Sunday 8 December 2013

Young Musicians Showcase - December

Saturday afternoon saw the third edition of the Young Musicians Showcase at Brink Liverpool, hosted by David Barnicle and Dominic Dunn.

Just the briefest of blogs today as I was also meeting some friends who I hadn't seen for ages, so not typing away during the performances #mybad anyway I've put some video and twitter links below so you can explore and find out more about the artists.

Today's line up was

Niamh Jones
A really cool 16 year old singer/songwriter, check for yourself with this video of Niamh's "Move For Me"


Jamie Clague
Fantastic hair!, and another great performer.  You can see his acoustic "Pistol Slapper Blues" here:


Joe Maddocks
Joe has a bit of the Jake Bugg about him, and performed a cover of "Two Fingers" as his opening number.  He's better of course, cos he's from the city at the centre of the music universe :-) Check out his video for "Days You Were Mine"


Jake & Rosa
A really cool young duo, with a good selection of their own material.  I haven't got a link for these guys so if anyone has let me know and I'll rectify this unforgivable oversight!


Kevin Walsh Jnr (normally seen as 25% of The Haze)
The Haze - check their new release "Oh Francesca" here:
https://soundcloud.com/thehazemusicuk/oh-francesca
- are one of my favourite bands on the Liverpool scene but it was good to hear Kevin's vocals in isolation


Matty Holding
Matty is one of our top emerging stars in the city, and played a good selection of covers and own material.  His latest track "Cause You" is boss!



Eleanor Nelly
And after defrosting from an earlier session on the Williamson Square Bandstand the outstanding Eleanor Nelly rounded the evening off in superb style.  Her own song "One Last Time" shows what a talent she has and she's still just 14!


Anyway, that gives you a taste of the strength of the emerging musical talent that continues to come out of this city; the next Young Musicians Showcase will be along in January. Get yourself along to it!

Saturday 16 November 2013

Young Musicians at the Brink

Liverpool rejoices in a reputation as the UK's Capital of Music.  The musicians of this city collectively have had more Number 1 records than anywhere else in the country.  That is an amazing achievement for a city of less than half a million people.  Its either something in the air or something in the Mersey water that nurtures that talent.  Luckily for the future our young people are proving even more talented, not just covering songs, but writing their own material.  Perhaps its the nature of a place with the historical and social background of a port city like Liverpool that lends itself to telling a story.

On Saturday The Brink held it's monthly Young Musicians Session, organised by Dave Barnicle and Dominic Dunn, with James taking care of the sound desk.

First up was Millie Courtney, just 12 years old, but with a voice which showed amazing maturity for her age, singing her own compositions.  I especially loved her second track "Love Struck".  Millie is heading into the recording studio next week to record the last track she had for us today "Storybook" and you can follow her on Facebook.  And we rounded off with the house in full chorus to wish a Happy Birthday to Millie's Nan :-)


Second on stage was Nadine McGhee, a 15 year old with a haunting style, her first track I could imagine being played as a train pulled out of a station, pulling the couple apart with tears in their eyes.  Her third track was an acoustic cover of Titanium, and she smashed it.  She played a good mix of covers and own material, and one of the latter "Breathless" is also on YouTube:


The afternoon's entertainment continued with Madelaine Kinsella who opened with an acoustic rendition of The Cure's, "Boys Don't Cry" which she really made her own.  We were then treated to a first performance of her own song about growing up - when you get old(er) you forget what a traumatic time your teens can be as you find your way in the world, Maddy's lyrics of "Where's my place again" really resonated.

She then stepped it up with a cover of Arctic Monkey's "Arabella", followed by Peter Andre's "Mysterious Girl" as you've definitely never heard it before.  Maddy finished with her own song "Ambiguous"


Next up was the lad behind the evening, Dominic Dunn.  If you read anything I write you'll be familiar with Dominic and of course his brilliant video "Keep Them Tight"

Dominic opened with another song about boxing "I'm On My Way", followed by "La Vie et Belle", before we all joined in, some better than others :-), with "Can't Take My Eyes Of You".  Back to sanity then with a song I'm now word perfect with... the aforementioned "Keep Them Tight".


