Dead Belles, Mourning Birds, The Scarletts - March 4th Rock starter.
On Friday 4th March 2016, Dead Belles launch 'This Machine's Electric', their debut release, with a riot of a party in London's Bunker club. Through a door in the wall and down some stairs, time travel to the 1970s. They've invited another two fresh thrills from the exploding Britrock scene; Mourning Birds and The Scarletts - to blow the roof off with them. all three bands have massive songs that belong on bigger stages and they're sharing a bill in what actually is a bunker. If you are a rock fan, you will BE here. Things will never be the same after.
The Bunker, 46 Deptford Broadway (New Cross Road), London SE8 4PH.
Doors 10pm.
£2 Entry before 11pm then £3. (18+ event).
Cheap booze deals.
Shenanigans until 3am.
EditSelect are on the decks!
Paaaaaaaaaaaaaaarty!
Travel: Deptford Bridge DLR 2 minutes. New Cross (East London Line or 6 minutes from London Bridge/The Shard) and Deptford (also one stop from London Bridge) both approximately 5 minutes walk.
#Britz16 Article
The Brits/BPI need to trickle down support and cash to grass roots venue BritRock talent, rebelling against the bland-ification of pop. Take this 4th of March gig as an example, and there is a great case in point.
(Image; "Welcome To Deptford." from The #AnchorTown Rebellion)
Coming on like main stage headliners, a healthy amount of the newer wave of grunged noise makers are developing in the threatened venues, sounding like they want to take over the world. Just listen to 'This Machine's Electric', the single that Dead Belles are launching on March 4th
Why shouldn't these new artists take over this world? It could do with some anthems and we'd all be better off punching their air with love than punching each other with hate.
Misgoverned by maniacs, divided by psycho puppet propaganda and threatened by the impending doom that the austerity lie promises, the mainstream in a coma age is soundtracked by posh-pop blandification. Who WOULDN'T want to become the biggest rock n roll star in the world and sound like they're actually having a party while their parents are on holiday on Mars or something. "Where are the new rock bands with something to say?" ask the main stream music publications and art pages between their recycled "guitars are dead" seasonal insult to research. Ha, they should have a word with Zakk Dodd of Dead Belles, or at least get into more small venues, these days.
Propelled by the engines of their own songs, these musicians are literally driven. They mean it, man. Punk, DIY, driven demons uniting to take 2016 with massive riffs, shagtastic grooves and major global ambition in the decibels of their glorious anthems. They sound like what major record labels and festival main stages are made of. Or should be.
I was so impressed than when Mourning Birds were starting out, they travelled up from Kent to Deptford at an ungodly hour to do an interview that I did, with photographer, Rupert Hitchcox, before I had properly woken up. I'd immediately contacted, them all excited after this 105 seconds, and they kindly responded. 'Oh Yeh!'
There's always an element of luck and contacts in Showbiz, but these bands know how much hard work, and money that they don't have, it takes just to get on anybody's radar. The fact that all three bands on this bill, have done so, speaks volumes. Dead Belles, Mourning Birds and The Scarletts all scream major potential, to my mind. Sadly I'm not a rich record label or publisher. Here are the latter performing their debut single, 'Carousel'.
2016 The musical force awakens.
It's over a decade since so many of the local venues (Amersham Arms, New Cross Inn, The Birds Nest, Goldsmiths Uni, Montague Arms) created the 14 minutes of global fame that was the music media's “New Cross scene”. Centred around our Pop Of The Tops club nights in The Paradise Bar (now The Royal Albert) which spawned the NFT, ICA, Xfm Radio etc promoted films; “Rocklands – Live In New Cross” by Digital Sneakers/The Blaine Brothers and “The New Cross” compilation by Angular Records, an NME album of the year.
Tonight's line up of bands would still have been in education then. The artists stories of that time weaved into new tapestries (Bloc Party - captured here at Pop Of The Tops, Rocklands - have just headlined the 2016 NME tour). Blaine Brothers went on to MTV video awards, Channel 4 TV and so much more, their new film 'Nina Forever' basically won SXSW 2015 and has become THE international cult movie of this year, already.
