Monday 27 December 2010

ASIWYFA Secret Show Coverage on Live4Ever

Live4Ever's Daniel Robinson has posted coverage, including the video below, of one of ASIWYFA's hatrick of Belfast gigs on December 17th.

Friday 24 December 2010

LaFaro Officially Better Than Gorillaz

You're probably as sick as we are of year-end lists but this is one we like, AU's look back at the records of the year makes several good calls including LaFaro's debut at no. 13.

40. Solar Bears – She Was Coloured In (Planet Mu)
39. Not Squares – Yeah OK (Richter Collective)
38. Surfer Blood – Astro Coast (Kanine)
37. Field Music – Field Music (Measure) (Memphis Industries)
36. Yeasayer – Odd Blood (Mute)
35. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Before Today (4AD)
34. No Age – Everything In Between (Sub Pop)
33. Mimas – Lifejackets (Big Scary Monsters)
32. Wavves – King Of The Beach (Bella Union)
31. Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms (Static Tongues)
30. Grinderman – Grinderman 2 (Mute)
29. Sleigh Bells – Treats (Columbia)
28. Deftones – Diamond Eyes (Reprise)
27. Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (Virgin)
26. Four Tet – There Is Love In You (Domino)
25. The Cast Of Cheers – Chariot (Self-released)
24. The Continuous Battle of Order – PTTRN SKRS (Richter Collective)
23. Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me (City Slang)
22. Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma (Warp)
21. Pantha du Prince – Black Noise (Rough Trade)
20. Baths – Cerulean (Anticon.)
19. Vampire Weekend – Contra (XL)
18. The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang (SideOneDummy)
17. Liars – Sisterworld (Mute)
16. Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History (KitsunĂ©)
15. Foals – Total Life Forever (Transgressive)
14. Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (EMI)
13. LaFaro – LaFaro (Smalltown America)
After waiting so many years for a full-length from one of the country’s best live acts, could it possibly fulfil expectations? Emphatically, yes. Fittingly self-titled, from the opening, stop-start blast of bona fide classic ‘Tuppenny Nudger’ to the nonchalant closing lope of ‘Party Hardy Marty!’, every sweaty, sinewy, sleazy second IS LaFaro, perfectly distilled onto one shiny disc. Not since The Jesus Lizard in their prime has rock been this primal, urgent and utterly essential. Lee Gorman
12. Gold Panda – Lucky Shiner (Notown)
11. Best Coast – Crazy For You (Wichita)
10. Villagers – Becoming A Jackal (Domino)
9. Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest (4AD)
8. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs (Mercury)
7. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening (DFA)
6. The National – High Violet (4AD)
5. Caribou – Swim (City Slang)
4. Janelle Monae – The ArchAndroid (Atlantic/Bad Boy)
3. Adebisi Shank – This Is The Second Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank (Richter Collective)
2. Beach House – Teen Dream (Bella Union)
1. Kanye West – My Beatiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Roc-A-Fella)

Wednesday 15 December 2010

ASIWYFA: 3 Belfast Shows In 1 Day - Fri 17th Dec

So...to confirm. We are doing 3 shows on the one day THIS Friday in Belfast. The first one is at 3pm at Catalyst Arts Centre (GUESTLIST ONLY - emailed), the second one is from 5.30pm - 7pm, Barge on Lagan (GUESTLIST ONLY - emailed) and the third one is in Auntie Annies in the evening, doors at 10pm. Absolutely no guestlist for ANYONE for this last show, you gotta queue and pay your £6! Hope you enjoy the shows xxx

Illness Tipped on 6Music Introducing

Thanks to Sean from Derby's Grande Duke for selecting Illness as their choice in Tom Robinson's 6Music Introducing Thanks For Your Support feature this past Sunday night. You can hear the show again until this Sunday night here, with Sean and Illness at about 1hr 20 in, and you can also download Illness' Old Song along with songs by other bands featured on Tom's show (including Bright Spark Destroyer and Free Swim who are worth checking out) right here.

Find out who Illness will be thanking for their support when 6Music Introducing returns in January.

Vote STA in the Digital Socket Awards

Music bloggers from all over Ireland have clubbed together to launch The Digital Socket Awards, celebrating the best of Irish music in 14 categories. The awards (whose name is intended to reflect “the power and energy of digital music on the Internet”) will be voted for by the public, creating a longlist for each category, from which the panel of 22 bloggers will decide the winners. The awards will then be handed out at the ceremony at the Grand Social in Dublin on February 3.

The full list of categories is below. Voting is now open...

1. Best Design (Website, Artwork, Posters)
2. Best Independent Label
3. Best Video
4. Best Music Photography
5. Best Radio Show
6. Best Pop
7. Best Folk
8. Best Rock and Alternative
9. Best Electronic & Hip Hop
10. Best Indie
11. Best EP
12. Best Newcomer
13. Best Album
14. Song of the Year

Cargo Collective December 2010

Skibunny Christmas Shows

The snow seems to have stopped in Edinburgh, for now, we hear it’s gonna get worse again though, wrap up warm people! We had a fantastic week in Ireland last month, 7 shows in 6 days, thanks to EVERYONE who came along, it was awesome craic! On returning to Edinburgh we played our biggest headline Scottish show to date at Edinburgh’s Bongo Club, thanks so much to Devil Disco for having us! Then we had some new friends to stay, in the shape of California based band La Sera. After bonding at a Ratatat/Vampire Weekend aftershow party, the following 3 days snowed-in in Edinburgh resulted in Tanya joining La Sera on stage for a punk-rock version of ‘No Diggity’ at their sold-out Edinburgh gig opening for Jenny & Jonny. FUN!

And so we look forward to Christmas once again - a couple of events for your festive diaries:
Sat 18th Dec: EDINBURGH, DJ set, Wolf Party @ The Store (formerly GRV)

Thurs 23rd Dec: EDINBURGH, Annual Christmas Songwriters Club @ Leith Dockers Club, all proceeds go to charity, all performers playing original christmas songs!

