HERE & NOW TOUR Brighton Centre Sat 2nd
Hyped as ‘the very best of the 80s’, this 10th anniversary tour makes some big claims. Does the world grow misty-eyed at an era shaped by the likes of Pepsi & Shirlie, Jimmy Somerville and Jason Donovan? Or is this further evidence that our march into nostalgia’s deepest sludge knows no bounds? How about a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off re-run, with an interval scored by New Order as Madonna serves lollies in her ‘Like A Virgin’ wedding dress instead? Now that would be rad. (BG)
VILLAGERS Komedia Sat 2nd
Villagers have been supporting Elbow on their recent UK tour, and they’ll be back on the road later in the year as well as doing a host of festivals, but catch them more intimately now as they’re going to be getting bigger and bigger. Having won the Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for the beautiful ‘Becoming A Jackal’, their dark, acoustic hymns are comparable to the likes of Bright Eyes and Sparklehorse and they’re definitely a band to be keeping an eye on. (JC)
WOODEN WAND Green Door Store Sat 2nd
Hailing from Kentucky, Wooden Wand is the moniker of singer-songwriter James Jackson Toth, whose prolific output of dark folk and dusty country is placed nicely somewhere between Dylan, Bonnie Prince Billy and Nick Cave. His most recent album ‘Death Seat’, released late last year on the Young God label, featured members of Lambchop and Woods, and with this being one of only three UK dates it’s sure to be a pretty special show. Plus to cap things off nicely, support comes in the form of a rare solo performance from Lucky Jim. (IC)
EELS Dome Weds 6th
Eels’ frontman E was synthesised in a Californian hippy commune alongside his friends Meth and Acid. Originally intended as an amorphous substance spanning the universe, fused with all the lights and colours of the rainbow and the emotional horsepower to end war and put politics into a well lush room full of crazy lights and nice vibes, a music career has rather railroaded such extraordinary aims. Happily, he’s well loved in Brighton and will probably go down very well tonight and until the end of time. Amen to that. (BG)
DEAD ROCK WEST Hope Weds 6th
Back in the UK promoting their new stunning new album ‘Bright Morning Stars’, Californian four-piece Dead Rock West play a harmony-filled blend of rootsy alt.country and jangly power pop, like a cross between the Flying Burrito Brothers and early-era Wilco. Support comes from impressive local country rock band Robbie Skitmore & The Spanish Harlem Incident. (IC)
TRIBES Prince Albert Weds 6th
Indie rock. Boys with guitars. Camden. The Next Big Thing. If any of these phrases appeal to you, then head up to the Albert tonight before “Tribes outgrow these small venues” or some such old chestnut. We were the only people at their notably rammed Horatio’s gig at The Great Escape to walk out after one song, so they’ll probably be huge. Never underestimate the power of leather jackets, white jeans and a major deal. The new Razorlight, basically. (SH)
Second Opinion
Arriving back in Brighton for their first show since The Great Escape, this four-piece return with their battered, spray-painted van in support of their recently released EP, ‘We Were Children’. The music they make blurs out their otherwise Libertine image by raging somewhere between the fuzz of The Pixies and the broken hearts of The Kooks, visiting a number of lad rock bands in between, which is about as Camden as it sounds. But it still does enough to deservedly earn them some Radio One and NME love. (TR)
ALEX CLARE Green Door Store Thurs 7th
The production team of Diplo and Switch are known for their challenging, bass heavy creations – which you could have perhaps witnessed with their Major Lazer project – but they’ve more recently turned their hands to producing this talented solo artist. Alex Clare is an otherwise soulful singer, with a David Gray-like earthy gravitas to his vocals, so as you can imagine the results from the whole team’s studio sessions are a weird but mostly wonderful juxtaposition. This will be well worth your investigation. (TR)
AUSTRA Haunt Fri 8th
Austra are named after the Latvian goddess of light, in a nod to front-woman Katie Stelmanis’ roots, but their pulsating rhythms are unquestionably on the dark side of synth pop. New wave mingles with Stelmanis’ haunting and operatic vocals (she’s a former member of the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus) creating tunes that are compelling and ethereal. Their debut album, ‘Feel It Break,’ was produced by Björk producer Damian Taylor and draws comparisons with Ms Guðmundsdóttir herself, The Knife and Kate Bush. Their tight performances make Austra one of the most collected new bands of 2011. (JMM)
