Efterklang / The Ghost of Piramida / Silent Sleep // The Kazimier /// Bido Lito!

What’s the perfect thing for a Sunday evening to ease you out of the weekend on what is supposed to be Britains stormiest night since Michael Fisher-gate of 1987? Well top of the list, way, way above X-Factor or Strictly, is gently lilting guitars, SILENT SLEEP. Considering commiserating the untimely death of Saint Lou Reed, dedications are made (notably It Breaks Me), easing the assembled crowd in with Elephant 6 Recording Company-ish pop (without 99% of it being noise). However, as great as songs like We’ve Fallen Out Again are… a bit samey, a bit too much ‘Real Music’, a bit too, well, parochial. A classic case of a band needing to do some heavy touring, and hopefully they well as they could be an excellent band, not merely good.

Rather excitingly, instead of a main support the audience are treated to a documentary made during the recording of EFTERKLANG’s last album Piramida, THE GHOST OF PIRAMIDA. Sitting in a darkened Kaz watching a partially subtitled documentary about trying to find the perfect percussion sound on Spitzbergen could have been highly pretentious, but mercifully the Dane’s black sense of humour, the home-footage about the failed mining town of Piramida (replete with subtitled Russian) and Cinéma Vérité-cinematography add a delightfully absurdist flourish to the affair. It even had people chortling, which was the last thing one would have expected from a brooding film set in a frozen, disintegrating town devoid of a population but by Jove it prepared us for the main act.

Well what it prepared us for was a rather Eraserhead-esque entry (in keeping with the cinematic theme); it’s industrial grade ambience which could only have come from a band now based in Berlin and can only be described as cinematic (that word again!). The primal drumming keeps the nuanced, textured sounds floating off into infinity, adding a surreally machine-like efficiency – especially key on tracks like I Was Playing Drums, Raincoats and Living Layer which could so easily evaporate in a puff of ambience at any moment. Instead, Efterklangs they become the perfect accompaniment to a soaked Sunday where plodding delicacy provides a sublime backdrop to the tail end of the weekend’s excesses.



Laurie Cheeseman / @Laurie Cheeseman

Matthew Xia / Feature // Bido Lito!

In such a short time, this chap has been and done many things; actor, director, not even to mention his DJ-ing which last year has taken him from pirate radio as a youth to the Paralympics opening parade (via a lauded stint at 1Xtra). I guess you could call MATTHEW XIA something of a polymath, something of a latter day renaissance man. And he has now got another string to his bow, having recently taken up the role of musical director at the Everyman theatre.

It really is amazing someone can accomplish so much in a relatively short space of time. “It doesn’t feel like such a short time, but a cod answer is not wanting to get a real job.” We’ve all been there, doing absolutely anything to put off the inevitable decline into turning into your father, but Matthew has avoided that so far, so there must be something more meaningful driving him on.

As a matter of fact there is, “A deeper answer… would be that I just like telling stories”. Story telling would, it seems, be the common thread of his life, from his hip-hop DJ-ing through to the theatre. “It’s all talking about people from similar circumstances as me, expressing themselves through art. It’s all about perseverance… the plays I’m into reflects that too.” Well that’s something Matthew knows about, having told his mum at 17 he was dropping out of college to make his DJ-ing work on that hotbed of talent down in that there London, pirate radio, before being head hunted for 1Xtra (and directing music for plays on the side and joining the board of directors at Stratford Youth Theatre at 19). Other than storytelling, it would appear the other overarching theme to all his work is telling the stories of the streets, “of shining lights into dark crevices where you shouldn’t go and why we shouldn’t be sat in a scrap yard in Fleetwood watching people eke out an existence”. It should be pointed out that we’re not actually sat in Fleetwood, but upstairs at the Playhouse on the set of Daniel Matthew’s debut play ‘Scrappers’, which Matthew has been directing.

So how has a man who has spent his whole life in London ended up working in a provincial theatre? Other than the fact there was a decent job going, he felt like he had “banging his head on a glass ceiling in London. It’s a chance to learn new skills and learn about regional theatre. And get out of the London bubble. Plus there’s the personal link, my girlfriend’s from these parts and my old drama teacher run’s 20 Stories High [which is a theatre company based in the city,] so I’ve got a readymade network.” But he always manages to find a way to come back to the music and it’s multifaceted relationship with theatre, despite putting music somewhat on the backburner, “as it exists as brand down in London, so I’m prepared to concentrate on directing … but I have actually been asked to write a piece of music for a short piece as part of Everyword at the Blind School [opposite the Phil], it adds a sense of experience to what could just be the small showing of a new work.” I guess you could say that re-appropriating derelict spaces and turning them into something new is part of the ‘quiet revolution’ that is part of so much of Matthew’s work; from ‘Scrappers’ to the backpack hip-hop he’s helped so many fall in love with.

Nonetheless, it’s gonna take some time for this restless chap to settle in right? I mean he is here for the long haul (especially as his option was Shrewsbury – no disrespect to our southern brothers, but ha!), but “I’ve not really discovered [the local hip hop scene], I’ve always known Kof and his manager Yaw, but that’s my only link to it but I’m thinking about setting up a clubnight if I can. If the audience is there...”

