The Inspiral Carpets to unveil their first studio album in twenty years

Manchester Indie favourites the Inspirals will finally unveil their first studio album in twenty years, which will boast their two earlier singles plus ten or so brand new compositions. 

The new album – which will be entitled simply Inspiral Carpets – is scheduled for release on Cherry Red Records in September 2014. It follows the acclaimed reissue of their legendary demo tape, dung 4, for the first time on vinyl and CD in late April.

The LP is fanfared by a new single, “Spitfire”, which will be issued at the end of August. 

Both the video and the photo for the album cover were shot at Gorton Monastery, one of Manchester’s most notable, historic landmarks.

 On 6th June, the Inspirals play at another famous local location, Manchester’s Band On The Wall – all 400 tickets for which sold out in a record ten minutes! The show is being filmed for release on CD-DVD later this year.

The BOTW show kickstarts a busy summer of live gigs and festival appearances for the Inspirals. As well as selected shows on the continent, their UK shows include:

Wednesday 11 June THE TIVOLI BUCKLEY 

Thursday 12 June THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL Big Top Stage

Friday 13 June THE O2 ACADEMY OXFORD

Friday 11 July BEDFORD CORN EXCHANGE 

Saturday 12 July FROME FESTIVAL

Sunday 13 July T IN THE PARK Radio 1 Stage

                          https://www.facebook.com/OfficialInspirals                           http://www.inspiralcarpets.com/

The Inspiral Carpets are all on Twitter:

@inspiralsband     @inspiralgraham     @therealboon     @stepheneholt     @martynwalsh     @CraigGillMMT 

Tim Burgess launches new North-West 'rock school' in Manchester

 Tim Burgess will launch a celebratory day of live performances by student bands on Wednesday 29th May from 10am – 2pm to celebrate a unique programme of new music courses at the Band on the Wall music venue, which will establish Manchester as world leader in training the next generation of music industry professionals. 

Tim performed at Band on the Wall in the outset of his career before becoming lead singer of globally-successful band The Charlatans. Tim will be joined by Terry Christian, compere for the day, one of Manchester's most well-known media personalities, and Craig Charles (Coronation Street, BBC 6Music) is making a 1pm appearance too. 

The courses on offer at Manchester's iconic venue range from Music Industry Management to Sound Engineering and Performance, where students will gain industry-recognised qualifications in a innovative and uniquely hand-on professional environment. Attracting students from across the UK and beyond, this ‘Rock School for the 21st Century’ will fast-track students into viable music careers and further reaffirm Manchester as the music capital of the UK. Following a short introduction, Tim Burgess will hand over the stage to student bands from The Manchester College who will be performing throughout the day. Entry to the event at Sackville Gardens is free. 

The award-winning Band on the Wall is considered one of the UK’s best equipped small venues and will allow students access to a professional environment available nowhere else. Delivered by The Manchester College in a highly practical manner that is a mix of lectures, workshops and putting on actual concerts, students of all ages will gain real life experience in an authentic and professional music business environment. The courses are enrolling now and begin in September - http://bandonthewall.org/the-manchester-college-accredited-courses/ 

“I would have given my right arm for this when I was setting out. Having something like this happening in the North West is really exciting. I think it is going to continue Manchester’s great tradition of producing many of the UK’s finest artists” Tim Burgess, The Charlatans 

“Manchester has a world famous music scene, and is also Europe's biggest student city. This partnership brings these two amazing cornerstones together in one place where we aim to nurture today the stars and music industry professionals of tomorrow” Gavin Sharp, CEO Band on the Wall 

Courses include;

Music Technology

Live Sound Engineering

Popular Music Performance

Music Industry Management

Popular Music Production

Music Performance

Music Industry Studies

Mica Paris to perform at Band on the Wall Manchester

Mica Paris - Patron of Band on the Wall to return for intimate live performance

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Mica Paris
Friday 8th June // 8pm // £17.50
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Mica Paris The legendary soul queen and official patron of Band on the Wall returns to the venue for the first time since Band on the Wall's grand re-opening party in 2009 for what promises to be one of the most sensational nights of the year.

