Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats

 – GORILLA, MANCHESTER –

Valkyriesque, thunderous background music foretells a rumbling horror show tonight at Manchester’s Gorilla. Straight from “Hell, Cambridge”, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats storm into stage. Lead singer and guitarist Kevin Starrs (K.R.) vaguely reminds me of that creepy Japanese little girl that comes out of a well and crosses the safe line between your TV screen and reality… To be fair, K.R. is not that scary at all, in fact, I think there’s quite a witty, nice chap behind that straight long hair.

‘Waiting For Blood’ then? Yeah. They choose first this hit from their latest album The Night Creeper and the audience starts the rhythmic head-nodding straight away. Even the avid technician can’t help joining the groove, knowing smiling.

Before turning up to Gorilla I challenged myself not to mention the obvious link between this band and Black Sabbath, but as soon as I enter to an already crowded room I come across with many fans wearing T-shirts of Electric Wizard, Manowar, Metallica and, of course, Black Sabbath. There are some thoughtful fans with Uncle Acid merch as well.

Spiders from lovely Gothenburg (Sweden) are in charge of the warm up and I swear they take it seriously. Their glittering 70’s hard-glam-rock, MC5 infused, is very much welcome. They certainly might not have invented anything new, yet they’re fresh and powerful and that’s fair enough for me.

A hard-hitting, barnstorming ‘Mind Crawler’ paves the way for a stomping performance, the head-nodding is stronger now, full of intention. Apologies for what comes next, but I must say the keys are the key in this one, a fifth mysterious guy playing it upon the four-piece outfit, in a kind of window that seems to be designed for DJing.

With ‘Murder Nights’ they seem to languish a bit just to put us on the mood to wander through dark forests loaded with serial killers hiding among the threatening shadows.

Damn sexy, ‘Death’s Door’ approaches us back to life and its worldly paths. I rejoice in the tremendous final part of the song, which they lengthen just right. Terrific bloody harmony. “My Blood lust never ends…”

By the way, it’s annoyingly hot inside, Hell indeed! Tomorrow I’ll surely be a Lemsip junkie but right now I believe that shows like this are worth any virus incubation.

We happily swallow the ‘Poison Apple’ and now everything seems a cheerful walk down to a tantalising darkness. Blow out ‘13 Candles’ and feel your dark side invading you. K.R. plays slightly hunched, hammering on his guitar. I must admit that I had my doubts whether I’d find this doom virtuosity a bit ponderous at times. Nothing farther, I was completely wrong.

‘Pusher Man’ or here we go again to the filthiest lands, conceptually speaking, that is. Musically and technically, they’re on this way to mastery with this psyche, stoner and doom conspiracy.

Parental advisory: “Let’s go crazy for this one, Manchester!”, K.R. encourages us before promising killer guitars introduce the mad folkie ‘I’ll Cut You Down’, to whom the audience obediently responds. In the same feverish mood ‘Crystal Spiders’ and ‘Inside’ come along.

I didn’t really see the point of the Beatles thing until they perform the sublime ‘Vampire Circus’, a wicked fight between melodic pop and twisted doom. Don’t need to tell you which one wins this battle, do I?

It’s been a breathless hour show but of course, there’s more. The impeccable, brand new ‘Melody Lane’ mesmerises even the most sceptic. We’re all pleasantly cursed by the time they close the cracking show with ‘Desert Ceremony’ and ‘Withered Hand of Evil’.

Uncle Acid  Official | Facebook | Youtube

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zDT_uGYdVs

 – FACTORY 251, MANCHESTER –

The Synth Symposium

“The new instrument for the new music”. That was the slogan for the synthetisers back in the early 70s. Shortly after, the American Minimoog set “an absolute turning point”, as Gordon Reid tells his ‘Incredibly Brief History of the Synthetisers’ speech to a packed Factory251. This is the Synth Symposium, guest starring: Peter ‘Hooky’ Hook (Joy Division/New Order), Graham Massey (808 State), DJ Zed Bias, Andy Pop (T.R.A.S.E), James Walker and the above mentioned Gordon Reid, author of ‘Synth Secrets’.

They open the first of a series of discussions “that look at key disciplines in music making”, explains Tony Rigg, former Operations Director for Ministry of Sound and teacher at Manchester MIDI School, which organises the event.

Peter Hook admits how his former bands Joy Division and New Order became a testing ground for this “revolution” in music, as they managed to “amalgamate” the old school music (rock) with the brand new, electronic, “unusual” sounds.

According to Hooky, achieving that musical alchemy was quite difficult at the time. “It was frustrating to make all these pieces work. Now I realise how easy it is to create music, it’s fascinating”, he adds. He refers to New Order’s seminal hit ‘Blue Monday’ –a song that he will mention a few times during this symposium- as a kind of an experimentation with which they struggled for six months until they got what now is considered a milestone of electronic music. “It’s all about experimentation”, agrees Graham Massey. “We were exploring…”, a whole universe of unknown sounds, an endless, wonderful chaos, with as many options as layers and tracks…

Talking about how they got into synths, Dj and producer Zed Bias recalls his underground-bedroom-business and all the hours he spent trying to create new sounds by his own means and cheap analogue pieces, without any manual but his own curiosity.

Experimental electronic musician Graham Massey was also curious about all those messy sounds coming from nowhere, and he found inspiration in bands such as Yes or Tangerine Dream. Pink Floyd, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk and Donna Summer! are mentioned by tonight’s guests as some of their most influential artists regarding synth music.

Graham Massey

But then… “the punk thing happened”, points out Peter Hook, and synths and punk seemed to mismatch. Plus, these gadgets were too expensive for punk and all the DIY philosophy. “We were punks, and we felt that we were lying in a certain way, that we should play live”, reflects Hook, “but we were also young and we believed in what we were doing”.

Take a walk on the synth side, then. Be careful though: “I blame synths for making me an alcoholic!”, jokes the frontman of Peter Hook and The Light.

He reveals what he likes most about dance music: “It’s just about the time and the place, it keeps you going, as simple as that”. He also tells us the time when they (New Order) were touring in Japan and they got some trouble with their synth-gear. “A programmer came along to sort it out, and it really shocked me that this person didn’t have any clue about writing music!”.

For those unfamiliar with all these mysteriously hypnotic machines (that is, myself), Massey illustrates: “Making a mix is like making a meal: you take the carbohydrates and so on…”. Of course, there are “happy accidents” when making this peculiar mixture; that’s precisely the most exciting part of the recipe, as it adds “a unique character to the tune”.

A member of the audience aptly asks whether there’s any British/Mancunian approach to synth music which is different from other countries. “We like reinventing the wheel, and I’m quite proud of that”, answers Bias.

The fabulous panel gives a few tips as well: “Be patient (Hook). There are no sure cuts (Zed Bias). Step back and think about the music, not in being self-satisfied (Massey). Search for innovation (Reid). Throw out the manual, make your own mistakes (James Walker)”.

Anyway, synthetisers are just tools after all: “These machines are wonderful but it’s the people operating them who make the magic. It’s all about the people, and their vision, their imagination. Songwriting is still a mysterious art”, concludes Hook.

Louis Berry

 – THE CASTLE HOTEL, MANCHESTER –

This naughty boy from another planet (although it is said he comes from Kirkby, Liverpool) causes a real mess here at The Castle Hotel. Judging by his appearance, it seems he has never hurt a fly, but his look inevitably betrays him. “Yes, it was me and I’d do it again”, his beady little eyes speaking.

Along with his equally boisterous band, they stomp up the stage and for a moment it feels like the floor has started to crumble. Fast and loud, Berry’s opening song for this gig -the cryptic ‘GMWYW’ according to the brief setlist, warmly welcomes the passionate crowd. “We love you, Louis!”, shrieks a joker back from the crowd, with a girly-like voice. Minutes later, an enthusiastic female adds: “Sexy little bastard!”

By the time Berry performs the second song, the killer hit ‘25 Reasons’, the room is quite stuffy and this hugely talented young blackguard sweats pure rock ‘n’ roll. It might not be anything particularly ‘new’, but it has an original flavour, indeed.

The scouse rising star just needed a couple of songs and two gigs to have both critic and music business people right in his pocket. Last year he was awarded with the One To Watch Prize for emerging stars at Liverpool’s GIT Award. He has just published his second EP .45, under the label of Ministry of Sound. Future looks sparkling then, and he has no humble plans on his mind: “I want to be the biggest male artist on the planet”, he has claimed in a recent interview with Nottingham Post, where we can also read about his troubled upbringing.

Not to mention, he’s in his early twenties.

Silent witness feels damn old.

After this thunderous and promising opening, Louis Berry blesses us with a calming, gorgeous tune called ‘Cocaine Baby’, a likely nod to his beloved Johnny Cash. In fact, there is plenty of Cash in Berry’s music, although the latter’s is much more frenzy-infused. ‘Jolie’ brings us more fuel, more sweat, more vicious looks. Berry manages to sing aloud as he shows his (also cheeky) tongue every now and again.

Gritty, gutty, rowdy rock ‘n’ roll.

Silent witness feels relieved.

The rocking joy is now unstoppable as he performs ‘(She says) She Wants Me’ (“La-la-laaa!!). Louis Berry treats the audience with extremely catchy –and yet not sticky songs to fight the boredom and the poor weather. An energising shot of Vitamin D from the sun that barely appears in this neck of the woods. At some point he confesses that this Mancunian venue is the smallest he’s ever played in, with this prematurely rough voice that doesn’t seem to match his baby face either.

