MUSIC | Rock & Pop BOOK REVIEW
NON-FICTION DAVID STUBBS Future Days: Krautrock and the Building of Modern Germany (Faber & Faber) ●●●●●
‘The European canon is here’ declared David Bowie on 1976’s Station to Station, signalling his allegiance to the new German music, crassly but enduringly dubbed krautrock by the 1970s British music press. Four decades on, krautrock is enshrined in the pantheon. Future Days, by Melody
Maker and The Wire alumnus David Stubbs, is the thorough critical and cultural history the genre deserves. From the cyclical rhythms of Can and the sleek motorik of Neu!, to the Dada assemblages of Faust and the gleaming futurism of Kraftwerk, krautrock offers a world of possibilities. Stubbs captures the visionary appeal of those acts and cult favourites such as Ash Ra Tempel, Guru Guru and Conrad Schnitzler, framing their innovations within the context of a postwar Germany rebuilding its culture from scratch.
Rather than imitate Anglo- American pop and rock, the krautrock acts, he argues, embraced electronics, texture, and the sublimity of repetition, creating music that still astonishes. Blending new interviews and historical research with a sharp critical eye, Stubbs deftly steers the reader from the Bavarian commune of Amon Düül to the frontier zone of West Berlin, taking in encounters with Karlheinz Stockhausen, the Baader-Meinhof gang and Werner Herzog along the way. He’s particularly good on Can and the Neu!/Harmonia/Cluster axis, creating vivid impressions of their often abstract music, while shedding light on their ideas and methods. The chapter on Faust is both hilarious and inspirational, leaving the reader amazed at how such an anarchic and brilliant group got away with it, albeit momentarily. (Stewart Smith)
78 THE LIST 21 Aug–18 Sep 2014
Sunday 7
Glasgow ■ Pearl Jem O2 ABC, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. 7pm. £11.25. Tribute to Seattle grungers Pearl Jam.
Edinburgh ■ Edinburgh School of Music Showcase The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 3pm. £3. ESM Director Kira Easson brings in four of her top music students to showcase their vocal and instrumental talents. ■ Big Fat Panda Citrus Club, 40–42 Grindlay Street, 622 7086. 6.30pm. £5. Six-piece ska and reggae band from Edinburgh. Dalkeith FREE Midfest: Grown in Scotland Dalkeith Country Estate, 654 1666. 12–6pm. See Sat 6.
Glenrothes Troon ■ Live @ Troon Music Festival Troon, liveattroon.com Times vary. Prices vary. See Fri 5.
Monday 8
Glasgow ■ Art Garfunkel Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 8pm. £30–£35. An evening with the sweet-voiced Art Garfunkel, who will be running through hits from his Simon & Garfunkel days and his subsequent solo career, including the immortal ‘Bright Eyes’. Edinburgh ■ Oneness-Dream Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, 440 2159. 7.30pm. £9 (£7). The international all male a capella choir take part in a 1000 mile Scottish pilgrimage performing 22 concerts in just nine days. Part of Midfest Festival. ■ Royal Southern Brotherhood The Caves, Niddry Street South, 557 8989. 7.30pm. £19.68. Blues and rock’n’rock supergroup from New Orleans, Louisiana featuring Cyril Neville and Devon Allman.
Tuesday 9
Glasgow ■ Michael Chapman The Admiral, 72a Waterloo Street, 221 7705. 8pm. £10. Blues country rock from the John Peel- championed Michael Chapman. Edinburgh ■ Acoda Electric Circus, 36–39 Market Street, 226 4224. 7pm. £5. The Corby- based foursome performs metal with an alternative edge. ■ Fraser Anderson Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, 440 2159. 7.30pm. £10. Folk singer-songwriter hailing from Edinburgh.
Wednesday 10
Glasgow ■ The Magic Numbers The Garage, 490 Sauchiehall Street, 332 1120. 7pm. £15. Indie-pop and pop-rock by the four- piece from Hanwell, comprised of two pairs of brothers and sisters. ■ Roddy Woomble Òran Mór, 731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7pm. £16.50. Woomble has established a formidable back catalogue of contemporary folk solo work. Now he’s performing enchanting songs from his third solo album Listen to Keep. ■ Nexilva and Carcer City The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. £tbc. Progressive death metal six-piece from Sunderland. Edinburgh FREE Baby Strange, Vladimir and Pinact Electric Circus, 36–39 Market Street, 226 4224. 7pm. Glasgow-based trio specialising in energetic lo-fi garage
rock. Bainbridge presents. ■ Highway 491 Bannerman’s, 55 Niddry Street, 556 3254. 8pm. £5. Bluesy rock duo. ■ The Shaking Sensations, The Gothenburg Address, Penguinsmeat and We Came from the North Opium, 71 Cowgate, 225 8382. 8–10.30pm. £5. Atmospheric Danish instrumental post-rock collective.
Thursday 11
Glasgow ■ Coasts Broadcast, 427 Sauchiehall Street, 332 7304. 7pm. £9. Bristol indie five-piece with Foals and the Cure influences. ■ Tommy Fleming Òran Mór, 731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7pm. £16.87. Multi-platinum selling folk and easy-listening singer from Ireland. ■ Bronto Skylift, Felix Champion and Sharptooth Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. £5. Sabbath-heavy riffs. Edinburgh ■ The Maudlin Hounds Bannerman’s, 55 Niddry Street, 556 3254. 8pm. £5. Hard rock power trio from northern Norway. FREE Death Trap City, The Sparrowhawk Orchestra and We Ate Them Off the Floor Electric Circus, 36–39 Market Street, 226 4224. 7pm. Melodic alternative pop rock. One-off reunion at this Bainbridge music night.
