Welcome to December’s issue of BEHIND THE

SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Last month’s issue

was read in record numbers and we feel that we

are really building some momentum. Please share

the magazine with your friends either by telling

them in person or on social media sites. We hope

that you enjoy the usual mix of reviews,

interviews and articles in December’s issue. As

Christmas approaches we thought that it would

slow down, but as you can see, this month has

been as busy as ever. Enjoy reading the magazine!

BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE Issue #14 December 2014

behindthesceneglos@yahoo.co.uk Twitter: @behindsceneglos

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/behindthesceneglos

http://behindthescenegloucestershiregigguide.wordpress.com/

E-MAIL US TO

GET IN THE GIG

GUIDE EACH

MONTH

All photos in the magazine are used with permission,

credited or found openly on the internet. No copyright

infringement is meant. Please don’t get angry or sue us

(we don’t have any money anyway).

COVER DESIGN BY ROBBIE PERT

COVER PHOTO BY STEVE GRIFFIN

http://chesmu.zenfolio.com/

We’d love to review your gig, festival,

CD, vinyl, new album etc — just ask us!

GIG GUIDE DISCLAIMER: Please check with the

venue before travelling to gigs. The information is

up to date at time of print, but often changes.

We don’t want you to waste your petrol.

JOHN POWER, JOE SUMMERS, JOE RICHARDSON Everybody is in good spirits tonight at The Frog & Fiddle. Even the

promoter gets a cheer when he welcomes the first support act on

stage and all he even says is, "Good evening." You see, there's a

whiff of excitement in the air (as well as a strong stench of

Guinness) as it’s a Saturday night, the Cheltenham Races are in full

flow, and bona fide Britpop legend JOHN POWER has come to

town.

JOHN POWER played bass guitar in The La's and fronted multi-platinum

selling Cast, hence why there are a steady stream of people in parkas

stood around the room watching opening act JOE RICHARDSON. In fact,

Joe himself has that Britpop look and feel about him. Unfortunately, his

efforts are drowned out by people loudly reminiscing about the time they

saw Cast at Gloucester Leisure Centre in 1996 and how their souvenir

shirt (which they've worn especially tonight) still just about fits them.

JOE SUMMERS nearly suffers the same fate, but is experienced enough

to plug away regardless with his acoustic songs that rewind further back

than Britpop, and enter the era of singer-songwriters Neil Young and Cat

Stevens. A drunk race-goer, who has obviously lost all of his mates at

some point during the day, stumbles back and forth to the front of the

stage, swaying not from the music but from the alcohol he has steadily

consumed since 10am. Although he doesn't mean it, he fits well into the

theme of the evening as he's doing a pretty good impression of Liam

Gallagher in his heyday.

As we wait for JOHN POWER I decide that you can pretty much split the audience into one of two categories:

Those that have kept their hair since the turn of the millennium, or those that have lost it. I, thankfully, am in

the former.

Then POWER, looking more like Bob Dylan now his trademark mop-top has had a good chop itself, takes to the

stage with former LA's bandmate Jay Lewis and the levels of interest are upped several notches. New songs are

mixed with old and there's no way you wouldn't recognise that powerful voice from appearances on Top of the Pops

in the mid-90's. People hold up their camera phones to record the old songs and go to the toilet during some of

the new ones. But he gets the mix just right and there's absolutely no denying that if you were even on the

fringes of Britpop 20 years ago, then hearing 'Walkaway' performed on an acoustic guitar in a venue not a tenth of

the size of the ones Cast were playing in the 90's, leaves the hairs on the back of your neck standing to attention.

He’s still got the power (ahem). [Image by STEVE GRIFFIN http://chesmu.zenfolio.com/]

FROG & FIDDLE, CHELTENHAM 15TH NOVEMBER

WHO’D BE A...TOURING BAND?

WITH THE BLACK FEATHERS

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A TOURING BAND?

We've been performing as The Black Feathers for a

couple of years now, but only really been ‘touring’ for

about a year now.

WHERE ARE YOU A TOURING BAND?

We’re from Cirencester in Gloucestershire but we tour

all over the country, we’ve also toured the USA and

we’re heading out to Germany in February.

IS GLOUCESTERSHIRE A GOOD PLACE TO BE A

TOURING BAND?

It’s not bad at all, it’s got some nice little venues.

The best ones are tucked away in little towns and

villages.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’RE NOT A TOURING

BAND?

We’re pretty much touring non-stop at the moment,

but when we have a day or two off we can usually be

found in our home studios writing songs for our first

album.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT BEING A TOURING

BAND?

For us it’s almost like a working holiday, we get to see

new places and meet new people. We love it, every

show in every town is a new experience.

WHAT’S THE WORST THING ABOUT BEING A

TOURING BAND?

We’ve got a little dog, sometimes we take him with

us but sometimes we have to leave him behind. We

miss his little face

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO A TOURING BAND?

1. Join the AA. 2. Always know where the nearest

burger van is. 3. Be sociable because you never know

where you might need a bed for the night!

GIVE YOURSELF A PLUG!

