SPRACI

Saturday, 22nd June 2013

Jamm, 261 Brixton Road, Brixton, SW9 6LH

The annual vocal showdown to find the finest beatboxers from all corners of the UK head to Jamm for what will be a jaw dropping day of performances from elimination rounds throughout the afternoon, followed by battles in the evening as the entrants are reduced in numbers until four new champions are crowned

Although hip-hop in origin, the modern beatbox scene is much more dynamic, incorporating rock, dub-step, drum'n'bass, house and more

The championships in particular are all about diversity and talent, seeking to hype up the crowd as the tension grows throughout the day

With top DJs backing the microphones throughout, the party rocks from start to stop

The competition has 4 categories: Solo (open to men and women), Women, Teams (each team has 2 members) and Looping (single competitor with looping equipment).

The Afternoon - 12pm - 6pm - EliminationsThe Evening - 7pm - 11pm - Battles

Judges

Bellatrix is the 2009 World Women's Beatbox Champion, creator of all- female vocal act The Boxettes and the UK's leading female solo beatbox artist

THePETEBOX is a well rounded beatboxer, musician and singer, as well as seasoned favourite on the festival circuit

His experience in looping and musicianship will be perfect for the new looping category in the competition

Skiller is Bulgaria's top beatboxer

A stalwart of the European event and battle scene, his technical ability as a beatboxer and vocalist have earned him international recognition and respect

Stig of the Dump hosts proceedings

Amping the crowd and timekeeping the rounds are in the hands of the 2 x World EOW Emcee champion

DJs - Scratch Club DJs

There will be a massive 50+ competitors on stage across the day!

Humanbeatbox.com is the world's largest online beatbox community, having been at the forefront of the global scene for 10 years

It is the brand behind the UK Championships and the 5th Element beatboxer agency.

Friday, 18th October 2013

Shush The Venue, The Regent Mall,Wantage, OX12 8BU

You'll feel like you've traveled back in time when you experience these four top class musicians recreating Led Zeppelin's magical concerts



Featuring Peter Eldridge from the West End production of We Will Rock You; Jack Tanner and Kevin Oliver Jones from the world tours of Thriller Live and Dancing in the Streets; and Simon Wicker as Bonzo incarnate, this is a truly sensational live show



As well as being winners at the National Tribute Awards 2013 and the ONLY UK tribute act officially endorsed by Marshall amplifiers they are proud to be co-managed by Warren Grant, the son of legendary Led Zeppelin manager, Peter Grant, who said after seeing them live: 'You guys really did the band justice!'



Dave Lewis from Tightbutloose magazine said: ‘A refreshing no nonsense approach ... this band delivers every time!' - 'Shut your eyes and you would think you were listening to the real thing!'



Come and join the fun … www.hatsofftoledzeppelin.co.uk

Wednesday, 11th September 2013

Half Moon Putney, 93 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 1EU

Davina Sowers hit the Midwest scene in February 2005 and she hasn't looked back since

It didn't take her long after moving to Minnesota from Key West, FL to start making a name for herself

With great vocals and piano, she commands attention on stage and leaves everyone smiling

Davina has been performing since the age of 5, with the support of an extremely musical family

Sowers, a classically-trained pianist, has years of experience in piano performance

She and her band made a big splash at Duluth's Bayfront Blues Festival in 2006 to2008, having the highest sales in CDs all three years

She has been called the "hardestworking blues woman in frigid Minnesota." "Two things remain consistent in all her shows: her throaty, but cushiony voice, which has a sort of hardmattress comfort to it that's part Bonnie Raitt, part Etta James and a little Amy Winehouse; and her band's rollicking New Orleans flavor, driven home by dueling horn players and a bayouthick standup bass." (Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune) Davina has already shared the stage with Little Feat, Buddy Guy, Elvin Bishop, The Lamont Cranston Band, The Blues Brothers, Joe Bonamassa, Irma Thomas and James Hunter, among others, at venues such as House of Blues in Atlantic City, NJ and the Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth, MN.

Wednesday, 21st August 2013

Half Moon Putney, 93 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 1EU

Two of the giants of the British folk blues golden era join forces for a gig at The Halfmoon Putney on 21st August 2013

Founder member of the legendary Pentangle, John Renbourn is a virtuoso guitarist playing a fusion of ragtime, jazz, country, blues, classical, mid-European and pre-Renaissance music

Wizz Jones has been playing his own brand of folk-blues since the late 50's and still can be relied to put upon a fine show of old and new tunes mixed in with anecdotes and Wizz's unique sense of humour

Some of the best blues, contemporary and traditional acoustic guitar music around is attributable to this man who is at the roots of the English folk and blues scene

'... the most underrated guitarist ever...' (Burt Jansch).

