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with nofunclub, Black Elephant, Archean Soundtrack, The Chimerical and The High Commissioners. DJ sets by Agent Koopah and Leicester Squared.
Surprise act – The Chimerical
Best act live – The High Commissioners
Ones to watch – Black Elephant
The night began with nofunclub and what a great start. These young guys got us well on the way for what turned out to be an absolutely epic evening. Currently studying music at Bath College, you could definitely see the potential that will keep bringing you some sensational sounds. With a charming adolescence and a fresh voice, I think these guys are definitely going to evolve into their own, keep an eye out.
Black Elephant were fantastically energetic getting the whole crowd off their seats and involved. Carrying a slight Deftones influence, these guys are beautifully dark dragging dirty shivers down your spine. It was an absolute pleasure to see these guys live; their sound is unique and sexy on every level. Coming from Bristol we can only hope we see more of them in Bath. This is a band you need to listen to, you won’t be disappointed.
Archean Soundtrack had a tough band to follow but they managed to pull it off. With a great use of vocals and bringing the hip-hop/rock equation out on stage they had a great reaction from the crowd. Even with a broken bass string they persevered and finished their set. With good energy and a strong voice they were a memorable act of the night.
Up next were the stunningly classic British rock band The Chimerical. With good solos and funky baselines this band is easy to listen to and very likeable. Doing an awesome Beatles cover, these guys have great stage presence and a definite finely tuned sound. We’re looking forward to hearing more of them.
The headliners of the evening made an almost poeticly rehearsed entrance and set a great tone with the huge crowd already surrounding the small stage. The High Commissioners were fantastic at filling that headliner spot. They were totally captivating on stage and have an amazingly deep and sensual sound. I noticed the painful passion in the face of the drummer, where every part of him was locked into the moment. The interaction with the crowd was brilliant as the basement was filled to the brim. This is a band that has what it takes; this isn’t the last we’ve seen of them.
Last but not least we were graced with the dirty, hardcore sounds of Leicester Squared and Agent Koopah. Keeping the crowd happy with heavy drops and toe curling build ups inbetween the bands. All in all it was another great night by Revolver.
The next Revolver is 4th May 2012 in the Porter Cellar showcasing Infrared Bear, Ninook, Jamma De Samba and Tiger Eyes, with special guests DJ Itchy Fingers and S3O. For more information, see Revolver’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Revolver-Bath/276593392367464or follow on Twitter @Revolverscene.
2 minute interview. Quickfire questions with Daniel Garland (Black Elephant)
What’s your favourite place in Bath, and why?
Porter Cellar Bar, I love it, it’s amazing, it’s sexy!
How do you take your tea?
A little bit of milk, a tea bag in and no sugar
Tell me something you know to be true.
Johnny Cash is incredible
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This outfit here.
Where would you most like to be lost?
Gold Coast City, Australia
Words: Storm Botha. Photos: Matt Judkins
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 05/03/2012 03:08 pm - No Comment
with Shauna Hutch, Stuart Yeadon, Terry Clemmett, Marabou Stalk and Port Erin. DJ sets by Agent Koopah and Leicester Squared.
Shauna Hutch
With a plethora of live music happening around the city, the Revolver crowd started small. Shauna Hutch, a musician originally from Dublin took the first place, playing to a quiet room that was perfectly apt for her voice and piano combination. With the rhythmic stings of an early Alicia Keys, her voice was captivatingly strong. Experimenting with a scat sound in ‘Playtime’ (check) she is the kind of musician that strengthens my admiration for musicians who can just use their voice and an instrument and still hold a room’s attention.
My acting photographer for the evening, Stuart Yeadon was next to the stage wielding a Fender Strat and dominating the stage in a hood-up- Jeff Buckley sort of way. His voice moved from soft and high through to gravelly and angry. It was refreshing to see a singer/guitarist with an electric guitar, and an arctic white Strat at that. For me, he was the most engaging act of the evening, in all his variety and honestly profound songwriting, particularly in the ‘Professor’.
DJ-ing by candlelight
Charmingly third was Terry Clemmett and his band, complete with double bass. His catchy acoustic folk and country blues sound was comfortable to watch. Their old school harmonies brought people to their feet in toe-tapping, hip shaking dancing. A real treat.
