The last SonVer show of 2009 takes place this Saturday (21st November) as part of the 2009 Bath Film Festival.

SonVer will be performing their AV show 'The Alchemy Of Man', possibly for the last time ever!   

http://www.sonver.co.uk/#/aom-project/4535021096

The show will feature a special 3-piece line-up of SonVer, which has just played successful shows in Zottegem and London: Joanna Quail (cello, keyboard), Ben McLees (guitar, bass) and special guest Will Connor (percussion, shakuhachi).



Details of the show are as follows:

Michael Tippett Centre
Bath Spa University,
Newton St Loe,
Bath,
BA2 9BN

http://bathfilmfestival.org.uk/sonver-the-alchemy-of-man.html

SonVer will also b participating in a post-show Q&A alongside some of the filmakers involved in the AoM Project.


Following this show, work will begin on the third SonVer studio album, before Jo tours Australia, New Zealand and Japan throughout January 2010 with Tallulah Rendall, where she'll be playing a solo set of SonVer material each night.


Meanwhile, Ben will be finishing work on his  debut solo album 'The Second Stage', expected to be released in March 2010.  A download-only EP, '000000',  will be released prior to this album.

http://www.myspace.com/thisisradiosilence



Thanks for reading, hope to see as many of you as possible at the Bath show on Saturday!

Love,

SV x

For those of you on Facebook, SonVer have a page here:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/SonVer/13477001085?ref=ts
Please add yourself as a fan if you have a moment.


Two tracks have been added to the SonVer Myspace player - live favourite 'Vigil' was released on the Vigil EP in 2007 [which has now all but sold out], and 'The Road To Masca', which was recorded in 2006 but never officially released. Hope you enjoy.


SonVer would like to thank everyone who came to the live shows in Brighton, Huy and Leipzig during May - and would like to thank everyone in particular who has sent kind messages and photos from the gigs to us. Further thanks to all the bands and artists who we played with at these shows.

The next SonVer live show takes place on July 3rd at L'An Vert in Liege, Belgium. Also playing at this show will be SonVer friends & collaborators Elephant Leaf.


SonVer will then be playing a special AV set entitled 'The Alchemy Of Man' at three dates during the summer:

17th July: The Cube Cinema, Bristol
19th July: Latitude Festival, Suffolk
29th August: Shambala Festival, Northamptonshire

[further dates tbc]

The set features 7 films made especially for the show by film producers from across Europe. It promises to be a show to remember, so makes sure you don't miss it.


Lastly, SonVer hope to go back into the studio in the next few months to record new material. New tracks 'Suspect G' and 'Triumph' have featured in live sets this year already, and there are plans for a release during Autumn 2009.


Hope to see you soon

Thanks & love

SonVer

x

2009
19.07  Latitude Festival, Suffolk
17.07  The Cube, Bristol
03.07  L'An Vert, Liege, Belgium
03.06  Cafe De Paris, London
30.05  Volkspalast Kuppelhalle, Leipzig, Germany
23.05  L'Atelier Rock, Huy, Belgium
16.05  The Brunswick, Brighton
09.04  Jackson's Lane Theatre, London
08.04  Jackson's Lane Theatre, London
22.03  The Rainbow, Birmingham

2008
03.12  Barden's Boudoir, London
29.11  The Union Chapel, London
13.11  Espace 302, Liege, Belgium
22.10  Cargo, London
09.10  The Good Ship, Kilburn
03.10  Luminopolis @SE One, London
09.09  Proud Galleries, Camden
16.08  Green Man Festival, Wales
25.07  The Half Moon, Herne Hill
20.07  Latitude Festival, Suffolk.
11.07  Cultura Club, Palma, Mallorca [Jo solo show]
10.07  Polaroid Club, Palma, Mallorca [Jo solo show] 
05.07  The Nave, London
02.06  93ft East, London
31.05  The Union Chapel, London
18.05  The Brickhouse, London
19.02  Cafe 1001, London
26.01  The Music Box, Lisbon, Portugal
16.01  The Strongroom Bar, London

2007
01.12  The Union Chapel, London
26.08  Shambala Festival, Northants
25.07  The Luminaire, London
16.06  The Pyramid, Warrington
15.06  The Roundchapel, London
30.05  Hedges & Butler, London
29.04  93ft East, London
21.04  Big Chill House, London
06.04  Red Gate Gallery, Brixton
16.02  The Grey Horse, Kingston

