Tall Firs - Copy Haho - Alastair Brown

Tall Firs    -    Copy Haho   -    Alastair Brown

Southern Tenant Folk Union - The Black Diamond Express

Southern Tenant Folk Union    -    The Black Diamond Express

Mia Riddle - Davie Lawson - Delawair

From Brooklyn, New York, Mia Riddle is a spellbinding trip into indie-country bliss.

Intellectual, charming, romantic and wistful songs delivered with a spine-tingling honeycomb voice which breathes a kind of fractured delicacy resting on a well-worn core of steel.

Sweet dreamy Americana tunes of contradictory melancholy; a gem full of dark mystery and beauty; a sweet emotional alt-country storm that stabs kindly at the heart.

"...a voice to die for." (Last Hours Magazine, London)

"A standout act with a bright future, Mia Riddle and Her Band are stars in the making." (LVHRD Magazine, NYC)

"…remarkably intellectual... not a single track should be passed up... as good as it gets." (The Owl Mag, SF)

Mia Riddle    -    Davie Lawson   -    Delawair

Men Diamler - Meursault - Fiona Keenan

You will never forget the first time you saw Men Diamler!

With a cult reputation in the South West, he is an earthly hellraiser and spirit changer preaching a revolution in footstompin' blues, two string serenades, backwoods heartache and pagan folk. A masterful lyricist of sweetness and dark and possessor of a near-operatic voice of such character and power it is truly jaw dropping.

An emotionally stark and unpredictable live show full of naked soul giving, woozy lullabies, sea shanties and spirituals. An enlightening visceral gospel.

"...a star, no two ways about it. Admittedly, a star in some macabre parallel universe where negro-field spirituals, Victorian freakshows, Glaswegian drinking songs, German expressionist art and Italian opera have become the dominant culture." (Decode)

"Sweet and darkness have never sounded so close or so intense... Psychosis never sounded this good and people clap!" (Qujunktions)

"Lopsided, unapologetic folk music that lives in a fucked up, peculiar world of it’s own." (Thora Zine)

"An enlightening experience." (Nham Magazine)

Men Diamler   -    Meursault   -    Fiona Keenan

Tim O'Brien - Ray Bonneville
Grammy Award Winning US Folk Artist

Tickets from Ticketweb

Tim O'Brien Myspace   -    Tim O'Brien.net   -    Ray Bonneville

Matt Eaton - Tandy Hard - Nicky Cairney

Originating in Devon, The Drift Collective are a group of like-minded musicians who have emerged blinky-eyed from the hedgerows, and now all support each other recording a variety of modern folk that proudly follows its own directions and inclinations without caring a fig what the mainstream might suggest.

"Drift Records have assembled a strong roster that manages to embrace the past while retaining an ironic distance, forging new paths out of the acoustic tradition." Is This Music?
"The Drift Family provide a near-miraculous glimmer of frail, reflective humanity in a bullshit-filled world" The Word
"Inventive, imaginative and different; long may they collect together" Record Collector
"As gorgeous as it is quirky" Observer Music Monthly


Matt Eaton has spent the last few years fronting Actress Hands and playing guitar for Thirty Pounds Of Bone and The Electric Soft Parade. He produces cavernous tones that traverse across arrangements both simple and complex, sparse and heart warming. He is an alarmingly unassuming, subtle, talented and confident artist.

Tandy Hard, with natural charisma and a hugely imposing physical frame, presents charming Dylan-influenced songs that are warm, poppy, dark, folkish, funny and a little scary all at once. Capturing the contrasting emotions of love and life with brilliant lyrical effect.

