Peepholes Play Queering The Pitch.
April 23, 2008
Queering the Pitch brings new alt-sounds to Brighton Fringe
On the 24th & 25th of May, Queering the Pitch will be stampeding its way
onto the Brighton Fringe festival in order to bring you 2 ground breaking
nights of aural stimulation at the Point Pressure Club. Exploding on to
the scene with an electronic showcase on the Saturday and simmering down
with an acoustic line up on the Sunday, QtP aims to provide more amp than
camp at the mere price of 6 pounds per night.
Building on the wildly successful previous efforts in booming musical
hotspots, Manchester and London, QtP is finally bringing its twisted,
baton twirling circus to the world renowned Brighton Fringe Festival in
order to provide an exciting alternative to the boring, stereotypical gay
art affairs.
First up, on Saturday the 24th of May from 7.30 pm onwards, is an
electronic music showcase featuring hot new London posse on the block “We
Have Band” and the infamous singer songwriter, Stuart Flynn, of Dirty
Cakes and Dear Britch fame and Peepholes.
The Acoustic night, taking place on the Sunday from 7.30 pm onwards, will
provide a platform for some of Britain’s best songwriters. Amongst them
are Owen Duff, whose Sufjan like tenor is sure to generate a cult
following, and celebrated Independent Music Award winner Drew Pilgrim.
BRIGHTON tickets www.wegottickets.com
Saturday 24th May 7.30pm @ Pressure Point- electronic night
Stuart Flynn with special guests Electric Soft Parade – We Have Band -Peepholes
Sunday 25th May 7.30pm @ Pressure Point – acoustic night
Drew Pilgram – Owen Duff – Stuart Flynn
Drew Pilgram – Owen Duff – Stuart Flynn
For more information go to: http://www.myspace.com/queeringthepitch
or check out: wearepeepholes.co.uk
Jacob’s Stories Review By Rockmidgets.com
April 15, 2008
Releases
Jacob’s Stories – Undisciplined Art
A British indie needs to snap up Jacob’s Stories and give Undisciplined Art the full release its unerring quality warrants, as if this album was put out by more of a household name it would have already have been widely lauded as one of 2008’s very finest releases.
You can check out the full review at:
Twenty-One Crows Interview in XYZ Magazine.
April 15, 2008
Interview
Twenty-One Crows
A few hours before appearing at Redroaster as Twenty-one Crows, Jon Griffin and Becca Tann pulled up a couple of chairs with XYZ’s Mo Mostowfi and explained just what it is that makes them tick.
XYZ: You’ve had a limited edition EP (‘Whatever Will Become Of Us’) out for a few months. Aren’t you already recording the follow-up?
Jon: Yes, it’s going to be another EP actually. We’re not quite sure if it’s going to be four or five songs yet, but it’s going to be a bit angrier. There are a couple of songs that are more political. We haven’t added any dance synths or anything like that!
Becca: We have added clarinet and electric guitars though.
Do you write your songs as collaborations or does one of you take the lead?
Jon: I tend to write them and then we work out the arrangements together. We’re just writing songs at the moment and seeing what’s coming out.
Becca: Jon will write his parts, which is basically the song, and he’ll play them to me and then we’ll mess around with it.
How long have the two of you been writing together?
Jon: About a year; we did our first gig last Easter. Before that I was in a rock band. What I’m doing now feels a lot more natural; it feels more honest and less compromised.
You’ve only got four dates in four months… I thought that maybe you didn’t like playing live!
Jon: It’s an ongoing process… [Laughs] It’s just hard getting on the right bill or right night.
Do you think it’s difficult for projects such as yourselves, with the amount of high-octane rock and indie bands dominating the Brighton scene?
Jon: Initially, I thought it was going to be that way. At the moment there seems to be a thing going on with this music. It’s just been the way that it’s worked out for us. We also don’t want to restrict ourselves in Brighton. We don’t want people getting bored of us. .
Where did the name ‘Twenty-one Crows’ come from?
Jon: Just one of those things. What was it that Nick Cave used to say? I think it was “Google it!” [Laughs]
Fair enough! What do you love and hate about Brighton and why?
Jon: I think it’s changed a lot. A lot of people want to develop the area, mainly councils.
