John Scott Photography Exhibition

Young local photographer John Scott will be holding his first exhibition at the Cambridge University Wine Bar, The University Centre, Granta Place, CB2 1 Cambridge on Friday 13th October, 7-11pm.

John grew up in Histon but has since traveled widely in Britain and around the world.

His work exhibits a fascination with the colours of the natural world but also an ability to see the beauty within built structures and a quick eye and steady hand for action shots. He has worked with well known BMX star Matt Priest and has also captured some stunning shots of a wide variety of live music.

The M11

The world of photography is hard to break into, so please come along and support some new talent. There will be 10 landscapes and 6 portraits prints available to buy framed or unframed, plus bubbles on arrival and a selection of the finest wines around.

Inchos, Raglan, New Zealand

More info and photos on https://www.johnscottphotography.co.uk/ and https://www.instagram.com/johnhenryscott/?hl=en

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Mammoth Penguins & Friends announce new concept album John Doe

Mammoth Penguins & Friends

 Release new album John Doe

Out via wiaiwya on 13 October

A concept album telling the story of the people who were close to a man who faked his own death, only to return years later

Mammoth Penguins’ new concept-album, John Doe, tells the story of the people who were close to a man who has faked his own death, only to return years later – coincidentally being released on the 10th anniversary of the reappearance of John Darwin, despite having nothing to do with him!. The songs are each emotive vignettes told from the point of view of various people whose lives were affected by the “death”, from the grieving widow, to the innocent child, his co-workers to his ex-lover. Comprised of visionary songwriter Emma Kupa, drummer Tom Barden and bass player Mark Boxhall, the band are joined by friends Sophie Barkerwood of Haiku Salut (programming and samples), Russell Lomas (violin) and Joe Bear (samples/synths) to create an intricate and ambitious work.

Mammoth Penguins are delighted to share the video for the key track “The Chorus“, which is set at John Doe’s funeral and told from the point of view of all his friends and family.

Mammoth Penguins formed in Cambridge in 2013. They released their debut album Hide & Seek in 2015 on the late great Fortuna Pop! label, putting them in the excellent company of bands such as Martha, Comet Gain and Chorusgirl. After playing shows across the U.K. and Germany, and a live session for Marc Riley’s BBC 6 Music radio show, the band hatched a plan to work with other musicians on a side project. This side project became the John Doe album

Having written the songs, Mammoth Penguins invited some friends to contribute their ideas and talents to evoke the different perspectives of each person affected by the loss and return of the protagonist.  Their contributions have built on the band’s characteristic three-piece stomp and Emma’s solo forays into soulful introspection, with keyboards, samples, loops and synths adding extra layers and unfamiliar arrangements to the sound.

The band also decided to back up the story with samples and atmospherics, and Mark carried around a portable recorder everywhere he went for a month making surreptitious recordings of everyday life, from buttering toast to photocopying, which have wound their way into the rhythms of the songs. If you listen carefully you can hear the sounds of Ramsgate beach, recorded when the band played the Fortuna Pop gig in summer 2016.

The result is an eclectic mix of indie-pop and folk electronica, with a bit of post-rock thrown in for good measure, with catchy choruses, evocative soundscapes and heart-wrenching harmonies.

Mammoth Penguins and Friends

John Doe

wiaiwya – 13 October

Track Listing:

The Morning

The Child

The Line Manager

The Office

The Ex

The Chorus

The Ex pt 2

The Sailor

The Commute

The Wife

http://mammothpenguins.tumblr.com/

http://www.wiaiwya.com/

Grieving release new single “Start Young” FFO: Fugazi, Beach Slang, Hundred Reasons

“They sound like they must have great record collections. I like it a lot. They remind me of a lot of amazing bands I used to listen to back in the day.”

Dan P Carter on “Ownership” | Radio 1 Rock Show

“Sometimes – though it feels rarer and rarer – a song, or a band if you’re lucky, just pops out of the ether and hits you with a punch that feels like a kiss, and that’s it, it’s love…

And what a rush, truly – the track we’re premiering here, Start Young, is evocative of so many great post-hardcore bands of a decade-plus ago, acts that toured on floors, that took payment in sweat, and who ate cold beans straight out the tins for sustenance. Which is to say: some stuff just sounds more real than the rest, doesn’t it?”

