Archives for February 2011

MPFREE: MONDAY FEBRUARY 28TH 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|11:45 UK time, Monday, 28 February 2011

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Happy monday to everyone.

Hope you're all marvellous, why don't you slam the week into the canvas with this little treat? It's from Buen Chico and comes out today on Philophobia Music. The track is called 'Happiness Is Important' which is a bit of an understatement I think. We love it.

Buen Chico - Happiness Is Important

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MPFREE EP: 25TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Jon Teamlaverne|11:19 UK time, Friday, 25 February 2011

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It's another priceless collection of tracks for the MPFree EP again this week. You have folk, dub-step, electronica and shoe-gaze dance; it's all going on.

Your final track comes from The Booze who are going for the whole late 60s Stones approach; you wouldn't take them home to meet your mothers. You'll find them with the other download links near the bottom of the page.

On Thursday Huey asked you for your New York inspired artwork to slap on the front cover of this week's EP in honour of his upcoming trip. We went for this effort from David McGillivray which is a shot of Calvary Cemetary with the NYC skyline in the distance. Special.

Your tracks are:

Jake Bugg - The One I Never Knew

Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (Engine-Earz Experiment Remix)

Summer Camp - I Want You

Royksopp - Keyboard Milk

The Booze - Kick Me Where It Hurts

Some tracks may no longer be available for download.

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MEMORY TAPES: 25TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Jon Teamlaverne|10:06 UK time, Friday, 25 February 2011

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It's a Memory Tapes with a difference this week. As it's Huey's last week, we secretly asked you lot via Twitter to suggest tracks for a Memory Tape for the man himself.

The idea was for you, the listener, to suggest tracks which Huey has introduced you to over his five months sitting in for Lauren. You responded with fine suggestions, we selected a few, and made Huey the CD as a leaving present. Bless.

We have artwork too:

The tracks are:

Satisfaction - Devo

Limit To Your Love - James Blake

Stay With Me Baby - Terry Reid

Me and Baby Brother - War

Mr. Dobalina - Del tha Funkee Homosapien

Get Older - Tom Williams & The Boat

Freddy's Dead - Curtis Mayfield

Got My Mojo Working - Muddy Waters

Jump on Stage - Girl Talk

Holy Ghost - The Bar Kays

Macumba - Titanic

Give yourselves a round of applause! Tune in to find out which five tracks we play out. And if you'd like, then you can send Lauren your Memory Tape.

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DANNY ROBINS' EVENTS GUIDE: 24TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Jon Teamlaverne|11:30 UK time, Thursday, 24 February 2011

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Martin Creed at Cafe Oto

Martin Creed, the conceptual artist who won the Turner Prize for his light-bulb turning on and off has formed a band. Following in the footsteps of Keanu Reeves, Russell Crowe and Chris Waddle and Glenn Hoddle, having mastered one art form, he decided it's time to give music a go. Although, by the sounds of it, still with a rather conceptual approach - don't go expecting power ballads.

He's playing to announce the release of his single Thinking/Not Thinking and there'll also be a screening of his work 'Sick Film' beforehand.

Whilst seeing how Martin's merging the worlds of conceptual art and rock should be interesting, the real reason I'm mentioning this gig is the venue - Cafe Oto in Dalston in East London. Dalston is London's new frontier - where 'the scene' has moved on to after tired old Shoreditch and Cafe Oto is it's coolest venue, but in an actually cool way instead of being pretentious and try-hard. In fact, it keeps getting mentioned by magazines and newspapers as one of the coolest venues in the UK and even the world, let alone London.

Simon Munnery on Tour

Another man who could perhaps be described as a conceptual artist and has often been hailed as an under-rated genius is the comedian Simon Munnery. Simon is less well-known than his friends and contemporaries Stewart Lee and Richard Herring but came out of the same scene and has collaborated with them on various projects.

You may remember him as his character Alan Parker: Urban Warrior, or from his BBC 2 series Attention Scum, based on his Cluub Zarathustra Edinburgh shows, and you may have heard him on one of his, now pretty regular, Radio 4 appearances.

Anyway, he's definitely one of the most eccentric, original and innovative voices on the comedy circuit. He recently undertook an International Tour of Bedford but he's expanded his horizons and is now doing a tour of the whole UK called 'Simon Munnery: Self-Employed'. He's been going since the end of January and there are dates until early May. Get on his website to find out where he's playing near you

Frankenstein

It's the theatre event of the year, surely? Oscar winner Danny Boyle, director of Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours, Trainspotting and loads of other great movies, returns to the theatre to direct a new adaptation of Frankenstein.

Not only that but it features film star Jonny Lee Miller (still perhaps best known for Trainspotting and being a former Mr Angelina Jolie, but did you know he was up for the role of Bond when Daniel Craig got it?) and Benedict Cumberbatch, recently brilliant as the BBC's Sherlock.

And, if that wasn't enough of a hook to draw you in, it also has the added interest of the two actors part-swapping. So, one night Jonny is the Monster and Benedict is Victor Frankenstein and the next night, it's the other way round.

And.... if all that fails to whet your appetite, the Monster is naked for the first ten minutes, so depending on which night you go, you get to see either Jonny or Benedict completely starkers, should that be your thing.

If you live miles from London, you might be interested to know that Frankenstein will be screened in cinemas across the county as part of the National Theatre Live season. You can see Benedict as the Monster and Jonny as Frankenstein on 17th March and Jonny as the Monster and Benedict as Frankenstein and on 24th March.

You can see a full list of places - there are loads of options across England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands and internationally too. The non-UK dates vary I believe.

And finally....

Don't forget it's the Oscars on Sunday, so look out for any places have late night Oscar-viewing parties near you. Or have one yourself!

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MPFREE: 24TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Jon Teamlaverne|11:30 UK time, Thursday, 24 February 2011

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Today's MPFree is a new track from Royksopp and continues a run of big names for the MPFree.

Despite only putting out a new album last September, the boys are at it again with this offering. Help yourself:

Royksopp - Keyboard Milk

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DANNY ROBINS' INDIE TRAVEL GUIDE TO...VEGAS

Jon Teamlaverne|11:03 UK time, Thursday, 24 February 2011

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I read the other day that the chairman of Leyton Orient was taking all his players to Las Vegas as a reward for drawing against Arsenal. It made me think we should do it for Huey's last week on the show. So here we go, off to Sin City...

The Music Scene

When you think of music in Vegas, it tends to be of the rather glitzy kind. The big shows that the likes of Liberace, Elvis and The Rat Pack did made Vegas famous as the entertainment capital of the world.

You can still see those kinds of shows - Celine Dion is the latest artist in residency - but things are changing. The Liberace Museum, a building as flamboyant as the man himself, once a Vegas institution, shut down in the autumn - people just weren't interested anymore.

The biggest music export from Las Vegas these days is The Killers. And just as they couldn't be more different to Liberace, there are Vegas venues that offer you musical alternatives to the glitz, camp and excess of the big hotel shows. Indie Vegas is out there!!!

Venues

One of the most famous venues is in a hotel but it's not too cheesy. The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel is one of those places bands want to play. It has plenty of mainstream acts on the bill but it's also where Arcade Fire will play when they're in town.

