dea Lesson No.1: June 2006

Wednesday, June 28

HONK IF YOU'RE LONELY



So here it is: the final Lesson No.1 gig before a summer break to allow bank balances (that's both you the punters and us the promoters) and sanity levels to be restored. But it's quite a way to, temporarily, go out.

Before this year, the legendary status of the Silver Jews had grown and grown over the best part of 15 years without David Berman - the main man behind the Jews name - ever touring. He played about one show every two or three years, if that. It's taken him this long to pluck up the courage to go on the road, with an entourage of pals (including ex-Pavement types), but responses to his performances so far have suggested it was worth the wait. Lesson No.1 went to see him in London a few months back on the debut UK micro-tour and it was cool beans. In short, he is a fucking genuine American poet and needs to be in your life. It'll be great to have him in Cardiff.
Listen to 'Black and Brown Blues' or check out the Jews' MySpack.

Marble Valley, the 'other' band of Steve West formerly of Pavement, is the sole support act. West also moonlights as the soundman for the Silver Jews, fact fans, and his band describe themselves thusly: "If you took a can of Kraftwerk, added a spoonful of Can, throw in a sprinkle of the Pogues, brought it all to a boil and tossed it on the Pavement you would have Marble Valley". Nice. More MySpace fun, including one whole track for your enjoyment, over here.

All this is happening, in conjunction with our friends in folk Forecast, on Friday July 14 at The Point in Cardiff Bay, which has just about the right regal surroundings to fit the occasion. Even better, tickets are £11.50, which is cheaper than either of the other two UK dates they're playing (London and Manchester).

The darkly intriguing poster continues to reside in online format (and also includes details of where to get your tickets, which can also be obtained soon by those (un)lucky enough to run into either of Lesson No.1) here.

And while you're website jumping like it was going outta fashion, check lots of splendid pictures of Lesson No.1 gigs, such as the one of Big Business's wall of amplification top right of this very page, and a stack more at Mei Lewis's rather splendid site here.

///UPDATE: POP QUIZ DATE CHANGE!/// Before we depart to work ourselves into a Jews-related frenzy, our fifth magical pop quiz and DJ night has been put back to August at Buffalo in Cardiff; Wednesday August 23 to be precise. Be there, or miss the chance to win real life alcohol and CDs, plus hear records cross-faded badly. YEAH! ///UPDATE: POP QUIZ DATE CHANGE!///

posted by The Lesson at 1:57 pm 0 comments

Thursday, June 8

HEAVY AND AWKWARD



There are only two balls-in-the-oven hot Lesson No.1 gigs coming up before we take an ill-earned break until late September-ish, but they might be two of the most awesome shows we've ever put on, for totally contrasting reasons.

First, a week on Tuesday (June 20), comes a supremely noisy bill that might just change your life.

Racebannon are an incredible, powerful and darkly funny band from Bloomington, Indiana, whose late-90s beginnings in the area of shouty hardcore mutated, in time, into something weirder and noisier perhaps comparable to The Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid, Butthole Surfers, with howled vocals and a more intense tempo. Or if you want it simple like a special school kid, screamo with early Sonic Youth on guitars. They've released on Level Plane, Secretly Canadian, Alone, Witching Hour and many more, with their new EP, produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge), coming soon as well. Listen to a brand new song on www.myspace.com/racebannonrocks.

Touring support Battleship deal in arty hardcore shenanigans and have been making a racket from their Oakland, CA base for a few years. Their 2004 vinyl-only release ‘Presents Princess’ has just been released on CD. Black Flag and The Birthday Party are invoked by many. http://www.myspace.com/battleship gives YOU the chance to have an opinion.

South Wales's very own artcore masters Night And The City Of Broken Promises complete the madness - those not in the know can catch an earful of 'Accumulation of Correspondence'.

Which leaves us only to mention the particulars: it's all happening upstairs at Buffalo, Windsor Place, Cardiff. It's a measly £4. And though we'll be open from 8pm, this is a late show to avoid clashing with England v Sweden in the World Cup. Which means fans/haters of the beautiful game/dumbest sport on Earth can respectively catch the football, perhaps even on Buffalo's big screen downstairs, or avoid all the soccer morons in town and hide in a bush or something when the match is on. We're thoughtful like that.

And last, but resolutely not least, before that aforementioned summer break is the Silver Jews at The Point in Cardiff Bay, on Friday July 14. Full rundown coming real soon, but until then check the rather great poster here.

posted by The Lesson at 12:44 am 0 comments