It’s well known that Brighton punters are experts when it comes to a good party, so where else would infamous UK club promoters Robin & Partridge (House of Fairy Tales, Underground Rebel Bingo, Mission Room),bring their hottest new club night? Festival goers at eight of our favourite festivals across the country this year have boogied on bars, tangled up in tops and bottoms and writhed and wriggled into all manner of ridiculous clothes! Don’t wear something you’d count on bringing back with you is our only advice! With glitter explosions, pvc, frocks and hats, overalls and bags and endless confusion, all to the soundtrack of an intoxicating mix of Rock & Roll, Soul, R&B, Sixties Shakers, Ska, Boogaloo, Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Pop Music & Party Classics, it’s more like a cheeky game of spin the bottle around your mates house but just with hundreds of people you haven’t met yet!

Launch night Saturday October 16, Brighton Coalition, 11pm - 3am
Tickets £7 + b.fee in advance from Rounder, Resident, Seetickets.

Donky Pitch are back again so get your dancing shoes on for a second season of raw, synth-tastic, stripped back sub-bass stomp! DP2.1 on Saturday October 23 will see the launch of Donky Pitch record label, all taking place at Jam on Middle Street. With the producers who’ve made it all happen, Spanish beatmaster Mweslee, Slugabed, Ghost Mutt and Donky pitch favourite guest DJ Alexander Nut, grab a glass of bubbly on the way in and join Donky Pitch to celebrate their new home; Saturdays at Jam! Be there or be square.

twitter.com/donky_pitch
facebook.com/dialdfordonky
soundcloud.com/donky-pitch
myspace.com/donkypitch

British alternative rock of ‘90s origin has, in the noughties, died a slow death and The Charlatans’ latest release has unfortunately done little to change that. The album is mostly a bland adventure in mid-level rock by a group well past their peak - this is after all their eleventh studio album. The first single and opening track “Love Is Ending,” as well as “Smash The System” are the high points on this record, but alas there are far too few of these to rescue it.

5/10, out 6 September 2010
Words by James Rowland

Fast becoming the go-to festival for ravers, revellers and general party lovers across Europe, Bestival this year sees the Fantasy theme coming to fruition. Expect a field full of friendly people dressed to the nines in appropriately wacky garb, getting their kicks to the likes of Caspa, DJ Yoda and Mumford & Sons (pictured). Yes, a festival for music snobs this is most certainly not; you’ll find rockers rubbing shoulders and sharing hugs with electro heads and dubstep nuts and having the time of their lives.

Tickets, unfortunately, sold out long ago, such is the festival’s popularity nowadays, so unless you’ve bagged yourself a pass expect to hear your mates banging on about how they spent the evening musing about space and time with the guy dressed as Gandalf for months to come.

September 9-12 2010
Tickets: £Sold out
@ Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight

bestival.net

It’s been three years since their last release and having hired regular producer Chris Zane, their fifth studio album “Root To Ruin” packs a familiar art-punk punch. Simple rhythms, razor-sharp guitars and catchy melodies are all in attendance as the New York five-piece once again show the world how to do no-nonsense indie. For fans of Thunderbirds Are Now!, Mclusky and Fugazi.

7/10, out 13 September 2010
Words by Mike Fawcett

4/10, out now
Words by James Rowland

Click the banner above to bag a load of money off in the sale at Firetrap online!  PLUS check out the A/W 2010 collection now on sale, click here to go through to the website, type in the code FIRST10 at the checkout to get an awesome 10% off the new stuff too.

We love a good way to save a few squids on our favourite buys at XYZ!

Resident Records are proud to announce that Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. - Sam Duckworth to his mum - will be playing a very exclusive acoustic set in-store on September 13. This autumn sees Duckworth on a 24-date UK tour promoting his brand new third album, out on September 13, but surprisingly no other Brighton date has been confirmed. Resident is guaranteed to be completely rammed - best start camping outside as soon as you can.

resident-music.com

Now in its fourth year, End of the Road started as a festival promoting an intimate feel and ‘to offer the bands a chance to play longer sets.’ For those who didn’t manage to wind their way around the labyrinthine ticketing systems of the larger festivals, a smaller event may be the way forward.

As well as a satisfyingly well-known line-up, End of the Road incorporates elements of the more boutique festivals - it has a library built into the woods where happy bookworms can check out a title for return at next year’s festival. EOTR also has art installations provided from a wide variety of trades, from set designers, potters and ceramicists. Headliners include Modest Mouse, Yo La Tengo and Wilco, and slots from Pulled Apart By Horses (pictured), The Low Anthem and Steve Mason.

September 10-12 2010
Tickets: £130
@ Larmer Tree Gardens, Dorset

endoftheroadfestival.com

Boston’s finest brass-punkers and general all-round awesome dudes, Big D & The Kid’s Table, are back in town and this time are playing the jazzed up yet insanely intimate surroundings of The Hydrant. You’d be a fool to miss this one, as local heroes The Junk and former Lightyear front man Chas Palmer-Williams will also be bringing the noise (and drunkeness) on the night.

Wednesday 1 September 2010
Doors: 6pm
Tickets: £8
@ The Hydrant

myspace.com/thehydrantbrighton

Brighton resident, Levellers front man and Metway Studios part owner, Mark Chadwick, will release his debut solo album “All The Pieces” this month via Stay By Records. Chadwick is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters; co-writing 20 chart singles and 6 Top 40 albums (including a Number 1). He states his influences on this album as Cat Stevens, Nick Drake and “whole host of other lesser known names all of whom represent the myriad of lesser travelled paths that opened up somewhere between the break up of The Beatles and the formation of Led Zeppelin.”

Sounds interesting, check it out from September 6.

markchadwickofficial.co.uk

1. Tickets to any O2 Academy gig between September 1 and December
2. £100 voucher at Dollydagger.co.uk
   New Brighton store opening Brighton Place at the end of September
3. £25 voucher to spend at Ink-d
4. A kite surfing lesson courtesy of Kite Surf Kings
5. Tickets to African Night Fever show at Brighton Dome
6. Tickets to Junip courtsey of Melting Vinyl
7. Tickets to Southsea Festival in Portsmouth
8. £50 voucher to spend at Bench
9. Dinner for two and a bottle of wine at Druid Arms
10. A large frozen yoghurt and three toppings at Lick
11. A crate of Gaymers
12. Tickets to Dan Le Sac Versus Scrubious Pip October 31

See inside this months XYZ Magazine, available at venues across Brighton, for more information.

Good luck!

How can one not have a soft spot for The Maccabees? From their two album releases to date, the Brighton-come-South-London five-some exude such ebullient warmth on record it should be enough to make even the most hardened, crusty of souls enjoy them. Their live show however is in a different stratosphere of emotion on the basis of tonight.

On a filthy, rainy night down on the seafront The Maccabees play to a packed and instantly sold out Concorde 2 in preparation for their Reading/Leeds Festival sets, with anticipation running high in a home-coming kind of way (not having played Brighton recently). And oh boy, do they live up to this fevered excitement. Tracks from the effervescent “Colour It In” and the more grandiose, darker tone of “Wall Of Arms” combine superbly and create a generous synergy in the flesh.

Huge favourites from their debut such as the fast-paced, high-energy of “Precious Time” and “All In Your Rows” threaten to make Concorde 2 take-off such is the crowd’s reaction. “Precious Time” perhaps sums up The Maccabees, with delicately delivered, heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics during the quieter moments such as the intimate “toe-to-toe, nowhere to go”, before exploding during the chorus to euphoric levels. “Can You Give It” and “One Hand Holding” intersperse the intensity of the two aforementioned, with a more subtle build - but with an equally as satisfying result, equally catchy guitar riffs and melodies, and equally adored by the Concorde 2 masses.

Here is a band very much at ease with themselves, knowing their work intimately; and this confidence and comfort oozes its way to the (sweaty) audience, who sing-along non-stop, crowd surf, dance and marvel all in the right places. We’re even treated to a crowd surfing bin. Orlando is his usual smiley self, making eye-contact and mouthing along the words with the front-row, and Felix is mostly concentrating belting out his catchy repeated couplets from his heart, which they sure-as-hell know how to write. As human people they just seem… extraordinarily nice, genuine – and never forced, as is apparent in their music consistently.

It’s been 18 months since the release of “Wall Of Arms”, thus tonight we are even treated to some new material with both tracks never-ever having been heard before - “Two new firsts” as Felix puts it. Both start with a slow, strutting bass-heavy intro (almost funk-esque the first track), before building sonic layers throughout then exploding into a cacophony towards the end. “Can we just try” Felix tenderly pleads over and over in the second effort – before leading to a rapturous conclusion where he laments “Nothing Stays Forever.”

Always slightly tricky, almost awkward to play new material to a crowd who know every song, pause, drumbeat and lyric off by heart, but both go down remarkably well and certainly bodes well for a potential upcoming album – it’s not often you get a crowd-surfer during an unheard track. It feels like a similar step-up in sound as “Wall Of Arms” was to “Colour It In.” Exciting.

A joyful night as The Maccabees are sent off to the promised land of the Reading and Leeds Main Stage. Nice guys finish last? Pah.

Words by Tim Boddy

themaccabees.co.uk

The creation of Fran Barker in a leaky conservatory with just a 4-track, a miscellany of instruments and a bag load of fuzzy influences, the multi-instrumental singer/songwriter is starting to cause quite the stir in recent months including airtime on 6Music.

Their debut single through the Fandango label is released on September 27, with a double A-side single that features the tracks “Push It Away” and “Waste Of Time.” Seerauber Jenny, named after a song of the same name from The Threepenny Opera, list their influences as Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and other sounds of the shoegaze variety.

See for yourself at Juice FM’s Acoustic gig on September 16 at The Windmill, and Brighton Live on October 8.

Make sure to put under four minutes aside to watch the super animated video for new release “Push It Away.”

Whilst a barrage of torrential late summer rain pelts down onto the gritty streets of our fair town, Komedia is keeping its collective self warm with conversation, whiskey and some of the most soulful, captivating folk music perhaps to have ever graced these shores. Providence’s prodigal sons (and daughter) The Low Anthem may not yet consider themselves as lofty in status when compared to contemporaries such as Band Of Horses or Fleet Foxes, yet their rootsy, blues-driven Americana offers up something far richer and more rewarding in many aspects. Superlatives utterly fail to do justice to tonight’s performance.

Led by the dulcet vocal tones of frontman Ben Knox Miller, the entire room remains totally silent as the band stroke their instruments, producing the softest yet spine-tinglingly poignant musical statements you could imagine. “Ticket Taker” documents a life spent singing for meals on the wide open road, as does the relatively upbeat “The Horizon Is A Beltway.” Never a dull moment passes, as the band frequently down tools to swap positions, each member offering up something totally unique and bringing their own element to the songs.

From Jocie Adams’ soothing clarinet playing and eerie bowing of crotales through to Miller’s pump organ and harmonica bothering, this lot really do cover the entire folk music spectrum with aplomb.

The most humbling moments though arrive when the whole band crowd round a single radio microphone, allowing the audience to fully appreciate those gorgeous vocal harmonies and plucked violins on the likes of “Charlie Darwin.”

How this band aren’t selling out the Royal Albert Hall is unknown, yet in due time they will perhaps exist on that kind of playing field. For now though, the lucky few in this particular room finish the evening shaking their heads in amazement.

Words by Oli Robertson

myspace.com/lowanthem

In an inspiring Scandinavian collaboration, Björk is to release a new track, “The Comet Song” especially for the forthcoming Moomins 3D movie “Moomins and the Comet Chase.”

“The Comet Song” will be available exclusively via a digital download on September 6, and the track is a tantalising taste into highly anticipated Björk-related projects due to see the light of day in 2011.

The new Moomins film is the latest incarnation of the trolls created in the 1940’s by the acclaimed Finnish illustrator and author Tove Jansson, and is most known on these shores for the cult 1990’s animated TV series - and they even have their own theme park in Finland.

If the promise of new Björk material wasn’t quite enough, all profits received by the chirpy songstress and her record company partners will be donated the UNICEF children’s charities in Pakistan to help aid flood relief.

unicef.org
originalmoomin.com
bjork.com

Sunday 29 August 2010
Doors: 10pm – 3am
Tickets: £3 before 11pm/ £4 after, £3 for NUS holders
@ Belushi’s

belushis.com

Just what do they put in the water in Portland, Oregon? Indie-folk types Musée Mécanique, who hail from the US state of fevered musical activity, are to visit Brighton on their European tour this September.

One of only three dates in the UK, Musée Mécanique will play The Albert on September 23, and featured will be a full five-member line-up as opposed to the duo (Sean Ogilvie and Micah Rabwin) that they normally perform under.

The tour coincides with new single “Fits & Starts”, released September 20, taken from the critically acclaimed “Hold This Ghost.” Their debut album featured textured, delicate layers of soulful dream pop, and created music from items as wide-ranging as tack pianos to saws, hand-operated ice cream makers to old radios.

Check them out while you can!

myspace.com/museemecanique

Upon arrival, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t really in the mood for being knocked about by hundreds of sweaty students at a punk gig, but the warm-up bands were fantastic and I started to come alive. The crowd were in good spirits (if slightly sweaty) and all fitted the usual Brighton 20-something profile. We were fed a short introduction and told that the Manic Street Preachers were fans whilst the band got into place.

Ramona are a Brighton born band who formed last summer and are greatly influenced by ‘70s punk, predominantly The Clash, as well as the London pub scene.

As the lead singer’s soft vocals glided over the start of the opening track, the crowd was mesmerised. This was something special. Her voice was similar to that of Sharleen Spiteri (the lead singer from Texas) and her energy; explosive. Her intense sultry, sexy facial expressions made it hard to focus on anything else - even dancing, and the crowd were pretty much frozen throughout.

The band’s sound is pretty similar to that of the songs featured on the American Pie films, or any U.S teenage flick for that matter, especially during the prom scenes. Any lyrics other than the repetitive choruses were also hard to make out through the roaring sounds of three guitars and a fierce drummer.

But all this is easily forgotten when you are faced with such unwavering stage presence. The band have great chemistry between them and have the power to truly entertain.

After the gig I caught up with the lead singer, Karen, and found out a little more. The born and bred Brightonian confessed that it was difficult being the only girl, “Sometimes I look around me and think where did all these boys come from!” When asked what her greatest musical ambition was she replied, “To keep on making music for as long as we can and keep really entertaining people.” She also said that the up-and-coming band would soon be jetting off to New York City to perform at the opening of a new Burberry store. Brighton should watch its back - it may soon have one of its most promising bands snatched away by the Big Apple!

What did you think of the gig?

Tom: 8/10 “It was amazing! It really got you into the vibe!”

Nick: 7/10 “You can see the influence from Blondie which was cool. They really pulled it off and it wasn’t too repetitive. The lead singer is hot too!”

Robbie (right): 8.5/10 “Awesome… f**king awesome. It was really tight and really well fronted - the girl had good stage presence.”

Paul: 9/10 “There were lots of powerful songs and I think the band has fantastic potential – it’s such good grass roots music.”

Debbie: 9/10 “Absolutely brilliant this is the second or third time we’ve been to see them and every time they’re just getting better and the girl is absolutely amazing!”

Words by Sheira Gorris
Photography by Ella Penn

myspace.com/weloveramona

Polly And The Billets Doux, off the back of an already busy year, are set to embark on a UK tour this autumn. Following a summer of festival appearances and a slot supporting Fun Loving Criminals, the eight-day tour will feature Alan Pownall and the Willkommen Collective’s The Miserable Rich.

Debut album “Fiction, Half-Truths & Downright Lies” was released late last year through their own label Bleak Mouse Records, and has been championed by the likes of 6Music’s Cerys Matthews, and Bob Harris and Terry Wogan of BBC Radio 4.

The foursome boast a blend of jazz, blues, folk and soul, and until the tour commences you can sample a MP3 download of  “To Be A Fighter”, taken from their current album, just click here.

myspace.com/pollyandthebilletsdoux

Topman CTRL and XYZ Magazine are very proud and excited to announce that the winners of the Support We Are Scientists competition have been chosen.  XYZ received a huge response from bands from the South all vying for the once in a lifetime opportunity to play to a sold-out Audio Brighton supporting NY indie rockers We Are Scientists and UK’s I Am Arrows (with Andy Burrows, ex-Razorlight).

Not only will the chosen ones open the night for two fantastic bands, we have received confirmation that they also have BBC Introducing knocking on their door!

So, the winners are…  YOUR ARMY!
myspace.com/yourarmy

Thanks very much to all those who entered! Congratulations to Your Army!  See you at Audio tomorrow night!

Friday 27 August 2010
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £Sold Out
@ Audio, audiobrighton.com

topmanctrl.com

And to celebrate the occasion, Brighton Ballroom is offering 241 cocktails until 9pm on the night!

Friday 27 August 2010
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £8/ £6/ £26 (meal deal), tables can be booked online
@ Brighton Ballroom

brightonballroom.com

My Generation is a new annual event launching this September celebrating modernist music and culture. Brighton and Mod already have a strong relationship, with regular scooter meets on Madeira Drive and (of course) the cult film Quadrophenia, and, curated by the DJ Eddie Piller, My Generation will be a permanent fixture every year.

2011 will see a multi-venue, multi-genre festival featuring bands, DJs, outdoor cinema, photographic exhibitions along with lots of other extras!

Until then… the very first My Generation will be on September 25 at Concorde 2 with bands and DJs playing all that go into Mod - jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, northern soul, mod revival, Britpop, freakbeat, psyche, funk and indie etc etc.

Steve Cradock (Ocean Colour Scene front man and Paul Weller’s right hand man) will headline the Saturday night with his first public performance as a solo artist, alongside rock ‘n’ roll legend Mani (Primal Scream, Stone Roses).

Also appearing are The Moons, Andy Lewis, photographer Dean Chalkley, Eddie Piller, Dean Rudland and Si Cheeba, with Hipshaker DJs along and Brighton jazz legend Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts) in the second room.

Saturday 25 September 2010
Tickets: £20 advance/ £25
@ Concorde 2

mygenerationfestival.com

Ex-Guns n’ Roses guitar legend Slash, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder, soul icon Bobby Womack, country singer Kris Kristofferson and ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons have all been announced as guests.

“I Feel Like Playing” will be released on September 27, preceded by the single, “Thing About You.”

ronniewood.com

UK folk sweetheart Laura Marling handpicked him to support her on her recent US West Coast tour, and having been listed in this month’s Rolling Stone Top 5 Hot List, Dylan LeBlanc is gearing up for his first UK dates next month. The 20-year old hails from Louisiana and will play two London Rough Trade in-stores, two slots at End of the Road Festival in North Dorset, and a night at The 100 Club on September 15. The tour coincides with the release of his debut album “Paupers Field” (it was out on Monday).

His father was a session player at Fame Studios in Alabama (where Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin - to name a few - all recorded) and LeBlanc’s music has a unique, timeless quality that suggests that he soaked it all in.

