Sunday 01
Closed for New Year's Day
Thursday 05
Dicelines New Year Party! Acoustic sets from BLIND PEW / MYOPIA / THE MODE / THE AMAZING MAGPIE plus more TBC
http://www.dicelines.com
http://www.myopiamusic.co.uk
http://www.the-mode.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/magpieonline
Friday 06
Joy Promotions:
http://www.joypromotions.com
Saturday 07
Moonshaker Promotions: THE WINKLE EXPERIENCE (pictured) / VILLA NOVA / THE LASERS (£4)
The Winkle Experience: "bloc party cheating on the strokes with biffy clyro's mother...or something. it's hard putting things in boxes. well someone has to do it, i suppose." Villa Nova: "Playing rock with a bit of punk thrown in……. a band with confidence in their music and how music should be played." (£4 - 8.30pm)
http://www.thewinkleexperience.tk
http://www.myspace.com/winkleexperience
Sunday 08
Lazygroove Promotions: BANDS TBA
http://lazygroovepromotions.resistancephotos.com
Tuesday 10 ***GIG OF THE MONTH***
Scruffy Nights: THE RONELLES / THE DOWN AND OUTS (pictured) / POP UP (£4)
Hot new Weegie sensations sensation! None of the bands tonight have heard the word about guitar bands being on their way out, as The Down & Outs sing in 'Stop the press!' The Down & Outs have Jonathan Richman levels of laid-back romantic, dry lyrics. This is good news & good tunes, including the afore-mentioned jangle classic in the making. The Ronelles as a name sounds like a classic Spector girl band. The Ronelles as a beat combo write great songs, unaffectedly simple guitar and big bass & skifflish drums, & lots of engaging la la la choruses, bit Kings of Leon, but less beardage. They dig Chuck Berry, which automatically gets my vote. Finally Popup bring a witty stage presence & neatly welded songs to the bill. The sound is interplaying guitars & splendidly Honeycombs-esque female drumming throwing bossa nova & all sorts of surprises out under the front chaps. Tunes like 'Lucy, what are you trying to say?' - about a fictional stutterer dealing with a cruel idiot at an indie-rock gig - are genius. Splendid all round.
http://www.theronelles.com
http://www.myspace.com/thedownouts
http://www.popuptheband.com
Wednesday 11
SOULCIRCUS (pictured) / THE MERCHANTS (pictured) / ARCH ANGEL (pictured)
Soulcircus ep launch night & its free entry at the door & also free eps for everyone. SoulCircus - "While the music is good-time English rock (think Oasis, Stone Roses & some Jimi Hendrix) the singer's roots seem more Sixties blues from Robert Plant to Janis Joplin. That's to say he likes to shout. At first the two styles grate but actually with repeated listens it blends into a good mash of mayhem with a similar blend in music to MC5. Which suddenly makes them contenders for something a bit special. Opening track If You Can't Help Me starts with tribal dreams, a rolling bass and some razor-sharp riffs. The music is so good you wince, wondering what type of singer's going to come on. A Liam Gallagher or a Ricky Ross? But it's a surprise. He shouts. He's gruff but it all adds to a good-time vibe. God, women and booze seem to be the main themes. Good Time, with its army drum rattle and rollicking guitars, adds to the sense of living to the max. With lyrics 'Will I live/ Will I die/Don't matter much to your man in the sky', you can imagine it as an anthem for the just-released-from-prison. Ones to watch." Daily Record. Archangel - "...any band that can make me think of Ultravox & Metallica simultaneously deserve a mention......pretty good, epic even..." Rhythm Magazine, October 2004"...I absolutely could not believe what I was hearing - raw intensity and emotion coupled with socially aware lyrics......a very tight band......a unique aural experience..."eatthismusic.com June 2005
http://www.soulcircus-online.com
http://www.myspace.com/soulcircusglasgow
http://www.themerchants.tk
http://www.myspace.com/themerchants
http://www.thisisarchangel.com
Thursday 12
POPLIFE: Monthly Pop Quiz
You know the drill by now! What's that? …. You don't…ok, here goes one more time. 1 pound to get in / 2 lovely hosts (molly and JC) / 1 annoying guy at the back with a mic / a crate of non-tennants lager for the winning team & a chance to go for the door takings for said winners. Pop-Life...it's half pop, half life!
