MUSIC LIST/ROCK
ROCK
FRIDAY 2 Glasgow
I Giant. Wet Paint. The Majority and lndignity(‘larcmont 11iin 'I‘heatre. Iiast Kilhride. Latest hand ‘Most Likelon' make a special appearance at the Iiast Kilhride Rockfest (see I.istenf). Prince (‘harles‘ attendance at the launch of'l'he Prince‘s Youth Business 'I‘rust. w liicli (iiant played. has left them with ‘royal endorsemcnt' tag. which shouldn‘t bother the fans they've picked up with their tireless gigging.
I The Heal Venue. 4911Sauchiehall Street. 3323872. Dundee hard rock hand. featured in lx'ernmg.’.
I About Time Blackfriars. Bell Street. ‘)pm. 1-‘ree.
Edinburgh
I Elton John and Nik Kershaw I’Iay Iiotise 'I‘heatre. (ireenside Place. 557 2501). 7.3llpm. S01 .1) ( )l "I'. Iiltoii's second night at the venue. and the return of .\’ik Kershaw . the serious musician w ho never recovered from the trauma of finding himsella teeny hop idol. Watch out Howard .lones may he lurking around in the wings.
I Sal Paradise Indinhurgh L'niy ersity Student I'nion. (‘hamhers Street. 225 4832. ‘).3llpm. Singer acoustic guitarist. playing self-penned songs in a v aricty of styles hut not a folkic. w c‘rc told.
I The Block Brothers Preservation I Iall. Victoria Street. 226 3816. £1 after‘).3llpm. I The Humpff Family Trading Post . IIte Shore. 553 "164. lllpm. I‘rce. Residency. Spool country. Sec Listen! 1.1’ rey icw.
I Doug Rich I’addy 's. Rose Street. ‘)pm. Free. Residency.
I Live band l.oi'd I)arnIcy . West Port . 22‘) 43-11. Illpm.
SATURDAY 3 Glasgow
I Origin Sins I Ialt Bar. 1611\Voodlands Road. 332 12111.1)pin. I’ree. Return of the (ilasgow hand whose launch last year didn't quite come up to their ow it expectations. Inspired hy the hippy iin rockersol the Hendrix and (‘ream era. a taste reflected in the limit sy mhols decking out the stage.
I Zut La Chut Blacklriars. Bell Street. ‘)pm. I’ree.
Edinburgh
I The Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra Ross 'I‘heatre. Princes Street (iardens. 1pm. Free. Bray e mixture of reggae rhythms played with classical instruments and
I
LIGHTING HIRE + OPERATION
From Gig to Business Conference
Also P.A Hire/Operation and General Production Services
EUREKA PRODUCTION SERVICES 11a Forth Street Edinburgh EH1 3LE 031 558 1610 (24hrs)
SWANS
In the seven years that Swans have 1 existed they have constantly deluded I and delighted their swelling mass of I admirers. A change in style and change I in line-up would invariably mirror a j shittin allegiance toa particular independent label. 5
In June of last year, however, their ‘ most disturbing transformation took I place with their interpretation of Joy 1 Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ I (‘Basically, a beautiful song . . . ’). Swans had ripened into a crown of elegance. Some called it beautiful, others a sell-out from their brutal noise ; afflictions of earlieryears. A mellowing of sound?
‘I wouldn’t say it was a mellowing as such,‘ muses creator and vocalist Michael Gira. ‘We have merely jettisoned, killed and eliminated what has gone before. It‘s a response to the need to live. You need to get rid of something before you can progress.‘
Faced with such a deliberate diversion in style, the music press has been flaunting the word ‘accessible’ in front of its readers. in all such instances a marked deviation can incite nothing short of a major fracas within the quota of the Swans' devotees.