Kerrang! 15.09.18

GRIEVING RELEASE NEW SINGLE “START YOUNG”

LISTEN AT
KERRANG! | SOUNDCLOUD

Photo credit: Jamie Cameron

Grieving are a new band from Cambridge whose music is not as immediately morbid as their name might suggest. With a nod towards classic Dischord and anthemic late 90’s and early 00’s indie-rock and punk, their debut EP, released last year, saw support from the likes of Stereogum, Alt Press, The FADER, DIY and Upset. 4 of those 5 songs went on to see plays at either BBC Radio 1 or 6 through Huw Stephens, Dan P Carter and Tom Ravenscroft.

After short tours with The New Tusk and Tellison and dates with the likes of Sorority Noise and Muncie Girls, the band spent the first part of this year writing and recently recorded with Bob Cooper (Citizen, Nai Harvest, Self Defense Family) at his Crooked Rain Studios in Leeds. Ahead of a debut album planned for early 2018, the band today release a second track from the record, following the warmly received “Brian Emo“, in the immediate and incendiary “Start Young”. With hooks and power in equal measure, all signs point towards a debut full-length to remember.

www.facebook.com/grievingband
www.twitter.com/grievingband
grievingband.bandcamp.com

The band will play:

September 
22: Cambridge, Subterranean Festival @ Corn Exchange

December 
21: London, New Cross Inn

“Freesia” film screening with Director joining Q&A in Cambridge

“Freesia” film screening with Director joining Q&A in Cambridge
Monday 25th September, Cambridge Arts Picturehouse, 9pm

The multi narrative film, “Freesia”, tackling issues of far right radicalisation and Islamophobia was first shown in August this year and has since won numerous awards* including Canadian “Best New Film” and Auckland’s “Best First Time Filmmaker”.

Originally conceived as three separate short films, Freesia soon became a full length feature film interweaving the lives of the three families under the skillful direction of writer/producer Conor Ibrahiem. Filming in West Yorkshire and securing Aqib Khan from British Asian film ‘West is West’ in a leading role, Conor has managed to bring this independent British film to main stream audiences.

By depicting the challenges faced by Muslims in the UK and the conditions that lead to far right extremism, “Freesia” hopes to build better understanding between these groups. Islamophobia is hatred towards Muslims and sadly is reported daily in our media either as attacks on individuals or policies rolled out like President Trump’s “Muslim Ban” making it difficult for Muslims from 5 Muslim majority countries to travel to America.

As the tagline says: “Hate is easy…to understand takes courage”.
Conor will be joined by Ex EDL organiser Ivan Humble at the Q&A at Arts Picturehouse after the film showing 9pm Monday 25th September.
“The hardest thing for me was taking myself out of that bubble of hate and moving away from the negativity. For every negative story there’s ten positives that you never see because they don’t sell papers,” says Ivan.

But Ivan did manage to see outside the bubble of hate once he actually began interacting with Muslims rather than just reading or hearing negative things about them.

Although tackling difficult issues, Conor aims to shine a positive light on Muslims and their faith “and encourage humanity towards positive change.”The Freesia film is a 12A and will be screened at Arts Picturehouse on Monday 25th September at 9pm followed by a Q&A with Director Conor Ibrahiem and Ex EDL organiser Ivan Humble.

The screening is supported by Cambridge Stop The War and Cambridge Stand Up To Racism

 

 

BurySOUND returns for its 20th year!

Amazingly, it’s nearly BurySOUND time again, and we’re already taking applications from local bands, duos and solo artists for our 20th Anniversary.  The BurySOUND 2017 had the biggest reaction in terms of entries in the competition’s history, and it’d be amazing to top that for 2018!

Early 2018 sees the return of the legendary and enduringly popular BurySOUND Music Competition for its 20^th Anniversary.  Five heats – each containing five competing bands – will take place during January and February at The Hunter Club in Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill Arts Centre, and the Grand Final will be held at The Apex on Friday 9^th March.

