After una copa de tinto de verano, about it I’m ready for another night of music overdose. First on my list is Julian Lynch, side effects the etnomusicologist from Winsconsin that conquered my heart with 2010’s LP Mare, a dreamy collage of folksy pop tunes with a shade of drone that seriously make you feel as if you were floating in a mare (which means “sea”, in Italian – I’m not sure that was his purpose in titling his album that way, but it gives a pretty damn good idea of what his songs sound like).
To be honest, I expected something quite different from his set. Strangely enough, his unhinged harmonies, between prog, metal, jazz, indie and psych, though verging cacophony, mingle in a perfect way and make extreme sense, creating a hypnotizing ensemble of notes and echoing vocals.
Julian Lynch by Laura Lotti
Music video: Julian Lynch – Garden 2
After his performance, I rush to see The Monochrome Set the avant gard post-punk outfit whose original formation featured nonetheless than Adam Ant. Although guitarist Lester Square is still rocking as hard as far back in 1978, the band seems to have lost his idiosyncratic verve, and their performance feels quite cheesy.
On the other hand, one of the contemporary bands I’ve always regarded as ‘cheesy’, Tennis, surprise me on the ATP stage. I’ve had mixed feelings towards this husband-and-wife duo since first hearing Marathon last year. Despite the song being a perfect ear candy of 1960s bubbluegum pop, they seemed to be one of those music blogs darlings, with too much buzz about them and too little to prove. However, their debut album Cape Dory sounded immediately so catchy when it came out a few months ago – a collection of simple, shiny, sticky-sweet pop melodies – that now I feel compelled to check them out. And this the best thing I’ve done today! In fact, they are so good live, I almost want to cry. Their gig reminds me of another great band I saw exactly on this same stage last year, Beach House. The melodies are kept to basic – only keyboard, drums and guitar, played by hubby Patrick Riley – and Alaina Moore’s eerie voice is the protagonist. I can’t help but squeaking “ohmygawd they are so sweeet” while jumping around every 3 seconds, stars in my eyes as teenagers in love do (ermm, maybe, given the times we are in, used to do when I was a teenager) – that’s the effect of their music – to the point that I’m afraid my friend wants to punch me in the face.
Music video: Tennis – Cape Dory
Thank god at the end of their set my face is still unscathed and, charged up by the positive vibes assimilated at Tennis’ gig, we all happily stroll (or shall I say, run?) to see James Blake. The Pitchfork stage is already jam-packed to welcome him and his band (a drummer and a guitarist, to translate in a live dimension his qualities as producer) and since the first beats everybody is humming and moving their heads to his music. How to define his sound remains a mystery to me. Would something like dubstep-cum-singer-songwriter-skills-cum-free-jazz-hints give an idea of his idiosyncratic style? I don’t know and I don’t care. He’s good as hell, that’s all that matters, and his elaborated melodies provide the perfect soundtrack to the rapidly falling dusk. Again as for Tennis, the voice plays a fundamental role here, but this time is smudged over the melodies in electronic effects to become integral part of the whole sound.
If I’m usually concerned about music that (largely) avails of digital technology, I have to say that James Blake is a good example of how to use it, and explore new spaces between liveness and reproduction. Despite my original wariness towards this 22-year-old artist, seemingly too young to be actually so good as popular press and industry people depict him, I must admit I’m glad I’ve been proved wrong. Unfortunately his performance is spoilt by the reverber of the sea surrounding half of the stage (very pictoresque, thank you. What about sound quality, though?) and the echoes coming from the other stages. But hey this is a festival. You can’t have it all, can you?
Music video: James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream
So far I’ve seen two new bands that have managed to put up with the hype pumped up by the media: Tennis and James Blake. I’m already satisfied, and with this new hope towards the future of music, I head to see another kind of genius, an innovator of the very concept of music, who’s inventiveness hasn’t stopped since the 1970s. I’m talking about Pere Ubu, that on stage is still as charismatic as ever and plays a jarring, spirited set of new and old songs – coyly alluding to his “old girlfriends” every now and then and drawing from his flask one too many times – accompanied by a whole ensemble of awesome musicians, especially drummer Steve Mehlman.
This bleach-blonde giant is a proper drum-machine himself. Got to this point I could go and see Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti but
a) he’s playing bloody far away
b) Pere Ubu is a magnet.
I’ve literally got no chances of moving away from here (or better to stop moving) hypnotised by David Thomas & co’s syncopated rhythms and funny jokes.
No Joy are another welcomed surprise. The Canadian band fronted by blonde grrrls Jasmine White-Glutz and Laura Lloyd, praised by the likes of Best Coast’ Bethany Cosentino and Pitchfork for their recent release Ghost Blonde, are so powerful on stage that I cannot stop dancing and staring at them: two blonde full manes shaking constantly to the melodies created by their same guitars and otherworldly voices that intertwine with each other and and with the kicks and snares of bass and drums in a perfect entente. They are grunge, they are rock, they are cool as hell. I want to be blonde and I want to be them. They close their set with a never-ending droned-up hazy cover of Del Shannon’s ‘She Said’ that puts everybody in a hypnotic trance for the following 15 minutes.
Music video: Del Shannon – She Said
Now it’s time for slowcore Low, that play an atmospheric, almost whispered set. Although the stage is packed, it feels as intimate as if they were playing in my living room. The festival stage itself though, flattens a bit their magic.
And now it’s the band I, like probably most of my Generation Y mates, am most dying to see tonight: Deerhunter. Bradford Cox & co play and achingly haunting array of songs from ‘Halcyon Digest’ and their previous releases, building walls of melodies as overwhelming as they are perfectly balanced with each other and with Cox ‘s voice. They create dense atmospheres, delicate but strong, textured, complex but fluid. Deerhunter is a band that will stay. I can picture Deerhunter being one of the bands that my nephews will come and see in one of their reunion maybe here, exactly on this same stage, in 40 years time.
And if Deerhunter were one of the must-see bands of the night in my personal list, Pulp’s reunion is a universal must-see! It seems like all the Primavera Sound attendees have gathered under the San Miguel stage to witness this glorious comeback.
Music video: Pulp – Common People
Now, I am one of those people that, if everybody says ‘white’, have to scream ‘blaaack’ with all the energy in my lungs, and always swim against the current. So, don’t take it personally, this is not an attack to Britpop nor to one of the most brilliant contemporary British icons that have made the history of music. However, I must admit, I’m quite disappointed by this concert. Jarvis was one of us, wasn’t he? So what about all this Lady Gaga-esque stage design and bright neon visuals, that dangerously make of Pulp the caricature of themselves? It feels like a mammoth money-driven pop reunion. That’s what it is, after all, I bitterly sigh to myself. I cannot feel much energy in the air, though Jarvis is still in enviable shape and jumps around like a cricket from the beginning to the end. However, towards the end of Pulp’s gig he regains my interest, when, as in the best pop fairy tales, he doesn’t forget to get political, and declares himself indignado for the shameful events happened in Plaza Catalunya the previous night, delivering a memorable performance of ‘Common People’ dedicated to the struggling protestants.
Written by Laura Lotti on Wednesday June 8th, 2011 3:16 pm
This screen print by Franz Vesolt accompanies the release of Wild Nothing’s ‘Evertide’ EP.
