JULY 2007 THEATRE REVIEWS

Wonderful World of Dissocia - YORK THEATRE ROYAL - 22-26/05/07

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Dissocia. Lisa (the spot-on Catherine Entwistle) enters this whimsical world to find her lost hour so that she can restore balance to her life. She meets all kinds of strange characters, such as the urine-drinking Victor Hesse, the Insecurity Guards and a Scapegoat and encounters unusual ways of thinking, such as the Council’s new Community Crime Initiative. Lighting, sound and smoke was used to its fullest advantage, but only when necessary, as the characters were key. The set was a huge slope with the walls covered in carpet to create this odd world. I’ll make no bones about it: This is straight from Lewis Carroll. The na‘ve female protagonist in a strange world meeting bizarre characters seemingly at random with odd logical arguments and wordplay. It also has the hint of ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Wizard of Oz’ and surreal Monty Python humour. But what makes this play original is its 21st century twist. The use of casual swearing and a man revealing his genitalia are the tip of the iceburg, and rape and violence and characters suffering spasms the next step. But the coup de grace is the second act. A contrast in every possibility, it sucks every smidgen of wonder from the Wonderful first act and brings the whole play to cold grey slush; a box containing a hospital room (cutting off the audience) with maximum realism. In order to convey important themes of mental illness and escapism the play needed to show such intense contrasts between the dreams of the individual and the reality of their treatment. If not for the second act, the play would be a light circus and nothing more. I can’t praise them enough for taking such a remarkable, almost dangerous, move. The first act may be hard to follow without the right mindset, it’s seemingly random characters representations or even mild gags. And the second act is hard for anyone to follow, being so slow (but still acted with precision). Though not unemotional, it is very empty. At the interval I’ve never heard such a buzzing atmosphere with everyone talking about the show. I was lucky enough to attend the after show talk, and it seemed the actors and writer/director had no pretentious about having a ‘mission’ as some plays seem to do, and it was obvious they had freedom of spontaneity when devising and rehearsing.

words:henry raby

The York Realist - York Theatre Royal Studio - 9-17/05/07

The kitchen sink drama is, to me, a great British tradition, dating back to films from the 40s-60s. The York Realist is one such kitchen sink drama, focusing on the working class lives of farmhand George (Phillip Wilkinson) and his homosexual relationship with theatre practitioner John (Paul Toy). The play opens out of chronology, the first scene establishing some form of tension between George and Paul and then shows how they came to be in this situation (known as ‘en media res’). It leaves the audience curious to see how the play comes full circle; but felt like it took out the aspect of following the character’s journey and became more observation. However, it does cast an inevitable shadow across the whole events. Two parts that stood out were Mother (Doreen Grey) and Andy Pilliner’s Jack. Mother was perhaps something of an archetype but nevertheless a heart-warming snippet of the traditional Yorkshire country women from a bygone era, whilst Jack’s character had some exuberant vigour. The rest of the cast did what they could with stock characters. Though the second act is naturally tense and sad, the first act could have done with more pace. The set was suitable enough, though perhaps staging was a little too end-on for the three-sided Studio. It never seemed to really create much conflict, the homosexuality only ever appearing nothing more than a mild predicament for the characters, which meant at the end when George ends up with a younger version of his mother I wasn’t feeling as gutted as I should have been, despite this being a nice concept. Overall there was a lack of strength and danger associated with social realism, a lack of claustrophobia and anger. However maybe I’m being overly harsh. I can’t lie and say I hated it; some scenes in both acts were funny and when there were a few characters on stage the action picked up a bit. Of course, this is just my opinion. Some members of the audience seemed to like it and I’ve spoken to some people who thought it was very good. But it just seems to me it could have been more gritty and darker.

words: henry raby

The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter - York Theatre Royal Studio 31/05/16/06

