Fringe

It was a splendid at Ruby Lounge on Saturday, thanks to Greater Manchester Fringe Festival and everyone that turned out to witness Stuart's first outing in our drum chair and Lucy playing three gigs in one night plus terrific sets from the lovely French Boutik and the superb Kite Collectors

Set list:
Girl On The Roof
I'm Real
The Moment Is Now
Seen It All Before
Tomorrow's World
Karin B
Crash
Little Miss Restless
Love
Shut All The Clubs
I Don't Want Your Attentions

 

back to the Fringe

Our second Greater Manchester Fringe gig of July had Millie Manders (between Tramlines on Friday and Blackthorn Festival on Sunday) and The See No Evils (two days after supporting The Sonics) and our second gig with new drummer Paul. Thanks to Fringe (and to the Kings Arms) as it draws to a close for another year.

set list:
Uhrwerk
Checkered Land
Sit By The River
I Can't Say
Girl On The Roof
Maid Of The Grey
Love
Day In Day Out
Seen It All Before
There's No One There


The See No Evils:

Millie Manders:

Next? Chris Pope on 15 August

What is What's The Alternative?

Its physical and its out there in the real world, the fixtures for the next six months poster has the full listing 'What's The Alternative?... THIS IS!' is a regular live music event hosted by The Speed Of Sound with an array of top quality hand picked visiting artists also playing. Next there's another Greater Manchester Fringe gig coming up, an electric triple bill, followed by Chris Pope playing his first Manchester/Salford gig for 35 years, a solo performance ahead of Chords UK... with another six before the end of the year. Its Quality, quantity, energy and all totally non-mainstream... What's The Alternative? THIS IS!

Day In Day Out live acoustic version

A bit of video from 'What's The Alternative?...' IndependenTs Day: this is the acoustic version of Day In Day Out, it was strange loading the car up with so little stuff for this gig, no effects, no amps a refreshing change and change is what keeps music live. 
Day In Day Out was written in 1988 and is from the first album The Speed Of Sound At Tree Level.

IndependenTs Day at the Fringe

It was a hot night at Kings Arms on stage and off at IndependenTs Day; the "What's The Alternative?..." acoustic special for Greater Manchester Fringe, ending with a grand finale of everyone singing Sympathy For The Devil in a completely unrehearsed and spontaneous closing shot.

The Speed Of Sound opened proceedings with an acoustic drum-less set

Love,
The Wargame,
Seen It All Before,
Day In Day Out
and
returned three hours later for the finale.

Troy Fridge played his first Manchester gig for 25 years and delighted with his beautifully quirky Diana's Kiss about building a time machine to visit Diana Rigg in 1966 and Wishing Boy... a song so memorable that it reminded Jason Edge he'd seen Troy at The Witchwood in 1989

and a rare treat as Rob Coleman was coaxed out of his reclusive-ness to play 
Luke Gallagher performed songs from his forthcoming EP as well as starting his set with the highly appropriate choice of Heatwave followed by Richie Syrett's remarkable blend of Anglicania 

 

Una Baines and her current band Poppycock gave a completely eclectic set ranging from flute driven incense powered floating gossamer lightness to jungle rhythm fuzz drenched menace.

 

Jason Edge of The Electric Stars did a solo set (partly accompanied by Louise Turner on backing vocals) giving an airing to new songs from the as yet unreleased second album as well as stripped away versions of Stoned Again and Isolation from the first.

Turner performed her own set with just piano accompaniment including new songs from her imminent debut album before the grand finale closed the night. Spectacular. A whole festival packed into one evening. And certainly in the words of The Electric Stars it was Beautiful Music For Beautiful People.

 
If you missed the acoustic special the electric Triple Bill is 25th July also at the Kings Arms.

Alternative Poster

Greater Manchester Fringe opens today and runs throughout July, its in its 4th year and goes from strength to strength, we've got two shows this year - Saturday (4th) sees IndepentenTs Day three hours of acoustic independent music with a twist... Turner will be playing songs from her debut album still being recorded, Jason Edge will be playing songs from The Electric Stars forthcoming 2nd album, Poppycock (Una Baines founder member of The Fall), Death To The Strange (fresh from their headline gig at The Ritz), Richie Syrett, Luke Gallagher, Paul Coonium, Rob Coleman and Troy Fridge and DJ Kaiser Matt all join us in a one day indoor festival of IndependenTs. Doors are at 7pm ands we will start at 7pm, at Pub Of The Year winner the Kings Arms.

