ARTFUL  ARTFUL Year 006   Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 Support Search runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?) musictouristboard Head Administrator Global user Registered: 06-2006 Posts: 1130 Reply | Quote Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 Is it a festival when anybody (band, artist, promoter) can add whatever they are doing between the 1st and 31st of October, to a list of events to celebrate? Artful is based on the Arts-not-Arms, Glam-not-Glum ethic of having fun, making friends, creating and collaborating. The first one (Year 005) started semi automatically. The second one is organically developing a definition for the vague. Mixing music, art and skint shenanigans, it's not surprising that most of the events are based around London's South East Bank (boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich), but it's about a vibe, not about location, so not confined. It takes place on land, but also on line, where there is no geography anyway. 006 is the second year of inclusive partying, and Artful has defined itself. More art, more launches and especially even more friends being made. Filming, photosessions and a wealth of ideas have given The Non Conventional Convention a niche of it's own. Media attention, hype, marketable taste making, corporate sponsored awards and more will help to define some of the festivals that credit card holders can afford to buy in time for entry.These are essentials of the current music business economy. So any favourite new bands getting on that ladder are not selling out. If it wasn't them it would be somebody else. We are blessed with so many fantastic live experiences from a pool of talent that also deserves the above that it can also be a curse when they are unable to continue their band long enough to get noticed. Oh but getting to experience those bands in small venues. To have the opportunity to get involved with them just by going up and offering your services. To give them feedback when they've left the stage. It's a real chapter of adventure for any music fan. Musicians, Zines, Photographers, Artists, Poets, Designers, Rappers, Film makers, Collectives, Promoters, Techs, Venue managers, Local Residents (tenants, squatters, students, whatever), Arts Initiatives, and Audience alike tell the Once Upon Another Tale again this year. Artful Self Defines _______________ 01) The Year 006 http://com2.runboard.com/bartful.f6.t8218 02) A Family Tree http://com2.runboard.com/bartful.f6.t8219 03) Another Time. Another Planet. http://com2.runboard.com/bartful.f6.t8220 04) How was Artful 006? http://com2.runboard.com/bartful.f6.t8221 Last edited by musictouristboard, 22/10/2006, 15:13 22/10/2006, 13:00 Send Email to musictouristboard   Send PM to musictouristboard musictouristboard Head Administrator Global user Registered: 06-2006 Posts: 1130 Reply | Quote Re: Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 Artful. Been There. Done That. Why Do It Again? Because excitement is still out there roaming the small venues in secret. Because Art and Music and Words and Ideas and Ideals create Revolutions when they collide. Revolution is a dirty world in a cynical modern age intent on promoting ego, clique, greed and division. Artful is from another time and place...Otherwordly other world. 1st-31st October = Planet Water (virtual parallel dimension via cyberspace) exists on Planet Earth. Wage Peace And Music By Any Fun And Lovely Means Necessary. Share The Joy... Once again, Artful Festival was treated to intimate shows with bands that deserve serious attention from music fans that demand ENTERTAINMENT and serious support from an industry that demands sufficient talent and originality for a career. It remains the non conventional convention of entertainment and exhibition. If anything, this year’s event found it’s niche. It would have been great if more people were at some of the events, but it didn’t stop the high quality of the performances. This year there were less national profile bands, but more art, more art galleries and installations, more off the wall ideas and such a glut of unforgettable tunes performed with showmanship that belongs on much bigger stages, that next year is already exciting just at the prospect of seeing them again. We warmed up the vibe in September when P.O.L.E. CLUB started at The Good Ship in Kilburn as well as Tune Tribe putting the first P.O.L.E. compilation, Once Upon Another Time to download . The Good Ship sails on Planet Water. A venue born a year earlier to take New Cross on at it’s own game. And succeeded. So many bands are singing it’s praises. Satoko and I had been there a week earlier to see Dexy (and, accidentally, The Human Value, who we LOVED). Unusual place, like a bar with a potential TV studio. On 19th September, we returned with a bill that included Pop Levi, Seeing Scarlet, The Boundary, Venus Kicks, Dirty Sounds DJs, photograhy by Satoko and Karen Toftera and meeting the legendary captain of The Good Ship, John! Things will never be the same on many counts, and it was one of the best gigs! ++++++ 29th September - a day out in New Cross, an evening