There's always some knid of drama when the Dreadz play in Wales. This time, the venue wasnt ready. It's a brand new venue, recently (VERY RECENTLY) refurbished old cinema that i used to go to when i was a kid, but it looks nothing like that now. so, they were still applying paint, fixing in the beer taps etc., and were supposed to open at 8.00pm. we arrived and were told it would now be 8.30pm, so me, Jill, Sally, Ian, Ian's lad Luke, and a bunch of other friends went to the local hostilery for a quick pint with Loki who filled us in on what was happening. Next we hear the club wouldnt be open till 9.00pm, so more drinks accompanied by the woeful chants of a lost international rugby game.
Eventually, Loki said he would get us in (this was nearly 10.00pm) and ushered us past the queue and into the venue. Very nice it is too, and very ermmm .... intimate!
the crowd were let in shortly after, and we had a nice chat with Chris C, Earl and Greg and Spee.
Jonny was working his arse off as the in-house PA system was not up to the mark so another one was brought in, which meant Dreadzone came on with no proper soundcheck, played the intro, and by the second number Jonny had it nailed ! what a sound! Spee got the whole cfrowd on side despite the setbacks and the place was rammed from front to back with the smiliest bunch of Cardiffians i think ive ever seen.
The guys did a storming set, made all the better when Spee dedicated MEAN OLD WORLD to Jill who was beaming !
Thank you all for a fantstic night. You never fail to amaze.
See you again in Gloucester.
pics and video are on my FACEBOOK -
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php
Saturday 29 November 2008
Tuesday 25 November 2008
a poem
tie me up in words and mark me A to Z
only to strike me dumb with your ignorance
welcome me, hold me, abandon me;
you wont be the first or last.
show me the facade of your best behaviour
hide who you are and what you really think of me
if i cared i might be upset;
tell it to someone who does because you almost never know better!
you make like a sculpture giving some glorious aesthetic impression.
False.
First.
First.
False.
I see you rotting,
clean for eternity, or so you would have me believe;
I trust to my every drug - sense
rather than paint your dead silhouette in metaphor
on my fantasy canvas.
i dont need you .... but i do want you.
only to strike me dumb with your ignorance
welcome me, hold me, abandon me;
you wont be the first or last.
show me the facade of your best behaviour
hide who you are and what you really think of me
if i cared i might be upset;
tell it to someone who does because you almost never know better!
you make like a sculpture giving some glorious aesthetic impression.
False.
First.
First.
False.
I see you rotting,
clean for eternity, or so you would have me believe;
I trust to my every drug - sense
rather than paint your dead silhouette in metaphor
on my fantasy canvas.
i dont need you .... but i do want you.
Monday 24 November 2008
The Launching of SUB29
Launching the SUB (thank you PW)
It was long awaited and let’s be honest, long overdue. Not since the Capitol Theatre, now buried underneath the Capitol shopping centre, has Cardiff had a venue worthy of the bigger acts which can attract 800 punters at full capacity. SUB29 came together through the courageous endeavours of Jason Phillips and Steve Bines, well known locally for their hedonistic “festival in a club” venture known as Tantrum Promotions. Tantrum brought the “alternative” people of Cardiff such gems as the Blowout Festival and Party in the Park, showcasing the local talents of some of the best acts to be found in the UK right here in Wales. Artists have included the wonderful world of Sicknote, much more than just a band, Cakehole Presley with their outstanding songwriting abilities akin to some of the biggest acts known all over the world, Staedler and Waldorf, currently gearing up for an American tour, and many more including Whistling Biscuits, Dirty Revolution, The Physicists, and so on. Their tendrils have also extended further afield to draw in artists such as Stanton Warriors, LX Patterson of the Orb, the mighty Dreadzone and their offshoot Dreadzone Sound System, Utah Saints and Alabama 3. In attendance at the launch of SUB29 was the Alabama man himself, local boy Larry Love who had chartered an EasyJet from Nelson to Cardiff to judge which of the evening’s performers would support them on their SUB29 debut on December 1st.
Perhaps it was with this in mind that the dynamic and completely skint duo Bines and Phillips launched the first night at SUB for the Tantrum faithful, with a line up which could rival any other in the land where undiscovered, genuine talent is concerned.
