Turin Brakes play the Leas Cliff Hall in August, 08/08/08

Hevy is extremely excited to be presenting their biggest event so far this August, featuring two of their favourite upcoming bands supporting Turin Brakes at the Leas Cliff Hall.


Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
Friday 8th August 2008 (08/08/08)
Doors 7:00pm
Tickets £16.50
Box Office 0844 847 1776
www.hevy.co.uk
www.leascliffhall.org.uk

TURIN BRAKES - Headlining

Turin Brakes last played in Kent back in 2003 to a sell-out crowd at the Leas Cliff Hall, but they return this August for a one-off event organised by local promoters Hevy, supported by two of the UK's greatest upcoming bands.

The modern folk-pop duo comprising Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, met at a young age and spent much of their childhood together. With 500,000+ albums sold around the world and a US tour with David Gray, Turin Brakes have proven that they know their way round a robust pop melody. They are known for their elegant, acoustic guitar-driven ballads and spine-tingling vocal harmonies.

Since turning their schooldays friendship in South London into a full-time songwriting partnership, they have barely stopped. Their first batch of songs had quickly resulted in a seven-inch single released in the UK entitled "The Door EP" in 1999. By early 2000, they quickly got down to the recording of a series of singles, EPs and "The Optimist LP" (released in May 2001). Their second album, "Ether Song", was a departure from the acoustic sound that had brought them success with their first album. Recorded in Los Angeles, California, it was popular enough to reach number 4 in the United Kingdom album charts upon its release in 2003. The album produced several hit singles, including "Long Distance" and "Pain Killer", their first Top 5 single in the UK. Their third album, "Jackinabox", was released to critical acclaim much like their prior efforts when it was released in early June 2005. The album was supported by the group's first full-band tour of the United States.

Following the success of Jackinabox and its subsequent tour, a download-only album, "Live at the Palladium", recorded in London was released in November of 2005. During the same tour the band also sold the "Red Moon EP". This acoustic EP featured a new version of "Red Moon", two new songs and the Red Hot Chili Peppers cover "Breaking The Girl". The band spent the first half of 2006 writing new songs, occasionally performing both new and old work at small gigs across the UK.

In January 2007 the band entered a small studio in London to record their 4th album with producer Ethan Johns. After three weeks the band took a break (on January 29th Gale's wife gave birth to a daughter), but the sessions were resumed several weeks later. On the last day of March 2007 the band announced that they had finished the recording sessions, and recorded 17 songs. The new album, "Dark on Fire", was released in the UK in September 2007. Recording for the first time with their on-the-road band, the duo has captured the tensile beauty that has always run like a thread of steel through their songs, and set it off like a firework in the sky. The album has still got the duo's trademark lilt, but the deft melodies and dark, pin-sharp lyrics now come spliced to electric guitars, bare wires and a hefty swagger.
"It's epic," says the album's producer Ethan Johns, the man responsible for putting the production fire into albums by acts ranging from Kings Of Leon to Ray LaMontagne. "It's a beautiful record with a lot of intent. They're writing about stuff that's important to them - really honest material - and it comes through. I think we have captured some extraordinarily truthful performances."
The first single, "Stalker", is typical of the revitalised Turin Brakes approach. A tough, clanging guitar riff underpins a strangely sinister lyric which takes you inside the mind of a person nursing a creepy obsession. "Every single thing you say/I'll record, I'll replay", the pair sing in the chorus, a reminder that we live in an era when surveillance techniques are such that it has never been more tempting to play the role of a stalker. "Being in a band puts you on the fringes of that world," Paridjanian says. "You're seeking attention for your music. But to do that you're almost saying "Please stalk us - but only so far, and then you must stop"."
"It's a simple idea, but with a hidden twist," Knights says. "I've always liked doing that. ‘Pain Killer’, which was a pretty big hit for us, sounded like a love song, but it was all about Catholic guilt and fellatio and stuff. It's great fun to hear that kind of thing blasting out of mainstream radio."
The title track is perhaps the strongest statement on *Dark on Fire*. The image of setting the dark on fire popped into Knights's head as a visual metaphor for the process of creating music. "It's when you're alone in the dark and there is a point where you can either give up or you can make something spectacular happen. It was a real soul-searching moment. The phrase became a mantra for what this album is about. It's a leap of faith; the idea of truly believing that you have a special purpose in making this music."

Kid iD

Kid iD are an awesome new band from Leeds. Their current line-up of drums, bass, guitar, trumpet, trombone, djembe, percussion, violin, cello and a bucket load of vocals produce an exciting mix of Folk, Funk and Drum & Bass. Winners of the reputable Bright Young Things competition in Easter 2006 and headlining the Cockpit at the start of 2007, Kid iD’s sound soon began working its way around the country, selling out shows from Camden to Glasgow.

Syd Arthur

Syd Arthur are an underground band from the historic City of Canterbury. Their original sound draws on influences from folk, funk, rock, jazz and world music, as well as the music of the Canterbury Sound. Formed in 2005 the band have been honing their live performances and recording new material at their studio in Welling. Well known in their area, Syd Arthur have been spreading the groove at gigs, music festivals and parties; fusing a unique soundscape through their use of electric guitars, violin, bass and drums. Hailed as the "true heirs to the Canterbury sound", their infectious riffs and unique blend of phycadellic funk rock fusion make Syd Arthur one of the most exciting bands Kent has seen for years.

