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INTERVIEW & ALBUM NEWS: Captain Wilberforce release their new album – ‘Black Sky Thinking’ – 27th March 2017

14 Mar 2017

The band has a reputation for compelling melodies, cascading harmonies and crafted lyrics, and this album is no different. Songwriter Simon Bristoll was influenced by classic songwriters like Joe Jackson, Ray Davies and Squeeze – as well as their more contemporary counterparts such as Jim O’Rourke, Ryan Adams and Guy Garvey – in putting together the songs on the new album. He’s taken these influences and turned out a set of crafted alt-pop; timeless, cultured tunes that ear-worm their way into your life.

In a change from previous albums, which used different local musicians, Captain Wilberforce now has a new permanent line up – joining Simon (Songwriting, vocals and guitars) are Carl Banks (Drums), Rob Simpson (Guitars) and Massimiliano Borghesi (Bass, vocals).

Simon explains, “For previous albums I’ve relied on other musician’s generosity with time and commitment – it just so happens that the guys I’m working with now are able to focus more on Captain Wilberforce than other projects. They’re all excellent at the instruments they play but more importantly we all get on really well. It was a fairly natural process – Carl has been drumming with me on and off for years, and Rob has played guitar in a previous incarnation, but Max replied to a bassist wanted ad and we couldn’t have been more impressed. We’re still looking for someone who plays keys and has a great voice for harmonies, if there’s anyone interested, please get in touch!”.

I asked Simon whether the change to a permanent band has changed how the songs come together.

“As the songwriter I still make most of the musical decisions but I’m happy for everyone to chip in their ideas and if they’re good they’re used. I have always written the lyrics and continue to do so, even though I find that part of the process the most time consuming and frustrating, as I set myself high standards. I haven’t really changed the way I write yet – I normally present the band with all the parts – apart from drums – and a finished structure. Maybe once the next series of gigs is finished we’ll be able to work on ideas as a group to come up with something great – but I’ll still be having the final say on everything (at least initially), in a sort of benign dictator role.”

Given the gap of six years since the band’s last album, I was interested to know why this album has taken so long coming together.

“The album has taken six years to record, but not through lack of effort. If you want the simplest. but not comprehensive, answer to why, it’s finances. Recording studios cost money. Producers cost money. Rehearsals cost money. As it’s been my band, I haven’t asked any of the other guys to contribute financially, although – and it’s a big although – I’ve had huge amounts of support in time and expertise from Mike Browne and Rob Simpson, who’ve co-produced the songs. There’s a trade off for getting things done for free, and that is that they take way longer.

“Plus we had a Spinal Tap-esque series of unfortunate events including having to redo loads of recordings due to faulty equipment – only detected at the mixing stage, illness, timetabling problems and just bad luck.

“However if you ask Rob or Mike, they’d probably just blame me and my tendency to want to add extra tracks after everyone thought we’d finished and were ready to start the mixing. They might have a point – I’m from the ‘lets add some strings and kazoo’ school of recording. The next album will be finished far, far quicker.”

Finally I asked Simon which tracks on the album are his favourites.

“As with all albums, when you get to the end of the mastering process, you’ve just about had enough of the songs and never want to listen to them again. However I’m particularly proud of ‘Good Times You Said’ and the title track ‘Black Sky Thinking’ – for their lyrics especially – I tend to write by putting myself in somebody else’s head space – real or imagined – and writing from their perspective. Both these songs ring true for me, so it’ll be interesting to see people’s reactions to all them. In the end though I write them for me and I’m proud of the whole collection of songs.”

Black Sky Thinking is being released on CD by US indie label KoolKat Music and will only be available in the UK in that format via import. The album will also be available to download via https://captainwilberforce.bandcamp.com/ and at most digital stores. You can get an album preview on Soundcloud.

The info

Since the release of debut album Mindfilming in 2004, Captain Wilberforce have garnered plaudits from friends of the band like Huey Morgan and Tom Robinson of BBC 6 music, and Dermot O’Leary who invited the band to record a prestigious Saturday Session in 2012.

Captain Wilberforce songs have been used in various TV programmes on HBO, ITV and the Fashion Channel, and the band have played across the uk, including on the main stage at the Galtres Festival.