Another very established venue is The House of Blues which is part of a nationwide chain. Like The Joint, it's a real musical mix - this month sees a 'Gospel Brunch', Steel Panther and Pendulum.

Sadly, it looks like the recession has hit a lot of smaller venues. Quite a few places I would have recommended a few years back have now closed down. To really find the heart of Indie Vegas though, you need to get away from the strip and head over to East Fremont Street...

East Fremont Street

If you were an indie kid living in Vegas, you'd want to escape from the cheese of the Strip and go somewhere a little more alternative, right? East Fremont Street is the place to do it. Fremont Street is home to the glowing neon Fremont Street Experience mall, but head east of there to find the kind of places I'm talking about.

This is home to the legendary Double Down Saloon - a fantastically seedy down at heel music venue and the birthplace of the Bacon Martini. You'll get the Stooges, The Sex Pistols and The Clash on the jukebox and they trumpet a policy of 'you puke you clean', though you can pay $20 puke insurance if you don't fancy doing that. Nice...

Indie Krush are a collective of underground/independent musicians, bands, DJs, promoters, visual artists, and party-goers who are at the forefront of the underground arts movement in Las Vegas. They throw regular parties that are well worth checking out, usually based around the bars of East Fremont St.

Other venues that are worth looking at are The Beauty Bar and The Bunkhouse. The Griffin used to be a great hipster hangout but it seems to have now rebranded as Downtown. No idea if it's kept its vibe but perhaps worth a peak.

Elvis, was a hero to most...

We can't really talk about Las Vegas without giving a quick mention to the man who gave it its 'Viva Las Vegas' anthem - The King himself.

Elvis may be dead (or he may be alive...) but his spirit lives on. You can of course get yourself hitched by Elvis (well an impersonator) at places like Viva Las Vegas Wedding - he'll actually perform the ceremony (yes, Elvis is ordained and will chuck in a couple of songs).

To check out a fine, and rather hefty, slice of Elvis impersonator, head to Bill's Gamblin Hall to catch the Free Big Elvis Show. Big Elvis is a rather rotund man in a jumpsuit (don't think any actual jumping is likely judging by the size of him). He used to be whopping 945 pounds. He's now slimmed down to a stick-thin 425 pounds. With all that weight comes quite a voice.

And, if you want to eat like the King, you could try 'The Big Daddy Barrick Burger' - the world's biggest burger. It's 12 inches in diameter and weighs 9 pounds. It costs fifty dollars, but if you can eat it all within 24 hours you get it for free - that's if your colon survives the experience...

Do something a little different...

I haven't mentioned gambling yet. Of course it's one of the things you have to do in Vegas, but when you get sick of it all and fancy checking out somewhere a little different, have a look at one of these places...

The Neon Musem

A graveyard for all of Vegas's old neon signs. You have to arrange a tour, but you can wander (and wonder) around their huge collection of old casino and hotel signs - an alternative way of charting the history of the town.

The Pinball Hall of Fame

As the title suggests, this is a museum devoted to pinball machines, collected together by aficionado Tim Arnold. He's got machines dating all the way back to the 1930s - over 400 of them.

The Atomic Testing Museum

About an hour's drive from Vegas is a stretch of desert that was used between the early 50s and the early 90s as a nuclear testing ground. Bizarrely, tourists used to come and watch the blasts from Vegas' hotels, admiring the lovely mushroom cloud view. This museum in the city is devoted to this rather strange part of Vegas' history and even has a room where you can experience a simulated explosion.

Take a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon

This one is a little pricey but, hell, it's worth it. You'll take a ride in a chopper, complete with a soundtrack of Ride of the Valkyries if you want it, almost 4000ft down to the floor of the Grand Canyon. The scenery there is awe-inspiring - makes you realise that America, far from being a new nation, has been around since pre-historic times.

Las Vegas for Free...

You can spend a lot of money in Vegas - the average visitor parts with $250 a day, but you can also get away with doing quite a bit for free. The best known tip is of course that if you are in the casinos you will get free drinks.

Another free thing worth taking in is the fountains at the Bellagio hotel. The fountains 'dance' to various pieces of music. Performances are every 30 minutes between 3pm and 8pm and every 15 minutes after 8pm until midnight. Tacky? Probably, but you don't go to Vegas to avoid tacky.

You could go to M&M's World - an experience devoted to the sweets Eminem named himself after. It's free! (I think it may secretly be trying to make you buy things).

Just wandering around can sometimes feel like they have entered a theme park - where else can you be wandering along the canals of Venice one moment, a Parisian boulevard the next and Ancient Egypt a moment later?

And how often do you see Lions inside a hotel? It may sound like a safari holiday that has gone horribly wrong, but this is Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand. They've designed an environment where you can see lions in their 'natural habitat' (yeah right) inside the plush hotel, and all for free 'with MGM's compliments'. Apparently they are descendants of the MGM studio lion who roared in the opening credits of MGM films. Famous kids, eh?

And don't forget to have your photo taken by the iconic 'Welcome to Las Vegas' sign. Nobody will charge you for that... yet.

Have fun there and remember, 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas'...

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MPFREE: 23RD FEBRUARY 2011

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Jon Teamlaverne|11:31 UK time, Wednesday, 23 February 2011

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Today's MPFree is the first taste of the full debut album from Summer Camp.

The LP is due out later this year and will be produced by Pulp's Steve Mackey. Download and see what you think:

Summer Camp - I Want You

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MPFREE: 22ND FEBRUARY 2011

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Jon Teamlaverne|11:25 UK time, Tuesday, 22 February 2011

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Tuesday's MPFree marries the two obvious bed-fellows of folk and dub-step. The dub step side of things is provided by Engine-Earz, who have remixed Laura Marling's I Speak Because I Can.

Engine-Earz are apparently the UK's first live dub step band and are currently supporting The Streets on tour. Here's the remix: Boom.

Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (Engine-Earz Experiment Remix)

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MPFREE: MONDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2011

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Mark Teamlaverne|11:30 UK time, Monday, 21 February 2011

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Morning all! Time to kick off the week with a brand new MPFree.

Today we're offering up an artist featured at the recent BBC Introducing Masterclass. 6 Music's very own Steve Lamacq was chairing a session at the event, which took place at Abbey Road studios, and left the event with nearly fifty brand new demos.

Here's just one of them, Jake Bugg who Steve describes as "a young Devendra Banhart from Nottingham". Have a listen and download over at Lammo's blog.

Jake Bugg - The One I Never Knew

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music MPFree

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MPFREE EP: FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:55 UK time, Friday, 18 February 2011

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I love the MPfree EP.

This week's effort has tracks from The Dears, Whirl, Moby, James Vincent McMorrow, and Architecture In Helsinki. I think I would actually pay for that, it's nice not to have to though. Eh?

The Dears - Omega Dog

Whirl - Leave

Moby - Be The One

James Vincent McMorrow - If I Had A Boat

Architecture In Helsinki - Contact High

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music MPFree

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MEMORY TAPES: 'MUSIC FROM PUBLIC LIBRARIES VOL.5'

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:00 UK time, Friday, 18 February 2011

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Each week on Memory Tapes we celebrate a listener's compilation tape or CD

It can be a tape made for them, or made by them.

We pick five tracks from the compilation and play them between 10.30 and 11 on a Friday.