Check out the new video for “If Time Was For Wasting” (released as a single earlier this week) on his new website.

dylanleblanc.com

Black Mountain will release second single from their highly-anticipated forthcoming album “Wilderness Heart” on October 11. “The Hair Song” has been described as more accessible than the band’s previous work, but with the usual west-coast psychedelic groove and soaring harmonies.

The LP is out on September 13 and to coincide the Canadians will undertake a full European tour.  Catch them at the C2 on September 8, with support from Wolf People and Brighton’s Dark Horses.

myspace.com/blackmountain

Young singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich is set to release his debut EP this October. “A Million Miles Out” was produced by Ian Grimble (Mumford & Sons, Manic Street Preachers, Siouxsie & The Banshees) and features five beautifully delicate tracks - including a cover of The Killers’ “When You Were Young.” Out on October 25 via Dirty Hit, it will be followed by a LP in March 2011.

Already played with I Am Kloot, Fionn Regan and Lisa Mitchell, Benjamin Francis Leftwich will do a string of shows across the UK later this year.

myspace.com/benjaminfrancisleftwich

Not hitting up Reading or Leeds Festival this weekend? Then you could do a hell of a lot worse than getting yourself down to Audio to witness one of the world’s biggest indie bands play one of Brighton’s smallest venues! Returning to action with their stunning new album “Barbara”, expect to hear a mix of old and new tracks from this well-respected New York foursome. With support from I Am Arrows (ex-Razorlight) and a very special Brighton act TBA.  Keep an eye on the XYZ website to discover the lucky winner of our Support We Are Scientists competition!

Friday 27 August 2010
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £Sold Out
@ Audio

audiobrighton.com

Hip-hopping from Long Beach to Brighton beach, Ugly Duckling are MC’s Dizzy Dustin, Andy Cat and DJ Young Einstein, whose birthday it is tonight. The nice boys of hip-hop introduce themselves with humility, thanking the audience for making it out to an early show.

The group focuses around Einstein’s skilful scratches and the retro MC style in which Dizzy and Andy Cat interject and joke around. Shaking off the genres sometimes all too pervasive preoccupations with possessions, Ugly Duckling foster a light-hearted sound, compounded by their willingness to involve their audience.

When they launch into “Pick Up Lines,” the two MC’s get a girl up on stage and reduce her to fits of laughter by taking it in turns to ‘woo’ her with pick up lines, with Dizzy saying, “my watch says you’re naked - oh wait, it’s fifteen minutes fast.” With songs packed full of jokes and between them a repartee that has its own stage presence, Ugly Duckling get the audience jumping almost instantly.

Einstein dons a huge gold chain for hit “Eye On The Gold Chain.” For one song they get a member of the audience to come up and MC on stage. Unfortunately for volunteer Andre, his angrily spat out lyrics don’t mesh well up there. “Ah, he’s blaming Einstein’s beats!” says Andy Cat after Andre starts to complain. Evidently, Ugly Ducking are making this look easy, unfortunately for Andre, it’s obviously harder than it looks. Brilliant.

What did you think of the gig?

Rory: “Fucking amazing, really got the crowd going.”

Firb: “I had a nice time. I’ve seen them five times.”

Vicki: “Crackalacking, bangalanging. I’m a big fan. My favourite bit was when they did ‘Just a little Samba.’”

Jason: “It was wizard.”

Words by Lizzie Simner
Photography by Nats Spada

uglyduckling.us

Montreal’s Plants & Animals are to embark on a UK tour next month with one special date in Brighton at Coalition. The indie-rock band formed in 2003 and after releasing various EPs, by 2006 the trio were working with Montreal label Secret City Records. Their debut album “Parc Avenue” was released in early 2008 and since then the band has played over 175 shows, sharing stages with the likes of The National, and even opening for Gnarls Barkley - after Danger Mouse discovered “Parc Avenue” and invited them out.

Plants & Animals released their latest offering, “La La Land” in April 2010.

Don’t miss them in Brighton next month, these guys are definitely ones-to-watch in 2010.

Wednesday 22 September 2010
Doors: 7.30pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £6 in advance from the usual Brighton outlets and ticketweb.co.uk, seetickets.com, wegottickets.com
@ Coalition

brightoncoalition.co.uk
plantsandanimals.ca

Well folks, summer is nearly over. The tans are fading and the dodgy swimming trunks will soon be shoved to the back of the drawer, only to be dragged out next year and instantly slung out in self-disgust. All is not lost though. The nights are bright and the barbecues are still warm. Why not squeeze every last drop out of the great British summertime while you still can?

One crucial ingredient (for most sun worshippers at least) is reggae; the soundtrack to any right-thinking individual’s solstice shenanigans. What better way to spend an evening than with a giant sound system, a can of Red Stripe and some of the best reggae bands around to help skank your troubles away.

Before tonight’s main event we are offered a set from one of Brighton’s top reggae acts, Samsara. When the sextuplet first saunter onstage, the floor of Concorde 2 is bare to say the least. It doesn’t take long though for the eager hoards to filter through to the main room, drawn to the bass line like moths to a streetlight.

Frontman J. Levitsky’s vocals are drenched in dub delay and he works the crowd well, flailing his dreadlocks as he bounces to the upbeat. Guitarist Andy Aruldoss adds depth, warmth and atmosphere whilst the brass section punch through with latin flavoured bursts of energy. By the time they peak they’re playing to a full house and are treated to rapturous applause before bowing out gracefully to welcome tonight’s headliners.

It was only last year that we were graced with the presence of reggae legends The Wailers at Coalition. Back then they performed a very special one off performance of the “Exodus” album in its entirety, an album which some might call the pinnacle of Mr Marley’s brief but resounding career. It’s fair to say then that they have their work cut out tonight. Or do they?

From the outset, the core members’ performance is so in the pocket that they couldn’t fail to get the crowd moving. Bassist, Aston “Family Man” Barrett is the only original member left in the group, and it seems his iconic grooves haven’t tarnished with age. He is still the same picture of cool now as he was back in the seventies. Jamaican colours, shades indoors and not one - but two giant bass amps for extra ribcage rattling low end. Couple that with spectacular beat-keeping from the drummer, and you cannot help but dance. The lead vocals are shared between two performers, both of whom do well to replicate the husky Kingston stylings of their legendary predecessor.

But what really lets the group down is the guitarist, whose David Gilmore-like tone is way off the mark. Bob Marley’s records are renowned for their vinyl warmth, so what place then do crystal clear, not to mention self-indulgent guitar solos have here? The answer is none. The keyboard player was almost as shocking. The odd melodic fluff-up could be shrugged off and ignored. But the cheap Casio sound bites were detrimental to an otherwise enjoyable show.

The highlight was most definitely the acoustic encore of Marley’s classic “Redemption Song”, which got everyone in the building singing along in unison; a genuinely poignant moment.

What did you think of the gig?

Liam: “I thought it was well good. Jammin’ was sick!”

Helen: “It was good fun, it was my first reggae gig and I thought they were excellent!”

Matt: “They were better than I thought they’d be actually. I had high expectations, and they exceeded them hugely.”

Lucy: “I thought it really good. Did a bit of dancing. It was great fun!”

Donald: “I had a great time but I was just wondering, where’s Bob?”

Words by James Watts
Photography by Keith Trigwell

wailers.com

The lead singer of a London electro-pop trio has jumped to his death at Belgian festival, not long after playing on stage. On Friday Charles Haddon of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool apparently climbed a telecommunications mast behind the main stage at Pukkelpop and threw himself to the car park below. The 22-year old was pronounced dead later that day and it has been said police are treating the death as a suicide.

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool were due to appear at many more festivals this summer, including dates in Australia, and release their debut album in October followed by a headline UK tour.

Earlier, on the Thursday at Pukkelpop, Michael Been, the frontman of The Call (and father of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s Robert Been) suffered a fatal heart attack backstage whilst working as a soundman for his son’s band.

myspace.com/ouestleswimmingpool
the-call-band.com

Minimal electronic soundscapist, Franz Kirmann has just released his new EP, “Liza.” He’s a French musician, based in London but raised in Senegal with influences that are equally diverse.

Having studied film he cites seminal Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar Wai along with the equally iconic Michelangelo Antonioni and Sergio Leone. Musically he claims to be influenced by Sonic Youth, Pan American and Fennesz, however, it would be more accurate to describe his sound by mentioning names like Atlas Sound, Susumu Yakota or basically anything in the early back-catalogue of Leaf Records. The title track has elements of early Caribou while “Désordre” features ethereal pads, similar to that of Boards Of Canada and Kraut-inspired house beats.

With two originals and three remixes the EP does feel more like a single, which leads you to question Kirmann’s productivity. However, there’s enough in it to make any down-tempo fan foam at the lips.

out now, Mike Fawcett
myspace.com/kirmann

Los Angeles pop-punk band Funeral Party will be bringing their acclaimed live show to Brighton’s Hope on Monday night. Having grown from the backyard party scene in east LA and worked with Lars Stalfors (engineer for Mars Volta) and now all over Radio 1, they’re an already experienced act that have a reputation for tearing the roof off their shows. Kevin Bronson of the Los Angeles Times describes them as creating “visceral music that encapsulates universal experiences of youth.”

Funeral Party will be supported by Brighton stalwarts Lyrebirds, Rob The Rich and Lovepark. A cracking line-up if we do say so ourselves!

Monday 23 August 2010
Doors: 8pm
Tickets: £5 adv/£6
@ The Hope

drinkinbrighton.co.uk
Click here to check out Funeral Party’s new video

To some, hardcore is a four-letter word. The anti-social sound of disaffected youth, the characteristics of which are beyond comprehension for parents and older siblings alike. To others though, it’s not just a genre but a way of life. A constantly evolving line that’s traceable way back to its origins in the East Coast of the US and the seedy underground scene of London in the late seventies.

For a while, it seemed hardcore was stuck in a rut. Now though, it is evolving faster than ever, and it’s Brighton’s alternative scene in particular that is booming. Local quintet, Vile Imbeciles are one of the most arresting UK bands of the moment. Not because they play the loudest, or scream the hardest. But because they are a group that’s finally making an effort to progress the genre; favouring multi-layered guitar rhythms with jazz-like dissonance over the usual barrage of recycled riffs. The band are so keen to play tonight, that they mistake their sound-check for the start of the show, resulting in a slap on the wrist from the ever present Mr Soundman. With attempt number two though, the band let rip with an almighty succession of blows.

Theirs is a sound of Prince and Bad Brains on a trail of debauched abandon after bombing Viagra-laced acid. They look as if they’re going to hump the first person that dares move, but are too busy playing in a band to follow it through. Perhaps the most significant element of their sound though is their hushed gang vocals, which compliment the all-out gravelly screams fantastically. Also worth noting is their inclusion of keyboard melodies, which seem to be gaining popularity, with hardcore bands such as Rolo Tomassi et al leading the revolution.

Hardcore has spawned many offshoots, straight edge of course being one of the most interesting culturally, it’s core motto being “No drink, no smoke, no fuck.” A counter-culture for the counter-culture. So what happens when you take away that totalitarian sense of self-control and replace it with something much more primal?

For the answer you need look no further than Kong (pictured above). This Manchester-based three-piece are a deformed beast of a band… in a good way of course.

Their persona? Well, pluck three deranged psychopaths (who also happen to be stupidly talented musicians) from the padded cells of your local insane asylum, paint their semi-masked faces with the most disturbing nightmarish drag queen make-up you can imagine and you’ll be in the right ball park. More important than looks of course is their sound, which blends furiously syncopated drums, arse-dilapidating bass and ear-splittingly abrasive guitar. Front man, known simply as Magpie, decrees that lyrics are for pussies. Instead he layers incomprehensible yelps and tortured screams over the top of the insane musical mess to galvanise that fact that what you are hearing was indeed forged in the depths of a lunatic mind.

It’s pretty convincing. But there’s more to the Kong live experience than just the music. The between-song banter, complete with the thickest of cartoon northern accents, is just as entertaining and as much a part of the show as the audio-visual onslaught.

“I can’t read. I can’t write. But I can fookin’ play this guitar when I ‘ave to!” screams Magpie. This being said before launching into their riff-rock classic “Leather Penny” which gains roars of appreciation from the packed-out crowd.

By the end of the show, the deranged front man is stood centre stage, kissing his own bicep, before slinking off out of the room, leaving bassist Lulu (tonight wearing nothing but ill-fitting boxers) and drummer Krem to finish things off.

The noise was loud, crude, insane and proud, and with rumours of Lulu’s convergence with fellow touring buddies Future Of The Left, it seems Kong may be hanging in the balance. Go see this band while you can. They’re one of the most intensely gripping (albeit slightly disturbing) acts the UK has to offer.

Vile Imbeciles

What did you think of the gig?

Sarah: “Awesome! Absolutely amazing! I really like tight Y-fronts on a man.”

Jess: “Pretty standard, pretty messy!”

Mike: “As usual Kong were amazing. They put on a show that you can’t match in the UK at the moment. No spew tonight though, but maybe that’s a good thing in a small venue such as this. More pants, less spew!”

Chris: “I thought it was f**king excellent. I thought the audience could’ve gotten more involved. I’m not sure if it was a great gig for the band themselves, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Words by James Watts
Photography by Andrew Antill

myspace.com/vileimbeciles
myspace.com/kongdom

The L.A all girl four-piece Warpaint will release their debut album “The Fool” via Rough Trade on October 25. All hands were on deck throughout production, with Tom Biller mixing and producing (Liars, Sean Lennon), and further mixes from Andrew Weatherall (New Order, Primal Scream, Bjork) and Adam Samuels (John Frusciante).

In addition, The XX have personsally chosen Warpaint to support them on their September/October tour of the US. Either side of the US tour are headline dates for Warpaint in the UK, including an intimate show at Brighton’s Digital on October 29.

myspace.com/worldwartour

“I saw the news today old boy… but I saw it on my HDTV ya know…” Who wouldn’t love to hear Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Radiohead all in one set and on one stage? But the scene was set for a tight reggae concert; marijuana smoke in the air, middle-aged white men donning dreadlocks and young women in tie dyed dresses. In quite a refreshing move the night kicked off with some of Easy Star All-Stars’ own material. Traditionally it is almost expected that bands kick off with a hit to grab the audience, but seeing as none of their biggest hits are actually theirs, it seemed more fitting to light the touch paper with some home grown reggae.

Easy Star All-Stars have made their name on legendary albums, which they have bravely (and successfully it must be said) shaped to their own reggae/dub style. However, the proposition of Beatles, not to mention Pink Floyd and Radiohead tracks in reggae form admittedly had this reporter sour faced. But in the case of Tuesday night, the gig was so astoundingly well executed that all pre-show assumptions based on nothing more than ignorance were skanked away.   Thankfully, from track to track the Easy Star outfit seemed to be down to earth, eminently tight and obviously talented musicians. Classic tracks like “A Day In The Life” and “When I’m Sixty-Four” would have had Lennon dancing rather than turning in his grave.

The high thrill point of the whole night was perhaps the iconic chiming bells and clocks ringing out across the smoking area, signalling the start of the Pink Floyd classic “Time.” This was a moment that produced a statement of frenzied intent from the crowd, when they stampeded back into the venue like inebriated Olympians heading to the finish line. The crowd seemed truly in awe of this group, and the real beauty behind this whole concept was that you could hear and see stadium band classics, up close and undiluted by pretentious stage shows, self indulgent encores or the potential 700 rows of seats in front of you. Worth every penny for any lucky enough to get tickets.

What did you think of the gig?

Ollie and Lucas (left to right): “We give it a mega 8/10, some of the improvising went on a bit but other than that it was awesome.”

Gabbi and Reese (left to right): 10/10 “Their Beatles covers are so spot on, ‘A Day In The Life’ was a magical moment.”

Xavier: “I give it a good 8/10, the tunes from their album ‘Radiodread’ are ace.”

Vikki: 9.5/10 “It was really ace, they only lose half a mark for no encore but then I guess that was the venue’s fault, not theirs.”

Words and photography by James Rowland

easystar.com

Manchester hardcore three-piece Kong have just been confirmed as support for 65 Days Of Static’s upcoming UK tour. Notorious for their twisted live show they’ll be heading to a crammed, sweaty venue near you soon. Showcasing material from their forthcoming 10” vinyl release, they aren’t worth missing!

Kong played in Brighton earlier this week with Vile Imbeciles. Awesome night! Check out our review here.

myspace.com/kongdom

Brighton trio Esben And The Witch are excited to confirm that they have signed a deal with Matador!  Their debut EP for the label will be a limited 12″, three-track release entitled “Marching Song”, which is due out on October 11.  Their debut album is scheduled for early 2011.

The video for “Marching Song” (see above) was directed by David Procter and Peter King of The Agenda Collective) and is available to watch now, click here.

In support of the release, Esben And The Witch will tour the US for the first time this spring, supporting Mercury Prize nominees Foals and appearing at Matador’s 21st Birthday in Las Vegas (alongside new label mates Pavement, Sonic Youth, Cat Power and more). They are also confirmed for a short UK tour in November and a show in Paris.

esbenandthewitch.co.uk

Torche. If you are unfamiliar because you are living under a rock or have been time travelling since the early 2000’s, sit up - it’s time to take notes.  From all over the US, the trio don’t like to be pigeonholed with a genre, but say for arguments sake, we’ll call them “progressive metal” - but don’t generalise; they influence and take influence from various sub-genres.  They have toured with the likes of Mogwai, The Sword and Baroness and more recently a massive US tour with Coheed and Cambria.

“Songs For Singles” is their third full length album and it will be unleashed on October 4.  Does what it says on the tin, these eight tracks are “basically a super solid collection of singles” (and not songs for the relationship status).

No UK dates have been confirmed to accompany the album, but fingers crossed, watch this space.

myspace.com/torche

Calling all great Brighton bands!
Open a sold-out show for New York’s hottest rockers We Are Scientists! Friday August 27!

This week XYZ have teamed up with Topman CTRL to offer one lucky act the chance to break out and show what they’re made of, by opening for headliners We Are Scientists and main support I Am Arrows (fronted by Andy Burrows, ex Razorlight) at the Topman CTRL Live show at Audio on Friday August 27.

The gig sold out straight away so it’s the chance for one lucky act to play a packed house ahead of two of the most talked about bands on the UK scene.

The show is guaranteed fantastic regional and national press and your band could be featured!

If you reckon your act should bag this slot, send a link to your music and 100 words on why you think you’re up to the challenge to topman@xyzmagazine.co.uk

MOVE IT OR LOSE IT! The deadline for emails is strictly Tuesday August 24th with the winner to be announced the following day! Emails after the deadline won’t be entered so chop chop!

