Monday 01
A SINGER MUST DIE / + GUESTS
A Singer Must Die: CDREVIEWS : 'A Singer Must Die is a decent duo however without doubt; a little eccentric in their own way, but refreshingly this eccentricity is in no way contrived. [...] The vocals throughout the album contain an encompassing worldly-wise tone that is reminiscent in places as bands such as Hefner and The Smiths and you have a band that contains a lot of promise.' POPNEWS : [This album] 'sounds very close to Elliott Smith's records (to whom the album is dedicated, and who has left his haunting shade all along these 10 songs) and stands out in our minds in a lasting way. A very nice thought about the dark side of this thing for which numerous martyrs have died, and that is called Rock'n'Roll.' MAGIC [n°110 - May '07] *****° : 'As beautiful as perturbed, indie pop in the great tradition of the most mythical duos'
www.myspace.com/asingermustdie
Tuesday 02 ***RECOMMENDED***
THE PRIMARY 5 / ACOUSTIC BUTTERFLY (pictured) / JOURNEYBOX / WOODENBOX
This month is Oxjam, which gives gig-goers the chance to raise money for a superb cause - one of the most effective organisations worldwide at delivering ongoing international aid and development as well as crisis relief - while enjoying the work of a huge range of artists, performers, etc. Tonight's gig is explicitly about benefiting the work of Oxfam, with all proceeds going to Oxfam. A superb line-up should guarantee a good turnout on a school night: classic Bellshill sound from The Primary 5, who have been making mini-epic driving to Loch Lomond in late-summer music since 2002, stomping beats, harmonies and hook upon hook. Acoustic Butterfly do something a little rootsier, making me think of, like early-mid period Fleetwood Mac - bluesy-folk, male/female harmonies, urgent acoustic guitar, bass and percussion, impending sense of disaster in a relationship... simple. Coming on to Journeybox, who sit up somewhere between the first two bands described here, with male/female wistings of folk acoustica, but keyboard drum loops underscoring drifts into squallier territories than the Damien Rice-ish intros and verses sometimes suggest, random bursts of noise adding greatly to the already beguiling picked pings and spangles of electric guitar... really pretty songs, catch them all tonight and dig deep for Oxjam. £4 suggested entry - all proceeds go to Oxfam.
www.myspace.com/theprimary5
www.myspace.com/acousticbutterfly
www.myspace.com/journeybox
Wednesday 03
Mister Tramp Records present 'Off the Beaten Track' album launch: MARTIN JOHN HENRY / LITTLE PEBBLE / PAUL ALEXANDER / YOU ALREADY KNOW
Album launch night.. on sale at: Avalanche, Virgin, HMV, and the Mister Tramp MySpace page. The performers: Little Pebble is an independent artist based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Songs about the love of a woman that I'm yet to find, crap audiences, taking chances when you should, being around drunk people..., falling for a coffee girl, the 'capital' city of Scotland? and a walking home song - albeit a short walk. / You Already Know: "Having recently supported US metal heavyweights The Deftones, it's clear that Glasgow's You Already Know are doing something of note. Snub-nosed riffs and driving rhythms jostled with angular melodies in a sound that recalled the spirit of defunct hardcore heroes Quicksand. Ones to watch." Doors 8.30pm - free entry
www.myspace.com/mistertramprecords
www.myspace.com/martinjohnhenry
www.myspace.com/evancrichton
www.myspace.com/paulalexandersings
www.myspace.com/pebblelittle
www.youalreadyknow.net
www.myspace.com/youak
Thursday 04
Dicelines: ARCHANGELS REVENGE (pictured) / SLEAZY CUM EAZY / PABLO ESKIMO
"Archangels Revenge exist somewhere on the darker side of music. Too heavy to be emo, but with intricate melodies that stop before being entirely metal, this band has created something out of the ashes of a dying genre... something darker, and more personal." / Sleazy Cum Eazy are what could be described as a hard rock band in the simplest sense with fat riffs, pounding beats, sweet rhythms all rounded off with blistering lead guitar complemented by what can best be described as hard rockin bluesy vocals. / Pablo Eskimo: boasting an accomplished and adventurous vocalist Alaine Allison, she thrives by pulling all their songs into a glorious melodic heaven. Now stick that over a metal guitar, ska beat or punk rock riff. Take your pick because Pablo Eskimo have got every genre under control, brought to life with an injection of power pop. Doors 9pm, £4 entry
www.dicelines.com
www.myspace.com/sleazycomeeasy
www.myspace.com/pabloeskimo
www.myspace.com/archangelsrevenge
Friday 05
BUCKY RAGE (pictured) / CHARLIE RIVERS
A mysterious melange of masked marauding. The Bucky Rage tick all the right mishaped boxes with their unbridled bandido approach to surf, religion, wrestling and one-eyed girls whilst charlie rivers has this to say..."The Dolly Sisters arent even good amateurs. Larry Hennig cant drink beer worth anything, and Harley Race goes to a hairdresser. What kind of men would do that?" --- The Crusher, 1967. ... Do the Crusher you mutha f****** turkey neck" ...indeed.