Next a singer I've been looking forward to seeing for a while now.  Rosh, a lad who is doing what I thought was impossible and persuading me to enjoy rap and grime.  Here is his video "Demon"

What I like about Rosh is all his songs, which he writes himself, have a strong narrative.  He also mixes in some cool backing tracks which align perfectly.  His song "Alien" used Stings "Englishman in New York" to great effect and his take on "The Power of Love" was a joy to listen to.


Last act of the afternoon was Matty H, another young singer who's maturity of voice belies his age
He opened with a cover of Jessie J's "Who You Are".

Matty's backing track wasn't working so he did an entirely acoustic set, which was the best thing that could have happened, as it allowed us to really concentrate on his vocals.  After a couple of covers courtesy of Adele and Bruno Mars he gave a really excellent version of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" which he owned and gave an insight to how powerful his voice can be.  Matty finished with one of his own songs, and it would be good to hear more of them.  Definitely one to watch

If you want to hear more of Matty or Nadine McGhee, follow Artist Management on Twitter.

As Dave mentioned during his intros, it's not easy for people in their early teens to get on stage and perform, and it's fantastic that The Brink is offering them a showcase in such a friendly environment.

Young Musicians takes place every month at The Brink, Parr Street, Liverpool.  Check out their Twitter or Facebook page and do not miss the next one!


Sunday 10 November 2013

Of Saints and Go Go Boys

Warning: contains Spoilers - If you're going to see this in Belfast on the 16th Nov, you may wish to read this afterwards

Warning: I may use words/descriptions that some of our younger and/or more prudish viewers find distasteful, if that's you go away and read something else.


Perusing the Homotopia brochure I thought "Of Saints and Go Go Boys" sounded interesting, so a quick check if anyone else wanted to go and I was booking tickets for myself and fellow performer Peter Jacobs for last Thursday.  There were only going to be 3 performances - although now I can see why, because you run out of fingers otherwise (more on that later).

Arriving at the Unity Theatre, you were pointed to a poster advising that the show contained Nudity (fine by me), Sexual Content (oh if you must), and Real Blood (what? I don't do blood! what do you mean real blood?).  The guy in the box office said just a little, you'll be fine.  I wasn't convinced!

Anyway up to the bar, met Peter, and then we were handed audience cards, reminding us about the nudity, sex and BLOOD!, and that it was a promenade performance so feel free to walk around and through the set, but don't sit on the furniture or touch any objects (unless told to do so).  They didn't mention not feeding the actors, but as it turns out I wish they had.

We entered the studio space and there followed the usual uncomfortable few minutes that British people have when they haven't been given regimented instructions.  Just stand anywhere, no you don't have to walk around in a single file queue, no we're not forming a healing circle, just fucking move!  Yes there is a naked man lying on the floor, yes you did nearly trip over his legs, no there's no need to giggle.

Anyway, the audience eventually got the hang of their role, and with a change in music, those who'd actually rehearsed their part starting playing theirs.

We were introduced to the three characters, Darling (a very cute Canadian, played by a very cute Canadian), Divine (the Third) and Our Lady of the Flowers (hereinafter called "Fuck Me He's Gorgeous")

Right I'm going to quote from Homotopia now as they are professionals at this sort of thing:

"In an hedonistic world decorated with cheap glamour, three outcasts create their own distorted version of a family as they search for a different kind of Sainthood through glorious self-destruction.... the show recounts the trio's wild and spirited final chapter"

Yep, they did all that, there was plenty of nudity, from FMHG, played by Jordan Lennie; drug taking by Divine, played by Zachariah Fletcher, who was also our shower cubicle narrator throughout the show; all suitably controlled by the cute, if somewhat evil, Canadian Darling, played by the show's creator Joseph Mercier.

The blood came towards the end when a naked FMHG was dripped on by Darling, who having sliced his finger, recounted his father's bull castration technique to a member of the audience, I'd moved around the set out of line of sight for that bit, but what shocked more people came earlier when another patron was called upon to choose whether FMHG got to eat a delicious trifle or a bowl of dog food.  What do you think? Jordan gagged a few times but not as much as the woman standing next to me.

