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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Artwork Folder 2





Friday, November 18, 2011

Street Art in Germany - October / November 2011

The Dead Class' Tony Tortoise has an eye for street art. These were taken at a variety of locations across Germany in Cologne, Limburg, Erfurt and Schwerte.



























All photographs taken by Tony Tortoise tonyondrums@yahoo.co.uk
see more at antipoprecords.tumblr.com

Friday, September 9, 2011

Playing with touring bands

Playing with touring bands - 1stDraft

Just thinking about this from a band's POV - when and when not to play with touring bands. Probably a few important points I missed off. Pleas email me if you have additional ideas. ajj2008@gmail.com

Nobody wants Liverpool to be closed off to touring bands. We always complain about travelling to Manchester to see big shows and at the same time our bands and fans are not just here to provide fans to bands who pass through.

Benefits to bands - new contacts outside the city. Touring bands can take your CD, your T-shirt, sticker and best of all word of mouth "they were quality!" on tour with them. Keeping in touch has never been easier and the world is a smaller place with the internet. Swap contact details.

Example: Supporting Metallica at the O2 Academy or Echo Arena. Unless you are lucky or know who to speak to you won't meet the band, you won't meet their staff, their booker, manager, roadies. What good will it do you? Reputation - "we supported Metallica." Fair enough. New fans? Were there many people in when you played? PRS, have you got your live royalties in place to collect on big shows? If not, why not? PRS pays on number of tickets sales, so even if yo play before everybody arrives you still get paid. PRS WEBSITE

Supporting so-and-so on so-and-so label. Have you heard of the band? Check them out. How many fans online? Good website? Are the tour dates listed online? Are they promoting the tour well as a band?

Who is booking this show? Promoter, agent, manager, band member? Who asked you to play? Are you speaking with the band direct? How did 'they' find you? Why are you being asked in the first place? Usually it's because you can sell some tickets or because your sound is fitting. Which is it? What is the deal? Is it fair? Have YOU contacted the headline/touring band in advance of the gig? Is the touring band aware they are playing with your band? Do they respond? Do they like your band? Do their fans know there is a local support band?

Gigging is about networking and building relationships between bands. In essence by supporting a band in your own town you are doing them a favour. How is that favour repaid? Are you being paid properly? Where is the ticket money going? Is it paying for the touring band travel costs? Are you getting better and better shows from the promoter? Relationships with promoters are as important and band-band relationships. Does the touring band have support (management, street team, merchandise sellers)? Have you exchanged emails? Will you get another gig from that band in their home town? Will they pass you some promoters details? Will you agree to exchange CDs and pass onto people?

All this can only work if you are courteous and fitting musically. If your band is rock and the headline band is dance, is there a connection? If your band likes to stay in the dressing room, alone, all night is there a connection? Is your band partying so hard you don't even notice who is who, is there a connection? Is your band willing to share and discuss equipment share, rider share, dressing room share? Music aside, this is what makes good bands. Being decent people.

ajj2008@gmail.com

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Mathew Street Fringe Festival - PICK OF THE BEST

If you regularly enjoy the annual Mathew Street Festival, you probably like having a good street party, spending time with the family and a good laugh in the city. Chances are then it's not 'all about the music'. Statistically the majority of people watch tribute bands because the majority of outdoor stages are tribute bands exclusively. Alright for some...

The Fringe Festival takes place in the wide range of gig venues. If this year you want to use your bank holiday to have a good time AND discover some new music here is a choice selection of some hidden gems.


















Friday

The Planet Boat
The Strand, Dock Road

Most will still be at work at 5pm on Friday but this is when the Fringe kicks off. The Planet - the red ship situated on The Strand (opposite Chavasse Park) will host an outdoor stage with some of the best alt-rock bands from Liverpool. Apple Cannon, Liverpool's answer to DFA 1979 will blast the night away as they headline the stage. Leading up this are the most humorously named Organ Freeman, Elmo and the Styx and Super Fast Girlie Show. A wild sea-faring adventure and some of Liverpool's biggest bands on the underground circuit in one of the most unique settings at this year's Fringe Festival.

Krazyhouse
Wood Street

After the boat party over on Wood Street, the Krazyhouse plays host to another great Liverpool band Super Cannes. Another free entry show that fans of dark rock music will enjoy in the city's largest rock music club. 10pm.


















Saturday

Barcelona Bar
Renshaw Street

Grand Central, one of the city's finest locales, home to Barcelona Bar, hosts a range of live acoustic music throughout the day. One of the most unique venues in this year's Fringe Festival sees the lavish setting of Barcelona Bar host a range of upcoming musicians and singers take to the intimate stage to perform, many for the first time at the Fringe Festival. The night culminates in an enormous performance from touring band Kerbgrynder, who will rock the foundations of the Grand Central building.

