Issue 25 / August 2015

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Issue 25 

August 2012 

Edgar Summertyme by Mike Brits 

Edgar Summertyme 

Dominoes 

Jethro Fox 

Peace Mix 

Milapfest

Monday-Thursday 

08:00-00:00 

- 

Friday-Saturday 

08:00-02:00 

- 

Sunday 

08:00-23:00 

FOOD 

Monday-Saturday 

08:00-20:00 

- 

Sunday 

08:00-18:00 

67 Greenland Street 

Liverpool L1 0BY 

Opposite Cain’s Brewery 

in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle 

www.campandfurance.com

Bido Lito! August 2012 3 

Editorial 

The recent protests around the council’s proposed new busking legislation have left me with a slight dilemma. 

We all know that cities are centres of expression, creativity and community, just as much as they are centres of 

commerce, trade and tourism. We also all know how utterly central to Liverpool’s culture (and therefore also our 

trade and tourism) music is. It’s what gives us our place in the world. Busking represents that culture at its most 

primal, as much as it is the musician’s purest form of earning a crust. It is an integral part of our city’s psyche. 

But, I challenge anyone of a musical persuasion who spends their days in our city centre, to argue that there 

will not be the occasional busker (and they certainly aren’t the norm) who makes your blood boil: one who 

plays with such a lack of skill, an utter disregard for phrasing and melody; one who consistently butchers their 

collection of Beatles hits and Britpop anthems, wringing and contorting them within an inch of their life. This 

person, more often than not, carries out their abomination with the assistance of a raucous Marshall combo, 

blasting their butchery straight down windy side streets and across our main thoroughfares. 

It infuriates me. 

My personal frustrations aside, I can see an issue. If I run a business in the city centre and every single day, 

some snotty-nosed, tone deaf ‘artist’ turns up with a guitar and a PA system and proceeds to pedal their racket 

outside my door, not only causing me to consider gouging 

out my own eyeballs, but also making my customers walk on 

down the opposite side of the road, I’ve got a problem. The city 

centre needs to be a place where people taking part in a range 

of activities, including both culture and business, can co-exist. 

And the creative community needs to understand that. 

However, what this situation doesn’t need is more 

legislation. Principally, how do you legislate on quality? I tell 

you what, for a princely sum I’d gladly spend an afternoon in 

a council chamber, vetting the starry-eyed hopefuls looking 

to spend their Saturday afternoons screaming out Love Me 

Do on Mathew Street. But we’d then be left with a Craig G 

Pennington view of what our city should sound like. Me being asked to do that is incredibly unlikely (and I’d 

suggest not advisable), but do we want a Councillor Mumby view of what the city should sound like? If we accept 

that our city needs to be a forum for creativity, then we (begrudgingly) need to take the rough with the smooth 

- it’s personal taste, after all. Perhaps we should ask a representative from the Biennial to inform the Council’s 

graffiti removal department on the merits of one tag over another? 

Yet again we have a situation where Liverpool City Council seeks to cure an issue that is aching for good oldfashioned 

conversation with a legal framework. Don’t anybody be fooled that the proposed busking licence is 

designed as a money-making scheme. It’s not. With council bureaucracy, the sums raised probably won’t even 

cover the time of the civil servant drawing it up. What is needed is communication and dialogue. A conversation 

between business owners and buskers as and when an issue arises. Old-fashioned common sense. If an 

agreement cannot be reached between two sides, surely a situation can be mediated. 

What is most important in all of this is the need for our community to retain the capacity for freedom of 

expression and creativity in our city centre. We have seen a huge swathe of the city centre privatised with the 

development of Liverpool ONE. This is an area now beyond the boundaries for buskers and street performers, save 

for activities regulated by Liverpool ONE. The proposed legislation would effectively spread this situation across 

the whole of the city centre - a sanitised and centrally-controlled form of expression. Is that what Liverpool stands 

for? Is that what Liverpool was built on? Is that what we want our Liverpool to become? 

Still, that dickhead on Church Street could at least turn his amp down. 

Craig G Pennington 

Editor 

Features 

6 

EDGAR SUMMERTYME 

8 

JETHRO FOX 

10 

FESTEVOL 

12 

DOMINOES 

14 

MILAPFEST 

16 

PEACE MIX 

Regulars 

4 NEWS 

18 

PREVIEWS/SHORTS 

20 

REVIEWS 

Bido Lito! 

Issue Twenty Five / August 2012 

bidolito.co.uk 

4th Floor, Mello Mello 

40-42 Slater St 

Liverpool L1 4BX 

Editor 

Craig G Pennington - info@bidolito.co.uk 

Assistant Editor 

Christopher Torpey - 

reviews@bidolito.co.uk 

Assistant Reviews Editor 

Naters Philip - live@bidolito.co.uk 

Sub Editor 

Mo Stewart - subeditor@bidolito.co.uk 

Online Editor 

Natalie Williams - online@bidolito.co.uk 

Designer 

Luke Avery - info@earthstudios.net 

Proofreading 

Debra Williams - 

debra@wordsanddeeds.co.uk 

Words 

Craig G Pennington, Christopher Torpey, 

Naters Philip, Mo Stewart, Jamie 

Bowman, Richard Lewis, Clarry M, John 

Still, Charlie Lashmar, Jonny Davis, Si 

Finnerty, Mick Chrysalid, Matt Healy, Amy 

Greir, Joshua Nevett, Adam Edwards 

Photography, Illustration and Layout 

Luke Avery, Mike Brits, Robin Clewley, 

Ant Clausen, Keith Ainsworth, Horse, 

Matthew Thomas, Jonathan Dawe, Darren 

Aston, John Johnson, Rob Rossington, 

Adam Edwards 

Adverts 

To advertise please contact 

ads@bidolito.co.uk

News 

Esco Williams is the MOBO Unsung Hero 

ESCO WILLIAMS is well on the path to hogging 2012 all for himself. On the back of nods from MTV and the GIT awards, and ahead 

of his debut album dropping, he’s the inaugural winner of the MOBO Unsung award. After wowing crowds on the MOBO tour earlier 

this year, Williams beat off competition from the seven other regional finalists for the prestigious award. He’ll be performing at this 

year’s MOBO nominations party, and he’s itching to take the show by storm: “Simply attending and passing out some CDs can make 

a wee impression, but I look forward to dropping a bomb on the stage.” London be warned. escowilliams.bandcamp.com 

Bido Lito! Dansette 

Our pick of this month’s wax wonders… 

COMPETITION! 

Much Ado About Busking 

The word on the street is that Liverpool City Council is to enforce restrictions on where, when and what street performers can do in 

Liverpool’s city centre. In response, there was a mass peaceful busking protest on Church St., in an attempt to show that permits need 

not become mandatory. The protest was done in conjunction with Keep Streets Live who have orchestrated an online petition against 

the restrictions, now numbering over 1,000 signatures. This has since instigated conversations of quality control over musicians on the 

street: be a part of the conversation on Twitter by heading to #keepstreetslive, and sign the petition at keepstreetslive.com 

Vasco Visit The Humble Market 

Are you ready for a more Brazilian world? That’s one of the questions being posed by FACT’s current exhibition, THE HUMBLE MARKET: 

TRADE SECRETS. The immersive experience allows you to take in the hustle and bustle of the Rio de Janeiro carnival from a Brazilian taxi, 

contemplate the universe, and discover what happens when the impersonal automated voice on the telephone suddenly gets very personal. 

Bido Lito! and FACT sent Liverpool math rock darlings Vasco Da Gama along to experience the Humble Market and invited local filmmaker 

Jenny Collins along to document their experience. Make your way over to bidolito.co.uk where you can take in the results. fact.co.uk 

#GetInGetOn At Liverpool Community College 

A whole manner of events, uploads and freebies are all part of Liverpool Community College’s newly launched campaign #GetInGetOn. 

Culminating in a two-week period of virtual open days - where the college will be answering prospective students’ questions live on 

Twitter and Facebook. You’ll be able to find out loads about the college’s wealth of creative course opportunities through video updates 

and interactive guides. Keep an eye out for your chance to win cash prizes, tickets to upcoming events and even an iPad. Bido Lito! have 

also got in on the act, with The Mighty Mojo kneading together an exclusive #GetInGetOn mixtape for bidolito.co.uk 

New Free To Access Music Courses 

Calling all grassroots musicians in Merseyside! THE ROSCOE FOUNDATION is currently seeking applications for its 2012-13 Music 

Development Programme which provides free to access music industry opportunities for local artists. The programme is a ground-breaking 

project, which provides a diverse array of music industry workshops and studio days to talented grassroots musicians in Merseyside. 

Successful applicants will be required to attend seven, one-hour workshops over a three-month period and will be provided with three free 

studio days at Parr Street Studios to assist in the development of supporting grassroots musical excellence. roscoefoundation.org.uk 

Liverpool Music Awards Nominations Coming To A Close 

The Liverpool Music Awards are a platform for the entirety of the local music scene, here to honour musicians and all of those working 

behind the scenes, in production, management and a variety of other crucial roles. The judging panel comprises members of some of the 

most well respected Liverpool music institutions. The latest additions include: one of the LIPA founders, Mark Featherstone-Witty, Executive 

Director of the Philharmonic Hall & Events, Simon Glinn, and Programme Director for Music Industry Studies at University Of Liverpool, Dr. 

Mike Jones. The closing date for entries and nominations is Friday 17th August; for more details head to liverpoolmusicawards.com 

Screenadelica has gone from strength to strength since its low-key inception in 2010, now pitching up at a variety 

of international events throughout the year to showcase its ever-increasing array of prints and gig posters. We’re 

used to seeing the artwork of Screenadelica’s curator Horse adorning the walls of our venues, to the extent that his 

distinctive style has become a much-loved staple of our live music scene. 

This month we have teamed up with Horse to offer you a pretty stunning prize: a limited edition, numbered screen 

print of Horse’s poster commissioned for Flaming Lips’ appearance at this year’s Optimus Primavera Sound festival in 

Porto. To win this extra special prize all you have to do is answer the following question: 

Who is Flaming Lips’ lead singer and zorbing frontman? 

a) Tommy Coyne b) Wayne Coyne c) Wayne Rooney 

To enter, email your answer to competition@bidolito.co.uk by 16th August. All correct answers will be placed in a big 

pink zorbing ball, the winner chosen at random and notified by email. Good luck! 

Dirty Projectors 

Swing Lo Magellan 

DOMINO RECORDS 

David Longstreth’s nostalgic submariners 

are back, with a new album that sees them 

flitting from one woozy retro influence to 

the next in their usual dreamily compelling 

way. Influences as far and wide as Neil 

Young and The Beatles are mined and 

woven subtly into the gear changes, that 

seemingly only they and Animal Collective 

can manage without seeming regressive. 

Ariel Pink’s Haunted 

Graffiti 

Only In My Dreams 

4AD 

A staggering thirteen (official) albums 

in and ARIEL PINK shows no signs of 

abating. This cut, from upcoming record 

Mature Themes, finds Mr Rosenberg in 

usual lo-fi surfy mood, with xylophonic 

flourishes and Byrdsy melodies providing 

the chinks of light in the darkness. Hints 

towards another winner are numerous, 

and November’s Liverpool show can’t 

come fast enough. 

Tame Impala 

Apocalypse Dreams 

MODULAR 

RECORDINGS 

The familiar stamp of blissful blues-psych 

shrouds this taster track from Aussie 

space cadets TAME IMPALA, which would 

suggest that their second full length 

album Lonerism won’t be venturing 

too far from Innerspeaker’s winning 

template. The addition of keys meshes 

neatly with Kevin Parker’s endless guitar 

riffs, meaning we’re glad for these clouds 

of reverb to be descending once more. 

Donnie & Joe Emerson 

Dreamin’ Wild 

LIGHT IN THE ATTIC 

RECORDS 

Rock’n’roll farmers DONNIE AND JOE 

EMERSON originally recorded this in the 

late 70s, nearly bankrupting their Dad in 

the process (he converted a barn for his 

sons to record in). Fortunately prolific crate 

diggers Light In The Attic have rescued 

this from the scrap heap: witness Baby’s 

country pop balladry and My Heart’s 

grooving lament if you don’t believe. 

