Issue 15 / September 2011

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BONGO BEAT RECORDS! THE POWER OF POP KIMBERLEY REW (SOFT BOYS. KATRINA & WAVES) ROOTS ROCK FROM THE WRITER OF “WALKING ON SUNSHINE” ESSEX HIDEAWAY A MASTERPIECE OF GUITAR PROWESS AND SONGCRAFT KATRINA AND THE WAVES 2DISC SET. 1983-1984 MASSIVE LINER NOTES BONUS 1983 DVD CONCERT Distributed by Proper Music. Available: HMV.COM, iTUNES AMAZON, PLAY.COM, eMusic, Spotify, etc BONGO BEAT www.bongobeat.com label curated by Ralph Alfonso overall catchy and uncompromising sound have that world-weary feeling that suggest they’ve been around the block more than a few times, and have been shaped by rather a few lovers’ tiffs. Next up is THE JAMES CANTY BAND, a six-piece who are heavily influenced by bluegrass, and who sound like they’ve just been plucked from around a campfire in the Midwest after a hard day’s work. Their entertaining commentary throughout is somewhat wasted on the crowd; however this doesn’t dampen the band’s enthusiasm and they deliver a blinding hoedown of a set full of fiddles, with even a few bin lids for good measure. An excellent opening line-up did little to fire the audience’s enthusiasm but when JEFFREY LEWIS AND THE JUNKYARD took to the stage, it seemed as though all those who were packed in to various corners of the venue all came together to create a spectacle which was fitting for the godfather of anti-folk himself. It was refreshing to witness a crowd that not only knew every word to every song but laughed out loud at the selfdeprecating humour they’d probably heard a hundred times before. An evening with Jeffrey Lewis wouldn’t be complete without some type of comic strip amusement apparent, and tonight’s crowd wasn’t left disappointed on that score: a documentary of the French Revolution complete with Lewis’ very own amusing cartoon chronology was the highlight. Gems like Slogans, Roll Bus Roll and personal favourite Broken Broken Broken Heart saw the mix of folk and punk get the crowd tapping their feet, with even a small minority thrusting their hips too. All in all for a night that was advertised on the basis of a lyrical genius taking centre stage, it’s pleasing to say that the local bands supporting definitely gave the fella from across the pond a run for his money. Emma Weston CLOUD 9 FESTIVAL Love Lane Farm, Cheshire CLOUD 9 is not just a day festival, it is an education on how to cram as much music as possible into your ears in just twelve hours. Game on. Holding six tents/stages and a few food and other miscellaneous stalls (Vajazzle Area anyone?) on the normally-sleepy Love Lane Farm in Congleton, the tiny space contains an amazing array of artistic talent. The first tent you stumble upon houses The C.A.L.M Stage, from the admirable charity of the same name. This is the scene of one of Cloud 9’s highlights: despite not singing a note or playing a record, the DJ set of Happy Mondays’ groovester BEZ cooks up an atmosphere that is practically tangible. Even though he spends the whole time bug-eyed and pogoing about, his ‘performance’ is still vitally effervescent. If you missed him, you missed a treat. Heading to the Eskimo Mojito Tent high on Bez euphoria, I want and expect big things of ONYX AND CRAKE with their experimental DJ and mixed vocal performance. Unfortunately their own over-inflated sense of their music ruins what could be a great act. Teaching this duo how to make an appearance on this stage is MARK ABBOTT as he busts out an Electro/ Jazz/Swing DJ set, with his song Slippery When Wet the pinnacle. Take note Onyx and Crake: this guy was the shit. Next door in The Dome tent, MEDICINE 8 are a surprisingly lovely discovery, getting everyone moshing around just in time for the sun to pop its head out of the clouds. SCRATCH PERVERTS take control of this stage a little later and make it hard to leave - too much talent and, sadly, not enough time. The Headculture Tent, representing another worthy charity, brings a nice change of pace to the raving from the other tents. The whiskey-swilling LUKE BROXBURGH is the name to remember from this stage’s performances, if only for the fact that his fan base fills the tent to the brim. His flawless cover of Gym Class Heroes’ Cupid’s Chokehold proves that no one should be wary of performing a well-placed cover at a festival. Aside from Broxburgh’s fans, this is still the festival’s busiest tent, and not without good reason: Headculture pulled out all the stops to bring something extra to the bill of chilled-out acts, with face-painting and a giant game of Connect4 adding Jeffery Lewis (Phil MacDonald)