Agent Koopah, once again glued proceedings together with his sharp beats. Unfortunately rudely interrupted by a power cut pre-drop, things at Revolver got a little heated. But as always, they stayed cool under pressure and as Joe rightly claimed “The show must go on”, even in the dark.
Marabou Stalk jammed solo for a while the team managed to rectify the sound. The house lights, however stayed dark but the night continued. Only a band fully sure of themselves could jam in an open arena and make it work with a fully engaged crowd. After a fairly peaceful and sustained jam suddenly the band launched into a sheer wall of noise and scream. The crowd stuck around in intrigue and the reception of their well played instruments. The Porter was transformed from an easy listening venue into a high energy and charged room of sound appearing though the dinge.
Stuart Yeadon
Port Erin closed the live show in a drum-led, funky guitar vibe. Heel stamping, knee jerk music. Watching our sound man Paul dance while he worked showed just what a pleasure their music is to bop to. With some serious funk bass and a room packed full of dancing in the candle lit Porter Cellar, there were smiles all around. It’s music to be enjoyed at any time but even better with a drink in hand. And they even managed to get the lights working again in their last song … coincidence?
The next revolver night is at the Beau Nash on Friday 16th March, with Peyote, Tiger Eyes and The Bohemian Embassy. For more info, follow this link… https://www.facebook.com/events/156064664513631/
Photos by Stuart Yeadon
Eden Quickfires – with DJ Agent Koopah.
Favourite place in Bath and why?
The Porter Cellar on Revolver nights of course!
How do you take your tea?
Coffee all the way!
Tell me something you know to be true.
Life is too short.
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Headphones
Where would you most like to be lost?
In the company of someone who truly accepts me for who I am.
S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 03/14/2012 10:07 am - No Comment
With their name attached to a couple of charity gigs coming up, we thought we’d have a chat to Max Weedon, the man behind BA1 Records. Redesigning the curriculum at City of Bath College a few years ago, the student musicians get a real life experience at writing, recording and performing original songs. Split into two sections, ‘pop’ and ‘tech’, the music produced is varied and like any other Bath based music organisation, their aim is to help
Stos of Bite The Buffalo.
strengthen the growing music scene in Bath by spring-boarding talent. Although named a label, artists who record under BA1 retain all the rights to their music with the idea that the experience is invaluable when it comes to making creative or copyright decisions with a major label. They have already worked with artists such as Bite the Buffalo and Gabrielle Aplin both of which have been signed to professional labels and are playing a sold out gig on 13 March at Bush Hall in London. To keep style and experience as varied as possible, BA1 have hired professional producers such as Paul Corkett (worked with The Cure and Biffy Clyro) Ben Glass (for Dubkasm) and more recently Ben Angel (of Bath based Bohemian Embassy) to name a few.
Using an exclusive A&R process, the acts produce singles that are then uploaded to YouTube and voting sites where the public can listen, comment and vote creating a ‘top 10’ list. Feedback is then generated by local industry professionals from labels such as Daddy Longlegs through to BBC Bristol. Trackfactor live events allow guest judges to have the final say on winners and awards, moving the music out of the BA1 setting and gaining reception elsewhere within the city. Previous finalists have included the likes of Largo Embargo, Bite the Buffalo, Gabrielle Aplin and the fantastic DJ Julio Bashmore. “Considering we have over 25 bands, and 60 producers on our ‘pop’ courses all producing tracks and generating singles, it is making us one of the most prolific local youth based original record labels”.
Ben Angel.
“One of the important BA1 trademarks is collaboration”, not only to enhance their grades within the college course but also as a learning process to strengthen their music. ‘Pop’ students are asked to collaborate with ‘tech’ students to broaden influences and push their music to its very limits and keeping the varied music within the city alive.
Having professional sound engineers on their staff, such as Ed Norman and Laine-Rees Pearce (working at Moles, Porter and Komedia) allows for the public performance side of BA1 to be successfully facilitated for any gig that showcases the BA1 talent. The label host its own weekly ‘playthrough’ gig at their own venue and each term hosts a public gig in a venue around the city (for example, the photos were taken at their Komedia gig in December) “This gives musicians the vital experience they need to design set-lists, work with sound engineers and feel confident on stage”
As a further project, BA1 have just launched BA1.FM radio allowing anyone from outside the college to listen to the original alternative music that is produced by their musicians. This works not only as a platform to promote the music but allows for the musicians themselves to gain vital industry experience in broadcasting. There are exclusive tracks available on the station and also live tracks from the winter gig in Komedia. For all the up to date musical talent emerging from the ever growing label, BA1.FM is the place to start.
