Issue 84 / Dec 2017/Jan 2018

ISSUE 84 / DEC 2017/JAN 2018
NEW MUSIC + CREATIVE CULTURE
LIVERPOOL
LIVERPOOL, MUSIC CITY? / TAYÁ / NICK POWER
MAC DEMARCO / LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK / LO FIVE

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Plays
David Bowie’s
‘Aladdin Sane’
In Full
Fri 1st Dec • £22.50 adv
Mark Lanegan
Band
+ Duke Garwood
+ Joe CardaMone
Fri 1st Dec • £14 adv
The Lancashire
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Never Mind
The Hotspots
Sat 2nd Dec • £13 adv
The Smyths:
More Songs
That Saved
Your Life Tour
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& Amsterdam
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Monks
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The Band
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Rend Collective
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British Sea
Power
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Max & Harvey
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Key West
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& Beyond
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LIVERPOOL MUSIC
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CONTENTS
New Music + Creative Culture
Liverpool
Issue 84 / Dec 2017/Jan 2018
bidolito.co.uk
Second Floor
The Merchant
40-42 Slater Street
Liverpool L1 4BX
Editor
Christopher Torpey - chris@bidolito.co.uk
Editor-In-Chief / Publisher
Craig G Pennington - info@bidolito.co.uk
Media Partnerships and Projects Manager
Sam Turner - sam@bidolito.co.uk
Assistant Editor
Bethany Garrett - editorial@bidolito.co.uk
Reviews Editor
Jonny Winship - live@bidolito.co.uk
Design
Mark McKellier - mark@andmark.co.uk
Branding
Thom Isom - hello@thomisom.com
Interns
Jessica Greenall
Cover Photography
Keith Ainsworth
Words
Christopher Torpey, Craig G Pennington, Cath Bore,
Jess Greenall, Mike Stanton, Julia Johnson, Matthew
Hogarth, Del Pike, Bethany Garrett, Sam Turner,
Richard Lewis, Paul Fitzgerald, Georgia Turnbull, Jonny
Winship, Maya Jones, Glyn Akroyd, Christopher Carr,
Maurice DeSade, Kieran Donnachie, Ian R. Abraham,
Stuart Miles O’Hara, Alison McGovern.
Photography, Illustration and Layout
Mark McKellier, Keith Ainsworth, Andrew Bates, Jemma
Timberlake, Kevin Power, Katy Lane, Hugo Morris,
Stuart Moulding, Michelle Roberts, Glyn Akroyd, Rob
Godfrey, Darren Aston, Michael Kirkham, Mike Sheerin,
Samantha Sophia, Kayle Kaupanger.
Distributed by Middle Distance
Print, distribution and events support across
Merseyside and the North West.
middledistance.org.uk
The views expressed in Bido Lito! are those of the
respective contributors and do not necessarily
reflect the opinions of the magazine, its staff or the
publishers. All rights reserved.
9 / EDITORIAL
Editor Christopher Torpey muses on the spaces
dedicated to music and creativity, how we should
value them and create the conditions for even
more spaces to flourish.
10 / NEWS
The latest announcements, releases and non-fake
news from around the region.
12 / COME TOGETHER –
LIVERPOOL, MUSIC CITY?
Craig G Pennington summarises the key
conclusions from a report on the health of our
city’s music infrastructure, suggesting some key
points for concern.
16 / INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK
Seven days dedicated to celebrating the spirit of
independence, and the culture of live music, is a
great way to start 2018 on a positive note.
18 / LO FIVE
Liverpool’s prince of ambient electronica looks
back at what’s been an impressive year for his
various projects.
20 / TAYÁ
Making waves in the biggest of arenas can be a
hard slog, but for this 19-year-old RnB vocalist,
success at the highest level comes as naturally as
breathing.
22 / SOMEPLACE ELSE
UNKNOWN
Bold Street Coffee hosts the first UK showing
of photographer KATY LANE’s new collection of
intimate portraits, offering a candid look at the
lives of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and their
collaborators.
24 / NICK POWER
The Coral keyboardist adds to his repertoire of
provincial fascination with an impressive third
anthology, and accompanying album of low-key,
introspective musings.
26 / ARTS CENTRAL
In her second look at the role arts centres play in
our communities, Julia Johnson focuses on two
institutions – THE BLACK-E and THE FLORRIE –
that have user-led art at their core.
30 / IT’S A WALTURDAW LIFE
The vintage cinema screen rising from the stage
is one of the Philharmonic Hall’s endearing quirks.
Del Pike speaks to a man who plays a key part in
one of Liverpool’s great festive traditions.
32 / SPOTLIGHT
We take a closer look at some artists who’ve been
impressing us of late: Katie Mac, Eyesore And The
Jinx and Harlee.
36 / CHRIS WOOD
Chris Wood has been championing the craft
of songwriting for almost three decades: Paul
Fitzgerald talks to him about changing politics and
their faith in younger audiences.
37 / PREVIEWS
Looking ahead to a busy December and January in
Merseyside’s creative and cultural community.
42 / LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK
2017 REVIEW
The Liverpool music calendar’s annual autumn
treat provides us with a 10-day feast of stellar
shows, and showcases how deep the desire for
inclusivity runs.
44 / REVIEWS
Mac DeMarco, Jane Weaver and Immix Ensemble,
Sylvan Esso and Michael Kiwanuka reviewed by
our team of intrepid reporters.
54 / THE FINAL SAY
The continuing fallout from Brexit would suggest
that Britain is a country deeply riven with division.
MP for Wirral South Alison McGovern argues that
class prejudices may be a barrier to understanding
the social conservatism that is at the root of these
divisions.

NEW
YEEZY
EVE
31 DEC 17

EDITORIAL
EBGBS (Keith Ainsworth)
“In order to make
progress, creative
artists need
opportunities. For
musicians, that
means venues”
This is an issue about space.
Space is the oxygen that creative businesses need
to survive, and we are surrounded by it in our cities
and towns. Music venues, studios and workshops exist
side-by-side with our living and public spaces, maintaining a
dynamic mix of art and creativity that sits at the heart of Liverpool’s
cultural identity. Space to do, experiment and make noise is a key
component in a city of ingenuity and opportunity.
But space is increasingly becoming a final frontier for those
smaller businesses caught in the crosshairs of residential and
commercial developments. You can hardly blame cash-strapped
local authorities for recognising that the growth areas of university
attendance and retail opportunities bring in much-needed
injections of cash, even if this does mean selling off prime real
estate in the city centre to private developers. Space used in the
creative sector brings, on average, a much lower and longer term
return on investment than major retail or residential projects, which
makes the precarious job of balancing the books part of a broader
vision of what kind of place we want our city to be. What we can
make sure of, however, is that future decisions are made with the
interests of the creative community at heart.
In this issue, we want to draw your attention to the multiplicity
of space we currently have at our disposal: how varied and fit for a
multitude of purposes it is; how we can protect this space, learn to
value it and create the conditions for small businesses to flourish in
it; how we can appreciate the range of uses these various spaces
have, and learn how best to represent their interests; and how we
need more space to be put to use by a greater number of creative
businesses, in a greater variety of interesting ways.
Crucially, there are plans afoot that give us the opportunity to
achieve these aims. The Ten Streets development is the principle
one, an ambitious plan from Liverpool City Council to develop the
area north of the city centre over the next 15 to 20 years. The
draft proposal of the Ten Streets Spatial Regeneration Framework,
to give it its grand title, aims to “transform over 125 acres of
Liverpool’s Northern City Fringe into a vibrant creative quarter
located within the Liverpool City Enterprise Zone that will drive
future prosperity and enhance the city’s status as an international
destination with a unique offer and character”. The Framework
includes the renovation of the Stanley Dock complex, Peel
Holdings’ Liverpool Waters site along the docklands, and a new
football stadium for Everton at Bramley-Moore Dock. At its heart
is a designated “creative hub” in the area between Oil Street and
Saltney Street, dubbed the “Ten Streets character zone”.
Whatever fancy name is given to it, this is an area teeming
with possibility; there are dozens of empty warehouses and
industrial units packed into this former docking heartland that are
ripe for appropriation. These are the spaces our DIY, independent
businesses should flood into and take hold of the narrative of
what a creative hub actually is. Now that the Baltic Triangle seems
to be more suited to tech and digital businesses, the Ten Streets
development should, in principle, be our future hothouse of noisy,
creative ingenuity. Liverpool has a real chance to make a statement
with this development – if it wants to. It’s up to us to realise it in
whatever way we want.
This northwards expansion of the city centre does, however,
come with a note of caution. It was pointed out by the proprietors
of Drop The Dumbulls Gallery, which falls inside the Ten Streets
character zone, that their building on Dublin Street – which they
own – had been marked for “positive intervention and re-use”
in the draft version of the Spatial Development Framework. This
sounded suspiciously like a gentle way of saying ‘demolition’. After
the Dumbulls collective’s successful campaign during the proposal’s
consultation, highlighting their concerns, Liverpool City Council’s
planning team appear to have heeded the venue’s apprehensions
and have ensured (albeit via Twitter) they will make sure that
Dumbulls is protected in any future development of the area. This is
the kind of positive dialogue we need in projects of this magnitude,
and we hope the same concerns of smaller leaseholders, such
as Meraki and North Shore Troubadour, are also heard in future
proposals.
In order to make projects such as these a success, we must
have a vision for what the overall picture is. In the accompanying
report you received with this issue of Bido Lito!, we believe there
is the blueprint for what this vision could be – or, at the very least,
some guiding pointers to what that blueprint could become. The
findings in the report were gathered and researched by a team
from the Liverpool John Moores University off the back of the
Liverpool, Music City? event we held at Constellations in May of this
year. A new music strategy is currently being written by Liverpool
City Council, and the way it is implemented will directly impact on
the way developments like Ten Streets will be used. Now, more
than ever, it is imperative to understand how our creative and music
community works, so that we can better drive its future growth.
Featured in this magazine are a set of images of the spaces
we currently have at our disposal for creative endeavours: the
familiar rooms and venues where musicians perform, create and
have the freedom to form identities. These spaces are crucial cogs
in a creative ecosystem, yet their importance can’t be measured
by the (relatively) meagre profits they generate. Instead, we
must value their role in providing an environment where any
seed of creativity can flourish. These types of spaces can only
survive where the external pressures or expectations on them as
businesses is managed in such a way that their value can’t solely
be quantified in financial bottom lines. In short, there has to be
some provision for creative people to just create, to learn their
craft, without the Damoclean sword of profit hanging over them.
In order to make progress, creative artists need opportunities. For
musicians, that means venues.
The collectives that form around spaces like all those
mentioned in this issue provide vital networks of support and
encouragement that allow great art and creativity to bloom.
Not only that, but their voices are louder when they’re speaking
in unison. We come from many different backgrounds, but we
have a collective voice – and, as shown by the work of Drop The
Dumbulls and the Liverpool, Music City? report, we can use it to
apply pressure and to ignite positive change. !
Christopher Torpey / @CATorp
Editor
09

NEWS
On The Track To Success
Born in Kingston and raised in Belfast, KINGFAST
was crowned winner of the Merseyrail Sound
Station Prize 2017 at the landmark fifth edition of
the coveted new music competition. The talented
singer-songwriter, who wowed judges at the
Central Station festival early in November with
his stunning looped guitar acrobatics and soulful
pop numbers, will go on to make use of the prize’s
mentoring package throughout 2018. Following in
the footsteps of last year’s winner Astles, KingFast
(real name Paul Walker) also bags a year of free
train travel and recording time. The Central Station
event also featured stunning performances from a
host of Merseyside’s finest up-and-coming talent,
such as Luna, Joseph Mott and Tabitha Jade.
KingFast
Sound City Announces
First Wave Of Acts
Having already announced a move back to their roots in Liverpool’s
city centre, SOUND CITY have revealed the first round of acts for
next year’s festival. 90s revivalists PEACE head up the first swathe
of names, joined by Afrobeat star IBIBIO SOUND MACHINE,
post-punk iconoclast BAXTER DURY and Bido Lito! favourites THE
ORIELLES and ZUZU, amongst others. The first 10 acts announced
represent just the tip of the iceberg, with over 250 new artists
descending on the city over the Bank Holiday weekend of 5th and
6th May. Pitching up in the Baltic Triangle and Cains Brewery,
the festival’s focus for 2018 is very much on punters discovering
emerging talent across a range of intimate spaces.
Peace
Walls Come Tumbling Down
At a time when the arts need to exert as much political power as possible,
it’s very fitting that the British Music Experience welcome author Daniel
Rachel on 7th December. Rachel wrote WALLS COME TUMBLING DOWN,
an exploration of various music movements in the 1980s which agitated
for social change. The award-winning author will be in conversation talking
about important movements such as Rock Against Racism, 2Tone and Red
Wedge. There will also be a screening of Days Like These, a documentary
following the famous Red Wedge Tour which took luminaries Billy Bragg,
Paul Weller and Johnny Marr on the road aiming to mobilise young people
at a time of societal struggle.
Tyrannosaurus Wrexham
Wales’ premier metropolitan music festival FOCUS WALES have
announced a mouth-watering line-up for their 2018 edition. London
indie darlings GENGAHR top the bill alongside the Leisure Peninsula’s
finest BILL RYDER-JONES, for a festival which promises to capture the
imagination of all those who descend on Wrexham for the three-day
event. Elsewhere on the line-up there is fantastic folk from THIS IS THE
KIT, odd-ball pop from Welsh hero EUROS CHILDS and new Heavenly
Recordings signing BOY AZOOGA. As well as over 200 live sets, Focus
Wales also includes a conference element with panel discussions, keynote
talks and industry advice. The conference programme, along with more
live acts, will be announced in due course.
Crazy Pedro’s January Madness
Newly opened pizza parlour CRAZY PEDRO’S will be raising spirits
in the new year, with a range of happy hour offers available right
the way through the month of January. The Parr Street pizzeria will
be serving up 2-4-1 cocktails, £10 pizzas and £2 slices throughout
the month to celebrate their arrival in Liverpool. The venue also
boasts the largest selection of tequila and mezcal outside of Mexico,
meaning celebrations will by no means cease on 1st January.
Known as the part-time pizza parlour and full-time party bar, Crazy
Pedro’s has built a reputation on creative pizza toppings – recently
recognised by TIME magazine with Pedro’s inclusion on their
‘World’s Craziest Pizzas’ list.
A Year In Liverpool Music
Bido Lito! Journal
Our very first Bido Lito! Journal has landed and it’s a stunner.
Documenting A Year In Liverpool Music, you can now pick one up in
some of our favourite spots round town – just in time for Christmas. Pop
into News From Nowhere, Bold Street Coffee, Dig Vinyl, Jacaranda
Records, 81 Renshaw, Waterstones, Open Eye Gallery or Tate
Liverpool to get yours before they go. Printed in a limited edition run,
the Journal curates a selection of exclusive commissions and reflections
from artists we’ve covered throughout 2017. There’s also behindthe-scenes
insights into life at Parr Street Studios and with The Royal
Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, reflections from Liverpool’s grime
scene and a selection of this year’s best live photography and artwork.
If the internet’s more your thing, you can always grab one online from
bidolito.co.uk.
10

