If you are not familiar with Easy Star Records, or the Easy Star All Stars, then it is about time that you got acquainted with them. If you are already a big reggae fan, you will instantly fall in love the fresh and vibrant reggae and dub sounds, and if you have not listened to much of this style of music before, you are in for a real musical treat.
There are many different ways to decorate city and suburban areas, sometimes this can be done in positive, surreal and even inspirational ways. Graffiti is usually an art associated with crime, hoodlums, violence and more, but the times are changing and people are evolving the use of graffiti to create something more. Bristol is an area that is home to many different cultures, perspectives, musicians and artists that mix their creative energies to create an underground reality for all.
If you’ve never heard of Mah Jong then you obviously aren’t as up to speed on the latest arts making waves across the UK. Mah Jong sets have become ever more popular in recent years and there has been an underground resurgence in the number of people taking up the game and the number of craftspeople making the sets. The only question the commoners are often left with is; how do you play?
Many associations and organisations have cropped up over time all saying they are trying to promote Mah Jong and the purchase of Mah Jong sets. Very few have lasted longer then a few months. The reason for this is that unlike chess, many people become wary of playing Mah Jong. Questions most common include: How do you play? What are the rules? Where can I even find someone to play with? Why fear permeates the participation in this game is more often then not thanks to the mystique that has been built up behind it.
Underground art has always held a certain fascination that borders on the eccentric. In any case, it is art that distances itself from mainstream art, is often unconventional and possibly considered illegal. It invariably contains high doses of originality and experimentation in content, form or context. Funny thing is that once such art is publicised, it ceases to be underground art. Very often turns into a new genre that becomes a hit like hip-hop did. Often the followers of such More
50 Metre Moving Target – a new band out of Cambridge, UK, who did a great gig at The Emperor in town the other week. A fusion of good old fashioned rock and roll and some nice vocals which might usually be heard coming from a softer sound, 50 Metre prove that you can be different, unique, and surprising all at the same time…
The evening started out well. No bad support acts – in fact, the support was really good, really eclectic and also comprised of some nice slam poetry from the guy who runs the event at this pub, located not far from the main train station.
Seated at the back of the pub drinking away, the band, who take their influences from eveyone from The Pixies to Johnny Cash, didn’t look bothered about going on. You might say, in fact, they looked unbothered. But that’s part of their appeal, because what they are not is ultra serious. Because they don’t take themselves too seriously, and they know how to have a laugh as well as play music, it makes them all the more endearing. For this reason, watching them play is always a pleasure. It just always has the air of you never quite know what to expect…
50 Metre are by far one of my favourite local bands of the last few years
Borrowing a load of the pub’s gear, lead singer Matt takes to the stage holding a piece of paper. He’s looking like he’s going to toy with some new songs, and that’s exciting. But this lead singer isn’t looking around trying to see who is looking. Basically, these lads like to play music and are mates anyway. You can see that when they start playing and the atmosphere starts to heat up.
All working in hr management software and office jobs – apart from Matt, who is a scaffolder –s the band don’t look like your usual indie group either. And, as they start to play and the lyrics to Station Princess belt out, you soon discover that they don’t exactly sound like every other band, too.
With their laid-back attitude and ability to never look stressed, 50 Metre are by far one of my favourite local bands of the last few years. And who knows, you might well be hearing about them soon too. They just have something about them…(Note: you’ll definitely be hearing more about this band. That’s not a hunch. I hear from Matt that they have a few more gigs lined up for some bigger venues. Should definitely be interesting seeing what they come up with in the near future and beyond.)
In what can only be described as an irony, the Bushwick’s annual open studios art festival saw less than expected footfalls because the Metropolitan Transit Authority decided to shut down its L train for a few days for track repairs.
The shut down coincided with the festival and this made it very difficult for the art enthusiasts to travel to more than 350 art spaces that showcased the entries in the festival. This brings us to the fundamental contradiction with More
Seriously, Bob Harrison should get a DNA test to prove he is not actually the illegitimate son of Ringo Starr. It could be a scouse thing; the nose, the hair the skin colour or, well the timing could be right for a youthful indiscretion that was never acknowledged. This is neither here nor there, except that the coolest take on how to merge fine art and music is going to be coming from Liverpool again. The vision of the Vinyl More
Go to the Spill Festival, or if you are reading this too late, read the reviews and pretend that you have been to the Spill Festival. People are not talking about DNA Testing this season they are talking about Romeo Castellucci’s ’On the Concept of the Face, Regarding the Son of God’. Film makers, musicians, painters, and theatre makers are all a buzz with the difficult and highly conceptual work that was shown as part of this festival of experimental More
I recently took some things I had in storage home and among them were some breathtaking prints. My neighbor who was with me at the time looked at them and told me they were Giclee fine art prints. Now I know many of you may not know what this is so here we go with a description.
Giclee fine art prints are created without using any mechanical device or screen. It’s considered as a “knitting machine” for its similar look.
It just seemed like a matter of time before somebody came up with the brilliant idea of combining fine art and music. Historically, there are some amazing bands that met while they were at art school, John Lennon was studying fine art when he started playing with the Beatles. The coolest thing that is coming out these days is led by the new and revolutionary label The Vinyl Kitchen. A few major bands have cottoned on to the idea that More