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Gig guide from this week in 1981!

so it wasn't all big name indie bands playing the Metronome every night as I've been led to believe... here's a fascinating republication of gig listings from 1981, from the good people at www.kentgigs.com. Don't forget my Folkestone gig guide though.

We showed in our mailout on Tuesday that we have been supplying the press and music fans with listings for 25 years. It has raised a little interest so we have produced below the gig guide for this week, 25 years ago. Might bring back some memories for some and a chance to air some idle thoughts whilst typing.

Our first Gig Guide actually hit the press on 25th April 1981 in one Folkestone newspaper along with a write up for a band and a photo which was the deal we obtained. This newspaper was the only one who had a gig guide with more than just a couple of lines of information. If hadn't been for the national music press of the time i.e. NME, Sounds and Melody Maker we could have been the inventors of the Gig Guide. We also flyposted throughout the local area in the once many music shops, corner shops and record stores.

There were no computers, email or internet, affordable photocopying or home printers, just handwriting and relying on the local friendly printer who created our masterpieces by a screenprinting process. The newspapers were created by hand-set lead type in wooden blocks. When you went to the local press it was like a factory with clattering typewriters, smoke from the molten lead and guys with dirty hands.

GIG GUIDE A WEEKLY GUIDE TO SOUTH KENT MUSIC VENUES published in 1981

WEDNESDAY 4th NOVEMBER 1981

SPRING FIELD HOTEL (Folkestone) - JUNCTION CITY BLUES BAND

LISMORE HOTEL (Folkestone) - CARLOS & HIS FLAMENCO GUITAR

SOUNDHOUSE (Hawkinge) - STEVES STAG NIGHT - Strippers and Comedians

THE DOVER STAGE (Dover) - Country & Western Night with THE RUSTLERS

RED LION INN (St Margarets) - BREAKAWAYS

THE CASTLE (Ashford) ­TBC


THURSDAY 5th NOVEMBER 1981

SPRINGFIELD HOTEL (Folkestone) - RONDO

SPITFIRE LEISUREDROME (Hawkinge) - BONFIRE PARTY - B.B.Q. and DISCO

LOUIS ARMSTRONG (Dover) - INVICTA JAZZ BAND

THE ASH TREE (Gillingham) - BREAKAWAYS

FRIDAY 6th NOVEMBER 1981

SPRINGFIELD HOTEL (Folkestone) - THE PETE STACEY JAZZ BAND and FRENDS

ROYAL NORFOLK HOTEL (Sandgate) - DENIGH

LISMORE HOTEL (Folkestone) - SILHOUETI'E DISCO

SOUNDHOUSE (Hawkinge) - DISCO 8 - 1.00 am

NEPTUNE MOTEL (Dymchurch) - BREAKAWAYS and FIFTH QUARTER DISCO

LOUIS ARMSTRONG (Dover) - ENRY

RED LION INN (St Margarets) - CITY BLUES BAND

CANTERBURY TECHNICAL COLLEGE (Canterbury) - THIN MEN + SUPPORT

THE CASTLE (Ashford) - J.C.B.



SATURDAY 7th ,NOVEMBER 1981

ROYAL NORFOLK HOTEL (Sandgate) - ENGLISH ROGUES

SOUNDHOUSE (Hawkinge) - DISCO 8 - 1.00 am

SPITFIRE LEISUREDROME (Hawkinge) - DISCO with T.R. SOUNDS

NEPTUNE MOTEL (Dymchurch) - FIFTH QUARTER DISCO

LOUIS ARMSTBONG (Dover) - SEVEN ACES JAZZ BAND - Trad. Jazz
RED LION INN (St Margarets) - ENRY

HIGH & DRY (Waldershare) - LIVE MUSIC - Country & Western­ - Guest Artiste

ASHFORD BREAKERS KEMPTON MANOR (Hothfield) - BREAKAWAYS

THE CASTLE (Ashford) - SANDY BEACH & THE DECKCHAIRS

SUNDAY 8th NOVEMBER 1981

Lunchtime - SPRINGFIELD HOTEL (Folkestone) - TRANSATLANTIC BLUES BAND
Evening - SPRINGFIELD HOTEL (Folkestone) - FOLK CLUB - Everyone Welcome

THE GOLDEN ARROW ( Cheri ton) - STAIRES

LISMORE HOTEL (Folkestone) - CARLOS AND HIS FLAMENCO GUITAR

BYBROOK TAVERN (Ashford) THE BYBROOK TAVERNERS - Trad. Jazz

THE COLT (Ashford) - HIS & HERS - Country Duo

MONDAY 9th NOVEMBER 1981
SPRINGFIELD HOTEL (Folkestone) - VERNON WOODWARD

TUESDAY 10th NOVEMBER 1981

THE HIGH AND DRY (Waldershare) - KEEN COUNTRY

2006 :: Comment / reply