Amelia’s Magazine | A meeting with indie folk blues rockers Peggy Sue.

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Illustration of Peggy Sue by Kellie Black.

I arrive by bike as usual to meet the three members of Peggy Sue at Spitalfields Market. Rosa got lost on hers and didn’t make their 6Music interview earlier in the day, more about which handily alerted me to the fact that it is Katy’s 24th birthday today, as well as the official launch of their new album Fossils and Other Phantoms. I wonder if their plan to go bowling in Brick Lane has come off, but it turns out the bowling alley was closed and they had to make do with chucking oranges at Lucozade bottles in the Old Truman Brewery instead. After their launch gig at Rough Trade East the band plan to head over to the Scala to enjoy the scuzzy sounds of Mount Eerie.

Even though Peggy Sue have been around for a few years they were only signed to Wichita at the end of 2009. Despite this, Katy, Rosa and Olly began recording their album over a three week period in New York last year. Producer Alex Newport – who has worked with the likes of Does it Offend You, Yeah? – first discovered the girls a couple of years ago at SXSW and he was joined by John Askew, better known as a producer of trance music, but who has also worked with The Dodos. They worked on the album in the studio at night and it was really intense. “But we wanted to do as much as possible,” says Rosa, “plus we like to work really hard.”

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Illustration of Rosa by Kellie Black.

Many of the songs were written in New York, but they came back to the UK to overdub the tracks with friends. Peggy Sue seem quite amused that some of their session musicians belong to bands much more famous than theirs, with a horn section provided by members of Arcade Fire and TV on the Radio.

With the album finished a little over a year ago I wonder if they aren’t perhaps a bit frustrated with the long wait for it to come out officially?
Katy: For a little while we were, but then you just realise that you have to work around other people’s schedules. We’ve only been playing a few new songs on tour so we’re not sick of them yet. We haven’t run out of emotion!
Rosa: We purposefully held back some songs till the album came out.
Olly: And we’ve written some new songs since the album was made.
How pushy is your record company?
Katy: No one tells us what to do.
That I can well believe….

Quite a few reviewers seem to have identified a strong theme of heartbreak running through the album. How would you respond to this?
Katy: Some songs are about breaking other people’s hearts
Rosa: …or endings in general. They can be morose when taken as a whole body of work, but not when taken individually.
Katy: Some people are just ignoring the other themes. We take it in turns to do lead vocals so it’s not like they’re all about just one break up. I don’t know if I want to be known as horribly bruised by love…
Rosa: I don’t remember the last time I had my heart broken!

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Illustration of Olly by Kellie Black.

They used to be Peggy Sue and the Pirates. What happened to the Pirates?
Katy: When Rosa and I started the band we were both studying at Sussex and it was just for fun. I was doing American Studies and Film. I’m still supposed to go to the US for a year as part of my course, but I keep deferring…
Olly: I was studying Popular Music at Goldsmiths, but I didn’t finish either. I prefer to actually make music.
Rosa: I was studying English Literature, but I’m the only one who finished my degree. We started getting serious two years ago when Olly joined. It made sense to drop the Pirates bit when we stopped being a duo and our music became less folky.

How did you girls hook up in the first place?
Katy: I was offered a gig as a solo artist and I asked Rosa to help out.
Rosa: I was so nervous I vomited into my mouth when I went on stage.
Katy: It was really nice to do it together. It was how you should start a band – it didn’t work when I tried to find people I didn’t know; a band needs to be built on good relationships.

How did you guys find Olly?
Olly: I went to Brighton and saw Peggy Sue playing as part of Brighton Festival – I fell in love with them immediately and became a bit of a groupie. I met them again at SXSW, and saw them play in my hometown of Margate.
Rosa: You were one of our favourite fans; we used to give you CDs for free!
Katy: We made him come and watch The Dodos so he could see what we wanted with the drum section and he liked it.
Olly: To start with I didn’t think it was a good idea for the girls to get a drummer because I preferred them without… but then I kept sending lots of pestering emails…
Eventually he organised his own audition in one of the practice rooms at his college, at which point Katy and Rosa realised he could be a great asset. Does he mind being the only man in a band with such strong women?
Olly: Not really, I’m half a girl
Rosa: …and I’m half a boy.

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Illustration of Katy by Kellie Black.

Olly learnt drums at secondary school, Rosa learnt piano and Katy learnt a bit of piano and some clarinet. But as a band they play whatever they can lay their hands on, with great aplomb. How do they pick up all these different instruments so easily?
Katy: There’s something about teaching yourself that means you only play what you can but you play it really well. It’s nice to be self taught as it means there are no rules.
Rosa: I understand enough about how to put music together but I can’t read music very well. It means you discover new things.
Katy: I understand music in quite a mathematical way but I find it hard to translate that into playing a guitar. They are two separate things in my head
Which are your favourite instruments?
Katy: I like my electric guitar.
Rosa: For me it always goes back to the guitar. But when I try a new instrument I end up writing new melodies as I learn how to play it, which means that every song turns out differently.
Olly: I never imagined I would play the guitar but I ended up strumming a few notes on some of the songs, and now I’ve built a bucket base too…
Rosa: …it sounded in tune until we started recording…

I loved the video for single Watchman. How did you get that made?
Katy: We asked illustrator Betsy Dadd to make the video when she was going out with my best mate.
I like the humping angels. What guidance did you give?
Katy: I said she could tap into whatever themes she wanted. We don’t often make videos.
Rosa: In a perfect world we’d have one for every song
Some of the imagery would be great for putting onto merchandise.
Katy: I’d like to put some of the stills onto a t-shirt. We’ve got only one design going at the moment. It features a wolf dancing with a skeleton.

At the time of interviewing the band Katy had just been offered a place at Berkeley in California, but fear not she won’t be going unless she can put her heart and soul into it. Which means we’ve lucked out instead. For now you can catch that great big heart and soul at a whole pile of festivals this summer. Including Dot to Dot and the Park Stage at Glastonbury on Saturday morning.

You can read my review of Fossils and Other Phantoms here.

Categories ,6Music, ,Alex Newport, ,Arcade Fire, ,Berkeley, ,blues, ,Brighton Festival, ,california, ,Does it Offend You, ,Dot to Dot, ,folk, ,Fossils and Other Phantoms, ,glastonbury, ,goldsmiths, ,Indie, ,John Askew, ,Kellie Black, ,mount eerie, ,Old Truman Brewery, ,Park Stage, ,Peggy Sue, ,Pirates, ,Rough Trade East, ,Scala, ,Spitalfields Market, ,Sussex, ,sxsw, ,The Dodos, ,TV on the Radio, ,Wichita Recordings, ,Yeah?

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Amelia’s Magazine | Music Listings!

Not as impressive as their first output, more about mind not as depressive as their comeback, ask their third album manages to have some really solid hits while they explore their own roots and bring the angular guitars back. Unfortunately, site the excessive number of fillers making the experience less pleasant than it should be. You can’t blame them for trying. Their new songs see them trying to sound like their old selves – back when they had enough dancefloor anthems to make Franz Ferdinand jealous, and a major behind after them. After being dropped by their label because of News And Tributes, the second album which lacked the material which made them interesting in the first place, they had no option but to go back and give us their best impression of The Jam playing punk versions of Beach Boys songs. In The Beginning of the Twist, Radio Heart and Broke Up the Time they show that they still have what it takes to create shiny pop-dance songs. So what am I forgetting to mention? Oh, yes, the bad songs on the album. The ones that sound like a pastiche of themselves; soulless use of guitar and drums (as well as their accent – which we all liked) making me wonder where the energetic, meaningful two minutes of punk madness went. It could’ve been their chance to make it via their self made label, but regrettably This is Not the World could only be a good if it was an EP.

The member of Black Ghosts‘ solo project Lord Skywave is steeped in biographical influences and sways into the worlds of pop, and dub reggae and avant-garde electronica. Then again, order when you look at Simon Lord’s musical career you can see why his solo project is such a multi-genre mish mash.

Perhaps the most heartwarming part of this album is his extensive use of his families musical past. He samples the music his grandmother used to make so many moons ago. After a summer of visiting his grandfather’s house and going through his collection of old reel-to-reel tape recordings and 78′s, pilule he had an entire archive of her fantastically composed sweep off-your-feet instrumentals to work with.

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As well as this, all the electronic bass sounds on the album were produced using the Lord Skywave synthesizer which was built by Simon’s dad in the 70′s, and only 10 were made. Which I find hard to believe with such a tantalizing name, surely there must have been more demand!

