Playlist: 10 Best Winter Gigs In Liverpool
Silver Apples, John Grant, Flyte, Method Man… Heather Garner rounds up the best, critically-acclaimed live music gracing Liverpool’s venues this Winter…
Out with the shorts and T-shirts, in with the scarves and woolly hats: winter’s kicking ass, but that’s no reason be gloomy. A quick look at the listings rewards with a fantastic line-up of gigs to see you through to next year: introducing new signings and discoveries, plus getting reacquainted with a few old — boundary-pushing — friends.
First up: East Village Arts Club with Burberry model-turned folk artist Marika Hackman tomorrow night (06/11). Touring the UK this winter in support of her Deaf Heat EP (produced with Alt-J’s Charlie Andrews), this songstress’ compositions have been described as ‘unfurling folktronica intensity with sublime vocals and enchanting guitar noises’ (Line of Best Fit) – sounds like a good appetiser to us!
If that’s got you in the mood, you don’t have to wait long – The Guardian’s New Band of the Week, Flyte, land at Shipping Forecast the following night (07/11) with their own brand of jerky pop riffs and upbeat melodies. Touring their current EP, We Are the Rain (exceedingly apt for this time of year), we predict they’ll continue on an upward trajectory. This is the perfect chance to get an early look in before they really take off.
Continuing with the Shipping Forecast and another Guardian New Band of the Week, Ballet School (13/11) showcase their mystically-titled debut album, The Dew Lasts an Hour, in a typically ’80s/alt pop manner. But there’s no room for nostalgia here; signed to the always excellent, ever-experimental Bella Union label, the Berlin-based trio have declared their love of laptop pop but state: “it’s vital that people witness our energy, that punk lust, when we play live”. So, what are you waiting for?
Next stop: Camp and Furnace and the electronic ambience of Tim Hecker (19/11). Atmospheric, haunting, otherworldly, moving, powerful, intelligent – these are the words that spring to mind when describing Hecker’s expansive soundscapes. As Pitchfork rightly claims: ‘This is music that benefits from being heard loud’. We’d venture one step further and say: this is music that benefits from being heard live.
Liverpool can continue to be proud of its talent development, courtesy of Circa Waves (20/11). Fresh from supporting The Libertines on tour (not bad for a band that only formed last year, right?), their fast paced, rabble-rousing indie anthems have garnered a lot of support from their recent festival travels. We’re sure they’re set to get the same warm welcome on their home turf at the Kazimier.
Just two days later, ex-Czars frontman John Grant (22/11) returns to Liverpool a year after the release of his critically-acclaimed album, Pale Green Ghosts, to make his Philharmonic Hall debut. He’s bringing with him the musical might of the Royal Northern Sinfonia; expect to bear witness to a night of re-worked and reimagined classics from Grant’s extensive back catalogue.
Longevity is hard to cling onto, in the tempestuous waters of the music industry, but New York’s Silver Apples (02/12) have ridden the waves with style, and are now gracing The Kazimier to kick off a jam-packed December. A far cry from their early days of jamming with Jimi Hendrix, founder and sole remaining member Simeon Coxe III is still pushing the boundaries of experimental electronica. With the likes of John Lennon, Beck, The Beastie Boys and Portishead as noted admirers of the Silver Apples’ sound, you needn’t expect anything less than the best.
Once you’ve caught your breath, Scotland’s Neon Waltz (12/12) will be there to pick up the pace with their energized, indie-psych rock offer at the Shipping Forecast. With a nod from Noel Gallagher on his Autumn Spotify list, it’s a safe bet Neon Waltz will provide a belter night of r’n’r. We’ll see you in front row!
Six years after leaving The Coral, Bill Ryder-Jones (13/12) is certainly not resting on his laurels. Signed to Domino Records, and already having a handful of film scores, two acclaimed albums and collaborations (with the likes of Graham Coxon and Alex Turner) under his belt, he’s not about to slow down now. Gearing up for the release of his third as yet untitled studio album next year, Ryder-Jones is joined by Saint Saviour on a nine-date tour that rounds up at the Kazimier.
You may have noticed thus far, we’ve definitely got the indie, electronic and ambient covered; so here’s some first class hip hop (why not?) to wrap up our Winter Playlist. Who better to provide an injection of lyrical gymnastics than Wu Tang Clan’s Method Man at the O2 Academy (14/12). To echo the intro to I Get My Thang in Action — there’s not many who can match up with him.
So, still reluctant to leave the duvet and PJs behind? We didn’t think so!
Heather Garner
