Hi!
the lastest edition of Damnably Radio has been podcasted at www.damnably.com and as usual it's a tightly bundled joy ball of incredibly groundbreaking, genius or off the hook tracks from the very best acts in the world! You can stream (play) or download these podcasts.

Click here http://www.damnably.com/podcasts/damnably45.mp3

Damnably Podcast #54

Damnably November Newsletter Hi Everyone! I hope you are all well and wrapping up warm! We have news of two super gigs coming up this month for you while we are busy getting ready some more upcoming shows early next year! DAMNABLY Presents... 'MOON MAMA' (Pikachu of Afrirampo) w/Monster Island,  Former Utopia Plus Guests Wednesday 9th December @ Jamboree 566 Cable Street, London, E1W 3HB (Limehouse DLR/short walk from Whitechapel & Aldgate) 8pm - £7.00 Advance Click here for Wegottickets MOON MAMA (Pikachu) Pikachu is the extraordinary drummer/singer in uber cool Japanese post-punk duo Afrirampo. She also plays in Acid Mothers Temple and is known for her sense of fun and boundless creativity. Damnably is very proud that she will be playing a magical Japanese Folk Set on an acoustic guitar with a special guest assisting. In a world of endless copycatism, cliché and pastiche, Pikachu stands out as the real deal! Afrirampo have released many critically acclaimed albums, toured with Sonic Youth and Pikachu will be playing this exclusive show before Afrirampo play Cargo on the 10th, and then ATP with Shellac and Deerhoof!!! "It's never long, however, before Afrirampo are again off and running, joyfully veering to the cusp of feral, white-hot noise, as they drag their songs kicking and screaming towards distant untold possibilities." Afrirampo's 'Kore Ga Mayaku' album gets 7.9 in Pitchfork Monster Island Pavement-meets-The Fall three piece from Lancashire who spark up a satircal and caustic yet pretty catchy off kilter dirge and some of the best lyrics you’ll hear this year. The band are currently getting a load of airplay on John Kennedy's XFM show and are soon to be featured in Dazed and Confused!!!!! "Darwen, Lancashire trio do the whole shuffling bravely sideways thing/there's enough suppressed twinkle in winking eye to suggest they might chance a jump forward soon" Plan B Former Utopia "Radio 6/Resonance FM featured East London born, X-Lazarus Clamp bassist is a genre defying intelligent edgy song smith that producing the kind of mortally sad, black humoured alt. folk that reminiscent of Lambchop, Mountain Goats and on occasion Shellac." Silver Rocket "like (smog) on holiday in shellac" Drowned In Sound “a gentleman blessed with an imposing baritone halfway between Bill Callahan and Absentee.” The Line Of Best Fit Coming to this gig? Let us know! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=329309865071 DAMNABLY XMAS PARTY 2009 w/ MJ Hibbett, Airport Girl, Mordros, More Bad Times Vs Former Utopia and more! Plus DJ SET (playing a DJ SET) Thursday 17th December - The Wilmington Arms 69 Rosebury Avenue London EC1R 4RL 8pm - £4.00 Advance £5.00 on the door Click here for Wegottickets 2009 has been a great year for Damnably and we loved bringing you David Grubbs, Shonen Knife, Julie Doiron, Stinking Lizaveta, The World International John Peel Day and much more! We would like you to celebrate xmas and a good year with Damnably by coming along to a lovely line-up of regulars: MJ Hibbett, Airport Girl, Mordros, More Bad Times vs Former Utopia plus some special guests, DJ SET and a raffle! MJ Hibbett In their ten years together MJ Hibbett has performed live on Radio One, had a Record Of The Year in Rolling Stone, an Album Of The Day on 6Music, released one of the first ever viral videos, toured up and down the UK and even featured in an Edinburgh Fringe Festival show, all while maintaining complete independence from record labels. They're old school indie, belligerently optimistic, and will have a pint. Airport Girl Legendary Fortuna Pop! act began over a decade ago and have garnered significant press, radio play and fans. "Frontman Rob Price still sounds like the miraculous bastard child of Ian Curtis and Conor Oberst..." Subba-Cultcha Mordros North London’s Sonic Youth-meets-Swirlies via Robert Wyatt. Ultra arty, no-waver, postslacker, Anglo/Swede boy-girl-boy-girl four piece. Beautiful music made by members of XFM/Radio One favorites Fantaplastic. Former Utopia Vs More Bad Times "Radio 6/Resonance FM featured East London born, X-Lazarus Clamp bassist is a genre defying intelligent edgy song smith that producing the kind of mortally sad, black humoured alt. folk that reminiscent of Lambchop, Mountain Goats and on occasion Shellac." Silver Rocket Former Utopia is joined by Chiara Meatelli and Violeta García López to play as More Bad Times. Coming to our gig? Let us know! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=320511510164 Damnably is supported by the PRS Foundation: Damnably is now three years old and frequently got gig of the week in Time Out, The Independent, and were even voted Club of the week in The Guardian! plus airplay and plugs on XFM/Radio One and Radio 6 from John Kennedy, Laura Laverne, Huw Stephens, Rob Da bank, Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson. There are also John Peel shows in Podcast form and over 200 hours of our bi weekly Damnably Radio show bringing you the best of new and old groundbreaking music with sessions, interviews and live concert recordings. http://www.damnably.com http://www.myspace.com/damnablypresents Our mailing address is: info@damnably.com

