Flying Penguins etc.
Penguins soaring overhead I might just have believed, but the news that the BBC are re-commissioning Lily Allen's TV show for a second series has just got to be an April Fool.
Hasn't it?
*koff*
Moving swiftly on, here are the gigs I delicately plucked from the back pages of this week's NME:
¡Forward, Russia! @ The Wegewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 23/04/2008
The Kills @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 25/04/2008
These New Puritans @ The Joiners, Southampton - 28/04/2008
These New Puritans @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 29/04/2008
Angus & Julia Stone @ The Hanbury, Brighton - 01/05/2008
Angus & Julia Stone @ The Joiners, Southampton - 02/05/2008
The Script @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 09/05/2008
The Charlatans @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 16/05/2008
Delays @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 17/05/2008
Hercules & Love Affair @ Speigel Tent, Brighton - 23/05/2008
The Subways @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 27/05/2008
Clinic @ Audio, Brighton - 04/10/2008
Foals @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 12/10/2008
The above gigs may or may not be shoehorned onto the SoMC Events Calendar this weekend, it depends on how things go in the London Borough of Brent this Saturday afternoon. As I may infer from time to time, the Events Calendar is a handy aid for the average gig monkey at a loose end, full as it is of lovely local gigs for local people. Like these...
Dreadzone @ The Brook, Southampton - 02/04/2008
Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 02/04/2008
City & Colour @ Komedia, Brighton - 02/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Youthmovies, Lovvers and Stig Noise Sound System @ The Joiners, Southampton - 02/04/2008
Feral Mare, Stencils, William Doyles and State of Tension @ The Railway, Winchester - 02/04/2008
The Sword, Saviours and Black Cobra @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 02/04/2008
Paul William's Blue Thunder (with Ronnie Johnson) @ South Parade Pier, Southsea - 03/04/2008
Katzenjammer @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 03/04/2008
Glow, Edward J Hicks, The Moulettes, The Dress Up Room and Skulls (DJ set) @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 03/04/2008
Martin Harley Band @ Komedia, Brighton - 03/04/2008
The Moho, El Rodeo, LCD, Alex & The Ligers and The Enmores @ The Railway, Winchester - 03/04/2008
City & Colour and Attack In Black @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 03/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Enjoy Destroy and Tonight Is Goodbye @ The Joiners, Southampton - 03/04/2008
Cibelle @ Komedia, Brighton - 03/04/2008
Rattlesnake and Every Oceans Tide @ The Walkabout, Portsmouth - 03/04/2008
Roni Size and Dynamite MC @ The Walkabout, Southampton - 03/04/2008
The Exits, The Ornament Birds and The Ridgeway @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 03/04/2008
Passenger, Viva Machine and President Zebra @ The Joiners, Southampton - 04/04/2008
Replenish @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 04/04/2008
Helsinki @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 04/04/2008
Robbing Williams (Robbie tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 04/04/2008
Dreadzone @ Salisbury Arts Centre - 04/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Louche Manouche @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 04/04/2008
Whimwise and Akahum @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 04/04/2008
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 04/04/2008
Captain Phoenix, Better Than Smack and The Vegas @ The Railway, Winchester - 04/04/2008
Snake Oil Band and Driftwood @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 04/04/2008
Singing Sous Chefs @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 05/04/2008
Baby Charles @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 05/04/2008
The Prelude and The Mopes @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 05/04/2008 POSTPONED!
