MUSIC LIST
HIP HURRAH!
The time could at last he ripe torthe last or Kitchenware's trio of bands to take on. Following hot on the heels of Pretab Sprout (with whom they‘ve been touring lorthe last year) and Martin Stephenson and The Daintees, Hurrah! look like they may be about to reap the rewards ot the deal they signed at the tender age at 17when they were still called The Green Eyed Children. Music fans in Central Scotland will be able to decide for themselves when Hurrah! support Felt at Glasgow’s Fury Murrys on Thursday 29 and then headline their own Edinburgh gig in The Venue on Monday 2 February.
Hurrah!, based around the core ot Paul Hanyside and David Hughes, were on the verge of packing it in a few _ months ago, but have wisely decided to give the old rock machine another kick and released It Love Could Kill, a 45rpm slab of guitar-based rock, with more than a hint that these boys have the knack of writing pop singles. Where Iabelmates Pretab Sprout used to go to awkward-sounding extremes to avoid the expected chord, note or middle
eight, Hurrah! embrace the conventions of their style and, at the start or '87, the way looks clear tor them to develop into a mainstream act. The picture at the twosome on the cover or the new single, two pals in leather jackets, and the omnipresent exclamation mark after their name are
. K x ‘
disconcertineg reminiscent of early Whaml, in tact, though it this was intentional remains to be seen.
For interested parties, their previous tour singles can be round on the Kitchenware compilation LP boxed: Long Shot Pomes From Broke Players. Whateverthat means. (Mab)
commercial pop band, formerly known as Doppelganger, now signed to Virgin‘s 10 Records and with a catchy single out. ,
o The Brilliant Corners The Onion Cellar. The Mission. Victoria Street. 9.30pm. Crazed indie-type group with shades of R&B. rockabilly.
0 Billy Jones Preservation Hall, Victoria Street. 9pm. Free. Pop/folk.
0 Double Trouble Canny Man‘s. Morningside Road. 9pm. Free. Two-piece. with a Dylan/Claptonish feel.
TUESDAY 27 Edinburgh
0 The Bhundu Boys The Venue. Calton Road. 10pm. See Sat 24. 0 Cry Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 9pm. Free.
0 Eat the Peach The Cavern. Cowgate.
WEDNESDAY 28 Glasgow
0 Heaven Sent Fixx Bar. Miller Street (to be confirmed). 10.30pm. Free. Intriguing local band. who have nothing to do with Paul Haig or ‘Rhythm of Lifc' and are more interested in playing on some folksy roots.
Edinburgh
0 FeltThe Venue. Calton Road. 10pm. Critically-acclaimed indie band. now on Creation Records. with a restrained. fairly thoughtful brand of guitar music. Amazing that singer/guitarist Lawrence has been persuaded to venture this far out of his flat. This might never happen again.
0 Loo Acka Bop Boston Bean Co. St James Centre. 9pm. Free. Since no one has written in to correct the spelling. that‘s how it's staying. . . 0 Billy Jones Canny Man‘s. Morningside Road. 8.30pm. Free.
Pop/folk. O Stjak The Cavern. Cowgate.
THURSDAY 29
Glasgow
0 Felt/Hurrah Fury Murrys, Maxwell Street. 10.30pm. £3. Running order to be decided on the night. Possibly one ofthe best double billings of indie bands on offer in Glasgow for some considerable length of time. Felt are one of the better aspects of the grossly overrated (NB fanzine editors) Creation label. Hurrah. on the other hand, vary from mediocrity to occasional brilliance on songs such as ‘Gloria‘. Now signed to Arista for marketing, their new single ‘lf Love Could Kill' may stand a better chance of success.
0 Punch The Fixx, Miller Street.
10.30pm. Free. New local band of whom I have heard good reports. Further investigation is required. and tonight will be as good a chance as any.
Edinburgh
0 The Styng-Bites The Venue, Calton Road. 10pm. Shaking offtheir reputation as psychobillies, Greenock's Styng-Rites are showing themselves to be a slick sixies-influenced rock ‘n‘ roll band. 0 Political Asylum and The Thanes (to be confirmed). Rumours. Lothian Road. If this comes off. the gig will be videotaped for inclusion in a compilation of Edinburgh bands live. Political Asylum are the famed local anarcho-punkers and The Thanes, before they were The Thanes ofCawdo. were the garage-psychedelia merchants The Green Telescope. Presumably their material hasn‘t changed too much. 0 Banacanteen Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 9pm. Free. This lot haven’t gigged for a while, but I rememberthem as a fun. if unimaginative reggae- and
African-tinged combo.