Captain Wilberforce are

Simon Bristoll – Vocals / Guitars
Carl Banks – Drums
Rob Simpson – Guitar
Masimiliano Borghesi – Bass

Upcoming dates

25th March Birmingham, Actress and Bishop
5th April Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
6th May Northampton, Three Horse Shoes
13th May London, Spice of Life
22th May Liverpool, Cavern Club

Discography

2004: Dreams of Educated Fleas
2005: Mindfilming,
2008: Everyone Loves a Villain,
2011: Ghost Written Confessions
2017: Black Sky Thinking

Links

https://www.facebook.com/CaptainWilberforce/
https://www.twitter.com/captwil
https://www.captainwilberforce.com

LIVE REVIEW: Todmorden Orchestra: Northern Lights, Todmorden Town Hall, 11th March 2017

Diana Forrest

13 Mar 2017

This programme, featuring northern composers Sibelius, Delius and Maxwell Davies, demonstrated both the strengths of individual soloists and the cohesion of the orchestra as a whole.

It opened with possibly the best-known piece, Jean Sibelius’ Karelia Suite. This comprised three movements with different moods, an assertive opening, a reflective slow movement, and a lively ending. These illustrated various episodes in Finnish history. An early work, it shows the composer’s ability to create powerful melodies.

Next came a Yorkshire composer, Frederick Delius, with “The Walk to the Paradise Garden”, an interlude in his opera “A Village Romeo and Juliet”, with lovely melodies and a feeling of peace.

Peter Maxwell Davies’ “An Orkney Wedding with Sunrise” starts with a storm; then comes a more stately mood as guests arrive. The band starts playing dance tunes, but soon the effects of drink show through. Though some soloists begin soberly enough, eventually the whole thing turns boozy. Then shivering strings announce sunrise as the guests go home. The sun rises, at which point enter piper Fraser Fifield down the centre aisle to bring the piece to a climax.

After coming all the way from Edinburgh to contend with a full orchestra, Fraser Fifield complied with the desire of conductor Nicholas Concannon Hodges and the audience to hear him play on his own. He began with two intricately decorated but toe-tapping melodies on a deep and sweet toned instrument that looked like an outsize tin whistle. Then came a lively bagpipe solo. The audience were delighted.

The second half was taken up with Sibelius’ first symphony. Various movements were listed, but to me it was more of a whole than the movement structure suggested, with changes of pace within the movements, and a unifying theme. I do not think I fully grasped this complex work, but I did enjoy it. There were seamless mood changes from serene to urgent and back again, skillful use of all the various tones of the orchestra, and lovely melodies.

LIVE REVIEW: Antony and Friends, Todmorden Central Methodist Church, 4th March 2017

Diana Forrest

13 Mar 2017

Antony Brannick’s brother, percussionist Chris Brannick, returned for this concert. It began with a rousing piano trio version of the Carmen overture, in which the brothers were joined by composer Tim Benjamin.

Antony followed this with some Schumann piano pieces, from “Fantasiestücke” (Op 12), including “Soaring” where there was a sense of struggle.

Chris Brannick then played various percussion instruments in a beautiful performance of Vaughan Williams’ “Fantasia on Greensleeves”, with Antony Brannick on piano.

Some shorter pieces for percussion followed, with Chris Brannick demonstrating the versatility and drama of the snare drum, and the expressiveness of the vibraphone.

The second half started with two piano pieces; Schubert’s andante sostenuto from his sonata in B flat major (D960), with its sense of yearning, and Mendelssohn’s emotional “Song without words” (Op 19 nr1).

Antony and Chris’s father recently died, and was commemorated with some Gilbert and Sullivan. This unsolemn choice was in keeping with their father’s wish for no black clothes at his funeral. They began with Chris as vocalist and Antony on piano in a hilarious new version of the Mikado’s song, in which penalties are suggested for various modern figures “to make the punishment fit the crime”.