Topman CTRL is an ongoing monthly series, it’s about giving the most innovative and emerging musical talent control. Acts take over CTRL online, revealing to all their influences, inspiration and what makes up their musical DNA.  They then choose the bands for CTRL Live, touring a different city each month throughout the UK . Check out this month’s Controllers We Are Scientists as they talk music, life and the universe.

topmanctrl.com

Important legal bumpf for entrants:

Entry terms and Conditions
Artist is performing live and being interviewed at Audio, 10 Marine Parade, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 1TL on 27.8.10 as part of a Topman CTRL live event (the “Live Performance and Interview”). Topman (the “Company”) will be filming the Live Performance and Interview with the intention of creating audio and audio-visual content (“Content”) for use in the context of Topman CTRL.

The Artist undertakes, warrants and represents that:
1. The Company or its appointed agents shall be permitted to photograph, film or record the Live Performance, to edit the Content and exploit the audio, visual and audio visual Content in all media in perpetuity provided that it is in the context of Topman CTRL.2. The Artist has 100% control of all master, composition, performance, name and likeness rights in respect of the Live Performance and Interview.
3. In the event that Artist does not control 100% of the rights contained within the Live Performance or Interview including any guest performances then Artist shall inform Company of such exclusions in writing within one working day of the Live Performance and Interview.4. Artist shall not during the Live Performance and Interview be offensive or defamatory against any person or the Company.5. Company can use the artist name, logo and likeness in the Content and in the context of the promotion of the Content.6. The Artist agrees that the Content will be owned and controlled by the Company.
7. The Artist provides an indemnity in respect of any claim against or loss to the Company in respect of Artist’s breech of any of the undertakings, obligations and warranties contained herein.
8. No approval of the content of the Live Performance and Interview shall be required by Artist.

PLEASE NOTE: the Company shall not be permitted to directly commercially exploit the content which shall be available free of charge to users. In the event that this Agreement is signed by an agent or representative on behalf of the Artist then such signatory warrants that they are an authorised representative of the Artist with a mandate to enter in to this agreement on behalf of the Artist.

Dance act Faithless today announced that they will embark on a nine-date UK arena tour this November and December.  The UK duo, Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz, have had a busy summer touring their No.2 album “The Dance” with performances at various festivals including Glastonbury and T in The Park.

A collaboration with Fiat (yes, the car company) saw the band cause a media stir this week when Fiat bought an entire advert break on Channel 4 to premiere Faithless’ upcoming single “Feelin Good.”  The track, which features vocals from Dido, will be officially released on September 27.

Tickets for the tour (with support from Example) start from £29.50 and go on sale on August 27 at 9:30am from gigsandtours.com.

myspace.com/faithless

If you’ve had to spend all summer listening to everyone’s “awesome” festival stories feeling nothing but bitter envy - fear not, the best may still be to come. The UK may have some of the greatest festivals on Earth but are they situated in a scorching bay surrounded by stunning views of the sea and mountains? Can you literally dance around the clock above the Mediterranean Sea and party on a twice-daily boat trip? No! Stop Making Sense Festival will be held in the secluded Croatian village of Petrčan and promises all of this.

The sun is guaranteed so there is no need to pack the wellies and the venue even boasts a real nightclub with sets from Carl Craig, Friendly Fires and many more! If you’ve had neither a holiday nor been to a festival this summer this boutique event is the perfect solution.

3-5 September 2010
£80 general admission
@ Petrčan, Croatia

WIN!! Two tickets to Stop Making Sense Festival 2010! To get your name in the draw, all you have to do is email your full name and contact number to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with STOPMAKINGSENSE in the subject line. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on August 20.

sms-2010.com

BREAKING NEWS:
Brighton’s local superhero rock group, General Bovine and The Justice Force 5 have once again saved the day, this time rescuing 2008 X-Factor contestant Diana Vickers from the evil clutches of The Organ Grinder.

For the full story, click here.

myspace.com/thejusticeforce5

Yes yes, we know we keep going on about this band, but they are just so brilliant that we can’t help it!  Tweak Bird (the brothers Bird; Ashton and Caleb) will release their debut album at the end of the month, and to get you in the mood they have released another free download! Click here to download the second track on the album “Lights in Lines.”

The self-titled album was recorded in less than a week and produced by regular collaborators Dale Crover of Deaf Nephews and, of The Melvins, Toshi Yasai, who also worked on 2008’s mini-album Reservations. “Tweak Bird” is out on August 30.

myspace.com/tweakbird

Johnny Flynn’s second single “Barnacled Warship” was released earlier this week and to mark the occasion some brand new footage has been made available.  Recorded last month, Flynn and his band The Sussex Wit filmed a handful of live versions of tracks from his album “Been Listening” in The Lexington, North London. Click here to view.

Don’t miss Johnny Flynn on tour with Mumford & Sons and Matthew & The Atlas this October, or catch him on his headline tour in December.

myspace.com/johnnyflynn

Acoustic performances are easy to come by in this town. You can stroll into a bar on any given night and find all manner of performances. The only problem of course is that with increased frequency, quality control goes out the window. You can never be sure if you’re actually getting real bang for your buck or just some dread locked hippy that believe that they are the next Bob Dylan. Sometimes though, you can be surprised at the talent you can find at these intimate little shows. This could just be one of those nights.

The Latest Music Bar, dimly lit by candlelight, is quietly bustling. The stage has been lovingly decorated with strings of faux flowers and an ivy vine creeps up a lone microphone stand. There, framed in incandescent light stands Anna Searight. With a hushed air of confidence the young singer/songwriter begins her performance, inducing a wave of stunned silence across the room.

Her voice is truly something to behold. It’s pure and effortless without any of the cheesy Americanism that permeates so much of the acoustic genre. Hers is a more classic sound; restrained, purposeful and devoid of cliché. Her guitar playing is minimalistic, to say the least. She favours plucked melodies over strumming, leaving ample room for her smooth legato and split second pedal work to shine through. She even throws in a few melodic guitar solos for good measure. But it would be nice to hear more strumming to raise the dynamic and deliver that all-important pay-off.

With her petite frame and long wavy locks, she looks like an English rose from a Renaissance painting. She stands barefoot, daintily bending her leg at the knee like a nineteen-fifties Hollywood damsel. By the midway point she has the audience completely captivated and lightens the atmosphere with some playful banter.

“I’m not advocating the Joss Stone look, I just can’t play in my boots!” she muses.

Her humble personality and girl-next-door politeness serve to highlight the fact that these are genuinely heartfelt songs. With the UK folk scene booming at the moment, there seem to be more and more protest songs about. But Anna’s vibe is unashamedly tilted towards a mainstream pop audience, and her lyrics focus solely on matters of the heart.

”I Didn’t Know What To Do” is a haunting and fearful ode to a loved one where as set-closer “Time” layers soft harmonies and reflective lyrics that serve as a poignant exclamation mark to a wonderfully intimate show.

Words by James Watts

myspace.com/annasearightmusic

Colorado born Laura Veirs has gathered a cult status over her past seven albums with magical realist lyrics and folky handpicked charm.  Support tonight comes from the backing band’s solo projects tonight, firstly from guitarist Karl Blau and then from experimental viola player Alex Guy.

Blau’s socially awkward attempts to chat with the audience are charming as he plays through his solo stuff. “I’m not very good at talking, I’m much better at singing songs,” he concedes. About song Memphis he admits “I have never played that song successfully - I play it really well on my own.” The music is leaning toward the country-side of things, the lyrics are about nature; “How about a dirt clod / What about a nightingales song / How about a ripe strawberry.”

Viola player Alex Guy has a natural and easy stage presence. “I’m chuffed to be here. Is that the right word; chuffed? I was going to say chafed.” Hunched over to reach her delay pedal, she loops plucking and melodramatic baroque strings to create deep and gorgeous waves of dripping sound.  Guy plays tracks from her new album “Into the Darkening Sky”, and the attention of the audience is caught with her intelligent song writing and musicianship; you could hear a pin drop when she plays.

At 9.30pm, Laura Veirs enters stage and the band come together and play for an hour and a half with Tucker Martine on drums, Guy on viola and keyboard, Blau on guitar. Her trademark glasses and plaits strike a youthful picture that belies Veirs’ years of experience and four month-old backstage. Highlights come mainly from most recent album “July Flame.” They sing “Carol Kaye” - a homage to the famous bass player who, at 10,000 sessions, is one of the most recorded bass players ever.  Other strong tracks include “Life Is Good Blues” and “Make Something Good.”

There are moments of ad libbing that serve to strengthen the performance. The band experiment and play around, Blau fails and then succeeds to count in to a song, Guy plays on a song she never has before. An impressive performance.

Words by Lizzie Simner
lauraveirs.com

Carl Barât will release his long-awaited debut solo L.P on October 4. The self-titled album will be available via his label, Arcady, and the first single, “Run With The Boys,” is out on the same day.

The ex-Dirty Pretty Things frontman and the now-reformed Libertines co-frontman (with Pete Doherty, of course) has been very busy recently and it has been confirmed that he has written his first book. To be published by Harper Collins on September 30, “Threepenny Memoir” is a collection of stories from his life; his love of London, his heroes, and the highs and lows of being in a band.

Barât will also be setting out on a 22-date UK and European tour with a five-piece band.  The first date is in our fair city Brighton, at the Coalition on October 15, and he wraps up in Bologna on November 11. Tickets are on sale now.

myspace.com/carlbarat

Seldom do our gloriously international-approved seafront clubs attract Brighton talent for headlining slots, let alone a banging double bill that draws much respect from the gathered faithful this evening.

Krafty Kuts has become a mainstay on the global clubbing scene since a certain Norman Cook snapped up “Gimme The Funk” for his Southern Fried label over a decade ago and the rest, as they say, is history.

Perhaps a worthy successor to his krown (geddit?), local duo Evil Nine set about heating things up with their seriously electro-flavoured house chops. Their most famous tune to date, a remix of Alex Metric’s “It Starts”, gets an early airing to rapturous response, the duo sensing that the less-packed-to-the-rafters-than-usual crowd are all waiting for one thing.

Krafty Kuts was raised on a strict diet of hip-hop and the genre frequently peppers his live sets. Tonight, however, we get to hear more of the breaks, electro and drum ‘n’ bass sounds that have influenced Martin Reeves’ approach of late, “Gimme The Breaks” offering an up-tempo take on his breakthrough classic.

We also hear less of the scratch ‘n’ paste which drew comparisons to the likes of DJ Yoda and Scratch Perverts, Reeves preferred to keep things going so as to sate the thirsty dancing appetites of the baying throng below. He does find time to throw in a few choice early, funked-up kuts towards the end of the set, but by now (around 3am) the crowd are starting to lag and that hot cup of tea at home sounds all the more appealing. A euphoric homecoming that shows this cult hero is able to move with the times without compromising his own unique take on the dance genre.

Words by Oli Robertson

myspace.com/djkraftykuts
myspace.com/evilnine

With a career spanning over 20 years, Stereolab will release their twelfth album this November, entitled “Not Music.”

The collective reconvened in Bordeaux in the summer of 2007 to record 32 new songs; half of which featured on 2008’s “Chemical Chords” and the other on “Not Music.”  Even though they were recorded at the same time, the two albums are very distinct from each other, but still both feature Stereolab’s unique characteristics – a blending of all musical styles; from 50’s lounge pop to North American art rock to East European film music to Krautrock.

“Not Music” is out on November 16.

stereolab.co.uk

The nations biggest youth-based festival will be back this August for its 39th year! Interestingly, the organisers have gone for a slightly more traditional line-up. Over recent years the festival has shifted its focus away from harder rock for a more indie-based feel. This year the formula will go comparatively old-school, with artists such as Guns n’ Roses, Blink 182, Cypress Hill, Bad Religion, LCD Soundsystem and Weezer. Still littered with a wide array of young and old, the line-up will offer an eclectic mix of hard rock (QOTSA, Josh Homme pictured), contemporary folk (Mumford & Sons) and hip-hop/pop (Dizzee Rascal, Roots Manuva).

Tickets are all but sold out, but if you’re dedicated and lucky all at once you might grab some on eBay.

27-29 August 2010
Tickets: £sold out
@ Branham Park, Leeds and Richfield Avenue, Reading

readingfestival.com
leedsfestival.com

Local act The Laylanas rescheduled the launch of their new album “Universal” last month, and they have used the extra time to ensure they bring you the crème of celebrations this month!

The last weekend of August brings with it a veritable Laylana-fest with the album launch now taking place on the evening of August 28 at The Hope. The following day sees their annual Big Monkey Man Street Gig outside the Unitarian Church with support from Kovak, Sweet Sweet Lies, and now Brighton rock’n’roll legends The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster have been confirmed!  This event is all in aid of Kiya Survivors - and on Bank Holiday Sunday!  Even better, both events are free - so no excuses!

myspace.com/thelaylanas

When the yellow eco buses drew up to the secret location just outside Tunbridge Wells, no one knew exactly what was in store for them at the first music and arts festival to be hosted by the Brighton collective Playgroup. What unfolded was a superb array of performers, musicians and artists who defied the downpours and brought the sights, sounds and tastes of Brighton to a hidden country park.

Highlights from the 60 bands and 20 DJs included memorable sets from 40-piece samba band Barulho, King Porter Stomp, Malarki, Black Cat Bone and The Correspondents - which ended in possibly the world’s first rap delivered from the shoulders of an audience member. Other delightful nuggets included appearances from the sinfully talented Darius Alexander and a Victorian-style carnival show from vintage lingerie specialists Ophelia Fancy.

As the sun eventually fought through the clouds, everyone knew they’d experienced something vibrant, new and exciting and that looks set to become a must-attend event in any Brightonian’s calendar.

Words by Rhianna Pratchett

playgroupfestival.com

A creation of former The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster member Andy Huxley (lead singer/guitarist here in Vile Imbeciles), the Brighton-based quintet are simply a spectacle not to be missed. The continually evolving, unpredictable outfit possess more stage presence than the cast of a Broadway musical on a 10-year stint; a synergy of hypnotic flailing limbs with equally absorbing sounds. Verging on the avant-garde, see what the hype is about for yourselves as new material from an as-of-yet unreleased album is sure to get a fierce airing. With support from The Bacchae.

Thursday 26 August 2010
Doors: 8pm
Tickets: £FREE
The Hydrant

thehydrant.co.uk

Following the launch show at Hammersmith Working Men’s Club earlier this month, Manic Street Preachers will celebrate their new album “Postcards From A Young Man” by releasing an exclusive new - non-album - track available for free download from their website.

Click here to download “I’m Leaving You For Solitude.” “Postcards From A Young Man” is out on September 20.

manicstreetpreachers.com

Describing their music as “obnoxious ‘90s indie recorded in the ‘60s” this Brighton three-piece are the latest in the current swath of garage-rock groups to be making their way in the local scene. Unlike many of the others though, Kept By Casino seem to have a vision all of their own.

The tracks on their new EP “Fly Carpet” are rough-edged, energetic and flawed in all the right places so, while they may not be groundbreaking, they certainly pack a punch. Plus, the twisted waltz of “Breed” shows they have more in their locker than the clichéd modern indie groups. Having all been recorded onto a ¼ inch reel to reel tape machine in the band’s own studio, all the tracks have a distinctly analogue sound that lends to their authenticity.

If you listen to the likes of Jawbox, Vile Imbeciles or Hot Snakes, you’ll certainly enjoy the new EP from this promising local group.

8/10, out 1 September 2010
Words by Mike Fawcett

Celebrate the launch of “Fly Carpet” from 7pm on September 1 with a £FREE gig at Hectors House featuring:
Kept By Casino – obviously!
Clown – the new project from the Kill Kenada boys!
Roskov – their last ever show!
Steal Back Your Life – Brighton’s prog-post-hardcore legends reform for one night only!

myspace.com/keptbycasino

LeeFest is the UK’s best grassroots festival and it returns to Highams Hill Farm this weekend for one of the UK’s biggest all-day festivals. Headliners on the main stages include The Futureheads, Does It Offend You, Yeah?, The King Blues and Hot Club De Paris. Joining them as support are electro wonder kids Fenech-Soler, Johnny Foreigner, Brighton-based Mean Poppa Lean, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Jakwob and many more!

Tickets are still available, for more information see leefest.org.uk

British duo The Ting Tings finished recording their second album “Kunst” last month and have revealed that the first track from the record will be released on October 11. The single “Hands” will be mixed by Calvin Harris and it has also been said that Jay-Z has helped out on their new material.

Wanting to write something different to their 2007 debut, the duo recorded the album in Berlin and saw the experience as a “fresh start.” Vocalist Katie White reiterated “It’d be so lazy and easy to make the same album twice.”

thetingtings.com

Arriving at Hertfordshire’s Standon Calling festival after a stuffy six hours in traffic, the atmosphere was electric - even in the car park with sparkling lights around us and the hum of music not too far away, the journey dissipates and you are able to respond to the call of Standon’s magic.

An intimate 5,000 strong festival, staff are relaxed and efficient; making entry a breeze. Unlike at some of the bigger festivals it’s possible to have your cider in hand and get ready to party within minutes.

Music highlights?
Alice Russell on the main stage; the stunning soul singer blasted the audience with her impressive vocal range and sassy style, particularly rocking new single, “Let Us Be Loving” which had everyone dancing and hped up for a big Saturday night.

Lulu and the Lampshades performed on Sunday afternoon in the lovely Crooked House tent. Cute and quirky; they had some dancing, some chilling but all smiling, especially to final song “You’re Gonna Miss Me” in which they impressed the crowd by playing cups as percussion!

Efterklang shone on Sunday night. Playing tracks from latest album “Magic Chairs” -  their music wraps you up in an ethereal daze - reassuring and uplifting; the band themselves humble and happy to chat with the crowd.

Headlining Standon were talented Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club with Omara Portuondo. All bright lights, colour and the spice of Cuban dance flavour. They picked up the audience mood with a twist of their hips, wowing a main stage area packed to the max with swaying, jumping, clapping, shaking bodies!  Pure joy.

XYZ final thought: Get in there early for next years tickets: This little gem is only going to get more popular.

myspace.com/tristramsongs

Words by Jessica Norgard

standon-calling.com
facebook.com/standoncalling

Photography by Victoria Fulton

brightonpride.org

Photography by Keith Trigwell

myspace.com/joyorbison

Modern legends The Libertines will play their first gig since 2004 on August 25. They are reforming later in the month for Reading and Leeds and it has been announced that the quartet will perform an intimate warm-up show at London’s HMV Forum.

Tickets for the event won’t be going on general sale, but fans can enter a ballot on the band’s website from now until Friday August 13, which will then distribute the tickets at random.

Carl Barat recently admitted the band haven’t rehearsed together since they announced their reformation in March. “It’s always a bit last minute with The Libertines. If we did it any other way it wouldn’t be The Libertines.”

myspace.com/thelibertines

JD Samson’s MEN recently announced that they will be releasing their first UK single this September in “Credit Card Babie$.”  The track is great electro-pop - would we expect anything less?! - big disco beats, super catchy lyrics about the themes that MEN do best - politics, gay rights; “Is it really so hard to make a new heart … Big plans for a newborn gay creation.”  You’ll be singing this in the clubs soon so check it out now. Brilliant debut offering, video is fab, just click here.

myspace.com/men

The so-called FAB festival will be kicking off on August 15 right in the beating heart of Brighton’s city centre from 11am until 9pm.

