Liverpool Calling 2014 - Final Line-Up Confirmed

Liverpool Calling 2014 - Final Line-Up Confirmed

Liverpool Calling 26th June 2014

Liverpool Calling was another event that drew all kinds of people from far and wide to partake in a very modern form of worship.

Having sold out across St. Luke’s Bombed Out Church and The Shipping Forecast in its debut year, Liverpool Calling has grown into a huge one day event for 2014, spanning across 10 city centre venues and hosting over 50 acts.

With June 2nd’s massive announcement and completed line-up, Liverpool Calling is staking its claim to be one of the U.K’s finest new one day events.

Joining the acts already announced are scouse legends Space, indie-rock starlets The Repeat Offenders and dance music’s new darlings D R O H N E.

Also added to the line-up are; Delta Sleep, Jetta, The Sundowners, Cavalry, Reva, Colour, The Cheap Thrills, Sunday Star Club, You Must Not Sleep, The Mighty Ibex, Elmo and The Styx, In Evil Hour, Billy Kelly, Nadine McGhee, Rob Jones and Rob White, Matty H, Ryvers, Katy McGrath and Howlin Voodoo

Acts previously announced include; The Rifles, Twisted Wheel, Dexters, D/RU/G/S, The Rag n’ Bone Man, The Mono LP’s, GhostChant, The Jackobins, Southbound Attic Band, Low Winter Sun, Rufus Hok, Michael Bennett, Detuned Radio, Kusanagi, Polymath, Cleft, Sheepy, Enamel Animal, Mike Markey, SuperSprite, Stereo Electric Mistress, Gold Jacks and Filter Distortion

Amongst all the newly added talent there are also new venues to accommodate them. The Bombed Out Church will host Liverpool Calling for the second year at a most crucial time for the event and the venue. Zanzibar will host a plethora of local talents and will be headed by Twisted Wheel. Uber-cool basement Next to Nowhere will host a punk party that only Antipop could throw. Studio 2, Sound Food and Drink and A Vidzta live stage will also showcase talent too.

Added to the bill are Liverpudlian giants Space. Having released their first album for 9 years 'Attack Of The Mutant 50ft Kebab' earlier this year, Space have rediscovered the form that made them unbelievably popular back in their 90’s heyday. Headlining the under threat Bombed Out Church, they are surely going to make Liverpool Calling a landmark event for the city in 2014.

Heading the bill at The Kazimier are everyone’s favourite mod-revivalists The Rifles. Having released their fourth and highest charting album ‘None the Wiser’ back in January The Rifles are still rolling as strong as ever since their 2006 debut. Championed by a whole host of people including king of the mods himself, Paul Weller, The Rifles are bound to thrill audience at Liverpool Calling.

To make sure the rock keeps rolling, Twisted Wheel also join the fray. After a recent tour including sell-out shows in Manchester’s Gorilla venue and high expectations of a new album on the horizon, Twisted Wheel are poised for a full on assault on your musical landscape.

Taking Liverpool Calling right through to the early hours will be a host of the finest dance acts around at Korova. Led by D\R\U/G/S one of Manchester’s finest purveyors of encapsulating beats.

To find out more on Liverpool Calling go to; 

Facebook; Liverpool Calling - - Twitter; @LivpoolCalling, #LiverpoolCalling

Tickets available on Skiddle and Seetickets:

http://www.seetickets.com/event/liverpool-calling-2014/various-liverpool-venues/780798

http://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Liverpool/Various-Liverpool-Venues/Liverpool-Calling-2014-(featuring-The-Rifles-Twisted-Wheel-and-DRUGS)/12149968/

Daniel Pearson announces UK Tour and Free Download of Waves In The Sea

Fresh from performing at the Live At Leeds festival and seeing his recently released Escape Acts EP soar up the iTunes charts, indie rock troubadour Daniel Pearson has announced six headline live shows for the summer. 

The tour will start in Liverpool on 22nd July and will visit London, Birmingham, York and Hebden Bridge before finishing up in Edinburgh on 31st July. The intimate acoustic performances will showcase songs from the acclaimed albums Satellites and Mercury State.

Daniel Pearson will play – 

Liverpool Zanzibar 22nd July 

London Water Rats 24th July 

Birmingham Talk 25th July 

York Fibbers 28th July 

Hebden Bridge Trades Club 30th July 

Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s 31st July 

For ticket links for all dates head to http://www.danielpearson.net/shows.

Alongside this tour announcement, the hauntingly beautiful track Waves In The Sea will be available for free download in the lead up to the shows. Download it at http://www.danielpearson.net or watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/SITCrecords now.