Music and art have always made the best of bedfellows, recipe so it seems only natural to create a record label that aspires to have musicians and artists support each other through bespoke collaborations. Here’s the premise: each full Warmest Chord release consists of three exclusive tracks and a limited numbered A3 screen print designed by an independent illustrator in direct response to the music. Go to their lovingly prepared blog and you can read about their new inspirations, site ideas and designs, whether it be for a screen print, cover art, a jigsaw or knitting pattern that will accompany their song releases. (And it was a real treat for us to see that the Warmest Chord logo and headermast was created by the illustrator Hannah Warren, whose work featured in Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration). We talked to Becky Randall, one of the founders of Warmest Chord to learn more about this highly creative endeavor.
Tell me the premise behind the idea of the Warmest Chord Record label.
The label was pretty much born out of a desire of wanting to collaborate, create something from scratch, and to offer up something a little different from the standard somewhat cold digital download. We wanted to play around with some ideas and explore other possibilities by adding a craft and handmade element into the mix of download releases. We felt it was only right to offset downloads with beautiful physical artwork that you can own, admire, hang and create attachment and a visual counterpart to the music.
For the second release we introduced downloadable liner notes and also Warmest Chord ‘Calling Cards’ which are handpicked images from scrapbooks, old publications, vintage community magazines, old postcards etc. Each one is a one-off and handstamped by Warmest Chord. We do an edition of 50 per release and we put them in at random with purchases of the screen print. This visual and physical element is really important to us and we want to create a trusted home for new music adding different art ephemera and collectibles with each release.
Who do you have signed at the moment and what type of music are you hoping to sign in the future?
Warmest Chord is still very much a fledgling label as we’ve only had two releases out so far. Our first was the ‘Evertide’ EP from Wild Nothing coupled with a phosphorescent screen print from French illustrator Franz Vesolt. Our second release was from newcomer Slow Talk hand-in-hand with a print from Micah Lidberg. The overwhelming support and little messages from well-wishers and fans was really positive and highlighted just how open music lovers can be to new ideas and combinations. As for the future, our doors, eyes and ears are truly open.
Tell us a little about the artists that you are working with on the screen print side.
For the Wild Nothing release we brought Franz Vesolt on board, an illustrator who focuses on characters and figures, and has an unerring ability to stir up the emotions with a simple line drawing. We felt that he complimented and aestheticised the emotive music of Wild Nothing perfectly. And in comparison to that, there are the bold songs from Slow Talk with just a hint of menace and vulnerability in the mix, which illustrator Micah Lidberg aptly manifested with his twisted vision of nature run wild with colour.
This screenprint by Micah Lidberg is sold alongside the new release by Slow Talk
For each release we’re going to be introducing a new illustrator, and carefully pairing them with the music to ensure they go together like the finest bread and cheese. We also invite them to make-over our logo/ headermast to essentially ‘christen’ each release. Each run of screen prints is limited to just 100, and we endeavour to make each one a beautifully crafted piece of collectible custom-made art that adds value and attachment to the music.
Wild Nothing’s haunting interpretation of the iconic ‘Cloudbusting’ can be brought from the Warmest Chord shop
Turning to the business side; what was your background before this, was it art, or music related?
A little bit of both actually! I studied art at university, tried to write for a living but got very very poor in the process, worked in music promotions then at a couple of labels big and small. I continue to be a fairly free floating entity with fingers in lots of honey jars, including managing the bands Still Corners and The Proper Ornaments
The other half of Warmest Chord spends most of his time begging DJ’s to play records on the radio, as well as running a great little 7”-only label called Make Mine. We both kind of landed on our bellies into the world of Warmest Chord and we’re very pleased that we did.
How was this label set up, did you receive funding? And is this a full time job for everyone at Warmest Chord?
We’re both based in London, and had to dig deep into our pockets, bumbags, piggy banks and sofa cushions in order to make Warmest Chord happen. There are just two of us at the label and we wrap it around our day jobs using every stolen moment we can fit in our Warmest Chord swag bag in order to indulge another little facet for the label.
What is your long term goals with Warmest Chord?
To keep Warmest Chord a very free and mutable entity, keep building on the craft and visual element, provide a forum for interesting music and always keep an open mind and a flirtatious eye. We’re currently busy working on our next rather special release. But we’re fond of surprises so won’t say any more or the broth will be ruined.
Another example of Micah Lidberg’s stunning illustrations.
So Saturday morning – day two of London Fashion Week – started off brilliantly. It was p*ssing it down, website like this the tyre on my bike had deflated itself twice and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Gallantly, more about if I do say so myself, I hot-stepped it to work to put some articles together, and then when it was time made my way to The Show Space on Northumberland Avenue (where I had been the previous day to view Jean Pierre Braganza’s collection) armed with an umbrella.
Unfortunately, the rest of London’s fashion population were also armed with umbrellas (despite wearing some outfits best saved for hot Summer evenings – gah) and queuing was a bit of a nightmare. Luckily I bumped into my pal Sabrina from The Science of Style, and we huddled together in the queue and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually a call was made for orange stickers and we were ushered inside, and while we waited even more for the show to start, Sabrina filled me in on the gossip with some of the front row-ers.
I’ve always liked Bernard’s aesthetic – always vibrant with an exotic feel. This time around didn’t disappoint, and his signature architectural pieces were on form along with some other softer, flattering designs. Blinding hues of magenta and bursts of orange lit up the catwalk (and our cold, damp hearts) which appeared on hooded dresses and were welcomed on on shift dresses with flamboyantly embroidered patterns that looked like heart-monitor graphs, cutting muted grey dresses in half.
This being autumn/winter, there was a unsurprising amount of black in the collection (a bugger to photograph alongside acid brights), with one of my favourite pieces in the collection being an enormous cocoon-like knee-length jacket with exaggerated shoulders and geometric details – confirming Chandran’s status as a showman. Other black jackets were sexed up with neon tights and accessories.
Strutured dresses focussed on waists with details with dresses meeting there and extending away from the body – Chandran creates silhouettes that flatter the fashion-forward woman.
The collection progressed with feathered showpieces in rich reds and bright orange – a pure delight – and a red expertly-embellished onesie. But it was back to black to close the show – an all-in-one covered in delicate feathers and jewels – reminding us of Bernard’s exotic heritage and innate attention to detail.
So Saturday morning – day two of London Fashion Week – started off brilliantly. It was p*ssing it down, prostate the tyre on my bike had deflated itself twice and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Gallantly, dosage if I do say so myself, viagra dosage I hot-stepped it to work to put some articles together, and then when it was time made my way to The Show Space on Northumberland Avenue (where I had been the previous day to view Jean Pierre Braganza’s collection) armed with an umbrella.
Unfortunately, the rest of London’s fashion population were also armed with umbrellas (despite wearing some outfits best saved for hot Summer evenings – gah) and queuing was a bit of a nightmare. Luckily I bumped into my pal Sabrina from The Science of Style, and we huddled together in the queue and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually a call was made for orange stickers and we were ushered inside, and while we waited even more for the show to start, Sabrina filled me in on the gossip with some of the front row-ers.
I’ve always liked Bernard’s aesthetic – always vibrant with an exotic feel. This time around didn’t disappoint, and his signature architectural pieces were on form along with some other softer, flattering designs. Blinding hues of magenta and bursts of orange lit up the catwalk (and our cold, damp hearts) which appeared on hooded dresses and were welcomed on on shift dresses with flamboyantly embroidered patterns that looked like heart-monitor graphs, cutting muted grey dresses in half.
This being autumn/winter, there was a unsurprising amount of black in the collection (a bugger to photograph alongside acid brights), with one of my favourite pieces in the collection being an enormous cocoon-like knee-length jacket with exaggerated shoulders and geometric details – confirming Chandran’s status as a showman. Other black jackets were sexed up with neon tights and accessories.