I'll come clean: Harold Pinter is my favourite playwright. These days everyone exalts Pinter for being part of a movement to create a new theatrical style. The Dumb Waiter was his third play but I think the first to include clever black comedy. Two hitmen, Gus (Eamon Fleming) and Ben (Robert Pickavance) wait the arrival of their target, but things are not all as they seem and it becomes increasingly obvious that something is preying on their minds. Gus is feeling guilty about his profession, whilst Ben knows more than he lets on. Gus occupies himself with asking various, almost childlike na‘ve, questions leading to some surreal exchanges between the pair, such as an almost violent argument over whether one "puts on" or "lights" the kettle. I felt that there was certainly the tension associated with Pinter's work there, but in exuberance reminding me of Paul Rodger's Max in Peter Hall's 1973 adaptation of The Homecoming. Ben was constantly aggressive and critical, which seemed to undermine the fact these two are friends and colleagues and makes you wonder why Gus is so casual towards this constantly hostile man. Eamon Fleming's Gus leads the audience through the short play with his homely simplicity. The drawn-out ending was sinisterly ambiguous; will Ben follow orders? The production suggests Ben knows about the plot throughout, but the ending leaves you curious. The set was made especially for the Studio, the beds strategically placed allowing characters movement. Though the set is specifically identified in the script Mattie Hurst does a very interesting two sided box for the duel entrances. The choice to place the real dumb waiter in the centre and have different coloured suits for the two characters were simple but effective ideas. The audience loved it, occasionally laughing but constantly hooked to the drama. I think The Dumb Waiter is one of Pinter's funniest with Musical Hall-esque exchanges such as the stichomythic explanation of instructions. However it still boasts timeless Waiting for Godot-inspired existentialism brought out very well in Damian Cruden's production by the convincing fear of a third party. Pauses in abundance, the cast take their time and enjoy the piece in a world void of certainty.

words: henry raby

The Tempest by William Shakespeare - 08-12/05/07 - Stephen Joseph Theatre, scarborough

I'm no stranger to Northern Broadsides, a theatre company based primarily in West Yorkshire. NB are renowned for using strong regional accents and heavy Yorkshire gusto. But there's much more to them than that. I saw this touring production at The Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, which is unusual for being in the round, with the audience seated on each side which makes it all the more difficult for the actors. However NB are veterans of this theatre and use its close intimate space to their advantage. Actor s exit and enter all round, sometimes from the audience, moving the episodic play swiftly on. After an atmospheric musical introduction, they move into the storm scene with a thunder of instruments including xylophone, drums and double bass, which they employ throughout the production to create various ambiences perfectly suited to the majestic aura of the play. Interestingly, Ariel (the spirit employed by Prospero) was played by three black women (Gardner, Saunders and Everett), suggesting links to Macbeth but also perhaps to colonialism and the 200 years since the abolition of the slave trade. The Caliban (Hugo), Trinculo (Nelson) and Stephano (Holland Roberts) scenes were spot-on comedy, employing Paul O'Grady scouse camp humour. Though I wasn't too sure about the first act, it soon picked up in the second, actors demanding attention with booming voices. The play was spiced up by numerous, if sporadic, jazz and soul numbers for which the cast pick up instruments and turn Shakespeare's poetry into swinging tracks, the highlight being Caliban's freedom song at the end of the first half being turned into a upbeat swing jazz tune. In the second Act, the humour was developed, especially with Trinculo's pantomime sulk off into the audience to share a seat with some lucky gentlemen, which left the other actors trying to hold back their giggles. The set was quite nice but felt a bit underused to me. It consisted of a round platform in the centre with a mast, but I think only two characters ever climbed it. However I did like the floor, a mixed palette of blue and yellow creating an unnatural beach effect. Barrie Rutter, director and Prospero, isn't afraid to do his own thing with the script and concepts. This isn't just another genetic play; this is exciting, loud and bold. This is how we do Shakespeare up north.