Matt Eaton   -    Tandy Hard   -    Nicky Cairney

Erinn Williams - Sarah J Tingle - Panda Eyes

Erinn Williams   -    Sarah J Tingle   -    Panda Eyes

Thirty Pounds Of Bone - Mary Hampton - Birdengine - The RG Morrison

A Drift Records Showcase

Thirty Pounds of Bone   -    Mary Hampton   -    Birdengine   -    The RG Morrison

Beaches Of The Proud - Lazy Sheepdog & Tom the Noisemonger - Biz the Drummer

"Beaches of the Proud is an electronica/IDM/Ambient/Downtempo act formed by Dave Webster, who used to be the Guitarist/Synthist/Vocalist from Glasgow band The Makos. It started off as a side project from The Makos, containing songs that didn't really fit in with the direction we were going, however, it kind of snowballed, and after I got some great feedback on the music and playing the songs live, I've now turned Beaches into a regular live act, with (occasional) visuals and everything.

If you've seen/heard of Beaches before, I really recommend you come and see a few live shows, as I work very hard to make each show as "live" as possible, and different to the last one, which involves new songs, different versions of old songs, and new segues. It's mostly improvisation based, so sometimes even I don't totally know whats going to happen. I DO NOT USE COMPUTERS its all done on hardware sequencers etc and live instruments, I just feel its a bit more exciting to see music being created live rather than staring at a laptop screen."

"As soaring and celestial as Boards of Canada playing on a balloon ride to Atlantis"
METRO

"You can hear the heart and passion in the recording, it has a life that most electronica lacks. If folk noir and antifolk have an instrumental counterpart this is it."
FATEA

"With [Webster's] multi-layered approach, he takes you from crashing, crushing crescendos to subtle, sensitive serenity - music for the mind, music for the moment... a mighty fine outing that shows guts, dedication and innovation"
TOXIC PETE

"This is a highly impressive EP. It's steeped in complexities, excellent song writing but most of all displays a level of humanity that is so often missing from electronic acts. 10/10"
TASTY FANZINE

"The most important element of this EP is that Beaches have kept on their toes, changing things around and avoiding formula-songs to make each of the five tracks appealing in its own right"
THE MAG

"Among the more contemporary and obvious influences like Boards of Canada or Mogwai, you can hear echoes of Durutti Column, at least to these ears. Not only is this refreshing but like Vini Reilly all those years ago in the milieu of punk it is at times inspiring work."
BAD ROBOT

Beaches Of The Proud   -    Lazy Sheepdog & Tom the Noisemonger   -    Biz the Drummer

Men Diamler - Kathryn Sawers

Vocoustics First House Show!

You will be able to listen to the performance live online at Hollow Earth Radio at 8:30pm GMT, there will also be chat with the artists and people attending. The show will also be aired through the week for all those who missed it.

"A fiercely unpredictable, emotionally exhausting yet wholly enchanting set from Cheltenham's finest. A man with split personalities and possessed by a huge, operatic voice sings chants, lullabies, blues and spirituals in jaw dropping sytle. Naked soul giving and strange stories; you will never forget the first time you saw him live." (Calmer Music.com)

"...a star, no two ways about it. Admittedly, he's a star in some macabre parallel universe where negro field spirituals, Victorian freakshows, Glaswegian drinking songs. German expressionist art and Italian opera have become the dominant culture." (Decode)

"An enlightening experience." (Nham Magazine)

"Men Diamler must be bottled. His whisper can soar to a scream as he plays and sings his very unique back catalogue. A hellraiser and spirit changer, he seems to have gospel, blues, weird art and outsider tendencies all wrapped around his meek torso... but what power can this man achieve." (qujunktion.com)

Men Diamler

The Chris T-T Band - Indafusion - No Pasaran - Mark McCabe

New Single "This Gun Is Not A Gun" released on Monday 19th November

Chris T-T - Indafusion - No Parasan - Mark McCabe

Mouse Eat Mouse - Dumb Instrument - Commander Keen

Interesting Music Promotions, Vocoustics and is this music? are extremely proud to present a very special and truly unique evening of "Scots" influenced music comprising of a Hackpen Records Triple Bill!



The sound of Mouse Eat Mouse is a unique mixture of Scots spoken word put to music. That's not old Scots, not new Scots, just Scots without the ish. All this roughly translates into frontman CD Shade delivering wonderfully eccentric rambles in a thick treacly accent. Backing these rants are a delicous combo of indie beats, free flowing sax and cello.

