Issue 24 / July 2012

FREE 

Issue 24 

July 2012 

Baltic Fleet by Adam Banister 

Baltic Fleet 

Circawaves 

The Hummingbirds 

Sunstack Jones 

The Low Anthem

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! July 2012 

3 

Editorial 

The studious souls amongst you will have noticed something a little bit different about us this month. Can you 

put your finger on it? We’ve not had our hair cut, no new jewellery, not a new pair of brogues in sight, and we’ve 

certainly not shed a few pounds. Quite the opposite in fact; we’ve filled out, packed on some cargo, let ourselves 

go a little. Welcome to your all new, chunky but funky, girth-expanded edition of big pink loveliness. 

After two years in our original format we decided the time was right for a change. Everything needs to 

develop and evolve over time; there’s only so long you can stand still no matter what it is you do, and after 

publishing the daily magazine at this year’s Sound City in 

an expanded newspaper format, we decided to go away 

and explore ways that we could expand the form of the 

monthly magazine. The new size allows us to do much 

more editorially each month, especially within our reviews 

section, with the additional opportunity to expand the size 

Bido Lito! 

mascot Henry, soon to 

star on dogsinpubs.com 

of our photography. Fundamentally, we can use the extra 

space to cover more from across the breadth of Liverpool’s 

music scene each month, which can only be a good thing. 

You’ll also be pleased to know that we’re getting settled 

into our new home at Mello Mello. The lemon drizzle 

cake made the trudging up to the fourth floor with a few 

hundred back issues worthwhile. As did the pint(s) of 

Brooklyn Lager... having that on tap downstairs could be 

dangerous! 

This is the first opportunity I’ve had in print to extend a 

huge ‘thank you’ to Paul Sullivan at Static Gallery. When we 

started the magazine over two years back, Paul’s support - 

both motivationally but also by providing us with our first 

home, for hardly anything in terms of rent - was a complete 

god send. Bido Lito! was part of the Static Gallery family 

and framework throughout our formative years and Static 

will always be at the heart of what the magazine stands for. We will be continuing to support Paul’s campaign 

to lift the ludicrous Noise Abatement Order placed on the space by Liverpool City Council, as well as all Static’s 

ongoing and future projects. Thanks a million, man. 

This month’s magazine has some real treats in store. When we first came across CIRCAWAVES a few weeks back, 

excitement in the office was almost touching Death At Sea-discovering proportions. The slacker shoegaze lilt of I 

Get Along With You is a true delight and the fact that we still don’t have a clue who the chap behind Circawaves 

actually is, just makes the whole escapade more wonderful. 

This issue’s cover artist BALTIC FLEET also provides a tantalising discovery. I won’t give too much away - you’ll 

have to head over to page six to read Mo Stewart’s piece - but the record is to be imminently dropped as a Rough 

Trade Album Of The Month. Completely essential listening. 

We’ve just returned from taking Laura at The Caledonia’s photograph for her guest column this month. I’ve got 

Henry the Labradoodle in tow for a fortnight (mother duck’s gone on her hols... again) and he went down a storm 

at the pub. So much so that Laura pulled him a half, which he duly enjoyed whilst posing for a picture which is to 

be featured on the marvellous dogsinpubs.com. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds! 

I’d like to extend a warm Bido Lito! welcome to Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro who signed for Ronnie’s whites this week 

from Rochdale. A pacy, goal getting striker, the pre-season optimism has kicked in already. Here we go again. 

Craig G Pennington 

Editor 

Features 

6 

BALTIC FLEET 

8 SUNSTACK JONES 

10 

CIRCAWAVES 

12 THE HUMMINGBIRDS 

14 

THE LOW ANTHEM 

Regulars 

4 NEWS 

16 

PREVIEWS/SHORTS 

18 

REVIEWS 

Bido Lito! 

Issue Twenty Four / July 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 

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, 

Mo Stewart, Joseph Viney, Phil Gwyn, 

Lisa O’Dea, Joshua Nevett, Richard 

Lewis, Clarry M, Jonny Davis, Naters 

Philip, Mick Chrysalid, Chris Chadwick, 

Laura King 

Photography, Illustration and Layout 

Luke Avery, Adam Banister, Jennifer 

Pellegrini, Mike Brits, Marie Hazelwood, 

Keith Ainsworth, Richard B, Adam 

Edwards, Matthew Thomas, Hugo Lima 

Adverts 

To advertise please contact 

ads@bidolito.co.uk

News 

Edited by Mo Stewart - news@bidolito.co.uk 

Edited by Mo Stewart - news@bidolito.co.uk 

COMPETITION! 

The Kazimier Expands For The Summer 

The Kazimier have added another imaginitive string to their lavishly gilded bow by opening the gates to their brand new KAzIMIER 

GARDEN for the summer months, adding a theatrical flavour to some of our favourite outdoor pursuits. From Thursday to Sunday 

expect to see ride-in movies, exotic drink tastings, spectacular banquets, pop-up exhibitions, and an Olympic-themed Krunk party. For 

those who know what an English summer normally brings, expect a lot of sheltered areas. While some events have an entrance fee, 

there are plenty of free events and activities for you to enjoy. For full listings head to garden.thekazimier.co.uk 

Local Horse Sanctuary Holds Fundraiser 

Anyone looking to escape the sporting summer for a bit of socially responsible family fun should mosey on down to the SHY 

LOWEN HORSE SANCTuARY opposite Buckley Hill fire station in Thornton. Sunday 1st July sees them host a musical fundraiser 

starring a plethora of local talent, including Chris Elliot, Mike Badger & The Shady Trio and Edgar ‘Jones’ Jones, headlined by the 

fantastic Loose Moose String Band. As well as helping this worthwhile charity stay alive, a £2 minimun donation gives you the 

chance to live out those cowboy fantasies with a pony ride. The fun begins at 2pm. Further details can be found at shylowen.com 

Psych Fest Approaches 

We’re delighted to announce the first LIVERPOOL INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PSYCHEDELIA, which will take place at Camp & 

Furnace on 29th September. The day-long event will be a celebration of psychedelic music and culture and will be headlined by 

THE TIME AND SPACE MACHINE, the latest project of sonic wizard Richard Norris (The Grid, Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve), and psych 

folk four-piece WOLF PEOPLE. DEAD SKELETONS, Iceland’s finest purveyors of doom psych, join them on top billing for an exclusive 

appearance. Tickets are on sale NOW from the Bido Lito! Ticket Shop. liverpoolpsychfest.com 

Screen Printing Workshops 

Got great artistic ideas but zero technical know-how? Then search out PAPERCuT STuDIOS on Roscoe Street. Between June and 

August they will be holding monthly screen printing and etching workshops to help you turn that squiggle on the back of your fag 

packet into an album cover or T-shirt design. £45 gets you a four-hour session, with all materials provided, although participants 

are encouraged to come armed with their own ideas. To book a place drop an email to beccywilliams@yahoo.co.uk and specify 

which date you’d like to attend. 

Astral Coast Festival Line-Up Announced 

On 21st July, the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton will open its doors to the inaugural ASTRAL COAST FESTIVAL, a brand new festival 

celebrating the young talent from the Wirral. Confirmed performers include Beach Skulls, Deltasonic Records’ bright hope Oxygen 

Thieves, The Thespians (who are currently running a Pledgemusic campaign at thethespians.com), Sound City Youth Live finalists 

The Vigilantes and Tiro Lark, and a special acoustic show from Sound Of Guns’ Andrew Metcalfe. Elsewhere there’s plenty to enjoy, 

including fairground rides, DJ workshops, live graffiti as well as over twenty bands and guest DJs over two stages. astralcoast.co.uk 

Oxjam Liverpool Takeover 

OXJAM is Oxfam’s month-long music festival that runs through October with hundreds of events around the uK, with the main 

Liverpool Takeover event taking place in five different city-centre venues on 20th October. Event organisers are looking for volunteers who 

are passionate about their music scene to help out with the event, and encourage people to email them on oxjamliverpooltakeover@ 

gmail.com. Ahead of that, on 26th July Oxjam Liverpool are hosting a band competition at Heebie Jeebies, where the winners will get 

the chance to play at Leeds Festival. Further details and application forms can be found at facebook.com/oxjamliverpooltakeover2012 

The Euro 2012 Fan Park at Camp And Furnace has been widely and rightly regarded as a roaring success. 

But, there’s more to this quirky baltic hideaway than Lars Bender and a Bratwurst. With an eclectic music 

programme, a mix of event and exhibition spaces and a brilliant food offer, the venue is quickly becoming 

established as the flagship destination in the emerging Baltic Triangle. We’ve teamed up with the guys and 

gals at Camp And Furnace for this month’s competition, in which you and three friends can enjoy a full Sunday 

Roast complete with a bottle of house wine (subject to availability and booked in advance). 

In order to be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is answer this question - 

Camp & Furnace produce their own in house ale, Brown Bear, complete with honey. But, where do they get 

the honey from? 

a) The 100 acre wood b) The Wirral c) Waitrose 

Email your answer to competition@bidolito.co.uk 

as always all correct answers will be placed in a pink hat, 

and the winner is chosen at random and notified by email. 

Bido Lito! Dansette 

Our pick of this month’s wax wonders… 

Frank Ocean 

Pyramids 

DEF JAM RECORDS 

The only member of the Odd Future 

collective able to cut through the hype 

and deliver great music, FRANK OCEAN’s 

leaked ten-minute opus Pyramids takes 

the space R&B template into a new 

stratosphere. Starting in the club before 

floating away on a cloud of reverb-heavy 

guitars and twinkling synths, this is 

Purple Rain for the Twitter generation. 

Dominoes 

The Elemental Suite 

THE BROWN SHADOW 

RECORDS 

A skittering record of dreamy psychedelic 

folk numbers, The Elemental Suite is the 

first full length offering from DOMINOES 

and has been pieced together from 

various meandering recordings done 

since 2006. Featuring Luke ‘Lucky 

Beaches’ Muscatelli on guitars, it 

occasionally skips down the obscure 

paths trodden by Captain Beefheart and 

Pop Levi, and is utterly infectious. 

Ty Segall Band 

Slaughterhouse 

IN THE RED 

Prolific garage rock whirlwind Ty Segall 

follows up his White Fence collaboration 

with this growling record with the TY SEGALL 

BAND. Slaughterhouse is an onslaught of 

fuzzed-up guitars and howling feedback 

that is as crisp as Segall’s solo work, 

beefed up by his touring band’s relentless 

energy. Turn the volume up to eleven and 

fire this in your cortex. 