2006
01.12  Teviot Underground, Edinburgh
30.11  The Vine, Leeds
29.11  Resonance FM Live Session
29.10  The Blackheath Concert Halls
27.09  The Spitz, London 
03.09  The Spitz, London
21.08  Cafe 1001, Brick Lane, London
23.07  Ashton Court Festival, Bristol 
12.07  The 12 Bar Club, London
03.06  Der Anker, Leipzig, Germany
01.06  Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
12.05  The Spitz, London
09.04  Battersea Arts Centre, London
06.04  Teatro Vivo launch party, London
18.03  Holy Trinity Church, Leeds
26.02  The Blackheath Concert Halls 
30.01  The Spitz, London

2005
04.11  The Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, London
28.10  The Greenwich Picture House, London 
06.10  The Muse, Notting Hill, London
23.09  The Stark Gallery, Lee Green, London
18.08  The Ritzy Cinema Bar, Brixton, London
06.08  The Lark In The Park, London
18.06  The Coach & Horses, Mayfair, London 
31.05  The Betsey Trotwood, London
12.05  The Ritzy Cinema Bar, Brixton
30.03  The Foundry, London
19.03  The Engine House, Greenwich, London
09.03  The 291 Gallery, Hackney, London
24.02  The Rivington Gallery, Shoreditch, London

2004
11.11  Lay & Wheelers, Cornhill, London
10.11  The Walrus Club, Waterloo, London
28.08  Battersea Arts Centre, Clapham, London
14.08  Hampstead Theatre, Swiss Cottage, London
28.07  Hampstead Theatre, Swiss Cottage, London

We are pleased to announce SonVer will be releasing their second full-length album in November 2008 (exact date tbc) through Disconnected Music.

The album title is yet to be decided, but the tracklisting can be confirmed as follows:

01. Roads
02. A.D. (new version)
03. Satellites (new version)
04. The Atlas Tree
05. Ebusus
06. Cantadora
07. Minus 30 Plus 2 (new version)
08. Fishbone Clouds

The album will be available in both CD (with Digipak sleeve) and download formats.

More details to follow shortly.

SonVer play live:

0ct 22nd: Cargo, London
Nov 13th: Espace 302, Leige, Belgium [with Elephant Leaf]
Nov 14th: Venue tbc, Belgium [with Elephant Leaf]
Nov 29th: The Union Chapel, London
Dec 03rd: Barden's Boudoir, London

Hope to see you at some of the shows.

Love,

SV xxxx

SonVer & Elephant Leaf  '3 Songs' EP is out now, and is available to buy for just £3.00 +p&p.
 
The EP was launched on Saturday 31st May at SonVer's Union Chapel show, at which Elephant Leaf vocalist Lucie Dehli joined the band onstage to perform 'Safety In Numbness', the closing track from '3 Songs'.

Thanks to everyone who attended the Union Chapel show, and Monday's gig at 93ft East. Thanks also to Tallulah Rendall, who joined the band onstage at 93ft East for 'Safety In Numbness'.

To purchase the new EP, click the link below: 

SonVer & Elephant Leaf - '3 Songs EP'

What my feet see in rehearsal - Jo, Al, Ruban, my guitar fx. 

Hello everyone...

...incase you haven't been paying attention, we'd like to officially announce the expansion of SonVer to a full time four-piece band.

The line-up of SonVer is now:
Joanna Quail - Cello
Ben McLees - Guitar
Alistair Richardson -Drums
Ruban Byrne - Guitar, Bass

Those of you who know Indiana/Hush The Many will be familiar with Ruban's guitar work, which he brings to SonVer along with bass guitar.
Al has been working with us for some time now, and he recently did some post-production/mastering work on our new Vigil EP.

Our first live show with the new line-up will be on Wednesday 25th July at The Luminaire in Kilburn, London. It promises to be a great show, so please come and support us if you're available to.

We've had several rehearsals with the new line-up now, and the results have gone from encouraging [the first couple of sessions] to inspirational [the last couple].

We had another session this afternoon, the results of which were good enough to confirm [to us, at least] that SonVer is officially better than ever. [yes, quote me on that if you like].

The old tracks sound better than ever - 'Last Thursday' and 'Khat Show Host' the pick of the bunch. During one session 'Satellites' morphed into an extended improvisation - it was just as well we've been recording EVERYTHING - and the improvisation has now become a brand new track in it's own right. [We'll be debuting it at The Luminaire]. We've also worked on a new version of 'Minus 30 Plus 2' from the Vigil EP, and another brand new [and as-yet untitled] track, which we'll also be playing at The Luminaire.