It really shouldn’t take him long to find his feet – our nascent scene is beginning to properly flourish, with the likes of No Fakin’ DJs, Nicky Talent, 2K and Jamie Broad beginning to make waves with a number of quality live performances over the summer (including an excellent night with all three supporting the legends that are the Pharcyde). Well Mr Xia, Liverpool really does hopes you stick around for a while.








[CL1]Dead cheesey but I am terrible at thinking of titles. Use anything better if you can think of it?

Joy Orbison, Pearson Sound, Fold / Abandon Silence // East Village Arts Club, Liverpool

Joy Orbison posits a late contender for party of the year, Getintothis' Laurie Cheeseman emerges from another Abandon Silence bleary eyed into the light.

This autumn's round of Abandon Silence excellence is coming to an end, but before the year's final party there's the jewel in the year's crown - Joy Orbison, Pearson Sound and Fold visiting the East Village Art's Club's attic for a right royal shindig. Can they take Four Tet's title of party of the year?

Things start unusually slow, with resident DJ's warming the crowd up with their tasty blend of house and such, but things really start heating up with Fold, riding a wave of appreciation after this summer's rather excellent EP, Upstairs For Thinking, Downstairs For Dancing.

Fluid, stretchy bass-lines and supple drums appear to be what the doctor ordered to get this crowd moving, but the attic is truly poor for a night like this - especially when the audience needs little encouragement to get their sweat on.

As Pearson Sound takes charge, the bar quickly empties as he wastes little time in keeping the flow going and getting the audience to the front with shuffly, pounding beats and the atmosphere truly becomes electric.

The beats get harder until before you know it, the man himself Joy Orbison takes to the decks after the most seamless segue you could ask for.

Following the train-based mishaps that dogged his last appearance at Abandon Silence and an exceptionally quiet year (release-wise), the atmosphere is ecstatic asJoy Orbison comes back into the fold.

With a set taking in all of Joy's disparate influences; alternating between house-informed and techno-orientated cuts with effortless ease, his set always promised to be the stand out of the night, yett no one quite realised how rapturously Berliner's orTale Of Us would be received.

After a moment like that, there always was going to be a palpable early morning lull, but by the 3.30am mark, things start reaching towards another blissful, relentless climax. One of those climaxes full of those rare moments that everything suddenly makes sense in the dark, sweaty, writhing room and you do not rightly know where your feet are or what they're doing until before you know it, the lights are up.

Not even the relentless autumnal drizzle could possibly dampen spirits as folks start shuffling outside. Joy Orbison and co. may just have curated the year's clubbing highlight.

Four Tet All Night Long / Abandon Silence // The Shipping Forecast /// GetIntoThis

Four Tet joined the ranks of Abandon Silence alumni with a versatile virtuoso set,Getintothis' Laurie Cheeseman pays tribute to an artist at the very top of his game.

After a whopper of a DJ set earlier this year for Abandon Silence, no-one could argue with welcoming Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebden) back for another round - something the fact the first release of tickets selling out in one hour goes to show.

Now then, this isn't an especially original point to make but it's clear how muchHebden has fallen for dance music outside of the rather more esoteric strains of electronic he produced after his stint in post-rock group Fridge over recent years. And his timing in visiting our fair city couldn't be more perfect, what with his new record dropping the same week to much critical acclaim.

Atmospherically, it's all standard Abandon Silence: total sweatbox of a room, minimal lighting and more than a few gurners drifting around. But would you have it any other way? No way. Kieran totally knows how to play the room and even manages to drop in a few guilty pleasures (with Janet Jackson being the only real misfire of the whole night).

The fact Kieran never lets up the pace also means it's easy enough to tune in as and when you want. Perfect for those less than sober souls down there to cool down (or to check out Juicy for those with a predilection for dancing to Aaliyah) and come back and not have missed a beat. Essential for a relentless five hour set, right?

For a city with ever more club nights, Abandon Silence once again proves why it's the cream of the crop when it brings in top drawer players like Four Tet.

PINS, September Girls, Sankofa / Leaf Tea Shop, Liverpool // GetIntoThis

PINS led a trident attack on an expectant Leaf Tea Shop, Getintothis' Laurie Cheeseman found he didn't mind these PINS in his eyes and ears.

In the wake of the rise and rise of post-punk auteurs like Savages and Iceage, PINShave had the tendency to be overlooked. Yet, after repeated outings, they've garnered strong support on Merseyside and following the release of their Bella Union-released debut, Girls Like Us momentum appears to be with them and anticipation is high in the city for their return.

However, before the night's main attraction, Sankofa treat the audience to their brand of grounded, bluesy psych of the kind Liverpool does so well. You know the sort; earthy yet cosmic, gruff yet shimmering, tense yet slack. They specialise in those contradictions which is what makes them stand out from this over-saturated pool of retro-revivalists.

Sankofa at Leaf Tea Shop, Liverpool

With that kind of sound you'd think it'd be hard for a band like Sankofa to stand out in Merseyside yet it is their stampeding rhythm - largely down to the rumbling bass - which keeps the whole rave up from spiralling off into infinity-loop jams.

This is especially key as so often these kinds of bands are top-dollar on record yet just a bit self-congratulatory, a bit, well, precious. Not with Sankofa. With these fine chaps it just means seamless segues, endless improvs à la the UFO Club.

