Meze:festival approaches! You know the details I’m sure – the whole month of October, over a hundred bands and DJs, a massive pile of fun at the Meze Longue and Mojo in the fair city of Newport. www.mezefestival.co.uk is SERIOUSLY worth a look at (try and spot the Mexican wrestler mask-wearing punk band). You’ve already had the preview of the first night (here); this here’s the second, co-promoted by the fantastic PeppermintPatti. DETAILS:
BIG JOAN
Singer Annette Berlin is known for her explosive performances and on-stage use of a metal dustbin, adding a layer of harsh, industrial percussion to the squalling guitar, ferocious beats and thick, distorted basslines. It sounds like the angriest party in town or, as Artrocker magazine put it, “never has a band displayed so much angst and made you want to dance so much”.
Debut album ‘Insects & Engines’ album (2004) was championed by the late, great John Peel and was followed by The Flood EP two years later. Big Joan are currently completing a second album for release later this year.
http://www.myspace.com/bigjoan
KING ALEXANDER
The ugly results of fast love and no money. The three piece Noise Core outfit cancel more gigs than they play. They sell more CD’s than they make. Tyranny is rife in the camp of the King but whilst fashion is a flailing memory, sonic integrity prevails throughout. The minimal buzz of bass distortion and the discordant squeal of monotone tuned guitar. Banging drums! Bryon Alexander our criminally insane capitalist cash cow, she would be dangerous if it weren’t for her tiny mind. Arnold Alexander our crazy faced stick monkey, lubricated by time and bloody, he would vent his intentions if only he had any. The king, our tyrant, you will buckle under his will. A sub sonic delivery of guts and entrails, excitingly stupid and poetically
loud. Three idiots one vision. Be regal, all hail the King.
http://www.myspace.com/allhailtheking
SPOTLIGHT KID
is a new band for Chris Davis of Six By Seven. Beautiful epic music that fills your soul with fire, shifting through the hazy drone rock of Spacemen 3 and the velvets through to the uplifting beauty of Lush, MBV and Swervedriver, cutting a glance in the right direction to the great moments of shoegaze, krautrock and 90s psychedelia. This year saw the first release of new recordings by Spotlight Kid with a track that has been included on the new compilation by the top lads at Club AC30.
‘Never Lose That Feeling’ Vol 3 was released on the 9th Feb and includes a psyched out breeze of a cover of Jesus and Mary Chain’s ‘Sometimes Always’.
http://www.myspace.com/spotlightkidsound
SAMOANS
Originally formed under the name ‘Scissorkick Victory’, the band established themselves as unique amongst the scene. The band was started by Daniel Barnett (also of Circa Regna Tonat), who enlisted Calvin Ley to play bass and Todd Campbell to play drum to the songs he had written as what was initially a side-project. Furious rehearsing and song-writing ensued, which lead to support slots with Red Light Company, The Airborne Toxic Event and The Xcerts notably and a change of name to ‘Samoans’, which proved to be Todd’s last contribution to the band. Todd decided he could not continue with the band and left in early 2009, leaving the door open for Taliesin Leboutillier (previously of Lights To Lead Us).
The new alliance forged a new direction, and recorded immenently with Romesh Dodangoda at Longwave Studios, the birthplace of many bands. The four tracks recorded have brought the band much attention already, from the hailings of “WOW! How heavey was that!” by Bethan Elfyn on National Radio 1 to being included on the Punktastic Unscene 5 compilation. With a mixture of the technical and the anthemic, the band are a serious force to be reckoned with and hold no quarter in a live environment.
http://www.myspace.com/samoanstheband
POMPEII
A late addition to the bill, Pompeii bring swish, widescreen, slightly keening rock from Austin, Texas, for your swaying enjoyment. Give them a big hand.
http://www.myspace.com/pompeii
PLUS! Vinyl Vendettas DJS and Inner City Trash DJs will make your face hurt with good music.
For full into regarding the festival in association with The Joy Collective, see http://www.mezefestival.co.uk