I don’t know about you, but I find all this absolutely fascinating, and such a refreshing change from the majority of music, which can sometimes can appear to be something of a soulless, money grabbing, dried out husk.

It’s so hard to pinpoint my favourite tracks on this album because it’s all so diverse and to start comparing them makes my retinas hurt. I think what I find so gripping about his style is his voice. At points it’s heartbreak in a sound wave and at others it‘s the happy morning shower singing that I thought only really occured in plays set in New York in the 1950′s.

Even though Simon Lord is an established musician, as both an ex-member of Simian and current half of The Black Ghosts, this album sets him apart from all his previous endeavors. It sounds like Prince if he was quintessentially British. What more can I say?
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I’d seen the Amarylas a couple of weeks ago at an Oxjam night at Brixton’s Windmill and had been pleasantly surprised. Heading over to Islington’s hallowed pharmacy +Greater+London, what is ed +UK&fb=1&view=text&latlng=469594232395886090″target=”_blank”>Hope & Anchor, it was time to reacquaint myself with their psychedelia infused sound.

Tonight they were the opening act on the bill, so the venue was still pretty quiet, which was a shame. A guitar based four-piece, led by mop haired singer Luke Segura, they blend that classic, slightly psychedelic pop whimsy of Syd Barrett or Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake-era Small Faces with a Clash inspired New Wave edge. Basically, what Pete Doherty might sound like if he didn’t have quite so many, er, distractions!

For all of you still mourning the passing of the Libertines, make sure you check out the Amarylas when they play a venue near you.

Calling all budding fashion designer’s, adiposity Carla Fernandez, medicine founder of the leading ethical label, there Taller Flora, is giving designers the opportunity to jet over to Mexico to become part of her team for five months.

After winning the British Council’sInternational Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award, Carla has been rewarded with a cash prize to spend on a project which both tailors to her specific interests and contributes to developing the relationship between her country and the UK. The Mexican designer has chosen to give a printed textile designer and menswear designer from the UK the fantastic opportunity of working with herself and the Taller Flora team on two lines of clothing in Mexico in August 2008.

This is not, however, for someone who just likes the idea of sipping tequilas in the sun. The menswear candidate will work with Carla to develop tailoring within the range while the textile designer will help out on her printed textile designs.

Requirements for the menswear applicants:

Should have a BA or MA in fashion or be a talented designer.
Demonstrable competence of pattern cutting is mandatory
Ability to work independently
Team player with good interpersonal and communication skills
Knowledge of and an interest in ethical fashion
Knowledge of Spanish would be an asset
Must be a resident in the UK.

And the requirements for the textile applicants:

Should have a BA or MA in textile design or be a talented print designer
Excellent freehand drawing skills
Knowledge of Photoshop is mandatory
Silk screening experience
Ability to work independently
Team player with good interpersonal and communication skills
Knowledge of and an interest in ethical fashion
Knowledge of Spanish would be an asset
Must be a resident in the UK.

Sound like you? Designers interested in the project are asked to send a short (no longer than 300 words) written statement outlining why they want to be part of this project, up to 12 images of their work, their CV and the details of one of their references, to Alison.Moloney@britishcouncil.org or Carla Fernandez at carla@flora2.com by 16th June 2008.

For more info visit the British Council website.

Good Luck!

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JUNE

Wednesday 11th

HEALTH at Korova, abortion Liverpool
Emmy the Great, web Diane Cluck, buy information pills younghusband at Cargo, London
White Williams at Puregroove Records, London
The Dodos at Night and Day Cafe, Manchester
I Was A Cub Scout at Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Semifinalists at Amersham Arms, London
Beach House, Fleet Foxes at ULU, London

Thursday 12th

Gnarls Barkley at Bush Hall, London
The Dodos at Crawdaddy, Dubin
O Children, S.C.U.M. at Puregroove Records, London

Friday 13th

Little Boots at Club Pony w/Midfield General, Sheffield
Sportsday Megaphone at Club NME @ Sin City, Swansea
Wild Beasts at Cross Keys, London

Saturday 14th

Deerhunter, High Places at Dublin Vicar Street
Leonard Cohen at Irish Museum Of Modern Art, Dublin
Meltdown – Massive Attack, Fuck Buttons at Royal Festival Hall, London
Sportsday Megaphone at Club NME at Welly Club, Hull

Sunday 15th

The Twilight Sad at Edinburgh Bongo Club
The Sugars at Fleece, Bristol

On Monday evening Ethic held the award ceremony for it’s annual ethical fashion competition in London.

Being one of the hottest days this year, buy I arrived at the uba trendy Fashion and Textile Museum feeling slightly harassed having endured 10 minutes of the rush hour on London’s sweaty central line. Thankfully I quickly located the bar and after gladly helping myself to a chilled white wine and tasty mini tuna baguette I was ready to fully immerse myself in the show

Now in its second year, more about The Ethic Competition is a contest open to over 150 fashion courses in the UK. Students were given the brief of designing a garment under £100 which addressed a key issue surrounding ethical fashion (eg fair-trade, organic materials, recycling, animal friendly or innovative environmentally friendly new materials), while still maintaining elements of current trends.

While I’d admit that none of the finalist’s work could be worn beyond the museums four walls, credit has to be given to the students for managing to produce garments that were at least visually appealing and a pleasure to watch on the catwalk. Design team Reduce, Reuse, Recycle managed to create a strapless full skirted gown using just newspaper, bubble wrap, bin bags and scrap pieces of recycled material.

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The winners, and admittedly my favourites, were Nicole Da Silva and Phong Nguyen from Hackney Community College, who used second hand materials and clippings from the BBC website to address the issue of recycling while still managing to incorporate this season’s obsession with volume and ruffles in an extravagant tiered wedding gown.

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Once the winners had taken their lap of honor and the buffet started to fizzle out, I made tracks to leave feeling very inspired and I must admit, a little merry!
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Whether you’re eco-minded, page bemused by the concept, price or like me, help just generally confused; scribble down in your diaries ‘Climate Forum’, which is happening this weekend! The event includes a huge range of 50+ seminars with speakers varying from Michael Meacher MP, Tony Jupiter (Director Friends of the Earth UK) to George Galloway MP. But, you’ll not be listening to others all day as workshops, art, music, performance, stalls and exhibitions allow you to get stuck in straight away. There’s even a Saturday night party ‘Climate Caper’ at the Synergy Centre for those groovy rebel campaigners wanting to throw some shapes.

The event is organised by the group CCC (‘Campaign against Climate Change’) who seek to raise awareness about the gravity and urgency of global warming. They aim to get people together, forming street campaigns, pushing for a reduction in global emissions. The first day’s plenary is: ‘Are we losing the race against climate catastrophe?’ where workshops will investigate solutions such as climate justice, biodiversity and even ‘Youth and climate change: Campaigning for our future’ (so all you raging student activists with burning questions to ask-note this down)! Sunday will consequently focus on ‘Climate change from around the world’ where speakers will be holding a selection of workshops, including: ‘direct action’, ‘climate change, energy and health’, ‘combined networks’ and many more.

One workshop that pinpricked my interest was: ‘Youth and climate change: Campaigning for our future’ with Abigail Jabines of Greenpeace on Saturday. In a 2007 seminar in Sydney she stated that a one-metre sea level rise would result in 700 million square metres of land where 15 out of 16 regions’ coastlines would be affected. Not only does risen sea levels effect eco systems but it also has immediate consequences for small communities ill equipped to deal with climate changes.

The assortment of workshops happening throughout the weekend range from the political (‘Energy and Anarchy: why we need to escape from market-based thinking’), economical (‘Climate change and your bank’), political (‘Direct Action’), to spiritual (‘Faith and Climate Change’). One organiser told me the objective of the Weekend was to ‘raise awareness and forge a community of people who care about these issues; through political action as well as individual choices’. Her sunny outlook imparted a sense of positivity in me, as in the words of Abigail Jabines in her lecture; ‘We can do something. The window for action is getting very slim and the time to act is now.’

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The line-up tonight does appear a little bit thrown together, page as all the bands don’t really lead on from one another. What Would Jesus Drive kick off the night’s proceedings. I’ve yet to decide on how feel about bands who get their names from bumper stickers, but judging a band by their favored car trinkets should always be avoided. This duo and their drum machine manage to put on a quirky live show of American tinged indie rock that seems to entertain this crowd at least.

