After the relentless exhilaration of Liverpool Music Week’s seventeen-day marathon, we’re all looking forward to an early night and a nice long lie-in before having to leave the house again. But before you twist the lid off the Horlicks jar, make sure you check out what’s coming up – another exciting stack of gigs is just around the corner, so there’s only time for a quick nap.
It’s been a busy year for Americana-centric promoters Harvest Sun, and there’s no sign of anything letting up just yet. They bring elegant Portland folkies Loch Lomond to the Static Gallery on the 22nd November, while Forest Fire’s stargazing melodicism hits The Shipping Forecast on the 28th. The HS calendar is rounded off on the 30th when Espers’ own Meg Baird showers Leaf with fragile loveliness. With big things already in the pipeline for 2012, it’s possibly something of an understatement to call these lads ‘hard-working’, but we’ll do it anyway: they’re hard-working. So there you go.
Samizdat shows have been a lesser-spotted beast in the last twelve months, although that’s more to do with their heavy involvement in other projects than anything else. We’re a lucky, lucky bunch, however, as they’ve lined up two excellent shows at the Kazimier for the start of December. First pulverising instru-mentalists Oxes lay waste to all that stand before them on the 7th, which is a treat for all concerned. But the real gem here is the chance to holler along to the temporarily-reformed Hot Snakes, whose heroic, rip-snorting punk is as good a reason to be alive as any. They come with Exeter’s own quiff merchants The Computers in tow, so mark the 10th in your diary at the earliest opportunity.
There’s yet more to come from the good folk at Evol too – Battles make experimental rock look easy at the Kazimier on the 18th November, although tickets are fast becoming scarce (and fair enough). Norway’s synth-drenched party-poppers Casiokids rock up to The Shipping Forecast on the 22nd, paving the way for a hotly-anticipated appearance by seminal post-punks Wire on the 25th. That’s WIRE. Yes, that one. Get excited, and try to resist the urge to shout for Elastica songs if you possibly can. You may be in need of some calming down after that (Clash certainly will), and Stephen Fretwell’s soothing tones should do the job if you’re that way inclined. He plays The Masque on the 4th December.
Feeling suitably excited about the next few weeks then? Good. It’s only right that the post-Music Week euphoria should continue. One of the biggest talking points of the festival was Outfit’s performance at the CUC, following six months of excitement bubbling over into the national press. Clash hasn’t managed to get bored of their Two Islands single just yet, but for those eager for more, they’re promising a new EP early in the new year. That’s certainly something to cheer, especially if it builds on the creepy, Talking Heads-esque mystique of their debut.
They’re not the only Liverpool band with records worth talking about either – Mugstar’s split 12” with Oneida has finally seen the light of day, which should drive their invigorating, spacey drone further into the hearts of true believers. Salem Rages have also transferred their horror-punk snarl to wax, and you can order the ‘Disturb Not The Sleep Of Death’ 7” direct from Casket Records. And if you’re in the mood for some post-hardcore thrills, you’d be well advised to pick up Vasco de Gama’s self-released EP, what with it being ace and that.
So then: plenty to see, plenty to look out for… in fact, fuck that Horlicks. We’re going to need coffee, and lots of it. No sleep til Christmas!
Will Fitzpatrick