The Flaming Lips 

The Flaming Lips And 

Heady Fwends 

BELLA uNION 

Originally released in the uS on limited 

edition vinyl for Record Store Day, this 

collection of collaborations between 

Wayne Coyne and his madcap band of 

‘heady fwends’ finally sees the light of day 

here. Recorded in stolen moments on tour, 

the record throws up some great hookups, 

most notably with Nick Cave on You, 

Man? Human??, and with Tame Impala on 

the blissed-out Children Of The Moon. 

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

Sunday 15 July 7.30pm 

£15, £22.50 

Khyam Allami 

‘epitomises the best 

of the new generation 

of oud players ... 

utterly bewitching’ 

Songlines Magazine. 

LIVERPOOL 

ARABIC ARTS 

FESTIVAL 

ALIF ENSEMBLE 

AMERICANA 

WEEKEND 

27-28 July 

LAZY 

LESTER 

Friday 27 July 8.30pm 

Rodewald Suite £15 

AMERICANA 

NIGHT 

FEATURING 

THE PINE 

LEAF BOYS 

Saturday 28 July 7.30pm 

£16, £22 

‘The link that connects 

the young and the old ... 

the best new, energetic, 

and fun Cajun band in a 

very long time’ 

The New York Times 

The Alif Ensemble is one of the most exciting new 

projects to come from the Arab world, bringing 

together musicians from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, 

Palestine, Egypt and Iraq for a beguiling blend of 

acoustic and contemporary electronic sounds. 

JON 

RICHARDSON 

FUNNY 

MAGNET 

Friday 27 July 

8pm £15, £21 

JOHN 

COOPER 

CLARKE 

Wednesday 10 October 

8pm £14.50-£23.50 

MARC 

ALMOND 

Saturday 22 September 

8pm £24.50, £30.50 

THE IRISH 

SEA SESSIONS 

2012 

Friday 19 October 

7.30pm £17.50-£28.50 

DEXYS 

Monday 24 September 

7.30pm £25, £31 

ADAM ANT 

& THE GOOD 

THE MAD & THE 

LOVELY POSSE 

Thursday 15 November 

8pm £25-£32 

STEWART 

FRANCIS: 

OUTSTANDING 

IN HIS FIELD 

Friday 28 September 

7.30pm £18.50, £24.50 

AL MURRAY 

THE PUB LANDLORD 

THE ONLY WAY 

IS EPIC 

Monday 19 November 

7.30pm £25.50, £31.50 

Box Office 

0151 709 3789 

liverpoolphil.com

6 

Bido Lito! 


BALTIC 

FLEET 

Words: Mo Stewart 

Photography: Adam Banister


7 

Organic 

wasn’t 

the first word that sprang to 

mind when I thought of Widnes. Without 

ever having been there, my assessment was made by 

what I saw through a speeding train window: a bleak industrial 

town; a cultural no man’s land between Manchester and Liverpool. 

However, organic is the byword for BALTIC FLEET’s second album 

Towers: due out at the end of summer, it reflects the growth of 

ideas into songs, in 40 bewitching minutes. It’s a word the man 

behind Baltic Fleet, Paul Fleming, uses a lot. “It all happened 

organically - I bought a new piano from a guy in Widnes, and the 

resonance of the sounds it created led me in a certain direction.” 

Towers channels some of the greats of electronic music such as 

Kraftwerk and Neu!, with a nod to North Western forebears such 

as Joy Division and OMD, to create a sonic patchwork of synths and 

pedals, guitars and drums, hope and foreboding. 

After writing his self-titled debut on the hop amid the whirlwind 

of a world tour as keyboardist with Echo & The Bunnymen, Fleming 

came back home for the follow-up, predominantly recorded in a 

small studio overlooking the towers of the famous Fiddlers Ferry 

power station - which appears on the cover: “The first album was 

like a sound diary - recording guitars during soundchecks, in 

hotel rooms, even taking advantage of the mics set up for radio 

sessions. A lot of the mixing was actually done on the tour bus, 

on the move. This album feels a lot more personal - I was able to 

spend a lot more time composing, crafting each individual sound 

and effect until they were right.” 

A different process, but one that turned out to be no less 

arduous, even without the distractions of a life on the 

road: “The first album was actually easier, 

as I was always surrounded 

by music. Making 

this 

record at home 

took a lot longer than I’d 

anticipated, mainly because life gets 

in the way.” Coming back to his roots wasn’t a tough 

decision: “I wanted to retain the DIY ethic that I had when I started 

out making records in my bedroom. Some of the songs from my 

first album were finished here, so it seemed like the most natural 

thing in the world to just carry on in this creative space”. 

The surroundings began to subconsciously seep into the songs 

- Midnight Train was inspired by an actual train that interrupted 

peaceful slumbers as it passed through the town at exactly 

midnight every night. The titular Towers have always cast an 

imposing shadow: “As kids growing up and getting into bands, 

these cold, grey factories were a symbol of negativity. The desire 

to escape is what drove me on into music, and took me around the 

world. This album is more about embracing it; knowing where I’m 

from and appreciating it.” 

The range of emotions the album provides is an indicator of 

Fleming’s state of mind over the three years it took to create. 

Shards of light amid the darkness reflect the happiness of a new 

young family, as well as the surprisingly beautiful countryside 

surrounding the gloomy skyline. Summery guitars chime 

throughout single Engage, and opening track Towers’ simple 

piano is soaked in optimism. 

However, there were some very tough times to be navigated, 

with the skittering poignancy of Winds Of The 84 Winter acting 

as catharsis to heal the pain of a devastating bereavement: “I’d 

written a melody on piano a long time before, but thought it was 

rubbish and put it to one side. I heard it again and decided to 

try it through a digital delay, and this beautiful sound came out. 

Making that song became a really important part of the grieving 

process, and allowed me to move on. I see it as the pinnacle of 

the album.” 

It was a song that nearly had a singer. Although the first Baltic 

Fleet album is entirely instrumental, Fleming has no hard and fast 

rule; he’s always kept an open mind regarding the use of vocals: 

“I thought about adding a vocal - I could hear 

someone like Hamilton Leithauser 

of The Walkmen doing 

something 

interesting with 

it. A few of the songs nearly 

had vocals - I did some work with Kelley 

Stoltz, a singer on Sub Pop records, and a couple of 

others, but in the end it didn’t feel right.” 

The consequence of an instrumental album is that it often 

ignites the imagination of the listener, without being tied down 

to a specific lyric-driven narrative. With Towers that feeling is 

enhanced by movement. There’s a real kinetic energy that runs 

throughout, even if the tempo varies from March Of The Saxons’ 

ominous prowl to the perpetual icy funk of Headless Heroes Of 

The Acropolis. Perfect for a journey from Lime Street to Oxford 

Road, along the North West musical mainline. 

Fleming is gearing up for another journey himself, as he plans 

to take these songs on the road: “I’ve got a band together, and 

we’ve been rehearsing for a while now. I get excited by the idea 

of experimenting with sounds within the framework of the songs. 

We played some new tracks at a few festivals last year, and I’ll 

be looking to do the same this year, along with a few low-key 

shows in the build-up to the album’s release.” Hopefully we’ll get 

to enjoy Baltic Fleet on our own doorstep, although a certain local 

establishment has made Fleming slightly wary: “I love playing in 

Liverpool, only I’m a bit worried people might think I’m connected 

to the pub!” 

Once the album is released I think everyone will be able to tell 

the difference. The ten songs that make up Towers were nearly 

four years in the making, and Fleming is excited to have them 

finally finished and ready to unleash on the world: “I’m hoping to 

sell more records, but the most important thing for me is to build a 

career. I wouldn’t want to have one massive album then fall away 

completely. Baltic Fleet was never a bid for stardom.” 

Towers is out in July on Blow Up Records. 

Single Engage is available for free download 

from balticfleetmusic.com

8 

Bido Lito! 


Words: Joseph Viney 

Photography: Jennifer Pellegrini 

sights than that of an English man in a baseball cap”; a rare 

SUNSTACK 

JONESthey still JONESbed; how JONEShelp but 

moment of clarity from the usually addled former Libertine. Indeed, 

a similar kind of wince of embarrassment can be invoked when a 

group hang their hat on the peg marked ‘Americana’ and they’re, 

well… not from America. Historically, Liverpool has a fine tradition 

in regards to the output of Americana. However, with its subject 

matter traditionally skirting around issues such as the long, open 

road and tales of the mid-West, it’s easy to understand why the 

majority of Brits have found it difficult to emulate the style. 

So when somebody actually does it right, it stands out. Step 

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

Pete Doherty once sang that “there are fewer more distressing 

invented. There’s no set format really.” Accident or not, it’s a set- 

Not content with solely creating a superb album, Sunstack 

up that allows the group to play to the strengths of their many 

potential incarnations. Complimented by Lorcan Moriarty (Guitar), 

Australian Daniel Thorne (Bass), Richard Jones (Drums) and Paul 

Denheyer (providing “other”), Sunstack Jones provide reasons to 

be cheerful for Liverpool’s muso crowd. 

With tracks like the quick fire and insistent 

Keep Out Of Trouble, 

the deep rumble of 

Santiago 

and the heavenly 

Sleep Silent, their 

debut is a record that will keep you coming back for more and more. 

Songs such as 

Country Dust 

show a different side to the group: the 

slow, drawn-out guitar work juxtaposed with ethereal vocals that 

Jones are also a self-sustaining operation. With the record 

having been released on their own Mammoth Bell imprint, it’s a 

reassuring sign for others that both business and pleasure can 

be mixed in an industry that has seen the usual model tilted on 

its axis. “The label name had been knocking around in my head 

for a few years,” says Moriarty. “It was meant to be my heavy 

side project that just never materialised. 