Next on the bill is Polka Party, who offer a perfectly enjoyable bunch of pop songs with more southern drawl and dandy temperament than you could shake a stick at. Their latest single ‘Japanese Haircut’ is almost perfect indie disco fodder and it certainly had one girl at the front pulling Agyness Dean style pouts for the camera. I think this must be how indie music is rated nowadays.

Dananananaykroyd stole the show quite easily, though it’s not their style to do things effortlessly. The energy from their live show was infectious, and I’d have to say the catalyst for this was their duo of drummers. Facing opposite ways they dual perpetually, and the effect is almost hypnotic. Thankfully there is a large distraction from all the fun drumming in the form of the ever so brash lead singer. His microphone seemed to be broken for the majority of the set, but he truly didn’t care, and neither did I. He was shouting so loud that you could get the jist of what he might sound like if the microphone was working, and his flailing was for more interesting than any type of lyrics. I’d like to think of him as a lead flailer than a lead singer.

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Amelia’s Magazine | Music Listings

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On Thursday the bath-time lovelies at Lush supported one of my great loves, case troche by staging Climate Rush themed picnics outside all 89 of their UK stores.

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As was detailed by Cari in a previous post, unhealthy my local Lush store just happens to be in Liverpool Street Station. Chosen as the flagship store for this event the picnic was attended by Lush superstar campaigners Sean and Andrew, here who have together helped us out in a very big way.

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I sent the interns ahead on foot and arrived to find a fetching gingham tablecloth – bearing the timely ‘Climate Change is No Picnic’ slogan – being spread and upon it a yummy selection of vegan cake and cookies laid out for passersby to enjoy.

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A trio of violins led by the Rush’s very own Deborah (her of sticky-fingers-in-parliament fame) struck up a tune as the lovely Lush girls, dressed in full Edwardian garb, handed out Trains Not Planes sashes to business men passing by and even managed to engage some climate change denialists in some productive conversation.

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The police, as ever, were present. In fact I swear I recognised one of them from the “Riot Gate” at Kingsnorth during Climate Camp last year. Unlike then, they were eager to smell the soaps (all packaged in recyclable paper – Lush tries not to use excess packaging, just one of the reasons we love ‘em) and chat to the pretty shop girls. I wonder if they’ll be so nice to us on Monday…

As Tamsin did her best to butter up the passersby in those famous suffragette must-haves, fishnet tights and a miniskirt, we were pounced on by a person dressed up as a giant mobile phone.

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A slightly surreal experience to say the least, as the Lush shop girls tried to dress the ungainly thing in some bright red sashes, whilst Sean did his best to engage the phone in conversation about how many times a year it flies. My interns finally arrived and proceeded to pose marvelously for the camera. We’ve been joking that Jonno and Roisin are evil twins – just check them out!

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Over the weekend there has been a flurry of Climate Rush activity, both promotional and creative – we’ve flyered the South Bank twice, and approached friendly looking cyclists left, right and centre.

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It seems that if you ride a bike you are generally a friendly soul, and all of them were happy to hear about Climate Rush bar a particularly unpleasant yuppie couple with a pair of fold out Bromptons that no doubt only see the light of day when the sun shines at the weekend. Fairweather cyclists, who’d have ‘em?!

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In between accosting cyclists we have managed to print a mammoth amount of sexy sashes and flags to attach to the back of bikes.

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I’ve discovered that I can still sew, and managed to knock up 5 pairs of fetching bloomers in record time (just don’t look too closely at the sewing, I was in a hurry okay?!) Made out of red and white striped fabric with lacey ruffles on the legs they look part clown and more than a little bit burlesque, but then whoever said we take the Edwardian theme too seriously?! I can’t wait to see what everyone else dons for out bike ride tomorrow.

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Bring it on…. let’s show the government and big corporations that we won’t let them get away with business as usual when it comes to Climate Change. Collectively we can stop this beautiful world of ours from being buggered over, so make sure you come along and enjoy a stylish Bike Rush with a purpose. This is one cycle ride you’re sure to remember…

Read a past blog about this event here. What do you think about direct action over Climate Change? Let us know your views.
Rowdy – Never Smile at a Crocodile

Sartorial Contemporary Art
26 Argyle Square
London WC1H 8AP
June 4th – June 27th
Open Tues – Sat 1:30 – 7pm or by appointment

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With work described as ‘Ren & Stimpy meets Goldsworthy’, shop this is the first major solo show for Rowdy in London to date. Mixing the Ancient with the Urban, medical Rowdy juxtaposes his trademark playful crocodile sculptures with the modern cityscape jungle. He also produces street art paintings reminiscent of caveman-esque cartoon monoliths.

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Abstract America: New Painting and Sculpture

Saatchi Gallery
Duke of York’s HQ
King’s Road
London
SW3 4SQ
Until 13th September
10am-6pm, illness 7 days a week
Free

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A new generation of radical American abstract painters and sculptors from the US, 35 of them in total, with work both daring and inventive, fresh and exhilarating.

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Aditya Pande

Alexia Goethe Gallery
7 Dover Street, London W1S 4LD
Until 18th July
Monday – Friday 10-6
Saturday 11-4

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New Dehli artist Aditya Pande’s first solo London show draws on both fine and applied art principles. What start as drawings on computer morph into paper prints or canvas creations, and then become starting points for three-dimensional narratives. Frantic, glossy, grand and descriptive.

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Feel The Force

Cafe Gallery
By the Lake, Southwark Park
London SE16 2UA
Until 28th June
Wednesday – Sunday 12 – 6
Free

Maja Bajevic, Benjamin Beker, Astrid Busch, Kate Gilmore, Immo Klink, Susan MacWilliam, James Pogson, Anina Schenker

Curated by Clare Goodwin and Liz Murray

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Inspired by engagement in power and resistance, Feel the Force is a collaborative show from eight international artists and debates the psychological, the political and the physical. Investigating roles of victim and perpetrator, the artists approach the term Force through avenues diverse as obsessional first love and the military.

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The Social Lives of Objects

Castlefield Gallery
2 Hewitt Street
Knott Mill
Manchester M15 4GB
Until 19th July
1-6pm Wednesday-Sunday
Free

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Hilary Jack, Lisa Penny and Dallas Seitz provide insightful examinations of society’s complex and perplexing relationship with material goods, from their beginnings in production to their inevitable obsolescence and decay. Everyday objects are recovered and represented and reinterpreted for our reevaluation of what role ‘stuff’ has in our lives and in our world.

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The Butterfly Effect

ARCH Gallery
15 Resolution Way
Deptford
London SE8 4NT
Until 20th June
Thurs – Sat 12:00 to 5:00pm

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The well-known theory that subtle actions can and will ultimately alter the paths of world disaster is given a makeover by God’s gift to drawing Paul Marks. Using the system to create intricate line drawings in which each line added by hand effects the next one added. The comparisons are as varied as lunar landscapes, overtly sexual and flows of air, smoke or water.

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ARCHIPELAGO – Gemma Anderson

Whitecross Gallery
122 Whitecross St.
London EC1Y 8PU
Until 6. June
Tues – Sat 11 – 6pm or by appointment
Free

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The final week to catch new work from Gemma Anderson including her signature drawings and newer etching work. Dream-like and fantastical depictions of fairies, land and seascapes drawing on her experiences of researching the Natural History archives in Canada, Japan and France her new work doubles as a personal travelogue.


Monday 1st June
Gang Gang Dance and About at Dingwalls, buy more about London
.

Gang Gang Dance are one of the most exciting bands around at the moment. They take inspiration from all over the world without erring into the Vampire Weekend‘s at times jarring pseudo-exoticism, by mixing everything through a furore of delay pedals and reverbs, to create a cyclical and danceable freaky electronica. With support from Hot Chip‘s Alexis Taylor’s improv side project About.

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Tuesday 2nd June
Fanfarlo and {Stricken City} at ICA, London.

Amelia’s favourites Anglo-Swedish Fanfarlo, bring their grandiose but whimsical pop to the ICA. With support from {Stricken City}

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Wednesday 3rd June
Post War Years, Milke and My Tiger My Timing at The Lexington, London.

The Lexington reminds me of that friend you had when you were 16 who introduced to lots of awesome bands. Tonight they host Post War Years, Milke, My Tiger My Timing. Come and boogie on down.

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Thursday 4th June
Deolinda and Oliver Man at ICA, London

Get that summer vibe with some Portugese music… Deolinda, an excellent four piece inspired by traditional fado music. Australian Oliver Mann offers support at the ICA.?

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Friday 5th June
Dan Deacon, Future Islands, Teeth Mountain, Adventure at ULU, London.

