New Music Socials Shape a rocking 2017
TheZineUK Socials, Music Venue Trust's Fightback, This Feeling 10th Anniversary: All have socialising and inter-bands/collectives crossing over, in common. Next year's DecoloniseFest (which we are involved with) is preceded by a November 4th fund raiser in London and good vibes just keep on coming. Two days after Venues Day 2016, and a year after first meeting half of Apeman Spaceman at our Autumn 2015 ArtBeat night (Nova Twins, The Au Revoirs, White Room, Mourning Birds and DJ Mark Beaumont of NME) they are headlining our Autumn 2016 gathering which also includes a single release by must-investigate-exciters, The Trap (read on). It was all meant to be! Image: mighty song laden, Apeman Spaceman; another cool show, another loudly received triumph.
Through 2016, like minded hearts have witnessed created/documented global potential at close range and this Autumn's harvest is bearing fruit. Support from the likes of Radio X (especially beloved John Kennedy's free entry Remedy nights), BBC Radio plays, and an interactive web of independent, ahead of the game media are the #Britz16 repping Great Britain in a lamestream lying to sheeple era of "HateBritain". Image from TheZineUK Music Social: the #StageStyle of our music editor, Dizzy Spell (Enola Arts) and Jimmy Bowman (The Glass Collectors Radio Show) before performing his first spoken word show for us. Beautifully done and received.
It's been Halloween since the end of June in a year of high ups and low downs. We've broke on through to the other side. From excitement about "The Next Alt Rock Music Industry" (This Feeling, End Of The Trail etc) a year ago to New Year's cry of "Come on guitar fans, let's HAVE 2016" (a fan, on This Feeling/Fred Perry subculture Top 50 tips for 2016 remarked "this is more important than what NME has to say." By the Reading/Leeds Festival weekend, which both End Of The Trail and This Feeling had heavily flavoured, it feels like the new bands really could make next year a #Heaven17 escapism from the Armageddon Age. We've had other results from all this, stay tuned for more on that. Image: This Feeling #BigIn2016 stars, Sisteray launched our East End Socials at Whitechapel's Urban Bar in January with their guerilla gig, and are a Band Of The Year on many levels. In this snap shot, they're about to take the stage for This Feeling at The Roundhouse #Fightback night.
From January's Music Social 1, the openers (who didn't have a band name, yet) the newly public 485C have also gone onto festivals, radio play, industry interest, a Fierce Panda Records release and great future announcements. The DJ that night (when we first met Jimmy Bowman who was interviewing Sisteray), Jean Genie, has gone from assisting John Kennedy in Xfm Radio days, to writing and performing her own gorgeous pop songs. With future public recordings imminent, we were treated to a great live performance from radio presenter, producer and multi talent music maker, scout n shaker, Jean Genie's Massive Hugs.
There's a wind of change since January when a popular music journalist, writing about BBC's Sound Of 2016 noted; "A posh young singer-songwriter has defied the odds to top the coveted Posh Young Singer-Songwriter Of 2016 poll. Rejoice!" In our "all classes welcome" world, artists are promoting and supporting their peers. "There are no headliners ALL these bands are headliners #newbreed NOT #TheVoice NOT" tweeted positive passion punksters, Sisteray. "There is so much out there - fuck the radio playlists and commercially droll same same - explore the underground and support the real deals!" (ArtBeat faves,The Au Revoirs). In February 2016, original art rock poet, Bruno Wizard, (who we met properly, via Jean Genie a couple of summers ago) remarked "Punk is dead, let's do something new." We're always aiming to do that. Situationism makes it happen, chaotically, anyway.
Take it from this evening's poet, Jimmy Bowman;
DIY has made our parallel dimension a reality. We were all meant to be. We met the beautiful heart of Sandy K. Moz, in this image of Jimmy Bowman taking a photo, in January too. Rock n Roll fate is doing something new to us all.
This is a new realisation. A socialist side includes entertaining friends we love with live music that we recommend. The Glass Collectors made a special show of April's ArtBeatFest New Music Expo. Then, in May, presenter Jimmy came with us (and half of Apeman Spaceman who picked up a Camden Rocks Festival set that evening) to see one of the ArtBeatFest bands, M O S E S who appear on the Autumn interview special with SONS and Sisteray.
20th October 2016 - Oh what a night!
Psychadelic moon rock from Apeman Spaceman
Joy divisioned newer wave from The Trap
Urgently energetic alt -rock from Blush
Melodic instant magic pop from Jean Genie's Massive Hugs
Rebel poet word from Jimmy Bowman
Our picture book chapter story's travelling circus of the next music industry's mover shakers united for an evening's socialising and entertainment compered by our own Dizzy Spell
Soundtracks of alternative lives for the dance floor from The Glass Collectors Radio show which added to the party. We get to hear MOSES, The Wholls, Sisteray and more new names that really work at gigs. Reminded of moshing along to Asylums at John Kennedy's recent Apeman Spaceman / MOSES show.
There really is a cross connection between the best new bands. The sites and blogs with completely different tastes also over lap in their admiration. The new market research is done at bars in the small venues. A good case in point are Blush, who make new friends this evening and do justice to the grand reputation that End Of The Trail has grown, while gathering some new admirers.