"New Cross" was the media's last real scene. With affordable communication technology, new ways of doing things were becoming possible.
For instance, you can download 'Chime Hours' by Dead Belles from their BandCamp page, here).
Sure, this year celebrates 40 years of punk with a selection of events (our own April ArtBeat Festival included) on the London Culture Diary, but its always time for something new.
"The privileged are taking over the arts – without the grit, pop culture is doomed." said The New Statesman, recently. We are the grit, and we're not giving in or going away. Bollocks to the over privileged, they haven't got the supernatural urgency to create the sound of (r)Evolution. Degentrification, baby. (Image; more greetings from Deptford).
After the independent music scenes, the anti-scene continued, reborn at the infamous Rocklands Party, creating the community of Uniqulture at Today Deptford and uniting the area into one of London's best multi-venue circuits. Unlike Camden or Shoreditch, over-populated South East London is more residential than commercial in venue location. Entertainment within walking or short hop bus ride distance. So, this very evening Vinyl, The Birds Nest and Amersham Arms, all nearby, will have some musical action happening before The Bunker (a well known local after show party venue) doors open.
Did you listen? 'This Machine's Electric' sounds anything but DIY and fiercely independent. We, TheZineUK team, happened upon Dead Belles as a tweeted recommendation from @MourningBirds last summer and were pretty blown away immediately. Then, there we were, innocently (?) walking past New Cross Inn a few months later, and there they were setting up. Best £3 spent in a LONG while. They were on it with the live show. Intense, exuding enjoyment and with the confidence of knowing that your songs have got more balls than every neutering clinic combined.
We may be accidentally stalking the band. I dunno. Bumped into them (and the also you-must-hear/see-them Nova Twins) at The George Tavern in December. A properly brilliant night out punking, invited by our living legend friend, Bruno Wizard, to the filming of a scene in a new Nicole Kidman movie he is in. Not a meerkat in sight, sadly, but we did get a sneak preview of 'This Machine's Electric as the band had just been recording along the road. Magic. Zakk, hadn't laid his vocals down yet but we're not deaf. This was ambitious as feck.
'This Machine's Electric' is a song and dance, worthy of a party and piss up of riotous proportions. Even before the launch, it is deservedly getting radio play, including, recently from Abbie McCarthy of BBC Introducing Kent, who really knows her stuff and recently packed out the launch of her monthly London event, Good Karma Club, which we attended with big grins on our faces.
In fact 4th March is already one of those “I Swear I Was There” moments. Dead Belles have invited Mourning Birds to join them on the bill. Jeez, talk about a “New-Stadium-Rock anthem bands bash in a bunker”. If you've not heard of this garage punk experience, then do yourself a favour – they are the authentic stars in waiting deal.
Tonight will be the kick off to their first year as a four piece. Producer, Rhys Downing has worked with an array of well known names. He spotted something extra special and produced all their recordings to date. The band's reputation and all star feedback, got them national and independent radio play, festivals, cool supports and a deal with the highly reputable P-Vine Records of Japan, where they released an album at the end of 2014.
In 2015, between playing UK festivals, Music Week gigs, supporting Towers Of London, (and a surreal Sunday on the pitch with The Darkness n Dappy at Soccer Six Fest), they were already working behind the scenes on a second album. As the year ended, Rhys joined the band and Mourning Birds sound even grander for 2016.
This freshly formed four piece were snapped up in November for a music management deal. They also recently found out that their largely word of mouth Japanese releases had shifted one and a half thousand copies. An encouraging way to start their year which begins live on Broadway. (Deptford Broadway, that is...!) where two brand new songs will be revealed for the first time, live.
Excited by the music on line, absolutely can not wait to catch The Scarletts live for the first time that night, too.
