Wednesday 02
THE STATE BROADCASTERS (pictured) / THE RECOVERY CLUB / WASHINGTON IRVING
Glasgow six piece The State Broadcasters are proud to announce the release of their debut single for legendary student run record label Electric Honey in May 2008. The single 'Let's Make T-Shirts' is currently available on 7 inch vinyl through the bands own website www.thestatebroadcasters.com and from all good independent record stores. The single follows on from the warmly received self released and now sold out 5 song EP back in December 2006. Mixing a unique lyricism with wide ranging musical instrumentation including, harp, piano, banjo, cello and trombone the sound perfectly encapsulates the broad influences of each band member. From The Smiths to Lambchop, Tom Waits to ancient traditional folk music, the songs of The State Broadcasters endure long after the record has stopped spinning. "Let's Make T-Shirts is destined to be one of my singles of the year." - Gideon Coe 6 Music 'Displaying a sense of the absurd in lyrics like, 'I really liked your Bunk Beds' that would have seemed right at home on the soundtrack of the film "Gregory's Girl"…Heart warming stuff. I think I need a hug.' - blues bunny.com 'The gentle, folky melancholy of 'The State Broadcasters EP'. Swoonsome and touching, the Glaswegian five-piece produce a sonorous blend of Americana and Scottish folk which, although understated, will melt the stoniest heart. Great stuff.' - The List 'The sense of warmth and comfort, coupled with a mix of honest yet covert lyrics adds to the impression of a band relaxed with their own talent. [like] Teenage Fanclub on a midnight beach in LA that can be only be a good thing.' - Is This Music? The band have been building a reputation as a popular live band around Glasgow for the last few years, receiving a Danny Kyle new band award at Celtic Connections festival 2006 and sustaining a loyal and ever growing fan base since. Electric Honey is one of Glasgow's foremost small record labels famously releasing Belle and Sebastian's debut LP and also putting out early singles by Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro and most recently the Stuart Maconie endorsed Wake The President. The State Broadcasters are proud and honoured to follow in the footsteps of such great Scottish bands and will be continuing to develop with Electric Honey throughout 2008. An album release is pencilled in for later in 2008. For now, 'Let's Make T-Shirts' is a fine introduction to the latest in a long line of exciting, original talents from Glasgow.
www.thestatebroadcasters.com
www.myspace.com/thestatebroadcasters
Thursday 03
CAPGUNS / HUMBLE HOAX (pictured) / THE FEBRUARY SOLUTION (pictured)
Capguns: "Excellent fret work between the two intensive care guitars working against each other,It was almost hypnotic stuff, I love bands that dig their own music and this band are fucking conceited!" "From a relaxation tape to a crazed rabid chimp in a cage, this is schizophrenia by guitar" - Neil Crud, BBC Radio Wales. "Similarities to bands like the Deftones and Brian Eno's soundscapes give an indication of what to expect, but the intelligent arrangements have to be heard to fully appreciate the unquestionable skill...Capguns' Day EP plays like an internal soundtrack rather than a run of the mill rock offering; throwing the listener down random musical avenues of varying force and texture." - David Waddington, North Wales Pioneer. / The February Solution formed in 2002 after meeting at college in Glasgow. We have played various support slots with bands such as: Textures, Hopesfall, Khoma, Eden Maine, Aconite Thrill, All Shall Perish, and The Abominable Iron Sloth. In May 2006 we completed a UK tour sponsored by UK Metal Underground. In February 2007 we were selected to play Bloodbath all day festival in Nottingham along with the likes of Devil Sold His Soul, Shaped By Fate and Eternal Lord. We have recorded and self released three EPs two of which have sold out and only one remains for purchase through our online store. The "W54 st" EP is our second EP and was released in 2005. This 15 minute long three track EP makes up some of the founding ideas of the current February Solution sound and live set list. The most recent, and only available, release is the "Only Heroes Make It Home Alive" EP which sees us further cement our style with over 25 minutes of music spread over 5 tracks. We have successfully sold over 300 copies of our three EPs independently through gigs and our website. Work has already been completed on writing an albums worth of songs which will see some freshening up of a couple of old tracks being added to a vast quantity of newly written material.