Second Opinion
Yet again, the Haunt proves it can throw a party; this place is really turning into one of the best clubs around. July sees Canadian synth-pop outfit Austra (pronounced Owstra) stepping into Brighton after making their name on the Toronto gay scene. Singer Katie Stelmanis’ voice sounds like Kate Bush with the Sunday blues, but still manages to be dazzling and inspiring even with a dark edge. This is epic electro pop not to be overlooked. (SJ)
Second Opinion II
Some are already saying that Austra’s recent debut album, ‘Feel It Break’, is a prime candidate for the album of 2011. The extraordinarily talented vocals from the operatically-trained Katie Stelmanis are found at the front of their leftfield pop songs. The Toronto trio had Bjork’s producer on hand in the studio and the results are a dramatic and consistent showcase of their obvious talents. This is the first Brighton show since the release and we cannot wait to see how they translate such dense and polished music into a set. (TR)
THE ROLLING ZONES Komedia Fri 8th
Charlie Watts just turned 70, and while the world has wondered since the 80s whether the next Rolling Stones tour would be their last, you have to wonder if he could be arsed hauling his weary old bones around the world again. But fear not, for waiting in the wings are any number of faithful tribute acts, including tonight’s Rolling Zones. Promising a two-hour set of hits and a vocalist voted best Mick Jagger lookalike (by some curiously unnamed judge) this is probably as good as it’s going to get now. (NC)
GUITAR WOLF Pav Tav Sat 9th
Who can lift SOURCE from its gig malaise? Bon Iver doing a one-song set of ‘Re: Stacks’ in our lounge could be a goer or The Velvet Underground playing ‘White Light/White Heat’ in a nearby park if seating is provided. A Beatles reunion at the local pub is out if Macca’s coming. What about Japan’s Guitar Wolf, responsible for “the loudest album ever recorded” – 1999’s ‘Jet Generation’ – and a band so feral their 38-year-old bass player died of a heart attack? Drop the H-bomb on our head. (BG)
BRAIDS Prince Albert Mon 11th
On this year’s multi-faceted debut ‘Native Speaker’, Braids displayed a talent for pulling technicolour pop tunes out of thick webs of shimmering noise. Fronted by the fantastically named Raphaelle Standell-Preston, the Canadian quartet have been threatening a post-‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ crossover all year. Back in Brighton yet again following their Great Escape shows (did any of these bands actually leave town, or have they all been sleeping under the pier since May?) here’s another chance to submit to their spell. (SH)
Second Opinion
As one of the most successful showcases at The Great Escape, it’s great to see this Canadian band return so soon. Their underwater soundscapes marry the psychedelic atmosphere of Animal Collective with Bjork at her most lush and dreamy. Their debut album, ‘Native Speaker’, is a hipsters must-have, but don’t let that put you off, as it’s impossibly addictive when seen live. The combined female vocals are particularly astonishing, and witnessing such a quietly passionate performance by artists who clearly take their music seriously is utterly hypnotic. (TR)
ESKMO Concorde 2 Weds 13th
Eskmo’s tense, chilling creations have won him fans across the world, and he’s returning to Brighton for another, larger gig, with a full audio-visual set. Vast soundscapes, gloopy, melting basslines and his live, understated vocals create a new sound, effortlessly crossing genre boundaries and setting him aside from the plethora of other electronic producers from the West Coast. Innovative in a scene based on being innovative, his originality doesn’t undermine the fact that he puts on a bloody good show. (JMM)
ATHLETE St Georges Church Thurs 14th
True story: When your esteemed scribe introduced Ms SOURCE to a good friend as “a runner” some years back, she was under the impression that said TV underling was actually some kind of track & field powerhouse. It’s a reality check surely familiar to these Britpop also-rans, who left the blocks looking like the next Usain Bolt only to become a marathon runner hitting the brick wall every day forever. If they could just get over the finishing line and find a proper job. (BG)
DUKE RAOUL Green Door Store Thurs 14th