Friday, 11th October 2013

Half Moon Putney, 93 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 1EU

China Crisis - A special case history

"Difficult shapes and passive rhythms"

Founded in Liverpool, England by Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon

The two started working together in 1979 after leaving school

China Crisis debuted in 1981 with the single "African and White", then followed another single "Scream down at me" in 1982

Both these releases were on a small Liverpool independent label, Inevitable Records

The band was then signed by Virgin Records who re-released "African and White", which then became a minor UK hit, reaching number 45 in the singles chart

The debut album "Difficult shapes and passive rhythms, Some people think it's fun to entertain" surfaced in late 1982 and hit the number 21 spot in November

Production credits were shared by Pete Walsh, Steve Levine, Gil Norton and Jeremy Lewis

At this stage the band consisted of Gary Daly (vocals, synths and bass guitar), Eddie Lundon (guitar and vocals) and Dave Reilly (percussion)

The album spawned two more singles "No more blue horizons" and "Christian", the latter peaking at number 12 in the UK singles chart

In 1983 the singles "Tragedy and mystery" (UK no

46) and "Working with fire and steel" (UK no

4 preceeded the second album, "Working with fire and steel, Possible pop songs volume two", this time with Mike Howlett behind the wheel

The album was released in November

At this stage Kevin Wilkinson (drums) and Gary "Gazza" Johnson (bass) had joined the band

Kevin Wilkinson will further on in his career share his time between his commitment to China Crisis and playing together with The Waterboys, Proclaimers, Squeeze etc

The third single from the album, "Wishful Thinking" became China Crisis' biggest hit, reaching number 9 in the UK and charting all over Europe

It was voted most popular song of the week on the swedish radio show "Poporama" in the spring of 1984

Later in the spring "Hanna Hanna" reached no

44 in the UK charts.

Wednesday, 29th May 2013

Rattlesnake of Angel, 56 Upper Street,Angel Islington, N1 0NY

Grungy garage sound for free!

Thursday, 15th August 2013

Half Moon Putney, 93 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 1EU

Chesney Hawkes' career began at 19, when he appeared as the title character in the film Buddy's Song alongside Roger Daltrey

In March 1991, he released his biggest single "The One And Only," from the film's soundtrack

Written By Nik Kershaw, the song was later featured in the opening credits of Doc Hollywood (1991), starring Michael J. Fox. The single spent five weeks at Number 1. It has become part of the soundtrack of a generation, and still features on radio playlists, compilations and in DJ sets everywhere

Subsequent singles also charted, including What's Wrong With This Picture? , his 2002 collaboration with Adam Schlessinger of Fountains of Wayne, Stay Away Baby Jane and his most recent release Another Fine Mess in 2006, which was a collaboration with Nik Kershaw and saw the pairing return to the charts, 15 years after their first success

Chesney has combined touring with appearing on Channel 4's Top Ten Teen Idols, CD:UK, London Tonight, VH1, Popworld, Question of Pop, Banzai, Loose Women, Matthew Wright Show, This Morning, BBC's The Cinema Show, Big Brother's Big Mouth, Celebrity Big Brother, The Graham Norton Show, Britain's Got Talent and Jonathan Ross on Radio 2. He has presented two shows for VH1/MTV and has taken part in a celebrity edition of The Weakest Link

Chesney took part in Channel 4's The Games emerging a medal winner and has appeared on the Granada/LWT show Hit Me Baby One More Time

He has also appeared on a Champion of Champions edition of The Games

In 2008, Chesney starred in a national tour of the new musical, Can't Smile Without You, featuring more than 40 of the songs of Barry Manilow.