www.myspace.com/capgunsband
www.myspace.com/thehumblehoax
www.myspace.com/thefebruarysolution54
Friday 04
SYMBOLICS (pictured) / THE BLACK CARNATION / THE CAPULETS
Symbolics. 5 humans(male). 22-23 yrs old. Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums, Vocals, Words. Glasgow. Symbolics formed in 2001. At the time they were four naive young men without a record deal. Times have changed, and now they are five naive young men without a record deal. However, the band have attracted a significant amount of plaudits. Since early 2002 Symbolics have been crafting hook-filled songs and winning over gig-goers across Glasgow and beyond. Finishing runner-up in Fury Murrys King of Bands and reaching the semi-final of Emergenza Battle of the Bands, it is in the live arena that the band shine. They have played a number of venues across Glasgow, including the internationally-renowned King Tuts Wah Wah Hut and Glasgow School Of Art, and have also played in Edinburgh, Dundee, Arran and Leeds. Symbolics have previously released a single entitled "Seen It All Now" and the "50 Words You've Never Heard" EP. The latter attracted the attention of an influential American producer, and sold out it's run of 200 copies through promotion at gigs. Upon reviewing the EP, Is This Music magazine spoke of "infectious guitar hooks" and described the songs as "ones to set toes-a-tapping and hearts-a-racing". The songs of Symbolics have been played on BBC Radio 1, Beat 106 and Virgin Radio Glasgow among other stations. Symbolics have also featured on the Optimus 1 and Optimus 2 compilations, alongside bands such as The Rising and Way Too Blue. Having played amongst the best and worst of what Glasgow's music scene has to offer, the band has an air of determination to avoid the same fate as the hundreds upon hundreds of third-rate Oasis wannabes littering the nation's stages. Is This Music magazine described one of the band's songs as "Very 1978 - in a good way", but the band aim to make timeless music. There are a number of influences hinted at within Symbolics' material, but at it's core is the belief that music should be as much fun for the listener as it is for the band. Songs such as "Social Dancing", "Kisses Sweeter Than Tonic Wine" and "The Czech Dream" successfully marry whistleable tunes with rock chops. Symbolics, indeed, are more than happy to use phrases such as "Rock chops". That's just the kind of selfless beat combo that they are. Radio was great, but now it's out of date - Symbolics are the thing this year. / Rags & Feathers are a Glasgow-based folk/anti-pop quintet based around the sun-soaked melancholic sing-songwriting of Tom Davis and the delicious harmonies of Andrea Tomlinson. Wielding a plethora of stringed instruments, introspective lovelorn lyricism and ludicrously catchy melodies, they've already begun to gain word-of-mouth acclaim. The band is completed by the countrifried 6 & 4 string licks of Ian "the Moy" Moy, the fluid & mystical drumming of Doug MacGregor and the multitude of musical skills of Duncan Thomas. In general the band attempt to sound rich but not sickly, much like a well trained blancmange. So far claims to fame include co-founding the Woodlands Creatures Collective event that takes place on the last sunday of every month at The Halt Bar and also by supporting the likes of Jeffrey Lewis, A Hawk and A Hacksaw, Eugene McGuinness and Woodpigeon.