Find out more at -

http://www.danielpearson.net

http://www.facebook.com/danielpearsonfb

http://www.twitter.com/daniel_pearson

X-Press 2 – 20 Years of Muzik Tour- Liverpool Zanzibar Dec 1

X-Press 2 – 20 Years of Muzik Tour- Liverpool Zanzibar

Mestura Presents
1ST DECEMBER 2012
The X-Press 2 – 20 Years of Muzik X-Press Tour
X-PRESS 2
Andy Carroll
Steve Parry
10pm till 4am
£8.00 tickets or £10 otd/ 0151 707 0633
Zanizbar,  43 Seel Street  Liverpool, Merseyside L1 4AZ

To celebrate 20 years since their seminal debut single Muzik Xpress, X-Press 2 have hooked up with promoters Mestura to present a night of house music that will encompass their influences and their biggest tunes, as well as a selection of classics, right through to the present day. The night is part of a celebration world tour and look forward to them playing the Zanzibar on the 1st Dec with support from Andy Carroll and Steve Parry.

Such is their swashbuckling sense of adventure, it’s hard to believe that X-Press 2 have been at the vanguard of British electronic music for two decades now. Whether it’s as musicians, DJs or remixers, the London duo share the same sense of musical discovery that first united them on the acid-house dance floors of Shoom and Spectrum and the Balearic playgrounds of Ibiza. A pioneering spirit that fuelled early Nineties underground anthems such as the percussive, US-influenced Muzik Express and London X Press. And why not? Chutzpah that helped them create languid deep house classics like Lazy and Give It with vocalists as unlikely - yet inspired - as David Byrne of Talking Heads and Kurt Wagner of Lambchop. A DJ bravado that led to them thinking, two decks are for wimps. Why not six or seven? Why not twelve?

The Three Musketeers have recently become two, with the departure of Ashley Beedle, but its full steam ahead for remaining members Rocky and Diesel. We shouldn’t read anything into Beedle's absence beyond the pressures of combining his solo and production work with X-Press 2, insists Rocky. It just got to the stage where Ash was trying to do too much. He’s the kind of guy who, if he could please everyone, he would, but it just wasn’t conducive to producing good music on either side. It’s absolutely cool between us - we're still good mates and the door is always open if he ever wants to get involved again.

So, now X-Press 2 are two, what does the future hold? In short - loads. Lazy is currently to be heard at a cinema near you, as part of the soundtrack Byrne and Brian Eno contributed to Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Then there are the two EPs they’ve recorded with Tim Deluxe, a kindred spirit whom they got to know well when they shared DJ bills at the Ministry of Sound. Small-hours monsters such as Tonehead Chemistry and Siren Track combine the heads-down grooves with which they made their name (Classic X-Press 2, says Rocky) with spacious, action-packed breakdowns They’re the most visceral, dance floor-geared productions Rocky and Diesel have been involved with for years.

Obviously, with Ashley leaving, the dynamic has changed, says Diesel. But we are carrying on the X-Press 2 sound and developing it. The key is that the pair are as excited about music as they were when they first met in Hayes, Middlesex in the mid Eighties. In their DJ sets - now on a relatively restrained four decks and CDJs - and on their Thursday evening show for Ministry Radio they steer away from the Lazy era and chart a new course through 21st century house of every hue, from the lush and stately to the sparse and jacking. We are just overwhelmed by how much great stuff there is, smiles Diesel. We just can’t get everything in.

The pair see strong parallels between their Balearic formative years and the irreverent eclecticism of 2010. Our earliest influences were pre-house warehouse parties where you had rare groove, soul, jazz, go-go music, all different sorts of stuff being played, says Diesel. In Ibiza in the late Eighties, we’d be dancing to Acid Trax, then a Rolling Stones record, or the Woodentops. And 20 years later, says Rocky, there’s a bit of that going on again. Clubs like the Social have an anything-goes ethos - King Tubby one minute, a dubstep record the next and then a house thing.

When things get sectioned off you just lose all sense of progression or creativity, says Diesel. So when it came to working on their untitled forthcoming album, it was time to scale back the club dates and retreat to the studio armed with a spectrum of music old and new. With us, it’s always records, because we're DJs and record collectors, says Rocky. Lately, their ears have  been filled with everything from Fifties rockabilly, Sixties gospel and Eighties boogie through to up-to-the-minute gems by leftfield electronic voyager Caribou and Brooklyn house wunderkind Felix Feygin.

As that colourful selection suggests, Rocky and Diesel retain their taste for the unexpected, especially when it comes to selecting guest vocalists. We always try and go for someone whose not associated with dance music, says Rocky. For the new album, that means people like Rob Harvey, former frontman of Leeds alt-rockers the Music, who previously collaborated with X-Press 2 on Kill 100 and co-wrote a new track called The Blast. The lyrics are quite cryptic, says Diesel. I haven’t asked him what they mean yet. It’s got a double chorus and its bit Lennon-ist that’s Lennon, not Lenin.