Originally launched in 1998 by St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s Jackie Smith and local promoter Paul Johnson in the hope that it would instigate a DIY, grass roots contemporary music scene in Bury St Edmunds, BurySOUND is now one of East Anglia’s best-known and longest-running band competitions, endeavouring each year to discover, nurture and promote up and coming musical talent.

Miss Black America

Over the years, BurySOUND has showcased more than 200 local artists.  Previous winners include HUNTAR (aka Lewis Mokler, currently enjoying huge success with The 1975 and Biffy Clyro’s label Good Soldier Songs) and MISS BLACK AMERICA (who subsequently recorded four sessions for hugely influential Radio One DJ John Peel and were championed by NME, Drownedinsound.com and Rolling Stone magazine).

Bands are judged by a panel of music industry experts; however, the competition aspect is secondary to the thrill of discovering incredible new music in a positive and supportive atmosphere.

Bands can enter BurySOUND 2018 via the official website at http://www.burysound.com/enter   East Anglian artists of all ages and genres are welcome to apply. The deadline for entries is 5pm on Friday 3rd November.

The dates for BurySOUND 2018 are:

Heat One – Friday 26th January at The Hunter Club, Bury St Edmunds

Heat Two – Friday 2nd February at The Hunter Club, Bury St Edmunds

Heat Three – Friday 9th February at Haverhill Arts Centre

Heat Four – Friday 16th February at The Hunter Club, Bury St Edmunds

Heat Five – Friday 23rd February at The Hunter Club, Bury St Edmunds

GRAND FINAL – Friday 9th March at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds

The Grand Final will be headlined by last year’s winners, grunge-surf-punk trio TUNDRA.

Website: http://www.burysound.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/burysound

Twitter: @BurySOUND

Winds of October – Alan Gibbons’ novel set in the Russian Revolution

Winds of October 

is the first novel in Alan Gibbons’ 

Revolution trilogy

published 25th September 2017

To follow in spring 2018:

Reason in Revolt  and Spurn the Dust

‘Don’t be scared, my sister. This is it. 

This is the revolution.’

As if to give physical form to the momentous events, an armoured car came racing down the road, twin red flags fluttering. It was welcomed with roars and cheering…

A fight to the death, a desperate robbery, a search for home amongst mounted Cossacks chasing down protestors. Raisa is coming of age in Petrograd in the rapids of revolution. So begins an odyssey through the climactic events in Russia between February and October 1917.

 “Winds of October” charts the hopes, dreams and loves of five young participants in one of the greatest moments in history.

Order Winds of October here
http://www.circaidygregory.co.uk/Revolution%20Alan%20Gibbons.htm

About the Author

Alan Gibbons has been writing children’s and Young Adult fiction for 26 years. He is the winner of The Blue Peter Book Award 2000 ‘The book I couldn’t put down’ for his best-selling book Shadow of the Minotaur and has won seventeen other awards.

Before becoming an author Alan was a teacher for 16 years. Alan is a full time writer and independent educational consultant. He is the organiser of the Campaign for the Book, which promotes libraries and the culture of reading for pleasure. Alan visits 150-180 schools and libraries a year in the UK and abroad, working with young people to encourage their interest in reading and writing.

Alan Gibbons accepts the NUT’s Fred & Anne Jarvis Award at the Union’s 2016 conference

The Underdog Art Gallery V The Losers Custom Show

Losers v Underdogs Custom Show

The Underdog Art Gallery Featuring The Losers MCC Old Kent Road.

A Weekend Celebrating Motorbikes And Biker Art And Much More – 22-24^th September 2017

Losers MCC verses Underdogs Custom Show – is a FREE entry weekend event celebrating the culture of motorbikes and biker art. Featuring an array of biker art, bike start-ups, unusual motorbikes, live music, djs, craft beer, delicious food, and of course, the Losers biker tea stall serving up good times from the 22-24^th September at the Underdog Art Gallery, Se1.

The show features an exhibition of biker art curated by The Underdog Gallery with bikes and biker culture provided by Losers MCC- mild mannered bikers from The Old Kent Road, London.

Expect to witness custom bikes, hourly motorbike start-ups, cult films, rare screen printed posters, tanks and lids.