Gig Guide and Ticket Shop live at www.bidolito.co.uk

Toots and the Maytals 

+ Eat Your Greens DJs 

 

Pearl Jem 

(Europe’s Number 1 Tribute To Pearl Jam) 

 

Tom Hingley 

(The Beast Inside UK Tour) 

+ Rory Mckee + The Brightsparks 

 

Sue Denim 

 

Nik Kershaw 

And His Band 

 

Then Jerico 

Big Area Tour 2012 

 

Maverick Sabre 

 

Malefice 

+ Silent Screams + Carcer City + Oceanis 

 

Azealia Banks 

 

Marina And 

The Diamonds 

 

Lianne La Havas 

 

Mayday Parade 

+ The Summer Set + Natives 

 

Hawklords 

 

Newton Faulkner 

 

Reverend and 

the Makers 

 

Flux Pavilion 

Standing On A Hill Tour 

 

Bowling For Soup 

 

Totally Enormous 

Extinct Dinosaurs 

 

Heaven 17 

The Luxury Gap Tour 

 

Space 

 

The Wicked Whispers 

 

Maximo Park 

 

The Wedding Present 

(Performing Seamonsters in full) 

 

Gong ft. Daevid Allen 

+ Here and Now 

Sold Out 

Frank Turner and 

The Sleeping Souls 

 

Levellers 

+ Citizen Fish 

 

The Rifles 

(Acoustic) 

 

Magnum 

 

Electric Six 

10th Anniversary Tour 

 

Performing FIRE in its entirety 

 

Rancid 

 

Thin Lizzy 

 

Dappy 

 

Sleigh The UK 2012: 

The Wonder Stuff, Pop Will Eat Itself, 

Jesus Jones 

 

 

 

 

 

Toots and the Maytals 

 

Marina And 

The Diamonds 

 

Lianne La Havas 

 

Space 

facebook.com/o2academyliverpool 

twitter.com/o2academylpool 

youtube.com/o2academytv 

11 - 13 Hotham Street, Liverpool L3 5UF 

Doors 7pm unless stated 

Venue box office opening hours 

Mon - Sat 11:30am - 5:30pm 

No booking fee on cash transactions 

 

 

Text APP to 62002 or scan here: 

o2academyliverpool.co.uk


Edgar SummErtymE 

Words: Jamie Bowman 

Photography: Mike Brits 

It seems apt that I meet EDGAR SUMMERTYME in a record shop. 

Surrounded by stacks of vinyl, this most avid of collectors looks at 

home as he leafs his way through the jazz section, excitedly telling 

me about his latest discovery, South American band leader Gustav 

Dudamel. If you wanted to be metaphorical, the image of the 

music obsessive searching for the perfect tune is a neat summary 

of this remarkable musician’s career. Through numerous bands, 

line-ups, and solo records Edgar (who for much of his career has 

operated under his birth name Jones but - like a Scouse version 

of Kylie - no surname is required in his home town) has spent the 

last 25 years seeking out a musical blueprint that has attempted 

to meld his love of garage rock, soul, R’n’B and jazz. 

With his new record Sense Of Harmony, this restless cult hero 

may finally have come closer than ever before. “As long as I’m 

setting a good example then I’m happy,” says the man whose 

playing forms a unique link between Liverpool’s various scenes 

and successes. From the Bunnymen to the Zutons via The Stairs 

and Paul Weller, Jones has had a hand in some of the coolest 

cuts and sharpest sounds to come out of the UK in the past two 

decades and, thankfully for a man whose first release was called 

Weed Bus, he’s come out of it with most of his memory intact. 

“When I started writing I liked things like The Bodines and Echo 

& The Bunnymen,” says Edgar, lighting the first of countless Silk 

Cuts. “I was very lucky that I was taken under the wing of that 

whole 80s Liverpool scene and by the time I was 18 I was playing 

bass guitar for Ian McCulloch. Bands like The Lotus Eaters and 

The Wild Swans helped me too but it was weird because back 

then you seemed to get further on looks rather than ability. I was 

a teenager who looked cool and they liked me even though I 

couldn’t play.” 

Despite his acceptance into the court of Liverpool’s crimson 

kings, Jones was already forming a world outlook that was 

singular, psychedelic and obsessed with the 60s, so much so that 

his first band The Stairs would rival even contemporaries The La’s 

for dedication to all things garage. “I was blinkered, young and 

hot-headed,” he says. “I found the 80s pretty disgusting morally, 

socially and musically. It was a time for new toys and forgetting 

about your fellow man and when I started listening and buying 

things like the Nuggets and Pebbles compilations from Probe, I 

couldn’t help but be drawn into that look.” 

Flying in the face of fashion, The Stairs ignored the ecstasyfuelled 

baggy boom that consumed so many other bands from 

the North West, donning instead the look, sound and spirit 

of snotty US legends like The Chocolate Watch Band and The 

Electric Prunes. 

“Everything was based around the year 1966 rather than that 

psychedelic Woodstock thing which came later,” explains Jones. 

“It was like no other music existed apart from songs made in 

that year but it was much harder work to be into something then. 

There was a network of cool people and you either got to know 

them or you didn’t; and you’d try and gather as much information 

and knowledge as you could from things like record sleeves, but 

it was those cool people who acted like a quality control, which is 

something the internet can’t do.” 

The Stairs released one wonderful album Mexican R ‘n’ B, in 

mono, in 1992 before collapsing due to what Edgar describes as 

“chaos”. “Ged (Lynn, the Stairs guitarist) kept leaving the group 

and then rejoining and on the first day of our album sessions 

Jason (Otty, harmonica player) walked out and went on holiday to 

Europe after I’d shared out the publishing money. That’s what The 

Stairs was like – it was volatile and has psychologically affected 

the way I have been in bands ever since because I have this fear 

people will go just when I need them.” 

After The Stairs, Edgar followed the well-worn path of many a 

talented Liverpudlian musician and joined Lee Mavers in The La’s, 

an experience he describes as being “like National Service”. “Lee 

would headhunt you, and we all had a go and did our bit for a 

year,” he laughs. “I didn’t get Lee at his best but then I don’t think 

many people did after about 1987. There just wasn’t a lot going on 

and I was disappointed because I was looking forward to getting 

my teeth into that band, but they didn’t want to get their teeth 

into the world. You have to go to the world and not expect it to 

come to you, especially if you’re not putting any records out.” 

Solace came with a stint in Saint Etienne, an experience which 

Edgar describes as “happy” because he was able to develop his love 

of soul playing with a great band. “I didn’t mind being a sideman 

as I had really started to respect those people,” he remembers. “In 

Liverpool you had this thing about session musicians which was 

a dirty word because of all the punk snobbery. People pretended 

they didn’t own any Led Zep albums, and that lasted about 15 

years. Music is still recovering from that and it wasn’t like it was 

replaced by anything cool and from the streets – punk was more 

a case of letting the morons have a go.” 

Paul Weller (“a gent who was very kind to me”) was next on 

Jones’s list of employers after he joined the Mod hero’s live band, 

while he also had the time to play with another guitar legend 

in the form of Johnny Marr. “That was amazing and it was just 

me, Johnny and Zak Starkey playing in Johnny’s barn. It eventually 

came out as The Healers but I had been replaced by then by the 

bloke from Kula Shaker.” 

Despite a burgeoning reputation as a go-to bass player for 

anyone keen to recreate a sixties vibe, Jones was still determined 

to explore his own path in a band of his own. “I never had that 

idea that I’d be a star, which was maybe my trouble,” he admits. 

“I’d like to be one now because I think I’d be a good example as 

I have worked hard over a long period of time and I think people 

should be inspired by that.” 

Edgar’s next turn in the spotlight was with the Big Kids, a 

group that collected a whole new set of Liverpudlian musicians 

who would all play crucial roles in the city’s next wave of 

success. “I wanted something that was healthy musically and 

getting in Sean and Russ [later of The Zutons] and Howie Payne 

[The Stands] helped me, as I wanted people who were open 

to a different idea of what Liverpool was used to.” The band 

gigged incessantly, with a storming residency at The Magnet, 

and everything seemed in place for Edgar to take his rightful 

place in a Britpop scene which had come around to his sixties 

sensibility. But yet again a band would crumble when everything 

was poised for take-off. “It was great watching Russ and Sean 

develop as players and I was kind of glad when they formed the 

Zutons because I had a bit of guilt about stopping them form 

their own band with a bunch of other youngsters doing their 

own thing. It was less hurtful than if they had been poached 

by someone of my own ilk and it seemed right, but I still wish 

they had told me!” 

Another period of soul-searching followed as Edgar began to 

formulate his idea of creating a group of musicians who would 

emulate the great sixties session bands like the Wrecking Crew. 

The plan would manifest itself in the form of The Joneses, a 

musical collective who began to encompass Edgar’s love of jazz 

and R’n’B in a glorious fashion, especially on the critical favourite 

Soothing Music For Stray Cats album, which won fans as diverse 

as Noel Gallagher and Daniel Radcliffe, as well as being voted by 

NME as ‘The Best Album You’ve Never Heard’. 

“We wanted a Dr John and Sly and the Family Stone vibe at 

first and I also had the idea that we would start to back people 

outside the group. The problem with that was that the rest of 

the band didn’t have time for me anymore and when in a week 

running up to a gig no one returned my calls, I just thought ‘well, 

fuck you I’m off’. I regret it now because we had a gig lined up 

that MOJO had organised and everyone who played at that gig 

went on to play on Jools Holland and get a live following, which 

would have been nice.” 

Edgar’s response to The Joneses’ split was to go back to the 

start and once again convene a three-piece called, err, Free Peace, 

who played loud garage rock. But despite some blistering live 

shows and a support slot with Oasis, Edgar was beginning to pay 

the price for twenty years of stretching his distinctive vocals to 

the limit. “I was over-confident with Free Peace and I wore my 

voice into the ground. It was depressing. I couldn’t sing anymore 

and we had to scrap the first album and work on material that I 

could actually sing.” 

To make matters worse Edgar was beginning to suffer from 

a long-standing stomach complaint which soon became deadly 

serious. “I became ill and ran out of money to bankroll the band 

and it was becoming worse and worse. I ended up in hospital for 

two weeks and lost two stone which, if you know me, I haven’t 

got two stone to lose.” 

The illness enabled Edgar to re-prioritise and after a brief spell 

playing with ex-Zutons singer Dave McCabe, he retreated to his 

Toxteth pad to record the demos for what was to become the 

wonderful and rather moving Sense Of Harmony album. “I have 

been trying to not eat things like sugar and dairy products and 

now it’s all juice and vegetables,” says Edgar. “It’s my organic 

calcium album! I had lots of time on my hands but I had to do 

something lighter as I simply didn’t have the energy. The vocals 

you hear have got a delicacy to them because I would record two 

lines and then have to lie down, so there’s a fragility there to the 

songs which maybe there hasn’t been before.” 

Sense Of Harmony is indeed a beautiful yet triumphant album 

that sees Edgar find a new voice for his undoubted talents. He’s 

a survivor and we’re lucky to have him. “When I was young I was 

stupid and easily led,” he says at the end of our interview. “If I had 

had the success that maybe some people thought I deserved, I 

don’t think I’d be sitting here now.” 

the-viper-label.co.uk 

Sense Of Harmony is released 16th August on The Viper Label 


8 

Bido Lito! August 2012 

Jethro 

Fox 

Words: Clarry M 

Photography: Robin Clewley 

A slew of Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) born 

bands have been seeping their way into the hearts and ears of 

Liverpool’s burgeoning music scene of late. Singer and songwriter 

JETHRO FOX is the latest LIPA luminary to do so, and with a 

trickle of tunes being revealed at carefully picked moments, the 

development of an engaging and expansive new pop sound is 

unfolding under his expert guidance. 