The self-release came 

about because 

it was just easier to keep up the momentum 

if we put it out ourselves.” Moriarty has been burned by the 

industry and its wanton hesitation in the past. “I’ve been signed 

MindJONES 

forward SuNSTACK JONES. The Liverpool-based collective are 

can defy the many superlatives with which we journos are armed. 

and after recording the album the label sat on it for 18 

something of a pre-emptive strike on the inevitably dull British 

The group cite a wide array of influences their sound. Jones months before releasing it. By the time it came out, we were 

summer, bringing forth songs that stand out like slants of light 

namechecks artists such as Ryan Adams, Beachwood Sparks and bored to death of playing it.” 

in a dusty old room. Theirs is a mission to spread a little of what 

Mazzy Star: “I can kill a party seconds flat,” he jokes. Moriarty Of Captain Beefheart would call “that old-time religion”, and you don’t 

defines Lee Hazelwood as a “revelation” and praises Kurt Vile as 

even need to be a perceptive eager beaver to work it out. Their 

somebody who has steered their sound a particular direction. they still debut LP, Surefire Ways To Sweeten The Mind, produces exactly the 

They even find time to dip their toes into the waters of the classic 

emotions that its title implies it will evoke. Their music is finely 

blues musicians such as Blind Willie John. 

rooted in the Americana tradition that listeners with synaesthesia 

For a group with such obvious talent and determination, their bed; how may be bathed in waves of yellow and JONESbefore, JONESmonths JONESbored JONESOf course, there are problems inherent in going it alone, to 

many others can attest. Jones is keen to point out that 

need the backing of labels and their money: “I’d rather 

else be paying for everything and marketing it. I think 

is the big thing. We’ve all got boxes of records under the 

do we get them into people’s houses?” A fine point well 

JONESwhich JONESsomeone JONESmarketing JONESmade, blue; recollections of a 

attitude is refreshingly laid-back, eschewing the hyper-intense 

but as the old adage goes, ‘the truth will out’, and you can’t 

time and place that may or may not have existed. 

stance of other bands. “We can basically meander like this 

help but feel that given time, attention and yes, just a little dash of 

Defined as a loose-knit collective of “always JONESluck, two, sometimes 

forever. It’s like a secret club,” says Jones. Moriarty is more 

Sunstack Jones will be granted their spell in the sun. 

three, but mostly four, maybe five, musicians,” Christopher Jones 

relaxed still: 

“Six gigs and an album a year would suit me. That’s 

(Vocals/Guitar) deems it “a necessary JONESsunstackjones.com 

accident that we were 

ambition for you!”

YOUTH FEST 2012 WINNERS 

20+ BANDS AND FANTASTIC DJS OVER TWO FESTIVAL STAGES 

www.astralcoast.co.uk

10 

Bido Lito! 


Words: Phil Gwyn 

Graphics: Luke Avery 



11 

“...urgent, anthemic demos filled with 

so much scuzz and dirt that my Bloody 

Valentine would haVe killed for them” 

You can be forgiven for not having heard of CIRCAWAVES, the one man project of… 

well, nobody actually knows. That’s because the unidentified talent behind Circawaves 

has so far stayed purposefully anonymous, simply preoccupying himself with creating 

a set of urgent, anthemic demos filled with so much scuzz and dirt that My Bloody 

Valentine would have killed for them. Said demos have been given the 21st Century 

treatment and uploaded to SoundCloud for the entire world to judge, deride, steal, 

and attempt to copy. It’s unlikely that much derision will be coming his way though, 

because as far as the initial efforts of new bands go, they don’t get much more fully 

formed than the three demos currently screaming from the internet, with their fuzzladen 

guitars and searing choruses. 

Those with a disposition to be depressingly cynical have probably already assumed 

that Circawaves must be the latest calculated attempt to win the attention of the 

music industry by coming on all mysterious on the one hand, whilst freely giving out 

and publicising their music with the other. However, when we collar him via the web, 

he tells us that it’s “much easier to be creative when you don’t have the pressure of 

people knowing who you are.” For him, anonymity doesn’t make sense because of 

the success of Wu Lyf, but because it gives him creative 

freedom, and when the tunes being produced are so good, 

it’s hard to care that we don’t have a name with which to 

label him. Anyway, he’s almost definitely right: why should 

we need any more information but the music? Is it really 

necessary that he should incessantly tweet his breakfast cereal recommendations at 

us? Circawaves certainly thinks not, and it’s tough to disagree when he’s managed to 

forge such a strong identity already without cramming useless information down our 

all-too-eager throats. 

Regardless, Circawaves doesn’t have the careerist ambition that defines some 

anonymous artists. Instead, he tells us that, “I have no intentions. I’m quite content 

trying to write great songs. I just fancied uploading a few tracks and seeing what 

sort of reaction they would get.” As a result, everything does feel very organic and 

authentic, and he’s not even doing badly on the “trying to write great songs” front. I Get 

Along With You, for example, is driven by a massive buzzsaw riff and yearning vocals 

that make it sound like the highlight Yuck forgot to put on their album. Meanwhile, the 

expansive We’re Going is sodden with reverb and hazy hooks, whilst Death And Love 

is a melodic masterpiece that manages to encapsulate all the dirt and emotion that 

thousands of Sonic Youth-obsessed bands never achieve. 

The music that he’s making certainly seems to come naturally to him, and in 

fact, it almost seems like he has no other choice. He tells us that he thinks that, 

“with the type of music I’m making you can get away with not having much 

equipment. It wouldn’t work if I was trying to make a pristine pop record.” Which, 

in a concise sentence, manages to sum up most of the current obsession with lofi 

recording. There are constant complaints that not 

enough overtly political music is coming out of so much 

social tension in the country, but artists like Circawaves 

are indirectly protesting against the financial position in 

which they find themselves by circumventing the music 

“such undeniaBle quality 

eVen makes the concept of 

‘progress’ look regressiVe” 

industry and doing everything themselves, for nothing. In fact, this lo-fi aesthetic 

has even become desirable, as Circawaves acknowledges; he considers using more 

professional equipment before quickly dismissing it, saying that “that may ruin the 

whole homemade aspect.” 

As far as influences go, we had a few in mind as soon as we heard his music, and 

when we prompt him, he reels them off with almost chilling precision. For him, “My 

Bloody Valentine was a starting point”, before moving to “more modern bands, like 

Yuck, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart and Surfer Blood.” But, for all the criticisms that 

music which looks to the past gets, Circawaves’ innovation lies in the fact that he does 

it all with his own distinct edge, voice and aesthetic. That aside, the believable, heartwrought 

quality of his demos sets him apart from the many new bands struggling for 

recognition. 

So, despite his keenness to remain a shadowy figure, pretty soon you will not be 

able to be forgiven for not having been lapped by Circawaves’ breakwater, because 

when you can do nostalgia as brilliantly as he has within his first three tracks, 

heads will inevitably start to turn. Such undeniable quality even makes the concept 

of ‘progress’ look regressive; at the very least, it’s not required when you have the 

honesty, verve and excitement of Circawaves. 

circawaves.wordpress.com 



13 

The 

Song 

of 

The 

hummingbirdS 

Words: Lisa O’Dea 

Photography: Mike Brits 

THE HuMMINGBIRDS could very possibly be the hardest working 

band on the Liverpool music scene. You may well recognise them 

from their infamous busking sessions; showcasing their distinctive 

brand of dynamic and uplifting music on our city’s streets. From 

Liverpool ONE to Church Street, to the lofty rooftop of a certain 

Seattle-based coffee chain, they have become a welcome imprint 

of late, stamping their blues-infused stylings across town. With a 

wealth of live shows behind them, notching up gigs in Manchester 

and London, not to mention welcoming the Queen into Liverpool, 

The Hummingbirds show no signs of decelerating. 

The group’s current line-up of Jay Davies (Vocals/Guitar), Matty 

Brougham (Guitar), Mic Kountis (Guitar/Backing Vocals), Richard 

Smith (Backing Vocals/Percussion) and Ryan Lewis (Bass) was 

formed a mere year ago but their musical versatility has ensured 

their ability to pull in a hugely diverse audience. Jaunty rock n roll 

shot through with folksy beats provides a vintage soundscape in 

which the five boys and their trusty rhythmic box (a cajon for those 

in the dark) excel. They are candid when they confess that, although 

happy with the way they are progressing, there is a constant 

drive to develop. “We’ve all been in other bands when we were 

younger, but didn’t get anywhere near as far as we have as The 

Hummingbirds... and after a year now at least we’ve got something 

to show for our work,” says frontman Jay. “We get good gigs but 

we’re not content with just that... we want more all the time.” 

The Hummingbirds have created an instantly recognisable 

sound for themselves: Merseybeat interspersed with intricate 

harmonies and elements of country. It is a sound that seems 

oddly relevant at the moment, with lyrical subject matter that has 

its roots clearly planted in their home city of Liverpool. I pose the 

question of how important it is to them to retain a traditional 

Liverpool aesthetic within their music. “The Merseybeat sound is 

a popular one, but we don’t try to sound like that though, it just 

comes out in that way and that’s how we like it,” states Jay. “We 

write for us. We don’t try to be like anything else. Other bands 

aren’t listening to what we’re listening to; we’ll go home and 

listen to Buddy Holly and Gerry and The Pacemakers.” 

It’s evident that their musical process is a natural one and far 

from contrived, where the band are happy to let their creativity 

take over and see what happens. They are warm and witty in 

person and hugely likeable, as they laugh about the effect that 

Wayne Rooney’s tweeting about them has had on the band. 

“It’s done a lot for us in that it broadens the awareness of the 

band. Our Twitter presence is heavily influenced by what Rooney 

tweeted,” says Ryan, and it’s clear that this is another avenue via 

which The Hummingbirds have sought to allow themselves to 

appeal to a more diverse audience. They are eager to expand this 

appeal with the onset of festival season. Having already played 

the inaugural X&Y Festival and with Kendal Calling on the horizon, 

it seems they will have a chance to introduce their music to a 

crowd outside Liverpool. “It’s nice to have the crowd in Liverpool 

who know your lyrics,” says Jay. “But every time we go to a new 

venue, if the crowd don’t know us, we see that as a chance for 

them to get to know us. The festivals to us are a god-send, we 

need them so much.” 

Their EP releases Talking of Tomorrow and Doesn’t Really 

Matter have been well received and showcase the versatility 

of The Hummingbirds. There is a clear growth between the 

first and second EP, with the more poignant and emotive 

Doesn’t Really Matter still retaining the distinctive modern 

skiffle trill that belongs to the band. With plans in the pipeline 

for a third EP to be released later this year, the group have 

decided to spend some time away and will shortly relocate to 

a remote log cabin to isolate themselves for a few days and 

work on their new material. So, what can we expect from the 

next EP and how will it evolve from its predecessors? “So far, 

we have three potential tracks; none of them are confirmed,” 

says Jay. “The lyrics are more developed, there’s a lot more 

harmonica in there. A big country feel to it… more Dylan than 

Beatles. We’re trying to evolve our sound and show people 

what we can do.” 

If there’s one thing to be said about The Hummingbirds it’s that 

they are certainly hard grafters, striving to be at the head of the 

flock and ensuring that their future plans are clicking into place. 