There’s a few more songs left yet and one of them is the superb ‘Restless’, a mainly Berry’s guitar driven ballad that certainly leaves you both disarmed and speechless. By fair contrast, ‘Nicole’ is sexy and explosive. Girls shake their long hair recklessly; boys stand still, staring (suspiciously?) at Louis Berry. The lead single of his namesake new EP .45 arrives as a makeshift soundtrack for a Spaghetti Western film, just to discover afterwards a deep, hidden message within. A honest ‘last call’ to your soul, perhaps.

It’s a rather short but without a doubt brilliant performance (barely 45 minutes, maybe in honour of his EP), which ends with the blazing ‘Rebel’. This song has everything to knock you down: great vocals over a powerful bed of raucous guitars, enhanced by a chorus that you’ll hardly ignore in your head the next few hours (or days, in some severe cases).

Louis Berry  Facebook | Twitter | Youtube

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni9jlQH-_Ms

Calan Mai

Encore’s corner: Calan Mai

“Sad music” for chatty people. We could sum up that way the performance that goes before Louis Berry’s hurricane. A smooth, intimate bunch of delicate songs by Australian born singer/songwriter Calan Mai.

With the only company of his two guitars, he almost whispers lyrics about his family, mother and dog. Sweet. He also laughs while he sings now and then.

Personally, the immaculate white shirt he wears shines too much light for me… But wait, I’m just a twisted silent witness, so who am I to judge any of this? Behind that apparent tenderness, he definitely must have some guts to stand in front of all us, holding the whispers, the awkward silence gaps between one song and the other.

Speaking of respect… At some points the chit-chat from the crowd is louder than his singing and gentle guitar. He even asks for some silence for the last song, but the chatterboxes won’t take the hint.

“Maybe it’s time to get away for a while…”, he sighs/sings at some point.

The Temperance Movement

 – ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER –

Great and wild Phil Campbell has this voice, so manly, so pleasantly throaty, that one could be watching his performance for countless hours. Even if he’s just singing a prosaic “Yeah-yeaaah-Naah-Na-ah-ah!”, in a hypnotic loop.

Manchester’s Academy 2 is packed with fans of all range, from kids to those who were kids some time ago. That’s the magic of the classic formula of blues rock: it gathers all the family. Turn off the TV, please. After a smooth warm-up courtesy of the great band The Sheepdogs, from Canada, The Temperance Movement get to the stage among the Manchester’s fog. They’re effusively welcomed by the thirsty crowd and they properly meet the demand: ‘Three Bulleits’, from their brand new album White Bear, arrives forceful; sugar and gibberish free.

Campbell gets rid of his Captain cap and rock ‘n’ roll sunglasses. No unnecessary atrezzo, as he will be moving like an electric eel all the gig long, hands up, cheering on in body and soul. Motionless is not an option at all. This is a live show, right?

Right.

‘Oh Lorraine’ is also a quite powerful new tune, whose guitar driven rhythm blows you far away. Paul Sayer’s guitar suitably joins Matt White’s one. The latter guitarist is replacing founding member Luke Potashnick, who recently left the band to follow his solo interests. Special mention to the moment in which Campbell interrupts his singing to shout “Bass!!!”, introducing the stratospheric sounds by ex-Jamiroquai bassist Nick Fyffe. The following ‘Midnight Black’, ‘Be Lucky’ and ‘Modern Massacre’ certainly hit the target and keep the good vibes. I guess that the huge music-video-like torches help setting the mood too. Blinding white, heart attack red, back-on-the-road blue.

Sorry, I can’t help smiling at drummer Damon Wilson’s funny micro. So cool.

‘Magnify’, also from the new gem White Bear, starts with some eerie but still rather British poppy “uh-uuh-uuuh”. Absolutely misleading though. A faint psychedelic base tells our subconscious it isn’t the typical pop-rock song. This is hardly a coincidence: they owe their new album’s title to Dostoyevsky’s almost impossible mental task: try not to think of a polar bear, “and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute”. Just in case, Phil Campbell has the power animal tattooed on his right arm.

Extremely hot and solid, the opening heavy stomp of ‘The Sun & The Moon Roll Around Too Soon’ foresees an astonishing tune and certainly there’s no room for deception. You simply burn and melt with it. My favourite track of the new album without any doubt. The live performance adds even more kerosene. I would expect more roaring in ‘White Bear’, although it’s one of those that grow on the stage, definitely.

Fans can’t be disappointed as they also perform previous hits such as the gentle ‘Pride’ (All my pride would see you walk away/I was waiting on a higher call, but the revelation never came/Oh, what a shame), ‘Only Friend’ or ‘Ain’t No Telling’, as well as a ‘Smouldering’ ballad. At some point though, the volcano seems to have stopped spitting out its lava and I would say the excitement weakens a bit. That’s when I realise that I’ve been served a bloody HOT beer. At The Temperance Movement’s gig. See the irony?

I curse at the alcoholic beverage and I ramble: they’re undoubtedly good at what they do; yet, I wonder if they could give it a twist, try to do something (partly) new. But then I look around and see the passionate crowd and I think to myself: What a wonderful world! The start of ‘Take It Back’ irremediably reminds me of ZZ-Top’s ‘La Grange’.

They say a brief goodbye with the epic sing-along of ‘Battle Lines’.

Back to stage, Campbell wears his Captain cap again and also plays the guitar for the songs left: a disturbingly soothing ‘I Hope I’m Not Losing My Mind’, ‘A Pleasant Peace I Feel’ and the Kumbayá-My-Lord-like ‘Lovers & Fighters’. I wouldn’t choose these bluesy, cheesy songs to end a show that has set such high standards (and pretty much energizing fun). “Shine on/Brothers & Sisters/Shine On…”. Well, if you say so…

Try not to think of a white beer. Sorry, I mean bear. White Bear. Are you there yet?

The Temperance Movement  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv2qj9Vm7uo

All Them Witches

 – GULLIVER’S, MANCHESTER –

Heady psychedelia & Southern sweet-sour blues? I can’t think of a better match. Apart from gin & tonic, I mean.

We are getting far from 9.30pm at a cramped Gulliver’s Victorian ballroom, when a silent guy with a plain ‘Maine’ cup enters the stage and starts checking the keys. He disappears for a while. Then a Texan-styled skinny guy wanders the stage and tunes a beautiful vintage bass. Another guy calmly deals with his guitar. They could be roadies or sound technicians judging by their careless appearance. But as soon as they’re joined by the drummer, the not-Texan-but-Tennessee guy says hello and thank you for coming and they all, All Them Witches, start playing. The ‘witches’ in question are Charles Michael Parks Jr. (vocals/bass); Ben McLeod (guitar); Robby Staebler (drums) and Allan Van Cleave (keys).

It’s Monday night and what a better way to indulge our damned souls than with some blues for starters. Later I’ll check the set list and get no more clues than “Blues”, penciled at the top of the list of a grimy piece of paper.

The moody blues suddenly stops, the drummer seems to have some problems with his mic. Their easy-going performance makes me doubt whether they’ve already started the gig or they’re still doing their peculiar sound check. Play As You Go. Lead singer Parks kindly entertains the crowd, meanwhile.

Though, by the time he plays the first thunderous chords of ‘The Death Of Coyote Woman’, there’s no room for nice banter anymore. A grainy song whose eerie bass and killer guitar riffs immediately teleport you to a dark desert. This trip ends with a wicked bass scratching. ‘Dirt Preachers’ from their latest album Dying Surfer Meets His Maker, sounds as you may expect: dirty. Noise in harmony.

Back to their second album Lightning At The Door (2014), ‘Funeral For A Great Drunken Bird’ and its powerful intro blow every sinful mind. At this point you may also notice how they bend to their instrument’s nature: guitar, bass and drums are pure blood and guts, whilst Maine’s keyboard player remains thoughtfully playing, pleasantly focused. The parishioners sing along to ‘When God Comes Back’. “Everything I see is just a part of it / Every word I breathe is just a part of it / I saw her drink from that cup of light / So I know she still exists”. Sublime poetry out of Nashville.

Parks gets rid of their glasses, soon after he’ll struggle to read his setlist. “Put your glasses on!”, shouts a (just a bit drunk) man from the crowd. Parks stays speechless, as a twisted Buddy Holly, restrained fury beneath his skin.

So the bluesy psych band moves to deeper, muddier waters with the new song ‘Call Me Star’. Psychedelta rock at its best. Take ‘Talisman’, what a beautiful, twisted lullaby. “Shed some light / And move your magic / Take some time / And show me how, / Talisman”. The room is getting stuffy. Only the guitarist remains with his shirt on. Again, the smartarse from the crowd shouts: “Get dressed!” A wise woman aptly reacts: “DON’T get dressed!”

Following tracks such as ‘Bloodhounds’, ‘Mountain’ (so shamanic!) or ‘Charles William’ set a good example of how the blues provides the classy touch to a progressive psychedelia, whose driving virtuosity could turn into a fatal trip (where the stones snore).

Balance is the virtue.

‘Heavy Like A Witch’, from their first album Our Mother Electricity (2012), puts the heaviest spell on us, the thirsty incautious. We also drink blindly the ‘Elk Blood Heart’ before this talented band discreetly disappears, ‘Swallowed By The Sea’ of dirty blues and delta psych. All of us bewitched.

