbury this year following the huge success of their live performance video which was shared globally by Coldplay”. Rivfest 19 will take place at the Pyramid Centre in Warrington on the 28th September. With 30 artists spread across 3 stages it promises to bring the same blend of up and coming artists from Liverpool and Manchester alongside local acts.
Michael Grainger, festival coordinator believes the best part about Rivfest is discovering new talent:
“Having everything back in one location will make it so much easier to catch more bands without missing anything” Grainger adds, “We’re doing our best to schedule each of the stages to provide something different without too many overlaps or clashes. One of the stages this year will be co-curated by Liverpool collective Whispering Pines, They’ve done loads with Deltasonic and Skeleton Key Records in the past and they’ll bring a new dimension to Rivfest this year along with some really exciting new bands.
“It’s really exciting for me when it comes to booking bands for the event. I get to hear so
Head to riverreevesfoundation.org for more details and buy tickets now from pyramidparrhall.com
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CALLUM BATE Hello Callum where on earth are you? Currently I’m sat in bed recovering from a hectic 2 weeks. First started in Holland at Best Kept Secret Festival with Blossoms, then caught a flight to Florence to do a show with Jake Bugg, Berlin for a holiday then straight from that to Parklife. Bed is the best place right now. You’ve been with Blossoms as a Monitors Engineer since 2016? What does that entail? Essentially my job is to make sure that the band are happy with what they hear on stage. They all have there own style of mixes, and I’ve just got to make sure they can enjoy it. I met the band back in 2016 when me and the Viola Beach boys were touring with them. We instantly became really good mates, the word got thrown about that they need a monitor engineer, so I got the call. It must have been quite the buzz working in your hometown during Neighbourhood? Ahh it was class. 1. Because I could walk to work for the first time in 3 years and 2. seeing everyone go nuts for a band that you work for, its a really good feeling. I went again this year but just as a punter, and it really is such a good festival. When on tour, what does an average day look like for you? Normally wake up around 9am. Load in all of the audio gear then start to build it in the venue. This normally takes up till about 2/3pm. Crew will line check, and make sure everything sounds and is working how it should do. Band roll in about 3.30pm for soundcheck, that’ll be done by 4pm. Then my favourite time. Nandos, Nap, clean some bits and bobs, show time, then pack down. All in all I’ll be working from about 9am till 1am.
Been to any music festivals recently? you’re likely to have seen Burtonwood resident Callum on the side of the stage. What’s your most essential item on the road? Beers for the end of a gig... Boring answer, probably my phone, but I’d be screwed without it. What has been a highlight for you so far? I’ve met some of the best people in my life through my job, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. In regards to places, I’ve been lucky enough to spend 4 days in Tokyo on tour. Incredible. I assume there’s a lot of downtime between tours, how do you occupy your self? I’ve actually started playing music again finally, so I’m just doing stuff with my band ‘The AV Club’. Aside from that, its nice to catch up with family, mates and my girlfriend instead of over FaceTime its nice to get away from the chaos of touring and just stay in your own little bubble for a bit. What advice would you give to anyone who would like to do what you do? BE A NICE PERSON. I cannot stress that enough, this industry is built up on word of mouth and people will judge so quickly. Theres without a doubt better engineers than me but I make such an effort to make a connection with everyone. What’s on the average rider? Stella... a bit more stella. spirits, bread, meat, fruit, crisps. Oh and a bowl of only red skittles! (I joke) Would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses or one horse sized duck? Hands down a 100 duck sized horses. Imagine the size of a ducks bill if it was the size of a horse, terrifying. Photo: Callum working at Glastonbury Festival 2018
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MORE THAN A MARKET
JUNE 15TH 22ND 29TH
THE GEEKY ART MARKET SUSTAINABLE LIVING MARKET THE WIRE MARKET
JULY 6TH 6TH 13TH 20TH 24TH
THE RECORD FAIR WARRINGTON FAIRY FESTIVAL WARRINGTON’S YOUNG TRADERS MARKET WARRINGTON SCI-FI DAY KIDS CRAFT & STORY CORNER
AUGUST SUMMER PLAYDAYS EVERY WEDNESDAY & SATURDAY 3RD 7TH 10TH 14TH 17TH 21ST 24TH 28TH