out in Lewisham... Things kicked off with the creativity of Angry Candy and the generosity of Goldsmiths S.U. combined to make Artful packs at the Freshers Fayre. Student friendly rock’n’roll guides to most exciting entertainment in South East London courtesy of Liam, James, Hannah and friends. The only table not to leave anything behind by the end of the day. That evening Liam DJ’d at the Dirty South Bank Show launch for Artful. It was his first time and he was great and had the vibe to a tee... Doug’s White Noise event was happening at The Montague Arms in one direction from Goldsmiths, it’s got a stirling reputation. We were already engaged in the other direction to the Lee High Road of Lewisham.... Ally who goes to Dirty South had told Monty about The Vivians, they’d been looking for a London gig and came on board to join The Veez and Mad Staring Eyes on the bill. Chris Chinchilla was on compering duties - he does a mean spoken word set. The night was made thrilling by the bands, the cameraderie, the wild wild craziness of The Vivians and the rock goddesses in waiting punk sauce that is The Veez. Mad Staring Eyes (very accomplished pop tuned rock). noted that there were less beards at gigs in South London. Well, it IS Tart Rock central! The Veez have already started being tipped, deservedly, and have a debut single out at the start of next year. They sound as good as they look and walk it like they talk it. Real pop stars. It came as no surprise to hear that The Vivians had played a 3am gig in a public tunnel at home in Edinburgh, until the cops came and broke it up. They are a riot in waiting and actually enticed people having an innocent drink at the bar on to a half empty dance floor to have a far from innocent pogo frenzying fit. The tone and the standard were set! 1st October Two nights later we were packed into The Live Bar on Deptford Broadway where the pilot of Exposure was being filmed to be streamed. Fluid presented The IRS, DJ Snuff (Speakers Corner) and more of the best Soul-centred live music mix in an exciting and laid back atmosphere. The venue itself, a revamped bank, relaunched in Septemer with new decor and sound system, has become one of the main local venues since. Later this month it would also play host to the experimental Live On Broadway which mixed story telling, live performance, filming and photo sessions with old fashioned getting together to make friends. A big thanks to Zee and Little Chris from Digital Sneakers who captured a moment in time. 2nd October The first album launch of Artful was was The Path To The Silent Country, the debut by Nebraska. An amazing band that only the E&A&R of a label that loved timeless music and distinctive vocals could pick up on. This step of the path they took themselves. The launch was a joyous celebration (and a marathon to see just HOW many people you could pack out Kings Cross Water Rats Theatre with, and still breathe!). No music magazine front cover hype had made this happen. For a clue you will need to hear this album. The Path To The Silent Country is a selection of finely orchestrated sparkling tunes, wild(e) observations sung by one of the country’s more distinctive voices and flourishes of guitar-fan heaven. Expansive rock retaining a punky excitement is not an easy trick to pull off, but Nebraska, who played the album from start to finish, live on stage, pulled it off with ease and charm. As if that wasn’t more excitement than a pacer could take, they were joined on the bill by William, a band that can make you tremble with the dynamics of their super, sonic, art rock tonic’s hold on your brain and The Hedrons, wild punk women of Glasgow with a gob smacking take on rock performance. Scotland’s blessed with a nest of new thrills like art-punk stars, Korova and glam-rock exciters like The Acute and The Vivians. Korova have been picked up by Tough Love Records of Coventry, who also had the skill to spot William. With the DIY inspiration of Hometown Jam,responsible for the Nebraska album, tonight was a seminal moment in the history of Independent British Music of the first decade/class. 3rd October There was a gathering of Old School pre-scene NX at New Cross Inn with The Sly Ones, Public Enterprise, Strange Chocolate, Junior, and friends the first Tuesday. It was a bit like a surreal house party. I missed Ceri James, Harry Cheeseman and The Spotlight Kid at Moonbow Jakes in Brockley about a mile away, but heard that was also a good night. An event called Acoustic Mayhem set up by Ceri, one of the inspirations of the New Cross Scene, also responsible for the I Love New Cross and NX Replugged albums, he has been organising a climate control event on June 3rd in South East London so get in touch with him if you can. Since he started that late this Summer, it was good news to hear that money people suddenly realised that they could lose out if they don’t do something about the globe urgently. Now people are taking the environment seriously... Planet Water vibe increases on Planet Earth. Artful just wants to promote what you do. It’s great. Keep doing it! One of the main things about Artful is just promoting how many great