Well, I’m not sure what happened there, I spend weeks moaning that venues and promoters seem to be running a strange policy of negative awareness by making sure that their gigs are so exclusive that they don’t actually tell anyone, and whine that the scene is dominated by backward glancing nostalgia trips, and this happens. Original bands, loads of the buggers, all over the town. Maybe the Gods of Music do listen to me. Now, about that Rickenbacker Laredo bass I’ve always had my eye on…
Thursday
Lewis Clark and The Essentials @ The Beehive
In our favourite compact and bijou watering hole you can immerse yourself in the wonderful blend of soulful, dexterous, effortlessly cool and musically economical blend of folk, blues and world music courtesy of Lewis Clark and The Essentials a band that weaves classic sounds and forms into modern new takes on seminal sounds.
Thought Forms and Hound on The Mountain @ Level III
Thought Forms is that rare thing of a local band made good, sonically progressive yet with a following that goes beyond cult status. Their building blocks are compelling atmospherics, widescreen cinematic soundscapes and yawning chasms of noise are visceral and immediate whilst being loose and experimental and it all happens at Level III with Hound on The Mountain playing the role of perfect support act.
The Martyrials, Ghost of The Avalanche, GagReflex and Sickones @ The Victoria
At The Victoria things get similarly experimental but in a more direct and shouty sort of way. Martyrials re-invent the role of keyboards in the psychedelic punk oeuvre, Ghost of the Avalanche make Misfits-esque extreme noise-pop, GagReflex take a progressive-punk line and Sickones play short, sharp incendiary Hardcore.
Friday
Smooth Ends, Beach For Tiger and Big Happy Forever @ Level III
The weekend starts properly with another visit to Level III on Friday and a showcase of new, happening out of town indie. Smooth Ends is an international collective based in South London and taking indie down some chilled and accessible routes via their “cream-pop” sound. Beach For Tiger effortlessly blend psych, pop and ambient indie sounds and opening the night is the more angular and post-punk derived pop of Big Happy Forever.
Sam Walker @ The Beehive
Sam Walker is a flurry of electronica, percussion and guitar work that wanders between the frantic and the floating, the urgent and the ethereal, not only great to listen to but fantastic to watch it being created before your eyes, provided that your eyes happen to be in The Beehive.
Doberman @ The Rolleston
Paul De Bello has worked with many of the greats of his chosen genre, from Adam Bomb to Steve Adler to Michael Monroe and he brings his take on four to the floor, groove driven, sleazy rock to The Rolleston with his band Doberman. Alt-rock and Indie covers will be found at the Groves Company Inn, in the form of No Middle Ground.
Sunday
With Ghosts, Young Kings, Edenfalls and Over To You @ The Victoria
The day of rest is anything but especially with the line up at The Victoria. Sunday sees With Ghosts (is there a ghost theme this week?) and Over To You’s pop punk and post-hardcore from Edenfalls and Young Kings offer up big, energetic and euphoric sounds.
A double dose of Jim Blair!
For fans of rootsy, bluesy, lap guitar Sunday is also a bit of a treat with two chances to catch Hiproute’s Jim Blair, firstly at The Lazy Sunday Afternoon at Savernake Street Community Hall with Canute’s Plastic Army and Mr. Love and Justice and then later that same day at The Tuppenny with fellow acoustic troubadour Barney Kenney.
Tuesday
Alcuna Wilds and We Are Strangers Minds @ Level III
Something different happening at Level III this early next week with a night of ambient trip-hop from artists from Holland and Bristol respectively. Expect a night of silky smooth experimentalism and soulful, chilled urban vibes.
Wednesday
All Ears Avow, Ten Tombs, A Way With Words and Indigo Haze @ The Victoria
As local stalwarts All Ears Avow bring their current tour into home waters they bring with them a fantastic bill of alt-rock and incendiary sounds. Energy and musical penmanship are the order of the day as the headliners prove why they are such an in demand band.
