Whoa, dere, spendthrift. Keep your dollars in check, ‘cause Clash is back with more free gig goodness.
Yes, yes, YES – the Clash Saturday Social is back with a bang again this weekend (Saturday February 28) with no fewer than four bands playing live for precisely zero door tax.
Last month we saw The Invisible, Three Trapped Tigers and Brontide kick 2009 off in frankly stunning form (report and photographs HERE); this, we’ve more great new acts to get you buzzing like a bumblebee tripping its own light fantastic on crazy nectar.
Playing live we have: Micachu & The Shapes, The Old Romantic Killer Band, Favours For Sailors and Left With Pictures. A little more information for y’all…
Micachu & The Shapes
Next month sees the release of Micachu & The Shapes’ debut album, ‘Jewellery’, via Rough Trade, and they’ve just wrapped up a UK tour alongside Late Of The Pier. The trio’s sound is one of pop deconstructed and reassembled with its constituent parts ever so slightly left of their initial centre; raucous and ramshackle while possessing a melodic accessibility lost on so many other artists who dare to be different, who tread experimental paths. Through tracks like ‘Just In Case’ and ‘Golden Phone’ the band exudes a quirky charisma that’s less to do with any novelty value appreciation and more related to a genuine quality of songcraft that’s years ahead of their (relatively tender) years. Expect them to follow an upward trajectory throughout 2009 as more and more fall for their obvious charms.
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The Old Romantic Killer Band
Northern blues, rock ‘n’ soul duo The Old Romantic Killer Band kicked up a dust cloud of accolades for their debut album ‘The Swan With Two Necks’ upon its release late last year – Clash wasn’t one to miss the action, laying our critical perspective down HERE. Our peers offered similarly positive words, DiS stating: “The Old Romantic Killer Band are the real deal; a genuinely exciting prospect who surely won’t remain under the radar for much longer”; NME, meanwhile, commented: “The Old Romantic Killer Band are what rock should be: loud, angry and over before you can take a breath…” Members of the Bad Sneakers stable, responsible for producing the mighty Wild Beasts, we’re expecting great things from TORKB in 2009, and their set at the Saturday Social is one heck of a way to set the wheels in motion.
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Favours For Sailors
Strong-on-tunes London four-piece Favours For Sailors unleash their ‘Furious Sons’ EP on March 2, making this weekend’s Saturday Social something of a fun-times early launch party (they play a ‘proper’ launch party two days later). The band’s sing-along indie anthems-in-waiting conjure comparisons with The Cribs and, to an extent, the catchy US punk of acts like Les Savy Fav. Oh, and there’s a dash of Weezer, too – never a bad thing in this book! And did we mention Pavement? Basically, the band channel the spirits of their influences to create a sound that’s most certainly their own, yet sure to appeal to audiences far and wide. David of the country’s best live band Dananananaykroyd is a fan, stating (drunkenly): “I LOVE FAVOURS FOR SAILORS WITH A PASSION.” They’ll be supporting Dana on their forthcoming UK tour, too. Nice, nice.
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Left With Pictures
How to describe Left With Pictures without resorting to such over-used adjectives as ‘gorgeous’, ‘sweeping’, ‘emotive’, ‘otherworldly’, ‘lush’…? No, can’t be done. Short story: the quintet’s music is gentle, but oh so powerful; it tickles the parts of the soul little music can, lyrically engrossing and musically subtle. “Like early Belle & Sebastian, fronted by Euros Childs, and gently exposed to jazz,” said Time Out. Sounds like nonsense on paper, sounds completely wonderful in the flesh. The band’s great EP, ‘Secretly’, is out now for those who want to preview what’s on offer this Saturday.
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The Clash Saturday Social takes place at the weekly RoTa afternoon, at the Notting Hill Arts Club, London W11. Doors open at 4pm (and close at 8pm), and entry is completely free (over 18s only).
Notting Hill Arts Club
21 Notting Hill Gate
London W11 3JQ
Doors 4pm-8pm
Nearest Tube: Notting Hill Gate (Circle, District, Central lines)
Find this event on Facebook HERE.