This Friday, Upset the Rhythm are serving up the finest Baltimore exports since The Wire, with the promise of more bells than Stringer. Dan Deacon headlines at ULU with the Wham CIty Collective, having loved his latest record Bromst with it’s melodic plinky plonky electro noise, I can’t wait to see him live apparently his shows are a sight to behold. He shares the bill with the Baltimore synth-poppers Future Islands, the noisy electro outfit Teeth Mountain, and “game-boy” soul band Adventure.

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Saturday 6th June
Devo at The HMV Forum, London.

Q. Are we not men?
A. No we are Devo.

That’s right! Mega-group Devo play the Forum this Saturday, interestingly and even more awesomely member Mark Mothersbaugh also composes for Wes Anderson. They merge kitschy science fiction and a dark sense of humour- this is truly going be legendary.

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Categories ,Devo, ,Electro, ,Indie, ,Listings, ,London, ,Noise, ,Pop, ,Reverb, ,Sweden, ,Wes Anderson

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Amelia’s Magazine | Our Broken Garden & Still Corners at St. Giles-in-the-Fields: Live Review

Annie Collinge:

For the Small Things Exhibition, treatment pills why did you decide to sidestep the girls costumes at the Comic Con convention?

There were a lot of people taking photographs there, so I wanted to take a different approach. I actually just used it as an opportunity to photograph strangers, because they were at the conference, they didn’t question why I wanted to take their picture. I actually shot a lot of men too but when I looked at the images, the pictures of the girls were much stronger.

How do you choose your subjects?

I picked out people that had a natural, though awkward, appeal which in most cases they seemed unaware of possessing. Those with the best costumes didn’t necessarily make for the best subjects

How did you become involved with the Small Things Exhibition?

I was a Brighton with Amy, Anna and Bella and they very kindly asked me if I would like to be part of the show. Having worked in editorial for a while I think showing personal projects is by far the most important thing so I am really pleased I took part in it.

Anna Leader What is the concept behind your latest photographic series?

The series was a reaction to the title of the show, Small Things. I explored something simple but wondrous, one of the first things we learn in science: light refracting through a prism and being broken down into its basic components that are usually invisible to the naked eye. Placing a crystal and a spectrum side by side, prompts the viewer to remember this phenomenon of cause and effect. The rainbow was created in a controlled environment however, using an overhead projector, a glass of water and a piece of mirror, a man-made trick that I relate with the nature of photography itself, a mechanical tool making use of the elements of what we see and creates something beyond the realm of the immediately visible. What I chose to exhibit therefore were all elements: the beautiful spectrum and the real device that allowed it to be visible, rendering the crystal inanimate. The consequence is a continual short circuit between the three images and between three versions of the same story.

Anna Leader

What intrigues you about amateur or DIY Science Experiments?

Amateur or DIY Science Experiments contain some of our most basic questions regarding what makes up the physical world around us and the results obtained are a celebration of the answers readily available through patient observation and the desire to see. Photography has the same power. We try to grasp what we see and record it for the future, putting the documents into categories: aesthetic; informative; emotive and so on.

Anna Leader

Annie Collinge:

For the Small Things Exhibition, check why did you decide to sidestep the girls costumes at the Comic Con convention?

There were a lot of people taking photographs there, so I wanted to take a different approach. I actually just used it as an opportunity to photograph strangers, because they were at the conference, they didn’t question why I wanted to take their picture. I actually shot a lot of men too but when I looked at the images, the pictures of the girls were much stronger.

How do you choose your subjects?

I picked out people that had a natural, though awkward, appeal which in most cases they seemed unaware of possessing. Those with the best costumes didn’t necessarily make for the best subjects

How did you become involved with the Small Things Exhibition?

I was a Brighton with Amy, Anna and Bella and they very kindly asked me if I would like to be part of the show. Having worked in editorial for a while I think showing personal projects is by far the most important thing so I am really pleased I took part in it.

Anna Leader What is the concept behind your latest photographic series?

The series was a reaction to the title of the show, Small Things. I explored something simple but wondrous, one of the first things we learn in science: light refracting through a prism and being broken down into its basic components that are usually invisible to the naked eye. Placing a crystal and a spectrum side by side, prompts the viewer to remember this phenomenon of cause and effect. The rainbow was created in a controlled environment however, using an overhead projector, a glass of water and a piece of mirror, a man-made trick that I relate with the nature of photography itself, a mechanical tool making use of the elements of what we see and creates something beyond the realm of the immediately visible. What I chose to exhibit therefore were all elements: the beautiful spectrum and the real device that allowed it to be visible, rendering the crystal inanimate. The consequence is a continual short circuit between the three images and between three versions of the same story.

Anna Leader

What intrigues you about amateur or DIY Science Experiments?

Amateur or DIY Science Experiments contain some of our most basic questions regarding what makes up the physical world around us and the results obtained are a celebration of the answers readily available through patient observation and the desire to see. Photography has the same power. We try to grasp what we see and record it for the future, putting the documents into categories: aesthetic; informative; emotive and so on.

Anna Leader

Our Broken Garden by Karina Yarv
Our Broken Garden by Karina Yarv.

I have to say, page if there hadn’t been a very special reason to go out I would have stayed in last night. Needling icicles of rain ain’t what I need heading into town at nearly 9pm on a Pashley with a flat tire. But head I did, drugs because last night Our Broken Garden were playing their only date in the UK for the foreseeable future and this I did not want to miss. And boy was I glad I made the effort. It’s no secret to my regular readers that I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with Our Broken Garden. They are nothing short of fabulous, especially the glorious vocals of sometime Efterklang keyboardist Anna Bronsted.

Our Broken Garden-live at St.Giles
Our Broken Garden perform live at St.Giles-in-the-Fields. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

On arrival I was in a bit of a grump to discover there was some time to wait before Our Broken Garden came on stage, but all that was put to rest when I sat down to listen to their support band Still Corners.

Still Corners-St.Giles
Still Corners-perform at St.Giles
Still Corners.

Against a blood red swirl of light the singer contributed dreamy vocals on top of swirling 60s keys and the odd dash of country and western melody. The beautific tunes worked particularly well where they stepped the beat up, and I’m eager to hear more. In the meantime enjoy the video for Wish. Just delightful.

Thereafter followed some fabulous electric noodling, which I presume came courtesy of Ulrich Schnauss, a once-upon-a-time Amelia’s Magazine interviewee whose latest stuff I have not heard, but was perfectly suited to the hushed setting.

Gareth A Hopkins OurBrokenGarden
Illustration by Gareth A Hopkins.

Against the up-lit cross at the back of St Giles a bit of stage set pfaffing took place before Our Broken Garden took to the stage – four cute Scandinavian guys and one absolutely stunning lady. And by stunning I don’t just mean looks, though I was very taken with her slinky metallic wide-legged pants suit. Anna has a voice to die for. Whilst the rest of the nation is wondering if any of the X Factor vocalists can even sing in tune, the real talent can be found in places like this. Quietly going about their exceptional way. We were treated to a selection of tracks from the new album Golden Sea as well as a few tracks from earlier album When Your Blackening Shows, as Anna skipped and bopped in front of a large fabric tree.

Our Broken Garden-St.Giles

And we all drifted off somewhere quite magical.

Really, more people should know about Our Broken Garden. They are surely my favourite discovery of the past few months, and every bit as good, if not better, in the live flesh. Oh, and did I mention that the drummer is really cute?…but I was so mesmerised by Anna that it took me better part of the gig to notice.

Our Broken Garden-drummer

Why not check out my review of new album Golden Sea, out now on the fab label Bella Union and an interview with the director of the Garden Grow video whilst you’re at it too. Jessica Furseth met with Anna before the performance: read her interview here.

Anna from Our Broken Garden by Evie Kemp
Anna from Our Broken Garden by Evie Kemp.

Categories ,Anna Bronsted, ,Bella Union, ,efterklang, ,Evie Kemp, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Golden Sea, ,Karina Yarv, ,Our Broken Garden, ,Pashley., ,Sonic Cathedral, ,St.Giles-In-The-Fields, ,Still Corners, ,Ulrich Schnauss, ,When Your Blackening Shows

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Amelia’s Magazine | Primavera Sound 2011 Review: Moon Duo, PiL, The Glenn Branca Ensemble, Suicide and more… (Day 1)

Ambiente_01_Chus_Sanchez
Photo by Chus Sanchez (Courtesy of Primavera Sound)

Primavera Sound 2011 opened in a delicate climate this year, check full of antithetical feelings and tensions. On the one hand, healing bitterness, for sale for the current political situation of Spain that translated in protests in Plaza Catalunya (one of the main squares of the city) and culminated in a shameful event on Friday 27th ; on the other hand, excitement for the gran finale of the Champions League that saw the mighty Barça winning against our ManUn. Now, I’m definitely not a football fan, nor am I that politically engaged. However, that edgy atmosphere, so in contrast with the sunny weather and the slow-paced life of the Catalan coast, had a strong impact on me. And definitely on the festival, too, that this year felt more aware of and integrated into the current affairs happening outside its fences.