Its a triple treat. We, at TheZineUK are suckers for #StageStyle too, so can't wait to catch this band who will enticed those in the know to be there as soon as the doors open, to miss nothing of this bill.
Dunno what is going on in Essex but we're loving the interchange of allies (buzz promoter, Golden Cage Media has staged shows by both Dead Belles and Mourning Birds at Traitors Gate – it has inspired a gig swap co-promoting circuit for later this Spring).
Hotly tipped by both Fred Perry Subculture and Merc, with the sound (and looks) to deserve that, The Scarletts hail from Southend and have already made their mark sharing stages with the likes of The Moons and Domino label signings, The Bohicas.
South East London is turning into the locality to make a credible name for yourselves with real music fans. The Scarletts recently played New Cross Inn, and are back in “Costa del Thames” to complete the kind of bill that, in an alternative universe, would (in my ears) be opening the second stage of one of this year's major festivals with one eye on headlining the main stage one day in the future.
DJs for the night, EditSelect, are in the pulse of the anti-scene ripples from a pond, making a name for themselves touring Europe, as well as staging events with DJ hosts like Alt J and The Mystery Jets, or sound tech duties at local venues.
The mainstream ignored guitar bands have raised the middle finger and sounding grand is their fuck you. Britain can't resist and a punky rock sound mixed with word, including Kate Tempest (whose appearance at Today Deptford was legendary), Slaves, Youth Man, Pretty Vicious, Sleaford Mods and Royal Blood are only the tip of a very deep iceberg. In the wings, a gang of bright young things with small budgets, huge dreams and even bigger songs could make a nation, that really needs cheering up, great world players with rock starring alongside the financial pop success of Adele, Coldplay and One Erection. In turn, creating employment for the cottage industries of support that are building the next music industry. The #WildeLifeAwards tag is a nod towards celebrating the #Britz16 contenders all year by growing an easy to find list of people's faves.
Even better, with rising stars with guitars like the Clit Rock collective and punky rock bands including deux furieuses, Nova Twins, Skinny Girl Diet, Vodun, DOLLS and Cat Bear Tree to name only half a dozen, rock festivals should not be struggling to find female fronted festval slots, either. And, actually, looking back at that list, “Brits So White” shouldn't have to be an issue in the future either. These arguments promote tokenism which insults the very real talent that is around in all its diversity of genres/genders and other generalisations.
I'm writing this from the perspective of an ex-Music Industry (but still, I hope) Professional and in my (not so humble about this argument) opinion, it is important to expose to music fans the truly great artists that they could see this close for such a small entrance fee, repopulating the grass roots venue circuit as well as supporting bands that they would pay a mininum of £50.00 to see if they were famous or a holiday abroad's worth of money to catch at a festival.
Alongside BBCTV 4 for musical inspiration, YouTube has become our TV channel. But telly is still the big medium. I wish Channel 4 could expose a video a day, recommended by a member of the music venues alliance who would have caught them wowing a grass roots crowd and want to share the joy, as we say.
Those are just wishes, but having planted the seeds that created the New Cross Scene in the first place, they are also ideas towards the creative artist development that has been connecting talent to contacts ever since. Many music bloggers in London are also friends and allies, rather than rivals. Like promoters, tipping each other off about bands. I'll be recommending that my mates check this show out, and #ArtBeatFest positively encourages bookers to come and get the artists some paid work or support towards their next stage.
TheZineUK will keep creating, too, and something new will grow from Friday 4th March. The great things is that we have no idea what it will be, but it WILL rock.
Thank you for reading if you got past the gig preview at the top!
Caffy St Luce.
Ps, its never all talk and the above certainly isn't delusion.. A “recommend” conversation, let to something with one of TheZineUK contacts, again, today. I will not stop recommending great compositions and their performance while this energy is pulsing. I'm mad, not completely crazy! It's just made my day to read this at the end of an email “Thanks for your whisperings - you're like a musical matchmaker! Xx “. Right then, everybody going on March 4th, what musical activism are YOU going to take to help make all three bands on this bill, Stars?