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!

acoustic set and more

Our first acoustic gig for fifteen months was on Saturday, the clouds parted and the sun shone making it a glorious day, thanks to Whalley Range Festival for having us and thanks to so many people for turning out it was great to see you all. Sunday was an early start for a full-band photo-shoot with multiple locations, it was suitably grey and grisly weather for the central Manchester site and then on to Elizabeth Gaskell's House (massive thanks to them for allowing permission to use the interior of their fantastic building - which deserves to be far more widely known). We will put some pictures up as soon as we get them, until then a couple from Saturday:

Set List:
Love
The Wargame
Checkered Land
Seen It All Before
Day In Day Out

Relaxing in the shade after our set, we played as a duo for a change.

ici Paris; ici Manchester

Paul made his Speed Of Sound debut drumming at our gig with French Boutik on Saturday, the next two gigs are acoustic so he will miss out on those and we'll be back loud again at the end of July. Massive thanks to Gabriela, Serge, Jean-Marc and Zelda (Icky couldn't make the trip) for coming over from Paris and filling the evening with Parisian smoothness, thanks to the Kings Arms and thanks to the audience that made it extra special.        

Set List:
I See You Everywhere That I Go
The Changes
Checkered Land
Sit By The River
Maid Of The Grey
Seen It All Before
Only Everything
Day In Day Out
Chalk Circle
Love
Girl On The Roof
There's No One There
French Boutik played a full set including their cover of The Clash's City Of The Dead , and the Kings Arms managed to look like the TopOfThePops studio for the night.

June visitors

Paris chic comes to Manchester as the undeniably cool and classy French Boutik make their NW UK debut at 'What's The Alternative?...' on 19th June. Fresh from a tour of Germany and bound for Dublin, Paris, Russia and Canada this is a special treat for music lovers in and around Greater Manchester. Plus; its the debut gig for The Speed Of Sound's new drummer so once again everything changes, we like to evolve. And thanks to French Boutik's label for giving us another mention in their newsletter in the 'Niters, Gigs And Other Do's I'd Like To Go Or Hang Around' section:

A preview in the Manchester Evening News:

 http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/event/what-s-the-alternative-this-is-june-guest-artist-french-boutik/

more physical

We're in here now:

It is Rubber Soul Records in Stoke-on-Trent, they have stock of the 7" single, both cd-albums and out five-piece paisley badge set... as you can see the shop is worth a visit, this is just one corner of it. 
And have a chat with Rob while you're there. 
Rubber Soul Records 3 Hide Street Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1NF 
http://www.rubbersoulrecords.co.uk

We're also in:
Retro Mod & Rock Lounge 1a Wood Street Westhoughton Bolton BL5 3AE
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1606577942904327/?fref=nf
Thanks Kelvin & Connie!

Muse Music 8 Market Street Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire HX7 6AA
http://www.musemusicandlovecafe.co.uk
Thanks Sid!

Thomson & Co 63 Deardengate Rossendale Lancashire BB4 5SN
Thanks Mark!

Spivey's Web 85 Chestergate Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 6DG
Thanks Donna!

Vinyl revival 5 Hilton Street, Manchester M4 1LP
http://vinylrevivalmcr.com
Thanks Colin!

Piccadilly Records 53 Oldham Street Manchester M1 1JR
http://www.piccadillyrecords.com/prod/SpeedOfSound-GirlOnTheRoof-BERecords-98560.html
Thanks Everyone!

Independent shops supporting independent music - always appreciated

(& via the web in all the places you'd normally look)

Back on top

Sometimes charts are cool :

Its nice to be there again.
Much appreciated - Thanks!

two years on

Raoul took up the sticks two years since last playing with us at a happy reunion on Saturday. Les BOF! made the trip down from Edinburgh to be May's guest band and garaged it up in a superb set including classics Brand New Cadillac, Jezebelle and Leaving' Here as well as a big chunk of their album. Thanks to Kings Arms and to Richard for doing the sound again, trickier than normal as some one had made off with their mic stands and thanks to everyone that turned out to a spectacular night.

set list:
Glide On By
The Wargame
Checkered Land
I Can't Say
Sit By The River
Uhrwerk
Love
Maid Of The Grey
Chalk Circle
Girl On The Roof
There's No One There

Les BOF! whipped everyone up beyond a frenzy - fantastic.