Author: Editor

Live – Richard Hawley + Get Cape Wear Cape Fly at Brighton Dome

Posted in Live Music, Review

Richard Hawley / Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, Brighton Dome, 18th October 2019

Brighton Dome has played host to many a legendary artist over the years and Friday night saw the ridiculously talented Richard Hawley return to its stage for the last night of his current tour; what better way to take refuge from the deluge of rain outside?

First up though, the opening set belonged to another stalwart of the music scene in Sam Duckworth, better known by his superhero pseudonym Get Cape Wear Cape Fly. Having seen him perform a party-worthy set with full band at 2000 Trees in the summer, it was good to hear the other side of his skills with a powerful acoustic performance – hard to pull off in a venue this size but achieved with ease and aplomb. Not averse to combining music with a social message, Duckworth could be a credible candidate as the Billy Bragg of the next generation.

To the (thankfully) minority of the crowd having a sit down chat through his set – please just stay in the bar next time, no-one cares what you said to Mandy from HR.

Richard Hawley’s career is well documented, from his first foray into music with Treebound Story to fondly remembered 90s’ outfit The Longpigs and everyone’s favourite cardigan wielding heroes Pulp, he has worked with and inspired a whole heap of artists including Duane Eddy and The Manics. Other collaborations include famously – Arctic Monkeys (on receipt of their 2006 Mercury award Alex Turner opened his speech with the immortal line ‘Somebody call 999, Richard Hawley’s been robbed’) and not so famously – All Saints (providing the guitar solo for their cover of Chili Peppers’ Under the Bridge).

In spite of this barrage of credentials, he retains an air of humility and a grounded sense of humour that makes his set entertaining in many ways. Striking a pose as he arrives on stage, the first three songs, Off My Mind, Alone and title track Further are clear indicators that his latest album is full of his deft mix of rock and balladry that gives his tracks that feeling of reassuring warmth. His rich vocal ranges from Iggy Pop to Scott Walker in a moment and there can be no doubting his guitar skills.

The set continues with songs old and new and lots of love shown for the eloquent Tonight the Streets are Ours, the simple beauty of Open Up Your Door and the heartfelt lyrics on closer Heart of Oak. Hawley makes it look effortless but there’s nothing easy about writing songs this good, singing with an intensity that hypnotises everyone in the room and then chatting to those same people like you were in the pub with your mates. Much appreciated but still vastly underrated, Richard Hawley seems to be master of all trades, jack of none.

You can check in with Get Cape Wear Cape Fly here and find all things Richard Hawley here

Words and photos by Siobhan

21st October 2019

Exhibition – Shot in Soho (The Photographers’ Gallery)

Posted in Exhibition, Photography

Exhibition – The Photographers’ Gallery, London, 18th October 2019 – 9th February 2020
Shot in Soho 

(Header shot: The Colony Room Club, 1999-2000 © Clancy Gebler Davies, courtesy of the artist)

The corner of London’s west end filled by Soho has long been a colourful, creative and inclusive part of the capital. Sometimes painted as the seedier side of city life, Soho has remained a magnet for writers, actors and musicians and has welcomed in the LGBTQ+ community. The famous Berwick Street Market saw Marc Bolan working on his Mum’s stall in the 60s, became a haven for food lovers and record collectors and was the location for that cover from What’s the Story (Morning Glory). The writer Virginia Woolf described Soho as a space ‘filled with fierce light’ and ‘raw voices’. There are ongoing concerns about the redevelopment of the neighbourhood but, whatever happens, there will always be a vibrant history attached to the area and this has been channelled into a new exhibition, Shot in Soho, opening tomorrow.

Shoes Polisher, Rocky II, etc, Piccadilly, 1980 © William Klein, courtesy of the artist

Extracts from the press release:

‘Shot in Soho is an original exhibition presented at The Photographers’ Gallery celebrating Soho’s diverse culture, community and creativity at a time when the area is facing radical transformation. The imminent completion of Cross Rail (a major transport hub being built on Soho’s borders) in Autumn 2019, makes the area a prime target for development and threatens it existence as a place of unorthodoxy and independence…

From market-place to movie-set, sex shop to coffee bar, crime scene to cabaret, Soho has always been an unfolding and complex spectacle, central to the music, fashion, design, film and sex industries alongside being a vibrant hub for LGBTQ+ communities. It has also, across the centuries, been home to a variety of immigrant communities from the French Huguenots, through Italian, Maltese, Chinese, Hungarian, Jewish and Bengali cultures.

Shot in Soho offers a timely opportunity to see the area through the lens of renowned photographers, such as William Klein, through a rare presentation of his candid 1980s Sunday Times commissioned photo essay; Anders Petersen, through a selection of his 2011 Soho series, which capture the neighbourhood with his trademark lyrical melancholy; Corinne Day, whose images take us off the streets into her Brewer Street home where some of her most iconic editorial and personal work was shot; as well as work from less familiar figures such as Times photographer Kelvin Brodie’s night-time forays with police teams, John Goldblatt’s strip club dressing room scenes and Clancy Gebler Davies’s work in The Colony Room Club. The exhibition features a commission from artist, Daragh Soden who will present a new body of work focusing on Soho’s reputation as a place of connection, performance and the pursuit of love…’

Above: Untitled, from the series ‘The Undressing Room’, 1968 © John Goldblatt, courtesy of the artist’s estate

Below right: Men hiding their faces / 69 Sauna & Massage © William Klein, courtesy of the artist

Shot in Soho runs from 18th October 2019 – 9th February 2020

The Photographers’ Gallery
16-18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW
Opening times: Mon – Sat 10 – 6, Thurs lates 5 – 8, Sun 11 – 6
Admission: £5 / £2.50, free after 5 daily, under 19s go free, members go free – please check the website for further details of this and other exhibitions before visiting

Images are copyright of the photographer credited

Words (excluding press release extracts) by Siobhan

17th October 2019

Dials Festival 2019 (Portsmouth)

Posted in Festival, Live Music, Review

Dials Festival, Southsea, 5th October 2019

Returning to its now regular early October slot, Dials Festival brought another hugely impressive line up to Southsea’s Albert Road at the weekend, hosted across five venues all within a few minutes walk of each other. In a sometimes overcrowded market, it’s difficult to find a USP for a festival these days… well, how about this? Dials is run by volunteers, works hard to apply inclusivity towards artists and attendees and raises money and awareness for local mental health charity Solent Mind… now that’s a difference worth taking notice of.

And if that’s not enough, the musical talent on display is a joy to discover. Channeling their inner New Order, Two Tribes gave a great performance at The Wine Vaults, as did Sarpa Salpa with their synth infused dance tunes opening the venue’s stage. I love that people come out early for Dials and support the acts playing from opening slots to headliners.

Across the road at Lord John Russell, Heebie Jeebies kicked off a relaxed atmosphere with guitars and sax aplenty while The Loft saw some some sharp drumming and grunge appeal from Dad Hair and Eno-esque experimental synth loops from Friday Night Weird Dreams.

