Dead air

I was talking to a friend last night about how its hard to upkeep a band blog when there's no band news to tell. So here's a video made by Tomoko Takahishi and Clone Quartet.
I think this is what they call 'art'.

What's Going On Elsewhere?

Here's what's happening with some of our friends.

As mentioned in the previous post Documenta have finished recording their album and its set to be released on October 15th with a show in the Pavilion.

Last week Not Squares signed off on the final mixes of their debut album 'Yeah OK'. Its set for release in October (I think) and from what i've heard of it it's fixing to be album of the year. A lot more dancy than their initial incarnation this album is set to send them through the roof. And now that Ricki is (almost) done with his schooling they're gonna be playing everywhere. The only one they're letting on about though is with Adebisi Shank in the Button Factory in Dublin on 20th November. More Adebisi news later.

Girls Names have all but finished their debut album and will hopefully have it out by the end of the year. They haven't said when they're releasing it, I just hope it's out by the end of the year.

Neil from Girls Names has ANOTHER side project on the go (at last count I think that makes 23 various incarnations he has). This ones called Sea Pinks and he played his debut show last week in an intimate and delightful venue. To use the modern parlance he pwned (are the kids still using that?). Needless to say he's hit the mark again and may well be set to overtake Girls Names as 'The next Big Thing'. Apologies to Cathal if he reads this ;) You can download the fantastic Japanese Knotweed HERE!

South of the border news sees Hands Up Who Wants To Die finishing their new album in Berlin. If you can't wait for that you can swing by to band camp and buy their split ep with I'll Eat Your Face. Such wonderful names!

Logik Party released High Risk Narcissist last week. You can buy it here. We'll hopefully be dragging them back north for a show one of these days. I love those guys.

Adebisi Shank have released their second album and it can be bought here. 

Can't think of any more news about other bands but i'm sure that'll do you for now.

If you want to get out and about in Belfast this weekend (and why the hell wouldn't you), Jogging are playing Animal Disco in Auntie Annies on Friday. I haven't made it to Animal Disco yet but I hear its a hell of a party.
Saturday sees Girls Names and the wonderful Third Man Theme play the Mermaid Bar in Belfast with Deformative and the debut of Hit Butties, the newest, hottest DJ duo in town.

LaFaro - Leeds or Reading

Its great to see another Belfast band make it to Leeds and/or Reading this year. This time it was LaFaro's turn.

Corrigan - Medicine Stick

One of my favourite all time 'local' bands are the mighty Corrigan. They were one of the first Belfast based bands I saw and the first I made a point of going to check out whenever they played. Unfortunately they kinda went off the boil, played less and less frequently, wrote songs that weren't up to par to the first album, and they split. They still leave a pretty awesome legacy in their album 'How To Hang Off A Rope' and with the bands that formed after their demise - LaFaro, Cashier #9, and John Edgar Voe.

To this day I still say Martin Corrigan is the best front man Belfast has seen (go ahead and name me someone better) and his lyrics are second to none with their twisted humour and downright disturbing notions ("Well I sent for my sister. And they sent me her cousin. I said she sure is quite good looking. Send me half a dozen!")

With songs like McArthur, Water Ballad, and Sometime I Think About, Corrigan will forever live in my heart as the founders of the modern music scene in Belfast. And yes, I do realise how ridiculous that statement sounds.

They never amde any 'official' videos but here's one Martin, 'Uncle Senator' Joe Greene (Documenta / Olympic Lifts), and Neil Hughes (Driving By Night) made while on a drunken trip to L.A. a few years ago.

THEY'RE THE IRISH PUPPETS!

Yakuza

Here's the video for 'West of the Best' by Yakuza taken from their still unreleased second album. These guys are stalwarts and I think the longest running band in Belfast. I'm pretty sure Yakuza were the first local band I went to see way back in 1997 (how depressing is it that 1997 is "way back"?) back when they were playing Pixies covers. In fact i've known most of these guys my entire life. I've known Davy and Philly since I was four years old and used to sit beside Roni in GCSE French - that's neither here nor there though.

Anyway, here's 'West of the Best'.

We Want Blood

I've just realised that even though this is the blog for the band I haven't really mentioned the band yet. What a maroon! Who are we? What do we do? All that bollocks!

Well we're 'Mr Wonderful' Paul McStravick (guitar), 'Iron' Ben McAuley (drums), Cathal 'Devil Anse' Cully (bass), and Ciaran 'White Dynamite' Hughes (guitar/vocals).

Hmm... I had written out a whole big thing there but it was boring as fuck so I deleted it again. Lets just say We Want Blood play rock 'n' roll... and We Want Blood have come for your children.

Panda Kopanda

I've been posting videos of bands I saw and loved while I was in Melbourne so why the hell haven't I done the same for Belfast bands? Actually its probably because there's not a lot of videos by Belfast bands I like (I hope that statement gets proven wrong btw).

Anyway, here's the video for 'Spirals' by Panda Kopanda. It was filmed by Will McConnell at a show I put on a few years ago. An interesting(?) note for fact fans is that the video features Iron Ben's special lady friend (she's one of the lovely girls sitting at the table).

During the filming Will moved a light we had set up on stage so he could have better light for his filming; well the light wasn't moved back and someone accidentally threw a cardigan on the light which almost led to the whole place going up in flames. Good times.

Curfew 2010

Pete Jez (one of the nicest men in the world) is putting Curfew on again this year; here's what he says:
"So around this time for the last 8 years I've announced the annual Curfew line up...around this time for the last 4 years I keep saying this is the last. THIS IS THE LAST!

I guess the original need for Curfew has passed over the last few years and I cant stress how great that is. With so much stuff happening in July there's something to cater for everyone; it really is no different than any other month.

Curfew has always brought together a diverse and high standard of musical endeavours and this year will be no different. As always we will be running the weekend closest to the 12th of July as always."

And here's the line-up:
FRI 9th JULY // 7pm
Slomatics
We Want Blood
Jogging
Before Machines
Wonder Villains
Selaah
Secret Teeth
Hands Up Who Wants To Die

SAT 10th JULY // 7pm
Girls Names
Strait Laces
Black Bear Saloon
SKP
Third Man Theme
The Cities We Captured
Kiriath

Yup, that's us up there between Slomatics and Jogging. Yup, I think that means we're on second last on our first show. I think other people are excited about seeing us.

This is an awesome line-up! I'm very excited about playing with our friends (especially Third Man Theme who are also making their debut) and can't wait to see the likes of Hands Up Who Wants To Die, Jogging, and Wonder Villains who i've heard great things about. All we have to do now is finish writing some songs. WOO HOO!!!

Here's the Curfew Facebook page.

Gig time bitches!

So we've finally confirmed our first show. Don't have all the details yet but it'll be as part of Curfew 2010 and is on Friday 9th July. I probably should have waited until everything was confirmed but i'm too excited.

And to whet your appetite here's some picture of us in the dungeon perfecting our magic.

Handsome devils.

Not Squares - Release The Bees

Our good friends Not Squares have just unveiled the video for their second single off their forthcoming album. Its called 'Release The Bees' and is once again directed by Andrew Wood from Bright Stem.

Not Squares - Release the Bees from Bright Stem on Vimeo.

Lovely stuff fellas.

http://www.brightstem.com/
http://www.myspace.com/notsquares