Numerous gigs, festivals and a trip to Hamburg in November 

this year as tour support to Young Rebel Set are just a few of the 

prospects that lie ahead for the band. This is a group that oscillate 

between retro and contemporary, while managing to remain 

undeniably relevant; a sign that the song of The Hummingbirds 

could indeed harmonise for a good while to come. 

wearethehummingbirds.com 


14 

Bido Lito! 


Most artists would err on the side of caution when combining 

esoteric musical theatrics and understated conceptual artistry on 

record. Although acute flamboyance is often duly expected when 

teetering in the realms of falsetto-augmented folk, an impression 

of pretentiousness can sometimes overshadow an exhibition of 

self-affirmed kookiness. Although such a deathly pitfall has many 

suitors, Rhode Island four-piece THE LOW ANTHEM have managed 

to steer clear of its enticements. They’re the quintessential indie 

surface, longing to break free; meanwhile, tour commitments 

preoccupy his mind: “We never had a problem keeping things 

fresh; our live shows are pretty emotional and our band is 

pretty good at accessing that and keeping things alive. I’m not 

saying our shows didn’t feel fresh to us, it’s more just from an 

artistic perspective, wanting to have a new idea or conceptual 

orientation to focus on. If I’m going to be totally honest with you, 

we really just want to be at home! We’ve got a new recording 

different textures, but within an organic scheme. You get to a 

certain point where you just have too many choices and it’s 

not productive anymore. With this record, I think we’re using 

a lot more creative experiments, more visuals; it’s a lot more 

theatrical and a lot more indulgent and silly. The idea is built 

around a surrealist landscape at the end of a dream, waking out 

of a dream even; it’s got a pretty elaborate storyline. We’re not 

sure if it’s going to be a concept record or if that’s just a jumping- 

band 

(whatever 

off point, but the songs 

the term ‘indie’ 

will end up taking their 

connotes 

these 

own direction.” 

days): 

innovative 

Similar to their 

recording techniques, 

unorthodox 

concepts, 

autonomous 

creativity on record, 

a vast birth of 

instruments 

at 

their disposal and 

a yearning heart 

full of downcast 

reflections. 

After 

initially 

struggling 

to obtain notoriety, 

they floated just 

under the radar until 

2009, which was 

heralded as their 

breakthrough 

year. 

Then came a long 

awaited commercial 

ascendancy, a major 

record label deal, two 

critically 

acclaimed 

albums, The Late 

Show with David 

Letterman (wow) and 

a relentless schedule 

of tours and festivals. 

Now three years have 

miraculously 

flown 

by since their last 

creative output Smart 

Flesh and singersongwriter 

Ben Knox 

Miller feels it’s time 

to take a step back 

from the fray in order 

to find some artistic 

enlightenment 

and 

somehow 

make 

sense of it all. 

“The important thing for us is we don’t want to go back to the 

studio set up and we’ve recorded eight tracks for a new record 

same place with the same ideas. You know, for a while touring 

that we’re working on. We’ve got this huge project in front of us 

was like this gift from heaven; we’d been playing locally trying to 

so everyone’s mind is in the studio; it was a bit of cold water to be 

book whatever shows we could. Then when Oh My God, Charlie 

ripped out of that and thrown back into a tour van.” 

Darwin got signed, we started to have opportunities to tour; we 

The Low Anthem have built up an ostentatiously morose 

got all these offers and it just seemed like you couldn’t really say soundscape of heavy-hearted narratives, at times even touching 

no to anything, everything was new and it felt like… How could on gospel. Not surprisingly, Ben has ambitions to embrace 

you say no? Why would you be so foolish? Then you go back new ideas and concepts for their next record, in a departure 

round a second time, then a third time, and it’s just still with the from their familiar comfort zone: “I think the record that we’re 

same material. We just don’t want to get to the point where we working on is relatively theatrical; the last couple of records that 

feel like we we’re repeating ourselves.” 

Ben adamantly states that it’s not their live shows that are in 

need of a rebuff, it’s just their musical vision that’s hankering for 

a new direction. untouched material patiently lurks below the 


The Low 

Anthem 

On The Road Again 

Words: Joshua Nevett 

we put out have been pretty natural, a bit reserved, and have 

really just been more of a direct effort to put the songs across. 

I think we kind of came to the end of that road as a creative 

way forward; we tried to use all these different instruments, 

they have also adopted 

a unique and avantgarde 

approach to music 

production. 

Having 

recorded their last album 

in an old abandoned 

pasta sauce factory 

in Providence, they’ve 

decided to continue 

with this freewheeling 

mandate by constructing 

another 

make-shift 

chamber of creativity 

in which to record their 

next album. 

“For this record 

we’re recording in a 

porn theatre, yeah… It 

was an opera house, 

originally, in the 20s 

and then it changed 

to a XXX movie house 

for the last 30 years. It 

went out of business 

for some reason, maybe 

because of the internet, 

you know. They’re doing 

renovations and trying 

to get it back open but 

in the meanwhile we’ve 

been able to set up our 

portable rigs inside 

there; it’s got the most 

gorgeous sound of any 

building I’ve ever been 

inside. It’s caked in a 

certain 

something… 

a kind of grime that 

actually turns out to be a nice environment to work in.” 

The unyielding shackles of an uncompromising touring 

programme have seldom afforded The Low Anthem the precious 

downtime required to attend to their creative and artistic 

inclinations. You can essentially detect the languid unfulfillment 

in Ben’s tone: he just wants to make music and he wants to 

make it now. Maybe a lengthy and well-deserved respite from 

the tour bus is just what’s required. With an indefinite hiatus 

already announced to follow their imminent rounds of the uK, the 

impetus is firmly planted on writing new material. This month’s 

Liverpool show, therefore, is certainly one not to be missed. 

lowanthem.com 

The Low Anthem play The Kazimier on 19th July

16 

Bido Lito! 


Previews/Shorts 

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

MILK MAID 

Following on from last year’s 

acclaimed debut LP Yucca, MILK 

MAID roll into town to plug new 

album Mostly No. Excellent recent 

single Summertime exemplifies the 

band’s new direction, exploring a trans-Atlantic sound that couples Mancunian indie with 

Californian acid rock. The new material finds the band easily able to straddle noise and pop, 

sitting comfortably alongside cotemporaries Sebadoah, White Fence and The War On Drugs. 

Bumper – 2nd July 

THE BIG HOUSE 

Folk country duo THE BIG 

HOuSE hold a launch night for 

their magnificent debut 45 Canyon 

Home In The Sun/Caught up, which 

is currently on rotation on the stereo 

at Bido Towers. Appearing with a full band, the pair debut a new set of material bolstered by 

the new line-up that neatly supplements their West Coast sound. If that isn’t enough, sterling 

support comes from EMILY & THE FAVES and THE FLAMIN’ MAMIES. 

The Kazimier – 30th June 

Bold Street Coffee is embracing 

its status as a live venue, continuing 

EMPEROR X 

its recent stellar run with this show 

by EMPEROR X. The project of solo 

artist Chad Methany, Emperor X create 

modern folk music utilizing noise and lo-fi soundscapes with lyrics focusing on communication 

and technology. Copies of recent LP Western Teleport were distributed by being buried at secret 

locations. SING FOR YOuR SuPPER are on hand in support. 

Bold St. Coffee – 12th July 

The Bear Social @ Elevator Bar 

Following on from June’s highly successful Deer Social, Elevator Bar hosts the similarly animal-themed 

THE BEAR SOCIAL this month, at the recession-busting price of £4. These monthly events always provide 

you with more than enough value for your money, with well-thought out line-ups and concepts. Mathrock 

godfathers VASCO DA GAMA headline the night, which sees fellow angular post-rock tykes MuTO LEO 

share a stage with them. Muto Leo’s particular brand of mathletics has seen them elicit comparisons to 

Foals after some rather dizzying recent live shows, and their inticate layers of ambient axemanship are 

something that has to be seen to be believed. BEACH SKuLLS will be opening proceedings with some 

chilled out, lo-fi surfy vibes, followed by the bittersweet rowdy pop of MARRIED TO THE SEA. With recent 

EP Pack Xerxes and a Line Of Best Fit tour under their belts this indie four-piece have been making strides 

of late, and their dancefloor-friendly tunes will be the perfect accompaniment to this evening of ursine 

socializing. 

With a 2am curfew there will still be time for the BOMBARDA COLLECTIVE and MILK: DJs to spin some 

winning discs to dance along to. Milk: Presents will also be on hand to provide stunning visuals, while 

Elevator Bar’s interior will be given a bear-themed makeover by MR WOLF COLLECTIVE. If you’re of a nervous 

disposition we recommend you opt for the Quiz over the Bear Tournament: you have been warned. 

Elevator Bar – 28th July 

MINIONTV 

Headlining their own top-notch 

Newpath night at MelloMello, 

instrumental math rock quintet 

MINIONTV launch their new LP The 

Last Projectionist. The third long player 

in just two years from the post-rock quintet has seen them lauded by Echoes And Dust for 

“that ability to get you out of your seat and punching the air.” And if that’s not enough for you, 

electronica artists AFTERNAuT and FADED GOLD will be on hand to whet the appetite as support. 

MelloMello – 28th July 

The highly entertaining uSbased 

FOuND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL 

FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL 

comes to town, showcasing 

decidedly odd and frequently 

hilarious tapes retrieved from charity 

shops, second-hand stores and car boot sales, from obscure industrial training videos to longforgotten 

home movies. The Onion’s Joe Pickett, and Nick Prueher from the Late Show with 

David Letterman, will be on hand to provide their own wry commentary and observations. 

The Kazimier – 3rd July 

Taking their name from a 

Mahavishnu Orchestra song, PuRE 

PURE LOVE 

LOVE were formed in New York by 

ex-Gallows frontman Frank Carter and 

former Suicide File guitarist Jim Carroll. 

The shouts and screams from their previous outfits are gone, allowing the more accessible 

hooks of Pure Love’s songs to come to the fore. Carter’s impressive aura is still intact, so 

getting up close and personal at The zanzibar could prove to be a precarious experience. 

The Zanzibar – 19th July 

Americana Weekend @ Philharmonic Hall 

The Liverpool Philharmonic continues its exemplary run showcasing music from outside the sphere 

of the mainstream with a weekend of traditional Americana music. Reaching a vast new audience via 

the soundtrack of the classic Cohen Brothers movie O Brother Where Art Thou? in 2000, the importance 

of Cajun and bluegrass and its place in the canon of American music has been brought into sharper 

focus over the last decade. 

The event at the Philharmonic Hall concentrates on the twin genres, which will be exemplified by a 

headline set by PINE LEAF BOYS. The four-time Grammy-nominated band hail from the musical hotbed 

of Southwest Louisiana, a state whose melting pot of different genres and ethnicities has had a huge 

impact on music worldwide. 

