Plus1 Bath - April 2012

To advertise from £30, email Lara: [email protected]

Dear Readers,

We hope you’re enjoying the beginnings of spring and the fairer weather. We’d certainly had just about enough of all that winter malarkey. It’s been quite a month really with lots going on and a flurry of big names visiting town from the charming Benjamin Francis Leftwich to Mr. Nice himself, the legendary Howard Marks, and all kinds of other surprises in between. It doesn’t stop here either, there’s even more to get excited about over the coming months and we’ll endeavour to be there when it happens.

A huge thank you to all who have got in touch, the response has been quite overwhelming and the positive comments make it all worthwhile. We will be welcoming new members to the wriing team over the coming months and thank lots of new advertisers too!

Thanks for reading.

Team Plus1x

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EDITOR: BENJAMIN DOUGHTYDESIGNER: CRISTINA RIVEIROS

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WRITERS: BENJAMIN DOUGHTY, RONALD COSMONAUT, HAROLD ZEPPELIN, ARTHUR

BEANFIELD, LARA FORD

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COVER ART BY SARAH HOYLE: WWW.SARAHHOYLE.CO.UK

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A retinue of eager fans line the pavement leading up to the entrance of the illustrious Komedia theatre. It’s as if they’re waiting to greet the long-awaited return of a victorious sporting hero. A tangible sense of anticipation hangs in the wintry night air as the young attendees wait enthusiastically for security to thrust the doors open and let them pour inside. So, why are they all here enduring the February cold with such excitable devotion? It may come as something of a surprise that they’re all waiting to be quietly serenaded in an un-dramatic fashion by impossibly young new English troubadour Ben-

jamin Francis Leftwich. This isn’t an artist who does lavish extravagance; his brand of down-tempo melan-cholia has become ever-present on the mainstream airwaves of late, the subdued warmth of his songs luring in an ever-growing fanbase. Amongst his many plaudits are Zane Lowe and Fearne Cotton and he seems to be well on his way to advancing into that major-league inhabited by messrs Sheeran and Morrison.

Somewhat enviably he’s managed to stay within touching distance of

less mainstream contemporaries like James Vincent McMorrow and Fionn Regan whilst hurtling towards the Radio 1 stratosphere with no little haste. His debut album, ‘Last Smokes before the Snowstorm’ was a hushed experience to rival even ‘Pink Moon’ in the intimacy stakes; Leftwich occupies a world of camp-fire reflection - these are songs that don’t explode, they slowly take flight like glowing embers into the night.

Struggling to find a way through the veritable mob itching to get in, we eventually end up waiting at the bar to be ushered in the direction of to-

night’s star-turn. You get the impres-sion he’d be enveloped by a sea of adoration if he were to enter so we’re discreetly led through a side-of-stage door and into the relative calm of his dressing room, keen to meet the man himself.

We’re met with an unassuming character from Yorkshire, gentle of voice and polite in manner, who im-mediately offers us a bottle of San Miguel for taking the trouble. Having made what you could call consider-able achievements at the tender age

of 22, we’re compelled to ask if it’s daunting for him and how much life may have altered in a short space of time. “My life’s changed in that I’ve got way busier and I don’t see peo-ple as much but I do the same things when I get home”. It becomes ap-parent quite rapidly that music is his devotion - this is a man who doesn’t appear to be seduced by the more fabled excesses of pop notoriety. Yet conversely, a few metres away a packed out theatre awaits expect-antly for a glimpse of their newfound acoustic minstrel. Herein lies some-thing of a dichotomy; this is music of great introversion yet it translates so

effortlessly onto larger stages. How does he feel about playing to bigger audiences we wonder?

“I just really enjoy playing music, I’m really blessed that more people are coming to the shows and I’m doing more gigs like this. There’s no real formula to it for me, I just pick up my guitar and start playing and figure my own way around it. But I think like any person who’s creative it’s about getting inspiration from every-thing around you, be it the weather, relationships or getting ruined. It’s

“My life’s changed in that I’ve got way busier, but I still do the same things when I get home.”