YOUNG TRADERS MARKET REGIONAL FINAL KRAZY KRIS’ KIDS SHOW MAGICAL UNICORN DAY DINO DAY THE GREATEST SHOW KIDS CORNER PUPPET PARTY THE BIG BRICK BUILD KIDS CRAFT & STORY CORNER
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TUFF GONG
Fans of Black Eyed Peas may know that Madchester royalty Rowetta appears on the track ‘Boom Boom Pow’, but not many will know that vocal sample was recorded at Tuff Gong Studios in Warrington. “Pretty much anyone who has had success in this town have come through here” explains Lee ‘Latch’ Parker, engineer and owner. “Right through their career we’ve had Starsailor based here. They were last around when rehearsing prior to playing at Bank Park for Warrington Festival in 2016”. The studio and rehearsal space on Longford Street has been an integral part of the town’s music scene for the past twenty years, with the client list reading as a who’s who of music in the north west. Happy Mondays were based here for 12 months after they reformed, Viola Beach rehearsed here and Man & The Echo recorded much of their debut album at Tuff Gong and have a rehearsal room on the ground floor. When [WAM] asks Latch who has been producing music for over 30 years what he looks for when looking to work with bands and artists it is simple, preferring projects where there can be some sort of emotional investment into the project with the right chemistry. “The best compliment I can ever get is that the band feel like it’s having another member of the band, and they value my opinion”. [WAM] MAGazine| 22
With the music industry in a time of change, it is the small studios like Tuff Gong that have thrived as labels have less to spend on records, “truth of it is that this is a world class studio” says Latch. Currently undergoing a full transformation of the site around studio work, the 20 year anniversary of studioplex opening is fast approaching, with plans going in place to do something special for the occasion. We’re here to check out the newly opened and extended live room. Serviced by a significant analogue desk/ outboard, which records to a digital medium. It is the biggest space we’ve seen in the town for recording and couldn’t help thinking how good it would be to work on something together in the future. As well as the standard fare of bands and musicians coming into the studio, it is also host to various voice over artists, rappers as well as hosting the UK’s #1 Demotivational Speaker, Mike Winett’s Podcast. There are six rehearsal rooms in total, two on residential leases and four available on an hourly basis. Rates start from just £9 p/h. When we ask what the future is looking like for music, Latch is sure of one thing, it’s not about following trends blindly. “At the end of the day, ‘do what you do, to the best of your abilities’, because if you do, and people dig it, you’ve won”. • Lee Harman WArringtonMusic.co.uk
SOUND OF WARRINGTON
There’s a new place to find all your favourite music from artists in the local area, courtesy of the ‘Sound of Warrington’ playlist on Spotify. It features over 120 tracks and is ever expanding with a range of styles, putting together established bands such as Slydigs alongside debuting singles by some of the most exciting new up and coming talents such as Scholar, Waywell and Crawlers. The unstoppable rise of music streaming has meant many bands and artists see it as an integral part of the way they promote themselves online nowadays. Getting on curated playlists by influental players in the industry be they labels/ promoters can elevate a band from their peer group to thousands. Whereas bands would often head to the studio to record a number of tracks, compiled together on a CD in order to be cost effective and good value for money to the fan, physical sales almost been completely wiped out. Streaming is reportedly accounts for 75% of music industry revenue, and whilst you may wonder how this affects small, often unsigned bands, you’d be suprised. A shrinking live music scene across the country (and indeed worldwide) has meant bands are having to do more to stand out in a saturated market. The result? More singles, spread out through the year. The aim is to establish momentum through genuine talent and a little but of luck, to reach the huge numbers that use various sites/apps. facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