things are going on, especially in London’s South East Bank. It’s simple enough, people just send over their info, and it gets re-mailed on. No catches or favours in return. Thursdays... Some a lot of people already know about. For instance, the best rock / pop / art / newer wave / electro and bonkers beats bands and their friends play and/or gather at The Fox & Firkin on Lewisham High Street on Thursdays. It’s brill and free to get in, too. Fridays Well, Friday 6th October in this case. On The Friday, the monthly buzz band and ace club of cultdom, The Wolfgang Bopp presented Pull Tiger Tail and Fear Of Flying in the packed like an obese-couple-in-a-phone-box environs of the Pirate’s cove that is Montague Arms. Absolutely fantastic and the night didn’t end there, five stops on a 177 bus is Deptford Broadway, home to the door of a cellar club that is Bubblegum. Fred Tectonic and The Brothers Grim were holding court on the dance floor for another club of cultdom, Pretty Beat. Surreal, friendly and fun, the place filled up with a mixture of locals, students and happy dancing fools while Fred treated to some yummy Darth Vader shaped gingerbread! Oh yes, you get lovely pressies at Pretty Beat...! +++++++ 4/11/2006, 18:20 Send Email to musictouristboard   Send PM to musictouristboard musictouristboard Head Administrator Global user Registered: 06-2006 Posts: 1130 Reply | Quote Re: Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 New multi media and events to play (on or off stage!), to go with all the new bands. Lots of new clubs, zines, websites and ideas came into being during what the heroic Chris T-T once observed should be called “Rocktober”. Panda-Power-Parties for one.... On 9th October the combined forces of Jeanie Stereoslapper’s Panda Power, Free-Magazine and the talents of Fatels, The Pepys, Blah Blah Blah, Rufus and Lewis, The Confetti Girls and an instant family of goody bag makers (i.e. volunteers around the New Cross Inn) and the LOVE was spread. Exactly what Panda Power Parties are about. Wear your panda badge with pride! Can we go back to those bands? The ferocious energy of Fatels, the life affirming quirky melody of The Pepys, the simple genius of Blah Blah Blah and a confident, smile inducing performance by Rufus Miller - an exciting new performer who launched himself that very night too. 11th October We were all out to launch this month! Have you heard about God Is In The TV? It’s an on line music and culture zine that has an Artful vibe all year long. Bloodflower Bill collates fans, photographers, writers, bands, interviews, film, articles, forums, spoken word, promoters and attitude then networks them. A case in point being Earwax Radio a cross-over of multi-media support for recommended new music. So here we all are in Camden’s Purple Turtle where it all came together in aid of raising money for Shelter. Something that Liam from Angry Candy (also part of the GIITTV crew) is also involved with already. Gawd bless 586, Rose Kemp, The Sailplanes, Penny Broadhurst, Adie from Tiger Trap and everybody that got together for the launch of God Is In The CD. If ever there was a soundtrack to the power of unsigned rock talent this year, then this is it. The fact that some of the bands no longer exist makes it one of the truest of all. (it’s released on November 13th and contains great music from Gifthorse, Korova, The Shake, Gemma Ray Ritual, Empty Vessels and more including, 586 aside, tonight’s bill. Penny Broadhurst is our prime minister in another life. The door to 10 Downing Street has been painted sparkly purple and she is doing rabbit ears behind the head of that smart-moron that’s threatening the future. Her spoken word sets always make me grin in empathetic delight at her sussed take on the surreality of reality. I like the way she baits the people having their loud conversations at the back of the room througout her set, but they are not witty enough to heckle back, let alone shut up. Their loss. I look forward to what she does next, and you should too. My eye was hurting through the Sailplanes and Rose Kemp, which is a shame because I think I enjoyed them, but I couldn’t stay for 586. They were going to be playing the Orienteering events by Maps Magazine so I’d see them then. Grrr, I thought it was a stye that had grown over the only eye I could see out of but it was something more painful and bigger and ouchy. As I write this the weekend after artful (November 4th) there’s still scabby bits. I’ve been without eyeliner for so long!!! (one good thing about going out with a lopsided face and no make up is that my friends don’t care. it could be that they couldn’t see the difference, but as one or more asked if I’d been in a fight, it’s more a case of their hearts couldnt’ see the difference - something I can remember when I next get down about something). You see there was a hell of a lot of hugging, kissing and friend making that went on during Artful. Collaborations were set up there and then. People helped each other. In fact the day of the God Is In the CD launch (buy it when it comes out, it raises money for Macmillan Cancer fund as well as raising spirits with the music), we got some Artful programme newspapers that Creative Lewisham Agency and Raw Nerve Designers had just got up and made off their own backs. A big thank you to Fusion, The Music Room and everybody who advertised in it. Wow, aren’t people just lovely... 