Eventually FMHG (have I mentioned that he was gorgeous?) having been paraded to his fate, was put on a pedestal and we were all given Dollar Bills to attach to his semi-naked body - although British reticence took a few minutes to work out you needed to move to do that.  And with that all three went off to shag backstage.  Well I think officially they went off to die, but I was horny as hell after all that, so shagging fitted into my imagination more easily.

The End

I've ignored huge parts of the show here, but it's definitely one that "you needed to be there" rather than read about, so check PanicLab's website and catch it if you get the opportunity.

To my shame it's the first time I've seen anything by Joseph Mercier, and also the first time I'd been to the Unity.  It won't be the last.  Of Saints and Go Go Boys was challenging and uncomfortable; beautiful and erotic.  And utterly brilliant

p.s. It was Caesar dog food, which is probably more appetising that whatever shite you get in a sausage roll from *****'*

Tuesday 5 November 2013

The coal train


Dark morning
Wet streets
I can’t feel the rain
Look straight ahead

Dark morning
I can’t feel the rain.
Turn left
Look straight ahead
First light
I can’t feel the rain

An open gate
Stairs
I don’t count them
Stand on the platform
Wait for the sound
The engine, the wheels, rising
Hauling black diamonds
Walk to the edge
Look straight ahead
Louder
Louder
Just one step
Just one step
Louder
Just one step

 

Stairs
I count them
Twenty Eight
It’s always twenty eight
I feel the rain
I feel the never ending rain



Monday 4 November 2013

Merseyrail Soundstation

Well that's the first time I've been to a gig in an underground station, and apart from no seats and no bar, it was a rather enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Merseyrail Soundstation has been scouring the county to find the best of Merseyside's new and upcoming bands and singers and this was the culmination with 10 finalists competing for a first prize of a year of mentoring, professional advice and studio time.  I'm not going to give chapter and verse on all the different genres of music filling the station, but it was a good mix of styles, and this was the line up, I've included twitter links for all the bands/singers so you can embark on your own voyage of discovery... station, train, embark... oh please yourselves...

The Haze

Second time I've seen this band, and impressed me again with their sound.  I had these down in my top 3 to win.  Definitely one to watch on the scene.







The Roscoes

I've heard some good things about The Roscoes but never managed to catch them until now.  I'll be looking out for their gigs though, like to listen to more of their material in a more traditional setting.






So Sexual
Another "new to me" band (I really must get out more).  Bit of Spandau Ballet bobbing around in there, I liked these guys. On my expanding list of bands to see.








Dominic Dunn

On top form with I'm On My Way; Keep Them Tight; and The Angel.  I have to admit I wasn't totally sold with The Angel when I watched the Live TV session, but live it really worked and captivated the audience.  Dominic is only 16 (or so he tells us lol), so its exciting to know he's going to get better and better as he gets older.











Filter Distortion

Another band I'd never heard of, but with a really cool vibe, reminded me in parts of Roxy Music (cue loads of younger readers saying "who?").  Very professional sounding.  If they are "up and coming" I have to ask, "where the hell have you been hiding?"





Beanzy 


As you may know I'm not the biggest fan of Rap or Grime, but Beanzy had some good lyrics and a decent backing track.







The Willz 


These boys definitely turned up the volume with some good old fashioned punk.  Even though I lived through punk the first time round it was never my thing, and I'm still agnostic about it.  But if its your style of music check these guys out.




Sophia Ben-Yousef 


A 17 year old singer/songwriter.  Really nice mature voice, and another singer producing some good quality material






Soho Riots 

Appearing without powder paint (presumably even Merseyrail draw the line somewhere).  By coincidence I'd seen their video for Sweet Spot the day before so was pleased to see them in the flesh too.  In my top 3 to win and win they duly did.  Well deserved.  You can read more in their winner's profile




Veyu 


Yet another band I'd never heard of, although in my defence they are quite new, 4/5ths of them were appearing, and I was impressed with their sound.  I'll make sure I catch them at full strength, and you should too.





