Tag: Sonic Youth

Preston Venue 41 New Continental – Part 3

Another considerable component contributing to the New Continental’s continuing rebirth was the building of the Preston Guild Wheel in 2012 which runs right past the pub. One of the Preston’s finest ever inventions, the Wheel is a 21-mile dual cycle and walking route around the city, with perhaps 15 miles of it on off-road tracks and river pathways, though its introduction didn’t save another riverside pub the Shaws Arms from going bust.

Me and my pal Steve Banister used to regularly cycle the route after work in the summer before retiring for a well-deserved refreshment in our usual seats in the Conty. The issue that then presented itself was that I had to cycle home and there were some vicious little hills contained within that three-mile journey! My personal best for completion was 1 hour 34 minutes achieved when I was cycling regularly and I have once walked the Wheel in its entirety, a trek of around seven hours.

In August 2013, Wire visited the venue. Formed in London in 1976, they have been cited as hugely influential of subsequent heavyweight acts Big Black, Minutemen and Sonic Youth. In my view, they produced intelligent complex music, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.  

Wire. Image Credit beardedgentlemenmusic.com

Six months later I saw the female fronted art punk band from Amsterdam called Labasheeda, they were supported by India Mill, an interesting band from the local town of Darwen.

In March 2015, I had my first experience of the remarkable Lovely Eggs, the slightly demented two piece from Lancaster. I had previously seen Holly Ross at the Adelphi in Preston when she was in a band called Angelica. It was a very sparse crowd in comparison to them now playing Manchester Apollo. They were quirky and terrific fun; my personal highlight was ‘Have You Ever Heard a Digital Accordion?’ which also has the accolade of having ‘Beef Bourguignon’ as a rhyming couplet! They were supported by Zvilnik.

There was a novel event in February 2017 that piqued Gill and mine’s interest by showcasing an 80’s indie triple bill. First up were The Suncharms from Sheffield who were formed in 1989, recorded a couple of EP’s and undertook the obligatory Peel session before disbanded in 1993. They reformed in 2016 before finally after a very extended gestation period released their debut album in 2021.  

The Suncharms. Image Credit wordpress.com

The middle act was The Chesterf!elds, formed in 1984 in Yeovil. Their debut vinyl release was a joint flexi disc with legendary and much missed Shop Assistants, by heck even just the mention of a flexi disc takes me back! Their members had interplay with bands of that era such as Loft and Blue Aeroplanes. They split in 1989 but were reformed in 2014 following a comeback set at a C86 event at the 92 Club in London. They remain active and have recently issued a new album and played the Talleyrand down the road from me in Levenshulme recently, but I wasn’t available to attend.

The third band was the Orchids, who sprung up from Glasgow in 1985 and their early recordings were on the famous Sarah Records based in Bristol. The label was primarily a C-86 hotbed with other like-minded artists Field Mice and Sunny Day in Glasgow being on their roster. Despite a brief hiatus at the end of the 90’s they remain in play and have recorded new material this year. It was a fine night of indie jingle-jangle with my personal favourite being the Suncharms.  

Later that year I saw a double bill containing White Hills who are a psych rock band from New York, I had seen them before but didn’t enjoy their set as much on this occasion. Also on the bill were a band called Cavalier Song. It was a chaotic end to the night involving cancelled taxis resulting in an absolute soaking when we had to trog back into town through the park.

Since the move to Manchester, I was unsure whether I would have an opportunity to attend the Conty again, but a slot opened in November 22. The previous night to my attendance the noisy monkeys Part Chimp played there who I had seen supporting Mogwai at Amsterdam Melkweg nineteen years earlier.   

On the day of the gig, I watched PNE lose 4-2 to Millwall prior to a chippy tea and a couple of beers before heading down to the venue. It was a punk event and I saw a few old stalwarts down there. On the bill were the P45’s from Blackpool, Preston’s Pike, and the headliners 999 from London with their most famous track ‘Homicide’.   

This unexpected attendance allowed me to reach another random stat landmark. It ensured the Conty became the 20th venue where I have attended at least 10 gigs, with Deaf Institute scheduled to become the 21st venue next year meeting this accolade.  

Manchester Venue 68 and 69 Gullivers NQ – Part 2

I have encountered many free bonus gigs at Gullivers NQ when visiting before and after attending another scheduled gig in the local area, it is also a useful ten-minute easy jaunt from Manchester Piccadilly station for the trains to and from home.

Upstairs via some cramped stairs leads you to Gullivers NQ Ballroom with a capacity of 110.  It is a windowless room with a raised stage at the end and can be very warm and a tad claustrophobic when busy. When less populated a gap on the side walls can be located to lean and sway upon.  I have attended fourteen gigs there in total.

My first visit prior to a gig at the Ruby Lounge on 21/10/10 was to see a local band called Blackjack Boys. Eighteen months later I witnessed Manchester trio the Onions who were in the Talking Heads mould, they garnered some attention in the following couple of years with a suite of 6 music sessions.

I visited three times in 2014, the initial one to watch Young Mountains, a six-piece post-rock band from Atlanta, Georgia who I surmise were named after their compatriots This Will Destroy You’s debut album.

Young Mountains. Image Credit listenherereviews.com

The second was a slightly anomalous one as it was the only time, I have paid for a singular gig there and not as part of a festival. The band in question was History of Apple Pie from London, a shoegaze act in the vein of Pains of Being Pure at Heart who I had seen previously at Salford Arms. They weren’t quite as good as that debut performance as the sound was a bit muddy prior to asking the audience ‘do we need to turn our guitars up?’ which received categoric assent from myself.    

History of Apple Pie. Image Credit NME

The final piece of that trilogy was Walton Hesse, another Manchester band who produced a fine slice of Americana with pleasing harmonies, reminding me of a country version of Nada Surf. Next on the roster was a double bill of London three-piece Mayors of Miyzaki and Personal Best, a punk band from Bristol. The latter acts initial line up having future members of Attack! Vipers! and Caves in their ranks.

At the 2016 edition of the Dot-to-Dot festival I saw the mod band Pleasure Beach, somewhat appropriately deriving from Blackpool formed by two schoolmates from Carr Hill High School in Kirkham. That school bizarrely being the first team we played at football when I was goalkeeper in the fifth year for Cuthbert Mayne High School in Preston.

Next on the list was a post-hardcore band from Leeds called Unwave, who were a very bracing challenging listen. At the tail end of 2017 another Leeds act called Mush were in town, they had an enjoyable off-kilter sound reminiscent of alt-rock luminaries such as Sonic Youth and Pavement. The band are currently about to go on a British tour.

Continuing the Yorkshire theme at the 2018 Dot-to-Dot I saw KAWALA who met originally whilst studying in Leeds but now reside in London, they were a tad limp for my tastes. Later that year I see roots singer Debra Ohalete who had African influences within her music.

Next on the Gullivers roster was Brighton based folk singer Bess Atwell. She was prolific from a tender age and started writing her own songs at the age of thirteen. My penultimate attendance there was to witness local post-punk four-piece Springfield Elementary. They reminded me a little of Stump of C86 fame.

My only post-covid visit thus far in April 22 was at the Fair Play Northern Quarter festival to see YAANG. Originally a Manchester duo called YANG they added a third member Ben White, previously of Working Mens Club during lockdown resulting in adding an extra A to their name. They were difficult to quantify but perhaps an apt description might be an electro doomy Joy Division, am I selling them well?