Annual festival host and part-time bar manager Chris Gurr has assembled a small army of local talent for us Brightonians to feast our ears on this Sunday, such as The Mountain Firework Company, Sweet Sweet Lies, The Miserable Rich, The Morning Orchestra, The Laylanas, Cocos Lovers and many many more!

And if ten action packed hours aren’t enough for you, local DJ and party saviour Luke Bracken will be spinning the best tunes known to mankind right through to the small hours of the morning.

In addition, the day won’t lighten your wallet one ounce! Yes, you read it right, it’s FREE! The whole event is in aid of charity which makes it all the more special. So get down there this Sunday for an afternoon of folk fuelled fun and an evening of boogie-tastic party anthems.

Sunday 15 August 2010
Doors: 11am
Tickets: £FREE
@ The Western Front

drinkinbrighton.co.uk

Having just signed to Manchester indie label, Red Deer Club, this all-girl trio are gaining popularity in many quarters and, having already been championed by BBC 6’s Lauren Laverne and Tom Robinson, their steady rise looks set to continue. Brandishing delicate with three-part harmonies, quaint instrumentation and a playful charm.

5/10, out now.
Words by Mike Fawcett

myspace.com/stealingsheep

Fresh from the Playboy Mansion, if all of that glorious sun gets a bit too much for you, over the weekend of August 14 and 15 keep your eyes peeled for the Playboy street team doling out their new energy drink at various Brighton locations.

Available in both regular and sugar-free varieties if you please dear, one of these lovely little bad boys promises you great flavour with a rather unique blend of caffeine, taurine and extracts of panax ginseng, guarana and damiana leaf and even horny goat weed!  Oo-er!  For more information see playboyenergy.com, or pick up a can this month and try it for yourselves.

The Lowland Hundred will be performing a free showcase afternoon at The Prince Albert on August 14 to celebrate the release of their debut album, “Under Cumbrian Sky”.

The melancholic concept album, by Welsh duo Paul Newland and Tim Noble, is all about Aberystwyth, and the showcase, held as a promotion with Victory Garden Records, promises to be an atmospheric and impressive affair.

Also appearing are the electric-acoustic –A+M and the dry sound of South London angst band, Superman Revenge Squad.

Saturday 14 August 2010
Doors: 2pm
Tickets: £Free
@ The Prince Albert

lowlandhundred.com

Jungle lovers are in for a treat when London ragga vocalist General Levy, drum ‘n’ bass/jungle DJ Brockie and Bristol-based Reprazent member DJ Krust headline an event called Jungle Sound Clash next weekend. General Levy is best known for his 1994 hit “Incredible” but also for his  recent collaborations with Jamelia and Krafty Kuts (to name a few). With support from Nicky Black Market and MC’s Navigator and Junior Red.

Friday 13 August 2010
Doors: 11pm
Tickets: £5
@ Concorde 2

concorde2.co.uk

With Brighton in full-on party-mood this weekend with the culmination of Pride 2010, Hectors House is to add to the fever with feature showcase event The Free For All this Saturday.

The night is to be divided in two; from 8:30pm four acts in Anarvis, The Junk House, Trousseaux and Flash Bang Band will be performing alongside the usual sweets, treats, fun and games. Then, from 11pm onwards the night hits a more ‘clubby’ feel as the lights go down, featuring The Electric Riot and residents BreakinBear DVJ’s and general super-fun times.

Head on down for some entertainment of the free variety – and if you’re still not convinced these words describing the night from the hosts might do the trick: “Think Chinese New Year meets an electric dancing cinema.”

Saturday 7 August 2010
Doors: 8pm
Tickets: £Free
@ Hectors House

myspace.com/breakinbear

Lout Promotions are very proud to host The Maccabees at the Concorde2 this month.  The quintet have been busy this summer with the UK and European festival circuit, having played at Liverpool’s Sound City, Rockness Festival in Scotland and Latitude in Suffolk (to name a few!) and they are currently in Japan for two dates in Tokyo and Osaka.

Tickets for this Brighton date went on sale yesterday and already only a very few are still available - so get yours now!

Thursday 26 August 2010
Tickets: £15
Doors: 7.30pm
@ Concorde 2

Check out our exclusive interview with The Maccabees back in February, click here.

loutpromotions.co.uk

The rock’n’soul sextet Foxy Shazam are set to release their debut UK single, “Oh Lord” on September 27.

The single promises cheesy, feel good rock at its best and is both catchy and original. This band have an infectious quality which will leave you in the mood to really rock out - even if you’re too ashamed to admit it!

The video may also be the funniest video ever made and definitely worth a watch on their MySpace. It features the lead singer (a cross between a 118 118 man, a schoolboy and Freddy Mercury), female American football players, a cheeky little boy and the band that carry on performing as though none of this was going on around them. Brilliant.

Judging from their astonishingly positive Independent review this quality also extends to the stage. So there should be little doubt that after their upcoming appearances at Reading and Leeds, and supporting both Motion City Soundtrack and Lostprophets in London, this band will be our latest treasured American import.

Words by Sheira Gorris
myspace.com/foxyshazam

Kings of Leon have revealed their new album is to be released on October 18. “Come Around Sundown” is the band’s fifth studio LP and tracks will be previewed live during their set at V Festival later this month.

The four-piece have already performed some of the new tunes on their current North America tour; “Radioactive”, “Immortals”, “Southbound” and “Mary.” Drummer Nathan Followill recently said: “The ones we’ve been playing on tour, man, they’ve been going over very well. A lot better than we thought they would. Some of them get better reactions than the older songs, which is bittersweet … but it’s great to be able to throw something in there that you haven’t played a gazillion times.”

kingsofleon.com

To celebrate signing to Mumford & Sons’ record label Communion Records, Philadelphia Grand Jury have made a free exclusive download available, titled “The New Neil Young.”

The Aussie trio are to release their first single on Communion, “Going To The Casino,” on August 23, which is produced by singer/guitarist/producer Berkfinger who has worked with The Temper Trap, Architecture In Helsinki and Wolfmother. In the meantime, you can grab the aforementioned freebie and have a listen, just click here.

The Philly Jays - as they’re colloquially know - are to embark on a monster 32-date UK tour, starting with Proud Camden on August 11 and a Brighton date on September 8 at the Prince Albert.

myspace.com/philadelphiagrandjury

Recently reunited Soundgarden are to release their first collection of music since 1996 in the form of “Telephantasm,” which will be available on September 27 – alongside an array of extras.

Chris Cornell and co. took to the stage together for the first time in 12 years in Seattle earlier this year, and this retrospective new release includes a brand-spanking new track, “Black Rain,” alongside other well-known tracks from the seminal grunge foursome. However they are to launch “Telephantasm” with a twist; it is to be released inside 1 million copies of the new videogame Guitar Hero®: Warriors of Rock, the first release of it’s kind.

Also available will be three expanded versions of “Telephantasm” which will include a double-disc with 12 additional tracks, five of which are previously unreleased, and Soundgarden’s first-ever DVD, featuring 20 videos, and a Deluxe 3-LP Vinyl Edition and an individually numbered Super Deluxe Collector’s Edition. Phew!

Soundgarden fans; blow the cobwebs from your collective wallets and enjoy.

Keep an eye out for Caro Emerald and her debut single “Back It Up,” released on September 20. The single, taken from her number one album “Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor,” presents Caro’s blend of old school jazz and modern beats. Her smouldering vocals update the classic Americana sound with a contemporary sheen.

The video is low budget to say the least, but it brings to life the roots of her music and her playful, humorous and flirtatious attitude to music. It’s a great girls night out song that will have you ladies believing that J-Lo truly has nothing on you!

Don’t be turned off by the recent list of irritating female jazz vocalists who have tried and failed to compete with Amy. This Dutch gem is nothing like Duffy or Gabriella Climi – she is likeable. Her style is less mum-sy than Sandi Thom’s and her sound almost as fresh as Lily Allen’s great ones.

7/10, out 20 September 2010
Words by Sheira Gorris

caroemerald.com

Northern trio Fenech-Soler will let loose their first single on B*Unique this September.  “Lies” is a perfect dance floor pop song, and the single features five remixes from Doctor P, Grum, Run Hide Survive, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Disco Of Doom. Under various aliases, London’s Hervé has remixed the likes Faithless, The Prodigy, Mark Ronson and Lily Allen, and he adds his Midas touch with the “Eclipse” and “Solar Flare” remixes.

Fenech-Soler (pictured above at The Great Escape 2010) will be coming to a town near you this autumn - with a massive 28 dates in 42 days. Starting in Edinburgh on September 30, the lads play five dates in Scotland, then head south with shows all over England - including a night in Preston with Kissy Sell Out on October 9 – a stop across the border in Cardiff, a night in Brighton on November 2, and the finale at London’s Heaven on November 10.  Phew!

For a full list of dates, check out Fenech-Soler’s website.  Don’t miss them!
“Lies” is out on September 20.

fenechsoler.co.uk

Blood Red Shoes have just released a ‘making of’ video to new single “Heartsink” (out August 16).  Over 50 BRS fans joined in London recently and were invited to break, twist, rip, tear, burn, smash, trash — destroy — an item that means something to them, all in the name of art.

“Heartsink” is from Blood Red Shoes’ sophomore album “Fire Like This” which was released back in March. The Brighton duo have been touring Europe extensively ever since and it doesn’t let up until December! Catch them at their homecoming at Concorde 2 on December 8. Tickets are available now.

Watch “Heartsink” here.

myspace.com/bloodredshoes

Proud Camden are proud to be hosting Hot Club de Paris’ only date in London this summer.  The Liverpool trio are on the bill celebrating Bandango’s 5th birthday tomorrow night and join The Chapman Family, Starman (yes, the Starman from Sky 1’s Pineapple Dance Studios featuring the amusing soon-to-be-rock-god nobility, Andrew Stone) and Kill Her Killer.

Hot Club de Paris have already released two EPs this year. The first “With Days Like This As Cheap As Chewing Gum, Why Would Anyone Want To Work?” was followed by “The Rise And Inevitable Fall Of The High School Suicide Cluster Band” and we can expect a full-length album later in the year on Moshi Moshi. Busy busy!

Wednesday 4 August 2010
Doors: 7.30pm
Tickets: £6 in advance, click here
@ Proud Galleries, Camden

Facebook the event here
proudcamden.com

Mount Kimbie has announced that they are doing a tour in October this year. The UK part of tour will kick off on October 5 at Jam in Brighton.

Dominic Maker and Kai Campose, who make up Mount Kimbie, met at university and started making music together in a home studio in Peckham.

The duo have their debut album out now called “Crooks and Lovers.” The music they have made is sort of an experimental use of dubstep, hip-hop, jazz and garage and has an ambient sound that takes listeners to a different place.

Mount Kimbie will also play at Bestival, Isle of Wight on September 10.

myspace.com/mountkimbie

The Charlatans release their new single “Love Is Ending” today, which is taken from their eleventh studio album. “Who We Touch” which is released on September 6 through Cooking Vinyl.

The album comprises of a 2 CD edition package, which includes exclusive early versions of tracks and additional tracks that never made it onto the album. The album was produced by Youth (Paul McCartney/ Primal Scream/ The Verve).

“Love Is Ending” is definitely worth a listen as critics are saying that it could be the best song the band has done so far. The Horrors have also done a remix of the track, which is exclusively available through iTunes. Also there is a video for the song which was directed by The Jesus & Mary Chain’s Douglas Hart which is visually striking. Click here to watch “Love Is Ending.”

The Charlatans will be performing in October across the UK.

myspace.com/thecharlatans

Boney Black is a talented man who is living his dreams and is on his way to stardom. He has been dubbed as the one to watch by Vernon Kay, Joe Whiley, Zane Lowe and Huw Stevens.

Titus Charles a.k.a Boney Black started making music at the tender age of 10 in his bedroom in London. He saw a lot of his friends turn to crime so he then moved to Preston for a better life.

He has performed at Reading and Leeds festival and has performed with N-Dubz and Chipmunk.  Boney Black’s first single being released is called “Live Your Dreams,” out August 9. The song is a mix of hip-hop and grime and sends a positive message to young people to follow your dreams no matter what people say. His debut album is out in 2011.

Words by Chantelle Lewis-Oriogun

myspace.com/boneybmusic

Mary Portas, the monarch of marketing, recently stood outside a hair salon in Rochdale and said, “It looks like it was at its best in the ‘80’s and it just hasn’t moved on.” The same could be said about tonight. The audience isn’t littered with young, hip electro-spectives with haircuts and ironic Casio watches. What we have here are Numanoids; a bizarre sub-sect of human life who, since the late 70’s, have hung on to Gary’s every move like their Replica Tour t-shirts (placing their fandom in 1979, pop-historians) cling to every contour of their torsos.

Numan however has changed. Obviously he’s aged, we can’t blame a man for that, but he’s also befriended Nine Inch Nails legend, Trent Reznor; a friendship which appears to have had a profound impact on Numan’s live show. If you came expecting a clunky lesson in the origins of synth pop with an awkward beat mirroring the awkward physicality of the iconic social outsider on stage, grab your coat. Gary’s now the front man of a high drama, borderline metal rock band. It feels like an apocalyptic sequel, “Gary Numan 2: The Rise of the Machines.”

At its best, the gig feels as good as Top of the Pops used to look if you ignored the really bored audience, but Gary’s audience were far from bored. Even during the more indulgent forays into atmospheric metal guitar jabbing, the Numanoids were raptured. Their adoration crossed the line from fandom to Nuremburg during a brilliantly dynamic rendition of “Are Friends Electric?”  Numan’s history as a pilot of small aircraft came into play as a thousand hands reached skyward and guided in planes in time to the synths. It was a strange moment of ecstasy spliced between the song’s reflective “So now I’m alone” moments, but brilliant nonetheless.

Now, I know what you’re asking. Did he play “Cars”? Of course he did. It leapt out surprisingly early in the set and was met with a response worthy perhaps of “Stairway to Heaven” or “Bohemian Rhapsody.” I like “Cars” as much as the next man, but let’s be clear; it’s not great art. “Cars” is a fun pop song about insecurity, just as Gary Numan was a fun pop star that wrote songs about insecurity. Unfortunately, he seems to have got lost in the high art side of things and as I think Mary Portas would say, he was at his best in the thirty years ago.

What did you think of the gig?

Huw: “Amazing to see an all time great in such a small venue! Seen him loads over 30 years. I really enjoyed him.”

Joff: “You can’t go wrong with the Numan.”

Jan: “I enjoyed it. Seen him loads of times, puts in a good show. Just glad he’s still going.”

Eddie: “Yeah it was alright. I’m a bit short so I couldn’t see to much. Not bad for someone who’s older than me. Good new versions of old tracks too.”

Words by Joe Nockles
Photography by Keith Trigwell

numan.co.uk

What did you think of the gig?

Rachele: “Very lovely… Interesting but not the sort of thing I’d normally listen to. Scrag were awesome though.”

Ed: “Well, I think they have a retro vibe. Appeal to a mellow, happier audience. Upbeat.”

Lydia: “Pains Of Being Pure At Heart were very serious but having fun. Really appreciated the crowd… I really enjoyed it, brilliant had a bop at the end.”

Stewie: “Liked it. I have a record of theirs so I dragged everyone along.”

Photography by Keith Trigwell

myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart

The Hundred In The Hands have today announced that their new single “Pigeons” will be released on September 13. This will be closely followed by their self-titled debut LP (release a week later) that has been described as “an album of deceptively complex pop songs” with influences from the underground dance scene in NYC.

The Brooklyn dance duo are currently on UK shores; earlier this week playing three shows in London and on August 5 will see them at Brighton’s New Hero.

Thursday 5 August 2010
Doors: 7.30pm
@ New Hero

Watch the video for “Pigeons,” just click here.
thehundredinthehands.com

London dance duo Chase & Status are to release new single “Let You Go” next month. The track sees guest vocals from up-and-coming talent Mali, and it’ll be out on August 15 through Vertigo.

The guys have been busy with touring their live shows and DJ sets but their new album is due for release this November. It will feature their top ten hit with Plan B “End Credits”, “Heavy”, and of course, “Let You Go.”

Click here to check out the video for “Let You Go.”

Lissie returns after the release of her critically acclaimed debut album “Catching A Tiger” with new single “Cuckoo.”  Out on August 30, the “Cuckoo” single features a B-side of the YouTube hit, Lissie’s version of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.”

Lissie recently announced plans for a full UK headline tour in October, following her September tour supporting Ireland’s The Script.  If you can’t wait until then, she is also performing at some UK festivals this August.

For a full list of dates, and how to buy tickets, see myspace.com/lissiemusic

Matthew & The Atlas have just released details about a very special, intimate show in London this August.  Matthew and his band will play their last show before they head into the studio to record the follow-up to their debut EP “To The North” at Paradise in North London on August 12. A very exclusive first screening of Neil Coxhill’s sublime video for “Within The Rose” will also be shown.

Tickets for this show are only £5 and available from the band’s MySpace.

Matthew & The Atlas are also going on tour with Mumford & Sons and Johnny Flynn this October, but tickets are selling super-fast (most of the dates are already sold out!)  so get yours now!

myspace.com/matthewandtheatlas

Students listen up! If you like a good night out at the theatre as much as we do, you’ll love this new venture from UKTickets, London’s leading ticket agency.

Students can now get 10% off ticket purchases to all of London top West End shows including those hard to get ’sell out’ performances. The offer is running for the entirety of July and August; just click here.

Go on, get a healthy dose of culture on the cheap, you know it makes sense!

Toronto’s Young Empires are playing at Audio in Brighton this Saturday as part of a six-date UK tour.  Their demos are spreading like wildfire and earlier this week, the trio’s first date was to a sold out crowd at Madame JoJo’s in London.  While they’re in our fair seaside city, Matt, Aaron and Jake are apparently planning a guerilla-style gig on the beach on Saturday - you heard it here first so keep an eye out!

Saturday 31 July 2010
Doors: 8pm
@ Audio

myspace.com/youngempires

(Photo credits: J David Gillespie)

The mighty mighty Sword have announced a massive world tour (well, the States and Europe) to celebrate the release of their third studio album “Warp Riders” (out August 23). The quartet hit UK shores in late November, with nine dates before arriving in Brighton for a night at Audio on December 10. Tickets are on sale now!

“Warp Riders” is the band’s first concept album; consisting of “epic sci-fi narrative” and the promise of a video trilogy later in the year.

swordofdoom.com
gigsandtours.com / kililive.com / seetickets.com

Matthew P has just released his debut single “Gilly”, in the middle of his summer festival tour that includes stints at Oxegen, Secret Garden Party and Bestival.

Emerging from his Suffolk beachside hut-come-studio Matthew P arrived at Fiction Records earlier this year with a collection of songs. His sound is inspired by years spent living off the beaten track and the first glimpse of his rough-hewn, sometimes melancholic, summer pop sound is this debut track.