This may sound cynical, but it’s anything but. It has never been easier for artists distributing their music online and gone are the days where hundreds of pounds would have had to be paid to Radio PR pluggers and PR firms in the hope of a handful of plays halfway across the word on college radio stations. They have their uses but for many, it’s never been easier to get your music out there in the world. One band who has been successful in putting out regular tracks is Northwich/ Warrington quartet Pacific. Each single has generally been supported by a music video and plenty of engagement on social media pointing towards the songs. Because at the end of the day, that’s what matters right? The Music. Thanks to attracting new fans and maintaining strong engagement with fans has meant bigger shows and a recently won a fan poll to play Y Not Music Festival in July. Congratulations guys! The ease and the rise in “bedroom studios” as technology becomes more accessible means bands can look to put out tracks to a regular schedule or offer up mixtapes like Strangers on page 7, to keep momentum running. We love local and often unsigned artists, if you’d be interested in keeping up to date with new releases head to the follow link or scan the image at the top of the page to go straight to it. Follow and enjoy, you may find your next favourite artist - https://bit.ly/2JyT2QT [WAM] MAGazine| 23
WARRINGTON MUSIC FESTIVAL Saturday 4th May saw 90’s favourites Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape and The Farm take to the stage, supported by a DJ set from Inspiral Carpet’s Clint Boon and Warrington Indie-Pop band FEZ. All 3000 free tickets snapped up in just four hours! The second day saw in the Festival’s 12th year, 22 bands and artists take to the stage. 12 legged groove machine, The Winachi Tribe capped off a unforgettable day of great live music to close the weekend. What was exciting for [WAM] in 2019 was that ten of the acts on stage were making their first appearances at the yearly Music Festival. There was also a blast from the past, as 4.ft Solidiers made their return after almost a ten year gap. Over the years, it has been an incredibly important event for those involved, giving them an opportunity to showcase their talent in their hometown. On these two pages are just a small number of photos that were taken over the May Day bank holiday weekend.
SOPHIE MORGAN
Find photos, videos and more about the event at WArringtonMusic.co.uk/ warringtonmusicfestival Main photo: Robbie Evans BLACK GRAPE
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WARRINGTON MUSIC FESTIVAL
SCHOLAR
JACK WOODWARD
HANOVÄ’R
SERRATONE
THOUGHTUNE
THE WINACHI TRIBE
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[WAM] EXPOSURE
Local music has a new home on the radio. Since March, music fan and radio presenter Mike Massey has hosted an unsigned show on Radio Warrington, bringing great up and coming bands into the studio. “I’ve always had a passion for music but as the kids got older I wanted to get more involved and give more time to it” Mike explained to [WAM]. “After moving to Warrington, listening to local music again rekindled my passion when I saw how great the local music scene was”. “Radio Warrington is a community station which gives local artists a great platform but there was no specific show for me to regularly listen to. I got in touch with them with just a love of music and they were great. Showing me the ropes, they’ve been really supportive which has led to what we have now”. Initially joining the station which is based at Warrington Market as a member of the sports show team, Mike now hosts a new 1 hour show between 5-6pm every Saturday which not only features local tracks, but usually features a special guest every week. A name change brought the show under the [WAM] banner. “It made sense to work together with Lee and the rest of the WArrington Music team as we are both passionate about live music. “The collaboration is invaluable as we all give our time so we can support local talent and shout about it to the world but it needs a platform and [WAM] gives local music that huge first step”. “We use their Facebook Gig Guide on the show to let you know where to find the best events”. facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
Early guests have included The Winachi Tribe, 32 Tens and La Scala, many performing exclusive acoustic tracks which can be found on the [WAM] Exposure Facebook Page. “If I had to pick particular show as a highlight then I would have to say The Bid (pictured) as they were the very first guests we had on the new show and also The Zangwills who smashed 3 brilliant acoustic versions live for us. It was a pretty tight squeeze in the studio but the sound was huge”. Radio Warrington broadcasts across Warrington and the surrounding areas on 1332AM medium wave, via the TuneIn App & online on at radiowarrington.co.uk. Mike hopes in the future to keep building on what he started and give back more. “We now have a formatted show with live guests, and podcasts so everyone can listen back any time. We have done a fair bit in a short space of time. The station is staffed and run by unpaid volunteers and give training and broadcast opportunities to anybody local to the area who want to get involved”. Listen to the show, Saturdays live from 5pm, or catch up/ download on each weeks podcast via wamexposure.podbean.com or Spotify. Want your track featured on the show? email mp3’s to bands@radiowarrington.co.uk [WAM] MAGazine| 27