Strutured dresses focussed on waists with details with dresses meeting there and extending away from the body – Chandran creates silhouettes that flatter the fashion-forward woman.
The collection progressed with feathered showpieces in rich reds and bright orange – a pure delight – and a red expertly-embellished onesie. But it was back to black to close the show – an all-in-one covered in delicate feathers and jewels – reminding us of Bernard’s exotic heritage and innate attention to detail.
This screen print by Franz Vesolt accompanies the release of Wild Nothing’s ‘Evertide’ EP.
Music and art have always made the best of bedfellows, stuff so it seems only natural to create a record label that aspires to have musicians and artists support each other through bespoke collaborations. Here’s the premise: each full Warmest Chord release consists of three exclusive tracks and a limited numbered A3 screen print designed by an independent illustrator in direct response to the music. Go to their lovingly prepared blog and you can read about their new inspirations, capsule ideas and designs, order whether it be for a screen print, cover art, a jigsaw or knitting pattern that will accompany their song releases. (And it was a real treat for us to see that the Warmest Chord logo and headermast was created by the illustrator Hannah Warren, whose work featured in Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration). We talked to Becky Randall, one of the founders of Warmest Chord to learn more about this highly creative endeavor.
Tell me the premise behind the idea of the Warmest Chord Record label.
The label was pretty much born out of a desire of wanting to collaborate, create something from scratch, and to offer up something a little different from the standard somewhat cold digital download. We wanted to play around with some ideas and explore other possibilities by adding a craft and handmade element into the mix of download releases. We felt it was only right to offset downloads with beautiful physical artwork that you can own, admire, hang and create attachment and a visual counterpart to the music.
For the second release we introduced downloadable liner notes and also Warmest Chord ‘Calling Cards’ which are handpicked images from scrapbooks, old publications, vintage community magazines, old postcards etc. Each one is a one-off and handstamped by Warmest Chord. We do an edition of 50 per release and we put them in at random with purchases of the screen print. This visual and physical element is really important to us and we want to create a trusted home for new music adding different art ephemera and collectibles with each release.
Who do you have signed at the moment and what type of music are you hoping to sign in the future?
Warmest Chord is still very much a fledgling label as we’ve only had two releases out so far. Our first was the ‘Evertide’ EP from Wild Nothing coupled with a phosphorescent screen print from French illustrator Franz Vesolt. Our second release was from newcomer Slow Talk hand-in-hand with a print from Micah Lidberg. The overwhelming support and little messages from well-wishers and fans was really positive and highlighted just how open music lovers can be to new ideas and combinations. As for the future, our doors, eyes and ears are truly open.
Tell us a little about the artists that you are working with on the screen print side.
For the Wild Nothing release we brought Franz Vesolt on board, an illustrator who focuses on characters and figures, and has an unerring ability to stir up the emotions with a simple line drawing. We felt that he complimented and aestheticised the emotive music of Wild Nothing perfectly. And in comparison to that, there are the bold songs from Slow Talk with just a hint of menace and vulnerability in the mix, which illustrator Micah Lidberg aptly manifested with his twisted vision of nature run wild with colour.
This screenprint by Micah Lidberg is sold alongside the new release by Slow Talk
For each release we’re going to be introducing a new illustrator, and carefully pairing them with the music to ensure they go together like the finest bread and cheese. We also invite them to make-over our logo/ headermast to essentially ‘christen’ each release. Each run of screen prints is limited to just 100, and we endeavour to make each one a beautifully crafted piece of collectible custom-made art that adds value and attachment to the music.
Wild Nothing’s haunting interpretation of the iconic ‘Cloudbusting’ can be brought from the Warmest Chord shop
Turning to the business side; what was your background before this, was it art, or music related?
A little bit of both actually! I studied art at university, tried to write for a living but got very very poor in the process, worked in music promotions then at a couple of labels big and small. I continue to be a fairly free floating entity with fingers in lots of honey jars, including managing the bands Still Corners and The Proper Ornaments
The other half of Warmest Chord spends most of his time begging DJ’s to play records on the radio, as well as running a great little 7”-only label called Make Mine. We both kind of landed on our bellies into the world of Warmest Chord and we’re very pleased that we did.
How was this label set up, did you receive funding? And is this a full time job for everyone at Warmest Chord?
We’re both based in London, and had to dig deep into our pockets, bumbags, piggy banks and sofa cushions in order to make Warmest Chord happen. There are just two of us at the label and we wrap it around our day jobs using every stolen moment we can fit in our Warmest Chord swag bag in order to indulge another little facet for the label.
What is your long term goals with Warmest Chord?
To keep Warmest Chord a very free and mutable entity, keep building on the craft and visual element, provide a forum for interesting music and always keep an open mind and a flirtatious eye. We’re currently busy working on our next rather special release. But we’re fond of surprises so won’t say any more or the broth will be ruined.
Another example of Micah Lidberg’s stunning illustrations.
This screen print by Franz Vesolt accompanies the release of Wild Nothing’s ‘Evertide’ EP.
Music and art have always made the best of bedfellows, check so it seems only natural to create a record label that aspires to have musicians and artists support each other through bespoke collaborations. Here’s the premise: each full Warmest Chord release consists of three exclusive tracks and a limited numbered A3 screen print designed by an independent illustrator in direct response to the music. Go to their lovingly prepared blog and you can read about their new inspirations, site ideas and designs, ailment whether it be for a screen print, cover art, a jigsaw or knitting pattern that will accompany their song releases. (And it was a real treat for us to see that the Warmest Chord logo and headermast was created by the illustrator Hannah Warren, whose work featured in Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration). We talked to Becky Randall, one of the founders of Warmest Chord to learn more about this highly creative endeavor.
Tell me the premise behind the idea of the Warmest Chord Record label.
The label was pretty much born out of a desire of wanting to collaborate, create something from scratch, and to offer up something a little different from the standard somewhat cold digital download. We wanted to play around with some ideas and explore other possibilities by adding a craft and handmade element into the mix of download releases. We felt it was only right to offset downloads with beautiful physical artwork that you can own, admire, hang and create attachment and a visual counterpart to the music.
For the second release we introduced downloadable liner notes and also Warmest Chord ‘Calling Cards’ which are handpicked images from scrapbooks, old publications, vintage community magazines, old postcards etc. Each one is a one-off and handstamped by Warmest Chord. We do an edition of 50 per release and we put them in at random with purchases of the screen print. This visual and physical element is really important to us and we want to create a trusted home for new music adding different art ephemera and collectibles with each release.
Who do you have signed at the moment and what type of music are you hoping to sign in the future?
Warmest Chord is still very much a fledgling label as we’ve only had two releases out so far. Our first was the ‘Evertide’ EP from Wild Nothing coupled with a phosphorescent screen print from French illustrator Franz Vesolt. Our second release was from newcomer Slow Talk hand-in-hand with a print from Micah Lidberg. The overwhelming support and little messages from well-wishers and fans was really positive and highlighted just how open music lovers can be to new ideas and combinations. As for the future, our doors, eyes and ears are truly open.
Tell us a little about the artists that you are working with on the screen print side.
For the Wild Nothing release we brought Franz Vesolt on board, an illustrator who focuses on characters and figures, and has an unerring ability to stir up the emotions with a simple line drawing. We felt that he complimented and aestheticised the emotive music of Wild Nothing perfectly. And in comparison to that, there are the bold songs from Slow Talk with just a hint of menace and vulnerability in the mix, which illustrator Micah Lidberg aptly manifested with his twisted vision of nature run wild with colour.