However, Sankofa are in complete disconnect with the rest of the evening. WhereSankofa seem best consumed in the garden on a warm summer's eve, bothSeptember Girls and PINS rock a more monolithically industrial vibe.

In a good way of course; the total lack of posturing is refreshing absolutely, and nothing quite beats some three part harmonising, right? Considering that it'sSeptember Girls' first show in these parts, they certainly know how to work the crowd with their spiky riffs and deep bass resonating beautifully with the aforementioned harmonies.

September Girls at Leaf Tea Shop, Liverpool

Even better is that considering post-punk has been around since the year zero, it's interesting to see how this new generation of bands are incorporating the influences of time-honoured classics (Young Marble Giants anyone?) in a far more interesting context than the Rakes or Good Shoes managed.

How many mid-00s bands managed to make a song called Heartbeats sound like a jangly Sugar Kane? Precisely.

PINS at Leaf Tea Shop, Liverpool

PINS' rudimentary, clanging take on doom-punk compliments their well-chosen tour-mates perfectly; slithering, shifting and dynamic music underlined by Neu!-levels of repetition is never going to go out of style, but by jove they need to work on their lyricism.

When a band is this tight they need to match (preferably with some deep musings on death), but what they give us is some pop-lite generalisations. Essentially, they have one foot in weird and one in MoR pop, but they really need to decide where they want to take it. Basically, make it more Bella Union, please.

Having said that, no song outstays its welcome or veers too far towards atmospherics or rock'n'roll groundedness.

From this neat middle path, exemplified by Love You For Life, they play each song like a well-oiled machine, but eventually they begin to blur into one with no single song succeeding in differentiating itself from the gloom; they lack the necessary bile or saccharine sweetness to really pack the necessary punch live. That said, there's the kernel of a fine band at work, they just need to find a few more winners in their arsenal, and then maybe they'll join that aforementioned select group of auteurs truly grabbing the headlines.

Pictures by Getintothis' Nata Moraru.

Drenge, Radkey, Dirty Rivers: East Village Arts Club, Liverpool

Excitement is riding in high in Liverpool as the latest band to roll off the hype-wagon,Drenge, come to town. Are they worth the hype?

We'll have to see, but first Dirty Rivers throw their tuppence worth of noise in. Some would say it's a bit too noisy, but isn't that what you want from Liverpool's favourite dirty rock'n'roll band, or any rock'n'roll band for that matter?

Especially one whose singer's on stage bravado is your classic garage-Jagger, all yelps and backed up by some dirty-as-you-like hairy riffs and spiralling, swirling cosmic guitars.

All too often at gigs these days, there ain't no fear. Fear of being stomped on. Fear of being leapt on. The fear that anything could go down. It won't like because this is gig life in David Cameron's Britain, but still it's nice to have that rare feeling danger.

Radkey at East Village Arts Club, Liverpool

Radkey, on their first UK tour, at least project some of that fear, something you should really have garnered from their bassist Isiah's OFF! t-shirt and the frankly ridiculously amazing Bad Brains-aping beats.

But really they're just adorable. Isiah's bouncy banter is in brilliant disconnect with the music they peddle.

It certainly says something when even a band's slower moments are more frenzies and psychotic than the other two bands could produce, and typically for an old-school hardcore band there's no designated singer (how refreshing), leaving Isiah free to yelp and provide the histrionics all he likes. All of this leaves everyone asking, how canDrenge top that?

Drenge at East Village Arts Club, Liverpool

Initially, the machine gun drums, unintelligible groans and hellfire riffage blow Radkeyoutta the water. Even the un-understandable lyrics manage to pack an emotional punch, if only for Eoin's dramatic yelps and groans peppering their slender set.

Imagine if Jack White had listened to less of Kick Out The Jams and more Back In The USA, that's sort of it.

They also crib some of that old fashioned danger and surliness which comes to a head in the nights only respite in high energy hijinks; droneathons Fuck About andLet's Pretend which bring about a genuine lull damaging the carefully maintained momentum.

Still it's nice to see rock doing it's live thing properly again, and given Drenge are in their infancy we can forgive these minor missteps in a hugely entertaining evening which can be measured in the amount of liquid our bodies lost. Gallons.

Pictures by Getintothis' Tomas Adam.

Back Catalogue / 10 Bands, 10 Minutes - Blondie // The Kazimier

For those of you not familiar with 10 Bands 10 Minutes, here's the 411 - 10 bands play 10(ish) minute sets largely dedicated to a legendary artist - in this case it's Blondie. Simple as.

First on are the Isle of Wight's very own Me & My Sister, largely attired in bin-bags in their nod to Debbie Harry's eternal style. They promptly treat us to a couple of sweetly twee tracks about Britney Spears (because "all our songs are pretty much about Britney"). This is followed up by an excellent (i.e. faithful) cover of Denis, replete with some distinctive harmonies.

All of which is delivered with madcap semi-interpretive dances professing their love for all things pop star related. Well, what else would you do?