LIVEBAR
Warrington’s newest music venue is promising to nurture the next generation of bands and artists from the town as well as bringing in amazing talent from across the country. Formerly operating as Rag & Bone, the building was completely refitted ahead of a grand opening in April. Billed as the town’s only dedicated live music venue, it has already had unforgettable sets from the likes of Jeramiah Ferrari, Witch Fever and Average Joe with the 250 capacity space benefiting from a fantastic house PA and sound engineer. Events Manager, Charlotte Davies alongside Venue Manager Greg Dixon. known to many through his work with God Complex & Psymmetry Collective have over 20 years of music industry experience between them are striving to make the Barbauld Street bar the place to be. On her reasons for joining the LiveBar team, Charlotte who formed DJ collective Thirsty Girls as well as working in both PR and events told us it was conversations with parents and older friends that inspired her to get involved: “They’d tell me about when they saw the likes of Blur, Manic Street Preachers and The Fall in Warrington in the past, and there’s so much amazing talent around the country at the moment, we want to create a place where people can catch the newest bands before they hit the big time”. We’ve been involved in the industry since our teens, [so] we are positive that we can make this venue an exciting destination for fans”. Like many new ventures, the biggest challenge is gaining a greater public awareness, and convincing people to experience upcoming artists. This has led to the launching of a brand [WAM] MAGazine| 28
new unsigned industry networking event, which will take place every Thursday. It acts as an informal opportunity to support live new music and meet other musicians and those within the industry. There’s much to look forward to when it comes to LiveBar in the coming months, “We’re looking at really diverse and interesting line up of gigs getting booked in. There’s lots of great venues in the town that put bands on, but there’s a gap in the market for a 250 capacity venue that can accommodate those touring bands about to break through. “Having Joe Talbot (frontman of IDLES), playing a DJ set after local bands The Lotts and Slowhandclap was obviously a huge highlight as Greg and I love that band and that got people talking. We’re determined to turn Warrington into people’s new favourite gig destination, and we’re working really hard to get a really diverse and interesting line up of gigs booked in. We’re still toying around with a lot of ideas, but we want to bring a real cultural hub to the town centre”. Upcoming events: (18+) Friday 21st June - Spilt, Serratone, The Lotts Friday 5th July - Nile Marr Friday 26th July - The Bright Black Saturday 27th July - Sky Valley Mistress Saturday 10th August - The Goa Express Friday 16th August - The AV Club Find out more at facebook.com/livebarsuk Buy advance tickets for all shows via Skiddle. WArringtonMusic.co.uk
13 years ago Lymm based Singer/Songwriter Olly Thornton picked up a guitar and took his first steps on a musical career path. It’s been a path that has certainly taken a few twists and turns along the way but is definitely heading in the right direction. Olly has been penning songs from an early age and as his passion grew so did the strength of his writing. “I have always loved writing songs from a very early age even though a lot of them failed miserably. I think my sister still has a song from when I was 10 which will either be good blackmail material or money in the bank if I make it”. “I wrote my first proper tune when I was 14. I still love it to this day and I showed it to a dear friend of mine and great lyricist Kris Leonard who told me he loved it. The song was called ‘Please Make My Day’ and I still play it now but with a much more saddened feeling attached to it”. It wasn’t too long after that a 15 year old Olly found himself playing bass in his first band “Outside In” with Kris and three others playing at the Parr Hall and doing the rounds around Warrington. Those Plugged events gave young bands their first opportunities and of course Kris would go on to form Viola Beach. Writing still remained a strong passion and eventually became too much of a draw for him to ignore. “After the first band I decided to drop the bass and took a role in the spotlight writing and performing my own songs”.