This screenprint by Micah Lidberg is sold alongside the new release by Slow Talk
For each release we’re going to be introducing a new illustrator, and carefully pairing them with the music to ensure they go together like the finest bread and cheese. We also invite them to make-over our logo/ headermast to essentially ‘christen’ each release. Each run of screen prints is limited to just 100, and we endeavour to make each one a beautifully crafted piece of collectible custom-made art that adds value and attachment to the music.
Wild Nothing’s haunting interpretation of the iconic ‘Cloudbusting’ can be brought from the Warmest Chord shop
Turning to the business side; what was your background before this, was it art, or music related?
A little bit of both actually! I studied art at university, tried to write for a living but got very very poor in the process, worked in music promotions then at a couple of labels big and small. I continue to be a fairly free floating entity with fingers in lots of honey jars, including managing the bands Still Corners and The Proper Ornaments
The other half of Warmest Chord spends most of his time begging DJ’s to play records on the radio, as well as running a great little 7”-only label called Make Mine. We both kind of landed on our bellies into the world of Warmest Chord and we’re very pleased that we did.
How was this label set up, did you receive funding? And is this a full time job for everyone at Warmest Chord?
We’re both based in London, and had to dig deep into our pockets, bumbags, piggy banks and sofa cushions in order to make Warmest Chord happen. There are just two of us at the label and we wrap it around our day jobs using every stolen moment we can fit in our Warmest Chord swag bag in order to indulge another little facet for the label.
What is your long term goals with Warmest Chord?
To keep Warmest Chord a very free and mutable entity, keep building on the craft and visual element, provide a forum for interesting music and always keep an open mind and a flirtatious eye. We’re currently busy working on our next rather special release. But we’re fond of surprises so won’t say any more or the broth will be ruined.
Another example of Micah Lidberg’s stunning illustrations.
This screen print by Franz Vesolt accompanies the release of Wild Nothing’s ‘Evertide’ EP.
Music and art have always made the best of bedfellows, sildenafil so it seems only natural to create a record label that aspires to have musicians and artists support each other through bespoke collaborations. Here’s the premise: each full Warmest Chord release consists of three exclusive tracks and a limited numbered A3 screen print designed by an independent illustrator in direct response to the music. Go to their lovingly prepared blog and you can read about their new inspirations, ideas and designs, whether it be for a screen print, cover art, a jigsaw or knitting pattern that will accompany their song releases. (And it was a real treat for us to see that the Warmest Chord logo and headermast was created by the illustrator Hannah Warren, whose work featured in Amelia’s Anthology of Illustration). We talked to Becky Randall, one of the founders of Warmest Chord to learn more about this highly creative endeavor.
Tell me the premise behind the idea of the Warmest Chord Record label.
The label was pretty much born out of a desire of wanting to collaborate, create something from scratch, and to offer up something a little different from the standard somewhat cold digital download. We wanted to play around with some ideas and explore other possibilities by adding a craft and handmade element into the mix of download releases. We felt it was only right to offset downloads with beautiful physical artwork that you can own, admire, hang and create attachment and a visual counterpart to the music.
For the second release we introduced downloadable liner notes and also Warmest Chord ‘Calling Cards’ which are handpicked images from scrapbooks, old publications, vintage community magazines, old postcards etc. Each one is a one-off and handstamped by Warmest Chord. We do an edition of 50 per release and we put them in at random with purchases of the screen print. This visual and physical element is really important to us and we want to create a trusted home for new music adding different art ephemera and collectibles with each release.
Who do you have signed at the moment and what type of music are you hoping to sign in the future?
Warmest Chord is still very much a fledgling label as we’ve only had two releases out so far. Our first was the ‘Evertide’ EP from Wild Nothing coupled with a phosphorescent screen print from French illustrator Franz Vesolt. Our second release was from newcomer Slow Talk hand-in-hand with a print from Micah Lidberg. The overwhelming support and little messages from well-wishers and fans was really positive and highlighted just how open music lovers can be to new ideas and combinations. As for the future, our doors, eyes and ears are truly open.
Tell us a little about the artists that you are working with on the screen print side.
For the Wild Nothing release we brought Franz Vesolt on board, an illustrator who focuses on characters and figures, and has an unerring ability to stir up the emotions with a simple line drawing. We felt that he complimented and aestheticised the emotive music of Wild Nothing perfectly. And in comparison to that, there are the bold songs from Slow Talk with just a hint of menace and vulnerability in the mix, which illustrator Micah Lidberg aptly manifested with his twisted vision of nature run wild with colour.
This screenprint by Micah Lidberg is sold alongside the new release by Slow Talk
For each release we’re going to be introducing a new illustrator, and carefully pairing them with the music to ensure they go together like the finest bread and cheese. We also invite them to make-over our logo/ headermast to essentially ‘christen’ each release. Each run of screen prints is limited to just 100, and we endeavour to make each one a beautifully crafted piece of collectible custom-made art that adds value and attachment to the music.
Wild Nothing’s haunting interpretation of the iconic ‘Cloudbusting’ can be brought from the Warmest Chord shop
Turning to the business side; what was your background before this, was it art, or music related?
A little bit of both actually! I studied art at university, tried to write for a living but got very very poor in the process, worked in music promotions then at a couple of labels big and small. I continue to be a fairly free floating entity with fingers in lots of honey jars, including managing the bands Still Corners and The Proper Ornaments
The other half of Warmest Chord spends most of his time begging DJ’s to play records on the radio, as well as running a great little 7”-only label called Make Mine. We both kind of landed on our bellies into the world of Warmest Chord and we’re very pleased that we did.
How was this label set up, did you receive funding? And is this a full time job for everyone at Warmest Chord?
We’re both based in London, and had to dig deep into our pockets, bumbags, piggy banks and sofa cushions in order to make Warmest Chord happen. There are just two of us at the label and we wrap it around our day jobs using every stolen moment we can fit in our Warmest Chord swag bag in order to indulge another little facet for the label.
What is your long term goals with Warmest Chord?
To keep Warmest Chord a very free and mutable entity, keep building on the craft and visual element, provide a forum for interesting music and always keep an open mind and a flirtatious eye. We’re currently busy working on our next rather special release. But we’re fond of surprises so won’t say any more or the broth will be ruined.
Another example of Micah Lidberg’s stunning illustrations.
So Saturday morning – day two of London Fashion Week – started off brilliantly. It was p*ssing it down, drugs the tyre on my bike had deflated itself twice and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Gallantly, here if I do say so myself, I hot-stepped it to work to put some articles together, and then when it was time made my way to The Show Space on Northumberland Avenue (where I had been the previous day to view Jean Pierre Braganza’s collection) armed with an umbrella.
Unfortunately, the rest of London’s fashion population were also armed with umbrellas (despite wearing some outfits best saved for hot Summer evenings – gah) and queuing was a bit of a nightmare. Luckily I bumped into my pal Sabrina from The Science of Style, and we huddled together in the queue and waited. And waited. And waited some more. Eventually a call was made for orange stickers and we were ushered inside, and while we waited even more for the show to start, Sabrina filled me in on the gossip with some of the front row-ers.