Brighton four-piece Duke Raoul have been quietly building their reputation on the local live scene as a band to keep an eye on. Trembling synths overlay weeping guitars on songs of weary sadness, waiting, and unrequited love, but their tight production, pop tinges, and earnest, honest vocals lift them far above being just another soundtrack to self-pity. Tonight they’re celebrating the release of a new EP, ‘Young Starlings’, and have support from the otherworldly, ambient Speak Galactic. (JMM)
VIVIAN GIRLS Coalition Sat 16th
Girls with guitars we like. Girls bashing drums are also good. Girls who play synths would be welcome around our place any time. The same can be said for girls who like to sing. So all hail Vivian Girls – Cassie Ramone, Katy Goodman and Fiona Campbell – and their visceral punk pop, which makes the New York act attractive on every level, as exemplified on acclaimed third album ‘Share The Joy’. Tonight is your chance to do exactly that. Or just gawp at them. (BG)
ELECTRELANE Komedia Weds 20th
When Electrelane put their business activities on indefinite hiatus in 2007, leaving behind four unimpeachable albums of Farfisa-soaked motorik and memories of countless glorious hometown gigs, we didn’t honestly expect them to return. While some members kept their musical hands in during the interregnum (search out low-key releases by Vera November, Ray Rumours and more), Electrelane’s reputation remained preserved, unsullied. Now, matter-of-factly, they’re back. Tonight isn’t their first reunion show, but, emotionally, it’s the one that counts. (SH)
YOUNG KNIVES Haunt Fri 22nd
Mercury Music Prize nominees Young Knives are in Brighton for an intimate, intense show. Stalwarts of the UK revivalist post-punk scene, these tweed-jacketed veterans have five years’ of glowing recommendations behind them. They’re renowned for high energy gigs – this one will be showcasing their third album, ‘Ornaments From The Silver Arcade,’ released in March. Their scratchy, vinyl-influenced indie rock is held together with a genuine enthusiasm, catchy vocals and a commitment to doing it properly. Support comes from SOURCE favourites Kinema. (JMM)
Second Opinion
You would be forgiven for ending your sentences with an exclamation mark when reading that the Young Knives are playing at The Haunt, for it’s capacity is surely too small for a band this established. Alas your eyes do not fool you, so commence the dribbling excitement and grab your tickets early to have a chance at seeing this trio of confident geeks blast through their new album, ‘Ornaments From The Silver Arcade’. We look forward to seeing you down the front in your finest tweed. (TR)
AMBASSADEURS Fortune of War Fri 22nd
With a keen eye for the next big thing, Throw Some Shapes have their fingers firmly on the button with this booking. Ambassadeurs is the pseudonym of one Brighton-based Mark Dobson, whose latest EP release on Soundcloud has created waves of attention and commendations for his bending genre boundaries over irrepressible basslines. Also playing at this live showcase are a motley crew of local producers, from crowd-pleaser Manni Dee to Alphabet’s Heaven, with the fastest, most energetic live set we’ve seen this year. (JMM)
DAVID BOWIE TRIBUTE Komedia Fri 29th
He’s not dead but David Bowie’s been keeping a very low profile in recent years. In fact, there seems little doubt SOURCE will live to regret skipping his set at Glastonbury 2000 to write a review of Travis in a Portakabin. What the fuck were we thinking? Many years ago this man assured his fans, in one of the greatest opening lines in pop history, that, “I know when to go out. I know when to stay in.” Well, how about tonight, Dave? It’s been bloody ages. (BG)
FOXES! Green Door Store Fri 29th
An indie explosion spraying catchy jangles of pop shrapnel over the audience, Foxes! are launching a new EP with this free show tonight. We haven’t heard the fruits of this most recent recording yet but we reviewed their single ‘Who Killed Rob’ ages ago and we’re looking forward to its arrival on the SOURCE doormat. Support comes in the sexy acoustic indie folk shape of Boy In The Cupboard and upbeat tunes from Fragile Creatures. (NC)
CAPDOWN Concorde 2 Sun 31st
Capdown return to Brighton as part of a small tour following a handful of “last ever shows” and “special guest festival appearances” since they first split up in late 2007. The Milton Keynes ska-core quintet bring hardcore breakdowns, infectious saxophone melodies and a genre-smashing love of partying to Concorde 2 this month. Expect circle pits and fast-paced skanking at what could be Capdown’s last ever Brighton gig (again?). Support comes from Yorkshire ska-punk outfit Random Hand, plus Mouthwash and The Junk. (CB)
WORDS BY CHRIS BIGGS, IAN CHAMBERS, JAKE CUNNINGHAM, BEN GILBERT, STUART HUGGETT, JESSICA MARSHALL MCHATTIE, SEAN JORDAN, THE RECOMMENDER