Due to the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, a new date has now been announced for the first ever Creation Day Festival. 

The festival, which had been due to take place this May, will now be entertaining music lovers over the weekend of 28th-29th May 2022 at Wolverhampton’s beautiful West Park.

Organisers are planning to include the majority of the artists from the original line-up and there will be a few new surprises too. The full line-up will be announced in the coming months.

In an official statement, the Creation Day Festival organisers say:

“As everyone knows, it’s been a really tough 12 months and although things are starting to look brighter, we’ve taken the difficult decision to move the date of Wolverhampton’s first ever Creation Day Festival so that everyone can enjoy the event safely and to the full.

Music lovers will now be able to enjoy two full days of the best live performances over the weekend of May 28 and 29 2022 in the spectacular surroundings of West Park.

We’re planning to include the majority of the artists from our original line-up and there will be a few new surprises too – all guaranteed to offer a memorable weekend in our beautiful park.”

We all need a light at the end of the tunnel, and we all deserve a chance to enjoy ourselves. For fans of great music, Creation Day Festival is that chance.”

* * * *

Tickets already purchased for this year’s festival will automatically be transferred to the new date.

Partners Toura Toura Festivals and Alan McGee (founder of the iconic Creation Records label), alongside the local council, have decided to postpone Creation Day to ensure it can be enjoyed safely and to the full. 

Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment adds:

“In view of the recent announcements by the Prime Minister and taking into account his proposed roadmap of easing lockdown, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone this year’s Creation Day Festival to the same weekend next year. We know this will be disappointing news in what has been a very challenging 12 months. But due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic, we feel it is the responsible decision to take. However, I’m pleased to say that we have a new date confirmed and we are committed to making Creation Day Festival an amazing event to look forward to in 2022.”

Creation Day festival forms part of City of Wolverhampton Council’s ongoing commitment to re-light the city, help boost the local economy and offer high-profile events to attract visitors. The two-day event will be organised by the council in partnership with Toura Toura Festivals and Alan McGee. 

Alan formed Creation Records in 1983 and it went on to become one of the key labels in 80s and 90s indie music. Over the years, he has worked with such major acts as Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Oasis.

Tickets for this year’s festival will automatically transfer to the new date. If this date isn’t suitable, a full refund will be available. Ticket holders will be contacted directly with further details or to request a ticket refund visit Submit a request – Ticketmaster

To keep up to date with news on the Creation Day Festival visitwww.creationdayfestival.com or follow Creation Day Festival on social media.

FOR MORE INFORMATION :  www.creationdayfestival.com

ERASURE (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) have launched a brand new video, evoking the spirit of Hallowe’en with a spooky short for ‘Fallen Angel’:https://youtu.be/tAgkT1yEhT8 

Starring Heidi N Closet (star of season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag where she was crowned Miss Congeniality) and model Alexa Abraxas, the video was directed by Brad Hammer, responsible for the fabulous video for ‘Nerves of Steel’.

The new video appears ahead of the release of a brand new 12”, and a CD box set, due out on 4 December 2020. The 12”  features a brand new remix of the single from Mercury Music Prize nominated Georgia, whilst the CD single boxset collects remixes from each of the album’s singles - ‘Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)’, ‘Nerves of Steel’ and ‘Fallen Angel’ - including previously unreleased versions and forthcoming remixes from Confidence Man and Ben Rainey. The 12” vinyl is housed in a glamorous mirror board sleeve on orange neon vinyl while the CD set is similarly glammed up and comes in a mirrored box with three art cards and a booklet.

The band, currently celebrating the release of their new album, The Neon, which went into the UK Official Albums Chart at #4, their highest chart position since 1994, and went straight to #1 in the UK Official Independent, Vinyl and Cassette Albums Charts, also recently announced the first leg of their eagerly anticipated dates.

October 2021 will see Erasure bring The Neon to venues across the UK, Ireland, Germany and Denmark, kicking off at the Glasgow Armadillo auditorium on 1 October, with a London date at the O2 Arena on 17 October. 

ERASURE - THE NEON TOUR - 2021 DATES

1 Oct 21 - Glasgow, Armadillo - SOLD OUT

2 Oct 21 - Glasgow, Armadillo - SOLD OUT

4 Oct 21 - Dublin, 3Arena

6 Oct 21 - Edinburgh, Usher Hall

7 Oct 21 - Edinburgh, Usher Hall EXTRA DATE ADDED

9 Oct 21 - Manchester, O2 Apollo - SOLD OUT

10 Oct 21 - Manchester, O2 Apollo - SOLD OUT

12 Oct 21 - Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena 

14 Oct 21 - Bournemouth, International Centre

16 Oct 21 - Birmingham, Utilita Arena 

17 Oct 21 - London, The O2

18 Oct 21 - Brighton, Centre

21 Oct 21 - Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle 

22 Oct 21 - Berlin, Max-Schmeling-Halle

24 Oct 21 - Cologne, Palladium 

26 Oct 21 - Copenhagen, Royal Arena

27 Oct 21 - Hamburg, Barclaycard Arena

28 Oct 21 - Leipzig, Immobilien Arena

Tickets for these unmissable dates are on sale now

Buy the album: https://mute.ffm.to/TheNeon

Pre-order The Neon Singles: https://mute.ffm.to/cdbx-fa

Fallen Angel on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tAgkT1yEhT8 

 * * * *

THE NEON SINGLES 12” TRACKLISTING

Side A

Fallen Angel - Georgia Remix

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Nimmo Remix Extended Dub

Nerves of Steel - Bright Light Bright Light Remix

Side B

Shot A Satellite - Initial Talk Extended Dub

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Daybreakers Dub

Nerves of Steel - Extended 12” 

THE NEON SINGLES 3 CD BOX SET - TRACKLISTING - 3 CD Set

CD 1 

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Daybreakers Remix

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Daybreakers Dub**

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Daybreakers Instrumental**

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Philip George Remix

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Philip George Dub Remix**

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Philip George Remix Instrumental**

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Nimmo Remix

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Nimmo Remix Extended Dub**

Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) - Nimmo Remix Instrumental**

Shot A Satellite - Initial Talk Remix

CD2

Nerves of Steel - Extended Mix

Nerves of Steel - Bright Light Bright Light Remix

Nerves of Steel - Bright Light Bright Light Remix Dub**

Nerves of Steel - Bright Light Bright Light Remix Instrumental**

Nerves of Steel - 7th Heaven Radio Edit

Nerves of Steel - 7th Heaven Club Mix

Nerves of Steel - 7th Heaven Dub Mix**

Nerves of Steel - 7th Heaven Remix Instrumental**

Shot A Satellite - Initial Talk Extended Dub**

CD3

Fallen Angel - Georgia Remix

Fallen Angel - Georgia Dub**

Fallen Angel - Georgia Remix Instrumental**

Fallen Angel - Confidence Man Remix

Fallen Angel - Confidence Man Dub**

Fallen Angel - Confidence Man Remix Instrumental**

Fallen Angel - Ben Rainey Remix 

Fallen Angel - Ben Rainey Dub**

Fallen Angel - Ben Rainey Remix Instrumental**

Shot A Satellite - Initial Talk Remix Instrumental**

** - previously unreleased

For more information:

www.erasureinfo.com 

www.mute.com

JESS GLYNNE - will be performing a huge show at Doncaster Racecourse next Summer.