Leaf Tea Cafe
Bold Street

For those more appreciative of instrumental soundscapes, fantastic rhythms and contemporary techniques in sound and beauty. Newpath is a brand new movement started in Liverpool that is rapidly making a name for itself as a showcase platform for UK and international artists. Newpath host a three-day festival within the Fringe Festival that starts on Saturday at Leaf Tea Shop. Saturday's line up sees Japanese artists along with founders and curators of Newpath, MinionTV. The Liverpool quintet that define instrumental post-rock soundscapes. They are currently working on the follow up to the 2010 debut whilst producing a live movie soundtrack.

















Sunday

Barcelona Bar
Renshaw Street

Folk music is the order of the day. Starting with Freda & the High Tides, the band that puts smiles on faces with sublime ease. Quartermaster are the rock and roll throwbacks to the 1960s. Chuck Berry . Fabulous talents of David Harbottle, Jessica West and The Late Poets.


Mello Mello
Slater Street

The second night of the Newpath Festival sees the event move to Mello Mello with a huge line-up that kicks off in the early evening with a wide range of post-rock artists from around the UK. Headlined by MinionTV, they bring friends from around the city We Came Out Like Tigers, with a few special treats from the UK's blossoming scene such as Nottingham's Alright The Captain.

Krazyhose
Wood Street

For punks, this show is a must. A stand-out show among the hordes of Beatles covers acts, an original and legendary punk band Vice Squad play what is sure to be a packed out club show with hefty local line-up of local support. The Vermin Suicides, BiteBack, The Watsers and In Evil Hour all join this bill alongside Punchdrunx. Doors open at 8pm for this show and a 5am bar means this is the after-party for Sunday Bank Holiday.


















Monday

Mello Mello
Slater Street

The grand finale of the Newpath Festival culminates on Monday with a last chance to grab a copy of the Newpath compilation CD. Expect visuals and performances from A Time For Burning, experimental post rock quartet.

Barcelona Bar
Renshaw Street

The Core presents an enormous line-up of heavyweight guitar bands. Hardcore, metal, thrash and heavy rock is the order here, with Hereford's Cowards headlining a showcase of North West bands. Barcelona Bar shows it's versatility as a venue as this line-up contrasts the Sunday line-up.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

#4gigsin4days

#4gigsin4days - url www.twitter.com/antipopuk - THE BIG 4 this week - Alternative music. Underground sounds from the city. Let it blow your mind!

As the big Summer for music approaches and festival like The Hub and Soundcity will be on the tip of every music lovers tongue, let's have a look at a normal week in Liverpool music as we decide that it doesn't take a whole lot of looking to find great music everywhere in Liverpool - at any time.




Wednesday 6th - #Day 1 - OCEANIS - SICK CIRCUS - ARKHAM KARVERS
Mish Mish @ Envi
The concert square nightspot hosts one of the loudest and heaviest bands in Liverpool OCEANIS. 80s thrash rock/metal Whitesnake, et al. SICK CIRCUS will blow you away! And ARKHAM KARVERS on tour from Sheffield open the night. FREE ENTRY and £2 a pint. The cheapest Wednesday night to get your fill of music. And the Envi soundsystem is awesome too!

Facebook event page for stage times: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100755743343250



Thursday 7th - #Day 2 - SMILE AND BURN, THE WASTERS, CHIEF, THE LEES
YAM YAM Promotions presents @ Bumper. Regulars CHIEF, tourers SMILE AND BURN, the ever awesome THE LEES. A low cost gig in a vast venue with a good portable soundsystem. Awesome drinks and quality punk shizzle all night!

Facebook event for times: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191928864161423


Friday 8th - Day 3 - THE VERMIN SUICIDES + BITEBACK
The most fun loving band of semi-hardened wannabe criminals in Liverpool. The Vermin Suicides host their range of dub to punk to classic rock to funk. With a sure to be buzzing performance in the newly reopened and lavish surroundings of Barcelona Bar, Renshaw Street. FREE ENTRY! Doors at 8pm Bands start around 9pm. Support = Biteback (feat: members of Instant Agony)

Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=207882279222986





Saturday 9th - Day 4 - ENTROPY, SCARE TACTICS, SPIRES, GODS OF WAR, SCLAVINIA
METAL ASSAULT @ ZANZIBAR Money left and still not a sore neck? Entropy hosts an awesome Saturday night Metal line up of the finest bands in the Liverpool sphere of underground metal music. Definitely worth visiting.

Facebook event for links: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=178738365503408

Liverpool in four days and we really missed out some quality gigs there too. So here's a mention for the Tsunami Relief gig on Friday at Leaf Tea, Bold Street. Hopefully close to all our hearts. We donated some prizes to the raffle/auction for the night. You can help by paying to get in and entering the raffle and catch post-rock sensationalists MinionTV on stage there too.

Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=203086319719063

And even if you don't see any of these shows you will surely see SOME good music because you are in Liverpool! And if you're not, you should be!

www.antipoprecords.co.uk

Saturday, April 2, 2011

ARTWORK FOLDER

Recent Antipop Artwork. Need a poster for your gig? http://www.antipoprecords.co.uk - info@antipoprecords.co.uk