News coming soon of new single, UK tour and Canadian/US dates!

Happy Christmas everyone! xxx

Friday 10 December 2010

ASIWYFA Tour Screenprint Poster For Sale

A limited run of 100 A2 size screenprints of ASIWYFA's November/December tour poster on Cyclus Offset 300gsm, signed and numbered, are now on sale from the good people at Blood & Thunder. Snap 'em up!

Thursday 9 December 2010

Hear Exclusive Fickle Public Song On New Glasgow Podcart

To coinicide with next week's digital release of Fickle Public 'Greatest Hits' EP, 5 previously-unreleased tracks - now available for pre-order - this week's episode of the Glasgow Podcart podcast features an exclusive FP track, Henry Kelly For Countdown. This song is only available on this podcast so what are ye waiting for?

Monday 6 December 2010

Rock Sound Highlights - FWW Live, LaFaro #41 Album Of 2010

The January issue of Rock Sound is about to hit newsagents wherein you'll find LaFaro appearing on the Top 75 Albums of 2010, Fighting With Wire (and friends) reviewed in Brighton and a mention of next week's Fickle Public download EP.

Thanks to Darren and the RS team for all their support in 2010.



December 2010 Newsletter

[0] STA Welcomes... Feldberg



Meet Reykjavik pop-rock duo Feldberg, the newest addition to Iceland’s enviable canon of internationally acclaimed acts and the latest additions to the Smalltown America family. Consisting of singer RĂłsa Birgitta ĂŤsfeld and multi-instrumentalist Einar Tönsberg, Feldberg first came together in 2008. Einar had recently returned to Iceland from London and was looking for a vocalist to record ‘Running Around’, a song he had written for an advert for an Icelandic shopping mall. “It was a lovely accident”, explains Einar. “I needed a vocal, somebody to do a female vocal. I called up my friends and they all said ‘You have to call Rosa.’ She was at my studio ten minutes later and she hasn’t left.” RĂłsa adds: “It was really comfortable from the very beginning, like it was destiny. I felt like I should stay once I was there. It’s kind of like a relationship without the romance.”



Feldberg will be thawing our frosty, winter hearts with their gorgeous melodies from December 13th on debut single 'I'm Not Thinking Of You' available on iTunes, before then you can watch the video for the single right now on Vimeo. The debut album is out early next year - it's a delight - you'll love it!

[1] MPFree - Fickle Public



Free Download - Fickle Public - 'Adam Hocing'

At last! Issued in response to popular demand, we present previously-unreleased and dusted-down recordings by Elgin/Glasgow screamo/math outfit Fickle Public for the second album that never was. Fans of the four-piece - fondly remembered for their fusion of Dischord song structure and smart pop hooks - have been patiently awaiting these songs, cheekily bundled together as 'Greatest Hits', which are finally being made available as a digital release on December 13th accompanied by an artwork booklet designed by Christopher Rainbow from photography by Tim Smith.



1. Adam Hocing
2. Non Stop Hot
3. San Diego Hair (Fickle Public Know The Score Version)
4. Revel Revel
5. Winning

Fickle Public were Alan Ferguson (vocals/guitar), Jim Butterly (guitar), James Cameron (bass), Lewis Gale (drums)



In Their Own Words: We recorded these songs back in 2005/2006 with the expectation that they would end up being part of our follow-up album to ‘Bucko’. Unfortunately, we never got as far as making the album and the band ended up splitting up toward the end of 2006. Winning and Revel Revel came from the original session in 2005. Non Stop Hot, Adam Hocing and San Diego Hair were recorded later for a split EP with Distophia – again this never materialised. 
 
However, here we are five years later and the tracks are finally going to see the light of day. I’m sure if the band had stayed together then these tracks would sound markedly different. We’re just glad that people can finally have the chance to hear what our second album may have sounded like.

[2] LaFaro - Ripping Up Europe



Our very own eight legged riff machine LaFaro are still on tour - supporting postHC heroes Helmet across Europe and loving every second of it. The LaFaro Van blew up earlier in the week and is still in a Berlin workshop, see them in rented accomodation in the following cities:

DEC 5 Glace Annecy w/ Helmet - Le Brise, FRANCE
DEC 6 La Laiterie w/ Helmet - Strasbourg, FRANCE
DEC 8 Roehre w/ Helmet - Stuttgart, GERMANY
DEC 9 Werkstatt w/ Helmet - Cologne, GERMANY
DEC 10 Elysee Montmarte w/ Helmet - Paris, FRANCE
DEC 11 Astro Lab w/ Helmet - Orleans, FRANCE
DEC 12 Le Grand Mix w/ Helmet - Tourcoing, FRANCE
DEC 14 Vooruit w/ Helmet - Ghent, BELGIUM
DEC 15 SCALA w/ Helmet & Fighting With Wire - LONDON
DEC 16 Club Academy w/ Helmet & Fighting With Wire - MANCHESTER

[2] ASIWYFA: European Tour, Xmas Shows and VERY Special Announcement



*Tune in to ASIWYFA's Twitter/Facebook at 21:00 GMT this evening to find out some very special Christmas news for ASI-uber-fans. REPEAT - 21:00 06/12/2010*

The first issue of our ASIWYFA vinyl disappeared in picoseconds, we've just put the last batch up on pre-order, these will ship w/c 13th December. The band are on overdrive right now so, if you're in the following cities you really should get along to:

DEC 9 De kreun - Courtrai, Belgium

DEC 10 Effenaar - Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS

DEC 11 Club Bitterzoet - Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS

DEC 12 Kleine Freiheit - OsnabrĂĽck, GERMANY

DEC 13 Comet - Berlin, GERMANY

DEC 14 Hafenklang - Hamburg, GERMANY

DEC 15 Tower - Bremen, GERMANY

DEC 23 The Hideout - Warrenpoint, IE, IRELAND

[3] FWW - Lil' Xmas Treats



With the second album wrapped up last week in Nashville - our intrepid explorers square up to label buddies LaFaro in London, Manchester and Glasgow - followed by some home grown riffology for Christmas.