Taking place on Saturday 14 August 2021, this special ‘Live After Racing’ event will provide a full day at the races, followed by a showstopping headline set by the pop superstar. 

Tickets will go on sale from 9am Friday 27th November, or Wednesday 25th for O2 presale Customers. 

Jess Glynne is a Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter from North London who has established herself across the globe as the voice of a generation. 

Signing with Atlantic records in 2013, Glynne broke into the mainstream with her mesmeric vocals on the chart-topping hits "My Love" by Route 94 and "Rather Be" with Clean Bandit. Paving the way for an unstoppable chart run to come, Jess notched up further hits in "Right Here" (with Gorgon City), "Real Love" (with Clean Bandit) and "Not Letting Go"(with Tinie Tempah), making her mark as one of the most potent new vocalists in pop. 

Jess released her smash debut album I Cry When I Laugh in 2015, a record that went straight in at #1 in the UK albums chart, became the second fastest selling album of the year and has since certified as a 4× Platinum record with over 1,200,000 copies sold to date. 

Releasing its much anticipated follow-up Always in Between in 2018, the record swiftly followed-suit went straight in at the top of the UK charts. Making history as the first ‘British female solo artist to have seven number one singles in the UK Singles Chart’ with its lead track "I'll Be There"; Glynne went on invade the charts with a string of killer singles from the record including "These Days" (with Rudimental, Macklemore & Dan Caplen), "All I Am", "Thursday" and "One Touch" (with Jax Jones).

Taking her pop to the people, Jess embarked on her mammoth Always in Between Tour throughout 2018-19, playing huge shows across Europe, the UK and the United States. Going from strength to strength, Jess received five Brit Award nominations, including Best British Female and Best British Single, in 2019. That same year, she also joined the Spice Girls as a special guest on their Spice World tour; further cementing herself as a household name and a force of nature on the live stage. 

More recently, Jess unwrapped news of a surprise festive cover of Donny Hathaway's ‘This Christmas’, A testament to her enduring popularity, Jess is now sizing up what is expected to be her record-breaking eighth UK number one this Winter.

Renowned for her euphoric live shows, Jess Glynne’s set at ‘Live After Racing’ promises to be a chart-busting celebration to remember. The perfect Christmas present, tickets go on general sale this Friday 27th November.

JESS GLYNNE @ DONCASTER RACECOURSE - SATURDAY 14 AUGUST 2021

GATES: 11:001st Race: 13:10 Last Race: 16:35 Curfew: TBC

TICKETS GENERAL SALE THIS FRIDAY, 27 NOVEMBER https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/jess-glynne-live-doncaster-racecourse-tickets/10785055

O2 PRESALE - THIS WEDNESDAY 25 NOVEMBER https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/jess-glynne-live-doncaster-racecourse-tickets/10785055?dlac=o2pre

FOR MORE INFORMATION  http://jessglynne.co.uk/

On 15 May 2021, York’s Shed Seven will be headlining a very special show at Doncaster Racecourse.

This unique show will invite audiences to enjoy an entire day of racing at one of the UK’s most prestigious arenas, with the added bonus of a full Shed Seven set late into the evening. 

Rising to fame as one of the leading lights of the Britpop scene, some 30 years since their formation in York in 1990, Shed Seven have established themselves as one of the nation’s favourite alternative rock bands. Turning heads with the release of their classic debut album ‘Change Giver’ in 1994, the Rick Witter five-piece unfurled a flurry of smash hits that would come to define the period and amassed an impressive fifteen Top 40 singles and four Top 20 albums over the next 5 years. 

After an extended hiatus in 2003, the Sheds surprised and delighted fans and critics alike as they returned with their first new studio album for 16 years: ‘Instant Pleasures’. Demonstrative of a band back at the top of their game and rippling with ideas once more, ‘Instant Pleasures’ delivered exactly what it said on the tin. Rightfully rewarded with a Top 10 UK chart position, rave reviews and national radio playlistings, the band are more in-demand than ever.

A hectic 2019 schedule saw them release their ‘Going For Gold’ greatest hits on gold-coloured vinyl for the first time, plus thrill audiences nationwide on their packed-out ‘Shedcember’ tour (an extensive tour of capacious venues that also included their first ever headline arena show at the Leeds First Direct Arena). Showing no signs of slowing the pace any time soon, the Sheds now look on to their huge Doncaster Racecourse performance in Summer 2021

With anthemic hits spanning three decades and energy in spades, few bands could be better suited to long summer evening show to a Yorkshire county crowd than Shed Seven. Currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first album release, expect a mix of Sheds classics including ‘She Left Me On Friday’, ‘Dolphin’, ‘Disco Down’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Where Have You Been Tonight?’ and more, plus choice cuts from recent album ‘Instant Pleasures’, including fan favourites ‘Room In My House’ and ‘Better Days’.

Shed Seven - ‘Live After Racing’ @ Doncaster Racecourse, Yorkshire

15th May 2021*(*Rescheduled from 15 August 2020) 

Tickets Available from:
https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/35005792D716937F

Tickets are priced at:£35 Advance STBF £25 Children under 18’s (Under 5’s free admission)

Links:

Shed Seven

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Teenage Fanclub have announced news of their tenth studio album, Endless Arcade, released 30th April via their own label PeMa in the UK/Europe and Merge in the US. To mark the occasion the band have shared a video for “Home”, the album’s 7-minute opening track. Shot by Donald Milne in Edinburgh’s Leith Theatre, the video can be viewed HERE.

Even if we weren’t living through extraordinarily troubling times, there is nothing quite like a Teenage Fanclub album to assuage the mind, body and soul, and to reaffirm that all is not lost in this world. 

Endless Arcade follows the band’s ninth album “Here”, released in 2016 to universal acclaim and notably their first Top 10 album since 1997; a mark of how much they’re treasured. The new record is quintessential TFC: melodies are equal parts heartwarming and heart-aching; guitars chime and distort; keyboard lines mesh and spiral; harmony-coated choruses burst out like sun on a stormy day. 

In the 1990s, the band crafted a magnetically heavy yet harmony-rich sound on classic albums such as “Bandwagonesque” and “Grand Prix”. This century, albums such as “Shadows” and “Here” have documented a more relaxed, less ‘teenage’ Fanclub, reflecting the band’s stage in life and state of mind, which Endless Arcade slots perfectly alongside. 

The album walks a beautifully poised line between melancholic and uplifting, infused with simple truths. The importance of home, community and hope is entwined with more bittersweet, sometimes darker thoughts - insecurity, anxiety, loss. 

Such is life. But the title track suggests, “Don’t be afraid of this endless arcade that is life.”

“I think of an endless arcade as a city that you can wander through, with a sense of mystery, an imaginary one that goes on forever…” says Raymond McGinley, one half of the band’s songwriters for this album alongside Norman Blake. “When it came to choosing an album title, it seemed to have something for this collection of songs.”