All Them Witches  Official | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=84_P1M3hHF8

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry

 – BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – 

“Sometimes I pretend to be normal but it gets boring so I go back to being me”. The statement sums up the legendary Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s vital philosophy. He’ll be 80 years old the day after tomorrow, but as he has never stopped having fun, he’s not old at all. He won’t be. Never mind the wrinkly skin. It’s just wisely toasted by Kingston’s sun. He’s celebrating his own and everyone else’s birthday tonight, at Manchester’s Band On The Wall.

Neil Fraser, AKA Mad Professor, is in charge of getting the party started and he has gathered a good crowd by the time I get to the room. He invites us to live in harmony and he tailors a suitable soundtrack for the occasion. He even dedicates a song to Donald Trump (who needs more than him to live a little bit more in harmony?) Stunning voices cry ‘Africa’ in a loop of mesmerising echoes. The quality of the sound is just flawless. Massive, yet it feels like a harmless caress.

Mostly old school supporters and also some kids gently swing, out of phase. Shake out all those nasty ghosts and pests! If there’s something missing on this stage, it is the weed fog –but Mr. Perry will take care of that soon afterwards…

The Upsetter’s outstanding band treats us with a mood building instrumental piece. The crowd goes wild when he smoothly enters the stage. The immortal ‘Apeman’ greets the enthusiastic audience and moves his arms in a hello-wave that we all obediently imitate. He seems the most eccentric shaman ever. He has customized even his mic, with feathers and who knows what else. Out-of-this world tinsmith outfit that he complements with a ridiculously showy cap. This man is great fun, but he must be a nightmare at any airport control.

He explains his particular view on the ‘Creation’. Tribal. Killer bass. His at times rather mumbled singing is insanely amplified with an other-worldly reverb that makes the whole thing quite funny. Plus, a hilarious introduction for ‘Happy Birthday’. Peace and love and Happy Birthday to everyone. There’s plenty of room for romance as well. “I love you, and you love me…” Then some reality bites: “Ego is stupid”… and we happily dance to that.

Improvise or die.

He rambles along the stage as if he owns the world, yet there’s no sign of arrogance nor vanity. Ego kills, remember?

Some fans raise their lighters on. Nostalgia.

There he goes again, carefree and free, the living dub legacy, the spiritual father of Bob Marley and many, many more. “Who are you? Who am I?” Good question. In case we need some ‘inspiration’, he lights a happiness cigarette and he receives a big applause in response. This man is here tonight to save our souls, don’t you see? He spreads love and shares his rolling good vibes. A bunch of lucky guys smoke from the peace pipe.

As the show moves forward, his primal screams get louder, throatier. Another crazy tune for the “crazy people”. Another joint. A fantastic melody on the keyboard invites us to embrace the magic (‘All Things Are Possible’). Tempo changes, probably not to get too stoned. The ‘Mad Man’ once had the revelation that he was the music, not the alcohol, not even marijuana. The muse fuel is within.

 “Can you feel the magic?” he wants to make sure, before he performs ‘Magic Touch’. It is followed by a superb ‘Police and Thieves’, which he wrote along with Junior Murvin in 1976, before The Clash turned it into a smash hit.

Besides the live shows, prolific and prophetic Mr. Perry has been quite busy at the studio as well. He releases/collaborates/flavours at least one album every year since he published his first album The Upsetter back in 1969. The Super Ape Strikes Again, with the like-minded Pura Vida band, is his latest work.

A little bit of ska to shake some action. The crowd’s kind invasion of the stage tells that this memorable show is about to end. As I walk home peacefully, I come to a decision: I don’t need impossible games of yoga anymore. I just need ‘The Upsetter’. Happy Birthday Forever!

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8cXSqB5j0M

The Dandy Warhols – Distortland

‘Distortland’ seems an apt title for an album of these (strange) days. The latest album by The Dandy Warhols will be available on CD, (poly)vinyl, digital and, guess what, on cassette too –regret getting rid of your ‘walk-man’ already? Apparently, The Dandy Warhol’s frontman Courtney Taylor-Taylor first recorded this new album on an 80’s cassette recorder.  The long-awaited launch by the outfit from Portland, Oregon is their tenth album –the previous ‘This Machine’ was released back in 2012, when the cassette still was something old-fashioned, imagine!

‘Search Party’, the opening track might be a bit misleading judging by its title, as it’s rather far from a party tune and I’d dare to say that I also find it a bit plain. Still, it’s a kind pop tune, vaguely original due to its blend of soothing mantra-like singing with an eerie synth melody. It’s their (search for) party, anyway, and they cry if they want to. Fair enough.

‘Semper Fidelis’ brings even more killer synth sounds, gracefully combined with psych guitars. Funnily enough, there’s a perfect synchronisation with my fridge’s weird sounds -no offence though, showbiz people could call this ambient pop or something and still sound cool and make a good impression.

‘Pope Reverend Jim’ is definitely the proof that I should give them a chance before I let my bloody and always ignorant prejudices talk on my behalf. A pop song for this Pope then, where you can almost smell the sea breeze through its surf rock drenched melody. Award-winning producer and engineer Jim Lowe (Taylor Swift, Beyonce, The Foo Fighters, Manic Street Preachers and many, many more) has mixed the album and this could explain the ‘pop structure’ behind ‘Distortland’.

‘Catcher In The Rye’ seems the perfect soundtrack for the twisted novel, as you can easily visualise Holden Caulfield wandering from one den to another, lost in the wildness and devastation of the city at night. Nevertheless, it’s the rather cryptic and enigmatic ‘STYGGO’ that draws attention to the album cover, a smoggy skyline of an anonymous city. ‘STYGGO’s eye-catching chorus belongs to that kind of song that makes you wonder: “Wait. What am I listening to?”.

‘Give’ moves along private grounds. “To figure it out my life”, a thoughtful snapshot from its lyrics. A song that, in a way, smells like nostalgia and it ends with a disturbing promise: “I won’t give you away again”. Still, it could suitably fit any Sunday morning, no matter whether you regret what happened last night or not.

At last, the foreseeable hit arrives with ‘You’re Killing Me’. The next catchy hymn. Although it’s far from smash hits of a golden past era such as ‘Bohemian Like You’ and ‘Get Off’, by the end of this song you’ll probably sing out loud “…and that’s why you’re killing meee!”.

Not to weaken the mood, ‘All The Girls In London’ is a cheeky fun track that invites you both to lay back and/or go clubbing. On the other hand, ‘Doves’ leaves the danceable hits-to-be behind and goes back to the distorted atmosphere of the beginning of the album. Finally, ‘The Grow Up Song’ has a punk length (1’41’’) but it couldn’t be further from that. It’s a coda-lullaby for what it could be tagged as an easy-listening album.

The Dandy Warhols will be on tour with this new album, but as shit happens, Manchester is not included among the UK cities. Don’t give up though and check the tour dates here: https://www.dandywarhols.com/news/shows/

Release Date: 8^th April 2016 (Dine Alone Records)

THE DANDY WARHOLS Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJRpWsZ0kGo

Bad Manners

– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER –

“You Fat Bastard!” Bad Manners’ war-cry will be constantly chorused all the gig long, both by the crowd and the larger-than-life, charismatic frontman Buster Bloodvessel.

After struggling a little bit so as to get in the venue, by the time I’m in, support band Max Splodge is filling the thick air with punk-fuelled tunes that the audience sing along to. Let’s get the party started, then.

I must say that I was expecting a rather bigger crowd for Bad Manners, given the fact that the show belongs to their 40^th Anniversary Tour. I enjoy the waiting though, looking at the fans’ funny parade. All kind of (weird) hats, perhaps on behalf of every urban tribe gathered tonight: mods, punks – [let’s accept ridiculously sharp mohicans as hats, shall we?] goths (!) and some other unclassified tribes. Friends, misfits, families and kids. Everybody is welcome! Love it.

With a reasonable 15 minute delay, the tune that foresees the band’s upcoming appearance makes people go berserk. For a moment, it seems that there’s no need to have the band on the stage, judging by the enthusiast crowd. Bloodvessel’s band finally shows up with a galloping intro. The frontman appears as an everlasting rock star, wearing an outrageous yet fabulous animal print jacket. This oversized outfit clearly shows his considerable slimming –it is said that he has got rid of almost 20 stones after a laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery he underwent back in 2004.

According to the almighty Wikipedia, he owned a hotel in Margate in the nineties, called Fatty Towers, “which specifically catered for larger customers, with features such as extra large beds and baths as well as fatty meals”. Visionary entrepreneur?

Holding a victory-beer, he cheers on the masses with the you-fat-bastard! motto. ‘This Is SKA’ seems the sign for start a jumping dance craze. This party blessing is followed by Millie’s ‘My Girl Lollipop’ cover. Sweet, playful and sharp, Bloodvessel compulsively shows us his tongue, in perfect sync with the stomping drum beats. You cheeky bastard! It’s almost impossible not to feel sympathy for this peculiar devil. The crowd rejoices in its energetic enthusiasm with the all-time-classics ‘Lorraine’, ‘Walking In The Sunshine’ and ‘Fatty Fatty’. Awesome wind musicians, by the way. Jazzy, classy touch.

A brief ceasefire in this non-stop party, in the form of smooth reaggae. Bloodvessel, the only original member in the current outfit, thanks the audience and shows his “pride” after 40 years of bad manners and good reputation. To celebrate it, he encourages us to count to 4 and jump. The crowd laughs and goes mental again.

He must be melting by now, but he refuses to take his beautiful jacket off, nor do the stylish mods all over the place.

There’s a mind-blowing keyboard to introduce ‘King Ska Fa’. It’s all about ska, really. Instrumental bonfire, Bloodvessel’s missing right now. Yet, the party goes on and on and on. The singer reappears just to remind us that we are “the sexiest people tonight!”. Nice. He then performs the epic love song by Frankie Valli, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’.