Akala, Black Cherry and Installation (ex-EQD) @ The Joiners, Southampton - 05/04/2008
Julie Felix @ Havant Arts Centre - 05/04/2008
Official Secrets Act, Lionhearts and Rivers of Sound @ Lennons, Southampton - 05/04/2008
Mor Karbasi @ Komedia, Brighton - 05/04/2008
Mary Jane @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 05/04/2008
Akahum @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 05/04/2008
The Ting Tings and Anni Rossi @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 06/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
James & Denovo @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 06/04/2008
Jan Akkerman Band @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 06/04/2008
Amycanbe and The Miserable Rich @ Komedia, Brighton - 06/04/2008
Kaid @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 06/04/2008
Octavia Sperati, Exile Arise and Apnia @ The Joiners, Southampton - 06/04/2008
Moma Jest, RTP, Tom Powell & Stu Ingram and Little Aitch @ Drift, Southsea - 06/04/2008
Amycanbe @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 07/04/2008
This Way Up @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 07/04/2008
The Subways @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 07/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Young Heart Attack, In So Far and The Blue Screen of Death @ The Joiners, Southampton - 07/04/2008
Lovvers, You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons, Sad Shields @ The Nell Gwynne, Portsmouth - 07/04/2008
Blood Red Shoes and These New Puritans @ Komedia, Brighton - 07/04/2008
The Light Divided, Fantastic Castle and Shazzam's Picture Box @ The Railway, Winchester - 07/04/2008
KT Tunstall @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 07/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Blood Red Shoes, These New Puritans and An Emergency @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 08/04/2008
The Subways @ The Brook, Southampton - 08/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
The Australian Pink Floyd @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 08/04/2008
Sia @ Komedia, Brighton - 08/04/2008
Good Charlotte @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 08/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Thomas Tantrum, Filthy Lucre and The Daisy Riot @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 08/04/2008
3 Penny Puppet and Mrs Poopars Automobiles @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 08/04/2008
Envy & Other Sins, The Elements and Venice Ahoy @ The Joiners, Southampton - 08/04/2008
Jimmy Cliff @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 16/04/2008
Mystery Jets @ The Joiners, Southampton - 30/04/2008
We Smoke Fags @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 12/05/2008
The Subways @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 27/05/2008
Supergrass @ City Hall, Salisbury - 03/06/2008
Kids In Glass Houses @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 04/06/2008
Wilko Johnson @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 10/12/2008
The Wedgewood Rooms hosts club night Funkt-If-Ino again this Saturday, 5th April, for another fun-packed evening of 'funksoulboogiediscohiphop' supplied by resident DJs Darth Fader, Jabba and Boba Funk. Once again there's a Games Room to unwind in, so best practice your Connect 4 beforehand. Doors open at 2200, tickets are £5 in advance.
As well live music from The Elements and Johnny Foreigner, tonight's Waster features the second heat of the official Portsmouth Guitar Hero 2008 competition (the three highest scorers of which go through to the Grand Final for a chance of winning a limited edition XBOX 360). All this and the best tunes from the resident Southsea Mafia DJs can be yours for only £1 (before 2300, £3), doors open at Liquid Envy in Portsmouth at 2200.
Club night Deltawave descends upon The Fawcett Inn in Portsmouth on Saturday 5th April for an evening of psychedelic trance. Doors open 1830-2330.
The Brook in Southampton will be alive with soul and funky house on Saturday 5th April when Revive returns to the venue. Diana Waite and Daniel Thomas & Deep Factor will be performing live, joining resident DJs Benzo, Olly Salter and Steve Moore for and evening of sassy soulful sounds. Advance tickets are £10, £12 on the night, doors from 2100.
Club 12th Hour returns to the Albert Tavern on Portsmouth's South Parade Pier this Friday, 4th April. The line-up includes The Darling Age, The Cartel, Delboy French, Fresh Legs and Media Circus plus ample tuneage from resident DJ Psaila and the Southsea Mafia's Will Chump. In addition to the music a selection of photos by resident snapper Kris King will be on display. Tickets are £6 in advance (available from Little Johnny Russell's) or £8 on the night, with doors open 2100 through to 0200. Tech-savvy punters may be interested to know there's now a Facebook group to join. Which is nice.
Internet reggae station Lion Paw Radio will be broadcasting live from The Fawcett Inn in Portsmouth this Thursday, 3rd April, with performances from the Pioneer Sound System and Dave B's Rooftop Reggae. To fire up the Lion Paw stream click here.
Havant Arts Centre is holding two showcase evening for local singer/songwriters. The first Pure Acoustic event takes place on Monday 7th April, from 2000, in the gallery space of the venue. Performers should arrive by 1930 to arrange a slot with the promoter.
New local showcase L.I.V.E returns to Tiger Tiger in Gunwharf this Sunday, 6th April, with a packed line-up including Pathway, The Way, The Elements, The Rebel Ching and The Model Village, all of whom will be plugged-in in the Tiger bar from 1930, plus Paddy Taylor will be playing acoustic sets in the Kaz bar throughout the evening. Tickets are £5 in advance, £6 on the night.
The guest artists at Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club at The Milton Arms tomorrow, Thursday 3rd April, are Live & Unsigned finalists Joby and Britain's Got Talent semi-finalists Dyverse. As per usual the stage will be open to all-comers during the regular Open Mike sessions; 1900-2000 and 2200-0000. Admission is FREE and the doors open at 1900.
Put a fork in me, I'm done; this afternoon I was mostly listening to The Maccabees and Maxïmo Park, hence I was in quite a foot-tappingly good mood. Be sure to join me next week when I'll be wearing a banana suit and intimidating the fruit flies.
Hora, sem bon!
