GIG SCENE: Berkeley a hit in Ripon

LOCAL LIVE REVIEW David Berkeley, the David Stead Gallery, Ripon. HALFWAY through his UK tour and David Berkeley is performing for two nights in a far from usual venue thanks to local promoters DMB.. Up close and personal is the order of the night as people squeeze into the David Stead Gallery to be entertained by a string of the finest singer songwriters.

Opening the night Adam Westerman, of The Birdman Rallies, sets the tone with a collection of his own songs, delivered with style and passion.

Gary Stewart, based in Leeds but hailing from Scotland, then delivers a collection of his finest tracks and premired new material in his sultry Scottish accent.

After a well-deserved encore, he makes way for the evening's American headliner David Berkeley.

Performing an acoustic set, without his usual band, Berkeley has the audience in his hands from the opening notes. Supported by Jordan Katz on trumpet and banjo, they perform a selection of tracks all four of his UK-released albums including the amazing Jefferson and Fire sign.

The wow factor of the night is, without doubt, the superb track Boxes from the After the Wrecking Ships album.

The performance of live music in a venue such David Stead's art gallery adds a quality to the experience. The atmosphere was superb and being up close to the artists made the whole night a very personal affair.

Stuart Rhodes

www.stuartrhodes.vpweb.co.uk

"Modernmusicreview.com presents Super Pop" takes place upstairs at Milo in Leeds on Wednesday, July 1 and will showcase the warped and colourful musical genius that is Pagan Wanderer Lu.

Armed with all manners of strange instrumentation, as befits a classic British singer-songwriter who straddles electronica, indie and pop, Pagan Wanderer Lu has been described thus by BBC Radio One's Huw Stephens: "In the world of big bland bands and groups trying so hard to sound like each other, artists like Pagan Wanderer Lu are a breath of fresh air."

An iconoclastic pop act who ventures far beyond the traditional nice melody and plinky-plinky guitar, Pagan Wanderer Lu is proof that melody and experimentation can go hand in hand, that right now Pop is Avant Garde.

modernmusicreview.com is absolutely thrilled that he's making the long trek from his Cardiff base purely for our show, having finished his UK tour in May. Wednesday night's show will come complete with live visuals courtesy of video DJ Quadrod.

modernmusicreview.com's mix of tracks will celebrate the flamboyant magpies, the melodic mavericks of modern music.

Tracks selected will range from TV On The Radio to The Associates, Animal Collective to the Beach Boys, MGMT to Scritti Politti, The Guillemots to Kate Bush, Patrick Wolf to Prefab Sprout, Wild Beasts to XTC, Empire of the Sun to Rufus Wainwright and more.

Doors open at Milo on Wednesday, July 1 at 8pm. Entry is 3.

Pagan Wanderer Lu's album Fight My Battles For Me album is out now on Brainlove Records.

Visit www.myspace.com/paganwandererlu

IN an increasingly digital musical world, it's nice to know that somebody is championing the cause for physical records and real record stores.

Singer-songwriter David Saw, who's fans include a certain Mr Ray Davies, will be doing just this when he plays his record outside Crash in Leeds on Tuesday 30th June at 1pm.

And it's an appropriate song. Buy My Record is not only a catchy, upbeat tune - it now translates as an unintentionally ironic foresight into the decline of the record store.

Saw's appearance is part of an unusual national tour, taking music back to its tangible roots by busking his way around the country's record stores from Leeds to London.

Buy My Record was written before the shift from handpicking a disc to downloading a file truly began, and the record even takes the form of a miniature vinyl, complete with grooves.

The single is from his new album,Broken Down Figure, which has just been released on Iris Records.

www.myspace.com/davidsaw

www.davidsawmusic.com

THE host of the XFM Rock Show on Saturday nights is a guest DJ at long-running Harrogate rock night Bottom of the Bottle on Sunday, July 5.

Helmed as always by DJ Trev, it's the first of four special nights coming up over the summer at the Viper Rooms when Bottom of the Bottle takes on Lost (Moko's indie night).