A firm favourite on the local live circuit, Madonnatron packed the room at The Edge and did not disappoint with their unashamedly brash post punk psychedelia and razor sharp multi-vocals.

As always with Dials, I found some great new bands who I hadn’t seen before, in fact the vast majority were new to me live. Quite how I’ve managed to miss Arxx so far is a bit of a mystery but with a set including fierce grunge tracks, a dabble with country and a Eurythmics cover to boot, they’re firmly on my must see again list. Representing the increasingly impressive Bristol music scene, the discordant drawl of spikey post punk from Haze and some ethereal slacker rock from Wych Elm also both come highly recommended.

Last year, LibraLibra opened one of the smaller stages and more than made their mark at Dials. This year they made an unquestionably triumphant return with a performance so powerful it may be worth checking if the Edge of the Wedge is still standing. Vocally it’s as though Gossip have been shaken up by X-Ray Spex; this is not a band to be missed. I assume by next year they’ll be well on the way to world domination.

Hot on their heels on the main stage next door, another absolute stand out set from Glasgow’s Walt Disco. Their uniquely dark brand of art rock disco is streets ahead of many of their contemporaries, largely because their material stands up on its own and doesn’t rely solely on the performance. That said, the performance is pretty spectacular. Billy Mackenzie would be proud.

One thing that Dials does consistently well is to bring a mix of genres to the table with cross appeal for those attending, allowing different moods and styles of music to reach new ears. From boiler-suited dancealongs with BASH! to Acid Tongue’s folk influenced garage and the dulcet vocals of Megan Lara Mae (including a cover of Minnie Riperton’s Loving You that managed to avoid screeching that note) there really was something for everyone.

Bigger festivals could learn a thing or two about applying gender mix to their scheduling from Dials; the line up this year once again proved that it’s really not that hard to find quality artists across the board with Saltwater Sun and Another Sky both drawing big crowds to The Wedgewood Rooms.

And after a line up so strong, who do you pull in to headline? Kicking a final blast of  vigour into the proceedings, The Blinders took no prisoners with their closing set, a visceral assault on the senses, a last chance for the crowd to decide that they still had enough energy to take on a mosh pit, a fitting close to a brilliant day with a guest appearance on stage from the Dials Fox.

Across the last few years, Dials hasn’t started just another festival; it’s started and built up something to be etched into your diary way in advance safe in the knowledge that each event keeps getting better than the last – till next year…

For more about Dials Festival please check their website

You can find out about the work Solent Mind do here

Words and photos by Siobhan

7th October 2019

Live – A Year in Photos

Posted in Live Music, Photography

As we hit our first anniversary this week, here’s a look back at just some of the amazing artists it’s been a pleasure to photograph playing live over the last year. From tiny venues and instore sets to festival main stages, there have been some truly memorable performances and we look forward to bringing you many more in the coming year. We’ll also be compiling another Best Music Shots of the Year feature; look out for details on social media soon…

Click on an individual photo for details, click again for full size picture.

Photos by Siobhan, Hannah and Alan

3rd October 2019

Book Club – Brett Anderson: Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn

Posted in Books, Preview

Brett Anderson: Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn 

Taking a second plunge into the publishing world, Brett Anderson returns with his follow up memoir to its precursor Coal Black Mornings. Where his debut focused solely on the days before he was hurtled into the public eye as Suede became an improbable household name, Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn brings the next stage of the story, with a brutally honest look back at the band’s spiral to success and the pinnacles and pitfalls that inevitably came along for the ride.

Although he said this was the book he wouldn’t write, the opportunity for people to hear his own view rather the sensationalist click-bait of the headlines has brought about a change of heart. Brett describes reflecting on the period as akin to watching someone else living your life, noting that ‘it’s remarkable how hindsight can lend a clarity that at the time was beyond you’.

The book avoids the often touted glamorous tales of the music world as he talks of journeys supplemented with Silk Cut, Walkers crisps and Batiste dry shampoo. Something that is demonstrated often however is his love and respect for his bandmates past and present, whilst acknowledging the at times difficult relationships therein. The irony of recording Stay Together whilst the connection with Bernard Butler was starting to crumble is not lost; appearances on Top of the Pops and in puppet form on Spitting Image offer reminders of how Suede managed to break through to the mainstream despite, or perhaps because of, their insistence on doing things on their own terms.

© Phillip Williams 

For the music fan there are deep forays into the writing, production and performance of the songs. It is interesting to note the desire, even early on, for every musical footprint to be noteworthy, resulting in what he describes as ‘exiling classics to the wastelands of the flip side’ – the likes of My Insatiable One, He’s Dead and My Dark Star all allotted to what for most artists would be the lower echelon of the B-side. There is a clear understanding that whilst a flurry of hype will propel you into the public eye, it won’t hold your place if there is no substance to follow the fanfare.

The story can’t be told without addressing the demons of addiction that could so easily have dictated a much more desolate outcome. Again, there is no glamour or glitz attached to this period as Brett recalls ‘the substances becoming slowly harder, the evenings becoming slowly more humourless, the chances of escape from it all slowly less likely’. Thankfully there was an escape and there was enough strength in Suede as a collective to continue and move forward.

There are lighter notes throughout the book and times filled with humour and positivity. As a south coast dweller, it was lovely to hear mention of an early show at The Joiners Arms in Southampton, where Brett felt there was ‘a moment’ and recalls it as a pivotal point where the band and crowd were in the same headspace, feeling the same thing, the role of the audience so important in making everything worthwhile. (Happily, The Joiners hasn’t met the fate of many an independent venue and still exists to offer opportunities for smaller bands to play and build into something much bigger).

The book takes us to the break-up of the band in the highly anti-climactic setting backstage at The Graham Norton Show, a mark of success for some, the end of the road for Suede – in this innings at least.

© Pat Pope

With chapter names like Dogshit and Diamonds, Crouchenders and Anything can Happen in Life, Especially Nothing you know this will be no run of the mill music biography.

The leap from lyricist to author doesn’t always run smoothly but Brett has a natural skill for storytelling; he’s a compelling raconteur, a graphic scene-setter. The book offers a point of detailed reference for fans, and for any reader an insight into the disequilibrium of a band trying to make a dent on a music scene flooded with Britpop and imported rock ballads. If we didn’t know to some degree what happened next it might be a somewhat despondent ending. However, now that we’ve felt the aspirations fired by the Coal Black Mornings and spent disordered Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn, perhaps Brett will take us along on the next part of the journey and we can witness the evenings of Suede’s story in book number three…

Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn is published by Little, Brown UK tomorrow – 3rd October 2019

Photos with permission of the publisher and copyright of the photographer named

Words by Siobhan

2nd October 2019

 

Photography – In Focus Anniversary Feature

Posted in In Focus, Photography

It’s impossible to know how things will evolve when you start a project like this but here we are, a year to the day since launching, with Breaking Glass celebrating its first birthday already. The magazine has grown in a way that could never have been anticipated and much of that is down to our excellent contributors who all add something unique. Content has always had a strong leaning towards music and photography and our In Focus features introduce photographers from all genres and backgrounds. For this special anniversary piece, we’re delighted to catch up with five of the photographers who were involved in the early stages and helped us to get on our feet. Read on to find out what they’ve been up to since…  

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Tim Beavis

Since last catching up with Breaking Glass I’ve sought to continue to build my portfolio and develop my versatility as a photographer. Most pertinently would be my development into wedding photography, as this August saw me capturing the wedding of a close friend which led on to more bookings.