The exhibition includes art from noted artists such as Ryan Roadkill, Rhys Whootan, Schoph, Peanut Butter Customs and Peter John De-Villiers. 

The weekend kicks starts on Friday 22^nd September, with Losers MCC DJs Mad Dog and Brother of Pearl playing garage, biker/motor related tunes, glam, punk and rock n roll. Followed by high octane blues infested punkabilly from Eastbourne rockabilly trio, Knocksville and support.

On Saturday 23^rd September, things rev up in the evening with classic rock, blues, heavy rock from Dead Angels, grease rock behemoths Gorilla, followed by Blind River and DJ sets from DJ Grizz.

Sunday 24^th September is a more laid back affair with classic cult bike movies served along with a hearty biker brunch. DJ Repro Man spinning R&B, Rockabilly, garage surf tunes and 60’s.

The exhibition is open from 11am Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Losers MCC –will be displaying their 1950;s mini Trojan bikes and a collection of unique bikes. Along with the Loser MCC Tea stall – which has graced many biker events from Bike Shed and MCN show -serving a range of hot tea and biscuits to thirsty riders throughout the weekend.

Full bar service is also provided at the gallery.

The full throttle line up as follows:

Evening Running Order:-

• The Underdog Art Gallery will be open each day at 11am to view the art and displays.
• Friday 22th September: Knocksville and support. Loser MCC DJ’s Mad Dog and Brother of Pearl playing garage, biker/motor related tunes, glam, punk and rock n roll – 7pm until 1am.
• Saturday 23^rd September: Evening 8pm with primal rock n roll attack from Dead Angels followed Blind River – classic rock, blues, heavy rock and all that makes Rock n Roll music good. . DJ sets from DJ Grizz 7- 1am. Exhibition open from 11am onwards.
• Sunday 24th September : Biker Brunch from 11am, Steak n Eggs with DJ Repro Man – Rockabilly, Surf, Blues, 60’s Garage 11am until 10.30pm.

Artists Exhibiting :-

• Ryan Roadkill – artist, illustrator, printer. All things two wheeled & demon ridden,
• Rhys Whootan -artist specializing poster, pop art and merchandise designer for bands.
• Schoph – artist who first came to prominence in the international snowboarding scene with his dynamic, detailed and brooding paintings.
• Peanut Butter Customs – Born too late with a magpie like attraction to shiny things, especially metal flake, Jack paints choppers, classics, helmets and anything that stays still for too long. He takes a lot of influence from the pioneers of chop/hot rod painting but tries to give everything his own unique spin.

• Peter John De-Villiers – South African artist with an iconic style that has become an integrated part of the international art scene as well as musicians, the snowboard and skate industry.

The Underdog Gallery is located at ARCH 6, Crucifix Lane, London Bridge, SE1 3JW – five minute walk from London Bridge station at the top of Bermondsey Street.

 

https://www.theunderdog.london/

Goldblume release new single “Fawning”

Following on from January’s Go Figure EP, Cambridge three-piece Goldblume are back with new single Fawning, recorded at Bury St Edmunds’ Hunter Club Studios.
Fawning sees Goldblume somewhat dial back the math-rock influences in favour of 2000s “Brit Rock” – the sound associated with bands like Hundred Reasons, Hell Is For Heroes and Reuben.

In addition to releasing Go Figure, 2017 has seen Goldblume carry on the momentum they built up in 2016, with more gigs – alongside the likes of Gaffa Tape Sandy,
Ragweed and Bellevue Days – more radio airplay and live sessions.

Fawning – and associated B-side, an acoustic rendition of new track Tomorrow – is released on iTunes, Spotify (and all other digital services) on Friday 22 nd September, the day before Goldblume play Cambridge’s inaugural Subterranean Festival with Ducking Punches, Dave
McPherson and PINS; before embarking on various dates across the country.

