Elba Sessions

This weekend there is a wide range of exciting events that could put bounce into even the most tired step. It is in this light that the below list is presented to you. If you make it all the way through this list without feeling the slightest pique in your interest then we at Elba have failed in our quest to inform and delight. We do, however, have a small trick up our sleeve in the form of a link at the end that should have you breaking out in a full smile. Enjoy!

11.03.2010 Upcoming folk songstre-teers Julia and The Doogans are supported by Be A Familiar at The Mill. Just text Mill74k to 82500 to get in for nothing.

11.03.2010 Also tonight the Vintage Sounds fashion/music event arrives at the QMU. The Catwalk is run from vintage providers Tatty Bon and We Love to Boogie whilst live music features Pooch and Tango in the Attic. Proceeds are going to Oxfam.

12.03.2010 Weird Tapes/Memory Cassette helmer Davey Hawk presents his hybrid Memory Tapes outfit at Stereo on Friday. Last year’s hazy debut Seek Magic showed the full length potential of this act following the hype of some high profile remixes.

13.03.2010 For those of you who devote your time to finding that band on the cusp of greatness look no further than the regional finals of Live & Unsigned 2010 at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Please allow us to go fully biased and off piste for a brief moment and give our support to SeMPer Fi (WE KNOW THEM! WE KNOW THEM!)

14.03.2010 Sunday night at Stereo fantastic folky Alasdair Roberts will be supported by psychedelic Fins Kiila. Go. Just go.

Finally, and as promised, Pitchfork posted a little video by Elba favourites She and Him on Tuesday.
Let your eyes dazzle at In The Sun. Get all doe eyed for the doe eyed, here

It seems like the local music scene is beginning to hot up again after christmas and ‘The Big Freeze’ with plenty of good releases and gigs coming up. I felt like there was a real lack of decent gigs through January, however, couple this with post christmas debt and a busy day-job, it might just be me.

A band that have only recently caught my attention, thanks to Jim at Aye Tunes is Spaghetti Anywhere. They are based in London and play uncomplicated indie pop. A little bit in the vain of Belle and Sebastian or Camera Obscura although I am always very wary of comparing bands. Anyways, they are definitely worth checking out and their E.P. is released on Feb 22nd on Toy Soldier Records.

If you can’t wait until Feb 22nd for your fill of new music, I suggest you point your browsers in the direction of Glasgow based label/collective Wise Blood Industries from tomorrow where you will be able to download the new single ‘The Hours’ from The Kays Lavelle. I’ve given it a couple of listens now and the orchestration is fantastic and I just love the haunting vocals. Their album, recorded by Neil Pennycook of Meursault, is due out in the spring and no doubt when that comes around it will be very hotly anticipated.

There’s quite a few gigs this week to look out for in Glasgow this week. The aforementioned Meursault play next Sunday (21st) at Nice and Sleazys with Xiu Xiu and North Atlantic Oscillation. Working backwards, we may have mentioned at some point that King James, Maple Leaves, Craig Davidson and Cuddly Shark will be playing at The Liquid Ship on Friday night (19th), more details here. On Thursday a big Happy Birthday goes out to the Glasgow PodcART dudes. They will be having a bit of a shindig to celebrate with sets from St Deluxe, Little Yellow Ukeleles and Campfires in Winter. That all goes down at the 13th Note. Lastly (but also firstly this week), on Wednesday night at Brel the fantastic Julia and The Doogans, Panda Su and Sophie’s Pigeons will play some pretty acoustic songs.

Anyways, that’s about all my thoughts for now, we’re going to get this blog a bit more populated with features and reviews over the next few weeks so keep checking back and don’t be a stranger!

My turn, let’s keep it snappy…

Album of The Year – Loads to choose from! Titus Andronicus – The Airing of Grievances probably tops the list though. Honourable mentions to Brakes, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Le Reno Amps, Cuddly Shark and The Cinematics, oh, and The Phantom Band! (I could go on…)

Hopes for 2010/Things You’re Looking Forward To – Putting on more gigs, writing more for the blog (and getting better at it), seeing and hearing loads of new music, working with Armellodie records and seeing it evolve, Pavement at the Barrowlands (!!!!!!!) and putting some faces to email addresses!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US HERE AT ELBA!

SEE YOU IN 2010!

There was a period where everytime I looked at gig listings, Andrea Marini seemed to have a gig! We were lucky enough to have Andrea to Elba Sessions Presents at The Liquid Ship in November. A cracking evening where previous Elba Annual contributors Julia and the Doogans also played. At the time I said that Andrea’s music was effortless and having now had a chance to really listen to his back catalogue, it’s still as soothing as before.

A short and sweet entry today, here’s Andrea’s answers. We’d like to think favourite gig that he played was at The Liquid Ship but far be it from us to put words in his mouth!!!

Album of The Year – Sometimes I Wish I Were An Eagle, Bill Callahan

Hopes for 2010/Things You’re Looking Forward To -Looking forward to finishing my record and hearing the new Vampire Weekend record

All of Andrea’s previous material can be downloaded for absolutely nowt on his bandcamp page.

Today sees the fifth installment of our Elba Sessions Annual and our guest today is Julia of Julia and the Doogans. I first came across Julia earlier this year and still play her EP several times a week on the old i-pod. We had Julia and her band along to November’s Elba Sessions Presents…at The Liquid Ship and it was definitely one of my highlights of the year. Here are Julia’s…

Album of The Year – Sea Sew – Lisa Hannigan.