A loyal fan provides me with a glorious headline: “Gig of the year!”. I guess that’s not ‘Just A Feeling’, my favourite song by this band. The superb harmonica once performed by Winston Bazoomies is now replaced by not less harmonic keyboard. Of course, it’s not as powerful and strident as Bazoomies’, who apparently now lives “a quiet life in North London”, as stated on the band’s official website. Anyways, it works as well.

‘Ne Ne Na Na Na Na Nu Nu’ brings magic on stage and madness on the floor. Bloodvessel might not be as fiercely convincing as he was at his peak in the 80’s. Hell, look at that smile! Another Mojo-rising cover: ‘Woolly Bully’ by Sam The Sham & Pharaohs, followed by a ‘Special Brew’ to recover ourselves.

Hot stuff for the encore: legendary ‘Lip up Fatty’ and ‘Can-Can’. Bloodvessel dances mad, beating his shiny bald head and his belly. These songs will continue beating our heads for a while, and we’ll go back home happily exhausted. Such a feel-good show! This week’s “gig of year”, no question!

Bad Manners  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_N1qQZL550

Aatma or Night & Day? That will be the question this Saturday 14th May. Given the Manchester Psych Fest stage times,  it’s just military planning left. Again, I’ll do my best to be Schrödinger’s cat and therefore be dead and alive at the same time at these two fantastic venues in the always lively Northern Quarter. Thankfully, both places are within just five minutes walking.

Once you change your ticket for a lucky wristband (Aatma, from 2pm on), you’ll be able to embrace the multi-coloured noises of the finest psychedelia. Clinic and Telegram will be headlining (Night & Day and Aatma, respectively) in this fourth edition. The latter recommend us to watch Spectres (007’s mental psych-prog!), Novella and Secret Fix.

It is very likely that the scouse Clinic will live up to the (high) expectations with a mind-blowing performance. The same for Telegram. The Anglo-Welsh outfit will bring a kind of frantic, weird feel good psychedelia. I guess that the ‘glam touch’ will be the key.

Plus, Telegram will be DJing at Night & Day as an after-party from midnight to closing time. Bear in mind that Electric Jug, The Beat Chics, Wet Dreams and Bleached will be also doing their thing on the decks. Honestly, I can’t wait for the Mancunians The Watchmakers, one of the highlighted bands in my ambitious psych-planning.

True expectation as well for the Londoners trio Novella and their Peace&Love driven yet somehow disturbing theme. Equally intrigued by LA based Triptides (Promising stuff indeed).

Besides, I’m really curious about Phobophobes as I just discovered their song ‘No Flavour’ and got haunted by those eerie melodies straight away.

So, plan your trip and then let your curiosity run wild! See you at Manchester Psych Fest!

https://www.facebook.com/manchesterpsychedelicfest

Clinic

– NIGHT & DAY CAFE/AATMA, MANCHESTER –

Sunny Saturday afternoon in Manchester (yes!) and it’s so tempting to leave everything behind and have a healthy sunbath. Duty calls however and when I get to Aatma, it feels like joining a vampires’ meeting. A nice crowd dances to the temperamental Psyblings. Sweet young insanity comes in spurts. Just a few hours earlier, we heard about Clinic headliners’ cancellation, “due to illness”.

Reverb mics make a funny effect when Psyblings’ singer speaks: “Fucking light!” he might be a bit annoyed with the badly-timed dazzling day.

I blink my eyes and suddenly a weird version of Johnny Thunders is standing next to me. Nothing to be surprised of, really.

When Phobophobes turn up, I’m quite dazed and confused due to the strong incense scent. I like the singer’s deep voice, which matches the vintage-horror-movie-like keys. The keyboard and bass players are so perfectly aligned that they look like a bicephalous crazy musician. I particularly enjoy their final magic-trick and the previous ‘No Flavour’: a great tune that may drive you to a dead end street, but it’s ok. Nihilist is the new sexy. Trust me.

Time to head for Night & Day and catch the super cool trio Cowtown. They play a ragbag of utterly catchy, raucous and punk-length songs at full gallop, insanely loud. At this point I remember this feature about the convenience of wearing earplugs at live shows. I might be getting old (Old is the new sexy. Trust me!)

“This song is about being confused about all things.” They end the show with a rather awkward staging: the three of them standing still, raising their weapons (guitar, drums and keys) up above their heads. Of course, a special mention to Wet Dreams DJ, who fills the gaps between the sets with the finest music.

Same day, same venue. Now it’s locals Enemies Eyes’ turn. This band is the hidden gem of the festival for me. Gritty psychedelia with a dash of dirt blues. Singer/guitarist Aisling Davis’ piercing shrieks won’t leave you indifferent. She has some shots of whiskey every now and then. Sponsored booze or just clearing the throat? Classy, either way.

Triptides

A maintenance stop is much needed now so my friends and I have a fast and sneaky suspicious curry. The next 24 hours will be critical, we all agree. Feeling a bit guilty and miserable for having missed Novella and Secret Fix, I head for Night & Day again, which is packed as Californians Triptides are about to start their surf-pop-rock-soaked daydream trip. I can’t tell whether the angel-faced frontman’s permanent smile is reassuring or disturbing, as if he knows something that we just don’t. He says he’s glad to be in a “cool place” like Manchester, and mentions bands such as Hipshakes among other cool bands. Superb performance of ‘Mary Anne’, playful yet undoubtedly powerful. Equally mind-warping are ‘Who Knows’, ‘Night Owl’ and ‘Graveyard’, just to name a few.

A local psych veteran shares his enthusiasm with me: “They’re fucking great!!!”. They are, indeed. Pretty Things. We rush back to Aatma, catch a glimpse of Mancunian Watchmakers and its absorbing, hypnotic melodies. Back in Night & Day (exhausting!). With having Clinic out of the line-up, Telegram Londoners are the well-deserved kings of the night. They give us a stunning performance, just merciless.

After ‘Inside/Outside’ and its smashing intro, that’s a fact: there’s something in their commonly accepted weirdness that makes them interesting. Plus, they’re the perfect example that sometimes –only sometimes-, good decisions are made out of a drunk silly joke. Ask them if not how they got their session with the great Marc Riley. ‘Follow Follow’ is a smash hit, no doubt. People go mental with their high-octaned, uncontrolled blast. Hats off to their David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ cover and singer/guitarist Matt Saunders seems to have so much electricity to spare…They sweat –which it’s always a good sign for me, and we sweat with them. It’s really stuffy and the glitter is melting all over our twisted faces. An insane mosh-pit, a spontaneous fan appears out of the blue on the stage and dives into the crowd after a less-than-a-minute of glory.

Encore’s corner

Telegram

I stay for the psychic aftermath –sorry, afterparty at Night & Day, just because I take my job very seriously, right? I’m also curious about what the Telegram guys are doing on the turntables.

Bassist Oli Paget-Moon is first at the helm with a cracking ‘Down Down’ by Status Quo, driving the already feverish crowd even madder. Soon after frontman Matt Saunders joins him and they both start pressing all the buttons they feel curious about, like two kids with a brand new toy on Christmas Day. Then there’s a total eclipse of brief/eternal silence. They keep trying and experimenting nervously though. Hilarious!

Tonight I’m wearing my invisibility cape so I can watch the whole scene without being noticed at all –this is any voyeur’s dream, innit? The crowd dances out-of-their-minds on the ridiculously slippery dance floor. It’s so nice to see many of the musicians that have been performing earlier amongst the fans, dancing with them, making the party even greater!

A guy takes off his shirt and shakes his body as if he owns the world. And for a couple of songs, he certainly rules this mad world.

https://www.facebook.com/manchesterpsychedelicfest

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjiloPMq8XY

Black Lips

– GORILLA, MANCHESTER –

Rowdy Black Lips enter the stage among chilly gusts and misty fog, perfect set for their opening track ‘Sea Of Blasphemy’. “Sea of vandal/Lost my candle…”. Pure classic garage, with broken bones, glass effects and everything.

This gig at Manchester’s Gorilla is their only show in the North of the UK, so the forecast says it’s gonna be fun. Garage Fun.

The Atlanta, GA outfit is keen on choosing not-the-most-common places to perform in, so we must be proud of choosing the always exotic Manchester.

The four of them (Cole Alexander –guitar, vocals; Jared Swilley –bass, vocals; Jack Hines –guitar; Joe Bradley-drums, vocals) seem to ask for more to the man on the decks. Louder, louder! The mosh-pit is already insane and it’s a sea of teen vandals, a wave out of control – and that’s exactly what is meant to be and the less you can expect from a Labios Negros’ gig.

Second song ‘Modern Art’ is a smashing pop masterpiece that adds more fuel and squeezes our minds with its spooky underlying melody. These cheeky handsome guys with their Zambia scarves, cool caps and rockabilly sleeves claim to be “not musicians but entertainers”, bassist Swilley once said.

‘Family Tree’ arrives just in time to join the fresh air gusts that keep the feverish crowd cool. “It feels so cold/Walk with me…”. A raw and straightforward tune from the Arabia Mountain album (2011), produced by the super cool and stylish Mark Ronson, under the wing of Vice Records, the label that has launched the band’s last four albums.