So how did the band set out to explore this Endless Arcade? Raymond: “The process is much the same as it always has been. In 1989 we went into a studio in Glasgow to make our first LP. Francis starts setting up his drums, the rest of us find our spots around him and off we go. Thirty years later Francis is setting up his drums in Clouds Hill Recordings in Hamburg.  A few hours later we’re recording the first song. We don’t conceptualise, we don’t talk about it, we just do it. Each of us are thinking our own thoughts, but we don’t do much externalising. We just feel our way into it.”

Dave McGowan has been feeling his way into the band’s sound since 2004, mainly on keyboards and guitar, but the past two years have seen him take over on bass, his primary instrument. Francis Macdonald on drums was there at the outset. Although he has played and sung on record with the band previously, this is the first time Euros Childs has featured on keyboards across a whole Teenage Fanclub album.

“We were very comfortable with each other in the studio,” says Norman. “I think some of the playing is a bit freer and looser than on recent albums. Dave and Euros’ playing is amazing, and Francis on drums is really swinging. The whole process of making this album was very invigorating. Everyone in the band contributed a lot and the song arrangements came together really quickly. Everything felt fresh.”

Something else they all feel good about is the artwork. Euros suggested they use his friend Huw Evans, aka musician H. Hawkline, to design the sleeve. “It’s amazing,” Raymond says, “we absolutely love it!”

A preview from the album came in February 2019 with Raymond’s ‘Everything Is Falling Apart’, an online single released at the outset of a six-month tour and a highlight of Endless Arcade.

Everything is falling apart? Well, yes, but the song was written long before COVID-19 arrived. Neither was Raymond’s inspiration political or social, but more, “the entropy in the universe, the knowledge that everything eventually decays,” he explains. But Raymond says relax. Or rather, “Relax, find love, hold on to the hand of a friend”.

Fortunately, Endless Arcade was virtually finished by the time lockdown was announced, bar the odd tinker under the engine hood. It seems timely, given how everyone had to initially stay home under lockdown, that the album starts with Norman’s ‘Home’, though it was chosen in part because of its opening line: “Every morning, I open my eyes...” The album’s longest track (at seven minutes) typifies TFC’s relaxed groove, culminating in Raymond’s peach of a guitar solo.

Norman’s search for ‘home’ could be literal: after all, he’s been living in Canada for the last 10 years. But it’s also figurative. Like Norman’s other Endless Arcade songs – The Sun Won’t Shine On Me’, ‘Warm Embrace’, ‘I’m More Inclined’, ‘Back In The Day’ and ‘Living With You’ – his words on ‘Home’ are etched by loss and yearning. “Without going into too much detail, the last eighteen months have been challenging for me on an emotional level,” he admits. “But it’s been cathartic channeling some of these feelings and emotions into song.”

In contrast, Raymond’s songs – he’s also responsible for ‘Come With Me’, ‘In Our Dreams’, ‘The Future’ and ‘Silent Song’ – are philosophical and questing. As he sings in ‘The Future’: “It’s hard to walk into the future when your shoes are made of lead”, but he’s still going to try, “and see sights we’ve never seen.”

In the band’s own near-future, they’re already planning another new album given they can’t yet tour the one they’re releasing now. Welcome back, Teenage Fanclub, unafraid of this endless arcade that is life. 

New album track list:

1. Home

2. Endless Arcade

3. Warm Embrace

4. Everything Is Falling Apart

5. The Sun Won’t Shine On Me

6. Come With Me

7. In Our Dreams

8. I’m More Inclined

9. Back In The Day

10. The Future

11. Living With You

12. Silent Song

Tour dates:

2021:

7th September 2021 - Manchester – Academy 2

8th September 2021  – London – Forum

14th September 2021  - Edinburgh – Usher Hall

15th September 2021 - Aberdeen – Music Hall

16th September 2021  - Glasgow – Barrowland

2022:

8th April 2022- Sheffield – Leadmill

9th April 2022 - Leeds – Beckett’s

10th April 2022 - Nottingham – Rock City

12th April 2022 - Birmingham – Institute

13th April 2022 - Norwich – Waterfront

14th April 2022 - Bath – Komedia

16th April 2022 - Brighton – Chalk

17th April 2022 - Portsmouth – Wedgewood Rooms

20th April 2022 - Belfast – Empire Music Hall

21st April 2022 - Dublin – Academy

Links:

Teenage Fanclub

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Spotify

Apple

Sonic PR

WATCH VIDEO HERE: https://GaryNuman.lnk.to/IntruderVideoPR

LISTEN HERE: https://GaryNuman.lnk.to/IntruderSinglePR 

NEW ALBUM ‘INTRUDER’ TO BE RELEASED ON MAY 21ST 

NOW AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER HERE

The iconic Gary Numan has today premiered the title track from his forthcoming album via BBC 6 Music and can now reveal the accompanying video Gary Numan is set to release his brand new album ‘Intruder’ on May 21st. The album is now available to pre-order here. 

‘Intruder’ is Numan’s 18th solo studio album and follows 2017’s ‘Savage: Songs From A Broken World’, which became his highest charting set in almost forty years when it debuted at #2 on the Official Albums Chart. That commercial success was complemented with wide-reaching critical acclaim from Mojo, The Quietus, Pop Matters and more. 

Whereas ‘Savage’ depicted earth as a barren wasteland in which humanity and culture had been largely crushed by the effects of global warming, ‘Intruder’ presents a fresh but complementary narrative. It’s a philosophical examination of a potential future apocalypse: the planet can only survive by purging its inhabitants. 

Numan explains: “‘Intruder’ looks at climate change from the planet’s point of view. If Earth could speak, and feel things the way we do, what would it say? How would it feel? The songs, for the most part, attempt to be that voice, or at least try to express what I believe the earth must feel at the moment. 

The planet sees us as its children now grown into callous selfishness, with a total disregard for it’s well being. It feels betrayed, hurt and ravaged. Disillusioned and heartbroken it is now fighting back. Essentially, it considers human kind to be a virus attacking the planet. Climate change is the undeniable sign of the Earth saying enough is enough, and finally doing what it needs to do to get rid of us, and explaining why it feels it has to do it.” 

The title track and lead single provides a tantalising taster of what to expect. As austere synths loom like shadows and industrial beats are detonated, Numan’s beguiling hook towers like a beacon in the darkness. It’s visionary, fierce and fascinating: three traits that have become hallmarks of the musician’s influential career. The song, he says, finds “the Earth angry and hostile, and more than willing to fight back.” 

Partially written and recorded during lockdown, it’s no surprise that current circumstances have been assimilated into its themes. It’s especially evident in ‘The Gift’, which evolves from a sparse introduction into a resonant Middle-Eastern sonic motif. It imagines Covid-19 as the first weapon that the planet deploys in order to eradicate mankind and once again flourish. 

While anger and vengeance rage in its opening chapters, ‘Intruder’ charts a wider spectrum of emotions. ‘Is This World Not Enough’ and ‘A Black Sun’ exude regret and then despair that this fate could’ve been avoided. The finale presents a black-hearted double-bill to bring the curtain down on the tale. First ‘Now And Forever’ offers a hope of eternity in the end days during its theatrical intensity, before the sparse, sorrowful ‘The End Of Dragons’ ends on the chilling reminder that what’s broken can’t always be fixed. 