Matthew P will release his what will then be his long awaited album “Long Way Home” later this year.

myspace.com/matthewpmusic

Cult alt-rockers Superchunk are set to release their first new album in nearly ten years on October 4! Titled “Majesty Shredding”, it is available to pre-order already, just click here. One would imagine that a handful of live shows will follow and of course we will keep you updated as and when any announcements are made!

myspace.com/superchunkmusic

Friday 30 July 2010
Tickets: £15/ £26.50
@ Komedia

Words by Kate Elliott

komedia.co.uk/brighton

Emerging from the Finnish underground armed with only two Game Boys with which to create all manner of bleeps, beats and grinds, Huoratron (known to his mum as Aku Raski) has seriously stepped things up a notch with “Prevenge.” From the first filthy beat of “$$ Troopers” you can tell that you are in for a messy ride; this is music made with mind-altering chemicals and sweaty raves in mind. Unadulterated mainstream bashing of the highest order!

9/10, out 2 August 2010
Words by Oli Robertson

myspace.com/huoratron

The video has been created by an artist involved in Wes Anderson’s Fanatastic Mr. Fox and Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, called Christian DeVita; remember the name.

Also, Flynn has been confirmed as support for Mumford & Sons on their forthcoming UK tour, hitting the Brighton Dome on October 4; and if that wasn’t quite enough, the master of folk is to play a series of headline shows in December including St. Georges Chruch in Brighton, on December 11.

Enough words, just watch this delightful five minute video in full:

Dinosaur Pile-Up are extending their generosity to their fans in the form of a free download of the B-side of their new single. “Birds and Planes” is the first release from new album “Growing Pains”, out October 4, with “Headspinner” available for free for a limited period on the Dinosaur Pile-Up website.

The album release coincides with an 18-date tour of the UK, and of course features a Brighton date at Coalition on October 13. Expect some riff-wielding grunge-infused carnage – and be sure to bring a pair of earplugs for those possessing delicate ear-drums. Dino-mite!

dinosaurpileup.com

The tour is to coincide with the release of his new album “Acid Country,” available for your listening pleasure from September 13. Recorded with his band in Colne, Lancashire earlier this year; the album was co-produced by Heaton and Christian Madden (of The Earlies), and the first single; “The Ladder’s Bottom Rung” is out September 6.

Eight dates are pencilled in for September, and as a bonus it has just been announced he is to support Madness on their November/December tour, which sees a Brighton date on December 15 at The Brighton Centre. Tickets are available this Friday - July 30 - from 9.30am; gigsandtours.com.

Also, be sure to tune into BBC 6Music this week as the Sheffield-one sits in for Marc Riley, from 7pm daily.

paulheatonmusic.co.uk

Consisting of two-thirds of Le Tigre, the exhilarating electro-pop outfit MEN are to release debut single “Credit Card Babie$” on September 6.

The Brooklyn-based outfit (what do they put in the water in that NY borough??) were originally conceived in 2007 by gender provocateur JD Samson, with fellow Le Tigre compatriot Johanna Fateman. As you would expect, the outcome is a highly energetic, politicised and most importantly just plain excellent music that demand the attention of the dance floor.

Expect an album sometime in 2011 from the new wave infused punk-funk guitar foursome, and some UK dates later this year that are a guarantee to be a raucous, extravagant affair.

Click here to read our EXCLUSIVE interview with the guys and girls from MEN.

myspace.com/men

Produced by Sigur Ros’ Kjartan Sveinsson and Davíð Þór Jónsson, Icelandic singer Olöf Arnaulds is set to release the follow up to her 2007 “Við og Við” debut, “Innundir Skinni”, via One Little Indian on September 13.

Olöf left Iceland for the UK just as the Eyjaffjallajökull volcano began to erupt. After playing to and impressing a select UK crowd Cafe Oto in April, Olöf has got the music heads chattering in New York after sharing stages with Dirty Projectors, Blonde Redhead and John Vanderslice.

“Innundir Skinni” will beat a new sonic pathway for the singer, with English sung single “Surrender” featuring vocals from Bjork. New single “Crazy Car” will be released on September 6, a duet with Ragnar Kjartansson, the husband of visual artist Ásdís Sif Gunnarsdóttir, who created the distinctive artwork on “Innundir Skinni.”

Last in the UK supporting Air in July, her first UK headline tour starts with Dorset’s End of the Road Festival on September 12.

myspace.com/olofarnalds

One of the most talked-about band’s of 2010 – and one of the highlights of this year’s Great Escape – Pulled Apart By Horses release their second single this September, “High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive.” The Guardian (in their 4/5 album review) said this of the tune: “’High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive’ should sound amateurish, but is – like the rest of this rip-snorting debut – brutal, noisy, fun.”

Following the announcement that the Leeds quartet will support Muse in Manchester this September, PABH have also just been confirmed to support Foals on their UK tour in November.

“High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive” is out September 6, on Transgressive Records.

myspace.com/pulledapartbyhorses

“Flash fiction refers to a story written so it can be fitted on one sheet of paper, or on the back of a postcard,” philosophises singer Ollie, one third of new south London band Flash Fiktion. “It’s not like a novel, drawn-out, something that thickens and develops. It’s a narrative with a quick impact - an idea that you can communicate in a three minute song.”

Hailing from Elephant & Castle, the band also had a track mixed by Alex Dromgole (Wild Beasts, Crystal Castles). For now they’re releasing their self-produced double A-side “Leni/Science of Sleep” named after the Micheal Gondry film of the same name.

Click here to watch the video for “Leni.”

myspace.com/flashfiktion

Friday 30 July 2010
Tickets: £15/ £26.50
@ Komedia

Words by Kate Elliott

komedia.co.uk/brighton

British pop sensation Madness are set to tour the UK prior to the release of their second studio album in only three years. Since the release of their new album “The Liberty of Norton Folgate” in 2009, the band’s studio passion was seemingly reinvigorated and now more new material will be unleashed on the general public “sometime in 2011.”

For now however, to help endure the eternal wait and the long cold winter, which is already disturbingly close, you can catch the Madness boys donning their ill-fitting suits and bowler hats at a venue near you! They will be touring throughout November and December – arriving in Brighton for one show on December 15. Tickets are available from this Friday - July 30 - from 9.30am, so get on it!

Check out the promo video (pictured) for the tour here!

gigsandtours.com

Psychedelic rockers Rodeo Massacre have released a live recording of the Cooper classic “I’m Eighteen” on Smoky Carrot Records. The track was completed in Raezor Studios while the band were preparing their debut album material alongside the likes of Chris Constantinou (Adam & the Ants) and Preston Heyman (Massive Attack).

The single was released on July 26 and is available as a digital download. In addition, if comics float your boat, there is also a limited edition comic book written by the band available.

Check out this mind-blowing trio of 21st century psychedelics.

Words by James Rowland

myspace.com/rodeomassacre

The indie rockers hailing from Texas will be releasing their debut LP on One Little Indian Records this September.

This borderline organic super group have taken elements from The Polyphonic Spree, The Twilight Singers and Cursive. Headed up by Jeff Klein, the proverbial glue or link in the whole outfit, the group’s debut LP is a promising prospect, as Klein himself claims the band is of no fixed direction. This makes the whole approach to making songs a little more exciting and a little more authentic or natural, “…the key in all of this is just to have fun and play the music that is fun for us to play.”

New album “Gone For Good” is out on September 6.

myspace.com/jerusalemtx

Due to popular demand, Thirty Seconds To Mars have announced three extra UK dates as part of their tour this November.  Shows have now been confirmed in Cardiff and Newcastle, and a second show has been set for Brighton!

Tickets go on sale this Friday – July 30 – at 9am, and are available from gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.

Jared Leto appeared on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man last week, click here to check out his memorable interview!

thirtysecondstomars.com

Jamaica’s reggae legends Chaka Demus and Pliers are in Europe this summer to do just a handful of shows and a Brighton date has been confirmed! They are best known for their massive hits in the ‘90s - as well as the UK number 1 album “Tease Me” – and Chaka’s collaborations with Yellowman.  The duo have been alighting dance floors now for over 20 years so this is not a night to miss!
With support from Brighton’s Tin Roots and DJ Hot Tip Hi-Fi.

WIN!! A double pass to Chaka Demus and Pliers courtesy of our friends at Concorde 2! To get your name in the draw, all you have to do is email your full name and contact number to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with CHAKA in the subject line. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on July 27.

Friday 30 July 2010
Doors: 7pm – 10pm
Tickets: £15 advance + booking fee, concorde2.co.uk
@ Concorde 2

The Coalition is proud to announce that Sebastien Leger will be playing in Brighton on July 31. Leger’s musical abilities stem from a classical background, but in the late 90s he was producing and DJing techno; the Frenchman drawing influence from the US and the likes of Underground Resistance, Derrick May and Juan Atkins.

Leger’s own label, Mistakes, has strengthened his role as one of Europe’s leading proponents of contemporary underground techno. He has remixed everyone from Danni Minogue, Erik Prydz, Justin Timberlake (to name a very few!) and his latest remix for Cirez D’s “On/Off” proves that he doesn’t just keep his best ideas for himself. Leger has consistently pushed boundaries within the techno scene and his busy diary takes him all over the world - don’t miss him in Brighton this month. With support from Reset Robot and Yusef Sebati and Verity Mayes.

WIN!! A double pass to Sebastien Leger courtesy of our friends at Drink In Brighton! To get your name in the draw, all you have to do is email your full name and contact number to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with LEGER in the subject line. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on July 27.

Saturday 31 July 2010
Doors: 11pm - 4am
Tickets: £8 in advance from ticketweb.co.uk
@ Coalition

Welsh singer/songwriter Pete Lawrie has unveiled the video for the title track from his new EP “All That We Keep,” which is out on August 16.

With his big old raspy growl of a voice, there have been comparisons to the likes of Tom Waits, Ray Lamontagne and - on the quieter moments - a certain Nick Drake. He’s currently doing the UK festivals so keep an eye out for him!

Click here to check out the video for “All That We Keep.”

petelawrie.com

Wednesday 28 July 2010
Doors: 11pm
Tickets: £5
@ Audio

djkentaro.com

Mercury Prize nominated Mumford & Sons have uploaded two videos of their recent travels across India with fellow Mercury Prize nominated Laura Marling.  This trip saw the band and Marling record a beautiful four-track EP featuring the Dharohar Project, which was release earlier this month.

Click here to watch “Goodbye India - To Darkness”
Click here to watch “Goodbye India - Awake My Soul”

The super group - Bobby Gillespie along with his Primal Scream band mates Andrew Innes and Barrie Cadogan, ex-Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock and drummer Zak Starkey, who has worked with The Who and Oasis - played at set compiled of covers that included material made famous by MC5 and The Troggs for the apparently one-off show at 1234 in Shoreditch.

the1234shoreditch.com

It most certainly isn’t every day that you get to see the pioneer of vert skateboarding and creative brains behind one of the decade’s largest video game franchises, Tony Hawk, doing his stuff with our very own West Pier as his backdrop.  The buzz of anticipation in the air this evening quickly reaches fever pitch as thousands of paying punters crowd around a frankly colossal, 14-foot half pipe with several thousand more getting a glimpse from the basketball court on the East side. The stage set for a magical evening on the seafront.

First up are British skateboarders Sam Bosworth, Andy Scott, Sam Beckett and Alex Halford warming the crowd up with some sublime moves. Bosworth and Scott in particular stand out, pulling off all manner of hand-plants, 360-degree spins and hard flips, gaining incredible height and making it all look rather deceptively easy in the process.

Team Hawk (Tony plus Sandro Dias, Kevin Staab, Neil Hendrix and Jesse Fritsch) garner the evening’s largest crowd response with plenty of “ooohs” and “ahhhs” reserved for the main man. Thankfully, Tony reminds us that he is human after all by failing to complete several attempted 540-degree spins, sliding frustrated down the ramp on his knees.

It isn’t long before he lands it, before topping that off with a 720! The moment of the evening definitely comes at the end when Tony is joined on the ramp by two fellow skaters, all health and safety regulations flying out the window as the performers leap over one another in the air.

Newcastle’s Maximo Park may represent a slightly odd choice to close a skateboarding event, yet manage to belt out their tunes with power and precision. They are clearly regarded as merely an afterthought by many in attendance though, large swathes of the audience heading for the exits long before the post-punk anthem “Apply Some Pressure” washes over Brighton seafront.

Words by Oli Robertson
Photography by Gus Manzano

myspace.com/tonyhawk
maximopark.com

As part of a European tour Tony Hawk made his only UK stop on Brighton beach, with a few world champion friends in tow. Arranged by Quiksilver, Tony seemed happy to have landed in Brighton. “They [Quiksilver] chose the cities but now we’re here I can see why. Obviously it’s on the coast and it’s a great town in terms of culture, and really accepting of skating; I think I walked past three skate shops in the space of two blocks. It’s perfect, and Kevin [Staab] finally fits in somewhere.”

About Brighton "It's perfect and Kevin finally fits in somewhere"

When asked about the redevelopment of The Level skate park, Tony advised local skaters to take an active interest. “I don’t know how the process works here but go to council meetings and fundraise if you have to; just be involved, because as soon as you’re not, someone will do a design and if they don’t skate then we’ll all know it.” While on the subject, Tony was asked if his foundation would ever be brought to the UK to help develop parks here. “I would love to, but to be honest with our funding we’re pushing it as far as we can in the US, our donations only cover part of the cost of the skate park. It’s more that we give them an endorsement that means the project will probably get pushed through. If we were able to get more donors then by all means, I would love to take it internationally and here for sure. I’ve felt the UK has always had a really strong skate scene.”

While in the area the lads also checked out Shoreham’s new bowl. Having complimented the park’s design, Jesse Frisch explained the locals reaction to an unannounced visit by a skating legend. “It was okay at first, we skated for a little bit but then one kid in particular had no shame and just started screaming Tony’s name at him. Everyone was on their cellphones and within twenty minutes of being there it was like a sea of people all round the bowl.”

Sandro Dias

Kevin Staab

Check out the Quiksilver promo vid -

Check out Tony Hawk skating the Shoreham Bowl -

Words by Maison
Photography by Gus Manzano

quiksilverlive.com/tonyhawktour10

Doors opened at 7pm; being still at home at this point was risky. Home is far from St. George’s, and with no real concept of geography meant at this point to get to the far-flung venue was a charge straight through Kemp Town. Upon arrival it was in fact a church, not a church hall or an ironic pub. It was a small village style church, awash with bunting, candle lights, the crucifix, a vicarage and all the while, ever-so-slightly out of place, 600 or so Bombay Bicycle Club worshippers. It was with an intense sense of religious irony that the evening proceeded, in that a small hoard of young people who have probably never visited church before, had turned up, but not to worship god. Not only did they turn up, but they went of their own accord and not under the usual duress of their parents. The setting was mystical, close and homely; unsurprising for a church. It was an apt selection of venue, given the nu-folk nature of the Bicycle Club’s latest material and their apparent ability to switch from big rocking guitar music to chilling on church stools with their clean and composed acoustic riffs.

Nonetheless, there was an underlying feeling of scepticism going into this, given that their debut was a stunningly well-executed collection of large-scale guitar songs. Yet so quickly they retreated to more of a soft-core folk indie approach for the second record. But they were never going to rock out in a church. The closest the whole night ever got to slight madness was lead singer Jack Steadman proclaiming with an understated dignity, “I wrote this song in Ibiza, but it’s not what you think.”

The gig itself was very entertaining; their fresh material achieved its full potential in the magical, romantic, traditional and dignified church setting. It didn’t grab the soul or pump your libido like a classic rock concert, but it was captivating and beautiful in places. Bicycle Club impressed with their level of musical competence and confidence. Regardless, people probably turned up just because of the debut album’s exploits (a point perhaps proven by the fact that the only significant moments of applause were reserved for “Always Like This” and “Evening / Morning”). An impressive display, never boring but alas, left this reporter feeling a little cheated and perhaps a bit too thirsty for more.

What did you think of the gig?

Adrian: 6/10 “Really awesome, but it lacked punch.”
Mike: 9/10 “It was more beautiful than punchy, but it was a church so that was fine.”
Kym: 10/10 “Jack Steadman’s folky singing voice just blows me away.”
Adam: 7/10 “I liked it, but I prefer their original material, the electric sound just has more spice.”

Words by James Rowland

myspace.com/bombaybicycleclub

F**ked Up are releasing the next in their Chinese Zodiac series on September 27. “Year of the Ox” features guest appearances from Nika Roza Danilova of Zola Jesus and Torontian string quartet New Strings Old Puppets.

The six-piece are currently in Europe doing the summer festivals and they’ll be in the UK playing 1234 in Shoreditch this weekend, followed by Truck Festival in Oxford, Standon Calling, Hevy Festival and Rebellion.  They wrap it up with a headline show at The Hoxton Bar & Grill on August 11, with support from Trash Talk. And if that wasn’t enough, F**ked Up have been confirmed as the support for Against Me!’s UK tour this October!

For full dates and ticket info, check out myspace.com/epicsinminutes

The Les Savy Fav album release party in London this September has now completely sold out, but have no fear - the New York art-rockers are now proud to announce a full European tour in November. Brighton has been included and you can catch the quintet at Komedia on November 15.

“Root For Ruin” is released on September 13 through Wichita.

lessavyfav.com

Gorillaz are gearing up for their first ever world tour and their plans to take “Plastic Beach” international have just been confirmed.  The band has today announced for this November/December: 20-dates in North America, 10-nights across Europe and the UK before heading south for seven shows in Asia and Australasia.

The previously announced UK dates set for September have been rescheduled to be included in this tour – with an additional night at the Brighton Centre.

Tickets for the Brighton show (on November 18) go on general sale next Friday – July 30 – with members of the Gorillaz fan club having access to purchase 48 hours earlier.

gorillaz.com
livenation.co.uk

Canadian MC/singer/producer, K-OS, releases new single “Zambony” and the video has now hit the web. “Zambony” is from his album “Yes” which was released late last year, and the clip features Hollywood star Hayden Christensen (of Anakin Skywalker fame!).

Click here to watch “Zambony.”

myspace.com/kos

The album will follow on August 23 of this year.

swordofdoom.com

The group initially bonded over their love of classic rock and their sophomore effort is riddled with blues lines and howling rock riffs, but with a more contemporary and unique Night Horse edge.

Words by James Rowland

myspace.com/nighthorsemusic

The award-winning Italian film director, Gabriele Muccino’s work is coming to Brighton as part of the snappily-titled Peroni Nastro Azzurro Accademia del Film Wrap Party Tour.

The celebration, due to be held at The Basement on September 1, is free for all and promises to be an excellent experience for fans of fine Italian film-making! Earlier this year Muccino selected seven up-and-coming British film makers; from composers, make-up artists and set designers, to producers and directors, to help him produce a short film in Rome. The film will be released in cinemas in September, when it will also go on tour giving yourselves the chance to view the film and a selection of interviews with the Accademia del Film (up-and-coming film makers) and Muccino himself.