This week's tape comes from Tristan Cox

Tristan says "I'm not sure this is allowed but I travel across the country compiling mix CD's from music I've taken out of public libraries. I pay the necessary 50p fee, burn them and then bring them back. I don't know how libraries decide what CD's they provide at any one time, but it's quite an eclectic mix, old and new, and at 50p a CD, it's ripe for experimentation. They also have pretty dense jazz and blues sections."

This is 'Music From Public Libraries Vol.5'

1. Gil-Scott Heron- Me And The Devil

2. Dirty Projectors & David Byrne- Knotty Pine

3. Wooden Shijps- Dance, California (radoi edit)

4. Caribou- Odessa

5. Kilburn & The High Roads- Rough Kids

6. Belle & Sebastian- I'm Not Living In The Real World

7. Bobby Darin- Black Coffee

8. Zeb Turner- Chew Tobacco Rag

9. Hush Arbors- Fast Asleep

10. CAN- Mushroom

11. Beasts Of Bourbon- ****sucker Blues

12. The Shangri-La's- Leader Of The Pack

13. Reverand Gary Davis- Death Don't Have No Mercy

14. Nine Simone- (I Wish I Knew) How It Feels To Be Free

15. Kevin Ayers -Oh! Wat A Dream

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music Memory Tapes

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MPFREE: THURSDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|11:45 UK time, Thursday, 17 February 2011

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Morning everyone

Today's MPfree comes from James Vincent McMorrow and is called 'If I Had A Boat'. It is not about James wishing he was a contestant on bullseye, it is a beautiful slice of sparse, soulful, folk. If you like Bon Iver et al, you'll dig this.

James Vincent McMorrow - If I Had A Boat

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music MPFree

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DANNY ROBINS INDIE TRAVEL GUIDE: RIO DE JANEIRO

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:20 UK time, Thursday, 17 February 2011

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INDIE TRAVEL GUIDE - RIO DE JANEIRO

We're going to Brazil in this week's Indie Travel Guide because Carnival or 'Carnaval' as the Brazilians say) is only a few weeks away. It's always 40 days before Easter - one last big bash before the beginning of Lent. This year it falls on March 4th - 8th.

You'll have seen the photos, it's all about amazing costumes, big floats, loads of music and raucous partying. There are carnivals all over Brazil, including big ones in Sao Paulo and Salvador but the biggest and best is in Rio, the party town watched over by the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer - one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Carnival is huge in Brazil - get this - apparently 80% of all the beer drunk in Brazil for the whole year is drunk at carnival and 70% of Brazil's tourism comes at carnival time.

It's a good time to go to Rio right now. The city is buzzing in the build up to hosting the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016.

One quick reminder - this may sound obvious, but they speak Portuguese in Brazil. Amazing how many people think it's Spanish. I even knew a girl who'd been having Spanish lessons in preparation for her trip! There are lots of similarities with Spanish and if you can speak a bit of that you'll get by. If you can't you'll still get by because people are so friendly it'll all work out somehow or other...

Where to hang

Rio is split into the Zona Sul or 'South Zone' and the rest. The Zona Sul is where visitors tend to spend most of their time. It's home to the famous beaches - Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon and in Rio so much of life revolves around the beach. For the locals or 'Cariocas', as they call themselves, it functions as meeting pace, chill out spot and party venue. It's great and exciting but if you burn like me, then be warned it's also hot hot hot.

Copacabana is probably the most famous and busiest beach - expect lots of bodies beautiful making you feel very pasty and untanned. A word of warning, it gets very dodgy after dark.

Ipanema is a little more chic and upmarket - it's been tagged 'the sexiest beach in the world'. It is of course famous from the song 'The Girl From Ipanema'. You can go to the bar where the song was composed - Bar Garoto De Ipanema (it had another name before the song and has now been named after it!)

Ipanema beach is divided into areas named after the lifeguard towers or 'Postos' the trendiest areas are around Posto 9 and Posto 10,where you'll find Rio's hipster set. Have yourself a coconut in one of the many beach shacks.

Leblon beach is perhaps even trendier currently and certainly more exclusive - full of Rio's rich young things.

There are always huge street parties in Ipanema and Copacabana during Carnival.

Other areas to explore away from the beach:

Lapa - a bit down at heel but a real slice of what Rio's all about. From Thursday to Saturday it's one big street party here at night. There are lots of clubs you can pop into. Beware the street food though; I have a friend who hallucinated for 3 days after eating a hotdog here.

Probably the best gig venue in Rio - Circo Voador - is in Lapa. It was huge in the 80s then it closed for a while but has been going strong again since about 2002. They have some well known acts such as, recently Air and Vampire Weekend and also a lot of Brazilian acts (from typical carnival music, to new rock bands, to old school Tropicalia, Samba, Bossa Nova...). Another venue worth looking at in Lapa is Fundição Progresso - mostly Brazilian bands I think.

Santa Teresa - just up the hill from Lapa, this is a kinda cool, bohemian area that used to be home to great train robber Ronnie Biggs. It's definitely worth a mooch around and you'll find some great little Bossa Nova bars, often without a tourist in sight. You can get a tram (known as the Bonde) up there. If you're going there in the evening, get the tram back down if it's still running or a cab - walking back down the hill ain't so safe.

Music Scene

Rio doesn't have as big a music scene as São Paulo, which is a much bigger city and where a lot of Brazilian bands come from, CSS being perhaps the most famous, but there's still lots of good places to check out gigs and club nights.

Lapa and Santa Teresa, as mentioned above, are good bets. What we know as Baile Funk is huge in Rio. Popularised by MIA (who basically nicked the sound from the clubs here) it's slightly confusingly just known as 'Funk' in Rio. It's the music of the favelas - the shanty town ghettos of Rio, derived from Miami bass with rapping over the top.

Some of the Favelas are effectively war zones given over to drug gangs so you have to pick which one you head to carefully. Go to the wrong Baile Funk party and it might be full of moody blokes with machine guns straight out of the film City of God. Pick the right one though and you'll get to see a real slice of how Rio parties. To hear some in action without any drama head to Castelo das pedras a baile funk party in the Castelo das Pedras favela. Don't worry, it's safe. It's a mix of Favela kids (the majority) and middle-class Brazilians who have got into Baile. You might even spot MIA, she's been known to rock up.

An article about Baile from the Guardian

Rock is very big in Brazil. Heavy metal - something that for some reason I associate with cold northern countries - has a very big following there. Perhaps appropriately then, the big festival is Rock in Rio. Ironically, it hasn't actually been taking place in Rio the last few years. The last time it was in Rio was 2001 and since then it's been in Lisbon and Madrid (still called 'Rock in Rio' though) but 2011 sees it finally return to its home city so it should be big and spectacular. It takes place from 23rd September to 2nd October. The acts are pretty mainstream - the likes of Elton John and Katy Perry alongside Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Metallica and Coldplay but it will be an event.

Another interesting musical movement worth mentioning is Tropicalia - a genre that started life in the 60s fusing psychedelic rock and rock n roll with traditional Brazilian Bossa Nova rhythms. Lead by exponents like Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso and the band Os Mutantes, it became a form of protest music against the military government - lots of musicians were imprisoned and even worse. The genre has been cited as an influence by a lot of English-speaking musicians, particularly the work of Os Mutantes, a favourite of the likes of David Byrne, Beck, Of Montreal and even Kurt Cobain. Os Mutantes are still going strong today. They payed Glastonbury in 2010. The Bees covered their song A Minha Menina

You can still hear it today in some places in Rio.