Rare it is that I leave the nafarious hinterzone that is ..East London.., but jumping on tour with Julie Doiron and her mates Construction and Destruction seemed like a good opportuntity to go around the UK and meet some fellow promoters and play some good shows.
Ian from Magic Teapot and I book tours for the bands we like. It takes a few 1000 emails and a great deal of problem solving but without doing it ourselves, we would not be able to get the bands we love to come over. Here is the brief and exciting UK Tour sketch:

Leicester is the a smallish 'land that time forgot' sort of City, populated by subcultures from other decades.  I studied there back in 93’ and fell in love a few times, learnt to play in bands, put on gigs and made the best friends of my life. It was my first choice mainly as John Peel (the legendary DJ) said that Demontfort Student union was the best music venue in the UK, plus I the Charlotte venue had just about all teh acts I wanted see back then-including a 22 year old Bonnie Prince Billy who went to the toilet mid-song! then returned and started to the play the song again, but this was hindered by his trousers falling down!

Ian wearing his John Peel T. Shirt and chatting to Gary Numan about football

Ian from Magic Teapot  promoted this show and I first met him back in 93’ when I saw a GODZILLA sized man hanging about the Student Union reception. Ian had a Come T Shirt, so we became instant friends.  We did a Radio show together back then called ‘slow disco for Losers’ which was identical to the one I do now on www.damnably.com

Ian has been putting on gigs for about 12 years and is loved by Cat Power, Brokaw, Howe Gelb, Gary Numan and just about everyone else good. I put my first gig on in  94’ which a young Mark Hibbett played-although he was suprized that it was me that put that show on when I recently reminded him

Ian had two gigs on the same night so I helped him sort out the riders for both and who we met Chuck Prophet  (star of the other show) at the Musician. His entourage went crazy when I dropped off the tub of houmous for their rider. I later noticed that touring is mostly about hanging around waiting, smoking and houmous.

“how can it taste so good? It’s just houmous and bread” Dan Romano

The show was fun and I played ok but heard some shouting going on through the set. Ian later told me that he had a spot of bother with someone he’d previously had polite words of disagreement with (people often don’t want to pay to get in to shows and try hard to avoid this-Label people are the worst for this). So Ian was almost in a fight while I was playing! Good to be back in Leicester!

I ate Chips and Mushy Peas

Newcastle

I’d played Newcastle before with Lazarus Clamp and remembered it being six hours up the road but it wasn’t so long on the train and very beautiful when I walked around and down to the waterfront.

Graham shipcote was the promoter here and a really lovely man whose been putting on gigs for 24 years.

Cluny 2 is Great small venue but my mind was elsewhere and I played terribly but the others had great shows.

