Thanks to everyone who supported the first Limbo Saturday Special of the Autumn last month (Sat 10th October), with Inspector Tapehead, The Mickey 9s and X In The O. It was a great night (see review below) and a great augur for Limbo's all-new, monthly weekend routine.

On Saturday 7th November, Limbo welcomes back one of Edinburgh's favourite bands, Sara And The Snakes, playing their re-scheduled date from June, when they were originally down to support Joe Gideon And The Shark, Limbo favourites and Glaswegian japesters Mitchell Museum (last seen at the club in January) and a brand new Edinburgh outfit called The Last Battle (which is the new band from Scott Longmuir of former Limbo favourites Thieves In Suits fame). With a line-up like that and the Black Spring DJs keep the atmosphere and the floor fizzing otherwise, it's promising to be another great night all round.

This is the last Limbo (Edinburgh) of 2009, but the club returns to The Voodoo Rooms on Friday 29th January and will continue on its new monthly rotation throughout the year (see full schedule of dates below). Stay tuned and watch this space for more info.

SARA AND THE SNAKES

A blues-rock three-piece who have been electrifying the Edinburgh swamp for some time, with unlikely front-woman Sara Sidewinder unleashing the devil in her (guitar/vox), backed by Andy Anaconda (lead guitar) and Mike Mamba (drums). It's all about their glorious live shows, as any one of their many fans will tell you.

Since the Snakes' last appearance at Limbo, they've written some new material, including a track featuring Andy Anaconda rocking a brand new slide guitar sound (courtesy of Santa) and had some rather unrestrained praise from no less an arbiter of yoof/pop culture than the NME. Andy's also been busy organising someone to film the band at this performance, so you can expect to take part (a starring role even - who knows where it might end up?!) in a Sara And The Snakes promo video if you come see this show.

'...an unfettered piece of bone rattling voodoo swamp trash come to life. ****' (Neil Cooper, The List)

'In her library girl specs and party frock, Sara Forshaw's butter-wouldn't-melt demeanour gives way to a voice bigger than PJ Harvey and twice as dirty in a three-piece distillation of raw, off-kilter and utterly beguiling 21st century blues. Greatness beckons.' (The List, Hot 100, Dec '07)

http://myspace.com/saraandthesnakes

MITCHELL MUSEUM

MITCHELL MUSEUM really seem to know how to enjoy themselves on stage. Their banter is quite hilariously unscripted, to say the least. They don't seem to take themselves at all seriously, with a characteristically Glaswegian, self-deprecating sense of humour colouring much of the interim 'skits' and an absence of any kind of artifice adding up to what's actually some quite clever stage-craft. The music Mitchell Museum make is equally, riotously fun-loving - a lysergic jaunt down richly orchestrated paths, coloured by jubilant fanfares. Limbo friend Toad (Song By Toad) calls it 'oddtronica', but it's a bit more of a traditional set up (guitar, bass, drums, keyboard) than most electronica acts boast. Drawing influence from various American and Canadian experimental indie bands including Animal Collective, Flaming Lips, Wolf Parade and Modest Mouse, Mitchell Museum create an experimental pop sound with strong hints to folk, psych, and electronica. First single "Warning Bells/Take The Tongue Out" came out last year on Scottish Indie label Mister Tramp and has been widely praised, with the band named "ARTIST OF THE MONTH" at "Your Sound" event in November 2008 (King Tuts Wah Wah Hut) plus LOADS of airplay from specialist radio DJs on Radio 1 and 6Music and one critic even dubbing them 'a frenzied Grandaddy.' They really are a lot of fun live and there's been a substantial buzz around them over the last twelve months.

'lovable bundle of keyboard-driven madness' The Fly

'the greatest musical orgy ever' Sleepwalkingmag.com.

http://myspace.com/mitchellmuseum

THE LAST BATTLE

It was only a mere three months ago that Edinburgh's THE LAST BATTLE began writing, recording and rehearsing in each other's front rooms. With some of it's members having never even played an instrument before let alone take to a stage, the 8-piece alt folksters have already played a handful of shows, got a debut album in the bag and a label swiftly climbing on board to release it. Through their boy/girl duets, sweeping cello and well arranged use of traditional instruments they create songs of death, love and longing.

http://myspace.com/thelastbattleuk
http://twitter.com/thelastbattle

'First up were The Last Battle, who showed up with more babies than were necessary, but with less instruments than they needed. Not only that, but they’d never – not once – played in front of any crowd at all. We think you’ll agree, given that this is a record of their first ever live outing, that this outfit have promise beyond nomal expectations. Great things beckon, we think, great things' (offthebeatentracks.tv review of live debut at The Pond, Oxjam launch, Ocotber)

See video clip here: http://offthebeatentracks.tv/2009/episode-13-oxjam-edinburgh-preview/

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LAST LIMBO:

Last month's Limbo featured the live debut of Edinburgh/Leicester outfit X In The O, supporting the Limbo debut of another group of Glaswegian jokers, The Mickey 9s, plus the return of Inspector Tapehead. It was a good night.

X In The O play first, with a sizable audience turning up to witness them. Their sound is dark, haunting, serious and very accomplished for a new band. Actually, it turns out that Ryan and Greig have been playing together as a duo for four years now, with Robin joining them about three years ago and the trio consequently experimenting with various ideas to develop the band's sound. They play for about half an hour and are all quite still on stage but this suits their style and they get a great reception.

The Mickey 9s are a colourful, entertaining bunch, who don't take themselves (or anyone else) remotely seriously. There's something of Punch And The Apostles and Super Adventure Club's crazy time signatures and irreverant musical fair, albeit delivered with a smile, a nudge and a wink as opposed to any more angst-ridden, neurotic expressions. It's quite a mash-up, with Antony's funky, wah-wah guitar licks aiding the general groove and lead singer/chief jester Dougie, wearing a mask, exhbiting a bit of Sean Ryder's nonchalant swagger, albeit with a more self-deprecating, less self-consciously cool air. Mickey 9s poke fun at the world, have a great time doing so and get everyone going in the process, not least tonight's audience, which is properly jumping around at the front. There's something immediately arresting and very memorable about these guys and we expect to be seeing and hearing a lot more about them in the future.

Inspector Tapehead go on last and drop the tone to a more sober mood, with their synthetic folk-pop style. There's a lovely, gently lilting nature to this group's songs, which are lyrically (and to a certain extent musically) reminiscent of Syd Barratt era Pink Floyd, with song-writer Chris playing acoustic guitar and keyboards, Jonnie Common (brainchild of former Limbo favourites Down The Tiny Steps) playing more keyboards, drummer Roy also playing glockenspiel and all three of them singing harmoniously. They have an understated, no-nonsense approach to performance, but still leave a strong impression, their amused perspective of this wonky world not dissimilar to The Mickey 9s' but just delivered in a calmer, more mannered way and, all in all, they make a great combination.

Best of luck to all three bands and we look forward to having them all back again next year.

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NEXT LIMBOS: FRIDAY 29TH JANUARY & FRIDAY 12TH FEBRUARY 2010!

ACTS STILL TBC BUT GET THEM IN YER DIARY NOW AS WE'VE GOT MORE KILLER NIGHTS LINED UP!

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