So sure are they in the knowledge that Axl Rose is never going to pull his finger out, the chaps at Dr Pepper are offering a free can of the stuff to every US citizen (except Slash) should Guns N'Roses release their long promised and oft delayed Chinese Democracy album this year.
Yup, sounds like a safe bet to me.
*koff*
Moving swiftly on, here are the gigs I teased from the back pages of this week's NME:
The Beat and Neville Staple @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 28/03/2008
Lowgold @ Pressure Point, Brighton - 04/04/2008
The Ting Tings @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 05/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Dashboard Confessional (acoustic) @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 09/04/2008 SOLD OUT!
Joe Lean & The Jing Jang Jong and Beggars @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 27/04/2008
Kimya Dawson @ Duke of York, Brighton - 10/05/2008
MGMT @ Digital, Brighton - 19/05/2008
Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs @ The Barfly, Brighton - 24/06/2008
I'll update the mighty SoMC Events Calendar with the above gigs just as soon as I have time (which is dependent on how long I have to spend hanging on a phone trying to get FA Cup Semi Final tickets). The Events Calendar is, as I might have mentioned occasionally, a most useful tool for the idle gigster at a loose end, as it's just packed with many many lovely local gigs. Like these...
Josh Ritter and Dawn Landes @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 26/03/2008
Ardentes, Ejector Seat and The Reason @ The Joiners, Southampton - 26/03/2008
Two Fingers of Fire Water, Josie Jo, First Night Nerves and Becky Jerams @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 26/03/2008
Cut The Blue Wire, Blue Sky Summer, Munroe Effect and Castillo @ Railway Rifles Club, Portsmouth - 26/03/2008
Johnny Dickinson & Paul Lamb @ The Forge, Basingstoke - 26/03/2008
Efterklang, Our Broken Garden and Kumiss @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 26/03/2008
Ruby Soho @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 26/03/2008
Ghosts of Pegasus Bridge and Iris @ The Railway, Winchester - 26/03/2008
Chris Helme (ex-Seahorses) @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 26/03/2008
Navi (Michael Jackson tribute) @ Chicago Rock Café, Fareham - 26/03/2008
Gerry & The Pacemakers, Swinging Blue Jeans and Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 27/03/2008
Rocks & Gravel @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 27/03/2008
Limehouse Lizzy (Thin Lizzy tribute) and Alan Davey's Gunslinger (ex-Hawkwind) @ The Brook, Southampton - 27/03/2008
Sam Isaacs @ Komedia, Brighton - 27/03/2008
Attack! Vipers!, The Psyche Out Musikland Big Band and Action & Action @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 27/03/2008
4ft Fingers, Farwest Leader and 6inches2small @ The Joiners, Southampton - 27/03/2008
The Insatiable Love Rats, 3 Penny Puppet and James Tippins @ The 5th Hants, Portsmouth - 27/03/2008
Thinking For Tuesday, Brassneck and Hello Country @ The Railway, Winchester - 27/03/2008
Powerbulge @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 27/03/2008
Rosalie Deighton @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 27/03/2008
The Queens @ The Brook, Southampton - 28/03/2008
Parka, Sterling and Caspian Sea Society @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 28/03/2008
The Horse @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 28/03/2008
Sinaloa, Don't Mess With Texas and Facel Vega @ The Nell Gwynne, Portsmouth - 28/03/2008
PJ Wright @ Park Centre, Ryde - 28/03/2008
Architects @ The Joiners, Southampton - 28/03/2008
Justin Currie (Del Amitri) @ Komedia, Brighton - 28/03/2008
Skulls, Little Death and The Cold Cold Hearts @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 28/03/2008
Aiden @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 28/03/2008
Flamboyant Bella, Fresh Legs and Tripwires @ Hamptons, Southampton - 28/03/2008
Off The Wall (Pink Floyd tribute) @ The City Hall, Salisbury - 28/03/2008
The Jamm (Jam tribute) and The Model Village @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 28/03/2008
The Red Clay Band @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 28/03/2008
The Fabulous Rockmen and The Decors @ The Railway, Winchester - 28/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
One Weird Fish @ The Spotted Cow, Cowplain - 28/03/2008
Sam Isaac, Major Melon and Rawkis @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 29/03/2008
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 29/03/2008
Gallows @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 29/03/2008
Frank Turner @ The Joiners, Southampton - 29/03/2008