Whilst weddings was a goal I had stated in my feature last year that I wished to tackle, another personal goal was reached this year by booking my first couple of studio shoots. This was a huge step forward in my journey as it forced me to study and understand studio lighting and capture shots with a very different discipline to how I’d previously worked. Nonetheless I was incredibly pleased with the product of these and my shoot with Jay Rico was one of particular note.

Another particular highlight for me this year was being approached by Coffee Lab (a franchise of coffee houses operating across the south) for framed prints of my work to cover the walls of their Bargate, Southampton store. This led future clients to me as the prints worked as perfect exposure for my business. It also encouraged me to overhaul and relaunch my website (link below) and include a print store within the site that I’m currently developing.

Within the year I’ve also upgraded my kit, working with a Sony a7ii in combination with either my Sony 70-20mm or my Helios 44-2 58mm F.2 rather than the Canon 60D – 50mm combo that I had previously owned. This has led me to develop my portraiture skills by actively working with a range of focal lengths that work for the portrait I wish to capture. As of this week I have also purchased a Canon A1 along with a 50mm lens in order to explore the 35mm format and deepen my understanding and approach to photography.

I always like to make sure with any shoot I capture that I’m learning something new or I’m experimenting in ways that keep it fun and fresh and whilst I hit last year’s challenge of breaking into wedding photography, I’m really intrigued to see where my understanding of 35mm film takes me.

Website    Instagram    In Focus with Tim Beavis October 2018

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Nigel King

Since being featured in Breaking Glass last November I’ve continued to try and cover as many types of events as possible in addition to live music. In December I went to see Stewart Coates of W Coates and Son, Nottingham’s last rope and twine maker, in his shop. Stewart is the last of his family to run the business which has been in existence since 1840. I had a lovely chat with him about the family history.

Other events I’ve covered in the last year include the National Clarion Track Cycling Championships at the Velodrome in Derby, the Nottingham St Patrick’s Day Parade, Nottingham ‘Sikhs In The Square’ Vaisakhi Celebrations, the Cricket World Cup and the ‘Millions Missing’ M.E. Awareness day. More recently in Nottingham I went to the annual ‘South Asian Heritage Festival’ which was a colourful mixture of music, dance and art. I’ve also managed a bit of landscape photography in the Isle of Man. 

I still spend most photographic time on live music photography though. Highlights this year have been the Splendour Festival which again had a great mixture of local bands and big headliners like The Specials and Manic Street Preachers. Other musical highlights have included the Beat The Streets, Dot To Dot and Indietracks Festivals and, back in April, The Zutons at Rock City, led by Dave McCabe.

Website    Instagram    In Focus with Nigel King November 2018

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Derek Rickman

I’ve been engrossed with wild landscapes and the transient nature of thoughts since my last article ‘Visual Poetry in the Modern Age’. It’s a concept that’s been slowly forming in my mind since I first experienced the Lake District in 2015 and it’s all leading to a new Photo/Journal project. I’m returning to Cumbria this autumn with my brothers (my ninth visit) for additional photos and content for it. A hiking trip to Wales is also imminent and I’m much looking forward to exploring the Neolithic burial chambers of the Preseli Hills and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

I’ve learnt a lot about myself as a writer this year. I travelled to Croatia in June with a plethora of ideas yet returned with barely nothing in my notebook except ‘Seagull at Bonnet Point’. As Keats so ably put it “Poetry must come naturally or not at all”. However, I’m hoping to enroll in creative writing courses next spring to sharpen my skills. I received a wonderful gift from a close friend (a book on Buddhism) which has brought clarity and fresh insight to my thinking and helped me to write more intuitively.

Music continues to be a passion and I’m deeply immersed in electronica and indie. Daniel Avery’s Song for Alpha album has been influential (especially Slow Fade) and I’m much enamoured with Art School Girlfriend’s languid soundscapes. I’ve not made it to any festivals but I’ve seen Foals, Yak and Drenge. Indie veterans Foals (dare I say it) impressed me with their hunger and Yak’s Bellyache must surely rank as one of the tracks of the year. It’s great that Breaking Glass continues to champion bands like IDLES, The Murder Capital and Working Men’s Club, long may it continue. Warmest congratulations to Siobhan and the team on the magazine’s first anniversary. 

Instagram    In Focus with Derek Rickman December 2018

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Juanita McKenzie

Since my feature in February 2019 there has been quite a lot going on and some significant changes happening but, throughout it all, photography has remained the constant. With every day that has passed, I’ve come to realise more and more that I feel most alive and creative when I have camera in hand and I’m out exploring my environment. Once again, change has served as a catalyst and has pushed me to deepen my photographic practice and to explore creative options I might not have considered previously.

Because of my emerging interest in documentary and street photography, I attended the St Paul’s Carnival 2019 and participated in a competition via Instagram. This was an opportunity to submit my best photographs from the event for a chance to be involved in a Carnival Pop-Up exhibition. The exhibition was hosted by the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol, and in partnership with the Martin Parr Foundation. I was so excited to find out that some of my images were selected and displayed in the Pop-Up exhibition; see below for one of them.

Spectators at St Paul’s Carnival, Bristol – June 2019

I also made a decision this year to study my MA Photography and started the course in June. This has been challenging in a positive way, making me look deeper at my relationship with my photography and the context in which I locate my photographic practice. It has also got me thinking from the perspective of projects and has helped me focus my photography. I’m currently working on projects exploring the urban environment and our human relationship with it. My MA projects can be viewed here.

Candleriggs Square, Glasgow – July 2019

Website    Instagram    In Focus with Juanita McKenzie February 2019

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Joe McKillop

Happy anniversary! Since the last time Breaking Glass showed some of my shots, I have been trying different things like long exposures, slow shutter speeds and night time shots too.

I have also sold a few prints to different people around the world – that’s a good feeling that people would like to buy my work so I am still plugging away at photography. Thanks everyone for showing interest in my work.

Instagram    In Focus with Joe McKillop April 2019

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All words and photos are the copyright of the photographer named. Huge thanks to Tim, Nigel, Derek, Juanita and Joe for sharing their updates; we look forward to following their work moving forward. There are links to all our In Focus features on the Gallery page.

If you’re a photographer at any level and would be interested in sharing your projects through the magazine, send us a message with a link to your work via the Contact page.

1st October 2019

Live – Gary Numan + KANGA at Worthing Assembly Hall

Posted in Live Music, Review

Gary Numan / KANGA, Worthing Assembly Hall, 24th September 2019 

40 years on since he hit the album number 1 slot with The Pleasure Principle, Gary Numan is still selling out venues with his (R)evolution tour. With an army of loyal fans returning night after night, there is rapport and respect between artist and audience, creating a warm atmosphere on a cold, wet evening.