Hosted by the Queen Street legend Ninja, resplendent and striking dressed in white from neck to ankle, Sicknote opened the night, and I have it on good authority that, in true Sicknote style, it very nearly didn’t happen due to Johan Flapsandwich spilling a glass of Lambrini (class!) into his already used and abused applemac laptop only the night before. He could be seen right of stage frantically transferring Sicknote tracks from a back up source to a borrowed lappy, and with seconds to spare, managed to make it onto the stage at 5.30 p.m. to start the night’s shenanigans. Their set sounded crisp out front and hit its peak when they were joined on stage by the Sicknote Child Labour Team, sporting placards declaring “Death Before Employment” before they’ve even learned to spell “recession”.
Dan Dunne and the Reels followed. What can you say? Dan Dunne et al are a very accomplished, happy go bouncy folky blues combo who get the feet a tapping. They played a very nifty set, to be followed by Whistling Biscuits who cleared the dance floor save for the Biscuit dedicated who clamoured at least 20 feet back from front of stage.
Cakehole Presley, one of the hardest working bands around and still doing the circuit, belted out some diamonds including Gotta Know Your Name, Grab a Rock, and the beautifully penned Skipping Clouds. Punters got up close and personal and reveled in the delight that is the Cakehole sound, swaying from side to side, beaming grins from ear to ear.
I
t would be unjust not to mention an incredible set by the valley duo Clay Statues. How a bassist and a drummer can slam a sound so massive from a twosome is beyond belief, and these guys can write a lyric too. Favourite darlings of all venues Rhondda-like and indeed of the Workhouse Festival in Welshpool, Doz screamed his way through a blinding array of numbers familiar to those who know them, a revelation to those who don’t, as Mavis (Matt Davies) banged the drums like an anorexic on a gallon of Sunny Delight! These boys deserve support and recognition, which will undoubtedly come over the next year or two. Matt also appeared on drums with the Physicists, Cardiff’s 3 feisty chicks and a male drummer set – up, famed in the area for their amphetamine-like songs reminiscent of 1978 punk, including Sleaze Campaign and Gratuitous Solo.
The Welsh Billy Bragg (how many times has he been called that and how much does he hate it?) Cosmo closed the show and managed to get the remaining die hard punters kicking their legs in the air and singing along to his own brand of anarcho - acoustic ditties, and was then joined on stage by many of the previous acts, including Larry Love, to improvise and freestyle for what seemed like an eternity, but no-one seemed to want it to end.
It’s hard to find fault with a shindig organized by the Tantrum Duo, especially when they offer free CD’s of all the bands that appeared on the night. There is always a party vibe, always a feeling of belonging, a collective finger up to the authorities who would surely love to stop them doing what they do, but the truth is SUB29 needs a crowd. With what looks like a tough financial time ahead, only the paying public can determine whether or not Cardiff’s newest live act venue takes the Principality by storm, and hopefully attracts travelers from further afield to attend what has the potential to put Cardiff on the map alongside the London and Manchester scene, or will the apathy Cardiff and South Wales has become famous for see Sub29 sink without a trace?
Penny Wainwright.
Freelance Opportunistic Journo.
It was long awaited and let’s be honest, long overdue. Not since the Capitol Theatre, now buried underneath the Capitol shopping centre, has Cardiff had a venue worthy of the bigger acts which can attract 800 punters at full capacity. SUB29 came together through the courageous endeavours of Jason Phillips and Steve Bines, well known locally for their hedonistic “festival in a club” venture known as Tantrum Promotions. Tantrum brought the “alternative” people of Cardiff such gems as the Blowout Festival and Party in the Park, showcasing the local talents of some of the best acts to be found in the UK right here in Wales. Artists have included the wonderful world of Sicknote, much more than just a band, Cakehole Presley with their outstanding songwriting abilities akin to some of the biggest acts known all over the world, Staedler and Waldorf, currently gearing up for an American tour, and many more including Whistling Biscuits, Dirty Revolution, The Physicists, and so on. Their tendrils have also extended further afield to draw in artists such as Stanton Warriors, LX Patterson of the Orb, the mighty Dreadzone and their offshoot Dreadzone Sound System, Utah Saints and Alabama 3. In attendance at the launch of SUB29 was the Alabama man himself, local boy Larry Love who had chartered an EasyJet from Nelson to Cardiff to judge which of the evening’s performers would support them on their SUB29 debut on December 1st.
