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PLAYING OUT LOUD!
ARTICLES
GIG OF THE MONTH
HELEN BOULDING, THE CELLARS AT EASTNEY, SOUTHSEA,
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 28
 Originally
from Sheffield, London-based singer-songwriter Helen Boulding arrives at The
Cellars with her debut album “New Red Dress” following the release of two
singles from the album, “Breathe” and “Copenhagen.”'
In the past Helen has written with some of the biggest names in music. Simon
Tong (The Good, The Bad & The Queen, The Verve) has written recently with Helen.
She has also written with Squeeze's Chris Difford of Squeeze and managed to
persuade Pink Floyd’s Rick Wright out of retirement to pen some songs with her.
She has also collaborated with one of the most renowned songwriters in the
world, Billy Steinberg (Eternal Flame, True Colours, Like A Virgin).
On her debut album, the legendary Youth stepped in as producer, and Bryan Adams
took a break between shooting some of the world's most beautiful women as a
photographer and a world tour to shoot Helen's album cover. Helen had met Adams
previously through mutual friend, The Cure's Phil Thornally.
With an ever-growing fan base in the UK, she proves in demand as a songwriter
and guest performer. She recently toured Europe with Bryan Ferry and guests on
the title track from The Orb’s new album “The Dream”, which she also co-wrote.
Helen recently performed on BBC 1’s evening primetime magazine show “The One
Show” as a last-minute replacement for Rolan Bolan, who was due to perform on
the show on the anniversary of his father’s untimely death. Rolan had been held
up in the USA unexpectedly, and at the suggestion of presenter Adrian Chiles,
who had heard some of Helen’s songs, she was invited to step in, performing Mark
Bolan’s “Life’s A Gas”’ in front of Rolan’s mum Gloria Jones.
Bringing to mind Karen Carpenter crossed with Kate Bush, Helen chose music over
sport, coming from a high achieving sports family. Her brother Mick was an
ATP-ranking tennis player who roomed with Tim Henman before switching to
football, signing for Aston Villa in 2002. Now with Mansfield, he was joined by
younger brother Rory, 19, who’s banging in the goals for them in League Two this
season. Her sister Sal was a world-ranked tennis player, and other sister Laura
played rounders for England.
Growing up, she was introduced to music by her Uncle Tom who ran Fagen’s in
Sheffield, a pub well known to local bands and artists for the impromptu live
sets which take place during their lock ups.
XCOM, THE BROOK, SOUTHAMPTON – FRIDAY
FEBRUARY 22
 The
band describe themselves as Bad Company, trading as Xcom. Namely because it’s
the same lineup, with the exception of drummer Harry James, that played in 1996.
Prolific guitarist and multi hit song writer Mick Ralphs leads the band. Mick
played with many bands before creating Mott The Hoople with Ian Hunter, before
leaving to form Bad Company with Free vocalist Paul Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke
and bassist Boz Burrell, formerly of King Crimson. Mick also appeared on the
re-recording of “Tommy” by The Who. Next we have bass player Jaz Lochrie who had
a springboard success with 80s white-soul band Go West. Jaz toured with Pete
Townsend, Alice Cooper, and Roger Daltrey before being approached by Paul
Rodgers. He performed on numerous tours and four of Paul’s albums before
becoming the new (and existing) bass player for Bad Company in 2002.
Drummer Harry James is best known for his work with Thunder and has also worked
with Don Airey, Russ Ballard, Graham Bonnet, Shadowman and Paul Young. He
frequently plays with Magnum and in 2006 played with The Ian Gillan Band at The
Royal Albert Hall. Next up his legendary guitarist Dave 'Bucket' Colwell. He has
a new solo album in his own right (with guest friends from Bad Co.) about to be
released in the US. Dave is still the existing guitarist for and appears on
nearly every one of their released albums. He has performed with a multitude of
world class rock bands including Humble Pie, but more recently with The Jones
Gang starring Kenny Jones.
Last but not least, is charismatic vocalist and prolific hit song writer Robert
Hart. Robert has written and performed many triple platinum singles and albums
and was also a member of The Jones Gang.
MOISHE’S BAGEL, SALISBURY ARTS CENTRE,
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14
 There’s
a right Valentines Day feast in Wiltshire where Moishe’s Bagel, who impressed at
the Larmer Tree Festival a couple of years ago, will be delivering their
rip-roaring brand of jazz-inflected klezmer and Balkan music in the atmospheric
confines of Salisbury Arts Centre.
Moishe’s Bagel are a bunch of top Scottish instrumentalists who have performed
in such outfits as Salsa Celtica, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Celtic Feet
and The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra. They were formed in Edinburgh in 2003
and have since taken their energetiv mix of Eastern European dance music, Middle
Eastern rhythms and virtusoso musicianship to festivals and venues all over the
UK and Europe.
The foursome met in a local tango outfit in Scotland, added a percussion wizard,
and went on to refine their style which incorporates a good deal of
improvisation alongside their musical skills to produce a very visual and
danceable result.
Over the last few years Moishe’s Bagel have toured England, Ireland and Eastern
Europe in addition to regular gigs around Edinburgh and Glasgow. Their music is
equally accessible to art centre audiences, jazz lovers and festival-goers. They
have also produced two albums “Don’t Spare The Horses” and “Salt” which have
attracted fans as far away as Tel-Aviv, South Africa and Suth America.