words: henry raby

JULY 2007 FILM REVIEWS

This is England – 06/07

There’s been a lot of hype about Shane Meadow’s almost autobiographical film for a while now. Three reasons: 1. It was rumoured to be the first skinhead film featuring non-racist skins, 2. It’s marketed as a social realist film. 3. It touches the taboo subject of ‘Englishness’ in the 21st century. First off, it’s literally a biopic of the director; it’s crafted with love, trying to be as historically true to the times in not only style but atmosphere. I’m a massive fan of both social realism and skinhead music, so this film looked perfect. Let’s look at the three points. Firstly, there’s a myth bout skinheads that they’re all right wing. The skinhead culture was born out of love for black music, reggae and soul and this needs to be addressed. Next social realism was a gritty genre that seemed to die out in the late 70s and early 80s (see 1982’s ‘Made in Britain’ about a 16 year old Nazi skinhead), only Ken Loach reputable enough to carry the flag of true, down-to-earth, hard realism. This isn’t a generic Hollywood epic. Finally, what with this PC bug going round it seems addressing what is ‘English’ is more important than ever before. The film opens with an amazing montage sequence basically summing up the 80s, the Falklands, Thatcher and riots to Toots and the Maytals reggae gem ‘54-46 That’s My Number’. This is a simple but effective method. Once we’ve got the big picture we get the smaller one...young Shaun, who befriends and joins a gang of skinheads. Importantly, the skinheads are friendly, youthful and want Shaun to have a good time, key among them is Woody as well as the black Milky. However things turn sour when an old skin, Combo, returns to twist the gang towards racist ends. The story is billed as Shaun’s journey, but the film shifts to focus on Combo, revealing a dangerously unstable individual. Key to the film is the musical score, as music and style is rarely mentioned, leaving the audience with a feeling rather than an obvious statement. Rude boys and punks all show up but are never specifically referenced meaning the film avoids unfairly categorising youth. The pop classics of the 80s become old school reggae tunes once Shaun becomes a skinhead, but features an aggressive punk track (possibly ‘Warhead’ by the UK Subs?) when Combo takes lead. The acting may seem uneven, however it’s merely a result of the spontaneity of improvisation associated with social realism. Woody (Joseph Gilgun) is more of a plot device compared to Combo (Stephen Graham) whose strong performance really adds the sense of dangerous waters. As far as young actors go, the rest of the cast (men and women) in particular Tommy Turngoose as Shaun, do exceptionally well. Notably talent is Lol played by Vicky McClure. But it’s not just a document of it’s times and cultures, the film is a blatant allegory for modern times, the NF the BNP, the Falklands war the war in the Middle-East and finally the question as to national identity still relevant. Combo is adamant England is a state of mind, which leads him to befriend the black Milky. The film highlights the skinhead movement; perfectly portraying its paradoxes. On the one hand it’s about unity and comradeship, black and white coming together shown by Combo befriending Milky. On the other it’s about pride, which leads to elitism.

Meadows isn’t afraid to let the National Front have their say, who put up a reasonable argument. However, as Meadows shows, hatred lead to acts of violence, eventually climaxing in the brutal beating of Milky by Combo by accident because of this uncontrolled aggression. Perhaps Meadows is suggesting uncontrolled anger and Shaun’s becoming the bully he hates and then rejection of the St. George shows that nothing good comes from pride and patriotism and nationalism. At the same time, Combo’s love of Milky’s courage and pride leads him to look beyond the colour of his skin. It doesn’t give easy answers and leaves the audience wondering as to theseblurred lines of morality. But overall and enjoyable film and just goes toshow good UK filmmaking is far from extinct.

words: henry raby

JULY 2007 LIVE MUSIC REVIEWS

Big Hand + Seven Point Three + Try Delinquency - Certificate 18, YORK - 30/05/07

I don’t think I’ve been to a gig this miss-matched since my days of traipsing through Battle of the Bands. Rumour has it York ska bands Hypersonic Quest and Conflux pulled out leaving Cert 18 to put on two very different bands. First up are Try Delinquency who play a enjoyable set of unpretentious Jet-style garage rock with howlin’ vocals and stripped down guitar. The second band, 7.3, however, couldn’t be more removed, employing a huge circuit board of pedals with explosive distortion and amazing show/sound, the guitarist flinging his instrument around a la Mathew Ballamey, though we did have to wait patiently in between each song whilst the mechanics got set up. Then Big Hand jump on stage and straight away begin their blinding show. Their sound is akin to American East Coast Ska like The Slackers and the Toasters, both of whom they’ve supported. However they have a strange latino/soul influence making them hard to pinpoint. Lyrically they tell odd stories reminding me of Tom Waits or Babyhead, packing great numbers like ‘Pirates’ and a song that shares their name presented by silky front man Tim Lomas. What really impressed me is they’re not living in the past and just copycatting the 70s Two-Tone sound but progressively experimenting with their styles. Phil Ramsey is an amazing trumpeter, capable of blasting out a tune, cheering to the audience or even joining us for a skank (but in all honesty that might have been the booze). Despite the fact Big Hand have played Cert before along with 100 gigs a year the crowd was non-existent. Nevertheless the band played with professional prowess, Lomas providing slick cool and Ramsey zany energy. I chatted to them afterwards and they were such friendly guys, excited about meeting new people. A professional, hard-working band having a good time but leaving room for experimentation.