Elapse-O, You're Smiling Now But We'll All Turn Into Demons and The Man The Moth @ The Nell Gwynne, Portsmouth - 29/03/2008
The Orchestra (ex-ELO) @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 29/03/2008
Longview, Exit Calm and The Aviators @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 29/03/2008
The Dawn Chorus and Del Boy French @ Lennons, Southampton - 29/03/2008
Martin Stephenson @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 29/03/2008
Gunz'n'Rozes (G'n'R tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 29/03/2008
Power of Three @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 29/03/2008
Timshel @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 29/03/2008
Tapestry of Delights @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 29/03/2008
Cool Banana, Every Oceans Tide, Joby and Dirty Scavenger @ Café Havana, Southsea - 29/03/2008
Brian Houston @ The Studio at The Petersfield School - 29/03/2008
Birds of Wales @ The Joiners, Southampton - 30/03/2008
Eileen Rose, Michael McDermott and Loz Bridge @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 30/03/2008
Ska Cubano @ The Pavilion, Brighton - 30/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Recreation, The Rebel Ching, The Ex-Patriots and Castillo @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 30/03/2008
Stu & Denovo @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 30/03/2008
Quantic Soul Orchestra and Robert Luis @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 30/03/2008
RTP, Tali Trow and The Well Being @ Drift, Southsea - 30/03/2008
The Architects and Thinking For Tuesday @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 30/03/2008
Simon Stevens and Timshel @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 30/03/2008
Kris Kristofferson @ The Dome, Brighton - 31/03/2008
Jake Shillingford (My Life Story) @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 31/03/2008
The Titanic Survivors and The Queue @ Hamptons, Southampton - 31/03/2008
Aitch, Paddy Taylor and LX Tamasi @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 01/04/2008
Amy Can Flyy, Rattlesnake and Spilt Milk @ The Joiners, Southampton - 01/04/2008
We Smoke Fags, My Favourite Series and 303 Did This To Me @ The Railway, Winchester - 01/04/2008
Solent City Jazzmen @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 01/04/2008
Tristan Seume, Massimo Osako and Tim Cheatle @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 01/04/2008
Mystery Jets @ The Railway, Winchester - 27/04/2008
Mark Morris & The Mummys @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 29/04/2008
Crystal Castles @ The Brook, Southampton - 07/05/2008
The Subways @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 27/05/2008
Cute Is What We Aim For and Boys Like Girls @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 28/05/2008
Beth Rowley @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 02/06/2008
Blue Oyster Cult @ The Brook, Southampton - 08/06/2008
In addition to the Southsea Mafia DJs spinning the best tunes in town, tonight's Waster includes the first heat of the official Portsmouth Guitar Hero 2008 competition. The top three scorers go through to the final where, along with the three best from heat two, they'll be in with a chance of winning a specially produced, limited edition, XBOX 360. The competition is free to enter and runs from 2215 to 2330, with one attempt per player per night; doors open at Portsmouth's Liquid Envy at 2200, with entrance £1 before 2300, £3 after.
Southsea's Café Havana hosts Club Jamaica this Friday, 28th March, featuring the Kings HiFi Soundsystem with Don Zebby, Bush Doctor, Mr Finn and Culture B plus the Club Jamaica DJs. Entrance is £5 on the door.
South coast based Finnish singer-songwriter Liisa Henrikson and pop/soul act Waters Edge are the guest artists at Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club at The Milton Arms in Portsmouth tomorrow, Thursday 27th March. Those brave enough to take the stage for the Open Mike session will have their chance either before the guest sets from 1900 to 2000, or afterward from 2200 to 0000. Admission is FREE and the doors open at 1900.
And that's me done for another week; this afternoon I have mostly been tuned into the new Portishead album, which is really rather good. Be sure to join me next week when I'll be unleashing my flying monkeys on an unsuspecting public.
Captain Birds Eye was a seafaring man.
No matter what pretentions Chris Martin has about the name of the new Coldplay album being inspired by a Frida Kahlo painting, Vida La Vida sounds like something Ricky Martin should be involved with if you ask me.
H'mm.
There I go tempting fate again.