Our website is www.theblackfeathers.com where you

can find links to our music, videos and gig dates for

the coming year. You can also find us at facebook.com/

theblackfeathers and twitter.com/blackfeathersuk

100 WORD DEBATE

YES

It’s a dead duck. It’s

deader than a [note to

self: insert the rest of a

Blackadder style joke

here].

You see, no one goes to

gigs any more unless the

band has been on X-

Factor or Fame Academy

or Opportunity Knocks (or

whatever the youth are

watching these days).

Besides, why do you need

to go to a gig when you

can watch endless hours of

live footage from the

comfort of your own

home on Youtube? The

drinks are cheap, you can

always get a seat and you

don’t have to wait until

11pm for the band to

start.

The world has moved on.

Gigs were alright when

you absolutely had to go

out and do something. On

a Tuesday night when

your only other choices

were to read a book, talk

to your family or go to

bed from sheer boredom,

who wouldn’t want to go

to a gig? But in 2014

anyone can spend the

night happily sending

endless text messages or

or watching for that little

red notification on

Facebook until the cows

come home. Come on

Grandad, no one goes to

gigs anymore!

Nobody came to my gig. Is the

music scene dead around here?

No one came to your

gig? No one came to

my birthday party.

Only 3 people came to

my Christmas shindig

and 2 of them were

driving (which made

for quite a dull night

and a lot of left over

mulled wine, I can

assure you).

Just because they

didn’t go to your gig

doesn’t mean that the

music scene is dead.

Perhaps you didn’t

promote the gig very

well. Maybe there was

a lot of other stuff on

that night or, and this

is the biggie, you

misjudged how popular

the bands you booked

are. You may love

them, but does

everybody else?

Don’t expect instant

gratification. These

things take time.

You’ve got to get the

word out there by

putting on consistently

good shows, you’ve got

to offer something a

bit different from just

some bands playing in

a pub with dirty

toilets. Jawbreaker

released a song in

1995 called ‘Bad

Scene, Everybody’s

Fault’ so it really is

n o t h i n g n e w .

NO

NEXT MONTH’S DEBATE:

“My girlfriend asked me for the

McBusted album for Christmas. Should

I end the relationship now or give her

a second chance?”

MOULETTES As I browse the very reasonably priced range of Charles

Bukowski books on the shelves in Rise Records, a girl with

a flyer approaches me. "A band are playing in the store in

5 minutes," she says and hands over a glossy double-sided

leaflet. It's nice to see THE MOULETTES attempting to

drum up an audience through good old fashioned flyering

(as opposed to just Facebook or Twitter). Whatever

next, vinyl making a comeback?

In-stores are great because they give you a chance to

watch a band in an unusual setting at a reasonable time

of day (2.30 on a Sunday afternoon in this case). But

in-stores are bad because you kind of feel like you're

standing in the way of genuine shoppers looking for the latest Breaking Bad box-set. And you can't get a pint of

cider from the bar because there is no bar (however, Rise Records does have a comprehensive range of vinyl,

books, CDs and vintage clothing, but you can't drink yourself dizzy with those).

THE MOULETTES from Glastonbury are currently touring huge venues with the award-winning contemporary folk

band Bellowhead. This in-store is a far more intimate affair with a handful of people stopping, listening, clapping,

moving on to Debenhams and then being replaced by others who have strolled into the shop and stumbled on

these 5 musicians at the back of the room. The band are wearing knit-wear like it's going out of fashion (it

already has done but nobody seems to have told them) but their finger clicking, shaker shaking and vocal

harmonies are just sublime. This is modern folk for modern folk (not the monotonous 'Kumbaya' we used to sing

daily in school assemblies). Almost apologetically, the band say that they have a more orchestral sound on

record, but this stripped back set is a treat to listen to nonetheless. The flyer girl has now turned into the

'mailing-list sign up girl' and is busy asking everyone to put their e-mail addresses down on the sheet. Aspiring

bands take note: Do more of this because it works.

Rise Records, Cheltenham 16th November 2014

DECEMBER 2014

Wed 3rd DECEMBER – FUNKE AND THE TWO TONE

BABY

Fri 5TH DECEMBER – MISSIN’ ROSIE

Fri 5TH DECEMBER – THE SUNKEN FOAL (CELLAR

BAR)

Sat 6th DECEMBER – HOUSEBOUND (CELLAR BAR)

Wed 10TH DECEMBER –LEWIS CREAVEN BAND

Fri 12th DECEMBER – WILL EDMUNDS TRIO

Fri 12th DECEMBER – DIRTY LYLE (CELLAR BAR)

Sat 13th DECEMBER – BOUNCE (CELLAR BAR)

Wed 17th DECEMBER – MARY SPENDER

Fri 19TH DECEMBER – THE SOUL STRUTTERS

Fri 19th – TBC – CELLAR BAR

Wed 24th DECEMBER – TBC

Thur 25TH DECEMBER – THE YOUTUBE SHOW

Where you choose the music!

Friday 26th DECEMBER – SKA-VILLE

Saturday 27th DECEMBER – HIRED GUNS

Saturday 27th DECEMBER - DANCE CONSPIRACY

(CELLAR BAR)

Sunday 28th DECEMBER – TBC

Mon 29th DECEMBER – RUZZ GUITAR’S BLUES

REVUE

NYE – details to be released soon. A ticketed

event, two floors of music and free buffet included

in the ticket price.