LIPA is a popular choice for many a budding young performer 

and when the Colchester-born Jethro is asked what initially 

attracted him to Liverpool, he admits that, “It was actually LIPA 

or nothing. I just had my heart set on it”. Enticed equally by the 

musical heritage the city exhales, it was an obvious choice, as 

the close-knit musical community inside and outside of LIPA’s 

walls has aided Jethro’s development. “It’s very collaborative. It’s 

not really rivalry, it’s a time where people just help each other 

and want to make good music together,” he points out, naming 

grassroots projects and the DIY ethic of Liverpool’s promoters. For 

a well-schooled musician in such a creative environment, Jethro 

seems to have found the perfect breeding ground for his musical 

endeavours in Liverpool. 

“It’s a pretty young project, but it all started with the song 

Before, which was about in the Autumn of last year,” Jethro 

explains. Before, which begins with a tentative arrangement of 

drumming and clattering hand claps, uses a strong, resounding 

guitar riff, and lifting harmonies. Peaceful and forceful at the 

same time, the hand claps and harmonies are certainly the song’s 

anchor, a heavyweight soulful affair, edgy and perfectly structured. 

As momentum gathered around the song, the equally awakening 

Echo and In My Arms followed, and Jethro Fox was born: “I ended 

up getting a band together, naturally I suppose, and moving 

things on from there.” 

Forming a live act to present to the world was the next logical 

step. “When we started it felt quite ambitious,” claims Jethro, 

Gig Guide and Ticket Shop live at www.bidolito.co.uk 

as instilling a wealth of parts written by one person into a live 

formula is bound to be. “Initially, the idea was very much to imitate 

the sounds on the recordings as far as possible,” Jethro explains; 

however “their own elements are shining out, like Fabian [Prynn]’s 

drums - he’s got a personality in his drums”. Having recorded all 

the harmonies himself, different voices were required live: “We’ve 

got a Norwegian guy, Yurgen, who sings half the backing vocals.” 

Transforming the recordings into a live presence has resulted in 

different, unexpected elements, with a touch of personality. 

Jethro’s music exudes a nostalgic quality, with lilting harmonies 

and generous percussive intricacies. “I don’t quite know where 

this whole 60s thing came from, but my parents were really 

into that kind of music and would play stuff in the car.” Quoting 

the Beach Boys and The Hollies as influences, alongside Arcade 

Fire and Grizzly Bear, there is a clear love of expansive, graceful 

sounds embedded in Jethro’s music: “That big, life-affirming 

quality to it is something that really appeals to me.” Belonging 

to the generation whose parents were so marked by 60s and 

70s musical counterculture, Jethro is perhaps an example of a 

generation’s tendency to indulge in the direct, yet subtle influence 

of their parents’ record collections. And with the ever advancing 

and occasionally baffling palette of new musical genres, a nod to 

our musical forebears often brings us back down to earth. 

This life-affirming quality also stretches to Jethro Fox’s clean 

and well-polished production techniques. Working closely with 

good friend and producer Tarek Musa, Jethro admits, “We can 

be really honest with each other”. They enter into the recording 

process with a clear vision, aiming for “the big sound, the close 

harmonies, the big drums. But also, we wanted the Nordic aspects 

to shine out and there’s a cleanness to it.” 

A seemingly rather introverted song-writing process may 

inevitably lead a musician to favour crafting their songs over 

performing them, however, when Jethro is asked which he 

prefers, he exclaims: “If you asked me before my first gig I would 

have said the recording; then five minutes into the gig at the 

Kazimier. . . it was fucking great.” For the brooding songwriter, live 

performance could be daunting; especially as a front man. But 

Jethro embraced this new role with a confident and humble stage 

presence: “There was a good amount of people there and [it was] 

really obvious to me within a couple of minutes that I massively 

preferred doing that to recording.” Following their first live outing 

at The Kazimier, the band played The Great Escape in Brighton, and 

Liverpool’s Sound City festival. Claiming the latter as his personal 

favourite, because “there were a few people singing along, which 

was weird,” he tentatively concludes that “I don’t know when the 

next time I’m going to be playing in a cathedral is,” making the 

church venue at The Great Escape a one-off experience. 

Jethro Fox’s gradual ascent into musical acknowledgement 

recently escalated when the band performed a live session for 

Steve Lamacq’s BBC 6music show. The BBC Introducing session 

was held in the most famous of recording studios, Maida Vale. 

“Some of my heroes recorded in that studio and it was surreal 

and amazing.” Talking enthusiastically of Lamacq, Jethro reflects 

that, “I used to listen to him when I was small. Those people 

become larger than life, especially when they’re on the radio as 

well; they’re these kind of mysterious voices.” 

It seems that Jethro Fox has proven himself well worthy of 

recognition beyond his LIPA birth, aided by carefully timed releases, 

a sincere and excited outlook and a bagful of harmonies. With a 

re-appropriation of all that’s good about 60s pop, in a clean and 

vital form, Jethro Fox proves the 60s weren’t just for our parents. 

Jethro Fox releases his debut single Blinding Light 

on Tough 

Love records on 20th August. An exclusive Obscenic Sessions video 

will be streaming at bidolito.co.uk from 1st August. 

jethrofox.tumblr.com

The Humble 

Market: 

Trade Secrets 

Exhibition 

Open until 26 August / FREE Entry 

- 

FACT, 88 Wood Street, L1 4DQ 

fact.co.uk / 0151 707 4464


10 


Fest Evol 

We all love a festive garden party, but 

once in a while one comes along that 

makes all others look like sedate village 

fêtes. On the 

4th and 11th of August, over thirty of the best acts the North 

West currently has to offer will appear across three stages at 

the Kazimier under the banner of FESTEVOL GARDENS. Utilising 

the venue’s brand new outdoor garden space as well as the 

club’s celebrated indoor charms, a host of Liverpool’s finest 

bands and artists will appear alongside guest DJs and special 

one-off performances programmed by Evol for a double hit of 

musical fireworks. With line-ups that are veritably dripping with 

talent, the two events will mark a high point in August’s live 

schedule, when our focus is usually trained on getting its sonic 

kicks in muddy fields. As well as showcasing some of Liverpool’s 

emerging acts (Death At Sea, The Wicked Whispers, Thunderbird 

Gerard), the festival will host representatives from Manchester’s 

current burgeoning crop of hipsters: the scintillating PINS 

and Folks; and for those looking to things other than music 

for satisfaction, the MelloMello BBQ will be 

fired 

and ready to provide sustenance; 

with 

a Screenadelica stall exhibiting a 

range of 

posters and prints of previous Evol 

shows. 

Looming large over the two 

events are the FestEvol headliners: 

CLINIC 

and OUTFIT, who are among the region’s 

most 

inventive musical creators, and will 

no 

doubt provide a fitting finale to each of 

the events. Charlie Lashmar caught up with 

both of these headliners, as well as FestEvol 

programmer Revo Ziganda, to talk about the 

upcoming shows. 

As a man with many projects on the boil simultaneously, 

Revo’s bookings diary is rarely less than full. Around finalising 

a great run of autumn shows and working on Sound City, 

he has still had the time to plan these two heavyweight 

FestEvol events, but he admits that it’s an idea that’s been 

in the can for a while. “We planned one for the Masque 

but it closed, so when the Kazimier boys started telling 

me about their plans for their garden it made sense to do 

it again as the venue is now perfect for it. The indoor 

stage will stay as we know it, with the smoking 

area becoming a disco and the garden housing 

the outdoor stage under a pagoda.” Despite 

dropping a few hints, the man behind Evol is 

rather cagey when it comes 

to talking about other plans up 

his sleeve. “We’ve got a couple of 

surprises on the 4th, and something 

nice for the 11th, but we’re not telling yet.” 

The all-day, one-venue format is one that’s popped up 

in various guises in Liverpool, and it’s a formula that inevitably 

leads to success, and invariably, iconic moments. One such 

moment was Outfit’s breakout performance at Fiesta Obscenic 

last year. Since then they’ve supported Ladytron, raked in a 

smattering of accolades, and moved down to London for a year. 

It’s a common move for bands now, and in the case of Outfit, it 

was done to avoid any stagnation. As frontman Andrew Hunt puts 

it, “London big, Liverpool small. Liverpool encouraging and fertile, 

London motivating and competitive.” Any motivation has certainly 

worked: with a new album in the can, they’ve just moved back 

to Liverpool to record it. “The album is in pre-fab 

stage,” says Hunt. “We’re just 

building all the 

walls and solid structures; the painting 

and filling and vinyls 

etc will be put 

in over the summer.” 

Not only that, but 

they’ll be returning 

to the Kazimier on the 

second Saturday of 

FestEvol (11th August). 

“We played our first 

and worst ever gig at 

the Kazimier. I’m looking forward to proving 

that we don’t suck.” 

Fellow 

FestEvol 

headliners Clinic (4th August) 

have 

been 

perennial undergrounders 

for over 

a decade, 

and with their seventh album out this year, 

it’s clear where their priorities lie: making good 

music 

rather than pursuing “elusive commercial success”. 

Not that you would ever call them unsuccessful. They’ve toured 

with Radiohead, Arcade Fire and supported The Shins this 

year, but they shy away from the spotlight and hide, literally, 

behind the surgical masks they wear onstage. They possess an 

unmistakable sound, and like aforementioned touring buddies 

Radiohead, every album progresses into new territories. 

So, what gives them the drive to keep making new albums? 

“Maybe because it’s impossible to perfect your ideas,” explains 

the band’s vocalist Ade Blackburn. “That aim will always keep 

you recording. Plus, discovering new types of music just makes 

you look again at your own methods and ideas. Like The Sonar 

Project - they’re my favourite band recently. They make quite 

surreal sound collages.” 

Clinic return to the Kazimier for FestEvol, where they threw their 

Mass Freakout Festival in 2009: “It was 

quite a bizarre 

mixture of music, which the 

Kazimier suited. It’s still a bit different and 

more imaginative than most venues.” 

Agreeing with the 

general consensus amongst 

Liverpool bands 

that the Kazimier is setting 

the bar for live 

music in Liverpool, Ade is also 

firm in his 

assertion that “Coopers Pub is 

still the most out there ‘venue’ in 

the city for wired sounds!” 

A city that can nurture such a breadth 

of venues and live events deserves to get a bit 

carried away with itself from time to time: FestEvol will 

give you good reason to get carried away too. 

FestEvol Gardens takes place 

at The Kazimier on 4th and 

11th August. Full line-up 

and ticket details can 

be found over at 


Illustration: Horse 


10 



bidolito 

We all love 

We all love 

We all love 

We all love 

a festive garden 










a festive garden party, but 

party, 

but 

party, 

but 

party, 

but 

party, 

but 

party, 

but 

party, 

but 

once in a 

once in a 

once in a 

once in a 

once in a while one comes 

while one comes 















while one comes along that 

along 

that 

along 

that 

along 

that 

along 

that 

along 

that 

along 

that 

along 

that 

along 

that 






































































































































































































































































































































































































































fired 

fired 
















with 











range of 











shows. 











CLINIC 



most 







no 





the events. 

the events. Charlie Lashmar 

Charlie Lashmar caught up with 

Charlie Lashmar caught up with 

Charlie Lashmar 






















































































































































































to talking 

to talking 

to talking about other 

about 

other 

about 

other 

about other plans up 

his sleeve. 

his sleeve. 

“We’ve got a 



couple of 

couple of 

surprises 

surprises 

on the 4th, and 





something 

something 


































































































































































































































to Liverpool to record it. “The album 

















to Liverpool to record it. “The album is in pre-fab 

is in pre-fab 

is in pre-fab 

















walls and solid structures; 





walls and solid structures; the painting 

the 

painting 

the 

painting 

the 

painting 

the 

painting 








































the Kazimier. I’m looking 



the Kazimier. I’m looking forward to proving 

forward to proving 

forward to proving 



Fellow 

FestEvol 

Fellow 

FestEvol 



have 

been 

perennial underperennial 

underperennial 




undergrounders 

for over 

grounders for over 




a decade, 

a decade, 

a decade, 







it’s clear where their priorities lie: making good 

priorities lie: making good 





music 

rather 

music 

rather than pursuing “elusive commercial success”. 

than pursuing “elusive commercial success”. 







































































“Maybe because

12 


DOMINOES’ THEORY 

Adventures in psychedelic exploration 

Words: Richard Lewis 

Photography: Keith Ainsworth 

‘Made in various locations, on various equipment, at various 

times throughout 2006-2012, this is DOMINOES’ first album’, goes 

the unassuming description of the collection of tracks that comprises 


Dominoes’ debut LP The Elemental Suite. The music contained 

therein amply demonstrates that promotional bluster isn’t 

required to woo the listener; the album contains a treasure trove of 

whimsical 

Syd 

Barrett 

vocal melodies, 

Basement 

Tapes-era 

Dylan 

instrumentation 

and 

frazzled acid folk à la The 

Flaming Lips. 