MEM's debut album Mair Licht has gained considerable critical success and heralds a new wave of Scots music following their earlier single release of Hush Nou. MEM were included in The Lists '50 Best Scottish Bands of All Time'! The band have played to sell out gigs all over Scotland and supported such greats as Henry Rollins.

Their music has been featured on Radio 1, XFM and shows across the UK. In the words of CD Shade: 'From the day we are born we are taught how not to think creatively, hoodwinked by the usurers into thinking how it should be ..... its time to strike back'.

"Mouse Eat Mouse eschew modern language and croon their modern day Burns over a new fangled electro pop"
The List

"Scotland's underground national treasures..."
Daily Record

"Utterly compelling is this and makes me want for yonder days of Prolapse and their magic Scottish vocalist...it has the rigidity and odd groovesomeness of the Fall at their most tight."
Tasty Fanzine

"Something's going on that just gets inside you - certainly I found myself giving total attention to the entire work"
UK Music Review

"...the most astoundingly original album I have ever heard. One CD you absolutely have to have!"
Glasswerk

"I'm not even going to give this record a score..as the breathtaking width of the band's vision transcends such frivolity. Needless to say this is a landmark record in Scottish music..."
Is This Music?

"CD Shade's mixture of invective, word play and remodelled Scots truisms marks him out as a very Scottish rapper."
The Herald


Dumb Instrument are, put simply, totally unique. A mix of strong story telling enriched with piano, fiddle and bass, they are purveyors of the little known genre 'Jakey Rock'. The singer, Tom Murray, delivers his songs with a soft Scottish bur - conjuring novelistic impressions of modern West Scotland life. It's all about the lyrics - each song tinged with melancholy, like life, but are by no means downbeat - often having a comical twist.

"unique and outstanding"
Tom Morten, Radio Scotland

"probably the best song about death I've ever heard"
Jim Gellatly, XFM, said of Reverse the Hearse

"...a true sense of satire, satire enhanced by the quality of the performance."
www.fatea-records.co.uk

"This band is fun and good, a tougher combination than you'd think."
Alex Gale New Noise

"'Songs Ya Bass Vol 1' is a magnificently put together piece of contemporary, musical story telling"
Toxic Pete

"alternately hilarious and genuinely poignant."
The Skinny

"their lyrics were absolutely stunning, like a more playful and poetic Aidan Moffat"
Last night from Glasgow Indie Eyespy


Commander Keen are an eclectic mix of electronica, folk, ambient and experimental sounds who in April of 2007 signed to Hackpen Records for an E.P. and an album.

"This five track mini-album is, without a doubt, one of the finest things I have heard all year. Imagine Sigur Ros, John Martyn and Squarepusher recording an album together. Imagine that the result was as beautiful as Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. These five tracks are nothing less than an utterly bewitching mixture of folk and electronica (folk-tronica? Oh, whatever) that deserved to be heard by everyone. To listen to this is to be reminded why Durutti Column and Boards Of Canada deserve to be more popular., and to know that this is something that is special and deserved to be treasured. Including recent download only single 'Panic Attack' Commander Keen will hopefully be massive."
17 Seconds Blog, Album Review

Mouse Eat Mouse   -    Commander Keen   -    Dumb Instrument

Davie Lawson - Ross Clark - Ry Walker

Davie Lawson   -    Ross Clark   -    Ry Walker

Mia Riddle and her Band - No Pasaran - Panda Eyes

Mia Riddle   -    No Pasaran   -    Panda Eyes

The Nuns - Flaming Katy - Kashmir Red (acoustic)

The Nuns   -    Flaming Katy   -    Kashmir Red (acoustic)

Heather Greene - Kathryn Sawers - The Boy Lacks Patience - Elle MacAndrew

"English has a nice word for this kind of music: Lush!
Folk, jazz, singer-songwriter and country meet each other in
this striking Americana variant that will reach out to you..."
Hanx, Amsterdam




Heather's slow and steady rise amongst the ranks of New York musicians is now gathering momentum like the slow and steady burn of the sun towards noon. With a bittersweet collection of original material that slowly envelopes the listener into her slo-mo world of layered soundscapes, she has charmed enough of her hometown over the past two years to sell out high-profile clubs in New York City such as Joe's Pub, Tonic, Southpaw and the Living Room.