Had 2 Gregg's Sausage Rolls

Edinburgh

I wondered around Edinburgh in a pleasant touristy daze for many an hour. New zippy-coat zipped up to my nose as Scotland is closer to the North Pole than it is London and really bloody cold! It is populated by a hardy, hairy and quick witted race with anti freeze for blood. 

Ancient alley's appear next to the usual tartan tat & furry mascot high street shops and offer up glimpses of incredible views of the prettiest city in the UK I've seen. Magical place indeed where the cab drivers all smile, safe in the knowledge of that bedazzled  tourist tip.

Ruth the promoter of the show runs the basement Bowery venue with bar and cool club come eatery that played the best music I’ve heard at a venue ever.

I played well for a change and relaxed and really enjoyed myself. Julie played a great show amidst the Christmas lights and hold lamps that decorate the bowery.

I stayed in a dirt cheap hostel next to station so I could get the train early the next day and see my Scottish relatives. Hostels are funny places. My room held 10 strangers but during the night there seemed to be something like 100 coming and going as a couple in the bunk below me made love quietly, a man opposite read a book and young lad snored. Not ideal for a good nights sleep but I left laughing the next day feeling more than a little grubby.

Glasgow

Fielding is the lovely super promoter behind of Cry Parrot and he put on this show at a huge warehouse facility that included art studios, rehearsal rooms and a large venue with a massive raised stage. He’d decided to put on a diy festival and had a load of different types of acts on and around 250 people turned up. Dan the driver did the sound as the sound guy was ill and he made a huge rock sound. The crowd loved Julie and she played an extra half hour as the DJ booked for the club bit of the night was late. He was billed as Glasgow’s best DJ but that might well have been his DJ name or else Glasgow doesn't have so many DJ's, as he was a bit lame

Whisky and Tuna Sandwich..

Manchester

Worse for wear, and out of fresh clothing I arrived in a Manchester I recognised despite working there for a few months in 92’ It certainly looked cleaner and more vibrant than it did the last time I was there. My main memory of back then was of boarding above a crazy pub in Salford called the Rovers Return, where some nights there wouldn’t even be floor boards in the room me, my brother James and a few other mates slept in. Lucky we were drunk each night

The venue was the Salford Islington Mill another huge covered industrial space now providing space for artists and musicians. Mark and Neal there where very nice and tried not to panic as the bands arrived too late for sound checking due to a diversion back to Edinburgh to retrieve a forgotten bag of t shirts.

Lazarus Clamp joined us for this gig and it was nice to catch up with them and Rupe and Rosie, Davey from Last harbour and Little Red Rabbit collective and Lizi from Liverpool. I've put on lots of Manchester bands in London but none of them came to watch this gig! typical.

Review of the gig from Natalie Bradbury

I ate Chips and an Egg and Bacon Sandwich

Cardiff

The journey across the ..Lake District to Cardiff was so beautiful and sat staring out the window at the cloud formations for hours. Adorned with good spirits I landed in a warm autumn Cardiff and was happy to meet ace promoters Liz and Ryan of Loose at the Buffalo Bar. The sound in this venue was really high quality and I had fun playing there before I legged it back to London to prepare world international john Peel day flyers for printing and handing out at the Luminaire gig.

.. 

Had a Dairy Milk

London@ The Luminaire....

Lazarus Clamp played a pretty drummerless set that allowed their complex instrumentation to shine through. Construction and Destruction played the best they had all tour. They are such a cool couple and very funny and down to earth. You don’t get many bands that are so naturally inventive and unlike anyone else and all the more interesting for me as they hardly listen to any other bands at all. Julie Fred and Dan rocked out and blew everyone away. Fred and Dan are both very talented singer songwriters, drummers and guitarists and those guys backing Julie Doiron made for an awesome experience. Julie has a massive back catalogue and I loved the way she’d be telling the audience a quirky anecdote and then slip into song before the audience could blink. She does deserve much larger audiences in the UK

I recorded the whole gig and it is podcasted at www.damnably.com and Kenichi videoed it too so that will be posted on Damnably TV when it’s edited, plus there is a Review in Line of best fit

I ate a Cream, custard and strawberry Cake as it was my Birthday!