Creator and sole permanent 

member of Dominoes, Dominic 

Lewington relocated to Liverpool from 

West Yorkshire in the mid-1990s and became 

a stalwart of the city’s music scene, joining a host 

of bands. After initially starting out as a drummer, 

Dom moved to rhythm guitar and found a berth in Pop 

Levi’s fledgling backing band, The Emergencies. 

Centred around the now defunct music/art space The Kif 

located on Parr Street, the grass-roots venture was the birthplace 

of scores of bands and saw the formation of long-lasting musical 

alliances. As Pop Levi decamped to the States in 2006, Dom and 

Luke ‘Lucky Beaches’ Muscatelli responded to the call and the group 

took up residency in Los Angeles’ Echo Park district, along with 

drummer Marius Simonsen. Both Dom and Levi also featured in


recently 

re-activated 

experimental 

band 

Zukanican 

alongside Ged Lynn, 

formerly of The Stairs. 

“The first three songs on 

there were recorded just before 

I went to LA, I’ve recorded tons 

of stuff, there’s four or five albums 

worth,” Dom says of The Elemental 

Suite’s evolution, while sipping coffee in 

MelloMello. “I’d never contributed songs to 

any of the groups I’d been in before, only my own 

band The Hand Museum. Doing the whole Zukanican, 

The Kif, Pop Levi thing instigated a massive creative 

outpouring in me,” Dom explains. “There was a time when I 

was writing two or three songs a week. Some of them are only 

just starting to come out now.” 

Working closely with producer and multi-instrumentalist Rhys 

Jones, following the project’s lengthy gestation period Dom had 

to be encouraged by friends and fellow musicians to let the songs 

see the light of day. “A few friends had been saying ‘get me a copy 

of that album’. I’ve always assumed nobody would like it,” Dom 

shrugs modestly. “Johnny (Pop Levi) was saying to me ‘You need 

to release it one way or another’. I had a plan for everything to be 

called The Elemental Suite and keep doing different-sounding 

EPs,” Dom says of the project, released through his own 

imprint, Brown Shadow Records. 

Dom has assembled an impressive cast of Liverpool 

musicians, including the aforementioned Lucky 

Beaches and Cubical drummer Mark Percy, 

alongside the core of himself and Rhys; and, 

despite the protracted recording sessions, 

the tracks have a remarkably clear 

stylistic thread running throughout 

and click together seamlessly as 

an album. 

“I’d never really been 

good with melody,” Dom 

states, 

somewhat 

surprisingly given 

the fluency of 

the songs. 

“It’s 

quite 

a 

melodic album for me in 

parts. It was a burst of a lot of 

melodies coming out. Somebody 

said to me it’s quite a daring album 

and I suppose it is. I could have got 

it perfect, done it all to a click track for 

everything. I pretty much insisted on using one 

guitar for all of it,” Dom notes of the rickety nylonstrung 

guitar present on all the tracks. 

A notable facet of the LP is Dom’s voice, able to adapt 

whenever needed, sounding at times almost like additional 

singers are present. The seen-it-all bluesman of Til My Day 

Is Done is thrown into sharp relief by the light-headed vocal on 

Trouble, which staggers along in a delightedly drunken haze like 

The Flaming Lips having blown all of their money on booze only to 

stumble out of the bar and find a $100 dollar bill on the sidewalk. 

The collective of musicians who comprised The Elephant 6 

Recording Company that went on to produce some of the best 

music in the US independent sector in the 1990s is cited by Dom 

as a model for how he likes to work. “With Elephant 6, guys like 

Olivia Tremor Control and Neutral Milk Hotel were all in each 

other’s bands. What I really liked about it was there was never 

any sort of supergroup, everybody in the band contributed to this 

one thing.” Relating this to how he works Dom explains, “There’ll 

be people coming to a gig and I know they’ll be 

coming along so I’ll just say ‘Why don’t you 

play?’ They can practice with us for the two 

days before, ‘cos I know they’ll learn the 

songs easily. I want it to be as flexible 

as possible.” 

Of his current listening 

habits Dom notes, “I’m still 

predominantly searching 

for psychedelia.” The 

presence of a 

reprise on the 

LP of a key 

track, the 

desolate world-weary blues of Love Exists, is directly influenced by 

a practice common to the genre. “I’d buy these 1960s psychedelic 

albums and most of them seem to have some sort of reprise, 

where it’ll be ten songs mixed together backwards on the album,” 

Dom explains. 

Elsewhere, revered US solo artist Bill Callahan is highlighted 

as a prime influence, from the singer-songwriter’s celebrated 

Apocalypse LP last year back to his murkily compelling early 90s 

output as Smog, which largely defined what came to be known 

as ‘lo-fi’. 

With acclaimed local film maker Chiz Turnross working on the 

first official Dominoes video, recently filmed out in the wilds 

of Parkgate, and the band’s first gig scheduled for an ominous 

Friday 13th (“It’ll be fine,” Dom smiles) activity has increased 

exponentially for the songwriter of late. “There are demos that 

I’d be happy releasing, they’re almost as good as The Elemental 

Suite,” Dom says of his next move. “Bandcamp’s ideal for me; I 

don’t really want to sign to a record label, I’m happy doing it for 

myself, it’s so simple now. With the band getting good, I’m hoping 

to keep this going as long as possible and get as many albums 

out of it as I can.” Frankly, a hope shared by anyone who’s been 

touched by The Elemental Suite. 

dominoes.bandcamp.com 


14 


Words: John Still 

Graphic: Luke Avery 

Despite the weather pointing to the contrary, summer has 

youngsters as well as their consistent, high-quality programmes 

indeed arrived, bringing with it the traditional slew of festivals 

and events. They’ve blended the best that India has to offer with a 

across the country. Alongside the usual proponents of summer 

format of presentation that is more consistent with the sensibility 

frivolities, one of the major contributors to the festival line-up in 

of music audiences in the UK.” 

the city will be the events held by MILAPFEST, the UK’s largest 

It’s the synthesis between the traditions of India with Western 

Indian arts development trust. The company will be holding a 

formatting that has been central to the success and longevity 

series of events, the largest celebration of Indian music, dance 

of Milapfest. The name itself is derived from the Sanskrit word 

and entertainment of its kind in the country, and has built a 

reputation as one of the cornerstones of 

culture and entertainment in the city. 

Now in its 27th year, Milapfest works 

to promote Indian arts throughout the 

UK, providing not only entertainment, but 

education on the diversity of Indian culture. 

The trust complements its work on education 

and professional development in the Indian 

arts with performances, commissions and 

exhibitions demonstrating the richness of the 

continent. This summer will be no exception, with a wide 

multi-layered platform to showcase the talent of the subcontinent. 

They’ve painstakingly cultivated a dedicated following for Indian 

music – both through their educational outreach and work with 

‘Milap’ meaning ‘to meet each other in friendship’, which provides 

“Indian music has a meditative and 

entertaining quality both at the same 

time. All one needs to do is to come 

with an open mind and let music do 

the rest.” - Guarav Mazumdar 

Running alongside the Discover Indian 

Music programme, and highlighting some 

of the aspects Anil speaks of, will be the 

INDIKA FESTIVAL, a cornucopia of Indian entertainment, held at 

the Capstone Theatre. The festival will open with an extravaganza 

featuring two of the UK’s finest Indian youth orchestras, Samyo 

and Tarang, and will consist of workshops, lectures and a variety 

of dance and music performances. Conducting the Samyo 

orchestra will be Guarav Mazumdar, renowned sitar player, 

who learned his art under the tutelage of Ravi Shankar. While 

unfamiliar instruments and differing scales and modes may be 

daunting to some considering visiting Indika, 

Guarav believes in the innate accessibility of 

the music. “Indian music has a meditative 

and entertaining quality both at the same 

time, which is unique. All one needs to do is 

to come with an open mind and let music do 

the rest. Indian music in all forms and styles 

attracts people from all walks of life and once 

they are in it, they are there for life.” 

Indika starts its eleven-day run on 12th 

August, with the Music India Summer School opening 

array of events being held in and around Hope University. With a 

diverse line-up that includes lectures and dance performances, 

naturally the eye of Bido Lito! turned to the musical events, which 

will see some of the biggest names in the Indian scene making 

appearances at performances and workshops in Liverpool. One 

aspect of this will be the MUSIC INDIA SUMMER SCHOOL at 

Hope’s Creative Campus. Combining lectures and workshops, 

the idea is to offer insights (to both the experienced and the 

uninitiated) into the world of Indian music. At the heart of the 

summer school will be the Discovering Indian Music sessions, an 

in-depth study of the composition and structure of Indian music, 

starting with the fundamentals and exploring the complexities 

of the diverse styles involved. The residential course offers a fully 

immersive experience in Indian music, complete with evening 

sessions from highly regarded Indian performers. One of these 

performers is Anil Srinivasan, a classically trained pianist famed 

for his synthesis of Western modes with traditional Indian vocals 

in the Carnatic style. Having been involved with Milapfest for the 

past three years, he explains the importance of the trust to the 

dissemination of Indian music in the UK: “Milapfest has created a 

a succinct summary of the core aims of the trust. In bridging 

the cultural boundaries, the importance of knowledge can’t be 

understated. In promoting a greater understanding of a culture 

that, while still a minority, can count large communities throughout 

Great Britain, Milapfest provides more than just entertainment. 

The trust encourages not only enjoyment of the music on offer 

but participation and understanding of the complexities and 

cultural nuances which combine in the creation of Indian music, 

a welcome insight into what constitutes a growing genre in the 

Western world. Anil believes that the popularity of Indian music 

has yet to reach its zenith: “I think Indian music has already come 

a long way. From the heady 60s infusion of Pandit Ravi Shankar’s 

sitar to the profusion of Bollywood/Indian film and film-inspired 

music, I believe that there has been a coming of age. Music from 

India has also come of age – there is a huge pool of talent in India 

that is now more global in its outlook and yet in touch with their 

traditions. They are not afraid to stretch the boundaries of their 

musical expression and are happy to adopt a more eclectic and 

experimental attitude towards music making. I sincerely believe 

the best is yet to come.” 

its doors on the 13th. Bido Lito! have no intention to be left out, 

and taking part in the sessions and experiencing the insights on 

behalf of the magazine will be Emily Lansley of local favourites 

Stealing Sheep. We’ll be following her progress and reporting on 

the sessions through bidolito.co.uk. 

milapfest.com 


Bido Lito Quarter Page_Layout 1 17/07/2012 16:59 Page 1 

AFTER 8: 

TOM PALEY 

Wednesday 19 

September £12 

Classic Old-Time tunes from 

the man who toured with 

Woody Guthrie. 

MARC 

ALMOND 

Saturday 22 

September 

£24.50, £30.50 

Cult 80s pop troubadour 

plays his hits and more. 

JOHN 

COOPER 

CLARKE 

Wednesday 10 October 

£14.50-£23.50 

Sparse, rapid-fire prose 

from the punk-poet known 

as The Bard of Salford. 

AFTER 8: 

EMILY PORTMAN 

Thursday 20 

September £12 

‘One of the new British 

folk scene’s most beguiling 

presences’ Uncut Magazine. 

STEWART 

FRANCIS 

Friday 28 September 

£18.50, £24.50 

‘A brilliant comic brain... this 

stand-up cracks some of the 

best one liners I've ever heard.’ 

The Guardian. 

AFTER 8: THE SHEE 

Wednesday 10 October £12 

Astonishing instrumental prowess 

from the all-girl folk band unafraid to 

explore new 

territory. 