The first of their charity gigs is 2nd March at Bath Uni in aid of Ukranian Orphans. The second on 8th March in
The Buffalo Brothers.
Widcombe for International Women’s Day
For some Trackfactor examples, follow these links…
BA1 Records is literally my favourite place to be as we have so much cool music being played all day from 9am-9pm. Other than that it is the amazing South West countryside. Second only to Southern Africa, which is home.
How do you take your tea?
I take my tea rooibos style – in a large mug, no sugar.
Tell me something you know to be true.
I know that ‘Inside Job’ about the crash is currently my favourite film.
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
Scarlett Johansen
Where would you most like to be lost?
We are all lost… But in someone’s eyes is always interesting.
Photos by Matthew Judkins.
S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 03/02/2012 04:50 pm - No Comment
Although its two weeks since we saw Fink at Komedia, the memory is still as sharp and clear as his performance. Playing to an almost home crowd, Fink (aka Fin Greenall) told me after the gig that it was the first time he has played in Bath despite being brought up in Bristol. The south-west connection was enough for the audience though and from the beginning of the night, there was electrical excitement in the air. Support act Rachel Sermanni took to the stage in beautiful musical elegance, bringing together elements of Laura Marling-esque folk with an odd aggressive chorus chord in The Fog, a song so captivating that the only sound aside from her voice and guitar were audience cheers as the pace quickened.
Rachel Sermanni
As Fink and his band took to the stage, he felt the need to warn us that they might be “quite rigid”, although you would never have guessed even if you were looking for it. The stage was smokey and atmospheric, remaining fairly dark with some warm desk-looking lamps as their backdrop illuminating us instead of the band. The entire setting, once including the music became comfortable and cosy – like a big warm blanket of ambience. At any one point during the gig you could turn around and see at least one person with their eyes closed in utter musical absorption, faces lit by the backlight of the stage.
Desk lamps light the audience
Moving from the “old school noise” making Blueberry Pancakes, into a heavily laid back version of Trouble’s What Your In with Tim the drummer seating himself on a skiffle box, the music moved from one dream-like trance experience to another.
Moving from noise to modulation to “bashing the shit” out of his Dad’s guitar (that he was never allowed to play as a child), the entire show became an experience instead of just a gig. Magnificent.
Is it different playing your new material, how does it feel?
It feels really natural on stage to play it, normally we do an album and have to spend ages kinda transcribing it for the stage but on the new stuff the only thing we have to do is play it, really well, every night – and it sounds fine! We’ve learnt a lot more about the songs by playing them live a hundred times, we often wish we could tour it first and then record it….
Why do you think people should come to see you live?
Well we rarely get a chance to go walkabout in the UK – so for us it’s a real pleasure! We try and give our records a good kicking live.
Stunning sound
What’s your favourite song to play live and why?
Right now it’s the album track Warm Shadow – it’s a total trance-a-thon in 3 ,4 time. We all have to seriously get our heads down and concentrate for it and it’s rare moment where it’s just us three in our zones just doing what we love.
What’s the first gig you ever played?
As a DJ it was at the Cockpit in Leeds, as a singer songwriter it was the ICA in London
And the first one you ever saw?
My parents used to drag me around the west country Folk scene – so it was probably Dick Gaughn or Dougie Maclean…..
What do you love or hate about playing live?
When it’s over…
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Toss up between Radiohead’s legendary South Park gig, or System Of A Down at London’s now sadly demolished Astoria … or Chris Cunningham at the Big Chill in 2010 …. Or Ben Howard in Lido in Berlin in 2009 … so many….
2 minute interview. Quickfire questions.
Favourite place in Bath and why?
If it’s still there it would have to be Moles…I used to rave their on Wednesday night back in the day, we’d road trip it over from Bristol after school and rave all night! That and the awesome second hand shop up the hill…
How do you take your tea?
With a double espresso
Tell us something you know to be true.
Life is not a rehearsal
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Some kind of Roman Toga scenario – with my red carpet supras
Where would you most like to be lost?
Tibet, it would be great to take refuge in a Buddhist monastery over the winter.