Perhaps it was with this in mind that the dynamic and completely skint duo Bines and Phillips launched the first night at SUB for the Tantrum faithful, with a line up which could rival any other in the land where undiscovered, genuine talent is concerned.
Hosted by the Queen Street legend Ninja, resplendent and striking dressed in white from neck to ankle, Sicknote opened the night, and I have it on good authority that, in true Sicknote style, it very nearly didn’t happen due to Johan Flapsandwich spilling a glass of Lambrini (class!) into his already used and abused applemac laptop only the night before. He could be seen right of stage frantically transferring Sicknote tracks from a back up source to a borrowed lappy, and with seconds to spare, managed to make it onto the stage at 5.30 p.m. to start the night’s shenanigans. Their set sounded crisp out front and hit its peak when they were joined on stage by the Sicknote Child Labour Team, sporting placards declaring “Death Before Employment” before they’ve even learned to spell “recession”.
Dan Dunne and the Reels followed. What can you say? Dan Dunne et al are a very accomplished, happy go bouncy folky blues combo who get the feet a tapping. They played a very nifty set, to be followed by Whistling Biscuits who cleared the dance floor save for the Biscuit dedicated who clamoured at least 20 feet back from front of stage.
Cakehole Presley, one of the hardest working bands around and still doing the circuit, belted out some diamonds including Gotta Know Your Name, Grab a Rock, and the beautifully penned Skipping Clouds. Punters got up close and personal and reveled in the delight that is the Cakehole sound, swaying from side to side, beaming grins from ear to ear.
I
t would be unjust not to mention an incredible set by the valley duo Clay Statues. How a bassist and a drummer can slam a sound so massive from a twosome is beyond belief, and these guys can write a lyric too. Favourite darlings of all venues Rhondda-like and indeed of the Workhouse Festival in Welshpool, Doz screamed his way through a blinding array of numbers familiar to those who know them, a revelation to those who don’t, as Mavis (Matt Davies) banged the drums like an anorexic on a gallon of Sunny Delight! These boys deserve support and recognition, which will undoubtedly come over the next year or two. Matt also appeared on drums with the Physicists, Cardiff’s 3 feisty chicks and a male drummer set – up, famed in the area for their amphetamine-like songs reminiscent of 1978 punk, including Sleaze Campaign and Gratuitous Solo.
The Welsh Billy Bragg (how many times has he been called that and how much does he hate it?) Cosmo closed the show and managed to get the remaining die hard punters kicking their legs in the air and singing along to his own brand of anarcho - acoustic ditties, and was then joined on stage by many of the previous acts, including Larry Love, to improvise and freestyle for what seemed like an eternity, but no-one seemed to want it to end.
It’s hard to find fault with a shindig organized by the Tantrum Duo, especially when they offer free CD’s of all the bands that appeared on the night. There is always a party vibe, always a feeling of belonging, a collective finger up to the authorities who would surely love to stop them doing what they do, but the truth is SUB29 needs a crowd. With what looks like a tough financial time ahead, only the paying public can determine whether or not Cardiff’s newest live act venue takes the Principality by storm, and hopefully attracts travelers from further afield to attend what has the potential to put Cardiff on the map alongside the London and Manchester scene, or will the apathy Cardiff and South Wales has become famous for see Sub29 sink without a trace?
Penny Wainwright.
Freelance Opportunistic Journo.
Sicknote @ TJ's
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sicknote : TJ’s, Newport: 11/10/08: by Penny Wainright
A shambolic triumph!
Utter chaos! That’s the way to describe Sicknote’s end of summer Holy Trinity Tour which culminated in an evening of bad timing, missed cues and botched improvisation.
Following London band Toy Toy, who gave a good performance, and Delinquent Dancers which was billed as Burlesque but was anything but, Sicknote took to the TJ’s stage which has helped propel many bands and artists into the limelight.