Becca: I don’t like the ‘poncification’ of it all. The population has changed. There is a lot more people with a lot more money.
Jon: I love the laidback sense of humour of the place, and the sea.
Becca: I find that now I’m not living here, I appreciate the things I like about Brighton more. There is so much going on gig-wise too.
Jon: I think you need a distance from it to remember what’s good about it.
All your music is very melancholic. What makes you happy?
Jon: Animals! They make me laugh. Most things make me happy. I don’t really feel I need to write about that. It’s the other, unhappy stuff that I need to deal with! [Laughs]
Words by Mo Mostowfi
Go to the link below to see the full version:
Great Escape Festival!
April 11, 2008
Both Jacob’s Stories and Twenty-One Crows have been added to this years Great Escape Festival in Brighton. Both bands will play the Future-Folk night at Komedia Bar on Thursday 15th May. The show is a late show-starting at 11pm and finishing at 2am. Tickets for the event cost £5 or free with a Festival wristband.
http://www.myspace.com/twentyonecrows
http://www.myspace.com/jacobsstoriesband
Further exciting news is the inclusion of Nils Bech to the Norwegian Showcase at The Great Escape Festival.
From May 15th to 17th The Great Escape festival takes over 25 local venues in Brighton showcasing over 200+ exciting new bands. A strong focus towards breaking International acts in the UK means that The Great Escape put a new country under the spotlight every year, and this year Norway gets our full attention. One band that is a must see is Nils Bech. Combining sparse acapella versions of contemporary and classical music and well-crafted electronica in a conceptual stage show laced with cabaret and contemporary dance, Nils Bech creates a sound that sits neatly between Antony of Antony and the Johnsons fame and an early 80s synth compilation.
Nils Bech play the late night Norwegian showcase, Saturday 17th May at the Duke of Yorks Picture House, Brighton with Ane Brun and The Lionhearts Brothers.
Doors: 11pm -2am
Tickets: 3 day passes £49.50/Saturday pass £24.50/£5 for showcase only.
In association with Melting Vinyl Promotions.
http://www.meltingvinyl.co.uk/
For further information check out:
http://www.myspace.com/nilsbech
http://www.escapegreat.com
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/typemusicpr
Jacob’s Stories Album Launch Reviews.
April 11, 2008
XYZ Magazine reviewed the night. Here’s what they had to say:
LIVE: Jacob’s Stories
24th March, Redroaster Café
XYZ’s Mo Mostowfi was expecting a few cups of Fair Trade coffee at St. James’s Redroaster but was instead greeted with the perfect setting for a dark musical feast: an album launch for Brighton-based Jacob’s Stories’ ‘Undisciplined Art’.
Support acts Twenty-one Crows and Birdengine were more than adequate. The former put on a good, if slightly neurotic performance, while the latter was beautifully dark, accomplished and assured. Birdengine is definitely one to watch out for.
But, tonight was all about Stuart Lee’s one-man-band Jacob’s Stories. From the moment Lee took his seat and started playing, the audience was hooked. Luscious melodies emanated from the various gadgets and keyboard and made his songs sound like melancholic masterpieces. Pretty much every song performed was captivating, with ‘Dear Mr Pearson’ and ‘God’s Rotweiller’ cemented as my personal highlights. Morons aside, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t warm to this; all compositions were all executed brilliantly. Lee’s voice is truly captivating, and even the wraps between songs were entertaining, including an unusual and hilarious take on the Easter story. He could consider a career as a stand up comic, although I’m sure he’d disagree. The night was capped off with a beautiful rendition of The Dupree’s ‘You Belong To Me’, which was way better than the original.
Amongst the plethora of emo/metal/indie/hair bands which dominate Brighton’s music scene it is oh-so-refreshing to see a Brighton-based artist who can perform a set full of great songs. At the end of the show I wanted more and felt totally and truly moved by Lee’s music. I cannot think of a bad word to say about his performance or songs.
Jacob’s Stories are profound, immense and beautiful. If you do anything this year, you must check him out live and buy ‘Undisciplined Art’. Jacob’s Stories is a truly awesome musical experience.
www.myspace.com/jacobsstoriesband
www.jacobs-stories.co.uk
Words by Mo Mostowfi
Photos by Sam Hiscox