Natalie McCool at 10 Bands, 10 Minutes: Blondie at the Kazimier, Liverpool

Hot on their heels is the more conventionally Blondie-attired (in other words: monochrome stripes) Natalie McCool, who gives Call Me the Cure treatment. By adding some liquid, textured guitars and throbbing bass (and not to mention a large dose of attitude) she adds an already angst-ridden track even more bite.

Following her unconventional treatment of the Blondie oeuvre, Double Double Plus Good whack a great slab of Weezer on the 10 Bands 10 Minutes table. It turns out slacker pop-punk goes perfectly with 80s pop; their cover of Sunday Girl is quite frankly electrifying.

Cavalier Song stormed the stage and gave quite a rad, rocking and raucous turn. So rad in fact, it was quite hard to figure out which song it was (answers on a postcard please). This turns out to be a rather controversial approach, their version of events not going down too well in some quarters. Well, industrial post-rock was never going to be a crowd pleaser at a gig like this.

Things stay weird and loud as the hard rockin', vodka swillin' Salem Rages bound on stage with all the presence one would expect from a band with such a name. Despite a somewhat over-excitable entrance and a manner which comes across a little bit too stylised, that little bit too studied, the singer's demonic preacher man delivery calls to mind Dave Vanian and the psych-garage fury of a latter day MC5 gone Amon Düül II.

It's the perfect match for freakin' up such classics as X-Offender much to the by now packed out crowds pleasure and delight.

If there's a criticism of the 10 Bands approach it's that these events can sometimes feel like a wee bit of a closed shop for new artists to break into the circle. TheVoo/Silent Sleep/Puzzle/Rekordmeister collective is bursting with talent, but how much we wish the reserve of Merseyside talent was truly explored on such an accessible platform.

Just imagine Esco Williams or Miss Stylie powering through renditions on the Princeevening, or Bantom Lions and GhostChant cranking up tracks from Low on the Bowienight.

The Thespians take the stage and serve to underline this point. Relative newcomers to the 10 Bands 10 Minutes arena despite being a well-established Liverpool act, they deliver their serrated-edged pop with aplomb. New single Why Do I Like You? adds a fist to the belly before a corking cover of Maria; a track we're usually not overly enamoured with. Yet it's the band's added oomph and Jessie's purring backing vocals which make them one of the stand outs on the night.

Beach Skulls at 10 Bands, 10 Minutes: Blondie at the Kazimier, Liverpool

Beach Skulls tone things down sweetly; every evening needs its down time, right? Their subtly shimmeringly stoned, slacker vibes completely subvert the evening's general trend of messing with the Blondie formula to spectacular effect.

Their cover of The Tide is High is so true to the original you can even sing along if you want! The shy, shoe gazing (but not shoegaze) Puzzle take this approach and run with it. They added some 90s dirge to Room With A View and Hanging On The Telephone(possibly the second best cover of the night).

SIlent Sleep treated the Kazimier to a collection of spanking new songs along with a bracing rendition of Union City Blues before Married to the Sea proved why they're fast becoming the party Liverpool band.

Should you need faithful covers of literally anyone (tonight's ripping roaring versions ofOne Way Or Another and Heart Of Glass are characteristically bang on the money), then these boys are the ones to deliver. With help from an additional guest guitarist, they go from what could so easily have been another note-for-note Blondie carbon-copy into some multi-faceted and layered disco monster ensuring the live music closes on an uproarious fashion.

Fittingly the partying goes on deep into the night, with the Gold Soundz aftershow DJ spot from Andrew Ellis becoming the perfect companion to such a fun evening; 80s new-wave peppered with Prince and Rage plus The Spin Doctors and even Reeftakes late night antics to some daft, delirious, drunken new dimension. Atomic, indeed.

Pictures by Getintothis' Andrew Ab.

Fiesta Bombarda / The Kazimier // GetIntoThis

Summer is well and truly a disappearing memory now and yet another university semester is getting under way, and in commiseration of this yet another banging party is getting under way from the Fiesta Bombarda collective.

Admittedly, things don't get off to the best of starts, what with the maudlin acoustic types chiming that little bit too well with the cold, damp Friday air at the Garden Stage.

Not that Tiz McNamara or Daniel Ross are bad by any stretch of the imagination.

Tiz's lush brand of finger-picked wistful folk (epitomised by Old Summer) and Ross'slow-burning acoustic pop were genuinely good in their short but sweet sets.

Both stayed just on the right side of earnest honesty, but the context? So wrong, and what a shame.

Things only really get going when Club Stage's dapper openers, Ukebox, take to the stage and keep on going with Charlotte Ashdown's blue-eyed soul back in the garden.

It turns out Ukebox's chirpy ukulele covers of such classics as Crazy In Love, Ignitionand a surprisingly seamless mash-up of Dreaming Of You and I Wanna Be Like You(the latter certainly a contender for the evening's best moment) is the perfect way for students nursing significant quarter life crises to start fresher's week.

Back outside, Charlotte Ashdown proves you don't have to mine a generic unspecified past if you want to play a bit of jazz-inflected soul; her sound comes right out of the 60s without ever dipping into cliché.

It's the perfect pick-me-up to warm you up in the autumnal drizzle.

Just check her jazzy and charmingly jangly cover of Estelle's American Boy if you don't believe us.