Then Chris Brannick’s percussion featured once more. Martin Ellerby’s “Kilimanjaro”, played on marimba, had a feeling of call-and-response singing. “Yaa yaa kole”, a version of a cheerful mocking song, was played on an African percussion instrument. Jill Jarman’s “New Orleans Sunrise”, for snare drum, had a jazzy feel and a sense of a city waking up to activity.

The concert ended with a Gilbert and Sullivan piano medley from both brothers, followed by Tom Lehrer’s “We will all go together when we go”, whose satire is sadly still relevant.

ALBUM NEWS: Krautrock label Brain Records to release 8CD deluxe box set ‘The Brain Box: Cerebral Sounds Of Brain Records 1972-1979’

LSF Staff Writers

11 Mar 2017

Over one year in the making this stunning and well documented 8CD box covering the glorious years of the famous BRAIN Records label will allow an unique insight into the progressive and stunning releases that occurred during that era. Germany – the cradle of KRAUT ROCK – was a pulsating center for new sounds and risk taking compositions. This is a marvelous tribute to that golden era with acts such as Guru Guru, Grobschnitt, Klaus Schulze and many more.

For more info on the BRAIN label please see here. Pre-orders are now available here.

This boxset ist limited to 3300 units worldwide and will contain 8 CDs (83 tracks!), a 74-pages hardcover book and a green tote bag (that can fit vinyl!) with a Brain logo imprint, all housed in a lift off lid box with green linen wrap (size 25cm x 25cm).

All tracks have been newly remastered by Eroc (former drummer of “Grobschnitt” and mastering guru).

All new liner notes / Brain history written by Mark Powell (English / German).

CD 1-6: Various Brain artists, like Scorpions, Guru Guru, Grobschnitt, Cluster, Embryo, Novalis, Wolfgang Dauner, Jane, SpyroGyra, Alexis Korner, Jane.

CD 7-8: Brain Festival Essen, Part I (1977) and II (1978), only released on Vinyl before!

CD1:
1. SCORPIONS – “Leave Me” (5:04)
2. GOMORRHA – “I Turned To See Whose Voice It Was” (7:46)
3. JANE – “Daytime” (8:05)
4. WOLFGANG DAUNER GROUP – “Kamasutram” (3:50)
5. CLUSTER – “Plas” (6:00)
6. GURU GURU – “Oxymoron” (10:33)
7. GROBSCHNITT – “Wonderful Music” (3:39)
8. OS MUNDI – “A Question Of Decision” (7:26)
9. CREATIVE ROCK – “Natron” (6:17)
10. GASH – “A Young Man’s Gash, Part Two” (4:46)
11. SAMETI – “Get Up Don’t Sleep So Long” (3:30)
12. CORNUCOPIA – “Morning Sun (Version 127)” (3:07)
13. EMERGENCY – “I Know What’s Wrong” (5:40)
14. GURU GURU – “Samantha’s Rabbit” (2:55)

CD2:
1. ELECTRIC SANDWICH – “China” (8:03)
2. EMBRYO FEAT. JIMMY JACKSON – “Radio Marrakesch / Orient Express” (9:53)
3. LAVA – “Tears Are Goin’ Home” (4:23) 108301
4. TANGERINE DREAM – “Circulation Of Events” (5:53)
5. THIRSTY MOON – “Big City” (8:31)
6. GURU GURU – “The Story Of Life” (12:06)
7. SPERRMÜLL – “No Freak Out” (6:38)
8. NOVALIS – “Laughing” (9:10)
9. CURLY CURVE – “Shitkicker” (4:16)
10. HARMONIA – “Watussi” (5:55)
11. EMBRYO – “A Place To Go” (4:25)

CD3:
1. KOLLEKTIV – “Rambo Zambo” (11:49)
2. THIRSTY MOON – “You’ll Never Come Back” (12:34)
3. YATHA SIDHRA – “A Meditation Mass, Part Three” (12:00)
4. SATIN WHALE – “Desert Places” (7:28)
5. KLAUS SCHULZE – “Ways Of Changes” (17:14)
6. EMERGENCY – “No Compromise” (8:40)
7. JANE – “Waiting For The Sunshine” (3:22)
8. NOVALIS – “Dronsz” (4:53)