Wednesday, 31st July 2013

Half Moon Putney, 93 Lower Richmond Road, Putney, SW15 1EU

The first night of their Half Moon Residency

Also performing on 29 Aug, 26 Sept, 31 Oct

Described as the love child of Robert Plant and Tina Turner, Nikki Lamborn struck out for herself at only 15…a singing waitress and a hairdresser, and then off for the bright lights of London to follow her dream of making a name for herself in music

When Roger Daltrey personally calls you to perform with The Who and you give Diva Dame Shirley Bassey goosebumps, a singer could be forgiven for thinking that dream could come true

Glaswegian Catherine Feeney also headed for the bright lights…and found Nikki on the stage of a London pub

A composer, a keyboardist and guitarist, when these two met something very special was born: NEVER THE BRIDE

Led by Catherine, the boys in the band are some of the best musicians in the business and have performed with artists such as Tina Turner, Elton John, Eric Clapton, James Brown, Steve Marriot, Mark Knopfler and many many more

NEVER THE BRIDE have performed live and recorded with some of the world's top musicians: The Who, ZZ TOP, Alice Cooper, Robert Plant, Peter Frampton, Paul Rodgers and Gary Brooker, The Pretenders, Procol Harum… all left breathless by their talent

At The Royal Albert Hall, Roger Daltrey held up Nikki's hand and shouted out, "Nikki Lamborn has the best female rock voice since Janis Joplin and I know what I'm talking about, I knew Janis."

All around the world Nikki and Catherine have stunned the rich and famous: The Kennedys, The British Rock Symphony Orchestra, a private performance with Cher, Robert Plant as they performed their own arrangement of his song "Going To California". The very song they recorded on the Zeppelin tribute album "Encomium" which earned NEVER THE BRIDE their first gold disc

Check out the Songs section to see Never the Bride on Stairway to Heaven and Kashmir with the full orchestra.

Friday, 24th May 2013

Underbelly Hoxton, 11 Hoxton Square, Shoreditch, N1 6NU

B E A R . M A K E S . N I N J A
https://www.facebook.com/bearmakesninja
P A N I C . I S L A N D
http://www.panicisland.co.uk/

J A Y . S C O T T & T H E . F I N D
http://www.jayscottandthefind.com/

V I N C E N T & T H E . G R E N A D I N E S https://www.facebook.com/VincentandtheGrenadines
M O X Y . R U
https://www.facebook.com/MoxyRu

Saturday, 1st June 2013

Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, Shoreditch,E1 6LA

You can also buy a Big Mix Weekend Pass for £25 from thebigmix.org.uk

British singer-songwriter Tom McRae has been quietly moving up the ranks of the most respected songwriters in the world today after releasing five critically acclaimed studio albums over the last nine years

Now back in London after a year away touring, Tom is about to release his fifth studio album

From The Lowlands is the second volume of The Alphabet of Hurricanes, an album in two parts

It is McRae's most ambitious album to date, recorded over three years in studios, hotel rooms, and backstage both in the US and UK

Having set up his own studio in Somerset McRae has taken charge of the production once again, with his haunting melodies and poetic lyrics given a new sonic palette in an eclectic selection of powerful songs

Tom has been touring the new album in his first European Solo tour to great acclaim and sold out venues

The tour continues in the UK this summer before hitting the US in autumn

From The Lowlands looks set to further add to the cult that is rapidly springing up around this talented and dedicated artist

Nadine Shah has announced a new single To Be A Young Man from her hotly anticipated debut album Love Your Dum and Mad

Due out 8 July via Apollo, the track's acoustic guitar hooks and swelling atmospherics seem to offer comfort in borrowed nostalgia whilst displaying the songstress' versatility as a highly distinctive vocalist and songwriter

More on The Big MixThe Big Mix festival celebrates its fifth birthday this year and is going all out with a full weekend of music, comedy, cabaret and much, much more

It all takes place in Shoreditch on Saturday 1 - Sunday 2 June at some of the hottest venues of the moment

Best of all - every penny raised will go to Macmillan Cancer Support to help the millions of people in the UK affected by cancer

You can help us make a Big Difference.

Tuesday, 18th June 2013

Upstairs at the Ritzy, Brixton Oval, Brixton, SW2 1JG

Vivienne Youel: A sultry voice with softly picked guitar, melodic bass lines, and tender drums that combine sweeping build-ups, soothing lyricism, and barnstorming crescendos to create a dynamic and versatile sound

// The Parades: A three-piece, guitar driven boy-band with a Brit-pop edge

// Greeds (Generating Rhymes to Engage the EnlighteneD Soul): A performer, a poet, an entertainer with a love for music

Poetry provides him with a therapeutic space that has no boundaries where he can create his own pace, and tell his story his way.

Wednesday, 19th June 2013

Nomad, 58 Old Street,EC1V 9AJ

We're pleased to present this new project featuring two accomplished guitarists Maciek Pysz & Antonio Marzinotto

Both instrumentalists share a passion for acoustic world rhythms and bring together their rich musical backgrounds

Not only excellent guitarists but also composers in their own right the duo will present a programme of original music as well songs by Ennio Morricone, Ralph Towner and Chick Corea

MACIEK PYSZ BIO

Since arriving in the UK in 2003 Polish guitarist and composer Maciek Pysz has quickly established himself as an up-and-coming guitarist touring the the UK and Europe with his original project 'Maciek Pysz Trio'.