Select formats feature two bonus tracks: questions of faith in ‘When You Fall’ and a plaintive, stripped back version of ‘The End of Dragons’.  

‘Intruder’ was recorded between sessions at Numan’s home studio in Los Angeles and at producer Ade Fenton’s studio in Bath. It represents their fifth studio album together after ‘Jagged’ (2006), ‘Dead Sun Rising’ (2011), ‘Splinter (Songs From A Broken Mind)’ (2013) and ‘Savage (Songs From A Broken World)’(2017).  

‘Intruder’ will be released on CD, deluxe CD, black heavyweight double-vinyl, picture disc double-vinyl and digital formats. There will also be three exclusive coloured double-vinyl formats: in red (at select indie stores), silver (from Amazon) and gold (from Gary Numan’s official store). The official store will also exclusively stock the cassette. 

Since coming to prominence with era-defining hits such as ‘Cars’ and ‘Are ‘Friends’ Electric?’ (with Tubeway Army), Gary Numan has remained consistently creative and released a huge catalogue of work. His impact on electronic and alternative music has been hailed by pioneers such as Prince, David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails and remains impactful today, with Kanye West and Lady Gaga both crediting him as an influence. 

He was rewarded with the prestigious Inspiration Award at the Ivor Novellos in 2017and shared his remarkable story with 2020’s candid autobiography ‘(R)evolution’. 

‘Intruder’ tracklist: 

1. ‘Betrayed’ 
2. ‘The Gift’ 
3. ‘I Am Screaming’ 
4. ‘Intruder’ 
5. ‘Is This World Not Enough’ 
6. ‘A Black Sun 
7. ‘The Chosen’ 
8. ‘And It Breaks Me Again’ 
9. ‘Saints And Liars’ 
10. ‘Now And Forever’ 
11. ‘The End of Dragons’ 
12. ‘When You Fall’ (bonus track on deluxe CD, vinyl and digital formats) 
13. ‘The End of Dragons (alt piano)’ (bonus track on vinyl and digital formats)
    
    
    

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New Record Label Launches Giving A Voice To Marginalised Artists In The North

Inherently northern, No Such Thing is the UK’s newest independent record label. With a commitment to championing diversity through its roster and fusing music with the visual arts, No Such Thing is set to challenge the status quo in a time of great industry and societal flux. Founded by Dirty Freud and Ruby Tingle, who between them have over 20 years in the industry, No Such Thing launches on Friday 26 February.

“What sets No Such Thing apart is our commitment to giving a voice to artists from under-represented groups - whether that’s ethnicity, sexuality or disability,” explains co-founder and honorary northerner, Dirty Freud, an electronic musician and music producer. 

“We’re passionate about levelling the playing field in the music industry. That’s why we’ve set the ambitious target of 70% releases to come from LGBTQ+ and Black and minority ethnic artists. As a Black artist myself, I know that doors don’t always open that easily if you don’t fit the mould. Or if they do, you’re expected to fit into a stereotyped box. We’re here to challenge that, to empower our artists and give them back creative control.”

Ruby Tingle, a Sheffield-born, Manchester-based musician and visual artist, adds, “There’s so much creativity in the north, which we’re here to harness. This is a really exciting time to be doing something different in the music industry.”

No Such Thing launches with six of the region’s most exciting new artists on its roster: Szou, Leftwinter, Iora, Kaspa., Off Noise and Jaayns.

Find out more at No Such Thing 

In 1980, Kirk Brandon formed Theatre Of Hate from the ashes of heralded punk band The Pack. Joining Kirk on vocals were notable punk musicians Stan Stammers and Luke Rendall, along with old school friend, Steve Guthrie and Canadian born John “Boy” Lennard, who revolutionised the band’s sound with his haunting sax lines.

Theatre Of Hate’s debut double-A-side single, “Legion”/”Original Sin”, topped the independent chart in 1980, and “Westworld”, their debut album, produced by Mick Jones from The Clash and released in 1982, held the number one position for 21 weeks. The single taken from the album, “Do You Believe In The West- world?” has become an anthem and is still widely played in clubs and on international radio, as well as fea- turing on numerous compilation albums.

Theatre Of Hate imploded in 1982, with Kirk taking Stan forward to form Spear Of Destiny, but the band has resurfaced over the years to play some very special shows.

Having been asked by John Curd to join The Damned for a massive show at London’s infamous Round- house in December 2014 the band once again joined the fray. A short set of dates around the London Roundhouse anchor show attracted rave reviews.

2015 saw the band play two short jaunts across the UK in April and December both sets of dates wowed large crowds.Whilst touring the band recorded and released, Kinshi funded by a fans pledge campaign - the first new studio album in 30+ years. The 12 track album launched in November 2016 sublimely linked the past and present to great press and fan acclaim leading to further extensive live shows across the UK, Europe and the USA.

With a now settled line up of Kirk Brandon, Stan Stammers, Adrian Portas, Chris Bell & Clive Os- borne (currently deputising for John Lennard) the band released two EP's I.Sensou (War) & II.Heiwa (Peace) in 2019 which have maintained the ongoing success and paved the way for the bands latest and, appropriately named, studio album, 

A Thing Of Beauty, again funded by the growing fanbase via very specially packaged releases on CD & Vinyl. Recorded during the 2020 lockdowns and to be officially released in April 2021 the albums's 23 tracks will be released on Vinyl, CD and Digital formats. With the trade- mark Theatre Of Hate sound this new venture has already become a favourite amongst the loyal fanbase.

EARLY REVIEWS FOR “A Thing of Beauty”

“Oozes every ounce of Theatre of Hate, mesmerising sax, haunting bass, rhythmic skins, slight but perfect guitar, and vocals that make the hair at the back of your neck stand up on end...’’

“I'm loving all the tracks for different reasons. It's a blinding album and a great way to end this year on a high note! Long live The Hate!”

“Did not expect that - absolutely brilliant from the first note to the last...sounds 2020 freshbut stamped with 1982 at its core...the range and depth of this masterpiece should not bemissed.    stick it on, settle back and prepare to be in awe of master craftsmen at work”

www.Kirkbrandon.com
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www.twitter.com/kirkbrandon
www.instagram.com/therealkirkbrandon

Over five years since their last release, the hugely successful Gypsy Queens are back with a brand new single, a new version of ‘I’m Into Something Good’ featuring vocals from Peter Noone, the singer of Herman’s Hermit 1965 original.  

Check out the video right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmrIXhpc85w

“This has always been a favourite song of mine, one we’ve been covering since we first started busking over 20 years ago” says Gypsy Queen’s frontman Didier Casnati.“We’ve always wanted to record it and when recently introduced to Peter, the star’s aligned and we thought that right now, we could all do with ‘Something Good’.” 

The single was recorded at Village Studios in LA, produced by multi-Grammy winning Larry Klein (who also produced The Gypsy Queen’s first album). With Peter on vocals and the signature feel good sound of the Gypsy Queens, they’ve reprised a 60s classic and given it a fresh feel for 2021. ‘I’m Into Something Good’ is the first single from an upcoming new album, which will feature lots more special guests – details coming soon.  