Some typical Rio things to do...

Drink juice - everybody's always drinking juice in Rio. There are lots of lunchonetes ( open sided roadside cafes) that do fresh juice. Acai berries are very popular there for a breakfast juice. Any of these kind of cafes is a good place to grab brekkie - it's a very Rio thing to do.

Watch football - unless you live on a different planet, you must know Brazilians are crazy about their football. Even if you're not into it yourself, and even more so if you are, sampling a match day in the Maracana Stadium is something to behold. The World Cup is going to be incredible here.

Eat sushi - Brazil has a huge Japanese community thanks to a 19th century immigration deal that saw millions of Japanese people come over to work on the coffee plantations. What that means today is lots of good sushi restaurants. Try Nik Sushi (all you can eat) near the beach in Ipanema or Sushi Leblon - a swish 'in crowd' hang out - expensive by Brazilian standards but only actually about twenty quid a head. Go up Sugar Loaf Mountain - you take a cable car up. It's touristy but it's got to be done. Sunset is spectacular.

Chill out in the Botanical Gardens - Rio can get pretty intense, especially during Carnival. The Jardim Botanico is an oasis - like their Kew Gardens, safe, calm, quiet and very pretty...

Local Tours

Be a Local is an interesting company that will organise Favela tours, trips to the Maracana stadium for the football and nights out at Favela parties.

Another company worth looking at is Cruz the Coast. Run by an Aussie and an Irishman, they run fun sounding mini-bus tours up the coast between Rio and Salvador. The idea is that they provide door to door transport to tried and tested spots for travellers and give you loads of tips on what to do in each place. Excellent guides and drivers and good value for money.

Brazilian Phrasebook

As I said, not so many people in Rio speak English, so here's a few Portuguese phrases that could come in useful.

A praia é ótima, mas Skegness é bem melhor. Yes, the beach is nice but it's no Skegness.

Vôce pode levar a gente num baile funk autêntico? Será eu, meu amigo e todo nosso dinheiro e nosso aparelho elêctonico. Please could you drive us to an authentic Favela party? It's just me, my friend and all our travel money and electronic items.

Ouvi falar que as pessoas aqui gostam muito de futebol. Eu prefiro jogar de dardos. I've heard people are quite into football here. Personally, I'm more of a darts fan.

Thanks to all the people who emailed me tips and suggestions, particularly Dita Rosted, Sarah Shaw, Sarah Kersley, Mike Shaw and most of all Patrick Welch - a man who knows Rio very well and gave me some invaluable help and some Portuguese assistance!

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music Danny Robins Indie Travel Guide: Rio De Janeiro

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DANNY ROBINS' EVENTS GUIDE: FEBRUARY 17TH 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:10 UK time, Thursday, 17 February 2011

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New Club Nights

A couple of club nights coming up this weekend...

On Friday 18th, Scroobius Pip is launching his new club night WeAreLizards (possibly inspired by David Icke?) at The Book Club in Shoreditch in London (sorry that should be "London's trendy Shoreditch area" - the classic TV news description).

The website promises you can expect "a large melting pot of musical wonders". It's worth getting down early as things kick off with an early doors spoken word set from the man like Scroobius himself. There will be some 'surprise live sets from famous musical friends' and then a good old indie, electro and hip hop knees up from DJs including the mighty Zane Lowe.

It's £5 before 10pm, £6 after, though I think it might be free before 9pm if you get down early. Probably worth it as there will be big queues later on.

On Saturday 19th, This Song Will Change Your Life is at Derby's independent cinema, The Quad. It's organised by Hatch'd Magazine, a new online magazine for Derby that's just about to launch.

The night bills itself by saying "Love late nights with records all over the floor, old-school mixtapes and massive headphones with curly cords? This is the night for you" and promises to play everything from Beck to Blur, De La Soul to Death Cab, Springsteen to Shins, Pixies to Prince...

It's in the cafe bar at the Quad and runs from 8pm -11pm, with free entry so I think it's maybe more of a sit down, drink and listen club night than a throw yourself around and dance one, but who knows...

This is now a monthly fixture at the Quad. Next one is March 19th.

Stunt Fest!!!

Death-defying stunts. Cars with jet engines. People jumping things on bikes. Monster trucks. No this isn't the set of some Hollywood action film, it's here in the UK - in Northamptonshire to be precise. It's Stunt Fest!

As someone who grew up watching Stuntmasters on TV and jumping into piles of cardboard boxes, this is right up my street. Apologies in advance if I'm in a minority on this one but it looks aaaaawwweeessooooommmme, as the Americans say.

It's at Santa Pod Raceway in Podington in Northamptonshire on Saturday 19th from 2pm - 5pm. There's all the kind of stuff I've mentioned - stunt riders, monster trucks and jet cars, plus - get this - caravan racing. Now that sounds good. And dangerous. And bizarrely, chucked in with all the danger is a Hannah Montana tribute act (is she also a Miley Cyrus tribute I wonder?). They don't specify if she's strapped to a jetbike or anything like that. We can only hope....

Oh and kids get in free... For all info on how to get tickets etc, check out:

If stunts are your thing (or even if they're not, you might also enjoy The Jorvik Viking Festival in York, which runs from the 19th-27th Feb and features lots of Viking-based events and battle re-enactments. To Valhallaaaaaaa!!!!!

Get up close and personal to Prince William

Fancy getting close enough to touch Prince William without being wrestled to the ground by security?

'Engagement' is a new exhibition by American artist Jennifer Rubell at the Stephen Friedman Gallery in central London.

The centre-piece of the exhibition is a life-size waxwork of Prince William that you are encouraged to link arms with and there's even a replica of Kate's engagement ring for you to try on. It's kind of like an interactive arty Madam Tussauds.

Rubell, the artist, says that the installation "encapsulates not only the fairytale fantasy of marrying your Prince Charming, but also illustrates the nature of a forward moving society, whereby a commoner can actually rise to the status of potential queen. It also invites the participant to consider what it feels like to be in Kate's position, literally and figuratively." Fair enough, but I think most people will just be saying "look I got my photo with Prince William!"

The title of the exhibition, 'Engagement' obviously applies literally to Kate and Wills's wedding but also extends to other artworks which visitors become 'engaged' with, interacting in different ways. 'The Drinking Paintings' located in the back gallery are blank canvases with a protruding tap set into them that you're invited to pour a drink from. The resulting dribbles and spills will paint the canvas. Again, I'm, sure this is art but a lot of people will be thinking "yes! free drink!".

The exhibition is open 10am - 6pm Tues to Fri and 11am - 5pm Sat. It's free to get in and runs until March 5th. The Gallery is on Old Burlington Street, near Bond Street.

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music Danny Robins Events Guide

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MPFREE: WEDNESDAY 16TH FEBRUARY

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Tom Teamlaverne|11:40 UK time, Wednesday, 16 February 2011

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Morning friends

Today's MPfree comes from someone we all know and love, that little scamp Moby. He's just made his new EP 'Be The One' available as a free download on his webpage. Nice man is our Moby.