BENJAMIN FRANCISI N T E R V I E WLIVE @ KOMEDIAWords: Benjamin-Doughty IV

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about having a new way of interpreting it. I think that’s what makes someone creative, wanting to make something personal to them”.

For a man so young his voice sounds experienced beyond his years. Invoking the spirit of Elliot Smith, he dons a beanie hat through-out tonight’s set and the first thing that strikes you is how at home he is on stage. Amongst the songs performed tonight, ‘Pictures’ is met with rapturous praise and ‘1904’ is almost hymnal in its innocent grace. Tonight could never be called a rock show but with a band in tow his songs are taken into much more spacious canyons, punctuated by the pitter-patter of brushed drums and a wash of slide guitar, there are echoes of Neil Young at times. “I still do the solo thing,” he says “but even though I consider the album I made to be mainly acoustic there are bits of percussion on it and other sounds and it’s nice to be able to replicate that live”.

Perhaps a Dylan style detour through the

world of amplification isn’t out of the question? “I’ve also written a few new songs with the band that I’m really proud of”. Part of tonight’s set is played completely un-plugged which is met with the kind of atten-tive silence you’d find at your local Methodist sermon. A cover of Arcade Fire’s ‘Rebellion’ is transformed into the gentlest of ballads which blossoms with a subdued majesty. Here they cease to be intimate con-fessions and suddenly grow new limbs, becoming suited to lighters aloft festival crowds.

The next day he’s due to play in front of his biggest audience yet at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire; “I’ve never played anywhere like that before so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s my first headline gig that size”.

Tonight is a fitting warm-up and suggests the rookie is ready step up even further, also making the trip across the Atlantic shortly: “I’m really looking forward to (the US tour), I don’t really know what to expect. It’s just going to be me and my mate go-ing round in a car. It should be really fun and I’m going to try and eat really healthily when I’m there as well”. Wishful thinking perhaps; it’s always the quiet ones as they say. Unassuming he may be but on tonight’s evidence, his skyward trajectory is only going to continue.

:: www.benjaminfrancisleftwich.com ::

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LEFTWICH

Of all the things we anticipated encountering this year, a Scottish answer to Nickelback definitely wasn’t one of them. Yet here we are watching the Hebridean heirs to Kroeger’s throne - Mercury signings Kassidy, whose hearty, white-line straddling country rock would in any sane world be held to account for crimes against music. Four hirsute young Glasweigens who look like extras from Braveheart march on-stage with a strident presence bordering on arrogance and proceed to serve up the kind of FM stetson rock your dad might switch off for straying a bit too close to the centre of the highway. The frontman duties are shared equally and you’re not sure which one to look at as they perform with admirable zeal, each one pruned and groomed to axe-wielding perfection. So we just stand in mild astonishment while we’re aurally bombarded by a summation of all that’s gone wrong in the commercial rock arena since 1985.

As musicians they can’t be flawed - perfectly pitched harmonies to rival

The Eagles are set against a panoramic grand canyon backdrop. It’s like pub rock has reached its logical conclusion and the result is an overtly masculine version of Stealer’s Wheel. Their ambition is big and remarkably bold yet it’s also criminally tasteless; the alarming thing is, people actually seem to quite like them. If this is what the major labels are picking up on then the music industry is in a worse state than we even imagined. For music’s sake, steer well clear of this lot.

...how were the support?THE PENNY REDSetting us up rather nicely for the headliners, The Penny Red wear their folk credentials on their sleeves yet inject their brittle ditties with added interest courtesy of the lead vocalist. Her striking voice falls somewhere between Kate Bush and Dolly Parton, full of individual quirks and trills. Standout song, ‘Firefly’ sounds akin to Fleetwood Mac and Be Good Tanyas - they encapsulate an olde folk mysticism until things stray a bit too close to Counting Crows on ‘Water on the Bridge’. A reassuringly simple little ensemble.