The story of the Gypsy Queens dizzying rise is a remarkable one. With Didier Casnati at the helm, the group have gone from busking the streets of Nice to becoming one of the most in demand live bands in the world. Drawing from a huge repertoire of classic songs (California Dreaming, Volare, Satisfaction, Unforgettable, Tutti Frutti) they normally perform over two hundred shows a year all across the world – the majority of which are at ultra-exclusive private parties frequented by some of the richest and most famous people on the planet.  

“We don’t advertise what we do, and that is precisely why heads of states (51 of them) has hired us to play at their parties; we do it, and don’t talk about it very often, our publicity is minimal, that is one of the qualities of the band” 

Their riotously entertaining performances have found them shoulder to shoulder with high-profile fans like Robert De Niro, Chris Martin, David Beckham, Prince Harry, REM and Quincy Jones. The Gypsy Queens are a truly irrepressible force.  

“We work the crowd so hard because we always want more. That’s why with The Gypsy Queens there is always one more song, one more joke, one more performance.” 

It was playing at a private party with U2’s Bono where they were first spotted by a label, with who they would release their debut album – ‘The Gypsy Queens’ in 2012. Produced by the aforementioned Larry Klein, who has worked with Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Brian Adams, Herbie Hancock and Melody Gardot, the album had guest appearances from an array of talent including Madeleine Peyroux, Booker T (of Booker T and the MG’s), “America” and Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills, Young & Nash).  The Album entered the UK Charts at # 46, and # 1 on Amazon. 

They released their second album “Lost in the Music” in 2014, and in 2016, their single “Losing Myself In The Music” won the Akademia Award for best Pop/RnB song of the year, this same year saw the Gypsy Queens awarded “La Estrella de Oro”, a Spanish distinction for professional excellence. 

With COVID-19 hitting in 2020, like most musicians, their entire touring schedule was cancelled, but this finally gave them the time to start working on their long awaited third album. Collaborating with various different artists the new album promises to be their biggest yet. 

Stay tuned for more details. 

‘I’m Into Something Good’ the first single, is available now via Absolute Label Services.   https://slinky.to/ImIntoSomethingGood

http://gypsyqueens.com/  

• ‘BIGGA BAGGARIDDIM TOUR’ WILL TOUR 24 CITIES ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND, INCLUDING BOURNEMOUTH, BRIGHTON, CARDIFF, GLASGOW, LEEDS, LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER, NOTTINGHAM AND LONDON’S SSE WEMBLEY ARENA, PLUS MANY MORE
• NINE NEWLY ADDED DATES INCLUDE ABERDEEN, BELFAST, CASTLEBAR, CHELTENHAM, KERRY, NORTHAMPTON, PLYMOUTH, STOCKTON AND STOKE

UK, February 24th: Iconic English reggae band UB40 have today announced brand new dates for their 24-date UK & Ireland ‘Bigga Baggardiddim Tour’, kicking off in Castlebar, Ireland on 19 November 2021. Celebrating the release of the forthcoming new album “Bigga Baggariddim”, founder members Robin Campbell, Brian Travers, James Brown, Earl Falconer, Norman Hassan, and long-time members Duncan Campbell, Martin Meredith, Laurence Parry and Tony Mullings will perform new tracks, alongside the band’s timeless classics and greatest hits, including Food For Thought, One In Ten, Kingston Town, (I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You and Red, Red Wine, amongst many, many others.

Tickets go on general sale Friday, 26th February at 10AM here. Exclusive pre-sale tickets are available now here. Tickets for the rescheduled dates will remain valid.

The ‘Bigga Baggardiddim Tour’ will travel across the whole of the UK and Ireland for UB40’s highly anticipated return to the road. After kicking off in Castlebar, the tour will visit Aberdeen, Belfast, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Kerry, Leeds, Liverpool, London’s SSE Arena Wembley, Manchester, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Stockton and Stoke.

Robin Campbell, Guitarist and Vocalist says: “We really believe this will be the last time we’ve had to move theses dates because of Covid, we’re going stir crazy and just want to get back on the road again.”

Norman Hassan, Percussionist and Vocalist says: “We just can’t wait to feel the vibe & love of a live crowd, dancing and singing, moving and a grooving! That’s what’s we live for!”

James Brown, Drummer says: “It’s been so frustrating not being able to play gigs. It’s what we love to do. We can’t wait till we are back on the road, doing what we do best, performing on stage to a packed crowd.”

2021 sees the arrival of UB40’s new collaborations album “Bigga Baggariddim”, the follow up to the band’s critically acclaimed and internationally successful 1985 release “Baggariddim”. Much like “Baggariddim”, when UB40 invited other artists to voice over their riddims, “Bigga Baggariddim” is an international celebration of Reggae, featuring New Zealand’s House of Shem, India’s Reggae Rajahs, reggae veterans Inner Circle, Tippa Irie and Winston Francis, and upcomers Gilly G. Kioko, BLVK H3RO and Leno Banton. The album also includes tracks with Pablo Rider and Slinger, who both featured on the 1985 “Baggariddim” album.
 

As for so many, Covid has been devastating for the music industry. During lockdown the band have launched weekly UBZoomy broadcasts on their social media and their new exclusive UB40 app to stay connected with their fans. Every Sunday night from 7PM the band get together for album listening sessions, fan Q&A’s, guest interviews, guest performances and to watch UB40 archive footage together. 

The Sunday night UBZoomy’s have become a firm fan favourite and fans can now purchase an exclusive ticket bundle, including the ‘UB40 at 40’ Live DVD, a pre-order of the new “Bigga Baggariddim” album and a year’s premium membership to the UB40 app, shortening the wait until the tour kicks off later this year. Additionally, in the run up to the new album release and the 2021 Tour, the band will share lots of engaging and exclusive content, competitions and all things UB40 on the app for fans to enjoy. 

Access the app here.

UB40 formed in 1978 and have since transcended their working-class origins to become the most successful reggae band in the world, selling more than 100 million records worldwide and spending over a combined 11 years in the UK album chart, alongside 40 UK hit singles, including their three No.1 singles (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You, Red Red Wine, as well as “Baggariddim”’s I Got You Babe Ft. Chrissie Hynde making UB40 one of the most successful British groups of all time.

Tickets for UB40’S UK and Ireland tour go on general sale Friday, 26 February 2021 at 10AM here. For access to the exclusive ticket pre-sale for the brand-new dates, sign up here
 

Tickets for the rescheduled dates will remain valid.

www.UB40.global
Twitter: @UB40OFFICIAL
Facebook: @ub40official
Instagram: @ub40official

We may be cursed to be in the midst a global pandemic, buffeted by all of its stresses and pain. But everyone knows that art provides succour, that music is the most reliable balm. And for many there is further significant comfort to be drawn from the knowledge that Paul Weller is in the midst of an unbelievably prolific purple patch. Paul Weller will not let us down when we need him most.
 

On May 14th, Paul Weller releases his 16th solo album since his self-titled debut in 1992, which comes in just under twelve months following June 2020’s magnificent, chart-topping On Sunset. It’s not hyperbole to state that this new album, titled Fat Pop (Volume 1), is among his most compelling collections. It’s an absolute scorcher.
 