Moby - Be The One

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music MPFree

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MPFREE: TUESDAY 15TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:32 UK time, Tuesday, 15 February 2011

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Anyone know where I can find some West Coast Shoegaze? You do? Great.

I'm talking about a band that is brand new to us, they are Whirl (which is an incredibly shoegazey name) and we've fallen for them big time. Put this in your ears and they will thank you.

Whirl - Leave

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music MPFree

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MPFREE: MONDAY 14TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|11:45 UK time, Monday, 14 February 2011

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Happy Valentine's y'all

You'll be relieved to know that today's MPfree actually has nothing to do with Valentines. Unless you want to make some kind of pun about the band being called The Dears. I've resisted so far.

The Dears - Omega Dog

Lauren Laverne Blog BBC 6 Music MPFree

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MPFREE EP: FRIDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:45 UK time, Friday, 11 February 2011

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This week's MPFree EP has been a mix of the old, and the very new. Featuring Win Win, Therapies Son, Golden Grrrls, The Strokes, and today's track from The Submarines.

To celebrate Bright Eyes' wonderful session for us on Thursday, we asked for artwork based around Eyes. We got this nice hipstamatic treat from Paul B. Thanks Paul.

Here are your tracks....

Win Win - Interleave

Therapies Son - Touching Down

Golden Grrrls - Beaches

The Strokes - Under Cover Of Darkness

The Submarines - Birds

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MEMORY TAPES: FEBRUARY 11TH 2011 (VALENTINE'S MIX)

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:25 UK time, Friday, 11 February 2011

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This week's memory tape goes all the way back to Valentine's Day 1989, and it comes from Tez Smith in Bath.

The tape was an attempt to entice the object of Tez's affections. I'll let Tez tell the rest.

I had landed PhD studentship in the Pharmacology Department of prestigious London medical school (Charing Cross and Westminster) and suffered severe bout of 'imposter syndrome' as I, a no-good indie Freakenstein, mixed it up beside academics with brains which could go a couple of rounds with Stephen Fry's grey matter.

I took on test-tube cleaning responsibilities of one particular medical student (Sarah) with an inexhaustible supply of black leggings (this is very much a pre-jeggings era we're dealing with) and a penchant for The Smiths, both traits being unique amongst the medical student fraternity. Before you can say Fairy Powerspray, we're visiting galleries, hitting Wendy May's Locomotion and choosing the Wedding Present, that's Gedges ensemble, not the John Lewis variety.

The tape, compiled for 1989's Valentine, was part of a package which included a Warehouse blouse onto which I sewed mother-of-pearl buttons....smitten or what? It seemed to do the trick as we eventually tied the knot at Westminster Register Office and have been together since, with the addition of an Archie, now age 11.

The songs are a selection of glam rock and indie goo with a winter warmer thrown in from Wakefield's finest, Fiat Lux. Enjoy

Side A

There She Goes - The La's

Run - New Order

Wednesday Week - The Undertones

All Tomorrow's Parties - Japan

Each and Every One - ETBG

Forest Fire - Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

Jesus Wants Me - The Vaselines

Party Girl - Elvis Costello

Serenade - Roxy Music

Nothing Less Than Brilliant - Sandie Shaw

I Wish U Heaven - Prince

Prettiest Star - David Bowie

Carrickfergus - Bryan Ferry

Side B

Some Things Don't Matter - Ben Watt

Valentine - Darling Buds

Just Like Honey - JAMC

L.O.V.E. - Orange Juice

Hang Down Your Head/Time - Tom Waits

There's A Light - The Smiths

Plain Sailing - Tracey Thorn

Scholarship Is The Enemy of Romance - Billy Bragg

All of My Heart - ABC

Feels Like Winter - Fiat Lux

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - Soft Cell

Lady Grinning Soul - David Bowie

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MPFREE: THURSDAY 10TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:45 UK time, Thursday, 10 February 2011

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In August 2001 I was one of the people that got moved from the Radio 1 tent, to the main stage at the Reading Festival. We got moved because the tent couldn't hold the amount of people who wanted to see the most exciting band in years. The band didn't even have an album out at the time but you just knew that when they did, it would be amazing. That band were The Strokes. After a 5 year break, the band have a new album on the way, and they're giving away the first single from it.

The Strokes - Under Cover Of Darkness

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DANNY ROBINS' EVENTS GUIDE: FEBRUARY 10TH 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:40 UK time, Thursday, 10 February 2011

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Valentines

Valentines... what do you do, embrace it or ignore it? Either way, here's a few options... tickets still available for everything as I write this...

On Saturday night, Birmingham's indie club promoters and party organisers, Chicks Dig Jerks are throwing a Valentine's party, Hott Date, at The Flapper on Kingston Row, described by NME as 'the epicentre of Birmingham's Indie scene' . There will be live bands, DJs, a Blind Date game and a kissing booth.

Also on Saturday, at London's O2 Academy Islington, the guys behind indie night Feeling Gloomy, bring you Down With Dating - an anti-Valentine's night with the brilliant innovations of 'Speed Hating' and 'Blind Hate'. You also get entry to Feeling Gloomy afterwards. The bad news though is that this is only open to blokes - not sexism, just all the girls' tickets have sold out, but if you're a boy, they want you!

Or how about some old time dancing at one of London's best and most atmospheric venues -The Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley in South London. https://www.therivoli.co.uk/ If you haven't been before it's a dance hall - a brilliant and evocative retro slice of how things used to be back in the 50s. You'll find yourself surrounded not only by trendy young things but oldies who were there first time around. On Saturday night, they have a Juke Joint Jump jive night. Tickets available here:

On the dreaded night itself, you could forget about it all and go and see British Sea Power at the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle.

Or how about a Victorian style Erotic Magic Lantern show courtesy of The Last Tuesday Society? I've talked about these guys before - they organise all sorts of 'fin de siècle'-style decadence and dandyism out of an old curiosity shop in Hackney. This features a show of antique French erotic slides accompanied by a talk by Professor Mervyn Heard. A saucy yet erudite way to yet you and your lover in the mood.

And if you're stuck for gift ideas, how about taking a peek at the Mills and Boon Pop Up shop in London's Selfridges?

A couple of interesting film events

Two touring film events have caught by eye. The first is Back to the Future: Japanese Cinema Since the Mid-90s. This is organised by the Japan Foundation, London and is a season of lesser known yet influential Japanese films from the last 15 years or so.

The films come from a selection of Japanese directors who have had success at home but may not be so well known overseas, so if you're into Japanese cinema it's a good chance to expand your horizons. Screenings include the serial killer thriller Cure by horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa (not the famous Kurosawa) and Linda Linda Linda - a comedy about a teenage girl rock band.

The films are touring round the country between now and the end of March. You can see them at The ICA London, The Queens Film Theatre Belfast, Filmhouse Edinburgh, Broadway Nottingham, Arnolfini Bristol and Showroom Workstation Sheffield.

Look here to find out what's on when.

And the second tour that I want to mention is Crispin Hellion Glover's Big Slideshow. Glover is an American film actor. If the name doesn't ring a bell, you may have seen him as George McFly in Back to the Future or the creepy thin man in the Charlie's Angels films or the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. He was even in Huey's favourite movie Hot Tub Time Machine. He also famously once aimed a kick at David Letterman's head whilst on his TV show.