They play fast and loud, as any punk-rock show should be. They leave their guts and sweat on the stage and that’s already worth your ticket. ‘Justice After All’ chills out the wild kids a bit – just a bit. The song belongs to their latest album, Underneath The Rainbow (2014), and it could be labelled as a trite ‘mature’. This new material could also explain the more relaxed vibes of their live shows. It doesn’t seem to be the “violence” of the early days any more. Neither the “nudity, vomit and other antics” that inevitably caught the media eye. Anyway, Swilley justified the passionate crowd very well in an interview with Westword.com: “Young dudes that aren’t getting sex very often like to smash shit. Even if they are getting sex, they like smashing shit”. Loud and clear.

‘Dirty Hands’ is an obviously Ramonian sweet rotten ballad that drives the crowd mad again with a busy stage diving. Flashing lights. More fog. Hormons. Fluids. Meet the perfect storm. ‘O Katrina’, what an insanely catchy and well-meaning tune! “O Katrina why you gotta be mean/You broke my heart way down in New Orleans.”

Cole Alexander is at times off pitch while performing ‘Drive By Buddy’ but it doesn’t matter, really. Superb final instrumental part. By the way, welcome back to guitarist Jack Hines after being away from the band for a decade. He’s back since now former guitarist Ian St. Pe decided to quit after ten years (2004-2014) of duly service to the band, apparently to go solo –although sharp-as-a-tack Jared Swilley points to the wife-kids-dogs-settled-down-life theory.

After a mind-blowing ‘Drugs’, ‘Boys In The Wood’ is a beautifully performed garage blues. Drummer Joe Bradley is lead singer in ‘Make It’, a reloaded folkie song, and he even makes funny sound effects and weird canned laughter. Galloping and absorbing ‘Not A Problem’ is gorgeously dressed with almost shamanic shouts tailored for any teenager: “They can’t tell me/what I can and cannot do.”

After a ridiculously punk ‘Stranger’, tunes like ‘Stuck In My Mind’ places them somewhere between a polished Ramones and a raw protoCramps. A brief pop truce -‘Smiling’, ‘Raw Meat’, before what happens next with final ‘Bad Kids’: EPIC stage invasion! Nothing to be envious of the largely comented one at London’s Heaven back in 2008.

There’s a soothing encore of two more songs before they disappear. “That’s our mission. We’re into procreation. We make people want to fuck and we make people want to drink. Sometimes we make people want to fight. But that’s human nature and I think we are human nature and we don’t care about anything in between”*. Mission: complete.

Black Lips  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtZYa-X2TAE

Howe Gelb

“When the planet glows dim, things tend to get more intimate”

Parishioners at St. Michael’s Church in Ancoats can expect to hear tomorrow (24^th June 2016) some music “never heard before as if it’d always been there”. Howe Gelb will be performing alone with his piano, supported by Erika Wennerstrom. Now that his Giant Sand long-life project has just “plopped in bed”, the piano is his “new desk” where he writes his unique music. Gelb’s ‘official’ biography claims that he has been raised by wolves and maybe because of that, he believes that “when the planet glows dim, things tend to get more intimate”.

Amaia Santana: After 30 years of plenitude you (sadly) announced the “death” of both Giant Sand and Giant Giant Sand, although there’s this Giant 3 Sand… So, is the family getting bigger, perhaps?? (Come on give us some hope! J)

Howe Gelb: I like that word plenitude. I hope you just made it up. It has come time for giant sand in any form as we know it to be put to bed. It’s not dead.  It’s not even sleeping. It’s just plopped in bed. No more albums or venue tours. The odd festival now and again, yes. It has had a grand run and the last 2 years have been the best ever for me. So it’s a fine time to call it a day.

AS: “I’m very eager to see what the next blink will bring. Piano for now. Songs forever”, you said when announcing the band’s ‘sunset’. Why the piano? What has this ‘blink’ brought ?

HG: The piano is my new desk when I hit the office. It’s been waiting there for a long time so patiently.

AS: You’re performing at St. Michael’s church in Ancoats, Manchester. Would you say that your music is kind of ‘church-like’? In terms of pure spirituality, that is…

HG: I would say music is a spiritual thing even when it’s not. My music is not church like. I don’t even know what would be like.

AS: I would also (dare to) say that your music is more suitable for the night-time, what do you think?

HG: Well it’s an intimate thing most of the time. A one on one thing. When the planet glows dim, things tend to get more intimate.

AS: What shall the audience expect from your upcoming Mancunian gig?

HG: Songs they’ve never heard played as if they’d always been here.

AS: Will you meet Guy Harvey when you come to Manchester? That’s a funny story: you’re friends thanks to a ‘lyrics robbery’… http://www.mojo4music.com/24142/guy-garvey-talks-mojo-through-his-meltdown/

HG: He’s a fine fellow. Not sure if he’s in town. Had his hands full with a meltdown I hear

AS:  I can’t help checking if you’ve included Spain in your current tour and there’s certainly a Spanish city, but surprisingly enough it’s not the ‘common’ Madrid nor Barcelona, but Cordoba… I guess this is not a mere coincidence, given your musical link with the Spanish traditional guitar and your beloved gypsies…

HG: Cordoba is more like Tucson than Tucson is.

AS: Which is the latest music discovery that you’ve come across?

HG: I don’t do that anymore. .. But you might listen to Pieta Brown or always Lonna Kelley

Tickets available via Hey! Manchester here

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg8Nwh9zazk

Love Revisited

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER –

It’s a suspiciously warm evening on the eve of the so-called ‘Independence Day’. The storm, in every single sense, is dangerously approaching.

After a proper warm up courtesy of Proto Idiot and Nine Black Alps, Baby Lemonade comes full of love, with a very special guest star: Love’s original guitarist Johnny Echols. Big applause, please. This UK Summer Tour pays tribute to one-of-a-kind lead singer Arthur Lee, on the 10^th anniversary of his sad passing.

The Syd Barrett song inspired Baby Lemonade are Rusty Squeezebox (guitar, vocals), Mike Randle (guitar), David Chapple (bass) and David ‘Daddy-O’ Green (drums). Don’t get it wrong though, they’re not a Love tribute band, as Echols clears up in a recent interview with Coventry Telegraph: “They don’t try to pretend they’re Love – they let everybody know that they are fans of the music who want to replicate it and do it justice.”

The crowd are mostly oldies and middle-aged fans. I wonder where the youths are. Are they at Glastonbury? Doing what?

Anyway, this flawless, easy-going band chooses ‘House Is Not A Motel’ for a glorious opening, although it’s a bit dull due to the poor quality of the sound. There will be a couple of songs before everything is properly adjusted. Thank God. Next songs ‘Can’t Explain’ and ‘You I’ll Be Following’ set a fine example of what true pop is really made of. Mind-bending melodies, wonderfully performed. Fresh, no rush, no unnecessary additives.

While performing the smoothy ‘Orange Skies’, Echols grins at the singer and nods. It certainly must be a bittersweet feeling, evoking Arthur Lee so honest and faithfully. Surely on purpose, he remains the whole show playing on the dark, no flashing lights for no ego. True rock legend.

‘Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale’ –the title is before the Twitter era, you see, gains a huge “Wow!” from the audience. Well deserved, no question. Fun fact: on one of the band’s setlists (I assume it’s guitarist Mike Randles’) this song has penned the telegraphic instructions “Drive-Delay-Boost”.

Sublime ‘Alone Again Or’, a classic ode to love… and loneliness begins. However, I think there’s no need for that artificial reverb on the mic as Rusty Squeezebox’s voice is simply wonderful by itself. An electrical discharge arrives with the hard-edged ‘Bummer In The Summer’, a rush of fuzz for ‘Live And Let Live’ and ‘The Daily Planet’, all of them hymns of the World-Heritage-Masterpiece that is Forever Changes. I do hope that Echols will soon achieve his goal of releasing the second part of this album, under the name Gethsemane.

Killer bass for ‘My Little Red Book’, hypnotic suggestion on ‘Your Mind And We Belong Together’, with its somewhat childish majesty and gorgeous final chaos. There’s a permanent nervous look on Echols’ face, as if he was a silent Peter Pan who is pretty conscious of his innocence.

By the time they play ‘The Red Telephone’, everybody at The Ruby Lounge certainly believes in magic and we all end singing to “Freedom!”. Singer tells us that we are running out of time, but there’s still room for B-Sides like ‘Laughing Stock’, the melancholic yet always reassuring ‘Robert Montgomery’ and the bluesy ‘Signed D.C’, with an admirably fit Echols both on guitar and vocals.

They say goodbye with a torrent of out-of-control power that are the insanely performed ‘Revelation’ and the weird gem ‘7 and 7 Is’.

Squeezebox asks a favour: “Spread the word because the music sucks right now!”. Wow, someone is getting overexcited… Although I must admit: I was born in the wrong decade. Bad timing!

Linked to the flower power movement, Love’s music seems so far from any kind of diluted or deadbeat pop. It’s so meaningful, so full of healing energy. Smooth guitars on pure poetry. It’s a thorny beautiful rose. They create music that certainly meant SOMETHING, in a time when music really mattered.

And now… I honestly can’t think of a better time to spread LOVE.

Love Revisited  Facebook | Official

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMIXI8hm0Qs

Ed Harcourt

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER –

The world certainly seems to be on fire, as Ed Harcourt warns a lurking crowd. He and his band – with silent John J Presley guest starring, are warmly welcomed. There’s a misty atmosphere surrounding this track, ‘The World Is On Fire’, from his brand new album Furnaces, produced by Flood and out on 19^th August. Smartly dressed, Harcourt shows a gorgeous, perfectly warmed up voice from the very beginning.