San Miguel Stage by Laura Lotti
Photo by Laura Lotti

For this 11th edition, the festival counted 276 concerts spread out in a über-programme taking over the entire ciudad for a week of music, party and movida. And, figures speak, it hosted 140 thousand attendees, only for the 3-day music marathon at the Parc del Forum – no wonder the queues at the bar were the longest I’ve ever seen. Not to mention that on Wednesday night, Pobre Espanyol was so packed for the official opening night of Primavera Sound 2011 that I couldn’t even get in for Caribou’s performance!

Anyway, this is, starting from Thursday 26th May, how the most intense and tiring (but all in all, extremely enjoyable) three days of the year went.

Thursday

My personal festival experience kicks off in style with Moon Duo, the San Fran real life couple formed by Wooden Shjips’ Ripley Johnson and partner Sanae Yamada. They deliver a stroboscopic performance that would be truly mind-blowing if it took place in a small dark room enlightened only by flashes of lights. Shame it is only 7 in the afternoon (I should say evening, I know, but, boy, the sun is still burning at this time in Barna!)

Moon Duo by Laura Lotti
Moon Duo by Laura Lotti

Anyway, Moon Duo was my must-see band for the beginning of the night, and after that the Clash of the Titans start. Some more rock-psychedelia from The Fresh & Onlys or Ducktails’ dreampop? It’s hard to make decisions when you’ve got so many good bands on the bill. While lost into these options, I stop by the San Miguel stage, strategically positioned at the centre of the festival site to catch some of the colourful performance of queer-pop Of Montreal that, next to the new more electronic tracks, play some good ol’ hits like ‘Suffer for Fashion’ and ‘The Party is Crushing Us’.

Music Video: Of Montreal – Suffer For Fashion
YouTube Preview Image

Time to get a flat beer (ha, this taste! I’ve craved for this for the whole year!) and I realize I’ve missed both The Fresh & Onlys and Ducktails.
The thing is, this year Primavera Sound is so big, not only in terms of the lineup but also as in “geographically spread out” that not only the stage times of some of the most exciting bands of the moment are overlapping with each other, but also that some of the most exciting stages where the aforementioned bands are playing (namely, Llevant, Pitchfork and ATP) are miles away from each other. Therefore, one needs to plan properly every move. And RUN, if required. And always remember that even going to the toilet or stopping to refuel might mean missing an entire gig.
Screw that. Note to myself: next year arm yourself with a pair of Heelys (might not be as cute as a pair of Menorca sandals, but at least you’re sure not to miss one thing).

Running by Laura Lotti
Photo by Laura Lotti

(Also, note to the organisators: DO NOT try to create an alternative festival currency, especially if you cannot provide an adequate number of tills actually able to take payments with it. Because, if queuing is already an annoying practice that makes people generally angry, queuing and having your money refused because the bar only takes Primavera Sound cards, or on the other hand, having all your pennies virtually enclosed in a piece of plastic and finding out that is worth nothing, makes people become potential killers.)

PiL by Laura Lotti
PiL by Laura Lotti

My handmade personal time table tells me that Public Image Ltd are playing now. Johnny Lydon is a controversial character indeed. Either you love him or you love to hate him. Though, you have to admit he is a freaky kind of genius. Despite last year’s reunion with Sex Pistols was something classifiable between lame and shameful, with PiL he’s giving the best of himself. His voice is the as grimly sharp as it was 30 years ago, and Lu Edmonds’s guitar is a distillate of pure syncopated virtuosism. Though übercool Connan Mockasin is on at the same time on the not far away Vice stage, I can’t help but be stuck (though dancing like crazy) under the stage. “Fuck’s sake, man, we are PiL. We’re the only friends you have in the music industry” – so Mr Lydon, clad in Burberry’s trench, salutes the ocean of enthusiasts under the stage. The sentence per se could be debatable. Though, quote: “fuck’s sake, man”, they ARE PiL indeed!

Johnny Lydon by Laura Lotti
Johnny Lydon by Laura Lotti

Dripping sweat and beer, at the end of PiL performance, I move to the ATP stage for another of the highlights of the night: The Glenn Branca Ensemble. Watching this concert (calling it ‘gig’ diminishes the majesty of it) makes me understand what it means to be able to make music. Glenn Branca certainly knows well the most hidden secrets of this fascinating practice to be able to convey such a powerful performance. The stage and the whole area around is filled with delicate but strong harmonies, drones and basses. Again, at some point, most of the people in my position would have gone to check out Grinderman (who doesn’t love Nick Cave?!), but as the Guide To Summer Music Festival suggests, let’s not be too angsty when it comes to music. Better stick to what sounds good your ear at the moment than rushing around to try bits and pieces of everything, risking not to enjoy any of the choices and ending up with a massive feet-ache that may prevent you from dancing till the wee hours. Yeah, eventually I’m very glad I stay for the whole gig.

Glenn Branca by Laura Lotti
Glenn Branca by Laura Lotti

Now it’s time for Suicide. I’ve always been a massive fan of Alan Vega and Martin Rev, but their performance of their debut album leaves me puzzled. There’s something very perverse in loving old bands and listening to old music, because when the time comes to see them live, chances are that if they cannot keep up with the time passing (and with your personal expectations – and yours, and yours and yours, too), you’ll be doubly disappointed. In fact, it breaks my heart seeing a very worn out, almost voiceless, Alan Vega attempting sensual moves on the notes of ‘Ghost Rider’. Seeing such an influential band, that threw the foundations of most of today’s electronic music, acting like the poor apology for themselves is too much.

Suicide by Laura Lotti
Suicide by Laura Lotti

But instead of breaking into tears, I decide to move towards the young and cool Jägermeister-Vice stage, where the sound of today is on. Time for Ty Segall, the Californian multi-instrumentalist, rock ‘n roll wonder-child that performs a tight set of supercharged rockabilly party tunes accompanied by a full band of cool dudes and rock chicks.

Ty Segall by Laura Lotti
Ty Segall by Laura Lotti

After their show, I’m tired as if I have just run a marathon. So I happily leave the festival site, satisfied with having witnessed one of the greatest comeback of the year, PiL, and promising to myself I’ll go see Baths and Factory Floor, that are going to play later in this never ending night, next time they play in London (that is, certainly soon).

Ty Segall by Laura Lotti
Ty Segall by Laura Lotti

Categories ,Alan Vega, ,Amelia’s Magazine, ,Animal Collective, ,Avant Gard, ,barcelona, ,baths, ,beer, ,Connan Mockasin, ,Ducktails, ,electronic, ,Factory Floor, ,festivals, ,Glenn Branca, ,grinderman, ,Jarvis Cocker, ,laura lotti, ,Martin Rev, ,Moon Duo, ,Music Festivals, ,Nick Cave, ,Of Montreal, ,Parc del Forum, ,PiL, ,Post Punk, ,Primavera Sound, ,psychedelia, ,Public Image Ltd, ,pulp, ,Queuing, ,Rebecca Elves, ,Rock and Roll, ,spain, ,Suicide, ,summer, ,The Fresh & Onlys, ,The Glenn Branca Ensemble, ,Ty Segall

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Amelia’s Magazine | Latitude 2010: Thursday Night Review

Feelin’ hot hot hot… we arrived at the field with a blanket and straw hat, viagra stuff and headed straight to the bar. Queuing for what felt like a life-time in the blistering heat, price cheap sounds of Johnny Flynn drifted through the air along with the smells of barbecued sausages. Queuing aside, we were happy.

Ciders in hand we weaved through camping chairs and stepped apologetically over blankets, occasionally catching the odd sandaled foot or splashing a little cider over a resting head… all part of the joy of festivalling, we found a spot, lay the blanket on the ground just in time for Laura Marling to take to the stage. ‘Afternoon everyone!’ Laura’s soothing voice echoed over the masses, ‘what a day!’…. people woo’d and clapped and cheered. In two years, Marling’s voice and lyrics have matured from pretty ditties to soulful folk… and her performance this weekend reeled in an eclectic crowd. Folk of all ages stood, eyes fixed and humming and Marling’s voice resonated. Songs from Marling’s latest album I Speak Because I Can mixed with original tracks from My Manic and I had us reminiscing, spinning around and singing-along.