Photos by Matthew Judkins
S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 02/29/2012 02:19 pm - No Comment
with The Cerulean, Doll Rats, Dead Mask Club, Peyote, Tallis Morris and Heroine Hero. DJ sets by Agent Koopah and Leicester Squared.
Surprise act – Doll Rats
Best act live – Peyote
Ones to watch – Peyote
I will admit, I was late to February’s Revolver, greeted as I made my way to the Porter Cellar by the sound of The Cerulean, first to take to the stage. The crowd still in early-evening mode was small but high in energy following suit from the four boys at the front. The music fits into that shouty indie tradition that works particularly well inside sweaty walls and crowded festival tents. A hefty amount of funky bass and plenty of experimental stylings, this band is
Luke from Doll Rats.
young but give them time, you’ll be humming their bass riffs before long.
In between sets, DJ Agent Koopah kept the pulse alive. DJ decks covered in candles, the dance floor was created around his musical alter. If hymns sounded like this, more people would go to church.
Next to the Russian Roulette stage were Doll Rats with an authentic guitar fashion that takes music to stadiums, guitar shreds and all. Fronted by a voice that catches you off guard like a good whisky, the crowd packed around them, brought downstairs by the clear cut talent. Each song is different, its own work of art, careful and considered. They call themselves a “beautiful mess of contradictions”, but the music far more honed than that. They started as the quiet kind of band, no flourishes, just letting the music speak for itself but as the crowd grew so did their energy. Watching this band is comfortable. You’ll be watching these guys at a festival before too long, and ‘woahing’ along to Ali and Frazier so hard you might just forget where you are.
Dead Mask Club, visiting from Reading opened with a riff that Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro would be proud of. With less supporting fans of their own, the crowd was intrigued and pleased with the result. And to top it off they did a fantastic cover of Call the Shots by Girls Aloud – we even forgot who sang it first!
Joseph from Peyote
Every once in a while, there comes a band that makes you stop everything you’re doing. Peyote, as they took to the stage was one of those bands. In identical get up of black suits and white shirts, they held the Blues Brothers look down to a tee. They ever so cooly introduced themselves with an addictive vintage blues riff followed by shattered-glass vocals. Remember that scene in Back to The Future when Marty plays Johnny B. Goode and the room erupts into dancing? Well, that’s exactly what Peyote brought the Porter cellar. It was our very own rock ‘n’ roll show, complete with foot-tapping, hand-clapping new material. 2012 is bringing back the retro, and
believe me, Peyote are at the very front of the queue.
Following Peyote was never going to be easy but Tallis Morris and her band took on the task bravely and brought some welcome femininity to the stage. With a certain Bite the Buffalo brother on guitar there was a perfect mix of rhythmic guitar and Tallis’ gorgeous voice. There was a delicate balance of the soulful and the hip-shaking in her set list and a nice little cover of Little Lion Man by Mumford and Sons.
The live music closed with Heroine Hero, with a slightly dwindled crowd, all itching to get dancing. But as the night
Tallis Morris
moved from showcase to party, the general feeling was a successful night!
For all other information on the bands visit their Facebook pages…
Pulling up outside the the Royal Crescent in a Landrover Defender, our first glance of Stokes, William is deck shoes and Ray-Bans. In the early morning mist, they set up their make- shift stage of drum cases in front of the bandstand. Regretfully telling me that one of their members, Laurie, couldn’t play with them I was given
Chatting in the sunshine.
instructions to “imagine the violin”. Smiling, they launch straight into ‘In/Of the World’ warming up a little before they give us a full performance. They immediately look at home in the outdoors, as if every gig is played in a park. There seemed no need to rush, everything slowed down to their pace and even the passing joggers seemed too frantic. With everything in balance, and an accompaniment from the nearby church bells it was the sort of morning when everyone just needed to stop, appreciate and allow themselves into the Stokes, William way of life.
So how did you become a band?
Will – Me and Andy were in a band at school
Andy – At the end of school, he said he was going solo and asked me to play in his solo band
Will – That was how the name came about and then we played our first proper gig in London halfway through college and just carried on.
How did you get your name?
Will – (To the others) Maybe this is a good time to start saying that we love Anthony Stokes, the Celtic player….
Andy – It’s Will’s full name on the register, surname first.
Will – I took a fairly pessimistic approach to being a singer/songwriter because there’s so many of them, so we arranged it like that. There’s sort of an abstract quality I guess. It’s okay as a name for a band, either that or Billy Joe and the Johnsons.