But, as well as acting in mainstream Hollywood films, albeit generally doing creepy unusual roles, he has kept up an intriguing sideline as a film-maker of strange independent films (look up 'What is It?' and It is Fine. Everything is Fine!' - the first two parts of a trilogy) and a writer of odd books. This tour involves a screening of It is Fine. Everything is Fine! followed by Glover reading from some of his books accompanied by a slideshow and then a Q&A.

He's just coming to the end of a little tour of the UK, but you can still see him at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow on Feb16th and the Lighthouse Cinema in Wolverhampton on Feb 17th. For more details, look here

And finally...

A quick reminder about Leicester Comedy Festival, which kicked off on 4th Feb and runs till the 20th. So much comedy to check out - you'll get people's show from last year's Edinburgh Festival and people warming up for this one.

If you're in town next Wednesday, 16th, you can catch me doing my DJ Danny show at the Belmont Hotel at 7pm.

For details on everything going on at the festival, look at this

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DANNY ROBINS' INDIE TRAVEL GUIDE: FEBRUARY 10TH 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:36 UK time, Thursday, 10 February 2011

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INDIE TRAVEL GUIDE - TOKYO

This week, we head to the Japanese capital - memorably captured in Sophia Coppola's film Lost in Translation. As the film shows, it's a place of neon, skyscrapers and futuristic gadgets but also ancient customs and tradition that can seem very alien to us.

You have to be prepared to dive into a place where you won't understand street signs, maps, menus and anything anybody says. As long as you find that exciting and not scary, you'll have a great time.

It's a city that has to be seen to be believed. It's huge and when the neon comes to life at night it makes Piccadilly Circus or Time Square like rather unimpressive.

With such a vast and buzzing city there's way more to say about it than I can possibly fit in this blog, but consider this an hors d'oeuvre and then go off and do some of your own research.

Japan's Indie Scene

Although mainstream 'J Pop' is the dominant musical genre, Japan does have its fair share of indie acts and Tokyo is a focus for them. The city has a big live music scene. Very few bands though have made the leap from domestic success to international acclaim.

Probably the best known Japanese indie act on these shores is Shonen Knife from Osaka, who got quite a following in the 90s; they were signed to Sub Pop and championed by Kurt Cobain - they toured with Nirvana. Sultans of Ping FC sang 'I Like Japanese Girls' in tribute to them. They're still going strong. Matt Groening chose them to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties he curated last year.

There's also the 5.6.7.8's, another all girl group who have been around for a while but became famous after playing in Kill Bill Vol 1.

There are some great Japanese band names out there. How do you like the sound of....Seagull Screaming Kiss Her Kiss Her, Zoobombs, Coaltar of the Deepers and, best of all, the brilliantly sinisterly named Mr Children, who it turns out are huge with 50million album sales to their (rather odd) name.

Interesting article theorising on why there aren't more globally successful Japanese bands

For an interesting read on Japanese music, get Julian Cope's Japrock Sampler: How the Post-War Japanese Blew Their Minds on Rock n Roll.

Where to explore

Tokyo is a sprawling city of 12 million people, in fact it's so big it's almost like a collection of cities that have grown togther, so it can be hard to know where to start.

The east side of the area know as Shinjuku is where a lot of the nightlife is and where the neon glares brightest.

One of the hippest up and coming areas is Nakameguro in South Central Tokyo. Full of cafes, vintage clothes shops and quirky shops it's well worth exporing.

Akihabara is the area of Tokyo known as 'Electric Town'. For years it's been the place to go to pick up cheap electronic goods and recently it's become the best place to sample Tokyo's Otaku culture. Otaku basically translates as 'obsessive fan' or 'nerd' I suppose and refers to the legions of Japanese (mainly men but women too) who are devoted to watching anime, reading manga and playing computer games.

The area is quite amazing and bewildering at first but well worth exploring. How about buying a robot to do the housework at Tsukumo Robotto Okoku? That translates as 'robot kingdom'.

And check out the Tokyo Anime Center, which as the name suggests is devoted to all things anime and has regular screenings.

Also, check out the Broadway Arcade in an area called Nakano - it's the whole second floor of a shopping arcade, jam packed with anime and manga shops catering to the Otaku crowd. If you're looking for a giant statue of Godzilla, this is where you'll find it.

Bars

Tokyo has some of the best (and some of the weirdest) bars in the world. Check out:

Kagaya - the menu is a puppet show and the owner dresses as a frog.

Alcatraz ER - a prison hospital may not seem like the most obvious theme for a bar, but this place is very popular. Drinks are served in test tubes and occasionally 'escaped convicts' will run out and scare you.

Christon Cafe - This Christian themed bar and restaurant basically looks like a kitsch church. Christianity in Japan is like Buddhism is here - trendy and a bit of a leftfield novelty, so I guess this is sort of like Tokyo's version of the Buddha Bar.

Office - Japanese people spend too much time working in the office, right? So what do they do to relax? Go to a bar themed around an office. It has photocopiers, desks, filing cabinets and a great view of the city.

Look out for the word 'Nomihoudai' - it means "all-you-can-drink", so you pay for a flat rate for two hours worth of booze instead of buying individual drinks.

Maid Cafes

One strange new trend that started in Akihbara is 'Maid Cafes', where waitresses dress as characters from anime or manage and greet you in character. One of the best known is @home .

There are all sorts of strange twist on this maid culture. There's a place called Nagomi which means "little sister" cafe, where the waitresses will greet you by saying "Welcome home big brother". They are then likely to behave erratically, sometimes bullying you the whole time you're there, then crying when you leave. You don't get that in Pret a Manger.

I've heard tell there's even an an "ear cleaning cafe", where you lay your head in the lap of a waitress and she de-waxes your ears. Each to their own...

An article on Maid Cafes

Odd Tokyo

The Maid Cafes are a good example of the strain of oddness that Tokyo is famous for. This is, after all, the city that came up with the 'boyfriend's arm pillow'. Some other rather eccentric tourist attractions include:

The Metrea Meat Theme Park - never been to a meat theme park before? Shame on you. There's a meat museum (with a display case on the history of sausages) and 7 meat restaurants (one does pork ice cream). The company behind it have seem to have a niche in food -based theme parks - they also came up with Gyoza Stadium, Dessert Forest and Ice Cream City.

Ninja Akasaka - a maze-like 'ninja themed' restaurant. You will be served by Ninjas - so be prepared for waiters you never see coming.

An Earthquake Simulator - at the The Tokyo Northern Disaster Research Center, shows you what an earthquake would be like, including shaking walls and collapsing furniture.

Festivals

The biggest and best known music festival in Japan is Fuji Rock, it started life at Mount Fuji but is now held at Mount Naeba Ski Resort, which is about 3 hours drive from Tokyo. It's the last weekend of July and you could easily combine going to the festival with spending some time in the capital.

There's also the Summer Sonic Festival which, like Reading/Leeds is spread across two cities - in this case Osaka and Tokyo. Headliners this year are Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Strokes. Dates are 13th and 14th August.

If you find yourself getting interested in Japanese rock, check out the Rising Sun Rock Festival (12th and 13th August). It's nowhere near Tokyo unfortunately but it's a festival devoted exclusively to homegrown bands.

