Bank Holiday Weekend

The last bank holiday weekend is upon us before that really shit one at the end of the year. One last chance to let loose, over indulge and enjoy a work free weekend whilst the sun is shining. But balls to that, I ain't in no mood for party music. If your not either, get on the track below. Even if you are partying and enjoying yourself like a 'normal' human being is supposed to be; save it for another time. I can assure you, you will need it at some point.

Devil Rides

David Dondero

It's that time of year again when gigs and tours are getting announced left, right and centre and you are faced with a dillemma of what to go and when. I'm hopefully (wallet pending) off to a plethora of them over the coming months. I'll hope to keep you posted. Last night I was fortunate to catch David Dondero at Dulcimer in Chorlton, Manchester. No real expense spared here as it was only 3 quid. A pint is comfortably more than that in there, and most places I find myself boozing in. First heard of Dondero supporting David Bazan at the Night and Day, Manchester only a couple of years ago. This guy's actually been around for a good while with an extensive back catalog. I absolutely love his last album Simple Love so it was with no hesitation (well, I'm sure a few pints swayed it) I purchased his new album #Zero With a Bullet and from what I heard last night and so far today it continues his world weary stories from the road which always reflect a time and a place to great effect. He even threw a Wille Nelson cover in last night, I'd wish I knew what it was. You can preview the title track below. The album is out pretty soon.

#Zero With A Bullet

David Dondero + Desaparecidos - "Building The New Berlin Wall"

Bonus video. A highlight from last night. Unfortunately Conor Oberst and his friends weren't there to support.

David Bazan-Will You Still Love Me in December

David Bazan covering Julie Dorion. I really can't decide if this or the original is better. I caught Bazan in Leeds in February at a great little venue called Nation of Shopkeepers. Definitely stopping there for a pint next time I'm over the Pennines. The original is below.

Will You Still Love Me in December

The Walkmen

Very excited about The Walkmen's new album Lisbon which is being released this autumn. Was fortunate to catch them at All Tomorrow's Parties a few months back and they didn't disappoint. Their new track 'Stranded' has been made available to download off their website but you can also get it below together with a track more people need to hear. 'In the New Year' off their last album You and Me is amazing. How it took me more than a year to track down this album down and particular this song is beyond me. I was probably listening to too much house.

The Walkmen-Stranded

The Walkmen-In the New Year

MixyMcMixyson by NicholasGirls

MixyMcMixyson by NicholasGirls

It's my pleasure to share this 1st ever mix from NicholasGirls. Includes hidden classic 80s disco and funk jams coupled with some excellent newer tracks from the likes of Aeroplane, Azari & III and Lindstrom. Hopefully it's the 1st of many.

Norway

With a first visit to Scandinavia pending, (well its ages away but anything to take the thought of six weeks of work before I actually go helps) I thought I'd share two great tracks from the 'Norweigan Disco Vikings' of Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas and Marius Våreid. Enjoy. 

Lindstrom & Prins Thomas-Mighty Girl

Marius Varied- Vallefaret 

Guess what's back

Hulme, Manchester

I was fortunate to be made aware of a program on Radio 4 over the last week. The show was the archive hour and it covered the area Hulme which lies on the outskirts of Manchester City Centre. It is centered round The Crescents, a streets built on streets housing estate which you can see above. It may remind you of Park Hill in Sheffield, where all the buildings were linked hoping to create a 'streets in the sky' effect. The buildings were all linked and were an attempt to recreate the community atmosphere that had been lost. There is an interesting documentary from last year on the Sheffield project and the plans to modernise the estate ( Romancing the Stone) which has now been taken over by those 'not bad one minute/bloody horrendous the next' developers Urban Splash. The Crescents was built to revitalise the area and move away from the terraced slums of the post second World War decades. Didn't happen. Instead it sunk into a slum which was often lawless with the police too scared to enter. However the place also became a base for budding artists, musicians and political activism.

The show is presented by Mark Kermode (the film buff off the BBC with a dodgy barnet) who used to live on Otterburn Close apparently in the late 80s and early 90s. The show is only available till Saturday so...
GET LISTENING.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00t834y/The_Archive_Hour_The_Peoples_Republic_of_Hulme/

Hulme today. Pictured below is the Life Buildings Apartment complex close to Asda and 'Hulme High Street'. Unrecogniseable to the place I used to go past on the bus as a kid!

For some great pictures of old hulme check out a website called exhulme

Bill Callahan