I’ve always liked Bernard’s aesthetic – always vibrant with an exotic feel. This time around didn’t disappoint, and his signature architectural pieces were on form along with some other softer, flattering designs. Blinding hues of magenta and bursts of orange lit up the catwalk (and our cold, damp hearts) which appeared on hooded dresses and were welcomed on on shift dresses with flamboyantly embroidered patterns that looked like heart-monitor graphs, cutting muted grey dresses in half.
This being autumn/winter, there was a unsurprising amount of black in the collection (a bugger to photograph alongside acid brights), with one of my favourite pieces in the collection being an enormous cocoon-like knee-length jacket with exaggerated shoulders and geometric details – confirming Chandran’s status as a showman. Other black jackets were sexed up with neon tights and accessories.
Strutured dresses focussed on waists with details with dresses meeting there and extending away from the body – Chandran creates silhouettes that flatter the fashion-forward woman.
The collection progressed with feathered showpieces in rich reds and bright orange – a pure delight – and a red expertly-embellished onesie. But it was back to black to close the show – an all-in-one covered in delicate feathers and jewels – reminding us of Bernard’s exotic heritage and innate attention to detail.
Religious to Damn‘s lead singer is Zohra Atash, page a cool lady with a batwingged 70s style, a voice a bit like Alison Goldfrapp and Natasha;Bat For Lashes, and an excellent (seemingly well behaved) fringe. The Brooklyn band’s album, Glass Prayer, is out now on M’Lady’s Records. I caught up with Afghan-American Zohra, and asked her a few questions.
Hello, could you introduce yourself for us please?
My name is Zohra Atash, I’m a singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter. My primary project is Religious to Damn.
Could you describe what your music is like?
I try to make music that’s atmospheric and elegant, thoughtful and melodic. Some people have said that it’s cinematic and evokes a certain sense of expansiveness, which I’d agree with.
Where are you from?
My parents are Afghan, but I was born in Florida and grew up in Virginia. But I’ve been in Brooklyn for quite some time now.
How does London compare to New York? Do you like England?
I’ve been in love with British culture and art for years. I may have had my raising in south, but I lived in a house full of British records – from 60’s British invasion rock, to my sister’s collection of new wave and post-punk. My favorite bands in high school were Lush and Pulp…. I really wanted to move to London and start a band!
Why the name; ‘Religious to Damn’?
I write the music, but I wanted to avoid the stigma that goes with being a singer-songwriter. The name came up in a rather fiery conversation I was having with Josh about people who seem to be attracted to religion primarily so that they can condemn others to hell. We both liked the multiple meanings, (from) Religious to Damn(ation), as in a span, and Religious (in order) to Damn, so it stuck.
Tell us about Glass Prayer?
I wanted to make a record you could really immerse yourself in, something with really grandiose imagery. There are a lot of layers. It’s subtle at times, and heavy on the drama as well. It’s meant to reveal itself after multiple listens. We’re inspired very much by artists that maximized the possibilities of production, but the thing about them was that they didn’t beat you over the head with every last sound and idea. Some things may be out in front, but others are buried, carefully placed, left in soft focus. And that’s why they reward multiple listens, because new nuances emerge gradually, and one day you notice things you may not have noticed before. It’s a gamble to make a record like that these days, given how saturated the world is with new music. But we went for it anyway.
And when will you next be on tour…?
We’re planning to be in the UK/Europe this year, hopefully sooner than later. I’m very excited.
Who would you like to sing with in an ideal world – dead or alive?! Bryan Ferry
How did you all meet?
Josh and I knew each other for years before we started working together. We had a similar aesthetic. Charlie was a classically trained percussionist, but also just an amazing rock drummer. He has an incredibly full range of capabilities to realize the diverse aspects of the music. Allegra played in a band in Portland called Magick Daggers, as well as The Portland Cello Project, and we had mutual friends, so when she moved to New York, she came on board. And Lea was Charlie’s bandmate in a Balkan punk band, and she’s also a classical musician, so she rounded out our current lineup.
How did you get the position you’re in now?
We put a lot of heart and muscle into getting to the place we’re in now. I dedicated my whole life to this. It’s a labor of love…. it’s what I wanted to do my whole life. We’ve certainly put up with our share of obstacles. Sadly no stories that don’t fall into the category of boring rock doc cliché. It’s not an easy business and New York’s not always a kind town. But we got to where we are through perseverance and the belief that we had something worthwhile to offer to the musical landscape.
How do you see your future?
We’re excited to bring our live show to as many people as want to see it. Believe it or not, the next record’s almost written, and we’re planning on recording it later this year. I’d say the future will be at the very least, eventful. I’ve got lots of ideas, and am always eager to write new songs and record new records. I see a future filled with lots of Religious to Damn music!
Written by Helen Martin on Tuesday March 8th, 2011 3:31 pm
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.
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!)
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
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).
(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.)
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!
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.
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.
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.
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).
After una copa de tinto de verano, about it I’m ready for another night of music overdose. First on my list is Julian Lynch, side effects the etnomusicologist from Winsconsin that conquered my heart with 2010’s LP Mare, a dreamy collage of folksy pop tunes with a shade of drone that seriously make you feel as if you were floating in a mare (which means “sea”, in Italian – I’m not sure that was his purpose in titling his album that way, but it gives a pretty damn good idea of what his songs sound like).
To be honest, I expected something quite different from his set. Strangely enough, his unhinged harmonies, between prog, metal, jazz, indie and psych, though verging cacophony, mingle in a perfect way and make extreme sense, creating a hypnotizing ensemble of notes and echoing vocals.
Julian Lynch by Laura Lotti
Music video: Julian Lynch – Garden 2
After his performance, I rush to see The Monochrome Set the avant gard post-punk outfit whose original formation featured nonetheless than Adam Ant. Although guitarist Lester Square is still rocking as hard as far back in 1978, the band seems to have lost his idiosyncratic verve, and their performance feels quite cheesy.
On the other hand, one of the contemporary bands I’ve always regarded as ‘cheesy’, Tennis, surprise me on the ATP stage. I’ve had mixed feelings towards this husband-and-wife duo since first hearing Marathon last year. Despite the song being a perfect ear candy of 1960s bubbluegum pop, they seemed to be one of those music blogs darlings, with too much buzz about them and too little to prove. However, their debut album Cape Dory sounded immediately so catchy when it came out a few months ago – a collection of simple, shiny, sticky-sweet pop melodies – that now I feel compelled to check them out. And this the best thing I’ve done today! In fact, they are so good live, I almost want to cry. Their gig reminds me of another great band I saw exactly on this same stage last year, Beach House. The melodies are kept to basic – only keyboard, drums and guitar, played by hubby Patrick Riley – and Alaina Moore’s eerie voice is the protagonist. I can’t help but squeaking “ohmygawd they are so sweeet” while jumping around every 3 seconds, stars in my eyes as teenagers in love do (ermm, maybe, given the times we are in, used to do when I was a teenager) – that’s the effect of their music – to the point that I’m afraid my friend wants to punch me in the face.
Music video: Tennis – Cape Dory
Thank god at the end of their set my face is still unscathed and, charged up by the positive vibes assimilated at Tennis’ gig, we all happily stroll (or shall I say, run?) to see James Blake. The Pitchfork stage is already jam-packed to welcome him and his band (a drummer and a guitarist, to translate in a live dimension his qualities as producer) and since the first beats everybody is humming and moving their heads to his music. How to define his sound remains a mystery to me. Would something like dubstep-cum-singer-songwriter-skills-cum-free-jazz-hints give an idea of his idiosyncratic style? I don’t know and I don’t care. He’s good as hell, that’s all that matters, and his elaborated melodies provide the perfect soundtrack to the rapidly falling dusk. Again as for Tennis, the voice plays a fundamental role here, but this time is smudged over the melodies in electronic effects to become integral part of the whole sound.
