This weekly music guide is brought to you in partnership with PPL PRS Ltd. Big thanks for their ongoing support of local acts and venues.
Stay in the know and be the first in line. Every week.
Diary Dates
Alternativ Karaoke – Every Friday
The Shed
Get Friday night done right with Alternativ Karaoke! From 10pm – late you can take over The Vault stage at The Shed and jump around like your favourite rock star. Alternativ Karaoke is all about the big anthems, so whether you’re pop punk or hardcore, get warming up those vocal cords.
Neck – Friday 26 January
The Musician
‘The Psycho-Ceilídh band!’ Known as ‘The Heavy Artillery of Irish Music’, 6-piece Celtic Punk band Neck distil the sound of two other mighty London rebel bands, The Clash & The Pogues, and in the process, juxtapose perfectly the vibrant, uplifting swirl and spiritual abandon of authentic Traditional Irish music with the attitude, social awareness and full-on, electric energy blast of Punk Rock! Ultimately ‘carrying the torch on’ with their own unique, wildy intoxicating, London-Irish brew – Psycho-Ceilídh! Led by one of Shane MacGowan’s original Popes, & rated highly alongside their US-based friends The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly they are simply, hence, the real deal. From Texas to Moscow – NECK bring the hooley!
Tom Hingley – Friday 26 January
Firebug
He moved to the North West in the mid-eighties from his Oxford home and in 1989 he became the vocalist for Inspiral Carpets. The band went on to have eleven top forty singles between 1990 and their initial split in 1995. Tom’s charm and charisma remain, and his extraordinary vocal range is as accurate and powerful as ever, incorporating soul, r’n’b and jazz.
Imagine The Beatles – Saturday 27 January
The Musician
Beatles tribute playing a special retrospective from the Cavern years to the ‘Let It Be’ final rooftop concert. Quality stage outfits range from the early Cavern days through to Beatlemania and beyond. Authentic vocals and instruments, including the McCartney Hofner violin bass, Lennon’s Rickenbacker, George’s Gretsch and Ringo’s Ludwig kit, musically, no detail is overlooked to re-create the true sound and excitement of The Beatles. Every song is performed totally live and in its original key. Visually, the presentation is as close to the real thing as you can Imagine… Close your eyes, could it really be them?
John Francis Flynn – Monday 29 January
The Musician
John Francis Flynn is a singer and multi-instrumentalist whose work centres around traditional and folk material from Ireland. He is a founding member of the band Skipper’s Alley, with whom he has toured extensively throughout Europe and America.
TVAM – Friday 2 February
Firebug
An alternative artist from Wigan. ‘Hypnotic tracks which straddle an impressive spectrum of influence; with Boards of Canada’s irresistible nostalgia, Suicide’s deconstructed rock’n’roll and My Bloody Valentine’s infinite noise all becoming touching points in TVAM’s musical output.’
BrotherTiger – Saturday 3 February
Firebug
John Jagos, aka Brothertiger, is a NY-based electronic musician. Heavily influenced by deep-dive ’80s and ’90s electronic music, his work has covered a vast range of style and emotion. His most recent album, the self-titled Brothertiger, is an ode to these influences.
Bootleg Boss – Saturday 3 February
The Musician
The Bootleg Boss is the real deal. A Springsteen fan for 25 years, he has lived and breathed the spirit of the New Jersey landscape and developed an amazing way of delivering the classic hits of the Boss. From the early days of Greetings at Asbury Park, through Born to Run, The River, Born in the USA and later albums, The Bootleg Boss gives 100% commitment in a three hour show with his own East Street Band of seasoned musicians, creating an authentic sound and live experience.
Pip Blom – Saturday 17 February
O2 Academy Leicester
“Never listen to people who want to change your music.” With that advice from a fellow musician, Amsterdam based Pip Blom (19, at the time) started writing songs. Three years after her demo album and an array of singles later, her sound had shifted into Courtney Barnett and The Breeders territory. The ‘little girl with a guitar’ had formed a fully-fledged indie rock band line-up. But it is still Pip.
••••
PREVIEW: Loaded mini festivals comes to 2Funky Music Cafe
Indie and brit-pop fans, this is a night not to be missed. Loaded is bringing its mini festival to 2Funky Music Cafe on Saturday 9 March with a fantastic line-up of top tributes. As close as you’ll get to the real thing, make your way through the ages of indie and madchester with tributes to The Smiths, Oasis and Arctic Monkeys. Plus an indie disco after party until 3am. We caught up with the organiser, Dale, to find out more about it.
What inspired you to start the Loaded nights?
My love for all things madchester inspired me to do Loaded, but also having a fun new concept that was dipped in 90s nostalgia. It’s also a take on the Loaded lads mag as well, as the music that defined a generation.
What can people expect from the upcoming Loaded event at 2Funky Music Cafe?
Great live music, killer dj sets, dirty dance floors and dreams of naughtiness. The line up is amazing you can’t really beat The Smiths, Oasis and Arctic Monkeys.
Tribute bands get a great following these days, but can they ever be as good as the real thing?
Tribute acts have to be on point 100%. They have to be just as good as the real thing. The three bands we have on prove that they are all on top of their game and are well known and respected on the festival circuit.
What is your favourite thing about putting on these nights?
My favourite thing about putting on the events is the crowd, the energy in the room, and also listening to the music I love. Some would say why are you putting bands on from the past, well the bands are still the spine of indie music today. No band has been de-throned Oasis, The Stone Roses or The Smiths. The only band to come close to that was Arctic Monkeys. The legacy of these bands still lives on inside us and is passed down to the new indie kids as a new generation of festival goers.
Which track are you most looking forward to hearing on the night?
The track I’m looking forward to the most is Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by The Smiths. But I’ll also spin one of my favourites in my DJ set with Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart.
Who is the best tribute act you’ve ever seen live?
The best tribute act I’ve seen live would have to be The Smiths Utd who are playing at the event. They are so good and catch the pure essence of The Smiths. They’re amazing. But also Arctic Roll will absolutely take the roof off that night.
How much are tickets and where can people buy them?
Tickets are now £20 plus booking fee from Skiddle. All early bird tickets sold out very quickly. Don’t miss out on 3 top-end tribute bands and some great DJ sets. It’s a full night from 8pm to 3am. Let’s make some memories.
Keep up to date with upcoming Loaded events on Facebook.
