Weekend Recovery have announced the 2023 release of album number three, Esoteric, via Criminal Records, with a pretty plush video that’s all proggy/space rock… New direction? We’ll just have to wait and see…
Click the image below to preorder:
Banging grungy Aussie duo Mannequin Death Squad – longstanding faves here at Aural Aggravation have announced that they’re returning to the UK for the firs time in five years.
Packing in 15 shows the length and breadth of England as far south a Exeter and venturing north of the border for a brace off Scottish dates in Glasgow and Inverness, while also straying off the beaten track, it’s a major undertaking, and with supports from local acts, these should be some exciting nights.
We’ll see you down the front for at least one….
AA
Blood Red Shoed head out on tour this month. The tour comes in celebration of the band’s sixth album ‘Ghosts on Tape’, released earlier this year via Velveteen Records, and will see stops in Bristol, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Glasgow, London, Brighton and Birmingham. Support for the entire headline tour comes from CIEL.
The shows swiftly follow a brand new piano version of “Morbid Fascination” — a haunting cut of floaty key taps and visceral vocals that sees the ‘Ghosts on Tape’ track transformed from a buzzing cut of alt-rock into an emotive ballad.
New album ‘Ghosts on Tape’ marks a huge jump forwards for the band, one that develops their sound almost beyond recognition, while capturing Blood Red Shoes at their most musically and emotionally mature. As Steven explains:
“We’ve always been outsiders right from the very beginning… We have made an entire career out of being told what we are “not”, of being rejected, of not fitting in, and this album is us deliberately pushing into all of our strangeness, emphasising all of the things that make us different”.
Obsessed by true crime and murder podcasts, many songs on the record are told in character and explore the dark psyche of those at the pinnacle of outsiderdom: serial killers. ‘Ghosts on Tape’ paints a picture of a dark and unsettling world. It is the sound of a unified and confident duo who know exactly who they are, even if the wider world doesn’t really get it. The sound of two people who have spent their entire adult lives making music together and who, more than ever, are finding new pathways for their creativity.
“Ultimately this album is an invitation”, adds Steven. “It’s us saying, this is our world, these are our darkest thoughts and feelings – our ghosts – caught on tape. You are welcome to join us. Come and embrace the strange”.
In the wake of the album’s release, the band also unveiled a 15-minute short film of the same name sound-tracked by songs from the album. Premiered to a packed audience at London’s Everyman Cinema, the film was written and directed by Craig Murray and unfolds as an unsettling, brooding and psychological horror story, featuring the band plus their future ghosts, and a blue-hooded death cult reminiscent of Eyes Wide Shut.
Listen here:
AA
BLOOD RED SHOES – 2022 UK LIVE DATES
JUNE
6 – TT The Races, Isle of Man
8 – The Fleece, Bristol*
9 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds*
10 – Academy 3, Manchester*
11 – Think Tank, Newcastle Upon Tyne*
12 – King Tuts, Glasgow*
14 – The Garage, London*
15 – Chalk, Brighton*
16 – The Rainbow, Birmingham*
JULY
29 – Y Not Festival, Newhaven
*w/ support from CIEL
Tickets on sale now here:
https://www.bloodredshoes.co.uk
Shit happens: some good, some bad. Feather Trade, who grabbed our attention when supporting Benefits in York back in February, were scheduled to support The Mission on May 26th. As fate would have it, the night’s scheduling with an early curfew meant they got dropped from the lineup, although their regular drummer is now occupying the stool for Hussey and co. How does stuff like that even happen? But when life gives you lemons, Feather Trade book a run of shows instead.
If you’re in the vicinity of any of these places, we’d very much recommend going.
FRIDAY MAY 27 – MANCHESTER – AATMA
w / Cold Water Swimmers
Inca Babies
Jim’s Rolling Beat
SATURDAY MAY 28 – MACCLESFIELD – MASH GURU
w/ Urban Theory
SUNDAY MAY 29 – HAILFAX – THE TURKS HEAD
w/ Triptych (from Glasgow)
AA
Kick Out The Jams & End Of The Trail Creative are putting on a 3-day mini-festival, The Brighton Rock ‘N’ Roll Circus at The Black Lion between the 12th-14th May 2022. The event, supported by CD Baby, Blackstar Amplification & The Zine UK, which features bands like The Pearl Harts, Moon Panda, Berries, A Void, Enjoyable Listens, Sons, DEH-YEY, Bullet Girl, and Aural Aggro’s new faves, Warning Signal is a free entry alternative to The Great Escape.