*koff*
And that's quite enough of that; here are the gigs I purloined from the back pages of this week's NME:
Make Model @ Boileroom, Guildford - 04/04/2008
Blood Red Shoes and These New Puritans @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 08/04/2008
We Smoke Fags @ Ocean Rooms, Brighton - 11/04/2008
Yoav @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 16/04/2008
Yoav @ The Barfly, Brighton - 17/04/2008
Soulwax and 2manydjs @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 23/04/2008
Esser @ Lennons, Southampton - 03/05/2008
We Smoke Fags @ Atrium, Southsea - 12/05/2008
The Whitest Boy Alive @ Coalition, Brighton - 19/05/2008
One Night Only and The Wallbirds @ Student Union, Southampton University - 19/05/2008
Delays @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 21/05/2008
The events above will be snipped, pruned and pasted onto the SoMC Events Calendar as soon as I get a spare five minutes (which could be any time over the Easter weekend, depending on hangovers, guitar lessons or how distracted I get by the shiny things of life). As I continually allude, the Events Calendar is a most useful tool for the gig monkey about town, including as it does many wonderful local gigs. Like these:
Stan Webb's Chicken Shack @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 19/03/2008
Kids Can't Fly, We're What's Left and Pancake Eating Freaks @ The Joiners, Southampton - 19/03/2008
Luke Pickett, Luke Leighfield, I Confess and Somewhere Between Here And The Stereo @ Unit 22, Southampton - 19/03/2008
Major Melon and Alphabetts @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 19/03/2008
Chumbawumba @ Komedia, Brighton - 19/03/2008
Cool Banana, Life With Max and Castillo @ Drift, Southsea - 19/03/2008
Blisskrieg, Fantastic Castle and I See Sparks @ The Railway, Winchester - 19/03/2008
Buck 65, Jon & Roy and Theory @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 19/03/2008
Marjorie Thompson @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 20/03/2008
Devil Sold His Soul, The Mirimar Disaster and Stars Driven By Devils @ The Joiners, Southampton - 20/03/2008
Fish @ Komedia, Brighton - 20/03/2008
Dave Pegg & PJ Wright @ Lysses House Hotel, Fareham - 20/03/2008
Dan De Squeran, The Family, The Madisons and The Visitors @ Drift, Southsea - 20/03/2008
The Faux @ Unit 22, Southampton - 20/03/2008
Dragon Eye Morrison, Driven By Suffering, Contra and Belligerence @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 20/03/2008
Pendulum (DJ set) and Pritchard v's Dainton (Dirty Sanchez) @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 20/03/2008
Victor Menace, The Moulettes, Ruth Theodore and Nathan Ball @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 20/03/2008
Hi On Maiden (Iron Maiden tribute) The Brook, Southampton - 21/03/2008
Show Of Hands, John Tams & Barry Coope and The Young Coppers @ Ferneham Hall, Fareham - 21/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Plastic Toys and Anon @ The Joiners, Southampton - 21/03/2008
The Stig Noise Soundsystem and They Came And Ate Us @ The Railway, Winchester - 21/03/2008
Example @ Unit 22, Southampton - 21/03/2008
Skaville UK (feat. Rhoda Dakar) @ Café Havana, Southsea - 21/03/2008
Chunk of Funk @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 21/03/2008
Muck & The Mires, Thee Exciters and The Sandinistas @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 21/03/2008
Kathryn Tickell and Breabach @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 22/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Jean Genie (Bowie tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 22/03/2008
Oysterband and The Men They Couldn't Hang @ Ferneham Hall, Fareham - 22/03/2008
The Infadels (DJ set) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 22/03/2008
Barbwire Bob @ The Coach & Horses, Titchfield - 21/03/2008Thomas Tantrum, The Glad Rags, mes memoires and The Dress Up Room @ The Joiners, Southampton - 22/03/2008
Jay et Al, Moneytree and The Moulettes @ The Railway, Winchester - 22/03/2008
Thomas Tantrum and Arthur @ Lennons, Southampton - 22/03/2008
Mozy Dare @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 22/03/2008
OK Tokyo @ Unit 22, Southampton - 22/03/2008
The Only Ones @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 22/03/2008
Flook, Luka Bloom and Lau @ Ferneham Hall, Fareham - 23/03/2008
Bad Toad @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 22/03/2008
Ade Cull, Mike Hoggarth and The Two Chiefs @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 23/03/2008
RTP, Scaramoose, Loz Bridge and Luke Ferre @ Drift, Southsea - 23/03/2008
Boy Kill Boy, The Darling Age and The Haunt @ The Railway, Winchester - 23/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Jaimison, Kill The Arcade, Switch Transmission and A Strange In Moscow @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 23/03/2008