:: www.kassidymusic.com :::: www.thepennyred.com ::

We’re aurally bombarded by a summation of all that’s gone wrong in the commercial rock arena since 1985

KASSIDY LIVE @ MOLESWords: Harold Zeppelin

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To advertise from £30, email Lara: [email protected]

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Sunday 1stFASHION: Vintage Sunday: Fashion Fair and Secret Tea Party, 9.30am onwards, Green Park Station

COMEDY: Bath Comedy Festival, various venues, see www.bathcomedy.com

LIVE MUSIC: The Coal Porters (lunchtime show), 1pm, The Bell

THEATRE: The Prank - Made In The Moment, 8pm, St James’ Wine Vaults

Monday 2ndLIVE MUSIC: Snake Wine, 9pm, The Bell

CLUB NIGHT: Motown night, 10pm, The Porter


Tuesday 3rdLIVE MUSIC: Archie Smith + First Thought, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: Open Mic, 9pm, The Porter

LIVE MUSIC: Bath Spa Uni Jazz Combo with Ralf Dorrell, 8pm, Devonshire Arms

LIVE MUSIC: Bath Folk Club with Jez Hellard + The Alchemists’ Wardrobe, 8pm, Green Park Tavern


Wednesday 4thLIVE MUSIC: Scott Matthews, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate, 9pm, The Bell

KIDS ACTIVITY: Kids Cooking Club, 10.30am, Komedia


Thursday 5thKIDS ACTIVITY: Kids Cooking Club, 10.30am, Komedia

LIVE MUSIC: Dry The River + Largo Embargo, 9pm, The Porter

LIVE MUSIC: Bear Makes Ninja + So Am I + Death Horse, Green Park Tavern


Friday 6thLIVE MUSIC: 20th Century Foxes + The Faming Feathers, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: Revolver: The High Commissioners + The Chimercial + Archean Soundtrack + Black Elephant, C.O.I. + No Fun Club, 10pm, The Porter

APRIL LISTINGS

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LIVE MUSIC: Ewan McLennan + Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

CLUB NIGHT: Infected vs Transition Trance DJs, Green Park Tavern


Monday 9thLIVE MUSIC: BD Lens, 9pm, The Bell

CLUB NIGHT: Rock night, 10pm, The Porter


Tuesday 10thLIVE MUSIC: Open Mic, 9pm, The Porter

LIVE MUSIC: Bath Jam Sessions, 7.30pm, Widcombe Social Club

LIVE MUSIC: Bath Folk Session, 8pm, Green Park Tavern

Wednesday 11thKIDS ACTIVITY: Kids Cooking Club, 10.30am, Komedia

LIVE MUSIC: King Jelly, Saracen’s Head

LIVE MUSIC: Daughter, 8pm, Moles

COMEDY: Krater Comedy Club, 8.30pm, Komedia

LIVE MUSIC: Largo Embargo, The Green Park Tavern

LIVE MUSIC: The Bath Burp new issue launch, The Royal Oak


Saturday 7thLIVE MUSIC (TRIBUTE SHOW): Meet The Beatles, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre


LIVE MUSIC: The Deltics, The Royal Oak

LIVE MUSIC: The Worried Men, The King’s Arms

CLUB NIGHT: Motorcity, 11pm, Komedia

CLUB NIGHT: DJ Itchy Fingers, 10pm, The Porter


Sunday 8thLIVE MUSIC: Bulawayo (lunch-time show), 1pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: Bohemian Embassy + Bite The Buffalo + Grace, 7.30pm, Moles

APRIL LISTINGS

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CLUB NIGHT: Hatcham Social, 10pm, Moles

CLUB NIGHT: Sonic Shakedown, 10pm, The Porter

Saturday 14thLIVE MUSIC: B Side To The A Side DJs, The Royal Oak

LIVE MUSIC: The Ultimate Eagles - Taking It To The Limit Tour, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: Dogs and Demons, The King’s Arms