Reviews Bido Lito! <strong>September</strong> <strong>2011</strong> 27 a bit of fun that drew in the crowds, and helped to raise some muchneeded awareness for the charity. Credit to the festival organisers with the main stage set-up, as it is definitely the best place to soak up Cloud 9’s offerings, be it rain, intermittent flashes of sun, or the acts on show. Earlier on when there are rays to catch, THE MINX and THE PARIS RIOTS are easily the stand outs. As night draws in, the bigger names begin to dominate. Leeds’ THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND put in a good performance, but it is topbillers THE FUTUREHEADS who prove the most entertaining, and entirely deserving of their headlining spot. Making time for some crowd banter and bursting with personality on every tune, they are (unsurprisingly) brilliant from start to finish. The rain falls harder and harder, but high energy tunes like Struck Dumb and Robot make sure that no-one’s spirits are dampened. If any in the crowd were unfamiliar with these Mackem indie stalwarts beforehand, Hounds Of Love makes sure that no-one present will be forgetting them anytime soon. Without doubt the highlight of their set, if not the entire festival, the band’s usual crowd involvement antics are the perfect way to bring a grinning end to a headline set. How do you follow that? The Euphonic Stage, which has been a non-entity all day, comes into its own as the last port of call for festival revellers as the site of Cloud 9’s closing silent disco. Quite simply, you need not associate yourself with anything else, because this is the best way to finish a festival, day-long or otherwise. Fact. N. Philip PROFESSOR YAFFLE The Hummingbirds - The City Walls Acoustic Air Raid @ St. Luke’s Bombed Out Church A dreary morning of relentless rain threatened the existence of Harvest Sun’s annual summer fest, but the clouds parted just in time for the sun to come peeking through and illuminate the ACOUSTIC AIR RAID in the ruined splendour of St. Luke’s. Populated by a mixture of the young, the older and the elderly, with a smattering of children, this was clearly a diverse event keen to cater for all ages and leaning towards a family and friends vibe. Half seated/ half standing, with fold-out chairs and picnic blankets strewn about, there was always a constant stream of people flowing into the church. First up was duo THE CITY WALLS, who immediately set the tone with laid back, acoustic-driven ambience that would continue through the afternoon. With a multi-instrumental, folk rock sound and sentimental and emotive lyrics accompanied variously Cloud 9 Festival (Keith Ainsworth) by mandolin, banjo and violin, it was hard to believe that there were only two people creating this sound. Robert Taylor’s violin created the most effective harmonies, allowing melancholic undertones to drip from their music. A highlight was Wild Flowers, its powerful yet sombre tone serving only to emphasise Paul Crowe’s vocal. THE HUMMINGBIRDS kicked the tempo up a few notches with their energetic and uplifting set. The fivepiece acoustic ensemble, who are essentially five lads and a box, infused a rock sound with an unconventional folk and blues twist. Jay Davies (vocals/guitar) - sporting the tightest jeans known to man - possessed a raw and emotional voice that showed he was able to back up his cocky swagger and arrogance. Upbeat but at times anguished - mostly when his circulation was threatened - the lyrics were not the deepest or most profound, but were impossibly catchy, and not unlike extended ditties with their repetition and punchy diction. The obvious influences of bands such as The Coral and Oasis were hugely evident in the music, style and crowd interaction. Synchronised and extremely rhythmic melodies were interwoven with the bluesy hints of harmonica, lending them a retro feel that fits perfectly with the surroundings. John Doe, with its simple lyrics but infectious beats, had plenty
Page 1 and 2: Issue 15 September 2011 Outfit Vasc
Page 3 and 4: Editorial As Bido Lito! goes to pre
Page 6: News Edited by Helen Weatherhead -
Page 9 and 10: Bido Lito! September 2011 9 to push
Page 12 and 13: 12 Bido Lito! September 2011 LOVED
Page 14: 14 Bido Lito! September 2011 Ashes
Page 17 and 18: Meeting up with VASCO DA GAMA prove
Page 20 and 21: 20 Bido Lito! September 2011 Rants/
Page 22: 22 Bido Lito! September 2011 Previe
Page 25: Reviews Bido Lito! September 2011 2
Page 29 and 30: September Milapfest presents Music

Issue 15 / September 2011

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