Personally handpicked by (the) Will Smith to direct “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Seven Pounds”, Muccino has directed both Italian and Hollywood films. He epitomises the innovation and craftsmanship of Italian cinema, or as the man himself says, the creation of “ordinary stories of people in their everyday lives are made extraordinary.”

peroniitaly.com

The Tony Hawk & Friends tour wrapped up in Brighton last night.  The tour was a huge success and the Brighton crowds - a sell-out of 3,300 (with almost that again watching from the promenade) - lapped up the awesome talent.  Tony Hawk along with Sandro Dias, Jesse Fritsch, Kevin Staab and Neil Hendrix, gave the ultimate performance with a multiple of magical combinations. Tony Hawk and Sandro Dias, performed a sublime 540° together, and Tony then landed a 720° and 540° ollie!

The legendary ramp rider and his Birdhouse team even made an unexpected stop yesterday at the local skate park, causing huge excitement by surprising local skaters.  What a guy!

XYZ’s pics and the full review will be available to read online later in the week, but for now, click here.

Hectors House will play host to the alternative rockers Skinny Machines this month! They describe themselves as a noughties version of Smashing Pumpkins - if they sacked Billy Corgan. This seems like an exciting prospect for Brighton’s music lover’s, so local or not, get down there next week for a night of grungy ‘90s influenced rock. With support from Black Gardenias and Mok.

Wednesday 28 July
Doors: 8:30pm
Tickets: £FREE
@ Hectors House

myspace.com/skinnymachines

(Photography credits: Rich Newnham)

Brooklyn’s Sleigh Bells haven’t so much released a debut album in “Treats” as unleashed an absolute stomper of a record that confuses as much as it absolutely enthrals. From the abrasive, electro-flavoured hip-hop attack of “Riot Rhythm” and “Infinity Guitars” through to the blissed-out, Bat For Lashes-influenced “Rill Rill”, Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller constantly leave us dying to know what exciting things the next track will deliver. Superbly intriguing stuff!

9/10, out 9 August 2010.
Words by Oli Robertson

myspace.com/sleighbellsmusic

Part Japanese, part Kiwi indie-rock sensation Sunset Drive are two EPs into their relatively short, but not unrecognised career. Their sound is similar to the hard-edged screaming rock and roll outfit from New Zealand The Datsuns, yet infused with a garage indie melody. This should appeal to all of you out there who obsess about the next big indie act in the UK scene. Unfortunately their records are only available in Japan (or the US on iTunes) for the time being - but don’t be discouraged; you can hear their material on good ol’ MySpace.

Words by James Rowland

myspace.com/thesunsetdrive

Black Country Communion is the new rock super group featuring former Deep Purple/Black Sabbath’s Glenn Hughes, Led Zepplin’s Jason Bonham, guitar player Joe Bonamassa and Dream Theater’s Derek Sherinian, and the quartet have just released the new artwork for their debut album.

The self-titled album will be released on September 20 in the UK and Europe by Mascot Records. “This is the real thing,” said Hughes. “It’s current; not old, or heritage. It’s designed to be a classic modern rock album.”

bccommunion.com

After both pulling off dynamic Glastonbury performances, LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip have announced plans to play a series of co-headlining shows this November.

LCD Soundsystem released their third album “This Is Happening” to critical acclaim amid rumours that it would be their last, however their explosive sold out UK tour and Glastonbury shows prove that LCD are still one of the most relevant bands in the UK.

Hot Chip (pictured) have an enviable live reputation and have recently garnered further critical acclaim after their fourth LP which produced their first Radio 1 List single “One Life Stand.”

The bands will play London, Cardiff, Sheffield and Manchester. Tickets go on sale on July 23 at 9am.

lcdsoundsystem.com
hotchip.co.uk

San Francisco’s finest garage pop band, The Fresh & Only’s, have now released their double-sided single “Impending Doom/Troubling Vision” on a limited edition 7” vinyl. With influences stretching from Violent Femmes to early ‘80’s Brit indie-pop to the Aussie underground scene of the same decade, the band has recently supported Deerhunter in the UK as well as performing at Matt Groening’s ATP. They are set to release a brand new album via In The Red later in the year.

For a taste of the forthcoming album, click here to give it a listen.

myspace.com/thefreshonlys

Saturday 24 July 2010
Doors: 11pm - 4am
Tickets: £9
@ The Honey

thehoneyclub.co.uk

After the furore surrounding the downward career trajectory of last year’s winner of the prize, the Mercury Music Prize seem to have played it safe with the shortlist for 2010. The list comprises almost entirely of well-known acts, bar a few, possibly; Kit Downes Trio and surprise nominees I Am Kloot.

Favourites from bookmakers William Hill include the nominees The XX (pictured) at 4/1 with their self-titled debut, and grime kid Dizzee Rascal with his album “Tongue-’n’Cheek.” Other nominees include Wild Beasts, folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling and Paul Weller features on the list for the first time with “Wake Up the Nation.”

Mumford & Sons have also been nominated by the prize’s jury, alongside Corrine Bailey Rae with her more mature sound on “The Sea”, released early in the year.  Welsh emo-popsters Biffy Clyro and indie band Foals also made the cut to compete for the £20,000 prize.

Biffy Clyro – “Only Revolutions”
Corinne Bailey Rae – “The Sea”
Dizzee Rascal – “Tongue N’ Cheek”
Kit Downes Trio – “Golden”
Foals – “Total Life Forever”
I Am Kloot – “Sky At Night”
Laura Marling – “I Speak Because I Can”
Mumford And Sons – “Sigh No More”
Paul Weller – “Wake Up The Nation”
Villagers – “Becoming A Jackal”
Wild Beasts – “Two Dancers”
The XX – “XX”

mercuryprize.com

Lounge On The Farm promoter Matt Gough said: “What an astounding weekend to celebrate our fifth birthday on the farm! We’re now well and truly making our mark as one of the South-East’s biggest and bestest summer events, and we’re ready to keep bringing the best music, best food and best farm animals to this corner of Kent for a good while yet.”

Get your early bird tickets for Lounge on the Farm 2011! At super attractive inflation and VAT rise busting prices - numbers are strictly limited, so get in there while you can.

loungeonthefarm.co.uk

New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem has announced the release of the new music video for “American Slang.” The album was released back in June and to celebrate, the band - along with director Kevin Custer - are now unleashing a seven-part “Making of American Slang” series that documents the process of recording the new album.

The video for the title track is the first to emerge -  check it out here.

myspace.com/thegaslightanthem

Summer 2010 sees the launch of Malibu By U, a limited edition bottle by the original coconut rum, Malibu. For the first time ever, the iconic white bottle has been turned into a blank canvas so you can design your very own label.

The initiative is supported with a digital gallery where fans can create and show off their designs. The best three entries will be available in all major supermarkets this month and the designers will win a trip to some of the world’s most exotic and colourful locations: Rio, Vegas, or the home of Malibu rum; Barbados.

Malibu’s Facebook page will be providing regular updates on all the artists involved and where their work can be seen. So start practising your design.  All entries will be featured in an on-going, rolling gallery for the nation to see, guaranteeing their 15 minutes of fame.

XYZ have FIVE great Malibu prizes to give away to five lucky people! The prize packs includes a bottle of the limited edition Malibu By U rum and a bespoke Malibu Goody Bag which includes a Mali-Pod bag, a Malibu T Shirt and Malibu Markers. To get your name in the draw, all you have to do is email your full name and contact number to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with MALIBU ME in the subject line. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on July 20.

radiomaliboomboom.com

Sunbirds have been making an impact over the past year or so with performances at Glastonbury and In The City, and now they are set to release the soundtrack to your summer.

“River Run” is the new EP from the London four-piece, released on Smoky Carrot Records today!

Sunbirds take influence from ‘60’s Americana and psychedelia, but all the while, keeping it British.  The Guardian described track “Sunshine” as, “Definitely one of the tracks of the year so far … it’s been a while since we heard a bunch of 60’s west coast acolytes quite this fine.”

Sunbirds are celebrating the release of “River Run” at The Lock Tavern in London tonight from 8pm, so if you’re in town, get down there!

myspace.com/sunbirds

Moon Duo are serving up their “sonic stew” to audiences in the UK and Ireland this month, their first date in Brighton at the Prince Albert. The San Francisco duo - Sanae Yamada and Wooden Shjips’ Erik Johnson - released two acclaimed records last year and this tour coincides with their debut album “Escape,” out now.

Tuesday 20 July 2010
Doors: 8.30pm
Tickets: £9
@ Prince Albert

myspace.com/theprincealbert

THIS EVENT HAS NOW BEEN POSTPONED.

Brighton’s very own country/pop pragmatists The Laylanas are celebrating the launch of their new album “Universal” with a big ol’ party at Hectors House on July 24. Having played alongside such well-known acts as Shane McGowan, Alabama 3 and Noah And The Whale, The Laylanas are bound to kick up a storm live. It’s free entry and the vibe will definitely be good so, if you’re a fan of catchy, well-constructed country there’s no reason for you not to head down.

Saturday 24 July 2010
Doors: 8.30pm
Tickets: £FREE
@ Hectors House

myspace.com/thelaylanas

Alex Winston is trained in opera but hails from Detroit, “Rock City”, Michigan; the home to Diana Ross, The Supremes, The Stooges, Smokey Robinson etc, so it’s no wonder musical-Americana flows in her veins - she even once opened for Chuck Berry!  Alex’s dad gave her her first guitar when she was just seven years old and 14 years later, she can be heard on her “The Basement Covers EP” (available now as a free download) playing guitar, piano and drums.

Alex Winston will release her debut single “Choice Notes” on August 2 through HeavyRoc Music.

Click here to dowload The Basement Covers EP.

myspace.com/alexwinston

“Is that the only song you know?” Yeasayer’s softly spoken front man Chris Keating is responding to an audience member’s cry for “Ambling Alp”, perhaps the band’s most accessible, sing-along song to date. But an hour or so before one of experimental music’s most exciting bands’ set of songs are met with a worryingly muted appreciation from tonight’s sell-out crowd, Clock Opera are staking their claim as another such exciting proposition.

Welding their eclectic post-rock rhythms with off-kilter time signatures and dazzling electronics, this London foursome could soon be headlining venues such as these themselves. They draw warm applause from the young and hip attendees, and one would be advised to check them out at the forthcoming Standon Calling festival.

Emerging onto a stage decked out in gloriously comforting white draping, Brooklyn’s Yeasayer ease themselves into “Wait For The Summer” and 500 souls can only stare in amazement as this eclectic bunch of New Yorkers layer swathes of sound in perfect unison with one another. Keating and his fellow vocalist/guitarist Anand Wilder feed off each other’s vocal qualities fantastically, the latter providing the sweet and soothing, almost croon-like, element to the former’s eccentric edge.

The aforementioned request for something that everybody knows comes rather early in a set that showcases the depth of ingenuity that this band displays. There most certainly is not a dull moment, certain members of the audience grinning uncontrollably and refusing to stop moving to the rhythms despite the apparent confusion and bewilderment in evidence from others.

They are not to be blamed, however. Yeasayer’s music is clearly an acquired taste, yet the live environment provides the best possible place in which to familiarise oneself with their raison d’être. The band look as engaged and lost in their fantastical world, as you’d expect, particularly on the euphoric “Madder Red.” Ending, finally, with “Ambling Alp”, the entire room bellows out the chorus and the band leave the stage to deafening cheers of appreciation. A lot of people are going to fall absolutely in love with this band; they perhaps just don’t know it yet. Best hurry though; they will not be playing venues of this size for very much longer that is for sure.

Words by Oli Robertson

myspace.com/yeasayer
myspace.com/clockopera

Brighton band Mirrors just released details of their new single - their first for Skint Records. “Ways To An End” will be available on 7” and digitally from August 23 and includes B-side “Broken By Silence.”

“Ways To An End” was produced by the band and is taken from their debut album, which is currently being mixed by Jonathan Kreinik (DFA, The Rapture) in New York. The album will be out early 2011.

To coincide with the release of the single Mirrors are touring the UK with a date at Audio in Brighton on August 28.

myspace.com/mirrorsmirrorsmirrors

“Hurt Less”, by rock/drum‘n’bass fusion group The Qemists is the second single to be released from their second album, “Spirit in the System”.

Featuring The Shapeshifters vocalist Jenna G, the track is an emotional dance offering with an uplifting, and dramatic melody and bassline. Blending guitars and beats for a Pendulum-style sound, this track could benefit from being a tad grimier to really make the most of it’s drum‘n’bass foundations, but still manages to pull off a euphoric hit that should prove popular with rock and dance fans alike.

Despite a poor effort for the music video (trendies having a punch-up in a council estate isn’t the most fitting footage for a rock/dance tune, even if it is in super slow mo), “Hurt Less” is another solid release from the Brighton band that will be touring clubs and festivals throughout the UK and Europe this summer.

7/10, 19 July 2010
Words by Laura Wilkins

theqemists.com

The Black Cab Sessions are a series of internet shorts with artists ranging from Little Boots to Noah And The Whale to Grizzly Bear performing in a black cab. To celebrate the next show with newfound Aussie darlings Cloud Control, they are offering the chance to join in and film your own Black Cab session. Winners will get the chance to choose from established and up-and-coming artists.

To enter, purchase your ticket to see Cloud Control on July 22 at London’s Luminaire by July 16 and enter the draw (click here).  The winner will be notified on the night.  If you want to catch them locally, head to The Hope on July 22.

blackcabsessions.com
myspace.com/cloudcontrol

The general opinion down at Life on Monday night was that the music was, without a doubt, ten times better than even the most off centre of weekly club nights. It was still (as you might find it easy to believe) pop music, but there was one massive difference which set it aside from the increasingly similar cheap and quirky messy student nights; Milk Teeth DJs playing you strictly badass 90s club bangers, sort of. Monday nights will now offer you the chance to take a quick stroll down memory lane to the soundtrack of House of Pain, Mark Morrison and Beastie Boys.

Competitive drinks deals (£1.80 for spirit and mixer!) and Life’s unique beach terrace obviously come as part of the package, along with a fitting Mug Shot Cell Booth for those moments you wish you could forget.

Words by Kate Elliott.

drinkinbrighton.co.uk

Food Fighters

Food Fighters

Food Fighters

What did you think of the gig?

Emily: “Really love ‘em, I go to lots of their gigs, and Ruderalis’ as well. Great night…”

Will: “F**king amazing. Best Brighton band I’ve seen in months.”

Matt: “Best Brighton band I’ve seen in hours. They are the best superhero rock and roll band I’ve ever heard.”

Louise: “Best fun ever, really good. It was crazy.”

Photography by Keith Trigwell

myspace.com/thejusticeforce5

Chew Lips have announced that they expect their upcoming appearance at Global Gathering festival in Stratford Upon Avon to be “vomit inducing.” Lead singer Tigs revealed, “It will be a roller coaster of emotion; a nail biting, vomit inducing, pop sensation with semen and sequins.”

The dance-pop trio’s debut album “Unicorn” has been described as “a record fit to herald a new decade”, but Tigs admitted when they first started writing, they didn’t know what sound they were aiming for. “Well we just got in a room initially and started writing songs without knowing what sort of sound we were going for. That then got refined after a year and by the time we were making the record, it was there.”

2010 sees the 10th anniversary of Global Gathering taking place from July 30-31. For more information see globalgathering.com.

myspace.com/chewlips

Richard Ashcroft doesn’t think The Verve will ever get back together. The band’s frontman, who since splitting from the group last summer has formed new group United Nations of Sound, believes there is little point in the band reuniting because they have already achieved so much in their career.

The Verve split twice in their 20-year career before reuniting briefly in 2007, and splitting again for the last time in 2009. “Our reunion was more reassuring for our audience than a nice tidy situation. The personalities are who we are, so s**t happens,” Ashcroft explained.

The musician insists United Nations of Sound have a unique sound and he has been inspired by Kanye West’s former mentor, producer No I.D. “I went to New York to work with No I.D. He described the finished album as a ‘cake!’ He said, ‘What type of cake do you want?’ and I came in with a lot of ingredients - I had a hard drive full of ideas. ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ is pretty much a hip-hop song, so I knew working with No I.D. would take my music to another level.”

myspace.com/unitednationsofsound

LA-based rockers Darker My Love have announced the release of their new album “Alive as You Are,” released July 26 on Dangerbird Records. Recorded at the legendary Hyde Park Studios in San Francisco, the 13 tracks take the band in a new direction, stripping back the distorted sound of the band’s breakthrough album “2″, and focussing on honest song writing.

The end result is a record that stamps its mark firmly in the “lysergic” journey of West Coast psychedelic rock. Click here to listen to sample track “Dear Author.”

myspace.com/darkermylove

Set in a 16th century manor house, past performers include Florence & the Machine, Mumford & Sons and Friendly Fires, and this year see Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, Etienne De Crecy, Liars, Casio Kids, These New Puritans, British Sea Power, Efterklang, Giles Peterson, Alice Russell (pictured), Phenomenal Handclap Band, Fucked Up, Sleepy Sun, Wildbirds and Peacedrums (UK exclusive!) and much much more! The theme is “Murder On The Standon Express” and the festival site will be turn into a real life set for this year’s Murder Mystery production - with a recontruction of London’s infamous Baker Street. Plus burlesque, cabaret and world class foods.

WIN!! A pair of tickets to Standon Calling! Just answer this simple question and email your answer to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with STANDON in the subject line. What is the theme of this years festival? Please include full name and contact mobile number. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on July 14.

Friday 6 - Sunday 8 August 2010
Tickets: £95 weekend camping
@ Standon, Hertfordshire

standon-calling.com

World famous skateboarder Tony Hawk is in Europe this month with his Birdhouse team - Sandro Dias, Kevin Staab, Jessie Fritsch and Jean Postec - for a four-date Quiksilver skateboarding tour that takes them to Berlin, Rome, Barcelona and… Brighton!

Every stop of the tour will come with amazing live concerts and DJ sets, with the Brighton date also playing host to Newcastle rockers Maxïmo Park.

Get down to the Old Paddling Pool on July 21 to see the UK’s top vert skaters, followed by the Tony Hawk & Friends show - headlined by the legendary Mr Tony Hawk himself, with Maxïmo Park rounding up the night.

Wednesday 21 July 2010
Doors: 6pm
Tickets: £16.90, click here
@ Old Paddling Pools, Brighton Seafront

quiksilverlive.com

Communion label and club night has announced details of a unique musical takeover of London’s Flowerpot pub. Starting with a gig last night, the Kentish Town venue will be open to the public over seven days for a series of one-off gigs. Artists include Sarah Blasko, Angus & Julia Stone, Kill It Kid and members of Mumford & Sons.

A resulting album will be released on vinyl and download in autumn. “We wanted to do something a bit different and this is definitely a challenge!” said Communion’s Kevin Jones said. “We’re looking forward to hearing what comes out of these recording sessions as well as seeing some fantastic bands in a tiny venue. It’s going to be chaotic, but definitely worth it!”