Opening with the dancefloor fave “Romance”, the crowd were immediately crazy for the Sicknote sound and the mentalist antics of Dr. Comker and lead man Doghouse. It didn’t take long for the whole thing to take a downward spiral with mic stands being knocked over onto feedback monitors causing the weirdest feedback and adding to the wacky noises eminating from Flapsandwich’s laptop, to visuals man P&O and drummer Filth writhing around grappling on the stage floor in a fit of love and hate. The crowd couldn’t get enough! The inevitable ensued with a stage invasion long before the set had finished.
A sensible bouncer, decked out in furry blue coat and a rather fetching easter bonnet, managed to clear the stage for at least ten minutes!
Cock up after cock up followed, but it mattered not a jot! Each song was greeted with shouts and screams and manic applause, beer flying over the heads of the audience and everyone loving it.
The madness continued, it being Doghouse’s birthday; he was out to enjoy himself at any cost, the cost being a mis-timed crowd dive by the delta blues man himself, straight through the middle of the crowd and onto the floor. Undeterred, he did it again, this time being caught, cradled and loved by the punters being crushed into a rickety stage barrier.
The band played on.
Two encores later, the set wrapped up with the ever popular if now out – dated Taxi For Mr. Blair. Enter stage left the compere for the evening who was speechless except for a stream of expletives to the effect that he had never seen the likes of such utter chaos at TJ’s in all his time as the intro man.
Some kind of shouting debate was occurring just off stage; Flapmeister had unplugged his faithful and treasured laptop, then realization dawned with a little help from the Sicknote stalkers shouting “DEATH! DEATH! You haven’t played DEATH!”.
Back to the stage, laptop plugged in, Doghouse back on the mic, Filth almost at his drums on time, the finale saw a breathtaking rendition of Sicknote’s manifesto mantra “Death Before Employment” lift the crowd to a state not yet achieved all evening.
So in terms of performance, Sicknote have played many a better gig, most memorables being Workhouse Festival, Nozstock Festival, Celtic Blue Rock Festival, Thimbleberry Festival, and Totaal in Holland, but Sicknote are more than a festival band. If they can manage to keep their heads together over the coming years, we will see them propelled onto the club scene with new numbers like Death and Burden, and they will undoubtedly play to full, larger capacity venues all over the UK and there can be no surprise if they take Europe by the sweatys too.
Sicknote are fresh. Each new tune is fresh. Every show is different, and their sound and image is unique. This band, one of the hardest working in the UK, will be headlining bigger venues and taking to the main stages of summer festivals in the coming years.
Sicknote : TJ’s, Newport: 11/10/08: by Penny Wainright
A shambolic triumph!
Utter chaos! That’s the way to describe Sicknote’s end of summer Holy Trinity Tour which culminated in an evening of bad timing, missed cues and botched improvisation.
Following London band Toy Toy, who gave a good performance, and Delinquent Dancers which was billed as Burlesque but was anything but, Sicknote took to the TJ’s stage which has helped propel many bands and artists into the limelight.
Opening with the dancefloor fave “Romance”, the crowd were immediately crazy for the Sicknote sound and the mentalist antics of Dr. Comker and lead man Doghouse. It didn’t take long for the whole thing to take a downward spiral with mic stands being knocked over onto feedback monitors causing the weirdest feedback and adding to the wacky noises eminating from Flapsandwich’s laptop, to visuals man P&O and drummer Filth writhing around grappling on the stage floor in a fit of love and hate. The crowd couldn’t get enough! The inevitable ensued with a stage invasion long before the set had finished.
A sensible bouncer, decked out in furry blue coat and a rather fetching easter bonnet, managed to clear the stage for at least ten minutes!
Cock up after cock up followed, but it mattered not a jot! Each song was greeted with shouts and screams and manic applause, beer flying over the heads of the audience and everyone loving it.
The madness continued, it being Doghouse’s birthday; he was out to enjoy himself at any cost, the cost being a mis-timed crowd dive by the delta blues man himself, straight through the middle of the crowd and onto the floor. Undeterred, he did it again, this time being caught, cradled and loved by the punters being crushed into a rickety stage barrier.