Stirling ✽ Honeyblood Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, 01786 274000. 8pm. £7 in adv / £8 on door. Glasgow-based duo comprising Shona McVicar on drums and Stina Tweedale on guitar and vocals.
Friday 12
Glasgow ■ Clockwork Angels Òran Mór, 731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7pm. £9.50. Tribute to mighty Canadian prog power trio Rush. ■ Frank O’Hagan O2 ABC, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. 7pm. £11.25. A mix of original songs and covers of Dylan, The Band, Creedence, and other classic rock gods. ■ Death To The Strange, The Sinsheimers, De Mello and Blue Honey The Buff Club, 142 Bath Lane, 248 1777. 7.15pm. £6. Raucous alt rock quartet who toured with Babyshambles. ■ Beverley Craven St Andrews in the Square, 1 St Andrews Square, 559 5902. 7.30pm. £22.50. Acoustic pop from the singer-songwriter best known for the 1991 hit ‘Promise Me’. ■ Marie Collins, Sam Gonçalves, The Magnetic and Catholic Action Nice’n’Sleazy, 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900. 7.30pm. £5. Indie folk pop from Paisley. ■ Pregnancy Scares The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 8pm. £6. Raging hardcore punk from Ottawa on Deranged Records. ■ Medals and Then Thickens King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street, 221 5279. 8.30pm. £7. New project from JP Reid, frontman of Sucioperro and one half of Marmaduke Duke. ■ Baby Strange Broadcast, 427 Sauchiehall Street, 332 7304. 11pm. £5. See Wed 10. Edinburgh ■ Edinburgh Blues Club The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. 7–11pm. £13.50. Regular monthly live blues events with touring blues acts and the finest local blues artists. Membership for Edinburgh Blues Club is £10 per month; register online. Presenting Rosco Levee & The Southern Slide and Safehouse. FREE Electric Dreams Electric Circus, 36–39 Market Street, 07709595072. 7pm. Pop, rock and
alternative hits from the 1980s. ■ Kita Bannerman’s, 55 Niddry Street, 556 3254. 8pm. £5. Polished Brazilian electronic rock five-piece fronted by Sabrina Sanm. ■ Lou Hickey The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 11.30pm. £5 (£4). Bittersweet songs with a subtle jazz influence from burlesque singer Lou Hickey, better known as the co-vocalist in Codeine Velvet Club. Biggar ■ NonStuff Festival Wiston Lodge, Wiston, 01899 850228. 5pm. £40 day ticket; £85 full weekend, inc camping, workshops & music (£25 day ticket; £55 full weekend; children £20 day ticket; £35 full weekend; family £70 day ticket; £220 full weekend). A collaborative festival mixing music, crafts, workshops, art, recycling, theatre and more for all the family. Acts performing in 2014 include The Pendulums, Bluebell Cajun Dance Band, The Beggar Girls, Voice Beat Choir, Fail Better, Anna Beetle, Portnawak & The Woo, Kuchke and Paraig MacNeil.
Dunfermline ✽ Honeyblood PJ Molloys, 7 Canmore Street, 01383 729790. 9pm. £5.95.
See Thu 11.
Saturday 13
Glasgow ■ Guns 2 Roses O2 ABC, 330 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232. 6.30pm. £11. Guns’n’Roses tribute.
✽ Honeyblood CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. 7pm. £8. See Thu
11. ■ Lisa Stansfield O2 Academy Glasgow, 121 Eglinton Street, 0844 477 2000. 7pm. £27.50–£37.50. R&B, pop and soul from the British singer- songwriter whose career has spanned four decades. ■ The Sensational David Bowie Tribute Band Òran Mór, 731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7pm. £11.50. Long-serving Bowie tribute act who used to trade under the name Tigers on Vaseline. Now with new album to get their teeth into. ■ Elio Pace: Billy Joel Tribute Eastwood Park Theatre, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4956. 7.30pm. £19.50 (£17.50). Tribute to the piano man. ■ Illegal Eagles Theatre Royal, 282 Hope Street, 0844 871 7647. 7.30pm. £22–£24. Tribute band to the prolific Hotel California songsters. FREE Nolti Nan Gana Nan Nolta The 13th Note Café/Bar, 50–60 King Street, 553 1638. 7.30pm. Fast and furious blackthrash from Edinburgh whose name should never be attempted when drunk.
Edinburgh ■ Fleshtival Bannerman’s, 55 Niddry Street, 556 3254. Times tbc. £tbc. Bannerman’s hosts a line-up of artists in this metal festival. ■ Elkin and Evan Crichton Electric Circus, 36–39 Market Street, 226 4224. 7pm. £6. Strong songwriting is emphasised by indie rockers Elkin. ■ Viva Stereo and Gigantic Leaves Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, 229 1442. 7pm. £5. Glasgow indie rockers influenced folk, electro, indie, punk, hip hop, kraut rock and psychedelia.
Dunfermline ■ Chris Helme PJ Molloys, 7 Canmore Street, 01383 729790. 9pm. £5. Solo performance from the ex-Seahorses frontman. Glenrothes ■ Martha Reeves & the Vandellas Rothes Halls, Kingdom Centre, 01592 611101. 7.30pm. £25. Raspy-voiced Motown diva whips up a soul party with such classic hits as ‘Dancing in the Streets’ and ‘Heatwave’.