Every time I’ve watched SCOTT JAMES & THE

REVOLUTION play a gig, by the end of the first song the

audience have cut short their conversations and found

themselves glued to the performance, whether they’ve

come to see the band or not. It’s a talent that some

bands have and some bands just don’t. After a quiet few

months, the band are ready to launch themselves again

with a new EP. I caught up with lead singer and

songwriter Scott James to find out more about the

band…

“Me and Chris were writing songs and started looking for

additional musicians to form a group. We met James

first, then through Scope Music Management we were

introduced to Oli (Drums), Groovey (Bass), Reuben

(Electric) and Shelina (Vocals).”

SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION’s roots are firmly

set in Gloucestershire. With links to the Forest Of Dean,

Gloucester and Cheltenham, there’s no other band

playing the same style of music so well in the county.

Their soulful take on hip-hop is politically charged, yet

effortlessly slick at the same time. Over the last couple

of years the band have expanded from their initial

acoustic roots to a full band arrangement.

“It gives us more freedom to experiment with

creativity; there are more people involved so more ideas

transpire because we have more resources available to

utilise.” The band have recently changed one of their

vocalists. “Previously we worked with Sophie Cotterell,

and now we have Shelina Taylor Gordon. We also have a

new electric guitar player – Reuben Reynolds. I think any

change in the line-up of a band brings an inevitable

alteration to the sound, but it’s still the same set up.”

If you haven’t listened to SCOTT JAMES & THE

REVOLUTION before, then now would be a good time to

start as the band are in full swing after a short period

of transition.

Despite Scott’s name being at the forefront of the

band, song-writing is a collaborative process. “We all play

SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION a role in song-writing. The initial ideas begin with me

and Chris and it stems outwards to James and

Shelina, then to Oli, Groovey and Reuben. I write the

lyrics.” Those lyrics can be very politically minded,

which is refreshing in this time of X-Factor-styled

mediocrity and mind-numbing covers. In what way do

politics and social justice influence the song-writing

process? “It depends on your perspective as a musician

and what you want to achieve with your music. It can

potentially be a powerful voice to propagate ideals of

peace. There are things happening today that simply

cannot be ignored and if we are lucky enough to have a

platform of influence we will try to use it in a

positive way.”

So much so that last summer members of the band

completed a 100km walk in aid of Oxfam. “This was

another opportunity for us to try and help out.

Oxfam is an important organisation and it deals with

humanitarian issues that we believe should be

supported. We were proud to raise over £2000 for

them, we had a lot of support from people and we

were very grateful. We’ve performed at Oxjam Festival

twice and will continue to support them in the future.

The actual event was a pretty gruelling experience! We

walked non-stop for 29 hours along the South Downs

from Petersfield to Brighton. It is a rewarding

achievement; our biggest challenge was trying to

persevere with so many blisters and fatigue.” Not only

do the band talk the talk, but they also walk the

walk.

On a final note, which Gloucestershire bands and

venues get the SCOTT JAMES & THE REVOLUTION

seal of approval? “We like watching King Solomon play.

We enjoy performing at The Guildhall, Sound Music

Venue and The Frog And Fiddle, they’re always very

welcoming.”

The band are currently in the process of recording a

new EP which will be available for free download very

soon and in the New Year they have several gigs lined

up. Don’t just take our word for it, go see them for

yourself.

There are things

happening today that

simply cannot be ignored

and if we are lucky

enough to have a platform

of influence we will try to

use it in a positive way.”

E-mail us if you’d like

copies of the magazine in

your venue/shop/studio!

IF YOUR GIG ISN’T LISTED IT’S BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T SEND IT TO US!

HERE’S THE E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR NEXT MONTH: behindthesceneglos@yahoo.co.uk

Check with the venue before travelling because it’s rubbish when you turn up to a

gig and been cancelled or the headline band has changed or the drummer has fallen

ill. We can’t control these things—we just list the gigs!

View past issues of BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE at:

http://www.behindthescenegloucestershiregigguide.wordpress.com

We have yet to purchase a snappier domain name. It’s on our Christmas list.

We have a mailing list too. Sign up to it by visiting our website. We promise not

to spam you. http://www.behindthescenegloucestershiregigguide.wordpress.com

STEVE & THE ACHIEVERS THEY SAY: “A love of upbeat Blues, Southern Soul, Rhythm & Blues and

Roots music have brought us together in the hope that we can play the

music that we love for folks who want to have a good time.”

ARE THEY A COVERS BAND? In a way. They play mostly obscure

numbers and forgotten gems as well as some popular classics.

YOU MAY KNOW STEVE & THE ACHIEVERS FROM SUCH PREVIOUS GIGS

IN STROUD AS: The Ale House, The Brewery and The Globe where they

have performed recently.

WHAT EXACTLY HAVE THEY ACHIEVED? Good question. We’ll ask them

and get back to you.

WE LIKE STEVE BECAUSE: He once said this about our magazine. “It's

good to see a music publication that isn't littered with hyperbole!” What

a remarkable, amazing, stupendous fella he is!