Things get fiercer on another album track, “This is War”, which features Hannah Scanlon of Brighton’s incendiary indie outfit Doll and the Kicks. “She’s got a really powerful voice and the song is fucking nuts,” says Diesel. “What really appealed to us is the fact that it’s about war rather than throwing your hands in the air and loving everyone, “ says Rocky. “We want war, we want shit to happen!”

Indeed, in X-Press 2’s world of limitless possibilities, only one thing is certain. We will never make a song that says; Take me higher, insists Diesel. That’s just never gonna happen. Rest assured - Rocky and Diesel are as restless and averse to predictability as ever. Long may the adventure continue…

Soundcity 2012 - In Summary

Well folks, SoundCity 2012 is over again for another year and over-all its been another shining achievement for Liverpool. This year seemed even more busier than previous years and people from various walks of life have descended on the city again to experience the wealth of talent this city has to offer.

This year saw even more venues attached to the festival which provided more scope for the line up to grow and diversify in its content. Venues like the Epstien Theatre provided the unique approach of sitting down to watch artists and this provided the perfect outlet for the likes of Luke Fenlon, Thomas J. Speight and Michael Kiwanuka to shine brightly. Other new venues like Liverpool  Academy of Arts and the Red Bull Live Studios made use of what was essentially derelict buildings and turning them into urban theatres of noise and sound.

The old favourites like the Kazimier and Zanzibar showcasing the finest in new bands and new talent and bigger venues like the o2 providing a more mainstream alternative to the the festival.

Though its not all positive and like any other large scale festival it has its problems and from talking to other festival goers there seems to be 2 major areas for concern. 

The first is the size of venues and putting major acts on in them. The prime example for this was White Denim in the Kazimier. People who had paid good money for a wristband to see someone, don't expect to be stood in a queue in the rain because a venue has under estimated the amount of people wanting to see an act. I understand that at other festivals this occurs but its usually a large tent where at least if you cant get in you can still hear the bands. Bigger venues need to be used for large scale acts otherwise it wont work. The same happened for The Kooks last year at the bombed out church when gig-goers queued to get into the gig only to be disappointed. These are, I may add, one off occurrences. But as the festival continues to grow in both popularity and size, it needs to be taken into consideration in the future.

The second is the use of venue's that demand people to be scanned in or have ID on them (even press) to get in. Surely the point of buying a wristband should be enough. I wouldn't expect to turn up to the Reading festival turnstiles only to be told that I couldn't get in without having my passport on me.

The policies of HeebieJeebies and the Krazyhouse are in total contrast to the ethos of SoundCity and unless this changes bands who play these venues are not going to get the exposure or coverage they deserve. 

That aside, SoundCity is still one of the best inner city festivals and continues to get better each year and continues to provide the much needed injection of enthusiasm and vibrance into the city.

Article posted by Musicmafia

Sound City Liverpool 2012 review - Saturday

Well the final day of Sound City 2012 is here already and after three jam packed days of some of the best bands out there at the moment, it has been yet another triumphant success for its organizers. With so many genres of music available this year, there has been something for everyone. Highlights have included Space, The Wedding Present, Catfish and the Bottlemen and not forgetting Michael Kiwanuka, who should be seen live by anyone that has a love for music that tells a story and is sung from the very soul. Now onto the final days highlights. 

EJ @ Kazimier 

Joined on stage by guitarist,  James from London, young urban singer EJ has supported Jessie J on tour recently. Performing an array of covers, including "Domino", by Jessie J, in which she developed a fit of giggles half way through, "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry and "Free Falling" by Tom Petty. These songs allowed us to see that EJ has a great range of vocals and is definitely a talent to watch out for. Her bubbly personality shone through into her vocals and made you instantly like this young new talent. 

Dinner Ladies @ Liverpool Art Academy 

When we walked in to Liverpool Art Academy, it was to see what all the bustle was about in their and once inside, we could see why. The Dinner Ladies had taken to the stage and were giving a lively foot stomping performance. With a mix of saxophone, drums, clarinet, guitar and tabard wearing bass player Marigoldy, this was a band that captures the Scouse humour of the working class at its very core. With lead singer Pete Bentham singing about how Scouser's sit round all day smoking weed, cats and dogs and lorry drivers, you couldn’t help put end up with a massive smile on your face, especially as the entire band looked like they were having an absolute ball on stage. With backing singers/dancers "The Dinnerettes" joining them on stage to help out with dance actions and holding up the sign for the sing along song,  "Hip Potater" "a piss take on a couch potato who watches shit tv". Comedic rock n roll at its best!! 