DEC 15 Scala w/ HELMET - LONDON
DEC 16 Club Academy w/ HELMET - MANCHESTER
DEC 17 Cathouse w/ HELMET - GLASGOW
DEC 22 Stiff Kitten - BELFAST
DEC 23 Nerve Centre - Derry/City Of Culture 2013

[4] More Than Conquerors Get Busy...



Wired from a sell out support slot with Jimmy Eat World show in Belfast the lads have finished work on their second EP and are delighted to be sharing the stage with labelmates ASIWYFA in Warrenpoint 23rd December, that particular show is going to be messy people.

[5] CMCS & Illness Play Nice...



Label buddies join forces for an awesome Weather for Airstrikes Christmas Show in Brighton.

[5] Calling All Public Service Broadcastees



As Smalltown America Records marks it's 10th birthday next year we're looking for any bands that had a song on the Public Service Broadcast compilation series to provide a sentence or two of where they are and what they are doing for inclusion in a forthcoming project. For more details get in touch with ash@smalltownamerica.co.uk - if you know anyone that was in one of these bands and can give them a holla on our behalf - please do!

All that remains to say is thanks so much for all your support this year - we all really appreciate it, thanks as always for reading and we'll see you in 2011.

Team STA

Wednesday 24 November 2010

VOTE TODAY! VOTE OH YEAH!

Wednesday Nov 24 is People’s Millions Day.

To support the Oh Yeah music centre in Belfast, please call the phone line.

The phone number to ring is: 0871 6268 106

If the Oh Yeah get your vote, they can build two learning suites, to help the raw music talent to grow in Northern Ireland. These new facilities will be used by their all-ages team, by community groups and other allies.

Lines are open from 9am until midnight.

Landlines are 10p per call. Mobile charges will vary. UK and N. Ireland lines only.

A two minute feature on our plans will run on UTV tonight, around 6.15pm.

Also, watch this video for inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNu2E_1KrOI

Oh Yeah music centre, 15-21 Gordon St, Belfast BT1 2LG.

Friday 19 November 2010

More Than Molasses Say Hot Press

Hot Press' Critical Mass verdict on Go On, Go On Get Out by More Than Conquerors: Resting somewhere between Foals and fellow Northies Two Door Cinema Club, fresh-faced Belfast foursome More Than Conquerors are scenesters with soul. Their eponymous debut EP is a wee rhythmic goldmine, showcasing a handful of contrasting facets to their temperamental pop rock. Simply put, when it's dark, it's dark and when it's light, well, it's like listening to molasses.

Buy the EP here.

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Fickle Public On Jon Hillcock New Noise Podcast

The opening track from next month's Fickle Public EP gets a spin on one of the best new music podcasts going, Jon Hillcock's New Noise. Jon deems the EP to be brilliant yet bittersweet - just what your mp3 player needs so keep an eye on the sidebar on the right for download details ahead of the December 13th release date. And be sure to subscribe to Jon's weekly mailout to get a comprehensive list of the week's essential new releases, blogged downloads and London gigs, in addition to said podcast.



This week's New Noise mailout is brought to you with the help of a hangover from John Kennedy's The Remedy all dayer, Blue Moon Beer, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon in The Trip, porridge with the fruit bit from a Muller Corner chucked in, Stereolab's wonderful 'Not Music' album, being finally comfortable with wearing big 'LOOK AT ME! I'M LISTENING TO MUSIC!' headphones in public, Dels smashing up the Barfly and two stunningly beautiful cold, slightly foggy days. Contained within the metaphorical walls of this week's audio excursion (or, um, free downloadable podcast) are Snow White samples, defunct Scottish hardcore, one of the most talked about hip hop productions of the moment, a pregnant pause, a re-recorded lyrical treat, a couple of brilliant demos, a fair helping of actual noise and a warm, looping pop gem. There is also a song that might make you cry. Thanks for listening. Tell someone if you like it and stuff. Jon

blog - http://newnoise.tumblr.com
subscribe - iTunes
twitter - @jonhillcock
email - ilikenewnoise@gmail.com

New Noise Podcast - 15th November 2010: Tracklist
1. Pogo 'Wishery' (-) download free from Pogomix.net
2. Fickle Public ‘Adam Hocing’ (Smalltown America) from mini album ‘Greatest Hits’ out 13th December
3. Wretch 32 ft L ‘Traktor’ (Levels/Ministry of Sound) single out 16th Jan
4. Part Chimp ‘You Decide’ (Gringo) buy now via Part Chimp Bandcamp
5. Pregnant ‘Wiff of Father’ (from Bow Legs Music)
6. Wave Pictures ‘Now You Are Pregnant’ (Moshi Moshi) from ‘Jonny Helm Sings’ EP out 20th December
7. Peers ‘Football’ (demo) download free from Peers Tumblr
8. Yusuf Azak ‘The Key Underground’ (Song, By Toad) from album ‘Turn on The Long Wire’
9. Bo Ningen ‘4 Seconds To Ascension’ (Stolen Recordings) from album ‘Bo Ningen’ out now
10. White Wishes ‘Hold Your Head’ (-) download free from White Wishes Bandcamp

Subscribe to the free New Noise podcast on iTunes here, and directly here
View an archive of New Noise tracklists here
Follow me on Twitter here

Monday 15 November 2010

Watch And So I Watch You From Afar 'Straight Through The Sun' Live in Dolans Limerick

Listen To New Fighting With Wire Track 'Call It A Draw'

A fresh new slice of Fighting With Wire called Call It A Draw can be found on their Myspace.

Watch New More Than Conquerors Video

More Than Conqueror's debut self-titled EP is officially out today, check out the video for lead track Go On, Go On Get out below then purchase from the STA store.