www.myspace.com/symbolics
Saturday 05
A-LIX / BABY BONES
A-lix: "We are an energetic Electro-Rock-Punk duo, we are composed of Water, Blood, a French guy and an Argentinian girl. Formed in Barcelona in 2006 (we used to play solo both of us before joining forces). The French guy composed Electronic songs on drum machines, played guitar and sang with a rage on it then played them to other people anywhere, everywhere. The Argentinian girl said, this is crazy enough for me to join in! We are based in Glasgow where we do what we know best : raw energy on stage! We have toured in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, Poland and Argentina and UK and will perform songs from our debut album "Never Grow"." Doors 9pm
www.myspace.com/alixland
www.theheebiejeebies.co.uk
Sunday 06
WOLF AMONG WOLVES / MATHS / ARCHIVES / CITIZENS / BLACK CHANNELS
"Maths might have a pseudo-twee name but they'll rip your face off and make you beg for it back. They're not afraid of teasing your brain by dropping sugar sweet melodies next to a barrage or 10-fingered riffs now and then, but they always return to tightly focused coils of caustic noise. Employing the old Raein/La Quiete trick of making the vocals so indistinct and shrill they feel like another instruement, Maths are a breath of fresh air precisely because they're so lo-fi. Class dismised."- NME. / Archives: "Although still very young, (a little more than a year old), Archives (not to be confused with the famous trip-hop group also reviewed here) already possess the calibre of a great band. The offspring of a more and more prolific musical movement, the Dundee band demonstrate with this first demo that quality need not take years to achieve, delivering three blows at once and ensuring that we should already take note of their name. Similar to the savage geography of their country of origin, these three songs are high in colour, relief and grit. With 'What's with All the Brutal Honesty?', Archives open-up straightaway, no questions asked, and play a frank game, in the fashion of Cease Upon the Capitol. Without doubt, the time was right for these Scots to free their visceral voice, as they cut up the rules of composition with feverish tone, spirals of acute notes, and rhythmic oscillations. An ardent fire smoulders under these first statements from the quintet, and those interested have a sense of the sacrifice, the taste for the grandiose, and the battles which date and mark them. In order to prove it, the group doesn't hesitate to short–circuit its high tension approach in order to branch out onto an alternative current, launching into the exploration of different potentialities, more proper to post-rock. Delicate meanderings and magisterial breaks follow ('Breaking Bread with Models and Martyrs'). Suddenly melancholic, Archives then pierce the skin like grapeshot, making barriers fall and pushing the guitars to the edge of the precipice that leads the listener willing towards imbalance. Disciples of structural breaks and acrobatic juxtapositions, Archives show with this first sketch, a veritable gift for the screamo/ post-rock universe, with slight hints of Dominic, that they already have their own identity. The future announces itself radiantly, like the beautiful cry of a newborn being."
www.myspace.com/wolfamongwolvesuk
www.myspace.com/mathsband
www.myspace.com/archivesuk
www.myspace.com/citizensuk
www.myspace.com/blackchannelsboat
Tuesday 08
Thingalism: HOKETUS - LOUIS ANDRIESSEN / PRUIT IGOE - PHILIP GLASS (arr. JOHN DE SIMONE) / (NEW PIECE) - JOEL HARDING / LES MOUTONS DES PANURGE by FREDERICK RZEWSKI / TAKING OF PELHAM 123 - DAVID SHIRE (arr. JOHN DE SIMEONE)
Ensemble Thing is a band of escaped music-college students and teachers, who play a mixture of composed and improvised music. For this gig they'll be playing Terry Riley's seminal In C (credited by many as the first minimalist piece, its hypnotic repetitions an inspiration to Glass, Reich et al.), along with some passages from their own collaboratively-written Dante's Inferno, and some surprises. Their own composing styles give nods to European post-minimalism (Thing's de facto leader John De Simone was a pupil of the great Louis Andriessen), metal, 60s soundtrack music, plainchant, Eastern European folk, and free jazz, while not sounding too much like any of these. "Impressive" - Michael Tumelty, The Herald. Doors 9pm
Wednesday 09
EL PEDRO / + GUESTS
Formed in 2006, El Pedro is a happy-go-lucky rock punk ska machine with a bit of Mexico thrown in, originating from the sunny old Shetland Islands. El Pedro's passion for music as well as a genuine urge for fun entertainment have rewarded the band with many successes and has made El Pedro into an experienced high energy, and colourfully rock solid musical act. El Pedro's 10 track album release in 2007, entitled 'Yeti, I Am The Yeti!' has been a rip roaring success and has since received much radio and Internet radio play throughout the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, and Australia. El Pedro is now set to begin work on their next album, which will be released in the summer of 2008. The band has played many gigs throughout Shetland, Orkney and mainland UK, and is venturing on another tour of Scotland in July 2008. Punters at these gigs should pack an extra pair of pants coz it's bound to get exciting! El Pedro are coming your way!
