Soup Kitchen have been promoting ridiculous events in Sheffield for quite a while now, probably even longer than you’ve been pretending to like dubstep and garage so that kind-of-hot girl you sort of know might notice you and think you’re cool. Just recently, for example, they brought Dark Sky and xxxy to the original home of decent spoons and I don’t need to tell you how happy that made me (hint: very).
Continuing the theme of astute bookings, next week sees an event which is such a banger I saw the poster and had to double-take like a cartoon cat. I then walked around the block — or would have if this was America — and had another look just to make sure it was real. With a line-up comprising Joy Orbison, Pariah, Midland, Lil’ Silva as well as the inevitable Soup and Barry residents, it’s going to be more exciting than the time you and your best friend Ronnie found that dirty magazine in the woods. Basically I reckon you should snag a ticket pretty sharpish because come next Friday (March 25th) you won’t want to be standing out in the cold whilst everyone else is inside loving it like homeless men at a real soup kitchen…on Christmas Day.
Tickets are £10 and in terms of the venue, it’s a secret…until 24 hours before the event at which point it will be announced on Facebook. Talking of Facebook, head over to the event page for more info. See you there.
Although their name suggests they are an eccentric bunch of travelling current affairs journalists, The Correspondents actually belong to the humble electroswing scene and in reality are much, much more insane. Insane however, in a good way. Mr Bruce is not GG Allin, he’s not going to shit on the stage and fling it around, but he will dance like he’s trying to power an entire city and agitate his vast limbs like rhythmic nunchucks. Of course, you’re all music “lovers” so you wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to witness such an enigmatic performance and Sheffield’s latest club night, Cool Beans, is facilitating just this with a spread reminiscent of hors d’oeuvres at the Ritz or the drug buffet at a ’50s jazz club. The Correspondents headlining, the inimitable Renegade Brass Band supporting and ska/reggae band Nice One Greg complementing proceedings. What’s not to like?
So on March 4 2011, If you happen to be in Sheffield, near Sheffield, passing through Sheffield or willing to undertake a massive journey to visit Sheffield…then I urge you like an overzealous charity worker to purchase a ticket — for £5 — and come and get down with us. Oh yes, we will be there. Just look for Oldsy’s huge head bobbing amongst the crowd like a miniature blimp.
In light of the upcoming Hospitality at Fabric — which is going to be ridiculous — Blu Mar Ten have strung together a delectable promo mix intended to make you clear your schedule, buy a ticket and sit with it clutched tightly in your filthy paws until the fateful night arrives. If I lived nearer the capital I’d probably be doing just that, but as it happens, I live in the north so I’m too busy making spoons and mining coal. This pie is so tasty, somebody get me my flatcap, I need to go and check on the sheep. Seriously though, the mix is sick, the night looks insane and I think you should organise your life.
For more details on Hospitality head over to Fabric and for the tracklisting, take the jump.
Despite buying three tickets and being utterly fascinated by every one of his releases to date, I somehow managed to miss The Tallest Man on Earth last time he toured the UK. On this occasion however, I was determined to affect a different outcome and set plans in place to ensure I did not neglect him once more. So, accompanied by my girlfriend, I battled my way to the shining lights of Leeds through freezing wind and hints of snow wondering if my Swedish folk eidolon was finding England’s increasingly biting climate just a little bit homely.
Arriving as the doors opened, we huddled cosily in the warmth of Brudenell Social Club and after a cold beer and some speculation, were greeted by unexpectedly beautiful support in the form of Idiot Wind. Solo with nothing but the comfort of a piano, Amanda Bergman’s voice shone with dolorous charm and immediately silenced the crowd, as we watched this accidental beauty in awe. A short set later and the Tallest Man himself came out to rapturous applause. Playing songs from his first two albums and the recent EP, Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird — which he modestly insisted was “just an EP” — It was clear from the first note that we were all mesmerised.
One thing that did strike me during the performance was the clarity of sound; it was impeccable. From whisper to crescendo, all could be heard as the crowd stood quietly in awe of Mattson and his soothing majesty. He did actually dedicate a song to his sound man so I guess that’s testament to the exquisite nature of the technical set-up behind the genius. A genius which, on the night, comprised a beautifully flawless array of songs, including my personal favourite, ‘Thousand Ways’. At one point, he even sat down and played the piano, which he described as a strange looking banjo and worked briefly before returning to one of his four guitars and dancing around the stage with joyful abandon. The set closed with one his new songs, ‘Thrown Right at Me’, and Bergman scampered back on stage halfway through for an intimate duet, adding a personally candid and touching finale to a truly amazing night.
25/11/2010
(The video below is from a recent performance in Austin, but illustrates the duet quite beautifully).
Decent hip-hop is an increasingly rare occurrence at The Tuesday Club these days, so it’s sick to see that tomorrow, UK underground legend Rodney P and the equally revered DJ Skitz are gracing us with their hallowed presence. The pair most notably worked together on Skitz’s 2001 debut album Countryman, an indisputable masterpiece which displays the respectable face of British hip-hop and helps us all to forget the rise and rise of Chipmunk and the need for Wikipedia to have an article entitled ‘Electrogrime’. If you’ve not had a chance to hear it, I’ve uploaded ‘Dedication’, so have a goosey and get fucking loose.
Liquid d&b duo Brookes Brothers and beatboxer Reeps One finish off the line-up and it’s only £5.50 to get your arse through the door. Surely there’s no reason for you not to come!?
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Hemlock label-mates Untold and James Blake are due to tear up DQ this Thursday as part of the Wee Bit Mean double header and after last week’s journey into the vibe vacuum, I’m excited. So much so that I got a copy of Airhead & James Blake’s latest release — MATH06 — and spent the majority of the last few days rinsing it. I’ve not even had time to feed the dog.
A-side ‘Pembroke’ is a fusion of contorted vocals and dulcet bass that feels like a bed-time exhale at the end of a long day. It percolates and swells with a tidal intensity, all the while exuding an inspirational air of ease and relaxation. On the flip side, ‘Lock in the Lion’ inexplicably evokes warped images of 1950s New York and hazy days with a broken vinyl player that skips and pops like a bowl of rice krispies. It seems to almost simmer, with synth flickers teasingly decaying before they peak and delightfully quirky percussion breathing an uncertain yet infectious rhythm into proceedings. I like it. I like both tunes, they’re both gorgeous…
Supremely chilled and tender on the ears, MATH06 is short but sweet. DQ on Thursday then, yeah?
Pembroke / Lock in the Lion (MATH06) is out now on Brainmath.
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