I didn't have time to head to Hopskotch Street Kitchen & Bar - hopskotchliverpool.com - for the results, so I began heading for the exit to walk up to the Ropewalks, then remembered I was in a station and turned round and caught a train instead!





Its really good to have Merseyrail running this, make sure you catch their monthly podcasts on their website

Thursday 31 October 2013

The train now, well eventually, leaving...

In what may be an unwise move I dip my toe into the murky world of high speed rail. If you thought the most irreconcilable conflict in the world was between Israel and its Arab neighbours, then you obviously haven't experienced the Pro v Anti HS2 mob in full flow.  On one hand you have those who think building any new railway line is the work of the devil; and on the other, those who believe the HS2 plans were carved into stone by Moses himself and cannot be deviated from.

Whilst I'm broadly in favour of HS2, it was some glaring weaknesses, the first is that it runs to Manchester but not Liverpool thus two cities lying an equal distance from London and of similar sized populations end up with vastly different travelling times.  Liverpool bound "Classic Compatible" trains, which will be half the size of the ones heading to Manchester, will leave the HS2 line south of Crewe and then travel on the current track through the Cheshire countryside over the Runcorn Bridge and into Lime Street.  The forecast travel time reduces from the current 2h10m to 1h46.  Whereas Manchester benefits from a reduction from 2h08m to just 1h08m.

A second weakness is in the choice of Euston as the London terminal, just down the road from the Eurostar/HS1 terminal at St Pancras.  Down the road.  Having Eurostar/HS1 and HS2 not physically linking up to enable through running is sheer madness. 

Back here on Merseyside, the new Liverpool 2 Container Terminal is currently being built and is expected to open at the end of 2015.  This will double the number of containers being handled at the port, and the majority of these containers need to be moved by rail.  There is only one line serving the Port of Liverpool and whilst it should be able to cope with extra freight trains, it connects up with the same line going into Lime Street that all the passenger trains use.

The main problem facing the main UK railways is the coming years is one of capacity, we cannot keep building new roads.  The growing number of passengers and, as noted above, the increased amount of freight coming into and out of Britain can only be moved by the rail network.  HS2 as well as providing new track, in turn frees up space on the current lines and meets this need.  However when it was first announced to the public this was a secondary consideration and all the fanfare was about how quicker it would be to get from London to Birmingham.  Having used this as the original selling point, you can't blame the general public for being confused at now being told it's all about capacity.

So in my view, whilst HS2 is a good project, it needs a few changes.  It must go into Liverpool.  It should provide a direct HS1/Eurostar connection.  And it should be built so that additional lines, i.e. linking to the likes of Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as towards the Southwest and Wales and of course a Transpennine Route from Liverpool to Hull are easily integrated into a cohesive network.

Sunday 27 October 2013

Vote Independent!

No not for Scotland, although after watching "Sunshine on Leith" (twice) I would have easily put my cross into the Yes box.  If you haven't been to see it yet, make sure you do, yes it's cheesy and  obviously the script is made to fit the songs, but I guarantee you'll leave the cinema with a smile on your face.

The independence I'm advocating is from the dull, boring, same old same old, identikit high streets.  You remember when you were a kid and going on holiday was an adventure, partly because everything was different, the shops were different, the sweets were different, the lolly ices were different, well not anymore, it doesn't matter where in the world you go, you'll be met with the same McDonalds, identical Tescos, indistinguishable Starbucks where they think writing your mispelt name on a cup equals service.  I can never understand why people queue up in Liverpool One to buy a Large, Skinny, Extra Hot Nondescript Dishwater (even if your name, or variation thereof, is scrawled on the cup), when a few minutes walk away you can find an independent, get a seat, and a cup of enjoyable coffee, brought over to you by someone who'll speak to you because they want to, not because the corporate manual says they have to.