So overall, there are several reasons why you have to come to our gig at The Luminaire on July 25th.

We're feeling buoyed and excited by developments at SonVer HQ over the last few weeks - moreso than for some time. In addition, both 'Vigil' and 'Minus 30 Plus 2' were broadcast by Ben Eschmade on the Chiller Cabinet show last night [Chill on DAB Radio]. Thanks to Ben for giving our music some exposure.

So, that's all for now... time to rest these ringing ears...

Be well, take care

Ben SonVer x

SonVer play live tonight in London, and launch the new Vigil EP.
The EP will be on sale for £3, and features the following tracks:

1. Vigil
2. Minus 30 Plus 2
3. Until The Stones Melt [Audio Lounge remix]
4. Khat Show Host [live]

The EP is limited to 200 copies.

Tonight's gig:

Tesco Disco @Hedges & Butler
153 Regent Street
London W1B 4QB

Entrance is free before 8pm, £6 after

SonVer will be onstage 9.30pm-10pm.

www.tescodisco.co.uk

Hello again,

Just a quick one - we had such an amazing time at the Spitz on Wednesday, and it was great to make so many new friends. On that note... we've got a few problems with our paper mailing list (beer induced I think), so if you were at the Spitz gig and you wanted to join the mailing list could you drop us a quick line at info@sonver.co.uk please?  Or anyone else who wants to keep up to date for that matter!  I really like myspace but I'm the only person in the universe I think who can't seem to invite people to events and whatnot.

Preparations underway for our Blackheath Halls gig on 29th Oct now, and also our Edinburgh date - hope to see you there!

Oh yes, what about releasing El Cervel (the quartet) on vinyl - any thoughts?

Hope all well, see you soon, Jo x

Just a quick update.  I can't get the event invite thingy to work at all, never have been able to, so I hope people stop by and read this!  Just to confirm that we ARE playing at the Spitz on the 27th, we are there as part of Colin Riley's if-festival showcase and we are over the moon. 

On the other hand, Bush Hall has been postponed due to an administrative error, fair enough we all make them.  So, we hope very much to be at Blackheath Halls on October 29th, which will mark our last London gig of 2006 (although you never know with us!).  We are greatly looking forward to our EDINBURGH gig on Friday 1st December 2006 for Neil, check out the gig page.  We're going to do a full AV set, and a proper long one too!  Hope to see you there, love Jo xxxx

I just felt prompted to say a few words about Sunday's gig at the Spitz.  Other than being 'night of a thousand hats' (all very stylish and most cool!) it was a night to celebrate the viola in style too!  Kroke - check them out if you don't know them.  www.kroke.krakow.pl - Kroke were booked by Andy the Genius (ex-Spitz now, unfortunately, but he says he's going to do some nights elsewhere in the future) and he kindly suggested us as a support.  Man, we had fun!  We were booked as part of the Spitz Festival of Folk, and was pleased to note that Kroke are about as folk as we are... so we fitted together very well.  There were many musical similarities actually which made for a good programme - one of our new tracks Eyeman Praying fitted very well with one of Kroke's - I was desperate to take to the stage and play along!  The crowd were lovely, we entertained our friends from the mailing list, a very enthusiastic and attentive Polish crowd and Nigel Kennedy among others, so all in all it was good fun if rather extraordinarily hot!  Amir was on the sound, and he is one very very safe pair of hands to be in!

We have decided to record El Cervel soon too, it seems a popular live one.  I realised on Sunday that sometimes people don't realise that it's looped live, not pre-recorded, so I'm trying to think of a way to alert people to that, without making a huge fuss and a big 'here I am' glory lap sort of thing.  There's nothing wrong with pre-recorded stuff, but if you are actually doing it live there's a different element involved, and perhaps people don't realise that a huge amount of what we do in a gig situation is generated live.  Hmm, food for thought.  We make our own field recordings and we like to use them under our music, it's tricky to re-create the priests in Notre Dame for example, and 'alter' them shall we say, on a live basis...!  Which reminds me of another thing too - traditional cellistic techniques amalgamated with endless fx possibilities.  I'll get on to that later!  See you in a bit, Jo x

Oh yes, after much kerfuffle our gig on the 27th at the Sptiz has been put on again so YES!  We're at the Spitz on the 27th for £5, you get to see the fantastic Anomaly and The Monroe Transfer too, Colin Riley is the curator and it's going to be fab.  We've got one more in London this year after that, at Bush Hall on November 3rd.  J x