Between sets we ate, drank and lay gazing into the brilliant blue ether… catching a bit of celebrity football, Mumford & Sons giving it their best. Seasick Steve was next up, and took to the stage with crowds-a-roaring. Unfortunately, due to minor sunstroke, we weren’t around for the whole set, but from what we saw, as always Seasick gave a cracking performance.

Mumford & Sons belted out there emotive country-inspired folk, now well-known from their vast radio coverage, and had the audience fixed. Looking and sounding the part, and slotting in perfectly to the Hop Farm scene.

Whilst queuing for a lamb kofta and chatting to a wonderful lady who lives on a pig farm in Cambridgeshire, who told me stories of her days as a festival queen in the 70s… (she was so small she used to crouch on the loo seat, feet on the seat – to avoid sitting on it… little ladies – take note!) Ray Davies performed and it came as pleasant surprise to hear the well-known Kinks records: Lola, You Really Got Me and all the rest. At the age of 66, Ray’s voice carried across fields, still very much in tact.

Last but not least, good old Bob Dylan appeared on stage, his (very) husky tones hooking the expectant field of fans, and taking them on a tumultuous journey through a plethora of songs steeped in sentiment.

Finally, an incredible set from Devendra Banhart ensued; no longer the long-haired folky-dolky guy that once plucked at our heartstrings, Devendra has completely reinvented his style: short-back-and-sides, checked shirt and long yellow cardie buttoned up; the sounds were funky and playful, his voice endearing and still with that jagged edge that made him famous. Even a few Roxy Music covers were thrown in to get us grooving. We danced until the cows came home.

All in all, a grand day out. Thank you Hop Farm!


Illustrations by Jenny Costello

With businesses struggling to survive through the recession armageddon, this site a few innovative individuals are thriving, using their imagination and collaborations with other creatives to succeed. Sarah Bagner, or ‘Supermarket Sarah‘ transformed a wall of her own home into a window dresser’s dream; featuring both vintage finds and handmade creations from the likes of Donna Wilson. Inviting shoppers into her home for tea and cake has gained her such a following that Selfridges even invited her to curate a wall for them.


Supermarket Sarah, illustrated by Emma Block

Her latest collaboration is with the queens of cool, Tatty Devine, whose Brick Lane store has been transformed into an Aladdin’s cave of Sarah’s goodies. Tatty Devine is also famous for pioneering the collaborative spirit, teaming up with the likes of Rob Ryan, Charlie le Mindu and Mrs Jones to make their iconic statement jewellery ranges. Last night fellow creatives Fred Butler and Anna Murray were spinning some tunes on the decks, whilst cupcakes were supplied by Fifi and Lola.

I snapped Sarah wearing her Tatty Devine ‘Supermarket Sarah’ necklace in front of her wall which will soon be online here. The installation will be in store until the 16th August, alongside Tatty Devine’s regular stock which is currently on sale. This is your one stop shop for sorting your festival outfits; grab some neck candy from Tatty Devine and something from Sarah’s vintage dressing up box and you’re set! 

Photographs by Katie Antoniou

With businesses struggling to survive through the recession armageddon, site a few innovative individuals are thriving, order using their imagination and collaborations with other creatives to succeed. Sarah Bagner, store or ‘Supermarket Sarah’ transformed a wall of her own home into a window dresser’s dream; featuring both vintage finds and handmade creations from the likes of Donna Wilson. Inviting shoppers into her home for tea and cake has gained her such a following that Selfridges even invited her to curate a wall for them.

Her latest collaboration is with the queens of cool, Tatty Devine, whose Brick Lane store has been transformed into an Aladdin’s cave of Sarah’s goodies. Tatty Devine is also famous for pioneering the collaborative spirit, teaming up with the likes of Rob Ryan, Charlie le Mindu and Mrs Jones to make their iconic statement jewellery ranges. Last night  fellow creatives Fred Butler and Anna Murray were spinning some tunes on the decks, whilst cupcakes were supplied by Fifi and Lola. I snapped Sarah wearing her Tatty Devine ‘Supermarket Sarah’ necklace in front of her wall which will soon be online here. The installation will be in store until the 16th August, alongside Tatty Devine’s regular stock which is currently on sale. This is your one stop shop for sorting your festival outfits; grab some neck candy from Tatty Devine and  something from Sarah’s vintage dressing up box and you’re set! 
Sheep Latitude Tim Adey
Photography by Tim Adey.

Last time I went to Latitude it was a mere toddler of a festival… way back in 2007 it was still possible to roam freely amongst thin crowds and I remember commenting back then that the secret wouldn’t last long. 30, treat 000 people attended the fifth Latitude, drug held in the rolling wooded grounds of Henham Park which belong to an eccentric sheepfarming millionaire known as the Aussie Earl. Every year the sheep are famously dyed various shades of pastel then penned into small enclosures surrounded by signs Do Not Feed The Sheep. There’s something quite ironic in the exoticisation of such a common animal, stomach but then again most middle class urbanites have little cause for close contact with their food. Reading through tweets on my way to the festival I laughed at one suggestion that a bunch of hippies were clogging up the local roads… nothing could be further from the truth. Latitude is famously the home of the well read intellectual classes, a fact which was mentioned on repeat throughout the whole festival.

Nigel kennedy by Jenny Costello
Nigel Kennedy by Jenny Costello.

Despite a lack of line up on Thursday evening most punters had already set up camp by the time we arrived. Like Glastonbury, early crowds baying for entertainment guaranteed a packed audience for the few shows being staged. Our first stop was Nigel Kennedy, playing with The Orchestra of Life and visiting Polish musicians on the Lake Stage: the gig was attended by an all age crowd, a significant feature of the entire festival. Nigel romped through a selection of Duke Ellington jazz standards before crashing into a barndancing favourite that had the crowd hooting in delight. In between he flirted salaciously with a lady in the crowd and swore copiously. As Radio 1 DJ Colin Murray was later overheard saying – it’s a pity Nigel has to open his mouth. It was a bit like Madonna at the Turner Prize trying a bit too hard to be hard. But I liked the ceilidh classic – more of that please. Try as I might I just can’t get into the jazz thing.

Paul-Shinn-Latitude-crowds
Latitude crowds by Paul Shinn.

Large parts of Henham Park forest have been opened up to accommodate more theatre, and down amongst the towering trees we were ushered into the heaving theatre arena for Les Enfants Terribles: The Vaudevillians. It was certainly terrible. Despite being billed as “a unique and exciting night out” I was only able to watch ten minutes before I was so bored and unexcited out of my brain that we had to leave.

Latitude flags Tim Adey
A pretty picture of flags at Latitude. Photography by Tim Adey.

Instead we paid a visit to Robin Ince in the Literary Arena. Robin Ince is the literary high priest of Latitude – he was holding court whenever I went past despite his assertion (in my recent interview with him) that he would be spending less time on stage this year. Joining him were a wide range of comedians and writers over the course of the festival, and it made me smile to hear him delivering more of his climate change material to a packed audience.

Abby-Wright-Tom-Jones
Tom Jones by Abby Wright.

Tom Jones sans hair dye was of course the big act to appear on Thursday night – clearly a last minute addition designed to promote his new album Praise & Blame. Even before we approached the lake I realised we might have trouble attending his bijoux gig on the In The Woods stage. Many thousands of people + small stage = frustrated pile up. We took the back route up to the guest area where we listened from behind the fence once they had sorted out screeching feedback, and could just discern a frenzy of enthusiastic front row teenagers screaming Sex Bomb. There was to be no Sex Bomb. One man was overheard commenting that his new bluesy songs sounded “like Johnny Cash on a downer”, but I quite liked them. Security spent the whole gig shining torches at anyone who dared get close the fence. Since I couldn’t see anything I fell asleep on the ground. Thanks for the soothing lullabies Tom.

I’ve reviewed all other days according to genre. Why not get started on my Friday Music Review here?