Their live performances have national reviewers including The Herald who
described their music as “exhilarating, full-flavoured stuff, often
breathtakingly intricate but played with jubilation – The Bagel acquires the
momentum of an express train.” And The Guardian declaring: “expressive and
raunchy… improvising confidence but with a classical attention to detail …
striking new material.”
LAURA VEIRS, JOINERS ARMS, SOUTHAMPTON
– WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13
 Singer-songwriter
Laura Veirs from the USA will be familiar to folks in the South. She has
appeared at the Larmer Tree Festival, The Railway Inn in Winchester and many
other local venues.
She grew up in Colarado Springs where she spent summers camping with her family
which produced much of her songwriting inspiration. But she didn’t seriously
listen to music until she was in her twenties. Her first foray into singing came
when she started an all-female punk band Rair Kx! while she was studying geology
and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College in rural Minnesota. Songwriting was
inspired by a miserable experience on a geological expedition in China where she
served as translator. Laura started writing lyrics as a way of coping with her
unhappiness.
Her eponymous album “Laura Veirs” was recorded live and came out in 1999, and
she has since made five more albums including “Troubled By The Fire, “Carbon
Glacier,” “Year Of Meteors.” Her latest album “Saltbreakers” was released in
April 2007.
Her music has been described as a deadpan mix of folk and blues with sparse
arrangements and Pacific Northwest flavours. Tickets for her gig at The Joiners
are £8 advance, £10 on the door
DEADSTRING BROTHERS, RAILWAY INN,
WINCHESTER, SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17
 This
alt country trio from Motor City, USA have a brand new album since their last
visit, called “Silver Mountain.”
The Deadstring Brothers began in the autumn 2003 and since then, the band has
worked to develop their own take on the American Sound, drawing influences from
a variety of sources. Not unlike Exile-era Stones, Deadstring Brothers deliver a
menacing sound that draws equally on the melancholy of country ballads and the
abandon of rock and blues. The bands music is deeply rooted in the storytelling
and instrumental traditions of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and the American
Outlaw Movement, but is also informed by the song structure and understated
aggression commonly associated with Detroit bands.
Their haunting melodies reveal the influence of early 70s rock icons like The
Band and Gram Parsons and The Faces. Deadstring Brothers live performances have
the energy of guitar rock, but sophisticated arrangements, Hammond Organ and a
focus on traditional American music separate them from many of their Detroit
contemporaries.
The band has been touring steadily since the 2004 release of their eponymous
debut and have shared the stage with acts ranging from Shooter Jennings, Cat
Power and Jesse Sykes to Giant Sand, My Morning Jacket, Drive by Truckers and
the Mekons.
As with all SXSC presentations at The Railway there’s an excellent support act,
too. Ace guitarist James Walbourne has appeared at the venue before and appears
this time with his new band. Tickets for the gig are £8.
LOS CAMPESINOS, WEDGEWOOD ROOMS,
PORTSMOUTH – SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23
 Formed
while they were students at Cardiff University, Los Campesinos by guitarist
Neil, bassist Ellen and drummer Ollie, the band eventually grew into a septet.
Before long their demo was causing a fuss all over the web, and they became one
of the hottest indie tickets around. The music began to come together:
"Glockenspiels, melody horns, cow bells, handclaps, Casiotone keyboards,
silliness and indie snobbery were then thrown in to complete the mix," explains
Tom. The music itself is an inventive, more charming British indie sound
recognisable in a post-Libertines world with the saving grace of genuine
intellect and humour.
In June 2006 the band put the songs from their demo on their MySpace page, and
alerted alternative music site Drowned In Sound to their presence. Word spread
quickly, and soon many blog writers were singing their praises, local gigs sold
out and labels started taking an interest. "We didn't send out a single demo
without being asked by a label," they later said. "We've just got surprise and
guilt at the fact that it was far too easy."
The pick of their demos was the irrepressible You! Me! Dancing!, which quickly
became their signature tune. It even referenced local indie disco night “Twisted
By Design,” whose organisers put out the first official LC! release on their
2006 compilation.
The band signed to indie label Wichita. "Wichita know exactly what we're about,
they're just an awesome label," Gareth told DrownedinSound. "The first time they
came to meet us, there was no business rubbish, they were just mates. Though,
the main reason we signed with them was because they put more kisses at the end
of their text messages than anyone else.”
Support at the Wedgewood gig comes from Johnny Foreigner and 4 Or 5 Magicians.
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HELEN BOULDING, THE CELLARS AT EASTNEY,
SOUTHSEA, THURSDAY FEB 28
XCOM,
THE BROOK, SOUTHAMPTON – FRIDAY FEB 22
MOISHE’S BAGEL, SALISBURY ARTS CENTRE,
THURSDAY FEB 14
LAURA VEIRS, JOINERS ARMS, SOUTHAMPTON –
WEDNESDAY FEB 13
DEADSTRING BROTHERS, RAILWAY INN,
WINCHESTER, SUNDAY FEB 17
LOS CAMPESINOS, WEDGEWOOD ROOMS, PORTSMOUTH,
SATURDAY FEB 23 |
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