New And So I Watch You From Afar Single Out Today - For FREE


So guys, here is how it works!

You can download the new single STRAIGHT THROUGH THE SUN for free, all you have to do is tweet it or share it on your facebook! What could be easier!

Enjoy the track and remember you can get the 7" Vinyl with the B side WITHOUT A FUCKIN' SCRATCH from the STA store. Only 100 to be had and they are already going fast so get in quick!!!

Cheers all, happy sharing!
ASIWYFA

Sunday 14 November 2010

Thursday 11 November 2010

Wednesday 10 November 2010

Listen Again: New ASIWYFA Single On Nick Grimshaw

The fresh new single from ASIWYFA - Straight Through The Sun - got it's first Radio 1 spin last night courtesy Nick Grimshaw. Listen again here.

Music played

1. Florence and The Machine — Heavy In Your Arms
2. OutKast — The Way You Move
3. Magnetic Man — Getting Nowhere
4. Bullet for My Valentine — Bittersweet Memories
5. Two Door Cinema Club — Something Good Can Work (Twelves Remix)
6. Fresh — Talkbox (Camo & Krooked Remix)
7. Kele — On The Lam
8. Sleigh Bells — Rill Rill
9. Kelis — Acapella
10. Cerebral Ballzy — Insufficient Fare
11. The xx — VCR
12. Simian Mobile Disco — Hustler
13. The Naked and Famous — Punching in a Dream
14. Drake — Best I Ever Had
15. And So I Watch You From Afar — Straight Through The Sun
16. Band of Horses — Compliments
17. Jurassic 5 — What's Golden
18. Jamie Woon — Night Air
19. Mark Ronson & The Business Intl, Boy George and Andrew Wyatt — Somebody To Love Me
20. Wilder — Sky Full Of Rainbows

Monday 8 November 2010

Fighting With Wire Video Tour Diary: Day 2 Liverpool

And So I Watch You From Afar First Radio Play For New Single Tonight

Irish listeners tune into BBC ATL on Radio Ulster for an exclusive listen to our new tour single! In other news, tour rehearsals commence...(we may be playing some surprises on the upcoming tours...yep...KLF covers! Or not.)

And So I Watch You From Afar Competition

Here at the ASIWYFA HQ we like to encourage as much creativity as possible SO we are running two competitions to test your creative skills to win an ASIWYFA T-shirt and a guest-list spot for you and a friend!

What we want you to do is take the ASIWYFA logo and/or name and be creative with it.

This could be simply drawing it on your arm, creative a oil painting masterpiece with it all incorporated, paint your nails with the logo, even changing the branding at your cattle ranch to ASIWYFA and brand a cow (if you happen to own a ranch that is - don't go chasing other people's livestock with home-made branding devices), make a sand sculpture on the beach, a 3D model, WHATEVER YOU LIKE (just keep it legal), let your imagination run wild! Once you've done this, scan it, or take a picture of whatever you've created and email it over to us HERE. We will select the best ones and stick them up on our sites!

TO ENTER COMPETITION 1
The key to it all is this, no matter what it is you choose to do, you can enter COMPETITION 1 by incorporating which of the forthcoming tour dates you are planning to attend...

11 Nov Riosin Dubh - Galway
12 Nov Pavillion - Cork
13 Nov Dolan's - Limerick
18 Nov Riverbank - Kildare
19 Nov Spirit Store - Dundalk
20 Nov Whelans - Dublin
22 Nov London - Dingwalls
23 Nov Hare & Hounds - Birmingham
24 Nov Clwb Ifor Bach - Cardiff
25 Nov Kazimier - Liverpool
26 Nov King Tuts - Glasgow

The winners can pick up their T-shirt at the shows, and you can cash in your guest-list next time round.

TO ENTER COMPETITION 2
Do exactly the same as in COMPETITION 1 but instead of which show you are attending simply let us know where in the world you are. So if you a fan in New York for example, incorporate New York into your masterpiece - you get the idea.

Winners will be announced at the same time as competition 1 and we'll post out your t shirts if you're overseas and you can cash in your guest-list when we're next playing a show near you!

You have until November 20th and remember to email everything over to HERE

LaFaro w/ Pulled Apart By Horses Saturday, Nerve Centre

Saturday 6 November 2010

Cargo Collective November 2010


STA Recommends...

Harmonious Bec
Her Strange Dreams
Monotreme CD
Japanese duo ‘ZaMaRoo’ and ‘from Vapor To Water’ debut with their dazzling dreamscape of intriguing, eclectic electronica. RIYL: DJ Shadow, MĂşm, BoC, Clouddead, FourTet ,The Books.

Snowblink
Long Live
Fire Records LP / CD
Recently back from a US tour opening for Owen Pallett, Snowblink's debut album Long Live offers shadowy folk-pop with hints of Animal Collective and Phil Spector.

Heirs
Fowl
Denovali CD / LP
Reverb soaked guitars, crackling electronics and deadpan dark-wave meditation create an abstract dronescape of industrial dirge and metallic ambience coalesced into an ambitious whole.

More Than Conquerors Video Tour Diary Parts 4 & 5


Friday 5 November 2010

More Than Conquerors On Cool FM The Z


'Go On Go On' by More Than Conquerors will be played on Cool FM's 'The Z' , Northern Ireland's premier pop station, on Sunday night at around 8:45pm. Tune in on 97.4FM or online.

There's Nothing Wrong With Covers III, Sat 18th Dec, Brixton


On Saturday 18th December 2010 at The Windmill in Brixton, the night that celebrates the best of classic 80s/90s and modern undergound British indie rock 'There's Nothing Wrong With Covers' returns for a third installment with a mixture of past favourites and exciting new acts.

