Posts Tagged ‘Manchester’
Introducing: Jake Mattison
January 28th, 2012 • Introducing
Tags: Emeli Sande, Gil Scott Heron, Home Is Where The Hatred Is, Jake Mattison, Manchester
Jake Mattison is a Manchester based singer-songwriter with one of those drop-what-you’re-doing kind of voices. Not since the first time we heard the likes of Marcus Mumford, Damien Rice or Ben Howard have we been so startled, and indeed, dropped what we were doing to stare at the device from which the arresting sound was emanating.
Mattison’s vocal does possess the raw beauty of these successful artists, albeit perhaps with a rawer edge, that really suggests he’s got a story to tell.
We assume he’s been penning songs and performing them to people for at least a little while, perhaps mainly in his native North West, but a short run of dates with Emeli Sande in November last year has brought this rather exceptional talent into the public limelight, and has set up 2012 as a potential breakthrough year.
There are a handful of demos online at present, which hint at something much bigger, but in the meantime check out this wonderful cover of Gil Scott Heron’s 1971 classic “Home Is Where The Hatred Is”, where Mattison comes off complementing, rather than aping, the late great.
Introducing: The Kill Van Kulls
May 8th, 2011 • Introducing
Tags: Fool's Wish, High Voltage, Manchester, The Kill Van Kulls, Wooden Heart
For those of you who like your music Kid A inspired, chorus-devoid and ‘challenging’, look away now. Leave the room. In fact, run a mile. If you like your music fun, nostalgic and hook filled (that’s us), read on:
Manchester quartet The Kill Van Kulls (named after a tidal strait in the state of New York) are bringing back 80s power pop to 2k11 – you know, synths high in the mix, tantalising build ups to gargantuan choruses and an eye set firmly on the stadiums (and charts). They’ve got Simple Minds, Prince, Duran Duran and Ladyhawke dyed in the wool of their oversize T-shirts, and they don’t care who knows it.
The band haven’t been around for long and have seemingly risen up the ranks in a very organic, rather than a force fed, manner. You could say they’ve ‘come out of nowhere’ (as is often said about new bands without a big PR machine behind them), such is the lack or prior warning we’ve received of this saccharine assault on our senses.
The truth is; hard work, carefully selected gigs (they’ve shared stages with The Naked And Famous and Mona), decent blog coverage and most crucially solid songwriting, embodied partly on their stormer of a debut single, ‘Fool’s Wish’ (out on their own label; video above) appear to have endeared them to fans and industry folk alike, and as such has given them a seat at 2011′s ‘ones to watch’ table. The world of DIY it seems, if this is any kind of case study, is in rude health.
Welcome To The North
February 12th, 2011 • 1 comment News
Tags: Dog Is Dead, Headstrong, LAISSEZ FAIRE CLUB, Manchester, Northern Quarter, Oldham Street, River Jordan, Slow Motion Shoes, The Castle Hotel, The Collectable Few, Underachievers
First things first – we’d like to (slightly belatedly) thank all of you for making our recent fourth birthday shows so memorable and successful. The second night at The Macbeth, featuring Let’s Buy Happiness, The Collectable Few, Escapists and Channel Cairo, set a new LFC record in terms of attendance. It was a good old fashioned, sweaty rock ‘n’ roll gig that we’ll remember for a very long time. If you were there on the night – or even if you weren’t – check out this excellent photo blog of the evening courtesy of The Ladies Toilet.
Moving on to more current affairs – after four years of promoting in the capital, we felt it was about time to spread our wings a little and branch out into the world of regional promotion. Our first stop of this new and exciting chapter is Manchester – a city with such a fantastic musical heritage, it seemed an obvious place to start. We’re putting on a bill on Thursday 3rd March at The Castle Hotel (a venue we absolutely loved during In The City last year) on Oldham Street, featuring Nottingham’s about-to-break Dog Is Dead, our latest signings (for their hook-heavy debut 7″ “Headstrong”) The Collectable Few and buzzy local outfit The Cold One Hundred, who seek inspiration from great Manchester bands of yesteryear such as The Smiths, Joy Division and The Chameleons, or a ‘pre digital age’ (High Voltage).
DOG IS DEAD /// RIVER JORDAN from B A N K S on Vimeo.
On the decks are Underachievers, an established MCR club night, and as always LFC DJs will be spinning the best new indie, electro and rock ‘n’ roll till whenever people decide to call it a day. Given the attention all the bands on the bill have been receiving in the last few months, this could well be one of those ‘I was there’ shows. Just a head’s up. Grab tickets for just £5 and RSVP to the Facebook event via our events page.