Kicking off with the dystopian My Name is Ruin, the set comprises songs spanning Numan’s various decades in the music industry; something for everyone without being reliant on the bigger hits, though those are smattered throughout the evening and inevitably draw a huge response. Despite the obvious showmanship from the frontman, this is very much an interactive performance from the whole band and classic tracks Down in the Park and Cars receive a robust guitar update to compliment  the well loved electronica base.

Proving that technology can beat us all, there are a couple of song alterations and delays accompanied by a knowing cheer of understanding as Numan berates having to rely on Apple products. He must be aware though that the crowd are on his side whatever course things take and that many have followed his journey through the rich and lean years. Closing the pre-encore set with the track that started it all, the instantly recognisable bars of Are ‘Friends’ Electric? are a stark reminder of just how important its release was back in 1979; it really did break boundaries and opened mainstream doors for a whole array of artists to follow, the influences of which are still apparent today.

A special mention goes to opening act KANGA, an LA based composer, artist, and music programmer. It’s unsurprising to find that she has also worked on films as the sparse lighting and frenetic performance scream futuristic cinematography. KANGA’s self-released EP Eternal Daughter is out now. Her supporting role on this tour will undoubtedly attract a new audience; a smart choice.

An evening full of energy and entertainment, Numan looks content and confident in his newer music; the tour has debuted a new track Intruder and another album is planned for 2020. Doubtless the Numan army will follow where he leads.

Check Gary Numan’s official website for more details on the album campaign and tour dates through to the end of October

Updates and links to KANGA’s EP can be found here

Words and photos by Siobhan

26th September 2019

Photography – In Focus with Robert H King

Posted in In Focus, Photography

Having worked with some of the most important musicians of the 80s, it’s perhaps not surprising that Robert H King takes inspiration from the world of music and record sleeve art. Viewing his beautifully intricate photos what may surprise you more is how they were created and that Robert is partially sighted. Here, he tells us about his fascinating back story and striking collection of images…

‘I’m a Photographer, Digital Artist and Mobile Photography Workshop Tutor working exclusively with an iPhone X as my camera of choice and an iPad Pro (with an Apple Pencil) as my digital darkroom, mobile office and social media hub.

In the 1980s I ran the Pleasantly Surprised cassette label followed by the Cathexis Recordings label in the latter half of the decade. Through these I released material by Cocteau Twins, Primal Scream, The Birthday Party, Sonic Youth, Mark Stewart and The Maffia, Fini Tribe, Pink Industry, Artery, Nico, Shock Headed Peters, Bauhaus and many, many others. At the end of the 80s Rough Trade and the distribution network that was The Cartel collapsed virtually overnight, bringing about the end of a substantial amount of record labels across the country including mine. Around this time I had issues with my sight and was blind for a number of years, essentially putting everything on hold. Following surgery I decided to go to college and study multimedia development. This led into taking up graphic design which was always a big interest for me, my reference library being the artwork that was my record collection. Inspiration came from many sources: Vaughan Oliver / 23 Envelope, Chris Bigg and Nigel Grierson, Malcolm Garrett, Peter Saville, Neville Brody, Barney Bubbles, Brian Griffin, Anton Corbijn, too many to list… For over 16 years I was a freelance Graphic Designer working with arts organisations, record labels, education trusts, galleries, magazines and artists.

Photography, or rather, making photographs, was a source of frustration for me. I worked in a photography gallery for over 15 years and was continually inspired by many photographers and artists coming through the gallery doors. A lot of people were, and still are, fixated with gear and this was off-putting as I want to know about the images and the stories behind them and less about what settings and lenses were used. Having sight issues meant that it was difficult to operate a traditional camera so I tried a bridge camera that had less functions and that I hoped would allow me to get to grips with the thing. After a few months of not having any real amount of success I was about to give up when I was given an iPhone 4S for a significant birthday, followed closely by an iPad. This changed everything.

I could now capture photographs much more easily and create anywhere at anytime. No longer confined to the desktop and expensive software. Pinch to zoom is a wondrous thing! With just a few low cost Apps the ability to retouch an image moments after it was taken and to then create artwork and share it globally was a game changer. It still feels limitless. I had found a way to focus my need for self expression and with it the need to convey the ideas and imagery that fill my mind on a daily basis. The need to be doing something creative is a constant in my life, it can bring meaning and direction.

In 2014/15 my exhibition Seeing The Unseen was the first of its kind in Scotland to consist of work created entirely on mobile devices.

I currently have two main bodies of work that I am adding to on a regular basis. Invisible Soundtracks is a series of works that are inspired by, and a reaction to, song titles, lyrics and references. Equal parts visual soundtrack and imagined fiction. All artwork is presented in the square format in recognition and homage to the artwork, graphic design and photography of the 7” and 12” vinyl records that inspired me and were a major part of my visual education as I was growing up and that still influence my practice.

The second project is Shadowplay. With my background in music, cut-up and remix culture has always fascinated me with the skill of adding samples, layers and disparate elements to create completely new works. I have taken this method into my own visual style by curating imagery from the scenes and passing moments that I capture and combine these with processed sections from found photographs that have resonated with me on a graphic level. The end result is equal parts chance and intention where the story that is emerging suggests new threads as I add the disparate elements together.

Drawing inspiration from the photography of Richard Koci Hernandez, Giacomo Brunelli and Anton Corbijn, I have chosen to present the work in black and white, bringing attention to the textures, moods and tones and indeed the timelessness that monochrome work brings to it.’

All photos are taken and copyrighted by Robert. You can find more images, contact details and information about his exhibitions and workshops on his website. Robert is also on Instagram and Twitter.

16th September 2019

Live + Interview – Olympia at Patterns Brighton

Posted in Interview, Live Music, Review

Olympia / Ciaran Lavery, Patterns Brighton, 11th September 2019

Fast making a name for herself as a respected songwriter and performer, Olympia – aka Olivia Bartley – is back on the road touring worldwide with her new album Flamingo. I caught up with her before her show at Patterns in Brighton and, as well as chatting about the London congestion charge and the lure of the fairground rides on the pier, we talked about her love of music, playing live and creating something new…

How did it all start for you and what keeps you going in the music business?

I loved playing music, I used to download Joni Mitchell tabs off the internet and I would just play. I didn’t know guitar, I’m self-taught and I would just experiment. It was like an itch trying to play what I thought I could hear and that led me here. Now I know a little bit more and it’s like the more you know the less discovery there is so I think what drives me is I’m curious about everything, I still have that sense of discovery, like what if I try this and this and this…

So what happened was I was playing in Melbourne and a musician found one of my songs, she was quite popular and she just went on social media and said ‘what do you all think?’ and it sort of started an avalanche and here I am. What keeps me going is that I can only do it when I’m excited. I’m not in it for the money or the women!

Is social media generally a good or bad thing for you, it sounds like it helped you get started?

I do have periods when I’ll just turn all the apps off my phone. It can be great or a necessary evil but I think that you’ve got to look after your mental health so if you’re not feeling great you shouldn’t feel you have to look at it.