www.myspace.com/the_bucky_rage
Saturday 06 ***RECOMMENDED***
SIMON FINN (pictured) / NALLE / DAVID KEENAN
Games for the head and feet from some experts in the field; David Keenan, local experimentalist musician and proprietor of Volcanic Tongue records, lining up along side recently self-released from apparent obscurity Simon Finn [A brief history lesson for the inattentive: Simon Finn made an album (Pass the distance) in 1970 at the age of 19, then... 35 years later ... he released a second album (Magic moments) and has been making up for time spent away from music by touring, recording and collaborating with a whole bunch of people, including Thurston Moore, David Tibet and Current 93, and of course the Crowded House reunion. Ok, I made that last bit up.] Expect a kind of psyche-folk, but with lyrics that illustrate the perspective-restorative powers of 35 years not trying to write a song about it. Nalle are a little spider plant offshoot of Scatter, and like the luminaries playing alongside them this evening they twist the folk sounds of what for want of a less glib word we might call organic instruments [bouzouki, viola, flutes, kantele...] to describe strange new worlds rewoven from existing fabric, music as kaleidoscope, transition object.
www.simonfinn.co.uk
www.pickled-egg.co.uk/nalle
Sunday 07
THE HERMIT CRABS / ADRIANA / JAMIE MARTYN / EDDIE BEGGAN
An acoustic based oxjam benefit tonight with 4 cracking artists!
www.myspace.com/eddiebeggan
Monday 08
SPOOKEY / SARA & THE SNAKES (pictured) / THE FNORDS
Spookey, Spookey Cat The Japanese have a (often deserved) reputation of attempting to re-package 30 years of Western rock'n'roll and sell it back to us, but hell, this one REALLY works. Probably because the Spookey gals don't TRY, it just comes natural to 'em. Incendiary tunes, equal parts Ronettes (make that Shangri-Las, they were a proper street gang), Ramones and Link Wray..... they flit from punk-ya-can-whistle through rockabilly, sideswerving some likeable ska and taking in a proper punkrock rumble on the way home. Guaranteed to make even the most sullen emo kid smile. Don't mistake this for "ka-wa-ee" or "ka-wa-ii" intentionally cute-ass Japanese girl fodder, this IS proper fucking punkrock'n'roll. Spookey girls rock! / Sara & the Snakes: Andy and Sara duoed a lonely furrow until Mike kick drummed them into a Rocktastic threepiece... "...an unfettered piece of bone rattling voodoo swamp trash come to life." Neil Cooper, THE LIST / The Fnords - Sharing a love of trash rock'n'roll, Kill Rock Stars and the perfect buzzsaw pop song, The Fnords are a 3-piece who play no-fi, grrrl, surf-punk with fluctuating levels of loathing and paranoia.
www.myspace.com/saraandthesnakes
www.myspace.com/thefnords
Tuesday 09 ***RECOMMENDED***
Y'ALL IS FANTASY ISLAND / THE PENDULUMS / BEARD DJS
Y'all is Fantasy Island. Officially the best thing to come out of Falkirk since Arab Strap. In frontman Adam Stafford, they have a true frontman, he is such a captivating presence on stage and mercifully he has an assembled cast around him who more than do him justice, the brilliant guitar work of Tommy on lead and Robbie on bass coupled with the frenetic drumming of Jonny McCall, this is indeed, a phenomenal band. / The Pendulums: great folk tinged tunes with frivolity in abundance. Whilst everything from the lyrics to the packaging portray a band not taking things too seriously; behind this, in the musicianship and song writing, the talent is of serious quality. With the instruments that are utilised (a wide variety of strings, keys, percussion, occasional brass and some amazing backing vocals), and utilised well, a modern day Forever Changes could be the result.