Well a revolution is underway, and as usual, Liverpool is leading it.  We're not storming the Bastille, but we are taking to the streets armed with a plastic card and an App.  Independent Liverpool the brainchild of David Williams and Oliver Press only started this year, but their army of cardholders has mobilised throughout the city.  You can buy your card online, or pick one up from the Bold Street branch of those lovely guys in Utility for just £10.  The card is valid for a year, and there are various discounts and special deals from all the shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and business who have signed up, which means you'll be in profit in no time at all.  But here's the USP behind the card - all the business and services are independent. Owned and run by real local people, who care about their city, and pay their taxes!

There's even a handy App so you can check where to shop, along with reviews, and details of the discounts available, whilst you're out and about. 

One of the best aspects of the scheme is finding new places, especially the ones off the beaten track. I discovered Free State Kitchen a while back, in fact I've more than saved my £10 card fee in the 10% off food discount there alone.  My good friend Alex, who likes her cocktails, is rather taken by the 2 for 1 offer at The Peacock; and if you fancy a walk along the beach in the company of the Iron Men, the lovely people at the nearby The Crosby Tea Rooms will give you a free cup of tea when you buy some of their delicious cake.

Talking of cake, if you're down in the Baltic Quarter at weekends, Unit 51 will give a whopping 20% off.  20%! Off cake! (actually its off everything, but I like cake, which is why I'd eaten most of it before I took the photo - and if you look carefully you can see my card - my card, get your own! - making a guest appearance)
 



Today I made my way down to Siren on the edge of the Baltic, which was an oasis of calm on a Saturday afternoon, and sampled their Halluomi Burger with Sweet Potato Fries, which was absolutely delicious, I'll definitely be heading down there again.



These are just a taster of the nearly 50 different companies signed up to #TheCard, with more being added every week. I've only mentioned some of the food and drink venues, but there's a food shop, clothes shops, hairdressers, bookshops, masseuse, heck you can even get a discount on laptop repairs!  You discover and support local independent business, meet some lovely people, and save money, that's a win win and, eh, win in anyone's book.

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Biennial 2014

 

Liverpool Biennial 2014 - Tuesday Sessions
 
For the first time, curators of the 2014 Liverpool Biennial Mai Abu ElDahab and Anthony Huberman will discuss the material and methods that have informed their thinking for the forthcoming edition of the Biennial. 
 
Mai Abu ElDahab is a curator from Cairo, living in Brussels. From 2007 to 2011, she was director of Objectif Exhibition, a non-profit contemporary art space dedicated to producing and presenting solo shows by international emerging artists, as well as curating many related events and publications, co-published with Sternberg Press. Most recently, she produced a record of artist songs performed by the band Concert entitled Behave Like an Audience, also with Sternberg Press, 2013.
 
Anthony Huberman is a curator and writer from Geneva currently based in San Francisco, where he is the Director of the CCA Wattis Institute and Advisor/Founding Director of The Artist's Institute in New York. Previously, he worked as chief curator at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, curator at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris, curator at SculptureCenter, New York, and director of education and public programs at MoMA PS1, New York.
 
To Camp & Furnace last night to hear from the Biennial 2014 curators Anthony Huberman and Mai Abu ElDahab about their experiences and influences which will be steering next year’s festival.
 
Anthony made some good points about wanting to do more with less, i.e. having less artists and venues but being able to devote more time to those we do have, and gave an example of being excited to see that a favourite artist was included at another festival but then disappointedly finding that he only had one small piece on show. I can see what he meant, but I don’t think previous Liverpool Biennials have been especially guilty of that. Yes some artists only have one piece, but we have also devoted whole rooms, indeed whole venues to a single artist. For instance in 2012 we had:
  • Ming Wong at 28-32 Wood Street
  • Sabelo Mlangeni at The Tea Factory
  • Markus Kahre at The Monro
  • Hanni Bjartalid, Sigurdur Gudjonsson and Jessie Kleemann’s North Atlantic Pavilion (in my opinion, the most successful of the City States)
I do agree however that we need to be more focused – presenting visitors with a map covered in numbers can sometimes lead to a “ticking them off a list” mentality.