Friday 13
Pinup Nights: THE FRIDAY NIGHT MOTEL / RED SNOWMAN / THE BLIMP
http://www.pinup-nights.co.uk
http://www.thefridaynightmotel.co.uk
http://www.redsnowman.net
http://www.theblimp.rocks.it
Saturday 14 ***GIG OF THE MONTH***
ASHTRAY NAVIGATIONS (pictured) / DIRECTING HAND / LANTERNS (pictured) / D. ABRAHAM TURNER
Once again, a night that proves music can - and should - achieve something more than just verse-chorus-verse-hit parade. Nothing wrong with that kind of thing, obviously, and one would be the worst kind of inverted muso snob twat to suggest otherwise; but - and it's a J-Lo sized but - there also needs, needs, needs to be people pushing at the peripheries until they collapse. Leeds-based, Phil Todd aka Ashtray Navigations is just such a periphery-tamperer. For the best part of a decade he's been constructing sounds which veer all over a rock, compositional weirdness and abstract heritage. He's a bit of a hero, really, and that's why he gets to play twice, as part of Directing Hand with other alt-alt artist Alex Neilson. Jandek contributor and percussion whiz, Neilson joins Todd and saxophonist Raymond MacDonald for a special exploratory collaboration. Also tonight, Lanterns, who come from Leeds AND Glasgow, and have been hotly feted, not least by me, for their own exploratory universe spanning tunes. It's a sound which provides an immersive experience, like a warm bath of stars. Topping off this gateau of sonic delights, D Abraham Turner. DAT hails from Glasgow and makes delicious sacred drift music, fx-laden single guitar drones and lilts inspired by virtually everything, including 'the plumbing in my house'. Drop a stone in a still misty lake and watch the Super-8 footage; the effect would be a pleasing visual counterpart to tonight's art of soundscape.
http://www.hypnagogia.org.uk/ashtraynavigations.htm
http://www.myspace.com/lanterns
http://www.myspace.com/dabrahamturner
Sunday 15
PIMP ASS SHANKS / + GUESTS
indy rocking from the wonderfully named Pimp Ass Shanks.
Monday 16
PSYKONAUT / THE MAKOS / CONSCIOUS PILOT
Electrifying alternative rock tonight from note faves Psykonaut...with support from the new and fabulous Makos who list their influences as Nine Inch Nails, Mogwai, Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Suede, Boards of Canada,& Muse. They claim to sounds like: Secret Machines, My Bloody Valentine, Muse, Primal Scream, Cooper Temple Clause & Mansun....
http://www.themakos.co.uk
Tuesday 17
THE BREATHING METHOD / DOWNSIDE FADE / DIRGE / LIBERTY HUNTING
The Breathing Method: Alt Rock/Grunge, Dirge- Grunge/Stoner Rock / Downside Fade: Alt Rock/Emo.
Wednesday 18
Puny Human Promotions: CAPTURIE (pictured) / MANGARA (pictured) / M.I.A. / NON-ZERO (pictured)
Capturie draw from a range of influences from across the spectrum of rock music, with a vocal style reminiscent of SOUNDGARDEN/AUDIOSLAVE and riffs with undertones of BLACK SABBATH & the FOO FIGHTERS. Pushing the boundaries of hard rock, resting simultaneously on the borders of grunge and heavy metal, CAPTURIE refuse to be pinned down to one genre. A refreshing slice of highly original rock. / MANGARA’s sound features delicate melodies backed up with enough power to rock out arenas. Along the lines of MY VITRIOL, VERUCA SALT and COHEED AND CAMBRIA. / MIA have used recent lineup changes as an opportunity to ditch much of their old material and have written some intriguing new songs which mix effects driven hard rock with quieter, more contemplative stuff. Influences include RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, INCUBUS & DEFTONES. / NON-ZERO are a three piece who play incredibly catchy indie-ish rock with some fantastic hooks and MUSE-like vocals. Anyone who caught their support slot with DRIVE BY ARGUMENT in May will know that these guys have the potential to go far. Their single “SIX SIX SEVEN” is available now via non-zero.co.uk. Doors 8:30pm - £4 on the door.