CD4:
1. GROBSCHNITT – “Solar-Music, Part One” (17:40)
2. CLUSTER – “Caramba” (3:55)
3. KLAUS SCHULZE – “Mindphaser” (25:33)
4. EROC – “Des Zauberers Traum” (5:22)
5. RELEASE MUSIC ORCHESTRA – “Slapstick” (10:18)
6. HARMONIA – “Walky Talky” (10:35)
7. SCHICKE, FÜHRS & FRÖHLING – “Explorer” (4:55)
8. EMERGENCY – “No Compromise” (08:46)

CD5:
1. JANE – “Windows” (Live) (19:19)
2. LILIENTAL – “Vielharmonie” (7:42)
3. GATE – “Frankfurt” (7:27)
4. POPOL VUH – “Engel der Gegenwart” (8:18)
5. FÜHRS & FRÖHLING – “Ammerland” (3:05)
6. BIRTH CONTROL – “Titanic” (Live) (7:57)
7. ANYONE’S DAUGHTER – Adonis, Part I: Come Away (7:49)
8. ANYONE’S DAUGHTER – Adonis, Part II: The Disguise (3:29)
9. ANYONE’S DAUGHTER – Adonis, Part III: Adonis (7:51)
10. ANYONE’S DAUGHTER – Adonis, Part IV: Epitaph (5:07)

CD6:
1. STEAMHAMMER – “For Against” (10:56)
2. TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI – Lounge” (8:25)
3. LIGHT – “The Water” (4:27)
4. ALEXIS KORNER – “You Got The Power (To Turn Me On)” (7:16)
5. ATOMIC ROOSTER – “Time Take My Life” (5:59)
6. SPIROGYRA – “Island” (3:39)
7. GRYPHON – “Second Spasm” (8:15)
8. JUKKA TOLONEN – “Wanderland” (5:06)
9. TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI – “Milky Way Moses” (8:19)
10. LOCOMOTIV GT – “Intuition” (3:51)

CD 7:
Various – Brain-Festival Essen, 1977
1. GATE – “Friedrichstr. 18” (7:05)
2. NOVALIS – “Wer Schmetterlinge lachen hört” (9:14)
3. RELEASE MUSIC ORCHESTRA – “Rico” (6:50)
4. JANE – “Expectations” (5:40)
5. JANE – “Out In The Rain” (6:06)
6. MESSAGE – “River Field” (5:46)
7. GURU GURU – “I’m Really Into Rock’n’Roll, Man” (5:58)
8. GURU GURU – “All We Need” (4:50)
9. RUPHUS – “Second Corner” (6:34)
10. RUPHUS – “No Deal” (7:45)
Various – Brain-Festival Essen II, Pt I, 1978
11. GATE – “Heart” (4:29)
12. GATE – “Herrenwies” (4:50)
13. FÜHRS & FRÖHLING – “Every Land Tells A Story (Excerpt)” (4:00)

CD 8:
Various – Brain-Festival Essen II, Part II, 1978
1. MESSAGE – “World Keeps On Turning” (6:56)
2. RELEASE MUSIC ORCHESTRA – “New Day / Meadow” (9:44)
3. NOVALIS – “Astralis” (9:25)
4. TO BE – “Drei in drei” (3:12)
5. TO BE – “Samba für Heino Reher” (9:21)
6. SCHICKE, FÜHRS & FRÖHLING – “Explorer / Wizzard” (10:22)
7. BLONKER – “Mädchen” (4:38)
8. BLONKER – “Irgendwie” (5:08)
9. RUPHUS – “Joy” (4:34)
10. RUPHUS – “Inner Voice” (4:06)

ALBUM & TOUR NEWS: Katalina Kicks release ‘Vices’ 12th May & May 2017 tour

LSF Staff Writers

11 Mar 2017

Whetting appetites in the run up to the new album, the band accompany the announcement with the release of adrenaline-laced new single and featured track: ‘Cut It Up’.

The new album, ‘Vices’, presents Katalina Kicks at their loudest, scuzziest and most politically aggrieved yet. But then opening with a “cameo” from Donald Trump, how could it not be?