The opening one features not only XFM Rock Show's Katie P but also Lost resident Jacko plus a live set from excellent Harrogate rock duo Kassius.

Incidentally, Kasiuss who have grown from a duo to a four-piece, now consisting of Biz (lead vocals, guitar & sequencing), Joe (drums, backing vocals), Adam (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Jason (keyboards/synths, backing vocals) play The Cockpit in Leeds on Saturday, July 11.

HARROGATE and Ripon may not have much in the way of a "music industry" but there's a phenomenal number of talented indie and rock bands around, many of them teenagers

Tonight at Katana in Harrogate on Union Street, three young indie bands are playing live under the Bleep Test 10 banner to highlight Harrogate Ladies College's support for Operation Wallacea in Honduras.

Featured bands from 7.30-11pm are Basefook and The Weeknights from Ripon Grammar School plus The Adventures of Mr Spoon from Ashville College. Tickets cost 7 in advance from 07810 511469 or 10 on the door.

KNARESBOROUGH promoters Kula productions keep on coming up with the goods.

Their next presentation at Frazer Theatre next Friday, July 3 features five times winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards John Tams plus folk legend Barry Coope.

John Tams, who was described by Mojo magazine as "one of the ultimate British songwriters", has had a career spanning four decades in every medium.

Coope is part of trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson who, since their first appearance in 1993, have impressed with their powerful and distinctive acappella singing and song writing .

Taking English roots into radical new directions, the trio's first record, Funny Old World, was Q magazine's Roots Album of the Year.

For tickets, visit Pear Records on the high street or www.wegottickets.com/ft/FrazerDoubleTicket

THERE'S exciting news for clubbers (is that term still used?) in Harrogate involving an extensive refurb and some great new music nights at Moko, which explains why it's closing for five days next week. More news shortly.

FANS of Harrogate's best alt-pop group (possibly its best group full stop), The Birdman Rallies can now buy both the band's recent brilliant album and the EP You and I from the town's newest music instrument shop MUZO on Beulah Street above Le Deli.

www.da-gate.com

AS well as The Horrors being added to the bill at this year's Leeds Festival at Bramham Park, now it's been announced that Faith No More will beef up the rock bill on Sunday, August 30.

The addition of the US rock legends to the main stage line-up will certainly please the non-indie fans out there.

The band, who first came to prominence with 1987's Introduce Yourself album, are led by Mike Patton on vocals and are probably best known for worldwide hit single Epic.

Meanwhile, The Horrors, currently promoting their stunning second album, Primary Colours, (a big change of musical change of direction on this one) will appear on the NME/Radio One stage on Sunday.

Joining them that day are current electro pop disco favourites Little Boots who you might have seen on Jools Holland's Later show recently.

Just a reminder, the festival, which runs from Fri, Aug 28 to Sun, Aug 30, is now sold out but organisers recommend trying www.viagogo.co.uk

ONE of Harrogate's most exciting new young rock bands who've built up good word of mouth in double-quick time, have expanded from a duo to a four-piece., Kasiuss now consist of Biz (lead vocals, guitar & sequencing), Joe (drums, backing vocals), Adam (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Jason (keyboards/synths, backing vocals).

You can catch them live next at the Viper Rooms in Harrogate on Sunday, July 5 and The Cockpit in Leeds on Saturday, July 11.

TALENTED modern pop songwriter Graham Parry (ex-Trigger) has his new album Reason & Hope is released on iTunes on July 7.

Parry will be doing a gig at Lure Bar with Ade Payne that night to launch the album.

He's also doing a showcase gig in London in October.

TOP local promoters RipleyBlues are looking ahead to their next live date at Ripley Town Hall.

Playing on Saturday, July 11 will be The Mods who have been described as "the greatest 60's tribute band in the world."