Box Office 

0151 709 3789 

liverpoolphil.com

16 


Words: Mo Stewart 

Photography: Ant Clausen 

9th August 2011 brings back vivid memories. Horrified yet 

transfixed, I watched as London began to tear itself apart. After 

a quick call to my sister in Catford to check she was OK, I set off 

for work. When my phone rang three hours later, dread turned 

to confusion as my sister asked me: “Are YOU OK?” Minutes 

later I peered through Heebie Jeebies’ window to see streams 

of people running with TVs under their arms and scarves over 

their faces. Suddenly the usual late night soundtrack of breaking 

glass and raised voices carried considerably more venom than I’d 

experienced in my previous seven years in the city. As I made my 

way home, dodging bricks and burning cars, I feared for what the 

aftermath would bring. 

The aftermath in fact proved once again why I love Liverpool, 

as anger turned into action and hundreds of volunteers grabbed 

their brooms and set about repairing their communities. A year 

on, and PEACE MIX are helping to turn that positive memory into 

a legacy. The brainchild of Birkenhead-born Sandra Bhatia, the 

Peace Mix Mic Relay will visit eleven cities across Britain affected 

by the riots, and host musical showcases; aiming to promote not 

only local talent and facilities, but the power of music to break 

down the barriers of anger and mistrust between Britain and its 

youth. More than a mere talent show, all of those involved get 

the chance to record their own songs based around the theme 

of peace, with the overall winner earning a support slot for the 

finale at London’s Roundhouse Theatre on 28th August. 

have fallen out of the mainstream educational system. “For a 

lot of these kids, mainstream academia isn’t for them,” explains 

Emily. “Music is what they relate to, how they express themselves 

- it’s where they can see a viable and credible future.” However, 

Emily leaves the kids in no doubt that it’s a future filled with hard 

work. “We have to help them understand what it takes to make 

it in the music industry. Both Sandra and ourselves were keen to 

dismiss the idea of the X Factor generation that fame happens 

overnight.” 

For those involved with Peace Mix, the reward for all this work 

was the opportunity to go into a recording studio with the likes 

of newly crowned MOBO Unsigned Artist 2012 and Peace Mix 

judge Esco Williams to create a peace-themed, crowd-sourced 

collaboration track, along with young people from across the UK. 

The track will be premiered at the Roundhouse, and released on 

21st September, the International Day of Peace. 

For Williams, getting involved was an easy decision. “During 

the riots I was standing in my living room, thinking about how life 

is going to get harder from here on out. The riots were undoing a 

lot of the work my parents’ generation did to make things better 

for us as a community. I come from a youth work background, and 

my drummer James Dodds works at Liverpool Lighthouse. When 

I was asked to be a judge I was well up for it.” However, like 

the rest of us he’s keen to accentuate the positive: “I remember 

admiring the courage and speed of the TAR (Toxteth Against the 

The Liverpool leg produced no shortage of promising 

performances. The self-assured showmanship of Callum McKenna 

was particularly impressive, adopting the Plan B formula of 

combining gritty raps with passionately sung, radio-friendly 

choruses. Saira Kewley showed admirable courage and no little 

talent in stepping up to the mic for the first time in over a year; 

and eventual winner Vadane Robson - another who mixed rapping 

and singing - defied logic as he unleashed a remarkably soulful 

and mature voice for one so young. Vadane’s next step will be 

the semi-finals at Cornwall’s Eden Project on 16th August, and a 

chance to book that slot at the Roundhouse. 

Whether or not Vadane is successful, Emily believes Peace 

Mix has already had a positive outcome: “The kids have shown 

a real sense of pride in their work that isn’t always evident in 

mainstream education.” Despite the large elements of unhelpful 

opportunists, she also understands the frustrations that drove a 

lot of kids to riot. “A lot of young people feel they don’t have a 

voice, and saw the riots as a way to make a statement, albeit 

an unfortunately negative statement. All they hear in the press is 

that there’s nothing for them. Projects like Peace Mix, while borne 

out of negativity, have an intrinsically positive message - there are 

opportunities out there.” 

Esco Williams is proof that music can open doors to a 

brighter future, but maintains there’s a lot of work to be done: 

“Organisations like Positive Impact and Liverpool Lighthouse that 

The venue for the Liverpool leg was Liverpool Lighthouse - 

Riots) response, and how hard they fought to keep the peace.” 

a church-led community centre based in Anfield. Lighthouse 

Williams was on a performing arts course with community 

volunteer Emily Howells believes they were the logical choice: 

organisation Positive Impact at the age of thirteen, and knows 

“Sandra Bhatia was looking for studio spaces accessible to young 

the lasting positive impression projects such as Peace Mix can 

people in areas of high social deprivation and disenfranchised 

leave: “The biggest thing I’ve learned from my experience is that, 

youth, and that’s exactly what Liverpool Lighthouse is all about”. 

be it as a performer or a member of the audience, we just want 

Liverpool Lighthouse have a long history of engaging 

to be a part of something. With Peace Mix we got together and 

disadvantaged kids in the Arts as a positive instrument for change. 

made something happen. The young people I had the pleasure 

Their Youth Connect programme offers classes from freestyling 

of meeting and working with all got a chance to perform, learn, 

to freerunning, and the Harmonize Academy provides an entire 

develop and share their experiences. I would promote that every 

Urban Arts curriculum to re-engage young people aged 13-18 who 

second of every day.” 


Peace Mix 

Beats to clean UP the Wreckage 

promote self cultivation, confidence building and provide training 

working alongside projects like Peace Mix... that is the key to 

making a substantial difference.” 

While there are currently no plans for a Peace Mix 2013, Emily 

hopes this is the start of an annual event. “I’d love to see it back 

bigger and better. Hopefully the message next year won’t be 

about the anniversary of the riots, but celebrating the success of 

this year’s initiative.” 

peacemix.co.uk 

liverpoollighthouse.com

clinic. 

the wicked whispers. death at 

sea. *SPECIAL GUEST*. 

sea. *SPECIAL GUEST*. 

eva petersen. lovecraft. FOLKS. bad meds. 

silent sleep. the sundowners. ticks. owls*. 

the dirty rivers. the red suns. oxygen thieves. 

the liberty vessels. hey carianne. 

the razz. catfish & the bottlemen 

djs: danny hunt & reuban wu(ladytron). blitzkreig 

bob(liquidation). harvest sun djs. stevie law. joe 

mckecknie. phil bakstad. 

kirsten barry(dolls). joe mangone. bido lito djs. 

outfit. 

thunderbird gerard. 

tea street band. *SPECIAL GUEST*. 

sundrums. pins. muto leo. 

married to the sea. carousel. the loud. 

filter distortion. KUSANAGI. the temps. 

mashemon. dass unser. statement haircut. 

so sexual. broken 

men. pixels. 

djs: james rand. darren meshuggy. 

ellis samizdat. mix nots. deep hedonia djs. 

ever island djs. ticks dj set. ninetails dj set. fonetiks 

av set. bido lito djs.

18 


Previews/Shorts 

Edited by Richard Lewis - middle8@bidolito.co.uk 

ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY 

Instrumental avant-rock threepiece 

ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY head 

up a bill including 72% MORRISSEY, 

FALLS and ORGAN FREEMAN for 

a mere 200 pence at MelloMello. 

Following on from the release of their eponymous debut LP back in March, the show will be a 

perfect opportunity for gig goers to witness their ‘Instrumentalrocktasm’ sound up close. 

MelloMello - 1st August 

VIC GODDARD 

One of the original class of 76 

punks, VIC GODARD returns to the 

city for an intimate show at The 

Zanzibar. With a setlist heavy on 

his days with the legendary Subway 

Sect, material from their 2010 reunion and his solo material will feature. Support comes from 

THE LADYKILLERS in one of their final outings together. 

The Zanzibar – 10th August 

Something of an institution on 

the city’s gig circuit, flying the flag 

THE GO-GO CAGE PRESENTS… 

over the summer for live music THE 

GO-GO CAGE at The Cabin returns with 

The Garage Punk Sound Clash Freakout! 

on 4th August. The primitive garage-fuzz stomp of THE BRANDED and the hip-shaking grooves of 

THE SEE NO EVILS feature along with resident DJs spinning vintage garage and psych floor fillers. 

The Cabin – 4th August 

Toots And The Maytals 

One of the world’s best loved ska/reggae acts TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS take to the Academy’s stage 

on 18th August. Almost fifty years since their debut album Never Grow Old was released, the group have 

been led since their inception by band mainstay Frederick ‘Toots’ Hibbert. One of the founders of the 

reggae genre and a huge part of its international success, the band were the first to use the term on 

record (albeit spelt differently) in 1968 hit Do The Reggay. 

Signed to the groundbreaking Island Records by label boss Chris Blackwell, the band had an international 

hit in 1970 with 45 Monkey Man. Two years later the band featured in classic movie The Harder They Come 

starring fellow icon Jimmy Cliff, which took the genre beyond Jamaica to an international audience and 

gifted the world one of the best soundtracks of all time. 

Later in the decade the band became firm favourites with the punk and Two-Tone movements with 

The Clash covering Pressure Drop, and Monkey Man becoming a staple of The Specials’ catalogue (later 

to be covered by Amy Winehouse). Splitting in 1982, The Maytals reformed in 1990 and have constantly 

toured the globe since. The last decade has seen the band receive a Grammy nomination for their 2008 LP 

Light Your Light and contribute a version of Radiohead’s Let Down to roots/reggae covers LP Radiodread. 

Veritable living legends, their show is not be missed. 

The Academy – 18th August 

SEVERENTH 

Continuing a run of excellent 

metal gigs, The Lomax hosts 

SEVERENTH in mid-August. Former 

touring partners of Bring Me The 

Horizon and Skindred, the band are 

stalwarts of the gig and festival circuit over the past half-decade. A major coup for the support 

act comes in the shape of Liverpool’s OCEANIS who released their debut EP back in April. 

The Lomax – 15th August 

DEER TICK 

On the road around their 

appearance at the End Of The 

Road Festival, Rhode Island’s 

finest DEER TICK roll into the city 

at the close of August. Mining a rich 

seam of alt-country and awarded major praise by Rolling Stone and Spin on their side of 

the pond, this is one not to be missed. Superb support courtesy of BY THE SEA. 

The Kazimier – 31st August 

The top lads at Liverpool Fanzine 

Boss Mag present this night of 

ALEX JARMAY 

REMEMBRANCE 

NIGHT 

celebration and remembrance for 

Alex Jarmay who tragically passed 

away the night before the Carling 

Cup final. THE TEA STREET BAND, MARK FRITH, COLD SHOULDER and THE BLUE JAYS will come 

together and join his family and friends in celebrating Alex’s life. 

Studio 2 - 4th August 

Scousers Calling 

Continuing their close association with Liverpool by hosting some of the city’s finest bands on their 

stages, this year finds a clutch of local groups treading the boards at KENDAL CALLING. 2012’s Lake Districtlocated 

festival boasts an eclectic mix, headlined by the biggest act in UK hip hop Dizzee Rascal, festival 

band par excellence James and indie-rock evergreens Maxïmo Park. The Merseyside contingent meanwhile 

includes SOUND OF GUNS, THE TEA STREET BAND, THE HUMMINGBIRDS and THE CHEAP THRILLS. 

Following on from their biggest UK show to date at the Academy, Sound Of Guns take to festival 

stages armed with the heavy duty anthemic firepower of recent LP Angels And Enemies. Surefire rabblerousers 

live, the stage set will doubtless give lead singer Andy Metcalfe ample opportunity to get in some 

climbing practice (stage managers you have been warned). 

Elsewhere, fast becoming favourites on the city’s live scene with their particular take on countryinfused 

Merseybeat, The Hummingbirds take their well-honed live set up to the lakes. Winners of Sound 

City Youth Live 2012 and holders of the title for youngest group on the entire bill over the weekend 

meanwhile, indie-rockers The Cheap Thrills journey out for one of their first festival appearances 

beyond the city. 