Fans of the band will already be familiar with the Seattle-sized quake of teaser single ‘Guns’, a track written after watching Obama’s tearful reaction to the Sandy Hook school shooting. “It’s a song of despair,” frontman Ian George says of the track. “The most powerful man in the world, and even he can’t stop the gun madness in his own country. And then after the Paris attacks, Trump said that terrifying quote about if people had guns, less people would have been hurt. So we sampled that just to show the absurdity.”

In support of the new album, the band will be hitting the road for a series of UK dates this May (see below). Offering insight into what to expect from the new album and forthcoming tour frontman Ian George says:

“We’re so excited about this album, as it has a real mix of songs and flavours – from our trademark high octane punk rock to slightly more chilled and sophisticated tracks, but all played with the same attitude! After spending a fair amount of last year in the studio, we’re really looking forward to getting on the road again and playing this new material to everyone.”

In addition, Katalina Kicks are delighted to announce they will be teaming up with fashion giant Paul Smith to bring you a series of intimate acoustic in-store sets at certain UK branches including Nottingham, Leeds, Birmingham, London and Amsterdam to coincide the tour (dates as below, times tbc). Speaking about the Paul Smith acoustic sets ahead, Ian says:

“We started breaking our songs down to do some acoustic shows late last year and that was a real challenge, but they went down really well, surprising many people! So that element of the tour playing the Paul Smith shows should be great too to give people a flavour of our slightly more chilled (but still fun and energetic!) side.”

KATALINA KICKS WILL PLAY THE FOLLOWING DATES IN 2017….

4th May – The Spinning Top, Stockport

5th May – Scruffy Murphys, Birmingham
( + Paul Smith In Store earlier in the day at Birmingham branch)

9th May – Trillians, Newcastle

10th May – O2 Academy 2, Islington, London (launch party)
( + Paul Smith In Store earlier in the day at London branch)

12th May – The Shed, Leicester
( + Paul Smith In Store earlier in the day at Nottingham branch)

13th May – Retro Bar, Manchester
( + Paul Smith In Store earlier in the day at Manchester branch)

14th May – West Street Live, Sheffield
( + Paul Smith In Store earlier in the day at Leeds branch)

16th May – Horns, Watford

Fri 19th May – Sofar, Amsterdam

Sat 20th May – ‘Beardsterdam’ Festival, Het Sieraad, Amsterdam

Sun 21st May – The Waterhole, Amsterdam

‘VICES’ – THE NEW ALBUM WILL BE RELEASED 12 MAY 2017

ITunes pre-order (with two instant gratification tracks): http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1210921082?ls=1&app=itunes

BIOGRAPHY

Katalina Kicks are: Ian George (vocals/guitar), Nadia Silverstone (bass/backing vox),
Jase Wilkinson (drums/backing vox)

Singer and guitarist Ian George is the last man standing from Katalina Kicks Mk I, once a punkish quartet who released an album named after their cat, stray moggy “Montague Rotter”, and found themselves accidentally sound-tracking a straight-to-DVD horror Z-Movie directed by the son of James Bond. “I’ve never watched it!” grimaces Ian of Jason Connery’s 51. “When we started we had an American publishing deal and that was one of the weird things that came of it. We got all of £3.50 for having a song in a crap film. So it’s taken a long time, and a lot of changing line-ups to get to where Katalina Kicks are today. I’ve always believed in the band. It’s just been a waiting game to find the right people.”

One such right person finally surfaced in the beard and flexing tattoos of Jase Wilkinson. Not so much born as smelted in Manchester, as a kid he’d wait for his stepdad to leave the house so he could sneak a listen of his Led Zeppelin vinyl. “And getting a whopping for it when he came home and found out.” Between John Bonham and hip hop he fell in love with the drums, later moving to London, instinctively settling westwards off Ladbroke Grove, first blurring his limbs behind the kit of a ska band until a chance audition with Katalina Kicks. Which he failed. “Because he wore these dodgy heavy metal black leather fingerless gloves,” laughs Ian. “My first thought was, no way am I having THOSE in the band. But then a few weeks later I called him back. Before Jase our drummers had mostly been arseholes, mentally ill, drug addicts and glory-grabbers. He was none of those. He had the passion and the power I’d always needed… so long as he kept those bloody gloves off!”