BANANIRVANA as Nirvana - 10:00pm to 11:00pm

Following on from August's rapturously received recreation of Nirvana's much lauded Reading 1992 performance featuring a guitarist, a bass player, a drummer, and an array of different Kurts on vocals (including a female Kurt, a Newcastle Brown Ale necking Chinese Kurt, and even a harmonising Kurt duo), Bananirvana are back with their unique live Nirvana karaoke act performing classic album 'In Utero' in full plus an encore (well, you know, if the crowd want it) of selected other hits. Get in touch if you fancy being a Kurt on the night - all we ask is you learn the words properly and can sing a bit!

SPECIAL GUESTS TBC - 9:00pm to 9:45pm

Excellent band perfoming as excellent band to be announced in due course!

BAND OF PRICKS as Guided By Voices - 7:45pm to 8:45pm

The greatest band from Dayton, Ohio (perhaps, even, the whole of the world) of all time Guided By Voices recently reformed with the classic lineup from their most critically acclaimed period of existence - 1990 to 1996. It remains to be seen whether they will be coming to the UK or just reserving this reunion for American ears. Fingers crossed they make it over, but either way, GBV tribute act, the pun-derfully monikored Band Of Pricks, who at past shows have been likened in terms of energy, enthusiasm, and downright rock and rollability to GBV at their peak, are back with a 25ish song set of material from the 1990 to 1996 period. The set will feature songs from all albums during the period, as well as a variety of EPs and rarities, and some songs GBV have never even performed live themselves.

KANNBERG 1664 as Pavement - 7:00pm to 7:30pm

Everyone into indie rock is a Pavement fan, right? Well Alexei from Johnny Foreigner, Craig from Internet Forever, Aaron from Eelectricity and Lust, and Dan from 4 or 5 Magicians are no exceptions, and they got together to play a Pavement tribute night in May, where they were described by more than one member of the assembled (and possibly slightly drunk) crowd as "actually better than Pavement". It seemed like a perfect opportunity to reform for a Reading 1992 retrospective show in August with a set of early hits, and as both were so fun and so well received they are returning for a third time here with another almost totally different set of slacker rock classics for all you indie rock fans!

EELECTRICITY & LUST as REM - 6:15pm to 6:45pm

Eelectricity & Lust have been rapidly gaining plaudits and a loyal following in London over the past year. Local lads from Brixton, they mix elements of the great American indie rock bands of yesteryear with classic and modern British punk rock influences. Perhaps most important of all to them are the REM of the 1980s, who (and it has perhaps been largely forgotten these days) were a huge influence on such indie heroes as Sonic Youth and The Replacements, not to mention Nirvana, Pavement, and Guided By Voices! E&L will be performing a split set between their own highly promising material and that of REM.

RAYMOND DETRITUS presents Christmas with Raymond - 5:30pm to 6:00pm


When not doing his best Krist Novoselic impression in Bananirvana, Jon Wood works on his irreverent project Raymond Detritus, the self proclaimed "singer-songwriter that can't sing or write songs". Sometimes he plays an 8 string baritone guitar in a four piece band, sometimes there are just three of them, sometimes it is just him and a friend, sometimes it is just him playing a ukulele on his own. Who knows what he is gonna do here, but I am under the impression he will be performing some of his self penned songs about Christmas (as featured on his 'Christmas with Raymond' EP), and maybe even a rendition of 'Jingle Bells' or 'Away In A Manger'.

Doors at 5:00pm : £5 advance, £6 on the door : DJs playing indie rock hits (and perhaps a few Christmas classics) until late. Tickets on sale now.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The last one of these was possibly the most fun I have ever had. Who is coming this time around?

Dan

Tuesday 2 November 2010

And So I Watch YouSA From Afar: 4 Thoughts

So then, a while ago we wrote and recorded some music in Ireland, a while later it has brought us all the way over the Atlantic ocean to play our first tour of the United States of America. Over the 5 weeks we were there we drove coast to coast, north to south and the world got a little smaller again and our waistline and our photo collections grew a little bigger. Here's four thoughts about the trip........

ASIWYFA - US Tour Sept/Oct 2010

September 24th we flew out of Dublin en route to JFK New York to start our first USA tour. After a lengthy delay of about 8 hrs we get the call to board our connecting flight to Baltimore where we're playing our first date. As it's our first time out proper, we're opening up each night. The main headliners are legendary Japanese band Envy from Tokyo, along with California thrashers Trash Talk. The band after us are also from California, Touché Amore, who very kindly agreed to rent us their back line at a cut price rate saving us a small fortune! First show, Baltimore and a chance to meet all the guys for the first time. They turn out to be really sound thankfully seeing as we'll be together for 5 weeks! Also they fucking rock, hard! This'll be an amazing tour!

4 weeks in now, hard to believe it's gone so fucking fast! I was a bit apprehensive about how we were going to be received and being so far away from home for so long! I can honestly say that I've made some new friends for life, American and Japanese. There's only one week left now. We've travelled coast to coast of the USA and it has been the most unforgettable and fun experience for me personally in this band. Hopefully the first of many. Part of me can't wait to go home but part of me wants to continue on this trip, it's tough sometimes on the road and you miss a lot of things at home but I made my bed and I'll very gratefully lie in it!

Johnny Adger, ASIWYFA

---------------------

In America there's little tissue covers to put over the toilets in all the service stops on the road,this is a great thing. It saves 2 minutes preparation time per visit by eliminating the need to lay down your own covering which takes 7 lengths of toilet roll each 2 segments in size. It does not eliminate the need to check and wipe the seat of urine droplets before hand as although the covers are made of tougher tissue they are still fairly porous and will make for a surprise sit. These seat covers also eliminate the need to lay *"a splash pad" as the middle perforated section pops out to for a catchment layer of its own ontop of the water. Both these elements cut visit time by 1 to 2 minutes a time. 7 people on a 30 day tour with one visit each during transit collectively saves 420minutes, that's 7hrs which is an extra time each to soak up tour or talk to a new face or walk in the desert or make fun of a band member or Skype your parents or write a blog. God bless America.....

Rory Friers, ASIWYFA

--------------------

Terra firma, unexplored, by us at least. That's how I felt about our ....