Scouting For Girls @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 24/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Mask of Judas, Akakios and Alternative Carpark @ Café Havana, Southsea - 24/03/2008
The Christians @ Komedia, Brighton - 24/03/2008
Beyond All Reason @ The Joiners, Southampton - 24/03/2008
Cozy Flashback, The White Coats, The Gun Shop and Yop Radio Saga @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 25/03/2008
Scouting For Girls @ The Dome, Brighton - 25/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Kurt Cooder, Loz, Andy Foster and The B Of The Bang @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 25/03/2008
Dopamine @ The Joiners, Southampton - 25/03/2008
Parka, Fresh Legs and Jony Dare @ The Railway, Winchester - 25/03/2008
Vincent Treacy, Dave James Wheat and Jay @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 25/03/2008
Cut The Blue Wire, Blue Sky Summer, Munroe Effect and Melodrama @ Railway Rifle Club, Portsmouth - 26/03/2008
Roni Size and Dynamite MC @ The Walkabout, Southampton - 03/04/2008
John Power @ The Discovery Centre, Winchester - 13/04/2008
Scarlet Soho, Nicotine Smile and Paul Champion @ The Railway, Winchester - 26/04/2008
Mystery Jets @ The Railway, Winchester - 27/04/2008
10cc @ The Brook, Southampton - 30/04/2008
Adele @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 03/05/2008
The Orb @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 04/05/2008
InME @ The Railway, Winchester - 05/05/2008
The Strange Death of Liberal England, The Dawn Chorus and Fresh Legs @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 17/05/2008
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel @ The Brook, Southampton - 21/05/2008
Howard Jones @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 11/06/2008
Tonight's Waster sees the return of guest DJs Mike Fielding (aka Naboo from The Mighty Boosh) and Jonny Rhythm (from The Rhythm Factory) to Portsmouth's Liquid Envy, who'll be joining the resident Southsea Mafia DJs for a session on the decks. The doors open at 2200, with entrance £1 before 2300, £3 after.
The Hobbit in Southampton will be hosting its 8th Real Ale & Blues Festival this weekend, from Friday 21st through Monday 24th March. As well as the 30 Real Ales and selection of Ciders and Belgian beers on offer there'll also be live performances from Chris Keates and White Room (Friday), Dave Arcari, Keith Christmas and Tom Dale (Saturday) and The Jon Walsh Blues Band, Chris Collins & Blues Etc, Arnie Cottrell and The Riverside Blues Band to entertain you whilst you slake your thirst.
Details of the Topman NME New Noise Tour 2008, which calls in at Concorde 2 in Brighton on Monday 5th May, have been released. The line-up includes Crystal Castles, Friendly Fires, Team Waterpolo and White Lies; tickets are available now.
The Joiners in Southampton will be holding its regular all day Bank Holiday shindig this Monday, 24th March. The line-up includes Bury Tomorrow, The Arusha Accord, Lower Than Atlantis, Nex, Furisode, Penny's Dropper, Where Loyalties Lie (ex-A Broken Disciple), Draegon, The Craving, April Dead and Gehenna VII VII VII. Tickets are £6 in advance, £8 on the day, and doors open at 1400.
Portsmouth's Little Johnny Russell's will be transformed into a hoochy coochy bar for the next two evenings when it hosts Burlesque For Breasts, a charity event in aid of Cancer Research UK. Tonight's indie-flavoured bill includes live performances from Goodnight Jonathan, The Levels and The Lonely Cardinals, whereas tomorrow evening takes a decidely funkier turn with sets from Mr Bigstuff and The Freestyle Funk Collective. Entry is £3 (Wednesday, from 1900) and £4 (Thursday, from 1930).
Judge-Mental takes over The Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth this Saturday, 22nd March, for a raucous evening of hard trance and techno, spread over two rooms. Omaha v's Audiodice, Dan Thompson v's N8te, Sam Bylett and Royston are pitching up in Room 2, whilst Room 1 features sets from Lucy Fur, Caz Wood v's Nathalie and The Judge v's Mizniss. Doors open at 2130 and tickets are £8 in advance.
Paddy Taylor and Aitch are the guest artists at Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club at The Milton Arms in Portsmouth tomorrow, Thursday 20th March. Budding performers have a two song chance to entertain the crowd during the regular Open Mike sessions, either before the guest sets from 1900 to 2000, or after from 2200 to 0000. Admission is FREE and the doors open at 1900.
The Fareham & Gosport Festival takes place this Easter weekend, featuring series of folktastic events throughout the borough from Thursday 20th March through to Bank Holiday Monday. Amongst the acts taking part are The Men They Couldn't Hang, Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham, Alistair Russell, Kathryn Tickell, Tim Edey, Brendan Power & Lucy Randall, Breabach, Wheeler Street, Spiers & Boden and a special acoustic performance from agit-prop malevolents Chumbwumba. A limited number of tickets are available via the festival website.