Turning the whole shebang into a right good old fashioned knees-up with some top-notch third wave ska are Bolshy, a group whose activities include "winding up Daily Mail readers" - how can you not like that?

Given the music has such energy and character, it's a shame singer Ivy's persona doesn't quite match the unbelievably upbeat music, for a political band at least.

You know that mid-event lull you always get? The quiet before the storm?

That's the perfect time for a bit of schmaltz to calm things down. This is where Coffee and Cakes for Funerals come in.

Somewhat in the PBR&B tradition of indie kids making top-notch hip-hop inflected R&B, and who's set segues perfectly into Mutant Vinyl's take on R&B (this one decidedly dub).

The result, ends up sounding like the best Clash dub-mix you ain't ever heard.

It turns out this is the perfect precursor for the River Niger Orchestra, a calypso band who play "kind of political music, 'cos that's what you gotta do"

Politics and partying don't usually go hand-in-hand but coming from a lovably cantankerous gent and backed by music which can only be described as 'groovy' (*cringe* sorry) it's a perfect match.

Not put off by the slow drift of people slinking off to see Batala inside (who are also rather excellent, but then a 14 piece drum ensemble is always going to be thrilling live), they play a full hour over their allotted time.

No bad thing though because where else would you see men dancing before midnight?

Almost nowhere Getintothis would claim to have been frequenting, so well done River Niger Orchestra. We salute thee.

Rounding off the night perfectly are Extra Love and the Fire Beneath the Sea.

Proving once and for all that reggae is the best music in the history of the world for dancing, Extra Love's set proves to be a marathon session in skanking.

The million people who make up the hip hop collective Fire Beneath The Sea fill the small Kazimier stage without ever making it seem over-subscribed.

As form dictates, their on-stage charisma and dynamism keep things interesting at the Fiesta right until the end.

If we may offer one criticism towards an otherwise excellent event, it was a shame this didn't take place a week later when more students were back.

It would have taken this undeniably amazing night to the next level. On this kind of form, there will always be a next time.

Pictures by Getintothis' Michelle Roberts.

Trash Talk / Blade Factory, Camp and Furnace // GetIntoThis

Hardcore thrash and a billowing heatwave hit Blade Factory as Trash Talk whip up a storm, Getintothis' Laurie Cheeseman experiences everything pushed to the extreme.

Given the sweltering July heat, it's perfectly understandable that Merseyside metal fixtures Iron Witch's spectacularly bearded (and eerily back-lit bassist) was topless even before they began their doomy delta-metal offensive.

Given the sweltering July heat, it's perfectly understandable that Merseyside metal fixtures Iron Witch's spectacularly bearded (and eerily back-lit bassist) was topless even before they began their doomy delta-metal offensive.

Add to this wonderful mix was the fact that, where most bands would go for your common-or-garden breakdown, Iron Witch switch it all up and go full-on thrash resulting in a gloriously insane recipe for success.

Add to this wonderful mix was the fact that, where most bands would go for your common-or-garden breakdown, Iron Witch switch it all up and go full-on thrash resulting in a gloriously insane recipe for success.

Following such a stellar support act, Astroid Boys had a lot to live up to, and things start out good when the hype-men promptly work the pit into a whipped up frenzy. Sadly, however, they never deliver the goods. When will people learn that the hypeman-and-hardcore combo has only ever been done properly by Fugazi? 

Add into the equation a curious re-imagining of Limp Bizkit, and you have to ask yourself, is the world really ready for that? The answer is unequivocally: no.

Following such a stellar support act, Astroid Boys had a lot to live up to, and things start out good when the hype-men promptly work the pit into a whipped up frenzy. Sadly, however, they never deliver the goods. When will people learn that the hypeman-and-hardcore combo has only ever been done properly by Fugazi? 

Add into the equation a curious re-imagining of Limp Bizkit, and you have to ask yourself, is the world really ready for that? The answer is unequivocally: no.

Add into the equation a curious re-imagining of Limp Bizkit, and you have to ask yourself, is the world really ready for that? The answer is unequivocally: no.

Despite an absolutely epic intro ratcheting up the suspense, there's perhaps too much going on stage to discern who is making what noise - let alone what is actually being said.

Despite an absolutely epic intro ratcheting up the suspense, there's perhaps too much going on stage to discern who is making what noise - let alone what is actually being said.

Short but flipping sweet is Trash Talk's modus operandi, and boy does it thrill. The whole shebang could have dropped straight out of L.A.'s 80s underground; it's far too rare these days to go somewhere where there is no barrier between the band and audience.

Short but flipping sweet is Trash Talk's modus operandi, and boy does it thrill. The whole shebang could have dropped straight out of L.A.'s 80s underground; it's far too rare these days to go somewhere where there is no barrier between the band and audience.

Awake and F.E.B.N. are the undisputed highlights; people everywhere, limbs flailing and one chap with the unfortunate tendency to faint several times per song only add to the pandemonium.

Awake and F.E.B.N. are the undisputed highlights; people everywhere, limbs flailing and one chap with the unfortunate tendency to faint several times per song only add to the pandemonium.

With a pit where people come out looking like a drowned rat what could go wrong? Well, when the portly skins decide a t-shirt amnesty is in order and decide to rough it up a bit too much it really hits the fan like it's 1982. Sort of the reason Ian MacKayecarried wads of $5 bills to give to ruffians as he turfed them out.