13 October I think the mad mosh moment of the month goes to Dirty Sounds Club Friday 13th is lucky on Planet Water. Especially if you want to rock’n’roll and are able to get into the long sold out Dirty Sounds night at The Barfly. When we arrive there is a crush at the door and queues in both directions from the door. We spot Jane, Karen and Stuart and naughtily go in with them to the court of Lenny Love wild upstairs and down. There are a lot of people to see The Magnificent Shimmering Beasts, a House Of Rock supergroup with members of Gemma Ray Ritual, The Duvals/Unemployable Welsh Scum, Ten Benson and some big tunes and shapes. Was it really only September 1st when they played their first show at Brixton Windmill? They’re on a roll already... They are followed by the mayhem of The Bronx live on stage (and all over the dance floor), who is going more berserk? The audience or the band? Who can tell. Satoko disappears in a pile of bodies and a pint of beer. When she reappears we can’t stop laughing! Nothing like a mental mosh every now and then. We are still giggling on the night buses home a few hours later (including an odd ghost bus to Deptford, with no lights/sign at the front that people still board, then look around and ask if it really is a 453). It’s all part of the adventure. A few short hours sleep to awaken to a beaufifully sunny day, a walk through Deptford Market, up to The Live Bar. Wrote LOVE on a poster and... Saturday 14 October half way through Artful... Live On Broadway Lee Hodkinson wrote this FUTILITY (Witnessed, whilst watching the people outside): You know, If you were to stop turning around To stare down the last person that you bumped into Whilst still walking down the street Maybe you would stop bumping into people... when he performed it live he teamed up with Rufus and Lewis to do a spoken word set to music. he wasn’t the only person who teamed up that day... We all gathered at The Live Bar on Deptford Broadway; and lived a chapter of a tale...Dexy, Redvers Bailey, Rufus and Lewis and Lee Hodkinson performed on stage. Shot By Both Sides DJd, The Veez, The Total Drop, Empty Vessels and friends hung out. Ceri, Dre and Christy performed Deptford Broadway, outdoors on Deptford Broadway. Lenny Love braved whatever hangover he had from his Dirty Sounds club craziness the night before. The Blue Light District were going to do visuals but there was an emergency with the sound tech for the big party they were throwing that night, a mile down the road, for the launch of the Chet EP. Hey, they do so much for everybody, they were there in spirit. Digital Sneakers, who have loads of alternative life documentary of South East X. A big thanks to Chey, Phil and co. for sorting out the day hanging out. They even did a special buy one, get one free on beers. It was a wonderfully magic day, Jane Deane must be a fairy to work such wonders. After that afternoon, Jamie from Raw-Nerve was launching an event, Dancing In Outer Space, which sounded right up my street (literally, it was) but we just had to go home and sit down for a bit before going to Lewisham for the Chet EP launch. Catch them next time though, anybody who loves to dance to Magic Fly... Bloody hell. I felt like we’d only sat down for half an hour. The week was catching up on me. Suddenly jumped up and yelled “aaargh, Chet”. It was time to go out again. Jumped on a bus from Deptford and ten minutes later was alighting opposite The Fox. Chet were already on stage! Aww, they were on their last song and all. The place was heaving and it was a REAL house party, complete with goody bags, hugs and kisses galore and best of all rock stars on stage... the mighty Chet were followed by the mighty Make Good Your Escape, we made sure we had the best view possible. Who needs an over priced air hangar for a massive gig. In true BLD style, the night was a legend. After the bands we got the bus back and got into bed until Sunday evening.... Been out a lot this month, neeeded a rest. 4/11/2006, 18:21 Send Email to musictouristboard   Send PM to musictouristboard musictouristboard Head Administrator Global user Registered: 06-2006 Posts: 1130 Reply | Quote Re: Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 19 October After a few days we had recuperated and set off for two shows in one night. Angry Candy has got to be one of the most exciting of the events this month. We walked into a gallery of work by art students, through to a live music space where Forms Forms Forms, Special Benny and 4 Or 5 Magicians played. The DJs from Swing Riot Club and Snakes & Ladders Records, a bar, a surreal fairy lighted cloakroom outdoors and some great visual installations created a fairyland in the nitty gritty city that is Elephant and Castle. We missed the end for another show and a meeting (that didnt happen in the end, but would have been good for the future if it had). The show was GREEEEAT (James Dean Bradfield at Koko) the venue had been sold out for some time and we spent a lot of time standing on tip toe to see the band on stage. Meanwhile back in New Cross, Annie Nightingale was DJing at New Cross Inn and there was a big night at The Live Bar too. The New Cross Road can be a bit like the West End sometimes. Take the next night, Friday... 