Entrance to the shows are free on a first come first served basis, with doors opening at 7pm.

myspace.com/getcommunion

Johnny Flynn and band The Sussex Wit have announced a headline UK tour this winter. Dates include a show at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire and a show at Kemp Town’s beloved St George’s Church on December 11. Pre-sale tickets went on sale yesterday via the Johnny Flynn website, with general sale tickets available from all good retailers this Friday, July 16.

johnny-flynn.com

Josh Homme has revealed that the new Queens Of The Stoneage album is “all about wiggling hips” and will recall the sounds associated with their last studio album “Era Vulgaris.” He went onto say that he and the band - Troy Van Leeuwen, Nick Oliveri, Joey Castillo and Dean Fertita - are please the record will be released on indie label Dangerbird so they can make music “just for the sake of it.”  No release date for the unnamed album has been set, but keep your eyes peeled for early next year.

qotsa.com

The day has come. The Freebutt is due to host it’s last live show for the foreseeable future, in the form of the very talented Adelaide’s Cape.  He is spending his summer on the road with a colossal tour spanning the length and breadth of our fair isles that kicked off in Cambridge on July 1 and doesn’t let up until its culmination in Newcastle on the 31. Do not miss this show, may be the end of an era.

Friday 16 July 2010
Doors: 7.30pm
Tickets: £4
@ The Freebutt

thefreebutt.com

This certainly was not a show to miss! Even with surprisingly early doors (being a Saturday at the Concorde) and a beautiful hot summer’s day in our beloved town the crowd were there. This was most likely due to a fantastic line up with support from Kvelertak, Gaza and the mind blowing Kylesa. With two drummers and a female front woman, many people would be intrigued by what Kylesa have to offer, and they really should be. With an intense, and highly original sound mixing stoner rock with experimental, technical riffs this band put on a jaw dropping show, and set up the crowd nicely for the main act.

Converge exploded onto the stage with “Dark Horse”, the opening track off their latest album “Axe to Fall.” Front man Jacob Bannon commanded the stage with his ferocious and impending presence; launching himself whole-heartedly into the song and gaining an unforgettable authority over the crowd. With that many throat tattoos, and such a forceful online persona, you would expect Bannon to be yet another arrogant hardcore kid, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. This was made quite obvious when he addressed the crowd, continuingly thanking them for their support and for coming down to the show. Awww, what a nice boy.

The rest of the set followed in the same vein, maintaining an insane level of intensity and passion; something many metal core bands often fail to do, unable to continue a whole set with the same momentum. Showcasing much of their new material, Converge offered even meatier riffs and complex timings littered with anger, rage and frustration. Their stage presence really was incredible, full of electrifying enthusiasm, which is no mean feat for a band that have been going for over 20 years (I know, shocking isn’t it!). What’s so noticeable about Converge is they are not just another metal core band; they have managed to mix the passion and intensity of hardcore with the power and ferocity of metal and boy, have they pulled it off. I highly doubt there were any fans that went home feeling like they didn’t get their money’s worth from this show; a truly immense night!

What did you think of the gig?

Dan: 8.5/10 ” Converge were on top form tonight, and really looked to be enjoying themselves. Jake was rocking a Crowbar shirt too!”

Russ: 8/10 “Awesome! Really good show, really good crowd, definitely a brilliant night!”

Shaun: 9/10 “Awesome show, Converge slayed and Gaza were brooding and crushing - way better than on record.”

Gemma: 9/10 “I flew all the way from Jersey for this show, and it was definitely worth my air fare!”

Words by Fran Swaine
Photography by Nats Spada
myspace.com/converge

The evening began slowly with some fine-tuning, some muffled whispers from the crowd and sense of understated musical high culture. This was perhaps symptomatic of the venue more than anything else. The De La Warr Pavilion located in Bexhill-on-Sea was ideally suited to a night at the opera. The evening’s entertainment at the hands of the trip-hop come rock outfit UNKLE, headed by James Lavelle (and Pablo Clements) was backed and adapted to a classival arrangement by the superb Heritage Orchestra. The sound that spawned from this adaptation was both stunning and razor sharp but despite this, the crowd (primarily composed of Brighton-ers) were somewhat unresponsive. This was unexpected. With each song the set built in grandeur and class and yet the audience’s reactions remained unchanged. There was a real feel of anticipation and intensity in the arena that almost felt like frustrated tension. This was where the choice of venue perhaps faltered, as the allocated seating and cinematic atmosphere seemed to (through no fault of its own) restrain the audience to a mild clap between each song. Thankfully this did not last.

Funnily enough it took an artistic error to turn the entire atmosphere around. It occurred during the twelfth song with James Lavelle, Gavin Clark and Elle J (of Brighton’s Dark Horses) singing Richard Ashcroft’s “Lonely Souls”, which was interrupted very abruptly. Gavin Clark stopped mid wail and quite sheepishly stated; “Oh God, we’re gonna have to do that again because we completely f**ked it up… Give me a break, I’m going through a divorce.” His sincerity and honesty was rewarded with the most significant audience response yet, roaring laughter and applause. The tension was gone for good and from then on the entire outfit, both UNKLE and the Heritage Orchestra, performed like a new unit all together. It was as if the whole room lit up and the artist/audience proverbial ice had finally been broken. There was banter, jibes and jeers at Lavelle and company in amongst the rapturous applause. With every track a new bar was set and the sheer talent of all the component parts shone through. It was a feat in musical composition and song writing that operated to such a grand scale it was difficult to get a grip on. The mistake was the turning point and fortunately became an everlasting silver lining that propelled UNKLE to glorious heights of musical accomplishment.

The peaks of the performance were Elle J’s “Rabbit In Your Headlights” and Gavin Clark’s “The Healing” and “Against The Grain”. If you weren’t there you missed out. Brilliant in every way. Accessible but not dull or predictable, epic but not pretentious, brilliantly composed but not overtly controlled.

What did you think of the gig?

Paul: “I didn’t think it was that great until they made they messed up that track; until then it seemed a little lack lustre and like they were holding a little back. After that, they started interacting with the audience more and the atmosphere picked up. I personally didn’t even notice the mistake. It was really good all this aside though.”
Danielle: 8/10 “The orchestra were amazing, especially the violinists; just so beautiful. I really enjoyed the opening “Variation of a Theme,” “Rabbit in Your Headlights,” “Chemistry” - although the sound wasn’t very good, and the encore of “Reign” - I enjoyed most of it hahah. Would like to have heard “Restless” though. And “May Day”, I love “May Day.”

Words by James Rowland

unkle.com

Sandi’s vocals could be mistaken for Christina Aguilera, which blend perfectly with the unique blend of jazz, soul and hint of country sound of the single. It truly is Norah Jones meets Aggy – blues with attitude.

Sandi performed the single on the Bourbon Street Jazz ‘n’ Blues at this year’s Glastonbury - the song is a perfect summer unwinder, for those long sticky nights after a hard day’s work. The sumptuous single will creep into your muscles and sooth you almost as much as that iced gin and tonic.

Unlike so many singles, this tune also tells a definite story and was inspired by Fleetwood Mac’s “Black Magic Woman” making it a solid blues classic. However it is one of those that your mum will swoon over and if you don’t like blues music well you best steer clear of this one. One for the ladies perhaps.

6/10, out 19 July 2010
Words by Sheira Gorris

myspace.com/sandithom

There is a palpable excitement filling the room this evening. The National, five albums into an already illustrious career, are slowly but surely being elevated into the musical stratosphere. Having sold out the Royal Albert Hall two nights running several months ago, clearly the prospect of seeing such an enormous band in a relatively small venue on a gorgeous summer’s evening in Brighton is too perfect to comprehend.

So much so, that for much of The National’s set the audience can only offer polite and slightly star struck applause rather than a rapturous ovation. But then again, the very nature of this particular beast is subdued, melancholy, shy and afraid of itself as well as everyone else (evidenced in the downbeat “Afraid Of Everyone”). Matt Berninger adopts his trademark withdrawn, mic-hugging pose, content to focus on belting out his Curtis-meets-Springsteen drawl to the packed house.

Throughout a set that draws mostly from their last two studio albums, plus a little of ‘05s “Alligator”, there is very little onstage movement from the band, very little show of emotion. To an outsider it may look like they are just another disinterested bunch of rock stars going through the motions (they are not), yet to pull this particular band up on that would be like complaining that Joy Division never wrote any cheery songs; it is all the band know, the thing that they excel at. To do any differently would be to betray both themselves and their listeners. This is not music to jump around and smash guitars to. It is reflective, introspective. And a lot of people clearly ‘get’ it.

At times The National are a joy to behold. “Fake Empire” and “Mistaken For Strangers” receive the loudest appreciation of the evening, ironically two of the band’s most upbeat songs. At other times, for the casual observer at least, one perhaps wonder’s what all the fuss is about. Like The Smiths before them, The National represents something approaching a religion for their devoted followers, whilst the outsider is left to shrug in muted appreciation. On tonight’s evidence, the former is slowly beginning to outweigh the latter.

Words by Oli Roberston
Photography by Emmest

americanmary.com

Formed through a shared love of justice, spandex and guitar riffs, Brighton’s finest superhero-rock group, General Bovine & The Justice Force 5 finally released their new double A-side single last month featuring the tracks “Fight The Fight” and “J.U.S.T.I.C.E Force Dance.” Inspired by bands such as KISS and the Flaming Lips this six-piece put on one of the most energetic and entertaining live shows you’re likely to see. With confetti cannons, costume changes, robots and live musical battles they’re not to miss. They play Brighton’s Jam this week as part of the JF5 Tour De Force.

Tuesday 12 July 2010
Doors: 7.30pm
@ Jam

From August 2-6 the De La Warr Film Club will be challenging participants to make a film from scratch in five days. Writing, directing, acting, filming and editing will all by done in small groups to be screened and judged at the end of the week. Meanwhile, younger film fans, ages 10-12 can get involved with their own filmmaking workshop from August 9–13.

For those who prefer to focus on something more stationary there’s the Big Art Club for 8-12 year-olds from August 23–27. The week’s activities give children the opportunity to explore a variety of textiles and materials and really let their imaginations run wild.

Storytellers and creators will then have their turn in the Big Story Club, followed by a half-hour story telling session, from August 23 - 27. Children can get involved with a week of mind-stretching riddles and word games, stories about issues and ideas, hair-raising folktales, awesome myths and even a lying competition.

Prices range from £40-£85 per week.

dlwp.com

So is XYZ Magazine!  Keep up-to-date with the happenings on xyzmagazine.co.uk - all of our EXCLUSIVE competitions and ticket giveaways, the latest music news, our live previews, our music reviews, our exclusive interviews and much much more!  Just click here!

To coincide with the release of their latest single “Fits and Starts” on September 6, Musee Mecanique will be playing three dates across the UK. The single, taken from the band’s 2009 album “Hold This Ghost”, will be released on Souterrain Transmissions and performed live by a five-piece rather than the duo that toured our shores last year.  Catch them at the Prince Albert in Brighton on September 22.

myspace.com/museemecanique

In preparation for the release of their forthcoming sophomore album “Flaws”, Bombay Bicycle Club have released a series of live videos from gigs all around North London. The power of YouTube has been harnessed to great success in the past by countless acts (Jamie T for example) so in that sense, the youthful guitar rockers have struck bandwagon gold. Follow the links below to see live performances of key tracks from the forthcoming album such as “Ivy and Gold” and “Swansea“.

bombaybicycleclubmusic.com

New boys on the pop-dance block, Diagram of the Heart – aka electronic duo Kys Sones and Anthony Gorry – are bounding onto the music scene with their debut single “Dead Famous”, due for release on July 11.

This euphoric track has a poppy Calvin Harris-esque feel, and could well be a contender for this year’s soundtrack to summer.  Whilst we’ve definitely heard this type of track before, the catchy lyrics and rhythms still highlight Diagram of the Heart as one to watch, especially with after their recent performance at T4 on the Beach.

“Dead Famous” has piano riffs, electronic synths, moody vocals and Europe’s champion pole dancer doing some pretty nifty moves in the video – what’s not to love? Yes, it may be a little bit cheesy, but it’s a toe-tapping treat for sunny days.

Diagram of the Heart’s album, “Vital Signs”, is due for release in autumn.

8/10, out 11 July 2010
Words by Laura Wilkins

myspace.com/diagramoftheheart

The world has been waiting since 2006 for another studio album from New York indie rockers, The Strokes, and it seems we may yet wait another nine months until March of 2011.

However disappointing this reality is, the outlook is perhaps even bleaker when you consider the latest statement from Strokes front man Julian Casablancas; “We wanted to do it for months. And we keep thinking ‘OK we’ll do it for like these three weeks and then we’ll be done.’ And then something comes in the way.” Furthermore it is also not certain to him that the band will ever play together again, “I don’t know. Whatever people want I will be happy to respect their demands.” Hopefully this is all not as ominous as it seems.

thestrokes.com

Brightonians flocked to the beach in their thousands over the weekend to celebrate what could be the last Paddle Round The Pier. The largest free beach festival in Europe returned to the scorching Hove Lawns with a bang.

The festival stayed true to its surfer roots with endless water activities on offer including the hugely popular water races. These water activities were also given that extra adrenaline rush by the unusually high waves of the weekend. The pool built for scuba diving lessons also proved a hit and attracted the majority of aimless passersby.

Sporting enthusiasts aside, the festival again proved that it could provide for all the family. The littles ones were instantly captured by the bouncy castle, Ferris wheel and breathtaking slide (that got adults asking what the age limit was!). The rest of us soaked up the sunshine infront of the live band tent and indulged in the mountain of cuisines available. The Thai stand proved to be very popular and a few drunken grumbles were definitely heard when the Pad Thai ran out! The Brunswick tent was also full to the brim throughout and kept visitors happy and hydrated (well sort of!) well into the night.

Paddle Round The Pier again captured that summer festival spirit and brought the whole of Brighton together. But if the event cannot find a sponsor for next year, it faces a definite cancellation. Let’s keep our fingers crossed - this is one event Brighton cannot afford to lose.

Words by Sheira Gorris

paddleroundthepier.com

Australian rock band, Violent Soho, is back with an exciting new single called “Jesus Stole My Girlfriend” - out July 26.

Violent Soho self released an album and drove themselves round Australia touring for five years. A copy of the album (that was recorded in their garage!) was given to Thurston Moore who loved it and was at their first gig in New York. Then Rick Rubin heard about them and personally invited them to play at his condo in Malibu! Moore gave Violent Soho a deal on his Ecstatic Peace! label and got the best producers in the genre; Gil Norton (Jimmy Eat World, The Distillers) made the record in the Welsh countryside before it was mixed by Rich Costey (Mastondon, Muse, Mars Volta, Interpol.) - the production team behind The Pretenders and Foo Fighters.

myspace.com/violentsoho

Mumford & Sons and Laura Marling are pleased to announce their collaboration with a collective of Indian musicians - Dharohar Project - to create a brand new EP of recordings that are available now on iTunes.

The British artists successfully toured India back in December 2009 and spent many days with the Rajasthani folk musicians in a makeshift studio at an arts and culture school in Delhi which is where they made their new EP. The EP comprises of four songs, including collaborative re-workings of Mumford & Sons’ song “To Darkness” and Laura Marling’s “Devil’s Spoke.” The other tracks on the EP are called “Anmol Rishtey” and “Mehendi Rachi.”

mumfordandsons.co.uk
lauramarling.co.uk

For all you Orphanites out there Orphan Boy are releasing their new single entitled “Pop Song” on July 19, and releasing new album “Passion, Pain and Loyalty” August 2.

The band also has two free downloads from the upcoming album called “Grand Piano” and “Remember” available, just click here.

myspace.com/orphanboy

Photography by Liz Chambers

pridelondon.org

Mid-way through the biggest American tour of their career, Kele and his three Bloc Party alumni decided to go on a yearlong break from band matters.  In the midst of this hiatus Kele started yearning, and before he knew it found himself in a studio, knocking out synths and programming drumbeats he had no idea how to work. Enter “The Boxer”, where Kele finally struts his stuff in the way he clearly really wants to.

Bloc Party’s transition from “Silent Alarm” to “Intimacy” was formidable and clear, and so it continues as Kele’s first solo effort is mixed up with a range of pulsating beats and filthy sounds, intermittent with his beautifully soulful voice and inspiring lyrics.  The introduction of Spank Rock’s producer XXXchange has produced 10 forceful tracks that clearly belong more to a dance floor than a UK rock stage.

Opening with “Walk Tall”, inspired by his recent love of kick boxing, but also his new independence, it is driven by droning synths and a “I don’t know what you been told” hook.  “On The Lam” transverses us to a two-step feel, with sped up lyrics and again a dirty synth-led bass line.  Then comes single and dance floor smash “Tenderoni”, a track about getting it on with someone a little too young for you.  The album begins to mellow slightly after this intro, and one the highlight songs “Everything You Wanted” leads us safely back into Bloc Party territory, with it’s emotive chorus and one note piano rift.  The much more subdued “The Rules” is much more contemplative, and the vocals of Jodie Scantlebury compliment Okereke’s in a somewhat unexpected and wonderful way.  Kele claims that track “Rise” was truly where the record came into fruition, and it’s easy to see as it contains all the elements that link the entire record together.  Kele’s inspirational vocals, “You are stronger than you feel” slowly transform into a vivacious Josh Wink inspired track.

Overall “The Boxer” is a slickly produced, intelligent dance record (however much Kele claims he hates the tag). There are elements of pop, and funnily enough Bloc Party, intermittent with Kele’s moving and sometimes melancholic vocals.  The record is not exactly awe-inspiring, and may just be the platform for Kele to truly find himself, but it is a positive and truly bold move and one that has to be congratulated.  Whether we’ll ever see Bloc Party again remains to be seen but if not, then there is definitely a place for Kele in this industry.

7/10, out now
Words by Gary Rowe

If you’ve never seen Vessels before, then you’ve not lived. Five musicians, several instruments and an extreme amount of talent all combine to fill the missing piece to your incomplete puzzle. The Leeds phenomenon’s are no strangers to Brighton and once again return with an ample amount of impressive material that’ll leave audiences mesmerized. Currently recording their second album in Texas, there is no doubt that Brighton will play witness to some new melodic creations, accompanied by an incredibly tight and professional performance.

Tuesday 13 July 2010
Doors: 7.30pm
Tickets: £7.50 advance
@ Freebutt

freebutt.co.uk

UNKLE will play alongside long time collaborators Heritage Orchestra at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Seaon July 10.  The band will showcase Variation On A Theme, a joint venture with Heritage Orchestra. The release of their fourth full-length album, “Where Did The Night Fall”, saw the acclaimed London-based band feature percussion from the progressive classical group, whilst recording in Ibiza, Melbourne and Los Angeles. Don’t miss them in this beautiful setting. New album “Where Did The Night Fall” is out now.