Praised by The New York Times as “the link that connects the young and the old…the best new, 

energetic, and fun Cajun band in a very long time,” the band play the native music of their home 

state, including Creole and zydeco styles, reviving the ancient songs for the 21st century. Proving how 

timeless much of this music is, the band invest the songs of their ancestors with new life. 

Also appearing on the night is Wirral-based guitarist CHRIS MORETON. The multi-instrumentalist has 

won considerable praise for his virtuoso playing, with The Independent describing him as “the best 

bluegrass guitarist in the country.” 

This follows Friday 27th July’s performance from LAzY LESTER. Starting out as Lightnin’ Slim’s harpist 

of choice, perhaps his most famous hits in his own right are I’m a Lover Not a Fighter and I Hear You 

Knockin’. The very embodiment of the American blues tradition Lester’s voice has enriched with age and 

his harmonica playing has lost nothing. 

Liverpool Philharmonic – 27th & 28th July 


18 

Bido Lito! 


Reviews 

quickly matched by the audience. Home gives 

itself up to tropicana funk, while Friend Crush 

sees centre-of-attention urbani wind her way 

through the audience, up to the balcony to sing 

with one girl, and twirl under the arms of others. 

The ultimate hedonist, urbani points out that 

“we’re all just a bunch of people in a room. Let’s 

hang out!” This vivacious show of energy ceases 

to be a gig, quickly becoming more of a loud, 

pulsating party, with urbani as the host. Ruins is 

more punk minded and abstract, with yelps and 

sharp exhaling complimenting the vocals, while 

Sorry features an array of percussive instruments 

building multi-layered rhythms, whilst a sparkly 

dressed audience member dances onstage 

with the band. The radically recognisable intro 

of I’m His Girl instigates a surge of audience 

members climbing to the top stage, for what 

feels like a fleeting moment in a bizarre house 

party. The simplicity and ease of expression 

in this song is reminiscent of Tom Tom Club, 

sounding equally as fresh and sleek. Then it’s all 

suddenly over, and we come to our senses and 

descend, bewildered, from the stage. Destroying 

the barrier between band and audience, Friends 

emit a casual and carefree radiance. Sassy and 

effortless, they create an exclusive party vibe, 

and I feel privileged to have invited myself. 

Clarry M 

WALLS 

Ghosting Season – Afternaut 

Harvest Sun @ The Shipping Forecast 

FRIENDS 

Wet Mouth - Pixels 

EVOL @ The Kazimier 

So, you’re on the BBC Sound of 2012 list, 

you’re the latest hip things from Brooklyn, what 

can go wrong? Probably nothing, especially if 

you’re FRIENDS. Having released their debut 

album Manifest! this June, it seems a lucky 

surprise to be in attendance for their first 

excursion to Liverpool. 

First support act are local five-piece PIXELS. 

With a healthy crowd gathered on the Kazimier 

steps, they present a sound whose foundations 

are set in melodic indie pop, mixed with 

fluctuating electro excursions. Singer James 

McCormick is an energetic soul, the charisma 

of the band, while the others seem to moodily 

get on with it. There are shining moments of 

Casio Kids-like buoyant, dance inspired synth 

pad glitches, which warm and stir the audience 

into movement. This slightly confused mix 

of electro pop with a rough live edge poses a 

juxtaposition of styles that at times doesn’t quite 

gel convincingly enough together. However, 

Pixels have warmed the atmosphere in bright 

anticipation of what’s to come. 

The mouth-watering WET MOuTH are our 

next treat. Thrashy, post-punk guitar rock is 

mastered by Veslemoy Holseter’s (Vocals, Bass) 

wily, scorching vocals, and sullen layered-up 

Friends (Marie Hazelwood) 

guitars. White Light features spoken word 

verses and a mournful, powerful riff, building 

into a swirling chorus. underneath the raw and 

edgy sound, there is a certain cute charm to 

this band, perhaps helped by their handmade 

flyers and the warm thanks given to Vasco Da 

Gama’s Dave Kelly filling in on drums. Their final 

song features sultry vibrating bass, heavy and 

haunting, burning into an epic heartfelt slowy. 

Like a grunge No Doubt, it feels like Wet Mouth 

are leading a 90s comeback, a fact of which I’m 

glad for the first time since, well, the 90s. 

Garbed in eccentric apparel, the members 

of Friends stand out a mile. Diving straight 

into a groove lead, punchy euphoric party vibe, 

frontwoman Samantha urbani’s dancing is 

Adam Rowley a.k.a AFTERNAuT has a 

prolific CV in sound design, having worked on 

documentaries and computer games as well 

as crafting his own music under a variety of 

monikers. As expected, the quality of sound that 

he produces tonight is top notch and is glossed 

with a sheen that shows off his professional 

production values. His music meanders through 

space-age aural landscapes taking in techno and 

IDM (whatever that means), and is flecked with 

splashes of glitch and breakbeat. It is difficult 

to fully absorb his music at this early stage of 

the evening when there is a sparse crowd and 

little visual stimulus save for the orange glow 

of a sampler and, yes of course, that white, half 

eaten fruit-based logo burnt onto our retinas. 

GHOSTING SEASON are Gavin Miller and 

Thomas Ragsdale, formerly of Worriedaboutsatan. 

Their sound lies somewhere between post-rock, 

with its unashamed push for euphoria, and 

that specific kind of equally earnest melodic 

techno that lived and died in the 90s. Whereas 

modern revivalists of this genre tend to tone 

down its maximal aspects for a more subtle 

approach, Ghosting Season show tonight that 

they have a strong will to shine a light on the 

forgotten bombast of the genre. They play 

with an assuredness that does a lot to instil 

confidence in a crowd still struggling to loosen 

up. Their set is a marathon slog, with few breaks 


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and no drops in tempo making for an intense, if 

forgettable, performance. 

Having proven to be not much more than a 

curiosity when supporting The Field last year, a 

headline set for WALLS gives them a chance to 

spread their wings and take the spotlight. Except 

that, at their request, there are no lights on stage 

whatsoever. A photographer’s nightmare, I’m sure. 

This proves to be a shrewd move, however, as the 

focus shifts from spectacle to shared experience. 

The audience is noticeably less inhibited as they 

are no longer bound by the unwritten rule that 

one must actually watch a band. People begin 

dancing not next to each other but with each 

other, sharing jokes and enjoying frivolities 

usually saved for a night on the town. 

Walls’ little and large duo Sam Willis and 

Alessio Natalizia begin slowly but soon pick up 

pace with a Germanic ear for four to the floor kicks 

and satisfying bass squelches. The consistency 

of the rhythm creates space for more organic 

experiments in higher registers, utilizing guitar 

and vocals to craft a looser, freer top layer of 

sound. Not that anybody seems to pay such close 

attention. Whether intentional or otherwise, by 

removing the focus from the performer, Walls 

have posed an interesting question about the 

interface between audience and artist in a style 

of music that was popularized on dancefloors 

but has since snuck its way awkwardly into rock 

venues. They just might have seen the light, and 

it isn’t apple-shaped. 

Jonny Davis 

FIGHTING WITH WIRE 

Always The Quiet Ones 

Meanfiddler @ The Shipping Forecast 

Great expectations are the order of the 

evening in the Shipping Forecast’s bunker 

tonight. Headliners FIGHTING WITH WIRE have 

a longstanding agreement of forced patience 

with their fan base, to the extent that the phrase 

“when the hell are they going to release their 

second album?!” is on many people’s minds 

tonight. As we’re waiting for it to blow its way 

onto the music scene, it’s with final traces of 

fortitude that we turn our attention to see what 

the craic sounds like live. 

Locally, openers ALWAYS THE QuIET ONES are 

a little under the radar: most of their recognition 

thus far has come from outside of Merseyside, 

with Kerrang! amongst their champions on a 

national level. But, as the crowd edge closer to 

the stage by the end of their opening tune Ghost 

In The Filament, it seems that all may not be lost 

on the Liverpool fan front. Their opener is the 

band’s most recent single since the release of 

their EP Freakshow in February, and with a couple 

of thousand online hits so far they’re not too 

shabby for it. ATQO’s performance is committed, 

to say the least, exemplified by their lavish stage 

make-up and animalistic prowling, but what’s 

lacking tonight are high quality harmonies. Or, 

indeed, any harmonies. The vocals of frontman 

Blas Barragan show the mature structure of 

a man who’s had his voice well trained, but 

without the support of an underlying harmony 

it shows the strain towards the end of the set. 

Due to the sheer scale of the skilled drum solos 

and harmonically thrashing guitars behind him, 

there’s no sense that this weakens the band’s 

performance, though. If they can address this 

minor issue then ATQO will be a force to be 

reckoned with on the metal scene, through 

Merseyside and beyond. 

It’s a quick change and the lively Fighting With 

Wire lads from Derry bounce on to the stage, 

and in typical Celtic fashion they’re game for 

making their set a laugh. Arguably they’re the 

most talented thing to come out of Northern 

Ireland since Liam Neeson, but that could just 

be a biased opinion. Their apparently effortless 

stage presence is showcased during an excellent 

performance of Cut The Transmission (from debut 

album Man vs Monster), giving the impression 

that their sweaty exuberance is accidental. 

It’s hard to define the highlight of the night, 

even though the band continue to reel off 

the hits from Man vs Monster. All For Nothing 

definitely strikes a chord with the audience, but 

to be honest we’re all waiting for this massive 

moment to pounce on us... but it never quite gets 

there. Yes, wearing a mask a fan tossed on stage 

is hilarious, and their crowd banter makes them 

the most likeable band we’ve seen in some time, 

but they have no urgency, no fight. It’s difficult to 

admit that this leads to a disappointing end to 

the set on such a long awaited evening. Perhaps 

we’re being a bit harsh and misconstruing a 

steely professional attitude for a cavalier one. 

Bring on the next album boys. Please. 

SAINT ETIENNE 

EVOL @ The Kazimier 

Naters Philip 

She’s on the phone! Well she wasn’t, it was 

Pete Wiggs when Bido Lito! caught up with 

SAINT ETIENNE over the blower prior to their 

arrival at the Kazimier for this show. Wiggs, the 

band’s keyboardist and songwriter/producer, 

was thoroughly charming, but a chat with Sarah 

Cracknell (Vocals) wouldn’t have gone amiss. But 

enough of my personal preferences. Saint Etienne 

arrive at this show promoting Words And Music 

by Saint Etienne, their first full album in almost 

seven years, and it finds them at a crossroads. 