Hopes for 2010/Things You’re Looking Forward To – Continue to meet really nice people as we go on as a band. Writing and recording new stuff. Releasing some stuff. Being creative and taking each step as it comes. Not rushing and just enjoying what we do and hopefully others will continue to do so too. And getting out and doing more gigs and giving away free fridge magnets!

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a fridge magnet but if you fancy a wee Christmas gift from the band, sign up to their mailing list here. You also get a nice letter from Julia every so often!

I know, I know, the review of the gig really should have been up more promptly. I mean after last month I’m sure it’s what you’ve all come to expect after Kim’s fantastic play by play of Elba Sessions Presents…(One) appearing on site well within her alloted deadline. Unfortunately due to bad timekeeping on the part of a gaggle of physiotherapists, unwellness and the inability to make time travel happen, you’re stuck with my thoughts this month.

Bonfire Night saw the second in our monthly series Elba Sessions Presents gigs at The Liquid Ship and I really felt on Thursday that over winter there is not many better places to be than in a candlelit basement bar listening to heart warming music with a pint of Weihenstephan in hand (note; my favourite beer). Of course this could apply to any gig, but on Thursday it was the turn of Julia and The Doogans, John Hinshelwood & Sandra Gellatly and Andrea Marini to stir the senses.

Julia and her scaled down Doogans (sans drummer) opened the evening and captivated everyone in the room with their blend of acoustic folk. Julia’s voice is fantastic and is a rare thing in that it sounds even more perfect live than it does recorded. I’m a sucker for a banjo so one of the set standouts for me was the brilliant ‘Collide’. Although notable mentions go to New York and Hummingbird. If you haven’t already caught Julia and the Doogans live, I urge you to do so soon. Trust me, it will make your life better!

Next up was the rootsy folk of John Hinshelwood who was accompanied by the voice of Sandra Gellatly and Tim Black on guitar. John, an established face on the Scottish roots and country scene blasted through a set of original material and covers. Personally, I was delighted at his Gene Clark cover as ‘White Light’, is one of my favourite albums and the combination of his and Sandra’s voice got my toe a tappin’.

Our final artist of the evening was October’s Elba Sessions Podcast guest, Andrea Marini. There is something about Andrea’s music that he makes look effortless and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen an artist look more comfortable and at ease when performing than he does. Accompanied by a full band for the evening Andrea treated us to a heartfelt set of his songs. The outstanding ‘Windmills’ was a real standout and is one of the tracks on his ‘IV Songs’ cd which was left ‘just in the middle, over there’ for us to help ourselves to, which we gladly did. It was a great way to end the evening and sent us off out into the guy fawkes night mist happy and contented.

Next month will see a slight change to the usual format of Elba Sessions Presents but that’s a different story for another day! Needless to say, we’re all pretty excited about the Christmas bonanza that we have planned for you all!

Photos by Steph Mulligan

We had a great night at Elba Sessions Presents…(One) and are equally excited for what should be a cracking second night next Thursday (5/11).

On the bill we have Julia and The Doogans, John Hinshelwood & Sandra Gellatly and Andrea Marini. Andrea has just done a podcast for Elba Sessions which you can hear on the myspace.

I hope you will all join us for what should be a great evening (well, not everyone, I mean, not that you’re not welcome but The Liquid Ship really isn’t the biggest place on earth!). Myself and Chris popped along to see Julia at the Captains Rest last month and were blown away so we are really looking forward seeing her and her cohorts at The Liquid Ship and hopefully we can bag ourselves a fridge magnet!

If you do pop along, come and say hello! No excuses, it’s free to get in!

Evenin’ ladies and gents,

There’s been a whole load of stuff happening here at Elba Towers as well as happening everywhere else so I just thought I’d post a wee update…

We’ve been in the studio recording next months podcast with Martin John Henry (ex-De Rosa) and it’s gonna be a goodie. The double bill of October podcasts featuring Andrea Marini and Salon Society are still up on the myspace page for those who haven’t listened yet (note to self; do something about making them downloadable!).

Elba Studios‘ Stephen has been fairly busy in the studio recently whilst also masquerading as a keyboard virtuoso. He’s been practicing with the afore mentioned Salon Society for their album launch this coming FRIDAY (30/10) at Arta. We’ve been told rehearsals are coming on well and it should be a great show!

The second Elba Sessions Presents…evening on November 5th is all sorted and ready to go. We’re feeling super organised this time and still buzzing slightly after the last one! We’ve got a great line-up on the night featuring Julia and The Doogans, John Hinshelwood & Sandra Gellatly and Andrea Marini. It would be great to see some of you down at The Liquid Ship, after all it is a recession busting £0 to get in!

Myself and Chris Elba are off to see Chris T-T at Sleazies this week, really looking forward to it, some good local supports playing as well. Other notable gigs in the next 7 days are Camera Obscura + Emma Pollock at Barrowlands (29/10), Los Campesinos + Copy Haho + Sparky Deathcap at King Tuts and Glasgow PodcART’s big gig at The Classic Grand featuring Esperi, Debutant, Panda Su and Yahweh, who we caught at Sloans last night and were mightily impressed with!

Also, for everyone who likes a good freebie and hasn’t done so already, go here to download some tracks which The Scottish Enlightenment are just giving away!!!

Our Christmas album debate has now had a couple of responses, all bigging up LOW and in Al’s case, posting us a youtube video which is still chilling us to our very core…all very HO HO HO! Join in here…

Night! x

P.S. We have just set up a facebook, if you have one too, just search facebook for Elba Sessions, be a fan!

P.P.S Muller Little Stars Jelly Pots are dynamite!