That was a fun first tour for me 7 days, over 1000miles and 2000 cigarettes.  I loved meeting all the great promoters around the country putting on great gigs in their very own fashion and helping keep the music scene alive and indeed carrying the fire. The Lumianire show was also my birthday and it was the best birthday I’ve had and lovely to spend it with many of my friends including Lazarus Clamp, Janice and Jo li. Russ, Rama, Jens, Kenichi, Toshi, Mark and Chiara.

Mostly played 

Palpable in the disco

Love like infinity

Double negative

Carry the fire

Martyrs missing

Video from recent John Peel Day GIG

MJ Hibbett's Blog on the Luminaire gig

Modern Gig Going

I went to a gig last night - NOT one I was even PLAYING for a change - and had a LOVELY time. The primary reason was that I'd gone to see Mr G Gargan (aka Former Utopia) and Lazaras Clamp (feat. Mr T "The Tiger" McClure), both of whom were excellent. George played to a very appreciative crowd who'd sat down, the better to listen to his WISDOM, while The Clamp (as they are known to er the kids?) did a lovely surprising set of non-usual and NEW songs brought about by the fact that Huw The Drummer had had to call in sick. It sounded GRATE, like an "Anthology" version, tho maybe that's just because I've been listening to "Beatles Anthology 3" this week.

It was GRATE, but made even more so by a number of additional factors. It was in The Luminaire, a VERY nice venue made all the nicer this time by the free availability of bottled ACTUAL BEER. This seems to be a very slowly growing trend, one i fully (and financially) support, where bars that used to just do bottled LAGER are gradually realising that some people would like ACTUAL BEER and are prepared to pay for it. Brains SA in this case, and very nice it was too.

Due to lack of drummer The Clamp had switched places in the running order, going on straight after George, which mean that I only spent about 90 minutes in the actual venue. This was GOOD because, lovely as it is, it's a long way home and I didn't really fancy the look of the other bands, although I did enjoy standing around looking at their FANS. Has the "Look Like Jesus" LOOK come into fashion while I was paying even less attention than usual? There were a LOT of Jesuses (Jesii?) around, especially rocking the Jesus Of Shoreditch look. "The Lord Sayeth, make thine glasses really big and funny colours, and sport thee a girl scarf when thou wilt."

So yes, I was happy to FLEE, but not before I heard a song i knew come over the PA system - somebody played It Only Works Because You're Here! I acted all COOL, like, and pretended to Tom like it happens ALL THE TIME, but inside I was going "ZANG!" also "WHOO!" It sounded GRATE too!

And then I managed to OVERGROUND it all the way home, cutting a neat 25 minutes off the time it'd take to tube it - all in all and EXCELLENT evening out!

Hi
Micky from Lazarus Clamp and I do get quite annoyed by the low standard of music journalism you find in the UK today. I used to write a fanzine back in the RIOT GRRRL days and music journalism at Uni and Micky is just very good at writing, as he is an incredibly clever guy.
We decided a while back to write a bit and present an 'opposing' opinion to the seemingly ubiquitous received opinion (usually via music industry pluggers that do actually control the radio and music press here). Anyway we've started and you can read Micky's take on the FUCK BUTTONS here at The Opposer.
Other bits of my music journalism are at Damnably blog
Thanks and more to come soon.
George

Around 500 people came plus quite a few hundred extra's that turned up to bowl or perform karaoke which made the upstairs seem like a scene from some 18-30's reunion hell, but the music made that easy to ignore. One band didn't show and Allo Darlin seemed to play three times? Two people won the booty all the acts chipped in for the raffle. One lucky winner said 'I've never won anything before' and was ever so happy to get a new MJ Hibbett CD.
Mush from Ten Benson celebrated her birthday there and the Golden Animals rocked out, only after being supplied their quota of Whisky. Bad Guys where told by the venue they had only 1 song left (after they had just started) as the venue had to shut down the PA at 12.00 so they played three songs in one, as bouncer growled at them just off stage.
I dj'ed Bottomless Pit, Smog, Halfman Half Biscuit and Beefheart and laughed at Toshi from Smallgang who stole a bottle of wine from the bar in frustration at not being served. No Cars were very funny as usual. It was nice to meet Monster Island but I missed their set as I had to dj downstairs. Jasmina Maschina, Rob from Airport Girl and Mark Hibbett all played remarkably what with the bowling going on behind them. Mark gave me a bottle of wine for my efforts, which was very nice.