 

We thought you'd like a look at The Guitar Poster which owes a debt to Man Ray; as does any picture with an f-hole and a curve and was the original design, we went with the superb picture of Turner (taken by Shay Rowan at a previous 'What's The Alternative?...') because it says exactly what the gig is about.

25th July has a return visit from Millie Manders, she played a solo set at the very first 'What's The Alternative?...' at Greater Manchester Fringe last year, this time she's bringing her whole band and her ability to hold an audience with her high energy ska-punk is quite something to behold, this will be really special. But there is more! We also have The See No Evils garage punk from Heavy Soul Records and The Speed Of Sound back to the normal electrified line up making it a triple bill of Fringe-worthy proportions, another three hour epic with each band playing a full set, doors at 7pm on at 7pm.
Long Live Fringe!

What's The Alternative

Live with Greater Manchester Fringe at The Kings Arms Salford, 27 July 2014

Set List:

Girl On The Roof
Maid Of The Grey
I See You Everywhere That I Go
I Can't Say
Love
Checkered Land
Only Everything
Chalk Circle
Sit By The River
There's No One There

It was pretty hot, I couldn't read the set list because my eyes were full of sweat, we missed out Checkered Land and did it out of sequence at the end instead. Felt good though. I've not seen a picture with Pete in yet but you can see his knee and elbow in this one.

The Repeat Offenders high octane delivery and their third gig in thirty hours having played Pretty Green and Liverpool Calling the day before.


Millie Manders perfect pop a real entertainer, give her a crowd and she will make them hers. Her first gig in Manchester for a year and endured a five hour journey to do it.


The Getsettes great harmonies with a 60's vibe, it was going to be an acoustic set anyway, but became a duet when their bass player got food poisoning the day before. Craig on the right is normally their drummer.

Anticipation

We should have had The Swiines as well  but their travel plans got scuppered at the last moment and they couldn't get over from Nottingham. Another time.

Rock And Roll Lounge DJ'd before and after the sets, superb venue Thanks Fringe and Thanks Kings Arms.

Waiting to get in and set up.
Very un-Salford weather, Lowry never painted it like that, but it is just across the river from famously sunny Manchester.

Video trailer

57 seconds trailer for What's The Alternative... Greater Manchester Fringe on Sunday 27 July 2014.
Watch it here
UPDATE:
GMFringe rules mean it has to be ticketed and charged so its now £1 entry not free as per the video - pay on the door

two for the diary

Up-coming gigs:
27 July The Kings Arms Salford
An all dayer (and part of Greater Manchester Fringe)
What's the Alternative...

We have a fantastic line up:
The Getsettes from Blackpool

Four piece. 60's influenced. Rhythhm and Blues. 

Have a listen on Soundcloud here


Millie Manders from London

Millie is as off the wall off the stage as she is on it. A bubbly and bright singer songwriter from South London who writes punchy, punky, bouncy rock pop songs that get you on your feet and moving. Scratch the surface though and lyrically her tough upbringing and life experiences can be felt too.

Her website is here

The Repeat Offenders from Ayelsbury

They're The Stone Roses meet The Rolling Stones with an Oasis attitude with Richard Ashcroft vibe to even things out. Their website is here.

The Speed Of Sound from Manchester (yes, that's us)

Music vs The World said we are "a merger between Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones and Lou Reed."
You can read the whole piece here if you like.

The Swiines from Nottingham

The Swiines with two 'i's, no decriptions, just let the music speak - seat-belt fastening is advised.

Their website is here

And
The excellent Rock And Roll Lounge DJs will be providing the music before, between, and after the bands

You can get a taster of what might get spun from their sets on Mixcloud here
DJ-ig starts at 2pm bands on from 5pm

As you can see this is going to be quite a day.



and
14th September
We're playing Scootfest at Haslingden Cricket Ground with The Rics, The Getsettes and The Polite Society Rossendale 60's Festival. Their blog is here.