LIVE MUSIC: Glass City Vice, Green Park Tavern




Sunday 15th LIVE MUSIC: Moulettes (lunch-time show), 1pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: Allan Yn Y Fan, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

Monday 16thLIVE MUSIC: Sampson & Deliliah, 9pm, The Bell


Wednesday 11thLIVE MUSIC: Magnus Puto, 9pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: Candlelit Open Mic Night, 8pm, The Curfew

LIVE MUSIC: English Folk Session, 8pm, The Royal Oak

LIVE MUSIC: Madalyns Open Mic, 9pm, Madalyns

COMEDY: Mitch Benn, 7.30pm, The Rondo Theatre

Thursday 12thKIDS ACTIVITY: Kids Cooking Club, 10.30am, Komedia

LIVE MUSIC: Selective Hearing: Kowton + AnD + Guy Andrews, 10pm, Moles

LIVE MUSIC: Blackheart, 8pm, The Rondo Theatre

LIVE MUSIC: Blind Tiger Playgroup (open mic), 9pm, The Bell

CLUB NIGHT: DJ Loui St Loui, 10pm, The Porter

Friday 13thLIVE MUSIC: Janet Seidel - Doris & Me, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC (TRIBUTE SHOW): Mick Jogger & The Rolling Zones + Who’s Next, 7.30pm, Komedia

CLUB NIGHT: The Beat Carnival, 10pm, Baroque

APRIL LISTINGS

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TUE 15 MAY 8PM GIRLS WITH GUITARSAcoustic music featuring the talents of female singer songwriters from Bath Spa University. Featuring:Lucy Ray, Bethia Mitchell, Charlotte Burgess, Sarah Doe plus many more.£5 on the door

WED 23 MAY 6.30PM CREATIVE MUSIC TECHNOLOGY SHOWAn interactive exhibition of work by BSU’s final year Creative Music Technology students. Graduates from this course include internationally renowned DJs, producers and composers.£3 on the door

THU & FRI 25 MAY 8PMCOMMERCIAL MUSIC DEGREE PERFORMANCEHear the music industry talent of tomorrow; former BSU graduates include Kill It Kid and Avius.£3 on the door

Burdall’s Yard, 7a Anglo Terrace,Bath BA1 5NHwww.burdallsyard.org

Tuesday 17thLIVE MUSIC: David Ford + Fabiola Melegari, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: Charlene Soraia, 7.30pm, Komedia




Wednesday 18thLIVE MUSIC: Pete Doherty, Cheese & Grain (Frome)

LIVE MUSIC: Moonshot, 9pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: Irish Folk Session, 8pm, The Royal Oak



Thursday 19thLIVE MUSIC: Laish & The People’s String Foundation, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

CLUB NIGHT: Selective Hearing: Boddika, 10pm, Moles

CLUB NIGHT: Gold Soundz, 9pm, The Porter


LIVE MUSIC: Luke Turrell (viola) accompanied by Lynn Carter (piano), 5.30pm, ICIA

Friday 20thLIVE MUSIC: Oak Folk, Acorns, Children Of The Oak, The Royal Oak


CLUB NIGHT: Over Mono with special guest DJs, 10pm, The Porter

Saturday 21stLIVE MUSIC: Mystery Jets, 7.30pm, Moles

LIVE MUSIC: The Toy Hearts, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: The Refusal, The Royal Oak

LIVE MUSIC: Mama Kill + Natron, Green Park Tavern

LIVE MUSIC: 92Vine, 9pm, The King’s Arms




APRIL LISTINGS

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Sunday 22ndLIVE MUSIC: Wandering Ska (lunchtime show), 1pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: The Mallons, 5pm, The King’s Arms