words:henry raby

Jethro Bagust, Phantom Drum + I’m Hal, Mass Movement, The PlaydoeBand – York Live! - Basement Bar 26/05/07

Jethro Bagust, fidgeting and head-bobbing behind his laptop in the dark, played a set of danceable electronica. At first there was a sort of Plaid-cum-Four Tet feel, but this eventually phased into more intense D’n’B with subbass shuddering. Next on were Phantom Drum, with a very impressive man playing a very bizarre instrument – a bright pink shiny plastic guitar-synthesizer thing with sci-fi styling, all aerodynamic and sharp, very Blade Runner and very cool. Its tacky finish fitted the band’s opening instrumental track, which, with all manner of FM-synth pad gasps eddying about gaslike in the background, and with a very straight and limp dance beat, sounded like 80’s Tangerine Dream. Things quickly improved. I’m Hal joined them on stage and it all went supremely funky: the rhythms became kinkier, the guitarist let loose some serious chops, and frantic rapping sizzled amidst their newfound sleaze. Mass Movement then hit the stage, comprising one lone singer and a behind-the-scenes controller-of-visuals, both clad in matching red t-shirts. Lyrics such as “I need a doctor, I need the funk. Get the funk doctor! Get the funk doctor!” and “The system’s fucked you - Now fuck it back! Now fuck it back!” repeated ad nauseam over the cheesiest of dance backings, accompanied by weighty images of Nazi mass-rallies and sung with the subtle nous of a horse clearing its throat, kept me happily entertained, grinning in my seat. Their knowing irony might have been overbearing had they not been quite so exceedingly crap. Luckily they were. Afterwards the singer changed into a bright orange Jack Kerouac t-shirt, reassuring us all of his underlying hipness, and confirming that it had all indeed been a tongue-in-cheek sham. And so onto The PlaydoeBand, whose atmospheric hip-hop jams shimmered with tension and bristled with coalescing shards of funk. Sparse arrangements of live electronics and the scattering notes of scratched bass lines circled a cascading pulse of improvised drumming. Chin-strokingly good.

words: colin

RICK WITTER AND THE DUKES - THE COCKPIT, LEEDS - 11/05/07

A word of advice: when at a Dukes gig: why not try winding your neck in just a little? Why don’t you just try to button it? Because as far as I can see if you stand at the front and want to rattle Rick Witter when he’s getting into gear then I’m afraid you’re on a hiding to nothing. Working alongside Rob Wilson (guitar), Stu Fletcher (bass) and Mat Lunn (drums) The Dukes are carving out their own New Millennium indie niche as ably as Rick carves up the hecklers who were bold/pissed/daft enough to demand old Seahorses tracks (!?) early into their set. Mr Witter proved again that he has considerable power and presence as a front man; his distinctive, swaggering vocal delivery is ever strong – and yes, he is still likeably rude, cheeky, saucy and not shy of self satire. Playing an entire set of original material - and firmly relegating the Shed 7 connection to the last bastion of the audience’s expectations - this gig was part of the tour to promote the recently released album “Year Of The Rat”. Towards a good couple of hundred punters turned out for a look see – and also a sing along – so some of the new material had already hooked its way into fan’s consciousnesses which is a good sign. And it is easy to see why. Upstanding melodies, unpretentious lyrics and a strong personality were resident throughout In particular the choruses on “Torn Up Memory” and “Forever Gold” were good lessons of how to successfully meld these elements together. The Dukes, as one would expect, are a very tight unit and kick out a fulsome and well textured sound. From the crunching guitar intros to Fletcher’s manhandling of the bass to Lunn’s crisp rhythm work, these are high calibre musicians firing on all cylinders. There was also plenty of evidence of attention to arrangement which is often rare to hear in the indie rock arena. Effective half time sections in the otherwise psychobilly-esque-machine-gun-fire-vocal delivery “Flying Blind”, the moody and modal “Sleeping In Airports” which dabbled with triple time and the punchy and pulsating “The Sky Falls Down” gave us plenty of variety. Yes, this was entertainment alright. Good band, good singer, good job.