Her tunes slowly slip into your consciousness, leaving you to feel like you've just driven down a lonely highway with a lover you've just met but never imagined you'd end up sleeping with night after night. WNYC proclaimed her "New York's Best Kept Secret" and publications like Time Out New York, The New York Post, and The Village Voice all praise her music and continually recommend her performances to those wishing to hear live music. Rolling Stone (France) just gave her CD three stars and radio DJs at top stations are gently waking up to her lush compositions

Guitars, strings, double bass, drums and other sounds are layered upon her piano-driven compositions by incredible colleagues like Bill Frisell and the Tosca String Quartet. Each musical part uncovers mini-stories unto themselves, revealed after many listenings. Her intimate cover of the Cars "Just What I Needed" indicates a sense of play and sexiness, and has prompted at least two reporters to call her "daring."

At once sexy and innocent, romantic yet a tiny bit sarcastic, bold yet dreamy, Heather's songs contain a duality of opposites that capture moments in time otherwise lost by busy lives and hurried heads. Like so many musicians who are coming out of the New York City scene, Heather's songs teeter on a mix of Jazz, pop, folk and even a bit of country.

"Heather's compositions envelop you without your realizing ... they take you off guard and stay there."
Rolling Stone, France

"A warm and gracious charm, it is time to pay attention to this talent."
La Jalouse, France

"With an intimate voice and lush atmospherics, Heather Greene may very will be the antidote to an agitated world."
La Humanite, France

"Courage is needed for such an album, but even more so, talent, self-confidence, and heart..."
Music Outlook, Germany

The Tunnels
Friday 25th May

Heather Greene   -    The Boy Lacks Patience   -    Elle MacAndrew

The Fortunate Sons + Devil Train + Flaming Katy (acoustic) + Chris Carroll

The Fortunate Sons    -    Devil Train    -    Flaming Katy (acoustic)

Southern Tenant Folk Union - Blueflint - The Pictones, Steve Crawford & Friends

Like Aberfeldy crashing head-first into Bluegrass!
Spiritual supervision from "God", Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle!



Southern Tenant Folk Union are a brand new London-based gospel influenced six-piece playing around with their own mix of old-time, bluegrass and Celtic folk music. With impressive harmony singing, banjo picking, mandolin chopping and fiddle sawing, this exquisite bluegrass sensation combine acoustic savagery with sacred-harp vocals into a high-octane review of up-tempo ass-kickers and mountain ballad laments.

" ... Southern Tenant Folk Union have some future ahead of them - with singing and picking of this quality, with a good line in original songs and enough beautiful old songs in their head to fill 10 sets, these guys should be competing on both sides of the Atlantic... penetrating... impressive harmonising and showmanship that came over as sincere and affecting."
www.americana-uk.com

With their debut album recently completed, the band appropriate their themes, ideas and metaphors from traditional folk songs and 20th century Americana music to document and reflect modern life through styles popularised by musicians such as The Carter Family, The Stanley Brothers and even Dillard & Clark.

Pat McGarvey, band member and songwriter for (ex Long Ryder) Sid Griffin's bluegrass project The Coal Porters since 1993, has served his musical apprenticeship touring the world and recording a number of albums, as well as countless collaborations with other key Americana acts including Tandy, Amy Rigby, Ian Dunlop (of Gram Parsons' International Submarine Band), Rosie Flores, Jason McNiff, Bob Neuwirth & The Arlenes.