DANSETTE
NICK ELLIS expands on his
preference for albums over single
tracks, and reveals some of the
records that were floating his boat
around the time he was making his
new LP, Adult Fiction.
Tim Buckley
Blue Afternoon
Straight Records
Inside Pussy Riot
The feminist art-punk collective tell their story through
an immersive installation at London’s Saatchi Gallery.
The theatrical INSIDE PUSSY RIOT allows the public
to navigate the Russian court and prison system,
which Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova
and Maria Alyokhina spent two years in having been
convicted of “hooliganism motivated by religious
hatred” after a 35-second performance in a Moscow
cathedral in 2012. Throwing up questions about
protest, freedom and political imprisonment, the
exhibition follows Pussy Riots’ triumphant UK tour
where they were joined by Pink Kink, and runs until
24th December. For more information and tickets, head
to saatchigallery.com/art/inside-pussy-riot.
Pussy Riot
Throw Shapes Thursdays
Beloved Baltic venue Constellations continue their
regular Live Music Thursday events throughout
December. Taking place every other Thursday,
the gigs ordinarily take place in the main bar area
of the venue and make for the perfect way to
raise the curtain on the weekend with some of
the best party-starting bands around. To close
their three-part residency at the event, THE JAM
SCONES QUARTET are preparing for a special
performance of their mathematically problematic
jazz (the quartet has five members) on 7th
December. Two weeks later, JUNK will take up
the baton, providing their blend of hip hop, jazz
and funk.
Lez Be Avin It
Geared towards the lesbian community, but open to all, new club night LEZ
BE AVIN IT launches at Invisible Wind Factory’s Substation on 2nd
December. As well as burlesque and pole dancers, the night hosts DJ
sets from long-time activist and filmmaker SANDI HUGHES, artist and DJ
HANNAH BITOWSKI, and wonder pop trio STEALING SHEEP, who bring
one of their legendary costumed sets to the Substation. The whole event
is run by those who identify as female – from promoters to performers,
right through to bouncers and bar staff – and the night promises a safe
space for all those who want to attend, regardless of gender, sexuality and
ethnicity. Tickets are just £5 a pop so they’re pocket-friendly too.
Blue Afternoon is an unappreciated classic. Here is a man
who is moving with his art and stretching the rules at
the same time. Buckley takes the traditional context of
folk-song/storytelling and allows it to breathe through a
combination of guitar, acoustic bass, piano and vibes
without losing the most important element of his music –
the voice.
Jessica Pratt
Jessica Pratt
Birth Records
JESSICA PRATT keeps it simple. Her playing and lyrics
are abstract at times, but never lose their sense of melody.
That’s the magic in her songs. No one really digs her over
here, probably because she’s not very visual. For me, she’s
doing something different, using traditional techniques to
do something new, and I can dig that.
The Blue Nile
Hats
Linn Records
IWFM’s Festive Transmissions
For some, the festive period is a time of rest and recuperation. Not for
the folks of IWFM RADIO. The community radio station is bookending
the month of December with a STATION LAUNCH PARTY on the 1st
of the month, and a NEW YEAR’S EVE TRANSMISSION on the 31st.
The Launch Party takes over Drop The Dumbulls with live music and
DJ sets from a host of the stations venerable emcees, while their NYE
Transmission broadcasts live from the Kazimier Garden with Dig Vinyl on
decks all night in Rat Alley – and you’re all invited. The Bido Lito! team are
also adding to the mix, bringing you not one but two festive specials of
our IWFM show Pink Audio Dynamite over December. Head to iwfmradio.
com to listen to shows and get tickets for their events.
It’s Quizmaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!
Narrative and setting. This album creates whole pictures
within a picture, like an Edward Hopper painting coming
to life. In fact, Hats has it all. The economy and poetry
of Paul Buchanan’s pen are underrated. And, of course,
the soundscapes created by the band as a whole are
breathtaking. The album’s high-end, synthetic 80s, studiosharp
production only adds to the intensity of the songs.
Planxty
Cold Blow And The
Rainy Night
Polydor
The Real Quiz
Bido Lito! and Liquidation’s joint Christmas trivia
extravaganza returns on 13th December with The
Real Quiz. In its new home of Constellations, the
event looks to cap off a great year in Liverpool music
with fans, friends and colleagues looking to pit their
wits against one another for a selection of fantastic
prizes. Once again, proceeds from the night will go
to chosen charities The Whitechapel Centre and
MIND and there’ll be live music from special guests.
Head to bidolito.co.uk for tickets.
Storytelling is the bread and butter of all music,
and PLANXTY do it so well. Whether it is in the form of
songs and words or just plain instrumentals, the essence
of a story must communicate to the listener and, on Cold
Blow..., we see a juxtaposition of tales old and new, yet
their sense of time, place and age is irrelevant. Here, we
hear the very nature of the fable itself – timelessness.
Head to bidolito.co.uk to read (and listen to) more of Nick
Ellis’ selections. Adult Fiction is out now on Mellowtone
Records.
NEWS 11

COME
TOGETHER –
LIVERPOOL,
MUSIC CITY?
With the blueprint of the city’s music strategy in development, the
timely publishing of the findings from our inaugural ‘Liverpool, Music
City?’ event gives us the chance to appraise the state our music
community is in right now. Craig G Pennington summarises the key
conclusions from the report.
12

In late November I was lucky enough to be asked to host
a Q&A with the directors of seminal Liverpool music
biopic You’ll Never Walk Alone. Filmed in 1992, the film
is a portrait of Liverpool at the lowest of ebbs: a grey,
decaying, battered city that, somewhat paradoxically, plays
host to a buoyant and scintillating music culture. It drips with
romance. It drips with pain. It’s the quintessential Liverpool
depiction; irrepressible beauty in the face of abject misery.
Despite its name (the film’s producers were French so we’ll
forgive them the partisan slip up) the film represents essential
viewing and the manner in which it has attained a somewhat
iconic status in the intervening years is unsurprising. Dig it out
on YouTube.
Explored through the lens of characters such as Ian
McCulloch, Mick Head, Edgar Summertyme and regular
contributor to these pink pages Paul Fitzgerald (the film
includes a beautiful scene from the Fitzgerald family home
featuring a moving vocal performance from Paul’s Nan),
the documentary captures a city that – on the face it – is
unrecognisable from the resurgent, optimistic place we
find today. But, beneath the concrete and glazed veneer
of progress we see in our city centre, how much really has
changed?
The opening sequence to You’ll Never Walk Alone carries
a poignant and sobering observation; in 1960, Liverpool
was the second largest city in the UK, but, by 1992, half
the population had left. It also features a sequence shot at
the top of Granby Street with Sheldon Rice, a young black
MC, delivering a withering freestyle takedown of police
persecution, corruption and forgotten areas of the city being
left to their own devices. Somewhat poignantly, this quickly
cuts to a Beatles tour bus heading up to Penny Lane.
People being driven away from the city?
A city that doesn’t work for everyone?
Black artists pushed to the margins, a tragic lack of diversity?
Swathes of the city forgotten and left behind?
The idea that heritage tourism will save us all?
Sound familiar?
24 Kitchen Street Meraki
OK, so Liverpool isn’t as bleak as it was in 1992. I
completely accept and wholeheartedly welcome that. There
is opportunity here. There is work. Admittedly much of that
work is low paid and irregular, but there is work. Yet, we
face many of the same challenges as those grappled with
back in 1992. And music is an acute way of demonstrating
those challenges. Since 2008 we have lived in a new age of
‘Culture’. Whereas we once ran the docks of empire, Liverpool
now positions itself as a global titan of ‘Culture’. Given our
history, music should be our prized cargo. But is it?
We see music venues and clubs closing around us. We
see the influence of developer power and money riding
roughshod over our cultural heritage and creative community.
We see a vision of Liverpool based on Fab Four cotton candy
sold around the world, while, at the same time, a buoyant
international music subculture bubbles here away from
the Beatles tourist’s gaze. We see an absence of structural
support for Liverpool’s embryonic music industry. We see
emerging artists, cut adrift by a collapsed music industry,
needing help and support to flourish, and an opportunity to
embed them here as part of the city’s future. We see a music
sector cut-off from our education system.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
A buoyant Music Cities movement has gathered pace
over recent years, a new sphere of thinking that intersects
music, urban policy and planning. We see cities across the
world – from Groningen to Adelaide – creating innovative new
frameworks which place support for and the development of
their music sectors and communities at the heart of their city
vision. In contrast, we have, until now, witnessed an absence
of strategic planning around music policy in Liverpool.
As a reaction to this, in April this year we launched
Liverpool, Music City?, a project in partnership with Liverpool
John Moores University, designed to ask some pretty
fundamental, searching questions; is Liverpool a global music
city? What does music really mean to Liverpool? How is
music valued? How healthy is Liverpool’s music ecology? Is
Liverpool’s music tourism offer truly world-class and what role
does new music play within it? In terms of its policies around
noise, planning and the role of music in the built environment,
does Liverpool have a global music city outlook? How good
are we at developing the next wave of artists in the city? Is
Liverpool an international hub for music business? How joined
up is the city’s music industry and music education offer?
“Given our
history, music
should be our
prized cargo”
Invisible Wind Factory
FEATURE
13

Meraki
The Zanzibar
In order to help find the answers to these questions, we put
together an event with our friends at Constellations in May 2017,
which looked to ask you – Liverpool’s music community – what
you think, gauge your experiences and harness your ideas about
how we can collectively shape Liverpool’s music future. The event
was designed to challenge you to come together and develop a
shared, collective vision of a music future for our city. Because
you all live and breathe it every day.
Let’s be honest, for people outside of the inner workings
of Liverpool’s music community we can seem somewhat
impenetrable; a web of complex entangled relationships, a
mesh of freelancers and small organisations, a tension between
commerce and creativity, a hotchpotch of vested interests, a
fallback position of ‘us versus them’. Historically, viewing us lot
in such a way would not have been without base; entrenched
divisions and internal politics have in the past stifled collaboration
and collective action.
But we believed things could be different and that we could
come together for the common good. And we believe we have
been proved right.
Within this month’s Bido Lito! you will find a copy of
Liverpool, Music City? Challenges, Reflections and Solutions
from the Liverpool Music Community, the final project report
produced in partnership between ourselves and LJMU (check out
liverpoolmusiccity.co.uk if someone’s nicked yours). The report
is the result of painstaking analysis of data captured at our May
event and associated online surveys.
The report is essentially a listening exercise, an opportunity
for the music community to have its voice heard. Coming through
loud and clear are issues surrounding property, the closure of
venues and wider challenges of the built environment – such
as noise complaints and developer power. There is the need for
new strategies that bring the city’s music heritage offer much
closer to the city’s vibrant year-round live music culture. There is
a need to open up access to Liverpool’s music culture – both in
terms of audiences and artists – to people of all backgrounds. The
ongoing financial challenges to artists are stark and consistent.
The starting embers of a music industry in the city are there, but
this urgently needs support. There is a consistent, loud and vocal
cry for structured strategic thinking around music policy with the
city’s music sector at its heart.
This project is not intended to provide a masterplan or a road
map for the future. It is purely intended to demonstrate the music
sector’s ability to galvanise, our appetite for a collective solution
and a desire to work in dynamic partnership with the city to
shape a new music future for Liverpool.
Following our Liverpool, Music City? event on 4th May
2017 – which has provided the data for this project – Liverpool
City Council (through Culture Liverpool) commissioned BOP
Consulting to produce a report on the music sector of the city.
The report seeks to “outline the importance of the sector to the
city, provide an analysis of how the sector currently operates and
suggest ways of enabling it to reach its potential to meet City
and City Region priorities” (Liverpool City Council). We warmly
welcome this move from the city and await the report’s findings
and suggestions – due in the coming weeks – with anticipation.
Watching You’ll Never Walk Alone today, you’re left with a
sense of cruel irony; the musicians, renegades and heroes that
play centre stage had each other, a vibrant, collective community
of support, but one which was left alone. Kept well away from
the corridors of power and influence. Completely ignored and
absent from civic thinking. Cut adrift. The community was left
alone to its own devices, left to find its own way, left to navigate
the backwaters of the music industry. Today, the experience
can be different. Working with our universities and the city, we
can craft a new music future – once we have a seat at the table.
Together, we can shape a city that rightly has music embedded
at its heart. !
Words: Craig G Pennington
Photography: Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk
liverpoolmusiccity.co.uk
14

WHAT’S ON
Liverpool Philharmonic
December – March
Sunday 3 December 8pm
LAUGHTERHOUSE
–
Sunday 3 December 8pm
Music Room
MOULETTES
–
Saturday 9 December 7.30pm
KATE RUSBY AT CHRISTMAS
–
Sunday 24 December 11am & 2pm
Film
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
–
Friday 26 January 8pm
DEAR ESTHER – LIVE
–
Sunday 18 March 7.30pm
Acoustic Tour 2018
LEVELLERS
Box Office
liverpoolphil.com
0151 709 3789
–
LiverpoolPhilharmonic
@Liverpoolphil
Image Kate Rusby

INDEPENDENT
VENUE WEEK
“IVW is very much a
celebratory thing. We’re
here to say, ‘Here’s a
venue in your local area.
Go to a gig. It’s the best
night out you’ll have’”
Seven days dedicated to celebrating the spirit of independence, and the culture of live music, is a great way
to support our independent venues, and start 2018 on a positive note.
great that Record Store Day occurs, but no one
was doing [the same] for independent venues.”
So says Chloe Ward, the Director of Independent
“It’s
Venue Week, an ambitious project which takes
place in venues around the UK each January. The brainchild of
former band manager, label boss, tour manager plus venue and
recording studio owner, Sybil Bell, IVW came about after Bell did
a period of consultancy work in partnership with Record Store
Day. Bell’s realisation that the same model could work to revive
a beloved but flagging live music sector, is what Ward believes
was the birth of the IVW project. “Knowing what it is to own
and run and work in them, day in, day out, she wanted to create
something that shone a spotlight on venues and the people in
them.”
Now in its fifth year, Independent Venue Week has grown
massively in stature, and has support from brands such as Fred
Perry Subculture, Marshall Records and Vevo. 157 venues are
already signed up for 2018, and organisers hope an eventual
160-plus sites will participate in a range of gigs and shows
between 29th January and 4th February.
IVW is at the end of January because it’s a traditionally very
quiet time for live music. “After Christmas people are bored,
clawing at the walls to get out and do something,” explains Ward.
“We run then to give a boost to the venues, launch them, put
them on the map and into the minds of people for the rest of the
year.” The week has been moved slightly later for 2018; “It’s after
payday and we’ve since found out that’s when student loans
come in!”
Venues taking part can be any size. The smallest IWV has
is the Grayson Unity in Halifax, boasting a capacity of 18. “They
joined last year and I emailed them back and said, ‘I think there’s
been a bit of a typo on your form. It says your capacity is 18’. And
he said ‘No, it’s 18 and actually that’s for a singer-songwriter. If
we get a band in, we have to reduce it to 13.’ It’s an old electrical
shop he’s converted into this tiny but incredible little venue.”
IVW is supported by a number of organisations including
Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales,
and PRS for Music. Vauxhall donate a Vivaro van (part of their
Vivaro On Tour project), which is given to artists all year round to
use for their tours. “It’s becoming more and more expensive now
for bands to go out on tour. They enable bands to save a load
of money and that van can go anywhere in the UK and Europe,”
says Ward. “It’s out at the moment with Sunflower Bean [on tour
with Wolf Alice], Slaves have used it, Yak have used it, there’s
quite a mighty list [of names].”
Let’s hope they give the van a good scrub clean before they
hand it back.
“They do! But Vauxhall do have a team who make sure it’s all
in working order and clean ready for the next artist. The bands
are respectful of it, they’re very grateful.”
IVW split the UK into 12 different regions: Liverpool
is included in the North West bloc, along with Altrincham,
Manchester, Carlisle, Morecambe, Northwich, Warrington and
Wigan. I put it to Ward that last year’s Liverpool line-up didn’t
exactly send pulses racing.
“We’re such a small team, there’s Sybil and I, and then we
work with freelancers... We wouldn’t have the time to book all
the shows ourselves, it’s completely up to the venues what they
book. One of the terms and conditions is the type of show you
have, it must be live music, no covers or tributes, all the artists
must be paid, and no battle of the bands. Aside from that, it’s
completely up to the venues what they programme.”
Is there any initiative within IVW to boost the patronage of
independent venues amongst young people?
“The venues all have different things on their licences – I think
the youngest you can be is 14 to go to a show – but it’s entirely
up to the venues whether they are 14+, 16+ or 18+ shows. We
certainly encourage them to market their shows to young people.
But it’s their licence at the end of the day.”
IVW nationally is a mix of new and emerging artists, and
bigger names. Last year, both Richard Hawley and Martha
Wainwright played shows, and 2017’s IVW ambassador Tim
Burgess curated a tour as part of the Week. “He supported us
a lot the year before, he was vocal on Twitter encouraging his
followers to get involved and go to shows. That was a natural
thing, to approach him and ask him for 2017, which he very
graciously said yes to. This year we’re having five ambassadors.”
Two of these are Portishead’s Adrian Utley, and Nadine
Shah, her album Holiday Destination topping many a best of list
for 2017. Shah is continuing the IVW ambassador tradition by
curating a tour for the project.
“As a massive live music enthusiast I totally relish the
opportunity to curate a tour of bands I love,” Shah says. “I was
honoured to be asked and that the artists we contacted were up
for getting involved.”
Shah names her favourite indie venues as The Cluny in
Newcastle and The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. She has
strong and affectionate memories of the first gig she saw at an
indie venue, The Golden Virgins at The Barfly in Camden. (“It
was sweaty!”). As an artist and a music fan, she stresses the
importance of such places.
“I still play some of them and regularly go see other artists at
independent venues. No matter how big my music project may
get I will always ensure we make the effort to play some smaller
independent venues too. They have proper individual characters,
and with that comes the lasting memories.
“The Trades Club in Hebden Bridge is my show that’s part of
IVW. It’s somewhere I’ve not played at yet and I get to share the
stage with some great artists that we handpicked. Have heard
great reports about that venue so I’m really looking forward to it.”
More established names are very much part of the IVW mix,
an opportunity for the bigger artists to get back to their roots or
do something a bit special. Ward reckons it gives venue owners
and promoters the chance to do a bit of research and up their
game: “Is there a venue that means a lot to an established artist,
where they never got to play when they were coming up? A place
where they had their first ever gig and do they want to go back?
The venues are getting more confident because of the amount of
coverage we get in, taking more of a risk, making tickets slightly
more expensive to get those bigger artists back. That’s why there
is a mixture.”
With many small venues facing a struggle to keep open – a
struggle which is not merely the result of a lack of cash, but
because of other issues such as gentrification – does Ward see
IVW another way of fighting back?
“There is the gentrification issue, and people wanting to live
in city centres and quite often developers have blocks of flats
near venues and from that you’re going to get a string of noise
complaints; and I know in London there are issues over rents and
rates going up and things like that that venues have struggled
with,” she acknowledges, adding “but we try to stay clear of
[that]. IVW is very much a celebratory thing. We’re here to say,
‘Here’s a venue in your local area. Go to a gig. It’s the best night
out you’ll have’.” !
Words: Cath Bore / @cathbore
Photography: Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk
independentvenueweek.com
Independent Venue Week runs from 29th January until 4th
February. Bido Lito! are hosting a closing party for IVW at The
Jacaranda on Saturday 3rd February.
Participating venues in Liverpool are: Buyers Club, Studio2, The
27 Club, The Jacaranda, EBGBS, The Magnet and The Zanzibar.
Check out each venue for individual listings.
16

We Are
Online.
www.outsidersstore.com
2 Slater Studios,
5-11 Slater Street,
Liverpool,
L1 4BW.
www.outsidersstore.com
#ONW
#OriginalNorthWest

18
As Liverpool’s prince of ambient electronica
prepares a second charity compilation album, Mike
Stanton looks back at what’s been an impressive
year for the musician’s various projects.