In the meantime bassists continued to fall by the wayside until a mysterious Brazilian answered their situation vacant ad. Nadia Silverstone left her home city of Curitiba for London the day after her eighteenth birthday. Her one goal: to join a London rock band.

Katalina Kicks were the only one to ever give her an audition. Their first surprise was Nadia’s look: a slinky, silver-bobbed creature with exotic Italian/Japanese features, less Girl From Ipanema than Girl From Outer Space. The second was Nadia’s style: a bass that was both forceful and fluid, twisting in the lull between Jase’s rhythmic thunder. That plane ticket wasn’t spent in vain. Katalina Kicks have been a formidable core trio ever since, occasionally swelling their ranks to four with an extra guitarist for added live ferocity. Together they play simple and direct heavy garage rock’n’roll: power chords and pummelling rhythms, fuzzy guitar and throbbing bass, big riffs and shouted choruses, pin-balling between grunge, punk and heavy blues. In Ian they’ve also a songwriter who can’t help but use his band as a platform to air his anxieties about the world around him. “I would never pigeonhole us as a ‘political band’,” he explains. “I just write about things I see and hear that upset me. We’re not preaching at anyone or trying to change the world. We’re just saying these are the things that affect and worry us. They’re too important not to talk about, whether in conversation or in rock’n’roll. That’s all we try to do.”

www.katalinakicks.com
www.facebook.com/katalinakicks
www.instagram.com/katalinakicks
www.twitter.com/katalinakicks
www.soundcloud.com/katalinakicks
www.youtube.com/katalinakicks

MORE FROM KATALINA KICKS…

Guns: https://youtu.be/tZD5RO9AseM
Cut it Up: https://youtu.be/yEFiHbpYkCk
Killer: https://youtu.be/kReFl92Bsg8
Killer (acoustic Sofar Session): https://youtu.be/GrthHS_Qpl4

TOUR NEWS: Legends Live Tour October 2017 – Suzi Quatro, David Essex, The Osmonds and Hot Chocolate

LSF Staff Writers

11 Mar 2017

SUZI QUATRO – Between 1973 and 1980, Suzi Quatro featured in the British charts for no less than 101 weeks, and has sold to date over 55 million records, and still counting. Her hits include the No 1 “Can The Can”, that went on to sell two and a half million copies worldwide. Other hits include “48 Crash”, “Too Big”, “Devil Gate Drive”, “Daytona Demon”, “The Wild One”, “She’s In Love With You”, “If You Can’t Give Me Love”, and a million seller in the U.S.A., “Stumblin In” a duet with Chris Norman. From 77-79 Suzi spread her wings and landed a part on the worldwide hit TV Series ‘Happy Days’, playing leather tuscadero opposite Henry Winkler and Ron Howard. She continued to act in other shows including, Minder, Dempsey and Makepeace, and more up to date, Absolutely Fabulous and Midsomer Murders. She has an on going career with Radio Two having done her own weekly programs, and many special documentaries including Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Patsy Cline.

www.suziquatro.com

DAVID ESSEX – From hit records to hit musicals David Essex OBE has had one of the most enduring careers in music, stage & screen. He scored two number 1 singles with “Hold Me Close” & “Gonna Make You A Star” and a string of hits including “Lamplight”, “Silver Dream Machine”, “A Winter’s Tale”, “Stardust”, “Rock On”, “Oh What A Circus”, “Tahiti” & “Rolling Stone”. He has starred in the films Silver Dream Racer, That’ll Be The Day & Stardust” and appeared in Eastenders as Eddie Moon.

www.davidessex.com

THE OSMONDS – For over five decade The Osmonds have been entertaining sold out crowds but it was in the 70’s they escaladed to one of the biggest bands in the world. Osmondsmania took hold and the hits kept coming, “Down By The Lazy River” was their first UK hit followed by “Crazy Horses”, “Let Me In”, “Going Home”, “The Proud One”, “One Bad Apple” & the monster number 1 “Love Me For A Reason”. The have recorded over 50 albums and sold over 100 million records, 59 of those reaching gold and platinum status.