Saturday 10 July 2010
Doors: 8pm
Tickets: £18 from seetickets.com
@ De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea

dlwp.com

As the majority of the country shuts itself indoors to have a good old sulk at yet more World Cup disappointment, a hundred or so rockin’ souls have gathered on this baking Sunday evening to witness one of psychobilly’s hidden gems, Detroit’s Koffin Kats. The first chance for the assembled faithful to see new guitarist EZ Ian in the flesh; there is a palpable excitement drifting around the room as stand-up bassist/vocalist/bringer of supreme mayhem Vic Victor brings that first rumbling twang to fruition.

Not content on simply churning out their tunes to a weekend-weary crowd, it isn’t long before EZ and Vic in particular find themselves in all sorts of strange mid-song positions. We aren’t just talking foot on monitor stuff here; rather full-blown contortionism! During one hyper-speed bass solo, Vic places his sizeable instrument on the stage and proceeds to spoon it from behind whilst never missing a beat. The next minute he shuffles up to EZ, the two having swapped instruments mid-song, and plays out the bass notes with the neck of his guitar. Spellbinding stuff!

A mention must be given to the new six-stringer, for it’s as if he has always been a member of the band. The chemistry between the trio, the togetherness and spot-on precision of playing would suggest so.

The live favourite “At The Bar” has audience members hurling themselves about the wrecking pit and singing along with absolute glee as the temperature raises several notches and the band even finds time to squeeze in some newbies such as “Saw My Friend Explode Today” into their 20-plus song set. Attributing to the fact their performance is part of a club night, the band plays on a little too long for a Sunday evening gig, promising to “stick around and drink” before they jump offstage drenched in sweat. Early reports suggest a few sore heads come Monday morning!

Words by Oli Robertson

myspace.com/koffinkats

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk and the Birdhouse team are in Europe this month for a four-date tour - Berlin, Rome, Barcelona and the final stop in Brighton! Get down to the Old Paddling Pool by the West Pier on July 21 from 6pm to see some of the UK’s top vert skaters, followed by the Tony Hawk & Friends show and rounding up the night is Newcastle’s Maxïmo Park.

Courtesy of our friends at Quiksilver, XYZ have one double pass to give away along with an exclusive Quiksilver Goody Bag. To enter, email your full name and contact number to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with HAWKS in the subject line. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on July 7.

Antony and the Johnsons release new album “Swanlights”, on October 11 through Rough Trade Records. There will be a special edition of “Swanlights” available which will include the CD inside a 144-page hard cover book containing Antony’s paintings, collages, photography and writing.

While “I Am a Bird Now” is compelling in its vulnerability and “The Crying Light” is a masterpiece of austerity, “Swanlights” may be Antony’s most wide-ranging, emotional work to date.

The album-only version of “Swanlights” will also include the song “Flétta”, a duet with Björk.

myspace.com/antonyandthejohnsons

“How To Fake Your Own Life” is Adam Freeland’s first solo release since “The Hate EP” and his first since his band’s “COPE™” album last year. Freeland gave the parts of this track to Étienne de Crécy before he had finished mixing the original, and Étienne beat him to finishing it! Taking the absolutely huge riff from the original and adding Étienne squiggly analogue synths, this an arrangement that has been tried and tested in Freeland and Etienne’s recent sets, we can confirm this mix tears big rooms apart!

“How To Fake Your Own Life” is out on Monday.

Click here to download the Étienne de Crécy remix.

It’s time to get some fun. in your life. The aptly-named New York three-piece released their debut album “Aim and Ignite” earlier this month and in celebration they’ve been gradually unveiling a collection of lovingly-shot acoustic videos. Filmed in a London flat the videos are available by clicking on the links below.

“All The Pretty Girls”, “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)” (pictured), “The Gambler”

Maccadano, maccadano, dano dano dano. These are some of the words you won’t hear at an Elliot Minor gig. Others include “you’re not alone” and “I’m falling too deep.” Just kidding, these are, of course, things you’ll hear at an Elliot Minor gig. Apart from the “maccadano” part but a man can dream!

I shimmy to the gig just in time to see Elliot Minor come on stage (the traffic from London was appalling) and I creep up to the side of the venue to endeavour to understand what this band is about.

Hands belonging to young girls and boys are flung into the air; eager beavers. The end of a generation and yet so young - only a beer or two in sight. And the second the first song is finished, the audience screams high pitched screams, slightly reminiscent of an early Beatles gig. It hurts my ears and is louder than the band them selves.

But it seems Elliot Minor feel slightly more than “elliot minor r fking awsum” and offer a professional feel to the pop plunged emo songs they seem to take to the stage quite amiably. Elliot Minor are like a watered down rock band, but they pack dangerously charming modulations and sickly sweet melodies to reel in those infant ears.

So, let’s talk about one of their singles, one that’s been hovering in and out of the top 40. “Parallel Worlds.” The name itself screams a sort of post apocalyptic emo-spasm, and it begins with something similar too. The slight drone of a synth; a tune that could be taken out of a PG horror movie and then the mediocre drop, followed by Darkness-style cod metal guitar solos, and bursts of surf guitar - and the emo. It lacks cohesion, that’s for sure. It drifts around aimlessly for quite a while, without ever having a quintessential sound for the band. It’s not bad, but if Elliot Minor wants to stay in the game they’re going to have to give their fans a bit more.

Words by Niall Amor

myspace.com/elliotminor

She started out as a busker in New York, associating with the city’s bohemian musos and catching the eye of fellow resident Courtney Love. After playing on Jools Holland clad in jeans and a scruffy top, singing alongside Ellie Goulding at The Great Escape, and her covers of Metallica and Lady Gaga becoming YouTube hit sensations, Lissie has been a safe bet for success.

Album “Catching A Tiger” was out on June 21 on Columbia Records. A combination of alt-country vocals and upbeat pop, Lissie’s style is influenced by the breezy style of a weathered instrumentalist. “Look Away” invests sensitive lyricism; “We belong in a fortress of pine trees” she sings, “I won’t be found.”

It would be easy to misinterpret Lissie as just another vacuous female mouthpiece of the A&R giants, yet her skill in playing says otherwise. Single “Everywhere I Go” is a standout track, with strong vocals. “Angels will call on me and take me to my home,” she sings.

“Bully” is another highlight, with slow plucking on an electric guitar and then a fuzzy effect that hints at scuzzier roots and sounds almost like early Pixies. The sentiment is reminiscent of the hobo guitar player, so no prizes for original chord structures - the draw is in the well-honed sound. She sits happily in the canon of female country singer songwriters, adding to the tradition rather than apeing it.

7/10, out now
Lizzie Simner

lissie.com

Blonde Redhead will return this autumn with the release of “Penny Sparkle”. Set for release on September 13 “Penny Sparkle” is the New York trio’s third album on 4AD and marks another “sonic twist” in their already adventurous music.

To mark the release of the album, the band have also announced a European tour with a date at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on September 29.

Click here to download the album’s opening track “Here Sometimes”.

New-Yorkers The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart unveil a new video for their new single “Say No To Love”, out on July 5. The single is from the acclaimed self-titled debut album.

The band are due to play numerous festivals over Europe this summer, after which they will return to New York to record their highly anticipated second album. One headline show is scheduled in London, at Heaven on July 29.

Watch “Say No To Love” here.

If you were in London around Brick Lane area last month you may have seen an usual site because The Drums decided to have some fun by recreating their album cover in 3D outside the Rough Trade East store!

It was all caught on secret camera, click here to check out what went on!

myspace.com/thedrumsforever

Rarely does a band manage to marry musical virtuosity with pop sensibility. Chicago’s hottest four-piece, however, have managed to do just that. Maps & Atlases are best described by NME saying that they write “super complex songs [that] sound like Vampire Weekend after a math-rock makeover”. Having just signed to FatCat they are set to release their debut album, “Perch Patchwork” on September 27 and have a tour booked for October.  (Assuming it’s still open), you can check them our at Brighton’s Freebutt on October 8.

Click here to Save The Freebutt.

With headline performances on Lounge On The Farm’s main stage – The Cowshed - from Hercules And Love Affair, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Toots & The Maytals plus appearances from DJ Yoda, Tunng, and Frankie & The Heartstrings, there is plenty of musical delights to be had this weekend but add in comedy from the likes of Phill Jupitus and his Comedy Improv Allstars and Howard Marks, delicious food, local ales and the Little Lounge area for kids and you’ve got yourself one humdinger of a weekend.

WIN!! A pair of tickets to Lounge On The Farm! Just answer this simple question and email your answer to info@xyzmagazine.co.uk with LOTF in the subject line. What’s the main stage at Lounge On The Farm called? Please include full name and contact mobile number. You must be 18+ to enter. Competition closes on July 7 and the lucky winner will be contacted that afternoon.

Friday 9 - Sunday 11 July 2010
Tickets: £95 from ticketline.co.uk
@ Merton Farm, Canterbury

loungeonthefarm.co.uk

Recently Jarvis Cocker has been talking about reforming Pulp for next year’s Glastonbury Festival and follow in the footsteps of Blur.

Jarvis recently admitted he often thinks about what it would be like to get Pulp back together, because fans always ask him about the possibility of a reunion happening. He said: “I get asked about it (reforming), and I suppose it makes me think a little bit. The fact that people seem interested, that makes me think about it a little bit more.”

Pulp stepped in for The Stone Roses at Glastonbury after they cancelled back in 1995 and the performance is said to be one of the bands’ best and one of the best in Glastonbury’s history.

Yeasayer return to the UK for the festival season, playing T In The Park, Latitude and the Reading and Leeds festivals. A few headline shows are scheduled to coincide with the festivals, one of which is at the Concorde 2 in Brighton on July 12. Fans can expect a full UK tour in October, tickets are on sale now.

Their new single “Madder Red” will be out on August 30.

yeasayer.net

Everyone loves a bounce and if it’s free you’re there with bells on, right? Every act on this reggae/hip hop/dubstep/electro feast of a line up guarantees movement, plus there are games and party bags like every good first birthday party should have. FFA have found some of the most innovative new acts in the country; The Fadadoo Project are bringing turntables and bongos; Karl Phillips is doing a hip-hop rock turn, and everyone was so chuffed with new resident BreakinBear’s (pictured) relentless DJ set last month that they are providing the after party mix as well as playing live in the electro-indie guise we love them for.

Everything you could possibly need for a wicked birthday and if you like yours without paying for it then Free for All has put you on the list.

myspace.com/bnwproductionsuk

“Call Me” is the second single to be taken from The Pipettes forthcoming and eagerly anticipated second album “Earth Vs The Pipettes.”  Set for release in September, this album looks to build on the success of their 2007 debut. A change of line up later and The Pipettes have reinvented themselves as a shiny polished pop group, moving towards the sounds of seventies disco and eighties chart music.

Click here to watch “Call Me”.

myspace.com/thepipettes

The path to success has been a long one for new soul diva, Andreya Triana. From being a sushi waitress to working in a hearing aid shop, she’s certainly gone through the grind. Now though her time has come.

Her debut album “Lost Where I Belong” is out on August 23. Produced by down-tempo king, Bonobo, it’s a work of love that features some of the most sultry vocals you’re ever likely to hear. Having used both live musicians and samples, and with an appearance from singer/songwriter Fink, there’s a balance to the album that’ll be familiar to most Ninja Tune fans. Triana’s previous work with Flying Lotus and Theo Parrish makes her no stranger to this sound and her stunning performances show just how comfortable in her style she has become.

The debut single, “A Town Called Obsolete” is out July 26.

myspace.com/andreyatriana

Kele Okereke, the singer and front man of indie band Bloc Party, has always fought those stereotypical circles that make any music journalist’s job a breeze. Being both black and gay were not normal things to be in the scene in which Bloc Party formed and Kele’s refusal to talk about his sexuality seemed to serve only to re-establish his image as sombre and serious.

Bloc Party’s sound of anxiety on 2005’s beautiful “Silent Alarm” was an exercise in lyricism over anything; “We got crosses/on our eyes/Been walking into/the walls/again.” With songs about wars and stutters; even Matt Tong’s thumping drums were the sound of a stamping teenage energy. Two more albums from Bloc Party ensued, during which the sound grew heavier and then lightened up on 2009’s single “One More Chance.” Kele has broken out on his own for his first solo tour, starting in Ireland and tonight, raving it up in Brighton.

Support comes from Mama at 8.15pm. Her music sounds like ‘80’s New York sleaze; you can imagine Har Mar Superstar casually sitting backstage in his pants eating peanuts. She spits out her introductions between tracks and poses with a cape. Mama has to restart her last song as a technical mishap and covers it well; “Come on maestro … Oh wait, no, start again, can I get my dancin’ bitches up here … Okay, you can play it now.”

Kele comes on at nine with shoulders back, a huge grin, baseball cap, black vest - and muscles, which speaks to the dancier style of his new album “The Boxer”, produced by New York’s XXXchange. “This is the first show we’ve done where people know the album and it feels really good,” he states excitedly. He introduces his new band proudly, and appears relaxed and calm, interacting and joking with the crowd. “I used to be in another band you might know…” elicits roars of appreciation. He plays a mixture of material, the new album and Bloc Party hits from “Silent Alarm.”

By the time he sings single “Tenderoni”, the energy is sky high and not a single person is standing still. Kele has a new persona with this band and it is faring him well, with his show at Glastonbury, this UK tour, a possible move to New York. Yet despite clearly enjoying the new songs, Kele’s solemnity when singing the slow and sensitive parts is hugely appealing. The final song on the set list is Bloc Party’s “Flux” and Kele straps a guitar over his shoulders with the words “I’ve not seen one of these for a long time.”

What did you think of the gig?

Matt: “Awesome, a bit different from the mainstream.”

Laura: “We got here late so had to basically shower in the loos, that was nice. It was crazy but not too busy so I didn’t die in the end!”

Lucy (on percussion): “when we played our first gig of the tour in Ireland no one knew the songs but now they do, we’ve really enjoyed it. It’s nice that people know the words. Kele really enjoyed it.”

Ming (on drums): “I’m playing with my other band Ignug at Roskilde so I’m missing some of Glastonbury tomorrow! Brighton’s been great, we were at the beach earlier.”

Words by Lizzie Simner
Photography by Gus Manzano

iamkele.com

As everyone heads home after this year’s Glastonbury, here are a few live performance links from some of Stay Loose’s artists.

Mumford & Sons, full set from John Peel stage on Friday.
Bombay Bicycle Club, “Always Like This” from John Peel stage on Friday.
Corinne Bailey Rae, full set from Pyramid Stage on Friday.
MGMT (pictured), full set from Other stage on Sunday.

stayloose.co.uk

German punk rock upstarts The Beatsteaks release their brilliant news album “Limbo Messiah” on July 12 in the UK. Following on from that is their new single “Jane Became Insane”, which is released on July 19. “Limbo Messiah” was previously released elsewhere, but now it’s the UK’s turn for this exciting and explosive album. Check out the XYZ review here.

beatsteaks.com

The three-year wait for this album is finally over. Initially just released in Europe and not in the UK, “Limbo Messiah” explodes onto the music scene in all its catchy, punk rock glory. Each song follows on from the last, like they are meant to be stitched together as one. Harmonies and melodies feature throughout the album, both in vocal lines and guitar parts.

Opener “As I Please” throws together melodic vocals, chugging riffs and lovely guitar licks seamlessly. This flows well onto the second song, and new single “Jane Became Insane.” This song is full of attitude, gritty vocals and driving guitar riffs.

“Sharp Cool and Collected” goes back to their raw punk rock roots, fast, anarchic drums, attitudinal vocals and erratic guitar.

One song that takes this album into a softer direction is “Meantime.” Not as raw as the other songs on the album, this song has softer, intricate guitar playing and has the feel of a radio friendly song. The album is emotional and passionate in parts; “Demons Galore” illustrates this well. Singer Arnim Teutoburg-Weiss sings: “I’ve got mine and you’ve got yours.” Lines like this show the bands vulnerability with battling their demons, like every other person on the street.

“Cut Off The Top” takes the album into a different direction altogether. Ska-esque in the guitar style, heavy driving bass-lines and drumming which you could mistake for a drum machine. This is definitely a fresh change of music for these guys, especially as they seem to have stuck to the same formula for years.

“E-G-O” is dark yet catchy, with the same varying vocal lines which are a staple in this album. Ending the album the same way it started, catchy and explosive.

Fans may take a couple of listens to really warm to this album, especially if they are in love with their old albums. On the other side of the coin, the band have headed in a new, fresh direction.

9/10. Out 12 July 2010
Words by Jo Hayes

The highly anticipated new release by UK based producer duo Deelux is due out for release on June 27. “Hot Hot Hot” features remixes from Zombie Disco Squad and Judge Jules. The duo are planning a tour of the UK and the US, including playing at clubbing hot-spots Ibiza and Mallorca over the summer.

dee-lux.co.uk

Welsh ragga-punks Skindred are set to hit the ground running this summer with a string of festival appearances across the UK and Europe, including an appearance at Download’s little brother of sorts, Sonisphere. As frontman Benji Webbe boldly claims, “Sonisphere is gonna be massive and so rockin’ this year! People best be ready for the most metal, messy, mash-up moment of the UK’s 2010 festival season!”

Best take the man’s word for it!

myspace.com/skindred

Photography by Liz Chambers

myspace.com/z-starmusic

Young blues singer/songwriter Pete Lawrie has announced details of his brand new single “All That We Keep”, which will be released on the August 16 through Island Records.

A perfect summer anthem to soundtrack his forthcoming slots at Glastonbury Festival this weekend, “All That We Keep” follows the release of April’s “How Could I Complain” debut EP which saw Pete’s rich vocals compared to the likes of Ray LaMontagne.

Unfortunately Pete won’t be stopping off in Brighton on this UK/festival tour but for a full list of dates, check out his website.

petelawrie.com

Dizzee Rascal isn’t “nervous” about playing Glastonbury. The “Holiday” rapper will be performing on the Pyramid Stage at the world famous music this weekend, and will be sharing the limelight with headlining acts such as Gorillaz and Muse.

The confident 26-year-old rapper said: “I’m not nervous. Without trying to sound arrogant, a crowd is a crowd. You get on the stage, zone in, jump about like a nutter. Then you zero in on what you need to do in those 70 minutes. The big names, none of that matters when I’m up there on stage.”

Florence and the Machine singer Florence Welch has revealed she has a “big surprise” for Glastonbury today. Florence is not the only artist who has a Glastonbury surprise in the making. Headliners Muse have also promised a “very, very special surprise guest”.

But as you’re reading this, we’re guessing that you’re not at the festival - but have no fear! You can watch it online – just click here.

The rather talented Adelaide’s Cape has decided, like any good young musician should, that he would rather spend his summer on the road. A colossal tour spanning the length and breadth of our fair isles kicks off in Cambridge on July 1 and doesn’t let up until its culmination in Newcastle on the 31. Click here to download his latest single “Belle.”

Catch the man known to his mum as Sam Taylor at Brighton’s Freebutt on July 16 but check out his MySpace for a full list of dates.

myspace.com/adelaidescape