www.myspace.com/elpedrouk
Saturday 12
Syndicate 13: CHAO:SPHERE / FOREVERVOID / GENETIK BLUEPRINT / IMMANIS
Chao:Sphere - Industrial Death Metal Heavily distorted harmonised guitars, break neck speed bass lines and throat tearing vocals completely compliment the bouncing electronic rhythm patterns. Add a few psychedelic samples and you have the industrial death-metal sound of Chao:Sphere. / Immanis - Aggression, violence and anger – Clearly that's what Immanis are all about, judging by their new CD 'The Carnage Footprint'. This is a self-produced 6 track EP of raw, chugging semi-symphonic metal and it certainly hits the spot if you're a fan of Meshuggah and Dimmu Borgir, in fact, if you take a few ingredients from both of those bands and you pretty much have Immanis in a nutshell. Musically Immanis are very respectable, and with the right support plus everything that goes with it, they could find themselves with major independent label interest before long, a sterling effort. Terrorizer Magazine. / Forevervoid - "The final piece of tonight's ecelctic jigsaw puzzle was provided by a band from Glasgow called Forevervoid - playing heavy metal!!! Best bit was that they actualy played it quite superbly. Unleashing a blitz of riffing and surging leads, the dual-guitar led quintet immediately let their presence felt. But what really toped it off was their singer and undoubted natural frontman, DLJ (honest!!!), who showcased a really powerful lead vocal worthy of many a more famous metal band, while the songs they played had roots in three decades of rock, conforming more to the "Classic Rock" line than anything else. The band also, crucially, puts forward a visual image that makes you want to keep watching as the singer preoves as magnetic as the swaying, headshaking and rocking of the guitarists as they roam the stage and give every classic metal pose in the book, yet none of it comes across as anything but totally in keeping with what they're playing. In many ways, they reminded me of the old Fife band Krank Solo, only more powerful, better singing and armed with stronger songs. Through a roaring fire of rock, the band unleash a set of songs that are, in many ways, as intricate as they are anthemic, and on first hearing, while you're loving what you see and hear as a metal fan, few of the songs stick in your head after you've heard them, but if you listen to their myspace tracks, you'll hear that you've only got to listen to them all a couple of times before they'll become more memorable when you see them live. Standing next to Louise from Hamper, who surprisingly to me, was enjoying what she was hearing, this was the sound of a fine metal band that can really deliver the goods, and another band well worth seeing if and when they return to the city."
Tuesday 15
SEEDED PLAIN / SHAGGY PARASOLS / BOOM EDAN / SINGLE HELIX
Seeded Plain: Omaha, Nebraska based improviser and concept artist Bryan Day (b. 02/15/1979) has been involved in the avant-garde music community for the last 12 years. Day studied fine art at Iowa State University and to this day is an illustrator of high regard, with works printed in a number of publications. He started the, then Minneapolis-based, free music label Public Eyesore in 1997 as an outlet for his works using homemade electronic and mechanical sound generating devices, and to this day continues the process of expanding upon these themes. Merging structure and chaos, Day uses an elaborate notation system and cellular automata based computer programs of his own design, along with the expressionist cues of visual art and modern dance for his inspiration. Rather than be known as a musician, he prefers to be known as an impulsive conceptualist, searching for difficult and inconvenient analogs to the contemporary experience using sound. / Shaggy parasols.....this gem of a bio from their myspace.... abi turn rand ta joe one day n she say " i wanna b in a band called the "shaggy parasols" " joe he say "that a fukkin cool name" abi then say "u wanna go down a d basement n have a "jam"" joe nod his hed!!! they jam til thre arms hurt!!!!!" / Single Helix: "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" whilst making awesome drones / scrapes / tones / harmonics. It should be pointed out the the quick brown fox is bilingual (not that his sexuality should matter), well above 6 ft tall and a member of the entertainment duo lanterns.