Monday 23rdLIVE MUSIC: The Hut People, 9pm, The Bell

CLUB NIGHT: Rock night, 10pm, The Porter

Tuesday 24thLIVE MUSIC: The Open Mic Night, 7pm, Komedia




Wednesday 25thCOMEDY: Stewart Francis Outstanding In His Field, 8pm, Komedia

LIVE MUSIC: Context MC, 8pm, Moles

LIVE MUSIC: Bashion (Battle of the Bands), 9pm, The Porter

LIVE MUSIC: Prof. Nohair & The Wiglifters, 9pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: English Folk Session, 8pm, The Royal Oak



COMEDY: James Acaster: Amongst Other Things, 8pm, The Rondo Theatre

Thursday 26thLIVE MUSIC: Delaney Davidson, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: David Quigley, piano: Rachmaninov Retrospective, 7.30pm, Holburne Museum of Art

LIVE MUSIC: Appalachia, 8pm, The Rondo Theatre


Friday 27thLIVE MUSIC & CLUB NIGHT: Confession: The Shutes, 10pm, Moles

CABARET: Club Cairo presents: Tales From behind The Veil, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: Ulysses, The Royal Oak

CABARET: Ministry of Burlesque’s High Tease, 8.30pm, Komedia

APRIL LISTINGS

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LIVE MUSIC: Park Lane Big Band Dance Night, 7.30pm, Conygre Hall


CLUB NIGHT: Big Ila, 10pm, The Porter

Saturday 28thKIDS ACTIVITY: It’s Boogie Time, 2pm, Komedia

LIVE MUSIC: Bastille, 8pm, Moles

CLUB NIGHT: DJ Tom Maddicot, 10pm, The Porter

LIVE MUSIC: B Side To The A Side, The Royal Oak

LIVE MUSIC: The Manusa Project, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

LIVE MUSIC: The Tailgaters, 9pm, The King’s Arms

LIVE MUSIC: Jake & The Jellyfish, Green Park Tavern



Sunday 29th LIVE MUSIC: Chicken Shed Zeppelin (lunchtime show), 1pm, The Bell

LIVE MUSIC: Trembling Bells with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy + Muldoon’s Picnic, 7.30pm, Chapel Arts Centre

Monday 30thLIVE MUSIC: The Lund Quartet, 9pm, The Bell


Please check all details directly with the venue in case of changes.

Please email all listings to: [email protected]

Deadline for inclusion in the next calendar month’s issue is the 20th of each month. All events considered.

APRIL LISTINGS

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APRIL GIG PREVIEWMYSTERY JETS

LIVE @ MOLES21st April

One of the more quintessentially English bands to emerge from the UK indie scene in recent years, Eel Pie Island’s Mystery Jets make a rare visit to Bath on 21st April. Out on tour in support of upcoming album ‘Radlands’, the five-piece have taken a scenic route to pop prominence. The psychedelic charm of their debut, ‘Making Dens’, made way for a more sugary pop sound on the follow up, ‘Twenty One’. Signature single, ‘Two Doors Down’, charted at number 24 and saw them daringly refashioned as a pop band with extreme Eighties leanings. Referencing Hall & Oates, it came replete with a saxophone solo and somehow still managed to sound current and infectious.

Figureheads for the modern incarnation of ‘Thamesbeat’ along with Larrikin Love, Jamie T and Patrick Wolf, they are imbued with an English eccentricity that springs from the same musical fountain visited by Syd Barrett, David Bowie and Blur. More familiar with playing main stages at prodigious festivals than basement clubs, you’ll not get to see them this close up very often.

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VENUE FOCUS: THE PORTERHistory: The Porter was bought by its current owner 16 years ago and shared ownership with Moles for a time. It’s been at the very centre of Bath’s music and social scene since then, with live music, poetry and comedy nights all featuring each month.

Famous around town for its quality vegetarian fayre, it’s the ideal place to grab a tasty bite and then catch some live music in the underground cellar bar.