Special thanks to Janice for doing the door for so many hours and Jasmine for doing the sound downstairs plus Mr David Gedge (who Janice and I chatted to about Shonen Knife and Dick Dale-such a lovely man) and Mr Darren Hayman who were very nice guys indeed. Plus all the bands who very kindly let other acts use their amps and drums. The whole spirit of the day was really lovely and everyone really got on well and enjoyed themselves and as Sean from Fortuna Pop/Secret Knowledge said; it was very messy and chaotic and John Peel would have loved the thrown together feel of the day which like a good John Peel show was full of mistakes.

We raised £1900 for the The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) http://www.dec.org.uk/ who are an umbrella organisation for 13 humanitarian aid agencies, including Oxfam, Actionaid and Save the Children. They are using donations to help people affected by 3 natural disasters in East Asia right now and hopefully the money we all raised will help some of those people.

We will all team up again and do 'The World International John Peel Day 2010' but in the meantime all of us have great gigs coming up or radio shows.
Sean Fortuna Pop/Secret Knowledge has a huge show at the Scala featuring 'The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart' in December that needs a plug http://www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart and Damnably has We V's Death/Smallgang/Head of Programmes/Mordros @ Bardens on the 29th of October http://www.myspace.com/damnablypresents
plus Let's Go Baboon has the mighty Lazarus Clamp @ The Brixton Windmill on 25 Oct http://www.myspace.com/letsgobaboon
and SilverRocket is on at the first Friday of every month Upstairs at the Garage /silverrocketclub.
The Local team have loads of great gigs coming up http://www.localism.org.uk/ and How Does It Feel To Be Loved has it's next outing on saturday october 17th, the phoenix, cavendish square, london w1, 9pm-3am. http://www.howdoesitfeel.co.uk/
Freedom of Expression has a show on tonight @ the Green Dragon in Croyden http://www.freedomexpression.co.uk/cgi-bin/foe.cgi?venues=display
and Totally Acoustic has a show on December 1st http://www.mjhibbett.net/totallyacoustic/
Ruth from Radio 6/Resonance FM posts her shows her
http://www.myspace.com/theotherwomanmusic
and Rocker from Dandelion's shows can be found here:
http://www.myspace.com/dandelionradio

Thank you again to everyone that played, dj'd, organised and came!
See you next year!


George

Hi

I am starting a UK tour on Wednesday the 23rd of September and right now I am making cd's for it. I have a great many songs! so I am putting 20 pretty good ones on a cd that is free with the new 'Former Utopia + Michael L. Clamp= The Philanthropists' vinyl 7' Ep's, that I shall take with me.

I am excited and really looking forward to seeing my friends from the bands all around the country that I have put on down here in London via Damnably- the gig promotion I do.
I am also excited about seeing my Scottish family in Paisley, which is a city right next to Glasgow and where almost all of my extended family still live-untouched by civilization or fruit.
I've not been back to Scotland since 1994 which was when my gran died (see song 'no returns' at the very end of damnably podcast 41) so I might be wrong on the fruit. Actually, you can hear me playing bass and guitar on damnably podcast 31 session with Sonia (the not knowing from Barcelona-Spain) and a few other comedy songs I improvised on the other shows-usually under a made up name like DJ SET or Cultureside UK.

I am taking a notebook so I can keep you updated with pictures of the food I discover-like MI-GU does in her blog! and pictures of all the great Promoters I'll meet along the tour.