Keen to find a more personal outlet for his writing, in early 2006, McGarvey gathered a collective of like minded musicians that share his love of traditional music, but each with their own individual take on such tradition; Oliver Talkes (guitar), who's unique, soulful voice is at the heart of the STFU sound. Pete Gow (guitar), from the Alt Country band Case Hardin who has performed with the likes of Chris Mills, Stacey Earle and Caitlin Cary. Frances Vaux (Fiddle) with her background in jazz and Irish Folk and anchored by stalwarts of the London folk scene Eamon Flynn (mandolin) and Matt Lloyd (upright bass).

Having spent the remainder of 2006, shaping the songs and honing their stage craft through extensive live performances in and around London, Southern Tenant Folk Union have produced and recorded a much anticipated album of original material which will see a release in January 2007.

Southern Tenant Folk Union    -    Blueflint

Roddy Hart - Amy Sawers - Flaming Katy (acoustic)

Roddy Hart   -    Amy Sawers   -    Flaming Katy (acoustic)

Grant Campbell - Rory McIntyre - The Kitchen Cynics

Grant Campbell's debut album "Postcards from Nowhere"
Sunday Times - Album of the Week




Grant Campbell    -     Rory McIntyre    -     The Kitchen Cynics

The Fortunate Sons - Flaming Katy (acoustic) - Delawair - Steve Crawford

The Fortunate Sons   -    Flaming Katy   -    Delawair      

Mia Riddle - Welfare Mothers - Holy Folks

Mia Riddle   -    Welfare Mothers   -    Holy Folks

Jeremy Warmsley - The Boy Lacks Patience - Skirlin Burster

Jeremy Warmsley   -    The Boy Lacks Patience   -    Skilrin Burster

Unkle Bob - Pete McConville - Kathryn Sawers

Unkle Bob   -    Kathryn Sawers   -    Pete McConville

Astrid Williamson - Callel - Emma Forman & Dusty Valentino

The Tunnels
Tuesday 9th May
£5 from 8pm

Astrid Williamson   -    Callel   -    Emma Forman & Dusty Valentino

Refuse Boy - Flaming Katy - Schmuk

The Tunnels
Thursday 4th May
£3 from 8pm

Refuse Boy   -    Flaming Katy   -    Schmuk

Jackson Cassidy - Lorenzo Snow Collective - Ellie Mulhern

Chris T-T - Holy Folks - The Kitchen Cynics

Sunday 9th April
Cafe Drummonds

Chris T-T   -    Holy Folks   -    The Kitchen Cynics

A Vocoustic Merry Christmas

Rick Webster (Unkle Bob) - Joe Gallacher - Ellie Mulhern

Joe Gallacher     -     Unkle Bob     -     Ellie Mulhern

Ewan MacFarlane - The Grim Northern Social
Solo Acoustic Show

+ Amber Wilson


KEEP IT GRIM online

Uncle Fritz - Talk Book - Euan Barr & Dave Donaldson

+ Ellie Mulhern

KEEP IT GRIM - Ellie Mulhern

Kathryn Sawers - The Boy Lacks Patience - Steven Milne - Adele Sande

The Boy Lacks Patience - The Little Kicks

Ellie Mulhern - Jordan Ogg with Sven and Dave

www.elliemusic.com

Ewan MacFarlane - Steven Milne - Ellie Mulhern

The Grim Northern Social   -    The Little Kicks   -    Ellie Mulhern

Unkle Bob - Le Reno Amps - Ellie Mulhern

Votos

Unkle Bob    -    Le Reno Amps    -    Ellie Mulhern

Michael Hargan - The Show is the Rainbow - James Elliot

Votos

   
Michael Hargan    The Show is the Rainbow

Chris T-T - Delawair - The Boy Lacks Patience

Votos

Chris T-T    Delawair    The Boy Lacks Patience

Rick Webster - Delawair - The Kitchen Cynics Orchestra

Votos

Unkle Bob     Delawair     The Kitchen Cynics Orchestra

Da Craa Dang Pussy - Davy Cattanach - Paul Tasker - Fiona Keenan

DJ set from DJ FolkZilla

Votos

Fiddlers' Bid    -    Filska    -    SAL    -    Banish Misfortune    -    Fiona Keenan

Roddy Hart - My Beautiful Ex-Girlfriend - Ellie Mulhern - Amber

DJ set from DJ Frosty Jack

Vocoustics 1st Birthday Celebratory Gig was a great success, with the first apprearance of Vocoustic Cake which Ellie baked and dutifully dished out the those in attendance - it was "too rich" for Roddy though!