www.yifi.co.uk
www.myspace.com/yifimusic
Wednesday 10
AYRIAL / LSD (pictured) / DEADOTTER
Stoner rock is the order of the day....well the night time of the day i guess. 3 top notch desert / stoner / hard rock for you tonight for the princely sum of £3
www.myspace.com/lsdmusic
www.myspace.com/spacerawknroll (deadotter)
Friday 12 ***RECOMMENDED***
PSYDOLL (xcape from tokyo tour) (pictured) / MASQUE
It does a disservice to something that sounds like Stereolab on at the wrong (/right) speed, by which you should only infer great, to pigeonhole it with a bunch of large neo Orientalist brush strokes; however, the accelerated urgency of anime is an appropriate visual aid to the Psydoll sound, theremin, industrial gothish crunch and doomy synth underpinned by galloping guard dog drums with exactly the right hint of docking travelling interplanetary supercruisers. Reading: Snow crash, Vurt. The sound of time beginning to fold in on itself. And a quote from the press: Psydoll: "And so it begins ... Crunching, crashing electronica of the heavy metal kind: The sound track to many a late-night manga marathon. This J-Pop for the Nine Inch Nails generation." BBC Cumbria. / Masque continue the sense of the means of production acquiring the ability to control itself and articulating a particular sense of annoyance – wall-of sound electric guitars and sinister rockabilly/big beats, situationist and often grotesquely mordant lyrics… Masque appear to be the looters in the global riot following the collapse, quite frantic yet measured – they have a list.
www.psydoll.com
www.myspace.com/psyberdoll
Saturday 13
ANTIQUE SCREAM (pictured) / MISS THE OCCUPIER (pictured) / THE DHARMA / RODAN / BLACK CARNATION (pictured)
To see power trio Antique Scream on stage inevitably recalls images of Nirvana, with singer/guitarist/bassist Chris Rutledge shredding away passionately at his guitar, face always half obscured by a mop of blond hair, chin always covered in beard stubble. But musically, there are very few similarities, aside from the fact that Rutledge is a solid songwriter and a dexterous guitar player -- he focuses on infectious guitar hooks that recall ´60s psychedelic and garage grooves rather than mopey grunge dirges, and his lyrics are about love, not self-loathing. And while the band maintains a consistent gritty, bottom-heavy rock sound on its latest album, Sink the Sun, Antique Scream never sticks to one style, moving easily through a variety of vibes, from chugging space rock to primal blues. -- Niki D'Andrea. / Miss the Occupier: "The songs blast Sister-era Sonic Youth through ace girl group melodies... it's basically off centre pop music with sharp, muscular angles. And it's sexy as ---- to boot." Stewart Gardiner, Plan B magazine. "With vibrant red hair to match the surrounding decor, Miss The Occupier have in Roz Davies a striking front person - a punk princess. Spiky pop blasts at us with every synchronized pressing of foot pedals, magnus matching Roz's bass with powerful guitar whilst Derek thrashes with controlled destruction behind..."Mark Connelly, Is This Music? Magazine. / The Dharma: "Original brand of pumping new wave rock, there is no denying that this is a band who deliver and look the part while they do it".No-Title Magazine. / Black Carnation: From Nirvana to Jeff Buckley, through QOTSA and Radiohead, the music mixes a vast array of different styles and influences which, when all thrown together have produced something quite unique and instantly recognisable. They have been described as "dark, sexy and slightly unhinged" and "...a bloody orgy of Kurt Cobain, Jeff Buckley & Chris Cornell backed by the ghost of John Bonham on drums and basslines so solid you'd think they were cast in concrete". £5 entry - a quid per band
www.myspace.com/antiquescream
www.myspace.com/misstheoccupier
www.myspace.com/blackcarnation
Sunday 14
Oxjam Night: THE CLIFTONS / + GUESTS
"The Cliftons formed sometime after 1986, and are named after the legendary jazz singer Tony Clifton. They live in Glasgow and are the proud owners of some hobbies. Sometimes they play their music in public." another oxjam benefit tonight... featuring the crisp acoustics of the cliftons.