OLLY THORNTON Since then Olly has maintained a presence in Warrington and Manchester’s music scenes and continued to produce strong original material which comes from a huge range of influences. “My influences range from classic rock tunes through to straight up indie bangers. I guess I just like what I like and who cares where it fits. Richard Hawley, Catfish, Led Zepplin, Sam Fender I could go on and on, I guess I just take whatever I can from wherever I hear it and make it whatever I come up with”. Some of these influences come through on Olly’s EP ‘The Empire’ which he released early last year and also his single ‘Bright’ which he recorded with The Shirts. It is the ability to continually adapt and change direction that keep things fresh and make us look forward to what is coming next. “The music business is peaks and troughs and it is hard to stay plateaued without getting carried away. I have been here and there for the past year or 2 trying to get my name about more but I want to start a brand new project. I’ve been sitting on a great new tune for a while now which I’m very pleased with and I have a plan for in the near future but you will just have to watch this space for now”. Let’s hope it’s the not too distant future. • Mike Massey Find out more about Olly’s via facebook.com/OllyThorntonMusic
“Funnily enough my first gig as a frontman was supporting Viola Beach at The Lounge” - Olly Thornton
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[WAM] Introducing
KALEIDERS Hard rock
la scala Indie rock
Matt McClenan (vocals/guitar), Alex Highcock (drums) and George Margereson (Bass). Back on the scene after a brief hiatus, and they’re hitting it harder than ever. Using their time off from playing shows to work on new material, they are currently in the process of producing a number of singles, and they are currently recording their second EP. After the release of their latest single ‘Alive’, the 3 piece have been busy playing all over the UK, leaving a taste of their unique, full-throttle sound on the tongue of the current music scene. “We never want to be one of those bands that takes themselves too seriously. I mean, how can you be with a crumpet as your single artwork?” If you like soaring electric riffs and catchy hooks, this is definitely a band you’ll want to listen out for! The comeback is on. Facebook: / kaleiders
Instagram: @kaleiders_official
For Fans Of: Royal Blood, Foo Fighters WHERE TO see the band: playing wigan Live festival weekend of 16-17th August [WAM] MAGazine| 30
Nathan Greenfield (lead vocals/ rhythm guitar), Elliot Joynson (lead guitar), Kurtis Murphy (drums/backing vocals) and Arthur Pennington (bass). La Scala are a group of 4 lads who met at Priestley College in September 2018 and have been making music together ever since. The Indie Pop band made their debut at the Arts Club in Liverpool in December which sparked their popularity in the music scene with catchy hooks and frenetic live shows. With wide inspirations such as Stereophonics, Two Door Cinema Club and Elton John, the band have been able to quickly find their place in the Warrington music scene and are due to release their first single very soon...
Facebook: /LaScalaOfficialBand
INstagram: @lascalaofficial
For Fans of: Catfish and the bottlemen, Arctic Monkeys WHERE TO see the band: Softlad all dayer at The Snig in Widnes Saturday 27th July
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NEIGHBOURHOOD WEEKENDER
After another hugely successful festival this year, Neighbourhood Weekender will return in 2020 on 23rd & 24th May for another bank holiday weekend full of music, arts, food and fun.
Photos: Jon Lingwood
The two days of live music saw a line-up of established artists including; Primal Scream, Richard Ashcroft and The Vaccines alongside a solid grassroots roster of local and national talent. As well as three stages for music with the Viola Beach stage returning once again, the site included a ‘Corner Shop’ Richard Ashcroft closed the Festival featuring some from the main stage on the Sunday of the town’s best local DJ’s whilst the Inn hosted some of the most beer soaked Karoke around, backed by a live band. Despite cool weather and a number of artists getting delayed due to motorway closures. the Saturday brought us some fantastic moments with one of 2018’s biggest selling artists, George Ezra closing the night with huge hits such as ‘Shotgun’ set to fireworks that could be seen across the Victoria Park skyline.
It was a festival that brought many bands to Warrington for the very first time and some artists such as The Twang and Futureheads, were returning to play their first festival shows in years. The weeekend in our option belonged to some of the fantastic new upcoming artists from the North West such as The Blinders and The Slow Readers Club who were well represented not just at the front of the stages but with a huge number of their fans proudly wearing their band t-shirts like a uniform. With 2019’s intial line up being announced in November last year, we’re hoping not to be waiting too long to wait until we hear who will be performing at the SJM promoted event in 2020. Be sure to keep an eye on WArringtonMusic.co.uk. Relive the weekend through our huge gallery of photos on our Facebook page now.