Neil Grant is an affable, down-to-earth bloke; for the
past four years he has been producing music under the
name LO FIVE, a strain of downbeat electronica that is
as likeable as his own easy-going character. He is one
of the current crop of electronic artists that fully embraces and
explores the new breed of emotive electronic music – one that is
tangible and tactile, that has an acoustic sensibility and emotional
connectivity in contrast to the often detached, cold and robotic
compositions of its formative years.
Every couple of months, Neil hosts a night called Emotion
Wave, where he gathers together some of the most exciting,
original electronic artists and producers who share his passion
for ambientronica. Together they entrance the small, dedicated
and growing number of people drawn to the Emotion Wave vibe,
people who seek out the more human-side of electronic music.
When starting out as Lo Five, Neil explored and embraced
the more tactile and expressive forms of electronic music. From
these beginnings, Lo Five and Emotion Wave evolved. “I tend to
be drawn to people who are doing quite melodic stuff,” says Neil,
“but that’s not just in electronic music, it goes across everything
that I listen to. I’ll listen to instrument-based music as much as I do
“Your life is basically like
a collection of memories
and experiences and
relationships and they’re
the things that matter,
not the material things”
electronic music, so I think a lot of the stuff that I do is informed by
quite a few different strands and not all of them musical.”
Striking out as a solo act provided different challenges to
having played in bands previously. “It was around 2013, I started
noodling on my laptop and coming up with different things and
trying different things out. It was a bit more sample-based, there
were more guitars, more acoustic drum-sounds. I wanted it to
sound almost like it was a band playing, but I’d put it all together
on a computer.” He continues, “I guess it’s got that one common
thing running through it, that there’s a melodic sensibility to it. I
quite like coming up with melodies and chords, that traditional
song crafting approach; I think that’s a hang-up from being in a
band, [being] probably more melody-driven than beat-driven. I’m
also interested in creating an atmosphere or a sense of space, I
want to give the impression that there’s a human behind it.” It is
this human aspect that so clearly informs his music and vision for
Emotion Wave.
In December 2016, Neil pressed the growing band of
likeminded artists that he’d met through Emotion Wave into
action on a compilation album. Blankets was a charity project, the
proceeds of which were donated to Liverpool-based homelessness
charity The Whitechapel Centre. Buoyed by its success, Neil
has asked the same producers and musicians to contribute to
another charity album, Daffodils, which is due to be launched at
a special Emotion Wave show on 9th December, at the night’s
spiritual home of 81 Renshaw. All of the proceeds from the sale of
Daffodils, as well as any money raised on the night, will be donated
to Merseyside Domestic Violence Services. Bringing together 25
artists from Merseyside, the North West and further afield, the
Daffodils album stretches over two cassettes and features an array
of Emotion Wave guests and regulars: Phono Ghosts, Mark Peters,
Afternaut, Melodien, Loka, Jean Michel Noir. 11 of the acts featured
on the album will also be performing live sets on the night, the lineup
reflecting perfectly the eclectic mix on the double album.
“I’ve kept it quite varied because the music on the compilation is
varied,” says Neil. “There’s a mixture of experimental, ambient, some
techno and some more electro-band-type stuff in there. It’s a mixed
line-up that I’m trying to schedule so that it starts off mellow and
ambient, moving into more band-territory, then into the pounding
techno.”
Excitingly this year he is teaming up with Preston-based
Concrète Tapes for a limited release of the album on yellow double
cassettes (priced at £10 each, with the option of a £4 digital
download). “[They] are part of an electronic scene in Preston that
I’ve got to know quite well – so it’s nice that everyone’s chipping in
and working together on it.”
Naming the album Daffodils was a result of Neil considering his
next musical project, exploring themes around mortality. “Daffodils
are a symbol of premature death for me because they bloom in early
spring and they seem to die before the summer. After reading these
really grim domestic violence statistics, funding cuts to women’s
refuges, people being turned away leading to deaths, it seemed to
fit with this whole concept. It was just a powerful symbol for me.”
Neil continues: “Women’s refuges and domestic violence
services have been hit particularly hard by austerity cuts and I
wanted to do something different, plus it seemed like a timely thing
to do. There’s a poster campaign in town to raise awareness of the
issue by Sisters Uncut Liverpool. They speak a lot of harsh truths
that really brought it all to the fore. I got in touch with MDVS and
Jacqui Nasuh was really keen for us to do this and to get involved.”
Jacqui Nasuh, Project Manager at MDVS, echoes this: “Domestic
violence is on the increase in Liverpool and this support from local
musicians is invaluable to our charity, as it will enable us to provide
additional support to local women and children.”
Without his bi-monthly electronic night Emotion Wave, none of
this would likely be possible. Having started just over two years ago,
the night has grown steadily in both numbers and reputation and
is now considered, as Neil jokingly describes, “Liverpool’s premier
sit-down electronic night.” Inspired by a frustration at the lack of
suitable venues for him to showcase his own particular lo-fi brand
of electronic music, Neil identified a gap, and once he found the
perfect foil in 81 Renshaw, he immediately looked to fill it up with
like-minded artists and producers.
“Traditional gig venues just weren’t cutting it for me to play in. I
can’t play club nights because you can’t dance to it. So, I was trying
to figure out what would be the ideal setting for someone making
music like me to play in – that’s not too late so you can get the bus or
train home afterwards, that’s comfortable and you can sit down and
enjoy as opposed to having to get up and dance. And playing in front
of a receptive, open-minded audience. That’s what Emotion Wave
turned into, really; this all-day thing is just an extension of that.”
Keeping it low-key and showcasing talent seems to be the aim
of Emotion Wave, focusing on the music rather than big-names,
established acts and flashy shows. “I’m happy to carry on like it is
for the foreseeable future. Other people are starting to get more
involved in it now so it could come to a point where I hand over
the reins to someone else. I’m fine with that. It feels more like a
cooperative. It’s cool that people want to get involved in it. Maybe
there will be a point where I just step back a bit. But for now, I’m
happy with it.”
Earlier in 2017, Neil’s activities as Lo Five took centre stage as
his debut album When It’s Time to Let Go, released on Patterned
Air Recordings, drew a raft of critical acclaim. Utilising assorted field
recordings, he infused the record with a sense of natural evolution
and familiarity and, as such, elicited warm and emotional responses.
It is also an album that’s intensely personal.
“There are loads of different sounds from my past and my
family’s past on that album,” says Neil. “Every year my mum and dad
record themselves playing guitar and singing happy birthday and
they’ll send that to me. I think that’s on there; there’s also a recording
of my dad playing Paul McCartney’s Junk, which I reversed and
chopped up. There are sounds of my daughter saying her first few
words. There are recordings of me in a band at 16 and bits of that
went in as well, so it’s like this weird patchwork quilt of memories.”
The title of this album is no less symbolic than the Daffodils
release as Neil explains. “The main kind of meaning behind that title
is it’s about all of the things that you accumulate throughout your life
– your life is basically like a collection of memories and experiences
and relationships and they’re the things that matter, not the material
things – I think we try and cling onto them a bit too much? Despite
all of our efforts to try and immortalise ourselves with these photos,
videos and electronic albums, we will have to let go of all of it one
day, and then when we do we’ll be free.” !
Words: Mike Stanton / @DepartmentEss
Photography: Andrew Bates / @oscillik
lofivemusic.bandcamp.com
mdvs.co.uk
The Daffodils compilation album is released on 9th December, with
a launch event at 81 Renshaw. When It’s Time To Let Go is available
now via Patterned Air.
FEATURE
19

TAYÁ
Making
waves in the biggest of arenas can be a
hard slog, but for this 19-year-old RnB vocalist,
success at the highest level comes as naturally
as breathing.
It’s been almost two years since Bido Lito! first spoke to TAYÁ
and were bowled over by her early successes. Having already
released three tracks that showcased her exceptional vocal
and writing abilities, the then 17-year-old was well on her
way to establishing a secure spot in the RnB music scene. Some
of the biggest names in the industry had already alerted listeners
to her smooth melodies and sought to collaborate with the young
artist. Her career has been making leaps and bounds since she
was first discovered singing for Positive Impact at the age of 13.
It’s no surprise then that the past
two years have seen Tayá truly reap the
rewards of her devotion to music. Named
as one of Vevo Dscvr’s 2018 artists,
Tayá is now at the brink of the success
she was destined for; an important
moment to capture in her steadfast
career path. Looking back over her
incredible experiences so far, especially
in what can be a ruthless industry for a
young artist, what strikes me during our
conversation is her unwavering sense
of self and style. Tayá describes an early
awareness of what she wanted to create
that is ever-present in her current work.
“I’ve always known what sound I wanted
to create and which lane I wanted to go down with my music,
but this year it’s just been one thing after another! What with the
songs I’ve released, the people I’ve met, it feels like everything
has just fallen into place this year. I’m really happy with where
everything’s going.”
Being able to retain her own creative input and be in control
of her music has kept Tayá on the right track. Glimpses of her
RnB loves of the early 2000s can be found in her music, such as
Ciara, Ashanti and JoJo. Her self-titled EP, released in September
this year, acts as a snapshot of both her career and personal
development so far. “I’ve been working on this EP for two years
now. It’s all of my favourite songs from over the years put into
a little EP, so every song is about a different stage in my life,
especially situations that I’ve grown or learnt something from.
The reason I love it so much is because I think other girls my age
can relate to it. When I listen to music, I want to hear something I
“Once someone
tries to put you in
a box, or tell you
what to do and
how to be, you lose
your creativity”
can relate to. Music just speaks to me, and I want to do the same
for my listeners.
“I’d say that, when it comes to writing songs, I find the best
ones that I write are always the most honest,” she continues.
“They’re always the ones that come from real situations. Say,
something has happened to me, or to a friend or someone I know,
I can channel that in my music.” The personal aspects of Tayá’s
music are the key ingredients for creating her textured, intricate
sound that captures an array of emotions. These are expressed
clearly in her impassioned vocals and
are something she also strives to convey
in her writing. “A lot of the time I’ll go
through WhatsApp messages and
old conversations on texts, and take
sentences that people have said or ones
I’ve said to them. The more honest it is,
the more people can relate. Sometimes
I’ll speak to people and after hearing one
of my songs they’ll say, ‘Oh my god, I
said that to you the other day!’”
Does referring to personal
experiences also help her deal with
the conflicting and difficult emotions
conveyed in her songs? “Yeh, definitely!
You realise you’re not the only person
experiencing them. It gives you the confidence to actually speak
about what you’re feeling and write it down, so it really helps.”
Regardless of the impressive list of influential producers
and artists that have worked with Tayá, her style and honesty
permeate the finished product. She chooses to collaborate with
creatives that will complement and evolve her style and character,
rather than lead it astray. “Once someone tries to put you in a
box, or tell you what to do and how to be, you lose your creativity.
I think the relationship is the most important thing, because
someone could be an amazing producer or writer, but if you don’t
get along, then you’re not gonna want to open up your heart and
write something really honest and real with them. Most of the
time I look for how I blend with them as a person before I even
look at the music. People I’ve worked with are now like friends
and we make the best music together, because we’re comfortable
with each other. We’re not scared to state our opinions, because
there is a mutual understanding. That’s the best way to work.”
To add to the surge of musical talents showing their support
and appreciation of Tayá’s music, Zara Larsson and Astrid S
invited her to tour with them this year. Working alongside these
artists gave Tayá the opportunity to learn and develop as a
performer. “The experience was totally different. They were the
biggest gigs I’ve ever done and were both very different as tours
themselves. Astrid’s was all over Europe and a little bit smaller,
but the fans went crazy! And Zara toured all of the UK and the
productions were much bigger. They were the best experiences
I’ve had performing. Being able to see other people who I can
look up to and see how they do things helped me grow so much
as a performer. It helped that I was supporting two young girls
like myself, so the audiences were really receptive to me, I was
really lucky. I got an amazing response!”
She was also able to find her own way of dealing with stage
fright. With her strong self-confidence and bubbly spirit that
shines throughout our conversation, I was surprised to hear that
even Tayá struggles with nerves ahead of performances. “You’ve
got to have that persona and get into a different mind frame,
because I get so painfully nervous! I shake from head to toe, I
sweat, everything! It can get really bad, so I’ve just got to get into
a different mind frame and just go for it. Once I’m on stage then
it’s OK, it’s just the initial walking on that’s the hard part.”
“Music has just been one of the only things that I’ve really
loved and really, really cared about since I was young,” Tayá
continues in an impassioned voice, laying her cards on the table.
“I’m one of those people who goes through phases where I’m
like, ‘Oh, I love this!’ one minute and, ‘Oh, now I love this!’ the
next, but music has been one of the only constants throughout
my life. That’s how I knew that I wanted to do it as a career,
because I was never gonna go to Uni or do anything like that.
I’ve always just loved music and you’ve got to do something that
you enjoy. That’s why music is important to me. It’s always been
there. I’ve always known that this is what I want to do.” !
Words: Jess Greenall / @jessrg1995
@taya
The EP Tayá is out now via Atlantic Records.
20