FIND OUT MORE: http://www.steveandtheachievers.com/

PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD 20TH DECEMBER

ACTUAL REAL QUOTES FROM PEOPLE WHO READ OUR MAGAZINE:

“So nice to see a 'local-interest' fanzine put together with dedication and intelligence.”

“Another fine issue, fast becoming an essential read....”

“Really pleased that someone set up a really useful listings mag at last! More power to you.”

“You’re fired.”

(Ok, so that last one is made up).

Glosfolk is a wonderful resource if you a) like folk music and b)

live in Gloucestershire. I like and I live in both, so I caught up

with Chairman Peter Cripps to discuss what the organisation

offers the county and whether traditional folk music is still

relevant today.

“Very much so,” says Peter, “Otherwise 10,000 people a week

would not be listening or taking part in folk! Involving younger

people is a challenge, particularly when many schools do not do

country dancing, or use traditional songs and tunes in their music

curriculum. We are trying to change that with the 'Gloucestershire

T r a d i t i o n s ' p r o j e c t ( d e t a i l s a t h t t p : / /

gloucestershiretraditions.co.uk/).

So how did Glosfolk form? Why did you feel a need for an

organisation such as this? “Over 20 years ago Glosfolk was formed

from Gloucestershire Folk Association. It’s aims are to promote and

preserve traditional music, song, dance, drama, and customs in and

around the county. About 10 years ago a new bunch of people joined

the committee determined to raise the profile of folk in the county. Since then, membership has risen to over

400, the web site gets 1000 hits a month, the Folk Diary has over 200 events a month, and there are

nearly 300 entries in the Directory of performers. So it’s doing well and it is all free! No grants, no subsidies,

no membership fees, and the officers and committee claim no expenses - the 'Big Society' in action!”

Somebody tell David Cameron! But seriously, with 61 singers and groups, 14 Morris dance sides, 43 dance bands,

24 dance callers, 35 musicians, 10 folk clubs and many social dance clubs and sessions most nights of the week,

folk in Gloucestershire appears to be thriving. So when the team behind the Cheltenham Folk Festival recently

announced that it would no longer run in its current format, there was what can only be described as an

‘outcry’ from enthusiasts. Many ankle bells were shaken in anger. A series of three concerts titled ’Folk Three’

will replace the festival which has been running for around 18 years. What are Glosfolk’s views on this? “We

very much regret these changes. We have lobbied the Cheltenham Town Hall management without success. Our

strong conviction is that people will not come to a series of three evening concerts in the same numbers as

come to a vibrant festival with concerts, ceilidhs, workshops, music sessions, dancing in the streets. Therefore

Cheltenham's economy - which used to benefit to nearly £500,000 a year will suffer. However any replacement

- and we are working on plans for 2016 - will have to be sustainable in the longer term.”

With the challenges of a largely amateur style of music and very few royalties or commercial radio play for

traditional songs, Glosfolk are doing their very best to keep alive the tradition of local folk music in the county.

Good on them.

GLOSFOLK

Join Glosfolk for free at: http://www.glosfolk.org.uk/

WHO THE DEVIL ARE THEY? A ska-punk/hip-hop party machine

who have previously toured with Less Than Jake and Ugly Duckling.

EXPECT: Trumpets, keys, plenty of energy and approximately 8

grown men trying to fit onto the tiny 2 Pigs stage.

HAVE I SEEN THEM SOMEWHERE BEFORE? 2000 Trees, The Frog

& Fiddle and Boogie Lounge have all hosted Imperial Leisure locally in

the last few years.

WHO IS SUPPORTING? Emmett Brown, Kelso & Lanterns.

OUT NOW: An EP called ‘Razzle Dazzle.’ Available from all good

record shops (and some bad ones too).

DID YOU KNOW? That the band used to perform impromptu

guerrilla gigs in car parks, streets and even building sites across London. They even performed in the car park at

Reading Festival.

BUT THE 2 PIGS DOESN’T OPEN ON A THURSDAY? Imperial Leisure are coming to town—it’s a special occasion.

TICKETS: £6.50 or £9 on the door (£8 for students) from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/295881

IMPERIAL LEISURE

2 Pigs, Cheltenham December 11th

Alex Petrie and Andrew Corey make up Cheltenham band

STRESSECHOES. They recently slung their guitars over their

shoulders and visited Germany where they packed in a series of

gigs over three weeks. I asked Alex to recount his experiences

of touring in a European country and how it differs to the

circuit in the UK. Over to him…

We were recently lucky enough to tour in Germany for the third year in a

row. This time Andy and I went as a duo as we couldn’t make it as a full

band. We played 26 gigs in 21 days at various different venues: bars, cafes,

cultural centres, a university, and someone’s house. The tour was organised

by our friends at Songs & Whispers, who are based in Bremen.

It’s a pleasant change from gigging in the UK as audiences here have a

tendency to be a little ….chatty. Your average German audience will listen

in silence, and applaud heartily where appropriate, even if they weren’t

expecting a band to be playing. It is a slightly surreal experience to have

dead silence from a crowd of people while you introduce the next song or

readjust your capo. We tried to tell funny stories but Stressechoes aren’t

known for their easy stage banter.