http://www.punyhuman.co.uk
http://www.capturie.com
http://www.mangara.tk
http://www.miaband.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/mia667
http://www.non-zero.co.uk
Thursday 19 ***GIG OF THE MONTH***
MAGDALENA (pictured) / AMONGST THE ARROWS (pictured)
Magdalena, who I lazily wrote about in a 'heard a bit of demo, read some other reviews & cobbled it together' way in last month's gig guide, deserve more from me. Now their website's up & rocking, I am able to elaborate on my original statement - 'We have Krakatoan eruptions of noise bustling in the hedgerow & a knack for super-melodie.' - and be really praiseful. Steph's voice ranks among the best vocalists'; should there ever be a 'Top 50 Indie female singers', she should easily place in the top ten. The music goes for the doleful yet optimistic surge of Delgadoan eruptions & Aereogrammatic precision timing. It's grand, & I promise I'll never half-listen to a band this good again. Amongst The Arrows strive for the grand gesture also, titanic tracks calling to mind the more progressive moments of Jeff Buckley, making music that moves with glacial grandeur, with lyrics flecked through like ice-broken rocks of hope.
http://www.magdalenaband.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/magdalenaband
http://www.amongstthearrows.com
Friday 20
'Tronic: IVES / FIREBRAND / BINARY ZERO (pictured) / SEAN KERWIN
'Tronic' is going to be a night of live electronic music from 4 of Glasgow's freshest underground talent. Headlining are IVES, with their new album; 'Who wants a soul when you got image?' being launched on the night. Joining in on the party will be FIREBRAND, BINARY ZERO and SEAN KERWIN, so expect lush synthscapes, warped electronica, breaks & a bit of digital disco. A new wave of underground electronic is about to be seen and heard!
http://www.myspace.com/ivesmusic
http://www.binaryzero.tk
http://www.myspace.com/binaryzero
Saturday 21
STANLEY / + GUESTS
Aberdeen's stanley bring their "melodic blend of treats" not to mention a vibraphone and a stack of great songs!
Sunday 22
tba
Monday 23 ***GIG OF THE MONTH***
FRANK TURNER (ex-Million Dead) (pictured) / MISTAKES IN ANIMATION (pictured) / CORLEONE
The principal purpose of this gig is to prove the belief that playing a guitar & singing introspective songs can be only abut ten million times better than James Blunt - over-played rhyming slang sensation of 2005. 'Thank you, James. You're *pitiful*' Frank Turner used to play with Million Dead, whose well-frantic couple of albums are now merely a good-looking corpse in select collections. His new stuff is a bit less frantic, but has great lyrics about losing the belief that playing a guitar is likely to endear you to the ladies, & so on. The music is also much more laid back, lightly fuzzy guitar underpinning the songs, kind of a bit Billy Bragg? A Good Thing. Also featuring in this emo/hardcore apostasy love-in is Mistakes in Animation, who goes for the full unplugged acoustic guitar and the slightly lachrymose lyrics one would associate with decent, pared down 'emotional' music. There's a link between Mistakes in Animation & Corleone involving the phrase 'rubbed out', but I'll just leave those ideas with you & move along. I would like to have more to say about Corleone than that they hail from the posh suburb of Barrhead, & that they arose from the wreckage of Tired of Trying, but they are informationally elusive. They should hopefully make you a musical offer you can't refuse. (£5 - 8.30pm)
http://www.frank-turner.com
http://www.myspace.com/frankturner
http://www.mistakesinanimation.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/mistakesinanimation
Tuesday 24
WILDFLOWER / SUICIDE UNDERGROUND (pictured)
Wildflower bring their rock to the Note once again, accompanied by Suicide Underground, a "5 piece male & female band based in Glasgow. Formed mid 2005 & gigging since August. SU made it through to Furys King Of Bands semi final November - December 2005. Currently working our arses off building a fanbase through constant gigging in the Glasgow area. We are constantly developing new and unique material which we hope our rehersal tapes on our myspace page reflects (link below). Our 1st studio recordings commence in February 2006 and we are excited by the quality & depth of material we have available."