words:dean saint john
pic: david x green

DIAMOND HEAD - CERT 18, YORK - 18/05/07

Superb! Oh bugger, do I have to write more than that? Errm OK. I had never heard of Diamond Head until I heard Megawatt Winged Avenger do a cover of “Am I Evil” and I labelled it as a Metallica track, only to be corrected by Elliot, their bass player. Here they were in York, these metal superstars who have been touring around in one form or another for thirty years. Cert 18 was full, the audience were definitely up for it, and they had been fully entertained by Megawatt Winged Avenger, and Rollin Thunder prior to the main act taking to the stage. This was the band that kind of spawned Metallica and gave them their sound when they covered “Am I Evil”, “Helpless”, “Its Electric” and “The Prince”. They were brilliant from the first riff. They made it look effortless, which I guess comes from a generation of touring. Brian Tatlers guitar playing is superb, front man Nick Tart was right there in the front of the audience who were loving every minute of it. The backing riffs, bass and drums of Andy Abberly, Eddie Moohan, and Karl Wilcox was absolutely spot on. I have never seen Cert 18 in such a frenzy. Diamond Head were there to promote their new album, “What’s In Your Head” and from what I heard last night, it is a good one, if you like you eighties old school metal. The biggest cheers came on the penultimate song “Am I Evil”. Everybody in the room was singing that with Nick, even I was headbanging and spilling beer down my tour t shirt. The band came back into the room after the set and spent time signing the posters off the walls of Cert and talking to their fans. Always good when bands look after their fans. As I said at the beginning - superb, best gig I have been to in ages.

words: lou sandles

Arcadian – The Junction, York - 05/06/07

Arcadian are a York based five piece guitar band that have been doing their ever expanding circuit of venues for some years now. From the outset the band seemed to have a point to prove; to remind people that in this manufactured and contrived world of popular music, there has to be a place for rock ‘n’ roll music in its pureness form. To enforce this, most of the band were clad in nostalgia printed Led Zeppelin and Beatles T-shirts. For a moment I thought I was about to witness a tragic 70’s throw back band, drowning in a sea of their self-indulgent guitar solos; thankfully I was proved wrong. Arcadian fired up with ‘Won’t Knock Me Down’, a stomp of song with stabbing crunching chords against an energetic confident vocal, with a bold and assured sound. This was followed by a drum intro for the next song, ‘You’ve Got To Get Back’, a blues-rock riff packed Zeppelin feel track, with vocalist Jim shaking a tambourine bringing an extra kick to the performance. ‘Autumn On The Ground’ when introduced was likened to a machine gun or razor blade, due to its rhythm full of momentum. With impressive drumming from Mickey and fat bass lines from ‘The Ox’, ‘Autumn’ stood easily on its own two feet. The two guitarist Rich and Sandy, both took the solos, which added another dimension to the band’s sound. Lyrically, Arcadian’s songs refreshingly contain content, with subjects from bitter relationships to mundane jobs, but packaged up into memorable, gutsy rock songs. As with all good music, melody is the key and the Arcadian boys succeed in threading strong melodies into storming riffs. ‘Man In The Back’, a song about living with consequences and truth, had shuffle come funk elements which teased the audience with the chorus hook for most of song until a full rich layer of blues rock riffs and screaming vocals delivered a killer blow. To end the night, the band finished with the anthem like ‘Message To My Soul’, a fantastic rock song with an anchor of a hook. ‘When I hear rock n’ roll, it sends a message to my soul’ is the main line, and is an apt sentiment for the band to end on. Arcadian impress and put on a good show. The boys clearly love performing and with quality songs in their ammunition, they are really well worth a listen. www.myspace.com/arcadianband.

words: andrew clegg
pic: andy stanistreet

Ghosts + TINY DANCERS - FIBBERS, YORK - 13/05/07

Normally both acts could demand the headline position for a full Friday or Saturday night crowd, so we are certainly being spoilt here in York for a Sunday. Tiny Dancers are up first; they have the “support” slot but is not a reflection on their abilities. They introduce themselves with a distinctive sounding song that is melodic and tuneful; it adds layers around the consistent drum beat and builds to a very infectious sound, with hints of Arcade Fire it is a very promising start. Without let up they are straight into “I Will Wait for You” - clearly a crowd favourite. With every song they gather pace, keen to fit in as much as possible. The third song is greeted with an explosion of balloons, a further treat for the Fibbers crowd. In many of their songs the constant beat of the drum is lifted by the high notes played on the keyboard that adds a unique quality to Tiny Dancers. By the end two crowd members have been invited on stage and the party atmosphere is further heightened. They don’t follow the clich» of normal song structure, which makes it extremely enjoyable to listen to, as you don’t know where the song is going to take you next. “We don’t want to get bored playing them” says Dez Wathey on bass “we don’t think they sound good, lets sound like them” adds David Kay, lead singer. Entering to the theme tune of The Bill, the Ghost humorously make reference to their last “headlining” visit to York. Their first song is tuneful and pleasant, as the ambience of the night shifts and makes way for a more relaxed set. “Stay The Night” is an obvious crowd favourite; the crowd interaction grows with every song, but isn’t as instant as the previous act. Slower songs are also showcased; this indicates what a strong voice Simon has, not too dissimilar to that of Greg Gilbert form The Delays. Ghosts have a melodic and harmony rich sound, but their performance seems more professional than heart felt, unlike that of the Tiny Dancers. If there were to be a race between the two as to who was going to be bigger, my money would be on Tiny Dancers. Ghosts will do well, they have their place, there is no doubting their ability to make likeable songs, which you will find yourself humming along too. However, for Tiny Dancers with the production of John Leckie of Stone Roses fame behind them, they are bound for big things, and as David puts it “we are only just getting started.” Like I said I feel spoilt.

words: tom wycks

ALI LAWRENCE & GEMMA KENNEDY - LAST DROP INN, YORK - 22/05/07

Ali Lawrence is a well known, possibly well established singer, song writer, pianist in the York scene. He studied Jazz piano at the Newcastle College of Music and received the City of York Council’s ‘Entertainer of the Year’ award in 2000. In 2005 He achieved a Broadjam R ‘n’ B No.1 with his song ‘Cinderella Syndrome’. His writing style ranges from funk to classical, and great vocalists like Lisa Barrett and Gemma Kennedy have accepted his invitation to record a number of songs. Lawrence travels to other areas as far as London and makes his mark playing whatever tickles his audience’s fancy. Ali has the ability to get to know his audience before his fingers touch the piano keys and can pretty much cover from Bacharach to Led Zeppelin. Sometimes, for a laugh, people throw titles at him, in the hope that he won’t even try it, just like the one time I shouted, “anything by Radiohead”. Noone quite knows how much he can play in his piano. Lawrence placed his bet on a singer to show case his own material as well as well known covers to keep the audiences happy. Gemma Kennedy is probably the wisest musical decision he will ever make (only second to signing a contract with a label). On the 22nd of May Gemma sang at the Last Drop Inn with Ali on piano and we were all dumbstruck. A dodgy guy with a red communist-style beret and badges on his early 80s jacket, nearly kidnapped her during her performance of Radiohead’s ‘High n Dry’. She didn’t even notice him but he was as blown away as the rest of us. Gemma has an understanding of what she is singing that is extraordinary. All the vocal chords come from within the soul and songs like ‘High n Dry’ are sung exactly as they are meant to be sung. Gemma has a distinctive voice that captures the audience’s attention and raises the hair on the back of their necks. She’s got a natural, relaxed, casual poise on stage, with one hand in her pocket and the other holding the microphone. She closes her eyes and after some time, you will find yourself with your eyes closed, engrossed on a voice’s rendition of some of the best songs you’ve heard. It’s usually pain and suffering that alters the texture of a woman’s voice and blesses her with a special vocal gift, like Billie Holiday. This is by no means a comparison but, whatever blessed Gemma Kennedy with a voice of that texture, was either something deeply painful, or … she’s just a lucky bitch! Argh…

words: s.garçao

Northern Trax: New York Alcoholic + Anxiety Attack + The Humour + Pleasure Cell + Savaged - National Railway Museum, York - 19/05/07

You wouldn’t be blamed for having a double take at this very special gig, particularly its venue of the central hall in York’s Railway Museum, but on hearing the sound capabilities of this place once the stage and stereo were in full swing, you wonder why this ingenious idea hasn’t been tried before. The ‘Northern Trax’ concert is to celebrate the launch of a website of the same name, which encourages and supports local musicians and talents with a variety of exciting opportunities, from competitions and contacts, to events to get involved in. So to this intriguing and, it has to be said, highly well organised (if under publicised) gig, early on the stage is Savaged – York’s DJ collective, who regularly perform nights at The Junction. Perhaps the wrong crowd, but certainly a superb venue for some high quality mixing; a great opener. First band of the night were Pleasure Cell from Rochdale, an ‘indie-alternative’ group taking their influences from the likes of The Killers and Pixies, to Nirvana and Pink Floyd. A solid set of classic format rock songs - the uplifting driving-music sort of sound - kept the small but engaged crowd interested and entertained. The second band caused a significant stir in the audience with some very keen fans there, and it wasn’t hard to tell why. The Humour, hailing from Wakefield, seem to posses everything a band should need right now – a young style-conscious four-piece, whose individual performances all stood out as impressive, in addition to performing tightly as a whole. Catchy rock songs edged with the sounds of so many great artists – from the riffs of Rage Against The Machine, to the pop-rock hybrid of Ash, all the way to the timeless energy of classic such as Led Zeppelin. Great on record and just as impressive live, it shouldn’t be long before these guys are main support for their nearest counterparts Lostprophets, with this gig demonstrating their great potential. Tonight’s headliners may have a ridiculously long name but, nevertheless, it was clear to tell why these were reserved for the last act. Bradford three-piece The New York Alcoholic Anxiety Attack demonstrated pure professionalism in their solid metal-twinged set. An enigmatic front-man, talented bassist and incredibly dynamic drummer each stole the show in their own right. Hopefully this will be the first of many visits to York for the band. Despite the unfortunate low turn-out, it’s good to hear that both Northern Trax and the Railway Museum are looking to the future, each already organising bigger and better events such as this. For the latter of the two, the venue managed to prove that even the most unlikely combinations of music and culture can come together to create something magical, and tonight certainly proved that. Take a new and inspiring setting to compliment four up-coming and creative bands, and suddenly it all makes sense.

words: r l wade

GRINNY GRANDAD + THE PROJECTS + THE LAYERS - CITY SCREEN, YORK - 11/05/07

The evening began with a The Layers performing their own calm atmospheric material, whilst the crowd politely stood with beer and wine glasses in their hands. Their soul/pop sound was perfect for lounging around, relaxing and sipping on good booze. The saxophonist’s funky clothes gave more colour to their act and their last song had more punch and groove. The guitarist was keen to experiment and that was a good thing as it made the performance that much more interesting. The Projects were the evening’s second act, with a lead singer whose unpretentious stage presence and singing ability made the whole evening worth while. Does this band realise how lucky they are? Their lead singer is a very attractive 24 year old who seems to be oblivious of her looks, as she deeply engages in the rhythm of their sound, pleasing the audience. Jen Low possesses a mature feminine voice with jazz influences and is capable of dancing with a great deal of rhythm whilst standing on one spot. She is a very lean machine empowered by rhythm, with radiant eyes and a smile that captivates the crowd. She knows how to create the right atmosphere for her band’s sound and it’s hard not to comply with her request for the audience to loose it on the dance floor. Their jazz/funk ‘full bodied’ sound is complemented by Chris Backhouse’s soul full saxophone, adding depth and a kind of cultural/interesting style. In ‘Past Perfect’ the sax flirts with a French singing voice, creating a Parisienne jazz caf» atmosphere. The highlight of the evening was their ‘52000ft High’ with its very contagious rhythm and beat that makes it hard not to stand up, put your glass down and dance. It’s got a sexy rhythm, enticing you to move sensually on the dance floor. Check them out on myspace/thebristolsound for ‘52000 High Feet’, a very cool track amongst others. Grinny Grandad were the headlining act - a cheap sound production straight out of a computer right in the middle of the stage, a bass player in the corner and two singers more engaged in each other than their audience. It was impossible to feel entertained. They showed a lack of ability to keep the audience in the house and by the third song, two thirds of the crowd had gone. They went straight from last minute sound check into the first song without warning. The audience was confused and left to believe that the screeching yells were just a sound check but… it was the first song. We thought we were watching two girls lounging around in a room with a friend at the computer trying to come up with an interesting sound and a bass player in the corner trying to follow along. We still don’t know who had the “bright” idea of putting The Projects as support act to give way to a mediocre performance. Big mistake!

words: s.garçao

YORK LIVE: ACCESS TO MUSIC – PARLIAMENT STREET, YORK - 27/05/07

As part of the York Live Festival that gets bigger and better each year, Access To Music showcased its plethora of talented students on the streets of York. Despite the cold and the rain the public turned out in force to support The Jam Factory’s various acoustic acts, bands and DJs, with live VJs throughout for the icing on the musical cake. The double Agents kicked off the day with soulful covers of your guilty pleasures: ‘Lady Marmalade’ ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘9 to 5’ (you know who you are, Dolly Parton fans). Each act complemented the last, from Dataline’s glitchy IDM to singer/songwriter Gabby Milner’s heartfelt reworking of Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ and Damien Rice’s ‘Volcano’ with her own ‘Knew You Well.’ In a similar vein was Lucy Pope’s piano accompanied motown/soul set. Baggy Ammo’s rich ambient d ‘n’ b melting into DJ Hyphen‘s techno followed by Peachie B’s hard-house (who were both part of the all-female DJ night ‘Friction’ at Kennedy’s on May the 8th.) Friends of The Jam Factory Mr Parker, and hosts, The Stanleys offered their support, performing energetic rock flecked jazz and retro southern fried rock respectively. Undergrass finished proceedings with gritty pedal-to-the-metal rock blowing the speakers. Another exemplary event from York’s only music college worth mentioning that breeds fresh new talent. See you down the front next year.

words: kirsty krampf

THE BUCCANEERS - CITY SCREEN BASEMENT, YORK - 07/06/07

The Buccaneers, the musketeers, whatever you want to call them, as tonight they proved an all for one and one for all attitude has them performing swashbuckling tactics of musical dexterity, freeing the damsels in distress to dance and a feeling of goodwill is given to all in attendance at this their first headline gig at the home of where you can’t hide in the shadows and only the strongest survive the cutting lights and very intimate and immediate reach out and touch aspect of the audience, the City Screen’s excellent Basement Bar. Riffs with a vintage Isle Of Wight meets Sesame Street catchiness to them pulse out of Andre’s guitar, this guy you could never trust to keep his fingers crossed for you in good luck as they never stop twisting and turning unrelentlessly around the fretboard in delivery of hooks that cut down Peter Pan, it’s all inspiration and no immitation coming from his Strat tonight and quite a sight to see at that. Leo on bass guitar has the groove and composure of a budding John Entwistle, his presence and assured charismatic arrogance onstage has him marked as a figure of cool the audience member tries unconsciously to copy in an imagined pack of Marlboro rolled up in your t-shirt sleeve iconic feeling. Jonny on the drums somehow drives out a passionate performance without for a second looking fazed by perspiration or breathlessness, he looks so comfortable playing riffs and not standard beats deeming the songs to be more than a guitar led affair and his ability to do so adds a dimension to the overall sound that has this trio’s performance illustrating what playing live should be about, fun, flirtatious and fulfilling to themselves and the crowd. Songs like Wanted Man, Maggie, Busy Waters, She’s Coming For Your Bones and many many other titles that deservingly draw attention to cleverly worded lyrics sang with a raw, vital and bluesy vocal refreshed by a glass of what makes the Merseybeat sound mixed with a York twenty-something man about town uniqueness that is winning over audiences faster than a backhander deal. The Buccaneers proved tonight to be something to look out for, so go to www.myspace.com/thebuccaneersofyork and don’t be late for the next date.

words: Marbled

You Slut! + Massive Heron + National Grid High Voltage Research Project - CITY SCREEN, YORK - 19/05/07

NGHVRP strode on in borderline psychedelic shirts, cool sunglasses on their noses. They unfolded interplaying layers of math guitar over sharp time-jumping drumming, though often nearer to stoner riffage than to Slint. In fairness to the presumptions implicit in their get-up, there was something pretty captivating in all the attention-grabbing glimmers of repetition, each recontextualizing the other, leaving the listener floating, buoyed by the loss of fast 4/4 ground, pulled in every direction. Not that this was a musical epiphany: they combined uncannily tight playing with the dynamic subtlety of a moderately noisy elephant. The doors of perception were not thrown open, but bulged slightly. Massive Heron did their bit to subvert the rock band idiom by sitting down instead of standing, and by having their drummer play with his back to the audience, at the front of the stage (thereby cleverly deconstructing the artificiality of the band-audience relationship, or something). One of them played slide guitar using the hard edge of a mixing desk, another tooted on a flugelhorn. Long repetitious sequences of Black Dice-ish noise morsels surfed along atop rolling ellipsoid jazz beats, and the chasmic thrum of unusual textures sustained a steady, propellant tension. And as for You Slut! (?) - They sloshed manfully through their set of cock-hard machismo. They played relentlessly loud and relentlessly fast. It felt like my ears had been raped.

words: colin