During spring last year, after his tour dates were postponed, Paul Weller needed something else to focus on. With many ideas for new songs stored on his phone, Paul started to record them on his own with just vocals, piano and guitar which he’d send to his core band members (drummer Ben Gordelier, Steve Cradock on guitar and bassist Andy Crofts) to add their parts. Despite it being strange not being together, it kept the wheels rolling and sanity prevailing. The band reconvened at Weller’s Black Barn studio in Surrey when restrictions were lifted to finish the work with the shape of the album becoming clear to all.
 

Fat Pop (Volume 1) – Paul adding the “Volume 1” to keep options  open for a second volume in the future -  is a diverse selection of sounds. No one style dominates. There’s the synth-heavy, future-wave strut of Cosmic Fringes, the stately balladeering of Still Glides The Stream (co-written with Steve Cradock), the chunky percussive groove of Moving Canvas (a tribute to Iggy Pop no less), and the kind of dramatic immediate pop symphonies on Failed, True and Shades of Blue with which Paul Weller has hooked in generation after generation of devotee.
 

As ever, Fat Pop, sees a number of guests contributing including Lia Metcalfe, the young Liverpudlian singer with The Mysterines who combines her tremendous vocal as well as a song writing credit to True. Andy Fairweather Low adds his distinctive vocals to superfly strutting Testify and Paul’s daughter Leah co-wrote and features on the classic 3 minute pop kitchen sink drama Shades Of Blue which will be the first single taken from the album. Hannah Peel is back in the fray adding  her classic string scores to Cobweb Connections and Still Glides The Stream.
 

Tracklisting:
 

COSMIC FRINGES
TRUE
FAT POP
SHADE OF BLUE
GLAD TIMES
COBWEB / CONNECTIONS
TESTIFY 
THAT PLEASURE
FAILED
MOVING CANVAS
IN BETTER TIMES
STILL GLIDES THE STREAM
 

Fat Pop comes in several covetable formats all showcasing the stunning artwork:
 

Standard CD
Individual exclusive cassettes for Indie Record Stores and Paul’s artist store
Individual exclusive coloured vinyl for Amazon, Indie Record Stores and Paul’s artist store
Black Heavyweight vinyl
Exclusive picture disc vinyl
 

Deluxe Formats which include Fat Pop, Mid-Sömmer Musik (the live special from November last year) and bonus tracks:
3 CD Box Set
3 LP Box set – heavyweight black vinyl
 

For the latest news on tour dates see www.paulweller.com

Over in West Leeds there are two great venues in the small town of Farsley . The Constitutional and soon to be opened The Old Woollen. There are some great gigs lined up for later this year featuring amongst others Don Letts and The Futureheads. 

Don't forget to make sure that you check back regularly for updates on gigs and further news re The Old Woollen.

The Constitutional 

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RAG’N’BONE MAN ANNOUNCES ‘LIVE AFTER RACING’ SHOW @ DONCASTER RACECOURSE

SATURDAY 17th JULY 2021 TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY 26th March || PRE-SALE WEDNESDAY

RAG’N’BONE MAN will appear at Doncaster Racecourse this Summer for a huge outdoor show. 

Taking to the stage on Saturday 17th July 2021, this special ‘Live After Racing’ event will provide a full day at the races, followed by a showstopping headline set by the neo-soul megastar. 

This one-off Doncaster date will swiftly follow the release of the UK singer’s highly anticipated second album, ‘Life By Misadventure’ this Spring.

Tickets for the show will go on general sale from 9am Friday 26th March, or Wednesday 24th March for O2 presale Customers. 

* * * * *

Rag’n’Bone Man is the alias of Sussex singer and songwriter, Rory Graham. His 4x Platinum debut, ‘Human’, shot to No 1 in the UK upon release in 2017 and became the fastest-selling album by a male artist of the 2010s, with Graham picking up both BRIT and Ivor Novello awards along the way. Four years later, Graham has been teasing the release of his new album ‘Life by Misadventure’, which is confirmed for release on 7 May, via the Columbia label.

Defying expectation in a bid to tear up the rule book, Graham went to Nashville to write and record what would become ‘Life By Misadventure’. The bulk of the album was produced and recorded by Grammy Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Elizondo (Eminem, 50 Cent, Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette), and was recorded purposefully like a live album, so the sound would be real and 100% human.

Guest musicians on the upcoming album include long time collaborators Ben Jackson-Cook (keyboards, co-songwriter and co-producer of the album), Bill Banwell (bass, and co-songwriter) and Desri Ramus (backing vocals), who are joined by drummer Daru Jones (Lazaretto-Jack White) and guitarist Wendy Melvoin (who joined Prince’s Revolution at the age of 19). Said to be about growing up and moving forward, ‘Life By Misadventure’ will see Graham delivering an album of depth and soul, primed for big singalongs on the summer festival circuit. 

Now firmly established as one of Britain’s most successful artists of the past decade, the pop superstar is poised to re-assert himself as one of its most authentic and original talents on the live stage in 2021. With a clutch of powerful material at his fingertips, expect his Doncaster appearance to be brimful of bold new cuts and rousing old favourites, including “Human”, “Skin”, “Giant”, “Run” and the critically-acclaimed new single “All You Ever Wanted” .Guaranteed to be one of the summer’s most unmissable live fixtures, Rag’n’Bone Man’s ‘Live After Racing’ show will be a night to remember. Tickets go on general sale this Friday 26th March.

RAG’N’BONE MAN @ DONCASTER RACECOURSE - SATURDAY 17 JULY  2021
GATES: 15:301st Race: 17:30Last Race: 20:40On Stage: 21:00

* * * * * *

TICKETS - GENERAL SALE THIS FRIDAY, 26 MARCH https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/ragnbone-man-live-doncaster-racecourse-tickets/10907425 

O2 PRESALE - THIS WEDNESDAY https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/ragnbone-man-live-doncaster-racecourse-tickets/10907425?dlac=O2PRE

FOR MORE INFORMATIONw/ https://www.ragnboneman.com

Aiming to capture the voice of a nation, Yorkshire indie-rock quartet Sounds Like A Storm return with a brand new single, ‘Make It Better’.

Listen // Watch 

With sold out hometown headline shows at Leeds venues including The Wardrobe, Keyclub and Oporto, and support slots for The Blinders, Twisted Wheel and VANT resulting in festival appearances at Reading and Leeds (BBC Radio 1 Stage), Live at Leeds and Bingley Weekender, the band now have their sights firmly set on a national breakthrough.

A gritty, glam-rock take on their exhilarating indie-rock, ‘Make It Better’ finds Sounds Like A Storm exploring their idea of hope. Fuelled by irony, it’s a song about life and the things you love; the idea that for things to get better, you have to believe in something. 

“At the time I wrote this song my dad was in hospital, I wrote this tune one night in the month of January, it came from nowhere. I suppose lyrically I am picturing things I love, this escapism from hospital wards and the trauma of what I was going through. The juxtapositions bounce in and out throughout the song, this feeling of isolation and loneliness felt unusual at the time, but now for everyone in the world through the pandemic has become almost second nature.” explains frontman Sennen Ludman.

“The song is set to deliver hope, things will get better, they may not be the same as before but they will get better.”