If I’m usually concerned about music that (largely) avails of digital technology, I have to say that James Blake is a good example of how to use it, and explore new spaces between liveness and reproduction. Despite my original wariness towards this 22-year-old artist, seemingly too young to be actually so good as popular press and industry people depict him, I must admit I’m glad I’ve been proved wrong. Unfortunately his performance is spoilt by the reverber of the sea surrounding half of the stage (very pictoresque, thank you. What about sound quality, though?) and the echoes coming from the other stages. But hey this is a festival. You can’t have it all, can you?
Music video: James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream
So far I’ve seen two new bands that have managed to put up with the hype pumped up by the media: Tennis and James Blake. I’m already satisfied, and with this new hope towards the future of music, I head to see another kind of genius, an innovator of the very concept of music, who’s inventiveness hasn’t stopped since the 1970s. I’m talking about Pere Ubu, that on stage is still as charismatic as ever and plays a jarring, spirited set of new and old songs – coyly alluding to his “old girlfriends” every now and then and drawing from his flask one too many times – accompanied by a whole ensemble of awesome musicians, especially drummer Steve Mehlman.
This bleach-blonde giant is a proper drum-machine himself. Got to this point I could go and see Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti but
a) he’s playing bloody far away
b) Pere Ubu is a magnet.
I’ve literally got no chances of moving away from here (or better to stop moving) hypnotised by David Thomas & co’s syncopated rhythms and funny jokes.
No Joy are another welcomed surprise. The Canadian band fronted by blonde grrrls Jasmine White-Glutz and Laura Lloyd, praised by the likes of Best Coast’ Bethany Cosentino and Pitchfork for their recent release Ghost Blonde, are so powerful on stage that I cannot stop dancing and staring at them: two blonde full manes shaking constantly to the melodies created by their same guitars and otherworldly voices that intertwine with each other and and with the kicks and snares of bass and drums in a perfect entente. They are grunge, they are rock, they are cool as hell. I want to be blonde and I want to be them. They close their set with a never-ending droned-up hazy cover of Del Shannon’s ‘She Said’ that puts everybody in a hypnotic trance for the following 15 minutes.
Music video: Del Shannon – She Said
Now it’s time for slowcore Low, that play an atmospheric, almost whispered set. Although the stage is packed, it feels as intimate as if they were playing in my living room. The festival stage itself though, flattens a bit their magic.
And now it’s the band I, like probably most of my Generation Y mates, am most dying to see tonight: Deerhunter. Bradford Cox & co play and achingly haunting array of songs from ‘Halcyon Digest’ and their previous releases, building walls of melodies as overwhelming as they are perfectly balanced with each other and with Cox ‘s voice. They create dense atmospheres, delicate but strong, textured, complex but fluid. Deerhunter is a band that will stay. I can picture Deerhunter being one of the bands that my nephews will come and see in one of their reunion maybe here, exactly on this same stage, in 40 years time.
And if Deerhunter were one of the must-see bands of the night in my personal list, Pulp’s reunion is a universal must-see! It seems like all the Primavera Sound attendees have gathered under the San Miguel stage to witness this glorious comeback.
Music video: Pulp – Common People
Now, I am one of those people that, if everybody says ‘white’, have to scream ‘blaaack’ with all the energy in my lungs, and always swim against the current. So, don’t take it personally, this is not an attack to Britpop nor to one of the most brilliant contemporary British icons that have made the history of music. However, I must admit, I’m quite disappointed by this concert. Jarvis was one of us, wasn’t he? So what about all this Lady Gaga-esque stage design and bright neon visuals, that dangerously make of Pulp the caricature of themselves? It feels like a mammoth money-driven pop reunion. That’s what it is, after all, I bitterly sigh to myself. I cannot feel much energy in the air, though Jarvis is still in enviable shape and jumps around like a cricket from the beginning to the end. However, towards the end of Pulp’s gig he regains my interest, when, as in the best pop fairy tales, he doesn’t forget to get political, and declares himself indignado for the shameful events happened in Plaza Catalunya the previous night, delivering a memorable performance of ‘Common People’ dedicated to the struggling protestants.
Written by Laura Lotti on Wednesday June 8th, 2011 3:16 pm
kyla la grange
Can it really be a year since the last Glastonbury? Last year, this web for the first time, Climate Camp was given it’s very own space in the Dragon Field just above the Craft Field as you wend your way down to Shangri La. This year we’re back to once again educate and entertain festival goers at our beautiful site only a few minutes walk from the Old Railway Line.
Workshops, at play, and First Aid Kit playing at the Climate Camp Tripod Stage in 2009.
In 2010 Climate Camp is targeting the Royal Bank of Scotland, which has been bailed out with £50 billion of public money that is now being used to finance the extraction of fossil fuels across the world, with no regard for climate change or the destruction of communities that it causes. We will be camping near the RBS global headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 19th-25th August, but in the meantime to find out more about why we decided to focus on RBS this year come along and take a look at our exhibition at Glastonbury, then pick up a copy of our Never Mind The Bankers newspaper to peruse over a cup of tea or share with friends. We will be running DIY screenprinting workshops where you can learn how to screenprint your clothing with an anti RBS slogan. Simply bring your own or print onto one of our tshirts or bags. A great activity for kids! There will also be a chance to take part in Tripod Training: Tripods are used to blockade and secure a space on a direct action protest; come find out how to put them up and climb them safely. Good fun, and no previous experience or skills required.
Tripod Training.
Then of course there is our fabulous music, poetry and comedy line up, put together by yours truly. Read on to find out who will be gracing our Tripod Stage…. Pyramid Stage eat your heart out, this is where the real talent is.
Green Kite Midnight.
When I wrote up about the Climate Camp presence at Glastonbury in 2009 in my blog I talked about my hope that my band Green Kite Midnight would be able to play as the Climate Camp house band in 2010, so I’m very excited to report that we will be doing daily gigs this year. Five years ago I co-founded the barndance troupe Cutashine out of a desire to make traditional collective dancing more fun: after all, what’s better than a dance where you get to meet other people and really work up a sweat?
With Cutashine I played at gigs all over Glastonbury for several years, then left to start Green Kite Midnight through my contacts in Climate Camp; a band that supports and plays at direct action protests. Our first gig was at the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate during the G20 in April last year, we played to 800 people at the Blackheath Climate Camp in August 2009, and more recently we went on a 10 day solidarity bike ride together to play gigs to support the struggle against the Shell gas pipeline at Rossport in Ireland. With myself as emcee (I’m a gobby shite, so turn your mind away from those boring barn dances you might have attended as a child) we can teach anyone how to barn dance, so please come and join us.
And now for the rest of our fabulous line-up:
Kirsty Almeida
My Luminaries
On Thursday Kirsty Almeida opens for us with her bass heavy soulful Bayou blues; a very exciting start to four days of renewably powered music. She is followed by another folky female. Anna Log – singer with pop folk band We Aeronauts – will be doing a solo set accompanied by her trusty uke. Glastonbury Emerging Talent winners My Luminaries round the evening off with a special semi-acoustic set of their epic indie rock.