With a pit where people come out looking like a drowned rat what could go wrong? Well, when the portly skins decide a t-shirt amnesty is in order and decide to rough it up a bit too much it really hits the fan like it's 1982. Sort of the reason Ian MacKayecarried wads of $5 bills to give to ruffians as he turfed them out.

Given Liverpool's reputation, Stateside at least, for being a cold wet city on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, our American cousins in tonight's main attraction are perplexed by our recent run of excellent weather. And what a perfect day for a hardcore punk freakout it is.

With hindsight, the fact lead pig-squealer Chris Fane was in the pit before anyone had picked up in an instrument should have been warning enough of just how gloriously intense their cymbal-heavy drumming, all-out-assault riffage and hollering was going to be. All of which created a wonderful tension which was furthered by the glorious weather and the Bloc Party festivities next door at Camp and Furnace, as it spilt out into a glorious heady funk.

Alpha and Omega, a rather excellent ensemble, blend thrash and hardcore influences without turning into mega-corny thrashcore. 

Still, they have to be one of the most frightening prospects live on the planet. More terrifying than, say, Iceage - and they littered the ground with broken spectacles and ripped clothes at their last appearance at the Shipping Forecast, so it's not all bad. 

Even slow tracks like Hash Wednesday can't slow the momentum - well, slow is rather relative for a band where most songs come in under 60 seconds.

Still, it was totally worth being stuck in a sweatbox on one of Liverpool's few sweltering summer days for this: punk as it should always be - live, loud, fast and most of all unashamed fun.

The Pharcyde / East Village Arts Club // GetIntoThis

The Pharcyde brought their Bizarre Ride to Liverpool, Getintothis' Laurie Cheeseman caught the flow at East Village.

With Liverpool being bathed in a liberal dose of California's perpetual sunshine tonight, the Pharcyde's timing is perfect.

Stateside rappers from the east coast to the west are cribbing their distinctive sound. And, it turns out, so are Liverpool's freshest talent.

It's a shame that only a smattering of people populate EVAC for the 90s-style boom-bap which is in plentiful supply courtesy of opening DJs No Fakin' & Madnice.

DJ 2Kind caught more than just the camera's eye at East Village Arts Club 

Their classic turntablism makes such a refreshing change to the deep house laptop DJs who populate most club nights in Liverpool these days.

Despite the fact most of the tracks dropped 20 years ago, the added 12" warmth makes the tracks sound as vital as they always did.

It's great to see Liverpool's rap scene flourish of late; particularly the aptly namedNicky Talent and his partner in crime 2K.

Like their hyped Brooklyn counterparts in the Beast Coast movement they use 90s beats but with a refreshingly British reggae-informed twist to their rapping.

Their playful, lively set gave nods to their influences referencing everyone from the legendary Nas to roots-reggae.

Jamie Broad reached for the summit at East Village Arts Club 

The backpack wearing Jamie Broad, a chap who "talks really fast and raps", is actually a dude with a really clever, intricate flow. And Erik B & Rakim samples. Can't go wrong there can you?

Again, he puts his own twist on things; it's not often you hear someone rap in a scouse accent (and have genuinely good rhythm).

It's even rarer to see someone recover from technical glitches so smoothly and keep his momentum with a flawless freestyle.

The Pharcyde hit their stride with expert application at East Village Arts Club 

Despite their relatively advanced years (by hip hop standards anyway, which seems to work in cat years), The Pharcyde's protracted entrance manages to ratchet up the energy on both the stage and the dance-floor to another level.

From 4 Better or 4 Worse to Return of the B-Boy, and beyond into the timeless classics from the J Dilla produced Labcabincalifornia (especially Runnin' and Drop), their flow is watertight and the beat goes on'n'on doing genuine justice to such an influential album.

But then, it was always going to be hard to screw up playing Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde, especially an album made for warm summer evenings like this.

Instead of playing the album note for note (as so many artists do on these album/anniversary tours) each song is just different enough to give it that extra edge, as did all the nerdy music geeks on the floor giving it beans.

Sadly, some added low-end smothered some of the more subtle samples. In this instance it's forgiveable because it got everybody in the room boogyin' away (or in hysterics in the case of Ya Mama) all night long.

Despite the unfortunate lack of an encore, Fatlip's DJ set after kept the dancing going on all night long - the perfect end to a perfect evening for the scouse hip hop heads.

Pictures by Getintothis' Chris Everett.

Top 10: West Coast hip hop albums / Get Into This

The west coast of America is sun-drenched and smooth, and its musical output is at once fresh, laconic and exciting. Ahead of The Pharcyde's visit to Liverpool,Getintothis' Laurie Cheeseman brings you ten of the best hip-hop albums from one of the most mythologised parts of the world.

After bursting onto the underground rap scene in the early-90s and releasing a handful of first-rate jazz-inflected hip-hop albums (one of which was produced by the titanic J.Dilla), The Pharcyde are doing one of those tours.

You know the kind we're on about; they haven't released anything in donkey's years and then, 'for the fans', take a classic album on an arbitrary anniversary tour.