It is traditional, in northern Germany at least, for the band to pass a collection hat around the room

and for your audience to pay you directly for their entertainment. This is a convention which has faded

out in the UK but my parents insist it used to be quite common. If pub landlords here re-introduced

the hat pass then they could put music on at no additional cost. Another lovely thing is being asked to

autograph your CD as it makes you feel like a proper musician, and slightly famous. People have been

very friendly and chatty and I suppose having an English band playing in their town must seem slightly

exotic. We must have sold more CDs in one month than we had in the previous year.

Most Germans speak conversational English, which made us both feel slightly embarrassed. On many

occasions we would launch into a practised sentence only to receive a reply in perfect English. They’re

not all good though; it is apparent that very few Germans can clap in time. It is very disconcerting

when you’re trying to keep the rhythm on guitar and you have up to 60 people all enthusiastically

keeping a different beat.

Some of you hardened musicians will have noticed that I have not addressed the most important

question: what are the kebabs like, Alex?! Well, they’re pretty amazing, so much so that we put on

about half a stone each.

STRESSECHOES do Germany.

Visit stressechoes.com or find them on Twitter @stressechoes and Facebook. They

launch a new record on January 14th at The Bayshill in Cheltenham.

BENSON DOYLE MARLBOROUGH ARMS, CIRENCESTER

WHO’S HE? They are a band, not a person.

FOR FANS OF: Led Zeppelin, U2, The Cult and The Doors.

THE BAND SAY: “We'll be previewing our new piece of work called 'Dark Flow'

which'll be a 20 minute er, epic.”

THEY HAVE RECENTLY SUPPORTED: Ex-Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bailey in

Carlisle.

IF YOU LIKE BEER: Then Corinium Ales (who are based in Cirencester) are

brewing a one off festival beer for the gig called 'Saturnalia'.

BEER AND MUSIC. CAN THIS GIG GET ANY BETTER? Indeed it can—entry is

free which means that you just need enough money for said beer and the bus ride home (other drinks are

available).

WHAT SHALL I WEAR? Casual gig attire. Jeans, souvenir t-shirt from Pink Floyd’s 1974 UK tour and optional

Santa hat to get into the festive spirit.

DOORS OPEN AT: 7.30pm. FIND OUR MORE: facebook.com/bensondoyle

ADAM BARNES ALSO ON THE BILL: Local lad Russ Poole, plus other acoustic acts in the

bar before the gig.

THE PRESS SAY: “Adam Barnes is a rising star on the folk scene with

an enviable beard and an even more impressive voice, packed with soul,

sincerity and warmth.” [Gigwise]

JUST WHAT IS THIS OBSESSION WITH FACIAL HAIR? I’ really have no

idea. What will be fashionable next? Hairy backs?

I’M ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS BEARD THING. WHAT CAN I LISTEN

SO I CAN MAKE MY MIND UP? His album 'The Land, The Sea &

Everything Lost Beneath' can be streamed here: http://

adambarnes.bandcamp.com

DID YOU KNOW? The closest car park to Gloucester Guildhall is the Kings Walk multi-storey. Parking is FREE after

7pm. The postcode is GL1 1EA and once you’ve parked your car you can enter the Guildhall via the secret rear

entrance (stop sniggering at the back).

OTHER FAMOUS BARNES INCLUDE: John (ex-England footballer), Stuart (rugby commentator) and that

dysfunctional family from Hollyoaks (aren’t they all?).

IT’S NEARLY CHRISTMAS AND I HAVEN’T BOUGHT A SINGLE PRESENT YET. IS THIS SHOW GOING TO COST ME

AN ARM AND A LEG? Nope. Entry is just £5. Go on, treat yourself.

GUILDHALL, GLOUCESTER 5TH DECEMBER

BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE

END OF YEAR AWARDS 2014

LIVE MUSIC VENUE

OF THE YEAR

RELEASE OF THE

YEAR (sponsored by

Cheltenham Flooring Services)

SOLO ARTIST OF THE

YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown

Studios)

BAND OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown Studios)

We’ve had a crazy idea to present some local music awards for a bit of end of year fun. We

asked for your nominations and you literally bombarded us with them! Now we’ve made a

shortlist for each category. In December our panel of judges will lock themselves in a padded

room, argue for several hours and then come up with some winners which will be announced in

January’s issue. Thank you to everyone who has contributed. Here’s our shortlist…

PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD

FROG & FIDDLE, CHELTENHAM

ST PAUL’S TAVERN, CHELTENHAM

CAFÉ RENE, GLOUCESTER

2 PIGS, CHELTENHAM

GUILDHALL, GLOUCESTER

KING SOLOMON, STILLBUST, EDENFALL,

EMP!RE ETHEMIA, ERICA

CHARLIE BAXTER, HATTIE BRIGGS, MEN

DIAMLER, PECHE/GREY AREA, EMI

MCDADE, DAMON T

EDD DONOVAN & THE WANDERING

MOLES—SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE

OFF (album)

LONGSTONE— RISAIKURU (album)