Over the years, they’ve seen the likes of Neil Finn (he of Crowded House fame), The Whiskeycats, Flipron and Jonquil amongst many other local heroes grace the hallowed basement.

Harry the manager says: “The atmosphere at The Porter is pretty wild. Mine’s a pint of Steam Porter and a bean burger and fries!”

WHO ARE YOU...

BOHEMIAN EMBASSY?Whilst gliding through the thoroughfares of Bath’s musical underworld you may stumble across four bohemian gentlemen who form part of a mini collective - an embassy if you will - who would stand out like a proverbial sore thumb up at the Royal Crescent. A band that has been growing for some time, they’ve established themselves as one of the West country’s finest purveyors of unpredictable alternative pop - spreading their illustrious and extravagant wings, taking to the capital and beyond. A dizzyingly diverse outfit - they’re an eccentric collision of Fugazi jaggedness, Smashing Pumpkins style alt. rock and Quadrophenia theatricality which is all injected with a New Roman-tic edge. Lead singer Ben Angel makes for a striking frontman - like a hybrid of Billy Corgan and Adam Ant, they also possess that most priceless of commodities, a genuinely fine rock drummer. We recently caught up with the Bohos to find out what makes them tick.

How long have you been together and how did you form?

The Bohos have been together for three and a bit years and formed from a shared love and insanity of making music. We could not do anything else but be Bohos.

Your sound is pretty eclectic and difficult to pigeon-hole! What are your influences?

We are influenced by every style and decade, every person and story we’ve heard or read. Our main influences are each other and those we are lucky enough to meet at our shows on the road or in life. Tomorrow is the biggest influence.

What are your favourite things about Bath?

Favourite things about Bath include the scene, the amazing blend of artists and music companies right on your door and the people that are doing great things to try and support the bands. There’s Daddy Longlegs Records (who are also our management), BA1 Re-cords, Glasstone Records, Pitchfork studios, Revolver, Lost Legion. Too many to mention.

Who are your most admired local bands?

There are lots - St Elmos Fire, Bite the Buffalo, The Da-turas, Grace, Largo Embargo, Tiger Eyes, Drop Vinyl, Charlie and Amanda, Marabu Stalk, Shanua Hutch. There is a great and supportive scene in Bath, you just have to know where to look.

The first album you bought?

I think collectively it would look a little something like, Sgt Pepper, OK Computer, Quadrophenia.

Your dream playlist to soundtrack a midsummer roadtrip?

Summer drive soundtrack - 1.We are not the same - The Cimarons, 2. Within without you - The Beatles, 3. Truth - Alexander, 4. Voulnteers - Jefferson Airplane, 5. Straight to Hell - The Clash, 6. Banana Ripple - The Field Remix, 7. Planet Telex - Radiohead, 8 . The Elec-trician - The Walker Brothers. 9. The Prodigy - Invaders must Die, 10. Mark Lanagen - Weird Chill , 11. UNKLE - On a Wire.

Here’s a scenario: a huge planet is on a collision course with Earth and you’ve got just enough time to listen to a record one last time before the world gets blown into pieces. What is that record?

If the Earth was about to be destroyed the only pos-sible song choice would be Built For The Future (which you can download now).

What’s the best gig you’ve ever played?

We did a secret LP launch at the Black Chalk Club which was great. Also, playing to a riot of audiences including Camden Barfly and Monto Water Rats; the Porter Street Party was insanely good. Our mission is to party with as many people as possible. We can’t wait to get to europe this summer and beyond.

What’s next for Bohemian Embassy?

We’re hoping to tour everywhere, record second and third albums and continue writing the fourth. We’d like to meet and work with as many beautiful people as possible and also play our songs to as many people as possible. We’d also like to track down comet Elenin to guide us home.

So there you have it, theirs is an embassy well worth visiting soon. Catch them live on the 8th April at Moles.