Practice
We like it, you can say the comma too, like Stokes-comma-William, that’s got to add something.
Yeah, some people do!
At this point, we ‘re interrupted briefly by an open top sight-seeing bus as it trundles past, the drivers asks us if we’re the group who won a competition, Will says he thinks it’s flattering, but we are left utterly bemused. As the interview continues, it’s clear that the band have become a family, working in sync in interview which might explain why their music is so beautifully tuned.
You’re seen as part of the UK folk scene, does that influence your music?
Nat – The beauty of it is, we all listen to different music. I listen to a lot of jazz and reggae, Will likes Animal Collective, Aaron’s into his techno.
Will – We started in the London Folk Scene and that probably passes its way into the music but taking it back the main reason we got into this type is people like Paul Simon and Fionn Regan, the first generation almost, and its grown over the last five years. It’s not a fashion thing. If you respond to what you listen to then you naturally want to recreate something like that and experiment with it. Nat grew up in a jazz and funk tradition and Andy plays in an orchestra. It would be impossible for us to be just one genre.
Where do you see yourselves going? Packing out stadiums?
Aaron – its something we’ve never really discussed. I personally don’t aspire to that, I just enjoy playing gigs and playing to a cool group of people. If I look at the people I like to listen to, they have a core group around them and I like that.
Andy – We’ll take whatever comes our way, we’re not necessarily aiming for crowds or numbers although I’d like to play with a full orchestra.
Nat – Yeah, we’ll play until we stop enjoying playing and we’re enjoying where we are.
Will – I want to carry on accommodating what we’re doing. Making a living is only one way to accommodate it, we can go anywhere, bagpipes maybe…
Stokes, William's self titled E.P.
Tell us about your e.p.
Aaron – we basically all went to Nat’s house in the summer and recorded 5 tracks. We self- released it and we’ll see how that goes.
Nat – I suppose this relates to the big stages question, we love doing things and making things ourselves. We love inviting who we want to play with us, where we go, what dates we do.
Will – we made a short list of some labels we would have used. But in the end we thought, why not do it ourselves and see how many we can shift on our own. If it goes well we have a great community of bands and friends around us. Everyone who featured on the e.p were more like friends, there’s an outfit there. In the end, it emerged and it felt right.
Why should people go to see you live?
In/Of The World.
Andy – I would say for the energy and engagement.
Nat – it’s a fun party, we want to play music with you, not to you.
Will – If I didn’t play in the band, I would like to listen to it.
Stokes, William’s self titled e.p is available now to download from iTunes.
In/Of The World
2 Minute Interview. Quickfire questions.
How do you take your tea?
A – Mysterious. Add the milk after you’ve made it and don’t stir it.
N – Dash of milk, no sugar.
W – Chai from a festival… Greenbelt.
Aa – White with sugar
Tell us something you know to be true.
A – The Bible.
N – Will doesn’t need a calendar shirt because he has hotmail and me on the phone daily.
W – The smallest subatomic particle is -10,27m the size of the universe is 10,27m average human height is 1m which is exactly halfway.
Aa- Will’s a dick…
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A – My pink Lycra morph suit
N – My wax coat
W – Something really practical with a calendar on it for the rest of my life.
Aa – Disposable gloves… The surgical kind.
Where would you most like to be lost?
A – Drakensburg Mountains, SA
N – In a maze
W – In translation
Aa- Under water, in the Med.
S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 01/30/2012 04:21 pm - No Comment
Revolver. Out on the streets of Bath we heard the name being bandied about and went to investigate.
From left: Rhys, Dan and Joe
Meeting in an atmospherically lit Porter Cellar, home of the Revolver nights, I was joined by the sharply dressed Rhys, Dan, Joe and an elusive Paul. Suits donned, pocket watches shined and the Revolver logo proudly displayed under red light; here’s what they had to say…
At its core, Revolver is a music promotions network hosting a monthly night of local musicians. But it’s also a collection of skills that can range from singers to artists to film-makers or more simply “anyone who orbits around the growing music scene in Bath”. Starting with what the boys noticed as a lack of a specific named night, they wanted to create an all inclusive event, from the first band’s opening chord to the re-living it online at home. The ‘Revolver Scene’ as it’s been coined is not only a monthly showcase gig but an online service that provides a hub for people to experience music post-show. After each Revolver there will be the opportunity to listen to live recordings, see live videos and photos and share the experience whether you were there or not. “It’s the live aspect that really grabs people and the atmosphere created on the night so the Revolver Scene allows musicians to be heard at their best.”