And what a lineup!
From the organisers: "Driven by a desire to offer live music fans in Brighton and from further afield a free alternative to the official Great Escape programme of shows, which are only accessible with an expensive conference badge or festival wristband, indie promoters Kick Out The Jams and End of the Trail have come together at The Black Lion for The Brighton Rock’n’Roll Circus; an exciting free entry three-day mini-festival of over forty bands running from 12th-14th May.
This show is the natural successor to The Brighton Mix-Up which last took place in May 2019, a similar three day show also at The Black Lion. Of course, the pandemic put a stop to all music festivals for a couple of years, so it’s really good to be back in Brighton again with an amazing lineup of bands from around the country, playing in an intimate venue in the heart of The Lanes area, bang in the middle of the town."
Kick Out The Jams & End Of The Trail Creative need your help! Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to secure the usual sponsorship for their 3-day FREE ENTRY mini-festival in Brighton in May.
Faced with taking a pretty big hit on production expenses associated with putting on an event of this kind, as the pub is not a regular music venue & doesn’t have any live music tech in place for the show, they are having to hire it all in.
So, if you are planning to come to the show and seeing some (or all!) of the 40+ bands they’ve lined up for you, please consider helping them with these costs by contributing to the Go Fund Me campaign.
Thanks for your support!
In light of the current events and ongoing tragedy occurring in Ukraine, Envy Of None will release a split 7” vinyl single, on Ukraine flag coloured vinyl with all proceeds from sales being donated to UNHCR for their Ukraine emergency response.
(Established in 1950, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights, and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.. For more information, please visit unhcr.org. #WithRefugees | donate.unhcr.org/Ukraine)
The tracks for the limited edition single “Enemy” and “You’ll Be Sorry” taken from the band’s forthcoming album, have now taken on a more poignant meaning for the group.
I’m not your enemy…
Friends and enemies—life and death—good and bad. The eternal contrast and conflict that tears us apart so easily yet mends us so arduously. It’s not a fair fight.
As another generation witnesses first had the horrors of yet another war, we can strive to temper our helplessness by supporting the difficult, but necessary work UNHCR provides to lessen the burden for millions of displaced people.
As we embark on our humble contribution, we ask that along with our partners at UNHCR, Snapper Music / Kscope, GZ / Precision Vinyl & Vision Merch, you kindly share in supporting us at this time of need with your generosity.
As a show of respect for your support and generosity, Envy Of None will match the total proceeds raised.
Thank-you. Envy Of None: Alfio Annibalini, Andy Curran, Alex Lifeson, Maiah Wynne
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY OF “ENEMY / YOU’LL BE SORRY” 7” HERE – https://visionmerch.com/envy-of-none
There will be just 500 copies of this limited edition colored 7” vinyl single available:
250 signed by all the band – US$100
250 unsigned – US$50
Plus fans can also purchase a 30 minute zoom call / personal Q&A with all 4 Envy Of None band members, each donor can invite 3 friends to join in – for $1000. This is limited to 10 slots for a once in a lifetime chance to chat and ask each of the members anything about the EON project and beyond.
All proceeds of sales go to UNHCR’s Ukraine Emergency Response.
Digital Horsecore pioneer Petrol Hoers is kicking off this year’s gig schedule with a UK tour in April, alongside techno punks Petrol Bastard and antisocial rock three-piece The Ducks.
Starting in Blackpool on April 7th, the tour will run for 11 days, finishing with an early evening show in Brighton on April 17th.
Part man, part horse, part hallucinatory nightmare; Petrol Hoers is galloping out of the strangest corner of the Yorkshire music scene with a unique blend of hardcore punk, hard drum+bass and surreal comedy.
The equine entertainer has built a cult following through his online antics and energetic live shows which has led to national radio airplay, festival appearances and being described by music industry legend and BBC Radio 6 presenter Tom Robinson as “…one of the oddest and most original artists it’s ever been my pleasure to come across in the last 15 years of BBC Introducing.”
The most recent Petrol Hoers album Oh I Don’t Know, Just Horse Stuff, I Guess is available to listen and download via Bandcamp.