Categories ,Abby Wright, ,Barndancing, ,blues, ,ceilidh, ,Duke Ellington, ,In The Woods, ,jazz, ,Jenny Costello, ,Johnny Cash, ,Lake Stage, ,Latitude Festival, ,Literary Arena, ,Madonna, ,Nigel Kennedy, ,Paul Shinn, ,Praise & Blame, ,Robin Ince, ,Sex Bomb, ,The Orchestra of Life, ,Tim Adey, ,Tom Jones, ,Turner Prize

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Amelia’s Magazine | Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Tripod Stage Review: Sunday

Illustration by Dan Heffer, ask pharm Hat by Angela Bruce; The Hedgerow Collection

I’m not sure if it’s the wedding’s I’ve been too recently or the press attention regarding ladies hats at certain summer races (hello Ascot) or whether it’s as simple as the sun being out, but recently I’ve been paying more attention to headwear. It was therefore a great pleasure to be invited to Kensington and Chelsea College’s End of Year Millinery exhibition.

Who could resist Anna Pulleyn’s Forgotten Garden Collection?

Illustration by Krister Selin

Illustration by Lauren Macaulay

The quality of the work on display was unmistakable and the sculptural and innovative shapes a joy to look at. Each Milliner created a story around their final collection, the materials used were inspired by Japanese textile techniques, mechanics and traditional stories; for example Rachel Fallon’s take on Alice in Wonderland.

Illustration by Rachael Price

Another classic text revisited was the greek tragedy of Narcissus. Hannah-Kates Morgan collection was inspired by the story of a man simultaneously in in love with and in turmoil with the sight of his own reflection, coining the term Narcissism. A comment perhaps towards the trend in fashion to be socially elite both towards people and the different mediums of the trade?

Beth Simpson’s collection was inspired by the collection of the Marchesa Casati. Beth describes the collection’s muse as “extravagant, eccentric and bizarre, who for the first three decades of the 20th Century astounded Europe.”

Kate Underdown’s collection was inspired by medical specimens and the anatomical drawings by the Victorians sourced from the Hunerian and Grant Museums of Medicine.

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Elaine Lax’s wonderful Mechanical Movement collection created from the building blocks of machinery, that is required to keep our way of life moving.

Congratulations to all the students for a wonderful show and to Kate Underdown, Awon Golding, Rebecca Coffee, Angela Bruce, Ellen Bowden, and Mandy Mcgregor whose hats were selected to be exhibited at Fenwicks.

Photographs by Sally Mumby-Croft

Illustration by Dan Heffer, diagnosis Hat by Angela Bruce; The Hedgerow Collection

I’m not sure if it’s the wedding’s I’ve been too recently or the press attention regarding ladies hats at certain summer races (hello Ascot) or whether it’s as simple as the sun being out, buy but recently I’ve been paying more attention to headwear. Therefore it was a great pleasure to be invited to Kensington and Chelsea College’s End of Year Millinery exhibition.

Who could resist Anna Pulleyn’s Forgotten Garden Collection?

Illustration by Krister Selin

Illustration by Lauren Macaulay

The quality of the work on display was unmistakable and the sculptural and innovative shapes a joy to look at. Each Milliner created a story around their final collection, pharmacy the materials used were inspired by Japanese textile techniques, mechanics and traditional stories; for example Rachel Fallon’s take on Alice in Wonderland.

Illustration by Rachael Price

Hannah-Kates Morgan’s collection – revisited another classic text; Narcissus or Narcissim – was inspired by the greek tragedy. A comment perhaps towards the trend in fashion to be socially elite both towards people and the different mediums of the trade?

Beth Simpson’s collection was inspired by the collection of the Marchesa Casati. Beth describes the collection’s muse as “extravagant, eccentric and bizarre, who for the first three decades of the 20th Century astounded Europe.”

Kate Underdown’s collection was inspired by medical specimens and the anatomical drawings by the Victorians sourced from the Hunerian and Grant Museums of Medicine.

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Elaine Lax’s wonderful Mechanical Movement collection created from the building blocks of machinery, that is required to keep our way of life moving.

Congratulations to all the students for a wonderful show and to Kate Underdown, Awon Golding, Rebecca Coffee, Angela Bruce, Ellen Bowden, and Mandy McGregor whose hats were selected to be exhibited at Fenwicks.

Photographs by Sally Mumby-Croft

Illustration by Dan Heffer, viagra 60mg Hat by Angela Bruce; The Hedgerow Collection

I’m not sure if it’s the wedding’s I’ve been too recently or the press attention regarding ladies hats at certain summer races (hello Ascot) or whether it’s as simple as the sun being out, sickness but recently I’ve been paying more attention to headwear. It was therefore a great pleasure to be invited to Kensington and Chelsea College’s End of Year Millinery exhibition.

Who could resist Anna Pulleyn’s Forgotten Garden Collection?

Illustration by Krister Selin

Illustration by Lauren Macaulay

The quality of the work on display was unmistakable and the sculptural and innovative shapes a joy to look at. Each Milliner created a story around their final collection, the materials used were inspired by Japanese textile techniques, mechanics and traditional stories; for example Rachel Fallon’s take on Alice in Wonderland.

Illustration by Rachael Price

Another classic text revisited was the greek tragedy of Narcissus. Hannah-Kates Morgan collection was inspired by the story of a man simultaneously in in love with and in turmoil with the sight of his own reflection, coining the term Narcissism. A comment perhaps towards the trend in fashion to be socially elite both towards people and the different mediums of the trade?

Beth Simpson’s collection was inspired by the collection of the Marchesa Casati. Beth describes the collection’s muse as “extravagant, eccentric and bizarre, who for the first three decades of the 20th Century astounded Europe.”

Kate Underdown’s collection was inspired by medical specimens and the anatomical drawings by the Victorians sourced from the Hunerian and Grant Museums of Medicine.

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Elaine Lax’s wonderful Mechanical Movement collection created from the building blocks of machinery, that is required to keep our way of life moving.

Congratulations to all the students for a wonderful show and to Kate Underdown, Awon Golding, Rebecca Coffee, Angela Bruce, Ellen Bowden, and Mandy McGregor whose hats were selected to be exhibited at Fenwicks.

Photographs by Sally Mumby-Croft

Illustration by Dan Heffer, thumb Hat by Angela Bruce; The Hedgerow Collection

I’m not sure if it’s the wedding’s I’ve been too recently or the press attention regarding ladies hats at certain summer races (hello Ascot) or whether it’s as simple as the sun being out, dosage but recently I’ve been paying more attention to headwear. Therefore it was a great pleasure to be invited to Kensington and Chelsea College’s End of Year Millinery exhibition.

Who could resist Anna Pulleyn’s Forgotten Garden Collection?

Illustration by Krister Selin

Illustration by Lauren Macaulay

The quality of the work on display was unmistakable and the sculptural and innovative shapes a joy to look at. Each Milliner created a story around their final collection, cheapest the materials used were inspired by Japanese textile techniques, mechanics and traditional stories; for example Rachel Fallon’s take on Alice in Wonderland.

Illustration by Rachael Price

Another classic text revisited was the greek tragedy of Narcissus. Hannah-Kates Morgan collection was inspired by the story of a man simultaneously in in love with and in turmoil with the sight of his own reflection, coining the term Narcissism. A comment perhaps towards the trend in fashion to be socially elite both towards people and the different mediums of the trade?

Beth Simpson’s collection was inspired by the collection of the Marchesa Casati. Beth describes the collection’s muse as “extravagant, eccentric and bizarre, who for the first three decades of the 20th Century astounded Europe.”

Kate Underdown’s collection was inspired by medical specimens and the anatomical drawings by the Victorians sourced from the Hunerian and Grant Museums of Medicine.

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Elaine Lax’s wonderful Mechanical Movement collection created from the building blocks of machinery, that is required to keep our way of life moving.

Congratulations to all the students for a wonderful show and to Kate Underdown, Awon Golding, Rebecca Coffee, Angela Bruce, Ellen Bowden, and Mandy McGregor whose hats were selected to be exhibited at Fenwicks.

Photographs by Sally Mumby-Croft

Illustration by Dan Heffer, help Hat by Angela Bruce; The Hedgerow Collection

I’m not sure if it’s the wedding’s I’ve been too recently or the press attention regarding ladies hats at certain summer races (hello Ascot) or whether it’s as simple as the sun being out, sale but recently I’ve been paying more attention to headwear. Therefore it was a great pleasure to be invited to Kensington and Chelsea College’s End of Year Millinery exhibition.

Who could resist Anna Pulleyn’s Forgotten Garden Collection?