The Wedding Present @ The Zanzibar 

With only lead singer, David Gedge left from the original line up that has been going since 1985, The wedding Present have constantly moved with the times and reinvented themselves and picked up a Guiness World Record along the way and tonight they were playing to a very packed out Zanzibar.  

The set started off quite promisingly, with songs like, "My Favourite Dress" and "Meet Cute" echoing around the room, but as the set went on it seemed to me that they looked and sounded like they were just going through the motions and didn't really appear to have any get up and go in them at all. Whether the set picked up later on I can't say as we were onto pastures new but I hope for the audience that it did. 

Space @ Liverpool Arts Academy

After many years of separation, Space original line up, minus drummer, Andy Parle, whose untimely death has been replaced by Al Jones, who we met a few months ago and is a mighty replacement for the much loved Andy. The place was packed out 30 minutes before Space took to the stage, with mainly old skool dudes and dudettes with the obligatory jackets tied round their waists all with the eager anticipation of reliving their youth. Having been a pretty big Space fan myself at the age of 18 to say I was looking forward to it was an understatement. Finally Space came onto stage to massive applause and cheers from crowd. 

With lead singer, Tommy now sporting his Rockabilly look that has become synonymous with his solo venture, Tommy Scott and the Red Scare.  

They showcased old and new tracks throughout the performance,  including"Attack of the Mutant 50ft Kebab" which is also the title of the new album and of course firm favourites, "Avenging Angels and a very bizarre duet with Cerys Matthew's head on the big screen behind for "Tom Jones" Think Holly from Red Dwarf and you've got the picture.  

With the new material showing a more mature sound from Space, they are more headier rock vibe with an smidge of ska rolled in, you can definitely see that Tommy's lyrics and vocals have matured with him and we could see another Space take over very soon.  Only downside for their set had to be Jamie Murphy's sheer arrogance and attitude that seemed to grow each minute they were on stage. Breaking his guitar because it went out of tune and demanding a new drink because he spilt a bit of it is not a good look while you are in the middle of a comeback. Thankfully Tommy made light of the situations and the crowd didn’t let it ruin their enjoyment of an otherwise amazing set from them. So all in all a massive "YAY" to see the guys back doing what they do best.

Review by Alison Goggin

Photos Thomas Lennon HERE

Article posted by Musicmafia

The Sums debut album launch at the Zanzibar Liverpool

THE SUMS

 DEBUT ALBUM 'IF ONLY' & LAUNCH 

 Saturday 29th October at the Zanzibar Liverpool

The Sums

The Fallows

Rob Smith ( acoustic )

The Ladykillers

DJ Andy Carroll  ( Classic State set )

7.30pm till 1.00am

£5.00 from Probe and the Zanzibar or £6.00 on the door

"If Only" available from Townsend Records on download and cd from Monday 17th Oct.

Out of the ashes of their previous band  ‘Smaller’ rose ‘The Sums’ with a stronger arrangement of musical master pieces. " We aim to put Liverpool on the moon and not only on the map " says singer Digsy.
Based in Liverpool , Smaller were a part of the UK Brit pop scene who smashed into the indie top 10 with classic singles taken from the critically acclaimed album  Badly Badly, featuring the tracks, Stray dogs and bin bags , God I hate this town and Is,  with Noel Gallagher on guitar.

The band were very much in demand and toured with The Stereophonics, Catatonia, Paul Weller and Oasis. Then in 2005 the bands singer/song writers Peter ( Digsy) Deary and Chris Mullin decided to end Smaller and take a new avenue of creativity and formed The Sums.

Armed with Lee Watson on guitar and Bren Moore on drums, they soon attached a loyal following and played rocking gigs around the UK and Ireland…one of the highlights being a 11,000 Capital of culture gig at Liverpool’s  Echo arena in which they were the shinning lights amongst many stars. Digsy along with Chris Mullin write strong, passionate, addictive melodies an pen lyrics which are as sharp as a knife!
"It's been hard for us to exist as a band with a minus zero budget. This album captures an honest representation of who we are and how we sound with out any major label production. A lot of people have been waiting a long time for a release from us, and after all this time, its good to be able to share what weve created, and to be put back in a position to move forward musically and prepare for the next album" says  Chris Mullin songwriter and bass player from the band.
Guitarist Lee Watson provides fantastic guitar work and ensures strong and to the point riffs are put into the mix, and with his valued creative input, Lee always provides and adds the finishing touches to the tracks.
Unfortunately Bren Moore had to leave the band due to personal commitments and back in to the hot seat came Chris Campbell who was drumming with the lads as Smaller in the later days….
The Sums:
Peter ‘Digsy’ Deary – Guitar / Vocals
Chris Mullin – Bass / Vocals
Lee Watson – Guitar

http://thesums.net
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sums/15632295525
http://twitter.com/#!/chrismully