The boys tell me about Tiger Eyes
As any music fan in Bath knows, the music scene has moved on leaps and bounds within the last year. Whether from uni, college or the city, there has been a high bar set, one which the team at Revolver want to tap into and promote. “More had to be put in to get more out, it says a lot that we’ve never been stuck for a booking and have had virtually no band repeats… the music and the talent just speaks for itself.” Not only tapping into the high quality of music that the city currently has to offer, the Revolver experience stays heightened through well mixed sound and production. While all genres of music are catered for, there is careful thought to how music matches so that you can experience a full “cream of the crop” level of talent and energy.
Their promotion of great music doesn’t stop there. Recently, in wanting to add a new dimension to the Revolver Scene as a service, the team have started to manage Bath band Tiger Eyes. They are working closely with the band helping them with live shows, recordings and general promotions in preparation for their e.p and summer tour. With a belief that successful bands have a close and solid relationship with their managers, they want to inject a non-sterile business approach into management and take on new bands that fascinate them and are in need of some help.
Revolver logo, displayed proud
Why ‘Revolver’? It started with the concept that there would be six acts that would play a slot and the revolve onto the next one, and actually had nothing to do with guns in the beginning. On the realisation that there are six shots in a revolver pistol, it developed from there.
What should you expect from a Revolver night then? Well, to start, six acts each with a 30 minute slot and DJ interludes. It’s not just your average band night but a show. The night is fun, the atmosphere is fantastic and it says a lot that the team themselves are part of the crowd and enjoying themselves as much as the rest. But don’t take my word for it, the best way to understand how it works is to go down to one of the nights.
The next Revolver night is on Friday 3rd February at the Porter Cellar bar. Entry: Free. eden will be there and so should you.
For more information about Revolver tweet them at @revolverscene or visit their Facebook at www.facebook.com/revolverbath and drop them a ‘like’. Website to be announced soon.
Also watch eden for up to date news on Revolver nights, photos and exclusive band interviews.
2 Minute Interview. Quickfire questions.
Favourite place in Bath and why?
R – The general George St area, I live here.
J – The Royal Crescent.
D – The Porter, it’s where Revolver happens.
P – About a 10 minute walk from the station, across the canal you get to a really high point. The view is amazing.
How do you take your tea?
R – Coffee.
J – Milky with one sugar.
D – Milk , two sugars.
P – Milk and one sugar. Unless i’m hungover then it’s peppermint tea.
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
R – My belt.
J – My guitar.
D – My hat.
P – My music man bass guitar.
Tell us something you know to be true.
R – Paul will always be late.
J – Something I heard about tortoises having great sex lives.
D – Elephants are the only mammals with 4 legs and 4 knees.
P – You can always rely on my being late, but I’ll make it up to you!
Where would you most like to be lost?
R – In an over-sized hat shop.
J – In the U.S.A.
D – Somewhere familiar.
P – In a world where sound is currency.
S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 01/20/2012 11:30 am - No Comment
While One Direction were crooning the nation on the X Factor on Sunday night, I found myself in Moles with some acoustic offerings from Gabrielle Aplin as she played a headline set to a home crowd. Movember attempts left, right and centre the crowd was a mix of Gabrielle’s family, friends and those who just appreciate a good voice/guitar combination.
Opened by one of our eden favourites Tom Law, the mood for the evening was set high. Take him away from the quiet, living room atmosphere of Jika Jika at our launch and Tom really comes into his own. With the stage empty and the room beginning to fill up, the Moles basement is transformed by wall-to-wall voice and charisma. Inviting a friend Charlie on stage to play a humungous double bass, they cover ‘Stand By Me’ with the perfect mix of funk, jazz and dancing. Moustache’s in motion, the room awaits Melise Djemal, accompanied by Keno Decosta Medford on guitar. Opening with songs, that can also be heard with her beatbox mash-up band Sounds of Harlowe, there’s something lovely about hearing them stripped back, no beat, just rhythm guitar and a great voice. Thoroughly down to earth, looking made for the stage they move into widely crowd participated cover of Valerie in the style of Amy Winehouse. It was slower, softer and probably better.
