Autumn Harvest of 2016's new music hopes.
To a point, it is very healthy to be obsessed by bands if that's what makes you happy. People who think it's sad to follow live music shows that turn you on need to check the massive smiles on gig faces with the word "sad" in a dictionary. Might be worth asking people why they repeatedly watch a football team they've already seen play.
Our healthy obsession with music and it's unifying powers has created the latest episode Uniqulture's once upon another time tale. In Chapter 007 we Bond. Not a shite soundtrack in sight/within hearing.
The pages are interactive. One links to 'Fallen', by Lucie Barât & The Au Revoirs who played the most recent ArtBeat Amersham Arms night, and helped with the bill. The band are very personable. And cool. For a debut single, this is an ambitiously transatlantic newer wave sound. THAT's how to arrive. The launch gig on 13th November is somewhere special (SELondon) - it's a proper party, and free entry too. Up yours Austerity.
In September I remained excited about "the next alt rock music industry", and its only getting stronger as we connect more. Among exciting new ventures, mentioned record label, End Of The Trail, have now signed writer/poet Patrick Jones for a great music/word project (I've heard the demos, trust me, deffo #futurepicks material). When Patrick played a show for me a few years back, I met our own Dizzy Spell.
That month's previously mentioned ArtBeat night appears in Chapter 007 and kicked off the countdown to the WildeLifeAwards (Wilde as in word power. So many under radar, poetic souls to celebrate).
NME became a free weekly. Kate Tempest was on one of the back covers, but it was an advert. Still has some alternative and independent music in it here and there. Louder Than War became a printed magazine. On point (Stone Roses cover with mentions for Slaves, Mansun, Sleaford Mods, Honeyblood and more on the cover), it sold out in most places. It wasn't easy for me to find one, but the wait was worth it. Lots to read for a music obsessive into alternative rock influenced sounds. I've got a lot of time for the multi inflential talents of John Robb.
So last month, the first playlist of WildeLifeAwards contenders and an article. Best to step up what was started in May 2014. Videos; Pink Cigar, Nova Twins, The Bohicas, Reverend And The Makers, deux furieuses, Mourning Birds, Lucie Barât & The Au Revoirs, Saint Agnes, Sabatta, Trampolene, Broken Hands and The Enemy. A Random variety show of songs and potential at various levels.
Additionally, we got to check out promoter, Golden Cage Media, and venue, Traitors Gate, whose passion had got us excited in various blog posts since summer. It was all that we hoped for, and more. Well selected bands, great vibe n crowd, care for the live sound and artists getting paid. It's lucky we were on such a high as the taxi didn't turn up and we spend until 4.20am on Saturday morning at Grays Station after missing the last train. Gotta make the most of every moment... I find myself on a shopping trolley pushed by Rhys who had played earlier that night, with my guitar case on my knee. We appear to have lost Ben, The Zine's Session co-ordinator...
Half a minute of starting the road to staging a follow up to this year's #No3Expo where I calculate we had around 30-40 Entertainments and Exhibitions going on in a packed out warehouse, so that encourages me in our next endeavours.
You've gotta start somewhere. Even if it is in an Essex shopping trolley...
A few days later I was all sensible, up and at em, and in Minstry Of Sound for 10am (!) to be part of the second Venues Day. It felt like I was in starfleet. SO many friends, old and new, so much inspiration and positivity. You don't have to work in music to follow and support http://musicvenuetrust.com/ in every way possible, just have a care for music, arts and community. No small venues means no future festival headliners. Our economy needs grass roots promoters to scout the promising and they need venues to develop on. Some bands even give something back. More of that is needed. It was right to point out that that some could return to a small venue that gave them a stage on the way up, and help with the annual rates or electricity bills that are part of staying open.
Behind the scenes we are creating. This evening I pop down to Joyzine Radio Show to collect a film camera for a session which will be in collaboration with another site, plus one of the No3Expo digitial exhibitors for one of the contender bands.
Last night I was at This Feeling, another of the club's that calls into our Amersham Arms base, seeing Trampolene (one of the bands mentioned in parts of Chapter 007) and bumping into (that phrase again, good for you music, obsession) friends old and new. The show was another highlight of this year - their mix of rock / word / art and image powers a creation of elation.
Also caught up on land with some conversations that had started on line. Its all good.
Tomorrow, Million Mask March (TheZineUK annual office party). Friday we come together to hopefully make something special (watch this space). Next month Sisteray (also not short of a tune and opinion) play Camden Black Heart (3 Dec);
If you have Netflix, find Heart Of Bruno Wizard movie then get involved in WildeLifeAwards music word arts expo of rock n roll next Spring, if you're not already. It will be poetry in (e)motion. So there it is, an Autumn/Ausumn Harvest. Now that we have a case study of under radar music movement in 7 picture books, let the story that all the above will make sense of next Spring, begin.
Caffy St Luce
Live Events Dept.