For tickets, visit www.ripleyblues.com

OUR online version of Gig Scene has launched its latest live video of a local band especially shot by Harrogate Advertiser photographer Graham Schofield and recorded by BASH engineer Jason Ogle, writes Gig Scene Editor Graham Chalmers.

The latest Gig Scene Session at BASH Studios in Harrogate stars classy young pop band Kid October.

Singing one of their own, well-written songs, Do It Again (Everyday Girl), this teenage four-piece are influenced by Take That, Snow Patrol and Maroon 5.

With a professional maturity beyond their years, Kid October were runners-up at the AMP Awards at Harrogate International Centre earlier this year.

Bash Studios: contact: 0845 9000 686 – www.bashstudios.co.uk

BASH studios Harlow Moor Road, Harrogate HG2 0BA.

Link: http://www.bashstudios.co.uk/videos1.htm

LATE night music fans haven't been best served in Harrogate on a regular basis especially those who enjoy revelling into the wee small hours without being bombarded by happy house or urban r'n'b.

But No 19 Bar & Grill on Parliament Street is certainly trying to buck the trend and more than once a week, too.

As well as their Thursday night link-up with BASH Studios to present great original local acts, both Fridays and Sunday sees music until 2am.

Fridays has a weekly acoustic session from midnight until 2am.

Sundays sees a Jam Session hosted by Adam Westerman of The Birdman Rallies from 9pm to 2am

This Thursday's BASH night stars excellent rock duo Kassius plus Talon.

Saturday nights also tend to have a live band from 9.30pm.

If you'd like to play the BASH Night, call 0845 9000 686 or email bashnight@bashstudios.co.uk

THE Malt Shovel in Boroughbridge has increased its live music content with gigs sometimes happening three times a week, namely Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (open mic session). There's also a weekly Wednesday night jam session.

From June 26 to June 28, The Malt Shovel's line-up looks like this: Fri - resident rock/blues band Lemmorenko Exp. Sat - disco night. Sun - Harrogate-based singer-songwriter Sam Smith.

NEW band, The Banned are taking their act into the public eye.

After several successful gigs including the FNC Charity Groove and at the rejigged Milepost, this five-piece are now taking their wide mix of classic covers to The Harlow in Harrogate on Friday, June 26.

The band's enthusiastic approach encompasses rock, blues, funk, country and jazz!

The Banned are also playing a monthly residency at The Milepost on the first Thursday of each month.

THE Alexandra in Harrogate has live music from mighty rock covers kings MFOR, led by vocalist Paul Kettley, on Thursday, July 2 .

KNARESBOROUGH'S award-winning Country and Western club, The Last Chance Saloon presents live music from Dave Harper on Friday, June 26 in the Park Place Social Club. Also taking place at the same venue this Saturday is the weekly residency by Ian Shaw.

THE Worlds End pub in Knaresborough has live music from The Growlers on Friday, June 26.

AMBITIOUS original local indie-pop outfit Aspirations of Dale, fresh from supporting Youcef Preston at the Blues Bar, play the Speakeasy in York on Friday, June 26.

More info/tunes from.myspace.com/aspirationsofdale

TWO Well Worn, featuring Morvyn Andrews, Barry Sellers, play at The One-Eyed Rat in Ripon on Sunday, June 28 early doors at 5pm.

SOME of North Yorkshire's best young rock bands are gearing up for their appearance at this year's CultureShock event in early July.

Eight local acts have been selected to support up and coming national bands Little Comets, DJ duo Stanton Warriors and Infadels at the three-day youth arts festival on the Pickering Showground.

Among the youngsters appearing on the main day, Saturday, July 4, will be Knaresborough's five-piece rock band The Decades, Bedale-based Rise From The Ashes (another five-piece rock band), Tadcaster-based DJs Mosser and A.C. plus plus Eskimo Sandwhich, the Northallerton-based four-piece outfit inspired by Radiohead, Muse and The Music.

Organised by North Yorkshire County Council's youth arts wing, tickets cost 5in advance (6 on the door) from.cultureshockfestival.co.uk

TWO ex-Harrogate musicians whose band's fans include Peaches Geldof, The Horrors and The Charlatans are on tour promoting their new single.