He has played at venues such as Ronnie Scott's, Pizza Express, National Theatre, Royal Albert Hall and BBC Radio

He recorded a solo guitar album entitled "Beyond Yourself" in 2006 and an EP "Discoveries" in 2008 with his trio

In February 2013 Maciek recorded a new album "Insight" with drummer Asaf Sirkis and double bass player Yuri Goloubev at ARTESUONO studio in Italy with ECM's sound engineer Stefano Amerio

The album will be released on 22nd May 2013 on 33JAZZ Records

www.maciekpysz.com

ANTONIO MARZINOTTO

Since moving to London in the summer of 2004 Antonio has played in many jazz clubs throughout the UK and Europe, such as the London Guitar Festival in 2007 with Henrick Jensen, and to play live and record with great musicians like U. T. Ghandi, Giovanni Maier, Roberto Manzin, Luca Boscagin, Kevin Glasgow, Davide Giovannini, John Altman, Jim Mullen, Ross Stanley, Enzo Zirilli, Davide Mantovani..

Antonio hosts the Thursday eve jazz jam sessions at the Nomad Jazz Club in London with his own trio, featuring Davide Govannini (drums) and Kevin Glasgow (bass), with the Rock-Fusion band JzfunK, and with Jim Mullen amongst other side projects

www.nomadjazz.com

Thursday, 13th June 2013

Upstairs at the Ritzy, Brixton Oval, Brixton, SW2 1JG

Steve Folk hosts another Folk Modern Monthly showcase with 5 acts from London and beyond! Always something for everyone here and Mr Folk will host you through the night - taking you on a musical journey you won't forget in a hurry

Check website for guest updates!

Friday, 12th July 2013

inSpiral Lounge, 250 Camden High Street, Camden, NW1 8QS

This unique + talented performer gets welcome return to inSpiral for a night of quality eclecticism

Mal Webb plays too many instruments in too many styles to too many people

He gives solo performance a bad name, and that's Mal, whatever your language

Music that stomps all over stylistic boundaries

It's as grittily human as it is other worldly, as clever as it is stupid, as playful as it is ponderous

Ballads, beatbox and beyond

A jolly jaw dropping journeyman

Eclectic, ebullient and even educational

"Terribly clever....I haven't heard lyrics like that since Cole Porter" - Phillip Adams (ABC radio)

"Gee, and I thought I did weird shit with my voice!" - Julian of the Mighty Boosh

Audio: http://malwebb.bandcamp.com/
Video: http://www.youtube.com/user/malwebb1


Support by King's Gambit, a contemporary folk dance band incorporating the beautifully matched voices of Katie Paton and Chris Startup

Along with acoustic guitarist and bass, Helen Turton's cello, blends melody and story telling

The unusual colour and textures that the the band achieve, are helped along by upbeat rhythms, clever song writing and accomplished musicianship

The music crosses popular song with original folk tunes and sometimes even fusing Dub/ Ska with Folk…
Dancing has never been so easy

http://soundcloud.com/kings-gambit

Friday, 19th July 2013

inSpiral Lounge, 250 Camden High Street, Camden, NW1 8QS

hey have a growing reputation in the Australian and British music scene as an exciting band with a big future

By audience demand, the band is embarking on its second European tour including 6 week in the British Isles

The entire European tour is supported by Christopher Coleman

The Blue Mosquitoes are a true breath of fresh air

Never before has a band so deserved a comparison to the Pied Piper of Hamlin - they quite literally control you with their music

With apparently very little effort, they can make you laugh, cry or dance until your feet bleed, and there is nothing you can do about it

From the moment The Blue Mosquitoes walked on to the stage, the crowd was hooked; on every note, every word, every melody, every song

The quality of musicianship is absolutely first rate, the original songs are well crafted and delivered with real feeling, and the vocal haunting, soulful, emotional and pure

The Christopher Coleman Collective delivers an enigmatic show of storytelling that evokes a spectrum from melancholy hardship, to stories of love and upbeat whimsical gems that will bring an audience into chorus, hand claps, and foot stomps.