“Undeniably adroit at their art - undoubtedly just the tip of the iceberg”  - Yorkshire Evening Post

Follow Sounds Like A Storm:

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MONTRÉAL JAZZ-FUNK COLLECTIVE UNVEIL STUNNING NEW EP, THE ET SUITE 

OUT NOW VIA ARTS & CRAFTS 

https://open.spotify.com/album/5u2jCni1a7toMgG0lq7Dhn?si=mR8BuwdBRH2G2i_oD3nh7g

SOPHOMORE ALBUM EDDIE OUT NOW – PRODUCED BY NEAL POGUE (TYLER THE CREATOR, OUTKAST, ANDERSON .PAAK) 

“A formidable soul power, riffing through funky styles but sounding right-now.” [4 stars] – MOJO  

“They make a rich ensemble sound – jazzy horns, trippy hearts, smooth vocals… When they let loose, they’re a blast.” – Financial Times  

“A really really strong set of up-beat, down-tempo and some-in-the-middle soul and funk…Excellent work” – Echoes  

"A sound that’s best described as a lovechild between jazz, hip-hop, and electro-soul." – Complex  

"Busty and the Bass have that dreamy, summery sound. You can practically feel the sun’s rays, as we recline in its heat." –  The Line Of Best Fit  

Following the success of their internationally acclaimed 2020 album Eddie, Montréal’s jazz-funk octet, Busty And The Bass are back with their brand-new genre fluid EP, The ET Suite out March 17 via Arts & Crafts. 

Pulled together by an expert team of friends and collaborators, The ET Suite musically encapsulates the alien process of isolated recording sessions. Having enjoyed a deluge of praise following the release of their 2020 album Eddie, the unique and innovative project provides a definitive sequel by expanding and reimagining their featured album track, ‘ET’ into something entirely otherworldly and new. 

Split across five tracks, the EP is a fifteen-minute space odyssey that guides the listener through various interpretations of the original song. Everything from the verse to the instrumentation takes on new forms employing irresistible funk-laden rhythm on lead single ‘Suite Pt II (feat. Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire)’ – out March 10, delicate African soul on ‘Suite Pt III (feat. Pierre Kwenders)’ and free jazz freak outs on ‘Suite Pt IV’. 

Chris Vincent [trombone player]: “Contrary to how we’ve recorded in the past, every element of this was recorded in isolation. There were lots of discussions and listening sessions but as far as the recording process went, each instrument was recorded completely independently. This ended up playing into the themes of the music. The ET Suite is really a space traveling journey from one isolated planet to the next and that transportation to different spaces is exactly how the creative process worked.” 

Busty And The Bass’s recent album, Eddie was released in summer 2020 via Arts & Crafts. The 12 tracks set nostalgic and vulnerable lyrical ruminations against a soundscape of simmering soul, spirited rock, hypnotic hip-hop, perennial psychedelic funk and artful R&B. Produced by Neal Pogue (Tyler The Creator, Anderson .Paak) and executively produced by Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White, it features legendary collaborators George Clinton, Macy Gray, Illa J and Jon Connor. The octet of Nick Ferraro [vocals, alto sax], Evan Crofton a.k.a. Alistair Blu [vocals, keys, synths], Scott Bevins[trumpet], Chris Vincent [trombone], Louis Stein [guitar], Milo Johnson [bass], Eric Haynes [keys, piano], and Julian Trivers [drums] recorded Eddie over three uninterrupted weeks in Montréal. 

The multinational band met during their first week as students in the jazz program at McGill University back in 2011. Beginning as an instrumental act, they capitalized on every gig they could, taking $100 for a three-hour set or exchanging tunes for wine and hors d’oeuvres at cocktail parties. 

They went on to drop a pair of EPs – GLAM [2015] and LIFT [2016] – before unveiling 2017’s full-length debut, Uncommon Good. In addition to packing houses on headline tours, they graced the stages of international festivals such as Made in America, Osheaga, Pinkpop, Montréal International Jazz Festival, The Great Escape, Ottawa Bluesfest, and Rifflandia, playing alongside the likes of Radiohead, Anderson .Paak, and Lana Del Rey. 

Links:

WEBSITE 

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

TWITTER

YOUTUBE 

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Measure PR

Ahead of the release of the 10th anniversary reissue of their career-changing album The English Riviera, Metronomy today share a new version of their iconic track ‘The Look’, remixed by Grammy-nominated duo MGMT, producers of some of the most innovative psychedelic pop anthems of the 2000s. 

The English Riviera 10th Anniversary Edition will be available with six previously unreleased bonus tracks, including the recently shared ‘Picking Up For You’, and available for fans to stream and buy on 30th April 2021 via Because Music.

LISTEN TO ‘THE LOOK (MGMT REMIX)’

PRE-ORDER THE ENGLISH RIVIERA 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Earlier this week Metronomy also announced brand new UK tour dates for April and May 2022, taking in 12 dates including a stop along the English Riviera to play in Torquay, and rounding out at London’s Alexandra Palace. Having postponed their Metronomy Forever European tour dates in 2020 due to Covid-19, the band will also head out across the continent in March and April. Tickets are available on general sale on Friday 26th March at 10am local time.

BUY METRONOMY 2022 TOUR TICKETS

A love letter to the stretch of coast a stone's throw from where Joe grew up, The English Riviera marked a breakout moment in the band’s history that would lead them to global success and see them constantly developing their sound for a decade to come. The band are currently working on what will be their seventh album, due for release next year.

Metronomy’s biggest album to date, The English Riviera was nominated for the Mercury Prize, is certified Gold in the UK and platinum in France, and upon release was met with wide scale critical acclaim: ranked as NME’s #2 album of the year (“a deep sea of ideas and imagination”), NYLON’s #2, Uncut’s #3, Mixmag’s #4, and #7 by The Guardian (“an assured, beguiling album”) among many other end of year lists. The English Riviera’s standout tracks ‘The Look’ and ‘The Bay’ remain Metronomy’s biggest and best recognised songs to date.

About writing ‘The Look’, Joe says that he “came up with the bit that gets stuck in your head; the der-de-der-der bit. I played around with it a little, hit a wall and thought ‘it’s not really Metronomy, is it’. Four months later, we finished recording The Look at the Smokehouse in London. We quite liked it, but that was about it. Then I distinctly remember the journalist Dave Simpson asking me about the song after we performed it for the first time at the Leeds Cockpit in January 2011. That was probably the moment I realised it had something about it.

I still don’t know precisely what that something is, but when we perform The Look live and I hear thousands of people chanting the bit that gets stuck in your head back at me, der-de-der-der, it often brings a tear to my eye. It really is amazing what that seaside song and this whole album has done for Metronomy.”
 