http;//www.myspace.com/suicideunderground
Wednesday 25
Hijacked Records Night
http://www.hijackedrecords.co.uk
Thursday 26
THE PEOPLES ALIBI / MALICE / CITIZIN / CUDDLY SHARK
http://www.thepeoplesalibi.tk
Friday 27 ***GIG OF THE MONTH***
NARCOSIS / BLACK SUN / BY MY HANDS
Narcosis, five-piece band with an utterly unrelenting grind attack. Their new album 'Romance' is due for release on Calculated Risk Records on 3rd March. 4-piece Black Sun's current album 'Sacred eternal Eclipse' out on Distortion Project Records. They occupy a harsh & doomily aggressive world where the listener can be crushed into a bloody pulp one moment, & then reconstituted by semi-atmospheric soundscapes the next. With death metal soundscapes & pounding percussion, stoned doom chords, & vocals that will send the bravest of souls scampering under their beds Black Sun create potent slabs of noise-metal with anguished demon-from-hell vocals.
http://www.myspace.com/narcosisgrind
http://www.ripyourselfopen.com
http://www.myspace.com/bymyhands
Saturday 28 ***GIG OF THE MONTH***
Massacre: GODPLAYER (pictured) / IRONY OF CHRIST (pictured) / CARNAGE / AMOK (pictured)
METAL! THRASH METAL! Bands can still do it well. Bands like Irony of Christ - enormous. The songs rumble & surge over double kick-drum unison guitar thunder, with the guttural psychotic barking vocals that are alone sufficient to sit atop this kind of marauding million-horse army. The people of the Steppes never knew what hit them. There was Carnage; their music requires butchery synonyms & the knowledge that they want to make music like Pantera & In Flames, only 'more aggressive'... sweet Jesus, deliver us. They sound a bit Maiden as well, but if Bruce Dickinson was undergoing a tracheotomy while Janick & Adrian chase Dave Murray with chainsaws, during the solos in 'Phantom of the Opera'. Excellent! Godplayer continue in the sacrilegious vein opened by Irony of Christ, extremely metallic metal running as ichor through the bars in the floor. Token download 'Fear the Day' starts off innocently enough, big chorus-effected intro which suddenly becomes an all-hands-on-deck depth charge assault replete with totally unhinged vocal rasping which suggests the attacking vessel is crewed by ferocious winged demons opening up a second front in their quest to annihilate their unfortunate foe. Finally Amok run, well, Amok. There's a bit in 'Diamonds are Forever' when Mr Wint and Mr Kidd don American football boots to give Bond a 'Brooklyn stomping', which is a total brutal kicking. THAT is what Amok sound like. Get it *right* round ye. (doors 8.30pm - £4)
http://www.myspace.com/godplayer
http://www.ironyofchrist.com
http://www.amokmetal.com
Sunday 29
CLEARWAY (pictured) / SPIELER
“Clearway: five lads from Newcastle Upon Tyne, formed through boredom of working in the ship yards, call centres and the 9 to 5 culture. Clearways sound can be described as a cross between new and old borrowing the fabrics from indie and punk and cutting it with a punch of melody. This year has seen them support the likes of the Cribs, Black Wire, Shitdisco, Field Music, Kubbichek and the Futureheads back in their home town, in eagerly awaited pursuit of there debut in March”.
http://www.clearway.info
http://www.myspace.com/clearwaymusic
Monday 30
EVEN IN BLACKOUTS / THE GREASE MONKEYS / I STAND ALONE / THE ALPACINOS
http://membres.lycos.fr/thegreasemonkeys/
Tuesday 31
The End of the Month Club:
THE STUPID IDIOTS / COLON OPEN BRACKET (pictured) / BOZILLA / vj THRIFTSHOP XL
The first eotmc of the year & we welcome special guests "The Stupid Idiots", Aimee Boz gets to choose a guest this month & she plumped for the Scottish answer to Goldie Looking Chain, so expect some rhymes about love loss & Irn bru to come out of the mouths of this tongue in cheek hip hop crew. Our second guests travelling down from Aberdeen are the gameboyglitch electro emo "Colon Open Bracket" or :( for short. They cite sigue sigue sputnik, metallica, motormark and fighstar as influences on their myspace page. So naturally they are indeed fantastic.
http://www.eotmc.com
http://www.thestupididiots.com
http://www.myspace.com/thestupididiots
http://www.colonopenbracket.com
http://www.myspace.com/colonopenbracket
http://www.bozilla.co.uk