Band social media:
facebook.com/GoldblumeBand
instagram.com/GoldblumeBand
twitter.com/GoldblumeBand

The Wedding Present re-record their album “George Best” with Steve Albini

The Wedding Present debut GB30 version of  “Shatner”  while also announcing the pre-order of their classic album “George Best” as re-recorded by Steve Albini “GB30” released September 22nd on HHBTM Records. RELEASE DATE: September 22nd, 2017 It was early 2008, The Wedding Present had recently finished a twentieth anniversary tour for George Best and, having played the entire album dozens of times, it was fresh under their fingers. So after they had wrapped up recording the ‘El Rey’ album, David suggested they record a ‘live’ version of it in the same studio.Steve Albini, who they were recording with, wasn’t too keen on the idea, but David assured him it would be quick and easy, so he reluctantly caved. David was right; it was quick, done live, more like a Beatles recording than a drawn out modern one with lots of overdubs and multi-track layering. I imagine this version of George Best is what David would have liked to record in 1987. It is just so well recorded, which you’d expect from Steve Albini. You can feel David’s 20 years older self guiding the new recording in the same direction, but with more experience and warmth. Everything is bigger… the drums on the original recording were played live, but on a Simmons electronic drum kit. The combination of Albini’s recording and the ultra-talented Graeme Ramsay on drums brings the songs to life. However, the real difference comes out in the recording of those ever fast, ever jangly guitars… they’re warmer, bigger and more modern, more… Albini! Just to round everything off with a contemporary twist, award-winning mixer/producer Andrew Scheps happily agreed to mix these recordings, having heard the original for the first time in his living room in Los Angeles in 2012, when he was mixing The Wedding Present’s eighth studio album, Valentina.   PRE-ORDER LINK (deluxe LP versions come with a screen-printed inner sleeve poster, a screen-printed tote bag, a square album artwork button and color vinyl.

LONELY THE BRAVE ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM

LISTEN TO BRAND NEW TRACK “THINGS WILL MATTER” HERE

LISTEN TO “RATTLESNAKES (REDUX)” HERE

Lonely The Brave have been deliberately quiet these last few months, working on new material and reassessing what has come before. This has been all the more noticeable because before then, they had never stopped: last year alone saw them secure a no.1 on the rock chart with their second LP “Things Will Matter”, sell-out a headline tour and play main support on a hugely successful European tour with Biffy Clyro, followed with a thematically linked series of EP’s which have shown the sheer depth of strong material that was available to them around that second record.

But despite their successes, Lonely The Brave have never been like their peers, never calculated the game in quite the same way they have, never shot from the same angle. From their stage dynamics, to their influences, to covering the likes of Bjork, Pink Floyd and Antony & The Johnsons, they have always been proud of their differences and in what has staunchly set them apart from the others who have now fallen by the wayside. They followed the release of their critically acclaimed debut “The Day’s War” with an extended version including several Redux tracks that reinvented material rather than simply stripping it back and they follow this theme of insular reinvention again now on a full Redux album version of “Things Will Matter”. Melody and heart will always be at the centre of what they do, but Lonely The Brave are here to prove once again that they will always continue to do things that other bands can’t.

Opening with the extremely personal title track “Things Will Matter”, a live favourite which was not featured on the album of the same name, frontman David Jakes tackles his relationship with his father and addresses mortality in an emotive song that finally sees a studio version. And from here the band revisit material from the last album, this time pushing an electronic influence to the forefront – the likes of Brainfeeder’s Lorn, A Winged Victory For The Sullen, Mogwai and more inform a sound that now incorporates synths, programming and atmospherics in a way they haven’t before. David is also pushed further to the front here, just as he has managed to do in recent live shows, reminding you exactly why he is one of the most gifted vocalists in recent memory.

The likes of “What If You Fall In” trade in some of the expanse of the full record for intimacy and beauty instead, and the album’s singles are given second life – especially the haunting harmonies that now envelope “Radar” and the piano-led “Rattlesnakes”. Elsewhere, the major chords and bombast of “Strange Like I” are replaced with something otherworldly and obtuse instead – and this follows through into the score-like “Jaws Of Hell” which somehow takes the original and expands on its ambition further, feeling like it would be as fitting an end to a film as it is an album.

At their most anthemic, or at their most vulnerable, Lonely The Brave remain an inarguably important act. Where they head for the next album remains to be seen, but you know that if they can keep their heads we will be rewarded with another record on their own terms that will always stand proudly apart from the rest.