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MPFREE: WEDNESDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2010

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Tom Teamlaverne|11:45 UK time, Wednesday, 9 February 2011

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It's winter, I bet you're thinking about the beach.

Even if you're not, you will be after this record. It comes from Golden Grrrls which is one of the best names I've ever heard. They are a 3 piece from Glasgow, and this track is a cracker.

Golden Grrrls - Beaches

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MPFREE: TUESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY

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Tom Teamlaverne|11:45 UK time, Tuesday, 8 February 2011

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This is how we do it......

When producer Gary said "have a listen to today's MPfree, it's a bit Jeff Lynne-y" I was excited. I listened. I remained excited. Pray silence please, for Therapies Son.

Therapies Son - Touching Down

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MPFREE: MONDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:45 UK time, Monday, 7 February 2011

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It's Monday y'all.

According to something I saw on the telly this morning, today is the biggest day of the year for people throwing a sickie. Whether you're at home enjoying a sneaky day off, or at work having to do someone else's job for them, take a little time to enjoy this track from Win Win. It features Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, and it comes from their debut album which is due out next week.

Win Win - Interleave

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MPFREE EP: FEBRUARY 4TH 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:55 UK time, Friday, 4 February 2011

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What's poppin'?

Great week for MPfrees, is there any other kind of week? We started with a band that have been all over the blogs of late, Braids. We then moved on to a new one from Fleet Foxes, the return of Lamb, and a majestic slice of slowcore from Low. Today's MPFree comes from Dum Dum Girls.

This week's MPFree EP cover comes via Mixelrooy on Twitter. We asked for something red and white in homage to The White Stripes calling it a day. We received pictures of a mug, a car, a bra, a tape dispenser and some other treats. This hipstamatic effort was our favourite, though.

Here are your tracks:

Braids - Plath Heart

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Lamb - Strong The Root

Low - Try To Sleep

Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High

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MEMORYTAPES: ROLLIN' WITH RAP 'N' ROCK

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:00 UK time, Friday, 4 February 2011

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This week's Memory Tape comes from Steve in Coventry....

We received an email from Steve to tell us about the above CD that he keeps in his car. According to Steve "it's a rollin' with rap n' rock mix. It takes a listener from the streets of Compton to the lanes of Lichfield via many other audio junctions. If you love to roll to rap and you love to truck to rock, you'll love rollin' with rap n' rock."

The Tracklisting is:

1. It was good day - Ice Cube

2. Ramble On - Led Zep

3. Picture Me Rolling - 2pac

4. American Woman -Creedence Clearwater Revival

5. Regulate - Warren G

6. Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf

7. That's where I Wanna' be - Shade Sheist

8. Breadline - Megadeath

9. Express Yourself - NWA

10. Rainmaker - Iron Maiden

11. Rat tat tat tat - Snoop Dogg

12. Stevie Nix - The Hold Steady

13. In Town - Dr Dre

14. Prayer of the Refugee - Rise Against

15. Fly - The 213

16. 1251 - The Strokes

17. I Got a Story to Tell - Biggie Smalls

18. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol

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MPFREE: FEBRUARY 3RD 2011

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:45 UK time, Thursday, 3 February 2011

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S'up?

Is it quietcore? Is it slowcore? Has anyone ever come up with Shhhhhcore? We don't really care. All we know is that we really really love Low. 'Try To Sleep' is the lead track from their new record 'C'Mon'. The album is due in April on Sub Pop, so between now and then let's all enjoy this track together.

Low - Try To Sleep

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DANNY ROBINS' EVENTS GUIDE: 3RD FEBRUARY

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:27 UK time, Thursday, 3 February 2011

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Woody Sez

There's been a vogue in theatre for years now to do musicals based around the songs of a well-known singer or band, We Will Rock You and Mamma Mia being the two most bombastic examples. One artist you may not have had pipped for a West End musical is Woody Guthrie, American folk singer of the first half of the twentieth century.

Guthrie was an icon of the folk movement. His songs came out of the Great Depression in the States, when he travelled the country with migrant workers, earning the name the 'Dust Bowl Troubadour'. He spoke out for the common people. His songs were political and outspoken - he performed with a guitar that has 'This Machine Kills Fascists' written on it - and he was an inspiration for many artists who came after him, including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg. Bob Dylan famously said, "Woody ain't a folk singer, he's a genius, genius, genius."

And now he's the subject of a West End musical? How did that happen? In reality, Woody Sez is a world away from the glitz and cheesiness of Mamma Mia or We Will Rock You. It's a simple, stripped down telling of Woody's story, through his songs (which definitely stand the test of time) by a small cast who play a range of instruments. With songs about hard times and evil bankers, it feels very right for now.

It's on at the Arts Theatre. It's been running for a couple of weeks now and has had great reviews. The show runs till April 2nd.

Chinese New Year

It's Chinese New Year today, 3rd Feb, but all the celebrations seem to be taking place on Sunday 6th Feb, when there'll be events kicking off in cities across the UK.

Birmingham has a dragon procession, Chinese dance, kung fu demonstrations and fireworks around the Arcadian Centre on Hurst Street. There's similar stuff in Liverpool's Chinatown area around Nelson Street. They've also got a Chinese street market. The biggest one is of course in London. It attracted a quarter of a million people last year and spreads out from Chinatown into Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square.

2010 was the year of the Tiger but 2011 is the year of the Rabbit. I wonder if that means we'll all start breeding loads?

Apparently, people born under the sign of the Rabbit are said to be quick, clever and ambitious, but seldom finish what they start. They are famous though for their artistic sense, good taste and stylish wardrobe!

Famous Rabbits include Walt Whitman, Marie Curie, Napoleon Bonaparte and Albert Einstein.

Jonny

If you haven't heard, Jonny is a two-man indie supergroup - a superduo if you will - composed of Euros Childs (former front-man with Gorky's Zygotic Mynci) and Norman Blake, lead singer of Teenage Fanclub. Their self-titled album has just come out and they are doing a tour to promote it.

I've always had a soft-spot for Euros's work from Gorky's days - I've got great memories of a gig in Newcastle as a teenager at the start of my gig-going life. The coming together of his and Norman's talent seems a match made in Indie-heaven and it has produced a collection of lovely indie-pop songs.

I'm hoping they might play one song live that isn't on the album - Gloria, a meditation on 80s singer Gloria Estefan, with the immortal line, "Miami sound machine, live in Milton Keynes, the best band that I've ever seen."

03/02 Brighton Brighton Ballroom

04/02 Cambridge The Haymakers

05/02 Reading Play

07/02 Bristol Cooler

08/02 Cardiff Clwb Ifor

10/02 Nottingham Bodega

11/02 Liverpool Mojo

12/02 Sheffield The Harley

14/02 Manchester Deaf Institute

15/02 Birmingham Glee Club

16/02 York The Basement

18/02 Middlesborough Westgarth SC

19/02 Glasgow Platform

20/02 Newcastle Cluny

21/02 Sunderland Independent Room 2

See the Jonny single 'Candyfloss'

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DANNY ROBINS' INDIE TRAVEL GUIDE: MONTREAL

Post categories: travel guide

Tom Teamlaverne|10:10 UK time, Thursday, 3 February 2011

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So this week we're talking Montreal, city of Arcade Fire, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Silver Mt Zion, the Wainwright siblings, Leonard Cohen and Celine Dion, but ironically not the band Of Montreal, who come from Athens, Georgia.