Monday 15
DONPHOBIA (pictured) / JOYLESS KILL (pictured) / STICK FINLAYS
Donphobia: comic book hero metal. / Joyless Kill formed in the Scottish Borders in the summer of 2004 to make music to please themselves, however the band have recently taken a more aggressive and experimental approach in response to what they perceive as a corruption of their musical ideals, here are some descriptions of the live show - "Elements of 90s hardcore were blended seamlessly with more modern influences," / "...they weren't afraid to send up the weighty solemnity affecting so many in the genre." / "Those who champion pseudo-metal types like Lightning Bolt would shit themselves in terror if they were to hear Joyless Kill." / The Stick Finlays: Although there are riffs aplenty within the music, the guitar and bass work is kept nimble and interesting, it never feels like songs drag, which is trap many a band has fallen in to but I'm glad to say The Stick Finlays avoid. Oh, I should probably give the vocals a mention, as they are damn fine.
www.donphobia.4t.com
www.myspace.com/Donphobia
www.myspace.com/joylesskill
Tuesday 16
LUMMOX / + GUESTS
Lummox, ...multiple brass instruments, trumpets, saxually harassing classic songs for example, Donna
Summers "I feel love" rebored as "I feel hate". Yes! I¹ll crib a great little phrase from an online reviewer to mention their "electronic rhythmoputer-o-tron"Š modern swamp jazz, underscored by repetitive beats, hey, you got me.
Wednesday 17
Splendid Dead Night: CORSAIRS / + GUESTS
Splendid Dead is a lovely labyrinth populated with individuals who like working together and apart and back together again in new shapes. Principally formed from the exploded remnants of the band Vancouver Deluxe, Splendid Dead exists because we all wanted to put our ideas out there and not rely on somebody else to foot the bill or to tell us it is good enough. So its looks roughly like an afterparty for the apocalypse, with a guestlist of rejects making outsider music for the 21st century.
Thursday 18
is this music? - FRANCIS MACDONALD / ST DELUXE / JOHN B MCKENNA
"Head of innovative Glasgow labels Shoeshine and Spit & Polish, Francis (Nice Man) Macdonald's CV includes Alex Chilton, The Pastels, Dan Penn and Jerry Lee Lewis, alongside stints with BMX Bandits and the Fanclub (for whom he still plays live). Sauchiehall & Hope is a love-bitten concept album of sorts, all delicious pop froth and sunny-side-up guitars. "Get That Girl" tips the wink to Big Star, "Mine All Mine" and "Loser" are the Fannies in full summer canter, while Kim Fowley guests on "Heart To Break". Elsewhere, the choppy "Girl, I'm In Love With You" and bubblegum rock n roller "Daydream Girls" ice the cake with panache" (Uncut) As if on a crusade to end all those cruel drummer jokes - Macdonald having sat behind the kit for the likes of Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits and Radio Sweethearts - Nice Man plays every instrument, pens every song and sings them too. For reference think of Jonathan Richman, shades of Beck and 1980s power pop, but for a clearer view just take these exhilaratingly refreshing tunes at face value. (Scotland On Sunday) "A "Pop Opera", no less. Scots indie songsmith Francis Macdonald delivers tales of finding a girl, falling in love and then losing her. Oh, if only life was so simple. Fans of Teenage Fanclub or BMX Bandits will lap this up. Go on, risk a run to the shops." (Rocksound) "The pure honesty, power pop, romanticness, and country influenced songs are so wonderful you just wouldn't believe it was possible..." St Deluxe were formed by Jamie Cameron and Martin Kirwan. Sharing a love of indie ethics and ideals, vintage guitars and fuzz pedals, we decided to start up a band + record label. Taking inspiration from bands like sonic youth, my bloody valentine, teenage fanclub, dinosaur jr, jesus and the marychain, spacemen 3, mudhoney, etc plus labels like creation, sst, sub pop, dischord.. we enlisted the help of some friends - stuart kidd on drums, Stewart Niblock on bass and the Brian McEwan on synth bubble/occasional guitar feeback to complete the line up.. grundioso records have released three singles.. The Debut St Deluxe single 'Distant Light' and two of our series of Grundioso MAXI singles!! MAXI I featured Duglas Stewart and the brides of Frankenstein (Duglas.. Norman Blake.. Francis MacDonald.. and Davie Scott..) the Starlets and st deluxe... MAXI II featured our own St Deluxe and the magic of Music and Movement... A tad existential, but mostly universal/comprehensible. Folk, bigger than Lo-Fi. Currently radio friendly, although depending on how life treats me, it's subject to change. Written around the world, mostly in Scotland. Recorded in one bedroom/rarely in garage, but always on the same 8 track. 40GB of hard drive space never seemed so small, until recently when "DISKFULL" keeps popping up on lcd screen. Inspired by people who make themselves like King Creosote, by people who get signed up big and remain cool too. Musically influenced by Neil Young, Elliott Smith, King Creosote, Neutral Milk Hotel, Tom Waits, The Elected, and anyone who uses drum machines and synthesisers with organic instrumentation.
www.isthismusic.com
www.myspace.com/isthismusic
www.myspace.com/francismacdonald
www.myspace.com/johnbmckenna
Friday 19
Joy Promotions: 3 BANDS TBC
Doors 9pm
Saturday 20
Kinks Night feat: THE THANES / THE FAST CAMELS (pictured) / COBRAMATICS / THE MARTIAL ARTS / THE PLIMPTONS / NIC DEN & ALF MITCHELL / JOE KANE & THE IDIOTS AGAINST TIME (pictured)
The line up and the fact that it's a kinks night really speaks for itself! I wonder who'll do what songs??? yas!
www.myspace.com/thethanes
www.myspace.com/thefastcamels
www.theplimptons.co.uk
www.myspace.com/theplimptonsuk
www.onlyjoekane.co.uk
www.myspace.com/onlyjoekanemusic
Sunday 21
Drive Carefully Records: DIRTY SUMMER / PUSHBARTOOPEN / + 1 TBC
Dirty Summer: Every now & then, we stumble upon a band which reminds us of the power of Myspace. Remember when you could hear a breathtaking, original band every other day, before it was over-run by emo bands from Ayr? Well, Dirty Summer are one such source of excitement. Their brand of "Car Crash Pop", as they put it, is full of driving rock'n'roll rhythm, sleazy synths & truly distinctive vocals. / Pushbartoopen: solo project of Lloyd Alexander, one third of Babybones. His inventive & energetic synth/laptop alter-ego pre-dates the formation of the band & it's the warmth & familiarity, so unusual in solo electronic music, which makes him/them so distinctive. / Jeez Louise: Tom Snowball is a regular fixture on Glasgow's folk circuit, including his own showcase, Shambolic Wardrobe. This is a chance to see an early outing of his new band featuring andrea tomlinson (the metro-gnomes) & ian moy (miabene & the asthmatic scene, the sunshine electrical). Expect singalongs, handclaps & possibly some animal noises.
www.drivecarefullyrecords.co.uk
www.myspace.com/drivecarefullyrecords
www.myspace.com/dirtysummer
www.myspace.com/pushbartoopen
Monday 22
AN EMERGENCY (ENG) (pictured) / MEET ME IN ST LOUIS (ENG) / HOUSEHOLD / GROZNY
An Emergency are from Exeter, Devon and play angular, arty post-punk rock that careers violently from one mood to another. Formed in late 2003, they released a record that year and played shows with the likes of The Bronx, Q And Not U, The Blood Brothers, Hell Is For Heroes, Gay for Johnny Depp, Retisonic and Help! She Can't Swim. / MMISL threaten to bust the temperature gauge with amazingly explosive, off-kilter drumming that Cap'n'jazz would have been more than proud of and a million searing riffs that hark back to the irregularity of At the drive in and Blood Brothers. It is this heady combination of influences, despite the lack of a discernable beat, which sends half the crowd into spasmodic judders - they seem to be dancing but it looks totally involuntary. The other half of the crowd simply stands there transfixed with their mouths open. KKKK / Household, from the centre of scotland, is a dischordant pop band that makes new-wave discodancers wanna bust out crying. There's three beautifully hand crafted home recorded 3-track limited CD releases, which are pretty much sold out now. Every now and then we make some more or compilations and stuff and try to have some really cheap stuff to sell at all the gigs. / Grozny are a young trio who make a lot of noise, with repeated guitar riffs creating a cyclical effect and a large military based drum sound, the songs quickly settled into a pattern of guitar freak-out, vocal screams and drum fills taking the track back to the guitar leads.
www.anemergency.com
www.meetmeinstlouis.co.uk
Tuesday 23 ***RECOMMENDED***
SINCABEZA (France) / DEAD OR AMERICAN (pictured) / PROJECT:VENHELL (pictured) / ROLLOR (pictured)
Something bad happened. Evil goblins stole the master tapes and remixed them. It's the only explanation for Project:VenHell's underworldly sound, vocal anguish and instruments feeding back fuzz at the edge of panic. Sexy in a demonic way. Sincabeza, all the way over from Bordeaux are no help. They claim to have three members, who play, respectively, pim, pam and poum, and that they sound like pim, pam then poum. They are entirely right, although I might add at least capitals for emphasis. Occasionally meandering rock-progge, occasionally zipping along all rolling stock flat out like the TGV..? Three artisan noisemakers, a number of keyboards, guitars...trés excitant. Rollor's 'strange spars of wisdom' has previously been utilised on a number of compilations, and I don't just bung out any old shite you know. Slinky bass and laconic mouthorgan, hoe down truck-rock, then breaking down into rinkety-tink drumstick clicks, round and round, about two minutes. Great. Dead or American also make a return to the note, their already argumentative, fractious sound now being reined in with very tightly wound aggression, great, angry, seething songs - and here's me holding them up like a severed head. Best leave it... evil goblins.
www.myspace.com/sincabeza
www.deadoramerican.com
www.myspace.com/deadoramerican
www.myspace.com/projectvenhell
www.rollor.co.uk
www.myspace.com/rollormusic
Wednesday 24
NEVERLAND SLEEPOVERS (pictured) / GODSTALKER / INSULTING MALCOLM
Neverland Sleepovers: Formed in 2003 from the ashes of hatecore heroes The Social Lepers, adding a coupla "secret weapons" to the line-up, and then going on to destroy all in their path. Have gigged with: Nashville Pussy, Zeke, Poison Idea, Fleshies, the Dangerfields, the Hard-Ons, the Nerds, Anti-Nowhere League, Rose Tattoo, the Gin Goblins, Atomgevitter, Brutal Knights, and Family Man. The 'Sleepovers are against most things, their motto is "Have a good time all the time ...especially if it can be at someone else's expense!"
www.myspace/neverlandsleepovers
www.myspace.com/insultingmalcolm
Thursday 25
UPSTAIRS in the cafe/bar: 'Scribble and Screeb' (pictured)
Scribble as you screeb to the dinosaurDeathpenguin DJs (IDIOteque), who will be bursting your face with paper, crayons and right proper eclectic tunage. What better way to see out the weekend! The 'best' pictures will be used as posters for the next night, with the rest being turned into a city wide 'free gallery'. A selected few will be turned into HUGE A1/A0 prints for the participants to collect at the next night. And a inspiration will also be provided... in the Cafe/Bar area, from 9.30/10pm - 12am
visit 'scribble & screeb' page on this website
www.myspace.com/scribbleandscreeb - the night (with picture updates)
www.myspace.com/dinosaurdeathpenguin - the DJs
www.myspace.com/screebson - the neeson
www.mysapce.com/floydddp - the floyd
DOWNSTAIRS in the cafe/bar: HERCULES MANDARIN
Doors 9pm
www.herculesmandarin.co.uk
Friday 26
FUCK DRESS / + GUESTS
The Fuck Dress Band is a group of musicians who are dedicated to keeping music alive. The Band has performed all over England and on the continent. They have also competed at band competitions. Influences - Pixies, The Fall. Chameleons, The Blue Aeroplanes, Ligament, Jesus and Mary Chain, Hirameka Hi-fi, Urusei Yatsura, Joy Division. - i.e. Tasty!