HOT FEET—MIST IS DUST (EP)

BAD NEWS—SARASWATI (EP)

LANTERNS—MOVING ON (single)

THE GOING GOODS—HIP HOP ANONY-

MOUS (single)

BEHIND THE SCENE GLOUCESTERSHIRE

AWARDS SHORTLIST 2014

LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR

BAND OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown Studios—the

winner receives a free rehearsal slot)

PRINCE ALBERT,

STROUD

2 PIGS,

CHELTENHAM

ST PAUL’S TAVERN,

CHELTENHAM

CAFÉ RENE,

GLOUCESTER GUILDHALL,

GLOUCESTER

FROG & FIDDLE,

CHELTENHAM

Clockwise from top left:

KING SOLOMON, EMP!RE

STILLBUST, ERICA,

EDENFALL, ETHEMIA

RELEASE OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Cheltenham

Flooring Services)

SOLO ARTIST OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown

Studios—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)

CHARLIE BAXTER HATTIE BRIGGS

MEN DIAMLER

PECHE/GREY AREA EMI MCDADE DAMON T

EDD DONOVAN &

THE WANDERING

MOLES—

SOMETHING TO

TAKE THE EDGE

OFF (album)

LONGSTONE—

RISAIKURU (album)

HOT FEET—MIST IS

DUST (EP)

BAD NEWS—

SARASWATI

(EP)

LANTERNS—

MOVING ON

(single)

THE GOING

GOODS—HIP HOP

ANONYMOUS

LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR

(sponsored by Behind The Scene Gloucestershire)

PRINCE ALBERT, STROUD The Prince Albert hosts live music on most nights of the week.

Artists are often creative, left-field type, ranging from local folk

musicians to more established bands. Regardless of where they

come from, they are always of the highest quality. Highlights this

year include Emily Barker, Glenn Tillbrook and Martyn Joseph.

ST PAUL’S TAVERN, CHELTENHAM

The St Paul’s Tavern is a free entry pub in the centre of

Cheltenham that just loves live music. Twice a week they put

on Open Mic nights and at the weekend you’ll see the best local

bands making as much noise as possible. Once a year they close

off the adjoining street for the bands to perform in, all in aid

of the Help For Heroes charity. This year was headlined by

Tewkesbury ska-punkers Spunge.

FROG & FIDDLE, CHELTENHAM The Frog & Fiddle has a large barn at the back that acts as a

showcase for local bands as well as a stop-off on the UK

touring circuit. 2014 has seen gigs from the likes of John

Power, Kal Lavelle and Mad Dog Mcrea, as well as local

favourites Hattie Briggs and Edd Donovan & The Wandering

Moles.

2 PIGS, CHELTENHAM The 2 Pigs is a music venue that specialises in alternative music,

whether it’s the numerous local bands it gives a first chance to

or its popular club nights that keep going until the early hours.

One of the few venues that lets under 18’s enjoy the live music

experience, it has recently played host to a show by the popular

Funeral For A Friend which sold out months in advance.

CAFÉ RENE, GLOUCESTER Café Rene has garnered a reputation for great beer, great food

and, most importantly, great music. Local acoustic artists play

throughout the week and on weekends the party gets started

with up-tempo music from all over the UK. Their annual Nott

The Notting Hill Carnival and Rene:Gade festivals are not to be

missed!

GUILDHALL, GLOUCESTER The Guildhall continues to attract national bands to Gloucester.

The venue has a superb set up for watching live music. This

year, as well as the usual touring acts that have graced the

Guildhall stage, it has also hosted it’s annual Underground

Festival and Summer Sound Fest to showcase the best up and

coming young indie and alternative bands.

KING SOLOMON King Solomon have their roots set firmly in reggae. This year

the band have played anywhere and everywhere, including One

Love Festival in Weymouth, Sport Beat and Fashion Rocks in

Gloucester. Their single ‘The Brave’ has received widespread

airplay and over 1500 plays since being released in January.

EMP!RE Empire are a 5 piece rock band. They recorded their debut mini album

‘Where the World Begins' in 2013 and have garnered positive reviews

from the likes of Kerrang, Rock Sound and Metal Hammer. This year

they paraded their vitriolic sound at venues and festival countrywide,

including Sonisphere, Y Not, Hevy and 2000 Trees.

ETHEMIA Cirencester’s Ethemia write heartfelt folk songs which have been

performed all over the country this year. In November the band

released a single for Children In Need titled ‘Don’t Let Them Down.’

And if that hasn’t persuaded you of their merits, then here’s a quote

from Gabby Roslin (of Big Breakfast fame) following a BBC Radio

London live session: “I'm completely overwhelmed. Gosh! You're

fabulous." That’s one to tell the grandchildren about.

EDENFALL

Cheltenham band Edenfall describe themselves as a 'Blackened

Gothic Doom Metal' band - not for the faint hearted! This year

their second album, 'Under Sultry Moons and Velvet Skies',

received positive reviews all over the place and the band have

supported big names such as Hecate Enthroned and Blaze Bailey.

They also played at the prestigious Whitby Gothic Weekend.

