here they are frolicking (more nostalgic nottingham pictures to follow)
As i prepare to leave this fair town for pastures greener (FUCK YEAH LEEDS!) i think back... 2 years ago, as a 16 year old, i would have sat here and said how shit nottingham is for live music, and how the rows of cringeworthy Rn'B and Dance clubs dominated the night life.
However now days i'm 18, i can legally drink and drive (not at the same time). I've become an optimist, so heres a bit about how good nottingham is... also heres a picture of me failing at packing
First off I ll talk about all the great club nights and promoters putting on ace bands. promoters are the guys behind every show, behind every leaflet stack near the bar, and every artsy poster plastered on a shop window. THere are a few of these guys around doing great things for the live scene and I'll start with the big name, Liars Club which is run by Ricky Haley. It has lots of cool bands and puts on some good events, and despite some troubles with dhp theyre still putting on lots of great gigs with some of the bigger up and coming bands(and dot to dot festival which is ace)
My favourite promoter is a little irish chap called Martin who runs Buttonpusher nights, he's put on basically every small but brilliant mathy/punk band thats come through nottingham since its launch in may and puts them on at the chameleon which is even better. He's good friends with derby based promoters Sexy, no? SEXY (made up of bands i ll talk about later) who but on similar gigs and have really cool posters which they sell.
Two other promoters that really caught my eye this year are Joel (Saurus), who put on a couple of gigs and was really good at getting a ace crowd to come along (he knows all the cool kids). Last is Leeds promotions company I'm Not From London who put on lots of gigs here. They are similaly ace but have died down a bit since buttonpusher came about.
we dont like clowns...
Anyway onto venues. This year I have basically made one my haunt, the Chameleon has all the best bands because all my favourite promoters love it, its cheap, the drinks are cheap and the venue looks and sounds great. Its a really rustic little pub/cafe above clinton cards in the square. Nearly impossible to find, you have to go through a narrow back alley and up some nondescrpt stairs to gain access. Well worth the trouble, its a lovely little place with eccentric staff who only serve about 4 types of drink, nice tables and a view of the centre. Then upstairs is the converted dining area. No stage just a big room with lots of sofas and big amps dotted about. Its awesome. In the summer it gets boiling, but thats almost part of the fun. I love it and recommend you to go see bands there ASAP.
Ok so next is the Bodega social which is run by the soul sucking big boys dhp group, who basically shit on the little dude and try to dominate nottinghams live venues. But that doesnt stop this being a great modern little venue with some great djs and a good sound. THe venue is upstairs, its very dark and the set up is quite weird (long room with a tiny stage and a bar taking up lots of the area) buts its got some charm. it has a nice smoking area too. O and 3 happy hours a day. Yay.
Seven (formerly Junktion 7) is the place to go if you're into metal and more edgy bands. Its big, its a bit grim, its cheap and theres a lot of metal heads who hangout there. Its splattered with years worth of posters so you cant see the walls. THe upstairs is very dark, a windowless room with a bar on the left and a small stage, it always seems to big and certainly too long for the bands it books. Has some great nights my friends Dj on aswell, notably tuesday has 2-4-1 drinks.
Rescue Rooms is one of the bigger venues in nottingham, and for that reason has a lot of big bands, bit its well suited for that. Its actually quite a light airy venue, with a high ceiling and a balcony circling the wall above. THe stage is nice and wide and it still feels intimate despite the venues size.
The Maze is a nice little pub a bit further out that the other venues, about 20 minutes walk from the centre towards mapperly. THe back room is small and a bit cramped almost with a decent sized stage, but has a really good sound and a nice feel to it. Good beers in here too, nice selection.
THe Running Horse is near Seven in canning circus, also quite a trek from the square. Its another pub, with some really nice eccentric owners and a really eclectic variety of bands. Jazz, rock, folk, singer/songwriter, blues ... old and young they bring them all. Its nice and intimate without being as crowded as the maze, Lots of seating too which is good. THe sound isn't great but its still a nice little venue.
mr hood looking cool
Last but not least where would the music scene be without its local bands... nowhere is the answer, so here is a celebration of some of my favourites. Most of them are mathsy punk bands. I missed out lovvers because they havent played here in like 2 years btw
Dead spex are pretty cool, they're the chameleons' house band (not a bad position to be in) and play what they call SPAZZ POP, which is basically lots of frenetic riffs and gang shouting while jumping about like At the Drive In. I guess they sound quite similar to blakfish but with more of a 90s hardcore feel to them, delightful chaps too and intense live. rock and/or roll!
Swizerland are really from derbyshire, but i ll look past that as they're fucking ace and involved with aforementioned sexy? NO! sexy promos. THey rip off cap n' jazz a treat but put some weird uk indie twist on it with the vocals (which at times are weak) and stuff. It sounds really raw and well layered, maybe not as complex as their midwestern idols but great. Not very nice guys though, bit unsociable (probably cos they're from derby).
These Waves are ace people too and also involved with sexy? NO! sexy promo. Heres a copypasta of what i ve said about them before: Really good post hardcore, mathrocky stuff with piercing shouty vocals and intricate walls of sound making for "banging tunes". Disjointed and edgy they sound like bands before them but with new vigour. They've really impressed me with real stage presence and an obvious fun attitude. Similaritys can be drawn with bands like Secondsmile and Meet Me In St. Louis
Why not, wonderland? "frickely" emo/twinkly guitar punk with some 80s hardcore and indie thrown in. They are frankly amazing, playing a wall of fast and complex guitar lines that almost jump away from the rhythm at times and shouty vocals to boot. Its great. theyve been compared to a lot of stuff but i think they sound like a lot of the bromo music coming out in america (future posts will explain)
Guilty Parents pretty new three piece creating "punk slime". THe band "feature the two best works of facial hair since ZZ Top". A very diy band who rip out snarling garage punk with a hardcore edge. Really dense sound, thrashy without being ridiculous, and some really well suited kinda shouty vocals.
Nephu Huzzbandkind of a grim band, they used to be a bit like slow dark math/artrock (kind of like ...ANd you will know us by the trail of dead) but recently went more noise-y, it suits them better though. THe vocals sound distant and the songs kind of have a sad ring to them, i cant explain it. Its really good though but the lyrics are a bit weak. THeyre doing something a bit different and its great. New song "no not ever" with a more punk approach is pretty promising.
THe petty thief is tim from brontide's s acoustic and folky singer/songwriter project. His guitar work and vocals are simple but really beautiful. It has elements of math which remind me of thing town needs guns or cats and cats and cats. Its brilliant and tim doesnt have the greatest voice in the world but it really suits the rustic and authentic sound of this music.
Buenos Aires (really from leicster) are another meet me in st louis inspired post punk band with math rock tendencys. THey sound a bit more pop than other bands like them though, which means they get compared to glassjaw and early biffy alot when really they are more intune with the 90s emo like cap 'n jazz. Recently they have taken things in a heavier direction though with more post hardcore elements. Complex and frantic they are a good band.
Union state massacre THese guys have been around for 5 years and just got back together after hiatus. Beautiful 6 piece instrumental (lots of them too) post rock. Best use of a glockenspeil i've ever seen. They make epic build ups and breakdowns with beautiful melodies, subtle bass, frantic drums and epic guitars. In the wall of sound everything feels so purposeful and planned. Its a bit like Godspeed or Mogwai but less experimental. ANyway its amazing and beautiful and moving.
heres a picture of the park near my house
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