Raised in South Wales and now based in Berlin, Katy Lane has carved a niche
for herself as a photographer with an eye for drama in otherwise mundane
situations. Her candid work documents the lives of her closest friends and
family in a journal style of photography that is intimate and warm, inviting you
to peek behind the curtain, uncovering sides you don’t often get to see. That Lane’s close
friends and family are among the most intriguing, iconic musicians alive – Lane is married
to Brian Jonestown Massacre leader Anton Newcombe – makes her series of portraits
resonate with that bit more of a frisson.
The autobiographical work of Lane’s journals details her experiences collaborating
with and living around the various members of The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and the
assorted musicians who gravitate to her husband’s studio in Berlin: among them the
Canadian musician Rishi Dhir, of the band Elephant Stone, and Italian singer, actor and
director Asia Argento. Vocalist and frequent collaborator with Newcombe, Tess Parks,
has become a close friend of Lane’s as a result, leading to a remarkably personal and
moving set of images that have found their way into Lane’s burgeoning portfolio.
With her new book of Polaroids, Someplace Else Unknown, set for release in the
new year, Lane will be exhibiting a collection of her pictures for the first time in the UK
at Bold Street Coffee during December. We caught up with her in advance to try and
uncover some of the insight that goes into her art.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Why do you use film?
To put it simply, I just prefer it! I started off using an Olympus film point-and-shoot when
I was about 14, before switching to digital when I was a little older. I then used both
when I was in art school, figuring out how to use a Canon AE-1 and develop my own
photos in the darkroom. I did use my digital Canon on the first BJM tour I went on, but I
soon realised my film photos far surpassed anything I’d shot with my digital. It’s made
me a better photographer in my opinion – you learn to make every frame count.
What made you decide to use
photography as a way of documenting
your experiences?
I always wanted to pursue a career in
art of some kind, before really getting
interested in photography as a young
teenager, and coercing my friends into
being my subjects for various projects.
Then I left art school, fell in love with
a musician and went straight into
touring and travelling, so I continued
to photograph my life and the lives of
everyone around me. I’m surrounded by
creativity in my day to day life, so I feel
it’s important to freeze these moments in
time. It has always seemed natural to me,
in the same way as keeping a journal.
“I’m surrounded
by creativity in my
day to day life, so I
feel it’s important
to freeze these
moments in time”
Rishi Dhir
How does your approach change between working on specific projects and
photographing for pleasure?
I would say my approach doesn’t change at all. I don’t like to stage photos, and want
them to be as natural as possible, even when the subject knows I’m taking pictures of
them, I just adapt to my surroundings.
Do you feel it’s better to have a close relationship with the person you are
photographing?
I would say yes because the person feels comfortable with you, and will let their guard
down, which is especially important for me because I love candid shots. For instance,
my friend Tess is one of my favourite people to take pictures of, and because we know
each other so well, we work great together. Again, I take so many photos of my husband
because I get to see a side of him everyone else doesn’t get to see. Mostly everything I’ve
done up until this point has been documentary, but I am pushing myself to do more with
people I don’t know. I don’t want to get too comfortable myself, and it’s so important to
have new experiences with new people.
Photography allows you to see the world through another’s eye. What do you want to
show viewers about your world and how you experience it?
This is quite a tricky question for me to answer, because when I take photos I don’t
specifically set out to show them to anyone in particular. I’m quite a private person so
I’m constantly struggling with how much I let people into my world, so to speak – I share
very little. I have just finished my first zine though, which, in a way, is like a holiday family
album. It has definitely inspired me to make more, and I already have an idea of the next
one mapped out. !
Words: Jess Greenall / @jessrg1995
Photography: Katy Lane / misskatylane.com
Tess Parks
Someplace Else Unknown opens at Bold Street Coffee on 1st December and runs until
January. There will also be a launch party for the exhibition on the evening of 18th
December, featuring DJ sets from Bido Lito! and Carl Combover.
SOMEPLACE
ELSE UNKNOWN
Bold Street Coffee hosts the first UK showing of photographer KATY LANE’s new collection of intimate
portraits, offering a candid look at the lives of The Brian Jonestown Massacre and their collaborators.
22

FRI 29TH DEC 2017
Tickets available: dice.fm

NICK POWER
The Coral keyboardist adds to his repertoire of provincial fascination with an impressive
third anthology, and accompanying album of low-key, introspective musings.
24

New Brighton: End of the line. A rest place for the carriages as they gasp for breath,
twitching and clicking, taking a minute before rushing back once again through gorse
and dockland and darkness returning to Liverpool. I’m sat with NICK POWER in the
Floral Pavilion, coffee in hand, sheltering from the blustering wind which rages outside.
Upstairs a man with a guitar covers America’s A Horse With No Name to a room of geriatrics and
their dogs. It’s by no coincidence that I meet the poet and musician here today. Power released
his debut anthology of verse and short stories, Small Town Chase, back in 2013, turning his
fascination for the minutiae of small town life into words. Caravan, released in 2017, is the third
such anthology, and the first to be accompanied by an album of music alongside it.
“I’m attracted to the fringes. They’re not totally inside but they’re not completely isolated. It’s
the grey areas that I like,” explains Power. From the localities of New Brighton and West Kirby
to the further reaches of Carmarthen and Paisley, there’s a magical
fringe spirit; their geographies creating an aura which breeds similar
characters, humours and creativities which Power has become an
expert at documenting.
Recurring themes in his work are the colloquialisms and
peculiarities of those places which sit in the shadows, larger cities
towering over them, leaving the towns to go about their business
unnoticed and unbothered. There’s a spirit and feeling that connects
these places, a universal language which breeds recognisable
characters. “I like riding me bike around the Wirral to places like New
Brighton, or sometimes council estates, and finding weird roads and
places to sit and write. The best thing that ever happened to me was
notes on iPhone. It allows you to blend in and become part of the
environment. You stand out [otherwise]. I’m not one of those people
who carries a typewriter around with me to coffee shops.”
Camouflaged in plain sight, Power soaks in his environment,
capturing the familiar feeling of each locale, which he amongst many others across the country
has grown up with and become so physically attached to. “Some of the places I go and write you’d
get had off for writing with a paper and pen! You just look like a divvy.” His latest works finds
us in backyards, chip shops and holiday parks exploring the small town mindset. “My brother’s
a photographer and he taught me how to compose a photo so I got really into it. So some of
the poems are just a description of a scene. So I should probably just have a camera on me.” No
camera is needed, however, as Power finds himself somewhat as a landscape painter taking us to,
‘The slot-machine zoetrope of pier weekends,’ and, ‘the wet cut jaw of a mountain range.’
Seeing the sun appear, we take advantage and slip outside, much like many a British holiday
maker before us, trying to bask in its glory before it disappears once more into the grey. In search
of chips, we walk along the front as Power tells of the importance of the poetry itself rather than
its performance. “I don’t like to perform my poems out loud as I think it detracts from that. The first
poem is called Inner Narrative and it’s about that.” We sit, chips in hand. “I’m not about spoken
word, I prefer my work to be heard in the mind’s voice. It’s not my place to say what accent that
takes. To me there’s no sound to it. Sometimes you’re forcing certain things on people by reading
it aloud. I’d hate it to be parochial in that way. Britain has the most amazing mix of dialects in the
world so I’d hate it to be parochial and limit it to mine – although I do feel the Scouse accent is
perhaps the most romantic.”
This again links in with the universal language of the small town, the way in which poems
written on the Wirral – much like the train lines we travelled on today interlink – weave and
connect silently finding similarities despite being miles apart. While pondering on this thought,
my Polystyrene tray, greaseproof paper and chips fly into the air, the comforting smell of vinegar
going with it as a thousand seabirds dive upon it. We both let out a chuckle as Power softly says,
“Brutal that”. The incident is somewhat like the anthology, balancing nostalgia with glimpses of
darker undercurrents.
“I do like nostalgia, some people think it’s a swear word, but it’s a really pertinent thing I
think. But I definitely wanted there to be a modern element [to the anthology] as well. I think it’s
important to have some kind of underbelly to writing, whether that be songs or poetry, otherwise
it would just be something you see on daytime BBC Two. Everything I write about has a dark
underbelly to it.”
Chips lost, we speak of summers spent camping and for Power this is still something that
lingers in his vision to this day. “I live right next to a caravan site and I’ve always been kind of
fascinated with it. I had the concept and then wrote the song [Caravan] and put it on the first page
of the book. That was the only real custom tune that I tailored for the book, the rest of the tunes
were already there. The album was just meant to go with the book, really. It’s easier for people to
listen to music, it’s definitely harder to get people to read something.”
It’s true people are far more susceptible to music than the written word. However, the album
is by no means an ‘add on’ to the book. Both works can be enjoyed thoroughly on their own; but,
to totally immerse yourself with Power’s mindscape, indulging in both simultaneously really does
transport you to another world.
With a week’s worth of supplies, a massive Argos keyboard and a guitar, Power decamped to
an out of season caravan park in Llandudno, picked at random. “I kind of cut off from the outside
world – though, obviously I still had the internet. The thing about caravans and anything in transit
is that they’re kind of like film sets, they’re their own little world. They don’t need to conform to
any outside parameters. Some of the shit that goes on. People can go there to hide, to recover. It
feels that often people on the fringes of society seem to go there. Either that or families from the
city who want to be in the country, but don’t want to [actually] be in the countryside. It’s unreal.
I think a lot of people look to America for the romance and drama, but in the North West alone
there’s everything you need.”
But taking to the North Wales resort was more than just a romantic idea, Power informs me
as we walk along the front past parked up caravelles who sit silently, curtains closed, sheltering
from the loose sand which taps on their windows. “I think now I’ve just got so many options when
it comes to recording music that I’d never get it done any other way. I just needed a limited amount
of time and a place to just record it or I would never have done it. I mean, I still do think, ‘Fuckin’
hell, that guitar is out of tune and that’s out of time’, but that’s the beauty of it I suppose. A lot
of my favorite albums are like that, made within some secluded wilderness like Nebraska. You’re
listening to it in the context and that adds to it in your mind, you fill in the gaps. I think people with
good imaginations are able to fill gaps with their own imagery. Some people like a blank canvas.”
Much like prominent DIY forebears Connie Converse and Daniel Johnston, the rough, lo-fi
nature of the recordings and their imperfections bare the soul which lies within the collection of
folk, country and 60s pop numbers. Much like the collection of poems it accompanies, the album
hints at darkness yet remains warm and, most importantly, human.
Having dived into the arcade with its garish signs and radiating monoliths, our time
together, much like the coppers we spend without any recompense, is dwindling. We must part
ways to return to our small town homes; despite having to cross many an invisible border, the
conversations we have shared today assure us that we shall most likely bump into the same old
characters and same situations before we meet again. !
Words and Polaroids: Matthew Hogarth
Photography: Kevin Power
nickpower.bandcamp.com
The album Caravan is out now via Skeleton Key Records. The book Caravan is published by
Erbacce Press, available from erbacce-press.webeden.co.uk.
“The thing about
caravans and
anything in transit
is that they’re
kind of like film
sets, they’re their
own little world”
FEATURE
25

ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
& THE BOOTLEG BEATLES
For all the creativity of the arts, their structures can seem
very formal. It has become a cultural expectation that
paintings are for galleries, drama for theatres. And
while established institutions play an important role
in showcasing talent, they’re not without their problems. Many
people perceive these as spaces for observation only – look, but
don’t touch. How then can the demographics who, statistically,
do not engage with these institutions discover what participating
in the arts can offer them? The answer lies in a different kind
of organisation: user-led, community-based places, where
exploration and discovery can happen organically.
Luckily for us, we have two such places at the heart of our
city. The clash in architectural styles of THE BLACK-E and THE
FLORRIE belies a mutual passion for community-driven arts
projects that is central to both institutions.
The mission of The Black-E, the neo-classical building perched
on the junction of Great George Street and Nelson Street, is best
explained in the words of its founder, Bill Harpe. “When we
started, we were virtually the only organisation who were saying
‘arts and community’, saying ‘participation’. People don’t just
come in to look, they come in to do.” In 2018 the organisation will
celebrate its 50th anniversary – making it the oldest community
arts centre in the UK – and this mission has never changed. Come
into the gallery space and you’ll find work by the internationally
renowned artist Judy Chicago, displayed alongside pieces made by
the local community.
But The Black-E team are particularly proud of their youth
programme. Alongside work with specific disenfranchised groups
such as children with neurological conditions, the centre hosts a
range of workshops and activities that all young people can access
for free. Free, and no obligation, are important here. As Deputy
Director Maria Paule tells me, “The kind of young people we get
at our door are young people who really are maybe not sure about
where they want to go in life... they’ve maybe lost their focus a little
bit. And then they come here and they find something that they’re
interested in.”
These young people may initially visit out of curiosity about
what the building is, but it’s this open-door model that keeps
them coming back. It’s a relaxed environment with no obligations
or expectations. “We will have the table tennis, will have other
activities,” explains Paule, “but we’ll have a dance class going on
next door. So, we’re not forcing young people to get involved with
these arts activities. They can come here and if they just want to sit
here and or have a conversation, they can do that. And eventually,
it becomes their home.” It’s a policy which believes in the power
of the arts to improve lives – but also in the will and potential of
young people to engage by themselves.
The Black-E’s programmes can have a major impact on their
participants. Take the Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu hellraiser Bill
Drummond who, to Bill Harpe’s surprise, recently divulged a
personal connection to the project. Drummond told Harpe that,
“after a little while of volunteering at The Black-E, I thought ‘College
Of Art’s a waste of time isn’t it?’. So, I gave up College Of Art and
started promoting music. So, The Black-E changed my life.” This
legacy is still part of The Black-E’s present – Paule tells me about
one recent alumni who, after being inspired by the centre’s circus
skills workshops, is now studying the subject at university. And
regularly returning to volunteer, where her passion started, to be
part of the community which will keep inspiring future generations.
Little more than a mile away from The Black-E on Mill Street,
The Florrie also has its roots in youth engagement. Indeed, this
was the very purpose behind its foundation as The Florence
Institute in 1889 – to be “an acceptable place of recreation and
instruction for the poor and working boys of this district of the city”.
But that original incarnation of The Florrie closed in the 1980s, to
be reborn in 2012 in the same grand, flame-coloured Jacobean
building, designated as a place ‘for everyone’.
In some ways The Florrie’s strength lies in being less of an
organiser than a facilitator. Most activities are volunteer-run, with
the ideas for activities coming directly from users. CEO Anne
Lundon explains that “we use our space and resources to help
people who want to make things happen. It makes people feel like
they belong. Giving people artistic freedom to share their skills and
“People don’t
just come in
to look, they
come in to do”
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In her second look at the role arts centres play in our communities,
Julia Johnson focuses on two institutions – THE BLACK-E
and THE FLORRIE – that have user-led art at their core.
passions allows us to make things happen in the building.”
This passion for the projects is shared by Community Coordinator,
Timothy Tierney. In conversation about The Florrie’s
mission, he constantly uses the word “empowering”. It’s something
he takes his own inspiration from: “People just giving opportunities
to others... it’s empowered me into feeling anything is possible.”
Tierney give the example of how this is put into practice in his own
guitar group. With participants ranging in age from 13 to 70, he
encourages them to learn from one another as much as from him.
It’s a perfect example of the driving force of this organisation. It’s not
background or money that count (all activities at The Florrie are, like
those of The Black-E, free), but enthusiasm. And when The Florrie is
even an inspiration to high fashion house Valentino, visitors can start
to understand where this enthusiasm may take you.
Even if you’re not local to The Florrie, you’ve still likely visited
or heard of their programme of art exhibitions and music events.
This new artistic strategy has been pursued with particular
gusto for the past year. Knowing that “music is a massive part
of Liverpool heritage… it’s in our blood,” it’s recently hosted
exhibitions of the work of punk artist Jamie Reid, a photographic
exhibition of The La’s and served as a major venue in the Justified
Ancients Of Mu Mu’s Welcome To The Dark Ages event. Indeed,
The Florrie is another place that seems to have a particular
significance for the JAMS – Jimmy Cauty recently gave his touring
ADP Riot Tour installation as a permanent donation. Future
projects include a major exhibition of work by Roger Dean, and the
development of the performance space to provide an ever-better
experience for artists and visitors. These events bring arts to the
community but also, by appealing to a wide audience, potentially a
new community to the building. And who knows what innovations
that community may bring with it?
Access to, and time for, the arts is increasingly becoming
a premium commodity. Opportunities for participation may
be available in all the major institutions, but you’ll only know
about these if you already interested, which leaves many people
underserved. This is why centres like The Florrie and The Black-E,
and their work on broadening access to diverse activities, are so
essential. By responding directly to what the community wants
and needs, they are giving people the chance to feel genuinely
connected with the arts, in a way which just may change lives. !
Words: Julia Johnson / messylines.com
Illustration: Jemma Timberlake / jemmatimberlake.co.uk
theblack-e.co.uk
theflorrie.org
26