Saturday 27 ***RECOMMENDED***
THE PLIMPTONS (pictured) / THE APHRODISIACS (pictured) / BLIND PEW
Returning to their 'fave haunt' (cheers chaps, flattery will get you... well, at least more gigs), The Plimptons unleash their non-brand of original wonk, highly infectious and squeezing idea after idea into each song... hate to mention a certain hairy Welsh group, but them and even Paul's Boutique might be the most useful guide to what you might expect from The Plimps - lurching from hillbilly punk to cosmic Beach Boy sludge rock, cutesy boy/girl indie rock - hold still! We say, and they caper on with a yee-haw, regardless. Steadying the atmosphere somewhat, or perhaps making it even more heady, lovedrug guzzling trio The Aphrodisicacs are a dangerous force [in Perth Travel lodges and Amsterdam] which comes from their restrained tunes, which don't go for obvious big choruses, but are kind of genius pop laments that linger about in your head because they're a slow build and release, like a flower, say, rather than a firework, hmmm? We should conclude with Blind Pew, who plot for world domination but have had their blueprints nicked by unscrupulous pirates. Here be stripped back wall of sound music, proper big surround sound with sparse instrumentation that makes the swells and sudden changes of direction carry you off, as a joint raiding party of Young Soul Rebels, the E-Street Band and Jim Steinman. This last namecheck does highlight some bombastic musical comedy (I want to hear Meatloaf singing 'The day I ran over my girlfriend')... but fake tache-wearing play mixes with some properly sweet songs... Ar-harr, me lads.
www.theplimptons.co.uk
www.myspace.com/theplimptonsuk
www.myspace.com/theaphrodisiacs
Sunday 28
:( (COLON OPEN BRACKET) / DBSIXTYEIGHT / LANDON / TRACK 9
"hey hey...check this! we're called :( you pronounce that "COLON OPEN BRACKET" we're from aberdeen, scotland and we're very pretty! in the last year we've released a split 7" with data panik, toured with get cape wear cape fly and enter shikari, played the download, t in the park and truck festivals, done remixes for forward russia, funeral for a friend and computerman and released a 5 track ep." / db68 - this is a highly competent and polished effort and if you like your music to feature synths, keys and some killer choruses, dbsixtyeight could be the band for you'
www.colonopenbracket.com
www.myspace.com/colonopenbracket
www.myspace.com/dbsixtyeight
www.myspace.com/landontheband
Monday 29
TMT Promotions: ALREADY NAKED / THE KENNY LECKIES / DORIAN / TRUE NOVELLA
Doors 9pm
www.myspace.com/tmtpromotions
www.myspace.com/alreadynakedband
www.myspace.com/kennyleckie
www.myspace.com/dorianuk
Wednesday 31
UPSTAIRS in the cafe/bar: IF YOU LIVED HERE YOU'D BE HOME BY NOW
If you lived here you'd be home by now are a Glasgow band and have been together for only 7 months but in that time have managed to record a first album. The process of making the album was very very special as it was all recorded live and in one take with the sound of the rain in the background. The band consists of piano, cello, vocals drums and bass and have been recently experimenting with other instruments. The music itself has been inspired by bands such as the dirty three as well as solo artists like tom waits and nick cave and classical artists, particularly chopin. With the unique and special sound of the band halloween seems a perfect gig to play to play - fancy dress will be compulsory!
www.myspace.com/ifyoulivedhereyoudbehomebynow
DOWNSTAIRS in the cafe/bar: The End of the Month Club Halloween Special: DESOLATION YES! / BOZILLA / THRIFTSHOP EX-HELL
All the usual antics with a guest appearance from desolation yes! 'Desolation Yes!' is a collaboration between well established musicians in their own rights. Since formation, the band has moved from strength to strength, converting the masses to the new sound of Metal Dance. Gone are the set roles of music. Constantly swapping over and changing instruments mid song keeps the sound fresh and interesting. D.J's and sound engineers alike have been deeply impressed with the technical and workmanship of the music, whilst retaining its hard edge. "the brilliant fusion of industrial / techno/ pop by Glasgow's 'next big thing-Desolation Yes" - Loud Horizon Music. £4 entry.
www.eotmc.com
www.myspace.com/desolationyes
www.bozilla.co.uk
www.myspace.com/bozillabozilla