I was less clear on what was forming in Mai’s mind however, I like the storytelling aspect of her approach, and her love of the traditional pub atmosphere for meeting and exploring the heart of a city.  The beermats (see photo above) are pointing towards that focus, but was intrigued when she said she was struck upon arriving in Liverpool by the things that we don’t have, she repeated that later and was asked to elaborate, and made an eyebrow raising observation that the music scene for instance had migrated elsewhere. As you know the thriving Liverpool music scene is one I am quite evangelical about, and I rather felt Mai has not yet had the opportunity to understanding the city, and it is a city, not a town as she kept saying…

I'm very protective towards my home city, far too many people knock it, without foundation!

We need to encourage famous artists to bring their work here, and to see those yet to be famous artists too, but this is a unique city, with a unique perspective on life and a wide ranging arts, music and cultural community, and we need to ensure that our festival is Liverpool Biennial and not simply a Biennial which happens to be in Liverpool.

On venues the usual suspects of Tate Liverpool, Bluecoat and FACT were mentioned, and then a non-specific look at various empty buildings within the business district, although it seems that nothing has been decided on there.  Sally Tallant https://twitter.com/SallyTBiennial also mentioned that as well as the curated part of Biennial there would of course be the additional strands of Bloomberg New Contempories; John Moores; and Independents https://twitter.com/independentsLPL

Another attendee last night said she felt the evening (and possibly by extension the Biennial itself?) was meant only for “big wigs” and not for the “regular folk of the city”. And I understood what she meant. I was amazed during last year’s Biennial at how many city residents I spoke to: neighbours, strangers, taxi drivers etc who had no idea it was happening, or if they were aware of its presence didn’t where it was, or what it was, or when it was. I even heard people say “oh but it’s not for the likes of me”. Yes it is, it’s for everyone, it’s about everyone, it’s from everyone. It has to be, otherwise what’s the point?


Liverpool Biennial 2014 runs from 5th July to 26th October 2014 www.biennial.com

Not Just Collective’s https://twitter.com/notjust_ exhibition “Clandestine” is on now and continues at the Williamson Tunnels https://twitter.com/wmsontunnels until Sunday 27th October

Art Club, looking at "3am: wonder, paranoia and the restless night" meets at the Bluecoat on Sunday 3rd November at 2pm

Friday 18 October 2013

Secrecy, Speculation, Superstition

“When I returned to partial life my face was wet with tears. How long that state of insensibility had lasted I cannot say. I had no means now of taking account of time. Never was solitude equal to this, never had any living being been so utterly forsaken.”
― Jules Verne, Journey to the Centre of the Earth

 
To the Williamson Tunnels https://twitter.com/wmsontunnels last night for the opening of Clandestine – the latest exhibition by the Not Just Collective https://twitter.com/NotJust_ - the tunnels are the perfect venue for this exhibition, and with the heavy rain that fell on Liverpool the night before still seeping through the sandstone, the atmosphere became even more mysterious, if not downright creepy.


After descended into the first of the vast caverns and crossing the scaffolding platform you first come to Nicola Roscoe-Calvert's "Wilweorthunga" a thought provoking piece which links the unemployment of today back through the years to the hardships endured by the people who dug these tunnels in the 19th century.


 
Climbing the steps we next come to Andy Johnson's "Our Dads Year" another piece reaching back through the years and connecting to the original men who laboured deep below ground here.  Next the tunnel narrows and we brush the hand-carved sandstone, and avoiding the drips of water seeping though cast our eyes upward to the messages of India Cawley-Gelling's "And Daddy goes Back to Ireland" soaring overhead.
 
 
 
Pieces by Becky Peach "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" and "Crashing Under Waves" by Thomas Ross line the rock walls as we venture further into the labyrinth, the natural bedrock of the city now gives way to concrete, as a seemingly Cold War shelter of a cross corridor links to the next tunnel.  Here the walls are home to Barbara Harrison's "Labour" and then the atmospheric faces "Set in Stone", "Breaking Through" and "Haunting" by Gosia Smolenska appeared to be emerging from the walls, and I didn't look back to check whether they had or not!
 
 
The confined space of the corridor opens out into another huge cave where pieces from this exhibition rub shoulders with permanent artifacts salvaged from the tunnels' excavations over the years. Amongst these are Catherine Harrison's "Black Mass" and "Simulacrum" lending a pagan flavour to the mystery of our environment.
 