Singer John Sutcliffe and guitarist Andy Needle of The Ruling Class their latest 'double A-side' 7-in single on Loog Records which features new songs Sleeping Beauty/Marian Shine

Compared to early Stone Roses and Ride, this highly-international five-piece band, who also include two Swedes and an Italian, have made a name for themselves with regular appearances over the past year at Club Fandango at the Dublin Castle in Camden.

For more info and to buy the new single, visit:

www.myspace.com/therulingclassuk

www.myspace.com/fiercepandamanagement

WETHERBY pub the George & Dragon is looking for live acts to kick-start its new life with music.

Landlord Mat Ryan is particularly looking for duos. If you're interested, email matjohnryan@yahoo.co.uk

JAZZ SPOT

HARROGATE sax player Ian Peak and businessman Paul Welch must be feeling pretty proud at the moment.

Soundbyte, the alternative Big Band with an emphasis on improvisation which they set up for youngsters three years ago, has been invited to Birmingham to play at the National Festival of Music for Youth.

Made up of 26 12-17-year-olds, and blessed with the aranging skills of Frenchman Phillipe Marillia, Soundbyte perform at Birmingham Conservatoire's Adrian Boult Hall on Saturday, July 11.

Soundbyte will also be performing at The Royal Hall in Harrogate with Soul Federation on September 19.

Incidentally, one of the youngsters has become the first recipient of an endorsement programme for student musicians launched by Harrogate's newest music shop.

In conjunction with Ashton drums, Vintage and Indie guitars, MUZO is backing Jacob Fireman who is currently at St Aidan' s High School in year eight.

He has reached Grade Six in less than two years of study he performs with Soundbyte and has been chosen to play for the St Aidan's swing band.

The endorsement has provided Jacob, who also plays for St Aidan's swing band, with a new 'Fusion' drum kit and a year supply of sticks at cost.

MUZO are looking for other music students who show great promise and need new instruments to take part in the endorsement programme.

Music departments are also invited to participate in the programme.

Applications will be accepted from teachers either in-store or by calling 07916347864.

THE JB Big Band plays at the bandstand in the Valley Gardens in Harrogate on Sunday, June 28.

The 16-piece outfit, featuring local vocalist Barbara Coultas who specialises in Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald classics,will be playing a wide repertoire from 3pm-5pm so also expect the likes of Glenn Miller, Count Basie and some modern numbers.

AFTER years of offering live jazz every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, the Harrogate Brasserie is branching out on Tuesday nights, too.

A weekly residency has started on Tuesdays starring Huddersfield entertainer David Bailey (keyboards/vocals) from 6pm-10pm.

On Friday, June 26 there's easy listening sounds from the Bob mason Trio while Sunday sees Les Sans Noms.

Don't forget resident act Simon Parkinson plays every Wednesday and Thursday at the Brasserie.

HARROGATE Jazz Club has live music fromSandi Russell with the Watermelon Men at the West Park Hotel on Tuesday, June 30, Harrogate Jazz Club presents Sandi Russell with the Watermelon Men.

THE weekly Jazz in the Spa session at the Trustees Hall in Boston Spa on Saturday, June 27 will feature Cafe Society.

Entry costs 7, doors 7.30pm. www.jazzinthespa.co.uk

LEEDS Jazz Club presents live music from Frank Brooker's Happy Chappies at Armley Conservative Club on Tuesday, June 30.

LOCAL singer-songwriter Ginger Elvis explores the lighter side of divorce (!) on stage at the Half Moon in Knaresborough tomorrow, Saturday with a collection of self-penned tunes (blues, rockabilly and Americana with a northern twang) from 8.30pm.

LIVE REVIEWS

LIVE REVIEW

The Birdman Rallies, No 19, Harrogate.

THERE is quite a buzz around the local and national music scene about four guys playing in Harrogate who go by the name of The Birdman Rallies.

