The Velvet Hands, The Isabelles, Matt Mure and THE RSD16 Rock Show
The Velvet Hands, The Isabelles and Matt Mure - Record Store Day after-party Rock Show @TheZineUK Music Social - 21st April 2016 at The Urban Bar, Whitechapel.
Two of the UK's freshest hot bands release cool exclusives for Record Store Day 2016;- 'Trains' by The Velvet Hands and 'Permanent Rewind' by The Isabelles. They celebrate together at a potential “I was there” moment of a live show in London E1 on Thursday 21st April, and are joined by fellow star in waiting, Matt Mure, as special guest. It's our second music social Upstairs at The Urban Bar a few minutes from Whitechapel Station.
This new arts riot is exploding with creativity and next industry/media. Many myth making moments happen. (Pictured, uber cool new wavers, Sisteray, chose our last event for their January guerilla gig). Don't miss our next. Facebook Event. 7pm social downstairs. 8pm show. £5 on door. £4 (inclusive) via https://wegottickets.com/event/355553
Thursday 21st April, fuller information.
THE VELVET HANDS “full of bolshy spirit” (NME)
The Velvet Hands are a youthful shot of aural adrenaline who encompass elements of The Stroke’s DIY high energy garage-rock and charismatic storytelling, but with a big dollop of snarling rock ‘n’ roll, it's a sound which BBC 6 Music DJ, Tom Robinson’s Fresh On The Net aptly describe as “a wonderful mess, a soundtrack for demolition.”
The swagger of their tunes are magnetising lovers of authentic rock needing the latest fix, but with sufficient deptth to be a firm foundation for development as emerging talent. The Velvet Hands not only look the part, they sound it. Following on from their debut double-A single - 'Games'/'Who Cares' - a few months ago, this gang of Ones-To-Watch (preferably on stage, hint) have a newer wave anthem, 'Habit', newly released (on JamX Recordings.)
With front men - lead singer/guitarist Toby Mitchell and lead guitarist/vocalist, Dan Able - tussling for position at the mic, there’s a punk-rock ethos at play (both on record and live on stage), that is underpinned by a strong and full on rhythm section featuring Louis Willbourne (drums/backing vocals) and Sean Nichols on bass.
The aforementioned release, 'Habit', won a Track Of The Week on influential music site Little Indie Blogs. Released last month, it's punky, hooky and instant. “The attitude of early Cribs or Libertines colliding with the death or glory of the Clash” (God’s Is In The TV) and is obviously being talked about as the video has already surpassed a thousand views
London gets to witness what the excitement is about in the flesh on 21st April when they play this special after-party gig in celebration of their Record Store Day release, 'Trains' / 'Curtains' on limited 7” white vinyl.
Although some major labels see this point of the music world year as another sales pitch opportunity, Independent and DIY releases bring uncynical passion and extra creativity. Their inspirations give #RSD16 a boost of positivity, both for record shops and music fans of all generations, whether raised on physical releases or otherwise. We caught up with Toby of The Velvet Hands for a young musician's view point. For instance, what inspired the songs that they will be releasing on April 16th...
Toby : “I wrote 'Trains' and 'Curtains' within the same week and once they got up and running with the band, we knew we'd record them as an A-side and B-side so the pair complement each other quite well I think.
We usually write about events that have happened to us and 'Trains' is a good example of that, it's about a person Dan (lead guitarist) and I know quite well, and how she kind of went a bit wrong.
'Curtains' is about wanting to do everything but feeling a bit useless when nothing works out, hence the genius opening lyric of 'I want it all..' ha ha."
They've certainly brought something very desirable to the party, with their aesthetically pleasing limited vinyl release. We asked Toby, “ Are physical retail outlets still of importance in the MP3 age, for music fans and musicians alike?”
Toby “Yes they are. We're not at all vinyl purists or anything, I think MP3's do have a good use and we use them for ease, but with Spotify and Apple music etc the only way to feel like you truly own something is to get the physical copy. Plus I do think you should support the independent shops. I know it's hard not to be tempted when your local shop is selling the record for £18 and HMV is selling it for £15, but people will really miss them once they've gone. I think RSD is a great idea though, there's always so much excitement each year around it and we're really thankful to RSD and Easy Action (Rock n Roll Rarities label) for letting us be a part of it."
Here at TheZineUK, we've heard great things about all the line up coming to play at The Urban Bar and are looking forward to catching all the live sets a few days after these releases become available. This is gonna be some night.
While we've got Toby, we take the opportunity to enquire about what The Velvet Hands have got coming up in the near future...
Toby "So after RSD we've got another single, 'I Don't Mind', coming out in June, we’re writing loads, we've got some festivals over the summer and then an EP release in September - with an album hopefully after that.
Exciting times”
He's not kidding. These are, indeed genuinely thrilling developments for any band, in a classic year for British guitar music. Get your updates and tasters here:
http://thevelvethands.co.uk * http://facebook.com/thevelvethands @the velvethands1
THE ISABELLES
The Velvet Hands and friends are bringing a PARTY. Also in the vanguard of noisy escapism from the Simon Cowell inflicted insipid karaoke of our daily lives, are pyschaedelic live-wires, The Isabelles who will be celebrating the release of their limited RSD16 vinyl, 'Permanent Rewind'.
The internet says; 'Live, they are a chimera that morphs before the eye, pulling in reference points (consciously and subconsciously) and projecting them across a canvas of their own invention.”
Our collective ears add “this is an aural adventure careering around the spaced out rock n roll universe with guitar licks on a magical mystery tour of magnificent meanderings. Forcefully. WTF. Ace.”
Psychadelic garage rock with rough riffing licks of earworm proportions. When those power chords kick in, boy DO they! - Joyously.
The Isabelles, none of whom are named that, got themselves noticed from their very first release and supported Telegram recently.
They have also played their first tour and released this frankly marvellous single, 'Fall Away' which has already grabbed favourable mentions from the likes of sussed music media like Vive Le Rock, Louder Than War and NME
The Isabelles are attracting very favourable attention with this highly praised and tune laden song which has earned them comparisons to The Buzzcocks at their finest. 'Permanent Rewind' is backed with an exclusive live version of ‘Small Stone’, recorded at the Ker-Now! Festival.
https://facebook.com/theeisabelles @theeisabelles
Cornwall’s resurgence as the new home of rock ‘n’ roll shows no signs of waning with the emergence of The Velvet Hands and The Isabelles leading a tsunami charge on the globe's ears, and doing it in their own, inimitable way.
They are joined this evening by . . .
MATT MURE
Alt pop singer-songwriter, Matt Muré, plays a stripped down set this evening. His self released and produced debut single, 'Give Me The Fear' was mixed by Steve Sears Jr (Gallows / Kids in Glass Houses) and mastered by Pete Maher (Lana Del Ray / The Killers). His sound is opening doors. Matt and his band have supported Carl Barat, Misty Miller and more, with NME's Mark Beaumont describing them as "seductively melodic rock'n'roll". They've won Olympus's Music-Open Europe wide competition which saw the band selected by PRS for Music UK/Music Week and featured in national music press like Les Inrocks (France) and Sound & Recording (Germany).
In short The Velvet Hands, The Isabelles, Matt Muré - a triple bill of rock n roll recommendations. We dare you to miss this show!
(Caffy at TheZineUK Live Events Dept).