:: soundcloud.com/thebohemianembassy :::: twitter.com/thebohemianembassy ::

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The ghosts of deceased delta bluesmen lurk large tonight, a night of noise that serves as an advertise-ment to the mantra less is more and to the merits of the 2-piece garage rock combo. Ever popular Bath favour-ites Bite The Buffalo continue the White Stripes-worn formula as Zambian brothers Stos and Dimitri rev up their combustible rock engine, rarely taking their foot off the accelerator. Their blues telepathy is tinted with an old-skool rockabilly edge, a two headed rock beast attack raises more than an enthused cheer.

The video for Wet Nuns’ ‘Throttle’ really needs to be seen to be believed. It’s the kind of gruesome slaughter-house vampire flick that you’d expect from Cradle of Filth. Whilst they’re not quite goths, their doom-laden stoner rock does possess an alluringly dark humour of its own. The Sheffield duo spend a large portion of the set

toying with the slightly sparse crowd, a flurry of banter that almost equals their monolithic walls of guitar for entertainment. In keep-ing with tonight’s vogue, the spirit of Howlin’ Wolf roars from Rob’s lungs as the pair wade through a deluge of swamp metal and garage rock which recalls the punk ferocity of Black Flag and the parched desert blues of Kyuss. Further evidence, if it were ever needed, that the devil’s music is more often than not, the best.

:: www.wetnuns.com :::: www.bitethebuffalo.com ::

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WET NUNS / BITE THE BUFFALO

LIVE @ MOLESWords: Harold Zeppelin

Bite The Buffalo. Photo credit: Sam Allmark

Wet Nuns. Photo credit: Owen Davies

MR NICE aka HOWARD MARKS LIVE @ KOMEDIAWords: Arthur Beanfield

It’s safe to say we were harbouring some preconceptions when on our way to see weed-toker extraordinaire Howard Marks. Wondering what was on the menu, we imagined we’d be in for a succession of pot-smuggling anecdotes interspersed with Super Furry Animals songs. In truth, that’s pretty much what we got. The subject matter rarely deviates in Marks’ world, his distinctive mug beams out at us with that knowing crocodile-grin of his. Aside from the well-worn tales of his imprisonment and precarious border crossings, he necks a full glass of red-wine in honour of the Last Supper, assuring all at Komedia that God himself likes to get stoned. These tales are always entertaining and are delivered with characteristic Welsh gusto - you’re reminded that this is a man of great intellect and not merely some spaced out hippy. The set ends as a Q&A session with local dope dabblers chipping in with topical enquiries. Howard Marks remains a continual thorn in the side of the state. Who knows, perhaps the world needs his philosophies now more than ever.

:: www.howardmarks.name ::

Y NIWL LIVE @ THE ROYAL OAKWords: Arthur Beanfield

*Disclaimer: The word ‘surf’ is likely to appear in abundance throughout but we’ll try and keep it to a minimum.

Walking into the Royal Oak tonight feels like staring into a strange 1960s mirage. Y Niwl (Welsh for ‘The Fog’) have kept the modern world at a very healthy distance, preferring to keep to themselves in the deepest depths of North Wales. One wonders if they’re immune to the previous thirty years of global progress, choosing instead to listen to old seven inch vinyls by The Shadows and The Tornadoes on a dusty old gramophone at an isolated Snowdonian cottage. Hailed by Gruff Rhys as “the highest altitude surf rock band”, they are obvious disciples of his, sharing a similarly madcap and slightly-stoned sense of joy in their approach. Their songs take the form of extended jams with neither titles nor words wherein swathes of Dick Dale guitar lines battle it out against an authentic and relentless rock n’ roll organ boogie. Seemingly oblivious to the audience, four scruffy men simply plug-in and proceed to rock out like bastards for forty minutes, all irrepressibly locked into an irresistible groove. There’s absolutely nothing groundbreaking or new in their instrumental pastiches but surf rock has never sounded so incendiary and effortlessly fun. Surf’s up!