Echoing the almost cave like setting, the animal remains of Barrett & Cribley's "Still Life (with Skull) II" take on a sacrificial composition, an effect heightened by the hushed voices permeating from the next tunnel.  Graham Rimmer's "The Trinity" stand sentinel as we are drawn to the sounds which lie beyond the timber bulkhead, but first the mood is lightened a little as Wendy Williams' "Trailers" pause from their Lilliputian adventures amongst an underground terrace deep in the underground world that Williamson has left us.
 
 
 
Making our way to the lobby and then underneath the space we had just left - the tunnels are complicated like that - we took our seats for two performances, Tom George https://twitter.com/tomgeorgearts sang for us and Andy Johnson http://twitter.com/andyoutnabout captivated the audience with a tale of Dragons, Knights, and some cunning Scouse landgrabbing...
 
Clandestine is a further exploration of the Not Just Collective's diverse range of artists, and shows there is much more to be discovered leading up to and beyond next year's return of Biennial http://twitter.com/Biennial
 
Clandestine runs until 27th October and can be accessed via the Williamson Tunnels Heritage Centre, Smithdown Lane, Liverpool L7 3EE
https://www.facebook.com/NotJustCollective 
 

Sunday 6 October 2013

Time to start again...

Right, it's time to start this 'ere blogging thing again and keep to it this time.  So you can look forward, no I promise, to some exciting, no I promise, regular updates, no really, I promise, about what's going on in and around my world.

So for this week, I'm talking music (and although I know what I like, I'm not a musician by any stretch of the imagination so apologies in advance if this comes across as "he doesn't know what he's talking about")

When I moved back to Liverpool two years ago I started spending some time on the live music scene and seeing what and who was emerging onto the scene.  This year has been a bit of a strange one so it's time I started exploring this side of the city again.

I've been aware of a young guy called Dominic Dunn for a while now, and follow him on Twitter
https://twitter.com/Dominic_Dunn22 - his music, which he writes himself, is very much my taste, but I've never been able to get to any of his gigs.  Then last week he released his first video on his youtube site and I was blown away. 

He's moved into a new direction with this one, called Keep Them Tight, a homage to the noble sport of boxing.  He sings with a noticable scouse accent, which suits his work anyway, but really brings this song to life.  Watch, listen and see what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzlBVf_0z5U

By co-incidence after seeing this last weekend and letting him know how good I thought it was, I then bumped into him in The Brink and had a chat which was nice and I promised to catch a gig as soon as I can.

I then saw he was helping to organise a Young Musicians session at The Brink yesterday, I was going to be in town so I headed down.  It was the first event so not many people in the audience, but those that were there seemed rightly impressed and hopefully as word spreads the audience figures will improve.

Dominic wasn't performing as he's getting ready for the Liverpool Irish Festival later this month, but first on the stage was https://twitter.com/eleanor_nelly, who was outstanding, singing a selection of covers and her own material - I can't remember what I was doing when I was 13, but it certainly wasn't anything as creative and talented as Eleanor!

Embedded image permalink

Then a four piece band called The Haze https://twitter.com/TheHazeMusicUk - with again a mixture of covers and original material, I'll definately be checking these guys out in the future.



Unfortunately I had to shoot off and so I missed another young guy who've I've only just become aware of, Rosh, https://twitter.com/OfficialRosh who I really wanted to see.  I'm not the biggest fan of Grime, but I thought his track "Cemetery Wealth" http://t.co/LEEE5sIfgt was interesting, and it has certainly grown on me over the past week.

So there you go, this is just scratching the surface of what's fresh on the Liverpool music scene at the moment. 

Turning to art, the Not Just Collective https://www.facebook.com/NotJustCollective has a new exhibition "Clandestine" opening on 17th October in the Williamson Tunnels



I'm not exhibiting for this one, so it'll make a change to go along and not know what to expect.  I'll let you all know about it in my next blog, so until then, take care, and in the words of the Doctor "be fantastic".