The band played on.
Two encores later, the set wrapped up with the ever popular if now out – dated Taxi For Mr. Blair. Enter stage left the compere for the evening who was speechless except for a stream of expletives to the effect that he had never seen the likes of such utter chaos at TJ’s in all his time as the intro man.
Some kind of shouting debate was occurring just off stage; Flapmeister had unplugged his faithful and treasured laptop, then realization dawned with a little help from the Sicknote stalkers shouting “DEATH! DEATH! You haven’t played DEATH!”.
Back to the stage, laptop plugged in, Doghouse back on the mic, Filth almost at his drums on time, the finale saw a breathtaking rendition of Sicknote’s manifesto mantra “Death Before Employment” lift the crowd to a state not yet achieved all evening.
So in terms of performance, Sicknote have played many a better gig, most memorables being Workhouse Festival, Nozstock Festival, Celtic Blue Rock Festival, Thimbleberry Festival, and Totaal in Holland, but Sicknote are more than a festival band. If they can manage to keep their heads together over the coming years, we will see them propelled onto the club scene with new numbers like Death and Burden, and they will undoubtedly play to full, larger capacity venues all over the UK and there can be no surprise if they take Europe by the sweatys too.
Sicknote are fresh. Each new tune is fresh. Every show is different, and their sound and image is unique. This band, one of the hardest working in the UK, will be headlining bigger venues and taking to the main stages of summer festivals in the coming years.
Dreadzone !
Our first date of the Autumn Tour couldnt have started better! We drove to Porthcawl to drop our car at a friends (Mike and Sam say thank you Dreadzone! they were over-awed!) who would then drive us to Swansea. Parked up in a VERY secure car park and walked to the venue a few hundred yards or so. Lovely woman in the box office was convinced we were trying to blag our way in until Loki came and sorted things out. much love mate. (Disco) Stu was on merch. Hadnt seen him since Swindon 12Bar gig. And what a lot of merch! Make sure you bring plenty moolah to the gigs coz there are new tings to buy and treasure. Thats all I'll say! Chatting with Loki and Stu then Greg knees me in the back of the knee not knowing bout my old bones and sciatica! Lots of warm and friendly chat then Loki sweeps us upstairs where we find the rest of the band (minus Earl burst boiler?!?!) huddled in their coats in the mingingest dressing room ive ever seen ! Spee was on top form and very entertaining despite still being in very obvious pain with his old bones too!
Gave them some respectable space before the gig and went downstairs and continued to knock back the sneaky whisky until the band came on, and EVERYBODY in the club surged to the front. And so it began ; all the faves and the new tunes sending the crowd into blissful frenzy. I took some pics and vids and looked around the room and there was not one person who wasnt groovin on the Dreadzone sound.
Gonna do it again on 22nd November.
x
Gave them some respectable space before the gig and went downstairs and continued to knock back the sneaky whisky until the band came on, and EVERYBODY in the club surged to the front. And so it began ; all the faves and the new tunes sending the crowd into blissful frenzy. I took some pics and vids and looked around the room and there was not one person who wasnt groovin on the Dreadzone sound.
Gonna do it again on 22nd November.
x
Milgi's Yurt
In any city, youre only a few yards away from a rat! In City Road in Cardiff, a well established eating area providing take away fast food and high quality eateries from nations of all persuasions, youre probably only a few feet away from a nest of the cute but freaky to some critters. It matters not, especially when the little oasis known as The Yurt (Secret Garden Sound System / Milgi’s café / restaurant), so beautifully hidden from the lights and cars and noise of the main road, offers up the best way to wrap up the weekend on a Sunday evening. Circular, one way in, one way out, furnished with a circular bed, stools and chairs and a red chaise, the Yurt is surprisingly warm and welcoming even on a November night. Tonight featured performances from four talented yet little known (and even international) artistes from Cardiff, North Wales and New Zealand.
Cardiff (HANDSOME!) legend singer-song writer and frontman for the wonderfully talented Cakehole Presleys’ Chris Ridgeway, headed an evening of entertainment in this special little venue. This particular event was promoted by Paul Courtney Clarke’s Meltdown Promotions, another well known purveyor and sponsor of local talent in operation for over a decade.