www.osmond.com

HOT CHOCOLATE – In 1970 Hot Chocolate had their first hit with “Love Is Life” which reached number 6 in the charts, this was the first of many that continued until the late 90’s. In all they achieved 27 top 30 hits, including the number 1 “So You Win Again”. The band became the only group, and one of just three acts that scored a hit in every year of the 70’s in the charts (the other two being Elvis Presley and Diana Ross). “You Sexy Thing” became the only track to reach the top 10 in 1970s, 1980s & 1990s and was used in the soundtrack to The Full Monty. A few of their biggest hits include “No Doubt About It”, “It Started With A Kiss”, “Girl Crazy”, “Brother Louise”, “Everyone’s A Winner”, “Emma” & “Put Your Love In Me”.

www.hot-chocolate.co.uk

Tour dates – October

Fri 13 GLASGOW – SSE Hydro
Sat 14 BIRMINGHAM – Genting Arena
Sun 15 LEEDS – First Direct Arena
Wed 18 LIVERPOOL – Echo Arena
Thurs 19 MANCHESTER – Arena
Fri 20 LONDON – SSE Arena Wembley
Sat 21 BRIGHTON – Centre
Sun 22 CARDIFF – Motorpoint Arena

Tickets are now live here: WWW.LEGENDSLIVE.ORG

GIG NEWS: Sting announces show in Manchester as part of ’57th & 9th Tour’

LSF Staff Writers

11 Mar 2017

The tour opened in Vancouver in February and will reach the U.K for shows at Manchester’s 02 Apollo on 7th April, as well as two shows at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on 9th and 10th April. The tour will see Sting joined by a 3-piece band including Dominic Miller (guitar), Josh Freese (drums) and Rufus Miller (guitar) and special guests include singer/songwriter Joe Sumner as well as San Antonio-based band, The Last Bandoleros.

‘50,000’ is the latest track from Sting’s album 57th & 9th. The song explores themes of mortality with Sting saying: “50,000 was really a response to the passing of a lot of cultural icons this year. Prince, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Lemmy, as well as Alan Rickman. It’s really about how surprised we all are when one of our icons passes away because we’ve invested them with immortality, in a way… So when they die, it really brings our own mortality into sharp focus.”

57th & 9th is available on CD, vinyl and digital download.
For information on Deluxe and Super Deluxe, visit www.sting.com

57th & 9th ALBUM TRACKLISTING:

I Can’t Stop Thinking About You
50,000
Down, Down, Down
One Fine Day
Pretty Young Soldier
Petrol Head
Heading South On The Great North Road
If You Can’t Love Me
Inshallah
The Empty Chair

ALBUM & GIG NEWS: Anna Coogan’s new album release & upcoming gig in North Yorkshire

LSF Staff Writers

10 Mar 2017

The album, a virtual two-person effort which features Willie B (Brian Wilson) on drums and Moog bass, combines Coogan’s three-octave soprano vocals, electric guitar soundscapes and pointed social commentary into a fierce cohesive piece which combines the personal and the political, in a musical hybrid of rock, country, pop and classical opera into a unique whole. Listen to ‘Collateral’ from the album below.

There have been many attempts at rock opera in the past, but ‘The Lonely Cry of Space & Time’ is something different. Call it operatic rock, a genre previously explored by the likes of Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, Lene Lovich, Yoko Ono and Freddie Mercury, among others. Coogan studied opera at the prestigious Mozarteum University of Salzburg in Austria, before moving to Seattle, where she worked as a fisheries biologist in Washington State and Alaska, which goes a long way to explaining her frequent use of water as a metaphor. In fact, a drought in the Finger Lakes region of New York where she lived in part was a factor in the immediacy she brought to the new album.

A true independent, Anna releases her own albums and books her own tours, which have taken her all over the world, including international festivals like the Blue Ball in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Maverick in Suffolk, U.K., as well as the Glasgow Americana Festival and Celtic Connections in Scotland. She has also played extensively in Germany and the Netherlands, and toured as a member of the Johnny Dowd Band.