Illustration by Krister Selin

Illustration by Lauren Macaulay

The quality of the work on display was unmistakable and the sculptural and innovative shapes a joy to look at. Each Milliner created a story around their final collection, the materials used were inspired by Japanese textile techniques, mechanics and traditional stories; for example Rachel Fallon’s take on Alice in Wonderland.

Illustration by Rachael Price

Hannah-Kates Morgan’s Narcissism collection, revisited another classic text; the greek tragedy of Narcissus.

Beth Simpson’s collection was inspired by the collection of the Marchesa Casati. Beth describes the collection’s muse as “extravagant, eccentric and bizarre, who for the first three decades of the 20th Century astounded Europe.”

Kate Underdown’s collection was inspired by medical specimens and the anatomical drawings by the Victorians sourced from the Hunerian and Grant Museums of Medicine.

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Illustration by Charlotte Gibson

Elaine Lax’s wonderful Mechanical Movement collection created from the building blocks of machinery, that is required to keep our way of life moving.

Congratulations to all the students for a wonderful show and to Kate Underdown, Awon Golding, Rebecca Coffee, Angela Bruce, Ellen Bowden, and Mandy McGregor whose hats were selected to be exhibited at Fenwicks.

Photographs by Sally Mumby-Croft

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Lulu and the Lampshades

On Sunday we lost a few and gained a few. Pete Lawrie called by with terrible hayfever to say he couldn’t sing for fear of losing his voice but kindly volunteered to perform at another Climate Camp benefit. Of course I made him stand in front of our banners so I could get a photo anyway.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Pete Lawrie
Pete Lawrie.

Robinson just didn’t turn up. I missed a phone call whilst doing an impromptu Green Kite Midnight gig at the Greenpeace Stage, price which laughably requested that I get on the radios to sort out a vehicle escort to meet them from their Acoustic Stage gig (erm, website like this did you read any of my emails?) They then ignored all my later frantic calls. Professional. Still, they probably wouldn’t have had much of an audience, what with them clashing with that embarrassing worldcup football match and all.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Pete the Temp

I missed most of Pete the Temp but managed to catch him performing some fun mashed up covers dressed in a tutu from our grand raffle.

katie-harnett-lulu and the lampshades
Lulu and the Lampshades by Katie Harnett.
Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Lulu and the Lampshades

Lulu and the Lampshades decided to play at the last minute once their Glastonbury tickets were confirmed. Fronted by my former art editor, the super talented Luisa Gerstein, I am ashamed to say that this was the first time I had seen them perform live. I had previously only visited them on myspace, which really doesn’t do justice to their ace live performance. Playing on a variety of strange string instruments, an old typewriter and an assortment of pots, pans and donating buckets scoured from the Climate Camp kitchen, they were incredibly inventive.

katie-harnett-lulu and the lampshades
Lulu and the Lampshades by Katie Harnett.

Both myself and Luisa have camped extensively with Forest School Camps, and her glorious melodies reflect the mix of traditional English, Irish, Scottish and American Bluegrass music that we love to sing around campfires.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Lulu and the Lampshades
Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Lulu and the Lampshades

Lulu and the Lampshades ended on an acapella version of traditional gospel song You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone – here performed with just two of the band members and some old yoghurt pots (another trick I suspect she learnt around the campfire). A cult classic if ever I saw one – there are already multiple tributes on youtube.

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Luisa’s best bit about playing the Tripod Stage: our make-shift drum-kit from the catering tent.
Luisa’s best bit about Glastonbury this year: Sunday evening: Mountain Man in the Crow’s Nest followed by Dirty Projectors followed by Stevie Wonder; twas dreamy. 
 
You can catch Lulu and the Lampshades at Bestival later this year.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Cats and Cats and Cats

Cats and Cats and Cats then borrowed a number of instruments from Lulu and the Lampshades to play another exclusive for the Tripod Stage, lead singer Ben George having come down from his parent’s pottery stand in the Green Fields to offer us the gig. Quite fortuitously Cats and Cats and Cats have their debut album If I’d Had An Atlas out next week, so we were treated to stripped down versions of a range of songs which I’ve since been able to listen to on record.

cats and cats and cats
Cats and Cats and Cats by Farzeen Jabbar.

When and where was the album recorded?
If I’d Had An Atlas was recorded over 11 days in deepest darkest Wales (Giant Wafer Studios in the Brecon Beacons), it was great to be so far away from any bustling cities and we could really concentrate there. We also did some recordings of extra instruments (tuba, cello, accordion etc.) in Folkestone at Barewires Studios.

What inspired the name If I’d Had An Atlas?
The name is from a lyric in the title track which reads “I don’t know, if I’d had an atlas, where we would be,” which fell out of my brain at some point and I scribbled it down. I like the imagery of someone imagining that if they’d had a map they would have done things differently but of course there is no map and life is chaotic and that’s why it’s amazing.

What was the best bit about playing on the Tripod Stage?
I really enjoyed just turning up and using what instruments we could gather to piece together a set and then managing to pull it off! Thanks loads to Lulu and the Lampshades for lending us their equipment and also for being really brilliant. The only bad point was when I dedicated a song to my brother only to find he’d run off to watch Nora Jones!

What was your favourite part of Glastonbury this year?
I saw some of my favourite Glastonbury performances this year by bands like: Boxcar Aldous Huxley, Tubelord, the Dirty Projectors, Meursault and Imogen Heap; I was also gobsmacked at the lightning men and amounts of fire in Arcadia. But I have to say the weather, I was there for 8 days and I didn’t see a drop of rain. Amazing.

What other festivals are you playing at?
We’ve got a couple more lined up in July: Lounge on the Farm in Canterbury on Friday 9th (at 12pm) and 2000 Trees Festival in Cheltenham on Saturday 17th. Then we’ll be playing a farewell show for our violin player in London at some point as she’s leaving the band, but we’ll be back on the scene in October for a UK tour. Hopefully see you soon.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Cats and Cats and Cats

Ben has one of those voices that delights in the slightly out of the tune: it shouldn’t work but most of the time it somehow does: his wailing vocals become a feature in themselves, especially when offset against such a lush backdrop: brass, strings, entire orchestras, choirs, all have their place on this album – occasionally screeching to a standstill that echoes the offkilter vocals. It’s all great fun. Stand out single A Boy Called Haunts is a triumphant melody about… a boy who is trying to impress a girl, so he dresses up as a ghost on Halloween. Only trouble is that he then becomes a real ghost and discovers that she spends her free time having sex with men in porn films. As you do. Ben has been learning Japanese for 3 years so he decided to write a song in Japanese “half to see if I could and half to show off”.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Cats and Cats and Cats

Towards the end of the album curveball Suizokukanni works surprisingly well, even if the subject matter is equally bonkers. In it Ben’s fictional brother talks to the fish in the garden pond so he gets shunned. One day Ben hears the fish in the garden calling his name and realises he can talk to them. The last line roughly translates to “Lets go to the aquarium together and never return!”. This is followed by the beautiful The Smallest Song, a much quieter and more subdued affair, even as the brass section kicks in. The next single will be If I’d Had Antlers, which features sawed and plucked violin melded to trademark awkward beats and a surprisingly delicate melody. Watch out for the animated video. Cats and Cats and Cats might be an acquired taste, but they’re wonderfully original and definitely a grower. Well worth checking out.

carolyn-alexander-attila the stockbroker
Attila the Stockbroker by Carolyn Alexander.

Our final performer was another late booking – Attila the Stockbroker, pint in hand, gave us some grand punk beat poetry. 60 years old and able to give any number of youngsters a run for their money. I’d like to see more of him one day.

Glastonbury 2010 Climate Camp Attila the Stockbroker

And so ended my Tripod Stage musical line-up. And what a joy it was. Here’s hoping we can do as well next year…

Categories ,2000 Trees Festival, ,Acapella, ,Acoustic Stage, ,Arcadia, ,Attila the Stockbroker, ,bestival, ,Bluegrass, ,Boxcar Aldous Huxley, ,brass, ,Carolyn Alexander, ,Cats and Cats and Cats, ,Climate Camp, ,Crow’s Nest, ,dirty projectors, ,Farzeen Jabbar, ,folk, ,Forest School Camps, ,Green Fields, ,Greenpeace, ,Imogen Heap, ,Katie Harnett, ,Kitchen, ,Lounge on the Farm, ,Luisa Gerstein, ,Lulu and the Lampshades, ,Meursault, ,Mountain Man, ,Pete Lawrie, ,Pete the Temp, ,Pottery, ,Robinson, ,Stevie Wonder, ,Traditional Music, ,Tripod Stage, ,Tubelord, ,wales

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