www.myspace.com/daybryan
www.myspace.com/shaggyparasols
www.myspace.com/tuckerock
www.myspace.com/singlehelix
Wednesday 16
SUGAR TOWN CABARET / NO KILTER (pictured) / UNITED FRUIT
France's Sugartown Cabaret -- hailing from the same city as Amanda Woodward -- have devised a very cool style of emotional quasi-hardcore with their first full-length, The First Time I Lost the Road Map. While not *exactly* screamo, their sound is still frantic and driving and seems like it'd be a good fit with more vocally intense bands of that vein. With opener "How Much Does the Plane Cost?", we're given flailing drum rolls and lush, atmospheric guitars, and then a hectic, lively vocal delivery shouted over it all. Musically, Sugartown seem to draw from the usual bed of influences (Envy, Raein), but they don't necessarily scream at all (at least not like they have on past efforts); it's really more of an agitated shout. And while their English singing produces some odd pronunciations, we can let it slide since my French isn't exactly on par. Still though, the intense rush of instruments and slightly-less-intense-than-genre-expectation of the vocals gives The First Time a fairly interesting dichotomy and a presence that makes it stand out from their peers. Further, every song exposes a new, unusual inspiration, from the dirty classic rock licks of "Plane" to the Hydra Head-esque clatter of guitars in "Be Slacked," which bears slickly executed time changes. The mood swings and incredibly fitting, dreary horns of "Assis, A Regarder" make it a sure standout, as well. "All the Same She Said" even throws in a little bit of "the forbidden beat." The recording on The First Time definitely merits attention, as well. Every octave and squeal is highlighted beautifully, and the overall production is just vivid without being glossy. Over the course of 8 songs and nearly 45 minutes, Sugartown Cabaret have crafted quite an ambitious debut that really manages to retain the listener's interest for its entire run. I'm sure it helps that they've been developing their sound for close to three years, but even then, this is greatly impressive stuff. / No kilter - Not only are these Glaswegians clearly very technically gifted musicians, capable of the same kinda controlled energetic recklessness that drew attention to At The Drive-In in their early days, their songs are also so carefully crafted that they take the listener on a journey through more emotions than you could shake a metaphysical stick at, without ever sounding contrived, laboured or self-indulgent. - Rock Sound Magazine / United Fruit, rockin' combo from Glasgow... the ripest fruits from the finest orchards of Scotland, Malaysia, Greece and Poland reunited!
www.myspace.com/sugartowncabaret
www.myspace.com/nokiltermusic
www.myspace.com/unitedfruitband
Thursday 17
is this music? - ADAM BEATTIE AND THE CONSULTANTS / LEAN TALES / IAN CAIRNS
£4 and 8.30pm entry
www.myspace.com/isthismusic
www.myspace.com/adambeattie
www.myspace.com/leantales
Friday 18
THE JUST JOANS / RICHARD HOLMES / CHRIS BRADLEY / INSPECTOR TAPEHEAD
Just Joans: "Bitter or sweet, all memories become precious as the years Move on". The just joans formed in north lanarkshire in 1997. They released their debut album, "last tango in motherwell", in 2005 on ivan lendil records. Tony kiernan of "Is this music" magazine described it as "...probably the best scottish album this year". It sold 7 copies, 4 of which tony bought. They have just released a mini-album, "virgin lips" (weepop records), a kind of aural equivalent to "gregory's girl", (hopefully), and are currently working on another mini-album provisionally titled "hey boy, you're oh so sensitive". / Richard Holmes hasn't made a spaceship in a long time. He has, however, crafted some amazing songs....lofi quirky gorgeousness. I think that makes it ok that he's been laying off the spaceships. / Chris Bradley - Edinburgh based singer/songwriter Chris Bradley is rapidly carving out a distinctive niche in the thriving music scene in Scotland. He mainly performs solo, but his stature in Scotland is such that he was also invited to join the ranks of former Rough Trade signings Aberfeldy as a guitarist and backing singer by front-man and brains Riley Briggs. Chris's debut, 'Voices', is an album that bursts with energy and brims with the unexpected twists of expert song-writing talent. His superlative musicianship is due to his diverse heritage; Chris's dad played drums in rock bands in his native Canada, while Chris's mum is a classically trained pianist. Chris's harnessing of this dichotomy of styles lies at the core of his appeal; the raw energy, soaring vocal harmonies and emotive melodies overlaying a compelling lyrical talent. An album of kaleidoscopic melodies and stampeding rhythms which cradle intelligent, perceptive and thought provoking lyrics. 'Voices' will be released (Splashing Duck Records) as a limited edition CD on Monday June 30th and will be available for digital download from iTunes stores.