Scottish Singer-Songwriter Gerry Cinnamon had one biggest facebook .comof /WAthe rrington Music crowds of the weekend Photo: Niall Lea for Neighbourhood
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Photo: Joe George Fox
SERRATONE
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KIM t t E N N E J s in i g n i m “perfor , its just od o l b y m do” i t a h w
Local Warrington artist,
Photo: KSphotographyuk.com (Main) / Simon Dunkerley (Content)
Kim Jennett, has been successfully paving a solo career with the help of the legendary ‘Skin’ guitarist Myke Gray.
Kim has earnt herself a reputation for being an electrifying performer with an astounding voice, but when Kim isn’t creating and performing she likes to stay grounded by visiting her home-town, doing yoga in her garden, and drinking copious amounts of tea. Since departing from the band Voodoo Blood, Kim has debuted as a solo performer, she has worked hard and the results show from her appearance at this year’s Download Festival and the release of her singles ‘Love like Suicide’ and most recently, her single ‘Unbroken’. facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
Kim’s solo album is set to be released this upcoming year. Kim described her love for music as the result of having once been an “angsty teen” along with
possessing the voice, guitar and passion for performing. When talking to us
Kim said that during her school year performing was the only thing that made her truly happy. Kim also added that “performing is in my blood, it’s just what I do”. Music has also been some thing of a medicine for Kim that gets her through the day. She openly talks about the importance of mental health, one of Kim’s main goals is to show everyone that you can channel suffering into something good. Her latest single, ‘Unbroken’, was written by her beloved mentor, Myke
Gray, Kim’s own take on the song is that it is about finding strength at rock bottom. Kim has an abundance of praise for Myke and labelled him as an inspiration whose belief has taught her to believe in herself. Kim added that Myke had an intense drive to make things happen and has taught her how
to be an artist in her own right. Kim finally stated
that “meeting and working with Myke is the best thing to have happened to me and he has stopped me from turning down a dark path”. The new album is full of songs which show different sides to Kim’s personality and is a good introduction to who Kim Jennett is as an individual, the album ranges from heavy rock to sultry ballads. Embarking as a solo artist has been only a positive
experience for Kim, it has allowed her to be her “crazy self ”. Being a young female artist is something Kim is also proud of and she would like to continue to inspire others to stand on their own and feel empowered, “I love being a woman, I love that strong feminine energy, it’s sexy, beautiful, and vulnerable, all at the same time.” Kim’s future hopes are to keep creating and making music, to continue working with Myke and of course to “hopefully tour the world! That would be nice”. You can find more information on upcoming shows and what Kim does next on Kim’s Facebook page Kim Jennett, and also her website www.kimjennett.co.uk Teah Richardson
Man & the Echo
a CAPABLE MAN [SINGLE] EVER-POLITICAL WORKING-CLASS HEROES ARE BACK WITH A BITING NEW SINGLE. Sparse and angular in its arrangement, there is plenty of space for frontman Gaz Robert’s snappy lyrics to shine through. This is where the strength of this single really lies. A smouldering takedown of the wealthy middle-aged white male stereotype, the protagonist, who drives a posh car with ‘joie de vivre’ and ‘voted Leave’ (one of the best rhyming couplets from any lyricist this year), will be recognisable to many of us. Think Common People for May’s Britain – it’s refreshing to see an up-and-coming band being so brazenly political. Oh, and the sleeve art by Cold War Steve is excellent and hilarious, too. With the societal divisions ripped wide open by Brexit still raw, A Capable Man is an urgent and relevant piece of art rock. On the B-Side was the hard hitting ‘White Culture’ which highlights some of the darkest personalities that have been in the media over recent years. The track is taken from forthcoming 2nd album, ‘Men Of The Moment’, expertly captured by producer Raf Rundell (The 2 Bears) which is to be released on the ‘Still Nil Nil’ label, on the 2nd August 2019. Buy the album via Phase One you will get two tickets to the launch party for free! • Chris Gibson Go to ManAndTheEcho.net for details about the bands headline UK tour taking place September to October. [WAM] MAGazine| 34
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NEW EP OUT IN OCTOBER Check out our website and Facebook page for more info ...
www.ticnotoc.co.uk facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
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MUSIC REVIEWS
filthy tricks
black diamond eyes [Single]
The Zangwills
Sunlight at midnight [SINGLE]
Like a ‘fleshed out’ black keys, they make good use of the extra width of instruments but stay close to the main hook. This gives the track a great driving/rolling feel that’s broken up with interesting accents.