Lowther Deer Park, The Lake District – 27th - 29th July 


20 


Reviews 

DAMO SUZUKI & MUGSTAR 

Mind Mountain – Cantaloupe 

Behind The Wall Of Sleep & 

Harvest Sun @ The Kazimier 

As expected, the crowd tonight is a mixed 

bunch, with the youth and future of Liverpool 

music mingling with old Guinness-soaked 

hippies. Nottingham based three-piece 

CANTALOUPE are an interesting proposition, 

melding jazz-fusion with galactic synth-prog 

into something that is tricky to pin down but 

wonderful to absorb. At times they sound like 

video game session musicians taking the Sims’ 

loading music to its logical conclusion (which is 

a very good thing). This side to them recalls the 

glorious mulch and pomp of late 70s and early 

80s fusionistas such as the Weather Report, Al 

Di Meola and Yes. At other times they possess 

the bite and urgency of the undoubtedly more 

fashionable bands relevant to tonight’s theme: 

Can, Cluster, Neu! etc. It is a glorious mixture 

that is just as catchy as it is left of centre, 

particularly the closer Splish which climaxes 

with such a happy bassline that it is impossible 

not to smile. 

MIND MOUNTAIN sound exactly how one 

would expect a band called Mind Mountain to 

sound. With heavy jazz-rock drums underpinning 

a wild, reverb-soaked guitar and repetitive 

basslines, the trio play lengthy, riff-heavy, acidsoaked 

jams following a lineage from Sabbath, 

through Hawkwind to Kyuss and beyond. Spacerock, 

desert-rock, whatever you label it this is 

expansive stuff. If you let it wash over you - that 

is, not to neglect the music but to soak it in - the 

songs reward close attention, particularly in the 

gloriously intricate yet loose-swinging drums. 

Mind Mountain are excellent. 

As vocalist for German band Can during 

the most exciting three years of their career, 

DAMO SUZUKI’s influence on modern music 

is immeasurable. Can’s mechanized take on 

psychedelia has been echoed by an infinite 

number of bands, and their cut and paste studio 

technique informed electronic music, as well as 

being used to great effect by the likes of Brian 

Eno with Talking Heads. There are few artists 

whose psyche their sound hasn’t leaked into. 

Since parting ways with Can, Suzuki has 

set up the Damo Suzuki Network in which he 

performs live improvisational music with local 

musicians from across the globe, which tonight 

brings him to the Kazimier to play with the 

mighty MUGSTAR. 

Mugstar have a nervous energy, all too 

aware of the importance this moment holds for 

them: Suzuki was involved in the inception of 

a dozen genre variations that are the basis of 

Mugstar’s DNA. The band begins with a slow, 

locked-in groove; Suzuki joins in very quickly 

and instantly finds interesting vocal rhythms 

and cadences. The most surprising aspect of 

this performance is how cohesive it is. Although 

totally improvising, Suzuki’s use of repetition 

provides a hook so strong that it seems planned, 

crafted and honed. This is surely down to a great 

deal of experience in improvisation and perhaps 

a few key vocal tricks that he has developed to 

guarantee quality. One hopes and presumes not. 

In a trance, he sings gibberish; made up sounds 

that appear remarkably similar to English words 

lost in reverb and delay. 

As the intensity increases, multi-instrumentalist 

Peter Smyth becomes possessed and thrashes 

Damo Suzuki (Jonathan Dawe) 

his guitar and keyboard around, playing over his 

head like Hendrix, wandering into the crowd and 

even offering his guitar to an audience member 

to jam with. He then proceeds to smash up his 

keyboard stand in an act of semi-controlled rock 

showmanship. Mildly contrived perhaps, but can 

it ever not be in 2012? This doesn’t happen at 

your normal Mugstar show, so why not now as 

part of a one-off improvised piece with a living 

legend? A special performance, leaving Mugstar 

with another impressive notch on their bedpost. 

Jonny Davis 

AFRICA OYÉ 

The Picket 

With the rain doing its thing again, AFRICA 

OYÉ’s landmark 20th anniversary festival is in 

danger of being a washout. But a festival of this 

magnitude doesn’t get through to its twentieth 

year without being robust. So, having been 

uprooted from Sefton Park (due to health and 

safety reasons), a quick move across Liverpool 

and back to its old haunt at The Picket means 

that the show, for Saturday at least, can still go 

on. Though intensely cramped at times due to the 

sheer number of people present, partying inside 

and out, you can’t grumble as the wholesome 

music on offer mitigates any moving pains. 

Quick thinking from the festival directors and 

staff by securing the trio of Baltic Triangle indoor 

venues (The Picket, Camp & Furnace and The 

Blade Factory) are evidence of Festival Director 

Paul Duhaney’s message: “It shows how we all 

pull together in times of crisis in this city.” 

Musically the venue change sees the original 

Saturday line-up take to the stage at The Picket, 

with DJs forming a peripheral party of their 

own in The Blade Factory. JALIBA KUYATEH puts 

the weekend’s troubles behind him and brings 

some Gambian spirit to the day. Accompanied 

by his entourage of usual suspects, the koraplaying 

self-made artist goads the crowd with 

his unique recipe of African blues and soul laced 

with some pop whimsicalities. Following up, 

crowd pleaser SAMBA MAPANGALA demonstrates 

a much more conventional and expressive 

musical approach, adding a continental flavour 

to his frame of music. The brass and trebles 

come as the expected uplift that finally brings 

those Picket naysayers to their dancing feet; a 

degree of freedom finally sweeps the crowd - 

which, for me, typifies this festival. After a swift 

wander to sample some of the festival’s pop-up 

tents (primarily to the craft stalls and Ragga’s 

for the Guinness punch), I was ready to watch 

YAABA FUNK take the night one notch up. Their 

funky range of afrobeats are loud, sincere, and 

packed full of grooves and soul. The collective’s 

all-encompassing approach makes them the 

absolute standout artist of the night. The DELE 

SOSIMI AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA come onstage 

last to wrap up the night with their own 

particular rootsy funkadelia. More like a family 

Yabba Funk (Matthew Thomas) 


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22 Bido Lito! August 2012 

Reviews 

on stage, the band collate all the emotions of 

the day, switching between tempos, beats and 

rhythms that demonstrate the true genius of 

Dele Sosimi and the strong cohort of artists at 

his side. 

Though the artists, stall runners, chefs and 

fans have been brilliant, a massive doff of the 

cap must be made to the Oyé management 

team, who behind the scenes lost a lot of sleep 

so that Liverpool might have its special day once 

more. Africa Oyé 2012 may be remembered as a 

washout, but for those who were in The Picket 

it will be seen as a special festival in which all 

revellers felt comfortable enough to relax, chill 

and enjoy themselves, even when the weather 

threw all it had at us. The words “smashed it” 

spring to mind. 

Si Finnerty 

CEREBRAL BALLZY 

The Bendal Interlude – The Smoking 

Hearts – Stereo Virgins 

Evol & Bloody Shells @ The Kazimier 

Making your Kazimier debut is nervewracking 

at the best of times, but when it’s 

supporting current East Coast hardcore kings 

CEREBRAL BALLZY the pressure is really on. 

Perhaps that explains the subdued start from 

STEREO VIRGINS. It takes two or three songs for 

frontwoman Rachel Alveston to grow into the 

performance, and the set thus far is lacklustre. 

Once Alveston warms up there is a marked 

difference – the band’s confidence and the 

set’s quality grow noticeably. There are good 

QOTSA-esque riffs here, and combined with 

the vocals Stereo Virgins sound like 2:54 put 

through a Marshall Jackhammer. Yet their songs 

occasionally overstay their welcome: either cut 

in half or played twice as fast and Stereo Virgins 

could excel. 

Essex thrash-punks THE SMOKING HEARTS 

are next, returning to Liverpool after an April 

headline gig at the Shipping Forecast. They’re 

The Smoking Hearts (Adam Edwards) 

impressively drunk and impressively energetic, 

with singer Ben Mills jumping from the stage 

during first song Thrash B4 Gash. The Smoking 

Hearts are loud and abrasive but with the right 

amount of snap; a good, tight, punk band. 

Despite the crowd still warming up, the band 

flourish in this larger venue. An impressive 

set concludes with all but the drummer in the 

crowd – after Mills has already jumped from 

the Kazimier’s balcony, naturally. They’ve done 

British thrash proud and would not have looked 

amiss as tonight’s headliners. 

Main support is local lads THE BENDAL 

INTERLUDE. Like a Scouse Pantera, they rumble 

through a short set of grunge-metal tracks – but 

it’s hard to really discern between most of the 

songs and they tend to overrun. Ron Salmon 

goes down well and the crowd maintains a 

good atmosphere, culminating in a fat, topless 

Scouser hugging the band on stage. This is the 

Krazyhouse’s first floor in gig form. 

Headliners Cerebral Ballzy may not have 

expected to follow much tonight and it’s 

evident that the crowd requires an element 

of rejuvenation after The Bendal Interlude. 

Regardless, singer Honor Titus and his band 

come out with gusto – very loud, very fast gusto. 

A lot of songs tonight have dragged but there’s 

no danger of Ballzy making that mistake. Like 

descendants of The Descendants, the set is 

a blitzkrieg onslaught, most songs clocking 

in at under a minute. Hardcore punk at this 

speed is an acquired taste but it showcases 

how tight the musicianship is – drummer Crazy 

Abe in particular reminiscent of E. Honda with 

drumsticks. The songs are indistinguishable but 

those watching care not a jot – an energetic 

crowd keeps pace with the band, moshing from 

the word go. For his part, Titus gets involved – 

sharing his microphone with a fortunate few 

revellers and sharing his beer with one even 

luckier. Although there’s interaction there seems 

to be little engagement, and Titus seems jaded 

throughout. It sounds ridiculous to describe a 

singer who performs a few numbers perched

Reviews 


atop the venue’s highest amplifier as going 

through the motions, but Titus (and Ballzy by 

proxy) feels a bit detached from the evening. 

Perhaps the band’s live reputation has been 

built up too much, or the earlier support has 

raised the bar too high. Either way, it IS a good 

gig – there’s just the nagging feeling it could 

have been more. 

Adam Edwards 

JESCA HOOP 

Mellowtone and Ceremony Concerts @ Leaf 

It’s evident that this evening’s sweltering heat 

hasn’t played too much part in JESCA HOOP’s 

outfit selection: as she slyly emerges from 

the back of a jam-packed Leaf crowd clad in a 

military jacket stolen from Adam Ant’s wardrobe, 

she coolly strides on to the stage with her trio of 

accomplices and storms into the simply brilliant 

Murder Of Birds. This absolute gem of a song 

(which on record features Elbow’s Guy Garvey) 

demonstrates Hoop’s mastery of melody, and 

ability to effortlessly shift gears mid-song. After 

some heart-wrenching harmonies in the verses, 

the chorus skips into a gorgeous Celtic jig, which 

she carries with minimal help from her threepiece 

band (acoustic guitar flourishes aside). 

The Manchester dwelling Californian 

frequently alludes to her constricted youth. In 

her own words, “I was raised Mormon ‘til I was 

sixteen. Then I fucked off.” So when she croons, 

“I have demons when I need them, don’t ask me 

to show you they’re not supposed to be used on 

you,” everyone believes her. 

Where other artists might faff about between 

songs, plug their merch or half-heartedly say 

‘cheers’ a few times, Hoop aims a little higher: 

she frequently uses the inter-song gaps to 

recount lengthy and amusing anecdotes. Her 

smoky American accent and sultry delivery, like 

Mia Wallace over her home Tannoy system, has 

everyone spellbound. Biggest smiles are saved 

for the tale about smuggling some weed in a 

Jesca Hoop (Rob Rossington) 

jar of peanut butter to her mother (recently 

diagnosed with cancer), and the ensuing 

conversation with a 54-year-old taking illicit 

drugs for the first time. It might seem strange to 

dwell so much on the between-song banter, but 

some of it takes longer than most of the songs, 

to the extent that it feels as much a part of the 

show as the songs themselves. 

One thing that isn’t consistent however, is 

the tone of the music. Third song, Feast Of The 

Heart, has this whole krautrock thing going on, 

which seems a little at odds with the lilting Joni 

Mitchell cultivated jazz-folk-pop songs around it. 

Whether or not this annoys you ultimately boils 

down to taste, but fundamentally, the song isn’t 

that great and it kind of just feels like it’s there 

for the sake of a mood shift. 