Danny and the Champions of the World
On Friday we’re pleased to welcome the epic musical dreamscapes of Newislands, described as Pink Floyd meets Depeche Mode. Then it’s time for some other Climate Camp regulars, Danny Chivers, Claire Fauset and Merrick, to grace the stage with their “triple-headed tag team political poetry extravaganza”. They’re all friends of mine that I’ve seen perform before so I highly recommend their set, which will be repeated on Sunday afternoon. As a closer we have the country-tinged big band folk of Danny and the Champions of the World.
Patch William
Dry the River
To kick the day off on Saturday we welcome Patch William – the dreamy lovechild of Nick Drake and Jimi Hendrix. They are followed by the scuzzy rock sound of York boys The Federals, described as a cross between the White Stripes and The Beatles. Then, time for a very special guest. Following my interview with Robin Ince a few weeks he very kindly promised to come by and do us a special secret set, which will be a must see for all comedy fans at the festival. Tell all your friends! And come on by for a very intimate set from this well known comedian. Dry the River end the day with their beautiful melodic folk, singing songs of religion, history and community to rival those of Fleet Foxes and Mumford & Sons.
Pete the Temp
Pete Lawrie
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
On Sunday we’ve got another packed day to end the festival. Pete the Temp returns to wow us with his comedic eco-political music and spoken word, then we look forward to hearing the bittersweet gospel blues of latecomer Pete Lawrie, who confirmed just as our flyer had gone to print. I am particularly pleased to welcome Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. the official moniker of singer songwriter Sam Duckworth. He will be showcasing music from his new album due for release later this year, and I’ve got a soft spot for him because he appeared in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. Robinson will play a gypsy cajun folk set before we round off the festival with our GRAND RAFFLE. If you see our outreach team out and about please give generously to support Climate Camp and come along to our grand prize giving, which will be hosted by the inimitable Danny Chivers.
The Grand Raffle presented by Danny Chivers in 2009.
Don’t forget to follow myself and Climate Camp on twitter to find out how the festival is going; we can always live in hope that 3G reception will be better than it was last year! But most of all, don’t forget to come and visit us! And bring your friends along with you. I will of course write up a full report on my return. For a reminder of what to expect read my blog from last year here:
Can it really be a year since the last Glastonbury? Last year, stomach for the first time, shopClimate Camp was given it’s very own space in the Dragon Field just above the Craft Field as you wend your way down to Shangri La. This year we’re back to once again educate and entertain festival goers at our beautiful site only a few minutes walk from the Old Railway Line.
Workshops, cure at play, and First Aid Kit playing at the Climate Camp Tripod Stage in 2009.
In 2010 Climate Camp is targeting the Royal Bank of Scotland, which has been bailed out with £50 billion of public money that is now being used to finance the extraction of fossil fuels across the world, with no regard for climate change or the destruction of communities that it causes. We will be camping near the RBS global headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 19th-25th August, but in the meantime to find out more about why we decided to focus on RBS this year come along and take a look at our exhibition at Glastonbury, then pick up a copy of our Never Mind The Bankers newspaper to peruse over a cup of tea or share with friends. We will be running DIY screenprinting workshops where you can learn how to screenprint your clothing with an anti RBS slogan. Simply bring your own or print onto one of our tshirts or bags. A great activity for kids! There will also be a chance to take part in Tripod Training: Tripods are used to blockade and secure a space on a direct action protest; come find out how to put them up and climb them safely. Good fun, and no previous experience or skills required.
Tripod Training.
Then of course there is our fabulous music, poetry and comedy line up, put together by yours truly. Read on to find out who will be gracing our Tripod Stage…. Pyramid Stage eat your heart out, this is where the real talent is.
Green Kite Midnight.
When I wrote up about the Climate Camp presence at Glastonbury in 2009 in my blog I talked about my hope that my band Green Kite Midnight would be able to play as the Climate Camp house band in 2010, so I’m very excited to report that we will be doing daily gigs this year. Five years ago I co-founded the barndance troupe Cutashine out of a desire to make traditional collective dancing more fun: after all, what’s better than a dance where you get to meet other people and really work up a sweat?
With Cutashine I played at gigs all over Glastonbury for several years, then left to start Green Kite Midnight through my contacts in Climate Camp; a band that supports and plays at direct action protests. Our first gig was at the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate during the G20 in April last year, we played to 800 people at the Blackheath Climate Camp in August 2009, and more recently we went on a 10 day solidarity bike ride together to play gigs to support the struggle against the Shell gas pipeline at Rossport in Ireland. With myself as emcee (I’m a gobby shite, so turn your mind away from those boring barn dances you might have attended as a child) we can teach anyone how to barn dance, so please come and join us.
And now for the rest of our fabulous line-up:
Kirsty Almeida
My Luminaries
On Thursday Kirsty Almeida opens for us with her bass heavy soulful Bayou blues; a very exciting start to four days of renewably powered music. She is followed by another folky female. Anna Log – singer with pop folk band We Aeronauts – will be doing a solo set accompanied by her trusty uke. Glastonbury Emerging Talent winners My Luminaries round the evening off with a special semi-acoustic set of their epic indie rock.
Danny and the Champions of the World
On Friday we’re pleased to welcome the epic musical dreamscapes of Newislands, described as Pink Floyd meets Depeche Mode. Then it’s time for some other Climate Camp regulars, Danny Chivers, Claire Fauset and Merrick, to grace the stage with their “triple-headed tag team political poetry extravaganza”. They’re all friends of mine that I’ve seen perform before so I highly recommend their set, which will be repeated on Sunday afternoon. As a closer we have the country-tinged big band folk of Danny and the Champions of the World.
Kyla la Grange
Patch William
Dry the River
To kick the day off on Saturday we welcome an exclusive Glastonbury appearance from talented newcomer Kyla La Grange, who creates soaring melodies with her stunning voice. Then comes Patch William – the dreamy lovechild of Nick Drake and Jimi Hendrix, who are followed by the scuzzy rock sound of York boys The Federals, described as a cross between the White Stripes and The Beatles. Then, time for a very special guest. Following my interview with Robin Ince a few weeks he very kindly promised to come by and do us a special secret set, which will be a must see for all comedy fans at the festival. Tell all your friends! And come on by for a very intimate set from this well known comedian. Dry the River end the day with their beautiful melodic folk, singing songs of religion, history and community to rival those of Fleet Foxes and Mumford & Sons.
Pete the Temp
Pete Lawrie
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
On Sunday we’ve got another packed day to end the festival. Pete the Temp returns to wow us with his comedic eco-political music and spoken word, then we look forward to hearing the bittersweet gospel blues of latecomer Pete Lawrie, who confirmed just as our flyer had gone to print. I am particularly pleased to welcome Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. the official moniker of singer songwriter Sam Duckworth. He will be showcasing music from his new album due for release later this year, and I’ve got a soft spot for him because he appeared in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. Robinson will play a gypsy cajun folk set before we round off the festival with our GRAND RAFFLE. If you see our outreach team out and about please give generously to support Climate Camp and come along to our grand prize giving, which will be hosted by the inimitable Danny Chivers.
The Grand Raffle presented by Danny Chivers in 2009.
Don’t forget to follow myself and Climate Camp on twitter to find out how the festival is going; we can always live in hope that 3G reception will be better than it was last year! But most of all, don’t forget to come and visit us! And bring your friends along with you. I will of course write up a full report on my return. For a reminder of what to expect read my blog from last year here:
Can it really be a year since the last Glastonbury? Last year, medicine for the first time, Climate Camp was given it’s very own space in the Dragon Field just above the Craft Field as you wend your way down to Shangri La. This year we’re back to once again educate and entertain festival goers at our beautiful site only a few minutes walk from the Old Railway Line.