Put a fork in me, I'm done; this afternoon I have mostly been listening to Spritualized and St Germain, very mellow. Have a most excellent Easter, be sure to join me next week when I'll be pointing the finger in a Kitchener-style in someone's general direction.
:o)
Red Leather Bag.
It's Budget Day (and, as expected, the tax on beer and wine has gone up) so instead of the planned opening gambit covering the horror movie Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson has written (no really, it's got Simon Callow in it), and in lieu of a political rant, I thought a moment of quiet reflection might be in order.
[hums 'The Girl From Ipanema']
That's better.
*koff*
Moving on, here's the gigs what I found amongst the back pages of this week's NME:
Youthmovies and Lovvers @ The Joiners, Southampton - 02/04/2008
Future Of The Left @ Audio, Brighton - 03/04/2008
Holy Fuck @ Digital, Brighton - 07/04/2008
Envy And Other Sins @ The Joiners, Southampton - 08/04/2008
Tokyo Police Club @ Digital, Brighton - 16/04/2008
The Kills @ The Wedgewood Room, Portsmouth - 25/04/2008
These New Puritans @ The Joiners, Southampton - 28/04/2008
Mystery Jets @ The Joiners, Southampton - 30/04/2008
Team Waterpolo @ Digital, Brighton - 18/03/2008
Wendy James & Racine @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 18/03/2008
Thomas Tantrum @ The Joiners, Southampton - 22/03/2008
Crystal Arcade @ The Gander, Bournemouth - 22/03/2008
Sam Isaac @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 28/03/2008
Mystery Jets @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 01/05/2008
The Holloways @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 05/05/2008
Pendulum @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 07/05/2008 SOLD OUT!
Black Kids @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 10/05/2008
Mystery Jets @ Digital, Brighton - 17/05/2008
Hadouken! @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 17/05/2008
Royworld @ The Joiners, Southampton - 18/05/2008
The Little Ones @ The Joiners, Southampton - 21/05/2008
Guillemots @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 30/05/2008
Guillemots @ The Dome, Brighton - 31/05/2008
Isabel Campbell & Mark Lanegan @ St George's Church, Brighton - 11/06/2008
I'll add the above gigs into the marvellous mechanical SoMC Events Calendar just as soon as I get the time (when exactly that might be I couldn't say; The Flumps and Bagpuss DVDs are pretty much stealing all my time at the moment). The Events Calendar is, as I may have mentioned once or twice, darn handy for the idle gig monkey at a loose end, full as it is of gigs just around the corner. Like these:
Kid Harpoon, Helsinki (ex-Babyshambles) and Will McNicol @ The Joiners, Southampton - 12/03/2008
The Alan Titchmarsh Project @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 12/03/2008
Turisas @ The Brook, Southampton - 12/03/2008
Alex & The Ligers, Mavis Grind, Run Walk! and English Days @ The Railway, Winchester - 12/03/2008
Bob Long & Keith @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 13/03/2008
Whole Lotta Led (Led Zeppelin tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 13/03/2008
The Hoosiers @ The Dome, Brighton - 13/03/2008
Strawberry Blondes @ Unit 22, Southampton - 13/03/2008
Hobos & Eskimos, The Weather Committee and Sonic View @ Havant Arts Centre - 13/03/2008
Failsafe, The Fake Exterior and The Light Divided @ The Joiners, Southampton - 13/03/2008
Linchpin, The Moho and Bad Love & Licker @ The Railway, Winchester - 13/03/2008
Magic (Queen tribute) @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 13/03/2008
Sugababes @ The Dome, Brighton - 14/03/2008
Limehouse Lizzy (Thin Lizzy tribute) and Alan Davey's Gunslinger @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/03/2008
No Jacket Required (Phil Collins tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 14/03/2008
The Silver Beatles @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 14/03/2008
Abram Wilson & The Delta Blues Project @ Pavilion Theatre, Brighton - 14/03/2008
David Gray and Dlugokecki @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 14/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Turisas and Alestorm @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 14/03/2008
The Metros @ The Joiners, Southampton - 14/03/2008
Harun and Haydon Spenceley @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 14/03/2008
Who's Who @ Komedia, Brighton - 14/03/2008
Gerry & The Pacemakers, Swinging Blue Jeans and Dave Dee, Dozy Beaky Mick and Tich @ City Hall, Salisbury - 14/03/2008
Rugged Fantasia @ Soul Cellar, Southampton - 14/03/2008
Bob Hall's UK Blues Band @ Havant Arts Centre - 14/03/2008
Gary Numan and Robots In Disguise @ Student Union, Southampton University - 14/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
James Owen Fender @ The Railway, Winchester - 14/03/2008