Saturday, 15th June 2013

Hackney Attic, Hackney Picturehouse 270 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 1HE

Juju Rock is a fire-starting guitar led quartet cooking up a potent concoction of vibrant African cross-rhythms, heavily influenced by gritty funk rock elements

Some of the members of this outfit have helped shape the sounds of some of London's premier Afro centric bands; including guitar virtuoso Christian Arcucci in Anthony Joseph's infamous Spasm Band, and one of the founding members of the riotous Yaaba Funk, drummer Paul Zimmerman

As a quartet they are as loud and intricate as a band twice its size... and the band's true power only fully comes across on stage, when African village scenarios and a mastery of rhythm and melody collide with heavy psychedelic guitar riffs and ferocious percussion

Can you really bring yourself to miss THAT? Huge time

+ DJS Chief Commander Yaaba + Volta 45

Thursday, 13th June 2013

Hackney Attic, Hackney Picturehouse 270 Mare Street, Hackney, E8 1HE

Flying Ibex listen to old African pop cassettes and Brazilian Maracatu, mess around with delay pedals, and generally run down avenues of sound that are potentially as weird as they are accessible

You can either deep-sea-dive into the songs or try and untangle yourself from the perfectly executed, uncivilized beats

Whatever you do, the songs will stick in your mind and the band will serve you up an irresistible feast of wayward groove

https://www.facebook.com/flyingibex

Four Quartets is the brain-child of 28 year-old, Bristol-born singer/songwriter Rob Sharples

Distilling a breadth of influences both musical and literary: from rock auteurs such as Radiohead and Elliott Smith, to the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the western classical tradition

Harmonically adventurous and unpredictable, Sharples seamlessly weaves memorable melodies with a complex undercurrent

https://www.facebook.com/FourQuartets

Walter Benjamin (not to be confused with the German philosopher, who committed suicide on his way to Portugal) - was born in Lisbon on the same date (not year) as Bob Dylan

A few years have passed since then, along with a few bottles of whiskey, numerous over-used Beach boys & Beatles records, some incredible big-name collaborations across Europe, and several EP & album releases of his own

https://www.facebook.com/walterbenjaminisalright/

Cara Sebastian is a guitar thumping- string twanging- old record of a person who likes to observe people and catch herself at her most extreme

Her primary pieces were rooted in 80's & 90's pop and soul music which instigated her clear songwriting ideas and almost melodramatic character, but after being introduced to Jimi Hendrix, Bjork, PJ Harvey and Ani Difranco in one sitting, Cara sneakily sold her saxophone and bought a guitar

Now Cara's influences range from old skiffle & swing through to prog and wonky blues

https://www.facebook.com/carasebastian

Monday, 22nd July 2013

The Black Heart, 3 Greenland Place, Camden, NW1 0AP

An indie rock/pop-punk trio from Buffalo, NY. Formed in 2004 the band have toured extensively over the last few years and have built up a strong following in the US and are slowly becoming more well known in the UK and Europe

Their influences include bands such as Jawbreaker, Superchunk, The Wipers and The Lemonheads.

Saturday, 22nd June 2013

The Troubadour Club, 265 Old Brompton Road, Earl's Court, SW5 9JA

Harry Palmer Band (http://www.reverbnation.com/harrypalmerband)
'Harry Palmer Band are a London based rock n' roll band, blending blues tones with country storytelling

With killer harmonies, honest lyrics, infectious blues licks and stories of life

You'll have these songs stuck in your head for days.'

Matchstick People (https://www.facebook.com/Matchstickpeople)
Alternative rock band

Buck n' Evans (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRxxE5_jIz4)
"Imagine if Eric Clapton sat with Momma Cass, or Joe Bonamassa sat with Anne Wilson, or Sunny Ray sat with Adele ... you'll get the vibe."

Julius Cowdrey (www.facebook.com/juliuscowdreymusic)
Beautiful heart-felt music, like Adele" said Ed Chin

High praise indeed for the 20 year old singer-songwriter from Kent, Julius Cowdrey

He has an exceptional vocal delivery accompanied by his own special sound on the keyboard

Julius has collaborated with his twin Brother for three years - he writes the lyrics and Julius the music.

Tuesday, 4th June 2013

Caffe Concerto Village, Ariel Way, Shepherds Bush, W12 7GE

Tuesday night at Caffe Concerto boasts of wealth of eclectic talent, and First Tuesdays are dedicated to singers of Jazz with full band accompaniment.

Verkhniy Val 42-B, Kiev Ukraine

Friday, June 7, 2013
Verkhniy Val 42-B, Kiev Ukraine
w/Dottie Danger, Snakes Versus the Ropes on Their Necks & Ai Laika