METRONOMY UK 2022 TOUR DATES

Friday 22 April - Barrowland - Glasgow, UK (new show)
Saturday 23 April - O2 Academy - Leeds, UK (new show)
Sunday 24 April - Boiler Shop - Newcastle, UK (new show)
Tuesday 26 April - Olympia Theatre - Dublin, Ireland (new show)
Wednesday 27 April - O2 Academy - Liverpool, UK (new show)
Thursday 28 April - Academy - Manchester, UK (new show)
Saturday 30 April - O2 Academy - Birmingham, UK (new show)
Sunday 1 May - Tramshed - Cardiff, UK (new show)
Tuesday 3 May - The Foundry - Torquay, UK (new show)
Wednesday 4 May - O2 Academy - Bristol, UK (new show)
Thursday 5 May - O2 Academy - Oxford, UK (new show)
Saturday 7 May - Alexandra Palace - London, UK (new show)

Links:

Official website

Spotify

Apple Music

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

Instagram

Fresh off the heels of the release of DJ Python’s “Young Buck” remix, which saw support by Pitchfork, BBC 6Music and more, Braids is thrilled to reveal today two brand new songs titled “Slayer Moon” and “2020”. Recorded during the sessions of their last album Shadow Offering, the new tracks were premiered by the band last night during their WWWorld Premiere live concert on their YouTube channel. 

Watch it here.

The band shares their inspiration behind the songs: “Slayer Moon is inspired by a Sailor Moon phone case I bought in Tokyo, at 3 am while on tour in Japan. Growing up I was obsessed with Sailor Moon, particularly with the ability to magically transform from a normal girl into a full-on mystical and powerful Sailor Scout, battle-ready to combat the evil forces of the world.”

“What a deal, legs with more potential than my life” 

“Sailor Scouts have the longest legs ever drawn - so long that I drew a parallel between their immaculate legs, and our frenetic modern minds, lost in the ego abyss of the infinite scroll.”

“I can’t figure out my life blood, what should I prescribe to?”

“‘2020’ was written sometime in 2017, after a long period of being alone – in an abstract sense of the word – while reaching for fleeting physical closeness. I was with friends, but my heart was lonely and longing for companionship, my body confused with the unfamiliarity of new and shallow encounters. 

I had been meditating a lot during this time “tracing a line through the centre of my body” – a process of inward-looking that I veer towards when I take the time to sit. I titled the song ‘2020’, in 2020. Revisiting the song's lyrics through the eyes of our present reality struck a chord with me. I felt as close to the song as when I had first written it. I find that I am asking myself similar questions while in this pandemic, without my friends, my family, my familiar structures.”

“I am of all things, love and hate. Placing the pieces of myself, hopefully, without judgment, without bitterness. To not knowing, who I am entirely. Who am I, without them? Who am I, without you, in my life?”
 

Listen to Slayer Moon / 2020 by clicking here. 

Watch the Slayer Moon visualiser by clicking here.
 

Braids most recent album Shadow Offering coproduced by Chris Walla, is out now via Secret City Records. A luscious and expansive release, Shadow Offering leads us through a sonic tapestry of narrative. With heartbreaking honesty and precision, listeners traverse a nuanced and complicated world: one full of beautiful contradictions. This release was critically acclaimed around the globe. In the United Stated, 

The New York Times said, “Raphaelle Standell-Preston sings with openhearted earnestness,” while The Fader exclaimed, “The whole thing builds to a frantic final third in which the chaos and confusion is palpable." (About “Snow Angel”). Consequence of Sound added about “Young Buck” - “a bouncy good time; in the tug-of-war between mind and matter, these pulsing synths are clearly on the side of the body.” Stereogum said Shadow Offering “feels like the culmination of what Braids have been building towards over the last 10 years. It’s glimmering and assured, an album that’s constantly refining and one-upping itself.” The album was greatly received in the United Kingdom as well. The Line of Best Fit gave it 9/10, and described as “a gloriously intricate fourth outing [...] Braids have refined themselves, ready to offer mature, emotional soundscapes of understanding,” while Clash Magazine and Uncut rated the album 8/10. 

Listen to the “Young Buck” remix by DJ Python by clicking here.

Watch the "Young Buck" remix by DJ Python video edit by clicking here.

Listen/Buy Shadow Offering by clicking here. 

Watch “Just Let Me” video here. 

Watch “Snow Angel” video here.  

Watch “Young Buck” video here. 

Watch “Eclipse (Ashley)” video here. 

Braids online 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

Secret City Records online 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

A retro-tinted charmer beamed from another era, SILVERTWIN release their new single: ‘Ploy’ (24th March).

STREAM HERE

Like a ray of sunshine filtered through a pair of seventies aviators; Silvertwin’s music is as warmly familiar as your childhood soundtrack, yet with a timeless turn of phrase and knowing sense of fun that places them alongside peers such as The Lemon Twigs or Whitney. 

And their first release of 2021, “Ploy” glows with an artfully nostalgic vintage aura; think Paul McCartney produced by Jeff Lynne, or vice versa perhaps. 

Lost in the anxious and troubled thoughts that often accompany new found love, “Ploy” was written by the band’s Isaac Shalam at his childhood home but in a world of his own. Looking for a way to express the feelings that wracked him, Shalam turned to the piano to try and channel the swelling emotions captured by Brian Wilson’s surf-pop majesties; before arriving instead at something soft and simmering of his own soulful touch. 

““Ploy” is kind of about the insecurity or paranoia that comes with a blooming relationship” says Shalam. “I suppose initially I thought of the riff as my attempt at trying to write something Beach Boys-esque by having simple chords but a bass line that moved back and forth. It was a new style of song-writing for me as up until then I’d mostly used guitar, but I wanted to begin using piano as the anchor for the songs I was working on at the time.”

Recorded at Electro-vox Studios in West Hollywood in LA, “Ploy” was produced by Foxygen’s esteemed Jonathan Rado (The Flaming Lips / The Killers / Father John Misty). With the prominent piano playing delivered by Shalam, its melody is uplifted with additional baroque-pop flourishes courtesy of a string quartet. Giving the record its classic finish, “Ploy” was mastered by Frank Arkwright at Abbey Road Studios and mixed by Cenzo Townshend. 

Masterminded by Isaac Shalam, Silvertwin are the new band your life is sorely missing. Raised on a diet of seminal cuts from the 60s, 70s and 80s consumed via the family car stereo, from early-on in high school Shalam felt a yearning to recreate the sounds he had grown up with all his life. Looking for a vehicle to bring his self-penned songs to life, Shalam formed Silvertwin while at college in London; a quintet of like-minded souls including Alicia Barisani, Dan Edery, Lauric Mackintosh and Antonio Naccache.

Quickly impressing audiences and industry alike, the Silvertwin name soon caught the ear of Foxygen’s Jonathan Rado who invited the band to develop their studio sound with him at LA’s prestigious Electro Vox studios. Spending the last year readying a clutch of songs for wider release, “Ploy” is the first of those sessions to materialise. 

Playing their first official shows in 2020, the band drew a sold-out capacity crowd to a two night residency at London’s Pin-Ups venue by word-of-mouth sensation. With new dates and a debut album being planned for later this year, stay-tuned for more news and releases from Silvertwin in the coming months...

Looking forward to returning to the live stage for the first time since, Silvertwin are pleased to confirm 4x socially distanced shows over two nights at Paper Dress Vintage in Hackney on 19th May and 16th June respectively. 

Full dates and details as below.

SILVERTWIN 2021 LIVE DATES

Wed 19 May - Early Show 8pm - Tickets

Wed 19 May -  Late Show 9:30pm - Tickets

Wed 16 June - Early Show 8pm - Tickets

Wed 16 June -  Late Show 9:30pm - Tickets

FOR MORE INFORMATION  https://www.wearesilvertwin.com