Mary Jane @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 14/03/2008
The Coal Porters @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 15/03/2008
Mary Hampton, -a+M and Coal Man Has Black Hands @ Komedia, Brighton - 15/03/2008
Cool Banana @ Red, White & Blue, Portsmouth - 15/03/2008
One Weird Fish @ The Fiddlers Elbow, Brighton - 15/03/2008
The Dodge Brothers @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 15/03/2008
The Geoff Eales Trio @ The Forge, Basingstoke - 15/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Trauma Pet, I Am Immune and Bleak @ The Joiners, Southampton - 15/03/2008
Gilles Peterson @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 15/03/2008
The Wallbirds @ Unit 22, Southampton - 15/03/2008
Kelly's Tattoo @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 15/03/2008
The World Famous Redsox @ The Brook, Southampton - 15/03/2008
Creamy (Cream tribute) @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 15/03/2008
The Illegal Eagles @ City Hall, Salisbury - 15/03/2008
Talk Taxis @ Lennons, Southampton - 15/03/2008
The Vison, The Good Time Charlies and Kelevra @ The Railway, Winchester - 15/03/2008
Gay Against You, Kumiss and Youch Rock @ The Joiners, Southampton - 16/03/2008
An Seisiun @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 16/03/2008
Sophie Ellis-Bextor @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 16/03/2008 CANCELLED
Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri @ Pavilion Theatre, Brighton - 16/03/2008
Stu & Denovo @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 16/03/2008
RSJ, The More I See and Iris @ The Railway, Winchester - 16/03/2008
The Rivers Of Sound @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 16/03/2008
Birdpen, Soulswitch and Rupture Farms @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 16/03/2008
Kathryn Williams & Neill McColl @ Komedia, Brighton - 16/03/2008
Tubelord, Canterbury, Goodbye Stereo and Venice Ahoy @ Railway Rifles Club, Portsmouth - 16/03/2008
Karine Polwart @ The Studio at The Petersfield School - 16/03/2008
RTP, Little Aitch and The Way (acoustic) @ Drift, Southsea - 16/03/2008
White Knuckle Blues Band @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 17/03/2008
An Seisiun @ Havant Arts Centre - 17/03/2008
The Return of The Orchestra (ex-ELO) @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 17/03/2008
Big Linda @ The Joiners, Southampton - 17/03/2008
Slow Down Charlie, Alistair Goodwin and Marcelles @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 18/03/2008
The Feeling @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 17/03/2008 SOLD OUT!
Solent City Jazzmen @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 18/03/2008
First Night Nerves and Becky Anderson @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 18/03/2008
Hayseed Dixie @ The Brook, Southampton - 18/03/2008
Official Secrets Act, The Model Village and The Sinnicks @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 18/03/2008
Kids Can't Fly, We're What's Left and Pancake Eating Freaks @ The Joiners, Southampton - 19/03/2008
Slagsmålsklubben @ The Joiners, Southampton - 26/04/2008
Sherman Robertson @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 07/05/2008
The Frank & Walters @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 23/05/2008
The Wedding Present @ The Corn Exchange, Brighton - 30/05/2008
Howard Jones @ The Studio at The Petersfield School - 12/06/2008
Joining resident Southsea Mafia DJs Lemon and will chuMp at indie night Waster this evening are Cut The Blue Wire and All These Arms. The doors open at Portsmouth's Liquid Envy at 2200, with entrance £1 before 2300, £3 after.
Southampton's Talking Heads hosts this month's regional try-out for the 2008 Red Stripe Music Awards tomorrow night, Thursday 13th March. I Falter, Moral Soul, The Ramblings and Hellcyon will each be hoping they'll be the act who progresses through to the next round (and from there to May's Grand Final, where their own tour bus and festival slots await the winners).
Portsmouth based promoters The Oberon Project will be showcasing five of the south coast's finest up and coming acts at The Wedgewood Rooms this Saturday, 15th March. The line-up includes Carbon Factory, Delphic Oracle, The Edible Stems, Wilfy and The Architects. Tickets are £5 in advance, doors open at 2000.
Rock and reggae are on offer at Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club tomorrow, Thursday 13th March, at The Milton Arms in Portsmouth. Charlie Massiah & The Mighty Z Allstars and The Insouciant Ones have the guest slots, with the Open Mike session following after. Doors open at 1900 and admission is FREE.
And that's it for this week; this afternoon I have mostly been listening to Bat For Lashes and the Juno soundtrack CD. Join me next week when I'll be donning my bunny suit and pretending to be invisible.
:o)