US tour when it was just about to kick off. That and a huge relief/ ....

excitement to be out on the road once more! The fact we were carving ....

our way such a huge land mass and one that we knew only too well ....

through screens, whether they be TV, cinema, computer or otherwise, ....

but had very little experience of in real life filled us with a unique ....

sense of anticipation and enthusiastic trepidation.....

Plus the fact we knew we were going over to be first on each night on ....

a bill of four bands who had extensively done the circuit over here ....

and we would be relatively unknown, starting from the ground up and ....

wondering if anybody was gonna like us! I knew that the first US tour ....

basically destroyed the Sex Pistols ("ever get the feeling you've been ....

cheated?") and the Manics didn't even make it this far (well, Richard ....

James didn't, poor fella) so there was always the slight intrigue of ....

fear, danger and self destruction looming over us. Still, hasn't ....

happened yet...but then the Irish prospered here historically, right?....

Tony Wright, ASIWYFA

--------------------

This tour is 10 things.......

1: This tour is bouncing around in a converted school bus travelling thousands of miles around America.....

2: This tour is trying to avoid the temptation of insanely fatty and unhealthy food at every moment of the day, and the futile search for fruit at service stops.....

3: This tour is going to sleep in the bus while crack heads chat and smoke their pipes outside.....

4: This tour is getting punctures at the most inconvenient of points and nearly missing shows.....

5: This tour is being overwhelmed by all the amazing scenery and places we see, and trying to be a tourist and musician in the same day.....

6: This tour is finding out it doesn't always rain in Seattle and there isn't always sun in California.....

7: This tour is trying to not say 'parking lot' and 'gas station', just so people get you first time...let them work it out.....

8: This tour is starting at the bottom again,first on with most of the crowd having never heard nor heard of us.....

9: This tour is not having to drive but diving the big bus late at night anyway because it's fun.....

10: This tour has cemented my hope that I will get to say "this tour" a thousand more times.....

Chris Wee, ASIWYFA

Monday 1 November 2010

November 2010 Newsletter

[0] MPFree: Illness: Paper Cut Live


This month's free noise-slice is a live take of 'Paper Cut' - lead track from Illness' second EP out now, recorded especially for newsletter subscribers... click... download... rawk!


[1] More Than Conquerors in the studio...



This month has been a busy one for all those at STA towers, including our newest arrivals.

More Than Conquerors have taken over an old but still fully functional church in their quest to create the self described 'bigger/dirtier/edgier' follow up to their debut EP. We are almost mission complete, recording due to complete upon the bands return from tour with Fighting With Wire starting Monday. No working titles just yet but perhaps December's mailout will have a Christmas treat for us all!

MTC's remastered, debut five track EP (now including enhanced video content) is currently receiving spins on XFM and the video for 'Go On Go On Get Out' has been soaring on YouTube since it's first outing last week.

Check them live when they take to the road on Monday in support of Fighting With Wire, dates as follows:

1 Nov - Stereo, Glasgow
2 Nov - The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool
3 Nov - HMV Institute Temple, Birmingham
4 Nov - Cellar, Oxford
5 Nov - Joiners, Southampton
7-Nov - Prince Albert, Brighton
8 Nov - Club Ifor Bach, Cardiff
9 Nov - Barfly, London


[2] LaFaro vs Europe



LaFaro are in the studio tracking album number two with Marty @ Bangor Studios. They have been submerged in the writing process since returning from Reading/Leeds festivals and they have rarely been spotted out except for a short run of hard rocking sell-out shows with Therapy? in Belfast, Cork - twice and now Dublin's Vicar Street on the 5th November.

Pic: Courtsey of AU Magazine

[3] Group Hug? Skibunny on tour...



Wed 17th Nov - BELFAST, Trenchfoot @ Lavery’s
Thurs 18th Nov - BALLYNAHINCH, Pure Savage @ Cloisters
Fri 19th Nov - DUBLIN, Tower Records in-store (1pm)
Fri 19th Nov - DUBLIN, The Good Social (w/ CRYSTAL FIGHTERS)
Sat 20th Nov - STRABANE, Dicey Rileys
Sun 21st Nov - DERRY, Sandino's Back Room
Mon 22nd Nov - GALWAY, Roisin Dubh
Sat 27th Nov - EDINBURGH, Devil Disco @ The Bongo Club

[4] And So... yet more touring



Not very fresh, but very willing - STA's very own Uncle Travelling Matts And So I Watch You From Afar hit the road again in November. The band are currently in the Smalltown America Studio recording a tour exclusive single:

11 Nov - Rosin Dubh, Galway
12 Nov - Pavillion, Cork
13 Nov - Dolan’s, Limerick
18 Nov - Riverbank, Kildare
19 Nov - Spirit Store, Dundalk
20 Nov - Whelans, Dublin
22 Nov - Dingwalls, London
23 Nov - Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
24 Nov - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
25 Nov - Kazimier, Liverpool
26 Nov - King Tuts, Glasgow

[5] Label Buddy Bed Hopping



This month Illness take to the stage in support of our SXSW10 top pick DD/MM/YYYY (pic) - the venue is Brixton Windmill and the date is Monday 1st November. Many people doubt that Illness can actually speak, let alone can sing - behold the video evidence to the contrary...
Illness' tour buddies Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea bed hop this month to take to the stage with Fighting With Wire &More Than Conquerors in Brighton's Prince Albert on Sunday the Nov 7th. A little later in the month & just down the road in Portsmouth's Edge Of The Wedge, CMCS support another Irish bill this time with A Plastic Rose.

[6] Final Farewells

Last month we bid farewell to two members of the STA family.
Firstly Let Our Enemies Beware have decided to go on indefinite hiatus, stepping out in typically irreverent fashion... Cheers for your support out there for LOEB over the few years we were doing our shizzle. Unless of course you didn't support us in any way whatsoever, in which case f***you. Nah I'm yanking ya, cheers in any case.