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IT’S A WALT
The cinema screen that rises
from the stage is one of the
Philharmonic Hall’s endearing
quirks. Del Pike speaks to
a man who plays a key part
in one of Liverpool’s great
festive traditions.
Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall remains without doubt
the most elegant music venue in the city, impressing
thousands of visitors every year. The current building
was opened in 1939 following the demolition of a
previous concert hall after it caught fire and was damaged
beyond repair in 1933. The new Philharmonic Hall was designed
by Herbert J. Rowse and built in the Streamline Moderne style
of Art Deco architecture. To enter the building for the first
time is still as breathtaking as ever, with sweeping staircases,
ornamental windows, beautiful lighting and an auditorium to
rival any in the world. Its roster of performers continues to
impress with the cream of the world’s music talent on a constant
programme, alongside speakers, dancers and comedians. The
building has undergone a number of renovations, most recently
in 2015 which saw the addition of the Music Room, a smaller but
no less appealing venue at the rear of the building.
One of the more endearing features of The Philharmonic’s
main auditorium, which has remained since the new hall was
opened, is the famous Walturdaw cinema screen. This wonderful
contraption is hidden away beneath the stage and, when
required, will gracefully emerge, as if by magic, in the centre
stage of the stage.
Walturdaw screens were a popular feature in theatres and
concert halls for many years, via the genius of early cinema
pioneers J.D Walker, Edward George Turner and G.H Dawson.
Turner and Walker started out as a touring film show in the
1890s, exhibiting silent films all over Britain with Thomas
Edison’s Kinetoscope machines and phonographs. In a rather
bogus fashion they called themselves The North American
Touring Company and, with a Wrench Cinematograph, boasted
an early touring projector that could actually play to massed
audiences.
In 1904 they joined forces with school teacher G.H. Dawson
and formed the company Walturdaw, turning to film production
with their own synchronised sound system, the Cinematophone.
Working through the 1920s, the company also provided
equipment to theatres and cinemas, including the wondrous
Walturdaw cinema screens.
The screen at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall is the only
working model of its kind in existence, and is not just there to
sit pretty. It is used on a regular basis as part of the Phil’s rolling
programme of classic film screenings. Making full use of its home,
screenings are often backed by a live orchestral score and shows
are constantly sold out.
The charm of the screen very much lies in the fact that it
rises from the stage as the audience watch, retaining much of its
magic. Its majesty is heightened by the live accompaniment by
resident organist, Dave Nicholas. Dave paid us an evening visit
at the Bido Lito! office to tell us more about this unique attraction
and his long and successful association with it.
At 82 years of age, Dave is as sprightly as you would imagine
for a man of his profession and he has a twinkle in his eye from
years of magic and memories. Swapping his trademark kilt for a
smart suit, he looks the part with a tie emblazoned with musical
notes. He’s a real local character with a fascinating story to tell.
“I’ve been there 28 years, I don’t think they’ve found out yet,” he
laughs.
Dave’s tale is a long one, reaching back to 1960 when he was
an entertainer at Butlins in Skegness, working alongside names
like Bud Flanagan, Johnny Ball and Freddie ‘Parrot Face’ Davies.
It was there that he learned the trade that he is so celebrated for
‘til this day.
“On a rainy Friday I would get through 500 tunes,” Dave
remembers, and he lists the many musicians he played with,
many who have gone on to play with prestigious orchestras
worldwide. “They would film everyone at Butlins through the
week, then on Friday morning they would have a film show, and
I would accompany it. It put me in great stead for doing the silent
movies.”
After his stint at Butlins, Dave worked in Liverpool’s
famous Rushworths store in the city, a music shop with strong
connections to The Beatles’ legend. It was by chance that his
30

URDAW LIFE
presence there would lead to his career at the Philharmonic Hall.
“I was working in the organ department one day when Jack and
Sally Bennet came in with their daughter, Myra. Jack ran an organ
society in Halstead and was looking for a new organ, so I gave
a demo. Myra came over as she had never heard an electronic
piano sound like a church organ before.
“Myra went on to be principal flautist at the Phil, she’s retired
now, and her husband David Piggot plays the horn there still.
Anyway, Jack asked me if I’d make a cassette of my organ playing
and at first I thought, ‘You’ll never sell the bloomin’ thing!’
“They came to my house on Boxing Day of 1987 and said,
‘We can’t record it here, let’s do it at The Phil’. Well I couldn’t
take my organ there as it wasn’t insured outside of the house,
so we used The Phil’s organ. When I came to try the organ, it
was 31st January and some of the management came in – they
were preparing for the 50th anniversary the next year – and they
wanted to raise the screen up. Well, I didn’t know anything about
the screen, and as it started to come up, just for fun I started to
play the Gaumont British News music.
“I did the recording and that was the end of it until I
contacted David in April to see if we’d sold any cassettes. He
asked if I’d heard from The Phil and I said ‘No’, and he said, ‘Well,
you’re playing there three nights in June,’ and I’ve been there ever
since.”
Dave is still eternally grateful for that chance meeting in
Rushworths and for the result of what was meant to be a bit of a
joke on that fateful day at The Phil. “When I’d been there 25 years,
they gave me a vase. I’d done 500 films in those years.” He is also
very proud that he was the first person to record the Philharmonic
organ on cassette and CD.
Dave is known mostly for his work playing before film
screenings and, in the case of older films (with no long credit
scrolls), playing them out too. He has played accompaniment
to silent films too, including a special screening of Of Time And
The City, Terence Davies’ paean to Liverpool, in November 2008.
Dave is also proud to have played at the premiere of Hilary And
Jackie, the 1998 film penned by Frank Cottrell Boyce about cellist
Jaqueline Du Pré , and shot around Liverpool.
Not only playing alongside films, Dave has also performed
prior to guest speakers and performers; I remember seeing him
supporting cult filmmaker John Waters at Homotopia in 2013.
“The film company gave me some music to play, it was all quite
foreign to me, but I did it.”
He also fondly remembers supporting Anthony Wedgwood
Benn, who he described as a very pleasant man, “I had to play half
an hour before he went on. When he finished his talk, I had to play
For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow, and he
made all the dignitaries say thank you.
Very nice.”
I asked Dave what his fondest
memories have been and he states
firmly, “The screenings of It’s A
Wonderful Life.” Something of a festive
tradition now, The Phil has been
showing this Christmas favourite for
a number of years supported by a full
orchestra, and with Dave supplying
the intro. “Everyone has it on DVD
now,” explains Dave, “but they keep on
coming.” The rising stage and Dave’s
fanfare is an integral part of this annual
treat.
I also ask what he still enjoys about
his role, and with a sigh Dave tells me “at my age, it’s not going to
go on forever, but it’s the place isn’t it? It’s so unique. Fortunately
for me, I’m not into all the new music at all, I like the old standards,
and they fit in with the décor. They get all the modern stuff on the
screen, that doesn’t concern me. A lot of young people enjoy this
as it’s something they’d not see anywhere else, I mean they hardly
show anything like this on TV.” He smiles with some comfort as he
tells how “there is a place down South that teaches young people
how to play music to films.”
“A lot of young
people enjoy this
as it’s something
they’d not see
anywhere else”
When I ask Dave what changes he has seen over the years he
explains how the stage has grown, but the screen has remained in
the same position. “It was never touched in the war you know, not
many of the cinemas and theatres were damaged.”
This brings us to the fact that the screen is the only functioning
model in the world. “Yes, there were three. One in Russia which
was covered over and I think there was one in Morocco which was
damaged. Liverpool’s is the only one that has been preserved.
Dave is a true professional and exceptional company on a cold
winter’s night. “Audience rapport in The Phil has always been very
appreciative, I always get the applause,”
he says, smiling. “There’s never any
music on my stand, I never know what
I’m going to play, but I’ve been a pro for
over 50 years and I’ve never missed a
show. Even when there was a tummy
bug going ‘round in Butlins, I nearly
missed a couple, but I still made it in the
end.” And his eyes are twinkling with
memories once more.
Dave continues to accompany
The Phil’s film screenings on his organ
and will be accompanying Victoria
And Abdul and two screenings of
It’s A Wonderful Life in the run up to
Christmas. He’s unsure what the future
will hold, but it’s our guess that he will
continue to be a vital part of The Phil’s legend for a long time to
come. !
Words: Del Pike / @del_pike
Photography: Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk
liverpoolphil.com
It’s A Wonderful Life is screened twice on Christmas Eve, at
11am and 2pm
FEATURE
31

SPOTLIGHT
KATIE MAC
The Huyton-born artist channels a well of personal
experience into her charged, emotional songwriting.
“Listening can
often make you
realise that you’re
not as mad as
you thought and
you’re not alone”
Singer-songwriter KATIE MAC’s music isn’t easily
categorised. “I used to say it was primarily acoustic
coming from a singer-songwriter angle but it isn’t
anymore really. Not when we add the band anyway.
It can be quite energetic at times and not usually what people
are expecting when a girl walks on stage with an acoustic.”
And while she casts Laura Marling, Regina Spektor and Joni
Mitchell as her biggest influences when she first began writing
songs, Katie adds “It changes all the time now. I don’t think you’d
necessarily pick up on those things if you watched the band.”
Katie, whose talents have been picked up on by Merseyrail
Sound Station and LIMF Academy, grew up in Huyton and
attributes a lot of her identity to the Knowsley town. “It’s funny,
but I wouldn’t be who I am if I hadn’t grown up in Huyton. You
can think of it in the way that I wouldn’t have had the same
friends, schools and jobs and those things are the reasons I’ve
written a lot of my songs,” she explains before continuing, “I also
grew up in a road that was full of other bands, half the dads and
uncles played guitar and I remember really clearly that I used to
watch people go in and out of the house opposite ours for piano
lessons. It was everywhere.”
Drawing from the well of personal experience, Katie explains
that all of the songs she has penned so far are about things that
have really happened: “Mostly about my family and the people
who I have grown up around and the people we have lost. I
understand why artists feel the need to try and spread their
[political] views and it can be very influential, but I have enough
feelings about simple things without having to take inspiration
from the nightmares everyone already knows about.”
Case in point, her latest release Into The Wild. “It is entirely
about my realisation that life is too short to go to work. I wrote
it a few weeks after I quit my job and decided to fully throw
myself into making my life what I want it to be. I was bored and
I don’t like being told what to do. There is no going back now.”
It’s the perfect track to leap into the darkness with, emphatic
and set alight by vocals that are uncompromising and stunning
in equal measure. The other tracks on her SoundCloud page are
of the same high quality, showing off her trademark voice, but
are diverse in composition. The rousing Eye To Eye has the lilt
of Stiff-era Kirsy MacColl, while Night Time is a slower, more
pared-back affair and Drugs And Older Women starts off a slow
baroque ballad, before picking up tempo halfway through and
veering into a triumphant pop number.
She’s not resting on her laurels though and is eager for more
people to hear her work, both recorded and live: “I have a lot
more growing to do, many more songs to write and loads more
places that I want to gig. It would be ideal if more people began
to listen to those songs, giving me more things to write about
and, therefore, giving me an excuse to play in great venues I’m
not even aware of yet.”
Katie can’t pinpoint exactly what first got her into music – “I
just always loved it. I don’t know how or when it started” – but
can put her finger on why it’s so important to her. “I think music
triggers memories which create really good stories. I remember
loads of things simply because of the song that was on. Most
of the things I took part in growing up, I was singing or playing.
Also, people sing about situations and feelings that they wouldn’t
necessarily tell you about, so listening to it can often make you
realise that you’re not as mad as you thought and you’re not
alone. And it’s a good release.”
soundcloud.com/katiemacmusic1
Katie Mac plays Sound Basement on 22nd December.
32

EYESORE AND
THE JINX
Josh Miller, EYESORE AND THE
JINX’s vocalist and bassist, on their
“collection of maudlin odes to the
world’s impending annihilation”.
“I’d like to think we
could have come
from anywhere
and we would still
have made the
same music”
How did you get into music?
I was raised by West Derby’s very own Von Trapp family where
being a musician wasn’t a choice. As for the band, I started
rehearsing with a short-lived boy band some years ago and Liam
just started showing up and honestly just hasn’t left since. As
for Eoghan, we were looking for a drummer who could play for
longer than four bars without doing some ridiculous, Spinal Tap
fill and he was the only one we could find.
What’s the latest song/EP/album you have you - and what does
it say about you?
We haven’t released any music as yet and it says that we’re not
very organised.
Did you have any particular artists in mind as an influence
when you started out? What about them do you think you’ve
taken into your music?
The Fall, The Birthday Party and The Gun Club have been
mainstays of the Jinxy jukebox since we started. From them
we’ve taken countless riffs, the odd bass line and probably a few
lyrics here and there. So, cheers fellas – see you in court.
Do you feel a responsibility to respond to current affairs or
contemporary situations through your music?
The current political climate being the shitshow that it is, I think
it’s impossible to ignore. Taking into account the mutants that are
running the show, I don’t think any of our music is political out of
responsibility, it’s more a case of shooting fish in a barrel. When
the world inevitably reverts back to less tiny-handed, lizard-inhuman-costume
politicians, then our music may in turn become
less political.
How does where you are from affect your writing (if at all)?
I don’t feel our music is particularly indebted to Liverpool past or
present. I’d like to think we could have come from anywhere and
we would still have made the same music and that’s definitely
a good thing. I think the same thing can be said for a lot of the
bands kicking around the city at the minute – and that’s probably
why Liverpool’s music scene is as healthy as it is.
soundcloud.com/eyesoreandthejinx
Head to bidolito.co.uk for a longer version of this interview.
HARLEE
“Uplifting soulful pop with a
sprinkle of teenage yearning.”
Warrington-based HARLEE
talks us through her musical life
and taking inspiration from her
experiences.
“Music is an
escape – a
refuge from
life’s anxieties
and problems”
What’s the latest song/EP/album you have you – and what does
it say about you?
I recently released my second single, Venom. The song is
essentially about a promising friend who eventually revealed
herself to be a fake. I think it speaks to my apprehensive
approach to relationships.
How does where you are from affect your writing (if at all)?
I think my writing is affected both by life in Warrington, and on an
even smaller scale, my day to day social world within Warrington.
Though I’m proud of being from Warrington, I wouldn’t say it’s
particularly glamorous or culturally enriching. So, without some
incredibly inspiring landscape, I’m probably forced to write
more about the people and experiences in my own little world –
relationships, mates, things like that.
Would you say there’s a distinction between yourself as a
songwriter and as a musician?
Well I think writing makes me a better musician. For one, singing
about my own experiences I think makes the vocal performances
more true and powerful. If I’m writing for myself, I try to keep
my voice in mind, but, ultimately, I think I’m in search of the best
composition.
How do you see your career progressing from where you are
now (in an ideal situation)?
I definitely admire the careers of developing artists like Dua Lipa,
Anne-Marie, and Jess Glynne – they have trajectories that I’d love
to follow. Of course, I want to conquer the world but, importantly,
I want people to hear what I have to say, and hopefully take
something meaningful from it.
Why is music important to you?
Music is an escape – a refuge from life’s anxieties and problems. I
think a lot of people feel that way and I’m no exception.
harleemusic.com
Venom is out now via 5Town Records.
You can read an extended version of this interview at
bidolito.co.uk
SPOTLIGHT 33

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MEMBERSHIP 35

PREVIEWS
“What I write about,
stuff like truth and
wisdom, I’m trying
to impart that for a
younger generation”
GIG
CHRIS
WOOD
Philharmonic Music Room – 24/01/18
Chris Wood has been
championing the craft of
songwriting for almost three
decades: Paul Fitzgerald talks to
him about changing politics and
their faith in younger audiences.
The latest CHRIS WOOD release, So Much To Defend,
sees the uncompromising songwriter taking further
steps away from the folk tag of which we’ve become
a little too familiar, and he’s becoming a little bored
of hearing. Wood is a contemporary songwriter with a unique
vision of his subject matter. He helps us understand the
characters in his work by highlighting their circumstances
through themes familiar to us all. Social injustice, the struggles
of the everyday, love, light and our condition, and our place in
it all.
Wood is a prolific teller of stories, and a gifted
instrumentalist with a foot firmly in roots music and the
history of gathered songs, and passed down tales and a
keen eye on the times. Though a two-time winner of the BBC
Radio 2 Folk award, and having his name for many years
identified with the world of folk through his recording of
many traditional songs during the earlier part of his career, his
recent releases show a side that’s reveals him to be keen to
slip away from the shackles of what he calls ‘the f-word’.
Chris, you have a great gift for talking about contemporary
themes, but from a traditional folk storytelling position, and
that’s really to the fore with this new record.
It’s funny isn’t it… I’ve met a few people lately whose entry point
has been So Much To Defend and they’re saying ‘What’s all this
folk thing?, Why have people got you down as a folkie?’ They
haven’t heard the old stuff, they just say I’m writing songs, this is
current songwriting, you know?
I guess it’s a difficult one… it’s the Brits. The Americans have
totally got their head around the concept of the songwriter. They
wouldn’t call Neil Young a folkie, whereas we probably would,
because we haven’t yet got our heads round that songwriter slot.
Look at Billy Bragg, it’s the same sort of thing. When he brought
out that Mr Love & Justice album, that’s a real soulboy album –
they’re soul songs – yet the British music public have still got him
down as an old agit-punk and there’s nothing he can do about it.
You have a unique close sound on your recordings – there’s
always a great live sound held in the voice and the guitar. It’s
different somehow, to so many other singer-songwriters we
see doing the rounds – its deeper, warmer and wider.
I work really hard with sound engineers to get the sound right.
So many of them see an amp and just hang an SM57 over it and
assume that’ll do. They see a bloke going up to sing so they just
roll all the bottom end out of the voice because that’s just what
they’ve always done. It’s their go-to position so often. But the thing
is that, what I’m doing is just not like what everyone else is doing…
everything I do is driven by the sound. The guitar I play and the way
I play it, and the words I use are very often driven by their sound,
it’s not just the meaning. When people write reviews of the albums,
they completely fixate on the meaning of the lyrics, because they’re
people of letters, they use words, but they don’t ever seem to pick
up on the musicality of the words and the way there’s all sorts of
internal rhythms, it’s not just their meaning, it’s their sound. It has
to sound like me too, that’s the only way it’s going to work. I don’t
want to sound like me pretending to be someone else.
You write often of truth, of justice and of injustice, and the
current world malaise. This government and seven years of
austerity must have given you plenty of scope for content.
Don’t mistake political governance for power. It’s bigger
than governments. Political governments don’t have power.
Governments don’t have control of anything. It’s all about the
money. The money’s using algorithms to manipulate us, and
they’re algorithms over which we are completely powerless. The
money is the power.
Maybe there’s a change coming, a new energy maybe? We
have a whole generation who are beginning to believe in that
change. I see younger people in the crowd at your gigs these
days. Do you think there’s a new energy coming forward?
Yeh, well for a while I was writing for older people, but I’m kind
of switching slightly, I think. What I write about, stuff like truth
and wisdom, I feel like I’m trying to impart that for a younger
generation now. My kids are in their 20s, and I’ve been round
the block a couple of times, so I’m trying to offload some of that
knowledge, I guess. Things I’ve seen, found and heard. And I
want to make all that available to them.
My daughters are of a similar age, I see that change, and I find
that it’s that driven by their age, and the fact they’re more likely
to listen, and to have those ‘bigger’ conversations. I think that’s
coming through in this most recent album, and these new
songs.
Yeh, I think they realise that the stuff that needs be talked about
is stuff that’s actually going to affect them. I mean, Brexit is
such a perfect example of that. It’s a massive generalisation
but the stats are in. The old voted against the young. I know
an old guy, up at the allotments who actually said ‘Who cares
how it all turns out? I won’t be here anyway’. And you’re right,
increasingly now, I am finding younger people in my audiences.
And they need to know, it needs to be packaged for them, so
that we let them see clearly what’s going on… the other reason
they’ve got an interest is because in Jeremy Corbyn they can
see something different, something that might just be worth
getting behind and putting their faith in, in a way that until
he came along, there really was nothing. Like we said, it’s the
algorithms that are running the show. Say whatever you like
about Jeremy, he’s not an algorithm… let’s hope. If only just for
a change. Let’s hope that there is something there, and that
he’s not a man of straw. Let’s just see how it turns out. Fucking
hell, we’ve had our go round and we’ve made a piss poor job
it, haven’t we really? If there’s anything I’ve learnt, I’m happy to
pass it on, and I’ll pass it on through song because that’s how
I do it most clearly, but the songs aren’t for me, they’re for kids
who want something a bit more real than X Factor, something
more substantial. !
Words: Paul Fitzgerald / @NothingvilleM
Photography: Hugo Morris
chriswoodmusic.co.uk
So Much To Defend is out now via RUF.
36