STILLBUST Earlier in the year Stillbust released their ‘77 For You

(57 For Me)’ EP on Matt Records. Punktastic said, "Still

Bust manages to cram a multitude of time signatures,

vocal styles, and varied riffing into a frantic four minutes."

In May the band performed at Groezrock Festival in

Belgium and in August supported A Willhelm Scream at

Gloucester Guildhall.

ERICA Erica’s year peaked in the summer when they performed

on the main stage at Lakefest (with Steve Norman from

Spandau Ballet as a guest on a few songs). The self-

proclaimed ‘Sons of the Highland’ host regular gigs at their

‘Funhouse’ venue out in the sticks and have recently taken

to performing on the back of a pick up truck in

Winchcombe and London to anyone who will listen.

BAND OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown Studios in

Cheltenham—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)

CHARLIE BAXTER Charlie Baxter has taken his electro-rock sound all over the county this year,

either as a solo artist or as pasrt of bands Oui Legionairres and Last Night's

Victory. In the summer he entertained crowds at more festivals than you

could shake a stick at, including Oxjam Cheltenham, Witcombe Cider Fest,

Walk The Line, Lechlade and Vinestock.

EMI McDADE

Still in her teens, Emi McDade has cut her teeth on the Gloucestershire

open mic stage and now performs her pop-ballads regularly in

Gloucestershire accompanied by her trusty keyboard. Regularly appearing on

BBC radio, Emi released second single 'Just Begun' in July and played at

festivals far and wide this summer.

HATTIE BRIGGS Hattie Briggs' stock has risen and risen this year. As well as receiving

regular airplay over the last few months from the likes of Mark Radcliffe

and Simon Mayo, she also performed live on BBC1 Points West Television

as a result of her BBC Young Folk Awards nomination. She has supported

Sam Brookes at gigs in London and in Cheltenham, and is constantly

playing live across the country. Performances at Wychwood Festival and

Monmouth Festival supporting Seth Lakeman capped off a busy summer.

PECHE/THE GREY AREA

Peche is a familiar face on the local music scene. He hosts weekly open

mic and acoustic nights at St Paul's Tavern in Cheltenham. He also

performs under the moniker of The Grey Area, which he describes as: 'A

mixture of rock, ballad, folk, indie and everything in between, mixing in

stories and experience to bring the most out of lyrics and giving songs

meaning to many different people.'

MEN DIAMLER

Men Diamler (or Richard Abberline) has played hundreds of gigs and

festivals and released several albums over the years. This year he

toured the UK for one last time to put these songs to bed, which

culminated in one final Cheltenham gig in November at The Exmouth

Arms. Expect a new project from him in 2015 which will no doubt be

as abrasive, soulful and meaningful as the last one.

DAMON T Damon T is a New York City born singer-songwriter who frequently plays in

Gloucester and the surrounding areas. Both as a solo musician and as part

of duos, Damon is influenced by traditional blues, folk and Americana roots

music. His music is bluesy and from the heart - a real taste of Americana

in the Gloucestershire.

SOLO ARTIST OF THE YEAR (sponsored by Lansdown

Studios in Cheltenham—the winner receives a free rehearsal slot)

EDD DONOVAN & THE WANDERING MOLES—

SOMETHING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF (album)

Edd Donovan & The Wandering Moles' debut album, Something To Take

The Edge Off, was released in April 2014 on Paper Label Records.

Described by Folk Radio UK as, "Witty, thoughtful, thought-provoking and

blessed with a melodic touch," the album has received widespread airplay

and been released on both CD and vinyl to great acclaim.

LANTERNS—MOVING ON (single)

Lanterns play good, honest pop-punk the way Billy-Joe Armstrong first

intended. Taking cues from Millencolin and Blink 182, 'Moving On' is their

debut single and was released in September. Clocking in at less than 3

minutes long, the song is an up-beat tale of breaking up and...well,

moving on. It does exactly what it says on the tin.

LONGSTONE— RISAIKURU (album)

Longstone is an improv/electronic group from Cheltenham and 'Risaikuru' is a

musical interpretation of two photographs taken in Miyagi prefecture in

Japan in 2013. Each member of the group viewed and musically interpreted

the photographs independently, and the resulting recordings were then

collected together and recycled into a cohesive composition. It's not your

average release, but then Longstone aren't your average band.

BAD NEWS—SARASWATI (EP)

Bad News' debut EP 'Saraswati' is 4 tracks of indie-folk that might just be

the start of something. Self-released in October, the EP was launched at

the Frog & Fiddle in Cheltenham. The band's dreamy vocals and delicate

guitar sound has been taken to Birmingham, Oxford and London so far this

year and they have recently recorded a BBC Introducing session.

HOT FEET—MIST IS DUST (EP)

With echoes of delta blues and the pulsing rhythms of world music, Hot

Feet's 'Mist Is Dust' EP was launched in October at The Goods Shed in

Stroud. A nationwide tour with Cocos Lovers in the same month raised

the profile of the Stroud band who are shaking off their folk tag by

making music that both haunts and mesmerises at the same time.

