IT WAS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE EVER AMAZING KILKENNY VOICE AND GALWAY VOICE. IM NOT SURE WHY IT DIDNT GET PUBLISHED, IM GUESSING DUE TO THE DECREASE IN WEREWOLF SIGHTINGS RECENTLY.

Supernova brighten up the house

Kilkenny band Supernova Scotia are adding to Problems at the Pancake House

On the back of last weeks article teaming band and record label together as a helping hand to each other, I have had my eyes open, largely due to curiosity, to this phenomenon. When you think of a record label, you automatically think about the big wigs, the fat cats in suits making their millions off the latest band they've pulled off the production line for their fifteen minutes in the spotlight. But when you encounter a small label who are just themselves starting out in the big bad world of music too, the experience is going to be a lot different. It's different because these labels are in it for the long haul with these bands, wanting them to make it just as much as they do. Sure, it's got to do with profit also, if the band don't make it then neither do the label. But if the label makes it with a band starting out then a lasting bond and a mutual respect for each other is formed, providing no one gets too big for their boots that is!

So how do you set about becoming a record label and get a load of bands on your books to help you on the road to musical success? Well, look to Kilkenny's Problems at the Pancake House for an example. Currently titled as an art/music promotions group based in Kilkenny, they organise local gigs with local bands and also with bands as far a field as San Francisco. They've got a growing list of bands that they avail of for organising these local shows such as Moses Moorehouse, Cars In Walls, House of Cosy Cushions and my MySpace Music of the week, Kilkenny band Super Nova Scotia.

Problems at the Pancake House are in the process of setting up a record label and will no doubt have their promotions list signed up to their label from the start. For each gig, PATPH have two or three bands playing on the night and have a free CD with the bands of the night waiting for you on admission. PATPH have been wise in their set-up; they are testing the waters of small names bands promotion and it appears to be working well for them if they are going to go full throttle to becoming a label. But it seems to me that there's love for the music and promotion behind the scenes of this operation, the handmade posters and CD covers give PATPH an accessible, cosy feel, something I hope they maintain if they do make it in the label world.

Fresh off the stage from Saturday nights PATPH gig in Cleere's come Supernova Scotia, making their first Kilkenny appearance in about a year. Describing their sound as Japanese Pop/ Surf/ New Wave, or if you prefer, "Daniel O'Donnell played backwards", Supernova Scotia are simply put, refreshing. Having formed in early 2006, Supernova Scotia are David Sheenan, John Prendergast, Neil Quigley, Steven Morton and Niall O'Reagan. When you hear that a band are pop like electro you conjure up a sound thats based around computer synth's and messed up beats, but Supernova Scotia are here to surprise you. While they do incorporate the computerised sound in songs like Worrying is Wasteful, they also provide some lyrics and fantastic music of a classical genre with piano and violins in Oxen.

With an endless list of influences cited on their site, it seems that Supernova Scotia have listened to all thats on offer to our ears in the past and present, and decided that while it was nice to hear, they wanted to put their own stamp on the market, and even on a genre. While their talent comes clearly across in all songs, so too does their quirkyness, always a plus to make music more interesting. They have a list of explanations for each song accompanied by a fact in relation to the song such as "Tron is not a song about the fantastic film of the same name. ?FACT: Jeff Bridges is not 'Tron' in the film; Bruce Boxleitner is." A nice touch.

.. --> m -->Supernova Scotia are definitely ones to be watched closely as they are back and eager to get their sound out there. With more gigs after Saturday's PATPH soon to be announced, pay close attention to their MySpace http://www.myspace.com/supernovascotiaband.. --> m -->.. --> m -->. Problems at the Pancake House have a whole lot of gigs in the pipeline with the next one taking place in Ryan's on June 7th. They are definitely worth checking out and for more details go to http://www.myspace.com/patph