The apocalyptic zen sound quickly turns into a magnetic spiral encouraged by piercing guitars. No more fog, the end is nigh so let’s get straight to point, right? He leaves the keys and takes the guitar instead for a while. He performs undeniable gems such as ‘Immoral’ and ‘Loup Garou’ with a howling black look that blows you away.

He sounds much rockier than expected. In fact, I was worrying about all the couples around me. I was expecting something much more cheesier, to be honest… Thank God I was completely wrong! Ed Harcourt’s fine music is also for the nihilists and the heavy hearts, hallelujah!

As the gig goes on, he seems to be running from a storm – the one that John J Presley has invoked previously*, just to plunge into a hurricane. Now on keys now on guitar, lyrics suit the fiercely driving melodies in a disturbing harmony. I just love that psychobilly bridge on ‘Occupational Hazard’, eerie and sweet at the same time.

‘You Give Me More Than Love’ starts with some indie-rather-experimental noises – he’s said that he’s been keen on synths lately. “You could be my saviour…”. Heart breaking cries at small hours.

A little break to ask the audience how evreyone is doing today, and a sharp fan mentions the now omnipresent ‘Brexit’ topic. Harcourt gulps before he answers: “Well, I’m glad that we are all here UNITED…”. Perhaps not to take the risk of going deeper on the issue, he swiftly proceeds to introduce the band. Good move, gentleman. Anyway, that was a spontaneously apt introduction to his new album’s title track, ‘Furnaces’. Don’t ask me why, but the first notes of this song mentally take me to a port. He ends with an insane pounding on keys. On the contrary, ‘The Music Box’ invites us to sit back and be indulged by the finest, reassuring pop.

There is a strategic break before we embrace the chaos with the new ‘Dionysus’. Action-packed, warlike drumming, painfully honest lyrics. ‘Watching The Sun Come Up’ gives me the proof of why the term chamber pop is linked to Ed Harcourt when you google him. ‘Last Of Your Kind’ is a deceitful classic pop ballad with a sudden turnaround that catches the crowd. We are in the eye of storm already. Finally, ‘Antartica’ freezes our souls with a Laneganesque touch. The outro is just mental.

At the encore he asks the audience for any suggestions. A “wisecrack” man shouts: “Ghostbuster!” The smooth key player partly obeys. It’s time for long awaited soulful ballads. Soon afterwards he takes a vintage mic and walks among the crowd, spreading some love. It takes effect, as we witness a funny proposal. Harcourt invites a man to go up the stage and surprise his girlfriend. “At some point… In the future… Will you marry me?” Hilarious! By the way, the answer is, after a few seconds of meaningful silence, yes – well, more or less.

There’s been 15 years since Ed Harcourt released the highly acclaimed Here Be Monsters album. He has not wasted the time since then and it seems pretty likely that Furnaces is going to cause a stir. Actually, some people have already started to refer to the new album as the soundtrack of these strange times. Agree. There’s fury and kind violence on his new songs, as a catalyst for the current mood of anger and frustration. Still, there’s harmony and a remarkable symphonic pop aura.

Ed Harcourt  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3b48tADb1E

(*) Encore’s corner: John J Presley

Shoegazer John J Presley duly supports Ed Harcourt’s show with a blend of dirty blues alt noir. You can’t escape from his black treacled, rough voice. “Rain is coming”, he deeply whispers.

Enigmatic music suitable for insomnia nights and tormented days. He plays the guitar with determination and sings his dark poetry with guts and intention.

“You already know me,” grins with a rather shamanic voice.

Stormy desert of the soul… It’s so obscure that enlightens you.

Toots and the Maytals

– ACADEMY, MANCHESTER –

Ska is sadly mourning when Toots & The Maytals arrive at Manchester’s Academy. Prince Buster has just died and a vivid legend is born. What a better way to pay tribute than with a superb performance by ‘Toots’ and Co.? This is a special show for another reason too: it’s the last one of the come back tour of singer/songwriter Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert, after a “nasty incident” at a gig in Richmond, Virginia (USA), that put him aside from the music scene for three years. Some drunken half-wit threw a bottle of vodka to the Jamaican musician with so much bad luck that it seriously hurt his head.

It’s sad to read the letter he wrote to the judge: “I continue to suffer from extreme anxiety, memory loss, headaches, dizziness and most sadly of all, a fear of crowds and performing.” Luckily, he’s still a great performer. He still has the reggae. He has the soul, definitely. No one would say that he’s afraid of any crowd anymore. He’s in such an enviable good shape.

Circa 9pm and the packed audience is pretty excited, courtesy of Cardiff’s reggae/ska/soul artist Captain Accident and ‘The Disasters’. The crowd mostly consists of young people, all tribes gathered: mods, rastafaris, skinheads, authentic reggaes – the dress code is to not have a dress code at all.  There’s a certain post-derby euphoria in the thick air.

The opening song is ‘Pressure Drop’, a revengeful ode to karma. Certainly, ‘Toots’ receives a warm ovation as a welcome back! Dressed in an outrageous black leather outfit, he smiles and I guess that his eyes are also glowing behind his dark sunglasses. I hear a faint, inexplicable booing next to me after ‘Never Grow Old’. (WTF?)

By the time the mighty Maytals perform peace-makers hits such as ‘Hallelujah’ and ‘Time Tough’, waves of beer are already overflowing the place. What is all the “sorry, sorry” about if you’re showering me with your beer anyway? Guess I’m just getting old for this kind of ‘communion’, so, never mind.

“Higher and higher…”. Upwards and onwards, as Kingston’s Alpha Boys School’s slogan says.

The CEO and founder of the term reggae and his rather rocksteady band are in full swing –superb chorus girls by the way, featuring ‘Toots’ daughter Leba Thomas. Like father, like daughter. If it wasn’t for the absence of a proper quality sound, the show would be spot on.

I hear the racket surrounding me much louder than the music on stage. This is a shame, especially if you’re looking for something more than the party vibes, which of course are guaranteed with these guys. ‘Toots’ is the kind of man that makes you smile every time he smiles, as well as you feel pleasantly good as long as he’s singing. Soulful, well-tempered voice indeed.

‘Louie Louie’ cover goes ska, therefore the crowd goes nuts. Smoke gets in our eyes, too.  We get into an operatic reggae experience with more smashing hits like ‘Sweet and Dandy’, ‘Funky Kingston’, ‘Do The Reggay’ and a sublime ‘BAM BAM’, a song that proclaimed The Maytals winners of the first Jamaican Independence Festival Popular Song Competition, back in 1966.

Seriously, where’s all the sound have gone? Could it be that the crowd has just absorbed it all? Anyway, ‘Toots’ takes his sunglasses off to solemnly dedicate ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ to his beloved Jamaica. Everybody sings along.

It’s followed by a rather nostalgic moment with fluttering lighters (‘Light Your Light’). It has taken a while but finally comes ‘Monkey Man’ and the crowd goes berserk again. A grand finale whose mind-bending encore is a never-ending ‘54-46 That’s My Number’. Epic, super funky and soulful goodbye with a song that means so much for the great ‘Toots’, as it tells about his time in jail. 

“You’re the best audience EVER!”, he cajoles us. Sweet.

None of us want to end the party, so we divert towards Big Hands and, naturally, The Thirsty Scholar, where Dj Martin The Mod is paying a special tribute to the late Prince Buster. Enjoy yourselves and keep the faith.

Toots and the Maytals  Facebook

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhH1Lxv-8sA

Danny & The Champions Of The World

– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER –

“I love camaraderie” asserts Danny George Wilson. Attending a live show with his fantastic band (The Champions of the World, no need to be humble at this point) is enough to prove his point.

The always warm and cosy venue at Northern Quarter’s Gullivers is quite packed, mostly with a nice bunch of folkie-oldies.

The “Sutton soul” men enter the stage bravely, defying all the Northern cheekiness. “All right? All right!!” Without any gap for clapping, they smoothly blend the first couple of songs ‘Consider Me’ and ‘Colonel And The King’. I think they could be playing endlessly, in a perfect Southern sweet harmony.

Harmony between the soothing pedal steel guitar and the skilful roughness on the electric guitar. Harmony between the gentle drums and the progressively insane keys. And then there’s Danny with his cracked guitar. Heart full of soul. Supporter Dean Owens has aptly warned us about the happiness and feel-goodness that’s approaching down from South London. That’s why he sings sad songs – happiness is ridiculously overrated, after all. He encourages, nevertheless, to “go nuts” each time he plays the harmonica. We all agree.

There’s a faint Dylanesque touch in Danny at first, although the Springsteen tone arises soon and it will prevail. It’s rather stuffy by now, totally Southern like tonight. A mere coincidence? Don’t think so. Love is in the air, by the way. Funnily enough, they play and claim that ‘This Is Not A Love Song’, from their latest album What Kind Of Love, released in June 2015, once again under the wing of Loose.

Said new album has been recently awarded at the first edition of the Americana Music Association UK 2016. Triple crown, to be exactly: UK Artist Of The Year, UK Album Of The Year and UK Song Of The Year (‘Clear Water’). Certainly, they’re a timeless winning-formula: a bunch of all-feel-good songs, good musicians, good vibes. That’s it.

All that’s left now is to spread love. Precisely this all-embracing topic is the leit-motiv of their new album (there’s a hint on the “Blue Note like” title). “Every song on the album is a love song of some fashion. There are love songs about friends, ex-friends, wives… All different kinds of love”, explains Danny on the album’s press release. They perform some of those case stories, such as ‘Thinking About My Friend’, ‘Just Be Yourself’ and, of course, the award-winning ‘Clear Water’.