www.myspace.com/thejustjoans
Saturday 19
Drive Carefully Records 2nd Birthday Night: THE FRENCH QUARTER / + GUESTS
Celebrating 2 years af great music and awesome posters. I wonder who's playing at it? Billy? Stoo? ;-)
www.drivecarefullyrecords.co.uk
www.myspace.com/drivecarefullyrecords
Monday 21
CITIZENS / HYENA / UNITED FRUIT / ATTACK SHIPS ON FIRE
Doors 9pm
Tuesday 22
Puny Human Promotions: 3 Bands tba
Doors 9pm
www.myspace.com/punyhumanpromo
Wednesday 23
The Go Button presents: 3 BANDS tba
Doors 9pm
Thursday 24
BUCKY RAGE (pictured) / SUEDE DENIM SECRET POLICE
The Bucky Rage definitely perked interest. One of them is wearing a black and white Mexican wrestling mask, two have bandanas tied around their faces like bandits, and the drummer, well, he's got nothing on his face but a smile. Likely fuelled on the Scottish national drink of Buckfast, or so the name would imply, Bucky Rage put on a show that was a cocktail of surf-rock and strong drink and aimed to utilise classic influences and take the piss out of them at the same time - listen to "Wiped Out" or "One Eyed Girl". The Bucky Rage are full-on entertainment and will "wail" the stage!. They're putting the F U back in fun. / Suede Denim Secret Police really are young and sexy enough to know better, but they don't care. They're currently trying to make sense of the music they've recorded and hope to 'mix' it in such a way that will please the listener. If they don't manage that they will care 'not a jot' as they ALL have massive co**s. So get it right up ye !! (add your own two letters to starred word to make your own comedy ending!)
www.myspace.com/the_bucky_rage
www.myspace.com/sdsp1
Friday 25
Straight to Video Present... # 3: KID CANAVERAL - Single Launch / POP-UP / THE ASTMATIC SCENE
Kid Canaveral continue their promotional tour for new single "Couldn't Dance/Teenage Fanclub Song" released 23rd June on Straight to Video Records. "Juicy, chewy pop-kids to savour proving that life still twitches in this indie guitar-pop business." - The Scotsman. "Picking out their best song is a bit like trying to pick your favourite child: Impossible" - Daily Record. "Kid Canaveral's latest single [Couldn't Dance/TFS] sees the Edinburgh foursome doing what they do best; wrapping their tales of social strife in more hooks than John Prescott at an egg farm." - Is This Music?
www.myspace.com/kidcanaveral
Saturday 26
Blue Panda: BLACK ALLEY SCREENS (pictured) / CANCEL THE ASTRONAUTS
Black Alley Screens: "When you think you could peg their songs and figure out what was coming next, they bring an extra flourish that throws you, makes you stamp your feet at being wrong then finally shrug your shoulders after admitting defeat.' Glasswerk.co.uk / Cancel the Astronauts: "like the Good Shoes and Pulp - in their 'Babies' early 90s incarnation....The stand out song for me, is the one with the stand out title 'I am the President of Your Fanclub (and last night I followed you home)'.... a fab piece of pop music" Trev- Lostmusic (www.indie-mp3.co.uk). Doors 9pm- £5 entry
www.bppromotions.co.uk
www.myspace.com/theblackalleyscreens
www.canceltheastronauts.co.uk
www.myspace.com/canceltheastronauts
Tuesday 29
SEPPUKU / GELSOMINA / BIZARRE UPROAR / MUTANT APE / REJECTAMENTA
Bizarre Uproar: Long-running legendary Finnish harsh noise unit. Splits with Bastard Noise, Grunt....releases on Thumprint Press, Freak Animal....essential! Also was in AUNT MARY...one of the best bands ever!!! / GELSOMINA - Just about THE most brutal unrelenting harsh noise on the planet right now. Painfully loud walls of piercing high-end WILL ASSAULT YOUR LUGS! / Mutant Ape: The country's most prolific harsh head. Aggressive, LOUD, face-melting noise! / Seppuku: Backed by ominous post-industrial noise heathen's Messiah Complex, expect confrontational screeching vocals and walls of ominous drone. / Rejectamenta: One-man circuit-bent noise/drone weirdo-beardo! 4 quid, 2030 on the button!
www.myspace.com/mutantape
Thursday 31
The End of the Month Club: BOZILLA & Friends
Doors 9pm
www.eotmc.com
www.bozilla.co.uk
www.myspace.com/bozillabozilla