Amber started the night off with her mellow acoustic songs inspired from her love of life and life in love. At only 18, she looks set for great things - look out for her debut E.P. coming out soon.

Vocoustic regular Ellie Mulhern (and bro on guitar) performed a decent set with 3 brand new songs - one of which was inspired by PJ Harvey.

Roddy Hart, who has been holed up in a studio for the last wee while working on his debut album proper, braved the light and put on a great show with his acoustic, piano and harmonica driven set. Songs from his debut self-recorded album "Home Tapes" such as "Flames" and "I Go Blind" were played alongside new songs such as "Home" and the exquisite "Life and Times of Joseph Rowe". In the choice for a cover between Springsteen and Big Star, the audience voted for Big Star's "Thirteen" - excellent choice!

My Beautiful Ex-Girlfriend (a.k.a Jamie Stuart) finished off the night with his strong voice and aggressive songs. It was his 23rd birthday as well, so well done to him for staying sober enough to play - but we all get wellied afterwards!

Great night and thanks to everyone who made it along.

Votos

www.roddyhart.com : www.elliemusic.com

Ewan MacFarlane - Amy Sawers (solo) - Ellie Mulhern - Angry Scott & the Sour Kraut

DJ set from PJ Narcoleptic

Angry Scot and The Sour Kraut - Aberdeen's one and only good-time comedy acoustic duo opened the night with ranting, shouting, swearing, Disney hits and the appearance of a singing Teddy Toy! Great Stuff

Ellie and myself were up next. It was for us a bit weird sound wise on stage and don't think we played that well but hey... It was a chance for us to play some new songs we have been working on.

Ewan MacFarlane, from The Grim Northern Social, again playing the penultimate set of the night with great style, vivid energy, humor and mistakes! Songs from his debut album such as "Star", "New Rage Hope Song", "Gasoline Queen" and "Urban Pressure" came out as well as new songs from his 3rd acoustic CD and from "Lost Demos"CD. With buckets of sweat, he played for over an hour and finished with an encore of "Favourite Girl". Ewan has picked thing up a little on the new acoustic CD adding beautiful harmonies and percussion. It be good!

Good luck to the GNS boys as they head of to Sawmills Studio in Cornwall to record the keenly anticipated follow-up album...

Amy Sawers, with Euan Henderson on bass, finished the night off in their own style. Amy has a beautiful, soaring voice with songs from the tender side of PJ Harvey; although Amy loves to rock out with her full band as well!

Again a great night, thanks to all for coming along - and to Sophie and Janine for help with postering.

Votos

www.thegrimnorthernsocial.com     www.elliemusic.com

Kathryn Sawers - The Boy Lacks Patience - Steven Milne

DJ set from DJ Shaki Pop&NonPopPunkRock

Thanks to everyone who came along to the first Vocoustics Piano Night - it was our busiest night so far!

Steven Milne from The Little Kicks opened the night - it was his first solo piano gig and a chance for him to preview some of the songs he has been recording for his debut E.P. Suffering a little from a cold, Steve battled on and played a great set of originals and covers which showed yet another side of the Milnster.

Next up was Chris Murty (the boy lacks patience) to entertain with his original and idiosyncratic style of playing and singing. With fantastic fingerwork on the keys, a distinctive voice and songs similar to Ben Folds in a tryst with Tori Amos, Chris is an excellent singer/somgwriter.

The unique and wonderful Kathryn Sawers finished off the night in her own inimintable way. Tender, breathy vocals layered over the top of hauntingly beautiful piano, Kathryn always captures the audiences' attention - quite possibly because they don't know what to make of her! Spellbinding!

Votos

Chris Henderson - Steve Crawford - Alan Cynic