IN THE CITY 2007
Location: Blue Cat Cafe, 17 Shaw Rd, Heaton Moor, Stockport, SK4 4AG
IN THE CITY IS BACK!
By day Manchester becomes home to the brightest and best in the business, as industry leaders debate the present and plot the future at The Midland Hotel. And by night Manchester hosts the biggest city-based music festival in Europe where the music industry stands side-by-side with music fans in the hope of catching a glimpse of the next big thing.
Once again, the main event of In The City - ITC Unsigned – will centre around the bars and venues of Peter Street, with over 60 of the world's best new bands vying for attention. Complemented by Official Showcases, International Showcases and a vast and varied array of fringe events taking place all over Manchester, 2007 promises to be the biggest and most exciting In The City ever.
It sounded good in 2006: its looking even better this year...
Our ever popular Blue Cat fringe event OUT OF THE CITY takes place from 20 - 22nd October and we think the line ups will give you something to talk and shake about. So get down early... Judging from previous years it will get very busy on these nights!
Full details of the acts and their stage times can be found here. Doors open 8pm. Admission is free to all delegates and the general public.
SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER
HAYLEY FAYE onstage 9.30pm Myspace
Hayley Faye is a unique talent, her immense charisma and exhilerating persona coupled with her lyrical prowess bring intensity and passion to her instantly catchy melodies leaving you searching for the deeper truths. No hype required.
Folk Rock/Indie/Acoustic - influences include: Pixies, The Beatles, The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, PJ Harvey, Beth Orton, The Strokes, Regina Spektor, Phil Spector (wall of sound baby!), I Am Kloot, Damien Rice, Willy Mason, New Order, Talking Heads, Paul Simon, David Gray... Have a listen...
SENSORITES onstage 10.15pm Myspace
Sensorites from Liverpool play indie/folk/electro according to their Myspace page.
They are touring locally and further afield all through October (see Myspace for dates)
SUNDAY 21 OCTOBER
WIRED DESIRE onstage 9.30pm Myspace
With a sound that draws influences from the gritty blues of the Stones, AC/DC, Aerosmith and the dark sleazy image of Guns n Roses and Motley Crue, Wired Desire embody an aggressive live energy that is rarely seen today.
Since forming in September 2006, Wired Desire has played over 75 shows throughout the UK. Shows are promoted through radio station airplay, internet campaigns and poster/flyer distribution. Our substantial fanbase is illustrated by the success of the Myspace site which is regularly in the Top 10 Unsigned Classic rock charts, with over 220,000 independent views and total independent plays of over 360,000. In addition, we have built a good relationship with many motorcycle clubs throughout the UK which has resulted in performances at the leading bike rallies.
In under a year since forming, Wired Desire has not only shared the stage with some of the biggest up and coming acts in the UK including Rattlesnake Remedy, Kid Ego and Spider Simpson but have lined up tour support slots with legends such as: Nazareth, Wishbone Ash, Hanoi Rocks and The Quireboys.
Wired Desire have been tearing up stages across the UK since January testing out brand new material, in anticipation for their EP, released later this year.
JAKE MATTISON onstage 10.15pm Myspace
What's Happening London: It's hard not to sound generic or slightly patronising when trying to pigeon hole a band in a review such as this, so I am going to try very hard to not do this on this occasion, as what I have just witnessed was either, someone and a band on the verge of something very big or someone that must have been actively dodging record contracts for the past two years.
I had heard of Jake Mattison within "Industry" circles but had never seen him and his band play live before now as I always thought that people were undecided as to what he did. So here goes at me making an attempt to not sound generic or slightly patronising.
Jake Mattison and band are a 60's RnB, Rock and Roll, Blues, Soul and folk band, his influences are subtle and blatant at the same time but are done to such good effect that it almost feels as though he has probably stood in a hundred busy record shops, taken a survey of what music people are in to, rounded it up and plays back the average to you. Not that I am suggesting that anything in this set was contrived it's just that they seem to play what my ipod would if it were on shuffle and the way in which they do it is full of energy and 100% belief.
The set started with a song that at first sounded like magic bus (The Who), then began to sound like Captain Beefheart and Otis Redding were mugging Bob Dylan and then ended in a Small Faces and Stones face off that provided the back drop to lyrics that Shane Meadows or Mike Leigh could of wrote a full script around and this was pretty much how it was all the way through.
Although Jake Mattison and band have yet to release any singles, after this performance I am a fan and for people who haven't heard or seen them yet, well, you are fans also as they play what you like and how you like it.
MONDAY 22 OCTOBER
MINT IVE onstage 9.15pm Myspace
The Ive are an infectious blend of acoustic riffs, driving guitar hooks, unmistakable vocals, a solid back line and a now formidable-loyal-large-fanbase following the band around the country.
Their successful self financed release has sold to date over 500 copies in Nottingham, due to this success they are going into the studio to put down more tracks with the Rakes producer Adam Whittaker.
This year Mint.Ive have played with bands such as The Maccabees, Inspiral Carpets, The Hot Puppies, Puressence, Goodbooks, SixNationState, Harrisons, Cardinals, Rotating Leslie and The Romance to name a few. They can already count Doggen/J Spaceman (Spiritualized), Mani (Stone Roses, Primal Scream), Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets), Steve Lamacq and Julian Cope as aficionados.
Their 10 track demo album, The Whispering City, is out now (Limited edition) Available at Selectadisc, gigs and by messaging the band.
CHRIS NORRIS onstage 10pm More Info
It's not every independent artist who can release his debut album with a concert of 300 people and not every independent artist who can call on the production gifts of studio maestro like Matt Wanstall (The Tribe, Spring Harvest). But then Salford-based Chris Norris is no ordinary guitar strummer tentatively penning his first batch of songs. Chris' album 'Love Songs To The King' has been 10 years in the making and is a minor gem of radio friendly pop and rock.
Chris had been seriously keen on music from his youth. "I've been involved with music for quite a long time, even from when I was at university (and I won't say how many years that was). The place I was born is near Liverpool so obviously The Beatles were a big part of my life from a young age. Not that I'm 65 or anything now!"
With the creation of 'Love Songs To The King', Chris was aided in its production by some seriously talented friends. Chris explained, "I've got a friend, I don't know if some of the public will know him, his name is Doug Walker. He used to do some stuff with The Tribe, he's had his own band, sung at Prom Praise and has an amazing voice; a great singer/songwriter. He basically said to me, 'Chris, you better get some of your stuff down before it's too late.' He also introduced me to Matt Wanstall and he's just been absolutely amazing. I think he's been a bit surprised by some of the things I have brought into the album - some string quartet, some trumpets and all different types of things, but he's so able. He's a very gifted guy and he's really helped me with the production of it. Also, Jules Randall (one of the backing singers) did backing voices for The Gorillaz."
The new album has certainly been getting some positive responses in the North West, with his first ever live performance accompanied with a full band in Salford giving Chris much encouragement. He observed, "When you're an unknown artist it's really hard work to get people along but you know, we've got quite a few connections. We used networks. We sent out mailers, all those types of things and it was just buzzing, I just loved it; it was great!" When one has over 300 people turn up to such an event, who can blame Chris' excitement?