Though widely admired, the problem thrown up 

by a show like this is: can a band at this stage 

of their career really turn up and play their new 

album without grief from their audience? Well the 

answer is blatantly no. This was a rout of their last 

twenty plus years - and what a weird twenty years 

it has actually been. Weird isn’t something that 

would usually be associated with Saint Etienne, 

but upon closer inspection of their discography it 

dawns on you that it bloody well should be. From

Reviews 


21 

their initial Balearic meets Motown samples of 

Foxbase Alpha and their proto-Kylie stage (before 

Kylie was Kylie), through to their xenomaniac 

Richard X meets post-Stock, Aitken and Waterman 

meets Parisian cool, it is a weird career indeed. 

They kick off tonight with an almost unknown 

oldie Like A Motorway, which even the faithful 

let go over their heads, but Burnt Out Car, from 

their hit collection, serves the crowd better. When 

Tonight, a recent single, starts it’s as catchy as 

the common cold, yet it’s still the Foxbase Alpha 

material (Spring 

and then the pop classic Mario’s 

Café) that this packed crowd really goes for. This 

becomes a feature of the night, but can you ever 

complain when people consider you’ve written a 

classic album? 

All of this said and done, however, Saint 

Etienne are not just a retro act. When I Was 

Seventeen, from the latest album, is the 

highlight for me: it just drips with a knowing 

introspection that we should all fall into. It 

wouldn’t harm any of us to have a dose of 

this song once in a while, not even Kylie, who 

would undoubtedly pay top dollar to have it 

in her arsenal. We are then treated to a classic: 

You’re In A Bad Way. Whether you’re a retro, 

futurist or purveying new territory this goes 

down as a bona fide, shit-hot three minutes 

of pop. unfortunately the night’s set isn’t all 

like this, being intermingled with stuff that 

doesn’t always work, but at least Pete, Bob 

and Sarah never stand still. I’d have loved 

more from albums Tales From Turnpike House 

and Words And Music…, which have both 

been rightfully critically acclaimed. Fans are 

fans and it would take balls to break from 

what they want. With more hits than misses 

in tonight’s set, it’s definitely a show that the 

Saint Etienne (Keith Ainsworth) 

busy Kazimier loves: these loyal fans are Saint 

Etienne’s for the night. 

Mick Chrysalid

22 Bido Lito! 


Reviews 

KRUNK FIESTA 

The Kazimier 

For this year’s incarnation of the great KRuNK 

FIESTA, the Kazimier hosts a Day Of The Absurd 

which fulfils its promise, hosting acts from the 

sublime to the ridiculous and encompassing 

everything in between. 

Despite the rain, JAMES CANTY kicks off the 

festivities with a charming set of punk-tinged 

folk with influences ranging from blues to 

traditional Celtic music. His delicate dynamics 

and witty lyricism are impressive but not 

enough to coax early festival arrivals out from 

under their sheltered spots. However, the smell 

Wet Nuns (Richard B.) 

of slowly cooking paella combined with the 

intermittent dry spells are all the enticement 

festival-goers need to get outside in time for a 

joyous performance from THE KAzIMIER KRuNK 

BAND. 

With the Kazimier’s new Garden space slowly 

filling, and the crowd permeated by elaborate 

costumes ranging from fauns to flamenco 

dancers, it makes for a surreal sight as more 

bodies start to move to the world rhythms 

and West African melodies of the RIVER NIGER 

ORCHESTRA. From traditional instrumentation 

to avant-garde experimentation: rushing inside 

there’s just time to catch AMERiCANS producing 

a cacophony of droning electro loops. It’s a 

demonstration of the eclecticism on show if 

nothing else. 

With food, ale and visual arts all on offer 

alongside the music, outside in the Garden 

this juxtaposition is illuminated as the FLAMIN 

MAMIES strive to maintain the attention of 

an audience understandably distracted by 

an acrobatic troupe, whose human tower 

- soundtracked by the four-piece’s upbeat 

bluegrass - draws gasps from the encircled 

onlookers. Lack of attention is no such problem 

for WHITE BICYCLES, whose self-assigned 

‘sunshine music’ label brightens up the day 

despite the overcast weather. 

Heading inside, on the Club Stage four 

figures appear in costumes that are somewhere 

between shaggy bear and dense bush. SNAPPED 

ANKLES’ outfits certainly make them memorable 

but as they launch into their fuzzy electro with 

beats bordering on drum n bass, and dark synths 

combining with heavily effected guitar riffs, it 

becomes clear that this is not an act who need 

outfits to ensure they are remembered. Their 

performance is rough around the edges but has 

the potential to be truly spectacular. RuNNERS

Reviews 


23 

follow with a hypnotising brand of synth pop 

contrasting simple analog synths with complex 

rhythms and tightly tuned vocals. 

On the Garden Stage, thrashing arms and 

jostling bodies are battling through the misty 

drizzle to the heavy blues-punk of the much 

talked about WET NuNS. Meanwhile, in the Plaza 

d’Fumar, THE MATLOCK CREW provoke a chaotic 

mass of flailing limbs as they spin tunes ranging 

from classic funk and soul to 90s R&B oddities. 

Heading back inside, there’s just time to catch 

LOVECRAFT blaze through a set of progressive 

pop which veers from macho rock riffage to offkilter 

complexity with impressive coherence. 

As a crowd surges outside for the midnight 

‘goat drop’ event, still more people pack out 

the Kazimier’s main room for the KRuNK ALL 

STARS. It’s a light-hearted affair as they are 

accompanied by JIMMY GOATFOOT to plough 

through with rough-and-ready covers that 

perfectly capture the euphoric mood of the 

audience. The party feels as though it’s only just 

beginning as the band inspire mayhem with a 

cover of Tie Your Mother Down 

that’s closer to 

Gogol Bordello than Queen. The Krunk Fiesta 

is far from reaching its tumultuous climax as 

the Krunk All Stars draw to an end, with DJs 

MR PAuL, JAMES RAND, GOLD SOuNDz and 

EAT YOuR GREENS taking over to play to the 

madcap revellers long into the night. What will 

they think of for next year? 

Chris Chadwick 

TERA MELOS 

Vasco Da Gama – Kusanagi 

You Do The Math @ The Shipping Forecast 

KuSANAGI take their name from Japanese 

folklore. The word represents the name of a 

sword with the ability to power wind, found 

in the fourth tail of an eight-headed serpent 

named Koshi. It is a real pleasure to look up the 

name of a band and find an interesting tale to 

add both fantasy and gravitas to their sound; 

chillwave teenagers take note. Kusanagi are, 

at their core, a post-rock band and embody all 

that the tag implies. From the slow builds to 

the earnest crescendos, they tap into a deep 

but diluted well of influence. The thing that 

stops stagnation, and indeed eases them into 

Tera Melos (Adam Edwards) 

a slot on this similarly-aligned bill tonight, is 

their penchant for itchy time shifts and, dare 

I say, angular guitar. The use of a repeated, 

arpeggiated industrial synthesizer sound makes 

for a brilliant sense of urgency that enables 

songs to switch gears with ease. 

It seems as though VASCO DA GAMA are 

playing three gigs a week at the moment 

and it shows in the increased quality of their

24 Bido Lito! 


Reviews 

performances. Like the commander whose name 

they have borrowed, Vasco continue to explore 

new territory with great success, maintaining 

jagged time changes but transcending the math 

rock label through a knack for pop hooks and 

songcraft. 

Beach Skulls (Jennifer Pellegrini) 

Hailing from Sacramento, CA, TERA MELOS are 

considered innovators of the math rock genre, 

as evidenced by their mind-melting records. 

Through an almost constant use of pedals, 

they create pure chaos that is too wild to be 

structured and too locked in to be improvised. 

The sounds veer wildly from sludgy distorted 

bass chords to insane high octane solos pushed 

through a dozen octaves with a whammy pedal. 

Watching Tera Melos in full flow is akin to 

witnessing three free jazz artists given access to 

Omar Rodriguez’s pedal board. Put simply, it is 

rock music porn, and it is their quick limbs that 

lift the performance into the realms of glorious 

chaos, prompting facial reactions that seem to 

say “Did that really just happen?” Just as a song 

seems to reach its fizzing logical conclusion a 

new riff appears, kicking and screaming its way 

through the room like electronic pulses darting 

across the brain. 

When the set is over the crowd beg and plead 

for more, and when (grudgingly) told there is 

just time for one more song, the band tear into 

ten more minutes of mayhem. It is mentally and 

physically draining, not to mention the faceache 

from grinning from ear to ear. Hopefully 

they won’t come back for a little while so we 

can all recover. 

Jonny Davis 

MERSEYRAIL UNSIGNED 

Beach Skulls – Carousel – Port Sunlight 

The Cavern Club 

After several hundred entries to the inaugural 

MERSEYRAIL uNSIGNED competition, the final 

stage boils down to tonight’s event where 

three finalists perform live for the right to be 

crowned overall winners, and to receive the 

coveted prize of a weekend recording session at 

the internationally-renowned Rockfield Studios. 

Recently there has been plenty of exposure for 

the breadth of excellent musical talent prevalent 

in Liverpool, but the strength of tonight’s finalists 

shows that there is a lot to be celebrated beneath 

the surface of our more popular and well-known 

recent exports. In BEACH SKuLLS, CAROuSEL 

and PORT SuNLIGHT, this final has assembled 

three bands who represent an emerging second 

wave of grassroots artists who show all the 

hallmarks of continuing their recent successes 

and challenging the established local elite. 

Duo Beach Skulls are given the honour 

of opening proceedings, taking to the stage 

in their beach chic/post-punk hybrid attire 

(Hawaiian shirts and Doc Martens) that perfectly 

suits their musical style. Surfbeat Mojo is a 

perfect encapsulation of this, as Ryan Jackson’s 

shimmering guitar work is illuminated by 

sinister, razor sharp flecks of Link Wray that 

make them very popular openers. 

Carousel are perhaps the most accomplished 

outfit on show tonight as they have more live 

gigs under their belt than the other two acts 

combined. This stands them in good stead as 

they overcome the loss of their regular bass 

player, and a minor technical hitch on their 

opening track, with a surety that suggests a 

confidence and competence that will see them 

advance far. The controlled funk of The Charm 

Offensive, allied to some very intricate, downbeat 

melodies and tempo shifts, sees them coming 

across like a Liverpool Metronomy. 