Joseph Capriati
CLUB
Circus Christmas Special
Camp and Furnace – 27/12
Circus’ annual post-Christmas blowout is the perfect reason
to get off the couch and get back in the swing of things. And
with the line-up they have booked in at Camp and Furnace
this year, there are more reasons than normal to make sure
you’re there.
Neapolitan DJ JOSEPH CAPRIATI has achieved pretty much all
there is to achieve in the world of techno and house music, following
in the footsteps of the legendary Marco Carola. Capriati’s brand of slick
and emotive techno, delivered with infectious energy, marks him out as
one of techno’s most in-demand headliners. He’ll be joined at the top
of the bill in Furnace by SETH TROXLER, the Detroit house-indebted
maestro who is no stranger to huge Circus events. Joining these two
heavyweights on the main stage, DANNY TENAGLIA will, surprisingly,
be making his Liverpool debut. This New Yorker has been the DJ’s DJ
for nigh on three decades, and his blend of disco and big beats will be
perfectly suited to Circus’ clued-up clubbers.
Over in Camp, the show’s host YOUSEF will go b2b with UK
house music don RICHY AHMED in what will be one of the event’s
most sought-after sets. The two are famed for their ability to get a
room rocking, which will ensure that the trademark Circus atmosphere
dominates the venue. Heading up the stage in Camp, HOT SINCE 82
comes armed with bass-heavy sounds, ready to shake the building’s
foundations and make sure the vibes hit deep.
The third room, Blade, comes under the charge of HIVE x HAZE,
featuring sets from KREATURE and OLLI RYDER AND LUKE WELSH.
That makes for nine hours of action in triple the usual Circus dose.
You’ve really no excuse to be sat on the couch eating turkey sandwiches
with all that on offer.
Fiesta Bombarda
GIG
Fiesta Bombarda New
Year’s Eve Carnival
Invisible Wind Factory – 31/12
Taking over New Year duties at IWF, FIESTA BOMBARDA host
their first ever NYE carnival to usher in 2018 with plenty of flair
and fun. Enter the Bombarda biosphere for an immersive Fiesta
experience, split across three distinct domains: Subterrania, Aquaria
and Nocturnia. The Subterrania stage will be made up of lush jungle habitats
inhabited by carnival creatures, where the headline live music performances
will take place; Aquaria will be styled as an Underwater Dub Club, hosted by
Positive Vibration and powered by Sinai Sound System; while Nocturnia is a
secret stage hidden in the depths of the venue, and will be hosted by funk,
disco and hip hop crew DOWN TO FUNK.
The spectacle will see the grand return of beatboxer and vocalist
extraordinaire BEARDYMAN. The live looping pioneer whips up improvised
sets of high quality dance tracks out of thin air, making for the perfect
crescendo to your New Year celebrations. Dub producer and sound system
warrior ABA SHANTI-I will head up proceedings on the Aquaria stage, for
those who want more of a loose, deep vibe.
Fiesta favourites NEW YORK BRASS BAND will also be on hand
with their genre-splicing New Orleans jazz, as will Liverpool party starters
GALACTIC FUNK MILITIA. Uplifting, funky gypsy-jazzers RUMJIG will be in
attendance in case there are any of you out there who fail to be moved by any
of the above.
Around a dozen more bands and DJs will be ensuring the Fiesta
party doesn’t stop for a minute, with a host of surprise performances and
happenings planned across the three uniquely designed landscapes. Carnival
creature costumes are positively encouraged for those willing to engage in a
New Year exploration to remember.
PREVIEWS 37

PREVIEWS
GIG
Michael Head And The Red Elastic
Band
Invisible Wind Factory – 16/12
Michael Head
Put simply, MICHAEL HEAD is one of Liverpool’s greatest ever
songwriters. The Shack and Pale Fountains alumnus rounds off a
remarkable year with a show at Invisible Wind Factory, backed by
the revolving membership RED ELASTIC BAND. The Kensingtonborn
artist issued his first album in 11 years, Adiós Señor Pussycat,
in October to rapturous reviews, already notching up placings on a
score of Albums Of The Year lists. Equalling his best work to date,
and coming 20 years since the release of legendary cult classic The
Magical World Of The Strands, Head remains at the forefront among
his songwriting peers.
GIG
This Is The Kit
Leaf – 14/01
Returning to Leaf, indie folk project THIS IS THE KIT bring their hugely
acclaimed recent album Moonshine Freeze to the stage. Led by singer/
guitarist Kate Stables and backed by a rotating line-up of friends,
the Bristol-born songwriter’s stock has experienced a steady rise in
popularity over the past decade, with Moonshine Freeze the group’s
most celebrated release to date. This Is The Kit’s 2015 LP Bashed Out
saw Stables working with The National’s Aaron Dessner, while the
new album reunited her with PJ Harvey collaborator John Parish, on
their first LP for iconic indie label Rough Trade.
This Is The Kit
CLUB
Reggae Social Christmas Special
District – 16/12
Liverpool’s award-winning reggae festival Positive Vibration
invite you down for a skank with them at a Christmas special
of their free get together. December’s event is the fifth in their
series of monthly socials, showcasing and celebrating reggae
music in all its forms – from ska and rocksteady to roots and
dub. DJs and selectors from Positive Vibration’s crew of friends
and collaborators will make sure it goes down a storm. And,
with it being the last such social until March 2018, you won’t
want to miss this one.
GIG
Mark Lanegan Band
O2 Academy – 01/12
Following career-best reviews for his tenth album Gargoyle, and a sold-out UK
tour in late June, MARK LANEGAN will finish a stellar 2017 on a celebratory
note as he drops by Liverpool on an extensive European tour. That the former
Screaming Trees frontman is still sounding fresh and vital three decades into his
career is testament to the breadth of his songwriting ability, which has hit another
high point on Gargoyle. The recent follow-up remix EP, Still Life With Roses,
expands on this template, teasing out flecks of light from the originals’ gravelly
depths.
PERFORMANCE
Dear Esther
Philharmonic Hall – 26/01
Dear Esther
First-person exploration video game has been a hit with PlayStation and Xbox gamers for close to a decade, and now
the soundtrack to the acclaimed game can be enjoyed in the grandest of settings. Watch as the rich storytelling of DEAR
ESTHER is brought to life in a performative work unlike anything you’ve seen before. BAFTA-winning composer Jessica
Curry’s powerful score adds to the games extraordinary art, creating the gripping atmosphere that has marked it out
from other, similar single-person narrative video games. Accompanied by live gameplay and narration, this performance
invites to abandon your traditional view of video games and see the piece as a cinematic or theatrical performance.
GIG
Blade Jogger
Make North Dock – 16/12
An event showcasing a spoken word/soundscape collaboration that chronicles
a dystopian England eerily similar to the present one, BLADE JOGGER
comes with a highly impressive provenance. Described as “Samuel Beckett
soundtracked by BBC Radiophonic Workshop pioneer Delia Derbyshire”,
the project pairs up acclaimed writer and Mark E. Smith biographer AUSTIN
COLLINGS with Wirral alt. pop stalwarts BY THE SEA. Produced by Bill
Ryder-Jones, the piece is being issued through Merseyside label War Room
Records in a strictly limited edition of 200, accompanied with a 16-page
booklet. The undercard for the evening also features woozy Wirral psych sorts
PURE JOY.
Blade Jogger
38

CLUB
Lefto
24 Kitchen Street – 02/12
As another year passes, 24 Kitchen Street raises a toast to four years
of existence as a nationally-acclaimed venue and a cornerstone of the
arts community in Liverpool. With a nod to their more soulful side,
the venue have cooked up a party with close friends Madnice, the
Wonder Pot and Boogaloo, to bring a number of city firsts to the Baltic
Triangle. Making his city debut, LEFTO is one of the most important
tastemakers to come out of Europe. Revered by Gilles Peterson for
his selections, the Belgian jazz and hip hop aficionado is consistently
a couple of steps ahead of pretty much everyone, and is respected by
artists as wide-ranging as Thundercat, Jordan Rakei and Madlib. Soul/
hip hop act CHILDREN OF ZEUS are bringing their own storm to the
party, alongside a special guest who is yet to be announced.
GIG
Deep Cuts Is One
Buyers Club – 12/01
Getintothis celebrate the first anniversary of their regular Deep Cuts
night at Buyers Club with a single launch for brooding post-punks
RONGORONGO, who follow up latest single Black Rain with the
equally compelling Euclid. The rest of the night is a bit of a bustling
party, with sets from artists who’ve wowed at previous incarnations
of the regular show: JO MARY, PALE RIDER, EYESORE AND THE
JINX and BILL NICKSON. It’s a good job it’s running late, as that only
amounts to half of the bill: the dark intensity of KING HANNAH and
the bounding, raw spirit of MAMMATUNG are also joined by a oneoff
set from BEYOND AVERAGE, with RICO DON and guest MCs.
Want more? OK – Bernie Connor and chip off the old block Buddy
are on DJ duties, along with Hail Hail Records.
GIG
Lau
Philharmonic Music Room – 05/12
Among the finest practitioners of folk music in these
isles – with a clutch of BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards for
Best Band to prove it – LAU stop by The Music Room
at the venerable Philharmonic Hall. Comprising of
Kris Drever (Vocals, Guitar), Martin Green (Accordion,
Wurlitzer, Keys, Electronics) and Aidan O’Rourke
(Fiddle), the trio take acoustic folk music as a
starting point and branch out into spheres usually
well outside the tradition. Combining electronic
textures and post-rock elements, the three-piece
bring the normally disparate genres together to make
something of their own.
EXHIBITION
Gerry And The Pacemakers: Hit
Makers And Record Breakers
Museum of Liverpool – until 07/01
If you’re looking for a reason to get out and absorb some culture over the festive period, you can
do a lot worse than heading down to the Museum Of Liverpool to take in their current exhibition
on Merseybeat. Featuring more than 30 images shot by local photographers Graham Spencer and
Peter Kaye, the collection captures the wit, warmth and energy of Gerry And The Pacemakers
on their rapid rise to fame. Following The Beatles’ incredible success and the explosion of
Merseybeat, Gerry Marsden’s band notched up six British top ten hits and were the first act
ever to reach number one in the UK singles charts with their first three releases. Exploring the
excitement of the period and the group’s enduring bond to Liverpool, the exhibition reveals the
band at their touring peak as well as relaxing with fellow Liverpool star, Cilla Black.
Gerry and The Pacemakers
GIG
Ren Harvieu
Arts Club – 16/12
Ren Harvieu
Salford born and raised, REN HARVIEU is a darkly enigmatic singer with
a supple, yearning voice. Having been introduced to Irish folk songs and
traditional music by her guitarist/vocalist father, Harvieu experimented
with a wider swathe of musical influences in her teens – Joni Mitchell and
Joan Baez, as well as local heroes The Smiths and even such contemporary
artists as Alicia Keys – causing her own style to lean towards a mix of 60s
pop, soul, and modern alt-rock. Harvieu is currently working on the followup
to her 2012 debut album Through The Night, which is slated for release
in 2018.
COMEDY
Andy Zaltzman
The Atkinson – 13/01
It’s hard to work out if now is a great or a really difficult time to be a satirist, as virtually every political
happening comes loaded with inbuilt capability for ridicule and schadenfreude. Which is where ANDY
ZALTZMAN stands out as a stand-up comedian, broadcaster and author, firmly establishing himself in the
vanguard of British comedy with his unique brand of topical commentary. This has seen him appear on
shows as diverse as Newsnight and John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show. Zaltzman is also the writer and
presenter of the hit satirical podcast The Bugle, which has gained a global fan-base since beginning in 2007,
now averaging one million downloads a month.
Andy Zaltzman
GIG
The Bido Lito! Social with Marvin Powell
HUS – 25/01
Marvin Powell
We started our amazing run of monthly Bido Lito! Social live shows in January 2017 at HUS,
and it was such a blast that we decided to return to the scene 12 months later. Our first show
of 2018 is lining up to be just as successful, with Skeleton Key Records’ Drakeian songwriter
MARVIN POWELL on headline duties. Having released the sumptuous Wind Before The Train
EP in August, and opened for John Cale in front of 10,000 people in May, Powell looks set to
stretch his wings in 2018 with a full LP. We’re certainly looking forward to hearing how his
winsome, sun-dappled acoustica translates to record. Support on the night comes from rising
star ASTLES, whose most recent EP Sense Of Wonder shows impressive signs of development
already. Advance tickets are £4 from bidolito.co.uk, with Bido Lito! members getting in free.
PREVIEWS 39

Box office:
theatkinson.co.uk
01704 533 333
(Booking fees apply)
–
: TheAtkinson
: @AtkinsonThe
: @TheAtkinsonSouthport
The Atkinson
Lord Street
Southport
PR8 1DB
Music
Belshazzar’s Feast
Thu 7 December, 7:30pm
Rebecca Downes
Fri 8 December, 8pm
John Bramwell: Leave Alone
The Empty Spaces
Sat 9 December, 8pm
Comedy
Paul Chowdhry: Live Innit
Wed 20 December, 8pm
Andy Zaltzman
Sat 13 January, 8pm
Omid Djalili:
Schmuck For a Night
Sat 27 January, 8pm
The Albion Christmas Band
Sat 16 December, 7.30pm
Fairport Convention
Fri 26 January, 7.30pm

An Arts Council Collection National Partners Exhibition
& LIQUIDATION PRESENT
THE REAL
QUIZ
Big Prizes
Tough Trivia
Mega Music
Christmas
Wednesday 13th December
- Constellations - 7pm
£4 per person charity donation
Proceeds go to the Whitechapel Centre and MIND
Tickets available from bidolito.co.uk
Until 18 March 2018
FREE ENTRY
liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/lubainahimid
@walkergallery
#LubainaHimid
@A_C_Collection #ACCNationalPartners
Arts Council Collection is managed by Southbank Centre, London
on behalf of Arts Council England
Naming the Money (installation view), 2004, Lubaina Himid. Courtesy
the artist, Hollybush Gardens and International Slavery Museum.
Image courtesy Stuart Whipps (photographer) and Spike Island.
Bido Lito 123mm x 366mm.indd 1 24/10/2017 11:30