Gabrielle takes her turn.
With the crowd well and truly warmed up, Gabrielle takes her turn, barely visible above the crowd, it is her talent that carries through the room, leaving everyone of us completely captivated. Standing alone and still on the stage leaves for total appreciation of such a pure and pretty voice and songs bursting with emotion felt and shared. She sings her songs as she feels them, one which she describes as being sung by “an angry Mumford and Son’s with beards”, something almost difficult to imagine from the small girl that stands in front of us. Following suit with a couple of covers, her version of Black and Gold by Sam Sparro sounds more at home on her guitar than it does as a dance tune, while her grandmothers tears after Fix U by Coldplay sum up just how emotional her live shows really are. Fresh from a support slot with Charlie Simpson on his recent tour, the large space of the Anson Rooms in Bristol seems an obsene size in comparison to the cosy, intimate basement that we shared on Sunday evening. Her songs, full of a truly beautiful meloncholy render a standard chatty folk-crowd completely silent, one in particular about the London Riots called The Day the World Went Mad. Lost completely into the sea of heads as she sits down to her piano it is the voice and the music that remains, grabbing each of us like the ghosts she sings about. But when music sounds like this, there is certainly nothing to be scared about.
Joining brothers Stos and Dimitri Goneos amidst a game of ‘Bullshit’ (or ‘Cheat’ to those of you who work a little more PG), we find Bite the Buffalo holed up in the cosy King William pub, sheltering from the rain.
Dimitri, left. Stos, right.
Just a short walk around the corner and we’re in amongst a hoard of instruments, computers and equipment all squeezed into the tiny space of David Carylon’s mixing room. Both boys lounge on a hefty black sofa almost out of place in the box-like room, quietly jamming to themselves as we set up around them.
Dimitri lounges with a snare.
Dimitri as the drummer sits relaxed, snare drum on his knee with the box utilising itself as the bass, while Stos tunes his guitar to the blues rhythm that resonates through their music. Slightly dishevelled, hair mirrored in equal messiness and hangover-in-progress, our chat stays casual as we get to know them. From Zambia, the brother’s, 18 and 21, moved to Bath to come to college. Talking of their influences coming from the old country and the Beatles records that their parents listened to, they explain that the musical catalyst was their Mother’s brother; a long haired, tattoed musician with a Fender Strat. Sitting in awe as they watched him play noises that the young brothers had never heard before kick-started a huge interest and a growing love for the raw passion that is so familiar to their music.
So, tell us what you’ve been doing over your Summer
S – We went on tour, did a week in the South ending in London, played with the Beatles (that’s the Bootleg Beatles) at the Royal Wedding party. And just the other week were at an L.P launch in Black Chalk Studios, where the artwork for Radiohead’s album was produced. We played for The Bohemian Embassy’s L.P launch and they rented the whole place out, you could bring your own alcohol and smoke inside so it was a great vibe. It was ridiculous! I’ve never seen so many happy people in one place. Complete success!
The E.P you’re currently working on is your second this year, tell us about your first…
S – Well this one is a proper one, we had no idea how this whole thing was going to go so we self- produced our first while we were at college. It sounds alright, but I’ve never bloody produced anything in my life so this one has proper songs and proper mixing from Dave (guitarist in The Bohemian Embassy) helping us out, he knows all the songs and has been really involved. It’s working basically!
When can we expect your E.P ‘Bromigos’?
S – Not too sure yet, we still have to lay vocals and all the pretty tambourine parts, but hopefully around two weeks until it’s finished. The physical copy should be ready in 4 weeks and in 6 it’ll be on iTunes, so not too long.
Any musical influences for the new record? What are you listening to now?
D – Probably “The Growlers” have influenced the most recently, we listen to music that sounds nothing like us, it’s like psychedelic surf-music, but they’re a really great band and it still seeps in lyrically.
Do you have any influences from Zambia?
S – There is one guy, called Black Muntu, it’s a pretty racist name and I remember I wasn’t allowed to say the name as a kid, but he was a kind of 1930’s blues man, I always remember him because of his name. There was another guy who was the stand-in drummer for U2, who started up this rock-school in Zambia and it was either horse-riding or rock-school. He became our sort of mentor because he taught us actual songs instead of just chords and helped us find a sound.
What actually inspires you to sit down and write music?