However, their show at the East Village Arts Club on July 1 is different, and that's down to how much the Pharcyde, and especially the tour's source material in Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde, stand out as a pristine artefact of the era.

Always more in tune with what the Native Tongue Posse were crafting in NYC than their native LA's gangsta vibes, their classic boom-bap has been resurrected by the Beast Coast collective, Action Bronson, Tree and their ilk.

With impeccable timing, two of the groups founding members, Slimkid3 and Fatlip, are celebrating the West Coast's answer to Native Tongue cuts and one of the greatest hip-hop albums of the 90s golden era.

In fact, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde has proven doubly great given it dropped at a time when the West Coast was dominated by hardcore and gangsta groups riddled with beef.

The Pharcyde are and were different, taking deep (and occasionally absurdest) lines and playfully inventive beats.

In preparation for what will no doubt prove to be Liverpool's hip-hop show of the year,Getintothis' casts an eye over the cream of the crop selecting our top 10 West Coast hip-hop albums.

10. Schoolboy Q: Habits and Contradictions (2012)

After a few years in the wilderness, in no small way caused by the twaddle peddled by50 Cent), gangsta rap's come back finally came to fruition on Schoolboy Q'sophomore effort.

Instead of the two dimensional bad asses normally portrayed, Schoolboy explores the contradictions that usually riddle real bad asses; going to church then poppin' caps straight after and the odd drug-fueled rampage to lighten the heavy mood. As you do.

His collaborations are few and far between, and the ones who are there are top dollar. Let's be honest, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul aren't exactly ever going to pop up and ruin a song are they?

9. Ice Cube: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990)

Given his history as a chap with an attitude from the streets of Compton, it's strange to think Ice Cube now potters about making second rate family movies. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted was an unexpectedly brilliant east-west mash-up.

Released just after his acrimonious split with N.W.A., his debut solo effort featured production from Public Enemy's groundbreaking Bomb Squad, the perfect accompaniment to Ice Cube's tales from the streets.

8. N.W.A.: Niggaz4life (1991)

Despite being less trumpeted than it's predecessor Straight Outta Compton', this record marked the moment the west coast finally stepped out of the long shadow cast by the east coast and Brooklyn and the Bronx in particular.

What's more, it has to be the most menacing album ever released; blood-curdling than Slayer, more brutal than Mayhem.

Despite some controversy concerning the ultra-violent themes and a sprinkling of misogyny, this album features some of Dr. Dre's (and not forgetting DJ Yella) finest production to date.

7. Death Grips: The Money Store (2012)

This is not exactly an album to listen to while in the grip of a hangover.

What could so easily have been an alienating experience instead turned out to be one of the most immediate and experimental albums released in a long, long time.

Death Grips' visceral rush of samples and warped synths feels far more akin to hardcore punk not hardcore hip-hop, which is probably to be expected given their hometown of Sacramento is more well known for producing groups bands like Trash Talk than rap.

6. Eazy-E: Eazy-Duz-It (1988)

Sillier, and yet somehow more malevolent than his parent band N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton, it is Dre's production of several of the album's tracks which is really the star of the show here.

Eazy's unique delivery and skill with rhymes leaves him standing as one of the most iconic, and sadly missed, rappers produced by either coast.

5. Shabazz Palaces: Black Up (2011)

After relocating to Seattle and becoming the first hip-hop group to sign to the legendarySub-Pop Records, Ishmael Butler's (previously of NYC based jazz-rap pioneersDigable Planets) new project dropped an absolute stunner back in 2011 and demolished the wall of mystery surrounding the band.

The round-the-houses song structure, intricate lyricism and amorphous, subtly psychedelic production explored what it is to be black, and exist in general, in 21st century America without ever sounding a bit, well, back-packerish.

4. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)

Another excellent east-west crossover. Although Beastie Boys themselves are born and bred in Brooklyn, the album production team, in the shape of the Dust Brothers, were wholly west coast in their sound and funkcentric approach.

The album predated and ushered in the postmodern sound of 90s alternative music with its utilisation of heavily layered samples.

It's not hard to see why it initially bombed; the albums playful experimentation was miles away from the jockish frat-rap of their debut Licensed to Ill.

3. The Pharcyde: Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde (1992)

Taking the Native Tongue Posse's sound to the west coast, the soul-inflected rhythms and rhymes that were often far more jazz than rap were taken to the next level by J-Swift's production skills.

Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde tackles issues ranging from relationships to 'The Man', proving a massive breath of fresh air when compared to the gangsta obsession of their hardcore contemporaries.

It proved originality is just as important for hip-hop as keeping it real.

But hey, let's not forget their goofy side; Ya Mama still has us peeling at the sides after the nth listen, and Passin' Me By is still one of the most heart breaking tales of high-school crushes committed to record.

2. Dr. Dre: The Chronic (1992)

Magnum opus, tour de force, masterpiece...that's all we can really say about this album. Well, that and it's one of the best-produced albums in history and showcases some of Snoop Doggy Dogg's finest raps.

Listen to it yourselves to really feel the album's majesty. Words alone cannot do it justice.

1. Kendrick Lamar: Good Kid mAAd City (2012)

Kendrick's lyrically cogent concept-led major label debut was rightfully declared a modern masterpiece.