‘There was a small faction of fans who had a limited perception. They would hang their heads and shout for us to play louder. There is, however. a larger group that have been responsive to the changes within the band overthe last few years. We are, hopefully, going to appeal to a larger number of people and, at the same time, getting rid of the ones that we hate.‘
An obvious ploy to weed out the dissidents from the disciples is Gira‘s
rendition of Blind Faith‘s ‘Can’t Find My
Way Home‘, penned in 1969 by one Steve Winwood, on their latest album ‘The Burning World’, their first for major label MCA. He maintains, however, that ‘it‘s not for the merits of the artist that 1 choose to cover a song. It’s not because it’s a Stevie Winwood song, rather it’s a good blueprint to build an atmosphere around.’
Audiences can anticipate a more placid performance from Swans when they parade their plumage at Edinburgh’s Calton Studios on Sun 11 .
‘0ur shows are now lull of pastoral ballads and uplifting crescendos. It’s an end to the bludgeoning of our previous perormances. I am actually expecting the audience to levitate.’
And the United Kingdom? Will it succumb to the forthcoming swansong?
‘Britain’s fine with me.’ Fine? With all Gira’s flourishing of feathers you would expect more than a monosyllabic answer.
‘Well, it‘s the Emerald Isle,‘ he claims rather reluctantly. ’What more can I say?‘ (Stuart Gosland)
Calton Studios, 11 June.
expertise. See Short List at the front.
I Baby's Got a Gun Venue. (ialton Road. 557 3073. Izncrgetic and enjoyahle rockers. with more than a hint of '77ahout them. and an excellent sncering peroxidcd lrontman.
I Meadows Festival 'I'Itc Meadows. 1pm. Free. 'I'his year’s frolic. the twentieth. has a iiiusic programme kicked off at 1pm hy 'I‘hc Beatitiltil Suit. followed hy the very promising-looking Slice; .-\t 3.3(lpm l.innie l’aterson returns to sing at the Meadows I-estiy al 211 years alter he sangat the first one; and at 5pm the ( ~ritter I fill Variiiints prov ide the finale.
I Johnny Sunbeam Preservation I fall. Victoiia Street. 226 3816. £1 alter").3llpm. (ialashiels~hascd loy crs of funk and R& B. Recently sell-financed live andstudio Li’s.
I Bluefinger I’Iatlorm ( )ne. Rtitland Street. Residency. Rock'n‘roII-influciiccd pop group with original material and impresst e (‘V til session work.
I Bulb Cormorant l.ord I)arnlcy . \Vcsl Port. 22‘) 434 I. Afternoon. I‘ree. Residency.
I Brilliant Idea Negociants. l.othian Street. 225 0313. ‘).45pm. I'irec.
IThe Humpff FaminIrading I’ostflI‘he Shore. 553 "164. lflpm. I'rcc. Residency. Spool country. See listen? I.I’rcy iew. '
I Live band l.ot'ti I)at'ltIe\ . \Vesl I’ot'l . 22‘) 434i. Illpm. '
Glasgow
I This Is It and Foreign Country
“The List 2 — 15 June 198‘)
Videodrome. 33 3‘) York Street. 221 (1441. 9pm. (‘ompetcnt pop from regular giggers Iltls Is It.
I Live band ( )‘1 Ienry‘s. Kelvinhridge. 33‘)
1275.
Edinburgh
I Sabbat Moshpit. Venue. ('alton Road. 557 31173. Rescheduled date for the heavy metal comho. with what sounds like more than a passing interest in the black arts.
I Fili and The Refugees and Occasional Rain Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 2263816. £1 alter ‘)pm. I-‘ifi comes with recommemlation from some quarters for her line voice. The support. the I’resadmit almost shamefully. are ‘poppier' than their usual fare.
I Lisa Life Negociants. l.othian Street. 2256313. ‘).45pm. I"ree.
I The Tex Fillet Five Trading Post. The Shore. 553 716-1. 8pm. liree. Country and western.
I Warren Peace St James Oyster Bar. (‘alton Road. 557 2925. 9pm. Free. 17p and coming pop hand from these parts.
I The Rootsie Tootsie Band 'I'ron Tavern. Hunter Square. 8pm. Free. Rockin' hlues.