S- Well we’re still learning, everything is a learning process. Either one of us, Dimitri too, will come up with a riff and if we think its good we’ll have a cigarette and sit and write the song. There’s never a set formula to how we do it, which keeps the music fresh.
How did you find your sound as a band?
S – When we first formed the band, we’d never played as just a two-piece so we wanted to see what we’d have to do to sound like a big band. I bought a couple of pedals, Miti bought a couple of symbols and what we sounded like then, is pretty much what we sound like now.
D – We can only really sound like ourselves, people see a two-piece and think ‘Oh, they’re like the White Stripes’ or so-and-so, but as far as sound goes, this is the only sound we can make.
Pre-performance chats.
As brothers do you get on all the time?
D – We actually have an interesting way of doing it, obviously we have our brotherly arguments but when we’re in the practise room or writing a song, it just doesn’t come into it. It’s like putting on the musician hat and leaving everything else at the door.
S – Yeah, and our new E.P is called ‘Bromigos’ just to symbolise our friendship and brothership and most of the songs are about the crazy things that we’ve done together.
What’s your favourite thing about being in a band?
S – The people we get to meet. We’ve just been signed to Daddy Long Legs Records, and it’s sort of become one big happy family like, one of the guys we work with had his van broken into and his guitar stolen – his prized possession, and everyone got together in secret and planned to get him a new one, so it’s things like that that make it great.
Who’s the most interesting person you’ve met?
S – We met Newton Faulkner when he played in Bath and ended up having a night out with him, he was such a cool guy and even let me smell his dreadlocks – they actually smell good! In the same night we went to Moles and bumped into Ed Sheeran, there’s a picture somewhere of us pretty drunk with him, so that was pretty crazy.
Stos tunes to the blues.
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
S – (singing) California! Basically we want to travel, whether in a van or in a hired jet, it doesn’t matter we just want to go somewhere.
D – It’ll probably be a little van to be honest!
S – Yeah, we want to be that kind of hard working band and do the first 5 albums ourselves, playing lots of shows and stuff, we like the idea of being a cult underground band and progressing from there.
And as a ‘cult band’ why should people go and see you live?
S – I’ll give you cigarettes and musical massages! Nah, we just have fun and want the crowd too as well.
In the glow of a pre-performance cigarette, the brothers resume their positions on the bulk of leather and play three songs for us in the sauna like heat that has risen in the space. Their faces remain cool, calm as if they were just playing at home. As they launch in to their first song, we get a sense of the parental influence as a riff emerges that wouldn’t sound out of place on a banjo. The smile permanently attached to Stos’s face sets the mood and as an audience we can’t help but realise that this band is going places, hopefully in that small van on the way to California.
Polka Dots
Hello
2 Minute Interview. Quickfire questions.
Where is your favourite place in Bath and why?
The Porter, we practically live there.
How do you take you tea?
Coffee, black, two sugars.
Tell us something you know to be true?
D – Stinging nettles are horrible. S – We are brothers.
If you could only wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
D – A onsie. S – These braces and boxers.
Where would you most like to be lost?
D – The TV show ‘Lost’. S – Scarlett Johansson’s bra.
S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 11/03/2011 09:33 pm - No Comment
Our ‘Listen’ section aims to help you discover local musicians, experiencing their music in a simplistic and under-produced way. We’ll bring you interviews and reviews from anyone who crosses our path, we’re talking Meursault to Motorhead and everything in between.
Our sessions are filmed acoustically mainly in Bath, so enjoy the little the extras: dog walkers walking, children bouncing and the occasional spilling of an egg and bacon bap down our cameraman (ahem…)
AM.Y & S.M
Posted by Sarah Murphy in listen on 11/01/2011 05:57 pm - No Comment
The night began with nofunclub and what a great start. These young guys got us well on the way for what turned out to be an absolutely epic evening. Currently studying music at Bath College, you could definitely see the potential that will keep bringing you some sensational sounds. With a charming adolescence and a fresh voice, I think these guys are definitely going to evolve into their own, keep an eye out.
surrounding the small stage. The High Commissioners were fantastic at filling that headliner spot. They were totally captivating on stage and have an amazingly deep and sensual sound. I noticed the painful passion in the face of the drummer, where every part of him was locked into the moment. The interaction with the crowd was brilliant as the basement was filled to the brim. This is a band that has what it takes; this isn’t the last we’ve seen of them.