'A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar', detailing Kendrick's rise from a young upstart to his triumphant victory lap with kingpin Dr. Dre.

His flipping of the whole gangsta shtick was (and still is) a breath of fresh air; especially in a scene where the choice of producer as much as their own flow really defines a rapper's vibe.

Further reading on Getintothis:

The Pharcyde: Bizarre rides, the making of a classic and J Dilla's legacy

Spectrals Interview / Bido! Lito

Expect the unex-Spectrals

When Yorkshire native Louis Jones – the creative force behind SPECRALS - emerged from the rural furrow of Heckmondwhite (a lesser known town situated on the outer reaches of Leeds) with his full-length debut Bad Penny, his insatiable lust for mining nostalgia was evidently ripe. Vintage, garage-pop stompers and swoony doo-wopers were the cement that held his Phil Spector-esque wall of sound together, creating a contemporary slant on 50s and 60s pop with a modernised indie lilt. Now recording his second LP, Sob Story, with estranged Girls bassist CJ White Bido Lito!'sLaurie Cheeseman talked to Louis Jones about growing up in small Northern towns, old music and Liverpool’s inaugural Summercamp Festival.

Bido Lito!: Having listened to your sophomore effort Sob Story, you’ve taken a different tack and gone for a more classic sound compared to your contemporaries of an indie-ish bent (who largely appear to have gone all shambling C-86 on us). What inspired you to take inspiration from these sounds of yore?

Louis Jones: I think probably it’s kind of something that I... feel comfortable with. Because y’know a lot of that is the stuff I grew up with, know what I mean? It’s like a default for me.

BL!: That sound has a real gravity to it doesn’t it?

LJ: Yeah I think so – I mean y’know I’m really quite serious about song writing and I think that comes across. It’s going to sound like things that’ve come before and I feel like I can’t reinvent anything or bring anything new and I’m not just going to pretend to try to.

BL!: It has been interesting following your sound develop from the sounds of 50s teenage America to something more akin 60s Merseybeat or even early 70s pub-rock and wrapping it all up in a proper indie vibe. Has this progression been the natural route for you to take to push your unique sound forward?

LJ: Yeah in a way, it comes naturally because after I had written the songs for the first album... they’re on the table like...?

BL!: Most people who write ‘proper’ songs these days are either dreary, unimaginative or both – but Spectrals are different. CJ White, who you worked with whilst recording Sob Story, was in Girls who also took a similar approach – and your new songs are as charming and vital as Girls’Album. Do you find writing such evocative songs come easily to you or have you had to work at it?

LJ: Yeah, well it’s not something you can force. If you’re not in the mood for writings it’s not gonna come out right I guess. What you’ve got to do is make sure you work at it... once you have the gem of a song you can work at it over a week, going through all the permutations; how fast, slow, noisy it’s going to be.

BL!: Most of the songs I’ve heard you release all sound rather wistful and forlorn – surely growing up in Yorkshire can’t have been that grim can it?

LJ: Haha it was at times but it’s like any small town really. But not all my songs sound that sad, although to be honest I just feel... I just prefer making sad songs. When I feel sad I listen to music or write a song to help me get through it.

BL!: Having grown up in a small town in the north in between two cities and so has no real identity of its own, i’ve grown up in something of a musical bubble (i.e. my parent’s record collection) so going to uni was, musically at least, a mind blowing experience. Given you’re from a town in a similar situation have you had a similar experience growing up, and if so has it influenced your approach to songcraft.

LJ: Absolutely, I mean I do what I do ‘cause in the town I’m from [Heckmondwike] there wasn’t really much happening [musically]. And I wasn’t really into what my mates were into so I just had to find it out on my own, for myself... on the internet. So yeah, the stuff I ended up listening to was always going to end up influencing what I do with my songs.

BL!: Speaking of local scenes, it seems that I can’t go 5 minutes these days without stumbling across another new band starting out in Liverpool. Some of these bands – By the Sea especially spring to mind – have adopted a slightly shimmerier version of your sound. Have you listened to many bands from Liverpool’s rejuvenated scene?

LJ: I’m gonna be honest, I haven’t really yet but I’ve been aware that there have been lots of like new young bands starting out in Liverpool. And when I play Summercamp this August I’m definitely gonna have to check some of them out live – it sounds really exciting in Liverpool at the minute.

BL!: I always love a bit of spontaneity at gigs; the Last time I saw you live you were supporting Best Coast at Mojo and you’se did that amazing cover of Blink-182’s Dammit with Best Coast. Sadly that personal touch just seems to be lacking from gigs these days. Do you often try and add a little personal touch to a performance to make people remember your shows?

LJ: I think I know what you mean - I mean the songs always come first but I always try to get the audience involved... I talk to ‘em and all that. It doesn’t come natural to me, but yeah it’s normally about the songs but I try and make the audience think ‘Ah yeah, that Spectrals band are great live’. But yeah, I hope that when you see us at Summercamp we’ll be different from the last time you saw us and the time after you see us. It’s something I’m always trying to change and do better at, and I think... well I hope that comes across at our shows.

BL!: Speaking of live shows, are you excited to play Summercamp as part of the Liverpool International festival?

LJ: I most certainly am!

http://www.bidolito.co.uk/content/feature-interview-66