THE GOING GOODS—HIP HOP ANONYMOUS

(single)

'Hip-Hop Anonymous' by The Going Goods is a beatbox driven, hip-

hop confessional. It is light-hearted and summery, perfect crowd

pleasing festival music. As a big fan of potato based snacks, any song

that name-checks Pringles and Wotsits deserves a nomination for an

end of year award in our book.

RELEASE OF THE YEAR

(sponsored by Cheltenham Flooring Services)

www.cheltenhamflooringservices.co.uk

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE SHORTLIST?

We had a few thoughts in mind and then we asked the great Gloucestershire music loving

public to suggest their ideas too via an online survey in the second week of November.

Hundreds of you put forward your opinions and we took most of them on board!

HOW CAN A BAND BE NOMINATED FOR ‘BAND OF THE

YEAR’ BUT NOT ‘ALBUM OF THE YEAR’ TOO?

We’ve given a maximum of one nomination per band/artist. We wanted to spread the

nominations around as much as possible and that seemed the best way to do it.

MY BAND DIDN’T MAKE ANY SHORTLIST. WHY THE HELL

NOT? I GOT ALL OF MY FRIENDS TO VOTE FOR US.

Because the awards would end up going to the people with the most persistent fans (and that

just isn’t our thing). Sorry you didn’t make the shortlist, but at least you know that you

have good friends who will do anything for you!

WILL THERE BE AN AWARDS CEREMONY?

Not this year. A few kind venues have offered to host one but we just don’t have time to

organise it properly at the moment. We’ve got full-time jobs to work, presents to wrap and

turkeys to stuff. And besides, we don’t want Chumbawumba turning up and throwing a

bucket of water over us.

SO WHAT NOW?

We’ll put our heads together, get some opinions of like-minded Gloucestershire music fans, and

make a decision on the winners. They’ll be announced in January’s issue of Behind The Scene

Gloucestershire.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED...

WILL THE WINNERS GET AN ACTUAL AWARD?

They sure will! Just a little token of our appreciation that they can put on their

mantelpiece, use as a doorstop or sell for scrap metal (whatever takes their fancy). The

winners of the ‘Band of the Year’ and ‘Solo Artist of the Year’ will also win a rehearsal slot

at Lansdown Studios in Cheltenham (who have kindly donated those prizes).

YOU’VE ONLY CHOSEN BANDS YOU LIKE.

Well, we wouldn’t choose bands we didn’t like would we? Thanks for your support!

A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

CHELTENHAM FLOORING SERVICES

www.cheltenhamflooringservices.co.uk

LANSDOWN STUDIOS

lansdownrehearsalstudios@gmail.com

Prior to his performance at the 2 Pigs in Cheltenham on Friday 21st

November, I caught up with Tom Spice to have a chat about how he

prepares for performances and some of his experiences playing live…

How do you decide what your setlist is going to be? I normally have a

rough idea of what songs I want to play but I’ll feed off the crowd and

change the set list around to suit the atmosphere. I have quite a big

repertoire that I can take songs from so I’ll try and fit it to the crowd.

Where do you like playing? I tend to play in pubs or in more intimate

venues. In pubs it can be tricky if there’s people that are just in there

for a drink and they don’t really expect you to be in the corner singing!

Or there might be a drunk heckler that requests ‘Wonderwall’! But it’s a

good experience. It’s different to a venue where it’s more professional

and people that attend are purposely there to watch music.

Do you still get nerves before a gig or are you used to it now? No! I still get nervous, all the time. If I didn’t

get nervous there would be something wrong!

Do you have a rider? I don’t, I just ask for a few pints! A pint tends to help with the nerves a little and it has

become part of my look now! It’s nice to go on stage with a drink.

TOM SPICE

TOM SPICE, POLARY BEAR, FREEFALL & ALL EARS AVOW

The night got off to a flying start when

Tom Spice stepped on to the stage to

kick off the night’s action. Playing a

range of covers, the crowd went wild for

a flamenco style rendition of ‘I Will

Survive’, followed by ‘King of The

Swingers’ (yes, that one from The

Jungle Book!) that even included a scat

solo.

Polary Bear kept the audience going,

their set of hard rock got rowdy and

the crowd ate it up. Mosh pits were

formed and crowd surfers were raised up

to the heavens. Or the roof at least. Both the throng before the stage and the band themselves were

unrestrained, as demonstrated in their lively antics.

Freefall maintained the energy, keeping the crowd singing along. They played their own brand of pop-punk and

covered Blondie’s ‘Maria’. Lead singer Elin Allan brought a powerful voice to the stage, and rocked the covers.

All Ears Avow were by far the loudest act on a bill of loud acts. The mosh pits were a grand affair, one reveller

even injuring themselves. Playing songs from their EP ‘Home’ and some new material, the headliners have

certainly established themselves as an enthralling live band. They ended on ‘Crazy Chris’, dedicated to one of the

members’ dads, rounding off what was an excellent night of local talent.

2 PIGS, CHELTENHAM 21ST NOVEMBER

www.facebook.com/tomspicemusic

Freefall

Our thanks go to Tone Radio from University of Gloucestershire for their

contributions. Tom Spice interview and 2 Pigs gig review by Hannah Barlow.

http://www.toneradio.co.uk/