20 October. We started off in the Live Bar for the launch of Digital Fusion and of the Natalie Williams album. The walls must have been bending with so many people in there. A big celebration and the gorgeous voices of Natalie Williams and her singers. It was also being filmed, like many things this month. We had to get some oxygene before the next events. There was loads going on. Some of us went for a drink at 460 New Cross Road. The old Paradise Bar. We bumped into Jonny who plays in Gemma Ray Ritual / Magnificent Shimmering Beasts and does the sound at New Cross Inn, also doing the same, having a look inside The Royal Albert for old time’s sake. From there Amelia, Jane, Jordana and Joe were off to Goldsmiths to see Vincent Vincent and The Villains. Just outside Amersham Arms (where Catapult Club was on), Pickle and his mates drove by on their way to Montague Arms. We were going the other side of the road to The Venue Basement to see The Mules + Stained Glass Heroes (we’d missed earlier sets) at the excellent Shot By Both Sides Club. It really is a refreshing kind of cool club. Inclusive, tunes that make you want to laugh and dance simultaneously and free of tedious exclusivity. A club where you can go to have fun ! And we did. 21 October Got up late the next day to go out late the next night. A 177 bus ride past Montague Arms to Chris Chinchilla’s leaving do. There were two best punky parties in London tonight - and they’re both in Peckham. One at an occupied ex car warehouse born as alternative exhibition space - some of the exhibits are singing in a cage, Nitin Lachanni has an installation of screens around them - and one on a roof. Various friends, Subliminal Girls, Blah Blah Blah, Rufus and Lewis, Shot By Both Sides, William, Chet, Dexy and more are among the artists. Foxy is on the decks, love is in the air, booze is down the throats and the artful vibe is in the house. 22 October Gifthorse, Open Mouth (Seymour) and more are at The Live Bar. But can not get out of bed... (and now I have to go out and have fun at the fireworks, there’s much more to write about all the following but I’ll put this on line so that if a firework goes in one ear, burns my brain and out the other side, I’ll (1) at least have got to express somewhere how much I enjoyed the month (2) get a job in a Quango somewhere probably... later =============== The day off is good, and then it’s back to rocking Four Days Of Artful Sailing at The Good Ship 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th of October The first night was MD Music’s party with Seven Seals, The Drellas, Ivan Campo and Jane Deane then Paul Madden of Maps is a total genius, great bands and he managed to raise a load of money for Oxjam with the orienteering night Chris T-T played. We are not worthy! 26 October An Artful Fayre at Goldsmiths The Shakes, The Total Drop, Forms Forms Forms, Subliminal Girls 27 October The Dirty South Bank Show - Blah Blah Blah, The Black Tulips, Open Mouth, The Rules and Elephant Rescue Plan at Dirty South 29 October The Tender Box amaze, The Pepys Thrill, Cardboard Superstars emerge as contenders, The Project impress and Rosalita come to town...   A few beats in and the Rosalita EP has you hooked. Seven giant rock’n’roll tunes from an instant sensory hit. Manga Girl is Ziggy And The Spiders From East Spanglia pop excellence and Smash It Up is a 21st century electro-punk classic. The EP is a treasure, and Rosalita don’t let you down when they play live, either. They dazzled Dirty South. no, really, details later ==================== 4/11/2006, 18:22 Send Email to musictouristboard   Send PM to musictouristboard norlon Registered user Global user Registered: 07-2006 Posts: 20 Reply | Quote Re: Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 It's a good idea but with so many things on it's confusing. I think it should be in very few places. Perhaps Theatre. Dance. Art. Rock. Dance. A few selections. But on the whole, a fine selection between the promoters. Maps at The Good Ship was excellent. 7/11/2006, 11:08 Send Email to norlon   Send PM to norlon musictouristboard Head Administrator Global user Registered: 06-2006 Posts: 1130 Reply | Quote Re: Artful Self Defines - 01: The Year 006 That's very true. All help / advice / involvement welcome. This year there was a bigger gang creating it, and more art on board so it's finding it's niche. One piece of advice that was useful was to start organising it in March. So taking on board your advice, and that, is probably the way forward. 8/11/2006, 12:36 Send Email to musictouristboard   Send PM to musictouristboard Add a reply Powered by AkBBS 0.9.5b  -  Link to us   -  Blogs   -  Hall of Honour   -  Chat Click here to get your own free message board You are not logged in (login)      Board's time is: 13/5/2008, 13:21