With a promise to turn the volume up, Wirral 

trio Port Sunlight round off the showcase with 

a severe blast of noisy guitar distortion that 

comes straight out of the My Bloody Valentine 

book of shoegazing rock. These youngsters 

have also been beset by bass guitarist troubles, 

so the second stand-in musician of the night 

deputises, again with very little negative impact 

on the band’s performance. There’s an untamed 

rawness to the Ride-esque squalls of In & Out 

that shows why we got salivating about these 

chaps upon first hearing them. 

As the panel of judges wrestle with choosing 

a sole victor from the disparate finalists, it is 

revealed that the competition organisers are 

to extend the prize and offer the Rockfield 

recording sessions to all three bands taking part 

in tonight’s final. upon the announcement of 

this competition people may have been sceptical 

about Merseyrail’s involvement - a train company 

and new music?! - so this decision highlights the 

fact that their commitment to the project is far 

from superficial. This is a great fillip to the three 

groups, who will all benefit massively from the 

experience of working in a top level studio such 

as Rockfield, and makes the judge’s choice of 

eventual winners purely nominal. It is almost 


26 Bido Lito! 


Reviews 

certainly down to their raw vibrancy that Beach 

Skulls are given the nod as overall top dogs, 

and it is a decision that seems a popular one 

with the assembled revellers. As the duo play us 

out on the loose and celebratory tones of The 

Brooklyn Jive and Link Wray’s Rumble, there’s 

a palpable sense that each of the finalists has 

won something valuable tonight, and surely 

that’s the point of events like these, isn’t it? 


MOON DUO 

Hookworms – Gigantes 

Harvest Sun @ The Kazimier 

Prog synth duo GIGANTES have quite a 

pedigree. Having been featured in Bido Lito! 

under their previous moniker Beast, David 

Smyth and Joe Hirons have played with the likes 

of Liars, Trans Am and Shield Your Eyes as well 

as a tour in support of Mugstar. Their addition 

to tonight’s bill makes a lot of sense as they 

operate in the same psychedelic headspace 

as MOON DuO but with added venom and a 

devilish helping of pure wickedness. Gigantes 

could perhaps be considered the evil twin of 

Dogshow: where the Crombies’ ideas promote 

a positive outlook to evening dancing, Gigantes 

could easily soundtrack a parallel universe 

where it all goes wrong. The playing is frantic 

and filled with dread and one is often reminded 

of The Laze, particularly their unbelievable 

interpretation of the Phantom Of The Opera 

soundtrack. 

Leeds-based HOOKWORMS have the Wooden 

Shjips/Moon Duo sound down to a tee but 

something is missing. All the boxes are ticked, 

from the steadfast 4/4 drums to the repetitive 

two-chord rhythm guitar and melodic wandering 

basslines, but the psych rock wigouts that form 

the climax of each song never quite reach orbit. 

The band certainly do not want for passion, 

intensity and ability, and the Perry Farrell-like 

vocals offer a great deal of power to the songs, 

but the killer instinct is missing. 

Husband and wife pairing Moon Duo are an 

interesting proposition. The sumptuous guitar 

work of Ripley Johnson seems to lure Sanae 

Yamada into a swaying trance - like a charmer to 

a snake - as she locks steadily onto a keyboard 

pulse behind a flowing mass of black hair. Much 

like his day-job in Wooden Shjips, Johnson 

provides the role of psychedelic wizard to the 

rigidity of the rhythm section, making for an 

entrancing evening that defies the logic of 

time. As black and white projections race across 

the stage in waterfalls of digitized light, he 

mumbles into the mic, evoking ponderings on 

what Jim Morrison could have become. 

There are no surprises or eccentricities in 

their sound, which helps to lull the audience 

into a state of distance and hypnosis. Moon 

Duo could, in all honestly, play the same song 

for an hour and nobody would be any the wiser, 

such is the control they hold over many in the 

room. Sure it helps to know what to expect and 

there are one or two bored looks on the faces 

of the un-hypnotizable. This is a completely 

understandable reaction were you not to give 

yourself fully to the experience; there is little to 

latch onto, critically analyse or hum. Theirs is a 

desert-like experience, a fulfilling trek through 

glorious vistas where the rewards are more 

than mirages. If you don’t like sand, however, 

you’re fucked. 

Jonny Davis 

Moon Duo (Matthew Thomas) 

PARKLIFE 

Platt Fields Park, Manchester 

When you’re rudely awoken at 9am on a 

Saturday by the ominously incessant pitterpatter 

of a torrential downpour outside, it tends 

to quell your festival appetite for summertime 

frolics. As the heavens predictably open, the 

damage to the hollow grounds of Manchester’s 

Platt Fields - the native abode of THE PARKLIFE 

WEEKENDER - will undoubtedly be sodden 

before you can even mutter the word poncho. 

In the forebodingly gargantuan queue, 

clamorous whispers are rife that the capacity 

of the festival has been doubled this year, the 

attendance now peaking at nearly 40,000. 

Logistical misgivings are abundantly clear as the 

dubious news is taken in to widespread ridicule 

and uproarious discontent. After struggling for 

close to an hour, the mass of pulsating bodies 

eventually disperses and the co-ordinates are 

locked onto the Crosstown Rebels tent to catch 

interplanetary funk robortant – MACEO PLEX. 

Engineering deep and emotive hook lines 

laden with galactic sex appeal, his profound 

versatility and experimental compositions make 

for a feverish introduction which seems to have 

captured the attentions of a chock-a-block tent 

enamoured in frenzy. People are now oblivious 

to the bed of primordial sludge that crudely 

resides under foot; four fool-hardy girls even 

engage in a furious - and literal - mudslinging 

match, much to the distaste of surrounding 

onlookers. In between another hour or so of 

wandering around on a shameless binge of selfdestruction, 

it comes down to an intoxicated 

impulse of inter-city allegiance to round off 

day one at the Chibuku tent. From what can 


28 

Bido Lito! 


Reviews 

be gathered, Circus stalwart JAMES zABIELA’s 

breakbeat-tinted fusion of tech-house, much like 

the weather on day one, goes down a storm. 

The crack of dawn on Sunday is greeted by 

a cacophony of disgruntled murmurings as 

Manchester’s walking wounded nurse their 

aches and pains in preparation for Parklife 

round two. It’s straight into the thick of it this 

time round and full speed ahead to the uplifting 

lucidity of Belgium drum n bass producer NETSKY, 

backed by a shiny new live band. As he reels off 

his catalogue of soulful breakthrough grooves 

including Memory Lane and I Can’t Hold On, there’s 

a tired but exuberant rabble in attendance. Even 

the compelling sensibilities of HIGH CONTRAST 

can’t mask the allure of languid fatigue; feet 

appear to be heavier than before and fickle 

eyelids droop on the brink of defeat. Mangled 

human life forms make a last ditch attempt to 

amble to their final port of call for the weekend, 

but once again, the confusion and indecision is 

palpable: the plethora of headline acts on offer is 

inconceivable. Pinned on the recommendations 

of a couple of outspoken friends, the prospect 

of JuSTICE at the Metroplex Arena is enough to 

entice one last act of entranced conviction. The 

atmosphere inside is rapturous; it’s impossible 

not to be sucked in by the sheer magnitude of 

it all. The über cool French duo gallivants on to 

the stage, their enlarged silhouettes projected 

onto a canvas screen that illuminates the tent 

beyond all recognition. Dance floor classics 

such as D.A.N.C.E. and We Are Your Friends are 

strewn in the cauldron of spontaneity, cunningly 

manipulated and deconstructed to create a 

stunning soundscape, a sporadically infused 

tapestry of manic electronica. An inspiring and 

whimsical end to a festival that has famously 

maintained a striking and intricate balance 

between niche electronica and progressive indie, 

evidently making Justice and Parklife a match 

made in heaven. A new dawn of inner city micro 

festivals is beginning to find its feet and, with 

Manchester’s Parklife situated at the forefront, 

this is just a glimpse of what’s to come. 

Joshua Nevett 

OPTIMUS PRIMAVERA 

SOUND 

The sister festival to Barcelona’s Primavera 

Sound, Porto’s OPTIMuS PRIMAVERA SOuND 

seems to have found its home already, in the 

idyllic setting of the Parca da Cidade perched 

on the Atlantic coast. We arrive here on the 

first day just in time to see ATLAS SOuND (aka 

Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox) deliver a masterclass 

in looping and layering sounds to create the 

perfect soundtrack to the early evening. 

With only two stages open on the first day, 

the crowds alternate between the adjacent 

Primavera and Optimus stages. THE RAPTuRE 

provide day one’s highlight, showing why 

they’re still a force to be reckoned with. Live, the 

New York three-piece are a funk storm in which 

you want to become embroiled. 

With two more stages opening on day two, 

there is double the excitement to look forward 

to. unfortunately this throws up the odd 

inconvenient clash, and the early TENNIS v THE 

WAR ON DRuGS double-booking splits Team 

Bido down the middle. Comprising husband 

and wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, 

the dreamy, doo-wop Americana showcased on 

Tennis’ recent album Young And Old gives their 

set enough glittering gems to work perfectly 

in the early evening sun. Meanwhile, the Club 

Stage sees a more considered performance 

from The War On Drugs, one which results in a 

more precise end than their February showing at 

The Kazimier. Clearly their ongoing tour has bred 

immense confidence, and in Portugal we find a 

group operating at the pinnacle of their craft. 

Religious connotations prove to be numerous 

at Optimus this year, so it is somewhat fitting 

that RuFuS WAINWRIGHT rounds off his 

accomplished set with an impromptu trip 

through Hallelujah, his operatic voice carrying 

across the fields of the converted masses. 

Meanwhile, the adjacent stage starts to fill 

with balloons, cannons, streamers, a giant disco 

ball and the dancing Lipettes (plucked from the 

crowd and jiving away alongside various animals 

and aliens on either side of the stage), ahead of 

FLAMING LIPS’ impending space show. Opening 

with a strobe-addled ticker-tape explosion 

and a formation of huge balloons that dances 

across the audience, this elaborate performance 

certainly feels like a communal happening. 

Anyone can set off firecrackers and throw 

balloons into the audience, but the difference 

with Flaming Lips is that it doesn’t feel contrived 

or novelty. When the refrain of Do You Realize?? 

echoes around the Parca da Cidade you do 

indeed realize Flaming Lips’ collective power. 

Rock n roll at its life-affirming finest. 

Everything else seems to be a bit of a 

comedown after that, yet the crowds are still 

spewing out of the sides of the Club Stage 

for the minimal dream pop of BEACH HOuSE 

later on, where Victoria Lagrand’s swoonsome 

voice takes centre stage. Though resigned to 

watching from near the beer tent, it’s a gripping 

experience which alternates between sleepy 

Forest Swords (Hugo Lima) 


11 Days of 

incredible 

Indian 

music and 

dance in 

Liverpool 

Rakesh Chaurasia 

Shashank 

Lalgudi GJR Krishnan 

Priyadarsini Govind 

Sujata Mohapatra 

Also featuring Food, Festival 

Foyer & Workshops! 