You’ve been out a lot already on tour this year and you’ve got more dates coming up. How do you deal with that, what are the highs and lows?

The good thing is you work so hard every day towards making it happen and those hours on stage are the most important and the most joyful, you do all of it just for that – to be playing every day, because in Australia the population’s smaller so you don’t get to play every night like you would here. It’s so great to be playing every day and I feel my fingers getting harder and my skills getting better. I do feel tired but I feel that it’s a privilege.

When you toured with Julia Jacklin you definitely picked up lots of new fans in the UK. How did that come about, did you know each other already?

I hadn’t met her before, we have mutual friends and they kept saying ‘you’ll love each other’ and she’s great. It felt like Julia was really generous in spirit and it was so wonderful of her to take me on tour with her.

You’ve been to Brighton before – do you get to see much of the places you play while you’re there?

I’m lucky because I’ve been to Brighton a few times, it started with The Great Escape. Brighton’s very like Melbourne and I always feel instantly at ease here. Tomorrow we head to Paris then Amsterdam, Berlin, then Reeperbahn Festival before we do an Australian tour.

How different are the crowds at festivals from gigs?

It’s so different. It’s great to have an audience who probably would never have heard you before, it’s so varied, what I love about festivals is summer and the openness, especially where there’s one stage where people come and sit and they’re often just music lovers open to new things.

When you’re writing is it always from experience or drawn from things you see?

There’s a great quote ‘Writing is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, the only reason I do it is because I’ve done it before and I know that I’ve done it’. My writing is things I’ve collected from the world, usually a metaphor or visual metaphor… I saw this picture of red honey from Utah, so what had happened was this beekeeper thought ‘I’ll just save money and feed my bees sugar’ and he got candy canes because bees love sugar and it ruined the honey and every bee in Utah. We have such an effect on each other as people that you sort of shape each other, if you’re with someone long enough you can become a bit of each other and I thought about that and it became the song Honey but it’s more about humans than bees.

Lastly, you recently did an industry workshop giving advice to new and emerging artists – is there a definitive piece of advice?

I loved doing it, I have a lot of young artists contact me and my main thing is ‘Get ready to work’. We’re all different but I can just say for me I need to write 9-5, don’t wait for inspiration, it’s not a burden, if you feel good or feel bad just write through it because it’s not just your craft, it’s also getting better at the skills of writing… read books that no-one’s reading, listen to bands no-one’s talking about…

Great advice and if you haven’t heard Olympia yet, definitely take on board the bit about listening to new things. The gig later that night was one of the most enjoyable I’ve been to in a while…

Opening up the evening, newly local Ciaran Lavery proved that one man and his guitar is all that’s needed to hold the attention of the crowd. With a cluster of beautifully written songs and chats about his childhood, the set felt like an intimate gathering of friends, and kudos must go to the listeners for just listening and not providing the usual humdrum of background conversation that infects so many gigs, particularly support slots. With a feel of Leonard Cohen in a seaside town, Ciaran will be one to look out for on the Brighton circuit.

Heading straight into a set filled with hypnotic psych pop tunes, Olympia drew the audience deeper into an already happy and relaxed atmosphere. Mixing tracks old and new, her hints to the nostalgia of music past are clear to hear but take on a new twist that brings things bang up to date. With inter-song tales of sharks in the bath and intriguing all hours visits received by a neighbour, the ambient mood continued as the band worked their way between two different setlists for added surprise (to them as much as us), an end of set cover of Rock n Roll Suicide an added bonus.

The songs on Flamingo get better with each listen. From the New York new wave feel of Star City to the quieter tones of Nervous Riders and a personal favourite in Shoot to Forget (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs fused with Alvvays), the album is a grower and a welcome addition to any record collection. The Australian scene has thrown out some really cool and competent musicians over the past few years with the aforementioned Julia Jacklin, Nice Biscuit and King Gizzard (not forgetting their Lizard Wizard) to name but a few – undoubtedly Olympia has joined the list of artists ensuring that it remains very firmly highlighted on the map of new music you should ignore at your peril.  

For more from Olympia and Ciaran Lavery just follow the links here

Words, interview and photos by Siobhan

13th September 2019

 

Live – Lucia at Bridge of Allan Library

Posted in Live Music, Review

Lucia, Bridge Of Allan Library Stirling, 8th September 2019

Far from the days of being hushed by the librarian, the brilliant Get it Loud in Libraries project brings live music to regional libraries, particularly in areas away from the usual big venues, allowing people of all ages to access some great music in a very different environment to the norm. The scheme also provides opportunities for young people to gain practical experience in the music sector by getting involved with the event management and marketing of the gigs.

With a keen eye for new talent, the project has put on an impressive roster of artists including BC Camplight, Fontaines DC and The Orielles. Yesterday the fabulous Lucia paid a visit to Bridge of Allan Library in Stirling. Alan Campbell was there to capture their performance amongst the paperbacks for us; gallery below.

You can find out more about Get it Loud in Libraries here

Connect with Lucia and watch their recent performance of Flames at Kendal Calling below

Photos by Alan Campbell

9th September 2019

Local Heroes – The Cribs

Posted in Artist Feature

Still rings in my ears – The Cribs through Wakefield eyes

As a young lad from Wakefield, yearning for a musical identity of my own, I felt forced to look away to the neighbouring sounds of Sheffield and Leeds, over the Pennines to Manchester and Liverpool and, more often than not, across the pond to the USA; for the Merrie City (Wakefield’s somewhat ironic moniker) seemingly had little to offer me besides Black Lace…. Agadoo… yikes.

This changed when I discovered The Cribs, a scrappy garage/punk rock band fronted by twins Ryan and Gary with their younger brother Ross on drums, hailing from my hometown.

This was during the mid-noughties ‘indie’ revival, where the initial shockwave of The Strokes and The Libertines had resulted in a toxic fallout spawning countless prodigies all clad in skinny jeans and knackered converse, staggering around Camden (wherever that was) with eyes, hungover, peeking out from beneath a tousled fringe. I pawed at the NME weekly, though too young to be out in the Skins style discos splashed on the pages, I felt a connection to something, and whilst the majority of those bands had vanished almost entirely by the end of the decade (probably for the best), there were some, such as The Cribs, that never left me.

The appeal of The Cribs initially for me revolved around the fact that they were from where I was from; seeing them in a CD inlay lounging about the Wakefield Trinity Stadium, streets away from my house, was akin to seeing The Ramones on the bus home from school.

Yes, they wrote magnificently catchy and noisy punk bangers (more on that shortly), but hearing your town’s name in a song can be an electrifying experience when you’re 12. The geography seemed to always to be a contentious issue within The Cribs, on the one hand the band rallied against the “clued up arseholes” whose regionalism tried to put them at war with their hometown (see The Wrong Way To Be) and crowds early on would chant the city’s name in unison, whether it be in Leeds, London or Tokyo. However, it’s evident that it was their striving aim to break out of what seemed like a nowhere-town that led them to great success, that led them to be called the “UK’s biggest cult band” by Q Magazine in 2008, to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award from the NME in 2013 or, in their own words, be the first band to headline Leeds Arena, in 2017, that turned up in a van.