Accompanied only by his guitar and harmonica, but watched closely by his Cakehole comrades Alka, Mark and Al, Chris sang his way into the cosy crowd opening with “Slapped Arse” <<< insert real title) to the audiences grinning delight. The Ridgeway / Cakehole faithful were heard crooning (very badly) along to Chris’ dulcet tones with a look of recognition and resignation of less favourable times left behind them! It was immediately clear that both Mr. Ridgeway and his audience were loving the moment and the surroundings.
“Skipping Clouds” hit a very personal note for those wage slaves in attendance longing for the life of a local musician, barely getting by on the fees paid for such a gig, but still living the life yearned for by the not-so-free-spirited. “If ever I suss life I will let you know…..”.
“I tend to write songs about depression, introspection, addiction, but this is nice…” and Chris strums into Sweet Dreams. Had there not been the smoking ban, you could have guaranteed lighters held aloft on swinging arms, as the punters hit the first line along with the man with the guitar; “Let’s hear it for the incoherent. The scrambled. The tongue – tied….” We can all relate! Just remember to tie your shoelaces Dreamchasers!
A special treat followed for those who remember Doofer’s special lullaby “Kiss Your Forehead”, penned by Chris for his daughter many years ago. In a moment of sharing, Chris let everyone know how much she means to him, and how much he wanted her to be there tonight. Kids eh? As unreliable as parents!
The sets were divided into 3, which gave opportunity for topping up the cocktails, smoothies, lagers and nicotine habits.
By the end of the evening, after – parties were being organized on the spot for those lucky enough not to have to work the next morning, and words of thanks and congratulations to all the musicians, but in all honesty, mostly Mr. Handsome’s set, were to be heard being bandied about in appreciation of a very intimate and uplifting evening.
There may well be another Meltdown held at the Yurt, so get there while you can before the event becomes too big for the little venue. Treat yourself!
Cardiff (HANDSOME!) legend singer-song writer and frontman for the wonderfully talented Cakehole Presleys’ Chris Ridgeway, headed an evening of entertainment in this special little venue. This particular event was promoted by Paul Courtney Clarke’s Meltdown Promotions, another well known purveyor and sponsor of local talent in operation for over a decade.
Accompanied only by his guitar and harmonica, but watched closely by his Cakehole comrades Alka, Mark and Al, Chris sang his way into the cosy crowd opening with “Slapped Arse” <<< insert real title) to the audiences grinning delight. The Ridgeway / Cakehole faithful were heard crooning (very badly) along to Chris’ dulcet tones with a look of recognition and resignation of less favourable times left behind them! It was immediately clear that both Mr. Ridgeway and his audience were loving the moment and the surroundings.
“Skipping Clouds” hit a very personal note for those wage slaves in attendance longing for the life of a local musician, barely getting by on the fees paid for such a gig, but still living the life yearned for by the not-so-free-spirited. “If ever I suss life I will let you know…..”.
“I tend to write songs about depression, introspection, addiction, but this is nice…” and Chris strums into Sweet Dreams. Had there not been the smoking ban, you could have guaranteed lighters held aloft on swinging arms, as the punters hit the first line along with the man with the guitar; “Let’s hear it for the incoherent. The scrambled. The tongue – tied….” We can all relate! Just remember to tie your shoelaces Dreamchasers!
A special treat followed for those who remember Doofer’s special lullaby “Kiss Your Forehead”, penned by Chris for his daughter many years ago. In a moment of sharing, Chris let everyone know how much she means to him, and how much he wanted her to be there tonight. Kids eh? As unreliable as parents!
The sets were divided into 3, which gave opportunity for topping up the cocktails, smoothies, lagers and nicotine habits.
By the end of the evening, after – parties were being organized on the spot for those lucky enough not to have to work the next morning, and words of thanks and congratulations to all the musicians, but in all honesty, mostly Mr. Handsome’s set, were to be heard being bandied about in appreciation of a very intimate and uplifting evening.
There may well be another Meltdown held at the Yurt, so get there while you can before the event becomes too big for the little venue. Treat yourself!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