You can catch Petrol Hoers at the following dates:
Thursday, April 7, 2022 – Scream & Shake, Blackpool
Friday, April 8, 2022 – Outpost, Liverpool
Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Aatma, Manchester
Sunday, April 10, 2022 – Santiago’s, Leeds
Monday, April 11, 2022 – Network, Sheffield
Tuesday, April 12, 2022 – The Chameleon, Nottingham
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – Heartbreakers, Southampton
Thursday, April 14, 2022 – The Tin, Coventry
Friday, April 15, 2022 – The Lab, Northampton
Saturday, April 16, 2022 – Poco Loco, Chatham
Sunday, April 17, 2022 – Hope and Ruin, Brighton
Ticket and social links can be found at https://linktr.ee/Petrolhoers
Almost exactly a year on from the release of their second long—player, False Company, Leeds grunge/garage-rock act and longstanding AA faves Weekend Recovery will be unleashing a new EP, No Guts on through Criminal Records on 4th February, having given us a taster with the lead track ‘No Guts, All the Glory’ in November.
With shows – and some exciting supports – lined up from the end of January through to the middle of July, they’re certainly making up for the time lost in 2020 and 2021.
29.01 Sidney&Matilda Sheffield EP listening show (we will be DJing only at this event)
03.02 Headrow House Leeds with Pulverise & Helle
04.02 Weekend Recovery, Live at The Grace London with Dirty Orange
04.03 The Parish, Huddersfield with SNAYX
05.03 The Jacaranda Club Liverpool with SNAYX
06.03 Castle Hotel Manchester with SNAYX & Fauna
25.03 Rough Trade Nottingham with SNAYX Desensitised & Alice’s Ants
26.03 Santiago Bar Leeds with Caesar Did It & Any Old Iron
27.03 The Sunflower Lounge Birmingham with Dead Dads Club & YNES
29.04 Trillians Rock Bar Newcastle Upon Tyne
30.04 13th Note Glasgow with Snayx & Visceral Noise Department
01.05 Sneaky Pete’s Edinburgh with Snayx & The Party Slogan
05.05 Sidney&Matilda Sheffield with Caesar Did It & Any Old Iron
06.05 The Bridge Inn/The Hive Rotherham with Caesar Did It
07.05 The Hope & Ruin Brighton with Caesar Did It & Oli Spleen
08.05 The Black Heart London with Caesar Did It Healthy Junkies & Rapturous
17.06 The Crofters Rights Bristol
18.06 Bootleg Social Blackpool
15.07 The Hobbit Pub Southampton
16.07 Bedford Esquires Bedford with Yur Mum
17.07 The Portland Arms Cambridge with Yur Mum
Check ‘No Guts’ here:
Having recently unveiled the video to the killer lead song from their forthcoming EP, No Guts All the Glory, Weekend Recovery have announced they’re celebrating an EP launch in two of their favourite cities, namely London and Leeds, at The Grace and Headrow House respectively, in early February of 2022.
Weekend Recovery recently debuted a new lineup as a three-piece, and a new sound that harder, rockier, and more direct, and these dates will provide an opportunity tom witness the emerging next stage of the band’s evolution, and they’ve got some cracking supports lined up, too.
Dates are:
Leeds, 3rd Feb with support from Salvation Jayne & Helle @ Headrow House. Tickets: www.weekendrecoveryofficial.bandcamp.com/merch/leeds-ep-launch
London 4th Feb with support from Dirty Orange @ The Grace. Tickets: www.ticketweb.uk/event/weekend-recovery-ep-launch-show-the-grace-tickets/11537935
‘No Guts’ is a corker and it’s already been getting early radio play, a sign that this is a band continuing their upward trajectory. Chances are they won’t be playing venues this size much longer. Exciting times.
See you down the front!
AA
The Virginmarys may have recently paired back to a two-piece and dropped the vowels from their name, but they’re very much alive and kicking and still very much set to appear at the London date of the first Ghost Road Fest, at London’s Kolis on Saturday 6th November and at the Belgrave in Leeds on Sunday 7th November.
While the lineups differ for the two events, Weekend Recovery, Salvation Jayne, SNAYX, You Want Fox, and Sadness and the Complete Disappointment are all confirmed for both dates. bang Bang Romeo headline Leeds on what promises to be a day of thrills and quality music, and while Pearl Hearts are only playing London, Leeds gets SHEAFS and Novustory.
While the world seems to be descending to shit, Ghost Road Fest is offering an oasis of nice, with a lineup that’s solid quality and gender-equal both north and south, and in one single move achieve on a single weekend something the government hasn’t managed in a decade.
Click on the image for full details and tickets.
We’ll see you down the front in Leeds!