Produced by 

www.milapfest.com 

120611_indika_advert_100.indd 1 15/6/12 12:58:43 

Sat 25th August, 7:30pm. 

Standard £25.00 

Prima Donna £21.25 

Soubrette £22.50 

Sun 8th July, 8:00pm. 

DAVID LONGLEY + JOHN SCOTT 

Sun 16th September, 8:00pm. 

JAMIE SUTHERLAND 

Sun 28th October, 8:00pm. 

STEVE HARRIS 

Sun 2nd December, 8:00pm. 

BRENDON RILEY 

COMEDY £10.00 

COMEDY & TWO COURSE MEAL £22.00 

Meal served from 5:45pm to 7:15pm.

30 

Bido Lito! 


Reviews 

Guest Column 

Laura King, Landlady at The Caledonia 

Laura King, Landlady at The Caledonia 


I glance down at my left 

arm’s lyrical declaration 

(via tattoo, not ball point), 

“The dreams we had as 

children.” Via a distinctly 

uneasy turn in my stomach, 

its sentiment is not lost. I 

got this tattoo on arriving 

in Liverpool aged nineteen 

when I moved here to 

study music at Liverpool 

uni. I was expressing my 

excitement at almost/ 

possibly 

accomplishing 

my dreams, whatever 

they were. In hindsight, as 

the now licensee of The 

Caledonia, I feel a sense 

of destiny. Fifteen-year-old 

Laura with only a marginal 

experience of music venues 

had once declared to her 

band mates, “When I grow 

up I’m going to run a music 

venue with decent ale.” And 

here I am with my very own 

pub, nationally recognised 

for the high standard of its ale, which by some scale of design I’ve also managed to turn 

into a venue with music at its heart. In my opinion The Caledonia is a traditional pub in 

the sense that it has community at its centre. Our community is derived from our music. 

It is my argument that this concept (if you like) is pivotal to the survival of music 

venues. You could argue that you pay your £17.50 (plus booking fee, plus card charges) 

simply to see a band perform, but in my opinion that view is naive. You are paying for 

an experience; all senses need to be catered for at every level. The relationship between 

music and alcohol often begins from its very conception; the two are intrinsically linked. 

So considering the value of cross-promotion, as an artist I would demand that the ales 

on offer stands up to the quality and value of my performance. As a publican, it is this 

relationship of juxtaposed commodities that drives my business. 

After paying over the odds to get in, I’m asked for £4 for a warm can of Red Stripe 

crudely squeezed into a battle-scarred polycarbonate glass, or a pint from lines that 

haven’t been cleaned, well, ever. It’s a no brainer as to why grass roots smaller venues 

offering music at reasonable prices with appropriate drinks offers are leading the way. 

These two incentives are key in drawing in a clientele; their associated aesthetics 

changing a space where music happens into an ‘authentic’ venue: a multi-sensory 

experience - genuine value for money. It becomes a place that buzzes with positivity; a 

community is born; people are happy and creativity thrives. For me a venue should be 

somewhere with a magical energy that pulls you in. If I find myself there on my own on 

a rainy Tuesday afternoon for a sly pint with The Guardian crossword, then the job’s done. 

In times of austerity the path of least resistance is sought. Music trickles back down 

to its grass roots. Small, independent, thrifty, community-driven environments thrive, 

innovation is king - and Liverpool is a very exciting example of that. The places that 

have stood the test of time have had to adapt but have done so within a set of values: 

the same set that will see some of our city’s newer venues safely forward. So I take this 

opportunity to tip my hat to my contemporaries. It’s our understanding, determination 

and relentless self-sacrificing hard work that will drive the music of this city forward long 

into the future. 

facebook.com/caledonialiverpool 

and transcendent. San Fran’s THEE OH SEES are 

on hand in the early hours to give us just the 

riotous garage rock send off we were hoping for, 

wading straight in to their raucous stride, as set 

out on latest record Carrion Crawler. 

The heavens open on day three, meaning 

that the cover offered by the Club stage is more 

popular than usual. Regardless of the drizzle, 

VERONICA FALLS would probably filled it to 

this level anyway. uncomplicated and catchy, 

this London-based four-piece won us over in 

Liverpool a few months back, but we just can’t 

get enough of their Dum Dum Girls meets The 

Organ indie chic. 

If yesterday’s performance by Flaming Lips set 

the standard for a band operating in the realms of 

the celestial, tonight’s show from SPIRITuALIzED 

also finds a group soaring along their own cosmic 

jet-stream. Yet this is a very different trajectory, 

as Wayne Coyne’s sense of theatre makes way 

for Jason Pierce’s command of the subtle and 

dynamic. The show’s crowning moment sees 

the band effortlessly segue from Ladies And 

Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space into Elvis’s 

I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You; a stunning 

touch delivered with consummate class. 

Liverpool’s own FOREST SWORDS lands at 

Primavera following a run of shows across 

Europe, his first forays into the live arena. The 

task of translating an exercise in production 

wizardry into a live context was always going 

to be a challenge, but we can confidently 

report that on tonight’s showing the results 

are exceptionally encouraging. Matt Barnes’ 

scorpion-like body contortions (set side-on to 

the audience and stage right) are propped by 

Jay Freeman’s role as psychotic conductor, and 

a disorientating, greyscale visual backdrop. 

The sparing use of live guitar and bass-addled 

vocal, added to Freeman’s bass guitar, gives 

the show enough for the audience to relate to, 

without wildly distancing the live performance 

from Dagger Paths’ recorded persona. The warm 

reception from the audience, added to the fact 

that Forest Swords has managed to even get on 

this bill in the first place, provides great cause 

for anticipation ahead of a new LP - due later 

this year. Liverpool’s prince of the avant-garde? 

We salute you. 

The final day of Optimus Primavera Sound sees 

the festival take over two city centre venues for 

a smaller programme of music. Casa da Musica 

plays host to JEFF MANGuM and OLIVIA TREMOR 

CONTROL among others, while the converted 

market space of Hard Club plays host to another 

swathe of bands and DJs later on in the night, 

with KINDNESS’ funk dub the biggest draw. We 

were that smitten by Veronica Falls’ showing on 

the previous day that we are drawn in to see 

them again in Hard Club’s smaller room, a setting 

that makes an awful lot more sense for Roxanna 

Clifford and James Hoare’s interweaving guitars 

and Smiths-esque vocal delivery. 

A great opening gambit for Optimus then; 

a successful and enjoyable festival which will 

undoubtedly grow to become the equal of 

its Barcelona compatriot. We’ve booked our 

flights for next year already, and we suggest 

you do the same. 

LAUREL HALO 

Dauwd – Sun Drums 


Deep Hedonia @ The Kazimier 

SuN DRuMS are the perfect choice of support 

tonight. Their attitude towards layers of sound 

is similar to that of tonight’s centrepiece LAuREL 

HALO, striving as they do to eke out moments of 

euphoria from modulated sounds. As ever Sun 

Drums sound massive, with each song coming 

close to buckling under its own weight. 

Taking the graveyard shift, DAuWD has a very 

simple formula for maintaining the interest of 

a dancefloor. In stark contrast to the walls of 

noise generated by Sun Drums and Laurel Halo, 

his songs are crisp and minimal using as little 

as possible to maximum effect. When in the 

wrong hands, this less-is-more, steady pulse 

approach can be merely a fast-track to ignite 

amphetamine-invigorated senses, but in the 

capable hands of Dauwd this method offers 

genuine quality for the level-headed listener. 

A late start for LAuREL HALO sees the crowd 

itching for a powerful performance to justify 

the wait. Opening with wave upon wave of 

distorted noise, she pushes the dials into the 

red for an atonal and bombastic introduction 

to the extremities of her work. It is a good 

fifteen minutes before the set gains traction, 

with her recognizable anti-tune vocals bursting 

into life underneath breathy pads and flowing 

keyboards. 

With such an arcade of equipment involved 

there is always a button to press or a knob to 

spin, leaving her looking like a skiving stoner 

playing whack-a-mole to kill time. It is somewhat 

reassuring to see an electronic musician 

needing to be so active during a performance, 

as it begins to redress the gulf in visual stimulus 

between live electronic and rock shows. 

Tonight her sound differs considerably from 

the recorded material in many ways; at times for 

better but often for worse. The deeply personal 

and fleeting hushes of beauty on recent album 

Quarantine are pulled out of shape in her battle 

to manipulate multiple noises at once, often 

leaving a wash of barely recognizable dissonance. 

We are left hovering in a purgatorial dead zone 

somewhere between the intelligent tapestry of 

the LP and the wide-eyed experimentalism she 

wishes to present as a live performer. That she 

reaches neither of these highs is a frustrating 

ordeal. There is no doubting that Halo is a bold 

artist whose records are compelling, exciting 

and enriching, which makes the event more 

than satisfactory. It’s just not quite the spectacle 

for which we were hoping. 

Jonny Davis

Yashin 

+ With One Last Breath + Pavilions 

+ Draw The Line 

 

Fei Comodo 

+ Paige + I Divide + Jeanclaudegoddamn 

 

Conor Maynard 

 

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 

 

Dappy 

 

Guns2Roses 

+ Metallica Reloaded 

 

The Carpet Crawlers 

The Ultimate Genesis Tribute 

 

Azealia Banks 

 

Mayday Parade 

+ The Summer Set + Natives 

 

Hawklords 

 

Newton Faulkner 

 

Reverend and 

the Makers 

 

Flux Pavilion 

Standing On A Hill Tour 

 

Bowling For Soup 

 

Heaven 17 

The Luxury Gap Tour 

 

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 

 

Thin Lizzy 

 

Sleigh The UK 2012 

The Wonder Stuff, Pop Will Eat Itself, 

Jesus Jones 

Suppor† the Suppor†s 

...and enjoy pub prices! 

Come along between 7pm and 8pm - 

catch the next up and coming bands and enjoy drinks from just £1.50… 

Carlsberg £1.95 

Vodka mixer £2.50 

VK £2.50 

Sambuca £1.95 

Redbull £1.50 

Soft Drinks from £1.50 

 

 

Sue Denim 

 

Azealia Banks 

 

Newton Faulkner 

 

Maximo Park 

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 

 

 

 

o2academyliverpool.co.uk

Issue 24 / July 2012

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