Blush are celebrating the huge response to their latest release, 'Crying Glitter', while developing stylishly at a heady rate.
Image; Come out with us and receive a warm welcome from our compere, music editor and theatre directing wonder woman, Dizzy Spell!
Overwhelmed by the lovely feedback, it is true to say that this was an all thriller, no filler, amaze-bill. Every single live set earned new interest and great applause from an artist drenched audience that included SONS (End Of The Trail release 'Reptiles' coming in the new year), another Band Of The Year courtesy of their debut album 'Tracks Of Wire', deux furieuses, Belonging, music author, Chris Henniker, various industry friends that enjoy scouting at our laid back nights and exciting new band, Dronningen, (who our Fashion Director, Ben, caught days earlier, when SONS played for End Of The Trail Records night). Dronningen, who came and joined this story, live up to their guiding principles; Getting rid of general negativity, Dance as a purifying ritual and Being the sovereign of your own world. Their moshing ruled the dance floor royally.
Image : Dronningen x Sisteray Gang x The Glass Collectors = Uniqulture at The Urban Bar.
Gosh. The Trap are so good. They were a pinch-yourself experience of seminal greatness caught at End Of The Trail's night in May and merited seeing again, just to make sure it wasn't imagined. The thing is they have a distinct and engaging live presence to present darkly crafted earworms of alternative post punk pop. We are honoured that The Trap choose to launch their release, 'Walk Alone' / 'My English Love' that same evening.
The buzz keeps growing. Our Manchester based, music loving contributors, are seeking ways to get this fresh London four piece, with a futuristic but classic Hacienda sound, a show, there.
Photography and filming from Electric Owls, Rohan Murray, Sandy K. Moz and more. The music socials are part of this underground music movement's documentary.
It's no surprise that The Trap have been confirmed to support White Room on their UK tour at This Feeling London in November. Another of our East End music social artists, The Velvet Hands, also play for the UK's No1 rock n roll club that same month. They've been spanking exciting feedback all summer, another glam and punky excitement to catch at close range as new releases and dates come together. It's such a landmark event that, at time of writing, stuff the poncy awards, the 10th Anniversary This Feeling Party in Central London's 229 venue on 28th October is set to be the national alt rock office party of the year. The incredible Bang Bang Romeo (also in our picture book story) are one of the star turns appearing (image from The Roundhouse for Venues Day #Fightback - This Feeling stage)
The TF Zone, in association with Jack Daniels, has ruled the festivals (including a working class invasion of rockers, ha ha, great work Mikey), influenced the national album charts and presented the Ones To Watch.
At the end of July we got to catch Apeman Spaceman at This Feeling (again, the crowd chanting for "One More Song, One More Song..." as they left the stage) and grab them for tonight's show after seeing them for a third time playing for Mark Beaumont (NME/TheGuardian) in Camden to more excitement. Something organic going on here. Cosmically too, for after enjoying three gigs this year, with fave promoters, it was a case of "May The Fourth Be With You". (!) First show last year, first EP this year, a genuine alert for next year...
"Apeman Spaceman sound "Intense and vicious. Like Josh Homme and his Queens in a bad mood" say Turn Up That Volume. They've got a point, this rock isn't so much alternative as twisted from a parallel dimension. It's infectiously and psychadelically alien, without sacrificing tunes for gimmick trips. The songs get under your skin.
Our Uniqulture Road show of music socials began on Tin Pan Alley in January 2014, the same year that Music Venues Trust began. We're humbled to be involved. MVT have changed the future landscape already. By the end of Summer 2016, BBC Introducing headliners at Reading/Leeds Festival were part of End Of The Trail's stable/Stage at #TGE16 (Coquin Migale and SuperGlu) and This Feeling's (Fronteers) and that's just the tip of the iceberg. It's all a time travel epilogue from our end of 2015 which started with a ride in a shopping trolley in Essex, a Boxing Day video playlist (The #WildeLifeAwards is a reality by the end of 2016) , a load of hope, and some words to herald #Britz16 action. Going forward together. Bring on 2017.
post script;
End Of The Trail. Start of the tale. Posted on December 30, 2013 by thezineuk
End Of The Trail. An Independent label that fans, artists, industry and media alike can believe in. A recent article in The Guardian newspaper asked; “where have all the bands gone?". Mainstream music industry economy seemed to blame for that, as the article listed the high costs of breaking a star. Its no secret that it helps talented musicians to also have some money in the first place these days. Another point of view came from one of the UK’s most successful rock n roll clubs, who remarked, succintly “Royal Blood aside, what a load of boring, wet, middle class industry chosen wank stained drivel”. A valid point there. Surely there is more than one way to do things in this age of daily up-grading innovations, that doesn’t exclude groups of musicians from an economy traditionally built on the appeal of British and Irish music, bands being equal on the world stage. Perhaps starting with ready made (albeit currently unheard of) under radar favourites might save money on trying to manufacture diamonds from plastic. There is a wealthy movement of talents, with fantastic songs. They are buzzing underground. The economy could do worse than invest in them for our collective future. The lucky ones have attracted belief from the sussed enthusiasm of audiences and independent record labels.