We were gutted that we didn't get the opportunity to release this LOEB track - killer.



Also Dan Orsmby has chosen to end 4 Or 5 Magicians - for now... If I can organise it, there will perhaps be one final show in London for the band at an unspecified date in the future where a number of past members get together to play an extended set of songs from the entire history of the band. I would definitely like to do this. Perhaps I will even keep the band going as a very occasional ceremonial band that plays special occasions once or twice a year as a couple of our contemporaries have done. Right now I am not sure. But yeah, thanks for all your support, and I'll be back soon with a new project.
We wish the members of both bands all the best for their next projects. The 2009 albums by LOEB and 4 Or 5 are available from the STA store at a retirement-reduced price of £5 each.

That's your lot for this month, thanks as always for reading.

Team STA
Official Site & Store
Twitter

More Than Conquerors Video Tour Diary Part 1

Saturday 30 October 2010

Illness Documentary No. 2: Shield Your Eyes

Illness present their 2nd documentary film; this time their subject is recent tourmates and STA favourites Shield Your Eyes.

This is a short documentary I made about the UK band, Shield Your Eyes, consisting of an even mix between live footage and mechanical intuition, before a full performance of their song, 'Come On Melissa Are You A Kisser'.

The band have recently released their third album, 'Theme From Kindness', available through their Myspace or through Function Records, and they are constantly touring the UK and Europe.

'Come On Melissa Are You A Kisser' is available on their first album, 'Shield Your Eyes', also available via the band's myspace.

This is the second of hopefully many short band documentaries by Illness, and is edited in part by Stef from Shield Your Eyes.


Shield Your Eyes Documentary from Illness on Vimeo.

ASIWYFA Do America In 7 Minutes 14 Seconds



ASIWYFA - AMERICA 2010 - it took 5 weeks to tour...here it is in 7 mins 14secs.

Please not this is just random footage and not to be perceived as making any sense. This is the preview to the full length film/rockumentary of ASIWYFA in America. Watch this space for the full length.

Video and sound by A. Coles

Wednesday 27 October 2010

Skibunny On Jim Gellatly New Music podcast


Skibunny are cover stars for this week's episode of Jim Gellatly's New Music podcast, always a goldmine for new bands. Download or better still, subscribe via iTunes.

Tuesday 26 October 2010

ASIWYFA Take Manhattan

Read US blog's Live4Ever's extensive coverage of ASIWYFA's recent Manhattan Santos Party House gig.

ASIWYFA on RTE Under Ether This Thursday

ASIWYFA will feature as special guests on this week's Under Ether. It broadcasts this Thursday night 28th, 11.25pm on RTE 2 with a repeat on Friday night 29th at 11.50pm.

For those without the RTE channels, you can catch it on the PLAYER on RTE.ie

Friday 22 October 2010

XFM Xposure Plays for Illness, More Than Conquerors

Thanks John!

X-Posure Thursday 21st October 2010

10-11pm
The XX ‘Crystalised (Rory Phillips Remix)’ (XL)
Kele ‘On The Lam’ (Polydor)
them:youth ‘Toothache’ (Big Hand)
Wolf Gang ‘Lions In Cages’ (Atlantic)
X-Posure Hot One: Josephine ‘A Freak A’ (Ark)
Stornoway ‘I Saw You Blink’ (4AD)
The Slits ‘Typical Girls’ (Island)
One Night Stand, Session Track: Middleman ‘Not Over Yet’
One Night Stand: Phone Interview w/ Andy of Middleman
One Night Stand, Session Track: Middleman ‘Chipping Away’

11pm-Midnight (Deep)
The Vaccines ‘Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ (Marshall Teller)
Friends Electric ‘Golden Blood’ ()
Foreign Office ‘On Repeat’ (Quiet Life)
Penguin Prison ‘Golden Train’ ()
Chapel Club ‘All The Eastern Girls (The Shoes Remix)’ (East City)
Guest Correspondent: Russell Porter, Barclaycard Mercury Prize Recommends
Dels ‘Trumpalump (Joe Goddard Remix feat. Ghostpoet)’ (Big Dada)
Guest Correspondent: Russell Porter, Barclaycard Mercury Prize Recommends
Remember Remember ‘Get Good’ (Rock Action)
Artists In Residence, Session Track: Darren Hayman & The Secondary Modern ‘Drive Too Fast’
One Night Stand, Session Track: Middleman ‘Spinning Plates’

Midnight-1am (Deeper!)
X-Posure Big One: We Three And The Death Rattle ‘Double Or Quits’ (myspace.com/wethreeandthedeathrattle)
The Brute Chorus ‘Could This Be Love?’ (Tape)
Sissy & The Blisters ‘Things May Change’ (Hit Club)
Lost Classic: Motorhead ‘Doctor Rock’ (Universal)
Action Beat ‘Car Crash Halloween Disco’ (Truth Cult)
One Night Stand, Session Track: Middleman ‘Snapshots’
Lightspeed Champion ”Til I Die’ (Domino)
Lazy Dre ‘When You’re Outside Her’ ()
Boy & Bear ‘Mexican Mavis’ (Chess Club)
The Good The Bad ‘030’ (www.myspace.com/tgtb)
Live Studio Guests: Interview w/ Adam of The Good The Bad
Live Studio Guests, Session Track: The Good The Bad ‘004’
Live Studio Guests: Interview w/ Adam of The Good The Bad
Live Studio Guests, Session Track: The Good The Bad ‘003’
Live Studio Guests: Interview w/ Adam of The Good The Bad
Live Studio Guests, Session Track: The Good The Bad ‘017’
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion ‘Afro’ (Shove!)