REVIEWS
Chic (Keith Ainsworth / ark images.co.uk)
Goat Girl (Stuart Moulding / @oohshootstu)
Liverpool Music Week 2017
Various venues – 26-10-04/11
The Liverpool music calendar’s
annual autumn treat provides
us with a 10-day feast of stellar
shows, and showcases how deep
the desire for inclusivity runs.
LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK has gone from strength to strength
since its inception in the early 2000s. Having continually grown
and brought crowds from far and wide to fill the city’s venues,
it seemed that the crown of Metropolitan Festival Of The Year
2016 was a more than worthy accolade for the event. Only,
this year, the enterprise’s 15th anniversary, the people of
Liverpool Music Week offer up a line-up that eclipses anything
that has come before it. Sure enough, the announcement of the
festival’s opening night show flew above and beyond anyone’s
expectations of what a relatively small metropolitan festival
organisation can bring to the cultural table.
The Echo Arena is packed from the floor to the top seats
with groups of glitter-adorned fans smiling like children. It’s
been a long time since CHIC AND NILE RODGERS have played
in Liverpool and it looks like plenty of people have been waiting
very, very patiently.
It’s easy to unwittingly undermine the cultural impact of Chic
and Nile Rodgers. While there is so much to be said about them
and their musical legacy, it’s only when you’re faced with a live
history lesson that spans decades of popular music that you
realise how deep that legacy goes. We’ve grown up with these
people’s styles and sounds, whether we know it or not.
That lesson happens to be playing out in front of a sold-out
arena crowd tonight, and the impact is felt by all. From Chic’s
own Le Freak and Good Times (which segues into The Sugarhill
Gang’s Rapper’s Delight, rapped by Rodgers himself), through
to David Bowie’s Just Dance, Sister Sledge’s Lost In Music and
the incredible Daft Punk collaboration Get Lucky, whoever and
wherever you are, chances are that you’ve been moved either by
Chic or one of Nile Rodgers’ millions of co-writes or production
jobs at some point in your life. The crowd are, plainly put,
ecstatic. This is not just a party, it’s one for the history books.
Perennially inventive electronic duo MOUNT KIMBIE star
the following night at Invisible Wind Factory. Proving to be one
of the more durable acts of the last decade, Dominic Maker and
Kai Campos have transcended their post-dubstep origins to
find themselves appropriated by Chance The Rapper and Justin
Bieber. Their mass appeal and credibility is such that they were
able to draft in heavyweight collaborations on new album Love
What Survives, from the likes of King Krule, Micachu and James
Blake.
The intimate, Tiny Desk-style concerts that characterised
the duo’s Crooks And Lovers inception have been dramatically
overhauled with a more performance-focused setup that sees
the band flanked tonight by a pair of session musicians, on
drums and keys. New tracks like Four Years and One Day further
demonstrate the act’s progression with less emphasis on the
button-mashing minutia of drips and blips, in favour of a more
hands-on, live orientated approach. There’s a churning, motorik
feel to the new material, though at some point this begins to feel
a touch laboured.
Two nights later on the other side of town, 24 Kitchen Street
plays host to an unusual interpretation of, arguably, one of the
greatest albums of all time, as ABSTRACT ORCHESTRA take on
Madvillainy. Hip hop is usually two people, a mic and some decks,
but here it’s 12 on stage, accompanied by flutes, trombones and
drums. There aren’t enough commas to do it justice.
Rob Mitchell, Abstract Orchestra’s de facto leader, takes
us on an epic tour through MF DOOM and Madlib’s 2004
masterpiece. MC Jefferson adds his own verses to the tracks,
in between watching the band in awe along with the crowd.
Occasionally they stray from Madvillainy, taking in some of Doom
and Madlib’s solo material, but, whatever they’re playing, it’s
evident how much the band are enjoying it. This is hip hop music
come full circle. Best gig of the year? You bet.
GIRL RAY’s first headline show outside London is the perfect
place for us to start our journey on the breathless series of DIY
Breaking Out shows that run nightly at EBGBS through LMW
2017. Predictably enough, the venue is full to capacity tonight,
marking quite a step up for the 6Music favourites. Girl Ray are
a band so very easy to like. Dark storytelling is concealed in
deceptively pretty tunes, and slightly off-kilter, faintly mocking
vocals that stay on the right side of cool.
The three women excel at, not blood harmonies exactly,
42

ut, certainly ‘best friends’ ones, and on Don’t Go Back At
Ten, Poppy Hankin and Sophie Moss perform a shaky, vaguely
circular Shadow’s walk as a nod to the choreographed moves in
the accompanying video. Hankin’s steady vocal delivery is the
focal point throughout the set – on stage, the Nico comparison
makes more sense – and though their delivery is loose in parts,
to everyone present, all these things combined only add to Girl
Ray’s considerable charm.
Just across from EBGBS on the same night, Leaf sees a
celebration of 20 years of record label Bella Union. Founded by
Cocteau Twins members Robin Guthrie and Simon Raymonde,
the label has consistently promoted artists who excel in selfrevelatory
songwriting of the most honest kind. Raymonde has
been back in the studio alongside former Dif Juz drummer Richie
Thomas: the subsequent album Ojalá, under the name LOST
HORIZONS, sees the pair joined
by a plethora of guest vocalists.
On prior to the seven-piece Lost
Horizons band though is Bella
Union’s disarming crooner BC
CAMPLIGHT, who indulges us
with a relatively short set which
showcases his rich, soulful voice,
melodic strength and varied
subject material.
The onstage multi-tasking by
Lost Horizons is mesmerising, with
Chris Anderson, Ed Riman and
Helen Ganya-Brown all sharing
guitar and keyboard duties at
various times, while Raymonde
lurks in the shadows, occasionally
smiling, and adding quietly
gorgeous guitar lines. On Amber Sky, Beth Cannon and Ganya-
Brown’s voices intertwine beautifully and the song encapsulates
the overall feel of Lost Horizons’ sound: at times a wall of sound,
at others, a veil of sugar coated crystal so fragile you could
shatter it with a whisper.
The never-ending World Eater tour devours Liverpool the
following night, Benjamin Power’s solo show as BLANCK MASS
billed as a ‘Halloween Summoning’: an audiovisual head wreck of
a Tuesday, for which 24 Kitchen Street is very well attended.
Power is one half of the ‘Rainbow Rock’ duo Fuck Buttons,
but his work as Blanck Mass is fast overshadowing even that.
Live, it becomes dance music from the depths of your favourite
nightmare, techno for the deaf generation. The excitable Power
climbs, dances, runs, bobs and weaves his way through 65
minutes of ear-splitting, industrial beats, almost sermon-like in its
sheer strength and screaming delivery. The dancing can’t keep
up and the crowd end up shuffling agog as the overhead screen
belches out blipvert imagery, and the set descends into the
glorious throbs of single D7-D5.
It’s been four years since JUNGLE’s elusive founders J and T
(Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland) first enchanted listeners
with their contemporary take on funk and soul; now performing
as a seven-piece collective, Jungle draw a euphoric crowd to the
Invisible Wind Factory for day seven of Liverpool Music Week.
The collective bound straight into House In L.A., as a wall
of light bulbs sparkles and beams to life. Each track is delivered
with exuberance, powered on by the intense spirit of the dual
frontmen. The bittersweet Drops changes the pace to a moody
“Ultimately, Princess
Nokia’s wish that her
gigs be a safe space
for people of colour,
LGBTQI people and
women should not be a
controversial statement”
and velvety lull, before Busy Earnin’ and Time throws us back into
a whirl of irresistible rhythms. Joyous favourites are greeted with
an uproar of falsetto hollers from the crowd and an inclination to
dance, sway, nod your head, hug your mate; whatever it is, Jungle
awaken an instinct to move.
South London’s GOAT GIRL show EBGBS how bright the
forecast of punk is looking for 2018, at yet another bustling
Breaking Out showcase in the basement venue. Coming a night
after Jungle’s intense theatrics, this show highlights the eclectic
feast LMW’s line-up serves up – for those with the stamina to
keep up, that is.
Goat Girl have had a change to their live setup, with the
addition of a violist and synth player giving them a Raincoatsesque
dimension to their already simplistic, post-punk sound.
Lead singer Lottie’s lyrics about a creep on a train cut no corners
in dealing with the everyday
sexism women face. Although
they’re the only female-fronted
band on tonight’s line-up, the
mix of artists across the whole
festival bill is fairly even – which is
reassuring given that some major
festivals have foolishly neglected
the plethora of talented female
artists touring in the UK when
assembling their line-ups.
The festival’s cosmopolitan
mix of acts is testament to the
wide-ranging promoters operating
in this city who LMW collaborate
with. Case in point, reggae legend
DAWN PENN, who performs
across town at District on the
same night, courtesy of Music Week And the folks behind
Positive Vibration Festival. Penn’s 1967 song You Don’t Love Me
(No, No, No) marked her out as one of the top Rocksteady artists
of the mid-60s. The song was a world-wide smash upon its
1994 re-release, one of perhaps only a handful of reggae records
(Marley aside) to cross over to a wider audience.
Settling into a sound accompanied by an almost jazz-fusion
flourish, before dropping into heavy dub, Penn and her band are
locked in as they spin effortlessly through an exquisite version
of Dionne Warwick’s Long Day, Short Night, and the easy roll
of The Mighty Diamonds’ Pass The Kouchie. Penn breaks into a
joyful, skipping dance as the crowd sway and sing along to her
signature tune – a fabulous moment to end the night on – but,
tonight Dawn Penn has delivered so much more than a one hit
show.
PRINCESS NOKIA runs onto the stage at Invisible Wind
Factory as she headlines the festival’s penultimate show, in
association with Cartier 4 Everyone, in front of a crowd of people
who all know her name. Her captivating set begins with the
standout Tomboy, the besotted crowd singing back: “That girl is
a tomboy!” Her hooks, like this one, are simple and catchy; her
verses are jam-packed with colourful details, fast-paced and
exciting, her music varied and her energy wildly infectious.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about Princess Nokia is
that she thrives on the unexpected. Be that playing Slipknot
in between songs or telling a story about taking her cousin
to get a piercing, she keeps the audience on their toes. She is
unapologetic when she has to pause to alter her top and it’s
refreshing to see a woman of colour artist so at home on the
stage.
Prior coverage of this event has focused on Princess Nokia’s
decision to kick a white woman out, and not on that white
woman’s abusive behaviour in the crowd. Using a person’s lived
experience of racism to inspire ‘controversial’ click-bait articles
is symptomatic of a much wider problem. Ultimately, Princess
Nokia’s wish that her gigs be a safe space for people of colour,
LGBTQI people and women should not be a controversial
statement. As later events transpired – such as LMW’s decision
to host GlitterFuck, a white DJ duo who then used dancers
dressed in tribal costumes as part of their set – it became
apparent that the music industry is still not a safe space for many.
The final chapter is always reserved for the manic dash
between acts at LMW’s Closing Party, where local luminaries rub
shoulders and share stages with contemporary stars. Split across
two levels in the Invisible Wind Factory, and with early afternoon
sets in the nearby Northshore Troubadour, this year’s LMW
Closing Party is the whole festival in microcosm.
Down in the Wind Factory’s Substation, RICO DON and his
fleet are trying their best to rouse a bashful audience. Rico ignites
his own energy, his unbounded Scouse aggression clattering
around the foundations of the basement space. More bodies
arrive for SUEDEBROWN’s set, unwinding to his quality mix of
trap/grime/soul and bass-laden hip hop.
There is a strong determination in SHOGUN as he seems
intent on making his mark outside of Glasgow. The young
Paisley-based MC paces the stage, demanding retort from the
audience, as the energy in the crowd courses. He displays a fiery
eloquence; his lyrics are considered and introspective, portraying
a deep confession of angst and pain, that – in songs like Vulcan –
floats close to the agony of Yung Lean.
The energy in the room is palpable for the arrival of AJ
TRACEY; a wall of smartphones now illuminates the stage, their
supportive limbs bob, weave and collide with each other while
Tracey leans and cranes over them and delivers his old tales of
young, gritty urban life in the west side of London. Having found
a sharp rise in success over the past year, there seems a sense
amongst those gathered that they are witnessing the unique
burst of ascendency in its infancy.
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING pack the main upstairs space
at Invisible Wind Factory. The crowd seem eager for the night’s
headliners, and they begin with high energy and ride on this
throughout. The majority of the set is scattered with songs from
their latest release A Fever Dream, although they sweeten the
crowd with popular hits Distance Past and Kemosabe from their
past albums, and end the night with an impassioned version
of Reptiles. The large section gathered at the front, in clear
adoration, go away with a satisfying surfeit of indie pop.
And those who’ve attended anywhere close to all 19 of LMW
2017’s shows retreat gladly to their beds, knowing they’ve been
royally treated to not just a rich selection of international music
talent, but also a shining example of how capable our city is at
welcoming and hosting an array of the biggest and best the
world has to offer.
Christopher Carr, Maurice DeSade,
Kieran Donnachie, Cath Bore, Glyn Akroyd,
Ian R. Abraham, Jess Greenall, Georgia Turnbull,
Maya Jones, Jonny Winship, Christopher Torpey.
Princess Nokia (Michelle Roberts / sheshoots.co.uk)
Everything Everything (Mike Sheerin / michaelsheerin.photoshelter.co.uk)
REVIEWS
43

REVIEWS
Mac DeMarco (Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk)
Mac DeMarco (Keith Ainsworth / arkimages.co.uk)
Mac DeMarco
+ Montero
Harvest Sun @ Mountford Hall – 21/11
Tonight is perhaps one of the biggest in the Liverpool gig calendar.
A night which has been upgraded from the O2 Academy to the
much larger Mountford Hall. In a city where it can often prove
difficult to urge the gig-going population out from under their
rocks, tonight proves Liverpool’s love for MAC DEMARCO, with
the queue to get in snaking out of the door and bustling onto to
the street – some have even been waiting outside since one o’clock
this afternoon. Those die hard few are joined in the Liverpool Guild
Of Students’ main room by an eclectic lot ranging from young
teens clad in Hawaiian shorts, peaked caps and dungarees to
many an ageing muso: all of whom have come to worship to one
of the most popular independent artists in the world.
As we enter the packed-out room we are greeted by
MONTERO. With lead singer Bjenny’s artwork adorning
DeMarco’s T-shirts which hang on the merch stand, we have
already had a sneak peek into the mind of the long-haired singer
sporting a pilot’s hat. Having found a cuddly toy backstage, he
throws it into the crowd as his band begin to play. Much like his
artwork, the music is a vibrant blast of surrealist joy, offering us
the chance to board Montero Airlines with him. We can’t help but
fall head first into the band’s kaleidoscopic world and we can’t say
we don’t love every second of it. Blending the platformed, cocainefuelled
glam heights of Elton John with elements of modern and
West Coast psychedelia, they sweep us up to cartoon planes and
leave us in a state of euphoria.
The voice of a phantom boxing announcer heralds the arrival
of Mac DeMarco: “The man of the hour, 25% Italian and riddled
with disease”. The room erupts into a frenzy as the main man
himself emerges from a Stars In Their Eyes-style plume of smoke,
followed by his entourage. As if trying to calm the audience
slightly, the band jump straight into the soothing YMO-esque
synths of On The Level, but it appears to have the opposite effect
with the crowd just screaming the words even louder.
The atmosphere in the room is perhaps one of the most
congenial we have felt in years. Warm and friendly, there’s not a
single harsh word or bad feeling in sight with Mac only adding
to the smiles offering up tracks from across his career. Despite
the big steel barriers required at a show as large as tonight, the
connection between the band and the crowd is incredible. As
the audience erupt into cries of ‘Ohhh Jeremy Corbyn’, DeMarco
and band respond by playing the Seven Nation Army riff back at
them, despite perhaps not knowing what is truly going on. Having
played The La’s There She Goes throughout the tour, tonight it
feels particularly special in Mavers and co’s hometown with the
crowd erupting into a riot.
Without sounding overly cheesy, tonight is a night which
shows how music can bring people together and the true joy it
brings. With its big hitting covers, it’s a jangle pop party which
ditches chin stroking in favour of just having a good time.
Matthew Hogarth
“Tonight is a night
which shows how
music can bring people
together and the
true joy it brings”
44