Mica Paris exploded onto the international soul scene back in the 80s with her stunning debut album So Good. Showcasing her incredible vocals, it spawned the single My One Temptation which became an international hit and established Mica Paris as a great new voice in soul music. Further international hits have followed including Where Is The Love (with Will Downing), Black Angel, Stay and Carefree. Over the years she has collaborated with many of the greats from all genres including David Gilmour, Prince, Jimmy Barnes and James Morrison to name but a few and we are delighted to welcome her back for this extra special night by one of soul music's most-loved voices.

Tickets/Info: http://bandonthewall.org/events/3519/
Tickets also available in person from Band on the Wall, seetickets.com or by calling
0845 2 500 500

Article posted by Musicmafia

We face forward festival launches this June in Manchester

Afrocubism / Mamane Barka / Jaliba Kuyateh and much more - We Face Forward festival launches this June in Manchester

Afrocubism [Bridgewater Hall]

Sunday 3rd June

Kanda Bongo Man [Band on the Wall]

Friday 15th June

Seckou Keita Band [The Printworks]

Saturday 23rd June

Jaliba Kuyateh and Kumareh Band [Band on the Wall]

Friday 29th June

Mamane Barka and Etran Finatawa - The Endless Journey [RNCM]

Friday 15th June

Diabel Cossokho [Band on the Wall]

Friday 3rd August

Dele Sosimi Orchestra [Band on the Wall]

Saturday 25th August

We Face Forward is a season of contemporary art and music from West Africa, celebrated across Manchester's music venues, galleries and public spaces from 1 June to 16 September as part of London 2012 Festival. Band on the Wall is proud to be curating the music programme as part of We Face Forward. A real highlight of the festival has to be a live concert from Afrocubism at The Bridgewater Hall on Sunday 3rd June. AfroCubism was the original idea for Buena Vista Social Club. The original plan conceived in 1996 was to bring the foremost Cuban musicians and their Malian counterparts together to record in Havana and explore their shared musical history.

Another standout performance is Mamane Barka and Etran Finatawa - The Endless Journey. Featuring Mamane Barka, Oumarou Adamou, Alhousseini Anivolla and Bammo Agonla from Etran Finatawa, multi-media concert The Endless Journey brings together four musicians from two of Niger’s leading internationally known music groups, Mamane Barka and Etran Finatawa live at the RNCM on Tuesday 3rd July.

Tickets/Info: www.bandonthewall.org

Tickets also available in person from Band on the Wall, ticketwall.org or by calling 0845 2 500 500.

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Sun Ra Arkestra announce Manchester show

Sun Ra Arkestra - Under the direction of Marshall Allen. Live at Band on the Wall, Manchester on Saturday 10th December.

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Sun Ra Arkestra
Saturday 10th Dec // 8.30pm // £22.50
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Cosmic jazz composer, keyboardist, bandleader and philosopher Sun Ra was one of the most important figures in 60's avante garde jazz along with artists such as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Albert Ayler. Claiming that he was of the "Angel Race" and not from Earth, but from Saturn, Sun Ra developed a complex persona of "cosmic" philosophies and lyrical poetry that made him a pioneer of Afrofuturism. He abandoned his birth name and took on the name and persona of Sun Ra (Ra being the ancient Egyptian God of the Sun).

 

From the mid-1950s to when he left the planet in 1993, Sun Ra led "The Arkestra", an ensemble with an ever-changing lineup. Sun Ra's music ranged from keyboard solos to big bands of over 30 musicians. His music touched on virtually the entire history of jazz, from ragtime to swing music, from bebop to free jazz. He was also a pioneer of electronic music, space music, and free improvisation, and was one of the first musicians, regardless of genre, to make extensive use of electronic keyboards.

 

After Sun Ra left the planet, the Arkestra was led by tenor saxophonist John Gilmore. Following Gilmore's death in 1995, the group has performed under the direction of internationally critically acclaimed alto saxophonist Marshall Allen. Marshall Allen has now given 52 years of uninterrupted dedicated service to the Sun Ra Arkestra. He continues to move the Arkestra forward as a spiritual band, maintaining the discipline centered on the study, research, and further development of Sun Ra's precepts. Along with leading the Arkestra, Marshall plays the alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, oboe, kora, and EVI (Electronic Valve Instrument). He is internationally recognised as the premier avant-garde saxophonist on the planet.

This show has been rescheduled from December 9th and is an exclusive Northern England concert.

Tickets/Info: http://bandonthewall.org/events/3295/

Tickets also available in person from Band on the Wall, seetickets.com or by calling 0845 2 500 500.