Canada's second biggest city (after Toronto) is also the second biggest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris. It's the main city of Quebec, the French speaking part of Canada that intermittently threatens to go independent and well over half of the population speak French as their first language. All of which gives the city that mixture of European and North American influences that makes Canada unique. This is clear in the juxtaposition of the striking sky-scrapers with the old town, known as Old Montreal, which is very picturesque. The city is on an island too, so you're always close to water.

It definitely ticks the boxes of an indie city, with a strong music scene, good festivals, great gig venues and bars and an arty, cultural feel. I think it attracts so many indie types because it's an easy city - easy to live in, easy to like and easy to get around -you can drive across the city in 20mins, and it's also very pedestrian and cycle friendly.

There's a vibrant film scene here too. Jesus of Montreal is one of the most famous independent movies shot here. The most recent film to feature the city is Barney's Version starring Paul Giamatti, hotly tipped for an Oscar, it's based on the book by local author Mordecai Richler.

Montreal is also a very gay-friendly city with a big gay scene. It even has a gay bike shop - the brilliantly named Bikurious, which has a lesbian hairdressers attached.

Where's it at?

The mountain that Montreal is named after, Mont Royal (Mont Real in old French) is the centre-piece of the island, with the city lying around it. The area immediately North and East of the mountain has been hipsterville for a while - the Plateau neighbourhood, where I believe Leonard Cohen still keeps an apartment, and, even more so, the area called Mile End - which is where Mordecai Richler was from and where Arcade Fire are based.

Mile End is very definitely the heart of the city's independent music scene and this is where you'll find loads of great vintage clothes shops, record shops and places to eat, especially around Boulevard St Laurent (also known as Main).

In Mile End, check out the famous Fairmount Bagels, baked in a wood-fired oven, and the brew pub Dieu du Ciel, who do a beer named after the area, an 'English style ale, called Mild End.

Gig venue wise, have a look at Casa Del Popolo https://www.casadelpopolo.com/ good beers, vegetarian food and indie acts on Boulevard St Laurent. Its sister venue, La Sala Rossa over the road, also does great food and hosts gigs - some people even claim it has the better sound. They alos run their own festival of experimental and avant-garde music, Suoni per Il Popolo, which is from 6th-23rd June this year.

As with any city though, areas slip in and out of fashion. The new kid on the block is an area called Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, or 'HoMa' for short. Like Dalston in East London, it's a poor area that's been invaded by students, artists and trendies because it's cheap and is apparently the 'new frontier' of cool. It's home to Sata Sushi, one of the city's best sushi joints.

The best way to explore is to hire a bike. Bixi Bikes are hire bikes like the ones Boris Johnson recently launched in London.

A city of lots of festivals

Montrealers love their festivals, perhaps because it's so cold in the winter, that by the summer time they are desperate to get out and party.

Montreal's best known festival is Just For Laughs, which happens to be the world's biggest comedy festival. It happens in July every year and features comedians from all over the world. You may well have seen performances from it on TV as a lot of it is filmed.

The city also hosts the biggest jazz festival in the world, if that's your thing.

Indie-wise, we have to talk about POP Montréal International Music Festival, this is kind of like a Montreal-based version of South By South West, in that it's a mixture of music industry events and public concerts spanning five days. Over 400 acts play in over 50 different venues across the city and you can buy a pass to go between them. There are well known headliners each year along with loads of up and coming bands who could be next year's big thing.

There are also spin off events covering other art-forms, including Film Pop - an underground film festival and Puces Pop - an indie arts and crafts flea-market type affair.

The 2011 dates are 21st - 25th September.

Another festival is Osheaga, an outdoor Coachella-style festival of indie and alternative music that takes place in Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène, a small island off the main island of Montreal. Last year they had Arcade Fire, Weezer and Sonic Youth headlining.

It's on from July 27th to 31st this year. The people behind it also run indie gigs in Montreal throughout the year.

And we've just missed it, but in January every year there's Igloofest, where people where retro ski-suits and dance around outside in temperatures that can be as low as minus 10 degrees.

This short film about local DJ/producer Lunice gives you a flavour of what igloofest was like. There are lots of people dancing in VERY warm clothes!

You could also have a look at Mutek, an electronic music festival.

The rest of the year, the main indie promoters in town are Blue Skies Turn Black . Check out their website for details of upcoming gigs. Pop Montreal also run things throughout the rest of the year, so always worth checking their site.

Some classically Montreal things to do:

Go surfing nowhere near the sea. The St Lawrence River has what is a known as a 'standing wave' - basically a wave that's always in the same place. It's known as Habitat 67 because it's next to an iconic building with that name - an eye catching housing development that looks reminiscent of Lego blocks.

You can get surf lessons or hire boards from these guys, I believe. Just make sure you don't try and do it the 4 or 5 months of the year when the river is frozen solid!

Eat poutine Poutine is Canada's national fast food. It's chips and bits of cheese curd with gravy on top. You can get it in loads of fast food places - even McDonalds do it in Canada.

One story has it that the name came from a bloke called Fernand Lachance who is meant to have exclaimed "ça va faire une maudite poutine "("it will make a damn mess").

Visit churches Montreal is known as "la ville aux cent clochers", the city of a hundred belltowers. The author Mark Twain, when he visited, said, "This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn't throw a brick without breaking a church window." Not sure if that means he was in the habit of chucking bricks when he visited places.

Some of the churches are used as gig venues too - places like the Eglise St Jean Baptiste and Santa Cruz church, which looks a bit like a giant club sandwich and hosted local band made good The Dears last autumn.

Final thought... road trips...

How about this for a road trip? It's about 6 to 7 hours drive from New York to Montreal. You could go through Vermont or stop off at somewhere like Lake Placid on the way.

Alternatively (or even additionally if you've got time), it's about 6 hours drive from Montreal to Canada's other indie city, Toronto. You drive along the shore of Lake Ontario. From Toronto, it's just another hour and a half or so to Niagara Falls.

Other local bands to listen to whilst you're there.... The Dears, Stars, Plants and Animals, Socalled, Patrick Watson, Karkwa, a French band who recently won Canada's Polaris Prize (like their Mercury), Braids, Chromeo and DJs called Poirier and A-trak.

Thanks for help and tips from Brendan Murphy, a local blogger , writer and good source of Montreal news. He's editor of Montreal Buzz.

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MPFREE: FEBRUARY 2ND 2011

Post categories: mpfree

Tom Teamlaverne|10:50 UK time, Wednesday, 2 February 2011

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Say what?

My we've missed this lot. We've probably all danced to them in a sweaty tent at a Festival somewhere, sometime. Perhaps we even met. Anyways this is their first new material in 8 years and it doesn't disappoint. I'm talking about those ethereal breakbeat heroes, Lamb....

Lamb - Strong The Root

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MPFREE: TUESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY

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Tom Teamlaverne|10:45 UK time, Tuesday, 1 February 2011

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Morning

Pinch punch, first of the month and all that. I've never actually understood what that means or why we say it. Any ideas. Anyways enough about that, let's just think about the glorious new track from Fleet Foxes. We've fallen in love with it.

Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues