South Wales favourites for many a year now while usually favouring trips to Bristol over Cardiff (anyone remember their Christmas ‘family’ show at Chapter?), Toronto’s Sadies have forged a unique path away from easy alt-country pigeonholes.  Recorded by Steve Albini,  working extensively with Neko Case, collaborating with the Mekons’ Jon Langford and John Doe of X, recording a fried country/R n’ B album with horndog blues legend Andre Williams; the Good brothers-fronted quartet have covered extensive ground, from the Stooges garage grease smeared over their earliest recordings through the unholy surf /country/garage hybrids honed on Favourite Colours and embellished since by bluegrass and even proggy diversions.  An idosyncratic streak to rival Giant Sand, then, but with a more trad Mojo/Uncut-pleasing bonhomie replacing Howe Gelb’s angular, Waitsian quirks.  The raucousness of old survives in their live set to this day, so this should be a belter.

Support is strong and reflects The Sadies’ wide-ranging charms.  Llanelli-via-Cardiff troubadour Christopher Rees, a friend and former collaborator of the band and, of course, mainstay of South Wales’ fertile alt-country scene over the last decade, brings his country-blues tunes; opening, in an inspired move, are Anglesey’s own Y Niwl, whose reignited surf-rock and magnificent knitwear have frequently made me giddy with joy this last twelve months.  Result.  Early attendance, needless to say, is advised. 

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Harvest in association with The Globe are proud to present an evening of Cosmic Country Surf and Psych Americana…Turn On…Tune in…Wipe Out…

THE SADIES
CHRISTOPHER REES
Y NIWL

Wednesday 1st December
The Globe, Cardiff
Doors 7.30pm Tickets £10 adv / £12 door

Advance tickets from Spillers Records (029) 20224905 or http://www.wegottickets.com/event/98843

THE SADIES

This stunning, genre defying Canadian quartet are back in the UK for a few dates around their slot at the Godspeed You Black Emperor curated ‘ATP Nightmare Before Christmas’. We’re delighted to bring em back to Cardiff for the first time in over 7 years.

They have released 7 albums on US indie labels Bloodshot and Yep-Rock, a double live album (featuring assistance from Steve Albini, Jon Spencer, Garth Hudson, Gary Louris, Neko Case), recorded an imaginary soundtrack album and have backed Jon Langford (The Mekons), Jon Doe (X), Neko Case (New Pornographers) and Andre Williams on full album projects too. The real deal, The Sadies are a working band only intent on making fine music because it’s what they do.

If you’ve not had the fortune of seeing them before, you’re in for a treat. The Sadies pick up where bands like the Byrds and The Band left off, incorporating elements of country, surf, sixties pop, psychedelia and garage rock to make an ace noise which is unlike anyone else. This years ‘Darker Circles’ album is the culmination of much hard graft, a stunning piece of country-noir which again raises the bar. It got them a Polaris Music Awards (Canada’s Grammy’s/Mercury Music Prize) nomination for best album alongside efforts by Broken Social Scene, Caribou, Owen Pallett and The Besnard Lakes.

Anyway, enough of this waffle, these guys make breathtakingly good music and are awesome live so get yourself along.

“Grounded in eerie country blues, Byrds-style folk rock and brain-rattling fuzztone freakout, Toronto’s Sadies are on the top of their game here”. MOJO

Check out
www.thesadies.net
www.myspace.com/thesadies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VivRetb7rZ0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcfd1kFmsqE

Plus Quality Support from…

CHRISTOPHER REES (w / Band)

Following recent UK tours with American greats like Steve Earle, Cherryholmes, Kristin Hersh, The Handsome Family and Chuck Prophet, the tremulous murder ballads, Appalachian bluegrass and twisted rockabilly of Christopher Rees’ fourth album ‘Devil’s Bridge’ earned him widespread critical acclaim. Driven by his commanding and ever passionate voice, razor sharp banjo riffs, wailing harmonica and 50’s twang his live shows are a diverse and thrilling tour de force. Christopher Rees will be joined by his 4 piece band for this show.

“A spit and sawdust holler that’s as close to a Southern hell-fire preacher as you can get hailing from Cardiff. Very, very good”. MOJO

“Christopher Rees has honed his narrative chops to fine effect. All splash echo and rockabilly riffs…he makes room for fat dollops of bluegrass, country and rustic folk, including a stomping banjo straight from the Blue Ridge Mountains”. UNCUT ****

“Bluesy folk tales of murder…dipping into the worlds of Americana and even rockabilly. By far his best to date”. Q MAGAZINE

“Gothic tales and country shake-downs from one helluva singer. A volumous force of nature. This is Rees at his peak, fully fried and giving it every ounce of grit and passion”. MAVERICK MAGAZINE

“Shudders between the primal loneliness of an Appalachian holler and an exuberant Bo Diddley shuffle”. ROCK’N’REEL MAGAZINE

“Welshman Christopher Rees sings like Tim Buckley remaking bluegrass blues”. (MOJO – Green Man Festival 2010 – Live Review) NOVEMBER 2010

Check out …
www.christopherrees.co.uk
www.myspace.com/christopherrees

&

Y NIWL

Some might regard Y Niwl as a kind of Welsh supergroup. Featuring some notable personel in the shape of guitarist Alun Evans (aka Alun Tan Lan, who also plays in Euros Childs’ touring band), Sion Glyn on bass (Richard James, Cate Le Bon), some time Gorkys drummer Peter Richardson, and Gruff ab Arwel on guitar and organ, Y Niwl’s vision is surf guitar instrumentals in the tradition of Dick Dale, Link Wray and the Ventures. Following storming appearances at this years Green Man Festival and the recent Swn Festival word is spreading fast! Catch them while you can…

“The EP transcends its influences because it is very very good indeed. It is very very good indeed because the four gentlemen responsible for the playing love these sounds. They love the reverb-y twang , the crash of cymbals, the spray of notes, the organic ethos of a band in a room making a sound that as of and in itself can fill the grooves of a piece of vinyl with magic. And, most importantly, the three tracks are fantastic tunes”. (Adam Walton – BBC Radio Wales)

Check out …
www.myspace.com/yniwl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuDOTc4ViUc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASrXDra5UV8&feature=related