Having recently had airplay on BBC Radio One, Two and Six, they brought back their quirky and individual sound to No 19 on Parliament street for a Friday night and played to an appreciative packed crowd.

Clearly there were many established fans dancing and singing to their upbeat songs including tracks such as Creative Dance, Lost in the Hubbub and closing with the superb You and I, true crowd pleaser and a mammoth track must surely one day be a hit single for them.

The range of instruments played spreads from classic guitars and drums to glockenspiel and trumpet all linked to brilliant harmonies and solid drum beats.

This is not just another band on the circuit, The Birdman Rallies have a sound of their own and material to back it up.

Stuart Rhodes

stuartrhodes.vpweb.co.uk

Ade Payne's Acoustic night with James Tait, Lure Bar, Harrogate.

THE Lure bar is not the usual live music venue in Harrogate.

The mirrored ceiling, large windows and deep soft seating create however does create an excellent atmosphere for relaxing and listening to some of the best acoustic sets you will experience in the region.

Hosted by Ade Payne who kicks of the acoustic music night every Tuesday, at 8.30pm till 11pm, every week there are a selection of up to four established local musicians and brand new emerging singer songwriters nervously presenting their material to the public for possibly the first time.

Top of the bill this week was a young teenage talent James Tait. This guy silenced the bar audience, who usually chatter through every set.

His voice is deep and mature and distinctive. Competent on the guitar James played some old and new songs of his own, which made you question where did such a young person learn to write such emotional lyrics and present them in such a professional way.

There is little doubt that James Tait is a name to watch for the future, yet another superb singer songwriter right here in Harrogate who is surely destined for great things in the future.

Stuart Rhodes

www.stuartrhodes.vpweb.co.uk

CD REVIEWS

Lobo: Peyote Brew (CD)

THE rumbling, the pounding, the crackling energy, the catchy guitar lines - is it The Wildhearts or an indie band in love with the take us or leave swagger of the Sex Pistols?

As it turns out, track one, the up-tempo title track of this exciting, rumbustious four-piece Harrogate band's debut EP is a minor red herring.

As soon as the majestic, dark, semi-psychedelic guitar line rings forth from track two, Tears of Blood, words like Screaming Trees and Pearl Jam pop up, especially in the context of lead singer Alex's deep, gruff, grumbling Eddie Vedder-like vocals.

Fortunately, Lobo, who sprung a year ago from the embers of previous band Reprobate, aren't really trying to take us back to the troubled gloomy days of grunge on these three tracks recorded by Ben McLusky in Harrogate's Straytown Studios.

Alex, Jake (lead guitar), Keith (bass) and John (drums) don't wait outside anyone's door feeling sorry for themselves, they barge right in, their heads in the clouds (or woods or mountains) but feet firmly on the ground.

The final track, and my favourite, the magnificent Pinewoods, shows Lobo to be a band not only in love with the ugly, sludge-heavy glory of rock but also capable or making it truly their's, a group with reasonable songs but a great sound.

Graham Chalmers

www.straytown.com

Lobo are in live action tonight Friday, June 5 at No 19 Bar & Grill in Harrogate from 9 pm.

More info from.myspace.com/loboluther

Drowned in Flames:

Save Yourself (EP)

HARROGATE four-piece metal band Drowned in Flames make the sort of sound that makes you want to floor a house with your bare hands - or invade a small country.

I once described their drummer David Colston as the most exciting I'd ever seen in Harrogate, arms flailing, bass drum pounding, conjuring up a rattling, rollicking storm at one of DJ Trev's Bottom of the Bottle nights.

That was in the days of their first demo back in 2006 when the band could be awful or brilliant, sometimes in the space of a song.

Time and experience has taken away a lot of that unpredictability - and some of the excitement of that unpredictability.

What has replaced it on this new EP is something slicker and more focussed - the finished article.