1-2am (Deeper Still!)
Light Asylum ‘A Certain Person’ (www.myspace.com/lightasylum)
SBTRKT ‘Look At Stars’ (Young Turks)
Armand Van Helden & Steve Aoki ‘Brrrat!’ (3Beat)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs ‘Household Goods’ (Greco-Roman)
The 2 Bears ‘Church’ (Southern Fried)
Silver Columns ‘Brow Beaten (Donovans Remix)’ (Moshi Moshi)
Hotpants Romance ‘Go Dancing’ (Cherryade)
Das Wanderlust ‘Swan Song’ (Cherryade)
More Than Conquerors ‘I’ve Done Nothing / I’ve Done It All’ (Smalltown America)
Illness ‘Paper Cut’ (Smalltown America)

Ensemble ‘Envies D’Avalanches’ (Fat Cat)
Nina Nastasia ‘You Can Take Your Time’ (Fat Cat)
Frightened Rabbit ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ (Fat Cat)

Skibunny: Coughing, Sneezing, Gigging, and… Vegas?

Wow, it’s properly cold out there now, isn’t it? Well we squeezed as much fun as we possibly could out of our Indian summer, hope you did too. Our debut album was released last month, we had TWO amazing launch parties, one was on a BOAT, Tanya went to the Matador 21 gigs in Vegas where she drank too much tequila and accidently married Ted Leo*, we played some shows in the very very north of Scotland with Stanley Odd, then Tanya got a bad dose of the flu and was forced to stay in bed and do nothing. Now said flu is pretty much gone and it’s business as usual at Skibunny HQ, hurrah! So here’s the round up of stuff coming up…

Sat 23rd Oct - EDINBURGH, Hidden Door Festival (DJ set @ 11pm)
Wed 17th Nov - BELFAST, Trenchfoot @ Lavery’s
Thurs 18th Nov - BALLYNAHINCH, Pure Savage @ Cloisters
Fri 19th Nov - DUBLIN, Tower Records in-store (1pm)
Fri 19th Nov - DUBLIN, The Good Social (w/ CRYSTAL FIGHTERS)
Sat 20th Nov - STRABANE, Dice Rileys
Sun 21st Nov - DERRY (details to follow!)
Mon 22nd Nov - GALWAY, Roisin Dubh
Sat 27th Nov - EDINBURGH, Devil Disco @The Bongo Club

More shows will be added as confirmed!

We have a new track “Black Dark, White Light” included in the latest TEN TRACKS mp3 bundle, where you get 10 tracks for just £1, you can really argue with that!
Don’t forget our album is out now, get your copy here, they ship WORLDWIDE and FREE shipping in the UK!
And just for fun, here’s Guided By Voices, live in Vegas!

*Not really, of course.

Thursday 21 October 2010

Brand New Skibunny Download, Hidden Door II Slot

A brand new Skibunny track Black Dark, White Light (feat. Barry Peak) is available for download along with one of my new favourite bands The Social Services and 8 more for a mere £1 to promote this weekend's Hidden Door II not-for-profit arts festival in Edinburgh.

Skibunny are DJing Saturday at 11pm; check out the impressive full line-up.

4 Or 5 Magicians: The End

4 or 5 Magicians was a band that existed between October 11th 2005 and October 20th 2010.

We just completed, what has become quite clear to me in the past few days and hours, our final tour tonight in Nottingham and I am now sad, but in a sense relieved that I am calling an end to the "4 or 5 Magicians" moniker.

I will be recording new material over the coming months (which I am very optimistic about!), and hopefully will be back with a new project and a more focused direction by next spring.

I am now 26 years and 6 months old, and it is a big shame that I wasn't able to make 4 or 5 Magicians work exactly how I wanted it to while I was still young and (slightly more) carefree, and hoped it could have done. The fickle nature of the industry is partly to blame, I am also partly to blame for perhaps not having more focus or drive, and making the occasional flippant or naive decision. This is something I can hopefully now rectify with a clean break, and a clean slate, free from any prejudice that goes with the name, and with the experience of it not totally working out for me.

I have had some good times, and some not so good times, but overall it has been an experience I have hugely enjoyed, and while it is a cliche, music is basically my life, and I will definitely carry on writing songs, and hopefully getting them out there to the widest audience possible.

My thanks go out to all the musicians who have played in the bands over the years, and the three labels that have helped us along the way - Smalltown America, This Is Fake DIY, and Alcopop. Also to everyone who has put us on, put us up for the night, bought our records, come to see us live, or anything like that - thank you.

If I can organise it, there will perhaps be one final show in London for the band at an unspecified date in the future where a number of past members get together to play an extended set of songs from the entire history of the band. I would definitely like to do this. Perhaps I will even keep the band going as a very occasional ceremonial band that plays special occasions once or twice a year as a couple of our contemporaries have done. Right now I am not sure.

But yeah, thanks for all your support, and I'll be back soon with a new project.

Bye for now,

Dan x

Go On Go On Get Out....is Out!

More Than Conquerors are set to release Go On Go On Get Out as the first single from their debut s/t EP. There are 5 tracks total on the EP and what the heck we have even thrown in the video for you to have and hold also - can't wait that long? Have a sneek peek by clicking here

The official release date is 15 November 2010 - it is however available to pre-order on the STA Store now by clicking here.

The band hit the road in just under two weeks with Fighting With Wire who also have a new offering to make. I can confirm, I am Ursus is fresh out of the studio and sounding monsterous...obviously!

Tour dates are as follows:

1 Nov - Stereo, Glasgow
2 Nov - The Shipping Forecast, Liverpool
3 Nov - HMV Institute Temple, Birmingham
4 Nov - Cellar, Oxford
5 Nov - Joiners, Southampton
7-Nov - Prince Albert, Brighton
8 Nov - Club Ifor Bach, Cardiff
9 Nov - Barfly, London

Sunday 10 October 2010

Illness Go Acoustic

Video from Illness' acoustic session from yesterday afternoon at Brighton's Northern Lights will be online soon (where you'll find out if Spencer got his Yamaha working).

Their next show is Monday at Vines in Derby with Crooked Mountain, Crooked Sea courtesy the good people at Button Pusher. It's a FREE ENTRY so no excuses!