Inji Efflatoun, Untitled 1942
Surrealism In Egypt: Art Et Liberté 1938-1948
Tate Liverpool – 17/11-18/03
Tate Liverpool’s latest exhibition offers a fascinating, much-needed lesson in art
history. Surrealism In Egypt: Art Et Liberté 1938-1948 rejects the Eurocentric focus
on Paris and places Cairo at the heart of the movement. Curators Sam Bardaouil and
Till Fellrath bring together over 100 paintings, photographs, films and texts from Art
Et Liberté, a radical collective of artists and writers based in Cairo. It’s the first time
that such a multifarious study of the group has been exhibited in the UK, and is a rare
chance to discover an overlooked chapter in the history of surrealism.
At the end of 1938, a group of young radical artists and writers joined together
and signed a manifesto, Long Live Degenerate Art, which appears at the start of the
exhibition. Art Et Liberté was thus formed: a political, surrealist collective rebelling
against colonial rule and the rise of fascism in Egypt. The group rejected Egyptian
nationalism, and joined an international network of surrealist artists in the global
fight against fascism. Fellrath points to Cairo as the perfect backdrop for the group’s
creation: the combination of a bustling, multicultural city and a conservative art world
invites protest.
The exhibition is divided
thematically; the relatively short
time-span of the group enables this
close study. One repeated motif is
the tortured and broken female body.
Art Et Liberté remove the erotic male
gaze from surrealism, swapping the
sexualised, lusting woman for the
bloody and wounded. This is the
bleak reality of objectification: one
that locates women’s suffering at
the heart of the world’s degradation.
Inji Efflatoun’s paintings place the
female body in nature, intertwining the
suffering of women with the decay of
the landscape. Women resemble twisted
“A rare chance
to discover an
overlooked chapter
in the history of
surrealism”
and deformed trees, their bodies rooted to the ground but burning alive. Her work is
disturbing and undoubtedly feminist.
Art Et Liberté’s greatest contribution to the international surrealist network was
‘subjective realism’. This new form of surrealism still championed the unconscious,
free expression of the imagination. They used recognisable, contemporary symbols,
alongside these surrealist techniques, to add a political and local significance to their
work. For example, Ramses Younan’s Untitled 1939 places the Egyptian Goddess Nut
in a surrealist setting and the typical arch of her body becomes a broken, bloody back.
Art Et Liberté’s works are thus internationally linked to the global surrealist network but
also undeniably Egyptian.
Bardaouil and Fellrath are the co-founders of Art Reoriented, a curatorial platform
that champions a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural approach. Projects such as these
are vital for widening our understanding of global art history and expanding our focus
beyond Europe and America. My knowledge of surrealism is limited but I found this
exhibition to be accessible, varied and unique. Art expert or not, Surrealism In Egypt is
the perfect way to spend a lazy afternoon.
Maya Jones / @mmayajones
Ramses Younan, Untitled 1939
REVIEWS 45

Jane Weaver and IMMIX (Rob Godfrey)
Jane Weaver And Immix Ensemble
+ Dialect
+ Andy Votel
Lutyen’s Crypt – 09/11
All stars rise in the east. In ancient times, soldiers of the
Roman army were initiated into the cult of Mithraism by dining
together, ritually, in secret grottoes. A bringer of light, Mithra’s
birth was celebrated in midwinter. There are obvious parallels
with another subterranean sect from the Middle East, one
that erected cathedrals around the world with crypts below,
filled with initiates. In present-day Liverpool, those who know,
know, and they have climbed down into the hard sandstone of
Brownlow Hill to hear IMMIX ENSEMBLE and JANE WEAVER in a
twentieth-century cave.
It was a stroke of genius to make all screws and their
threads twist likewise. This succession of tones, DIALECT’s first
commission as Immix’s composer-in-residence for 2017-18, is
perfectly fitted to the snug rifling of the ear canal. It bores in and
holds fast. Interplay between laptop and ‘traditional’ instruments
is a recurring idea, trading throbbing rhythmic patterns. The beat
eventually softens, but doesn’t let up on its muscular insistence
à la St. Vitus’ on the currents of the bloodstream. Late on and far
off, a lofty violin note falls in a desperately slow glissando; it’s like
seeing Lucifer himself expelled from heaven.
The accompanying visuals consist of whole screens of
block colour – it’s interesting to see how much light a monitor
gives off when it isn’t showing anything except a very unblack
black – and their flashing produces a brilliant strobing effect on
our surroundings. The players are neither hidden nor on show,
perceptible only by the glow of their music stands, so sending
your eyes a-wandering up pillars and round domes is to be
expected. It’s as if the bricks themselves are lighting up in turn.
The main event tonight is a three-way collaboration: Jane
Weaver presenting her latest album, reworked with Immix as
Kosmologie Ancienne, with visuals by artist SAM WIEHL. The
latter are at their best when simplest: flanking the players with
close-ups of a hard, dull orange sun as seen through the visor of
a welder’s mask while a hyperprism busies itself centre-screen
behind the action. Nebulae, and the stars graduating from
them, fit around the celestial Slow Motion and The Architect,
with Weaver’s lyrics never quite in the foreground, but still
intelligible. The ear automatically finds a dialogue between the
Modern Kosmology songs and Dialect’s piece from the first half
(each work was produced independently, sound unheard). It’s
interesting to compare, for example, another violin glissando
(upwards this time), or the contrary motion that does with scales
what the earlier piece did with rhythm. It’s an intense set which
ends with the brightest-burning fire, I Wish, prefaced by the best
cello playing I’ve ever heard from Abel Selaocoe.
A lot of this music is how Olivier Messiaen’s Interstellar Call
(from his suite From The Canyons To The Stars) might have
sounded if it had been written for clarinet, not horn. Weaver’s
voice is gentle and flutey, a complementary tone colour against
the fricative sounds of Immix’s brass, reeds, and bowed strings.
She’s also playing guitar, gently strumming, bypassing all
the usual problems incurred by orchestral instruments in the
company of electric guitars. Credit to Immix leader Dan Thorne.
This gig doesn’t fit into any of the neat compartments of classical,
jazz, or pop music. As he explains, “We like interesting, creative
statements, however they’re made.”
Stuart Miles O’Hara / @ohasm1
46

Michael Kiwanuka
+ Bedouine
Philharmonic Hall – 21/10
On a stormy and cold night such as this, the grand old Philharmonic Hall offers the type of warm ambience that you can bathe in.
Tonight, a hero of the here-and-now is about to stamp his footprint in the history of this hall of fame.
But first, the support. Azniv Korkejian, otherwise known as BEDOUINE, walks on stage to a large, growing crowd, coming across
as unassuming and humble as a newcomer at an open mic. Though, the difference is, once she starts to play and sing she can really
unravel and relax into her performance and surroundings. It has to be said that folk music is simultaneously overrated and underrated;
while it’s all too easy to string three chords together and scribble down some heartbreak clichés, some, under the tip of the proverbial
iceberg, actually render their emotional and intellectual feelings into sounds and words. Bedouine is of the latter category and displays
a captivating songwriting craft. She treats her crowd to beautiful pieces such as Solitary Daughter and One Of These Days, with those
in attendance paying detailed attention. It’s just unfortunate that she happens to be playing while people are ushering to their seats.
Next time, perhaps, she’ll be at the top of the bill.
Headliner MICHAEL KIWANUKA and his tight band stride on to the stage to a huge, raucous applause. Complete with a horn
section, backing singers and percussionist, the stage is clearly set to vault forth a generous mix of styles. And indeed, that’s exactly
what happens. From soul and funk to country, folk and even a little smidgen of Kuti-style Afro-funk, this is a band of out-and-out
players led by a man who knows the roots of this music like he knows the pace of his own breath.
Kiwanuka himself seems somewhat reserved and shy. As he talks in between tracks his words are as quiet as whispers, while his
playing and singing offer all his aggression, passion and charisma. This duality endears the crowd to him evermore, and it’s clear that
music is a tool that he uses to express the full range of his feelings and thoughts.
This is a full set, including everything from his breakthrough single Home Again to the pulsating beat-driven Black Man In A White
World. His voice, in terms of power and range, is searing and sounds as though it would fill the entire room with or without a mic.
Kiwanuka channels his rightful predecessors in Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Otis Redding. He leaves the room having brought the
crowd up to their feet and back down again. He is adored.
It feels as though Kiwanuka is steadily growing into his place among the best in the continuing history of soul music. And – in case
it was ever in doubt – yes, soul is definitely still alive.
ROUND UP
A selection of the best of the
rest from another busy month of
live action on Merseyside.
Christopher Carr
Sylvan Esso
Harvest Sun @ Arts Club – 10/11
The tiered steps that descend towards the Arts Club stage are neatly rowed with visually excited and buoyant bodies; below them,
the bodies are wedged closer together, as they eagerly cluster towards the barrier. The stage suddenly glows with deep, vibrant
phosphorescent-like greens and purples. Silhouetted by this glow are the animated movements of Amelia Meath and the arched frame
of Nick Samson that make up SYLVAN ESSO.
The crowd immediately break into dance, as the pair burst into their set; bodies break into trance, engrossed and captured by their
snappy electronic hooks and uplifting tone. Meath contorts and snaps her limbs emphatically to the shimmers of Samson’s synth, her
carefree liberating aura orchestrating the high-spirited, ecstatic carousing reverberating throughout the room.
Their set is littered with pop bangers that evoke an elative relief from the drudgery of a dark November night – a focused intention
of their latest album What Now, of which the tones are more honeyed than the mellow, languid playfulness of their self-titled 2014
release Sylvan Esso. The strobing chorus of Die Young stirs cresting waves amongst the crowd as it crashes out from within the
song’s coy, shuffling verses. Just Dancing is propped up by a stimulating trance beat, turning the scene into an elated rave. Despite
Meath’s constant energy and animation, her voice doesn’t quiver, demonstrating an impressive stamina, as she carries the bigger notes
seamlessly. Her light, bubbly voice, that, at times reaches into a pained country singer’s twang, that may be scathing for some, seems
to sweeten the majority of the crowd.
The devoted dancefloor does not let up throughout the set, however, the pair on stage pause to pay homage to Liverpool and its
supposed parallels to Samson’s hometown in Wisconsin. To this, he toasts his can of lager with the five empty six-pack rings draped
over his wrist (an apparent hometown tradition).
To those among the crowd, who crave the deeper melancholic tones of their 2014 hit single Coffee, you may have felt brief
satisfaction and solace throughout the four minutes that the track allows; aside from that you may be disappointed by the perturbing
jubilation shown by those around you. But it’s hard to shun and spite the illuminating effect of these tunes on the crowd in attendance
tonight. Not often do you see indie audiences demonstrate such widespread, natural, independent disinhibition and free flowing unself-conscious
dance that Sylvan Esso have been able to catalyse this evening.
Jonny Winship / @jmwinship
Sylvan Esso (Darren Aston)
Hurray For The Riff Raff (Michael Kirkham / michaelkirkhamphotography.co.uk)
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF’s Alynda Segarra is that
rare thing; a magnetic performer who also has something
of substance to say. Sam Turner finds himself at Arts Club,
where the backdrop is a projection stating ‘We’re All In This
Together’, and there’s little doubt what the intent of this
slogan is. “The world is crumbling,” Segarra proclaims at one
point before imploring that we need to rebuild in a positive
manner. Songs like Rican Beach and Pa’lante are political in
nature and hark back to Segarra’s Puerta Rican heritage. The
flag of Puerto Rico is draped over the organ on stage tonight
and the country’s current plight, as well as the orange manchild
President’s pathetic reaction to it, is doubtless propelling
much of HFTRR’s energetic performance.
There is also the impression that, having toiled in the
shadows for many years, Segarra and co. are looking to make
the most of the light which this year’s The Navigator album
has shone on the band. The majority of tonight’s set is taken
from said album which has rightly received rabid critical
praise. The band move up a gear with the set’s third song
and single Hungry Ghost as Segarra sheds her guitar, prowls
the stage, leaps and dips low to the crowd to deliver the
Springsteen-esque anthem.
As part of the Bluecoat’s Captain Beefheart Weekend,
Georgia Turnbull finds herself in the presence of a true
collection of Liverpool’s finest and freakiest. Each act plays
a 15- to 20-minute set of bluesy psych freak-out, with an
additional Beefheart cover thrown in the mix. The night is
reminiscent of an improv jam session, where every weirdo
is welcomed. DAVID MCCABE’s incredible bluesy voice is
filled with Scouse craic, while PALE RIDER follow with their
Wytches-esque heavy surf psych, and Scouse favourites
PSYCHO COMEDY add a Cramps-y feel to the proceedings.
THE CUBICAL then rock up with the best cover of the night,
Tropical Hot Dog – The Cubical seem the most like Beefheart
of the bands who perform, lead singer Dan Wilson’s voice
almost identical to the Don’s.
In addition to the strong local roster, it feels incredible to
be in the presence of GARY LUCAS, ex-member of The Magic
Band – so much so that a member of the audience shouts
“this is fucking boss” after his cover of Sure ‘Nuff ‘N Yes I Do,
pretty much summing up everyone’s feeling. Even if you’re not
a massive Beefheart fan and don’t know what is a cover and
what is an original song, all of it amalgamates together into
this beautiful psychedelic noise, a perfect tribute to the king of
the freak sound.
Full reviews of all these shows can be found now at
bidolito.co.uk.
REVIEWS 47

NOV 2017 - MAR 2018
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GOGOL BORDELLO
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WILL VARLEY
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Union Chapel, London
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Arts Club, Liverpool
Tuesday 13th March
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The Stoller Hall,
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Wednesday 25th April
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FOCUS2018_BidoLito_123x366mm.indd 1 24/11/2017 15:47

SAY
THE FINAL
Photo by Kayle Kaupanger
“We have a task ahead
of us to never allow those
on the right-wing of
politics to equate actual
economic poverty with a
poverty of acceptance”
The Brexit vote, and its continuing fallout, would suggest that Britain is a country deeply riven with division,
perhaps beyond repair. MP for Wirral South Alison McGovern has observed the to-and-from of the ensuing
debate up close, and argues that class prejudices may be a barrier to understanding the social conservatism
that is at the root of these divisions.
Photo by Samantha Sophia
Common political thinking has it that we are in the midst
of a culture war.
The idea is that the dual shocks of Trump and
Brexit represent a resistance from those who modern
society has left behind. Forget economics for a second. This is
not the problem of poverty in the post-crash decade. It is the
idea that, for some, multiculturalism is a bad idea, feminism is no
cause for celebration, and gay rights no source of pride.
Crazy as it may seem, the evidence is that what Brexit voters
shared most commonly was not an economic analysis of where
our country had gone wrong, but rather straightforward social
conservatism. 81 percent of them agree with the statement
that multiculturalism has been a force for ill, and 74 percent that
feminism has been bad for Britain. It’s not the best.
Now, many commentators ally this social conservatism with
class. You hear talk of ‘left-behind working class’ voters, ignored
by the metropolitan liberal political classes. At one level, this is
just a hilarious joke. The idea that wealthy, home counties-based
former banker Nigel Farage has a monopoly on understanding
northern working class people is a joke. The idea that Eton and
Oxford-educated Boris Johnson can better represent people
without such privilege is a joke.
And anyway, despite the focus on traditional Labour voters
who supported Brexit, the vast majority of people who voted to
leave the EU are those from the political right wing.
But underlying the focus on the social conservativism of
some traditional Labour voters is a really vicious assumption.
And that is the assumption that to be working class necessarily
involves holding conservative social views compared to the
intellectual glamour of city dwellers. An assumption is made that
where poverty exists, so does prejudice.
I have been in working men’s clubs, and railway mess rooms,
and football terraces, and I am fully aware of the banter that
can go on there. But I just think it is a deep insult to those who
grow up with less money in this country to imagine that they
necessarily must be racist, less in support of women’s rights, and
unable to cope with same-sex relationships.
Now, I am not naïve and I know that small town mentality
exists. But it does not define anyone who grows up in a small
town. Look at Merseyside. We are all aware that there is a
cultural difference between Liverpool city centre, and the smaller
towns of Birkenhead, St Helens, Ellesmere Port, Kirkby, Bootle
and Southport. We know that younger people probably gravitate
towards cities like Liverpool, giving urban areas the edge in
age and diversity. But that doesn’t imply that outside the city
prejudice must dominate.
Women who come from working class communities are
entitled to the exact same voice and choice that women with
money have. And the fact is, that despite the age-old trope
of homosexuality being more common amongst so-called
‘intellectuals’, this is just nonsense. Like it or not, gay people are
everywhere.
Divisive figures like Farage choose to blow their dog
whistles on these issues because they want to create an
intolerable atmosphere in politics. They want to scare their
opponents into submission, and shout down progressive voices.
Like the shock-jocks of the United States, they represent the
worst of ‘debate’ by playing to people’s fears and stirring up
anxiety.
Progressives lost the EU referendum vote precisely because
we allowed such people to poison the well of British politics. We
have a task ahead of us to never allow those on the right-wing
of politics to equate actual economic poverty with a poverty of
acceptance when it comes to fighting for equal status of all. !
54

THE
SOCIAL
MARVIN POWELL
+ASTLES
25/01 - 7.30PM
HUS
Free entry to Bido Lito!
Members, £4 adv
ticket to non-members
via bidolito.co.uk

Tickets: TicketArena.co.uk / Skiddle.com / Dice.fm / Residentadvisor.net