All of them painkillers and perfectly suitable for sing along. Actually, there’s a lot of sing-along tonight. Loads of “ooh-oouh-oh” and even the classic “sha-la-la”. Gospel epic moment with ‘It’ll Be Alright In The End’. If you listen to songs like these, there’s no need to practise yoga anymore. To hell with the mat and the chakra. With me: “Oooh-uooh-uooh…”.

Danny and his Champs know well how to engage the crowd. Drinking beer and telling funny anecdotes –OMG, Danny, are you drinking red wine from a plastic bottle? That’s a crime! There’s a certain sense of camaraderie. “What time is it?”, asks Danny. “Sunday!”, shouts a truly Mancunian fan. It’s Tuesday, really, but it doesn’t matter. It could be Sunday, for all we know.

There’s room for a sneak preview with ‘Never In The Moment’ and old gems, too like ‘Stay True’, ‘Henry The Van’, ‘(Never Stop Building) That Old Space Rocket’, and closing with ‘These Days’ – best music video ever!.

Overall, they live up to the band’s name expectations. They’re flawless and they’re the rightful champions of their soul. Danny continues singing heart warming melodies, smiling, eyes-closed.

“I was glad my father was an eye-smiler. It meant he never gave me a fake smile because it’s impossible to make your eyes twinkle if you aren’t feeling twinkly yourself…” (from ‘Danny and the Champion of the World’, by Roald Dahl).

Danny & The Champions Of The World  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOh70XdT-X0

Off The Record

– The Northern Quarter, Manchester 04/11/2016 –

CONFERENCE: “Discover your new favourite band”. Off The Record Conference & Gig Festival’s slogan couldn’t be more appealing. It’s 10am sharp and the main room at the Northern Quarter’s Methodist Building is full. It’s time to figure out How to get heard over the Noize!, with Shell Zenner (Amazing Radio), Elena Jimenez (Popped Music), Sean McGinty (BBC Introducing) and Silent Radio’s editor Simon Zaccagni. They’re moderated by the omnipresent John Robb (Louder Than War).

Here’s how to stand out among the noize: Be passionate and show enthusiasm, but do not spam! Do your homework (research, research, research!), but do not stalk!

Of course, being accessible is key. There’s no point in creating a Social Media profile if your contact details are not clear/available. It might seem obvious, but it’s a rather common mistake. “Interaction with your audience is now more important than ever”.

Owner/editor at Popped Music blog Elena Jimenez also recommends searching for what’s going on in every city, as she doesn’t care where the next new favourite band comes from. She just focuses on the sound, so she avoids watching any videos first: “I don’t want to get distracted by the visuals”, she explains.

Above all, be patient and polite. “Just keep plugging away, someone will spot you”, adds Simon Zaccagni. The speakers also agree that “Sometimes you just need one person, at one gig, to get noticed and get something started”.

Under the inspiring title If you’re gonna do it, do it right – Putting a gig on properly, The Ruby Lounge’s Jay Taylor moderates Tom Lovett (Sofar Sounds), Lucas Wilkinson (Fiesta Bombarda), Jeff Thompson (Off Axis Network), Miriam Rahimov (MEAN Music/When In Manchester) and Nick Fraser (Tim Peaks/Ogenesis).

Ideally, the promoter should aim for “something special”, rather than just another gig. “Make your ticket worth every penny of it, from the very start to the end”, advises Jeff Thompson. Thus, it will be more likely to make your audience come back again. Another sensible piece of advice, courtesy of Nick Fraser: “Focus on the gig in question, not on where you’ll be playing the next day. Take responsibility”.  Mindfulness rules: one gig at a time. Live (up to) the moment.

Tom Lovett highlights building a brand as a promoter. “The audience trusts us”, agrees Miriam Rahimov. Fans rely on your good taste -Make the choice for us.

As always, the word of mouth is key. Even if it’s a highly competitive playground, the speakers recommend to engage with the audience and be part of the community. “People like more than one band, so don’t worry”.

With barely five minutes between talks –go for the free coffee and you’ll miss them!, New music from an old friend – making the most of the help that’s out there gives us a few good ideas when applying for some public funding. Luckily enough, now there are “lot of ways” of getting some fresh cash to kick start your music career, from organisations such as the Arts Council, PRS Foundation or Help Musicians UK (via the wonderful Funding Wizard tool) to getting fans involved in a crowdfunding campaign.

Alright, the money is out there, but how to get to it? “You must show a project which is relevant for you and also for the funders”, considers Chris Bye from Arts Council England. “That’s why is so important to do your homework first and make sure you’re ready before rolling out your project”, he adds.

But, if it happens that your funding application is rejected, keep the faith and “try again, please”, encourages Ellie Moore (Help Musicians UK).

I miss most of the conversation between John Robb and hip hop artist Shadez the Misfit, but I jot down this dead-right-quote by the latter: “Do not imitate, create your thing”.

Summer of Love – How to get on the festival circuit is joined by moderator Jim Mawdsley (Association of Independent Festivals), Andy Smith (Kendal Calling), Becky Ayres (Sound City), Nick Simcock (Liverpool Psych Fest) and Yaw Owusu (Liverpool International Music Festival). They all agree that any festival should be committed to promote new talents, as it’s a good platform for new audiences.

Beyond the submissions policies, here’s an interesting clue: “Approach the curators in different ways, manage to play in front of them”. Plus, they take taste makers such as music bloggers as a reliable source when recruiting new bands, “because they just love the music”.

XamVolo

A match made in heaven – Exploring the Musician/Manager Relationship puts together Nicola Wright (Red Light Management), Jenny Carroll (Air MTM) and Kaiya Milan (The Sorority House). Keeping updated and adapting constantly are key skills in a music manager, as well as feeling truly passionate about the band you’re managing. That band could be found on Facebook or SoundCloud, but also via your friends, colleagues or other band you’re already managing. “Go to 100 capacity venues and see gigs. Bands playing at that size of venue usually are looking for management”, reveals Jenny Carroll.

The last talk I attend on this happily busy day is My Generation: Breaking the industry, led by the legendary Phil Saxe (Factory Records). Main lessons learned from this panel are that a (Music) Degree might not be enough (“You must do some odd jobs and plenty of networking: go out and socialise!”); “people like doing business with people they like” and despite that being a social, nice person is key, it’s even more important to be honest. Reputation is a long-term career.

GIGS: XamVolo & The Pearl Harts:

It’s dark and cold outside. It’s raining rather heavily, too. But as soon as I get into the iconic Night & Day, the soulful voice of XamVolo certainly helps warming up. Surrounded by a jazzy ensemble, singer/songwriter and producer Sam Folorunsho a.k.a XamVolo is currently promoting his EP The Chirality. The sound is mint and his voice just flows at ease all over our heads. He’s dressed in total black –sunglasses included, and he sings with his right hand in his pocket. Classy and smooth. ‘Down’ is one of his favourite songs, he says, as it’s “quite jazzy, which is my thing”, he briefly smiles. I can’t help imagining the late Amy Winehouse joining him in a perfect duet. The soon-out ‘Money’ turns to deeper, rockier sounds. Great tune, great band!

He seems quite aware of the importance of building a brand as he repeats his artistic name once and again. Remember my name…

Chosen by Yaw Owusu and Mark Ryan, XamVolo says goodbye with the gorgeous ‘Runner’s High’, whose creepy intro foretells a thunderstorm that inevitably hits your body and soul.

It’s still raining and a heavy, electrifying storm is about to fall upon us at Gulliver’s. Kirsty and Sara, also known as The Pearl Harts, give a raucous, high-octane set. It’s a rather known hard rock formula, still, it works driving you insane. Stomping drums and fierce guitar, anger and passion on vocals, sometimes it’s vaguely reminiscent of the superb, one and only, Alison Mosshart.

Among their showcase –they’re promoting their debut album on PledgeMusic, it’s the very apt ‘Bonfires’. The crowd nods all at once, in due harmony.

Last song, ‘Black Blood’, is a rather Black Sabbath-ish song to end a stunning performance, full of presence and kerosene. Thanks Joe Morrison and Elena Jimenez for choosing them!

Special mention to the insanely wild and muddy Blackwaters as well as the twisted cherubs Her’s. They both have the youth, the attitude and the (body) language.

So, here’s the key message that I would highlight Off The Record: What today is an emerging band, tomorrow could be playing at arenas. Beware of the newbies!

OFF THE RECORD Official | Twitter | Facebook

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiaC4ZW7v64

Bad Manners

– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER –

“You Fat Bastard!” Bad Manners’ war-cry will be constantly chorused all the gig long, both by the crowd and the larger-than-life, charismatic frontman Buster Bloodvessel.

After struggling a little bit so as to get in the venue, by the time I’m in, support band Max Splodge is filling the thick air with punk-fuelled tunes that the audience sing along to. Let’s get the party started, then.

I must say that I was expecting a rather bigger crowd for Bad Manners, given the fact that the show belongs to their 40^th Anniversary Tour. I enjoy the waiting though, looking at the fans’ funny parade. All kind of (weird) hats, perhaps on behalf of every urban tribe gathered tonight: mods, punks – [let’s accept ridiculously sharp mohicans as hats, shall we?] goths (!) and some other unclassified tribes. Friends, misfits, families and kids. Everybody is welcome! Love it.