Workshops, at play, and First Aid Kit playing at the Climate Camp Tripod Stage in 2009.
In 2010 Climate Camp is targeting the Royal Bank of Scotland, which has been bailed out with £50 billion of public money that is now being used to finance the extraction of fossil fuels across the world, with no regard for climate change or the destruction of communities that it causes. We will be camping near the RBS global headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 19th-25th August, but in the meantime to find out more about why we decided to focus on RBS this year come along and take a look at our exhibition at Glastonbury, then pick up a copy of our Never Mind The Bankers newspaper to peruse over a cup of tea or share with friends. We will be running DIY screenprinting workshops where you can learn how to screenprint your clothing with an anti RBS slogan. Simply bring your own or print onto one of our tshirts or bags. A great activity for kids! There will also be a chance to take part in Tripod Training: Tripods are used to blockade and secure a space on a direct action protest; come find out how to put them up and climb them safely. Good fun, and no previous experience or skills required.
Tripod Training.
Then of course there is our fabulous music, poetry and comedy line up, put together by yours truly. Read on to find out who will be gracing our Tripod Stage…. Pyramid Stage eat your heart out, this is where the real talent is.
Green Kite Midnight.
When I wrote up about the Climate Camp presence at Glastonbury in 2009 in my blog I talked about my hope that my band Green Kite Midnight would be able to play as the Climate Camp house band in 2010, so I’m very excited to report that we will be doing daily gigs this year. Five years ago I co-founded the barndance troupe Cutashine out of a desire to make traditional collective dancing more fun: after all, what’s better than a dance where you get to meet other people and really work up a sweat?
With Cutashine I played at gigs all over Glastonbury for several years, then left to start Green Kite Midnight through my contacts in Climate Camp; a band that supports and plays at direct action protests. Our first gig was at the Climate Camp in Bishopsgate during the G20 in April last year, we played to 800 people at the Blackheath Climate Camp in August 2009, and more recently we went on a 10 day solidarity bike ride together to play gigs to support the struggle against the Shell gas pipeline at Rossport in Ireland. With myself as emcee (I’m a gobby shite, so turn your mind away from those boring barn dances you might have attended as a child) we can teach anyone how to barn dance, so please come and join us.
And now for the rest of our fabulous line-up:
Kirsty Almeida
My Luminaries
On Thursday Kirsty Almeida opens for us with her bass heavy soulful Bayou blues; a very exciting start to four days of renewably powered music. She is followed by another folky female. Anna Log – singer with pop folk band We Aeronauts – will be doing a solo set accompanied by her trusty uke. Glastonbury Emerging Talent winners My Luminaries round the evening off with a special semi-acoustic set of their epic indie rock.
Danny and the Champions of the World
On Friday we’re pleased to welcome the epic musical dreamscapes of Newislands, described as Pink Floyd meets Depeche Mode. Then it’s time for some other Climate Camp regulars, Danny Chivers, Claire Fauset and Merrick, to grace the stage with their “triple-headed tag team political poetry extravaganza”. They’re all friends of mine that I’ve seen perform before so I highly recommend their set, which will be repeated on Sunday afternoon. As a closer we have the country-tinged big band folk of Danny and the Champions of the World.
Kyla la Grange
Patch William
Dry the River
To kick the day off on Saturday we welcome an exclusive Glastonbury appearance from talented newcomer Kyla La Grange, who creates soaring melodies with her stunning voice. Then comes Patch William – the dreamy lovechild of Nick Drake and Jimi Hendrix, who are followed by the scuzzy rock sound of York boys The Federals, described as a cross between the White Stripes and The Beatles. Then, time for a very special guest. Following my interview with Robin Ince a few weeks he very kindly promised to come by and do us a special secret set, which will be a must see for all comedy fans at the festival. Tell all your friends! And come on by for a very intimate set from this well known comedian. Dry the River end the day with their beautiful melodic folk, singing songs of religion, history and community to rival those of Fleet Foxes and Mumford & Sons.
Pete the Temp
Pete Lawrie
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
On Sunday we’ve got another packed day to end the festival. Pete the Temp returns to wow us with his comedic eco-political music and spoken word, then we look forward to hearing the bittersweet gospel blues of latecomer Pete Lawrie, who confirmed just as our flyer had gone to print. I am particularly pleased to welcome Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. the official moniker of singer songwriter Sam Duckworth. He will be showcasing music from his new album due for release later this year, and I’ve got a soft spot for him because he appeared in the print version of Amelia’s Magazine. Robinson will play a gypsy cajun folk set before we round off the festival with our GRAND RAFFLE. If you see our outreach team out and about please give generously to support Climate Camp and come along to our grand prize giving, which will be hosted by the inimitable Danny Chivers.
The Grand Raffle presented by Danny Chivers in 2009.
Don’t forget to follow myself and Climate Camp on twitter to find out how the festival is going; we can always live in hope that 3G reception will be better than it was last year! But most of all, don’t forget to come and visit us! And bring your friends along with you. I will of course write up a full report on my return. For a reminder of what to expect read my blog from last year here:
There are some places on this planet that I can’t believe I haven’t been to yet. On this occasion I’m not talking about far flung exotic hideaways, page but bio-domes. One of the most advanced bio-domes on this earth, viagra to be exact. This accolade goes to the Eden Project in Cornwall, home to tropical and mediterranean environments; a hub of creative and sustainable activities. But wait, this is the music section, so why am I harping on about a greenhouse? The answer lies in a series of one day music festivals, otherwise known as the Eden Sessions, spanning across the last week of June and onto the second week of July that take place nestled within the greenery of the Project. The calibre of singers and bands who play at Eden surpass expectation, and seriously rival big name festivals.
Florence and the Machine performing at 2009 Eden Session
Now running for nine years, the Eden Sessions hit the ground running in 2002 with performances from Pulp, Spiritualized, Doves and Beth Orton and continued strong over the next few years, giving us headliners such as Air, Supergrass, Primal Scream, Goldfrapp, Vampire Weekend, Florence and the Machine and Kasabian. Given the setting, it is only natural (in all senses of the word) that there would be an active and encouraged link between the performances and the environmental ethos that Eden is built on. The organisers are keen to encourage audiences to think about the actions that they can take to modify their impact upon the environment, adding that all profits from the Eden Sessions go towards supporting their educational charity and programmes.
Mumford & Sons, performing at this years Eden Sessions.
This year was due to open on June 24th with a much anticipated performance by Vampire Weekend and Broken Bells, but unfortunately, both bands cancelled very close to the time of their gig (a reason has not been given). Nonetheless, the other nights have so much to offer that hopefully everyone will forget this little blip of a cancellation. While tickets for Jack Johnson/Mojave 3 and Doves/Mumford & Sons have sold out (but we will be down to cover the Doves night, so expect full coverage!) there are still tickets and special offers available for the night of Mika/Diana Vickers (playing on Sunday, 27th June) and Calvin Harris, Annie Mac, Audio Bullys and Zero 7 (DJs) who are all performing on Saturday 3rd July. Check the website for the listed offers. What’s extra special about the Session ticket is that it gives you access to the Eden Project on both the day and the day after, which conveniently gives you an excuse for a thorough exploration of the domes when you come down for the gigs. The setting is glorious; the acts will be phenomenal and the West Country cider will be on hand throughout. So really, is there any reason not to go?
The Eden Project at night
Written by Cari Steel on Tuesday June 22nd, 2010 6:37 pm