Of course not everyone is from Wakefield, so the longevity of The Cribs has to be down to something else, and that is the aforementioned magnificently catchy and noisy punk bangers. As a literal band of brothers they were always a tight unit, built on singalong choruses, snarky lyrics and sharp guitar leads so infectious that they tended to be sung back by crowds as loudly as the words. Though they were unforgivably lumped alongside many of the dour ‘landfill indie’ bands of the mid-late 2000s, The Cribs opposed this newfound appropriation of ’indie’ by taking aim at the scene on Hey Scenesters!, Our Bovine Public and Don’t You Wanna Be Relevant and by joking that the attitude of some bands is a bigger threat than global warming at Glastonbury. This did, however, lead to remarks that the band were somewhat contradictory for criticising bands for acting like cliché rockstars one minute and, in the next, diving onto glass tables at the NME awards and announcing that they invented Live 8 on Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Even with this in mind, The Cribs were a group I always felt proud of, their desire for authenticity and reluctance to do anything much other than their own thing has led them to often lurk below the radar, even with indie dancefloor classics Men’s Needs and Hey Scenesters! in their arsenal. Though existing on the fringes has allowed them to sidestep the pitfalls of fads, trends and cliques that have befallen many an indie band, their determination to stick to their guns has resulted in them making records with Steve Albini, Edwyn Collins and Ric Ocasek, and it would be absurd to write about The Cribs without mentioning the period when legendary guitarist Johnny Marr joined the band, something that the massive Smiths fan I have grown to become now regrets not understanding how big a deal it was back in 2009.

My hope to see the band live in my hometown came true in 2014, which was also my first time seeing The Cribs, at the then recently refurbished and now frustratingly repurposed Unity Hall. A gig I had imagined so vividly for so long, I can now only recall it in quick flashes; Ryan Jarman’s slavering mouth agape as he thrashed his guitar, Ross Jarman standing high up on his stool belting the kit below, and my arm crashing down in pain as I leapt too high at the cathartic first blast of the chorus of Be Safe. That feeling was matched last year when, feeling quite lost in myself, I attended an anniversary gig of a local record label to pass the time. I was heading for the exit when all three Jarman brothers wandered up to the bar and unknowingly almost caused me to suffer a small aneurysm. The opportunity wasn’t missed, and I got to embarrassingly gush to my heroes in person for a few minutes, thanking them for their music, for making the 12 year old me believe in the potential of my town, and then I left, feeling a little less lost.

I feel Wakefield is likely a much better place now than it was when The Cribs first dreamt of escaping it; it’s got a nationally renowned art gallery, a really good record store (read all about it!) and an infamous pie-shop, though best of all, it will always have The Cribs.

Essential listening 

Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever – 2007, Wichita

It might be the band’s most commercially successful work, but that doesn’t mean their formula of shouty, singalong punk infused power-pop crafted on their first two LPs is missing, if anything it is perfected. Beginning with the jolting Our Bovine Public (watch your headphone volume) and concluding with the acoustic ballad Shoot the Poets, it’s one of the few records that properly deserved its ‘10 year anniversary’ tour, the likes of which have become commonplace over the last couple of years. The indie disco classic Men’s Needs, the feverish My Life Flashed Before My Eyes and the conflicted ode to Wakefield I’ve Tried Everything all feature, but the monolithic Be Safe is the album’s cornerstone; a six minute epic featuring a sprawling and emotive spoken word piece from Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo.

Other recommended listening 

Year of Hate
We Share the Same Skies
Hey Scenesters!
Back to the Bolthole
Another Number
Pink Snow

For more music and news from The Cribs click here

Words and photos by Ryan Bell

2nd September 2019

 

 

Photography – In Focus with Sam Ryan

Posted in In Focus, Photography

Far from the genre of posed portraiture, photographer Sam Ryan captures the world around her in a series of authentic shots that draw the viewer in to share the moment. Here, she shares some favourite pictures and tells us how her interest and skills in photography have developed over the years…

‘My passion for photography goes back to childhood.  My grandfather took photos at every family get together, day out and on every holiday.  He’d make albums and write funny captions for each photo. I’d always ask my grandparents to drag the albums out of the cupboard so I could sit at their dining table and look through them.

After many years of experimenting with different styles and cameras, I homed in on street and live music photography.  They might seem very different styles or genres, but to me they work to the same principles.

Both, for me, are about the adrenaline rush and being able to react to the scene.  I try to focus on feel and action, shoot with intuition and not overthink. Shots might have a concept based on the available light and environment,  but nothing is posed. Similarly my music shots are not portraiture; if it’s a chaotic metal band with hair and sweat flying everywhere, that’s what I want you to feel when you look at the images.

I rarely shoot in colour.  I want my images to be classic.  With colour images there’s always a prevailing style or tonal trend – which if you’re good at it can be great to get you ‘going viral’, but I’d be concerned the images would age badly  – so I only use colour where I feel it’s essential to the photo.

My home is just outside of Glasgow, Scotland. Glasgow is a great city for all kinds of photography and has a thriving music scene, so it really is the perfect place for inspiring me to keep on photographing.’

Live Music Photography 

I’ve always been passionate about live music and a couple of years ago I got serious about wanting to shoot at gigs.  It’s hard to get started; with no press pass you can’t get a D-SLR camera in to venues. I started shooting gigs with a point-and-shoot camera, posted my photos on Instagram and was able to strike up a relationship with some bands. This led to being able to obtain photo passes to shoot from the photo pit  I’ve focussed here on bands that I love and that have given me my start in this area. It’s been an amazing journey so far; I’m very proud to say I’ve shot most of my favourite bands within just 18 months of starting out.

Bleed From Within

This band gave me my first ever photo pass, an opportunity for which I will always be grateful.  I’ve shot them a few times now, but nothing beats their hometown headline show at Saint Luke’s in Glasgow.  The band members have insane energy and can be an inch from your lens one second and at the opposite end of the stage the next. I’ve chosen some shots to tell the story of this show; the energy, the heat and frenzied crowd reaction.

Zeal & Ardor

I’ve shot this band many times in different types of venues, and believe me, shooting one of your favourite bands is an immense and powerful experience.  Their music has some very dark themes, and is performed with a ton of emotion. I want people to feel this in the images. I’ve chosen my favourite shots from different venues to illustrate the drama and intensity of the band’s performance.

Street Photography 

I’m a candid photographer, which means I don’t interact with the people I photograph.  I’m trying to capture everyday life, so it shouldn’t be contrived. Often when I’m shooting on the street I don’t even stop walking to press the shutter, because I think this will cause the person to move aside or make eye contact, which changes the scene entirely.  Sometimes I’m not sure what I’ve really seen until I look at the photos and then I realise it’s a fleeting expression, a shadow the person has cast, or maybe a little wave of the hand. 

Chasing Shadows

I recently completed a year long project shooting high-contrast images on the street created by light and shadow.  I noticed after returning several times to my favourite locations that there were unique scenes created by the light at certain times of day and people moving through the scene.  I got obsessed and since I was shooting almost every day, I thought it would make a great project. I’m really proud of this work and have curated my best images into a book.