[MIME— Edinburgh
I Big George and The Business Rhy'thm'n'Booze. Venue. ('alton Road. 557 31173. The hlues nights continue. As usual. there will he a support hand on the hill.
I Cato’s Cat Preservation Hall. Victoria
Street. 226 3816. 9pm. Free. Despite hearing one of the most pretentious press releases that‘s ever crossed this desk (‘ato's (‘at turn out to he surprisingly competent and occasionally quite pleasant.
I Johnny Sunbeam Negociants. l.othian Street. 225 6313. 9.45pm. Free. See Sat 3.
TUESDAY 6
Glasgow
I Bob Dylan Sti(‘(‘. Finniesion. 2483001). S()I.[) ()I'I. Sec feature.
I Slave Trade Napoleons. 128 Mcrrylee Road. 637 5238.1"rec. Alter gaining a new singer. (iary Bishop. in January . the hand are now touting a new demo tape round record companies
Edinburgh
I Alden Bald Preservation Hall. Victoria Street.226 3816. ‘).3llpm. lirec. IIeavy rock.
I The Tex Fillet Five Negociants. l.othian Street. 225 6313. ‘).-15pm. Iiree. (‘ountiy I Los Supremos St James ( )y ster Bar. 55’ 2925 9pm. Free. Wide range of covers from small hlues-hascd hand.
I Doug Rich (ilohe. \Vest I’ort. 2294553. ‘)pm. Free. Residency.
WEDNESDAY 7
Glasgow
I The Wild RiverApples l-‘ixx. so .‘yIiIlc r Street. 248 285‘). Definitely an essential hand to check out. as their stature on the local scene is growing all the time. Special praise for singer (iwen. w hose voice really does touch the parts others can't reach.
I Marino‘s Men IIaIt Bar. Ili(l\VootIIantls Road. 332 1211). ‘)pm. l-‘ree. Residency.
Edinburgh
I King of the Slums and Dub Sex Venue. (‘alton Road. 557 3073. (’an‘t provide much enlightened comment on King ofthe Slums. hut a lot of noise w as made ahout I)uh Sex at year or so ago ahout them heing in the vanguard of a w as e of noise sex terrorism. Or something like that.
I Soul Vibes Madisons. (ircenside l’lace. ‘).3flpm. £3.5fl(£2.5fl). In agigorganised hy War on Want and sponsored hy tidinhurgh1)istrict('ounci1.thelirst x‘sfro-Nicaraguan reggae group hring their thing to town. Singing in (‘reole linglish. Spanish. (iarifona and Swahili. they can't he accused of heing hIinkcred. hut their material is very much in an internationalist commercial reggae style. 'I‘Itough their first I.I’. ()m’ I)t’\!lll\'. shows them hreaking little new ground it does suggest that live shows are pretty ecstatic affairs.
I The Bachelor Pad and The Savlons Moray 2
House Student I'nion. IIon rood Road. 556 8455. 9.30pm. 1.3 (£2.50). their first Iidinhurgh gig in a while. It memory serves. very capable and en joy ahle indie janglc. though there's been plenty time to develop since last 1 saw them.
I Woodrow Wilson Negociaitts. l.othiait Street. 225 6313. ‘).45pm. 1"rce. Iixcellent locally-hased soul singer with guitar and sax accompaniment.
I Sal Paradise Boston Bean (‘o.. St James ('entre. 9- 11pm. free. See 1~‘ri 2.
I The Booze Brothers 'I'ron Tavern. 1 luntci Square. 8pm. Free.
THURSDAY 8 Glasgow
I King of the Slums and Kitchens of Distinction Barrow'land Ballroom. 244 (iallow gate. 552 46111. .‘ytancunian-sounding indie group. supported hy the group One Little Indian Records are hoping will follow The Sugarcuhes to the stellar heights. (iood single — "I'hc Third Time We ()pened the ('apsule' — and alhum out now.
I The Toasters and Unity Express Zool (‘1uh. Rooftops. ‘)2 Sauchiehall Street. 332