The thunderous, drill hard aggression and growling vocals remain, as does the mix of grunge-pop chord structure married to thrash metal energy and rock lead guitar.

It's just done better and tighter with their biggest previous weakness, the singing, now replaced by impressive call and response vocals by dual frontmen Niall Macdougall and Craig Gordon.

All the band lack now is one quirky spark of originality, that killer tune, though there isn't a bad track here, not opener Save Yourself, closer I Am The Destroyer nor, my favourite, Another Day In Hell.

When the track breaks down after two minutes 43 seconds into a showy, stop-start section, then at 3.34 min breaks out into a fast-paced, fuzzy, melodic guitar solo straight from early Smashing Pumpkins (or Queen), all that granite hardness softened by a hint of lushness, Drowned in Flames make you believe a marriage of the hardcore and the mainstream lies just the other side of the mountain.

Graham Chalmers

PS I haven't mentioned bassist Arran Johnson anywhere. Sorry, Arran.

www.myspace.com/drownedinflamesrock

THE BIRDMAN RALLIES: 6 track EP

THIS is a big claim, and there's no slight intended to the many excellent bands playing locally now or in the past, but this EP is proof positive that The Birdman Rallies are the single best group the Harrogate 'scene' has produced since I first started writing Gig Scene a hard-to-believe16 years ago.

Summing up this inventive four-piece in a single line is virtually impossible and the best I can do - "lo-fi prog-pop" - isn't nearly good enough.

The first amazing thing is the range of musical styles and time signatures, the band zip through.

Faint suggestions of the following famous acts pop up, often within a single, stop-start track: Beck. Vampire Weekend. Flaming Lips. Elvis Costello (early albums). XTC. Grandaddy. Donovan. Badly Drawn Boy. Syd Barrett. Nick Drake.

The second amazing thing is the sheer catchiness of the hooks and the brilliant musicianship of mssrs Danny Webster (vocals/guitar/trumpet/everything) John Davey (bass/vocals), Adam Westerman (keyboards/percussion/everything) and Dave Armstrong (drums).

A glorious mix of pastoral and the urban, the whimsical and the pithy, the acoustic and the electronic, it's always possible to push this type of curios in the attic eclecticism too far.

Thanks to the sophistication of the arrangements and the band's energetic playfulness, the result is almost always a multi-faceted thing of wonder.

I could pick out highlights; you could argue the most instantly catchy songs are Lost In The Hubbub and You and I while my favourites are The Box Called Miscellaneous and Colour in a Corner of the Night, but, in truth, there are no low points on this brilliant EP.

Instead let's just celebrate the sublime greatness, the blinding genius that is The Birdman Rallies.

Graham Chalmers

www.myspace.com/thebirdmanrallies

Broadcast Society: 3 track EP

IMAGINE The Editors if they were exciting et voila, you've got Broadcast Society.

With two members from Harrogate, including ex-Soze frontman John Wellby on vocals and bass, this new Leeds-based band trade on the same, dark components as that successful group (if you can remember tracks from their bestselling first album such as as Munich or Blood.)

The rumbling bass, martial drums, icy, piercing guitar riffs and deep, doomy vocals.

But the Broadcast Society are different; more rock n roll, their roots lying as much in the human pop of The Killers and U2 as The Editors (and their Joy Division fixation).

What's best about Broadcast Society so far, asides from the catchy hooks, is the way they rampage through these songs as if they can't wait to wow you.

Liam Pickering's drums pound harder, Dave Horner's lead guitar surges in and out with exhilarating pace and everytime they reach a big, fat chorus Wellby's impressive vocals stretch up and out beyond icy coolness into the realms of real emotion.

Cracking lead track Behind Your Back is the one hip indie label Dance to the Radio have chosen for a new 12inch release, but the tracks which follow, Dance Alone and Piano Pig, aren't far behind in quality, though the band may have to broaden their template if they're going to produce an entire album.

In the meantime, move over The Editors, you're about to get run over.

Graham Chalmers

www.myspace.com/broadcastsociety

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