The accompaniment (drum samples and 

acoustic guitar) are sparsely used, though 

the backing vocals on Hospital combine with 

delicious sibilance on the title word, providing 

the perfect bulwark to Hoop’s shrill vocals. 

Some of the mid-set songs start to drag a 

little, her best songs serving to bookend the 

set. As the darkly anthemic Tulip brings the 

evening to a close, the audience make their 

full appreciation felt by showing some genuine 

love, and it’s not hard to see why. More please. 


DAWES 

Jonny Corndawg 

Harvest Sun @ The Kazimier 

After a brief and unwarranted apology for his 

stage moniker (a nickname given to him as a kid) 

JONNY CORNDAWG serves tonight’s crowd the 

type of authentic American country music that 

they don’t often get the chance to appreciate. 

But his lyrics have a clever modern twist to them, 

referencing caller IDs and contact lens solution 

amongst lines about the blue Texan sky. Taylor 

Goldsmith, of headliners DAWES, stands to his 

right, providing dulcet electric guitar noodlings,

24 


Reviews 

A U G U S T 2 0 1 2 

Saturday 4th - 4pm till 3am 

FESTEVOL GARDENS part 1 

(feat. Clinic, Eva Peterson, Wicked Whispers + More) 

Sunday 5th 

DEVIATION: SURREAL LIFE DRAWING 

Sunday 5th 7pm 

NICK MULVEY (PORTICO QUARTET) - FREE 

Thursday 9th 8pm 

FREE ROCK & ROLL 

Saturday 11th - 4pm till 3am 

FESTEVOL GARDENS part 2 

(feat. Outfit, Thunderbird Gerard, Tea Street Band) 

Sunday 12th - 10.30am till 12.30pm 

SCREEN PRINTING WITH PAPER STENCILS 

WORKSHOP 

Saturday 18th- 12pm - 5pm 

THE GREAT SUMMERTIME WHITE 

ELEPHANT BAZAAR 

Saturday 25th 

BANK HOLIDAY KRUNK PARTY 

Feat. Orchestra of Spheres (Australia) 

Sunday 26th 6pm 

DEAD HEDGE TRIO 

WWW.GARDEN.THEKAZIMIER.CO.UK 


and harmonies that perfectly accompany 

Corndawg’s southern yelps. 

By far the highlight is his cover of the Jimmy 

Cousins song Stone Cold Daddy-Oh. Right arm 

raised aloft like a preacher, he sings the whole 

thing a capella to his now transfixed, seated 

congregation. Chatter and heckles are far from 

the minds of the rapt audience as this stunning 

moment drifts by uninterrupted. For the last 

three songs Corndawg is joined by the full 

Dawes outfit and they finish with a three-part 

a capella rendition of Silver Panty Liners, urging 

the crowd “Not to kiss below the belt ‘til you 

make a firm connection.” Wise words. 

Having appeared in various permutations 

with Mr Corndawg, the complete DAWES line-up 

now stands in front of a surprisingly large and 

receptive crowd. Apparently these Angelenos 

have a bit of a cult following here, which isn’t 

bad considering it’s their first ever show in 

Liverpool. Like the country giants of old, they 

excel at storytelling: on the brilliant Coming 

Back To A Man, singer Taylor Goldsmith painfully 

reminds us, “Some people were just meant to 

be a memory… The way the scattered, ever busy 

bright lights of a city might look off on a distant 

mountain range.” That line is actually quite a 

pertinent metaphor for the whole gig. 

Everything about their music pines for an age 

gone by, and though they try to bring a new 

spark to a now undeniably saturated genre, they 

fall a little short. It’s all just a bit rehashed. The 

buzzing crowd at the Kazimier seems to disagree, 

but Dawes are basically riding the last ripples of 

the country folk revival started by Fleet Foxes in 

2008. The fact that they used to be a post-punk 

outfit until 2009, combined with their approach 

to vocal harmony arrangements, makes you 

Dawes (Matthew Thomas) 

wonder if they didn’t all get together one day 

and say, “Hey! That Seattle band are doin’ OK, 

let’s get in on some of that!” Perhaps that’s a 

tad harsh: their songs are in fact really good, 

and they do attempt to play with the formula. 

Fourth song Fire Away has a fiendish Albert 

Hammond Jr-esque guitar solo that somehow 

just works over everything, and they throw the 

odd chord in every song that shouldn’t belong in 

the genre but again, just fits. The electric piano 

(expertly played by Tay Strathairn) sits sweetly 

alongside Goldsmith’s guitar and Wylie Gelber’s 

bass, and the song arrangements are tighter 

than Neil Young’s vocal chords. In spite of the 

nagging feeling that everyone’s indulging in 

some sort of fetish for plaid, the four of them 

are ridiculously gifted musicians, and they do 

know how to perform. That Dawes round things 

off with the audience bawling back the insanely 

catchy chorus for When My Time Comes suggests 

that they’ve got the balance just right. 

KATE NASH 

Shuga – Jon Jackson 


The Zanzibar 

KATE NASH’s Faster Pussy Cat Run Run tour 

evidently spearheads her crusade to focus 

attention on female writers and performers, 

and to interest other young women in joining 

them. Use of riotous guitars and piercing vocals 

suggests she’s ready to shed the ‘girl next door’ 

image once and for all, with the question on 

everyone’s lips being whether she’ll pull it off. If 

die-hard fans are nervous about this unveiling of 

grungy Kate, opening act JON JACKSON doesn’t

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26 Bido Lito! August 2012 

Reviews 

Kate Nash (John Johnson) 

put their mind at ease. Failing to finish a single 

song, initial encouragement from about forty 

teenage girls soon subsides with the realization 

that he’s merely wasting everyone’s time. The 

final pulling of the plug pre-chorus during a Van 

Morrison cover/murder is met with a universal 

sigh of relief. 

Fortunately, SHUGA swiftly take to the stage. 

With warm hazy chords, the three-piece lace their 

songs with call and response vocals, creating a 

Velvet Underground/Jesus And Mary Chain feel, 

only with more chaotic chord sequences. Overly 

repetitious or tritely-rhymed lyrics sometimes 

fall short, but the earthy raw tones of Stay Wild, 

featuring only piano and vocals, feel really 

intimate. 

A re-enthused audience screams its adulation 

as our headliner takes to the stage. What is 

most startling at first is Nash’s appearance – the 

wavy hair, cute pretty dresses and pink cheeks 

have been replaced with dyed auburn hair with 

a white streak, a psychedelic 60s dress and a 

guitar heavily plastered with ‘rock’ band stickers. 

She immediately launches into the grungy wall 

of sound All Talk, with the all-female backing 

band adding to the 60s pop ambience with their 

sultry BVs. At times, there’s even something of 

the Lulu about Nash, at odds with the grunge 

mood when the muddiness is brazenly severed 

by vocal shrills. Certain songs penned for the 

new album, including You’re So Cool I’m So 

Freaky and 3am, revert to typically Nash fourchord 

melodies, with words drizzled ten-to-thedozen. 

There are some pleasant surprises in the 

set, however. Are You There Sweetheart?, comes 

across as a bit of a shouty Moldy Peaches number, 

marking a stark exit from the overproduced and 

compressed sound of Nash’s old material. The 

less Kate prattles, the more sophisticated she 

seems, and the better she masters the mood 

and takes control. 

Standout track of the evening is Cherry 

Picking, mixing a colourful Love is All sound 

with indie-punk Rakes-like backing. Only 

three tracks from former albums feature 

tonight, including a complete reworking 

of biggest hit Foundations, with fuzzed-up 

guitars blending well with Nash’s staccato 

enunciation; a coherent reinterpretation 

of the back catalogue which helps to 

demonstrate a greater maturity. A cover of an 

obscure Canadian punk song, My Chinchilla, 

demonstrates a dramatic change of influences 

she’s picked up while writing in LA. Yet despite 

this there’s plenty to suggest that she hasn’t 

quite settled in at riot grrrl HQ just yet: her 

female backing band are forced to wear black 

T-shirts with pink heart stencils, and her songs 

are still about girls, sweethearts and all the 

cute lil’ things associated with the Kingdom 

of Twee. That said, tonight has served as a 

testing ground for Nash in trying to gauge 

which songs make the grade and which need 

more work. There are a surprising number

Reviews 


of genuine nuggets, so let’s hope it’s those 

songs that make the final cut. 

Amy Greir 

ITAL 

Isocore 

Deep Hedonia @ The Shipping Forecast 

First and foremost music should be its own 

reward. Is this an ideal? A cliché? Well, I think it’s a 

truth. If this is so then the most rewarding music 

should challenge itself, seeking out avenues that 

have seldom been travelled. The narrow path of 

nostalgia takes us to the same tried and tested 

safe havens. ITAL’s Daniel Martin-McCormick, 

previously of Black Eyes and Mi Ami, is mapping 

out his own adventures and he’s gone off road. 

Where Mi Ami was experimental, LA DIY disco 

punk, Ital is DIY house for a new century. The 

label he’s on (100% Silk) are chief proponents of 

this boldness and, as such, the rest of their roster 

makes for interesting listening. Deep Hedonia 

also share something of this vision and, with 

Hive providing visuals, Forest Swords spinning 

tracks, and ISOCORE providing the warm-up, 

it is a pity that there aren’t more punters here 

to absorb it all. In fact, in an age where bogstandard 

festivals are a rite of passage and ‘back 

together for the money’ bands are everywhere, it 

is actually quite fucking depressing. 

Isocore’s techno bleeps and twisted, off-kilter 

drums are constantly reshaped into swarms of 

attacking wasps hovering over spilt jam: well, 

it gets my head buzzing anyway. At times, on 

the likes of Saintropie, you can almost hear the 

strains of frequent Argento collaborators Goblin, 

digitized for the new film age, with the visuals 

emphasizing this whole cinematic glitchfest. 

Ital (Darren Aston) 

Now on to the main act, and Martin- 

McCormick throws himself at his sequencers 

and samplers, a full-on sweaty and hedonistic 

wrecking ball. And he’s got a job on too as all 

the intricacies of this music are played out at 

his fingertips in plain sight: you definitely can’t 

accuse him of just pressing play. Where Mi Ami 

were a more anarchic version of The Rapture, 

Ital is a more precise, original, slick and 

varnished version of something else entirely. 

What? I’m not quite sure, but I like it. Eighties 

house is certainly an elemental part but used 

in a ‘retrolicious’ way - a simple classification 

of ‘dance music’ just doesn’t suffice. That’s 

the beauty of new music you see, you can’t 

quite put your finger on it. Categorisation isn’t 

really that vital here anyway: listening and 

absorbing is the key, soaking it all up and not 

trying to pigeonhole the sounds. It’s not all 

easy, but like an affecting film his set stays 

with you long after you’ve left the venue. To 

move music on we need to support original 

musical pioneers and boundary pushers 

such as Martin-McCormick, and to constantly 

invest in something new, not stay away and 

reconfirm our own prejudices. Ital’s Floridian 

Void is a great place to start. 

Mick Chrysalid 

THE BIG HOUSE 

The Flamin’ Mamies - Emily & The Faves 

The Music Consortium @ The Kazimier 

An early doors appearance by EMILY & 

THE FAVES on the launch night for the debut 

single by THE BIG HOUSE sees the Faves’ 

luminous psych-pop moulded into different 

forms by a re-jigged band line-up. Not quite 

Sat 22nd to 

Sun 23rd September, 7:30pm. 

CATFISH THERAPY 

Fri 28th September, 8:00pm. 

KATHRYN TICKELL 

NORTHUMBRIAN VOICES 

Fri 5th October, 8:00pm. 

RALPH McTELL 

AN ENGLISH HEARTBEAT 

Sat 6th October, 8:00pm. 

NEARLY DAN 

REELIN’ IN THE YEARS TOUR 

Sat 13th October, 8:00pm. 

NICK HARPER 

Sun 14th October, 8:00pm. 

KARINE POLWART 

Fri 2nd November, 8:00pm. 

HOT CLUB OF COW TOWN 

Sun 4th November, 8:00pm. 

EASY STAR ALL-STARS 

Sunday 11th November, 7:30pm. 

GEORGIE FAME IN CONCERT 

GEORGIE FAME & SONS 

Wednesday 14th November, 8:00pm. 

MATRACA BERG 

Thursday 15th November, 8:00pm. 

SAD CAFE 

Friday 16th November, 8:00pm. 

WOODY MANN 

Saturday 17th November, 8:00pm. 

BOBBY VALENTINO & B.J. COLE 

STEELIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY WITH 

SPECIAL GUESTS TOM DOUGHTY, 

CHES & AL CHERRY 

Sunday 18th November, 8:00pm. 

THEA GILMORE 

Thursday 22nd November, 8:00pm. 

GALINA VALE 

Friday 23rd November, 8:00pm. 

NINE BELOW ZERO 

Saturday 24th November, 8:00pm. 

SHOW OF HANDS

28 


Reviews 

‘Unplugged with Emily’ but not far removed, 

the alternative arrangements with only one 

guitar present underline the melodic strength 

of the Faves’ material. Future single Rain, 

weaving its way through a stop-start structure 

and intermittent banshee howls, along with 

new song This Time, clearly indicate there 

are plenty more gems to be mined from the 

rich seam that the band tapped into on their 

excellent debut LP. 

“This is a song from 1925” must rank as 

one of the more unusual introductions to a 

song heard from The Kazimier’s stage this 

year. When the band making the intro is THE 

FLAMIN’ MAMIES however, it makes perfect 

sense. With their songs led by ukulele and 

banjo the glamorously attired all-female 

quartet transport the venue back to an interwar 

era of frantically-dancing society girls 

and debonair gents on the ballroom floors 

of the Adelphi Hotel’s Palm Court and The 

Grafton Rooms. 

Taking to the stage as an XL edition eight-piece, 

headliners The Big House launch into a storming 

rendition of new single Canyon Home In The 

Sun. With the nucleus of Candie Payne and Paul 

Molloy supplemented by a rhythm section and 

a four-piece brass ensemble (including former 

Zuton Abi Harding), the extra instrumentation 

is expertly arranged. At the helm of the band, 

Paul Molloy assuredly steers the players through 

proceedings, the incredibly well-drilled troupe 

capturing each nuance of the songs perfectly. 

Pebble Lane, played early on and led by a 

wistful Candie vocal, is a standout, the summery 

acoustic arpeggio offset by the emotional 

turmoil present in the lyrics of one of the darkest 

tunes in the duo’s catalogue. Splicing the breezy 

LA atmosphere of Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac 

with the Laurel Canyon scene of a decade earlier 

and infusing it with their own indelible boy/girl 

harmonies, Lover, 

Silver And Gold and Too Far 

Gone all shine individually as brilliantly realised 

pieces of West Coast folk/classic pop. 

Parallel to these, covers of Gene Clarke’s 

Here Without You and The Merseys’ Sorrow slot 

seamlessly into the set, working well alongside 

the original material. Demonstrating how easily 

they can move back into stripped-down acoustic 

mode, guitarist Dave Owen is welcomed to the 

stage as the trio turn in a delicate rendition 

of the Gram Parsons-esque Sweetheart as an 

acoustic three-piece. 

Concluding with a rousing take of 

accompanying A-side Caught Up, with the 

entire company back onstage, now numbering 

ten, and Candie’s voice in impressive full flight, 

the group are transformed into a stomping 

Motown revue band. Drawing to a close after 

ten songs, the entire sum of which appears to 

have flown past in less than five minutes, the 

players depart from the stage beaming smiles 

all round, mirroring the audience’s reaction to 

a dazzling show. 

Richard Lewis 

GOTTWOOD FESTIVAL 

Seemingly cast adrift from civilisation, the 

desolate surroundings of the idyllic Welsh 

countryside are just enough to break from the 

monotony of the everlasting A55 as we make 

our belated arrival at GOTTWOOD FESTIVAL. 

As nightfall draws in and we approach the 

makeshift festival gates which stand between 

us and a thriving community of bohemian 

trailblazers, the steady hum of an unidentified 

bassline resonates through the dense forest 

ahead. Lumbering through the mountainous 

evergreens you can’t help but take a step back 

to admire the infinite beauty of this scenic 

utopia. The festival grounds are truly a sight to 

behold: envision an elaborate lucid dream, an 

involuntary exploration into the outer reaches of 

the subconscious. It’s a twisted hippy commune 

and Gottwood captures this vibe and psychedelic 

aesthetic with consummate aplomb. 

After a thorough rub of the eyes and a quick 

reality check it’s time to get stuck in to the 

thick of it (perhaps all too literally now we’re 

suitably caked in mud), and dance hall groove 

wizard MOSCA’s appearance at the aptly named 

Summer Of Wood stage is our first port of call. 

Expertly amalgamating tediously labelled 

genres in his collection, it’s nice to see a true 

aficionado at work. Continually displaying his 

enthusiasm for a wide range of turbulent UK 

bassline, the inconsistent and volatile nature of 

Mosca’s set is as unpredictable as it is worldly. 

From techno and prog-house to the incessant 

flutterings of hip hop, his freedom to interchange 

his selection pays testament to his versatility as 

a live performer. The unruly mass is captivated 

and clearly itching for more. 

A spot of exploration on day two reveals a 

site littered with structures and artistry of all 

shapes, sizes and colours. Gottwood’s site offers 

a tremendous playground of visual delights and 

tree-house architecture, whose form springs 

from the very foundation of their tranquil 

surroundings. With wanderings appeased, IFAN 

DAFFYD and Saturday night’s dynamic headline 

double act DISCLOSURE are the choice over at 

The Stables. Sultry and progressive two-step 

in between twitchy house archetypes was duly 

expected from local Welsh wonder Ifan Daffyd; his 

formidable use of diced vocal snippets (à la James 

Blake) never fail to build an eerie atmosphere. 

Unfortunately the overbearing heat created by 

The Stables’ masses disappointingly detracts 

from the intimacy of the affair as Disclosure take 

the reins to uproarious adulation. The orgasmic 

yelps of lush stable stormer What’s In Your Head 

are enough to encourage spontaneous acts 

of jubilation, its jaunty rhythm dictating bodyjacking 

outbursts of self-expression. 

The twilight hours see us trip in to The Walled 

Garden, where Crosstown Rebels powerhouse 

DINKY is at the helm of a monastery of visual 

delight. Although she may have been dubbed 


FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS 

REFLECTIONS - 14 August, 7:30pm 

Rakesh Chaurasia & 

Shashank Subramaniam 

Two of the leading bansuri players of the 

Hindustani and Carnatic styles present a rare 

jugalbandi performance. 

CHENNAI TO COLOMBO - 15 August, 7:30pm 

Hari Sivanesan & Dr. Deepti Omchery Bhalla 

A journey through the musical traditions of 

South India in this double-bill performance.. 

MORNING RAGA - 18 August, 8:00am 

Rakesh Chaurasia 

Bamboo flute virtuoso Rakesh Chaurasia 

welcomes in the day with a traditional Hindustani 

morning concert. 

GLOBAL CARNATIC - 18 August, 7:30pm 

Lalgudi GJR Krishnan, Anil Srinivasan & 

Gaurav Mazumdar 

A unique blend of Carnatic, Hindustani and 

Western music traditions. 

DEMYSTIFYING INDIAN MUSIC - 

13-17 August, daily 4:30pm 

Series of lecture-demonstration sessions devised 

to explain and demonstrate some of the key 

characteristics that form the basis of all Indian 

classical music. 

FREE ADMISSION 

www.milapfest.com 

Produced by 

120716_indika_advert_bidoLito_100.indd 1 17/7/12 16:08:58

30 


Reviews 

Steeling Sheep (Matthew Thomas) 

Dinky by name, this is in no way a shrewd 

indication of the amplitude of her capabilities 

behind the decks. She patiently cultivates an 

acute tapestry of percussive funk entwined 

with melodic drones in order to build a modern 

symphony both moving and surreal. 

Disheartened by the news that the mighty 

Lake Stage is waterlogged and therefore 

unredeemable, the remaining acts on day 

three are allocated to the Boxford Caravan for 

the remainder of the festival. Unmanageably 

exhausted we decide to check out how 

the WAXXX DJs are getting on. A sparse but 

enthusiastic bunch of miscreants stand 

in attendance for the Liverpool collective, 

swaying in unison to what can only be 

described as an innovative offshoot of 

Balearic tech-house. 

Gottwood’s intimate setting along 

with its friendly community ethos is an 

enlightening reprieve away from the 

frivolous corporate shite rammed down our 

throats by the so-called domineering festival 

super powers. Maybe the thin mountainous 

air has induced a feverish delirium, but 

we say bring back the obscure, encourage 

the creative, seize the freewheeling magic 

of the boutique festival, and embrace the 

weird and wonderful with an open mind 

and an open heart. Gottwood Festival: two 

unquestionable thumbs up. 

STEALING SHEEP 

Joshua Nevett 

a.P.A.t.T. - By The Sea – White Bicycles – Silent 

Sleep – Harlequin Dynamite Marching Band 

everisland @ The Kazimier Garden 

Gone are the days of choosing a line-up, 

throwing together some posters and getting some 

punters involved. While these are still essential 

elements for promoters putting a night together, 

2012 is arguably a far more challenging time for 

music promoters than any other year, thus making 

it essential that they both forge a unique identity 

and pick up on what the public wants. 

Everisland regularly tick all those boxes by 

showcasing some of the best up and coming 

musical talent in Liverpool, all whilst thinking 

outside the box to create unique events that 

bring a certain charm. Taking place in this 

summer’s most charming summer space, 

tonight’s Kazimier Garden Gathering opens in 

typically visionary fashion with a 20-foot giraffe 

puppet, fittingly accompanied by the jazz club 

vibes of THE HARLEQUIN DYNAMITE MARCHING 

BAND. A giraffe puppet proves not to be the 

only thing to capture the audience’s fascination, 

however, with creative agency The Wolf 

Collective returning later in the evening with an 

enchanting shadow-puppet show. Engrossing 

in their own separate ways, both side orders to 

the main dish mesh perfectly with the overall 

ambience of the space, which is dressed to look 

like some kind of madcap summer fête. 

Following a crowd-arousing tropical house 

set from probably one of the most exciting DJs 

in Liverpool right about now (DJ Carla Clarkson), 

the audience are treated to the delicate folkinspired 

lullabies of SILENT SLEEP, and the 

musical equivalent of sunshine courtesy of the 

steel-drum led melodies of WHITE BICYCLES. 

NME Radar stars and Wirral’s BY THE SEA 

open the second instalment of the evening’s 

proceedings with their shoegazey melodies, 

jangling guitar patterns and reverbed vocals in 

all encompassment of their name. 

The night belongs to one band however, the 

darlings of Liverpool music (and probably one 

of the city’s hardest working bands) STEALING 

SHEEP. Never have a headline band and a venue, 

even event, been as well matched as these two, 

with the band predictably pulling in the biggest 

crowd of the evening. It’s impossible not to be 

drawn in by Stealing Sheep’s charm, which is 

embodied throughout their live set by the playful 

smiles upon the girls’ faces. There’s always an 

evident chemistry between Becky, Emily and 

Lucy, which is enhanced further through their 

ability to seamlessly switch lead vocal duties, 

all while keeping on the same path. 

The addition of members of The Harlequin 

Dynamite Jazz Band providing extra percussion, 

and, later on King Twit, is a welcome one and 

whilst Stealing Sheep are perfectly capable 

of creating a big enough sound on their own 

accord, it makes the conflicting melodies the 

trio use to reach a crescendo somewhat more 

exciting. This addition is taken to a celebratory 

extreme when Stealing Sheep are joined on 

stage by their wide variety of collaborators and 

friends for Shut Eye, the single that has been 

picked up by the likes of Radio 1 and BBC 6Music 

and therefore one that many of the audience 

will have been waiting for. It’s a wait that doesn’t 

prove disappointing, as the Shut Eye Choir add 

a playful depth to the song that is obviously a 

very special moment for fans of the band, and 

probably quite a unique one to witness. 

While a.P.A.t.T. scream and thrash through 

some debauched late night antics, the air settles 

on what has been an unmitigated success all 

round, for band, venue and promoter. A good 

night’s work. 

Matt Healy 


My independence 

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Issue 25 / August 2015

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