:: www.yniwl.com ::

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DRUID’S LIST:Positive Energies:

*Pub of the month*THE PIG & FIDDLE -

A fine establishment indeed-----------------

www.thepigandfiddle.co.uk

CHAIRLIFT, ‘SOMETHING’ -One of the records of the year

already. Unique, futuristic synth-pop songs with 80s intonations

COLLEGE, ‘A REAL HERO’ -Watching new potent thriller ‘Drive’ in-troduced us to this neon-lit track. And

a gem of a track it is too

REAL ESTATE ‘DAYS’ LP -

Gorgeous and serene

summer breeze pop

to soundtrack springtime

drives. Open the sun-roof

-----------------soundcloud.com/dominorecordco/

real-estate-green-aisles

SOLAR STORMS - Scary but

kind of cool

TAME IMPALA ‘INNERSPEAKER’ LP - Where The Beatles fly heavy

loaded into a cosmic rock supernova.

-----------------soundcloud.com/tame-impala

BATH ROAD RAGE - The video that went viral

-----------------tinyurl.com/7yca49v

ZENNOR - Holiday destination of the year

RESTAURANT REVIEW

RUSTICA BISTRO ITALIANO

*****Words: Lara Ford

Desperate to shake off the winter-blues, a couple of hours spent in climes reminiscnent of a Sicilian eatery/Roman pizzeria/Tuscan cafe (delete as preferred) seemed like the only sensible option for Valentines Day. So authentic is Rustica Bistro Italiano, that close your eyes and you can actually smell the olive-groves and capers. Unique to Bath, you feel as far away from the city as you possibly could be as the waiters utter ‘grazie’ and ‘prego’ in their soft italian.

The only hint that we are in Bath is the picture of John Cleese beaming away next to the proprietor in an endearing photo on the wall and the fact that once the main courses arrive they are presented as beautfully as anything the Royal Crescent could offer (their website is also well worth a visit alone for said cheesy celeb photos). Being vegetarian I opted for the special pasta dish, a gloriously flavoursome home-made beetroot ravioli - something which made my meat-eating valentine green-eyed. But his was not to be overlooked - a sumptuous fillet of minimalist monkfish. The thing that really makes this feel as if a little piece of Italy has been broken off and planted in one of the most British of cities is the price - difficult to believe they can present such fine fayre and exquisite wine for prices you can afford without making the bill payer wince.

Their mantra is serving simple Italian food with a gourmet twist, with great service and delicious wine. What more can I say? Go there!

:: www.rusticobistroitaliano.co.uk ::

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Album:DJANGO DJANGO ‘Django Django’

Label - Because Music

****Is it possible to be both retro and futuristic? Countless bands attempt the harmonious marriage of old and new but to create something refreshing in the process is another matter. This is a balancing act Django Django manage to pull off with some aplomb on this eponymous debut. Sounding not unlike a surf rock band cloned inside a science laboratory, the Scottish quartet create a kaleido-scopic fission of west coast rock n’ roll and synth futurism. The results are undeniably fun and colourful; an infectious 1960’s swing permeates throughout as it’s forced to swim against an undertow of electronic pulses, reaching a glorious place that sounds like The Beta Band jamming with The Ventures in Area 51. Ronald Cosmonaut

Film:IN DARKNESSDirector - Agnieszka Holland

***It’s impossible to truly do justice to a subject of such magnitude as the Nazi persecution of the Jews and a big task for any director to take on. In this latest attempt to tackle the holocaust, Polish director Agnieszka Holland chooses to focus on the intricacies of the characters, while the ever-unfathomable Nazi displays of inhumanity serve as punctuations to the main concern, a group of Jews who spend 14 months hidden in the city sewers, given shelter by Leopold Socha. This true story is delivered in stark contrast to the bleak sullenness of Schindler’s List and is a warming tale of resistance and human cameraderie.Ronald Cosmonaut

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Documents

Plus1 Bath - April 2012