With their clean-cut guitar riffs, quick tempo from the bass and drums, great vocals from front-man Jake Vickers offers a track full of attitude and power. His raw sounding exclamations at the end of each chorus add to the attitude he exudes.
Rimmer drawls and spits through the verses and is ably backed up by the rest of the band throughout the anthemic chorus before the riff deconstructs and fires the listener into the middle 8.
The adeptness of lyrics both catchy and relevant to the youth of today is something that needs to be congratulated. Each release havs managed to capture a retro sounding feel, but also managed the impossible by making that music feel new and fresh. They show no signs of stopping. - Mal Keenan
The track wraps up with a balls out chorus, penned to keep a live show bouncing. - Lees Johnson
Pink Shirts for pale people
summers a girl [Single]
Recently describing themselves as the soundtrack to a car journey between Michael Jackson, Ian Curtis and David Byrne as they fight. Their 3rd single sees things slow a little. It has that summer tone to it with the added bonus of not forcing itself on you like many normally do. The lyrics are simple, but this song doesn’t need Shakespeare. It makes you long for playing in the the surf at the beach or enjoying a cold one in the garden. Based on this track we would like to think they’d be calming the argument. A track with promise. - James Little
Dientes
Running [Single]
Thunderous guitars open up another classic Dientes track before it all pulls back, allowing Lees’ vocals come to the fore and it’s easy to be lost in the emotive lyrics that bury into your head. If they were going for a Pink Floyd, classic rock vibe they nailed it. Its the sound of ten years playing together, a band who know exactly what they want. You don’t think it can get any better then the outro kicks in with the repeated vocal hook which takes you into the stratosphere. - Lee Harman
Kerry feeney
Baby girl know it [Single] Feeney combines a gradual, blissed out guitar intro into some chilled out head bobbing beats, leading us into her sultry vocals that kick in not a moment too soon. Kerry’s lyrics strike up a rather life-affirming message throughout the track, and in both the song and the music video she owns the confidence and self-worth that everyone needs to embrace. “You’re a masterpiece that keeps on growing, give yourself some room,” she sings. - Charlotte Davies facebook.com/WArringtonMusic
Strangers
Big Sleep [Single]
Very reminiscent of a late 80s/ early 90s sound The song starts out with a slow clean guitar riff which gradually brings us into the vocals provided by Liam McGrath. As the song goes into its chorus, vocals double, instruments intensify giving the ethereal feeling during the chorus more impact and coupled with the catchy chorus, the song itself gives the listener another side to the song. There’s a great guitar riff at the halfway point with reverb, giving the song a climax point sending the song to another level. - Mal Keenan
HOLLOW VANDALS
HALFWAY TO THE MOON/SOMA [EP] Half Way to The Moon starts off with a looping riff that almost feels like it’s going to fall over at any time, yet always seems to fold back into itself seamlessly. Reminiscent of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden in the grungy sound here, the raw vocals match the drenched overdriven guitar sound that cuts through the chorus like a chainsaw. Soma rips into itself quickly, with an urgent pulse between the muted guitar and the rolling drum beat. More toe tapping lad rock akin to The Hives or a more rawkus Kings of Leon, this would be the perfect track to be on your strutting playlist when you’re making your way into town for the night. This double A side shows how diverse the band are (which is a rare gem in itself). - Sarah Williams We hope you enjoy the review excerpts on this page. Head over to WArringtonMusic.co.uk/reviews to read all of our reviews in full and hear the tracks. Have a track you want us to hear? Send it to WArringtonMusic@gmail.com
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