The Lonely Cry Of Space & Time Track Listing:

1 – The Lonely Cry of Space and Time
2 – Collateral
3 – Burn For You
4 – Last Exit
5 – Sylvia
6 – Meteor
7 – Follow Me
8 – If You Were the Sun
9 – Wedding Vow
10 – Wishing Well
11 – By Morning

Tickets:

Anna Coogan & Willie B – The Band Room, Farndale, N Yorks. Saturday, 21 Oct 2017
http://www.seetickets.com/event/anna-coogan-willie-b/the-band-room/1073655

Links

https://annacoogan.com/
https://www.facebook.com/annacooganmusic
https://www.instagram.com/annacooganmusic/
https://twitter.com/AnnaCoogan

FESTIVAL NEWS: Rebuild Festival – The Party at the end of the World!

LSF Staff Writers

10 Mar 2017

A brand new music festival with a twist is coming this July; Rebuild will be set in a post apocalyptic camp where attendees are invited to join the party at the end of the world as the survivors and architects of a new community.

The festival will feature headline performances from Molotov Jukebox, Zion Train and K.O.G. and the Zongo Brigade as well as immersive theatre, interactive games and characters, plus workshops on permaculture, tool making, foraging and much more.

Far from just an interesting setting and décor theme, the festival will encourage people to think about their relationship with the environment and ways that we build and structure community through talks, discussions and workshops. Organisers hope that the audience will find something positive to take back into the real world when they leave.

The festival will take place on the estate of Catton Hall, just over an hour’s drive from Sheffield where the organisers, social enterprise Mesters Events, are based and have worked for many years. It will be a showcase of the incredible musical talent of the city with stages programmed by Off Me Nut Records, LSS Sound System and Roots Sheffield, whose pedigree in the city goes back to the first days of the warehouse club scene resurgence.

Sheffield live music will feature heavily from the main stage headline set on Friday with local legends K.O.G. and the Zongo Brigade to a host of steel city favourites such as Smiling Ivy, The Unscene and Octofunk to name but a few. The organisers will be announcing more acts in the next few weeks now that tickets are available on Party for the People, Sheffield’s foremost ticket outlet which raises money for charity with its booking fees.

Artistic Director Sara Hill said “We’ve dreamt of running a festival for all the years that we’ve worked at festivals for other people. It’s really exciting to be able to design something new and hopefully something that can be a great party as well as promoting positive messages and skills. Not to mention the chance to give local artists we’ve worked with for so long a platform next to international artists like Molotov Jukebox and Zion Train. Bring on the summer!”

Links

Tickets – http://tickets.partyforthepeople.org/events/2655-rebuild-festival-2017
Website – http://www.rebuildfestival.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rebuildfestival/
Twitter – @rebuildfestival
Instagram – @rebuildfestival

EP & TOUR NEWS: Johnny Lloyd announces ‘Eden’ EP, April 2017 dates

LSF Staff Writers

8 Mar 2017

The release comes just ahead of a 7 date headline tour from Johnny throughout April (having previously supported the likes of Black Honey, Jamie T and The Maccabees).

Johnny is trailing the announcement with the lead single from the Eden EP, ‘Running Wild’.

The Eden EP finds Johnny reuniting with White once again, to produce new material between Los Angeles and The Maccabees’ Elephant and Castle studios. Along with Jamie T, White co-produced Johnny’s debut EP Dreamland, which Xtra Mile released last year to radio support from 6Music, Radio X and Radio 2, with a top 20 spot on the iTunes pop chart and over half a million streams online.

Speaking about the new release, Johnny says:

“It was great working with Hugo White and Mike Crossey again. The Eden EP was recorded over a period of 6 months- Hugo brought so much to it and really put the hours in. ‘Running Wild’ was written in reaction to the live shows- for me the songs about being free and trying to find a place in the world. I’m very happy with how it’s sounding, and looking forward to people hearing it.”

UK Tour Dates

19 April BIRMINGHAM The Sunflower Lounge
20 April LONDON Scala
21 April BRIGHTON Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar
22 April SOUTHAMPTON Joiners
24 April BRISTOL The Louisiana
25 April MANCHESTER Soup Kitchen
28 April SHEFFIELD The Leadmill