All photos are taken and copyrighted by Sam. You can see more of her work or make contact via her website. Sam is also on Instagram – follow her street photography posts here and her music posts here.

30th August 2019

 

Victorious Festival 2019 (Portsmouth)

Posted in Festival, Live Music, Review

Victorious Festival, Southsea Common, 23rd – 25th August 2019

Once again, Victorious Festival managed to entice a huge range of artists to play by the seaside at its late summer bank holiday weekend gathering. The line up is so varied that there really is something for everyone and it manages the family friendly tag with ease. As well as offering showcase spots to local emerging artists, Victorious pulls in some big players, both current and long established acts. Seemingly growing every year and now running across three days, this year’s headliners encompassed the eclectic bunch of Two Door Cinema Club, Rudimental and New Order. Across the myriad of stages and activities, no genre was left unturned and with a weekend filled with blazing sunshine, this looks to have been one of the busiest years ever. Here are our highlights from Saturday.

A long road trip from home, West Lothian indie four piece The Snuts have been much lauded as ones to watch and had some early singalongs going on, clearly a widespread fan base on their hands already. South coast blues pop trio Hooli graced the Seaside stage with a chilled set and plenty of local support; probably the only UK festival stage with passenger ferries running along the river on the other side of the wall.

Another rising young artist, Casey Lowry, brought his own brand of catchy trop pop tracks to the table. A suitably sunshine feel to the songs as he and his band breezed through their set, his initial suspicions that everyone would leave after ten minutes to see All Saints were soon allayed.

And so to a long established festival favourite and Victorious returner, the infectiously happy Tim Burgess. Having played here with The Charlatans two years ago, Tim returned for a solo set backed by his other bandmates The Anytime Minutes (also making waves in their own right as Average Sex). A mix of songs old and new put a smile on everybody’s face, I’ve never seen this man do a set that isn’t feel-good and full of energy – a sound booking for a show of any size.

Arriving onto the Common stage, Damon Gough aka Badly Drawn Boy looked slight bemused by the size of the crowd, asking if he was at the right festival. His performance is always understated but doesn’t take long to remind you exactly why he should be here. Over the years he’s written some beautiful songs and it was great to hear tracks from one of my favourite films and soundtracks About a Boy in amongst the set.

Considering the numbers there and the fairly intense heat, the atmosphere across the site was a happy one with areas for comedy and kids’ activities, a village sized merch and shopping square and a wide choice of reasonably priced food vendors. There was even space to dance by the castle in your wedding dress if you felt the urge…

Drawing one of the biggest crowds I have ever seen at any stage at Victorious (Castle stage is the second largest but must have outnumbered the main stage here), man of the moment Lewis Capaldi received a rapturous welcome from an all ages audience. His 7pm slot must surely have been booked some time ago; there’s no doubt he could have headlined and still had people watching him from as far as the eye could see. Capaldi’s self-disparaging songs of love and heartbreak combined with his imperturbable sense of humour look set to see him continue his rise to the top.

Difficult to follow… until you realise that next up is The Hives, Sweden’s incorrigibly wonderful rock ‘n’ rollers who hit the stage with such force that you knew the party had just moved to a different level. From Come On and Walk Idiot Walk to the inevitable closer Tick Tick Boom, it wasn’t hard at all to see why The Hives are still so popular, 20 years of mayhem and still going strong.

Headlining the Castle stage, Bloc Party provided the perfect way to end the evening, playing their landmark debut album Silent Alarm in full and no doubt creating waves of nostalgia for many of those present in the process. The tracks more than hold up over time, Bloc Party were never your bog standard indie band and the intricacy of the songs is clear to see, She’s Hearing Voices and Banquet personal favourites that it was an absolute pleasure to hear live again. Stunning.

The end of a long day but still these guys on security were having the best night, checking that everyone was ok while throwing synchronised dance moves to the sounds of Rudimental closing up the Common stage in the background – thanks to all involved for another memorable festival, see you next year.

No doubt Victorious 2020 will be even bigger and better – early bird tickets are already available here.

Words and photos by Siobhan

26th August 2019

 

Instore – The Murder Capital at Resident

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

The Murder Capital, Resident Brighton, 22nd August 2019

Promoting their debut album When I Have Fears, The Murder Capital are playing a run of record shop instores, last night visiting Brighton’s Resident. There has been much talk of their part in the new Dublin punk scene and comparisons therein but it’s wrong to lump them into a category; this record is a stand-alone piece of work and brings the rawest of tunes to the table. The album title is taken from a Keats’ poem that begins ‘When I have fears that I may cease to be before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain’ – the fears and vulnerability we all have of not achieving what might have been. The tracks are dark and compelling, the drumming phenomenal. A modernised hybrid of Joy Division, Killing Joke and a smattering of Theatre of Hate, this is not by any means background music.

The band’s performance is similarly intense, from the turbulent Green and Blue to the pin-drop poignancy of the beautiful On Twisted Ground, they protract a reaction that I’ve seldom seen at this kind of event. The great thing about instores is that you get to see a band up close in a small, intimate setting; they can feel very personal but it’s not like being at a gig. Usually. This time though it is, and being able to create that kind of emotion-filled atmosphere in a shop on a sunny Thursday evening is really something quite special.

Keats’ sonnet ends with the lines ‘Then on the shore of the wide world I stand alone and think till love and fame to nothingness do sink’. Far from sinking from fame, The Murder Capital are stepping ever closer towards its epicentre; it will be interesting to see what comes next, that’s for sure.

You can buy When I Have Fears and check out more from The Murder Capital here and find all the wonders that Resident has to offer here.

Words and photos by Siobhan

23rd August 2019

Photography – Pictures from the Past

Posted in Photography

Found in amongst a miscellaneous lot at auction, six boxes of black and white photos offer a glimpse into the past of one Mr AC Henwood. The story begins with the purchase of a fairly sophisticated, and expensive for the time, camera – a Petriflex V – bought from The Camera Shop in East Street, Chichester in 1965.

From the details noted, it looks as though Mr Henwood was stationed at the RAF base in Emsworth, Hampshire at the time, close to the Sussex border. The boxes are full of home developed shots; lots of portraits, family group shots and even a couple of weddings. The photos in the header shot sum up beautifully the new found freedom and style of the ‘60s; they’re fascinating to look through.

The two larger print photos below show a different street photography style; the first appears to be Amsterdam, the second with the punk couple is clearly taken much later and quite solitary and out of sync with the other captures. There is no indication of where any of the other pictures were taken.

Just one envelope of negatives and a handful of slides, everything else is photographs. A reference on this envelope to 324 London Road Photography but, given that there’s a London Road in almost every town, that doesn’t really narrow things down at all! 