0 Billy Jones Lord Damley. West Port. 9pm. Pop/folk.
0 Easy Pickin’s Clowns. High Street. 9pm. Free.
0 Jassy The Cavern. Cowgate. See Singles Reviews.
FRIDAY 30 - Glasgow
0 Felt Subterraneans. Greenock. 9pm. Continuing a series of big name indie bands in Greenock. Well worth supporting. as in normal circumstances no one goes to these gigs. but then feel free to complain that there is nothing to go to when the promoters have to give up.
0 Straight Men The Riverside. Gorbals. 9pm. Free. Residency continues.
Edinburgh
0 Hue and Cry Hoochie Coochie Club. West Tollcross. 10.30pm. Great things have been predicted for a while now from this leading Glasgow group. Their debut single ‘Here Comes Everybody‘ got extensive local radio play. Soul-influenced and intense. they’re based around two siblings, the Kane Brothers. and rumour has it they might be going under that name by the time this gig comes round.
0 The Cateran (to be confirmed). The Venue. Calton Road. 10pm. Loud. fast twin guitar attack. They‘ve been called nothing more than a throwback to Stiff Little Fingers. but the Little Circles mini-album showed they’ve got a strength and style all their own.
0 Pure Glass The Amphitheatre. Lothian Road. Funky five-piece. no doubt being groomed for chart success.
0 Jassy Clowns. High Street. 9pm. Free. See Singles Reviews.
0 The Block Brothers Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 9pm. Free.
Cover versions. from Little Feat and Springsteen to Bowie.
0 800 Berlin Nicky Tam‘s. Victoria Street. 9pm. Free.
0 Makossa The Cavern. Cowgate. Popular and entertaining reggae band.
SATURDAY 31 Glasgow
0 Garrison Ladyton. Bonhill. 9pm. Free. Looking at the name and venue. Garrison might just be a heavy metal band. Correct me ifI am wrong.
0 Mary Klani Baby Grand, Elmbank Gardens. 9pm. Free. Residency.
0 Goodbye Mr MacKenzie/Frlends of Heroes Queen Margaret Union. 9pm. £3. Goodbye Mr MacKenzie are certainly getting plenty of practice gigwise these days. and improving greatly for it. Friends of Heroes are an unknown package to me anyway.
0 The Bhundu Boys Strathclyde University Union (to be confirmed) 9pm. Zimbabwe‘s finest are alive and kicking, staying in snowbound Clydebank! After a fine Whistle Test appearance. this should be well worth seeing.
Edinburgh
0 Deal Heights Cajun Aces and The Styng-Bites Chambers Street Student Union. Students and guest only. An odd coupling this, Louisiana cajun sounds from the excellent Aces. and SOs/60s rock ‘n’ roll. Luckily, both bands know how to make you have a good time.
0 The BMX Bandits Moray House Student Union. Holyrood Road. Only group I can think ofwhose singer brings his teddy bear and dolls to gigs. See Singles Reviews.
0 Bluelinger Preservation Hall, Victoria Street. 9pm. Free. Rhythm 'n‘ Blues.
0 Ransom Clowns. High Street. 9pm. Free.
0 The Booze Brothers Nicky Tam‘s, Victoria Street. 3pm. Free.
0 Bald Cormorant Lord Darnley, West Port. 3pm. Free. See Sat 24.
O Bluetinger The Cavern, Cowgate. Blues-rock.
SUNDAY 1 - Glasgow
0 The Stamp Collectors The Cotton Club. Scott Street. 10.30pm. Originally from Pitlochry and now based in Glasgow, The Stamp Collectors have done one patchy but interesting demo so far. Lots of songs about ‘dreams‘ and ‘dreaming’ but worth a look anyway.
Edinburgh
0 Elvis Costello Sings Again Playhouse Theatre. Greenside Place. 8pm. £8.50. £7.50. Back again. with hardly enough time to pause for breath after his triumphant shows last month. This time Elvis is bringing his other band, The Confederates. for what rumour has it will be a country and western set.
- Tam White and The Dexters Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 9pm. Free. See Sun 25.
0 Billy Jones Lord Darnley. West Port. 9.30pm. Free. Pop/folk.
28 The List 23 Jan — 5 Feb