The Luminaire show in London is going to be pretty special as it is my birthday that night and the best line up for a gig I have had yet, as it features some my favourite bands and best friends. I hope you'll come along to that and I'll be on very early as there are 4 bands playing plus Rachel Silver Rocket dj'ing if she can make it.

Here are the full details

Damnably presents

Julie Doiron (Jagjaguwar)on Tour with:

Construction and Destruction (Canada)

Former Utopia (Damnably)

Lazarus Clamp (Bearos/Little Red Rabbitt Collective) in Manchester and London

September 23 Leicester, Donkey  8pm, £7 adv

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/58627

September 24 Newcastle,Cluny2 8pm, £10 adv

http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_northeast&query=detail&event=333911

September 25 Edinburgh, Bowery  7.30pm, £10 adv

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/54653

September 26 Glasgow, DIY Music Festival @  Live Art Shop' (Studio Warehousey) ticket link http://www.wegottickets.com/event/56977

September 27 Manchester, Islington Mill  7.30pm, £6.50 adv

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/54453

September 28 Cardiff, Buffalo Bar 7.30pm., £6 adv

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/53401

September 30 London, Luminaire 8pm, £8 adv

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/53859

October 2nd Silver Rocket @ Upstairs at the Garage with Cove and Hey Colosuss from 10.30-3am I might do a small DJ Set if Rachel allows me.

October 10th The World International John Peel Day @ Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes-over 20 bands/14 dj's 4pm-3am and for £5.00 advance and all for charity.

I'll be playing in the Karaoke Room Stage at 5.00pm and will DJ later if there is space. Tickets available from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/59270

Julie Doiron (Jagjaguwar) is touring her 9th solo album. She began making music at the age of 18 as part of legendary art grunge act Eric's trip. Julie has proved herself to be one of Canada's most impressive recording artists, blessed with an iconic voice, guitar and songwriting style of her own. She has also collaborated with The Tragically Hip, Wooden Stars, Herman Düne, Okkervil River, and Phil Elverum (aka Mount Eerie), but to be honest she is much much more interesting and better than all these put together. Julie Dorion is also pure DIY and started her own label Sappy Records back in 1990 and her very own annual Sappy Festival in 2006. Her new album I Can Wonder What You Did with Your Day has garnered radio play on both BBC Radio 2 and 6 and is one of the albums of the year so far.


Advance Tickets can now be purchased for the following shows:
September 23 Leicester, Donkey 8pm, £7 adv
http://www.gigantic.com/gigantic/event_gce_13338a.html
September 24 Newcastle, Cluny 2 8pm, £10 adv
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_northeast&query=detail&event=333911
September 25 Edinburgh, Bowery 7.30pm, £10 adv
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/54653
September 26 Glasgow, DIY Music Festival @ ' Live Art Shop' £5.00
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/56977 September 27 Manchester, Islington Mill 7.30pm, £6.50 adv
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/54453
September 28 Cardiff, Buffalo Bar 7.30pm, £6 adv
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/53401
September 30 London, Luminaire 8pm, £8 adv
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/53859


Damnably is bringing together a host of London Promoters to put on a chock-a-block night of live bands and DJs to celebrate new music and the great man himself, as well as to raise money for their chosen charity. Each promoter will choose a band to add to the night's eclectic line-up. Things are shaping up nicely, with promoters Totally Acoustic, Silver Rocket, Stranger Songs, Dirty Water Club, Damnably, Freedom of Expression, Ruth Barnes (Radio 6/Resonance FM), Dandelion, How Does It Feel To Be Loved, The Local, Let's Go Baboon, and Fortuna POP/Secret Knowledge all on board to make the night a roaring good time!

Damnably has chosen Monster Island as their act for the lineup!

http://www.myspace.com/monsterislandmusic


A night of European exchange! Damnably presents two great Dutch bands We Vs Death and Labasheeba coming over to play with two of London's finest bands, smallgang and Mordros who both also have new releases out then. Plus Damnably DJs! All at Barden's Boudoir, £5.00 Advance, on sale soon!

£4 (including P&P) to UK

£5 (including P&P) to Worldwide

Our mailing address is: info@damnably.com