Whoever the enigmatic AC Henwood is, he patently had a good eye for a picture, some decent photography skills and a plethora of family, friends and maybe even just acquaintances who posed happily for his camera. As well as the envelopes addressed to him, one of the boxes is marked ‘Simon Henwood Pre BA’. Despite all the clues, we’ve drawn a bit of a blank with researching the history of this collection. If anyone has any ideas about who the photographer or subjects are, or has links to the family, let us know and help solve the mystery… (*see edit at end of page)

Words by Siobhan

Auction lot courtesy of Ticking Along Antiques 

19th August 2019

* Edit 11th September 2019 – Delighted to say that the photos are now back with a family member who was unaware that they were still in existence. Huge thanks go to fellow photographer Nigel King for his help and the astute detective work that allowed this to happen. Photographers – print your pictures, put them in albums or boxes and leave at least a clue as to who took them; one day they might just end up back with someone who they will mean the world to.

Live – Dry Cleaning + Social Haul at The Prince Albert Brighton

Posted in Live Music, Review

Dry Cleaning / Social Haul, The Prince Albert Brighton, 8th August 2019

Having heard little of their music but many recommendations I finally had the opportunity to see Dry Cleaning on the Brighton leg of their tour. With so much hype surrounding a band it’s easy for expectations to fall short – that certainly wasn’t the case here.

I also have to confess to having been fairly ignorant about the support band, Social Haul. So as they took to the stage it was a welcome surprise to see that one third of the band was Leigh Padley,  also one third of the mighty Traams, whose Wikipedia entry ‘a British indie rock band which formed in Chichester’ I’ve always considered to be a line unlikely to be repeated. Social Haul’s 11 song set was packed with energy and short, piercing segments of post punk. The Albert was deservedly already busy and it was more than worth getting there early. I hope to see more of Social Haul and redress my ignorance.

And so to Dry Cleaning and a collection of articulate spoken word tracks with occasional inflections of caustic sarcasm, this is absorbing storytelling rather than pithy poetry. The juxtaposition of the softly spoken lyrics against a background of bouncy riffs is close to hypnotic and the by now packed crowd were suitably impressed. The band seemed genuinely surprised by the scale of the positive reaction but it really was more than warranted; they’ve managed to achieve something that stands out and it’s hard to think that they’ll be playing venues of this size for much longer. Look out for their new EP Sweet Princess due for release next week; currently available to pre-order on limited edition cassette on Bandcamp.

Dry Cleaning are touring across the UK throughout August, be kind to yourself and go along to see them.

For live dates and more information you can find Dry Cleaning here and the elusive Social Haul here

Words and photos by Siobhan

9th August 2019

 

Live – Imarhan + YSNBWATID at The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth

Posted in Live Music

Imarhan / You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons, The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth, 5th August 2019

Another great booking from The Wedgewood Rooms saw Algerian Tuareg desert rockers paying a visit to Portsmouth on Monday. The band mix meditative desert blues with elements of psych and funk and, with two critically acclaimed albums already under their belt, are surely heading for wider recognition. No doubt the crowd will have been boosted by adding local psych distortion stalwarts YSNBWATID to the bill, a popular inclusion on any local line up. Photo gallery and links to both bands’ pages below…

You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons

Imarhan

Check upcoming live dates and hear more from the bands here
Imarhan    You’re Smiling Now But We’ll All Turn Into Demons

Photos by Hannah Mesquitta

8th August 2019

Live – Shonen Knife + Thee Sopwith Camels + Paul Groovy at The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth

Posted in Live Music, Photography

Shonen Knife / Thee Sopwith Camels / Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience, The Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth, 25th July 2019

Last Thursday saw cult Japanese band Shonen Knife bring their Sweet Candy Power tour to The Wedgewood Rooms. Mixing 60s’ pop with pure punk, the trio are long established exponents of an energetic, infectious performance and have a great live reputation. It’s always good to see local acts on the bill and support on the night came from two favoured Portsmouth bands in the shape of Thee Sopwith Camels and Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience. Check out our gallery below…

Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience

Thee Sopwith Camels

Shonen Knife

You can find more from all 3 bands via the links here:
Shonen Knife    Thee Sopwith Camels    Paul Groovy & the Pop Art Experience

Photos by Hannah Mesquitta

30th July 2019

Instore – Heavy Rapids at Assai Records Edinburgh

Posted in Instore, Live Music, Review

Heavy Rapids, Assai Records Edinburgh, 20th July 2019

2019 has seen Heavy Rapids crowned as the winners of the Record Store Day unsigned competition, receive plaudits from a vast array of people and airplay from several radio stations. Winning this competition means their debut EP Cash in Hand has been created on 500 violet coloured vinyl records and distributed across the UK via Record Store Day / Sound Performance / Proper Music Group.

The EP includes four fast-paced and energetic songs – Going Down, Infected Nightmares – Frankenstein, Hurricane E and Paisley Pattern. To enjoy best, play at a suitably high volume, on repeat!

Saturday saw Heavy Rapids launch the EP at Assai Records in Edinburgh, a record store which is located in the heart of Edinburgh and in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. The store has some very friendly staff and a brilliant selection of all kinds of vinyl, books and T-shirts. This was my first time visiting the store and I’ll definitely be visiting again in the future to pick up some more records.

The band played through the entire EP, and a few extra songs, to a crowded store that enjoyed the performance and who were then quick to snap up copies of the limited edition EP.  A collector’s item it would seem, as the band appear to be gaining more and more popularity and have several gigs planned for the rest of the year.

To purchase a copy of the EP and to find out more about Heavy Rapids, please visit their website

You can find details for Assai Records and browse their online store here 

Words and photos by Alan Campbell

22nd July 2019

Photography – In Focus with Alan Campbell

Posted in In Focus, Photography

In the midst of festival season it’s lovely to see some gig photos from smaller, more intimate venues. Photographer Alan Campbell has a knack for capturing the atmosphere of these events as well as shooting the striking Scottish countryside around his home…

(Header shot: Stock Manager)

I first got into photography around 10 years ago after attending a few workshops with an excellent photographer called Brian Sweeney. I’m fortunate that I live in Central Scotland, as there’s so much beautiful scenery, wildlife and culture nearby to photograph.

A local music and arts venue in Stirling called the Tolbooth is one of my favourite venues.  The venue hosts a diverse range of music, comedy, spoken word, art exhibitions and classes/workshops.  It’s well worth a visit and you can find their upcoming schedule of events here. 

Left: December 91  Right: Ross Fairweather & Annie Booth  Below: Withered Hand

Above: Emme Woods  Below: The Van T’s / CRPNTR

Kenny Bates from the Tolbooth, in particular, has been phenomenal by putting on so many cool gigs, either in the Tolbooth or in other unusual locations in the Stirling area.  I’ve included a few photos from some of those gigs here.

Left: Be Charlotte  Right: Constant Follower

A couple of other beautiful locations in my local area include the University of Stirling and the Ochil Hills. The views are simply stunning and no matter what time of year it is, there’s always a scenic view.

If you’re interested in viewing some more of my photos, please follow my Instagram page – I’m also on Twitter

All photos are taken and copyrighted by Alan. We’ll be featuring more of his gig photography on Breaking Glass soon – in the meantime, do follow his Instagram posts to see his latest work.

18th July 2019