With a reasonable 15 minute delay, the tune that foresees the band’s upcoming appearance makes people go berserk. For a moment, it seems that there’s no need to have the band on the stage, judging by the enthusiast crowd. Bloodvessel’s band finally shows up with a galloping intro. The frontman appears as an everlasting rock star, wearing an outrageous yet fabulous animal print jacket. This oversized outfit clearly shows his considerable slimming –it is said that he has got rid of almost 20 stones after a laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery he underwent back in 2004.

According to the almighty Wikipedia, he owned a hotel in Margate in the nineties, called Fatty Towers, “which specifically catered for larger customers, with features such as extra large beds and baths as well as fatty meals”. Visionary entrepreneur?

Holding a victory-beer, he cheers on the masses with the you-fat-bastard! motto. ‘This Is SKA’ seems the sign for start a jumping dance craze. This party blessing is followed by Millie’s ‘My Girl Lollipop’ cover. Sweet, playful and sharp, Bloodvessel compulsively shows us his tongue, in perfect sync with the stomping drum beats. You cheeky bastard! It’s almost impossible not to feel sympathy for this peculiar devil. The crowd rejoices in its energetic enthusiasm with the all-time-classics ‘Lorraine’, ‘Walking In The Sunshine’ and ‘Fatty Fatty’. Awesome wind musicians, by the way. Jazzy, classy touch.

A brief ceasefire in this non-stop party, in the form of smooth reaggae. Bloodvessel, the only original member in the current outfit, thanks the audience and shows his “pride” after 40 years of bad manners and good reputation. To celebrate it, he encourages us to count to 4 and jump. The crowd laughs and goes mental again.

He must be melting by now, but he refuses to take his beautiful jacket off, nor do the stylish mods all over the place.

There’s a mind-blowing keyboard to introduce ‘King Ska Fa’. It’s all about ska, really. Instrumental bonfire, Bloodvessel’s missing right now. Yet, the party goes on and on and on. The singer reappears just to remind us that we are “the sexiest people tonight!”. Nice. He then performs the epic love song by Frankie Valli, ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’.

A loyal fan provides me with a glorious headline: “Gig of the year!”. I guess that’s not ‘Just A Feeling’, my favourite song by this band. The superb harmonica once performed by Winston Bazoomies is now replaced by not less harmonic keyboard. Of course, it’s not as powerful and strident as Bazoomies’, who apparently now lives “a quiet life in North London”, as stated on the band’s official website. Anyways, it works as well.

‘Ne Ne Na Na Na Na Nu Nu’ brings magic on stage and madness on the floor. Bloodvessel might not be as fiercely convincing as he was at his peak in the 80’s. Hell, look at that smile! Another Mojo-rising cover: ‘Woolly Bully’ by Sam The Sham & Pharaohs, followed by a ‘Special Brew’ to recover ourselves.

Hot stuff for the encore: legendary ‘Lip up Fatty’ and ‘Can-Can’. Bloodvessel dances mad, beating his shiny bald head and his belly. These songs will continue beating our heads for a while, and we’ll go back home happily exhausted. Such a feel-good show! This week’s “gig of year”, no question!

Bad Manners  Official | Facebook | Twitter

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_N1qQZL550

Aatma or Night & Day? That will be the question this Saturday 14th May. Given the Manchester Psych Fest stage times,  it’s just military planning left. Again, I’ll do my best to be Schrödinger’s cat and therefore be dead and alive at the same time at these two fantastic venues in the always lively Northern Quarter. Thankfully, both places are within just five minutes walking.

Once you change your ticket for a lucky wristband (Aatma, from 2pm on), you’ll be able to embrace the multi-coloured noises of the finest psychedelia. Clinic and Telegram will be headlining (Night & Day and Aatma, respectively) in this fourth edition. The latter recommend us to watch Spectres (007’s mental psych-prog!), Novella and Secret Fix.

It is very likely that the scouse Clinic will live up to the (high) expectations with a mind-blowing performance. The same for Telegram. The Anglo-Welsh outfit will bring a kind of frantic, weird feel good psychedelia. I guess that the ‘glam touch’ will be the key.

Plus, Telegram will be DJing at Night & Day as an after-party from midnight to closing time. Bear in mind that Electric Jug, The Beat Chics, Wet Dreams and Bleached will be also doing their thing on the decks. Honestly, I can’t wait for the Mancunians The Watchmakers, one of the highlighted bands in my ambitious psych-planning.

True expectation as well for the Londoners trio Novella and their Peace&Love driven yet somehow disturbing theme. Equally intrigued by LA based Triptides (Promising stuff indeed).

Besides, I’m really curious about Phobophobes as I just discovered their song ‘No Flavour’ and got haunted by those eerie melodies straight away.

So, plan your trip and then let your curiosity run wild! See you at Manchester Psych Fest!

https://www.facebook.com/manchesterpsychedelicfest

Clinic

– NIGHT & DAY CAFE/AATMA, MANCHESTER –

Sunny Saturday afternoon in Manchester (yes!) and it’s so tempting to leave everything behind and have a healthy sunbath. Duty calls however and when I get to Aatma, it feels like joining a vampires’ meeting. A nice crowd dances to the temperamental Psyblings. Sweet young insanity comes in spurts. Just a few hours earlier, we heard about Clinic headliners’ cancellation, “due to illness”.

Reverb mics make a funny effect when Psyblings’ singer speaks: “Fucking light!” he might be a bit annoyed with the badly-timed dazzling day.

I blink my eyes and suddenly a weird version of Johnny Thunders is standing next to me. Nothing to be surprised of, really.

When Phobophobes turn up, I’m quite dazed and confused due to the strong incense scent. I like the singer’s deep voice, which matches the vintage-horror-movie-like keys. The keyboard and bass players are so perfectly aligned that they look like a bicephalous crazy musician. I particularly enjoy their final magic-trick and the previous ‘No Flavour’: a great tune that may drive you to a dead end street, but it’s ok. Nihilist is the new sexy. Trust me.

Time to head for Night & Day and catch the super cool trio Cowtown. They play a ragbag of utterly catchy, raucous and punk-length songs at full gallop, insanely loud. At this point I remember this feature about the convenience of wearing earplugs at live shows. I might be getting old (Old is the new sexy. Trust me!)

“This song is about being confused about all things.” They end the show with a rather awkward staging: the three of them standing still, raising their weapons (guitar, drums and keys) up above their heads. Of course, a special mention to Wet Dreams DJ, who fills the gaps between the sets with the finest music.

Same day, same venue. Now it’s locals Enemies Eyes’ turn. This band is the hidden gem of the festival for me. Gritty psychedelia with a dash of dirt blues. Singer/guitarist Aisling Davis’ piercing shrieks won’t leave you indifferent. She has some shots of whiskey every now and then. Sponsored booze or just clearing the throat? Classy, either way.

Triptides

A maintenance stop is much needed now so my friends and I have a fast and sneaky suspicious curry. The next 24 hours will be critical, we all agree. Feeling a bit guilty and miserable for having missed Novella and Secret Fix, I head for Night & Day again, which is packed as Californians Triptides are about to start their surf-pop-rock-soaked daydream trip. I can’t tell whether the angel-faced frontman’s permanent smile is reassuring or disturbing, as if he knows something that we just don’t. He says he’s glad to be in a “cool place” like Manchester, and mentions bands such as Hipshakes among other cool bands. Superb performance of ‘Mary Anne’, playful yet undoubtedly powerful. Equally mind-warping are ‘Who Knows’, ‘Night Owl’ and ‘Graveyard’, just to name a few.

A local psych veteran shares his enthusiasm with me: “They’re fucking great!!!”. They are, indeed. Pretty Things. We rush back to Aatma, catch a glimpse of Mancunian Watchmakers and its absorbing, hypnotic melodies. Back in Night & Day (exhausting!). With having Clinic out of the line-up, Telegram Londoners are the well-deserved kings of the night. They give us a stunning performance, just merciless.

After ‘Inside/Outside’ and its smashing intro, that’s a fact: there’s something in their commonly accepted weirdness that makes them interesting. Plus, they’re the perfect example that sometimes –only sometimes-, good decisions are made out of a drunk silly joke. Ask them if not how they got their session with the great Marc Riley. ‘Follow Follow’ is a smash hit, no doubt. People go mental with their high-octaned, uncontrolled blast. Hats off to their David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ cover and singer/guitarist Matt Saunders seems to have so much electricity to spare…They sweat –which it’s always a good sign for me, and we sweat with them. It’s really stuffy and the glitter is melting all over our twisted faces. An insane mosh-pit, a spontaneous fan appears out of the blue on the stage and dives into the crowd after a less-than-a-minute of glory.

Encore’s corner

Telegram

I stay for the psychic aftermath –sorry, afterparty at Night & Day, just because I take my job very seriously, right? I’m also curious about what the Telegram guys are doing on the turntables.

Bassist Oli Paget-Moon is first at the helm with a cracking ‘Down Down’ by Status Quo, driving the already feverish crowd even madder. Soon after frontman Matt Saunders joins him and they both start pressing all the buttons they feel curious about, like two kids with a brand new toy on Christmas Day. Then there’s a total eclipse of brief/eternal silence. They keep trying and experimenting nervously though. Hilarious!

Tonight I’m wearing my invisibility cape so I can watch the whole scene without being noticed at all –this is any voyeur’s dream, innit? The crowd dances out-of-their-minds on the ridiculously slippery dance floor. It’s so nice to see many of the musicians that have been performing earlier amongst the fans, dancing with them, making the party even greater!

A guy takes off his shirt and shakes his body as if he owns the world. And for a couple of songs, he certainly rules this mad world.

https://www.facebook.com/manchesterpsychedelicfest

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjiloPMq8XY